THE STRONG TABLE / TRAINING PROGRAMSAll adults · Gym · Intermediate

MAINTENANCE / 2 DAYS PER WEEK / ABOUT 35 MINUTES

Two-day whole-body maintenance

Retain a broad lifting base during a busy season

Maintenance often needs less volume than building new capacity, provided challenging resistance remains. Two full-body visits are a practical starting point; use your performance log to decide whether the dose is enough.

Schedule2 days each weekTypical sessionAbout 35 minutesEquipmentGymStarting levelIntermediateIntended audienceAll adults

Your weekly sessions

SESSION 1 / Squat, horizontal push and pull

Full body A · compact

Squat, horizontal push and pull

  1. Goblet squat — 2 × 8–12 · 90 sec rest

    Quadriceps with glute support. Sit between the hips and stand through the whole foot.

  2. Dumbbell bench press — 2 × 8–12 · 90 sec rest

    Pectorals, anterior shoulders and triceps. Set shoulder blades and press weights over the chest.

  3. One-arm dumbbell row — 2 × 8–12/side · 90 sec rest

    Lats, rhomboids, mid-back and biceps. Brace your free hand and pull elbow toward the hip.

  4. Dumbbell Romanian deadlift — 2 × 8–12 · 90 sec rest

    Hamstrings and posterior chain. Keep weights close and shift hips back with a long spine.

SESSION 2 / Single-leg, vertical push and pull

Full body B · compact

Single-leg, vertical push and pull

  1. Supported split squat — 2 × 8–12/side · 90 sec rest

    Quadriceps and glutes; hip stabilizers assist. Use a wall or rail for balance; lower vertically and press through the front foot.

  2. Lat pulldown — 2 × 8–12 · 90 sec rest

    Lats, rhomboids, mid-back and biceps. Pull elbows toward ribs while keeping your chest tall.

  3. Dumbbell overhead press — 2 × 8–12 · 90 sec rest

    Deltoids and upper-back stabilizers. Press upward with ribs stacked over pelvis.

  4. Hip thrust — 2 × 8–12 · 90 sec rest

    Gluteus maximus and hip stabilizers. Drive through feet and finish with ribs over pelvis.

How to progress

Weeks 1–2: find repeatable loads, leaving 2 reps in reserve. Weeks 3–6: keep the same rep quality and resistance; do not automatically add volume. Weeks 7–8: compare key lifts with your starting log. If performance drops repeatedly, add a set or a second weekly exposure before adding intensity.

Adjust the plan to your starting point

Start at the lower set and rep targets. Keep about 2 reps in reserve; stop a set when technique changes.

Recovery and weekly placement

Place an easier day between demanding sessions for the same muscles. On non-training days, walk or move comfortably. Include 3–8 minutes of warming up within the session budget; use lighter practice sets before heavy lifts. Reduce work if soreness or fatigue prevents good technique.

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.

Open the training builderFind sport-specific trainingBrowse free recipesRead the evidence reviews

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.

Browse all training programs