MON
Push Chest · Shoulders · Triceps
~55 min| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat barbell bench press | 4 × 6–8 | 2 min | Main strength move |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 × 10–12 | 90 sec | Upper chest focus |
| Cable lateral raise | 4 × 15–20 | 60 sec | Key for shoulder width |
| Seated DB overhead press | 3 × 10–12 | 90 sec | |
| Cable pushdown (rope) | 3 × 12–15 | 60 sec | Tricep isolation |
| Overhead tricep extension | 2 × 15 | 60 sec | Long head focus |
TUE
Pull Back · Biceps · Rear Delts
~55 min| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weighted pull-up / lat pulldown | 4 × 6–8 | 2 min | Main width builder |
| Barbell row (Pendlay) | 3 × 8–10 | 2 min | Back thickness |
| Cable seated row | 3 × 12 | 90 sec | Mid back |
| Face pull (rope) | 3 × 20 | 60 sec | Shoulder health |
| Incline dumbbell curl | 3 × 12 | 60 sec | Stretch emphasis |
| Hammer curl | 2 × 15 | 60 sec | Brachialis + forearm |
Curls start at 25 lbs × 12. Target 35 lbs × 12 by week 8 — back strength pulls these up automatically.
WED
Legs Quads · Hamstrings · Glutes · Calves
~60 min| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell back squat | 4 × 6–8 | 2–3 min | Heaviest compound |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 × 10–12 | 2 min | Hamstring + glute |
| Leg press | 3 × 15 | 90 sec | Extra quad volume |
| Walking lunges | 3 × 10/side | 90 sec | Unilateral balance |
| Leg curl (machine) | 3 × 15 | 60 sec | Hamstring isolation |
| Standing calf raise | 4 × 20 | 45 sec | Slow tempo, full range |
THU
Active Recovery
20–30 min| Activity | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Light walk | 15–20 min | Easy pace, zone 1 |
| Foam rolling | 5–10 min | Quads, lats, thoracic spine |
| Mobility / stretching | 5–10 min | Hip flexors, shoulders, hamstrings |
No intense cardio. Sleep is a training day. This session exists to improve next day's output, not burn calories.
FRI
Push Volume Day — slightly lighter
~50 min| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell bench press | 4 × 10–12 | 90 sec | ~80% of Mon weight |
| Cable fly (low to high) | 3 × 15 | 60 sec | Upper chest pump |
| Lateral raise (machine) | 4 × 20 | 45 sec | Delt burnout |
| Arnold press | 3 × 12 | 90 sec | |
| Dip (weighted or BW) | 3 × 10–12 | 90 sec | Chest + tricep finisher |
SAT
Pull Volume Day
~50 min| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-arm dumbbell row | 4 × 12 | 90 sec | Heavy, controlled |
| Straight-arm pulldown | 3 × 15 | 60 sec | Lat isolation |
| Reverse fly (cable/machine) | 3 × 20 | 60 sec | Rear delt |
| Preacher curl (EZ bar) | 3 × 12 | 60 sec | |
| Cable curl (supinated) | 3 × 15 | 60 sec | Full range at top |
SUN
Cardio + Core
~40 minPart 1 — LISS cardio (pick one, 20 min)
| Option | Duration | Settings | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incline treadmill walk | 20 min | 10–12% grade, 3.0–3.5 mph | Zone 2 target |
| Stationary bike | 20 min | Moderate resistance | 111–133 bpm (zone 2) |
Part 2 — Ab circuit (3 rounds, ~18 min)
Complete all 4 exercises per round. Rest 30 sec between exercises, 90 sec between rounds.
| Exercise | Sets × Reps/Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plank | 3 × 45 sec | Squeeze glutes. Progress to 60 sec by week 6 |
| Cable crunch | 3 × 15–20 | Kneel, rope behind head, ~30–50 lbs. +5 lbs every 2 weeks |
| Hanging leg raise | 3 × 10–15 | Full hang, legs to 90°, slow — no swinging |
| Pallof press | 3 × 12/side | Cable at chest height, press out, hold 1 sec. Anti-rotation core |
Zone 2 = can hold a full conversation but breathing harder than normal. Can sing = too easy. Only 2–3 words between breaths = too hard.
Daily macro targets
Protein200g — 800 kcal
Carbs250g — 1,000 kcal
Fat61g — 549 kcal
Total daily~2,350 kcal
~500 kcal deficit from estimated TDEE of ~2,850. Adjust up 150 kcal if strength drops sharply after week 3.
Meal timing
| Time | Meal | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| 7am | Eggs + Greek yogurt + oats | 45g |
| 10am | Protein shake + banana | 30g |
| 1pm | Chicken or salmon + rice + veggies | 50g |
| 4pm | Cottage cheese + fruit (pre-workout) | 30g |
| Post-workout | Protein shake + fast carbs | 30g |
| 8pm | Lean beef or turkey + veggies + potato | 40g |
Top protein sources
| Food | Per 100g | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | 31g | Cheapest per gram |
| Greek yogurt (0%) | 17g | Great for breakfast |
| Cottage cheese | 12g | Slow casein at night |
| Eggs + whites | 13g | Best fats too |
| Lean beef (95%) | 26g | Creatine + iron |
| Salmon | 25g | Omega-3, reduces inflammation |
Supplements worth taking
| Supplement | Dose | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Creatine monohydrate | 5g/day | Tier 1 |
| Whey protein | As needed | Tier 1 |
| Caffeine pre-workout | 150–200mg | Tier 1 |
| Vitamin D3 + K2 | 2,000–5,000 IU | Likely deficient |
| Magnesium glycinate | 300mg (night) | Sleep + recovery |
Skip fat burners, BCAAs, and expensive pre-workouts. Creatine + protein + sleep beats everything else.
Training rules
- Leave 1–2 reps in the tank on most sets. Go to true failure only on the final set of isolation exercises.
- Rest 2–3 min between compound sets, 60–90 sec between isolation sets. Don't rush rest — it costs strength.
- Tempo: 2 sec eccentric, 1 sec pause, 1 sec concentric. Slow negatives build more muscle per rep.
- Track every workout. If you can't beat last week's reps or weight, check sleep, food, or stress first.
- No more than 5 min of phone time inside the gym. Focus = faster workouts + better gains.
Fat loss rules
- Weigh every morning after using the bathroom. Log it. Take the weekly average — don't react to daily swings.
- Target 1–1.5 lbs/week loss. Faster = losing muscle. Slower than 0.5 lbs = not in a real deficit.
- Add 7,000–8,000 steps/day via walking. Easiest non-catabolic calorie burn available.
- Alcohol stops fat oxidation for 12–24 hours. Even 2 drinks is a meaningful setback.
Recovery rules
- 7–8 hours of sleep is mandatory. More gains happen sleeping than lifting. Non-negotiable.
- No training if genuinely sick (fever, body aches). A rest day costs nothing. Pushing through costs a week.
- Hydrate: bodyweight × 0.6 oz minimum per day. Add 16 oz per hour of training.
01
Weeks 1–4
Foundation + fat adaptation
Learn the movements, nail the diet. Start calories at 2,350. Aim for 1 lb/week loss. Strength may dip slightly as you adapt — normal and temporary.
02
Weeks 5–8
Strength + momentum
Add 2.5–5 lbs to major lifts each week. Curls should reach 30–35 lbs. Scale stalls 2+ weeks → drop 100 kcal. Strength tanks → add 150 kcal on training days only.
03
Weeks 9–12
Push through the plateau
Plateau almost guaranteed around week 8–10. Drop carbs 30g on rest days only. Step count to 10,000+/day. Consider one 25-min fasted walk in the morning.
→
After wk 12
Recomp cycling
Transition to maintenance or a slight surplus (200–300 kcal above TDEE) for 8–12 weeks to build muscle. Recomp cycling — cut → maintain → cut — is the fastest long-term path to lean body composition.