Who this program is for
This program is for people who have trained consistently for at least six months, know the main lifts and want to build muscle efficiently. If you are new to the gym, start with the Beginner Full-Body Strength Program and come back after it.
How the program is built
Every muscle is trained twice a week, once in a heavier session and once in a higher-volume session. That gives each muscle group roughly 10–16 hard sets a week, the range where research finds good growth for most trained people.
- Upper A and Lower A start with heavier compound lifts in the 6–8 rep range, for strength.
- Upper B and Lower B use more exercises and higher reps, for volume.
Both matter. Muscle grows across a wide range of reps as long as sets are hard, and heavier work keeps you getting stronger, which lets you use more weight in your volume work over time.
How hard should sets be?
Most sets should end 1–2 reps short of failure: the last reps slow down and you could do one or two more with good form, but not five. Leaving a little in reserve on big lifts keeps technique safe and fatigue manageable. On isolation exercises such as curls and lateral raises, taking the final set to failure is fine.
Progress, then recover
For six weeks, try to add a rep or a little weight every session. In weeks 4–6 you add sets, and week 7 is your hardest. Week 8 is a deliberate step back: lighter weights and fewer sets, so the fatigue lifts and you start the next cycle stronger.
Fuel the growth
Muscle is built from protein and needs energy. Aim for 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kg of body weight and a small calorie surplus. The protein calculator and calorie calculator give you the exact numbers.