The Most Optimal 3 Day Training Plan for Fat Loss

Client Steve running a similar program tailored to his strengths and weaknesses.

Client Steve running a similar program tailored to his strengths and weaknesses.

When we look at fat loss, the most important factor is nutrition and ensuring you are eating enough protein to maintain muscles mass but also eating in a calorie deficit to ensure you are burning the excess energy from your body. Assuming the nutrition is 100%, what training plan can you do as well to ensure the best possible chance for fat loss? Here is a break down of the best 3 day training plan based on my experiences with clients, taken in consideration that the best plan is the one that you can stick to the most over time, so if you can't stick to this, stick to something you do enjoy!

So before we delve into the specific plan, we need to understand these 3 key variables in order to understand why this is plan is optimal for fat loss.

  • Frequency: The number of occurrences of a repeated motion in a period of time (example: the amount of times per week you train chest)
  • Volume: The quantity of a specific measurable (example: the amount of sets, weight or reps you complete in a week)
  • Intensity: The measurable amount of force (example: the amount of weight you lift)

 

Frequency is king when it comes to the natural trainer as training is what triggers protein synthesis in our bodies, so the more we train, the more frequently we are in an anabolic state to grow. So if the frequency of training is 3 times per week, we also need to ensure that we manage the volume of our training as well as anything too high would be detrimental to our recovery and anything too little would not trigger protein synthesis. Whilst managing the frequency and volume of each muscle group, we also need to work within a varied intensity range to train the different muscle fibres in our body. 

For this, we take on a 3 day full body approach to training:

 

Full Body A

  • A1) Barbell Squat (3 sets of 8-10)
  • B1) Split Squats (3 sets of 8-10)
  • B2) Lat Pull Down (3 sets of 12-15)
  • C1) Elevated Lunges (3 sets of 10-12)
  • C2) Flat Bench DB Press (3 sets of 10-12)
  • D1) DB Shoulder Press (3 sets of 8-10)
  • D2) Barbell Curls (3 sets of 8-10) *last set to failure + dropset

Full Body B

  • A1) Deadlift (3 sets of 3-5)
  • B1) Leg Press (3 sets of 8-10)
  • B2) DB Row (3 sets of 10-12)
  • C1) Incline DB Press (3 sets of 8-10)
  • C2) Lat Pull Down (3 sets of 12-15)
  • D1) DB Shoulder Press (3 sets of 8-10) *last set to failure
  • D2) Lateral Raise (3 sets of 12-15) *last set to failure + dropset

Full Body C

  • A1) Bench Press (3 sets of 8-10)
  • B1) Walking Lunges  (3 sets of 8-10)
  • B2) DB Row  (3 sets of 8-10)
  • C1) Romanian Deadlift  (3 sets of 8-10)
  • C2) Overhead Press (3 sets of 10-12)
  • D1) Close Grip Bench Press (3 sets of 8-10)
  • D2) Barbell Curls  (3 sets of 12-15) *last set to failure + dropset

 

Aim to complete and progress weight every week:

Example: If you complete 3 sets of 10 on 25kg for DB Press, the following week go up to 3 sets of 8 @ 27.5kg then up to 10 reps the following week after that. 

 

Try this workout and let me know what you think!

As always, please feel free to reach out if you want more details!

Dan

Daniel Yeung