24 weeks · 4 phases
The programme
Four phases that move you from learning a pattern to taking a set to genuine failure. Nothing is hidden about how it is built, and nothing is held back — every session of all twenty-four weeks is below.
At a glance
Twenty-four weeks
| Week | Phase | Effort | Sessions | Milestone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | GROUNDWORK | 3 in reserve | 3/wk | — |
| 02 | GROUNDWORK | 3 in reserve | 3/wk | — |
| 03 | GROUNDWORK | 2 in reserve | 3/wk | — |
| 04 | GROUNDWORK | 2 in reserve | 3/wk | — |
| 05 | THE APPROACH | 2 in reserve | 4/wk | — |
| 06 | THE APPROACH | 2 in reserve | 4/wk | — |
| 07 | THE APPROACH | 1 in reserve | 4/wk | — |
| 08 | THE APPROACH | 1 in reserve | 4/wk | — |
| 09 | THE APPROACH | To failure | 4/wk | — |
| 10 | THE APPROACH | To failure | 4/wk | — |
| 11 | BLOOD AND GUTS | To failure | 4 / 6–7 days | — |
| 12 | BLOOD AND GUTS | To failure | 4 / 6–7 days | Retest |
| 13 | BLOOD AND GUTS | To failure | 4 / 6–7 days | — |
| 14 | BLOOD AND GUTS | To failure | 4 / 6–7 days | — |
| 15 | BLOOD AND GUTS | To failure | 4 / 6–7 days | — |
| 16 | BLOOD AND GUTS | To failure | 4 / 6–7 days | — |
| 17 | BLOOD AND GUTS | To failure | 4 / 6–7 days | — |
| 18 | BLOOD AND GUTS | To failure | 4 / 6–7 days | — |
| 19 | HEAVY DUTY | To failure | 1 / 4–6 days | — |
| 20 | HEAVY DUTY | To failure | 1 / 4–6 days | — |
| 21 | HEAVY DUTY | To failure | 1 / 4–6 days | — |
| 22 | HEAVY DUTY | To failure | 1 / 4–6 days | — |
| 23 | HEAVY DUTY | To failure | 1 / 4–6 days | — |
| 24 | HEAVY DUTY | To failure | 1 / 4–6 days | Retest |
Phase 1 · Weeks 1–4
GROUNDWORK
Learn the patterns. Nothing goes to failure.
- Effort
- Stop 3 reps short (weeks 1–2), then 2 short (weeks 3–4)
- Frequency
- 3 sessions per week — Mon / Wed / Fri
- Rest
- 90–120 s between sets
- Tempo
- 3 s down · 1 s pause · lift under control
Why this phase exists
You cannot take a movement to failure before you can perform it correctly, because failure is exactly where technique falls apart. These four weeks buy you the motor pattern and give tendons a head start on muscle. Both Mentzer and Yates would call this the minimum effective dose for where you are.
Sessions
FULL BODY A
7 exercises- Leg Press2 × 10–12
- Machine Chest Press2 × 10–12
- Seated Cable Row2 × 10–12
- Lying Leg Curl2 × 10–12
- Lat Pulldown2 × 10–12
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise2 × 12–15
- Plank2 × 30 s
FULL BODY B
7 exercises- Goblet Squat2 × 10–12
- Incline Dumbbell Press2 × 10–12
- Chest-Supported Row2 × 10–12
- Romanian Deadlift2 × 10–12
- Machine Shoulder Press2 × 10–12
- Cable Face Pull2 × 12–15
- Dead Bug2 × 8 each side
Phase 2 · Weeks 5–10
THE APPROACH
Walk the effort down to zero reps in reserve.
- Effort
- Weeks 5–6: 2 reps short · Weeks 7–8: 1 short · Weeks 9–10: true failure
- Frequency
- 4 sessions per week — Mon / Tue / Thu / Fri
- Rest
- 2 min after warm-ups, 3 min after a working set
- Tempo
- 3 s down · no pause at the top · no bouncing
Why this phase exists
One working set per exercise now, preceded by a proper ramp. This is the bridge: you learn what genuine failure actually feels like, in stages, on movements you can already perform. Most beginners told to 'go to failure' stop four reps early — six weeks of deliberate approach fixes that.
Sessions
UPPER A
8 exercises- Incline Dumbbell Press1 × 8–10
- Chest-Supported Row1 × 8–10
- Pec Deck1 × 10–12
- Reverse-Grip Pulldown1 × 8–10
- Machine Shoulder Press1 × 8–10
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise1 × 12–15
- EZ-Bar Curl1 × 8–10
- Rope Pushdown1 × 10–12
LOWER A
6 exercises- Leg Press1 × 10–12
- Lying Leg Curl1 × 8–10
- Leg Extension1 × 12–15
- Romanian Deadlift1 × 8–10
- Standing Calf Raise1 × 12–15
- Hanging Knee Raise2 × 8–12
UPPER B
8 exercises- Machine Chest Press1 × 8–10
- Seated Cable Row1 × 8–10
- Incline Dumbbell Fly1 × 10–12
- Lat Pulldown1 × 8–10
- Seated Dumbbell Press1 × 8–10
- Reverse Pec Deck1 × 12–15
- Incline Dumbbell Curl1 × 8–10
- Lying EZ Extension1 × 8–10
LOWER B
6 exercises- Hack Squat1 × 10–12
- Seated Leg Curl1 × 8–10
- Leg Extension1 × 12–15
- Goblet Squat1 × 12–15
- Seated Calf Raise1 × 12–20
- Cable Crunch2 × 12–15
Phase 3 · Weeks 11–18
BLOOD AND GUTS
Yates's split. One all-out set per exercise.
- Effort
- Every working set to momentary failure. No forced reps yet.
- Frequency
- 4 sessions on a 6–7 day cycle — two on, one off, two on, two off
- Rest
- 3 min before every working set. Take it — the set is the point, not the sweat.
- Tempo
- 2–4 s negative on every rep, controlled positive, no momentum anywhere
Why this phase exists
This is the Temple Gym template, adapted. Ramp thoroughly, then one set with everything you have. Two to four working sets per muscle group across a session — more than late-period Mentzer, less than everyone else. The logbook is now the program: beat the last entry or something needs to change.
Sessions
CHEST + BICEPS
5 exercises- Incline Barbell Press1 × 8–10
- Flat Dumbbell Press1 × 8–10
- Pec Deck1 × 10–12
- Incline Dumbbell Curl1 × 8–10
- EZ-Bar Curl1 × 8–10
LEGS
7 exercises- Leg Extension1 × 12–15
- Leg Press1 × 10–12
- Hack Squat1 × 10–12
- Lying Leg Curl1 × 8–10
- Romanian Deadlift1 × 8–10
- Standing Calf Raise1 × 10–15
- Seated Calf Raise1 × 12–20
SHOULDERS + TRICEPS
7 exercises- Machine Shoulder Press1 × 8–10
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise1 × 8–12
- Reverse Pec Deck1 × 10–12
- Rope Pushdown1 × 10–12
- Lying EZ Extension1 × 8–10
- Close-Grip Bench Press1 × 8–10
- Cable Crunch2 × 12–15
BACK + REAR DELTS
6 exercises- Straight-Arm Pulldown1 × 10–12
- Reverse-Grip Pulldown1 × 8–10
- Yates Row (Reverse-Grip BB)1 × 8–10
- Machine / Hammer Row1 × 8–10
- Cable Face Pull1 × 12–15
- Dumbbell Shrug1 × 10–12
Phase 4 · Weeks 19–24
HEAVY DUTY
Mentzer's consolidation. Test how little you actually need.
- Effort
- One set to failure, plus one intensifier on the final exercise only
- Frequency
- One session every 4–6 days — extend to 7 days if the log stalls
- Rest
- 3–4 min before each working set. Superset pairs run back to back with no rest.
- Tempo
- 4 s up · brief pause · 4 s down
Why this phase exists
The experiment. Four rotating sessions, one every four to six days, one set per exercise. Mentzer's claim is that this is not a reduction in stimulus but a removal of waste, and that your log will keep climbing on it. You now have five months of data to test that claim against. If the log climbs, he was right for you. If it stalls for two sessions running, add a rest day before you add a set.
Sessions
HD 1 — CHEST + BACK
5 exercises- Pec Deck1 × 8–10
- Incline Barbell Press1 × 6–8
- Straight-Arm Pulldown1 × 10–12
- Reverse-Grip Pulldown1 × 6–8
- Machine / Hammer Row1 × 8–10
HD 2 — LEGS
4 exercises- Leg Extension1 × 12–15
- Leg Press1 × 8–10
- Lying Leg Curl1 × 8–10
- Standing Calf Raise1 × 12–20
HD 3 — DELTS + ARMS
5 exercises- Machine Shoulder Press1 × 6–8
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise1 × 8–10
- Reverse Pec Deck1 × 8–10
- EZ-Bar Curl1 × 6–8
- Rope Pushdown1 × 6–8
HD 4 — LEGS + BACK
3 exercises- Leg Press1 × 8–10
- Deadlift1 × 6–8
- Standing Calf Raise1 × 12–20
The engine
The two rules that run the whole thing
Double progression
Every exercise has a rep range. Hit the top of it on every working set with clean form, and next session the weight goes up by the smallest available increment — 2.5 kg upper body, 5 kg lower — and you drop back to the bottom of the range. Then climb again. That is the whole engine, and it works in every phase.
The reset rule
If you fail to beat your logged number on the same exercise across three exposures, and your sleep and food are in order, you are more likely under-recovered than undertrained. Take five to seven full days off. The app watches the log for this and tells you — taking the days off is the part people skip, and adding sets instead is how a stall becomes a long one.
All twenty-four weeks are free
The movement screen, the baseline tests, and twenty-four weeks of programmed sessions. No card, no account, nothing held back. The first session is calibration rather than training.