Full Body Program
A progressive workout program designed for those getting started or getting back to the gym.
About This Workout Program
This workout program is designed to progressively build muscle through three phases, starting with basic conditioning and advancing to maximum hypertrophy.
Phase 1
Getting Started
Phase 2
Base Program
Phase 3
Maximum Hypertrophy
Understanding Muscle Growth
Hypertrophy is an increase and growth of muscle cells. Hypertrophy refers to an increase in muscular size achieved through exercise.
This program is specifically designed to maximize hypertrophy through progressive overload and strategic training phases.
Three-Phase Workout Program
Progress through each phase as your strength and conditioning improve
Instructions
- Do one set for each of the 4 main compound movements: Legs, Chest, Back, Shoulders (in that order).
- Perform 15-25 reps per set.
- Choose an easy weight. It should feel like a warm-up and you should finish with 8+ RiR.
- Work out again in 2 days.
- This phase should help you condition your body to recover more efficiently from workouts (breaking-in your muscles) and should also be used to learn what the different RiRs feel like when you do them.
- You should also be getting practice with 4 compound movements, which are typically more difficult to do properly than the isolation moves you'll be doing in phases 2 and 3.
- Increase the weight and/or reps each workout until you no longer feel like you are getting adequate muscle stimulation and you feel as though you are capable of recovering from more work within 2 days. At that point, move to Phase 2.
| Exercise | Reps | RiR (Reps in Reserve) |
|---|---|---|
| Compound Legs: Leg Press Alt: Squat, Hack Squat, Bulgarian Split Squats | 15-25 | 8+ |
| Compound Chest: Dumbell Bench Press Alt: Barbell Bench Press, Machine Chest Press | 15-25 | 8+ |
| Compound Back: Pull-downs Alt: Assisted Pull-ups, Seated Cable Rows | 15-25 | 8+ |
| Compound Shoulders: Dumbell Shoulder Press Alt: Military Press, Arnold Press | 15-25 | 8+ |
Learn Proper Form
Watch these videos to ensure you're performing each exercise correctly
Key Terms
- RiR (Reps in Reserve)
- The number of repetitions you could still perform before reaching muscular failure.
- Compound Movement
- Exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time.
- Hypertrophy
- The enlargement of muscle cells through exercise.
- Progressive Overload
- Gradually increasing the weight, frequency, or number of repetitions in your strength training routine.