This program is excellent for advanced through beginner trainees.
It is, without a doubt the most OPTIMAL, HARDCORE half body program in existence. While I think some can overestimate the importance of training “X’s and O’s” (programming variables), at least compared to HOW you do things, work ethic and adherence, etc. I totally understand why people want the most up to date practices in their program. Considering exercise selection, frequency, volume, rest, RIR… this program has it all.
This program also has an “A/B rotation”. Meaning, for any given day of the split, there are two different workouts for the given day. (Ex: Upper A and Upper B) I find this mainly beneficial for 4 reasons: 1) It allows for better long term orthopedic outcomes. 2) It allows for my exercise variety within a program, while not having sessions containing too many exercises and getting too long. 3) As likely a combined result of 1 and 2, many people find they are able to progressive overload better over time. 4) Many trainees enjoy a bit of variety in their programming, which helps adherence. And if this can be done, while still maintaining appropriate programming, let’s have at it!
There are 2 Blocks to this program, the second block puts some smaller body parts earlier in sessions, to make sure they get some priority. Helping you not only get HUGE, but huge AND balanced.
Each of the 2 blocks are 6 weeks, for 12 weeks total. This is a program you could easily repeat, or extend to go months on end. And like every program on the app, exercises are all easy to swap for other preferred options or when equipment is not available. So get in, kick some butt, make some gains, and as always, if you have any specific questions, get on the forums and ask the coaches!
As for every program, feel free to adjust variables slightly as needed. The base metric of “1 REP” is not well established in “research”, and can vary largely from individual to individual. So feel free to make slight adjustments to the program’s prescribed: Rep ranges, Number of working sets, and Proximity to Failure (RIR). Anyone that argues any of these variables down to the single metric of measure as definitively “the best”, has spent too much time on social media, and too little time applying training to actual humans. In addition, every individual brings large differences to the table as far as “outside the gym” variables: nutrition, sleep, stress, etc. So while I’m confident this program provides epic guidelines and a great place to start, you are ultimately your own study of 1. So feel free to experiment a bit.
Also, with exercise selection I always follow one of my main, guiding training principles of: As little as possible to produce maximal results. That said, there is no exact cut off point for the number of exercises per workout. So if you want to add an exercise or even two to any given workout, same as the advice I give above… try it out, measure progress and adjust accordingly. Lastly, exercise selection is based on what I feel has the most evidence for being effective long-term, but for any single exercise on the program, there are always other options that can accomplish the same goal similarly. So feel free to swap exercises based on preference, or if you need a recommendation get in the forums.
Rest: 90 seconds – 3 minutes before working sets
Suggested split structure:
Monday – Upper A
Tuesday – Lower A
Wednesday – OFF
Thursday – Upper B
Friday – Lower B
Saturday – OFF
Sunday – OFF
Other split options for consideration:
Legendary recovery:
4 days on, 1 day off
Good recovery:
2 days on, 1 day off
Below average recovery:
1 on, 1 off
*These are still just suggestions. There is no right or wrong option here. You can also make this work with any schedule. Whenever you train, just pick right up on the next session. Hypothetically, if you’re ever sick, rundown, excessively busy, stressed or just have a moment of laziness and train less days than the suggested split, no worries at all just pick back up right where you left off. At the same time if you are recovering like a robot, or just absolutely love training more often than the suggested split, have added it. Don’t let anyone, myself included, limit how much you love the train, or make you feel guilty for missing a session. Long-term consistency and adherence are.
BLOCK 1
Upper A
Incline smith
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Wide-grip pullups
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Rack military press
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Chest supported machine row (upper back and lats)
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Cable rear delts
Set 1: 8-10
Set 2: 8-10
Set 3: 10-12
RIR 0
JM smith press (banded)
Set 1: 6-8
Set 2: 6-8
Set 3: 8-12
RIR 0
Lower A
Smith Squats
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Lying leg curls
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0
Leg press quad dominant
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 10-12 reps
RIR: 0-2
Rear foot elevated split squat
Set 1: 8-10
Set 2: 8-10
Set 3: 10-15
RIR 0
Hip Loaded calf raise
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 8-10 reps
RIR 0
Hanging leg raises
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
Set 3: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0
Upper B
Incline DB press
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Chest supported tbar row
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Roller cable flys
Set 1: 8-10 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 10-12 reps
RIR 0
Single-arm cable pulldown
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 8-10 reps
RIR 0
Lying cuff lateral raises
Set 1: 8-10 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 10-15 reps
RIR 0
Single-arm DB preacher curls
Set 1: 6-8 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 8-10 reps
RIR 0
Lower B
RDLs
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Seated leg curls
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Hack Squats
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Barbell thrust
Set 1: 8-10 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 10-15 reps
RIR 0
Hip loaded calf raise
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 8-10 reps
RIR 0
Ab mat crunches
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
Set 3: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0
BLOCK 2
Upper A
Neutral-grip pullups
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Machine incline press
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Chest supported machine row (upper back and lats)
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Machine shoulder press
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Incline cable curls
Set 1: 8-10 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 10-12 reps
RIR 0
Hip Loaded calf raise
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 8-10 reps
RIR 0
Hanging leg raises
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
Set 3: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0
Lower A
Reverse pec dec
Set 1: 8-10 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 10-15 reps
RIR 0
JM smith press (banded)
Set 1: 6-8 reps
Set 2: 6-8 reps
Set 3: 8-12 reps
RIR: 0
Seated leg curls
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Smith Squats
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Single-leg leg press
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Rear foot elevated split squat
Set 1: 8-10 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 10-15 reps
RIR 0
Wrist curls
Set 1: 8-10 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 10-15 reps
RIR 0
Upper B
Lying cuff lateral raises
Set 1: 8-10 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 10-15 reps
RIR 0
Single-arm DB preacher curls
Set 1: 6-8 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 8-10 reps
RIR 0
Incline DB press
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Chest supported tbar row
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Roller cable flys
Set 1: 8-10 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 8-10 reps
RIR 0
Single-arm cable pulldown
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 8-10 reps
RIR 0
Wrist extensions
Set 1: 8-10 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 10-15 reps
RIR 0
Lower B
Seated cable cross extensions
Set 1: 8-10 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 8-10 reps
RIR 0
Hip loaded calf raise
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 8-10 reps
Set 3: 8-10 reps
RIR 0
Barbell thrust
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
RDLs
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0-2
Lying leg curls
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0
Sissy Leg Press
Set 1: 8-10 reps
Set 2: 10-15 reps
RIR 0
Ab mat crunches
Set 1: 5-8 reps
Set 2: 5-8 reps
Set 3: 5-8 reps
RIR: 0
