Exercise Library

Before every session

The warm-up

Eight minutes, every session, no exceptions. It is not cardio and it is not optional.

Easy cardio. A bike, a rower or a brisk walk.3 to 5 minGet warm
Leg swings, forwards and back then side to side10 eachOpen the hips up
Cat and cow8 repsWake the back up one bit at a time
Band pull-apart15 repsSwitch the upper back on
Bodyweight squat, as deep as is comfortable10 repsGroove the movement

Session

Day 1. Legs, quads first

Main lifts

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Back Squat

4 x 6–8Effort 7–8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Backpack squat, heels on a book
Joints: Goblet squat or box squat

Set up: Bar resting on the muscle across the back of your shoulders. Feet a little wider than your hips, toes turned out slightly.
The way down: Sit straight down between your hips. Three seconds. Chest stays up.
How far: Hip crease below the top of your knee. Stop where your back is still flat.
The usual mistake: Knees falling inwards as you stand up. Push them out against the floor.

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Leg Press

3 x 10–12Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Backpack split squat
Joints: Leg press, shorter range

Set up: Feet flat and about hip width, in the middle of the plate. Back and hips pressed into the seat.
The way down: Lower it under control until your knees come near your chest.
How far: As deep as you can go before your hips start to lift off the seat.
The usual mistake: Snapping your knees straight at the top. Stop just short of locked.

Supporting work

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Walking Lunge

3 x 10 / legEffort 7

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Reverse lunge holding a backpack
Joints: Split squat, front foot on a step

Set up: Stand tall. Step out far enough that your front shin stays almost upright.
The way down: Drop your back knee straight down until it nearly touches the floor.
How far: Back knee an inch off the ground, front heel flat the whole way.
The usual mistake: Short choppy steps. They load the knee instead of the glute.

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Leg Extension

3 x 12–15Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Sissy squat holding a doorframe
Joints: As written, slower

Set up: Back against the pad. Knee lined up with the pivot of the machine.
The way down: Three seconds down, and never let the weights touch at the bottom.
How far: All the way straight, with a one second squeeze at the top.
The usual mistake: Swinging your body to throw the weight up.

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Standing Calf Raise

4 x 12–15Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: One-leg calf raise off a step
Joints: Seated calf raise

Set up: Balls of your feet on the step. Knees straight and staying straight.
The way down: Two seconds down into a deep stretch. No bouncing.
How far: Heel below the step at the bottom, right up on your big toe at the top.
The usual mistake: Fast little pulses. Calves grow from the stretch, not the count.

Core

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Hanging Knee Raise

3 x 10–15Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Lying leg raise
Joints: Dead bug, 8 each side

Set up: Hang with your shoulders pulled down and away from your ears.
The way down: Control your legs back down. No swing into the next one.
How far: Knees above your hips, lower back rounding a little at the top.
The usual mistake: Using momentum. If you are swinging, halve the reps.

Session

Day 2. Push

Main lifts

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Barbell Bench Press

4 x 6–8Effort 7–8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Push-up with your feet up and a backpack on
Joints: Dumbbell press, palms facing in

Set up: Shoulder blades squeezed together and pulled down. Feet planted.
The way down: Two to three seconds down to your lower chest, elbows at about 45 degrees.
How far: Touch your chest lightly. Never bounce it off.
The usual mistake: Elbows flaring straight out to the sides. The quickest route to a sore shoulder.

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Overhead Press

3 x 8–10Effort 7

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Backpack press overhead
Joints: Landmine press

Set up: Bar resting on your front shoulders. Ribs down, glutes tight, feet under your hips.
The way down: Back down to your collarbone under control. Move your head out of the way, then back through.
How far: Lock out with your arms beside your ears.
The usual mistake: Leaning back to get it up. If your lower back arches, it is too heavy.

Supporting work

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Incline Dumbbell Press

3 x 10–12Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Band chest press, band behind your back
Joints: As written, shorter range

Set up: Bench at 30 degrees. Any higher and it turns into a shoulder press.
The way down: Down to the top of your chest, wrists stacked over your elbows.
How far: Stop just short of locking out so your chest keeps the tension.
The usual mistake: Letting the dumbbells drift back over your face at the top.

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Lateral Raise

3 x 12–15Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Band raise, or a water bottle in each hand
Joints: As written

Set up: Light dumbbells. Lean forward a fraction. Elbows soft.
The way down: Three seconds down. That half is the whole exercise.
How far: Up to shoulder height and no higher.
The usual mistake: Shrugging. If your traps take over, the weight is too heavy.

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Triceps Rope Pushdown

3 x 12–15Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Band pushdown, or a dip off a chair
Joints: As written

Set up: Elbows tucked into your sides. Lean forward slightly.
The way down: Let the rope come back up to a full stretch at the top.
How far: Spread the rope apart and lock out hard at the bottom.
The usual mistake: Elbows drifting forward, which hands the work to your shoulders.

Session

Day 3. Pull

Main lifts

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Pull-Up, assisted if you need it

4 x 6–10Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Doorway bar, or a row under a table
Joints: Pulldown, palms facing in

Set up: Hands just outside your shoulders. Pull your shoulders down before anything else moves.
The way down: Three seconds down to a dead hang, every rep.
How far: Chin clearly over the bar, arms straight at the bottom.
The usual mistake: Kicking your legs for momentum. Use a band or the machine instead.

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Chest-Supported Row

4 x 8–10Effort 7–8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: One-arm backpack row with a hand on a chair
Joints: As written

Set up: Chest flat on the pad with no gap. Feet braced.
The way down: Full stretch at the bottom. Let your shoulder blades come forward.
How far: Pull until your elbows go past your ribs.
The usual mistake: Peeling your chest off the pad. The pad is there to stop you cheating.

Supporting work

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Lat Pulldown

3 x 10–12Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Band pulldown anchored high
Joints: Pulldown, palms facing in

Set up: Thighs pinned under the pad. Lean back slightly, then hold that angle for every rep.
The way down: Three seconds back up, letting your shoulder blades rise at the top.
How far: Bar to your collarbone. Never behind your neck.
The usual mistake: Leaning further back each rep until it quietly turns into a row.

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Face Pull

3 x 15Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Band face pull at eye height
Joints: As written

Set up: Rope at eye height. Thumbs pointing back, elbows high.
The way down: Control it forward and feel your upper back lengthen.
How far: Pull to your forehead and finish with your hands wide apart.
The usual mistake: Pulling it down to your chest, which misses the back of the shoulder completely.

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Biceps Curl

3 x 10–12Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Band curl, or a backpack curl
Joints: As written

Set up: Elbows pinned to your ribs, and they stay there.
The way down: Three seconds down to a full stretch.
How far: All the way straight at the bottom. Half reps build half an arm.
The usual mistake: Swinging your elbows forward at the top to rest the weight.

Session

Day 4. Legs again, hamstrings and glutes

Main lifts

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Romanian Deadlift

4 x 8–10Effort 7–8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: One-leg version holding a backpack
Joints: Dumbbell version, shorter range

Set up: Bar against your thighs. Knees slightly bent, then locked at that angle for every rep.
The way down: Push your hips back and let the bar slide down your legs. Slow is the point.
How far: Stop when your hamstrings run out of stretch or your back starts to round. Usually mid shin.
The usual mistake: Turning it into a squat. Your knees do not travel forward at any point.

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Hip Thrust

4 x 8–10Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Shoulders on the sofa, backpack on your hips
Joints: Glute bridge on the floor

Set up: Bench under your shoulder blades. Chin tucked. Shins upright at the top.
The way down: Under control, stopping just short of the floor.
How far: All the way up using your glutes, ribs down, no arching your lower back.
The usual mistake: Finishing the rep with your lower back instead of your glutes.

Supporting work

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Bulgarian Split Squat

3 x 10 / legEffort 7

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Back foot on a chair
Joints: Split squat, front foot on a step

Set up: Back foot on the bench. Front foot far enough forward that your shin stays nearly upright.
The way down: Straight down, with the weight through your front heel.
How far: Back knee close to the floor, front heel flat.
The usual mistake: Standing too close to the bench, which turns it into a knee grinder.

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Seated Leg Curl

3 x 12–15Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Band leg curl, lying face down
Joints: As written

Set up: Knee lined up with the pivot of the machine. Hips strapped down.
The way down: Three seconds back to the start. That half is where hamstrings grow.
How far: Curl fully to the pad, straighten fully, without letting the weights slam.
The usual mistake: Lifting your hips off the seat to finish. That is your back, not your hamstring.

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Seated Calf Raise

4 x 12–15Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: One-leg calf raise with your knee bent
Joints: As written

Set up: Balls of your feet on the plate, knees bent under the pad.
The way down: Two seconds down into a deep stretch.
How far: Heel as low as it will go, then all the way up.
The usual mistake: Short bouncy reps that never reach either end.

Core

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Plank

3 x 45–60 secEffort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: As written
Joints: Pallof press, 10 each side

Set up: Elbows under your shoulders, feet hip width.
The way down: Nothing to lower. The work is holding the position honestly.
How far: One straight line from your ear to your ankle.
The usual mistake: Hips sagging or riding high. When the line breaks, the set is over.

Session

Day 5. Upper body, the catch-up day

Main lifts

Supporting work

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Rear Delt Fly

3 x 15Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Bent-over band fly
Joints: As written

Set up: Bent at the hips with a flat back, or chest on an incline bench. Light weights.
The way down: Three seconds back to the middle.
How far: Out and slightly up until your arms are level with your shoulders.
The usual mistake: Letting your elbows bend, which turns it into a row.

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Hammer Curl

3 x 12Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Backpack curl, palms facing in
Joints: As written

Set up: Palms facing each other, elbows tucked in.
The way down: Three seconds down, all the way straight.
How far: Up towards your shoulder, down to a full stretch.
The usual mistake: Rocking backwards to start the rep.

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Overhead Triceps Extension

3 x 12Effort 8

Gym: As named above. The main version.
Home: Band extension overhead
Joints: As written

Set up: Weight overhead, elbows pointing forward and close to your head.
The way down: Lower it behind your head until your triceps are fully stretched.
How far: Down until you feel the stretch, then straight back up.
The usual mistake: Elbows drifting out wide, which takes the triceps out of it.

Ten minutes after every session

Stretching

Stretch warm, never cold. The end of a session is the right time for it.

Hip stretch, back knee down and back foot up on a chair. Each side.45 secThe front of the hip, which sitting and squatting both shorten
Sitting hip rotations, one leg in front and one out to the side8 each sideTurning the hip in and out
Seated hamstring stretch, each side45 secThe back of the thigh after hinging
Upper back stretch over a bench or a rolled towel8 repsThe upper back, which decides how far overhead you can reach
Chest stretch in a doorway, each side45 secThe chest after pressing
Child’s pose, reaching over to one side45 sec each sideThe lats and lower back

Days off. Run the list above twice, then add these three.

Deep squat hold with your heels flat60 to 90 secAnkles, knees and hips at full range
Slow side-to-side squat8 each sideInner thigh and the side of the hip
Hang from a bar30 to 45 secTakes the pressure off your shoulders and builds grip

No movement matches that. Try the name of the muscle, or clear the search.

The library is the easy half