STRENGTH / 4 DAYS PER WEEK / ABOUT 55 MINUTES
Four-day strength practice
Spread demanding practice over four focused sessions
Two upper and two lower sessions distribute heavy practice and moderate volume. Schedule, for example, Monday upper, Tuesday lower, Thursday upper and Friday lower. Keep at least two days between demanding exposures for the same region; more practice helps only when the workload is recoverable.
Your weekly sessions
SESSION 1 / Press and pull with long rests
Upper heavy
Press and pull with long rests
- Barbell bench press — 3 × 4–6 · 3 min rest
Pectorals, anterior shoulders and triceps. Use a spotter or safeties, plant feet, lower to a controlled touch point and press without bouncing.
- Barbell bent-over row — 3 × 5–7 · 2 min rest
Lats, rhomboids, mid-back and biceps. Hinge with a firm trunk, pull bar toward lower ribs and lower without swinging the torso.
- Dumbbell overhead press — 2 × 6–8 · 2 min rest
Deltoids and upper-back stabilizers. Press upward with ribs stacked over pelvis.
SESSION 2 / Squat then moderate hinge
Lower heavy
Squat then moderate hinge
- Barbell back squat — 3 × 4–6 · 3 min rest
Quadriceps with glute support. Set bar securely across upper back, brace, sit between hips to a controlled depth, then drive through the midfoot.
- Dumbbell Romanian deadlift — 2 × 6–8 · 2 min rest
Hamstrings and posterior chain. Keep weights close and shift hips back with a long spine.
- Side plank — 2 × 25 sec/side
Abdominals, obliques and trunk stabilizers. Stack shoulders over elbow and lift hips, breathing steadily.
SESSION 3 / Second technical exposure
Upper practice
Second technical exposure
- Barbell bench press — 3 × 6 · 2 min rest
Pectorals, anterior shoulders and triceps. Use a spotter or safeties, plant feet, lower to a controlled touch point and press without bouncing.
- Assisted pull-up — 3 × 6–8 · 2 min rest
Lats, rhomboids, mid-back and biceps. Use enough assistance to move smoothly through your range.
- Chest-supported row — 2 × 8 · 90 sec rest
Lats, rhomboids, mid-back and biceps. Keep chest against the pad and row without swinging.
SESSION 4 / Hinge then lighter squat
Lower practice
Hinge then lighter squat
- Barbell deadlift — 2 × 3–5 · 3 min rest
Hamstrings and posterior chain. Set feet under the bar, hinge to grip, brace with arms straight, push the floor away and stand tall.
- Goblet squat — 2 × 8 · 2 min rest
Quadriceps with glute support. Sit between the hips and stand through the whole foot.
- Supported split squat — 2 × 8/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.
How to progress
Weeks 1–2: practice at a load leaving 3 reps in reserve. Weeks 3–6: increase load by the smallest available increment once all sets reach the top of the range with 1–2 reps in reserve. Weeks 7–8: consolidate clean reps; use one fewer set for a week if fatigue accumulates. No maximal testing is required.
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.
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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