Minutes
Exercises
Primary Focus
Frequency
Equipment
Total Sets
Barbell Back Squat
Barbell, Squat Rack
5
5
3:00
High-Knee Run in Place
Barbell
4
8
2:00
Barbell Hip Thrust
Barbell, Bench
3
10
1:30
Full hip extension at top, 2-sec squeeze. Drives the glute power for acceleration and jump-shot elevation. The glutes are the biggest muscle — feed them heavy load.
Bulgarian Split Squat
Dumbbells, Bench
3
8/leg
1:30
Pistol Squat (Assisted)
Bodyweight + support
2
6/leg
1:15
Box Jump (Max Effort)
Plyo Box (24-30")
4
5
1:30
Band-Resisted Vertical Jump
Heavy band (around waist, anchored below)
3
5
1:15
Standing Calf Raise (Machine)
Standing Calf Machine
4
15
1:00
Bodyweight Squat Burnout
Bodyweight
1
50
---
Barbell Compound Strength
Barbell Back Squat
Barbell, Squat Rack
5
5
3:00
THE foundation. 80-85% 1RM. Full depth — hip crease below knee. 3-minute rest for complete recovery. Build to a heavy set of 5. Explosive concentric, controlled eccentric.
Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
Barbell
4
8
2:00
Builds hamstrings and posterior chain. Slow 3-sec negative, feel the stretch. Protects against hamstring strains from all the sprinting and cutting SGs do.
Barbell Hip Thrust
Barbell, Bench
3
10
1:30
Full hip extension at top, 2-sec squeeze. Drives the glute power for acceleration and jump-shot elevation. The glutes are the biggest muscle — feed them heavy load.
Single-Leg & Bodyweight
Bulgarian Split Squat
Dumbbells, Bench
3
8/leg
1:30
Rear foot elevated on bench. Hold DBs at sides. Builds single-leg strength for cutting off screens, landing from jumps, and unilateral power balance.
Pistol Squat (Assisted)
Bodyweight + support
2
6/leg
1:15
Single-leg squat to full depth. Use doorframe or rack for balance. After heavy squats, these drill perfect single-leg mechanics and build stabilizer endurance.
Plyometric Power
Box Jump (Max Effort)
Plyo Box (24-30")
4
5
1:30
Max-height jump onto box. STEP down, fully reset. Every rep is a max attempt. Converts the squat strength into explosive vertical power for jump-shot elevation.
Band-Resisted Vertical Jump
Bodyweight + support
3
5
1:15
Jump against downward band resistance. Post-activation potentiation: when band is removed, vertical increases immediately. 5 max-effort reps per set.
Calves & Finisher
Standing Calf Raise (Machine)
Standing Calf Machine
4
15
1:00
2 sec up, 2 sec hold, 3 sec down. Full range — stretch at bottom, peak squeeze at top. Calf endurance for continuous screen-running and jumping.
Bodyweight Squat Burnout
Bodyweight + support
1
50
-
50 bodyweight squats as fast as possible. Builds deep muscular endurance that prevents 4th-quarter shooting fatigue. Track your time — elite: under 90 seconds.
The 5×5 at 80-85% 1RM builds maximal strength — the raw force production that everything else depends on. A shooting guard who squats 1.5x bodyweight has measurably better vertical jump, faster acceleration, and more consistent late-game shooting (because strong legs don't fatigue). This is the most important exercise in the program.
The program flows from heavy barbell (max strength) → dumbbell single-leg (stability and balance) → bodyweight plyometrics (speed and power) → bodyweight burnout (endurance). Each modality builds on the one before it. Heavy squats make you strong. Plyos make you fast. Burnouts make you durable. Together, they create a complete athlete.
Lower-body strength is the foundation of EVERY basketball skill: shooting elevation, defensive slides, screen-running endurance, first-step speed. Monday's heavy leg day builds that foundation. Every other day in the program builds on what Monday creates.
SGs sprint and cut more than any position — making them high-risk for hamstring strains. The RDL strengthens the hamstrings eccentrically (during lengthening), which is exactly how hamstring injuries occur. It's the #1 hamstring prehab exercise.
To build muscle on this program, you must eat in a caloric surplus with adequate protein. For a 185-lb shooting guard training 7 days per week, here are the daily targets:
Calories / Day
Protein (1g/lb BW)
Carbs (Fuel)
Fats (Hormones)
Eat 4-5 meals per day. Post-workout meal within 60 minutes: 40g protein + 60g carbs. Sleep 8+ hours. Without the nutrition, the training stimulus is wasted — you can't build muscle from a caloric deficit.
Minutes
Exercises
Primary Focus
Frequency
Equipment
Total Sets
Barbell Bench Press
Barbell, Flat Bench
4
6
2:30
Incline Dumbbell Press
Dumbbells, Incline Bench (30°)
3
10
1:30
Band-Resisted Push-Up
Heavy band across back
3
12
1:15
Band adds progressive resistance hardest at the top of the push-up. After heavy pressing, this burns out the chest with a different resistance curve. Functional push pattern.
Dumbbell Overhead Press (Standing)
Dumbbells
3
8
1:30
Dip (Weighted or Bodyweight)
Dip Station (+ weight belt optional)
3
10
1:15
Band Face Pull
Cable or band at face height
4
18
0:45
Band External Rotation
Light band anchored at side
3
15/arm
0:45
Band Y-T-W Raise
Light band (or face down on bench)
2
8 each
0:45
Prone Y-Raise
Face down on floor or bench
2
12
0:45
Band Dislocate (Pass-Through)
Light band
2
10
0:45
Heavy Press
Barbell Bench Press
Barbell, Flat Bench
4
6
2:30
75-80% 1RM. Controlled descent (2 sec), explosive press. Builds the chest and triceps power for finishing through contact on drives and absorbing bumps at the rim.
Incline Dumbbell Press
Dumbbells, Incline Bench (30°)
3
10
1:30
30° incline targets upper chest and anterior deltoids — the stabilizers of the shooting motion. Dumbbells build stabilizers that barbells miss.
Band-Resisted Push-Up
Heavy band across back
3
12
1:15
Band adds progressive resistance hardest at the top of the push-up. After heavy pressing, this burns out the chest with a different resistance curve. Functional push pattern.
Overhead & Triceps
Dumbbell Overhead Press (Standing)
Dumbbells
3
8
1:30
Standing bilateral press. Builds overhead pressing endurance for the shooting motion. Standing forces core bracing — more functional than seated.
Dip (Weighted or Bodyweight)
Dip Station (+ weight belt optional)
3
10
1:15
Full range — shoulders below elbows. Add weight once bodyweight is easy. Builds triceps mass and the pressing power for finishing in traffic at the rim.
Shoulder Durability (Non-Negotiable)
Band Face Pull
Cable or band at face height
4
18
0:45
Pull to face, externally rotate at peak. THE most important exercise for any shooter. Counterbalances 200-500 shooting reps per day. Every push session. Every session. No exceptions.
Band External Rotation
Light band anchored at side
3
15/arm
0:45
Elbow at 90° by side. Rotate forearm out against band. Strengthens the small rotator cuff muscles that protect the shooting shoulder from inflammation and overuse.
Light band (or face down on bench)
Light band anchored at side
2
8 each
0:45
Y (overhead), T (out), W (elbows bent). Hits all three rotator cuff muscles plus lower trapezius. The most complete shoulder prehab possible. 5 minutes saves your career.
Prone Y-Raise
Face down on floor or bench
2
12
0:45
Arms in Y, raise as high as possible, hold 2 sec. Builds lower trapezius — the muscle that stabilizes the shoulder blade during your shooting stroke.
Band Dislocate (Pass-Through)
Face down on floor or bench
2
10
0:45
Hold band wide overhead. Slowly pass behind back and return. Improves shoulder mobility and end-range strength. Start wide, narrow grip over weeks.
A shooting guard takes 200-500 shots per day. That's 200-500 reps of a forward pressing motion that loads the front of the shoulder. Without dedicated rear-shoulder work, the front-to-back imbalance causes impingement, rotator cuff strain, and eventually chronic pain that alters your shooting mechanics. Face pulls, external rotations, and Y-T-W raises are the antidote. They take 10 minutes. They save your career.
The barbell and dumbbell presses build raw strength and mass. The band push-ups add a DIFFERENT resistance curve: light at the bottom, heavy at the top. This trains lockout power and muscular endurance. The shoulder band work at the end addresses the small stabilizers that heavy pressing doesn't reach. The hybrid approach builds COMPLETE upper-body function.
SGs need pressing strength for finishing (bench, dips) AND shoulder durability for shooting (face pulls, external rotation). This workout delivers both: 18 sets of pressing for strength and mass, followed by 13 sets of shoulder prehab for longevity. Strength + health = complete.
Minutes
Exercises
Primary Focus
Frequency
Equipment
Total Sets
Deep Squat Hold
Bodyweight
3
30 sec
0:30
Incline Dumbbell Press
Bodyweight (floor)
2
8/side
0:30
Band-Resisted Push-Up
Bodyweight
2
5/side
-
Lunge, plant hand on floor, rotate and reach opposite arm to the sky. Hits hip flexors, thoracic spine, hamstrings, and shoulders in one movement. 5 reps per side.
Band Lateral Walk
Light band (above knees)
2
12/dir
0:30
Band Pull-Apart (Light)
Light band
2
15
0:30
Cat-Cow Spinal Flow
Bodyweight (floor)
2
10
0:30
Couch Stretch (Hip Flexor)
Wall or couch
2
45 sec/side
-
Foam Roll Quads, IT Band, Calves
Foam roller
1
60 sec/area
-
Hip & Ankle Mobility
Deep Squat Hold
Bodyweight
3
30 sec
0:30
Sit in the bottom of a deep squat. Feet flat, chest up. Hold 30 seconds. Opens hips, ankles, and lower back. If you can't hold it with flat feet, hold a doorframe for support.
90/90 Hip Switch
Bodyweight (floor)
2
8/side
0:30
Sit on floor, both knees at 90°. Rotate hips to switch sides. Builds hip internal/external rotation range — the mobility behind every cut, pivot, and defensive slide.
World's Greatest Stretch
Heavy band across back
2
5/side
-
Lunge, plant hand on floor, rotate and reach opposite arm to the sky. Hits hip flexors, thoracic spine, hamstrings, and shoulders in one movement. 5 reps per side.
Light Activation
Band Lateral Walk
Light band (above knees)
2
12/dir
0:30
Light band above knees. Gentle lateral walk — not intense. Just activating glute medius and hip stabilizers. Keeps blood flowing to recovering muscles without creating fatigue.
Band Pull-Apart (Light)
Light band
2
15
0:30
Easy band pull-aparts to activate the rear shoulders and upper back. Light effort — promoting blood flow, not building fatigue. Think 50% effort.
Cat-Cow Spinal Flow
Bodyweight (floor)
2
10
0:30
On hands and knees. Arch the back (cow), then round the back (cat). 10 slow cycles. Mobilizes the entire spine and decompresses after Monday/Tuesday heavy loading.
Stretch & Breathe
Couch Stretch (Hip Flexor)
Wall or couch
2
45 sec/side
-
Knee against wall, lunge forward. Deep hip flexor stretch. Tight hip flexors from all the running limit your stride length and shooting elevation. Open them.
Foam Roll Quads, IT Band, Calves
Foam roller
1
60 sec/area
-
Spend 60 seconds per area: quads, IT band, calves. Slow rolling with pauses on tender spots. Reduces muscle tension and accelerates recovery from heavy leg day.
Muscle growth (hypertrophy) occurs during RECOVERY, not during training. Training creates the stimulus (micro-tears in muscle fibers). Rest and nutrition provide the repair (muscle grows back bigger and stronger). Without adequate recovery, you break down faster than you build up — leading to overtraining, injury, and plateau. Wednesday's active recovery accelerates this repair process by promoting blood flow without adding fatigue.
Training 7 days per week is sustainable ONLY if you manage intensity intelligently. Heavy days (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri) are followed by lighter days (Wed, Sat, Sun). Wednesday is the lightest — pure recovery. Saturday is moderate (power + conditioning). Sunday is active hypertrophy with bodyweight/bands. This wave pattern allows daily training without overtraining.
Muscles grow during rest, not during workouts. Wednesday exists to accelerate the recovery from heavy lifting on Monday and Tuesday. The mobility work also improves range of motion — which directly improves squat depth, shooting form, and defensive stance quality.
The hip mobility (90/90 switches, deep squat holds) and hip flexor stretching (couch stretch) address the tightness that accumulates from basketball and heavy lifting. Tight hips limit movement and increase injury risk. 35 minutes of mobility work per week significantly reduces soft-tissue injuries.
Minutes
Exercises
Primary Focus
Frequency
Equipment
Total Sets
Weighted Pull-Up
Pull-Up Bar + Weight Belt
4
6-8
2:00
Barbell Pendlay Row
Barbell
4
6
2:00
Dumbbell Row (Single Arm)
Dumbbell, Bench
3
10/arm
1:15
Pull DB to hip, squeeze shoulder blade 2 seconds. Single-arm builds anti-rotation core demand. Builds the back thickness that holds posture through game fatigue.
Lat Pulldown (Wide Grip)
Lat Pulldown Machine
3
10
1:15
Band Seated Row (Pause)
Heavy band, seated on floor
3
12 + 3sec hold
1:00
Inverted Row (Bodyweight)
Bar at waist height (Smith machine or rack)
3
12
1:00
Farmer's Walk
Heavy Dumbbells (60-80 lb each)
3
40 yards
1:30
Dumbbell Hammer Curl
Dumbbells
3
10
1:00
Towel Hang
Towel over pull-up bar
2
30 sec
1:00
Heavy Pull
Weighted Pull-Up
Pull-Up Bar + Weight Belt
4
6-8
2:00
Add weight when bodyweight is easy. Full range: dead hang to chin over bar. The king of upper-body pulls. Builds the lat width and grip strength for rebounding and controlling the ball.
Barbell Pendlay Row
Bodyweight (floor)
4
6
2:00
Bar starts on floor each rep. Explosive row to lower chest. Builds the rowing strength that powers rebounding, box-outs, and holding position against contact.
Dumbbell Row (Single Arm)
Dumbbell, Bench
3
10/arm
1:15
Pull DB to hip, squeeze shoulder blade 2 seconds. Single-arm builds anti-rotation core demand. Builds the back thickness that holds posture through game fatigue.
Back Width & Detail
Lat Pulldown (Wide Grip)
Lat Pulldown Machine
3
10
1:15
Wide overhand grip. Pull to upper chest, control the negative. Builds lat width for a bigger frame. Width = harder to move, more rebounding surface area.
Band Seated Row (Pause)
Heavy band, seated on floor
3
12 + 3sec hold
1:00
Band around feet, row to ribcage. On the 12th rep, hold the squeeze for 3 seconds. Builds the mid-back endurance that keeps your shooting posture perfect in the 4th quarter.
Inverted Row (Bodyweight)
Bar at waist height (Smith machine or rack)
3
12
1:00
Hang below a bar, pull chest to bar. The bodyweight row after heavy pulling is a perfect burnout — builds muscle endurance with zero spinal loading.
Grip & Biceps
Farmer's Walk
Heavy Dumbbells (60-80 lb each)
3
40 yards
1:30
Walk with heavy DBs at your sides. Crushing grip strength for ball security. Also builds trap and core stability. The most functional grip exercise in existence.
Dumbbell Hammer Curl
Dumbbells
3
10
1:00
Neutral grip curls. Builds the brachioradialis (forearm) and biceps. Arm mass helps absorb contact and makes you harder to move off the ball.
Towel Hang
Towel over pull-up bar
2
30 sec
1:00
Drape towel over bar, hang with both hands for 30 seconds. The thick-grip hang crushes forearms and builds finger strength for ball control under pressure.
Shooting guards should train pulling movements at a 1.5:1 ratio to pushing movements. Tuesday had 18 sets of pressing. Thursday has 20+ sets of pulling. The extra pulling volume counterbalances the forward stress of shooting and pressing, keeping the shoulders balanced and healthy. Most college players press too much and pull too little.
The farmer's walk builds grip strength, trap development, core stability, and cardiovascular conditioning simultaneously — in one exercise. For a shooting guard, the grip strength translates directly to ball security through contact, the traps help absorb collisions, and the core stability improves balance during finishes at the rim.
Your upper back determines your shooting posture. When it fatigues, shoulders roll forward and your release point changes. The band rows, pulldowns, and inverted rows build the muscular endurance to maintain perfect posture from the 1st minute to the 40th. Consistent posture = consistent shot.
Farmer's walks and towel hangs build the grip strength that directly reduces turnovers. A stronger grip means better ball control through contact, crisper passes, and more secure catches in traffic. Grip is the most underrated physical attribute for guards.
Minutes
Exercises
Primary Focus
Frequency
Equipment
Total Sets
Front Squat
Barbell, Squat Rack
4
8
2:00
Dumbbell Walking Lunge
Dumbbells
3
20 steps
1:30
Band Leg Curl (Prone)
Medium band (around ankle, anchored)
3
15/leg
0:45
Face down, curl heel to butt against band resistance. Builds hamstring mass and knee stability for the constant cutting, landing, and direction changes.
Skater Jump
Bodyweight
4
8/side
1:15
Cossack Squat
Bodyweight (hold light DB optional)
3
8/side
1:15
Band Lateral Lunge
Medium band (around ankles)
3
10/side
1:00
Seated Calf Raise
Seated Calf Machine
4
15
1:00
Wall Sit (Burnout)
Wall
1
90 sec
-
Tuck Jump
Bodyweight
2
8
1:15
Hypertrophy Compound
Front Squat
Barbell, Squat Rack
4
8
2:00
70-75% 1RM. Front-loaded = more quad emphasis + core bracing. Higher reps than Monday for hypertrophy stimulus. Builds the quad mass for explosive deceleration off screens.
Dumbbell Walking Lunge
Dumbbells
3
20 steps
1:30
Moderate DBs. 20 total steps. Long steps emphasize glutes. The sustained leg burn mimics the endurance demand of running off screens in the 4th quarter.
Band Leg Curl (Prone)
Medium band (around ankle, anchored)
3
15/leg
0:45
Face down, curl heel to butt against band resistance. Builds hamstring mass and knee stability for the constant cutting, landing, and direction changes.
Lateral Power (SG-Specific)
Skater Jump
Lat Pulldown Machine
4
8/side
1:15
Lateral bound foot to foot like a speed skater. Hold 1-sec on each landing. Builds the explosive lateral power for fighting through screens and closing out on shooters.
Cossack Squat
Bodyweight (hold light DB optional)
3
8/side
1:15
Wide stance, shift weight to one leg, deep squat. Other leg straight. Builds deep lateral hip strength and mobility for explosive change of direction.
Band Lateral Lunge
Medium band (around ankles)
3
10/side
1:00
Band adds resistance to every lateral step. Fires the hip abductors and adductors — the stabilizers behind every defensive slide and lateral cut.
Calves & Finisher
Seated Calf Raise
Heavy Dumbbells (60-80 lb each)
4
15
1:00
Slow tempo: 2 up, 2 hold, 3 down. Seated hits the soleus (deeper calf muscle). Combined with Monday's standing raises, both calf muscles get full development.
Wall Sit (Burnout)
Wall
1
90 sec
-
Back against wall, thighs parallel. Hold 90 seconds — longer than Monday's 60. Progressive overload on isometric endurance. This builds the quad stamina for all-game defensive effort.
Tuck Jump
Bodyweight
3
8
1:15
Max vertical, tuck knees to chest. 8 continuous reps. The quick-twitch plyometric finisher after hypertrophy work. Trains the rapid-fire vertical power for transition rebounding and shot elevation.
Monday = heavy/low-rep (5×5 squats at 80-85%). Friday = moderate/high-rep (4×8 front squats at 70-75%). Monday builds MAX STRENGTH. Friday builds MUSCLE SIZE. Both adaptations are essential: strength makes you powerful, size makes you durable and harder to move. The different rep ranges and intensities allow you to train legs twice per week without overlapping stimulus.
SGs run off more screens per game than any other position. Running off a screen requires explosive lateral movement: plant, drive sideways, accelerate in a new direction. Skater jumps, Cossack squats, and band lateral lunges build this specific lateral power. These are SG-specific exercises that most programs overlook.
Bigger, stronger quads decelerate faster and re-accelerate faster. When you curl off a screen, your quads absorb the braking force and redirect you toward the basket. More quad mass = sharper, faster cuts off screens. The higher-rep front squats and walking lunges build this mass.
Day 1 (Mon): Strength — back squat 5×5, RDL, box jump. Day 2 (Fri): Hypertrophy — front squat 4×8, lunges, laterals. Different stimuli to the same muscles. This 2-day split builds BOTH strength and size, covering every physical need for SG performance.
Minutes
Exercises
Primary Focus
Frequency
Equipment
Total Sets
Hang Power Clean
Barbell
4
4
2:00
Push Press
Barbell
3
5
1:30
Medicine Ball Slam
Medicine Ball (10-15 lb)
3
10
1:00
Overhead slam to floor, pick up, repeat. Builds core power, shoulder durability, and full-body conditioning in one explosive movement.
Cable/Band Woodchop
Cable or band anchored high
3
10/side
1:00
Landmine Rotation
Barbell in landmine attachment
3
8/side
1:00
Burpee to Max Vertical Jump
Assault Bike Intervals
3
8
1:30
Wall Sit (Band Sprint in Place )
Heavy band (around waist, anchored)
4
15 sec
1:00
Assault Bike Intervals
Assault/Air Bike
6
20s on / 40s off
Built in
Hollow Body Hold
Bodyweight
2
30 sec
0:45
Explosive Total-Body
Hang Power Clean
Barbell
4
4
2:00
Start at hang (above knees). Triple extend ankles/knees/hips. Catch at shoulders. 70-75% 1RM. The best total-body power exercise — builds the explosive coordination for jumping, rebounding, and every fast-twitch movement.
Push Press
Barbell
3
5
1:30
Dip with legs, drive bar overhead. Combines leg power with overhead pressing. Builds the total-body explosiveness for contested finishes and blocking shots.
Medicine Ball Slam
Medicine Ball (10-15 lb)
3
10
1:00
Overhead slam to floor, pick up, repeat. Builds core power, shoulder durability, and full-body conditioning in one explosive movement.
Rotational & Core Power
Cable/Band Woodchop
Cable or band anchored high
3
10/side
1:00
High-to-low diagonal rotation. Builds the rotational power used in passing, shooting off the dribble, and absorbing contact during drives. Basketball is a rotational sport.
Landmine Rotation
Barbell in landmine attachment
3
8/side
1:00
Hold barbell end at chest. Rotate left and right. Builds rotational power AND deceleration — the movement pattern of every change of direction on the court.
Conditioning Circuit
Burpee to Max Vertical Jump
Bodyweight
3
8
1:30
Full burpee, then explode into a max vertical. The hardest bodyweight conditioning exercise. Total-body power and cardiovascular endurance simultaneously.
Band Sprint in Place
Heavy band (around waist, anchored)
4
15 sec
1:00
All-out sprint against band resistance for 15 seconds. Replicates basketball sprint demands. 4 rounds = brutally effective conditioning.
Assault Bike Intervals
Assault/Air Bike
6
20s on / 40s off
Built in
All-out 20 seconds, coast 40 seconds. 6 rounds = 6 minutes total. The gold standard for basketball-specific interval conditioning.
Hollow Body Hold
Assault/Air Bike
2
30 sec
0:45
Arms overhead, legs extended, both off ground. Hold with lower back pressed to floor. Deep anti-extension core finisher after all the rotational power work.
The hang power clean is NOT a deadlift + curl. It's a JUMP with the bar. Start at the hang, then triple extend — ankles, knees, hips — as if jumping. The bar floats from the hip extension, and you catch it on your shoulders. Start with just the bar and master the technique before adding weight. Film yourself from the side and watch your hip extension.
Saturday bridges the heavy training (Mon-Fri) with Sunday's lighter bodyweight session. The power cleans and push presses are moderate weight (not max effort). The conditioning is intense but short-duration. This creates a moderate-stress day that maintains power output while allowing accumulated fatigue from the heavy week to begin dissipating.
Strength is how much force you can produce. Power is how FAST you can produce it. The hang clean and push press train power — total-body force applied at maximum speed. In basketball, everything happens fast. You need to be strong AND fast. Saturday builds the fast.
20 seconds on / 40 seconds off mirrors the average basketball possession (15-20 sec effort) followed by transition and dead ball time. This is sport-specific conditioning that builds a cardiovascular engine tuned to basketball's energy demands.
Sunday is the lightest training day — bodyweight and bands only, no heavy iron. High-rep hypertrophy work that builds muscle without creating the systemic fatigue of barbell training. Focuses on the muscles that need extra volume: shoulders, core, and posterior chain. Ends with mobility to prepare for Monday.
Minutes
Exercises
Primary Focus
Frequency
Equipment
Total Sets
Push-Up Mega-Set (4 Widths)
Bodyweight
4
8+8+8+8
1:30
Band Pull-Apart (3 Angles)
Barbell Light/Medium band
3
12 each angle
0:45
Band Face Pull (Light)
Light band
3
20
0:45
LIGHT band, 20 easy reps. Promotes blood flow to the shoulder without creating fatigue. Recovery-focused shoulder work. Still counterbalancing all the shooting reps.
Band Squat (High Rep)
Heavy band
3
20
1:00
Single-Leg Glute Bridge
Bodyweight (floor)
3
12/leg
0:45
Band Lateral Walk
Medium band (above knees)
2
15/dir
0:45
Ab Wheel Rollout (or Walkout)
Ab wheel or towel on smooth floor
3
10
1:00
Copenhagen Plank
Bodyweight (floor) Bench or chair
3
20 sec/side
0:45
Deep Squat to Thoracic Rotation
Medium band (above knees) Bodyweight
2
8/side
-
Foam Roll Full Body
Foam Roller
1
60 sec/area
-
Explosive Total-Body
Push-Up Mega-Set (4 Widths)
Barbell
3
8+8+8+8
1:30
8 wide + 8 standard + 8 narrow + 8 diamond = 32 reps per set. No rest between widths. High-volume pushing without spinal loading. Sunday pump without Monday fatigue.
Band Pull-Apart (3 Angles)
Light/Medium band
3
12 each angle
0:45
12 at chest level + 12 at forehead level + 12 overhead = 36 reps per set. Builds rear delts and upper back from multiple angles. Extra pulling volume for shoulder balance.
Band Face Pull (Light)
Light band
3
20
0:45
LIGHT band, 20 easy reps. Promotes blood flow to the shoulder without creating fatigue. Recovery-focused shoulder work. Still counterbalancing all the shooting reps.
Bodyweight Lower Hypertrophy
Band Squat (High Rep)
Heavy band
3
20
1:00
20-rep band squats. Burns by rep 15. Promotes blood flow to recovering quads from Friday's heavy session. Light enough to avoid fatigue, high enough volume to stimulate growth.
Single-Leg Glute Bridge
Bodyweight (floor)
3
12/leg
0:45
Lie on back, one foot on floor. Drive hips up, squeeze glute at top 2 sec. Builds glute activation and single-leg hip strength without any joint stress.
Band Lateral Walk
Medium band (above knees)
2
15/dir
0:45
Athletic stance, lateral walk. Fires glute medius and hip stabilizers. Keeps the lateral movement system active without heavy load.
Core Armor & Mobility
Ab Wheel Rollout (or Walkout)
Ab wheel or towel on smooth floor
3
10
1:00
Full extension and return. Builds anti-extension core strength. If no wheel, place hands on towel on smooth floor and slide out. The best core exercise that exists.
Copenhagen Plank
Bench or chair
3
20 sec/side
0:45
Side plank with top leg on bench. Builds adductor and lateral core strength. The muscle armor that absorbs lateral contact and keeps you balanced through physicality.
Deep Squat to Thoracic Rotation
Assault/Air Bike
2
8/side
-
Sit in deep squat. Rotate and reach one arm to the ceiling. Return and repeat other side. Opens hips AND thoracic spine simultaneously. Prepares the body for Monday's heavy squats.
Foam Roll Full Body
Foam Roller
1
60 sec/area
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Arms overhead, legs extended, both off ground. Hold with lower back pressed to floor. Deep anti-extension core finisher after all the rotational power work.
Active training (even light) promotes blood flow to recovering muscles, which accelerates protein synthesis and repair. A complete rest day allows blood flow to normalize and recovery to slow. Sunday's light bodyweight/band work is the sweet spot: enough stimulus to maintain the muscle-building signal without enough stress to impede recovery. It's active recovery disguised as a light hypertrophy session.
Mon: Heavy. Tue: Heavy. Wed: Recovery. Thu: Heavy. Fri: Moderate-Heavy. Sat: Moderate. Sun: Light. This wave pattern ensures no two max-effort days happen consecutively, recovery is distributed throughout the week, and the body has enough stimulus to grow but enough rest to actually build. This is the programming model used by elite college strength coaches.
Sunday's high-rep bodyweight work is "micro-dosing" — small doses of training volume that add up over weeks. 3 sets of 32-rep push-ups every Sunday = ~100 extra push-ups per week. Over a 16-week season, that's 1,600 extra reps of muscle-building stimulus with zero additional fatigue cost. Free gains.
The mobility work at the end of Sunday (deep squat holds, thoracic rotation, foam rolling) directly prepares the body for Monday's heavy squats. You arrive at the squat rack with open hips, mobile ankles, and loose muscles — setting up the best possible heavy training session.