A compact, effective 3-day program. Ideal for busy trainees who want solid volume and frequency. Adjust volume if needed.

Recommended level: Beginner → Intermediate. Adjust by reducing sets if necessary.

Monday: Chest & Triceps

Goal: Chest mass and triceps development

  • Barbell Flat Bench Press: 4 sets × 10 reps
  • Incline Bench Press: 4 sets × 10 reps
  • Chest Flyes (cable or dumbbell, flat bench): 3 sets × 12 reps
  • Triceps
  • Close-Grip Barbell Press: 4 sets × 10 reps
  • Skullcrushers (EZ bar or straight bar): 4 sets × 10–12 reps

Tip: Use 60–90s rest on isolation work and 90–150s on heavier compound sets. Keep elbows stable during skullcrushers to protect the joint.

Wednesday: Back, Traps & Biceps

Goal: Back thickness, upper-back trap work, and biceps strength

  • Pull-Ups: 4 sets × 10 reps (use assistance if needed)
  • Bent-Over Barbell Row: 4 sets × 10 reps
  • V-Bar Lat Pulldown: 4 sets × 12 reps
  • Dumbbell Shrugs (for traps): 3 sets × 15 reps
  • Biceps
  • Barbell Curls: 4 sets × 8–10 reps
  • Seated Concentration Curls: 4 sets × 10 reps

Tip: Focus on a controlled eccentric (lowering) on rows and pulls to increase tension. If pull-up volume is high, reduce biceps isolation slightly to manage recovery.

Friday — Legs, Shoulders & Abs

Goal: Lower-body strength and shoulder development; core stability

  • Leg Press: 4 sets × 10 reps
  • Leg Extensions (quads): 4 sets × 10 reps
  • Leg Curls (hamstrings): 4 sets × 10 reps
  • Standing Calf Raises (machine/barbell): 4 sets × 15–20 reps
  • Seated or Leg-Press Calf Press: 3 sets × 10–15 reps
  • Shoulders
  • Seated/Standing Military Press (dumbbell or barbell): 4 sets × 12 reps
  • Lateral Raises: 3 sets × 10 reps
  • Abs
  • Weighted Sit-Ups (weight plate on chest): 4 sets × 15 reps
  • Seated Russian Twists (rotations): 4 sets × 10 rotations each side

Tip: If you'd like more posterior chain emphasis, swap a leg-extension day for squats or Romanian deadlifts every 1–2 weeks.

Program Notes & Recommendations

  • Recommended level: Beginner → Intermediate. Drop 1–2 sets per exercise for true beginners.
  • Rest: 60–90s for hypertrophy isolation; 90–150s for heavy compound lifts; 30–60s for core work.
  • Progressive overload: add weight, reps, or an extra set over time to keep progressing.
  • Warm up: 5–10 minutes of light cardio plus dynamic mobility before heavy sets.
  • Swap options: occasionally rotate one exercise (e.g., replace chest flyes with dips; replace leg press with free-squat) to prevent plateaus.
  • Swap option: Move abs to Monday after triceps if legs day feels too tiring.