← All skills

16-week intermediate lean bulk

A two-block progressive hypertrophy program focusing on volume scaling and mechanical tension for lean muscle gain.

Static — this skill doesn't adapt to your week.

Tags: hypertrophy, lean bulk, intermediate, progressive overload

Tools used

Procedure

Procedure

  1. Nutritional Foundation Setup

    • Calculate the user's maintenance calories using compute_tdee.
    • Set a daily caloric target at a 5–15% surplus above maintenance.
    • Configure macros using set_user_macro_targets:
      • Protein: 1.6–2.2 g/kg of body weight.
      • Fats/Carbs: Remainder of calories, favoring carbohydrates to fuel training.
    • Use remember to store these targets as the user's lean bulk baseline.

  2. Phase 1: Adaptation (Weeks 1–7)

    • Initialize a 4-day Upper/Lower split using create_week and create_workout.
    • Schedule: Monday (Upper Push/Pull), Tuesday (Lower Quad/Glute), Thursday (Upper Pull/Push), Friday (Lower Hamstring/Glute).
    • Volume Scaling: Start at 12 sets per muscle group per week in Week 1. Gradually increase to 18 sets by Week 7.
    • Programming: Use add_exercise to set a rep range of 6–12 at 75–85% of 1RM.
    • Intensity: Instruct the user to maintain 3 RIR (Reps in Reserve) in Week 1, tapering to 1 RIR by Week 7.

  3. Progression Protocol Implementation

    • Apply Double Progression for all working sets.
    • Step 1: User picks a weight for the low end of the rep range (e.g., 8).
    • Step 2: Maintain weight until the top end (e.g., 12) is reached for all sets.
    • Step 3: Use update_exercise to increase load by 2.5–5% and reset reps to the low end.

  4. First Deload (Week 8)

    • Use apply_deload_template or update_workout to modify existing sessions.
    • Reduce weekly sets by 50%.
    • Reduce load (weight) by 10–20% or ensure 4+ RIR.

  5. Phase 2: Intensification (Weeks 9–15)

    • Reset volume using create_week. Start Week 9 at 15 sets per muscle group.
    • Scale volume progressively each week to reach 20+ sets by Week 15.
    • Intensity: Instruct the user to maintain 2 RIR in Week 9, tapering to 0 RIR (technical failure) by Week 15.

  6. Final Deload and Assessment (Week 16)

    • Repeat the Volume-Reduction Deload protocol (50% set reduction, 10-20% load reduction).
    • Use remember to log the final strength levels and body weight to assess the 16-week progress.