Upper / Lower Strength
Four days, alternating upper and lower. Heavy top sets in the 4-6 rep range, accessories for volume. Add load when all sets hit the top of the range at or below the target RPE.
See your setup in four steps
- Length
- 8 weeks
- Days a week
- 4
- Sessions
- 32
- Exercises
- 16
Equipment: Barbell, Machine, Dumbbell, Bodyweight and Cable
The program, week by week
Each line is sets × reps (or time) at the load to use: RPE is how hard the set should feel out of 10, and a percentage is of your one-rep max. Estimate your one-rep max.
Week 1
4 sessions
Day 1Lower (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
3×8 @ RPE 7 · rest 2m
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
- Plank
Seconds.
3×45 @ BW · rest 1m
Day 2Upper (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×6 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
Day 3Lower (volume)
3×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
4×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Day 4Upper (volume)
4×8 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Week 2
4 sessions
Day 1Lower (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
3×8 @ RPE 7 · rest 2m
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
- Plank
Seconds.
3×45 @ BW · rest 1m
Day 2Upper (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×6 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
Day 3Lower (volume)
3×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
4×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Day 4Upper (volume)
4×8 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Week 3
4 sessions
Day 1Lower (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
3×8 @ RPE 7 · rest 2m
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
- Plank
Seconds.
3×45 @ BW · rest 1m
Day 2Upper (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×6 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
Day 3Lower (volume)
3×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
4×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Day 4Upper (volume)
4×8 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Week 4
4 sessions
Day 1Lower (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
3×8 @ RPE 7 · rest 2m
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
- Plank
Seconds.
3×45 @ BW · rest 1m
Day 2Upper (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×6 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
Day 3Lower (volume)
3×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
4×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Day 4Upper (volume)
4×8 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Week 5
4 sessions
Day 1Lower (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
3×8 @ RPE 7 · rest 2m
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
- Plank
Seconds.
3×45 @ BW · rest 1m
Day 2Upper (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×6 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
Day 3Lower (volume)
3×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
4×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Day 4Upper (volume)
4×8 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Week 6
4 sessions
Day 1Lower (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
3×8 @ RPE 7 · rest 2m
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
- Plank
Seconds.
3×45 @ BW · rest 1m
Day 2Upper (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×6 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
Day 3Lower (volume)
3×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
4×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Day 4Upper (volume)
4×8 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Week 7
4 sessions
Day 1Lower (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
3×8 @ RPE 7 · rest 2m
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
- Plank
Seconds.
3×45 @ BW · rest 1m
Day 2Upper (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×6 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
Day 3Lower (volume)
3×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
4×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Day 4Upper (volume)
4×8 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Week 8
4 sessions
Day 1Lower (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
3×8 @ RPE 7 · rest 2m
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
- Plank
Seconds.
3×45 @ BW · rest 1m
Day 2Upper (heavy)
5×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×6 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 9 · rest 1m
Day 3Lower (volume)
3×5 @ RPE 8 · rest 3m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×10 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
4×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Day 4Upper (volume)
4×8 @ RPE 8 · rest 2m
4×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×12 @ RPE 8 · rest 1m30
3×15 @ RPE 9 · rest 45s
Coaching clients on a split like this? How to build and progress a four-day upper/lower template.
Questions
- How many days a week is Upper / Lower Strength?
- 4 sessions a week for 8 weeks, 32 sessions in all. Each one is written out below with every exercise, set, rep, load and rest.
- What equipment does Upper / Lower Strength need?
- It uses barbell, machine, dumbbell, bodyweight and cable.
- Is Upper / Lower Strength free?
- Yes. Read it here for free, or run it in CoachVana with a free account: pick it from the program library and every set you log is saved, with rest timers and your personal records.
- Can a coach give Upper / Lower Strength to a client?
- Yes. A coach assigns it to a client, changes the client's copy to fit them, and sees every set the client logs. CoachVana is free for a coach's first 3 clients.
Run Upper / Lower Strength free
Create a free account, pick it from the program library, and CoachVana logs every set with rest timers and your personal records. Coaches can assign it to clients.
See your setup in four steps
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