Progrevia3-day hypertrophy routine
Home › Routines › 3-day hypertrophy routine
A hypertrophy routine over 3 days is built to build muscle: enough sets per muscle group, close to failure, with a little more load each week.
Parameters the engine applies
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Assigned structure | Push / Pull / Legs |
| Reps per set | 6-12 |
| Sets per exercise | 3-4 |
| Rest between sets | 60-180 s |
| RIR (reps in reserve) | 2-4 |
| Intensity | 65-80% 1RM |
| Share of compound exercises | 65 % |
These are not generic recommendations: they are the exact parameters the engine uses to build this routine, and they change with the goal you pick.
How your week looks
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Push |
| Day 2 | Pull |
| Day 3 | Legs |
The engine splits muscle groups across sessions according to the structure that matches your available days.
Exercise table: the week the engine builds
This is the routine Progrevia builds for an intermediate lifter with a full gym and 60-minute sessions: 15 exercises and 55 sets per week. Yours adapts to your level, your equipment and your time, so it may differ.
Day 1 · Push
| Exercise | Sets × reps | RIR | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weighted push-up | 4 × 5-8 | 3-4 | 150 s |
| Z-bar overhead press | 4 × 5-8 | 3-4 | 150 s |
| Bench dips | 4 × 5-8 | 3-4 | 150 s |
| Decline dumbbell flyes | 3 × 8-15 | 3-4 | 105 s |
| Dumbbell pullover | 3 × 8-15 | 3-4 | 105 s |
Day 2 · Pull
| Exercise | Sets × reps | RIR | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell row | 4 × 8-12 | 3-4 | 120 s |
| Pull-ups | 4 × 8-12 | 3-4 | 120 s |
| Farmer carry | 4 × 8-12 | 3-4 | 120 s |
| Incline dumbbell curl | 3 × 8-15 | 3-4 | 105 s |
| Cable pullover | 3 × 8-15 | 3-4 | 105 s |
Day 3 · Legs
| Exercise | Sets × reps | RIR | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hack squat | 4 × 12-15 | 3-4 | 90 s |
| Good mornings | 4 × 12-15 | 3-4 | 90 s |
| Dumbbell lunges | 4 × 12-15 | 3-4 | 90 s |
| Landmine rotation | 4 × 12-15 | 3-4 | 90 s |
| Standing calf raise | 3 × 8-15 | 3-4 | 105 s |
Weekly sets per muscle group
| Muscle group | Sets per week |
|---|---|
| Back | 11 |
| Chest | 10 |
| Abs | 4 |
| Quads | 4 |
| Glutes | 4 |
| Shoulders | 4 |
| Hamstrings | 4 |
| Traps | 4 |
| Triceps | 4 |
| Biceps | 3 |
| Calves | 3 |
Each set is counted on the exercise's main muscle. It is the most direct way to compare this routine with another: at equal effort, weekly volume is what weighs most on the result.
What changes compared with the 2-day routine
With 3 days the week adds up to 55 sets; with 2, 40. These are the differences per muscle group:
- Abs: 0 → 4
- Traps: 0 → 4
- Triceps: 0 → 4
- Biceps: 0 → 3
- Back: 8 → 11
- Calves: 0 → 3
- Chest: 8 → 10
- Glutes: 8 → 4
- Shoulders: 8 → 4
Sessions in the 2-day routine: Full Body A, Full Body B.
Hypertrophy in 3 days: weekly sets, proximity to failure and progression
To build muscle, well-executed weekly volume matters most. In the meta-analysis by Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger (2017, Journal of Sports Sciences), more weekly sets per muscle were associated with more growth, and 10 or more sets beat fewer than 5. Effort counts too: Robinson and colleagues (2024) found more hypertrophy the closer to failure sets ended. That is why the engine keeps few reps in reserve and raises volume gradually.
With 3 days, each muscle gets its own push, pull or legs day, with room for more sets per group than in full body.
The week the engine builds has 3 sessions, 15 exercises and 55 sets in total. Counting sets and rest, each session takes about 45 minutes, not including the warm-up.
| Week | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Your 3 sessions (Push, Pull, Legs) with sets at 3-4 reps in reserve | Dial in weights without piling up fatigue |
| 2 | Same weight and more reps within the range, starting with z-bar overhead press and barbell row | Double progression: reps first, then load |
| 3 | Sets closer to failure (1-2 in reserve) on isolation work | More stimulus where the risk is lower |
| 4 | Add weight where you hit the top of the range; if fatigue builds, drop to about 33 of the 55 sets | Start the next cycle with new loads |
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences. 2017;35(11):1073-1082.
- Robinson ZP, Pelland JC, Remmert JF, Refalo MC, Jukic I, Steele J, Zourdos MC. Exploring the dose-response relationship between estimated resistance training proximity to failure, strength gain, and muscle hypertrophy: a series of meta-regressions. Sports Medicine. 2024;54(9):2209-2231.
How the week is split
Push, pull and legs, one day each: every muscle group gets its whole weekly volume in a single session. This week, each of the 11 muscle groups with their own exercise is trained once.
What your routine includes
- Sessions of 5 exercises and 18 to 19 sets.
- No exercise goes above 4 sets a week: the volume is spread across several.
- Reps of 5 to 15 and rests of 90 to 150 seconds, depending on the exercise and the day.
- RIR 3-4 in the first week, 2-3 in the second and 1-2 in the third; in the deload it rises to 4-6.
- The engine suggests the load for each session from what you log (double progression).
Who is this routine for?
That is 3 sessions of about 60 minutes, 3 hours a week, with 55 sets in total: about 18 per session. It fits if you can set aside those 3 days consistently; if not, look at the 2-day routine.
Exercises it usually includes
Other routines you may like
- 2-day hypertrophy routine
- 4-day hypertrophy routine
- 3-day strength routine
- 3-day fat loss routine
- 3-day body recomposition routine
Generate yours for free
Progrevia creates your personalized hypertrophy routine of 3 days in under a minute, no mandatory sign-up and no card. With a free account you can download it as a PDF.
Learn the theory
Muscle hypertrophy: the 3 mechanisms that drive it
Frequently asked questions
How many days a week should I train?
It depends on your availability and recovery. 3 days a week is a balanced option for a hypertrophy goal.
Can I do the 3-day hypertrophy routine at home?
Yes. Muscle responds more to the effort of each set than to the type of equipment: with dumbbells, bands or bodyweight you grow if sets end close to failure. Progrevia adapts the exercise selection to what you have.
How long until the muscle shows?
Visible changes usually take 8-12 weeks of consistent training; before that, what goes up is strength. Measuring arms and legs every month gives a clearer signal than the mirror.
How many sets per week does the 3-day hypertrophy routine have?
55 sets spread over 15 exercises and 3 sessions. The group that gets the most work is back, with 11 weekly sets.
How many sets per muscle do I do each week on the 3-day hypertrophy routine?
The ones in the week the engine builds for your level; the volume table above shows this routine's numbers. The evidence suggests 10 or more weekly sets per muscle produce more growth than fewer than 5, as long as each set gets close to failure. Progrevia starts at a recoverable volume and raises it based on what you log. This week adds up to 55 sets over 3 sessions.
Progrevia builds gym routines from your own data: periodization, RIR and week-by-week progression. Free, no card.