Who this is for
- Adults with previous gym experience who have been off for six months or more
- Can get to the gym three times a week, 40–45 minutes each
- Prefer a push/pull/legs split
Not for
- People recovering from injury, after surgery, or with clear pain or medical restrictions (consult a doctor or rehabilitation professional first)
- Advanced trainees with specific goals such as contest preparation, specialised strength work or a fat-loss push (outside the scope of this first release)
- Minors and people who are pregnant or postpartum (train under professional supervision)
Weekly schedule
Per training day: exercises, sets, reps or seconds, rest and starting load. Load basis comes from the exercise definition and is never mixed.
Day 1 · Push
5-min warm-up: 3 min bike/brisk walk, mobility, then an empty-bar warm-up set for barbell lifts (counted as the prescribed warm-up set).
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / seconds | Rest | Starting load · basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Flat Bench Press | 4 incl. 2 warm-up | 6–8 reps | 150 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8–10 reps | 90 s | — Per dumbbell |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 12–15 reps | 60 s | — Per dumbbell |
| Cable Straight-bar Pushdown | 3 | 10–12 reps | 60 s | — Cable stack |
Cool-down: 2 min easy walk and 20–30 s gentle stretches for the muscles trained.
At least 24 hours between training days (reviewed template rule)
Weekly schedule
Per training day: exercises, sets, reps or seconds, rest and starting load. Load basis comes from the exercise definition and is never mixed.
Week 1
Day 1: Day 1 · Push
5-min warm-up: 3 min bike/brisk walk, mobility, then an empty-bar warm-up set for barbell lifts (counted as the prescribed warm-up set).
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / seconds | Rest | Starting load · basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Flat Bench Press | 4 incl. 2 warm-up | 6-8 reps | 150 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-10 reps | 90 s | — Per dumbbell |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 12-15 reps | 60 s | — Per dumbbell |
| Cable Straight-bar Pushdown | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Cable stack |
Cool-down: 2 min easy walk and 20–30 s gentle stretches for the muscles trained.
At least 24 hours between training days (reviewed template rule)
Day 2: Day 2 · Pull
5-min warm-up: 3 min bike/brisk walk, mobility, then an empty-bar warm-up set for barbell lifts (counted as the prescribed warm-up set).
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / seconds | Rest | Starting load · basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bent-over Row | 4 incl. 1 warm-up | 6-8 reps | 120 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 8-12 reps | 90 s | — Cable stack |
| One-arm Dumbbell Row Reps per side | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Per dumbbell |
| Barbell Curl | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Plank Hold | 2 | 30 s | 45 s | — Timed |
Cool-down: 2 min easy walk and 20–30 s gentle stretches for the muscles trained.
At least 24 hours between training days (reviewed template rule)
Day 3: Day 3 · Legs
5-min warm-up: 3 min bike/brisk walk, mobility, then an empty-bar warm-up set for barbell lifts (counted as the prescribed warm-up set).
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / seconds | Rest | Starting load · basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Back Squat | 4 incl. 2 warm-up | 6-8 reps | 150 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 incl. 1 warm-up | 8-10 reps | 120 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Lying Leg Curl | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Machine stack |
| Glute Bridge | 3 | 15-20 reps | 45 s | — Bodyweight |
Cool-down: 2 min easy walk and 20–30 s gentle stretches for the muscles trained.
At least 24 hours between training days (reviewed template rule)
Week 2
Day 1: Day 1 · Push
5-min warm-up: 3 min bike/brisk walk, mobility, then an empty-bar warm-up set for barbell lifts (counted as the prescribed warm-up set).
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / seconds | Rest | Starting load · basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Flat Bench Press | 4 incl. 2 warm-up | 6-8 reps | 150 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-10 reps | 90 s | — Per dumbbell |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 12-15 reps | 60 s | — Per dumbbell |
| Cable Straight-bar Pushdown | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Cable stack |
Cool-down: 2 min easy walk and 20–30 s gentle stretches for the muscles trained.
At least 24 hours between training days (reviewed template rule)
Day 2: Day 2 · Pull
5-min warm-up: 3 min bike/brisk walk, mobility, then an empty-bar warm-up set for barbell lifts (counted as the prescribed warm-up set).
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / seconds | Rest | Starting load · basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bent-over Row | 4 incl. 1 warm-up | 6-8 reps | 120 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 8-12 reps | 90 s | — Cable stack |
| One-arm Dumbbell Row Reps per side | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Per dumbbell |
| Barbell Curl | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Plank Hold | 2 | 30 s | 45 s | — Timed |
Cool-down: 2 min easy walk and 20–30 s gentle stretches for the muscles trained.
At least 24 hours between training days (reviewed template rule)
Day 3: Day 3 · Legs
5-min warm-up: 3 min bike/brisk walk, mobility, then an empty-bar warm-up set for barbell lifts (counted as the prescribed warm-up set).
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / seconds | Rest | Starting load · basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Back Squat | 4 incl. 2 warm-up | 6-8 reps | 150 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 incl. 1 warm-up | 8-10 reps | 120 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Lying Leg Curl | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Machine stack |
| Glute Bridge | 3 | 15-20 reps | 45 s | — Bodyweight |
Cool-down: 2 min easy walk and 20–30 s gentle stretches for the muscles trained.
At least 24 hours between training days (reviewed template rule)
Week 3
Day 1: Day 1 · Push
5-min warm-up: 3 min bike/brisk walk, mobility, then an empty-bar warm-up set for barbell lifts (counted as the prescribed warm-up set).
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / seconds | Rest | Starting load · basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Flat Bench Press | 4 incl. 2 warm-up | 6-8 reps | 150 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-10 reps | 90 s | — Per dumbbell |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 12-15 reps | 60 s | — Per dumbbell |
| Cable Straight-bar Pushdown | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Cable stack |
Cool-down: 2 min easy walk and 20–30 s gentle stretches for the muscles trained.
At least 24 hours between training days (reviewed template rule)
Day 2: Day 2 · Pull
5-min warm-up: 3 min bike/brisk walk, mobility, then an empty-bar warm-up set for barbell lifts (counted as the prescribed warm-up set).
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / seconds | Rest | Starting load · basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bent-over Row | 4 incl. 1 warm-up | 6-8 reps | 120 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 8-12 reps | 90 s | — Cable stack |
| One-arm Dumbbell Row Reps per side | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Per dumbbell |
| Barbell Curl | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Plank Hold | 2 | 30 s | 45 s | — Timed |
Cool-down: 2 min easy walk and 20–30 s gentle stretches for the muscles trained.
At least 24 hours between training days (reviewed template rule)
Day 3: Day 3 · Legs
5-min warm-up: 3 min bike/brisk walk, mobility, then an empty-bar warm-up set for barbell lifts (counted as the prescribed warm-up set).
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / seconds | Rest | Starting load · basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Back Squat | 4 incl. 2 warm-up | 6-8 reps | 150 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 incl. 1 warm-up | 8-10 reps | 120 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Lying Leg Curl | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Machine stack |
| Glute Bridge | 3 | 15-20 reps | 45 s | — Bodyweight |
Cool-down: 2 min easy walk and 20–30 s gentle stretches for the muscles trained.
At least 24 hours between training days (reviewed template rule)
Week 4
Day 1: Day 1 · Push
5-min warm-up: 3 min bike/brisk walk, mobility, then an empty-bar warm-up set for barbell lifts (counted as the prescribed warm-up set).
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / seconds | Rest | Starting load · basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Flat Bench Press | 4 incl. 2 warm-up | 6-8 reps | 150 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-10 reps | 90 s | — Per dumbbell |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 12-15 reps | 60 s | — Per dumbbell |
| Cable Straight-bar Pushdown | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Cable stack |
Cool-down: 2 min easy walk and 20–30 s gentle stretches for the muscles trained.
At least 24 hours between training days (reviewed template rule)
Day 2: Day 2 · Pull
5-min warm-up: 3 min bike/brisk walk, mobility, then an empty-bar warm-up set for barbell lifts (counted as the prescribed warm-up set).
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / seconds | Rest | Starting load · basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bent-over Row | 4 incl. 1 warm-up | 6-8 reps | 120 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 8-12 reps | 90 s | — Cable stack |
| One-arm Dumbbell Row Reps per side | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Per dumbbell |
| Barbell Curl | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Plank Hold | 2 | 30 s | 45 s | — Timed |
Cool-down: 2 min easy walk and 20–30 s gentle stretches for the muscles trained.
At least 24 hours between training days (reviewed template rule)
Day 3: Day 3 · Legs
5-min warm-up: 3 min bike/brisk walk, mobility, then an empty-bar warm-up set for barbell lifts (counted as the prescribed warm-up set).
| Exercise | Sets | Reps / seconds | Rest | Starting load · basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Back Squat | 4 incl. 2 warm-up | 6-8 reps | 150 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 incl. 1 warm-up | 8-10 reps | 120 s | 20 kg Barbell total (bar + plates) |
| Lying Leg Curl | 3 | 10-12 reps | 60 s | — Machine stack |
| Glute Bridge | 3 | 15-20 reps | 45 s | — Bodyweight |
Cool-down: 2 min easy walk and 20–30 s gentle stretches for the muscles trained.
At least 24 hours between training days (reviewed template rule)
Progression
Returning trainees progress in small steps of sets and load: in week 1 do 1 set fewer than prescribed and use barbell weights clearly below your pre-layoff level; in week 2 return to the prescribed sets; in weeks 3–4, add the smallest plates each week on exercises where you complete the upper end of the range with good form. Do not set weights from your pre-layoff records, and do not chase failure.
Progression notes are for reading; the system never adds load, sets or changes prescriptions automatically.
FAQ
Keep the day's barbell/main lifts with 1 fewer set each and drop the final single-joint exercise; do not merge two days into one.
Use a substitute exercise reviewed for this program (such as the dumbbell bench press for the barbell bench press, or the dumbbell goblet squat for the barbell back squat), choose the substitute when logging and note the reason; you can also do the day's next exercise first and come back.
Continue from the day you missed; do not make up two sessions in one day, just shift the week's schedule. On a 3-day schedule, leave at least 24 hours between sessions and avoid three days in a row.
General muscle soreness in the 1–2 days after starting a new program or increasing load is common and usually eases within a few days. If you have joint pain, sharp pain, swelling, or soreness that keeps getting worse, stop training and consult a professional; the content on this site does not replace medical advice.
Guides for this program
Common questions while following this program; each guide links back here.
- Warm-up
- How to warm up before training · ~2 min
- Logging each set
- How to log a set · ~2 min
- Equipment & load basis
- Equipment and load basis: log a 10 kg dumbbell as 10 or 20? · ~2 min
- Rest & missed sessions
- Rest days and missed sessions: how the plan continues · ~2 min
- Sore or injured: how to tell, and what to do · ~3 min
- Reading your progress
- Reading your progress · ~2 min
- Stuck? A checklist for training plateaus · ~3 min
- After the cycle
- What to do when a cycle ends · ~2 min
Program Q&A
Questions about this program are answered by editors or reviewers; answers are tied to the program version at the time of asking. Featured Q&A is public and never shows who asked.
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