Natural.
Built to last.
Free natural bodybuilding programs with planned light weeks and an effort target on every set.
Natural programs
Natural programs
9 programs
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See where the work goes
Each week shows every set and effort target, so you see the whole block before you start.
Open this programDAY 1 - MON - Upper Strength
- Bench Press3×5-6 · RPE 8
- Weighted Pull-Up3×5-6 · RPE 8
- Overhead Press3×8-10 · RPE 8
- Pendlay Row3×8-10 · RPE 8
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise3×10-15 · RPE 9
- EZ-Bar Curl3×10-15 · RPE 9
DAY 2 - TUE - Lower Strength
- Back Squat3×5-6 · RPE 8
- Romanian Deadlift3×8-10 · RPE 8
- Walking Lunge3×8-10 · RPE 8
- Seated Leg Curl3×10-15 · RPE 9
- Standing Calf Raise4×8-12 · RPE 9
- Ab Wheel Rollout3×8-10 · RPE 8
DAY 3 - WED - Push
- Incline Bench Press3×8-10 · RPE 8
- Machine Chest Press3×8-10 · RPE 8
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press3×8-10 · RPE 8
- Cable Fly3×10-15 · RPE 9
- Cable Lateral Raise3×10-15 · RPE 9
- Overhead Cable Triceps Extension3×10-15 · RPE 9
DAY 4 - FRI - Pull
- Lat Pulldown3×8-10 · RPE 8
- Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row3×8-10 · RPE 8
- Seated Cable Row3×8-10 · RPE 8
- Straight-Arm Pulldown3×10-15 · RPE 9
- Reverse Pec Deck3×10-15 · RPE 9
- Incline Dumbbell Curl3×10-15 · RPE 9
DAY 5 - SAT - Legs
- Hack Squat3×8-10 · RPE 8
- Stiff-Leg Deadlift3×8-10 · RPE 8
- Leg Extension3×10-15 · RPE 9
- Lying Leg Curl3×10-15 · RPE 9
- Hip Adduction Machine3×10-15 · RPE 9
- Seated Calf Raise4×8-12 · RPE 9
Light weeks planned
Deloads sit in the block before you need them.
Effort on every set
Each set has a target, from easy to failure.
Bring up weak spots
Arm and delt focus when they lag behind.
What the research says
Set intake so you lose roughly 0.5–1% of bodyweight per week, the rate the companion nutrition review links to muscle retention (Helms, Aragon and Fitschen, 2014). Source
In a trial of 39 elite athletes, the group fed a planned surplus gained more bodyweight (3.9% vs 1.5%), yet gain in lean mass was not different between the groups (Garthe et al., 2013). Source
The scale was tested in squatters lifting single reps at 60, 75, and 90% of 1RM (Zourdos et al., 2016). Source
From Training to Failure: How Close Natural Lifters Should Go
Guides
All guides5 min read
Contest Prep Training for Natural Bodybuilders
How to train during a natural bodybuilding contest prep to keep muscle in a deficit: load, volume, frequency, failure and cardio, with a sample week.
5 min read
How Fast Can You Build Muscle Naturally? Real Rates
Realistic natural muscle gain rates by training age, what drives them, and how to program a lean bulk that keeps the scale and the mirror moving.
5 min read
Training to Failure: How Close Natural Lifters Should Go
How close to failure natural lifters should train for muscle: what the failure meta-analyses show, how to use RIR and RPE, and where failure fits in your week.
"The anabolic effect of resistance training can mitigate muscle loss during contest preparation."
Helms, Fitschen, Aragon, Cronin and Schoenfeld, J Sports Med Phys Fitness (2015), Recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: resistance and cardiovascular training