Two-day plan: full body two days a week

A two-day plan works when long workdays don’t leave room for more gym visits. Below are two options that work — the first mixes strength and hypertrophy, the second focuses on strength numbers. Both cover your whole body over the week.

Why does a two-day plan work?

In my view, two training sessions a week is the minimum you can make progress on. With training 1 x a week, I don’t see much benefit or prospect. In a two-day plan, every workout covers the whole body — so each muscle group gets one proper stimulus per week. That’s exactly why the number of sets on a single day is a little higher than in the classic 3–4-day split, where you train two muscles at once and stay at 20–25 working sets.

A single workout shouldn’t run longer than 1.5 hours. When choosing weights, err on the modest side rather than overdoing it — especially with timed sets.

Two-day plan, first option

The idea behind the first split is that one day goes to heavy weights and short sets, while the other focuses on hypertrophy with timed sets. In the sets of five for the compound exercises, use progression: pick a weight that lets you do 4 x 5 with the same load, and in your next workout add 2.5–5 kg. Do the final set of eight as your second or third working set.

Day I — strength (up to 35 sets)

• Bench press (barbell or dumbbells) — 4 x 5 + 1 x 8
• Squat variation (back squat, front squat, box squat) — 4 x 5 + 1 x 8
• Good mornings — 3–4 x 8–10
• Bent-over row (dumbbell, barbell or T-bar) — 4 x 5 + 1 x 8
• Close-grip press on the floor, French press on the floor or press on parallel bars — 4–5 x 5–7
• Standing barbell biceps curl — 4 x 5 + 1 x 8–10
• Machine crunches — 10 x 10
• Standing calf raise — 3–4 x 12–15

Day II — hypertrophy and timed sets (28 sets)

Set duration is fixed at 45 seconds. If you can complete 2 or 3 sets with the chosen weight in one workout, add 2.5 or 5 kg in the next workout.

• Bench press with a barbell or dumbbells — 2 x 45 seconds
• Standing dumbbell lateral raise or barbell plate front raise to shoulder height — 2 x 35 seconds
• Bent-over dumbbell lateral raise — 3 x 35 seconds
• Leg press (narrow stance, heels on the lower part of the platform or a slight heel elevation) — 3 x 45 seconds
• Seated pulldown behind the neck or seated row (switch handles periodically) — 3 x 45 seconds
• Back extensions (bodyweight at first, with added weight later) — 2 x 45 seconds
• Press with a barbell plate on the floor or bench — 3 x 45 seconds
• Standing barbell biceps curl or preacher curl — 3 x 45 seconds
• Weighted twists on a mat with a medicine ball, touching the floor on both sides of the body — 3 x 45–60 seconds
• Seated calf raise or “Donkey” — 3 x 45–60 seconds

Two-day plan, second option

The second option focuses mainly on increasing your strength numbers. The exercises are simple and basic, with up to 35 working sets on both days. How high and for how long you progress — 8, 10 or 12 weeks — is up to you.

Day I

• Bench press with a barbell or floor press with a barbell — 5 x 5
• Deadlift — 5 x 5
• Seated row — 4 x 6–10
• Seated pulldown behind the neck — 3 x 10–12
• French press with palms facing each other, slight incline — 4 x 5–7
• Cable pushdown — 2 x 6–8 + 1 x 20
• Biceps curl — 5 x 5 + 1 x 8
• Machine crunches — 3–4 x 15–20
• Seated calf raise — 2 x 30–40

Day II

• Seated press on the Smith machine, with a barbell or dumbbells — 5 x 5
• Squat with the barbell on your back, or front squat — 5 x 5
• Pull-ups — 3–4 x 5
• T-bar row — 3–4 x 6–8
• Close-grip press on the floor — 5 x 5
• Press on parallel bars — 2 x 5–7 (if you press between benches, do longer sets of 8–10 reps)
• Dumbbell biceps curl, standing or on an incline bench, alternating arms with supination — 3–4 x 8–10
• Standing calf raise — 3–4 x 15–20
• Sit-ups or hanging leg raise — 2 x to failure

Practical tips for using the two-day plan

The plans suit both men and women. They also work well for athletes from other sports who want to throw some weights around a couple of days a week alongside their main training. They are by no means only for those who truly have time for the gym on just two days a week. If you want to do 2 gym workouts plus 2 longer aerobic sessions a week, that is a good option too.

You are free to choose your training days, for example:

• Monday and Thursday
• Tuesday and Friday
• Wednesday and Saturday
• Thursday and Sunday

On one day you do the Day 1 workout, on the other the Day 2 workout. You can introduce variations, but keep the core principle of the split. Track your progression on every exercise — that is what brings results.

FAQ on the two-day plan

Is a two-day plan enough for muscle mass gains?

Yes, as long as every workout covers the whole body and you increase the weights gradually. Training 1 x a week offers little potential, while 2 x a week already gives a solid stimulus.

How long should a workout last?

It shouldn’t take more than 1.5 hours. If you get through all the body parts faster, even better.

Why is the number of sets here higher than the usual recommended 20–25?

The 20–25 working sets figure applies when you train 3–4 times a week and work two muscle groups at a time. With a two-day split, you have to train the whole body in a single day, so the number of sets is inevitably higher. That means a single workout may take a little longer than usual.

When putting together my own plans, I drew ideas from the articles “Two-Day Workout” (Tony Gentilcore) and “Combination Training — For The Best Of Both Worlds” (Mike Mahler), but neither matches my vision of a two-day plan exactly. Good luck putting it into practice!

Author: Janar Rückenberg

Source: Turg.Fitness.ee

Come and train! ArtGym