All programs

Lifting circuits & fitness

Lean

Build strength with supersets, short finishers, and cardio.

4 days / about 60 min / gym / consistent / 4 week block

About this example plan
  • Lean emphasizes lifting circuits, supersets, and short finishers, with shorter rests between supporting exercises. Schedules with more days add intervals and easy cardio. Choosing Lean does not automatically lower your calories.
  • Two strength circuits, intervals, and an easy cardio day for more weekly movement.
  • All four weeks fit a modeled 60-minute budget including preparation and rest. Real pace and equipment waits vary; adjust the session when needed.
  • Exercise choices assume a full gym: barbells, rack, dumbbells, cables, and machines.
  • You get moderate volume and a weekly wave in effort. Progress comes from adding reps, then weight.

Choose your days, time, equipment, and experience

MON / Squat, push, and pull supersets / ABOUT 58 MIN

Strength circuit A

  • Back squatSwap for: Front squat, Pause squat, Hack squat5 x 8-12RPE 7 / rest 1 min 30 s
  • AFlat barbell bench pressSwap for: Paused bench press, Incline barbell bench press, Flat DB press3 x 10-12RPE 7 / rest 1 min
  • ABent-over barbell rowSwap for: Pendlay row, Bent-over DB row, Underhand seated cable row3 x 10-12RPE 7 / rest 1 min
  • BDB Romanian deadliftSwap for: Single-leg RDL, Sumo deadlift3 x 12-15RPE 8 / rest 45 s
  • BDead bugSwap for: Hanging knee raise, Pallof press, Ab wheel rollout2 x 10-15rest 45 s
  • CDB lateral raiseSwap for: Cable lateral raise, Upright row2 x 12-15RPE 8 / rest 45 s
  • CStanding DB curlSwap for: Standing barbell curl, Cable curl, DB hammer curl2 x 12-15RPE 8 / rest 45 s
  • Kettlebell swing3 x 15

TUE / Hard and easy efforts / ABOUT 52 MIN

Intervals

  • Assault bike1 x 5-8 min
  • Assault bike12 x 1 minrest 1 min
  • Brisk walk1 x 5 min
  • Dead bug3 x 10-15rest 45 s
  • Bird dog3 x 10-15rest 45 s

THU / Hinge, press, and row supersets / ABOUT 57 MIN

Strength circuit B

  • Conventional deadliftSwap for: Romanian deadlift, Trap bar deadlift, DB Romanian deadlift5 x 8-12RPE 7 / rest 1 min 30 s
  • AOverhead DB pressSwap for: Barbell overhead press, Standing DB overhead press, Machine shoulder press3 x 10-12RPE 7 / rest 1 min
  • ALat pulldownSwap for: Wide-grip pull-up, Chin-up, Close-grip neutral pull-up3 x 10-12RPE 7 / rest 1 min
  • BWalking lungeSwap for: Reverse lunge, DB Bulgarian split squat, DB step-up3 x 12-15RPE 8 / rest 45 s
  • BPallof pressSwap for: Dead bug, Hanging knee raise, Ab wheel rollout2 x 10-15rest 45 s
  • CSkull crusherSwap for: Rope pushdown, DB overhead triceps extension, Close-grip bench press2 x 12-15RPE 8 / rest 45 s
  • CCable rear delt flySwap for: Face pull, Reverse pec deck, Bent-over DB lateral raise2 x 12-15RPE 8 / rest 45 s
  • Mountain climber3 x 20

FRI / Steady aerobic work / ABOUT 60 MIN

Easy cardio

  • Stationary bike1 x 46 min
  • Dead bug3 x 10-15rest 45 s
  • Bird dog3 x 10-15rest 45 s
Build this plan for my schedule

Four-week block

  1. Week 1: Set your baseline. Find working weights you can control at the target effort. Record honest reps.
  2. Week 2: Build. Shorter rest between superset pairs. Same loads, faster sessions. Added work is capped by your session time; keep the prescribed rest.
  3. Week 3: Push. Progress supporting work and finishers within the session budget. Extra sets or minutes are included only when they fit; progress can also come from controlled reps and load.
  4. Week 4: Deload and review. Fewer planned sets and lower effort targets. Review your completed sessions before deciding whether to repeat, adjust, or progress.

Progress and recovery

  • Superset pairs: do both exercises back to back, then rest.
  • Use manageable weights and controlled reps throughout each circuit.
  • Keep easy cardio conversational. Reduce it if your next workout suffers.
  • RPE is effort out of 10. RPE 8 means you could have done about 2 more reps with good form.
  • Log completed reps, sets, and weights. Your next session uses them as a starting point.
  • Use the lighter fourth week to recover and review your log before repeating or progressing.

What RPE means

RPE (rate of perceived exertion) is how hard a set feels, on a scale of 1 to 10. It tells you where to stop: at RPE 8, you finish the set with about 2 good reps left.

RPE 10
Maximum effort. No more reps possible.
RPE 9
Very hard. About 1 more good rep.
RPE 8
Hard. About 2 more good reps.
RPE 7
Challenging. About 3 more good reps; the weight still moves quickly.
RPE 6
Moderate. About 4 more good reps.
RPE 5 or less
Light. Warm-up or technique practice.
  • Choose a weight that lets you reach the rep range at the target RPE. A good rep keeps your normal form and speed.
  • If the last rep felt easier than the target, add a little weight next set or next session. If form slipped or you reached failure, use less.
  • Half points, such as 7.5, sit between the two numbers. RPE is your best estimate, not a test; it gets more accurate with practice.

Start with this plan, then adjust the exercises and weights to suit your training. You choose the weights you use and record the reps you complete.