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Live Wellness

Free workout plan

12-Week Body Recomposition Plan

A structured intermediate plan for building strength while improving body composition.

Updated July 20, 2026 10 min setup

Duration

12 weeks

Level

Intermediate

Frequency

4 strength days

Equipment

Full gym

Plan overview

This plan is designed around repeatable sessions, sensible recovery and gradual progression. Begin with loads that leave roughly two to four good repetitions in reserve. Technique and consistency come before intensity.

Weekly schedule

Monday

Upper strength

Bench press · row · overhead press · pulldown · arms

Tuesday

Lower strength

Squat · Romanian deadlift · split squat · calf raise · core

Thursday

Upper volume

Incline press · cable row · lateral raise · pulldown · arms

Friday

Lower volume

Deadlift variation · leg press · leg curl · hip thrust · carry

Warm-up

  • • Use 5 minutes of easy cyclical movement
  • • Complete one mobility drill for the first major pattern if needed
  • • Ramp through 2–4 increasingly heavier sets before the first lift

Recovery

Treat the lower-volume weeks as part of the program. Maintain regular meals and sleep, and avoid adding extra hard conditioning when lifting performance and motivation are already declining.

Sets, reps and rest

Unless the schedule states otherwise, begin with two working sets of 6–12 controlled repetitions. Rest 90–150 seconds between compound movements and 60–90 seconds between smaller movements. Add a third set only after the current workload feels recoverable.

How to progress

  1. Weeks 1–3: build repetitions within the listed ranges
  2. Week 4: reduce working sets by about one-third
  3. Weeks 5–7: restart slightly heavier and build again
  4. Week 8: use another lower-volume week
  5. Weeks 9–11: complete the final progressive block
  6. Week 12: reduce fatigue and review performance before choosing the next block

Exercise substitutions

  • Barbell bench press: Dumbbell or machine chest press
  • Back squat: Hack squat or leg press
  • Deadlift variation: Romanian deadlift or hip thrust

Adjusting the plan

Shorten a session, reduce sets or choose a more stable variation during periods of nausea, fatigue or low intake. Stop exercise and seek care for chest pain, fainting, unusual shortness of breath or a sudden severe symptom.

Sources

  1. Adding Physical Activity as an Adult — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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