Five Days, Then Four
Ten weeks of barbell bodybuilding: five days of volume, then four heavier days. Pairs with the Fuel plan Eating to build.
- Weeks
- 3 10 weeks · with a trainer
- Days a week
- 5
- Level
- Intermediate
- Gear
- A barbell, plates, a rack, and a bench that inclines. A curl bar if you have one; the straight bar does.
The sessions Five days a week
Each session lands on its day in your calendar, with every set written in the event. Tap a movement to see it drawn.
Week 1
Day 1 Chest and Back
- Reverse-Grip Bench Press 4 × 8-12
- Straight Bar Bench Mid Row 4 × 8-12
- Incline Bench Press 3 × 10-15
- Barbell Pullover 3 × 10-15
- Behind-the-Back Barbell Shrug 3 × 10-15
Reverse grip: palms toward you, a light bar and a spotter or safeties. The mid row lies face down on a high bench.
Day 2 Legs
- Barbell Hack Squat 4 × 8-12
- Wide-Stance Stiff-Legged Deadlift 4 × 8-12
- Barbell Step-up 3 × 8-12
- Barbell Seated Calf Raise 4 × 12-20
The hack squat holds the bar behind your legs. Step-ups each leg, onto a bench.
Day 3 Shoulders and Arms
- Bradford Press 4 × 8-12
- Barbell Front Raise 3 × 10-15
- Incline Barbell Curl 3 × 8-12
- Incline Barbell Triceps Extension 3 × 8-12
The Bradford press passes the bar over your head front to back — just clear of the head, never locked out.
Day 4 Upper
- Close-Grip Bench Press 4 × 8-12
- Reverse-Grip Barbell Row 4 × 8-12
- Front Raise and Pullover 3 × 10-15
- Lying High Bench Barbell Curl 3 × 10-15
- Skull Crusher 3 × 10-15
A second, lighter pass at the upper body. Chase the pump, not the log.
Day 5 Lower
- Zercher Squat 4 × 6-10
- Elevated Back Lunge 3 × 8-12
- Front Squat to a Bench 3 × 8-12
- Barbell Glute Bridge 3 × 10-15
- Barbell Rollout 3 × 6-10
The Zercher holds the bar in the crook of your elbows — a towel round it helps. Lunges each leg, back foot from a plate.
Week by week
- Week 1 · Introduce
- Week 2 · Build
- Week 3 · Build
- Week 4 · Deload with a trainer
- Week 5 · Push with a trainer
- Week 6 · Push with a trainer
- Week 7 · Peak with a trainer
- Week 8 · Deload and test with a trainer
- Week 9 · Introduce with a trainer
- Week 10 · Build with a trainer
What it trains
Quadriceps · Triceps · Biceps · Chest · Middle back · Shoulders · Abdominals · Calves · Glutes · Hamstrings · Lats · Traps
Plans like this one
Get all 10 weeks free with a trainer.
Ask your trainer
physicalfeed works best with a professional trainer. If your trainer doesn’t have a physicalfeed, ask them why.