Weekly Schedule
4 training days · 3 rest days · sustainable & effective
Mon
Push
Chest · Shoulders · Triceps
Tue
Pull
Back · Biceps · Rear Delt
Wed
Rest
Eat · Sleep · Recover
Thu
Legs
Quads · Hams · Glutes · Calves
Fri
Push
Hypertrophy Focus
Sat
Rest
Active or full rest
Sun
Rest
Full rest
How the split works: You train Push twice per week (Mon = strength focus, Fri = hypertrophy focus), Pull once (Tue), and Legs once (Thu). Every 2 weeks, rotate Pull and Legs into the double slot so every muscle group gets equal frequency over time. Week 1–2: Push×2 / Pull×1 / Legs×1 → Week 3–4: Push×1 / Pull×2 / Legs×1 → Week 5–6: Push×1 / Pull×1 / Legs×2.
Why 4 Days
At 33, recovery matters more than volume. 4 days gives you 3 rest days for muscle repair, hormonal reset, and CNS recovery — you'll grow more than grinding 6 days with poor sleep.
Session Length
Target 60–75 min per session. Beyond that, cortisol rises and quality drops. Warm-up 10 min, work 50–60 min, done.
Progressive Overload
Add 2.5kg when you hit the top of the rep range across all sets. This is the only rule that drives gains — everything else is secondary.
Rest Days
Wednesday: light walk if you want, nothing more. Saturday: optional 20–30 min walk. Sunday: full rest, no negotiation.
Push Sessions
Chest · Shoulders · Triceps · Mon (strength) & Fri (hypertrophy)
Push A
Monday — Strength Focus
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Barbell Bench Press Control descent 2s · full ROM · elbows ~45° |
4 | 4–6 | 3 min |
Overhead Press (Barbell) No lumbar overarch · brace core hard |
4 | 5–7 | 3 min |
Incline DB Press 30–45° · stretch at bottom · controlled |
3 | 8–10 | 2 min |
Cable Lateral Raise Single arm · slow eccentric 3s |
3 | 12–15 | 90s |
Tricep Pushdown (rope) Spread rope at bottom · full extension |
3 | 12–15 | 90s |
Overhead Tricep Extension Cable or DB · elbows in · full stretch |
2 | 10–12 | 90s |
Push B
Friday — Hypertrophy Focus
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
DB Flat Press Full stretch at bottom · slow 3s descent |
4 | 8–10 | 2 min |
Incline DB Press 20–30° incline · elbows 45° |
3 | 10–12 | 2 min |
Cable Fly (low-to-high) Upper chest · squeeze at peak |
3 | 12–15 | 90s |
Arnold Press Full ROM · control the rotation |
3 | 10–12 | 90s |
DB Lateral Raise No swing · slow eccentric · go light |
4 | 15–20 | 60s |
Dips (weighted if able) Slight forward lean for chest bias |
3 | 8–12 | 2 min |
Pull Session
Back · Biceps · Rear Delt · Tuesday · Full Volume
Pull
Tuesday — Strength + Hypertrophy
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Weighted Pull-up Dead hang start · chin above bar · full ROM |
4 | 4–6 | 3 min |
Barbell Row (Pendlay) Horizontal torso · bar to lower chest · explosive |
4 | 5–7 | 3 min |
Lat Pulldown (wide grip) Lean back slightly · pull to upper chest |
3 | 8–10 | 2 min |
Cable Row (close grip) Elbows tight · squeeze scapulae at peak |
3 | 10–12 | 90s |
Face Pull (rope) External rotation · eye level · rear delt |
3 | 15–20 | 90s |
Barbell Curl No swing · slow eccentric · full supination |
3 | 8–10 | 90s |
Incline DB Curl Full stretch · long head emphasis |
2 | 10–12 | 90s |
Hammer Curl Brachialis + brachioradialis · alternate arms |
2 | 10–12 | 60s |
Legs Session
Quads · Hamstrings · Glutes · Calves · Thursday · Full Volume
Legs
Thursday — Quad + Posterior Chain
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
Back Squat Below parallel · brace hard · controlled descent |
4 | 4–6 | 3–4 min |
Romanian Deadlift Hip hinge · feel hamstring stretch · no rounding |
3 | 6–8 | 3 min |
Leg Press High foot placement · full ROM · no lockout |
3 | 10–12 | 2 min |
Bulgarian Split Squat Rear foot elevated · front leg does the work |
3 | 8–10/leg | 2 min |
Leg Curl (lying) Toes pointed · full ROM · slow eccentric |
3 | 10–12 | 90s |
Leg Extension Pause 1s at top · squeeze · slow lower |
3 | 12–15 | 90s |
Standing Calf Raise Full stretch at bottom · 2s hold at top |
4 | 15–20 | 60s |
Nutrition Plan
Clean bulk · ~300 kcal surplus · 33 y/o · 74 kg · 1m78
2750
Calories / day
~300 kcal surplus
185g
Protein
2.5g / kg bodyweight
330g
Carbs
Training fuel + recovery
80g
Fats
Hormones + joints
Sample Meal Plan
Training day · 4 meals · cut carbs ~20% on rest days
07:30 · Meal 1 — Breakfast
Protein Oats
- Rolled oats80g
- Whole eggs3
- Egg whites3
- Banana1 medium
- Almond butter20g
P 45g
C 90g
F 22g
13:00 · Meal 2 — Lunch
Rice Bowl
- Basmati rice (cooked)250g
- Chicken breast200g
- Olive oil1.5 tbsp
- Mixed vegetables150g
- Lemon + herbs—
P 58g
C 90g
F 18g
17:00 · Meal 3 — Pre/Post Workout
Recovery Plate
- Sweet potato (baked)300g
- Salmon or tuna200g
- Spinach / mixed salad100g
- Olive oil1 tbsp
P 48g
C 80g
F 18g
21:30 · Meal 4 — Before Bed
Slow Protein
- Cottage cheese250g
- Walnuts or almonds40g
- Casein powder (opt.)25g
- Berries (opt.)80g
P 44g
C 20g
F 28g
Daily · Supplements
Evidence-Based Only
- Creatine monohydrate5g / day
- Vitamin D32000 IU
- Omega-3 (fish oil)2–3g EPA+DHA
- Magnesium glycinate300mg at night
- Whey proteintop up only if needed
Food first — supplements fill gaps only
Hydration
3–4L water per day. Add 500ml per hour of training. Performance drops ~10% at just 2% dehydration.
Meal Timing
Pre-workout meal 60–90 min before training. Post-workout within 2h. Spread protein across 4–5 meals for optimal muscle protein synthesis.
Food Quality
80% whole foods. Best sources: chicken, fish, eggs, rice, oats, sweet potato, fruits, vegetables. Limit ultra-processed foods.
Weekly Weigh-in
Weigh every Monday morning, fasted. Target: +0.5–1 kg/month. Gaining faster? Cut 200 kcal and reassess after 2 weeks.
Progression Plan
12-week phased approach · log every session
Phase 1 · Weeks 1–4
Foundation
- Master technique on all compound lifts
- Add 2.5kg when you hit top of rep range
- Log every session — sets, reps, weight
- Find your true working weights
- Build the habit — no missed sessions
Phase 2 · Weeks 5–8
Loading
- Add 1 set per major compound lift
- Introduce double progression model
- Intensify isolation work (drop sets w7)
- Reassess calories — adjust if needed
- Progress photos every 2 weeks
Phase 3 · Weeks 9–12
Intensification
- Add paused reps and tempo work
- Test working maxes on key lifts w11
- Deload week 12 — 50% volume
- Review: strength, physique, weight
- Plan your next 12-week block
Strength Targets
Realistic 12-week targets · natural · 74kg bodyweight
| Lift | Starting Estimate | Week 12 Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back Squat | ~80–90 kg | 105–115 kg | King of all gains |
| Bench Press | ~70–80 kg | 90–100 kg | 1× bodyweight is a solid milestone |
| Overhead Press | ~50–55 kg | 62–70 kg | Slowest gainer — be patient |
| Barbell Row | ~65–75 kg | 85–95 kg | Should match or exceed bench |
| Romanian Deadlift | ~90–100 kg | 115–125 kg | Feel it — don't just lift it |
| Weighted Pull-up | BW or +5 kg | +15–20 kg | Best lat builder, period |
Log Everything
Use a notebook or app. Record weight, sets, reps, and how the session felt. No data = no progress tracking.
Deload Protocol
Every 4–6 weeks, take a deload: same exercises, 50% volume, 60% intensity. Mandatory — not optional.
Age Reality Check
Recovery is slower than at 23. Sleep and food come before everything else. Quality over quantity — always.
Body Comp Check
Gaining more than 1.2 kg/month? The extra is mostly fat. Cut 200 kcal and reassess after 2 weeks.