Day 1: Upper A
about 59 min| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 6-8 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Pull-Up | 4 | 5-10 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Dumbbell Pullover | 3 | 12-20 | 9 | 75s |
| Overhead Press | 4 | 6-8 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Barbell Curl | 3 | 8-12 | 9 | 75s |
| Close-Grip Bench Press | 4 | 8-12 | 8 | 2.5 min |
Workouts by equipment
Home gym workout plan
A four-day upper/lower plan for a home or garage gym with a barbell, rack, bench, dumbbells and a pull-up bar, with every set and rep written out.
- Workouts / week
- 4
- Per workout
- 37-59 min
- Level
- Intermediate
Equipment: Barbell, squat rack, bench, dumbbells, pull-up bar, bands and kettlebells
The workouts
Built by the same generator a MuscleBuddy account uses, for exactly this equipment.
Day 2: Lower A
about 37 min| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Back Squat | 4 | 5-8 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Seated Calf Raise | 4 | 12-20 | 9 | 75s |
| Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 10-15 | 9 | 75s |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 4 | 8-12 | 8 | 2.5 min |
Day 3: Upper B
about 42 min| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incline Barbell Bench Press | 3 | 8-10 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Barbell Row | 3 | 6-10 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Dumbbell Overhead Press | 3 | 8-12 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| JM Press | 3 | 6-10 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Dumbbell Curl | 3 | 10-15 | 9 | 75s |
Day 4: Lower B
about 47 min| Exercise | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional Deadlift | 3 | 4-6 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8-12 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Barbell Hip Thrust | 3 | 8-15 | 8 | 2.5 min |
| Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise | 3 | 12-20 | 9 | 75s |
| Hanging Knee Raise | 3 | 12-20 | 9 | 75s |
| Goblet Squat | 3 | 10-15 | 8 | 2.5 min |
Times are estimates: the prescribed rest plus about 30 seconds per set. RPE is effort on a 10-point scale, so RPE 8 leaves about two reps in the tank.
Why these movements
A garage or spare-room gym usually has the big five covered: a squat, a bench press, a deadlift, an overhead press and a row. Four upper/lower days give each of those two sessions a week, with room to recover between.
What a home gym lacks, cables and machines, mostly serves smaller isolation work. Those slots go to dumbbell and bodyweight movements for the same muscle, so nothing is left untrained.
The two upper days and the two lower days are not copies. The second of each changes the angle, so the muscles get a different stress.
How to run it
- Train Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, or any four days with a rest day after each pair.
- Add weight when every set reaches the top of its rep range. On the barbell lifts, small jumps go further than big ones.
- Prefer a push, pull, legs week? The home gym push, pull, legs plan runs six days on the same equipment.
Want this progressed from what you log each workout?
MuscleBuddy builds this week around your own equipment, then moves the weight up when your logged sets earn it and adjusts when you stall.
Create your free accountFrequently asked questions
- What is a good workout plan for a home gym?
- Four days of upper/lower on a barbell, rack and bench covers every muscle twice a week. It leaves room to recover, and it is easier to keep up than six days.
- Do I need a squat rack for a home gym?
- A rack is the safest way to squat and press heavy alone. If you do not have one, the leg workout without a squat rack plan builds the legs without it.
- Does this work for a garage gym?
- Yes. A garage gym is a home gym by another name. The plan only cares about the equipment, not the room it sits in.