The method

Six days, in a fixed order, run for years rather than weeks. Below is the whole thing: what goes in each session, in what order, why that order, and what to swap in when the machine you need is taken.

This is an example, not a rule. If you take the six-day split and run it as four days because that is the life you actually have, that is the better routine — for you. The compressions below are not consolation prizes; they are the point.

The only progression rule

Hit the top of the rep range on every working set, then add the smallest weight the gym has — usually 2.5 kg on a barbell, one pin on a stack.

If you miss the bottom of the range two sessions running, the weight is not the problem; sleep, food or stress is. Fix that before changing the programme.

Everything else — exercise choice, order, rest — is detail. This is the mechanism.

Pick your week

Three arrangements over the same six sessions. Nothing is duplicated and nothing is watered down — the shorter weeks merge days and say plainly what that costs.

The full version. One rest day, placed after the three heaviest sessions.

  1. MonLeg & Abs
  2. TuePush
  3. WedPull
  4. ThuRest
  5. FriLeg
  6. SatChest & Back
  7. SunShoulder & Arms

What it costs: Nothing is cut — but it needs six days you can genuinely give it, most weeks, for months. If that is not your life right now, the 5-day below is the better routine, because it is the one you will actually run.

Chest & Back absorbs Shoulder & Arms. Two rest days, one of them at the end.

  1. MonLeg & Abs
  2. TuePush
  3. WedPull
  4. ThuRest
  5. FriLeg
  6. SatChest & Back + Shoulder & Arms
  7. SunRest

What it costs: Shoulders and arms arrive at the end of an already long session, so they get less volume and worse quality. Side delts are usually the first thing to stall — if that happens, move lateral raises to the front of that day and accept a slightly weaker press.

Push absorbs chest volume, Pull absorbs back volume, arms fold into both. Three rest days.

  1. MonLeg & Abs
  2. TuePush (+ chest volume)
  3. WedRest
  4. ThuPull (+ back volume)
  5. FriLeg
  6. SatRest
  7. SunRest

What it costs: Chest & Back loses its dedicated day, and Shoulder & Arms disappears as a session — arms survive only as the tail of Push and Pull. Arm and delt growth will be slower. In exchange you get a week with three rest days, which is the version that survives a job, a commute and a bad month.

Day 1Leg & Abs

Quads, hamstrings, calves, trunk · 7 exercises · 23 working sets

Legs go first in the week because they need the most recovery afterwards and the least fatigue beforehand. Abs go last on this day rather than on a pull day, where a tired trunk makes deadlifts worse.

  1. 1Barbell back squat4 × 6-83:00

    Barbell back squat

    4 × 6-8

    3:00 rest

    • Brace before you unrack, not after
    • Knees track over the toes
    • Full depth or lighter weight

    demo soon

    The anchor lift of the week. Add 2.5 kg when all four sets hit the top of the range.

    Taken? Use Hack squat · Goblet squat · Leg press

  2. 2Romanian deadlift3 × 8-102:30

    Romanian deadlift

    3 × 8-10

    2:30 rest

    • Push the hips back, do not bend the knees
    • Bar stays against the legs
    • Stop where the back would round

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Dumbbell RDL · Good morning · Seated leg curl

  3. 3Leg press3 × 10-122:00

    Leg press

    3 × 10-12

    2:00 rest

    • Feet mid-platform, shoulder width
    • Do not lock the knees at the top
    • Lower until the hips start to tuck

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Hack squat · Goblet squat

  4. 4Seated leg curl3 × 12-151:30

    Seated leg curl

    3 × 12-15

    1:30 rest

    • Pad above the ankles
    • Squeeze at the bottom for a beat
    • Hips stay pinned to the seat

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Lying leg curl · Nordic curl

  5. 5Standing calf raise4 × 12-151:00

    Standing calf raise

    4 × 12-15

    1:00 rest

    • Full stretch at the bottom
    • Pause a second at the top
    • Slow down, do not bounce

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Seated calf raise · Leg press calf press

  6. 6Hanging leg raise3 × 10-151:00

    Hanging leg raise

    3 × 10-15

    1:00 rest

    • Curl the pelvis up, do not just swing the legs
    • Control the way down
    • Bend the knees if the back arches

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Captain's chair raise · Lying leg raise

  7. 7Cable crunch3 × 12-151:00

    Cable crunch

    3 × 12-15

    1:00 rest

    • Round the spine deliberately
    • Hips stay fixed — this is not a hip hinge
    • Exhale hard at the bottom

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Weighted decline sit-up · Ab wheel

Day 2Push

Chest, front and side delts, triceps · 6 exercises · 20 working sets

Heaviest press first, while the triceps are fresh — they are the limiting factor on everything that follows. Isolation work goes at the end, where a tired muscle is a feature rather than a risk.

  1. 1Barbell bench press4 × 5-83:00

    Barbell bench press

    4 × 5-8

    3:00 rest

    • Shoulder blades pinned back and down
    • Bar to the lower chest
    • Drive the feet into the floor

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Dumbbell bench press · Machine chest press

  2. 2Standing overhead press3 × 6-82:30

    Standing overhead press

    3 × 6-8

    2:30 rest

    • Squeeze the glutes so the ribs do not flare
    • Bar path past the nose, not around it
    • Head through at the top

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Seated dumbbell press · Machine shoulder press

  3. 3Incline dumbbell press3 × 8-122:00

    Incline dumbbell press

    3 × 8-12

    2:00 rest

    • Bench at 30 degrees, not 45
    • Elbows around 45 degrees from the torso
    • Stop before the dumbbells clash

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Incline barbell press · Incline machine press

  4. 4Dips3 × AMRAP2:00

    Dips

    3 × AMRAP

    2:00 rest

    • Lean forward for chest, stay upright for triceps
    • Shoulders stay down, away from the ears
    • Stop at the depth your shoulders like

    demo soon

    Add weight once you clear 12 clean reps.

    Taken? Use Assisted dip machine · Close-grip bench press

  5. 5Dumbbell lateral raise4 × 12-201:00

    Dumbbell lateral raise

    4 × 12-20

    1:00 rest

    • Lead with the elbows, not the hands
    • Stop at shoulder height
    • Light weight, no swinging — this one is not a strength lift

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Cable lateral raise · Machine lateral raise

  6. 6Triceps pushdown3 × 10-151:00

    Triceps pushdown

    3 × 10-15

    1:00 rest

    • Elbows locked to the ribs
    • Full lockout, then a slow return
    • Do not lean over the bar to cheat weight

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Overhead cable extension · Skull crusher

Day 3Pull

Back, rear delts, biceps · 6 exercises · 19 working sets

Deadlift first because it is the most systemically taxing thing in the week and deserves a fresh nervous system. Vertical pull before horizontal, then rear delts, which almost everyone under-trains.

  1. 1Conventional deadlift3 × 54:00

    Conventional deadlift

    3 × 5

    4:00 rest

    • Take the slack out of the bar before you pull
    • Push the floor away
    • One rep at a time — reset the brace each rep

    demo soon

    Three working sets is plenty. This lift takes more than it looks like it takes.

    Taken? Use Trap bar deadlift · Rack pull

  2. 2Pull-up4 × 6-102:30

    Pull-up

    4 × 6-10

    2:30 rest

    • Start from a dead hang
    • Pull the elbows down to the ribs
    • Chest to the bar, not chin over it

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Assisted pull-up · Lat pulldown

  3. 3Barbell row3 × 8-102:00

    Barbell row

    3 × 8-10

    2:00 rest

    • Torso around 45 degrees and held there
    • Pull to the belly button
    • If the torso rises every rep, the weight is wrong

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Chest-supported row · Single-arm dumbbell row

  4. 4Lat pulldown3 × 10-121:30

    Lat pulldown

    3 × 10-12

    1:30 rest

    • Chest up, slight lean back and hold it
    • Drive the elbows down
    • Control the stretch at the top

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Pull-up · Machine pulldown

  5. 5Face pull3 × 15-201:00

    Face pull

    3 × 15-20

    1:00 rest

    • Rope at eye height
    • Pull to the forehead, elbows high
    • Rotate the pinkies back at the end

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Rear delt fly · Band pull-apart

  6. 6Barbell curl3 × 8-121:00

    Barbell curl

    3 × 8-12

    1:00 rest

    • Elbows stay in front of the ribs, not behind
    • No hip swing
    • Full stretch at the bottom

    demo soon

    Taken? Use EZ-bar curl · Dumbbell curl

Day 4Leg

Quads, glutes, hamstrings — the second dose · 5 exercises · 17 working sets

The second leg day is deliberately not a repeat of the first. Front squat instead of back squat, single-leg work instead of bilateral, so the same muscles get a second stimulus without the same joints taking the same load twice.

  1. 1Front squat4 × 6-83:00

    Front squat

    4 × 6-8

    3:00 rest

    • Elbows high the whole set
    • Upright torso — this is the point of the lift
    • Lighter than the back squat, always

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Goblet squat · Hack squat

  2. 2Bulgarian split squat3 × 8-10 each2:00

    Bulgarian split squat

    3 × 8-10 each

    2:00 rest

    • Front foot far enough forward that the knee stays behind the toes
    • Drop straight down
    • Hold a rail if balance eats the set

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Walking lunge · Step-up

  3. 3Barbell hip thrust3 × 10-122:00

    Barbell hip thrust

    3 × 10-12

    2:00 rest

    • Chin tucked, ribs down
    • Squeeze at the top, do not hyperextend the back
    • Feet placed so the shins are vertical at the top

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Glute bridge · Machine hip thrust

  4. 4Leg extension3 × 12-151:30

    Leg extension

    3 × 12-15

    1:30 rest

    • Pause at the top
    • Slow negative
    • Do not slam the stack

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Sissy squat · Goblet squat

  5. 5Standing calf raise4 × 12-151:00

    Standing calf raise

    4 × 12-15

    1:00 rest

    • Full stretch at the bottom
    • Pause a second at the top
    • Slow down, do not bounce

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Seated calf raise · Leg press calf press

Day 5Chest & Back

Chest and back, supersetted where the gym allows · 5 exercises · 17 working sets

Opposing muscles on the same day means one rests while the other works, so the session is dense without being rushed. This is the volume day — moderate weight, more reps, shorter rest than the heavy days.

  1. 1Incline dumbbell press4 × 8-122:00

    Incline dumbbell press

    4 × 8-12

    2:00 rest

    • Bench at 30 degrees, not 45
    • Elbows around 45 degrees from the torso
    • Stop before the dumbbells clash

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Incline barbell press · Incline machine press

  2. 2Chest-supported row4 × 8-122:00

    Chest-supported row

    4 × 8-12

    2:00 rest

    • Let the shoulder blades stretch forward at the bottom
    • Pull with the elbows
    • Chest stays on the pad the whole set

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Seated cable row · Barbell row

  3. 3Cable fly3 × 12-151:15

    Cable fly

    3 × 12-15

    1:15 rest

    • Soft elbow bend, fixed the whole rep
    • Cross slightly at the front
    • Stretch is the point — do not shorten the range

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Pec deck · Dumbbell fly

  4. 4Lat pulldown3 × 10-121:15

    Lat pulldown

    3 × 10-12

    1:15 rest

    • Chest up, slight lean back and hold it
    • Drive the elbows down
    • Control the stretch at the top

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Pull-up · Machine pulldown

  5. 5Straight-arm pulldown3 × 12-151:00

    Straight-arm pulldown

    3 × 12-15

    1:00 rest

    • Arms near-locked
    • Hinge slightly and hold it
    • Pull to the thighs, squeeze the lats

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Dumbbell pullover · Lat prayer

Day 6Shoulder & Arms

Delts, biceps, triceps · 6 exercises · 20 working sets

The smallest muscles get their own day at the end of the week, when nothing heavy is coming after. Everything here is moderate weight and high control — there is no reason to grind on a lateral raise.

  1. 1Standing overhead press4 × 6-102:30

    Standing overhead press

    4 × 6-10

    2:30 rest

    • Squeeze the glutes so the ribs do not flare
    • Bar path past the nose, not around it
    • Head through at the top

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Seated dumbbell press · Machine shoulder press

  2. 2Dumbbell lateral raise4 × 12-201:00

    Dumbbell lateral raise

    4 × 12-20

    1:00 rest

    • Lead with the elbows, not the hands
    • Stop at shoulder height
    • Light weight, no swinging — this one is not a strength lift

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Cable lateral raise · Machine lateral raise

  3. 3Rear delt fly3 × 15-201:00

    Rear delt fly

    3 × 15-20

    1:00 rest

    • Thumbs down, elbows slightly bent
    • Stop when the arms reach the torso line
    • Very light — the rear delt is small

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Face pull · Reverse pec deck

  4. 4Barbell curl3 × 8-121:15

    Barbell curl

    3 × 8-12

    1:15 rest

    • Elbows stay in front of the ribs, not behind
    • No hip swing
    • Full stretch at the bottom

    demo soon

    Taken? Use EZ-bar curl · Dumbbell curl

  5. 5Skull crusher3 × 10-121:15

    Skull crusher

    3 × 10-12

    1:15 rest

    • Lower behind the head, not to the forehead
    • Elbows stay pointed at the ceiling
    • Stop the set when the elbows start to ache

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Overhead cable extension · Close-grip bench press

  6. 6Hammer curl3 × 10-121:00

    Hammer curl

    3 × 10-12

    1:00 rest

    • Neutral grip throughout
    • No swing
    • Squeeze at the top for a beat

    demo soon

    Taken? Use Rope hammer curl · Reverse curl

Two things this page does not tell you

What weight to use. Nobody can tell you that from a page. Pick something you can complete with two reps left in the tank, write it down, and use the progression rule.

Whether it is right for you. This is one person's routine, structured and published. It is not medical advice, and it assumes no injuries or conditions. If you have either, that conversation goes to a professional before it goes to a website.

The numbers side of this lives on nutrition — being written now.