Intermediate 3-Day Hypertrophy Gym Program

muscle gain

Who this three-day program is for

Train on Monday, Wednesday and Friday with the six-exercise session above. This free intermediate hypertrophy gym program combines a chest press, assisted pull-up, shoulder raise, squat, hamstring curl and box lunge. It provides the complete weekly schedule, series, repetitions, rest periods and progression rules so you can start without designing a split yourself.

It is intended for gym trainees who already control these movements and tolerate several working series per exercise. The repeatable schedule suits someone with three reliable gym appointments each week. It is general fitness guidance, not a promise of a particular muscle-gain result.

Your seven-day schedule

Before each workout

Warm up for five to ten minutes, then rehearse the bench press, assisted pull-up and squat with easy warm-up series. Choose working loads that leave three clean repetitions available at the end of each listed series. On assisted pull-ups, use enough assistance to achieve that same reserve: more assistance makes the movement easier.

There are 22 working series, with additional time needed for both sides of the cable raise and hamstring curl. Budget roughly 65 to 85 minutes including warm-up and equipment changes; treat this as a planning estimate, not a time limit. If you are still learning the movements, start with the three-day beginner muscle-building program.

Follow the exercise demonstrations and use a stable setup before adding load. Stop a movement that causes pain. If you are unsure whether the session suits you, get individual guidance before continuing.

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How to run the six-exercise session

Follow the order above and finish an exercise before moving to the next.

• Smith machine bench press: 12, 10, 8 and 6 repetitions. Increase the load between series only if you can keep three clean repetitions available; the falling repetition target is not a reason to attempt a maximum. Rest 90 seconds between the first three series.
• Assisted neutral-grip pull-up: four series of seven, with 150 seconds between series. Use controlled repetitions without swinging and record the assistance level as well as the repetitions.
• Unilateral cable lateral raise: four series of 11 per arm. Complete both arms before the 90-second rest and use the same load and repetitions on each side.
• Smith machine sumo squat: four series of nine, with 120 seconds of rest. Use a comfortable stance and a controlled depth you can repeat without losing your setup.
• Unilateral hamstring curl: three series of 11 per leg. Complete both legs before resting 90 seconds; keep your pelvis supported throughout.
• Box lunges: alternate the leading leg for 10, eight and six total repetitions, resting 15 seconds between the first two series. That gives five, four and three repetitions per leg. Use a stable low box and bodyweight or a light load: this short-rest finish is not the place to chase heavier weights. Follow the demonstration for the step-up pattern used by this exercise.

A zero after the last series means that no further within-exercise rest is prescribed, not that you should rush to the next station. Take time to reset your equipment and regain a stable setup. If you cannot keep the intended reserve and control, reduce the load or increase pull-up assistance.

Why this week is organized this way

Repeating the session gives 12 weekly series of pressing, pulling, lateral raises and squats, plus nine of hamstring curls and box lunges. The press and pull also involve the arms; squats and box lunges overlap for the thighs and glutes, so those numbers should not be added as if every series targeted a separate muscle. Keeping the same movements makes progress easier to compare.

The 2026 ACSM resistance-training overview emphasizes consistent training and adequate weekly volume, and reports that momentary failure is not consistently necessary for the average healthy adult. That supports a repeatable week with controlled effort; it does not establish that this exact session is optimal for everyone.

A 2024 review of rest intervals found substantial overlap between outcomes, with a possible small hypertrophy advantage for rests above 60 seconds. The brief box-lunge finish is an exercise-specific prescription, not evidence that 15-second rests maximize muscle growth. Keep it light enough to preserve the intended reserve.

Progress over the next four weeks

In week one, establish repeatable loads and assistance settings. Record every completed series, repetition count and load in the workout tracker. In weeks two to four, increase the load by the smallest available increment on an exercise only after completing all its prescribed series with good control and three repetitions still available on two consecutive workouts. For pull-ups, reduce assistance instead of adding weight. Return to the previous setting if the new one makes you miss the targets.

This is a practical tracking rule, not a requirement to progress every week. Hold the load steady while improving control when needed. Keep the exercise order, repetitions and rest periods fixed so comparisons stay meaningful. The progressive overload guide explains this approach in more detail.

Recovery and busy-gym alternatives

Keep Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday as recovery days. Easy walking or normal daily activity is fine if it leaves you ready for the next workout. If performance falls across repeated sessions, reduce the working loads and reassess recovery instead of adding effort or extra sessions. Do not cram a missed session into the following recovery day; continue at the next scheduled appointment.

For unavailable equipment, choose a familiar substitute serving the same role: a dumbbell bench press, neutral-grip lat pulldown, dumbbell lateral raise, goblet squat, seated leg curl, or low step-up respectively. Re-establish an easy starting load and keep the listed series, repetitions and reserve; substitute loads are not directly comparable with the originals.

Our free personalized-program guide explains how WorkoutGen creates a program from your own training choices. A free account includes program saving, exercise videos and workout tracking; Max is optional. This published session remains usable on its own, while the app provides the personalized next step.