Busy Beginner

Program Description

This is a 2-day a week program that is meant to do the minimum for major muscle groups while still expecting decent gains. It targets 4 sets a week per muscle group across two sessions per week. The days that the sessions are done are "floating" which means they can occur any two days of the week, depending on your schedule for the week. All of the weighted exercises use dumbbells by default, but feel free to switch to a barbell version of the exercise if you prefer and have the equipment available. You will also need an adjustable bench. All sets are performed in the 5-10 rep range with an RPE of 2, and you can use double progression. In practice, this means that you should pick a weight for each exercise where you can get at least 5 reps. Then perform as many reps as you can until you feel like you are 2 reps away from failure. If this ends up being more than 10 reps, that's okay. It will just act as a signal for progression. Here is how the double progression will work. If you get less than 10 reps on a set, then just use the same weight for that exercise in the next session and try to get more reps. Repeat this until you hit 10 reps for that exercise at that weight while still leaving yourself about 2 reps away from actual failure. When you hit that point, then increase the weight for the next session (ideally by 5 lbs, but do whatever smallest increment your dumbbells allow) and start the progression over at that new weight. Example: Session 1 - DB Romanian Deadlift Completed Set 1: 55 lbs x 8 reps @ 8 RPE, Set 2: 55 lbs x 7 reps @ 8 RPE Goal Outcome: Do not increase weight, just try to get closer to 10 reps next session Session 2 - DB Romanian Deadlift Completed Set 1: 55 lbs x 10 reps @ 8 RPE, Set 2: 55 lbs x 10 reps @ 8 RPE Goal Outcome: Sets fully successful, increase weight next session to 60 lbs This is certainly not a "best" program or an optimal program for maximum gains due to the low overall set volume, but it's a program that should be easy to complete every week on a busy schedule and still get you effective work.

Program Overview