When a beginner program stops working (you're not adding weight most weeks anymore), you need more volume and a bit more structure. Upper/lower is the classic next step: you train each muscle twice a week, sessions are focused, and four days fits most real lives.
Who it's for
- You've done at least 3–6 months of consistent training, for example my beginner gym program.
- You know how to squat, hinge, bench and row with decent form.
- You can train four days a week.
The weekly schedule
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper A | Lower A | rest | Upper B | Lower B | rest or walk | rest |
Warm-up
5 minutes easy cardio. Then for the first lift: empty bar × 10, then 3–4 sets of increasing weight with fewer reps (e.g. 50% × 8, 70% × 5, 85% × 2) before your working sets.
Upper A
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell bench press | 4 | 5–8 | 2–3 min |
| Barbell bent-over row | 4 | 6–10 | 2 min |
| Seated dumbbell shoulder press | 3 | 8–12 | 90 s |
| Lat pulldown | 3 | 10–12 | 90 s |
| Cable triceps pushdown | 2 | 10–15 | 60 s |
| Alternating dumbbell curl | 2 | 10–15 | 60 s |
Lower A
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell back squat | 4 | 5–8 | 3 min |
| Barbell Romanian deadlift | 3 | 8–10 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell walking lunge | 3 | 10 per leg | 90 s |
| Lying leg curl | 3 | 10–15 | 60 s |
| Standing calf raise | 3 | 12–20 | 60 s |
| Lying leg raise | 3 | 8–15 | 60 s |
Upper B
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standing barbell overhead press | 4 | 5–8 | 2–3 min |
| Pull-up (or assisted pull-up) | 4 | 5–10 | 2 min |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 | 8–12 | 90 s |
| One-arm dumbbell row | 3 | 10–12 per arm | 60 s |
| Dumbbell lateral raise | 3 | 12–20 | 60 s |
| Cable rear-delt row | 3 | 12–15 | 60 s |
Lower B
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell deadlift | 3 | 3–6 | 3 min |
| Leg press | 3 | 10–15 | 2 min |
| Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat | 3 | 8–10 per leg | 90 s |
| Barbell hip thrust | 3 | 8–12 | 90 s |
| Leg extension | 2 | 12–15 | 60 s |
| Side plank | 2 | 30–45 s per side | 45 s |
The exercises
Barbell bench press
Shoulder blades back and down, feet planted, bar to the lower chest, elbows around 45 degrees. Use safety bars or a spotter.
Barbell bent-over row
Flat back, bar to the lower ribs. If your torso rises more and more each rep, it's too heavy.
Seated dumbbell shoulder press
Lat pulldown
Cable triceps pushdown
Elbows pinned to your sides, push down until the arms are straight.
Alternating dumbbell curl
Barbell back squat
Brace hard, sit down between the hips, knees follow the toes, drive up. Safety pins set just below your lowest point.
Barbell Romanian deadlift
Dumbbell walking lunge
Lying leg curl
Standing calf raise
Full range: all the way up, pause, all the way down.
Lying leg raise
Standing barbell overhead press
Glutes and stomach tight, press straight up, head back slightly for the bar, then through.
Pull-up
Can't do 5 yet? Use the assisted machine or do slow negatives:
Incline dumbbell press
One-arm dumbbell row
Dumbbell lateral raise
Cable rear-delt row
Barbell deadlift
Bar over mid-foot, flat back, push the floor away. Reset every rep. Stop the set the moment your back starts to round.
Leg press
Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat
Barbell hip thrust
Leg extension
Side plank
How to progress
Main lifts (bench, squat, overhead press, deadlift): use a weight you can do for the bottom of the range on all sets. When you hit the top of the range on all sets, add 2.5 kg to upper-body lifts and 2.5–5 kg to squat and deadlift.
Everything else: double progression. Top of the range on all sets, then add the smallest weight jump.
Effort: main lifts stop 1–2 reps before failure. Accessories can go closer, 0–1 reps left, as long as form stays clean.
Week by week
- Week 1: start a little lighter than you think. You'll go up quickly.
- Weeks 2–6: push the progression. Log everything.
- Week 7: try to hit new best reps on the main lifts.
- Week 8: deload. Same exercises, half the sets, a bit lighter. Then start again with your new numbers.
When it stops working
Missed your reps two sessions in a row on a main lift? Drop the weight by about 10% and build back up. That's not failure, that's how strength training works.
Common questions
Can I swap exercises? Swap like for like: one horizontal push for another, one hinge for another. The exercise library has alternatives for everything.
Is 75 minutes too long? If you're short on time, cut the last exercise of each day. The first three are the ones that matter most.
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