Intermediate Body Part Split
Four days. Four muscle groups. Twelve weeks of compound movements that have worked for decades. This is old school training done properly.
Arnold Schwarzenegger trained twice a day, six days a week, with enormous volume. Mike Mentzer argued that one all-out set to failure was superior. Dorian Yates won six Mr Olympia titles on the Heavy Duty method and proved it worked at the highest level. I sit somewhere between the two. This programme uses enough volume for real results, with the principle that every set must count. No junk volume. No going through the motions.
This programme is for everyone — men and women, any age, any background. Women in particular benefit enormously from resistance training. Muscle mass preserves bone density, supports joint health, improves metabolism and reduces the physical effects of ageing. There is nothing about this programme that is gender specific. The weights will differ. The results will not.
What you need: A full commercial gym. Barbells, dumbbells, a squat rack, bench press station, lat pulldown machine, leg curl machine, leg extension machine and cable machine.
The philosophy: Compound movements first, every session. Big muscle groups, multi-joint exercises that work the body as it was designed to move. The isolation work comes after the compounds are done — not before. Nobody ever built a great physique on cable crossovers and leg extensions alone.
If your work schedule does not allow four consecutive days — the split still works. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday is equally valid. The only rule is never train the same muscle group two days in a row. Legs on Monday and legs on Tuesday is too soon. Legs on Monday and chest on Tuesday is fine — they are completely different muscle groups. Build the programme around your life, not the other way around.
At my age you need to warm up properly. Get the blood pumping, the joints moving and the muscles firing before you touch a working weight. 10 to 15 minutes is enough. Never skip it.
- 10–15 minutes light cardio — treadmill, bike or cross trainer. Easy pace. The goal is to raise core temperature, not exhaust yourself before the session starts.
- Dynamic stretching — leg swings, hip circles, arm rotations. Mobilise the joints you are about to load. Static stretching comes after the session, not before.
- Warm-up sets on every exercise — start every exercise with at least one warm-up set at a significantly lighter weight. On big compound movements like squats and deadlifts, do two or three warm-up sets before your working weight.
- Stretch between sets — stretch the muscle you are working between each set. It keeps the muscle supple and reduces the risk of injury. Most people sit on their phone between sets. Use that time better.
Legs are a big muscle group and this session will take a great deal out of you. That is why it sits on Monday when you are freshest. The entire session is devoted to legs — no upper body work, no distractions. Give it everything and then give yourself the rest of the week to recover.
The king of exercises and the foundation of this session. Bar across the upper back, feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly. Sit back and down — chest up, knees tracking over the toes. Drive through the heels to stand. The author works at 80kg for working sets. Your weight is irrelevant — find the weight that challenges you for 10 good reps and progress from there. Two warm-up sets before your working weight.
Rest 2 minutes between sets. The squat earns its rest time.
A direct quadriceps isolation exercise. Sit in the machine, pad against the lower shin. Extend fully, pause at the top, lower slowly. Working to failure on this exercise is appropriate — the quads have already been through heavy compound work on the squat and finishing them off with failure sets here produces excellent results. Also excellent for knee rehabilitation and strengthening the muscles around the joint.
Rest 60 seconds between sets.
A brilliant exercise that almost nobody does anymore — which is a shame because it is one of the best movements for the lower back and hamstrings. Bar across the upper back, slight bend in the knees, hinge at the hips and lower the torso until it is roughly parallel to the floor. Drive the hips forward to return to standing. Keep the back flat throughout — this is not an exercise to rush or to load heavily until the movement is mastered. Start light, feel the stretch in the hamstrings and the engagement in the lower back.
Rest 90 seconds between sets.
Most people train quads and ignore hamstrings. This is a serious mistake — the hamstrings are one of the most important muscle groups in the body and one of the most commonly injured when neglected. Lie face down on the machine, curl the legs up towards the glutes, pause at the top, lower slowly. Start with a weight you can control for all 10 reps. After a few sessions you can increase the weight and add sets. The hamstrings respond well to progressive overload.
Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Pick up a dumbbell in each hand — the author uses 20kg. Walk 100 metres in a continuous lunge pattern — alternate legs with each step, keeping the torso upright and the front knee tracking over the toes. If 100 metres is not possible in your gym, set a timer for 60 seconds instead and cover as much ground as you can. Your legs should be burning by the end of each set. That is the point.
Rest 2 minutes between sets.
Seated or standing — both are effective. Rise up onto the toes as high as possible, pause at the top, lower slowly and get a full stretch at the bottom. Calves respond to higher rep ranges and full range of motion. Do not bounce through the movement. Slow, controlled, full range every rep.
Rest 45 seconds between sets.
Forget the flat bench press for a moment and start with upper chest. The upper chest is underdeveloped in most people who train — they go straight to flat bench and neglect the incline work. Upper chest first, then move to flat, then finish the triceps. By the time you reach push-ups at the end your arms should be completely spent.
Set the bench to 30–45 degrees. Dumbbells provide a better range of motion than the barbell on the incline — the arms can come down further and the chest gets a full stretch at the bottom. The author uses 20kg dumbbells. Control the descent, pause at the bottom, press up and in. Do not rush. Five sets here is deliberate — the upper chest needs the volume.
Rest 90 seconds between sets.
Lie flat on the bench. Dumbbells in each hand, slight bend in the elbows maintained throughout. Lower the arms out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a deep stretch across the chest. Bring them back up and together at the top. This is a pure chest isolation movement — no triceps involvement. Keep the weight manageable so the chest does all the work. The author uses 15kg.
Rest 90 seconds between sets.
Now the flat press — after the incline and flyes the chest is thoroughly warmed up and the flat press will hit it hard. Dumbbells again for the range of motion benefit. The author uses 20kg. A barbell bench press can be substituted or added here for a one rep max attempt later in the 12 weeks — but dumbbells are the staple throughout.
Rest 90 seconds between sets.
Bodyweight to failure — or add weight with a dip belt if bodyweight becomes too easy. Lower until the upper arms are parallel to the floor, press back up to full extension. An excellent compound movement for the triceps and lower chest. If you cannot complete a full dip, use an assisted dip machine and gradually reduce the assistance over the 12 weeks.
Rest 90 seconds between sets.
Lie flat on the bench with an EZ bar or straight bar. Lower the bar towards the forehead by bending only at the elbows — the upper arms remain vertical throughout. Press back up to full extension. Keep the weight honest — this is not an exercise where ego helps. A light weight with strict form is far more effective than a heavy weight with swinging elbows.
Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Cable machine or dumbbell overhead tricep extension. Full extension at the top, full stretch at the bottom. Start with a warm-up set at low weight and high reps to fully warm the tricep before working to failure. The author uses 20kg.
Rest 60 seconds between sets.
One set, to absolute failure. By this point in the session your chest and triceps should be thoroughly exhausted. The push-ups at the end will show you exactly where you are. Full range of motion — chest to the floor, full extension at the top. Keep going until you physically cannot do another rep. This is a genuine indicator of upper body pushing endurance and it will improve week on week if the rest of the session is being done properly.
The back is a large muscle group and the biceps are small. Train them together because every back exercise involves the biceps — by the time you reach the direct bicep work they are already warm and partially fatigued. A word of caution: bicep tears are serious injuries. Warm up properly, do not go straight to heavy curls, and never sacrifice form for weight.
Hinge at the hips until the torso is roughly 45 degrees. Pull the bar into the lower chest, elbows driving back past the body. Lower under control. Keep the back flat throughout — the lower back should not round under any circumstances. The author uses 30kg. Higher rep range here — 15 reps builds the back thickness that lower rep work alone cannot achieve.
Rest 90 seconds between sets.
Close grip attachment, pull down to the upper chest, squeeze the lats at the bottom. Lean back slightly — not excessively. Control the return to full arm extension. The close grip brings the elbows in close to the body and hits the lower lats hard. The author uses 50kg for working sets. This is a heavier, lower rep set — contrast with the higher rep rows above to hit the back from different angles.
Rest 90 seconds between sets.
This is not a set and rep scheme — this is a total rep target. Get to 50 chin-ups however many sets it takes, however long it takes. Start with as many as you can do in one set. Rest. Go again. Keep going until you reach 50. If 50 is too many to begin with, start at 25 and build up over the 12 weeks. Chin-ups are the king of bicep and upper back exercises. Underhand grip, full range of motion, chin clears the bar on every rep.
Rest as needed between sets.
The king of bicep exercises. Stand upright, underhand grip, elbows pinned to the sides. Curl the bar up to the shoulders — elbows stay fixed. Lower slowly. Do not swing the body, do not let the elbows drift forward. Strict form only. The author uses 20kg. Nothing worse than a torn bicep and it happens when the weight is too heavy and the form breaks down.
Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Set the bench to 45–60 degrees. Lie back and let the arms hang at full extension. Curl both dumbbells simultaneously — the incline position puts the bicep under a greater stretch at the bottom of the movement than a standing curl. This is what makes it effective. The author uses 14kg. Control the negative — do not let the arms drop.
Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Finish the biceps with either a seated EZ bar curl — elbows on the inner thighs, strict movement — or a concentration curl, one arm at a time, elbow braced against the inner knee. Both hit the peak of the bicep hard. By this point in the session the biceps are thoroughly worked. Use a weight that allows strict form for all 12 reps.
Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Shoulders get their own day rather than being tagged onto chest day for a reason. As you age, shoulder size and posture become increasingly important — both aesthetically and functionally. The rear deltoid in particular is chronically undertrained in most people, which leads to the forward shoulder rounding that causes pain and restricts movement. This session corrects that.
The compound foundation of the shoulder session. Barbell or dumbbell — both work. Seated provides more stability and allows heavier weight. Standing requires more core engagement and is arguably more functional. Press directly overhead to full extension, lower to ear height. Do not lower the bar behind the neck — this puts unnecessary stress on the shoulder joint. Two warm-up sets before your working weight.
Rest 90 seconds between sets.
The most neglected exercise in most people's shoulder routine — and the most important for long-term shoulder health. Hinge forward at the hips, dumbbells hanging in front. Raise the arms out to the sides until they are level with the shoulders, leading with the elbows. Lower slowly. This directly targets the posterior deltoid and the muscles of the upper back that support posture. People who have pain in the rear upper back or shoulders are almost always neglecting this exercise. The author trains this seriously — it is not an afterthought.
Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Stand upright, dumbbells in front. Raise one arm at a time — or both simultaneously — to shoulder height, pause, lower under control. Targets the anterior deltoid. Keep the movement strict — no swinging, no momentum. The anterior deltoid already gets significant work from all the pressing exercises so this does not need to be heavy.
Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Stand upright, dumbbells at the sides. Raise both arms out to the sides simultaneously to shoulder height — no higher. Pause at the top, lower slowly. This targets the medial deltoid and is what creates the width and roundness of the shoulder. Keep the wrists neutral — do not tilt the dumbbells. A common error is raising too high and involving the traps. Shoulder height is the target.
Rest 60 seconds between sets.
The goal across 12 weeks is simple — do a little more than last week, every week. Add weight where possible. Add a rep where weight cannot increase. The body adapts to the stimulus you give it. Keep the stimulus slightly ahead of the adaptation and you will keep progressing.
- Weeks 1–4 — Learn the weights and the rhythm of the split. Do not go to failure on the compound movements yet. Build the habit and the pattern.
- Weeks 5–8 — Increase weight progressively on squats, rows, press and lat pulldown. Small increases — 2.5kg where possible. Every rep of every set should feel like it is working.
- Weeks 9–12 — Push harder. Compound movements at the heaviest weight you can manage with strict form. Some sets can go to failure on isolation work. By the end of week 12 your numbers should be significantly better than week 1.
- After 12 weeks — Test your one rep maximums on squats, bench press and deadlift. These become your new baseline. Then either repeat the programme at heavier weights, progress to an advanced programme, or adjust the split based on what you have learned about your body over the 12 weeks.
- Sleep — 7 to 9 hours every night. Muscle is built during sleep, not during training. No amount of gym work compensates for poor sleep.
- Nutrition — protein at every meal. See the Nutrition page for full guidance.
- Stretching — 15 minutes after every session without exception. See the Stretching and Mobility page.
- Supplements — protein powder, creatine and a good multivitamin support recovery. They are supplements — they supplement a good diet, they do not replace it.
- Do not train through pain — soreness is normal and expected. Sharp pain is not. Stop immediately if something hurts. Rest it. Seek advice if it persists.
