Lower body & strength.
Four days a week, twelve weeks, one rule.
Most programs fail in week two, and it is almost never because the exercises were wrong. It is because nobody told you what to do when the weight got easy. Six minutes on this page saves you the next twelve weeks.
| Block | Weeks | What it does | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation | 1–4 | Establishes working weights, cleans up technique | 8–12 |
| Build | 5–8 | Adds load. Most visible change happens here | 6–10 |
| Express | 9–12 | Heaviest work, high rep accessories | 5–8 |
Weeks 4 and 8 are deloads. Lighter on purpose. Do not skip them or push through them. They are what lets blocks two and three actually work. Week 12 is a test week where you retest the four lifts from week 1 and read the difference.
Run them in that order with at least one rest day between day 2 and day 3. The two schedules that work best are Mon / Tue / Thu / Fri with the weekend off, or Mon / Wed / Fri / Sat if your weekdays are unpredictable. Do not train all four days back to back. Day 3 will be garbage and you will blame the program.
Every set has a target next to it that reads RIR 2 or RIR 1. RIR means reps in reserve: how many more you could have done before your form broke down.
| Target | What it feels like |
|---|---|
| RIR 3 | Three more in the tank. Warm-up sets and deload weeks. |
| RIR 2 | Two more. This is most of your working sets. |
| RIR 1 | One more, maybe. Hard, but the last rep still looks like the first. |
| RIR 0 | Nothing left. Used only where the session says so. |
If you finish a set and could genuinely have done five more, the weight is too light. That is the most common mistake in this program and the reason the last plan you tried did nothing.
Hit the top of the rep range on every set. Next session, add weight and start again at the bottom of the range.
Worked example on an exercise programmed at 3 × 8–12:
| Session | What you did | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 95 lb — 12, 10, 9 | Hold. You did not hit 12 on all three. |
| 2 | 95 lb — 12, 12, 10 | Hold. Closer. |
| 3 | 95 lb — 12, 12, 12 | Earned it. Go to 105 next session. |
| 4 | 105 lb — 9, 8, 8 | Hold at 105 and climb again. |
Smallest sensible jumps: 5 lb upper body, 10 lb lower body, or one pin on a machine. If a jump craters your reps, use fractional plates or add a single rep instead.
| Heavy compounds (squat, RDL, hip thrust, press) | 2–3 min |
|---|---|
| Accessories (curls, extensions, raises, abductors) | 60–90 s |
| Core | 45 s |
Only superset the pairs marked ⟦ in the sessions. Everything else stands alone.
Do not ramp up on every exercise. Once you are warm, you are warm.
| Missed a session | Do it the next day and shift the week. Never skip ahead to day 3 because of what day it is. |
|---|---|
| Missed a week | Repeat the week you missed. Do not jump forward. |
| Machine is taken | Use the exercise library at the back. Every lift has two substitutions. |
| Something hurts | Not sore, hurts. Stop, substitute, and if it persists see someone who can look at it in person. |
| Period week | Train if you feel like it, drop to deload numbers if you do not. Progress is measured across twelve weeks. |
In your first week, record your best set of eight on these four lifts. In week 12 you will do them again on the same equipment, at the same depth, in the same shoes.
| Lift | Week 1 | Week 12 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back squat · best set of 8 | |||
| Romanian deadlift · best set of 8 | |||
| Barbell hip thrust · best set of 8 | |||
| Lat pulldown · best set of 8 |
Take photos too. Same light, same time of day, same clothes. You will not notice the change while it is happening, which is exactly why you take them.
You are not setting records for four weeks. You are finding your working weights and building the technique that lets blocks two and three go somewhere. Rep ranges are higher on purpose and most sets sit at RIR 2.
Weeks 1, 2 and 3 repeat these four sessions and you climb using the rule. Week 4 is a deload, written at the end of this block.
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barbell back squat | 4 | 8–10 | RIR 2 | 3 min |
| 2 | Bulgarian split squat | 3 | 10–12 ea | RIR 2 | 2 min |
| 3 | Leg press | 3 | 12–15 | RIR 2 | 2 min |
| 4 | Seated leg extension | 3 | 12–15 | RIR 1 | 90 s |
| 5 | Standing calf raise | 3 | 12–15 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
| 6 | Hanging knee raise | 3 | 10–15 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
Squat. Brace before you unrack, not after. Sit between your hips rather than folding forward. Depth is whatever you can hit without your lower back rounding, and that improves over twelve weeks.
Bulgarian split squat. Front foot far enough forward that your knee stays over your midfoot at the bottom. Hold the rack with one hand for the first two weeks if you are wobbling. Everyone hates these. They are here because they work.
Leg press. Feet mid-platform, shoulder width. Stop the rep before your lower back rounds off the pad.
Leg extension. Three seconds down. The only exercise here where the negative matters more than the load.
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lat pulldown | 4 | 8–12 | RIR 2 | 2 min |
| 2 | Dumbbell bench press | 3 | 8–12 | RIR 2 | 2 min |
| 3 | Seated cable row | 3 | 10–12 | RIR 2 | 90 s |
| 4 | Dumbbell shoulder press | 3 | 8–12 | RIR 2 | 90 s |
| 5 | ⟦ Face pull | 3 | 15–20 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
| 6 | ⟦ Dumbbell bicep curl | 3 | 10–12 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
| 7 | Triceps rope pushdown | 3 | 10–12 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
Lat pulldown. Pull to your collarbone, elbows driving toward your back pockets. Leaning back past about 20 degrees means the weight is too heavy.
Dumbbell bench. Shoulder blades pulled back and down into the bench. Elbows around 45 degrees from your body, not flared straight out.
Face pull. High elbows, pull toward your forehead, hold a beat. Go light. This is the exercise that keeps your shoulders healthy for the next eleven weeks.
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romanian deadlift | 4 | 8–10 | RIR 2 | 3 min |
| 2 | Barbell hip thrust | 4 | 8–12 | RIR 2 | 2 min |
| 3 | Walking lunge | 3 | 10–12 ea | RIR 2 | 2 min |
| 4 | Seated leg curl | 3 | 12–15 | RIR 1 | 90 s |
| 5 | 45° back extension | 3 | 12–15 | RIR 1 | 90 s |
| 6 | Seated calf raise | 3 | 15–20 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
Romanian deadlift. A hinge, not a squat. Push your hips back, drag the bar close to your legs, stop when you feel the hamstring stretch and your back is about to round. For most people that is mid-shin, not the floor.
Hip thrust. Bench across your shoulder blades, chin tucked, ribs down. Full lockout with a one second hold at the top. The squeeze beats extra weight here.
Back extension. Round the upper back slightly and drive with your glutes. Stop at parallel, do not hyperextend.
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trap bar deadlift | 3 | 6–8 | RIR 2 | 3 min |
| 2 | Front-foot elevated split squat | 3 | 10–12 ea | RIR 2 | 2 min |
| 3 | Chest-supported dumbbell row | 3 | 10–12 | RIR 2 | 90 s |
| 4 | Incline dumbbell press | 3 | 10–15 | RIR 2 | 90 s |
| 5 | ⟦ Hip abduction machine | 3 | 15–20 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
| 6 | ⟦ Cable glute kickback | 3 | 12–15 ea | RIR 1 | 60 s |
| 7 | Plank | 3 | 30–45 s | — | 45 s |
Trap bar deadlift. Easier on your lower back than a conventional pull and you will load it faster. Stand up with it, do not try to squat it up.
Hip abduction. Lean forward slightly at the torso. Lighter than your ego wants, and hold the outside position for a beat.
Same four sessions, same exercises, same weights you used in week 3. Two changes: cut every exercise to 2 sets, and stop every set at RIR 3 or 4. Nothing should feel hard. Skip exercises 5 through 7 on every day.
You will feel like you are wasting a week. You are not. You are clearing the fatigue you built over three weeks so week 5 starts from a real baseline instead of a hole. Everyone who skips deloads stalls in week 7 and cannot work out why.
This is the block that changes how you look and what you can lift. Rep ranges drop, weights go up, and you spend more time close to failure. Most sets sit at RIR 1–2, one step harder than block one, and you will feel it by week 7.
Where an exercise carries over, start at the weight you finished block one on. Where it is new, week 5 is a find-your-weight session again. Week 8 is a deload.
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barbell back squat | 4 | 6–8 | RIR 1 | 3 min |
| 2 | Hack squat or leg press | 3 | 10–12 | RIR 1 | 2 min |
| 3 | Bulgarian split squat | 3 | 8–10 ea | RIR 1 | 2 min |
| 4 | Seated leg extension | 3 | 12–15 | RIR 0 last | 90 s |
| 5 | Standing calf raise | 4 | 10–12 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
| 6 | Cable crunch | 3 | 12–15 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
Squat at 6 to 8. Bar speed on your last rep should be visibly slower, but the position should not fall apart. If your back rounds or your knees cave on rep 7, that was your last good set. Stop there.
Leg extension. Last set only, take it to genuine failure. It is a machine and it is safe to do that on. Nowhere else in this program.
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lat pulldown or assisted pull-up | 4 | 6–10 | RIR 1 | 2 min |
| 2 | Barbell or dumbbell bench press | 4 | 6–10 | RIR 1 | 2 min |
| 3 | Chest-supported row | 3 | 8–10 | RIR 1 | 90 s |
| 4 | Seated overhead press | 3 | 8–10 | RIR 1 | 90 s |
| 5 | ⟦ Cable lateral raise | 3 | 12–15 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
| 6 | ⟦ Incline dumbbell curl | 3 | 8–12 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
| 7 | Overhead triceps extension | 3 | 10–12 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
Assisted pull-up. If your pulldown has been climbing well, switch. Set the assist for 6 to 8 clean reps and reduce it across the block. Getting your first unassisted pull-up inside twelve weeks is realistic from here.
Lateral raise. Light, controlled, no swinging. Lead with your elbows, stop at shoulder height.
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romanian deadlift | 4 | 6–8 | RIR 1 | 3 min |
| 2 | Barbell hip thrust | 4 | 6–10 | RIR 1 | 2 min |
| 3 | Reverse lunge | 3 | 8–10 ea | RIR 1 | 2 min |
| 4 | Lying leg curl | 3 | 10–12 | RIR 0 last | 90 s |
| 5 | 45° back extension | 3 | 12–15 | RIR 1 | 90 s |
| 6 | Seated calf raise | 4 | 15–20 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
RDL at 6 to 8. The weight is heavy enough now that grip fails before your hamstrings do. Use straps. Straps are not cheating, they are the reason you can train the muscle you are actually trying to train.
Hip thrust. This should be your fastest climbing lift in the program. It is normal to add weight almost every session here while the squat crawls.
Reverse over walking lunge. Easier on the knees and you can load it heavier.
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trap bar deadlift | 4 | 5–6 | RIR 1 | 3 min |
| 2 | Goblet or front-racked squat | 3 | 10–12 | RIR 1 | 2 min |
| 3 | Single-arm dumbbell row | 3 | 8–10 ea | RIR 1 | 90 s |
| 4 | Incline dumbbell press | 3 | 8–12 | RIR 1 | 90 s |
| 5 | ⟦ Hip abduction machine | 4 | 15–20 | RIR 0 last | 60 s |
| 6 | ⟦ Cable glute kickback | 3 | 12–15 ea | RIR 1 | 60 s |
| 7 | Dead bug | 3 | 8–10 ea | — | 45 s |
Same as week 4 and just as non-negotiable. Two sets per exercise, RIR 3 to 4 on everything at roughly your week 6 weights, first four exercises only.
Block three is the hardest four weeks of this program. Go into it fresh or do not go into it.
| Back squat | +15 to 30 lb |
|---|---|
| Romanian deadlift | +20 to 40 lb |
| Barbell hip thrust | +40 to 80 lb |
| Lat pulldown | +15 to 25 lb |
Well under that across the board usually means one of three things, in this order of likelihood: you are leaving too many reps in reserve, you are not eating enough to support the training, or you are not sleeping. Over it, do not get greedy in block three. The plan still works.
The heaviest work of the program sits at the front of each session, and the back half moves the opposite way: higher reps, shorter rest, more burn. That combination is deliberate. Heavy work drives strength, high rep work makes it visible.
Carry over every weight from block two. On the primaries you are dropping to fives, so add roughly 10 to 15 percent to what you used for 6 to 8. Week 12 is the test week.
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barbell back squat | 5 | 5 | RIR 1 | 3–4 min |
| 2 | Hack squat or leg press | 3 | 8–10 | RIR 1 | 2 min |
| 3 | Bulgarian split squat | 3 | 10–12 ea | RIR 1 | 90 s |
| 4 | Seated leg extension | 3 | 15–20 | RIR 0 last 2 | 60 s |
| 5 | Standing calf raise | 4 | 12–15 | RIR 0 last | 60 s |
| 6 | Cable crunch | 3 | 12–15 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
Five sets of five. Same weight across all five. If set five falls apart you started too heavy, note it and drop 5 to 10 lb next session. Getting all 25 reps at a weight you could not have handled in week 1 is the entire point.
Take the full rest. Three to four minutes between squat sets feels absurd. It is the difference between five real sets and two good ones followed by three bad ones.
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weighted or assisted pull-up | 4 | 5–8 | RIR 1 | 2–3 min |
| 2 | Barbell bench press | 5 | 5 | RIR 1 | 3 min |
| 3 | Chest-supported row | 3 | 10–12 | RIR 1 | 90 s |
| 4 | Seated overhead press | 3 | 8–10 | RIR 1 | 90 s |
| 5 | ⟦ Cable lateral raise | 4 | 15–20 | RIR 0 last | 45 s |
| 6 | ⟦ Cable curl | 4 | 12–15 | RIR 0 last | 45 s |
| 7 | Triceps rope pushdown | 4 | 12–15 | RIR 0 last | 45 s |
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romanian deadlift | 4 | 5–6 | RIR 1 | 3 min |
| 2 | Barbell hip thrust | 5 | 5 | RIR 1 | 2–3 min |
| 3 | Reverse lunge | 3 | 10–12 ea | RIR 1 | 90 s |
| 4 | Lying leg curl | 4 | 12–15 | RIR 0 last 2 | 60 s |
| 5 | 45° back extension | 3 | 15–20 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
| 6 | Seated calf raise | 4 | 15–20 | RIR 0 last | 45 s |
Hip thrust at fives. Full lockout and a one second hold at the top on every rep, even at this weight. The moment you start bouncing it off the floor and cutting the top short, the exercise stops working.
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trap bar deadlift | 4 | 4–5 | RIR 1 | 3–4 min |
| 2 | Front-foot elevated split squat | 3 | 10–12 ea | RIR 1 | 90 s |
| 3 | Single-arm dumbbell row | 3 | 10–12 ea | RIR 1 | 90 s |
| 4 | Incline dumbbell press | 3 | 10–12 | RIR 1 | 90 s |
| 5 | ⟦ Hip abduction machine | 4 | 20–25 | RIR 0 last 2 | 45 s |
| 6 | ⟦ Cable glute kickback | 4 | 15–20 ea | RIR 0 last | 45 s |
| 7 | Hanging knee raise | 3 | 12–15 | RIR 1 | 60 s |
This is what the last eleven weeks were for. Three sessions this week, not four. Take two full rest days before the first one.
Warm up thoroughly, then ramp to one hard set of 8 on the back squat. Same setup, same depth, same shoes as week 1. Then one hard set of 8 on the Romanian deadlift. Then stop. Go home. That is the session.
One hard set of 8 on the lat pulldown. Then, if you have been training the pull-up, test it. Max unassisted reps, one attempt.
One hard set of 8 on the barbell hip thrust.
| Lift | Week 1 | Week 12 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back squat · set of 8 | |||
| Romanian deadlift · set of 8 | |||
| Barbell hip thrust · set of 8 | |||
| Lat pulldown · set of 8 |
Take a full week off training, or a week of easy movement with no loading. You have earned it and you need it.
Then run the program again from week 1 using your new numbers as the starting point. The second run builds on the first, because the structure is designed to be repeated. Nobody needs a new program every twelve weeks. They need the same one, heavier.
If a machine is taken, a lift hurts, or your gym does not have the equipment, take the first substitution. Keep the same sets, reps and target, find your weight once, and progress it identically. Substitute out of necessity, not preference. The exercises you avoid are usually the ones doing the most for you.
Bar on your upper traps, not your neck. Brace before you unrack. Push your knees out as you descend and sit between your hips rather than folding at the waist. Depth is as low as you can go without your lower back rounding under.
Feet mid-platform, shoulder width. Control the descent, do not drop into it. Full lockout is optional and hard on the knees, so stop just short.
Lower until your knees reach roughly 90 degrees or your lower back starts to lift off the pad, whichever comes first.
Weight at your chest, elbows tucked. The front load forces an upright torso, which is why this is the best teaching version of a squat.
Rear foot on a bench, front foot far enough forward that your shin stays near vertical at the bottom. Torso forward loads the glute, upright loads the quad.
Step backward, drop the back knee toward the floor, push through the front heel. Easier on the knees than a forward or walking lunge.
Long enough step that your front shin stays near vertical. Torso tall.
Front foot on a plate or low step. The elevation increases the stretch on the front leg. Load lighter than you think.
Soft knees, hips pushed straight back, bar dragging close to your legs. Stop at a strong hamstring stretch or when your back starts to round. Squeeze your glutes to stand. Use straps once it gets heavy.
Stand inside the bar, chest up, drive through the floor. Stand it up, do not squat it up. Reset your brace between reps rather than bouncing.
Round the upper back slightly, drive with your glutes, stop at parallel. Do not arch past straight. Hold a plate once bodyweight gets easy.
Bench across your shoulder blades, feet flat and shoulder width, chin tucked, ribs down. Drive through your heels to full lockout, hold one second. Use a pad.
Lean the torso forward about 15 degrees to put the upper glute in a better position. Control the return, hold the outside for a beat.
Ankle strap, slight forward lean, drive the leg back and slightly out. Stop when your hips start to rotate. Small range, hard squeeze, light weight.
The seated version stretches the hamstring more than lying, which makes it the better of the two if you only do one. Control the negative.
Hips flat on the pad. Do not let them pop up as you curl, that is your lower back taking over.
Pull to your collarbone, elbows driving down and back. Lean back no more than about 20 degrees. Let your shoulder blades rise at the top for a full stretch.
Full hang at the bottom, chin over the bar at the top. Reduce assistance across the block. Your first unassisted rep usually shows up somewhere in weeks 8 to 12.
Chest tall, pull to your stomach, elbows close. Do not rock backward to move the weight.
The best rowing option because the bench takes your lower back out of it entirely. Squeeze at the back of each rep.
Pull toward your hip, not your shoulder. Let the weight stretch your lat at the bottom.
Shoulder blades back and down, feet planted. Elbows around 45 degrees from your torso. Touch your lower chest, press back over your shoulders.
Bench at 30 degrees, no steeper. Same elbow position as flat.
Ribs down, do not arch your lower back to press. Press slightly back so the weight finishes over your ears.
Lead with the elbow, stop at shoulder height, no swinging. Cables beat dumbbells here because the tension is constant.
Rope at face height, high elbows, pull toward your forehead, pause at the back. Light, high rep, every week. Shoulder insurance.
Elbows pinned at your sides, no swinging. The incline version puts the long head on stretch, which is why it appears in block two.
Elbows still. The overhead version stretches the long head, the pushdown does not. The program includes both.
Full stretch at the bottom, full contraction at the top, one second pause in both. Calves respond to range of motion, not bouncing.
Trains the soleus, which the standing version mostly misses. Higher reps work better here.
Control the descent. If you are swinging you are using momentum and getting nothing.
Kneel, rope behind your head, crunch by flexing your spine rather than folding at the hips. Round your back deliberately here.
Write down weight and reps for every working set. The entire progression system depends on knowing what you did last time. If you do not track, you are guessing, which is where you started.
Print as many of these as you need, or copy the format into your notes app.
| Exercise | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|