How is the eight-day cycle structured?

You train three days in a row, then take a day of active recovery, repeat the three training days with round B exercises, and finish with a second recovery day before starting over. The split is chest and triceps, back and biceps, and legs and shoulders.

How long should you rest between sets?

Use 30-60 seconds between sets on isolation exercises and 60-120 seconds on heavier exercises such as squats, bench press and deadlifts. Take longer breaks if needed.

How much protein do you need while cutting?

A daily intake of around 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is given as a good starting point for preserving muscle mass.

How large should the calorie deficit be?

A daily deficit of around 300-500 kcal is suggested as a reasonable starting point, adjusted for body weight, activity level and how much fat you want to lose.

Do you need to do cardio before breakfast to burn more fat?

No. The article states that although the body can use a larger proportion of fat as energy during exercise before breakfast, this does not necessarily mean you will lose more body fat over time.

What should you do if you cannot recover between sessions?

Reduce the number of sets or cut out certain isolation exercises, and take a full rest day instead of active recovery if you are very sore or tired.

6-Day Strength Program – Reduce Body Fat Percentage and Preserve Muscle Mass | Hardworkout Magazine

Key takeaways

- The programme runs over an eight-day cycle with six strength sessions and two days of rest or active recovery.

- Each muscle group is trained twice per cycle, using different exercises in round A and round B.

- A daily calorie deficit of around 300-500 kcal is suggested as a starting point for reducing body fat percentage.

- A protein intake of 1.6-2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight is recommended to preserve muscle mass while dieting.

- Two to four cardio sessions of 20-40 minutes per eight-day cycle are suggested, at low to moderate intensity.

When the goal is to reduce body fat percentage, it is important to continue with strength training to preserve as much muscle mass as possible. At the same time, it can be challenging to maintain strength when you are eating less than your body consumes. A good training program should therefore combine heavy strength training with sufficient time for recovery.

Who is this six-day programme for?

This program is suitable for those who have experience with strength training and want a structured setup with variation in exercises and relatively high training volume.

How the Training Program Works

The program consists of six strength workouts divided into two rounds, A and B. You train chest and triceps, back and biceps, as well as legs and shoulders, with different exercises in the two rounds.

You train three days in a row, followed by a rest day. The entire program lasts for eight days before you start over.

What You Should Know Before You Start:

- Warm-up: Start with 5-10 minutes on a treadmill, bike, or rowing machine. Then do some lighter warm-up sets before the heaviest exercises.

- Rest: Use 30-60 seconds between sets on isolation exercises and 60-120 seconds on heavier exercises like squats, bench press, and deadlifts. Take longer breaks if needed.

- Tempo: Lower the weight in a controlled manner over about 2 seconds, hold for a brief moment, and take about 2 seconds to lift it.

- Choice of Weights: Choose weights that make the last repetitions challenging, without compromising technique.

- Progression: When you can achieve the highest number of repetitions in all sets, you can increase the weight slightly next time.

- Training Volume: The program includes many sets, especially on the days for chest, triceps, legs, and shoulders. If you notice that you are unable to recover between workouts, you can reduce the number of sets or cut out certain isolation exercises.

Training Plan – 8 Days

- Day 1: Chest and Triceps – Session A

- Day 2: Back and Biceps – Session A

- Day 3: Legs and Shoulders – Session A

- Day 4: Active Recovery

- Day 5: Chest and Triceps – Session B

- Day 6: Back and Biceps – Session B

- Day 7: Legs and Shoulders – Session B

- Day 8: Active Recovery

- Day 9: Start again with Session A

Day 1 – Chest and Triceps A

- Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 sets x 12-15 reps

- Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets x 12 reps

- Incline Dumbbell Flyes: 3 sets x 12 reps

- Pec Deck: 3 sets x 12 reps

- Lying Triceps Press (Skull Crushers): 4 sets x 12-15 reps

- Triceps Pushdown with Rope: 3 sets x 12 reps

- Triceps Pushdown with Straight Bar: 3 sets x 12 reps

- Cable Crunch: 4 sets x 20-25 reps

- Hanging Leg Raise: 4 sets x 20-25 reps

![bench press](https://hardworkout.no/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/b4.jpg)

Day 2 – Back and Biceps A

- Pull-Ups with Wide Grip: 4 sets x 12-15 reps

- Seated Cable Row, Wide Grip: 3 sets x 12 reps

- Lat Pulldown with Narrow Grip: 4 sets x 12-15 reps

- Back Extension: 3 sets x 12 reps

- Concentration Curl with Dumbbell: 4 sets x 12-15 reps per arm

- Bicep Curl with EZ Bar: 3 sets x 12 reps

![pull-up pull-up bar](https://hardworkout.no/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/AdobeStock165809579.jpeg)

Day 3 – Legs and Shoulders A

- Squat with Barbell: 4 sets x 12-15 reps

- Leg Extension: 3 sets x 12 reps

- Leg Curl: 4 sets x 12-15 reps

- Stiff-Legged Deadlift: 3 sets x 12 reps

- Seated Calf Raise: 3 sets x 12 reps

- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 4 sets x 12-15 reps

- Cable Lateral Raise: 3 sets x 12 reps per side

- Reverse Flyes in Cable: 3 sets x 12 reps

- Shrugs in Smith Machine: 4 sets x 12-15 reps

- Cable Crunch: 4 sets x 20-25 reps

- Hanging Leg Raise: 4 sets x 20-25 reps