01
Fitness guide
My gym program
Four days: chest, back, legs, rest. Then start again. Use the set and rep rules below, swap exercises inside each day and take the slow-tempo week seriously.
Program by Jirka Čermák, an IFBB Pro athlete.
How to run it
Rules
I removed the per-exercise weights from my notes. This version keeps the exercise order and how to rotate it.
- Unless noted otherwise, use 4 sets of 10 reps.
- Make the first set a light warm-up set.
- Take the final set close to exhaustion with controlled form.
- Week 1: perform the exercises at your normal tempo.
- Week 2: slow everything down and pause at the hardest part of each movement. Use less weight as needed.
- Alternate between those two week styles as the program repeats.
Optional add-on
Abs and core
Choose any 2 of these 3 exercises after chest day or back day. Do not train abs after leg day.
02
Ab crunch bench
Use a horizontal or 90-degree incline setup.
03
Chair leg raise
Day 1
Chest day
Choose any 5 of these 7 exercises and rotate them across sessions.
01
Butterfly machine
02
Incline bench press
Use a 30-degree incline. Use a Smith machine if you do not have a spotter.
03
Incline dumbbell fly
04
Barbell curls
05
Preacher curl
06
Triceps pushdown
07
Cable high-pulley overhead extension
Day 2
Back day
Choose any 5 of these 7 exercises and rotate them across sessions.
01
Wide-grip lat pull-down
02
Standard-grip barbell bent-over row
03
One-arm seated cable row machine
04
Dumbbell lateral raise
05
Seated shoulder press
06
Reverse butterfly
07
Dumbbell bent-over lateral raise
Day 3
Leg day
Choose any 5 of these 7 exercises and rotate them across sessions.
01
Leg extension
02
Leg curl
03
45-degree leg press
04
Hack squat
Use a 30-degree bench setup.
05
Horizontal leg press
06
Walking lunges
Use bodyweight and walk across the room until controlled fatigue.
07
Calf raises
Use stairs or a platform. Bodyweight is enough; continue until controlled fatigue.