Christopher · 5-Day Engine v2

Why Your Equipment Is Enough

Meta-analyses (Schoenfeld 2017; Grgic 2020) show that for muscle growth, light and heavy loads produce equivalent hypertrophy — as long as sets are taken to or near failure. No significant difference in type I or type II fiber growth between loading zones.

Hypertrophy & Lean phases: your 55 lb DBs / 225 lb bar are fully sufficient — just take capped lifts to failure (often 12–20+ reps). Equivalent growth.
Strength phase only: heavy genuinely wins for max-strength (larger effect size). This is the one place a load ceiling truly limits you — flagged live below.

Your Phase Sequence

Experienced but detrained. Beginner phase = re-groove block (Kingsbury notes it doubles as recovery for trained lifters). At 15–17% bf, lean-out is last and optional.

2–4 wk Beginner re-entry
5RM Test Week
8–12 wk Strength
5RM Test Week 2 (3–4s eccentrics)
8–12 wk Hypertrophy
Lean Out — optional cut

Your Kit

Barbells: long, short, EZ · Plates: ~135–225 lb · DBs: to 55 lb ea · KBs: 25 / 30 lb
Bands · Dip bars · Loadable pull-up bar · Adjustable sled · Backpack (loadable for calves/carries)

1 · 5-Rep Maxes

Coming off a layoff — start ~10% under old bests. Update after each test week.

Units

Rounding

Plate ceiling

DB ceiling total, both DBs

Bench Press — 5RM I use dumbbells for this lift (auto-cap to DB ceiling, boost reps)

Back Squat — 5RM using dumbbells

Deadlift — 5RM using dumbbells

Military / OH Press — 5RM using dumbbells

Weighted Pull-Up — 5RM added load

2 · Progressive Overload

Within phase: weight up as reps drop; week 4 deload.
Across cycles: each = +5% on working 1RM (up to 3 cycles / 12 wk).
When the bar caps out (esp. hypertrophy): the evidence says just take it to failure — add reps, slow the eccentric to 4–5s, add band tension, or add a set. Growth is preserved.

Cycle

Miss reps 2× →

cut 5RM 5–10%, re-enter

3 · The 5-Day Plan

Each accessory shows a row per set. Fields pre-fill with last session's numbers for that exact set + phase; hit all your target reps and it suggests a bump (+10 lower-barbell, +5 else). Miss → it repeats the weight. Mains stay on the % table above (log your actual top set). All logs feed §8. Tags: exact · sub · cap.

Main Lift	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Sets×Reps

4 · Full Substitution Audit

Line-by-line: every PDF 5-day exercise → home equivalent → muscle group. This is the rigorous map.

PDF Exercise	Home Version	Muscle Group	Map

5 · Tempo

eccentric / pause / concentric / pause · X=explode

Beginner 2010 · Strength 20X0 · Hypertrophy 4010 (4s negative — your best tool when load is capped) · Lean main 2010 / accessory 1010

6 · Calories

Sex

Weight (lb)

Height (in)

Age

Activity

7 · Cardio Checklist

Rower 1600m sprints

500m warm-up. Sprint 100m / easy 100m ×8. Cool down.

Sled / hill sprints your sled

Warm-up. Push max 15–30s / rest 1–2 min ×8. Cool down. Your sled is the interval engine.

Low-intensity fasted

Walk/bike 30–90 min pre-breakfast, HR <65% max. After weights: cap 30 min.

8 · Progress Tracker

This is the shared history. Everything you log inline in §3 (mains + accessories) lands here, plus you can add bodyweight/waist entries manually below. Each exercise gets its own trend line. Saves locally when you open the file from your computer.

Date

Bodyweight

Waist (in)

Lift / exercise

Top weight

Reps

Est 1RM auto

Date	BW	Waist	Lift	Wt×Reps	e1RM

No entries yet.

9 · 12-Week Calendar

Start date

Strength length

Hypertrophy length

10 · Printable Session Cards

Faithful to "The Wolverine Workout Volume 2" (Kingsbury) 5-day plans (PDF pp.31–40): all phases, both test weeks, % charts, working-1RM formulas, tempo, BMR calories, cardio checklist, +5% overload. Every movement audited to its exact muscle group; equipment subs use the book's own alternatives or evidence-equivalent home options. Load-equivalence claim grounded in Schoenfeld 2017 & Grgic 2020 meta-analyses (light=heavy for hypertrophy when trained to failure). Weights computed, not the book's pre-filled chart — verify by testing.

Not medical advice. Consult a professional. Heavy barbell squats/deadlifts without a rack/spotter are dangerous — use bail positions; prefer front/split squats at home.