About this workout
If your gym is a squat rack, a barbell and a bench in the garage, this program is built for exactly that. Twelve weeks, four days a week, upper/lower split, nothing but a bar and plates standing between you and real size and strength.
Who This Program Is For
- You have a barbell, plates, a rack and a bench and nothing else
- You've been training at least six months and know how to squat, bench and deadlift with decent form
- You can commit to four sessions a week for 12 weeks
This program is not the right fit if:
- You're brand new to barbell training (learn the lifts on a simpler full-body program first)
- You need machines or cables to hit certain angles you're used to training
What You'll Need
A barbell, a full set of plates, a squat rack or power rack, an adjustable bench, and a pull-up bar. That's the entire equipment list, and it's enough.
The Program
| DAY 1 — UPPER A | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 6-8 | 2 min |
| Bent Over Row | 4 | 6-8 | 2 min |
| Seated Barbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-10 | 90 sec |
| Pull Up | 3 | AMRAP | 90 sec |
| Barbell Curl | 3 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
| Skull Crushers Lying Tricep Extensions | 3 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
| DAY 2 — LOWER A | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Barbell Squat | 4 | 6-8 | 2-3 min |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8-10 | 2 min |
| Barbell Walking Lunge | 3 | 10/leg | 90 sec |
| Standing Barbell Calf Raise | 4 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
| Barbell Ab Rollout | 3 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
| DAY 3 — UPPER B | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Incline Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 6-8 | 2 min |
| Chin Up | 4 | AMRAP | 90 sec |
| Barbell Upright Row | 3 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Incline Barbell Curl | 3 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
| Incline Barbell Tricep Extensions | 3 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
| DAY 4 — LOWER B | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Barbell Front Squat | 4 | 6-8 | 2-3 min |
| Barbell Good Morning | 3 | 8-10 | 2 min |
| Hip Thrust Weighted Hip Extension | 3 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Barbell Step Ups | 3 | 10/leg | 90 sec |
| Standing Barbell Calf Raise | 4 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
How to Progress
Add 5 lb to your upper body lifts and 10 lb to your lower body lifts each week as long as you complete every rep with good form. When you can't add weight and still hit the rep target, repeat the week at the same load before pushing again. Take a deload in week 7 and week 12: same exercises, 40% less weight, so your joints and nervous system catch up before you keep pushing.
Warm-Up and Recovery Notes
Spend 5-10 minutes on the bike or rower, then run through two light warm-up sets of the day's first lift before loading up. On lower body days, add bodyweight squats and walking lunges to open the hips first. If a joint is aching rather than a muscle being worked, stop that exercise for the day and swap in a lighter variation.
Nutrition and Supplementation
A 12-week barbell split like this needs consistent protein and enough total food to recover between sessions, not just on lifting days. Aim for a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight and don't cut calories hard while running this program. A whey protein and a basic creatine monohydrate cover the two supplements that actually move the needle here.
FAQ
Can I do this with dumbbells instead of a barbell?
Some of it, but the core lifts (squat, bench, deadlift-pattern rows) are built around barbell loading. A dumbbell-only version would need different exercise selection.
What if I only have three days a week?
Run Upper A and Lower A one week, Upper B and Lower B the next, alternating. You'll progress slower but the program still works.
Do I need a spotter for the bench press?
For working sets near failure, yes, or use a rack with safety pins set just below chest height.
Related Programs
- Push Pull Legs: 6 Day Split for Muscle and Strength
- 5x5 Strength Program for Beginners
- 4-Day Upper Lower Split for Muscle and Strength
Questions and results
Ask a coach
Running this program? Tell us what week you are on and how the progression is going. A coach answers every question here.