Workout schedules
Complete beginner full-body, intermediate upper/lower and push/pull/legs, advanced PPL ×2 and home plans with sets and reps.
Beginners run full body 3×/week, intermediates upper/lower 4×/week or PPL 5×/week, advanced lifters PPL 6×/week. Run any plan for at least 12 weeks before judging it. Each plan below is in Train › Programs › Handbook, where one tap adds it to your plans and weekly schedule.
Beginner: Full Body A/B, 3 days (Mon/Wed/Fri)
Alternate A and B: week 1 = A-B-A, week 2 = B-A-B. 45–60 minutes.
| Workout A | Sets × reps | Workout B | Sets × reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goblet or back squat | 3 × 8–10 | Romanian deadlift | 3 × 8–10 |
| Flat dumbbell press | 3 × 8–12 | Seated dumbbell shoulder press | 3 × 8–12 |
| Lat pulldown | 3 × 8–12 | Seated cable row | 3 × 8–12 |
| Leg curl | 2 × 10–15 | Leg press | 3 × 10–15 |
| Dumbbell lateral raise | 2 × 12–15 | Incline push-up or machine press | 2 × 10–15 |
| Plank | 3 × 30–45 s | Dumbbell curl + rope pushdown | 2 × 12 each |
Beginner rules: 2–3 RIR, add weight whenever all sets hit the top of the range, and master form before chasing numbers. A widely used coaching estimate is up to about 0.5–1 kg of muscle per month in the first year with good eating; individual results vary a lot.
Intermediate option 1: Upper/Lower, 4 days (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri)
| Upper 1 (strength) | Lower 1 (strength) | Upper 2 (hypertrophy) | Lower 2 (hypertrophy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench press 4 × 5–8 | Back squat 4 × 5–8 | Incline dumbbell press 3 × 8–12 | Hack squat or leg press 3 × 10–12 |
| Barbell row 4 × 6–8 | Romanian deadlift 3 × 6–10 | Pull-up 3 × 8–12 | Hip thrust 3 × 8–12 |
| Overhead press 3 × 6–10 | Leg press 3 × 10–12 | Chest-supported row 3 × 10–12 | Bulgarian split squat 3 × 10 each |
| Lat pulldown 3 × 8–12 | Seated leg curl 3 × 10–12 | Cable fly 3 × 12–15 | Leg extension 3 × 12–15 |
| Skull crusher 3 × 8–12 | Standing calf raise 4 × 10–15 | Cable lateral raise 4 × 12–20 | Lying leg curl 3 × 12–15 |
| EZ curl 3 × 8–12 | Hanging knee raise 3 × 12 | Overhead triceps + incline curl 3 × 12 each | Seated calf raise 4 × 15–20 |
Intermediate option 2: Push/Pull/Legs, 5 days
Rotate Push, Pull, Legs, Upper, Lower (Upper and Lower from option 1), or run PPL with a rest day after each cycle.
| Push | Pull | Legs |
|---|---|---|
| Bench press 4 × 6–8 | Pull-up 4 × 6–10 | Squat 4 × 6–8 |
| Incline dumbbell press 3 × 8–12 | Barbell row 3 × 6–10 | Romanian deadlift 3 × 8–10 |
| Seated dumbbell press 3 × 8–12 | Single-arm cable lat pull 3 × 10–12 | Walking lunge 3 × 10 each |
| Cable lateral raise 4 × 12–20 | Face pull 3 × 15 | Leg extension 3 × 12–15 |
| Rope pushdown 3 × 10–15 | Incline dumbbell curl 3 × 10–12 | Seated leg curl 3 × 10–15 |
| Overhead cable extension 3 × 10–15 | Hammer curl 3 × 10–12 | Calf raise 4 × 10–15 + cable crunch 3 × 12 |
Advanced: PPL ×2, 6 days (day 7 rest)
Days 1–3 are heavy (lower reps on compounds); days 4–6 are volume (higher reps, more isolation, intensity techniques). Run in 4–6 week blocks with planned progression, then deload.
| Day | Focus | Key structure |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Push heavy | Bench 4 × 4–6, weighted dips 3 × 6–8, OHP 3 × 6–8, laterals 4 × 12–15, JM press 3 × 8 |
| 2 | Pull heavy | Weighted pull-up 4 × 4–6, Pendlay row 4 × 6, rack pull 2 × 5, rear-delt fly 3 × 15, barbell curl 3 × 8 |
| 3 | Legs heavy | Squat 4 × 4–6, RDL 3 × 6–8, leg press 3 × 10, Nordic curl 3 × 6, calves 5 × 8–12 |
| 4 | Push volume | Incline DB 4 × 8–12, machine press 3 × 10–12, cable fly 3 × 15 + drop set, laterals 5 × 15–20 myo-reps, overhead extension 4 × 12 |
| 5 | Pull volume | Lat pulldown 4 × 10–12, Meadows row 3 × 10, chest-supported row 3 × 12, Kelso shrug 3 × 15, Bayesian curl 3 × 12, hammer curl 3 × 12 |
| 6 | Legs volume | Hack squat 4 × 8–12, hip thrust 3 × 10, Bulgarian split squat 3 × 12, leg extension + leg curl 3 × 15 superset, seated calf 4 × 15–20, ab wheel 3 × 10 |
Specialisation block (advanced, 6–8 weeks): pick ONE lagging muscle, raise it to 18–22 sets/week across 3 sessions, train it first in each session, and drop other muscles to maintenance (6–8 sets/week).
Home / minimal equipment (dumbbells, bands, pull-up bar)
| Days 1 & 3: full body | Days 2 & 4: full body |
|---|---|
| Dumbbell goblet squat 4 × 10–15 | Dumbbell Romanian deadlift 4 × 10–12 |
| Push-up (feet elevated as it gets easy) 4 × max−2 | Pull-up or band-assisted pull-up 4 × 6–10 |
| One-arm dumbbell row 4 × 10–12 | Dumbbell floor press 4 × 10–12 |
| Bulgarian split squat 3 × 10 each | Pike push-up or dumbbell press 3 × 8–12 |
| Band face pull 3 × 15–20 | Single-leg calf raise 3 × 15–20 |
| Dumbbell curl + bench dip 3 × 12 each | Hanging knee raise 3 × 10–15 |
Progress at home with a slower tempo (4-second lowering), pauses, 1.5 reps and more reps (up to about 30) before buying heavier dumbbells.
Evidence behind this chapter
- Schoenfeld, Grgic & Krieger (2019), training frequency meta-analysis, Journal of Sports Sciences
- Lyle McDonald's model of natural muscle gain (a coaching estimate, not a study)
Fact-checked and updated 2026-10-26. General education, not medical advice.