Upper Lower, No Barbell
Four days a week, upper and lower twice each, on machines, cables and dumbbells. There is no barbell in it.
- Weeks
- 3 8 weeks · with a trainer
- Days a week
- 4
- Level
- Beginner to Intermediate
- Gear
- Machines, a cable stack, dumbbells and an adjustable bench. No barbell at any point.
The sessions Four 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 Upper A
- Machine Chest Press 4 × 10
- Lat Pulldown 4 × 10
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 × 12
- Cable Fly 3 × 15
- Cable Curl 3 × 12
The heavier upper day. Full rest after the chest press and the pulldown.
Day 2 Lower A
- Leg Press 4 × 10
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift 3 × 12
- Leg Extension 3 × 15
- Standing Calf Raise 4 × 15
- Cable Crunch 3 × 12
Knees track over your toes on the press — set your feet before the first rep, not during it.
Day 3 Upper B
- Seated Cable Row 4 × 10
- Incline Dumbbell Press 3 × 10
- Machine Shoulder Press 3 × 12
- Reverse Pec Deck 3 × 15
- Triceps Rope Pushdown 3 × 12
Pull-first day. Sit tall on the row — the stack moves because your elbows do.
Day 4 Lower B
- Hack Squat 4 × 10
- Leg Curl or Lying Leg Curl 3 × 12
- Cable Pull-Through 3 × 12
- Hip Abduction Machine 3 × 15
- Seated Calf Raise 4 × 15
On the pull-through, the hips do all of it — arms are rope, nothing more.
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
What it trains
Chest · Hamstrings · Quadriceps · Shoulders · Calves · Abdominals · Abductors · Biceps · Glutes · Lats · Middle back · Triceps
Questions
How do I add this to my calendar?
Tap Add to my calendar. Pick your days and your first session, then type your name and email. We email you a link. Open it and tap Apple Calendar, Google Calendar or Outlook. For any other app, copy the link. The plan arrives as its own calendar. Each session lands on its date with every set written in the event, so you can read it with no signal.
What do I need?
Machines, a cable stack, dumbbells and an adjustable bench. No barbell at any point. Train 4 days a week.
What happens when the three weeks end?
You get the first three weeks free. The day after your last session, an event called “Keep going with Upper Lower, No Barbell” lands in your calendar. No new sessions arrive after it. Get all 8 weeks free with a trainer. Ask your trainer for their physicalfeed page, open it and tap Move my plan here. Your calendar and what you have logged come with you. You can add a coach any time, you don't need to wait the three weeks.
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