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Training program templates
Four weekly structures written by a working personal trainer: who trains which day, which movements, how many sets and reps, and how much weekly volume each muscle gets.
These run lean on purpose: few exercises and 2-4 hard sets, with the last set of each exercise taken to failure, to fit a one-hour session. Many muscles land below the 10-20 weekly sets often recommended for growth, so add a set or two where a client needs more, or use homework days.
4-Day Upper/Lower
Two upper days that rotate through chest, back and shoulder focus sessions, plus a quad-focused and a hamstring-and-glute-focused lower day.
- Days
- Mon Upper, Tue Lower A, Thu Upper, Fri Lower B. The upper days rotate A → B → C (week 1: A + B, week 2: C + A, week 3: B + C).
- Session length
- 50–60 min
- Structure
- 5-8 exercises per session. 1-4 warm-up sets, then 2-4 working sets of 6-15 reps; the last working set of each exercise is taken to failure. There are no specific instructions for Machines, dumbbells or barbell use. Choose what suits your needs based on mobility, injuries and limitations. Rotate Upper A, B and C every upper day to ensure enough stimulus for each body part.
- Warm-up
- 1-4 lighter ramp-up sets before the first working set; more for the first big lift of the day, 0-1 for later exercises once warm.
Upper A Chest Focus
| Movement | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Chest Press | 3 × 6-10 |
| Dips | 3 × 8-12 |
| Lat Pull-Down | 3 × 8-12 |
| Side Laterals | 3 × 10-15 |
| Preacher Curl | 3 × 10-15 |
| Triceps Extension | 3 × 10-15 |
Lower A Quad Focus
| Movement | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Hamstring Curl | 3 × 8-12 |
| Leg Press | 3 × 8-12 |
| Leg Extension | 2 × 10-15 |
| Hip Thrust | 3 × 12-15 |
Upper B Back Focus
| Movement | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Upper Back Row | 3 × 6-10 |
| Lat Pull-Down | 3 × 8-12 |
| Incline Chest Press | 3 × 8-12 |
| Side Laterals | 3 × 12-15 |
| Rear Delt Fly | 2 × 12-15 |
| Triceps Push-Down | 2 × 10-15 |
| Biceps Curl | 3 × 10-15 |
Upper C Shoulder Focus
| Movement | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Shoulder Press | 3 × 6-10 |
| Front Delt Raise | 2 × 10-15 |
| Chest Press | 3 × 8-12 |
| Row | 3 × 8-12 |
| Triceps Push-Down | 3 × 10-15 |
| Hammer Curls | 3 × 10-15 |
Lower B Hams & Glute Focused
| Movement | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Hamstring Curl | 3 × 8-12 |
| SquatAny squat pattern: barbell, Smith, goblet, etc. | 3 × 6-12 |
| Back Extension | 2 × 10-15 |
Progression
Double progression by default: keep the weight and add reps across your working sets. When every set reaches the top of the rep range with good form, add the smallest jump your equipment allows, then build the reps back up. Prefer linear, RPE/RIR or percentage waves? The overload planner runs all of them.
Deload
Every few weeks, or when sleep, joints or performance slide: same weight, half the sets, and stop every set 3-4 reps short of failure for 4-7 days. Then pick up where you left off.
Weekly sets per muscle
Main muscle counts 1 set, helper muscles half a set. Shaded band = the 10-20 sets often recommended for growth.
Weekly average across the three-week A/B/C rotation; any single week runs a little higher or lower.
Homework: Under 5 sets a week: side delts (4), rear delts (3.3). Calves and abs can be trained on off days, as homework, or as needed.
Home or small gym: presses → push-ups (feet up for incline); dips → bench dips or close-grip push-ups; Lat Pull-Down → band pull-downs or pull-ups; rows → dumbbell or band rows; squat and leg press → goblet squats or lunges; Hamstring Curl → single-leg RDLs; Hip Thrust and Back Extension → floor or single-leg hip thrusts; delt and arm work → dumbbells or bands.
2-Day Push/Pull Rotation
Alternate one Push day and one Pull day, 2 to 4 times a week. Built for busy schedules.
- Days
- 2-4 days a week, alternating Push and Pull
- Session length
- 50–60 min
- Rotation
- Push refers to Quads, Chest, Shoulders and Triceps. Pull refers to Hams & Glutes, Back and Biceps
- Warm-up
- 1-4 lighter ramp-up sets before the first working set; more for the first big lift of the day, 0-1 for later exercises once warm.
Push Quads, Chest, Shoulders and Triceps
| Movement | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Leg Extension | 2 × 10-15 |
| SquatOr Leg Press | 3 × 8-12 |
| Chest Press | 3 × 8-12 |
| Dips | 3 × 8-12 |
| Side Laterals | 3 × 10-15 |
| Triceps Extension | 2 × 12-15 |
Pull
| Movement | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Hamstring Curl | 3 × 8-12 |
| RDLOr Hip Thrust | 3 × 8-12 |
| Lat Pull-DownOr Pull-Up | 3 × 8-12 |
| Upper Back Row | 3 × 8-12 |
| Biceps Curl | 3 × 10-15 |
Progression
Double progression by default: keep the weight and add reps across your working sets. When every set reaches the top of the rep range with good form, add the smallest jump your equipment allows, then build the reps back up. Prefer linear, RPE/RIR or percentage waves? The overload planner runs all of them.
Deload
Every few weeks, or when sleep, joints or performance slide: same weight, half the sets, and stop every set 3-4 reps short of failure for 4-7 days. Then pick up where you left off.
Weekly sets per muscle
Main muscle counts 1 set, helper muscles half a set. Shaded band = the 10-20 sets often recommended for growth.
Homework: At 2 days a week: front delts (3), side delts (3), rear delts (1.5), glutes (3). At 4 days: rear delts (3). Calves and abs can be trained on off days, as homework, or as needed.
Home or small gym: presses → push-ups; dips → bench dips or close-grip push-ups; squat → goblet squats or lunges; Lat Pull-Down → band pull-downs or pull-ups; rows → dumbbell or band rows; Hamstring Curl and RDL → single-leg RDLs; delt and arm work → dumbbells or bands.
3-Day Full Body
Three whole-body sessions a week, so missing a day costs little. A good first program or a comeback plan.
- Days
- Mon Full Body A, Wed Full Body B, Fri Full Body C
- Session length
- 50–60 min
- Warm-up
- 1-4 lighter ramp-up sets before the first working set; more for the first big lift of the day, 0-1 for later exercises once warm.
Full Body A
| Movement | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Leg Extension | 3 × 10-15 |
| Hamstring Curl | 3 × 8-12 |
| Row | 3 × 10-12 |
| Chest Press | 3 × 8-12 |
| Triceps Push-Down | 3 × 12-15 |
| Biceps Curl | 2 × 10-15 |
Full Body B
| Movement | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Leg Press | 3 × 10-15 |
| Lat Pull-Down | 3 × 10-12 |
| Incline Chest Press | 3 × 8-12 |
| Preacher Curl | 2 × 10-12 |
| Side Laterals | 3 × 12-15 |
Full Body C
| Movement | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Hip Thrust | 3 × 10-15 |
| Chest Press | 3 × 8-12 |
| Side Laterals | 3 × 12-15 |
| Pull-UpAssisted as needed | 2 × 8-12 |
| Triceps Extension | 3 × 10-15 |
| Hammer Curls | 2 × 10-15 |
Progression
Double progression by default: keep the weight and add reps across your working sets. When every set reaches the top of the rep range with good form, add the smallest jump your equipment allows, then build the reps back up. Prefer linear, RPE/RIR or percentage waves? The overload planner runs all of them.
Deload
Every few weeks, or when sleep, joints or performance slide: same weight, half the sets, and stop every set 3-4 reps short of failure for 4-7 days. Then pick up where you left off.
Weekly sets per muscle
Main muscle counts 1 set, helper muscles half a set. Shaded band = the 10-20 sets often recommended for growth.
Homework: Under 5 sets a week: front delts (4.5), rear delts (1.5), hamstrings (4.5), glutes (4.5). Calves and abs can be trained on off days, as homework, or as needed.
Home or small gym: presses → push-ups (feet up for incline); leg press and leg extension → goblet squats or lunges; Hamstring Curl → single-leg RDLs; Hip Thrust → floor or single-leg hip thrusts; Lat Pull-Down and Pull-Up → band pull-downs or band-assisted pull-ups; rows → dumbbell or band rows; delt and arm work → dumbbells or bands.
3-Day Push / Pull / Full Body
Push, Pull, then a Full Body day: a little more focus per session than pure full body, legs spread across all three days.
- Days
- Mon Push, Wed Pull, Fri Full Body
- Session length
- 50–60 min
- Structure
- 5-7 exercises per session, 2-4 working sets of 8-15 reps.
- Warm-up
- 1-4 lighter ramp-up sets before the first working set; more for the first big lift of the day, 0-1 for later exercises once warm.
Push
| Movement | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Leg Press | 3 × 10-15 |
| Leg Extension | 2 × 10-15 |
| Incline Chest Press | 3 × 8-12 |
| Chest Fly | 3 × 10-15 |
| Side Laterals | 2 × 8-12 |
| Triceps Push-Down | 2 × 10-15 |
Pull
| Movement | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Hamstring Curl | 3 × 10-15 |
| Hip Thrust | 3 × 10-15 |
| Lat Pull-Down | 3 × 8-12 |
| Row | 3 × 8-12 |
| Preacher Curl | 2 × 10-15 |
| Rear Delt Fly Optional | 2 × 12-15 |
Full Body
| Movement | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Squat | 3 × 10-12 |
| Incline Chest Press | 3 × 8-12 |
| Row | 3 × 10-12 |
| Side Laterals | 3 × 12-15 |
| Back Extension | 2 × 10-12 |
Progression
Double progression by default: keep the weight and add reps across your working sets. When every set reaches the top of the rep range with good form, add the smallest jump your equipment allows, then build the reps back up. Prefer linear, RPE/RIR or percentage waves? The overload planner runs all of them.
Deload
Every few weeks, or when sleep, joints or performance slide: same weight, half the sets, and stop every set 3-4 reps short of failure for 4-7 days. Then pick up where you left off.
Weekly sets per muscle
Main muscle counts 1 set, helper muscles half a set. Shaded band = the 10-20 sets often recommended for growth.
Where two numbers show, the second includes the optional add-on.
Homework: Under 5 sets a week: front delts (3). Calves and abs can be trained on off days, as homework, or as needed.
Home or small gym: presses and Chest Fly → push-ups and dumbbell flys; leg press, squat and leg extension → goblet squats or lunges; Hamstring Curl → single-leg RDLs; Hip Thrust and Back Extension → floor or single-leg hip thrusts; Lat Pull-Down → band pull-downs or pull-ups; rows → dumbbell or band rows; delt and arm work → dumbbells or bands.