Nested Repetition Programming
Nested Repetition Programming has become my go-to training program in the gym. It’s perfect for those who want to be in the gym regularly but can’t always stick to a strict weekly schedule. As a business owner, mom, designer, and farmer, I found myself missing gym days, which always messed up my plan in the gym. So, I created this NRP method to always go to the gym with a plan, even when life gets unpredictable.
Nested Repetition Programming is a flexible workout plan that lets you follow a structured pattern while adapting to your gym schedule. It is designed to be able to handle back to back lifting days in endless succession and flexible rest days. With this program method, there is an understood minimum baseline for movement. (We are not considering diet in this article, but obviously your diet plays an integral part in making progress) The minimum baseline for movement I suggest, whether lifting that day or not, is 7,000-10,000 steps a day (or an avg 2mi walk). Some days may look like three workouts (lift in the morning, walk at lunch, jiu jitsu at night) and some days may just be your walk. The idea is to focus on achieving some intentional movement, regardless of what the day throws at you. And, again, this is why this programming method works for individuals that want to get into the gym as often as they can—but life happens and we need to pivot. Pivoting doesn’t mean failure. It keeps the mentality that we are pushing ourselves forward in whatever capacity we are able that day or that week. So, that said, let’s look at a specific example of how this programming works.
The repeating pattern goes like this:
A - B - C - D - B - C (and repeat)
Each day is assigned a specific body group:
Day A - Lower | Quads
Day B - Upper | Back, Biceps
Day C - Upper | Chest, Triceps, Shoulders
Day D - Lower | Hamstrings, Glutes
Day B - Upper | Back, Biceps
Day C - Upper | Chest, Triceps, Shoulders
By dividing the workouts into this pattern, it separates each body-group by a minimum 3 days and allows enough recovery time if the workouts are stacked. Also, by dividing your lower body workouts into two separate muscle groups, you are able to hit legs more often without the overwhelming fatigue of a massive all-leg day. For example, your quads, at a minimum, won’t be heavily worked again until 6 days later. This setup provides opportunities to focus heavily on specific muscle groups, but not demand too much from that muscle group too quickly.
Within this structure, you can also plan your lifts with a specific style of progression: linear progression, wave loading, block periodization, etc. That way you can make sure you are improving overall and not lazily hitting the same workout every time. Our bodies adapt very quickly, so it’s important to make sure we continue to push ourselves in the weight room.
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