The full week before the theory
| Day | Priority | Main work | Hypertrophy work | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday · upper A | Press strength | Bench press 3 × 3–5 at 2 RIR | Row, incline press and arms: 2–3 sets each | Do not add work when press range breaks |
| Tuesday · lower A | Squat strength | Squat 3 × 3–5 at 2 RIR | Hinge, leg press and calves: 2–3 sets | Leave 48 h before the next lower day |
| Thursday · upper B | Upper hypertrophy | Dumbbell press 3 × 6–10 | Pulldown, row, delts and arms: 2–3 sets | No second heavy bench test |
| Friday · lower B | Lower hypertrophy | Leg press or hack squat 3 × 6–10 | Leg curl, extension, lunge and calves: 2–3 sets | Keep quality; do not compensate for Tuesday’s work |
The broadest evidence network found that higher loads generally favour strength, while many prescriptions grow muscle and multiset approaches repeatedly sit among effective options. Every set does not need to maximize both goals. The week needs specific strength practice and enough recoverable work for muscle growth.
An eight-week block without magic
| Weeks | Priority lift | Accessories | Phase goal | Exit when it misses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | 3 × 5 at 3–2 RIR | Stable moderate volume | Create references | Lower load if actual RIR is lower |
| 3 | 3 × 4–5 at 2 RIR | Hold sets | Small progression | Repeat load before forcing it |
| 4 | 2 × 4–5 at 3 RIR | Cut sets by 30–40% | Unload fatigue | Do not turn it into a max week |
| 5–6 | 4 × 3–4 at 2 RIR | Restore volume gradually | More heavy practice | Trim one accessory if the main set slips |
| 7 | 3 × 3 at 1–2 RIR | Minimum useful work | Consolidate strength | No forced repetitions |
| 8 | Repeat a submaximal reference | Light volume | Compare the block | Use another low week if fatigue remains |
- Choose one measurable priority
Select a lift or pattern, not “stronger at everything.” Define a repeatable submaximal reference.
- Put it first
Strength tends to improve most in exercises trained early; place hypertrophy work afterwards.
- Progress without max chasing
Add a repetition or the smallest increment when reps and RIR fit. A block does not need a weekly 1RM.
- Trim from the end
As fatigue grows, remove redundant sets or accessories first and protect the practice that defines the priority.
An honest adjustment
Monday called for 100 kg × 5 at 2 RIR on bench, but you manage four at 0–1 RIR. Hold or reduce the load next week and remove one triceps set that day. Do not add another heavy session to “win back” the missed strength; that usually turns a poor read into more fatigue.
Choose the split that fits a real week
| Availability | Split | Advantage | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | Full body with a different priority each day | More frequency with fewer visits | Long sessions if everything is included |
| 4 days | The upper/lower example | Clean separation of practice and volume | Accessory creep |
| 5 days | Two heavy days and three hypertrophy days | More room per session | Higher recovery and schedule cost |
| Irregular week | Two base sessions plus one optional | Preserves continuity | Essential work cannot live on the optional day |
A review of fourteen studies reported similar strength and growth between split and full-body routines when volume was equated. That does not make all schedules identical; it lets you choose the one you can repeat. Periodization may offer a modest 1RM advantage over non-periodized training, especially for trained lifters, but did not show a clear hypertrophy difference when volume was matched.
Watch the problem; do not copy a routine blindly
Video summary
Jeff Nippard gives an accessible English overview of training for size and strength with visual examples. Automatic English captions are available. The description promotes a paid Powerbuilding System and other creator offers; BUSTAFIT has no commercial relationship with the channel and includes it as context, not evidence or endorsement.
A working program does not need to flatten you. It preserves recognisable heavy practice, delivers quality volume and lets the submaximal reference move without every accessory becoming a negotiation. If performance, sleep and willingness to train all deteriorate for two weeks, reduce before rebuilding the entire plan.
The minimum useful BUSTAFIT log
Mark the priority lift and keep load, repetitions and RIR for its work sets. For accessories, log enough to distinguish progressing volume from accumulating volume. BUSTAFIT does not generate this block or decide what to cut; history lets you compare the last exposure with today without trusting memory.