Are you looking to improve your fitness, build muscle, and boost your activity levels? This 3-week upper/lower split workout program is designed for men who want to enhance their strength, endurance, and overall fitness. With 4 strength training sessions per week, active rest days, and a gradual increase in daily step count, this program will help you get fitter and stronger—whether you're a beginner or looking to push your limits.
Program Structure Overview:
This 3-week program focuses on a split between upper and lower body workouts, with 4 strength days and 3 active rest days. The goal is to build strength through compound movements, improve endurance through cardio, and increase your daily activity by gradually increasing your step count.
Each strength training session will last about 45 minutes and target the major muscle groups in both the upper and lower body. Active rest days (Wednesday and Saturday) will incorporate light activities like walking or Zone 2 cardio to help you recover while maintaining a high level of activity. Sunday is a full active rest day where you’ll engage in non-strenuous movement, like light walking, yoga, or stretching.
Weekly Step Count Progression:
The goal is to gradually increase your step count, promoting fat loss, cardiovascular health, and overall activity. Here’s how you can progress your daily steps:
- Week 1: Start with your baseline (e.g., 5,000 steps/day) and increase by 10-15%. Aim for 5,500 steps/day.
- Week 2: Increase your daily steps to 6,000-6,500 steps.
- Week 3: Aim for 6,500-7,500 steps/day.
If you are already walking more than 5,000 steps, adjust your starting point accordingly. This gradual increase will ensure you avoid burnout while boosting your cardiovascular fitness over the three weeks.
Strength Training Workouts (Upper/Lower Split)
Each strength workout is designed to work on different muscle groups, allowing you to recover while still training effectively. The upper-lower split means you train upper body muscles on Monday and Thursday, and lower body muscles on Tuesday and Friday.
Here are your detailed strength workouts:
Monday: Upper Body Strength
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Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio (walking or cycling) + dynamic stretches (arm circles, shoulder rotations).
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Workout:
- Bench Press: 4 sets of 8-10 reps. Focus on controlling the descent and driving through the chest on the way up. Tip: Keep your feet planted and avoid arching your back.
- Barbell Row: 4 sets of 8-10 reps. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top. Tip: Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
- Overhead Press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps. Engage your core to prevent excessive back arching.
- Pull-ups or Lat Pulldown: 3 sets of 6-8 reps (or as many as you can). Focus on bringing your chest to the bar. If pull-ups are too difficult, use a resistance band for assistance.
- Dumbbell Chest Flys: 3 sets of 10-12 reps. Keep a slight bend in your elbows, and lower the dumbbells in a controlled motion.
- Barbell Bicep Curl: 3 sets of 10-12 reps. Don’t swing your body—keep the movement strict and controlled.
- Tricep Dips: 3 sets of 10-12 reps. Focus on full range of motion, lowering your body until your arms are at a 90-degree angle.
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Cool-down: Stretch your chest, shoulders, and arms for 5-10 minutes.
Tuesday: Lower Body Strength
- Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio + dynamic stretches (leg swings, hip circles).
- Workout:
- Barbell Squat: 4 sets of 8-10 reps. Focus on maintaining a strong core and proper depth. Tip: Keep your knees aligned with your toes, not caving inward.
- Romanian Deadlifts: 4 sets of 8-10 reps. Keep a slight bend in your knees and focus on hinging at your hips, not your back.
- Walking Lunges: 3 sets of 12 steps per leg. Focus on maintaining an upright posture.
- Leg Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps. Keep your feet flat on the platform, pushing through your heels.
- Leg Curls (Hamstring machine): 3 sets of 12-15 reps. Focus on a slow, controlled motion for maximum muscle activation.
- Calf Raises: 4 sets of 15 reps. Perform the movement slowly, emphasizing the full range of motion.
- Cool-down: Stretch your legs, focusing on quads, hamstrings, and calves for 5-10 minutes.
Thursday: Upper Body Strength
- Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio + dynamic stretches.
- Workout:
- Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 sets of 8-10 reps. Focus on maintaining a controlled descent and powerful press.
- Bent Over Dumbbell Row: 4 sets of 8-10 reps. Keep your back flat and squeeze your shoulder blades at the top.
- Seated Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps. Avoid arching your lower back by engaging your core.
- Dumbbell Lateral Raises: 3 sets of 10-12 reps. Focus on raising your arms just above shoulder height for optimal activation.
- Face Pulls (Cable Machine): 3 sets of 12-15 reps. Focus on external rotation to target the rear delts.
- Hammer Curl: 3 sets of 10-12 reps. Keep your elbows stable throughout the movement.
- Tricep Rope Pushdowns: 3 sets of 10-12 reps. Keep your elbows close to your sides for maximum activation.
- Cool-down: Stretch your chest, shoulders, and arms for 5-10 minutes.
Friday: Lower Body Strength
- Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio + dynamic stretches.
- Workout:
- Deadlifts (Conventional or Trap Bar): 4 sets of 6-8 reps. Keep your chest up and back straight, focusing on hinging at the hips.
- Front Squats: 3 sets of 8-10 reps. Keep your torso upright and engage your core.
- Bulgarian Split Squats: 3 sets of 10 reps per leg. Focus on keeping your torso upright and the knee in line with the toes.
- Hip Thrusts: 3 sets of 8-10 reps. Squeeze your glutes at the top for maximum activation.
- Leg Extensions: 3 sets of 12-15 reps. Focus on squeezing your quads at the top of the movement.
- Seated Calf Raises: 4 sets of 12-15 reps. Control the movement for optimal calf activation.
- Cool-down: Stretch your legs and glutes for 5-10 minutes.
Active Rest Days (Wednesday & Saturday)
These days are for light, low-intensity activities to allow your muscles to recover while still keeping you active. Aim for 20-30 minutes of Zone 2 steady-state cardio. Zone 2 cardio should have you working at 60-70% of your maximum heart rate, where you can hold a conversation but are still working at a moderate intensity.
Zone 2 cardio improves your aerobic capacity, burns fat, and boosts your endurance. This is the ideal cardio zone for recovery, helping you repair muscles and stay fit without putting too much stress on your body.
If you don't want to do structured cardio, try light activities like walking, cycling, or swimming for the same amount of time.
Sunday: Active Rest Day
Sunday is your true rest day. Engage in light activities like walking, yoga, stretching, or any low-intensity movement that allows your body to fully recover. You should feel refreshed and ready for the upcoming week of workouts.
Conclusion
This 3-week upper/lower split workout program is designed to help you build muscle, improve endurance, and increase your daily activity. By combining strength training with progressive step counts and Zone 2 cardio, you’ll improve your cardiovascular health and build a solid foundation of strength. Stick with the program, gradually increasing the intensity each week, and you’ll see noticeable improvements in your fitness, muscle tone, and energy levels.
Ready to get started? Grab your weights, set your step goal, and let’s begin!
