How It Works
Four sessions across the week — Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday — with Wednesday and the weekend as rest or active recovery days. The first session of each pair is strength-focused: heavier weights, lower reps, longer rest. The second is hypertrophy-focused: moderate weights, higher reps, shorter rest. Both approaches are needed. Strength without volume limits muscle development. Volume without strength limits how much weight you can use. Running both within the same week produces better results than either alone.
Every major muscle group is trained twice per week. The research on this is consistent and clear — twice-weekly frequency produces superior muscle growth compared to once per week when volume is equal. The upper/lower structure delivers that frequency efficiently without the sessions becoming unmanageably long.
Upper body sessions run approximately 65 to 75 minutes due to the number of muscle groups involved. Lower body sessions run slightly shorter. Do not rush either. The rest periods are not suggestions.
Progressive overload — the mechanism of progress. When the top of a rep range feels comfortable across all three sets, add 2.5kg at the next session. Not a different exercise. Not a different programme. 2.5kg. Applied consistently over months, this is what changes a body. The exercise selection in this programme is stable — what changes is the weight on the bar.
Who this is for
Intermediate lifters with at least six months of consistent training who can squat, deadlift, bench press and overhead press with sound technique. Those ready to commit to four structured sessions per week. Men and women equally — women are more than capable of every exercise in this programme and will see exactly the same results from following it properly.
Monday
Upper Body A — Strength Focus
Heavy compound lifts to build the strength foundation. The first four exercises are the session — the final three are accessory work to address the smaller muscle groups. Rest 90 seconds between accessory sets. Rest 2 minutes or longer after heavy compound sets — the strength work earns it.
Compound Strength Work
Barbell Bench Press
Controlled descent, full range — the primary upper body strength exercise for this session
3 sets · 5–8 reps · 2 min
Bent-Over Barbell Row
Hinge at the hips, flat back, pull to the lower chest — pairs directly with the bench press as the opposing movement
3 sets · 5–8 reps · 2 min
Overhead Press
Barbell, standing or seated — press directly overhead, lower under control to the shoulders
3 sets · 6–8 reps · 2 min
Weighted Pull-Ups
Add a light dumbbell between the feet or use a dip belt — if bodyweight pull-ups are not yet established, use lat pulldowns at the same rep range
3 sets · 6–8 reps · 2 min
Accessory Work
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Raise to shoulder height, slight bend in the elbow, controlled descent — isolates the medial deltoid
3 sets · 10–12 reps · 90 sec
Barbell Bicep Curl
Elbows fixed at the sides, full range — no body swing
3 sets · 10–12 reps · 90 sec
Tricep Rope Pushdown
Full extension at the bottom, elbows fixed at the sides — the rope allows the hands to separate at the bottom for a stronger contraction
3 sets · 10–12 reps · 90 sec
Tuesday
Lower Body A — Strength Focus
Squats lead. Romanian deadlifts and leg press follow. Calves and core finish the session. Rest 2 minutes after squats — do not shorten it. The squat is the most demanding exercise in this programme and the rest period is not optional.
Barbell Squat
Full depth, drive through the heels, chest up — the foundation of the lower body strength session
3 sets · 5–8 reps · 2 min
Romanian Deadlift
Bar stays close to the body, hinge at the hips, slight knee bend maintained throughout — primary hamstring and glute exercise. Slightly higher reps than squats to allow more time under tension through the posterior chain
3 sets · 8–10 reps · 90 sec
Leg Press
Feet shoulder-width on the platform, lower until the knees reach roughly 90 degrees, drive through the heels — accessory quad work after the primary compound movements
3 sets · 10–12 reps · 90 sec
Standing Calf Raise
Full range — lower the heel completely below the platform, raise fully onto the ball of the foot. Calves respond well to high reps and full range of motion
3 sets · 12–15 reps · 60 sec
Plank
Forearms on the floor, body in a straight line — do not let the hips drop or rise. Core stability without spinal compression
3 sets · 45 sec · 60 sec
Thursday
Upper Body B — Hypertrophy Focus
Different angles, slightly higher reps, shorter rest periods than Monday. The incline press addresses the upper chest that flat bench does not reach. The rear delt work is essential — neglect it and the shoulders develop unevenly. Rest 90 seconds throughout this session.
Pressing and Pulling
Incline Dumbbell Press
30 to 45 degree incline — upper chest and anterior deltoid, a different stimulus from Monday's flat barbell bench
3 sets · 8–10 reps · 90 sec
Lat Pulldown or Pull-Ups
Higher reps than Monday's weighted pull-ups — focus on the full range and the stretch at the top of each rep
3 sets · 10–12 reps · 90 sec
Seated Cable Row
Pull to the lower chest, brief hold at the peak contraction — a different rowing angle from Monday's bent-over barbell row
3 sets · 10–12 reps · 90 sec
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Seated — dumbbells require more stabilisation than a barbell and address any left-right strength imbalance
3 sets · 8–10 reps · 90 sec
Accessory Work
Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise
Hinge forward at the hips, arms hanging below you, raise the dumbbells out to the sides with a slight bend in the elbows until level with the shoulders — targets the posterior deltoid directly. A proper old-school exercise that has almost completely disappeared from modern gyms. Done correctly it builds the rear shoulder development that prevents the rounded, hunched posture that pressing-heavy programmes produce
3 sets · 12–15 reps · 90 sec
Dumbbell Hammer Curl
Neutral grip — thumbs up throughout. Works the brachialis and brachioradialis alongside the biceps, producing more complete arm development than standard curls alone
3 sets · 10–12 reps · 90 sec
EZ-Bar Skull Crusher
Lower the bar slowly to the forehead, extend fully — the EZ bar reduces wrist stress compared to a straight barbell. A full range of motion produces a genuine stretch through the long head of the triceps
3 sets · 10–12 reps · 90 sec
Friday
Lower Body B — Hypertrophy Focus
The deadlift leads at low reps — deliberately heavier and lower rep than the rest of this session. Bulgarian split squats follow. Both are demanding. Be honest about the weights you use and do not attempt Bulgarian split squats without reading the coaching note below.
Bulgarian Split Squats — read before attempting. One of the most demanding lower body exercises in existence. Set up with one foot elevated on a bench behind you, the other foot forward. Lower the back knee toward the floor, drive back up through the front heel. The balance demand is significant on the first attempt. Start with bodyweight only and establish the movement pattern before adding load. Many experienced lifters use a fraction of the weight they expect on the first session. This is correct. Do not let ego determine the starting weight on this exercise.
Conventional Deadlift
Five reps only — deliberately heavier than the rest of this session. The deadlift is kept at low reps even on the hypertrophy day because of its systemic demand. Technique does not change as weight increases. Rest 2 minutes after each set
3 sets · 5 reps · 2 min
Bulgarian Split Squat
Rear foot elevated on a bench — front foot forward. Lower the back knee toward the floor, drive through the front heel. 10 to 12 reps each leg. Rest between legs counts as rest between sets
3 sets · 10–12 each · 90 sec
Lying Leg Curl
Full range, controlled return — direct hamstring isolation after the deadlifts and split squats have already worked them under load
3 sets · 12–15 reps · 90 sec
Leg Extension
Full extension at the top, controlled return — direct quadriceps isolation
3 sets · 12–15 reps · 90 sec
Seated Calf Raise
Seated targets the soleus — the deeper calf muscle beneath the gastrocnemius that standing raises do not reach as effectively
3 sets · 15 reps · 60 sec
Hanging Leg Raise
Hang from a pull-up bar, raise the legs to parallel or higher — controlled, no swinging. Direct lower abdominal work at the end of the session
3 sets · 10–12 reps · 60 sec
Cardio — When and How
Cardio is not built into the four sessions. Wednesday and the weekend are the natural opportunities. If time is short, HIIT is the most efficient option — a short, high-intensity burst that produces a significant cardiovascular stimulus without the recovery cost of a long steady-state session.
HIIT on a Machine
Bike, Treadmill or Stepper
Go hard for 20 seconds — genuinely hard, not a comfortable pace. Rest for 10 seconds. Repeat. This is more demanding than it sounds
5 rounds · 20 sec on / 10 sec rest
HIIT — No Machines Available
Burpees
Full burpee — chest to floor, jump at the top
4 sets · 20 sec on / 10 sec rest
Bodyweight Squats
Fast, full range — maintain form throughout
4 sets · 20 sec on / 10 sec rest
Press-Ups
Chest to the floor each rep
4 sets · 20 sec on / 10 sec rest
Crunches
Controlled contraction at the top, full return
4 sets · 20 sec on / 10 sec rest
