- Do one exercise for each of the major muscle groups.
- The first two weeks you practice your form so the weight should be light. Do additional sets if you want to keep rehearsing the motion.
- The second two weeks you’ll add another set. Start with a light warm-up set, then choose a slightly heavier weight for each of your next two sets. You should approach muscle failure by the target rep listed. Don’t sacrifice good form to do more reps if the weight is too heavy. You know you reach muscle failure when you can’t do any more reps on a given move with textbook form.
- You’ll start with a light warm-up set during the third phase (weeks 5-8), then choose a more challenging weight for your second and third sets. Try to choose a weight so you can just reach the target rep; if you can do more reps the weight is too light, and if you can’t reach the target rep the weight is too heavy.
- As you get stronger over the course of the program, do more reps and/or increase the weight to progressively challenge the working muscles.
- If a given barbell or dumbbell exercise is too difficult, find its machine counterpart and practice on that before going back to free weights.
- Follow this work out three times per week on nonconsecutive days (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays).
Weeks 1-2
| Barbell Bench Press – Medium Grip | 2 sets | 15 reps |
| Lying T-Bar Row | 2 sets | 15 reps |
| Seated Dumbbell Press | 2 sets | 15 reps |
| Standing Dumbbell Press | 2 sets | 15 reps |
| Dip Machine | 2 sets | 15 reps |
| Lying Leg Curls | 2 sets | 15 reps |
| Ab Crunch Machine | 2 sets | 15 reps |
Weeks 3-4
| Barbell Bench Press – Medium Grip | 3 sets | 15, 12, 10 reps |
| Lying T-Bar Row | 3 sets | 15, 12, 10 reps |
| Seated Dumbbell Press | 3 sets | 12, 8, 8 reps |
| Standing Dumbbell Press | 3 sets | 15, 12, 10 reps |
| Dip Machine | 3 sets | 15, 12, 10 reps |
| Leg Press | 3 sets | 15, 12, 10 reps |
| Lying Leg Curls | 3 sets | 15, 12, 10 reps |
| Ab Crunch Machine | 3 sets | 15 reps |
Weeks 5-8
| Barbell Bench Press – Medium Grip | 3 sets | 12, 8, 8 reps |
| Lying T-Bar Row | 3 sets | 12, 8, 8 reps |
| Seated Dumbbell Press | 3 sets | 12, 8, 8 reps |
| Standing Dumbbell Press | 3 sets | 12, 8, 8 reps |
| Dip Machine | 3 sets | 12, 8, 8 reps |
| Leg Press | 3 sets | 12, 8, 8 reps |
| Lying Leg Curls | 3 sets | 12, 8, 8 reps |
| Ab Crunch Machine | 3 sets | 15 reps |