All programs

Lower-body circuits and cardio

Lower Sculpt

Lower-body lifting circuits, short finishers, and cardio to train your glutes, legs, and fitness.

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

About this example plan
  • Lower Sculpt pairs lower-body lifting circuits with short finishers and cardio. Rest, effort, and conditioning follow Lean, with most of the lifting aimed at your glutes and legs. Choosing Lower Sculpt does not automatically lower your calories.
  • Two lower-body circuits, an upper-body and core circuit, and an easy cardio day.
  • 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 / Hip thrust, single leg, and pull supersets / ABOUT 55 MIN

Lower circuit A

  • Barbell hip thrustSwap for: Machine hip thrust, DB glute bridge, DB hip thrust5 x 8-12RPE 7 / rest 1 min 30 s
  • AReverse lungeSwap for: DB Bulgarian split squat, Walking lunge, DB step-up3 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
  • CCable kickbackSwap for: Barbell hip thrust, Machine hip thrust, DB glute bridge2 x 12-15RPE 8 / rest 45 s
  • CStanding calf raiseSwap for: Seated calf raise, Leg press calf raise2 x 12-15RPE 8 / rest 45 s
  • Kettlebell swing3 x 15

TUE / Pull, push, and core supersets / ABOUT 55 MIN

Upper and core circuit

  • Pendlay rowSwap for: Bent-over barbell row, Bent-over DB row, Underhand seated cable row5 x 8-12RPE 7 / rest 1 min 30 s
  • APaused bench pressSwap for: Flat barbell bench press, Incline barbell bench press, Flat DB press3 x 10-12RPE 7 / rest 1 min
  • AChin-upSwap for: Wide-grip pull-up, Lat pulldown, Close-grip neutral pull-up3 x 10-12RPE 7 / rest 1 min
  • BStanding DB overhead pressSwap for: Barbell overhead press, Overhead DB press, Machine shoulder press3 x 12-15RPE 8 / rest 45 s
  • BHanging knee raiseSwap for: Dead bug, Pallof press, Ab wheel rollout2 x 10-15rest 45 s
  • CDB overhead triceps extensionSwap for: Rope pushdown, Skull crusher, Close-grip bench press2 x 12-15RPE 8 / rest 45 s
  • CStanding barbell curlSwap for: Standing DB curl, Cable curl, DB hammer curl2 x 12-15RPE 8 / rest 45 s
  • Burpee3 x 8

THU / Squat, glutes, and press supersets / ABOUT 57 MIN

Lower circuit B

  • Back squatSwap for: Front squat, Pause squat, Hack squat5 x 8-12RPE 7 / rest 1 min 30 s
  • ADB glute bridgeSwap for: Barbell hip thrust, Machine hip thrust, DB hip thrust3 x 10-12RPE 7 / rest 1 min
  • AIncline barbell bench pressSwap for: Flat barbell bench press, Paused bench press, Flat DB press3 x 10-12RPE 7 / rest 1 min
  • BLying leg curlSwap for: Seated leg curl3 x 12-15RPE 8 / rest 45 s
  • BPallof pressSwap for: Dead bug, Hanging knee raise, Ab wheel rollout2 x 10-15rest 45 s
  • CCable pull-throughSwap for: Barbell hip thrust, Machine hip thrust, Cable kickback2 x 12-15RPE 8 / rest 45 s
  • CLeg extension2 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 lower-body superset pairs. Same loads, faster circuits. Added work is capped by your session time; keep the prescribed rest.
  3. Week 3: Push. Progress glute and leg work, then 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.
  • Control the lowering on every lower-body rep. Finishers are quick, but keep them clean.
  • Keep easy cardio conversational. Reduce it if your next lower-body session 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.