GymAdapt: your gym plan, written and progressed for you
Pick your days, goal and equipment. GymAdapt writes the plan, shows a video for every exercise, logs your sets and tells you when to go heavier, so you never guess what to lift next. Free to $24.99 a year. Get GymAdapt free on the App Store →
Every good gym plan follows the same rules: train each muscle about twice a week, do roughly 10 or more hard sets per muscle per week, start with the big compound lifts, and add weight or reps over time. The plans below follow those rules for three different schedules.
Which plan should you pick?
| Days per week | Split | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days | Full body x3 | Beginners, busy weeks, getting back into it |
| 4 days | Upper / lower x2 | Most people after 2-3 months of training |
| 5 days | Push / pull / legs + upper / lower | More volume once 4 days is easy to keep up |
Training each muscle about twice a week builds more muscle than once a week for the same total work.
3-day full-body gym plan
| Day | Exercises (3 x 8-12) |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Squat · bench press · lat pulldown · Romanian deadlift · plank |
| Day 2 | Leg press · seated row · overhead press · triceps pushdown · curl |
| Day 3 | Split squat · incline dumbbell press · one-arm row · hip thrust · cable crunch |
Example week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
4-day upper/lower gym plan
| Day | Exercises |
|---|---|
| Upper A | Bench press 4 x 6-8 · barbell row 4 x 6-8 · overhead press 3 x 8-10 · lat pulldown 3 x 10-12 · curl 2 x 12 |
| Lower A | Squat 4 x 6-8 · Romanian deadlift 3 x 8-10 · leg press 3 x 10-12 · leg curl 3 x 12 · calf raise 3 x 12-15 |
| Upper B | Incline dumbbell press 4 x 8-10 · pull-up or pulldown 4 x 8-10 · seated row 3 x 10-12 · lateral raise 3 x 12-15 · triceps pushdown 2 x 12 |
| Lower B | Deadlift 3 x 5 · split squat 3 x 8-10 · hip thrust 3 x 10 · leg extension 3 x 12 · plank 3 x 45 s |
Example week: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.
5-day gym plan
| Day | Focus and main lifts |
|---|---|
| Day 1 · Push | Bench press · overhead press · incline dumbbell press · lateral raise · triceps |
| Day 2 · Pull | Deadlift or row · pull-ups · seated row · rear delts · curls |
| Day 3 · Legs | Squat · Romanian deadlift · leg press · leg curl · calves |
| Day 4 · Upper | Incline press · row · dumbbell shoulder press · pulldown · arms |
| Day 5 · Lower | Front squat or hack squat · hip thrust · split squat · leg extension · core |
3-4 sets of 6-12 reps for main lifts, 2-3 sets of 10-15 for smaller moves.
How to progress (the part most plans skip)
- Use a rep range. If the plan says 8-12, start with a weight you can lift for 8 with good form.
- Add reps first. Each session, try to beat last time by one rep on at least one set.
- Then add weight. When you hit 12 on every set, go up 2.5-5 lb (1-2.5 kg) and start again at 8.
- Stop 1-2 reps short of failure on most sets; push closer on the last set of small exercises.
- Write it down. You cannot beat last week if you do not know what you lifted. GymAdapt tracks it for you →
Rest, warm-ups and how long to run the plan
Rest 2-3 minutes between sets of big lifts and 1-2 minutes on smaller ones. Do 1-2 lighter warm-up sets before your first exercise. Run the same plan for 6-8 weeks before changing it: progress comes from repeating the same lifts and getting better at them, not from new exercises every week.
GymAdapt is free to start. Want Pro free for a month?
The free version gives you an AI-built plan and unlimited workouts. Code TRYFREE01 adds a full month of Pro: weights that adjust from what you log and unlimited coach chats.
Redeem the free month → Opens the App Store with the code filled in. iPhone only. GymAdapt is free to $24.99 a year: after the free month, Pro renews unless you cancel in Settings, and the free version stays yours either way.Questions people ask
What is a good gym workout plan for beginners?
Three full-body days a week: a squat, a press, a pull and a hip hinge each session, 3 sets of 8-12 reps, adding weight when you hit 12 on every set.
How many days a week should I go to the gym?
Three is enough to build strength and muscle as a beginner. Four or five days lets you add more volume once three is a habit.
How many sets and reps should I do?
3-4 sets of 6-12 reps per exercise works for most goals. Aim for roughly 10 or more hard sets per muscle per week.
How long should a gym workout be?
About 45-75 minutes including warm-ups and rest. Five exercises of 3-4 sets fits comfortably in an hour.
Is there an app that makes a gym workout plan for me?
Yes. GymAdapt builds a plan for your days, goal and equipment, then adjusts your weights as you log (free to $24.99 a year; our app, iPhone only).
A coach, not just a counter, free to start
GymAdapt builds your plan and raises your weights from what you log. Free to start; code TRYFREE01 adds a month of Pro.
Get GymAdapt on the App Store → Free to start. Pro is $4.99 a month or $24.99 a year (7-day free trial), or $79.99 once for lifetime. iPhone only. In English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German and Japanese.Sources
- ACSM position stand: progression models in resistance training for healthy adults
- Schoenfeld et al. 2016: training frequency and muscle growth (meta-analysis)
- Schoenfeld et al. 2017: weekly sets and muscle growth (meta-analysis)
- Plotkin et al. 2022, PeerJ: progressing load vs repetitions
- WHO: physical activity fact sheet (muscle-strengthening 2+ days/week)
