Author: Ben Barker

You don’t need a new collection of exercises every week. You need a plan you can repeat, track, and improve.

If you’re putting in the work but your lifts haven’t moved in months, take a look at the order of your workout. A simple structure helps you spend your best energy on the exercises that matter most:

1. Start with a demanding compound lift.
2. Add more strength work and exercises that train one side at a time.
3. Finish with smaller muscle groups.
4. Record what you did so you can improve next time.

Below, I’ll show you how I use that structure, then give you a full lower-body and upper-body workout with video demonstrations.

1. Start with a compound lift

Compound exercises use several joints and muscle groups at once. Squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows are examples. Because they demand more coordination and energy, I usually put one near the beginning of a session, after a warm-up.

On a lower-body day, that might be a back squat or front squat. On an upper-body day, it might be a bench press, shoulder press, or heavy row.

Write down the weight, sets, and reps. Your training log tells you whether you’re progressing; your memory probably won’t.

2. Add single-side work

Lunges, single-leg deadlifts, and single-arm rows let you train each side deliberately. They also make it harder to rely on your stronger side to do all the work.

After my main lifts, I’ll often add one or two of these movements. Start with the side that needs more attention, use controlled reps, and aim to give both sides comparable work.

3. Progress instead of constantly starting over

Progressive overload means asking a little more of your body over time. You might add weight, complete another rep with good form, improve your range of motion, or make the same weight feel more controlled.

You don’t need to set a personal record every session. Keep key exercises in your program long enough to learn them and measure progress. Across a four- to eight-week training block, try to improve one small thing while maintaining sound technique.

For example, if you bench press 185 pounds for three sets of five this week, you might aim for cleaner reps next week before adding weight. Recovery, food, and consistency matter too.

4. Save smaller exercises for the end

I like curls, triceps work, leg extensions, leg curls, and calf raises. They have a place in a good program. I usually save them until after the heavier work because I don’t want tired arms or legs limiting my main lift.

Three sets of roughly 12–15 controlled reps is a useful starting point for many of these exercises. Choose a weight that makes the final reps challenging without turning them into sloppy reps.

The simple formula: Do your most demanding work while you’re fresh. Add balanced accessory work. Finish with the smaller movements you enjoy. Then record the session and come back ready to build on it.

Want the daily programming organized for you? Try my Gym Gainz Guide free for seven days.

Example lower-body workout

Warm up with a few minutes of easy movement, then do lighter practice sets before your first working set.

A. Tempo pause squats — 3 × 5

Lower for three seconds, pause at the bottom, and stand with control. Add weight across the sets as appropriate, building to a challenging set of five without losing your position.

B. Superset — 4 rounds

• 12 dumbbell Romanian deadlifts
• 15 leg presses

Complete both exercises, then rest before the next round. Increase the weight only if you can keep the reps controlled.

C. 15-minute AMRAP

Complete as many quality rounds as you can in 15 minutes:

• 12 alternating dumbbell snatches from the floor, total
• 16 reverse deficit lunges holding the weight in a goblet position, total
• 20 alternating V-ups, total

Count left and right repetitions toward the listed total. Drive the dumbbell snatch with your hips and legs. Slow down or rest when needed; the goal is good movement, not just a high round count.

D. Finishers

• Single-leg extensions — 3 × 12 per leg
• Single-leg seated curls — 3 × 12 per leg
• Seated calf raises — 3 × 8–12

For the single-leg exercises, alternate sides until you’ve completed all three sets on each. On calf raises, pause at the top, lower slowly, and pause at the bottom.

Example upper-body workout

Warm up your shoulders and upper back, then build up to your working weight on the bench press.

A. Close-grip bench press — 3 × 5

Add weight across the sets as appropriate. Record your top set and aim to improve it gradually over the coming weeks.

B. Neutral-grip lat pulldowns — 4 × 10

Use these as ascending sets: add weight when you can complete all 10 reps with good control. Rest enough between sets to keep the movement clean.

C. Machine chest flies — 4 × 10

Build the weight across the sets while keeping tension on your chest and avoiding a rushed stretch.

D. 12-minute EMOM

EMOM means “every minute on the minute.” Rotate through these three stations four times:

• Minute 1: Alternating dumbbell clean and press
• Minute 2: Alternating dumbbell rows
• Minute 3: Sit-ups, optionally holding 5–10 pounds

Work for about 40–45 seconds of each minute, then use the remaining time to transition and catch your breath. Choose a pace you can sustain through all four rotations.

E. Giant superset — 3 rounds

• 12 dumbbell spider curls
• 12 dumbbell incline skull crushers
• 12 bent-over lateral raises

Do one set of each exercise, rest, and repeat for three total rounds.

Keep the plan simple enough to repeat

A great workout isn’t the one that leaves you most exhausted. It’s one you can recover from, repeat, and improve while still having energy for the people who matter most.

Prioritize whole-food protein sources such as chicken, lean beef, eggs, and Greek yogurt. If getting enough protein from meals is difficult on a busy day, whey can be a convenient option. I use Phormula-1 protein and creatine monohydrate as supplements to a solid training and nutrition routine.

Disclosure: Those 1st Phorm links are affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you buy through them, which helps support the free workouts and articles I share.

Start where you are. Track your work. Get a little stronger. Then get back to investing in your family.