Full body 3-day routine
The whole body three times a week, with a rest day between sessions. It is the routine Prup leaves you with after onboarding, and the one that gives the most progress per gym hour to anyone starting or coming back.
The whole week
| Day | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday — Full body A | Barbell back squat | 3 | 5–8 | 2–3 min |
| Bench press | 3 | 6–10 | 2 min | |
| Barbell row | 3 | 8–10 | 2 min | |
| Lateral raise | 3 | 12–15 | 60 s | |
| Plank | 3 | 30–45 s | 60 s | |
| Wednesday — Full body B | Romanian deadlift | 3 | 8–10 | 2–3 min |
| Overhead press | 3 | 6–10 | 2 min | |
| Lat pulldown | 3 | 8–12 | 90 s | |
| Dumbbell lunge | 3 | 10 per leg | 90 s | |
| Barbell curl | 2 | 10–12 | 60 s | |
| Friday — Full body C | Leg press | 3 | 10–12 | 2 min |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 | 8–12 | 2 min | |
| Seated cable row | 3 | 10–12 | 90 s | |
| Leg curl | 3 | 10–12 | 90 s | |
| Cable triceps extension | 2 | 12–15 | 60 s |
Who it is for
Anyone who can train three days and wants each one to count. A beginner progresses on almost any stimulus, and what limits them most is frequency: hitting each muscle group three times a week teaches the movement faster than once a week with more volume.
It is also the right routine for coming back after months off. Volume per session is moderate, so soreness does not knock you out of the following week.
How to progress
- Add weight when you close the range: if the range is 6–10 and you hit 10 on every set, next session gets more weight: 2.5 kg on press and row, 5 kg on squat and deadlift.
- Leave one or two reps in reserve: RPE 8 on the basics. Failing the last set every session slows progress more than it speeds it up.
- Reorder when something stalls: the first exercise gets the best energy. Three weeks without adding weight on the press: move it to first in the day.
What to change without a barbell
With dumbbells: goblet squat instead of back squat, dumbbell press instead of bench, one-arm row instead of barbell row. Rep ranges go up two points (8–12 where it said 6–10) because the available weight is lower.
Describe your equipment in the generator below and it builds the same structure with what you have.
Questions about this routine
01Can I do it four days?
Yes, rotating A, B, C, A the first week and B, C, A, B the next. But with four days available the upper/lower routine usually works better, since it spreads fatigue more evenly.
02How long before I change it?
As long as the weight keeps going up. For a beginner that is three to six months. The log will tell you: three straight weeks of the same weight and reps means it is time to change something.
03Do I need separate cardio?
Not to progress in strength. Two brisk 30-minute walks on off days help recovery and take nothing away.
Adapt it to you
Tell the generator your days, your equipment and what hurts, and get this structure adjusted for you.
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