Hello, I’m Vijune Penikaite, and for over a decade, I’ve had the privilege of guiding individuals through their fitness journeys. My passion lies in empowering people, especially women, to discover their inherent strength and power. From my base in the vibrant heart of London, I’ve seen countless transformations, and one truth consistently emerges: strength training is not just about aesthetics; it’s about building a resilient body, a powerful mind, and a foundation for a long, vibrant life. I have personally used this program to train many of my male clients, witnessing incredible transformations.
Today, I want to share a program that embodies this philosophy – a comprehensive 12-week strength training split specifically designed for men, particularly those in their 30s and beyond, who are looking to reclaim their vitality, build lean muscle, and enhance their overall well-being. This isn’t just another workout plan; it’s a blueprint for a stronger, healthier, and more confident you. And the best part? You can easily follow and track your progress with the 12Reps app.
Why Strength Training is Your Non-Negotiable for Longevity and Muscle Growth
In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to overlook the profound impact of consistent strength training. For men, especially as you approach and pass 30, your body undergoes natural changes. Muscle mass can decline by 3% to 5% per decade after the age of 30, and testosterone levels tend to decrease gradually [1]. But here’s the empowering news: you have the power to slow, and even reverse, this decline. Strength training is your most potent weapon.
Longevity Strength Training: This isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a lifestyle. Regular resistance training helps maintain bone density, improves metabolic health, enhances cardiovascular function, and boosts cognitive performance. It’s about building a body that not only looks strong but functions optimally for decades to come. It’s about being able to play with your kids, carry groceries with ease, and maintain independence as you age.
Building Muscle for Men (and Women): While this program is tailored for men, the principles of muscle growth apply universally to both men and women. For men, strength training stimulates muscle protein synthesis, leading to increased muscle mass and strength. For women, including those aiming to build muscle, it sculpts, tones, and strengthens without necessarily leading to bulk, fostering a powerful and athletic physique. The key is progressive overload, consistently challenging your muscles to adapt and grow.
This program utilises a Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) split, a highly effective method that divides your workouts into muscle groups that work synergistically. This allows for adequate recovery for each muscle group while ensuring high training frequency throughout the week [2].
Your 12-Week Transformation: A Beginner’s Guide
This 12-week program is structured into three distinct phases, each building on the last to ensure continuous progress and adaptation. We’ll start with foundational strength, then introduce more advanced techniques, such as supersets, to maximise muscle growth and endurance. Remember, consistency and proper form are paramount. The 12Reps app will be your best friend throughout this journey, helping you track sets, reps, weights, and rest periods with its built-in stopwatch, just like a dedicated workout tracker app.
The Essentials: Warm-up, Cool-down, and Daily Finisher
Every successful workout begins with a proper warm-up and ends with a cool-down. These are non-negotiable for injury prevention and optimal recovery.
Warm-up (10 minutes before each workout): Start with 10 minutes of light cardio, such as an incline walk on a treadmill or rowing. Follow this with dynamic mobility exercises.
Mobility Stretch | Sets | Reps/Duration |
Cat-Cow | 2 | 10 reps |
World’s Greatest Stretch | 2 | 5 reps/side |
Cool-down (10 minutes after each workout): Finish your session with 10 minutes on the StairMaster or an incline walk on the treadmill to aid recovery and gradually lower your heart rate.
Daily Finisher (Morning or Evening): To further enhance your core strength and overall fitness, incorporate this quick routine into your daily schedule, either before your morning shower or before bed. These are excellent bodyweight app exercises that require no equipment.
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
Push-ups | 4 | 10 |
Sit-ups | 4 | 10 |
Back Extensions | 4 | 10 |
The 12-Week Program: Detailed Phases
This program incorporates a variety of equipment, including kettlebells, dumbbells, TRX, machines, sled push, and barbells, ensuring a well-rounded and challenging experience. We’ve avoided overly complex exercises to keep it beginner-friendly while maintaining high effectiveness.
In this initial phase, the focus is on mastering form and building foundational strength. We’ll use single sets for 5 exercises per workout, with 4-5 sets each. Remember to choose a weight that allows you to complete the target reps with good form, and gradually increase it as you get stronger (progressive overload).
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
Barbell Bench Press | 4-5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 4-5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
Incline Dumbbell Press | 4-5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
Triceps Pushdown (Machine) | 4-5 | 10-15 | 60 sec |
Lateral Raises (Dumbbell) | 4-5 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
Barbell Bent Over Row | 4-5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
Lat Pulldown (Machine) | 4-5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
Seated Cable Row | 4-5 | 10-15 | 60 sec |
Bicep Curls (Dumbbell) | 4-5 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
Face Pulls | 4-5 | 15-20 | 60 sec |
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
Barbell Squats | 4-5 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
Romanian Deadlifts (Dumbbell) | 4-5 | 10-12 | 60-90 sec |
Leg Press (Machine) | 4-5 | 10-15 | 60 sec |
Glute Bridges | 4-5 | 15-20 | 60 sec |
Plank | 4-5 | 60 sec | 60 sec |
Phase 2: Upping the Ante with Supersets (Weeks 5-8)
Now that you’ve built a solid foundation, we’ll introduce supersets to increase intensity and efficiency. This phase includes 5 main exercises and 4 superset exercises, totalling 8 exercises per workout. You’ll perform four working sets for each exercise, plus one warm-up set, making a total of five sets. Remember to use the 12Reps app stopwatch to monitor your rest periods between supersets and exercises.
Day 1: Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
Incline Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
Dumbbell Bench Press | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
Superset: | |||
A1: Triceps Dips | 4 | 10-15 | 0 sec |
A2: Lateral Raises (Dumbbell) | 4 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
Superset: | |||
B1: Kettlebell Push-ups | 4 | 10-15 | 0 sec |
B2: TRX Chest Press | 4 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
Day 2: Pull (Back, Biceps)
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
Pull-ups (or Lat Pulldown) | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
T-Bar Row | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
Single Arm Dumbbell Row | 4 | 10-12 | 60-90 sec |
Superset: | |||
A1: Barbell Bicep Curls | 4 | 10-15 | 0 sec |
A2: Hammer Curls (Dumbbell) | 4 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
Superset: | |||
B1: TRX Rows | 4 | 12-15 | 0 sec |
B2: Kettlebell Swings | 4 | 15-20 | 60 sec |
Day 3: Legs & Core (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Abs)
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
Deadlifts (Barbell) | 4 | 6-8 | 90-120 sec |
Bulgarian Split Squats (Dumbbell) | 4 | 10-12 | 60-90 sec |
Leg Curls (Machine) | 4 | 10-15 | 60 sec |
Superset: | |||
A1: Goblet Squats (Kettlebell) | 4 | 12-15 | 0 sec |
A2: Sled Push | 4 | 30 sec | 90 sec |
Superset: | |||
B1: Hip Thrusts (Barbell) | 4 | 12-15 | 0 sec |
B2: Hanging Leg Raises | 4 | 15-20 | 60 sec |
Phase 3: Maximising Gains (Weeks 9-12)
The final phase continues with supersets, pushing your limits to maximise muscle growth and strength. The intensity is higher, and the focus remains on progressive overload. Continue to use the 12Reps app to log your workouts and ensure you’re consistently challenging yourself.
Day 1: Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
Dumbbell Bench Press | 4 | 6-10 | 60-90 sec |
Arnold Press (Dumbbell) | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
Incline Dumbbell Flyes | 4 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
Superset: | |||
A1: Skull Crushers (Barbell) | 4 | 10-15 | 0 sec |
A2: Cable Lateral Raises | 4 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
Superset: | |||
B1: Close Grip Bench Press | 4 | 8-12 | 0 sec |
B2: TRX Triceps Extension | 4 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
Day 2: Pull (Back, Biceps)
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
Weighted Pull-ups | 4 | 6-10 | 60-90 sec |
Pendlay Rows (Barbell) | 4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
Seated Machine Row | 4 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
Superset: | |||
A1: Preacher Curls (Machine) | 4 | 10-15 | 0 sec |
A2: Reverse Pec-Deck | 4 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
Superset: | |||
B1: Kettlebell Renegade Rows | 4 | 10-12 | 0 sec |
B2: TRX Bicep Curls | 4 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
Day 3: Legs & Core (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Abs)
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
Front Squats (Barbell) | 4 | 6-10 | 90-120 sec |
Good Mornings (Barbell) | 4 | 10-12 | 60-90 sec |
Leg Extensions (Machine) | 4 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
Superset: | |||
A1: Kettlebell Lunges | 4 | 10-12/leg | 0 sec |
A2: Sled Push | 4 | 30 sec | 90 sec |
Superset: | |||
B1: Barbell Glute Bridges | 4 | 12-15 | 0 sec |
B2: Ab Rollouts (TRX) | 4 | 15-20 | 60 sec |
Fueling Your Transformation: Nutrition for Muscle Growth
Big picture
Training is half. Nutrition is the other half.
Eat a slight calorie surplus.
Hit your macros: protein, carbs, fats.
Do not drop calories when you start lifting. Focus on quality intake.
Calorie target for a 70 kg male
Goal: gain 5 kg lean muscle in 12 weeks.
Step 1: BMR (Mifflin–St Jeor)
BMR = 10×weight + 6.25×height − 5×age + 5
10×70 + 6.25×175 − 5×30 + 5 = 1648.75 kcal
Step 2: TDEE
Moderately active (3 days/week): multiplier 1.55
1648.75 × 1.55 ≈ 2555 kcal (maintenance)
Step 3: Surplus
Add ~300 kcal
Target = 2555 + 300 = 2855 kcal
Rate of gain check
Need ~0.42 kg/week (5 ÷ 12).
Using ~7700 kcal/kg, 5 kg ≈ 38,500 kcal.
Over 12 weeks → ~458 kcal/day extra (38,500 ÷ 84).
This aligns well with the planned surplus.
Macronutrients
Protein
Aim 1.6–2.2 g/kg [4].
Pick 140 g/day (within 112–154 g).
140 × 4 = 560 kcal
Fat
Aim 20–30% of calories [5].
25% of 2855 = 713.75 kcal
713.75 ÷ 9 ≈ 79 g fat
Carbs
Fill the rest with carbs.
Carb kcal = 2855 − (560 + 713.75) = 1581.25 kcal
1581.25 ÷ 4 ≈ 395 g carbs
Daily targets (70 kg male)
Calories: ~2855
Protein: 140 g (~560 kcal, 20%)
Fat: ~79 g (~714 kcal, 25%)
Carbs: ~395 g (~1581 kcal, 55%)
Practical tips
Prioritise whole foods: lean meats, fish, eggs, legumes; oats, brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole-grain bread; avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil.
Hydrate: drink water across the day.
Meal timing: spread protein over meals; consider a post-workout shake.
Track intake: use MyFitnessPal to log and hit targets.
Your Journey Starts Now: Download the 12Reps App
This 12-week program is more than just a series of exercises; it’s a commitment to yourself. It’s about embracing the challenge, celebrating small victories, and building a stronger, more resilient you. Remember, consistency is key, and having the right tools can make all the difference.
The 12Reps app is designed to be your ultimate strength training app and weightlifting app companion. With its intuitive interface, you can easily navigate to ‘Build Your Routine,’ select all the exercises from this program, and use the built-in stopwatch to precisely monitor your rest periods. It’s like having a personal trainer in your pocket, guiding you through every set and rep.
Ready to embark on your transformation? Download the 12Reps app today and start your 7-day trial for free. Let’s get you in the best shape of your life!
References
[1] Harvard Health. (2022, February 1). Building better muscle. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/building-better-muscle [2] StrengthLog. (2024, January 4). The Best Push Pull Legs Split for Building Muscle. https://www.strengthlog.com/push-pull-legs-split/ [3] Men’s Health. (2024, June 18). An Expert Trainer Reveals How Much Muscle You Can Really Gain in a Month. https://www.menshealth.com/uk/building-muscle/train-smarter/a61152787/how-much-muscle-gain-per-month/ [4] Men’s Health. (2024, November 7). Here’s Exactly How Much Protein You Need. https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/a32842318/how-much-protein-do-i-need/ [5] Fuel Meals. (2024, August 29). Best Macros to Gain Muscle. https://www.fuelmeals.com/blogs/table-talk/best-macros-to-gain-muscle
Article by Vijune Penikaite, Personal Trainer. Find more at https://www.vijunefitness.co.uk
