- Protein target
- Creatine
- Walk / steps
- Consistent lights-out
Weekly Schedule
Muscle first, athleticism kept, health built in, all at your apartment gym in sessions short enough to actually finish. Two upper-body lifts, one lower, an optional second lower mid-week, easy cardio most days, and soccer on Sundays.
| Day | Lunch | After work / main |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Cardio · 20 min | Upper A · lift |
| Tue | VO₂ max 4×4 + core & back | |
| Wed | Zone 2 + core & back · optional Lower B | |
| Thu | Zone 2 + core & back | |
| Fri | Cardio · 20 min | Lower A · lift |
| Sat | Upper B · lift | |
| Sun | Soccer · 6:00 PM |
Mon and Fri are work-from-home: easy cardio on the lunch break, the lift after work. Tue, Wed, and Thu are 20 minutes of cardio plus the spine routine in the evening. Soccer is your weekly high-intensity session, so no extra intervals are needed.
Soccer is a big leg and sprint day, so the gym leans upper, the half soccer neglects, while legs get one full session (Friday, when they are freshest after the Tuesday-to-Thursday cardio block) plus soccer, plus the optional Wednesday lower. Each upper muscle is trained twice a week, the frequency that drives growth.
The Rules That Matter
Machines are not a compromise. Two meta-analyses (~1,000 lifters) found machines, cables, and the Smith machine grow muscle just as well as a barbell when effort and volume match. Build with full confidence.
The Smith machine is your best heavy tool. The bar is supported and the path is fixed, so you can load squats, RDLs, and split squats hard without the spinal-control risk a free bar puts on your back.
Superset to save time. Pairing opposing muscles (press with row, leg extension with leg curl, biceps with triceps) cuts session time about a third with no loss of growth. Where a cue says "superset with...", run that pair back-to-back, no rest between.
Leave 1 to 3 reps in reserve. You never need to grind to failure for size; it just adds fatigue. Compounds rest 2 to 3 minutes, isolations 60 to 90 seconds.
No loaded spinal flexion. No crunches, sit-ups, Roman-chair, or rounding under load. Brace and keep a neutral spine. If the pelvis tucks at the bottom, that is your depth.
Weekly Sets Per Muscle
| Chest | 9 to 11 |
| Back | 12 to 14 |
| Side delts | 6 to 9 |
| Biceps | 6 to 9 |
| Triceps | 8 to 11 |
| Quads | 9 to 12 |
| Hamstrings | 8 to 12 |
| Glutes | 8 to 12 |
| Calves | 6 to 9 |
These are direct working sets. All the pressing and pulling piles indirect volume onto the arms and front delts on top, and soccer loads the legs hard, so the leg numbers stay moderate on purpose. Start at the low end, add about a set a week to a priority muscle, then deload. The optional Wednesday lower is where extra leg and hamstring volume goes in the weeks you want it.
Five Weeks On, One Off
| Week | Volume | Reps in reserve |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Base, learn the loads | 3 |
| 2 | Add a set to two muscles | 2 to 3 |
| 3 | Add a set to two muscles | 2 |
| 4 | Hold | 1 to 2 |
| 5 | Add a set to a priority muscle | 0 to 1 |
| 6 | Deload, cut sets by half | 3 to 4 |
Autoregulate. If two or more wellness markers slide for five days, or your resting heart rate sits 5 bpm high for three, deload early.
Lift Sessions
Back rules, every session
- Brace before every working rep
- No rounding under load: no Jefferson curls, good mornings, or deep leg-press tuck
- If the pelvis tucks, that is your bottom. Never deeper.
- Chest-supported or machine variations when you have the choice
Compounds: rest 2 to 3 minutes, leave 1 to 3 reps in reserve. Isolations: rest 60 to 90 seconds, leave 0 to 2. Where a cue says "superset with...", alternate the pair with no rest. Full range of motion unless noted.
Double Progression
Stay in the rep range. When you hit the top of the range on every working set at the target reps in reserve for two sessions running, add load next time:
Upper compound +5 lb (or the next machine pin) Lower compound +10 lb (or the next pin) Isolation +2.5 to 5 lb, or +1 to 2 reps
On machines, if the next pin is too big a jump, add a rep or two per set first, or slow the tempo. Stall longer than 2 weeks: swap the variation or drop a set for a week.
Before Every Lift
1. Easy incline walk or elliptical 5 min 2. Band pull-aparts + arm circles 2 min 3. Movement ramp on the first lift: light 8 reps moderate 5 reps near working 3 reps working sets
You sat all day before the evening lift, so warm up longer than feels necessary, especially the shoulders before pressing and the hips before squatting. No static stretches over 30 seconds before lifting; they drop power.
Cardio, 20 Minutes
Mostly easy, a little hard. Four short Zone 2 sessions keep the engine and recovery ticking; one VO₂ max session on Tuesday builds the top end. Soccer is a second hard session built into your week, so do not add more.
Incline treadmill walk is your default: upright, low impact, strong glute work, easy to dial the heart rate. The elliptical is the zero-impact alternate. Go easy on the stairmaster; its forward lean is the same lumbar flexion that aggravates your back. Save running for soccer.
Heart-rate zones · age 23
| Zone | BPM | Talk test |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 2, build | 120 to 140 | Full sentences |
| Zone 3, tempo | 140 to 160 | Short sentences |
| Zone 4, threshold | 160 to 175 | A few words |
| Zone 5, max | 175 to 190 | Can't talk |
VO₂ max, Norwegian 4×4
03 min Warm-up 04 min Hard · 170 to 185 bpm 03 min Easy 04 min Hard · 170 to 185 bpm 03 min Cool-down
Elliptical or incline treadmill to keep it low-impact. VO₂ max is the single strongest predictor of long-term health; being unfit carries more mortality risk than smoking. If Sunday's soccer left you cooked, swap this for easy Zone 2, since soccer already trained the top end.
Soccer
Your athletic day, your fun, and your hardest cardio all at once. Warm up properly first: easy jog, leg swings, walking lunges, then build-up runs and a few cuts at 80 percent before going full speed cold.
Hamstrings and groins are the classic soccer injuries. The Friday leg work (especially the hamstring curls and Nordics) plus a real warm-up are your insurance. Hydrate well.
Core & Back
The spine routine, built on Stuart McGill's work. It lives on your cardio evenings (Tue, Wed, Thu) but earns its keep any day. Do it on the gym floor or on a mat at home, no equipment beyond the pull-up bar for the dead hang.
Cat-camel 6 to 8 slow cycles Bird-dog 6 / 4 / 2 per side · 10 sec McGill curl-up 6 / 4 / 2 · 10 sec Side plank 6 / 4 / 2 per side · 10 sec Glute bridge 2 × 12 · 2 sec squeeze Dead bug 2 × 8 per side Back-extension hold build 20, 60, 120 sec Dead hang 2 × 20 to 40 sec
The descending 6/4/2 holds are McGill's dosing: short, repeated holds build endurance without long static strain. Not in the first hour after waking, when the discs are most vulnerable.
Avoid
- Crunches, sit-ups, Roman-chair, weighted twists (loaded flexion)
- Long static planks; use the 10-second pyramid instead
- The stairmaster's forward lean on flare days
- Chasing the relief of slouching; it feels good but is not protective
Pain Response
| Sensation | Action |
|---|---|
| Dull soreness, both sides | Normal · train as planned |
| Sharp pinch mid-set | Stop the set · reset form · drop 20% |
| Flare the next day | Cut 10 to 15% on the offender · hold 2 weeks |
| Radiating, numb, or weak | Stop · see a PT or doctor |
See a doctor immediately
Numbness in the groin or inner thighs, new bowel or bladder changes, weakness in both legs, progressive numbness or weakness down a leg, severe night pain, fever with back pain, or pain after a significant fall or hit.
Your pattern (sitting aggravates, active extension relieves) is atypical, so the plan stays conservative on flexion and builds extensor endurance. Worth a one-time in-person assessment with a McGill or MDT trained physical therapist when you can.
Recovery & Deload
Seven active days is a lot, so recovery is part of the program, not an afterthought. The cardio days are easy on purpose; Wednesday's lift and a weekend day are your release valves when you are run down.
Deload every 5 to 6 weeks, or sooner if the markers say so: cut working sets roughly in half, keep the loads, leave 3 to 4 reps in reserve, cardio Zone 2 only, for one week.
Watch for
Two or more check-in markers sliding for five-plus days · resting heart rate 5 bpm above baseline for three days · a lift going backward more than a week · the back feeling beat up. Any of these: deload now.
The Biggest Lever
8 to 9 hours, consistent wake time Daylight within 60 min of waking No caffeine after about noon Cool, dark room · screens down before bed
Short sleep in a lean phase shifts weight loss toward muscle instead of fat and drops testosterone. No supplement comes close to this.
Nutrition · 75 kg
| Protein | 150 to 165 g/day · 4 to 5 meals |
| Carbs | fuel lifts & soccer · 300 to 450 g |
| Fats | 60 to 80 g · don't go lower |
| Calories | slight surplus to gain lean |
On Mon and Fri, lunch becomes your post-cardio, pre-lift meal: protein plus carbs. Eat again within a couple of hours of lifting; the one-hour window is a myth.
Only These Work
- Creatine monohydrate, 5 g every day
- Whey, only to hit your protein target
- Vitamin D3, if your bloodwork is low
- Caffeine, 100 to 200 mg pre-lift
Skip pre-workouts, BCAAs, glutamine, test boosters, fat burners. They do nothing the list above doesn't.
DOMS Guide
| Sensation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mild, 24 to 48 hrs | Normal |
| Sharp, one spot | Possible strain · drop 20% there |
| Sore past 72 hrs | Too much volume · trim next time |
| Radiating, numb, weak | Stop · get it looked at |
Getting Started
- Set every machine's seat and pad to fit you, and note the settings
- Start each lift well short of failure, leaving 4 reps in reserve
- Add a little weight each set until the last set feels like a real 4-in-reserve. That is your week-one working weight.
- Log everything: weight, reps, how it felt
- Add a set to your priority muscles (back and shoulders read first)
- Start the morning check-in: sleep, energy, soreness, heart rate
- Add the optional Wednesday lower on weeks you feel fresh
Shopping List
- Exercise mat for the home core & back routine
- Creatine monohydrate, unflavored
- A heart-rate strap or watch for the zones
- Soccer cleats and shin guards that fit
- A water bottle you'll actually carry
Habit Anchors
- Consistent sleep and wake time, weekends too
- Hit protein every day, training or not
- Core & back routine on your cardio days
- Track every lift and the morning check-in
- Don't add weight unless the rules say to
Log
Filled square: workout plus check-in logged. Outlined: some data. Empty: no data.