Upper-Body 4-Day — Interactive Weeks

No legs • RPE-based intensity • Double progression

Max weeks

What is RPE?

RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) is a 1-10 scale describing how hard a set feels. Match the target RPE shown for each exercise. Lower RPE = easier; higher RPE = near failure.

RPE	How it feels	Approx. Reps-in-Reserve (RIR)
10	All-out, failure	0
9.5	Near max, grindy	0-1
9	Very hard	1
8.5	Hard+	1-2
8	Hard	2
7	Moderate	3
6	Light (last warm-up)	4-5
5	Very light (warm-up)	5+

Progressive Overload — Rules

Double progression: add reps first; when you reach the rep ceiling for all sets, add +2-5% weight next week and reset reps to the base.
Heavy compounds: 6→7→8→9→10 (then add weight, reset).
Volume/isolation: 10→11→12→13→14→15 (then add weight, reset).
Failure sets: AMRAP with good form. Add weight when you exceed ~20 reps.