Get our FREE Workout App!

ShredSmart Main Training Routine: Instructions

Hello and thank you for joining the ShredSmart Main Training Routine! This guide will explain the progression model you should use to make the best strength and muscle gains.

The ShredSmart Training Program is designed primarily to optimize strength and muscle retention for intermediate and proficient lifters in a caloric deficit. Our recovery capacity is diminished when dieting so it’s prudent to set training volume on the lower end of the optimal spectrum (which is 10-20 sets per muscle group per week).

With that said, you should be able to gain strength and muscle even while dieting following this program, especially if your previous training program was suboptimal or lacked a clear progression model and if your starting body fat percentage is higher than 15%.

After you finish cutting, the ShredSmart training program can be easily adapted for lean bulking by adding one more exercise to each muscle group.

This is the main ShredSmart routine, the one you have in the app:

Monday – Chest and Triceps

  • Flat Bench Press – 3 sets of 4-6 reps p
  • Machine Hammer Chest Press – 3 sets of 6-8 reps
  • Seated DB Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 6-10 reps
  • Seated DB Triceps Extensions – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
  • Machine Chest Flyes – 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Tuesday – Back and Biceps

  • Weighted Chin-ups – 3 sets of 4-6 reps p
  • T-bar Rows – 3 sets of 6-8 reps p
  • Cable Rows – 3 sets of 8-12 reps
  • Barbell Biceps Curls – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  • Face Pulls – 3 sets of 15-20 reps

Thursday – Lower Body

  • Barbell Back Squats – 3 sets of 4-6 reps p
  • Romanian Deadlifts – 3 sets of 6-8 reps p
  • Leg Press – 3 sets of 6-8 reps p
  • Leg Extensions – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
  • Leg Curls – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
  • Seated Calf Raises – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
  • Standing Calf Raises – 3 sets to failure

Friday – Upper Body

  • Standing Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 4-6 reps p
  • Lat Pulldowns – 3 sets of 8-12 reps
  • Incline Bench Press – 3 sets of 4-6 reps p
  • Lateral Raises – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
  • Cable Triceps Pushdowns – 3 sets of 10-15 reps
  • Cable Biceps Curls – 3 sets of 10-15 reps


If you do not enjoy doing some of the exercises or you find you can’t progress on them easily, you can replace them with a similar variation. In fact, every 8-12 weeks or so you may want to change the routine slightly to bring excitement back into your training. 

For this reason, here’s the routine again this time with different exercises. You can replace the exercises you no longer enjoy doing but keep those that you currently make progress on.

Monday – Chest and Triceps

  • Incline Bench Press – 3 sets of 4-6 reps p
  • DB Flat Bench Press – 3 sets of 6-10 reps
  • Machine Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 8-12 reps
  • Cable Triceps Extensions – 3 sets of 10-15 reps
  • DB Chest Flyes – 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Tuesday – Back and Biceps

  • Weighted Pull-ups – 3 sets of 4-6 reps p
  • Barbell Rows – 3 sets of 6-8 reps p
  • Machine Rows – 3 sets of 8-12 reps
  • DB Biceps Curls – 3 sets of 10-15 reps
  • Bent-over Flyes – 3 sets of 15-18 reps

Thursday – Lower Body

  • Front Squats – 3 sets of 4-6 reps p
  • Deadlifts – 3 sets of 4-6 reps p
  • Bulgarian Split Squats – 3 sets of 8-12 reps
  • Glute Ham Raises – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  • Standing Calf Raises – 3 sets to failure

Friday – Upper Body

  • Seated DB Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 6-10 reps
  • Bodyweight Pull-ups – 3 sets of 8-12 reps
  • DB Incline Bench Press – 3 sets of 6-10 reps
  • Hanging Lateral Raises – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
  • Seated DB Triceps Extensions – 3 sets of 10-15 reps
  • EZ Barbell Curls – 3 sets of 10-12 reps


Basic Notes:

Rest 2-3 minutes between sets on compound exercises (bench press, pull-ups, squats, shoulder press, etc) and rest 1-2 minutes between sets on isolation exercises (lateral raises, curls, triceps extensions, etc.

Your first set should be around 7 RPE to ensure you’re able to complete all 3 sets with the same weight. 

How To Progress On The Compound Exercises Marked With P (for periodization)


We’ll be using a basic periodization model to progress on the main compound exercises. Each week we increase the load by 2.5 kg (5 lbs) and decrease the number of reps per set by one. Every 4th week is a deload week after which the cycle restarts. 

For example, here’s how you progress on Flat Bench Press doing 3 sets of 4-6 reps:

  • Week 1 – 3 sets of 6 
    You choose a weight that allows you to complete 3 sets of 6, without needing a spot and without hitting technical failure on the last set.
  • Week 2 – 3 sets of 5
    You increase the load by 2.5 kg / 5 lbs and reduce the number of reps to 5.
  • Week 3 – 3 sets of 4
    You increase the load by 2.5 kg / 5 lbs and reduce the number of reps to 4.
  • Week 4 is a deload weekYou intentionally reduce the load to that used in week 1 and do only 2 sets of 4 reps.
  • Week 5 – 3 sets of 6 
    In the 5th workout, you go back to 3 x 6 and use a load that’s 2.5 kg / 5 lbs heavier than that used in week 1 the previous month.


Here’s how that would look in a table: 

How To Use RPE


In order to make predictable progress, you should stay away from failure. Failure is the point where you fail to complete a repetition with good form or you have to ask someone to help you lift the weight back up. That shouldn’t happen. At the end of each set you should be able to perform at least one more repetition with good form. This will ensure predictable progress every week.

RPE stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion and is based on repetitions in reserve – basically how many reps you think you could have done with a given weight. The ShredSmart workouts are all based on doing straight sets – all sets are done with the same weight. RPE allows you to predict whether you’ll be able to complete all the reps with the weight you’re using before actually performing all sets. It also prevents you from pushing too hard and mess up the progression model.

I feel it would have been way easier to understand RPE if the scale was reversed and 9 RPE become 1 or 8 RPE became 2 to signify the reps remaining. But most people in the fitness community use 10 RPE to signify technical failure so I use this scale too in order to avoid confusion.

In order to be able to complete 3 sets of equal reps with the same weight, the first set needs to be around 7 RPE, meaning you could have done around 3 more reps when you stopped that set. Then your second set is going to be around 8 RPE because you’re more fatigued and finally your last set is going to be around 9 RPE. 

If your first set has a 9 RPE it’s clear you won’t be able to lift the same weight for the same number of reps for two more sets. That tells you need to lower the weight in order to complete the required reps. 

For optimal progress you should follow these RPE guidelines:

Set 1 – 7 to 7.5 RPE

Set 2 – 8 to 8.5 RPE

Set 3 – 8.5 to 9.5 RPE

On big leg exercises (such as squats, deadlifts, leg press, hip thrusts) the RPE is reduced to 5-6 RPE in set one, 6-7 RPE in set 2, and 7-8 RPE in set three. Training close to failure on these exercises is dangerous because there’s a high risk of injury.

Sticking to these RPE guidelines is more important for strength progression than pushing to complete the required reps. For example if your third set asks for 6 reps and a 9 RPE, the RPE takes priority. If on the fifth rep you already hit 9.5 RPE (meaning you know you probably couldn’t do one more rep) it’s best to end the set there instead of trying to push for 6 reps and inevitably fail.

What If You Fail To Complete The Required Reps?


If you fail to complete the required reps in one of your workouts, simply use that same weight the following workout which requires fewer reps. 
 

For example, let’s say you failed to complete 3 sets of 6 in the first workout of a new cycle:

  • Set 1 – 80 kg (175 lbs) x 6 RPE 8
  • Set 2 – 80 kg (175 lbs) x 5 RPE 9
  • Set 3 – 80 kg (175 lbs) x 5 RPE 9.5


What happens now? It’s simple, you keep the same weight for the next workout which requires sets of 5:

  • Set 1 – 80 kg (175 lbs) x 5 RPE 7
  • Set 2 – 80 kg (175 lbs) x 5 RPE 8
  • Set 3 – 80 kg (175 lbs) x 5 RPE 9


Then you continue the cycle normally. On the third workout you increase the weight by 2.5 kg (5 lbs) and reduce the reps to 4.

  • Set 1 – 82.5 kg (180 lbs) x 4 RPE 7
  • Set 2 – 82.5 kg (180 lbs) x 4 RPE 8
  • Set 3 – 82.5 kg (180 lbs) x 4 RPE 9


Then you take the deload week normally and on the first workout of your next cycle you use the same weight you failed to get 3 sets of 6 reps with last time: 

  • Set 1 – 80 kg (175 lbs) x 6 RPE 7
  • Set 2 – 80 kg (175 lbs) x 6 RPE 8
  • Set 3 – 80 kg (175 lbs) x 6 RPE 9


If you fail to complete the reps on your third workout (for example you get 4, 3, 3) deload normally the next week and start the new cycle with the same weight you did 3 sets of 6 with last time.

Important:
After you surpass the Proficient Strength Standards and you approach the Advanced Strength Standards, you may no longer be able to progress by 2.5 kg or 5 lbs per month. Not being able to complete all the reps when you increase the weight will therefore become common and it may take you 2 or 3 cycles to be able to add weight to the bar. That’s normal. 


Alternatively, you can start microloading. Usually gyms don’t have plates smaller than 1.25 kg or 2.5 lbs. But you can order such plates online. You can find microplates that weigh 0.25 kg, 0.5 kg, and 1 kg. Using such plates you will continue to be able to add weight to the bar each month without losing reps. 

How To Progress On Dumbbell Exercises And All Other Exercises Not Marked With P


Dumbbell exercises, isolation exercises, and some compound exercises are not well suited for the periodization model described above. Dumbbells usually go up by 2.5 kg / 5 lbs increments so when you move up in weight you increase the load by a total of 5 kg or 10 lbs (2.5 kg or 5 lbs per hand). That’s too much for a single month and you wouldn’t be able to maintain the same number of reps.

Isolation exercises on the other hand are impossible to improve even at a rate of 2.5 kg / 5 lbs a month. For example improving your DB Biceps Curls by 2.5 kg / 5 lbs per month would have you curling at least 40 kg / 90 lbs dumbbells by the end of a single year.  That’s not possible. For intermediate and proficient lifters, a realistic rate of progress on isolation exercises is 5-10 kg per year, maybe even less. 

So for the exercises not marked with p we’re going to use a double progression model. Double progression means you first increase the reps done with a given weight and when you reach the top of a rep range, you increase the weight. 

In the workout routine, you can see that all exercises not marked with p have a rep range as well, for example 6-10, 10-12 or 12-15. You start with a weight that you can lift for 3 sets in that rep range. When you hit the top of the rep range in all sets, you increase the weight by 2.5 kg (5lbs) on all sets the following workout and go back to the bottom of the rep range. Over the following workouts you strive to add at least one rep to each set until you reach the top of the rep range. At that point you increase the weight again by 2.5 kg or 5 lbs and restart the process. 

For example, let’s say you did 3 sets of 10 on Seated DB Shoulder Press with 22.5 kg (50 lbs) dumbbells.

Set 1 – 10 reps with 22.5 kg / 50 lbs
Set 2 – 10 reps with 22.5 kg / 50 lbs
Set 3 – 10 reps with 22.5 kg / 50 lbs


You’ve hit the top of the rep range. Next workout you take 2.5 kg (5 lbs) heavier dumbbells and go back to the bottom of the rep range (6-10): 

Set 1 – 6 reps with 25 kg / 55 lbs
Set 2 – 6 reps with 25 kg / 55 lbs
Set 3 – 6 reps with 25 kg / 55 lbs


Remember that you increase the load by a total of 5 kg or 10 lbs thus you need to reduce the number of reps per set by around 4. You can use this calculator to estimate how much you need to drop or increase the reps when you change the weight. 10 reps with 50 kg is equivalent to 6 reps with 55 kg. So you drop the reps to 6 and over the next several workouts you will focus on adding reps to each set until you hit 10 again.

You may do:

Set 1 – 7 reps with 25 kg / 55 lbs
Set 2 – 7 reps with 25 kg / 55 lbs
Set 3 – 6 reps with 25 kg / 55 lbs


Next time you may do: 

Set 1 – 7 reps with 25 kg / 55 lbs
Set 2 – 7 reps with 25 kg / 55 lbs
Set 3 – 7 reps with 25 kg / 55 lbs

and so on…

Here’s how that would look in a table: 


When you reach 3 sets of 10 again you take a heavier set of dumbbells and go back to the bottom of the rep range. You should use the same progression model for isolation exercises (biceps curls, triceps extensions, lateral raises, etc) and machine exercises (leg extensions, leg curls, cable rows, lat pulldowns, cable triceps pushdowns, cable curls, etc). 

Don’t worry if you can’t add reps one workout. You can’t be stronger every single time you hit the gym. Focus on making good progress each month instead of getting frustrated you did not perform well one workout. 

During the deload week, drop the number of sets to two and go back to the bottom of the rep range. 

The RPE guidelines apply to these exercises as well. Your first set should be around 7 RPE, second set around 8 RPE, and final set around 9 RPE (except for the big leg exercises which should be done at 5-8 RPE). 

Remember RPE takes priority over rep progression. If on the first set you hit RPE 7 or 8 at the same number of reps you did last week but you want to do one or two more reps in order to make progress, what you’ll find is that you will be weaker in the subsequent sets. If you hit RPE 8.5 or 9 in the first set you can be certain you’ll lose reps in the second or third sets. 

So aim to add reps as frequently as possible but push yourself near failure only on the last set.

Explaining The Periodization Model


When you saw the progression model you may have thought “Is this really necessary? Can’t I lift the same weight every time and try to add reps?” 

Well, it’s not necessary. But it’s more effective. 

In a study by Rhea et al. two groups of people trained their bench press and leg press for 12 weeks – one group using a non-periodized progression model and the other an undulating periodized program. The periodized group made twice the gains even if training volume and average intensity was the same! 

Here are the details: 

The non-periodized group trained each movement with the same number of sets and reps three times per week. They did 3×8 three times per week for 4 weeks, then 3×6 three times per week for 4 weeks, and then 3×4 three times per week for 4 weeks. 
Their Bench Press increased by 14% and their Leg Press by 25% on average. 

The undulating periodization group changed the weight and rep range every time they trained. They did 3×8 for each movement one day, 3×6 the next training day, and 3×4 the last training day of each week.  They continued with that pattern for the 12 weeks of the study.
Their Bench Press increased by 28% and their Leg press by 55% on average.

DUP-table.png


Now, the physiological explanation for why this happened is that periodizing your training reduced the repeated bout effect. Basically, by changing the rep range often your muscles respond more strongly to the training stimulus because it’s new every time. 

But this simple explanation cannot fully account for such a big difference in the progress made by the two groups. The advantage of periodization is most likely psychological. 

Doing the same workout over and over again becomes boring and stressful. 

Imagine that for the next 6 months you had to train the same way every workout – 3 sets of 6. No matter how you felt, you would go in the gym and push as hard as you can to add weight to those 3 sets of 6. At some point you’d feel mentally exhausted. For example, after a personal record that took a lot of effort you would doubt that you can surpass your previous performance. 

Periodizing your training allows you to get excited for each one of your workouts. You are never doing the same thing and you can always progress in some way. By decreasing the number of reps you do you can lift more weight and that makes you excited.  By going back to a higher number of reps, you get excited to see if you can lift more than last month. 

Enjoyment and novelty can impact training performance.  If your workout routine seems fresh and challenging, it will seem easier and you’re going to put more effort into it. In research, progression models that include periodization almost always outperform non-periodized programs. Also, all elite natural powerlifters and bodybuilders use some form of periodization in their training. 

Why Do We Need Deloads?


The deload week is a planned decrease in training volume and intensity with the purpose of improving recovery. It allows the fatigue you accumulate over a few weeks of training to dissipate so you can start a fresh training cycle.

Each workout you do does two things:

  1. It stimulates your muscles to grow
  2. It creates fatigue


Because you train often, the fatigue created by a workout is not allowed to dissipate completely before you do another one. So over the course of a few weeks of training, you slowly accumulate fatigue. And if you let it get too high, it will hurt your performance. It’s like working a demanding job from Monday to Friday. 

Let’s say you go to work on Monday morning with your mental fatigue at 0%. You work all day and when you get home at night your mental fatigue is 60%. 

Luckily if you have a nice dinner, watch a good movie and get a good night’s sleep that mental fatigue goes back down. But not back to 0%. It’s not enough. You did not have enough rest. 

Tuesday morning you still have some residual mental fatigue left from Monday. You start your day at 10% fatigue instead of 0%. 

After each day of work you accumulate more and more mental fatigue. Tuesday you come home at 70%. Wednesday at 80%. Thursday at 90%. And Friday you come home exhausted at 100% mental fatigue and swear you could not work another hour! 

But what if you were stubborn and on Saturday morning you wanted to work some more? Would you have good performance? Most likely not. You’d be tired and you’d have a very difficult time concentrating. What you need is leisure time. The weekend is there to allow that mental fatigue to go back down to 0%. Leisure time helps you get ready for another week of productive work. 

That’s exactly how deloads work as well. 

They allow the fatigue you accumulate over a few weeks of training to dissipate so you can start another string of productive workouts. In research the role of deloads is explained using the fitness-fatigue model. If you want to learn the technical details and the scientific explanation, check out this post of mine

Here’s a lesson I learned the hard way: 

If you don’t take planned deloads you will be forced to deload anyway in the form of a string of awful workouts. At some point the fatigue accumulated over a few weeks of training catches up with you and your strength inexplicably goes down. 

Don’t view deloads as wasted time. They are “preparation weeks” that guarantee a productive training cycle. Actually, after a deload your strength is usually higher because fatigue no longer masks your true potential.

How To Track Training Progress


To be able to use the progression model given, you’re going to have to write down each set and rep you do at the gym.

The ThinkEatLift app allows you to track the weight, reps, and RPE of each set you do. It also allows you to write short notes under each exercise to remind yourself of something next workout.

Here’s how I use it:

When you open an exercise you can see what you did last time under Previous. The light gray text shows the weight you used last time and the default reps and RPE you set for that exercise when you made the routine. Under Exercise Notes you can see what you wrote last time.


After completing each set I input the weight, reps, and RPE into the app and click done. That starts the rest timer at the bottom of the screen. To make calculating the weight easier you have the option to click plates to add them to the bar and the weight is calculated automatically.

After finishing the exercise I write something in the notes section. If everything went well I just write “Next do X weight for sets of X” or “Next add an extra rep to set 1” or something like that.

Sometimes I write a warning like: “Do the same with better form” or “Decrease the weight to X and do sets of X”.

I personally don’t track deloads. I open the workout to see what weights I’m supposed to use for the deload week on each exercise but I don’t save the workout. This way the deload doesn’t mess up my Previous numbers.

Now, in addition to the ThinkEatLift app I recommend using the app called Symmetric Strength. It’s made by the same people who made the site where you can calculate your strength standards. Last time I checked it was free on Android and $4 on iPhone. I recommend getting it anyway because it’s well worth the price (I’m not affiliated with them in any way).

Symmetric Strength is not an app to track your progress workout to workout but to track your progress long term. It has three very useful features:

The first feature is Strength Analysis. After each personal record you should go into the app and input the weight you lifted, the number of reps, and you body weight that day. The app will then show you in what category of strength standards you fit into, your estimated 1 rep max, your long term progress, how you compare to the average lifter at your strength level, and your strongest muscle groups. It’s very cool!

The second feature is Strength Standards. This tool allows you to calculate what weight you need to lift on each exercise in order to reach a certain strength standard. Checking this data often is very motivating because it gives you clear goals to pursue in the gym.

And the third feature is the One Rep Max Calculator which is very useful for changing rep ranges, particularly for dumbbell exercises. When you start using a heavier set of dumbbells this tool can help you estimate how much you need to reduce your reps per set. For example if you’ve been doing sets of 10 with 20 kg (45 lbs) DBs the app will show you would only be able to do sets of 6 with 22.5 kg (50 lbs) DBs. Or if you’ve been doing Barbell Rows with 50 kg for sets of 6 and want to start doing sets of 8 instead, the app will show you need to reduce the weight to 47 kg.

This tool is also very useful for female lifters because it shows them how many reps they’ll lose when they add weight to the bar. If a female lifter is able to bench press the empty bar for sets of 5, adding 2.5 kg (5 lbs) to the bar is a bad idea because it will likely result in failure on the first rep! In order for a female lifter to progress at 2.5 kg or 5 lbs increments, they need to work in a very wide rep range such as 5-10.  Doing sets of 10 with the empty bar is equivalent to doing sets of 5 with 2.5 kg (5 lbs) on the bar! It’s really useful to be able to do these calculations. You’ll know how much you need to increase your reps before you can increase the weight.