A Simple Program

DAY 1
Deadlift - 5x3-5 (ss: Hanging Leg Raises or Ab Wheel or Planks - 50 reps total)
Front Squat - 4x6-8 (ss: DB RDL - 4x10-12)
DB Lunges - 4x12-15 (ss: Back Ext - 4x10-15)

DAY 2
OH Press - 5x4-6 (ss: Chin-Ups - 50 total reps)
DB Incline Press - 4x8-12 (ss: Rows - 5x10-12)
Dips - 4x15-20 (ss: Curls, Band Pull Aparts - 100 reps)

DAY 3
Back Squat - 5x6-8 (ss: Hanging Leg Raises or Ab Wheel or Planks - 50 reps total)
RDL - 4x10-12 (ss: DB Bulgarian Split Squat - 4x10-12 or Goblet Squat)
GHR/Leg Curls - 4x12-15 (ss: Back Ext - 4x12-15)

DAY 4
Bench Press - 5x4-6 (ss: Pull-Ups - 50 total reps)
DB OH Press - 4x8-12 (ss: Rows - 5x10-12)
Push Ups - 4xMax (ss: Curls, Face Pulls - 100 reps)

PROGRESSION
We use double progression. So for example if a lift says 5x4-6. This means you can only add weight when you are able to hit 5x6 on lift 2 workouts in a row. Then for upper body you add 5lbs, for lower body add 10lbs. I say two workouts in a row to ENSURE that you can actually lift it and just didn’t have one good day. We are trying to build long term strength here.

REST PERIODS
90 seconds on everything. You don’t get to rest 2 minutes sorry. You go from Press to Chin-Up to 90s rest, and then back to Press again.

CONDITIONING
You have to do HARD conditioning 2 days a week. This means go for a run, push the prowler hard, do some strongman stuff, do something that really sucks! Doesn’t matter when just get the job done. I would suggest on Wednesday you do an active recovery session so you are primed for the squat day. Personally I would do them on the lower days.

12 Likes

What about beginners who can’t do chin ups or pull ups?

1 Like

Or who lift in a commercial gym where they aren’t going to be able to move between 2 bits of equipment regularly?

Not trying to be awkward, just trouble shooting.

Do more rows or lat pulldowns. Gotta still try to do chins though!

1 Like

I’ve setup the superset in a way where you should be able to do them no matter what gym it is. You can always swap out exercises but it should be doable. For example deadlift and leg raises. You can always find a bar to do that!

1 Like

@whang @dagill2

MONDAY
Deadlift - 5x3-5 (ss: Reverse crunches/v-situps - 5x10-15)
Front Squat - 4x6-8 (ss: Plate RDL - 4x10-12)
DB Lunges - 4x12-15 (ss: Bird dogs/hollow holds - 4x10-15)

TUESDAY
OH Press - 5x4-6 (ss: Chin-up regressions, arm hang/negatives/jumping reps)
DB OH Press - 4x8-12 (ss: Rows - 5x10-12)
Dips - 4x15-20 (ss: Curls, Band Pull Aparts - 100 reps)

THURSDAY
Back Squat - 5x6-8 (ss: Ab Wheel - 5x10-15, or hand walkouts)
RDL - 4x10-12 (ss: Plate Bulgarian Split Squat - 4x10-12)
Goblet Squat - 4x12-15 (ss: Back Ext - 4x12-15, any core movement)

FRIDAY
Bench Press - 5x4-6 (ss: Pull-Up regressions or more rows)
DB Incline Press - 4x8-12 (ss: Rows - 5x10-12)
Push Ups - 4xMax (ss: Curls, Face Pulls - 100 reps)

That’s how I’d adjust it given those two constraints. Barely any change.

@isdatnutty Hopefully a bunch of beginners just find this thread do what you wrote up, maybe they’ll make a fraction of the progress you have haha.

4 Likes

@isdatnutty yup, working on them!

1 Like

You haven’t lifted in a busy commercial gym for a while I take it.

1 Like

Awesome man! Yeah you can substitute for a lot of things. The basic template for the setup is below. It’s nothing ground breaking at all lol. But I think it sets a good foundation overall.

LOWER DAY 1
Main Deadlift
Squat Variation
Assistance: Quads, Hamstrings/Glutes, Abs, Low Back

UPPER DAY 1
Main OH Press
Vertical Press Variation
Bodyweight Press
Assistance: Upper Back, Lats, Rear Delts, Biceps

LOWER DAY 2
Main Squat
Deadlift Variation
Assistance: Quads, Hamstrings/Glutes, Abs, Low Back

UPPER DAY 2
Main Bench Press
Horizontal Press Variation
Bodyweight Press
Assistance: Upper Back, Lats, Rear Delts, Biceps

1 Like

Actually man I worked out the last 3 years in busy commercial gym 90% of the lol. I workout (even though I have a home gym too lol) at a 24 Hour Fitness Active. I go in the mornings now so now I have no problem, but even when I worked out in the evenings you can make it work. I would never suggest doing supersets where you need 2 barbells, but grabbing some DBs or walking over the dip/chin station between sets should be no problem. I’ve never had a problem. The only hard part during the busy times is getting the rack or bench initially haha.

Agreed I think it’s kick ass haha. I just wanted to show how little the program would need to change to make it accommodate those particular restrictions.

1 Like

For sure man! I saw someone posted it on Reddit asking about it lol. Who knows maybe it’ll blow up.

Except the first guy to respond to it said it looks like it’s too high volume for legs and back…LOL.

Can’t ever have strong enough legs and back!

1 Like

Probably a bench-is-the-most-imporant-lift type of gym bro lol

What does this mean, specifically?

Only other things that jump out biggest are, I’d plug in lateral raises instead of DB overhead press. Makes little sense doubling-up on shoulder presses within one workout and there’s zero wrong with giving side delts direct attention as they’re not significantly worked by other exercises.

Also, I’d consider calling a more generalized “Workout 1, Workout 2, Workout 3, Workout 4” to make it more adaptable to training two, three, or four days a week. Just run them in order, however many times the lifter trains through the week.

3 Likes

Hard conditioning I guess means go out and run, or play a sport, or do something that leaves your recovery taxed lol. I have to get more specific for sure!

But I agree, the exercises are built to be what I would recommend, but people can do any sort of shoulder exercise after the OH Press. I should do more laterals myself to be honest!

I think you are right about the workout 1,2,3,4 aspect. I think it would just work better if all 4 were done in a week, but a 3 day schedule would work just fine as well!

I do feel like the lats are a bit neglected and should occupy a main exercise besides all the pressing - have DB rows or chest supported rows as a main exercise instead of a superset one. Besides that, and even if that wasn’t the case, following this program would definitely get any person strong as shit.

2 Likes

Oh for sure man! I made it like this because I know GUYS love pressing lol, so at least if they are supersetting all their pressing with pulling, they won’t fuck up their shoulders because of a weak back! I honestly would drop the face pulls, band pull aparts and just do more rows if I was to run it. But for sure man, I already have 3 people on this program and the 2 guys been running it for 9 months with minimal changes and they got much stronger and bigger. The girl is 5 weeks in and she loves it. Told my wife how her ass and thighs have already gotten thicker in 5 weeks lol. Told my wife not skipping out on legs will do that for you!

The only two I know couldn’t do would be the deadlift/leg raises and the bench/pull ups. Although I guess either could be solved by doing the big exercise in a power rack.

1 Like

You could always do deadlift/situps and bench press/db row. Or if you are a savage just bench press and then pull the bar off the bench and do bb row!

I always think that sounds like an awesome idea, then I try it and just end up getting a dumbbell anyway.