Build muscle – 5 days/week, 12 weeks

Four workouts a week, each focused on one body part: chest, back, legs and shoulders, with arms as an optional fifth. Twelve weeks in three blocks of four, with volume rising block by block and every block ending in a lighter deload week.

How it works

This is a classic bodybuilding split. Each muscle gets 12–18 sets per week, within the range meta-analyses point to as a good balance for people who have trained a while. Sets of 6–12 reps for the big movements and 10–15 for isolation, 2 minutes rest on heavy compounds and 60–90 seconds on the rest.

The blocks

Block 1 (weeks 1–4): learn the intermediate workouts, stay at RIR 2. Block 2 (weeks 5–8): same workouts, add one set to the first exercise and go to RIR 1. Block 3 (weeks 9–12): advanced workouts with paused reps and heavier compounds. Weeks 4, 8 and 12 are deloads – halve the sets, keep the weights.

Progression

Log the weights – the app does it for you. Add weight when you hit the top of the rep range on all sets. Stuck for three workouts at the same weight: drop 10% and build back up. That is not failure, that is what progression looks like over months.

Wednesday's powerwalk

An easy powerwalk mid-week gives movement and cardio without stealing energy from the workouts. It is easy to drop, but it does your health good.