A four-day Upper/Lower split that fits a normal week.
Two upper days, two lower days, three easy days. Enough frequency to progress, enough recovery to keep showing up. This is the plan inside PROGRESS.; here it is in full.
The week
| Day | Session | Cardio (weeks 3–8) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Upper A | 20 min |
| Tuesday | Lower A | none |
| Wednesday | Recovery | 25 min |
| Thursday | Upper B | 20 min |
| Friday | Lower B | none |
| Saturday | Recovery | 25 min |
| Sunday | Recovery | 25 min |
Cardio sessions are 25 minutes or less at an easy, conversational effort: walking, cycling, an elliptical. Week 1 uses half these minutes and week 2 three quarters, so the total builds from 65 to 115 minutes. Daily steps: pick a target you can actually hit and keep it every day.
Upper A
- Machine chest press · 3 × 8–12 · rest 2 min (alternative: dumbbell bench press)
- Lat pulldown · 3 × 8–12 · rest 2 min (assisted pull-up)
- Seated cable row · 2 × 8–12 · rest 2 min (chest-supported row)
- Dumbbell lateral raise · 2 × 10–15 · rest 75 s (cable lateral raise)
- Cable curl · 2 × 10–15 · rest 75 s (dumbbell curl)
- Cable triceps pushdown · 2 × 10–15 · rest 75 s (machine triceps extension)
Lower A
- Leg press · 3 × 8–12 · rest 2.5 min (goblet squat)
- Dumbbell Romanian deadlift · 2 × 8–10 · rest 2.5 min (cable pull-through)
- Lying leg curl · 2 × 10–15 · rest 90 s (seated leg curl)
- Standing calf raise · 2 × 12–15 · rest 75 s (leg-press calf raise)
- Cable crunch · 2 × 10–15 · rest 75 s (ab crunch machine)
Upper B
- Incline dumbbell press · 3 × 8–12 · rest 2 min (incline machine press)
- Chest-supported row · 3 × 8–12 · rest 2 min (seated cable row)
- Machine shoulder press · 2 × 8–12 · rest 2 min (seated dumbbell press)
- Reverse pec deck · 2 × 10–15 · rest 75 s (cable reverse fly)
- Dumbbell hammer curl · 2 × 10–15 · rest 75 s (rope cable curl)
- Overhead cable triceps extension · 2 × 10–15 · rest 75 s (cable pushdown)
Lower B
- Goblet squat · 3 × 8–12 · rest 2.5 min (hack squat)
- Machine hip thrust · 3 × 8–12 · rest 2 min (dumbbell glute bridge)
- Leg extension · 2 × 10–15 · rest 90 s (leg press)
- Seated leg curl · 2 × 10–15 · rest 90 s (lying leg curl)
- Seated calf raise · 2 × 12–15 · rest 75 s (standing calf raise)
- Ab crunch machine · 2 × 10–15 · rest 75 s (cable crunch)
The eight-week structure
Weeks 1–2: two working sets per exercise, about 3 reps in reserve, find repeatable loads. Weeks 3–7: the set counts above, about 2 RIR, add reps inside the range and use double progression to add load. Week 8: back to two sets at about 3 RIR, then review and decide whether to repeat.
General education for healthy adults with some gym experience, not medical advice. Learn unfamiliar movements with a coach.