In what ways can I adjust this 2-day workout for 3 or 4 training days weekly?

Question

Is there any information on how to adjust a workout program designed for 2 days in a week to be compatible with a schedule which enables exercising 3, 4 or 5 days in a week?

Answer 1

When changing the two-day workout plan to include more training days, the division of the workouts may be done differently from the week. To convert a 3-day schedule, add the second full body work out and break the second- day workout into upper body and lower body. To implement a 4-day routine, divide the two full body into 2 upper and 2 lower body days . In the event that the routine is 5 days then an upper-lower-push-pull-legs scheme can be applied. You may also incorporate extra sets or exercises for individual weaknesses in the extra days.

Comments

I appreciate Jeff by giving us a glimpse of hope; the fact that we can make gains without doing 10-20 sets per muscle group. However, I think there's one thing that Jeff did not calculate and that is the higher the variety of different machines, the longer the expected waiting time. Therefore, I mostly do barbell exercises where I can take one squat rack and do 70% of my training there. Minimizing waiting time in commercial gyms, especially when you go during the peak hours (due to work).
Here is my minimalist training that I've been following for long time:

Fullbody A:
3x 6-12 - Pull-Ups
3x 6-12 - Incline Bench Press
3x 6-12 - Romanian Deadlifts
2x 10-20 - Side Lateral Raises
2x 10-20 - Calf Raises

Fullbody B:
3x 6-12 - Bent-Over Rows
3x 6-12 - OHP
3x 6-12 - Bulgarian Split Squats
2x 10-20 - Facepulls
2x 10-20 - Captains Chair

3/5 exercises or 9/13 sets is done in a squat rack; approx. 70% of total training volume (no time waisted changing machines)
You can do a set of arms if you like as well.
You can go 2x per week (A, B) or 3x per week and do (A, B, A, ...)
Total sets per workout: 13 sets
Total minutes per workout: approx. 50 minutes

---

Full body day 1
  1. Dumbell bench
1x4-6 + 1x8-10
  2. Dumbell RDL
2x8-10
  3. Lat pulldown(2 grips)
2x10-12
  4. Step up
1x8-10
  5. Overhead tri extension
1x12-15+dropset
  6. Lateral raises
1x12-15+dropset
  7. Calves
1x12-15+dropset

Day 2
  1. Hack squat
1x4-6 + 1x8-10
  2. Antag superset(chest+back)
Incline bench+T-bar row
2x10-12
  3. Hamstring curl
1x10-12+dropset
  4. EZ curl
1x10-12+myoreps
  5. Cable crunches
1x12-15+double dropset

---

Kudos to you for not only selling solid programs, but giving clear explanations of how to update/modify them to fit changing circumstances. I'm re-running a heavily modified version of your original Powerbuilding program right now. I'm a much more advanced lifter than when I first bought that program, and my home gym setup has evolved quite a bit too, so it was fun to play around with the volume and exercise selection to fit my current goals without sacrificing the precision of your progression schemes on the main lifts.

---

FULL BODY DAY 1
Warm up: 2-3 mins of brisk walking, plus a few dynamic stretches (a few arm swings and leg swings).
Dumbbell press, 2 sets: 1 set for strength (4-6 reps) and 1 set for hypertrophy (8-10 reps).
Dumbbell deadlift: 2 sets of 8-10 reps.
Lat machine: 2 sets of 10-12 reps (1st set with an overhand middle grip, 2nd set with an underhand close grip), plus a super set of bicep curl.
Quads: 1 set of 8-10 reps.
Get to failure, or at least within 1 rep of failure.
Triceps: 1 set of 12-15 reps + 1 dropset (drop 30-40% of the weight).
Lateral shoulder raises: 1 set of 12-15 reps as long as you're taking the muscle to failure with good form, the fibers will be maximally recruited. After reaching failure, drop the weight by 30-40% and go to failure again to really finish the fibers off.
Calf leg press: 1 set of 12-15 reps, and once again, after reaching failure, drop the weight by 30-40% and go to failure again. Keep good form, don't bounce on the dropset.

FULL BODY DAY 2
Hack squat: 1 set x 4-6, 1 set x 8-10. For barbell back squats, he would need warm-up sets, before his working sets, while for hack squats he only needs warm-up sets. Push through your heels. He rests for about 3 minutes after the strength set. For the hypertrophy set, you want to control the negative more, you want to have a better mind-muscle connection rather than just moving the weight.
High incline chest press + row superset: 2 sets each x 10-12. These 2 exercises will also hit the upper chest and the rear delts. Even though it's a superset, he will still rest in between sets to catch his breath.
Leg curl: 1 set x 10-12 reps + dropset. Since we're only doing 1 set, we're taking it all the way to failure, then dropping the weight back by 30-40%, and going to failure again.
Bicep curl: 1 set x 10-15 reps to failure + as many myoreps as we can (aka rest for 3-4 seconds and do another 4 reps. Once we cannot do 4 reps this way, the set is done).
Remember that it isn't until near the very end of a set, that reps become maximally hypertrophic
Cable crunches (abs): 1 set x 12-15 reps to failure, then 2 dropsets (drop the weight by about 30% and go to failure, then drop the weight by another 20-30% and go failure again).

---

The most I can do with work is 3-days per week if I go from 5 a.m, but that is so much better than just cardio like I was doing before. You're doing a great service for people who don't have the time.

---

Day 1 form:
Flat dumbbell press
Lat pull-down
Dumbbell step up
Overhead cable
Machine lateral raise
Leg press toe raise

Day 2 form:
Hack squat
Superset smith press
Superset T-bar row
Seated leg curl
ezbar bicep curl
Cable crunch

---

I had been doing a full body 3x per week routine, and I just cut all my workouts back by 1 set. 3 became 2 and 2 became 1. I still make progress and I leave the gym over an hour sooner.

---

I've been doing this workout for a week and a half now and I am loving it! I do the 3x version since it adapts better to my life schedule specially if for any reason I need to skip the gym one day, I can simply move one of the days around easily. I find a lot of value from the minimalist approach overall for people that like me love the gym but can't afford to live there either. Just wanted to make sure Jeff knows, and people that fit this profile, how much appreciation I have for this workout plan. Thank you!

---

I have been doing this workout for 6 weeks now and it's pretty awesome.
I even feel like progressing in terms of muscle response

---

Just started my first full time job having graduated uni and the hours are pretty intense - I can’t wait to try this program!