Ultimate Hypertrophy Programs: Intermediate
Natural Hypertrophy's 5x per week intermediate split for those who finished the Bridge program
Overview
Boostcamp teams up with Natural Hypertrophy to offer the "Ultimate Hypertrophy Programs: Intermediate" - a free, 5-day per week training plan for intermediate lifters.
Workout Structure:
Monday - Upper 1
Tuesday - Lower 1
Wednesday - Arms
Friday - Upper 2
Saturday - Lower 2
This program combines upper-lower splits with an extra arm day, utilizing supersets for efficiency. Focused on muscle growth, it balances high frequency with medium volume and intensity, ensuring workouts are concise (60-80 mins) yet effective.
See below for the full program guide.
Ultimate Hypertrophy Programs: Intermediate Program Guide
The "Ultimate Hypertrophy Programs: Intermediate" is designed for lifters who have surpassed the beginner stage and are looking for a structured approach to gain muscle mass efficiently. This program emphasizes a balance of high frequency, medium volume, and medium to high intensity to stimulate muscle growth without hindering recovery.
Here's an overview of the program's structure and what participants can expect:
Frequency and Structure: The program operates on a 5-day training schedule, employing an upper-lower split, repeated twice with an additional day dedicated to arm training. This setup ensures each major muscle group is targeted twice a week for optimal growth stimulation.
Duration and Efficiency: Each workout session is designed to be efficient, lasting between 60 to 80 minutes. The incorporation of supersets plays a crucial role in maintaining workout intensity while also ensuring time efficiency.
Workout Structure:
Monday - Upper 1
Tuesday - Lower 1
Wednesday - Arms
Friday - Upper 2
Saturday - Lower 2
Workout Components:
Upper Body Workouts: Focus on compound and isolation movements, with variations in volume and intensity. The inclusion of exercises like bench presses, dumbbell rows, overhead presses, and isolation work for arms ensures a comprehensive upper body workout.
Lower Body Workouts: Emphasize on leg muscles through a variety of exercises targeting different aspects of the legs, including squats, leg presses, and calf raises. The lower body days are slightly less in volume compared to upper body days, aligning with the program's strategic distribution of energy and focus.
Arm Day: Specifically dedicated to arm development, incorporating exercises like cross-body bench presses, dumbbell pullovers, and various curl variations to target biceps, triceps, and forearm muscles.
Volume and Progression: The program starts with 3-4 sets per exercise, allowing for progression in volume and intensity. The latter part of the week slightly reduces the volume to 3 sets per exercise to manage fatigue and prepare for advanced stages of training.
Recovery and Adaptation: The split is designed to prevent overtraining and excessive fatigue by alternating muscle groups and ensuring adequate recovery, which is vital for continuous progress and muscle growth.
Advanced Preparation: As participants progress, the program provides a foundation for moving to more advanced stages of training, emphasizing the importance of not rushing through the phases and focusing on consistent, sustainable growth.
Holistic Approach: In addition to muscle hypertrophy, the program also includes exercises for functional strength and core stability, enhancing overall physical performance and aesthetics.
Lifters are encouraged to follow the program with diligence and patience, focusing on proper form, progressive overload, and recovery to maximize gains. The "Ultimate Hypertrophy Programs: Intermediate" is not just about lifting weights; it's about strategically stimulating muscle growth, improving strength, and enhancing body composition through a well-structured and scientifically backed training regimen.
Who it's for
Reviews
Great gains even if I skipped a few days more then I should
Really like the constant supersets, puts the heart to work and makes you condense a lot of volume in a shorter period of time. Gains are solid, I feel there could be more of a focus on legs.
Not a bad program at all, slightly modified the odd exercise due to injury etc but overall very good. Will run this for a few months with deloads and see what happens
Good programme- had to change a fair amount around week 5 just for variety nevertheless it still formed the framework of my changes. Will definitely run again.
Muscle engagement
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superset | |||
| 1A | Dip (Weighted) | 3 | 6–8 reps |
| 1B | Dumbbell Row | 3 | 8–12 reps |
| Superset | |||
| 2A | Overhead Press (Barbell) | 3 | 6–12 reps |
| 2B | Bicep Curl (EZ Bar) | 3 | 6–10 reps |
| Superset | |||
| 3A | Tricep Rope Push Down (Cable) | 3 | 10–15 reps |
| 3B | Lateral Raise (Cable) | 3 | 10–15 reps |
| 3C | Abs Crunch (Weighted) | 3 | 8–12 reps |
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superset | |||
| 1A | Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 4–8 reps |
| 1B | Seated Calf Raise | 3 | 15–20 reps |
| Superset | |||
| 2A | Power Shrug | 3 | 6–10 reps |
| 2B | Leg Curl | 3 | 12–15 reps |
| Superset | |||
| 3A | Split Squat (Dumbbell) | 3 | 8–12 reps |
| 3B | Neck Curl | 3 | 15–20 reps |
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superset | |||
| 1A | Bench Press (Close Grip) | 4 | 6–10 reps |
| 1B | Pullover (Dumbbell) | 4 | 8–12 reps |
| Superset | |||
| 2A | JM Press | 3 | 6–12 reps |
| 2B | Preacher Curl (Barbell) | 3 | 6–12 reps |
| Superset | |||
| 3A | Hammer Curl | 3 | 6–12 reps |
| 3B | Upright Row (Barbell) | 3 | 12–15 reps |
| 3C | Windshield Wipers | 3 | 8–12 reps |
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superset | |||
| 1A | Incline Bench Press (Barbell) | 3 | 6–10 reps |
| 1B | Kroc Row | 3 | 10–12 reps |
| Superset | |||
| 2A | Chin-Up (Weighted) | 3 | 4–8 reps |
| 2B | Tricep Pushdown (Cable) | 3 | 10–15 reps |
| Superset | |||
| 3A | Fly Press (Dumbbell) | 3 | 8–12 reps |
| 3B | Hammer Curl | 3 | 8–12 reps |
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superset | |||
| 1A | Romanian Deadlift (Barbell) | 3 | 6–12 reps |
| 1B | Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 12–15 reps |
| Superset | |||
| 2A | Farmer's Walk (Weighted) | 3 | 1 rep |
| 2B | Neck Curl | 3 | 15–20 reps |
| Superset | |||
| 3A | Leg Press | 3 | 8–12 reps |
| 3B | Cable Crunch | 3 | 6–12 reps |
Weeks 2–12 are in the app
Download Boostcamp to follow the full program with auto-progression and built-in coaching notes.
The coach
Natural Hypertrophy is a natural bodybuilding YouTube channel. I will be documenting my journey and be as transparent as possible. I will share my body measurements and film / explain my methods. On this channel, expect to see lifting vlogs, informative videos, as well as rants about manga and lifting. Thanks for being here and enjoy.
Common questions
Yes, Ultimate Hypertrophy Programs: Intermediate is completely free to follow on Boostcamp. There's no subscription or payment required. Download the app on iOS or Android, search for the program, and you can start your first workout immediately. All 12 weeks are fully unlocked.
This program is built around a full gym. Make sure you have consistent access before starting, since the progression model assumes you can perform the same movements week over week. If you're missing something, the Boostcamp app includes substitution suggestions inside each workout.
Each session typically takes around 60 minutes to complete. That estimate covers your working sets but doesn't account for warm-up or rest between sets, so budget a little extra time when you're first learning the movements. As you get familiar with the program, sessions tend to move faster.
Ultimate Hypertrophy Programs: Intermediate is structured around 5 training days per week, with rest days built in to allow for recovery. Consistent rest is as important as the training itself. Skipping rest days can stall your progress. The app lets you reschedule sessions if your week doesn't go to plan.
The program runs for 12 weeks. The structure is designed so that each week builds on the last, with weights, volume, or intensity progressively increasing as you go. Many athletes choose to repeat the program after finishing, either at a higher starting weight or with a different variation.
Ultimate Hypertrophy Programs: Intermediate is available inside the Boostcamp app, free on iOS and Android. Once you download the app, you can search for the program by name or find it on the coach's profile. The app tracks all your sets and weights automatically, so you always know exactly what to do next session.
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