My favorite 30-60 minute upper lower routine (time dependent on 2, 3, or 4 sets per exercise and how long you rest between sets).
5 exercises on upper body days.
5 exercises on lower body days.
2-4 sets per exercise. Always 3-4 sets on the back exercises. Do 2-4 sets on the rest of the exercises depending on time available to train and recoverability (4 sets per exercise would likely take 50-65 minutes, 3 sets will result in 40-50 minutes sessions, while 2 sets will be closer to 25-35 minute sessions).
*You could keep all sessions in the 25-35 minute range, doing 3-4 sets, if using cumulative fatigue.
Cumulative Fatigue was Vince Gironda's preferred way of training. It increases training density by forcing you to do more work in less time.
It's simple.
In this case, you would do 3-4 sets per exercise (Vince believed you should always do at least 3 sets per exercise – particularly if using cumulative fatigue) and rest just 1 minute – or less – between sets.
Using a Cumulative Fatigue approach may force you to use less weight initially, because you'll have less time to recover between sets. But that's ok. The goal is building muscle – not hoisting as much weight as possible.
Cumulative Fatigue builds muscle via time under load and taking sets close to failure – forms of mechanical tension – and increasing the density of the workout. It also seems to increase the mind-muscle connection for most people. We hear a lot about mind-muscle connection being a fru-fru folklore of silly gym bros. But the silly gym bros are actually right. Being able to feel the muscles working and increasing the intensity of those muscles throughout exercise is what separates body building (muscle building) from simply strength training.
Resting 30-60 seconds between sets is also not very popular these days. And, it's true, resting 3 minutes can be very helpful for overloading the muscles progressively by increasing your performance across sets over time. But, it limits the amount of volume you can do in a 30-60 minute window. And the fact is, done correctly, resting 1 minute between sets also works. The key is taking each set close to failure. What you sacrifice in set to set performance by using short rest periods, you make up for by doing more work in far less time and building the mind muscle connection.
I've used Cumulative Fatigue, on and off, for years and I always have great success with it. The pumps you get from 3-4 sets with little rest and taking sets close to failure is insane. I documented 12 weeks of using Cumulative Fatigue training in early 2021, along with other Vince Gironda-isms, and created a 160 page ebook about the experience. In short, I gained 10+ quality pounds of lean beef in 3 months while never training longer than 30 minutes (my average workout time was JUST 20 minutes).
You can check out the resource here: https://garagegymbro.gumroad.com/l/VdiYD
Vince was influential in his time, and, as such, almost all of the body builders in the 1960s and 1970s (and even beyond – many pros still train with short rest) used 1 minute rest periods. I read a lot of Dave Draper books, and in them, he's always talking about his workouts cranking out 3-5 sets per exercise with little rest and chasing "the pump." Arnold (THE Arnold) also often talks about the benefits of taking short rest between sets. Bill Pearl was a very high volume training advocate and rarely rested more than 1 minute, and he usually did super sets!
I'm not saying Cumulative Fatigue is superior to doing less sets and more rest periods. I do both. Recently (the past couple years), I've been doing 2-3 (usually 2) sets per exercise and resting 3 minutes between sets. Both approaches work. I'm just laying out the option of Cumulative Fatigue for those that want to increase their volume – via weekly sets – without increasing their time spent in the gym.*
2 individual upper sessions and 2 lower sessions.
3-4 total days per week.
Do 1-2 days of OPTIONAL kettlebell swings/cleans/snatches & club swings on non-lifting days.
For the swings, cleans, or snatches, I like to do 10-20 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible in 10-20 minutes) or 10-20 rounds of every minute on the minute swings, cleans, or snatches.
For swings, I aim for 5-10 reps per set if doing EMOMs. I'll do 10-15 reps per set if doing AMRAP.
For cleans and snatches, I aim for 5-8 reps per set if doing EMOMs. I'll do 5-10 reps per set if doing AMRAP.
For club swinging I just like to spend 5 minutes and flow around with heart shaped club swings.
Upper A
Ex 1: kettlebell military press variation (single arm, see-saw, 2 arm MP)-2-4x5-10 OR upright row/lateral raise-2-4x10-15 (if doing upright rows/lateral raises, do bench press first)
Ex 2: pullups-3-4x5-10
Ex 3: flat DB bench press or deficit pushups-2-4x6-12 (2-3 x failure if pushups)
Ex 4: incline DB curls-2-4x6-12
Ex 5: cable pushdowns-2-4x10-20
Lower A
Ex 1: Bulgarian split squats-2-4x6-12
Ex 2: reverse lunges or single leg RDL/1 hand swing-2-4x6-12 (10-15 reps if swings)
Ex 3: leg curls-2-4x10-15
Ex 4: leg extensions-2-4x12-20
Ex 5: calf raises-2-4x12-20
Upper B
Ex 1: incline DB bench press-2-4x6-12
Ex 2: single arm rows or gorilla rows-3-4x6-12
Ex 3: cable lateral raise or unilateral KB upright rows-2-4x10-15
Ex 4: standing alternating DB curls-2-4x6-12
Ex 5: cable overhead extensions-2-4x10-20
Lower B
Ex 1: Bulgarian split squats-2-4x6-12
Ex 2: reverse lunges or single leg RDL/1 hand swing-2-4x6-12 (10-15 reps of swings)
Ex 3: leg curls-2-4x10-15
Ex 4: leg extensions-2-4x12-20
Ex 5: calf raises-2-4x12-20
*I always do at least 3 sets for pullups or rows. Everything else can be done for either 2-4 sets. I often find 2 sets is enough for most exercises, but if I have a little more time and energy, I'll do 3-4 sets on some or all exercises.
Here's my sample weekly training schedule:
Sunday: REST
5 minutes of club swinging
Optional kettlebell swing EMOM
Monday: Upper A
Ex 1: kettlebell military press variation (single arm, see-saw, 2 arm MP)-2-4x5-10 OR upright row/lateral raise-2-4x10-15 (if doing upright rows/lateral raises, do bench press first)
Ex 2: pullups-3-4x5-10
Ex 3: flat DB bench press-2-4x6-12
Ex 4: incline DB curls-2-4x6-12
Ex 5: cable pushdowns-2-4x10-20
Tuesday: Lower A
Ex 1: Bulgarian split squats-2-4x6-12
Ex 2: reverse lunges or single leg RDL/1 hand swing-2-4x6-12 (10-15 reps if swings)
Ex 3: leg curls-2-4x10-15
Ex 4: leg extensions-2-4x12-20
Ex 5: calf raises-2-4x12-20
Wednesday: REST
5 minutes of club swinging
Optional kettlebell swing EMOM
Thursday: Upper B
Ex 1: incline DB bench press-2-4x6-12
Ex 2: single arm rows or gorilla rows-3-4x6-12
Ex 3: cable lateral raise or unilateral KB upright rows-2-4x10-15
Ex 4: standing alternating DB curls-2-4x6-12
Ex 5: cable overhead extensions-2-4x10-20
Friday: Lower B
Ex 1: Bulgarian split squats-2-4x6-12
Ex 2: reverse lunges or single leg RDL/1 hand swing-2-4x6-12 (10-15 reps of swings)
Ex 3: leg curls-2-4x10-15
Ex 4: leg extensions-2-4x12-20
Ex 5: calf raises-2-4x12-20
Saturday: Kettlebell EMOM or REST
10 minutes of kettlebell swings, cleans, or snatches – doing 5-10 reps per set, every minute on the minute
5 minutes of club swinging
Active Rest Day without Kettlebells?
I realize many of you may not have access to kettlebells, or maybe you just aren't comfortable with the kettlebell ballistic exercises (swing, clean, snatch).
Whatever the case may be, I have a similar yet different solution to your problem. The only equipment you'll need is your bodyweight.
Here's the active rest day without Kettlebells routine:
10-20 minute EMOM (every minute on the minute).
Even minutes: 10 pushups
Odd minutes: 10 air squats
Adjust the reps and variations based on ability level. 10 is just a nice moderate medium for most people on both exercises.
This will have a similar effect as the kettlebell ballistics:
You'll get some light, extra volume for the upper and lower body.
You'll get your heart thumping.
You'll be training your ability to bring your heart rate back down close to resting levels in a short amount of time.
The only thing you'll be missing that the kettlebell ballistics provide:
You won't be training the quality of power. When I say power, I mean explosive.
You could train power with squats and pushups by doing jump squats and plyo pushups, but, these are more advanced moves and would require fewer reps – 5 reps per set/minute would likely be appropriate. Feel free to give the jump squats and plyo pushups a shot if you're comfortable doing so.
And, of course, you could do both. So maybe you do kettlebell swings EMOM every other active rest day, and do the pushup + air squat EMOM the other active rest days.
Do what's fun, sustainable, and motivating for you. But be sure you're doing some sort of training (even if it's only these 10 minute EMOM options) every day.
Frequent, daily exercise is linked to healthier, longer, more fit living. But you can't go all out with hypertrophy & strength training every day. You need to let the muscles recover. The active rest days help us recover, stay active, maintain the habit of exercise, and practice other important fitness qualities.
The upper body and lower body sessions are designed to take around 30-40 minutes per session. That's 4 days per week of hard, high intensity lifting and 1-3 days per week of short, athletic, ballistic kettlebell training that will help improve your cardiovascular conditioning.
I also recommend walking 7,000+ steps per day.
There you go. That's a free plan that you can take and make great gains with and develop a healthy habit of productive exercise. Please follow it and let me know how it goes. I'm always here to lend support.
Thanks.
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