A 3-day split built on an 8-day rolling cycle. We combine aesthetic building, injury prevention, and real-world strength into a logical, bottleneck-free order.
Building muscle size and visible shape. These are the prime movers (Chest, Lats, Quads) trained to near-failure.
H
Health ("The PT")
Stabilizers that prevent injury. Focused on posture, joint centralization, and perfect form rather than heavy weight.
F
Function ("Real World")
Practical strength for daily life. Grip for carrying, neck for posture, and core for 360° stability.
The Core Rule: No Bottlenecks
We never fatigue a "weak link" (like triceps, grip, or core) before a major compound lift. Small muscles can limit your ability to max out your big muscles. Therefore, large muscle compound exercises (like Bench Press or Squats) are always done first.
The 8-Day Hypertrophy Cycle
To maximize growth, we alternate between Hard Days and Soft Days.
Hard Days
Push your limits at 90% of your max.
Soft Days
Focus on the mind-muscle connection at 75% of your max.
Volume: We target 10–15 sets per muscle group per week using 2 exercises per muscle.
Day
Workout
Focus
Intensity
1
PUSH
Pecs, Shoulders, Triceps
HARD (90%)
2
PULL
Lats, Rows, Biceps
SOFT (75%)
3
LEGS/CORE
Quads, Hams, Calves, Abs
HARD (90%)
4
REST
Active Recovery
Light Cardio
5
PUSH
Pecs, Shoulders, Triceps
SOFT (75%)
6
PULL
Lats, Rows, Biceps
HARD (90%)
7
LEGS/CORE
Quads, Hams, Calves, Abs
SOFT (75%)
8
REST
Full Recovery
Sleep & Eat
Card 1: The Engine of Growth
Progressive Overload
The Principle:
Progressive Overload is the "Law of Growth." It means you must continually increase the stress placed on your muscles (more weight, more reps, or better control) to force your body to adapt and build new tissue.
How This Program Does It:
The 9-Day Strength Test: Every 9 days, we check the data. If you aren't doing more weight or more reps than you did at the start of the last cycle, we adjust. This ensures you never waste time "spinning your wheels."
The "Money Set" (Set #3): By taking your third set to technical failure, you send a clear signal to your nervous system that the current weight is a challenge, triggering the hypertrophy response.
The Rep Bracket: We stay in the 8–12 rep range. Once you can comfortably hit 12 reps with perfect form, the "Overload" rule dictates that you must increase the weight for the next session.
Card 2: The Blueprint for Recovery
Strategic Periodization
The Principle:
Periodization is the "Blueprint for Longevity." It is the organized cycling of intensity and volume. Training at 100% every day leads to injury; periodization waves your effort so you can recover while still making progress.
How This Program Does It:
The Hard/Soft Undulation: We don't crush you every day. By alternating between Hard Days (90% intensity) and Soft Days (75-80% intensity), we keep your muscles active while allowing your joints and central nervous system to recover.
The 8-Day Rolling Cycle: Traditional 7-day weeks often don't allow enough recovery for natural lifters. Our 8-day cycle builds in strategic rest every 4th day, ensuring you enter your "Hard" sessions at peak performance.
Controlled Volume: We cap training at 10–15 sets per muscle per week. This specific volume is "periodized" to be high enough to trigger growth but low enough to prevent the chronic fatigue that stops beginners from being consistent.
The 4-Set "Hypertrophy Pyramid"
For all Aesthetics, Function, and Core exercises, use this 4-set structure. This ensures you hit the required 10–15 sets per muscle group per week.
Set #1
Warm-up
15 reps @ 40% max Focus on blood flow
Set #2
Hard Warm-up
12 reps @ 50-60% max Prepare the nervous system
Set #3
The Money Set
4–12 reps UNTIL FAILURE Hard Day: 90% / Soft Day: 80%
Set #4
Burn-in Set
8–12 reps, slow on the way down Hard Day: 80% / Soft Day: 70%
Start your fitness journey at Dumaguete's complete wellness facility. We have all the equipment you need for this program and expert coaches to guide your form.
