OnionPatchMiddle Delts
34 effective weekly sets
50 Minute Intermediate Free Weight Hypertrophy Plan
A multi-day hypertrophy plan for lifters who want more upper-body specialization while still keeping full-week balance.
50 min
Free Weight
Intermediate
Chest, Back, Shoulders, Arms
Equipment Required
BarbellWeight BenchDumbbell
Quick start
Want a single session before committing to the full plan?
Start with 45-Minute Dumbbell Push Workout, then come back to this program when you want the full weekly structure.
Recommended Warmup
5 Minutes Submaximal Aerobic Warm Up (Optional)
Dynamic Warm Up:
- 10 Leg Swings Front to Back
- 10 Leg Swings Side to Side
- 10 Arm Circles Forward
- 10 Arm Circles Backward
- 10 Cross Body Arm Slaps
- 10 Walking Lunges w/Trunk Rotation
Ramp-up sets for your first main exercise
For your first hard lift for a muscle group, build up with a few lighter ramp-up sets instead of jumping straight into your working weight.
Weekly muscle volume
Using a intermediate weekly target of 13-15 sets per muscle group.
Quick summary
Volume is trending high
Some muscles are being pushed above the recommended weekly set range.
Avg sets / muscle
16.4
LowTarget 13-15High
In range
5
Under target
1
Above target
8
Muscle-by-muscle detailsExpand to review each muscle group and its effective weekly sets.
Expand to review each muscle group and its effective weekly sets.
Note on smaller muscle groups
Minor muscle groups often show up with more effective sets than you may expect because they get trained indirectly as secondary muscles during many compound exercises.
Above target
Scapular Retractors
21 effective weekly sets
Anterior Delts
21 effective weekly sets
Triceps
19 effective weekly sets
Glutes
16 effective weekly sets
Errectors
16 effective weekly sets
Biceps
16 effective weekly sets
Rear Delts
16 effective weekly sets
Quads
13 effective weekly sets
Hamstrings
13 effective weekly sets
Lats
13 effective weekly sets
Chest
13 effective weekly sets
Calves
13 effective weekly sets
Abdominals
6 effective weekly sets
Weekly Plan
Day 1 · Lower
5 exercises · 20 setsTap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
| Exercise | Sets/Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 5-9 | 7-10 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 4-7 | 6-9 | 150-210s | |
| 5 × 15-19 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 5 × 26-30 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 2 × 13-15 | 7-10 | 90-150s |
Day 2 · Push
5 exercises · 19 setsTap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
| Exercise | Sets/Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 6-9 | 6-9 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 8-12 | 6-10 | 150-210s | |
| 5 × 13-17 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 3 × 16-20 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 3 × 10-30 | 7-9 | 90-150s |
Day 3 · Pull
4 exercises · 14 setsTap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
| Exercise | Sets/Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 × 6-9 | 6-9 | 150-210s | |
| 3 × 12-16 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 3 × 17-20 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 3 × 10-30 | 7-9 | 90-150s |
Day 4 · Full Body
5 exercises · 20 setsTap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
| Exercise | Sets/Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 4-7 | 6-9 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 6-9 | 6-9 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 7-10 | 6-9 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 13-15 | 6-10 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 26-30 | 7-10 | 90-150s |
Day 5 · Full Body
5 exercises · 20 setsTap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
| Exercise | Sets/Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 5-9 | 7-10 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 6-9 | 6-9 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 10-30 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 5 × 17-20 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 3 × 13-15 | 7-10 | 90-150s |
How to Progress
- Keep 1-2 reps in reserve on primary compounds so performance stays high across the week.
- Progress isolation lifts aggressively with reps and controlled tempo before increasing load.
- If elbows or shoulders feel beat up, reduce pressing or arm-isolation effort for one week while maintaining the main movement patterns.
Why this works
A push-pull leaning setup increases upper-body training quality by reducing overlap fatigue inside each session. You can drive more hard sets for chest, back, shoulders, and arms without losing the repeat exposure that helps hypertrophy.
FAQ
Is this only for advanced lifters?
No. Intermediates often do very well with push-pull style organization because it improves session focus and recovery between similar lifts.
Will legs still get enough work?
Yes. The plan still includes lower-body work across the week, even though the page intent is more upper-body focused.
Should I train every set to failure on accessories?
You can push accessories harder than compounds, but frequent absolute failure usually makes weekly recovery worse.
What if I miss one session?
Resume with the next scheduled day and keep the weekly order intact rather than trying to cram missed volume into one workout.
Related workout plans
5 Day Push Pull Legs Workout Program
A 5 day push pull legs workout program designed for lifters who want more specialization while keeping a balanced weekly structure.
4 Day Upper Lower Workout Plan for Hypertrophy
A 4 day upper lower workout plan for hypertrophy that balances compound strength work with enough accessory volume to drive visible growth.
Complete Gym Workout Plan
A gym-based plan built around full equipment access so you can balance heavy compounds with focused accessory volume.
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