ATHLETIC / 3 DAYS PER WEEK / ABOUT 45 MINUTES
25+ · Strength & aerobic engine
Two whole-body strength days plus one conversational indoor ride.
Strength and endurance can coexist. This plan uses mostly easy cycling, placing the two resistance anchors apart rather than stacking every demanding quality into a single session.
Your weekly sessions
SESSION 1 / Squat, push, pull and hinge
Strength A
Squat, push, pull and hinge
- Goblet squat — 2 × 8–12 · 90–120 sec rest
Quadriceps with glute support. Sit between the hips and stand through the whole foot.
- Dumbbell bench press — 2 × 8–12 · 90–120 sec rest
Pectorals, anterior shoulders and triceps. Set shoulder blades and press weights over the chest.
- Chest-supported row — 2 × 8–12 · 90–120 sec rest
Lats, rhomboids, mid-back and biceps. Keep chest against the pad and row without swinging.
- Dumbbell Romanian deadlift — 2 × 8–12 · 90–120 sec rest
Hamstrings and posterior chain. Keep weights close and shift hips back with a long spine.
SESSION 2 / Conversational aerobic work
Aerobic ride
Conversational aerobic work
- Steady aerobic cycling — 35 min total: 5 min easy warm-up, 25 min conversational, 5 min easy cooldown
Heart, lungs and working leg muscles. Ride at a comfortable continuous effort for 25–60 minutes, keeping a pace you can sustain.
SESSION 3 / Single-leg, vertical pull, shoulders and glutes
Strength B
Single-leg, vertical pull, shoulders and glutes
- Supported split squat — 2 × 8–10/side · 90–120 sec rest
Quadriceps and glutes; hip stabilizers assist. Use a wall or rail for balance; lower vertically and press through the front foot.
- Lat pulldown — 2 × 8–12 · 90–120 sec rest
Lats, rhomboids, mid-back and biceps. Pull elbows toward ribs while keeping your chest tall.
- Dumbbell overhead press — 2 × 8–12 · 90–120 sec rest
Deltoids and upper-back stabilizers. Press upward with ribs stacked over pelvis.
- Hip thrust — 2 × 8–12 · 90–120 sec rest
Gluteus maximus and hip stabilizers. Drive through feet and finish with ribs over pelvis.
How to progress
Weeks 1–2: learn the setups with 2 sets per lift. Weeks 3–5: use the listed dose and build repetitions while keeping 1–3 in reserve. Weeks 6–8: when every set reaches the top of its range at the same effort, add the smallest practical load and return to the lower end. Reduce sets for a week if performance repeatedly declines.
Adjust the plan to your starting point
Age labels describe the intended audience, not a restriction. Choose loads from current skill and capacity. Start with the lower dose and keep 1–3 controlled repetitions in reserve.
Recovery and weekly placement
Put an easier day between full-body or demanding lower-body sessions. Session time includes 5–8 minutes of warming up and lighter practice sets; allow longer if technique or equipment changes need it. Add easy movement on other days without turning every rest day into another hard session.
Continue building your plan
Use the exercise library to review technique, then explore sport guides, recipes and planning tools to fit the week around your life.
General fitness education. Choose loads and ranges that match your ability. This program is not individualized medical care and does not guarantee a particular result.
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