Workout Routine

Free

2 Day Full Body Workout – Twice-a-Week Strength and Muscle Program

by Hardy

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2 day full body workout for anyone who can lift only twice a week. Both sessions train your whole body, so every muscle gets two workouts a week.

Each day starts with three barbell lifts for strength. Three smaller exercises follow for muscle. Hardy tracks every set and works out your next weight from the rules below.

Weekly structure

Train on two days with two or three rest days between them, such as Monday and Thursday. Do Workout A on the first day and Workout B on the second.

  • Workout A: squat 3×5, bench press 3×5, barbell row 3×5, Romanian deadlift 3×8–12, lateral raise 3×12–15, dumbbell curl 2×10–12
  • Workout B: deadlift 2×5, overhead press 3×5, front squat 3×5, lat pulldown 3×8–12, triceps pushdown 3×10–12, face pull 2×15–20

Rest 2 to 3 minutes on the barbell lifts and about 90 seconds on the rest. Each session takes about an hour.

Progression

The first three lifts of each day use a working weight. Finish every set with all 5 reps and the weight goes up next session. Miss reps three sessions in a row and Hardy suggests a 10% drop for you to review.

Upper-body lifts go up 5 lbs (2.5 kg). Squat, front squat and deadlift go up 10 lbs (4.5 kg).

The other exercises use double progression. Start at the bottom of the rep range and add reps each session. When every set reaches the top, Hardy adds weight and you start again from the bottom.

Tips

  • Start light. Pick a weight you could lift for 8 reps, and Hardy takes your first logged set as the working weight.
  • Train for a combat sport? The 5x5 MMA Workout fits two lifting days around fight training.
  • Ready for a third day? Move to the 3 Day Full Body Workout.
  • The workout splits guide shows which split fits each number of days.

Starting TM is 90% of 1RM.

Targeted muscles
front
back
Click a muscle to see how much a workout targets it
Unaffected
Light
Moderate
High
Very High

Workouts

Workout A

squat

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec
2
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec
3
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec

Overload: Working weight +10 lbs after every successful session.

Deload: Working weight drops 10% after 3 failed sessions in a row.

squat

3×5

bench press

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec
2
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec
3
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec

Overload: Working weight +5 lbs after every successful session.

Deload: Working weight drops 10% after 3 failed sessions in a row.

bench press

3×5

barbell row

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec
2
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec
3
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec

Overload: Working weight +5 lbs after every successful session.

Deload: Working weight drops 10% after 3 failed sessions in a row.

barbell row

3×5

romanian deadlift

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
8-12
120 sec
2
–
–
8-12
120 sec
3
–
–
8-12
120 sec

Double Progression: Work within 8-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 10 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 10 lbs.

romanian deadlift

3×8

lateral raise

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
12-15
60 sec
2
–
–
12-15
60 sec
3
–
–
12-15
60 sec

Double Progression: Work within 12-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

lateral raise

3×12

curl

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
10-12
60 sec
2
–
–
10-12
60 sec

Double Progression: Work within 10-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

curl

2×10

Workout B

deadlift

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec
2
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec

Overload: Working weight +10 lbs after every successful session.

Deload: Working weight drops 10% after 3 failed sessions in a row.

deadlift

2×5

overhead press

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec
2
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec
3
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec

Overload: Working weight +5 lbs after every successful session.

Deload: Working weight drops 10% after 3 failed sessions in a row.

overhead press

3×5

front squat

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec
2
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec
3
WW
120 lbs
5
180 sec

Overload: Working weight +10 lbs after every successful session.

Deload: Working weight drops 10% after 3 failed sessions in a row.

front squat

3×5

lat pulldown

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
8-12
90 sec
2
–
–
8-12
90 sec
3
–
–
8-12
90 sec

Double Progression: Work within 8-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

lat pulldown

3×8

tricep pushdown

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
10-12
60 sec
2
–
–
10-12
60 sec
3
–
–
10-12
60 sec

Double Progression: Work within 10-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

tricep pushdown

3×10

face pull

Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
1
–
–
15-20
60 sec
2
–
–
15-20
60 sec

Double Progression: Work within 15-20 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.

face pull

2×15