Two hard days.
Three lifting days.
The rest stays easy.

Resistance A

Squat focus. Rest 2–3 min on the first two lifts, 90 s after.

1. Back squat4 × 6

   Brace before you unrack. Sit between the hips, knees tracking over the toes, drive up without letting the chest fall.

2. Bench or floor press3 × 8

   Elbows around 45° from the ribs, not flared wide. On the floor, pause when the triceps touch down.

3. Pull-ups4 × max

   Stop each set two reps short of failure. Chest to the bar, full hang at the bottom, no kipping.

4. Romanian deadlift3 × 10

   Push the hips back, bar grazing the thighs. Go only as low as your hamstrings allow with a flat back.

5. KB suitcase carry3 × 40 m / side

   Shoulders level, don't lean away from the bell. This is anti-rotation work, not a walk with a weight.

HIIT — 4 × 4

Bike, rower, incline treadmill or road. The VO₂max session — don't dilute it.

HARD ≈ 90% MAX HR — a word at a time, never a sentence

1. Pacing the intervals4 rounds

   Aim to finish the fourth interval at the same output as the first. If round one is your best, you went out too hard.

Easy aerobic

Recovery volume. Its job is to add work without adding fatigue.

1. Swim, brisk walk or easy bike40–60 min

   Conversational the whole way — you should be able to hold a full sentence. If you're breathing hard, you're stealing from Friday.

Resistance B

Hinge focus. The heaviest session of the week — eat and sleep accordingly.

1. Barbell deadlift4 × 5

   Bar over mid-foot, lats tight, take the slack out before you pull. Stop the set the moment your back rounds.

2. Overhead press3 × 6

   Squeeze the glutes so the ribs don't flare. Move the head back, press up, then let the bar settle over the ears.

3. Bulgarian split squat3 × 10 / side

   Rear foot on a bench or chair, dumbbells at the sides. Weight through the front heel, torso slightly forward.

4. Barbell bent row3 × 8

   Torso near 45°, pull to the lower ribs, elbows past the body. No heaving with the lower back.

5. Hanging knee raise3 × 12

   Curl the pelvis up rather than just lifting the thighs. Control the way down — that's where the work is.

HIIT — kettlebell circuit

40 s work / 20 s rest through all five. Three rounds, 2 min between rounds.

× 5 EXERCISES × 3 ROUNDS

1. Kettlebell swing40 s

   A hip snap, not a squat-and-lift. The bell floats to chest height on its own. Stop the set if the lower back starts taking over.

2. Push-up40 s

   Body in one line from ear to ankle. Hands on a bench if the hips start to sag as you fatigue.

3. Goblet squat40 s

   Bell tight to the chest, elbows inside the knees at the bottom. Steady tempo rather than a race.

4. Renegade row40 s

   Feet wide for a stable base. Row one dumbbell without letting the hips rotate — alternate sides.

5. Burpee40 s

   The finisher. Step back instead of jumping back if your form is falling apart by round three.

Never before lifting. If you ever have to fold this into a lifting day, do the barbell work first and this second.

Resistance C

Higher reps, lighter loads. Volume without the recovery cost of Thursday.

1. KB goblet squat3 × 12

   Full depth, upright torso. Pause a beat at the bottom on the last set of each.

2. Incline or flat DB press3 × 10

   Lower until you feel a stretch across the chest, then press without clashing the dumbbells at the top.

3. Chin-ups3 × 8

   Palms facing you. If eight is comfortable, hold a dumbbell between the feet and add load.

4. Barbell hip thrust3 × 12

   Shoulders on a bench, chin tucked, pad under the bar. Squeeze at the top and stop short of arching the lower back.

5. Side plank3 × 40 s / side

   Stack the feet, lift the hips high, reach the top arm to the ceiling. Breathe normally throughout.

Rest

Or a long, slow walk if you feel like moving.

1. Long easy walk60–90 min

   Entirely optional and entirely easy. Daily step count does more for fat loss than most people give it credit for.