The Science of Workout Design for Body Recomposition

Understanding Recomposition

Body recomposition = Losing fat while building muscle simultaneously.

This requires a specific training approach because you're asking your body to do two opposing things:

• Catabolic process: Breaking down fat stores
• Anabolic process: Building muscle tissue

Who Can Recomp Successfully

Factor	Optimal Status
Training experience	Beginner/Intermediate or returning lifter
Body fat percentage	Higher (more fuel available)
Protein intake	High (1g/lb bodyweight)
Caloric deficit	Moderate (not aggressive)

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The Three Mechanisms of Hypertrophy

Mechanism	What It Is	How to Trigger
Mechanical tension	Force on muscle fibers	Heavy weights, full ROM
Metabolic stress	"Burn" and pump	Moderate weight, higher reps, short rest
Muscle damage	Micro-tears in fibers	Eccentric emphasis, novel stimuli

For recomposition: Mechanical tension is king. Metabolic stress is secondary.

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Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS)

MPS elevates for 24-72 hours after training:

• Returns to baseline in 48-72 hours
• Training each muscle 2x/week = two MPS spikes
• Superior to 1x/week for hypertrophy

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Workout Session Anatomy

1. WARM-UP (5-10 min)
   - General: raise body temp
   - Specific: movement prep for main lifts

2. MAIN COMPOUND LIFT (15-20 min)
   - Heaviest, most demanding
   - 3-5 sets × 4-6 reps

3. SECONDARY COMPOUNDS (15-20 min)
   - Supporting multi-joint exercises
   - 3-4 sets × 6-10 reps

4. ACCESSORY/ISOLATION (15-20 min)
   - Target specific muscles
   - 2-3 sets × 10-15 reps

5. FINISHER (Optional, 5-10 min)
   - Core work, carries, conditioning

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Rep Ranges & Their Purpose

Rep Range	Primary Effect	When to Use
1-5 reps	Strength (neural)	Main lifts, peaking
6-8 reps	Strength-hypertrophy	Main & secondary lifts
8-12 reps	Hypertrophy (optimal)	All exercises
12-15 reps	Hypertrophy + endurance	Isolation work
15-20+ reps	Endurance, metabolic	Finishers

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Volume Targets (Sets Per Muscle/Week)

Experience	Sets/Muscle/Week
Beginner	10-12 sets
Intermediate	12-16 sets
Advanced	16-20+ sets

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Progressive Overload Methods

Method	How
Add weight	2.5-5 lbs per session/week
Add reps	Hit top of range, then add weight
Add sets	Increase volume over mesocycle
Improve technique	Better ROM, control
Decrease rest	Same work, less time

Double Progression Model

1. Choose rep range (e.g., 8-10)
2. Start at bottom (8 reps)
3. Add reps until top (10 reps)
4. Add weight, drop back to 8 reps
5. Repeat

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Rest Periods

Goal	Rest Period
Strength (1-5 reps)	3-5 minutes
Hypertrophy (6-12 reps)	90 sec - 2 min
Endurance (12+ reps)	60-90 seconds

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Periodization: Training Phases

Mesocycle Structure (4-6 Weeks)

Week 1: Introduction (moderate volume/intensity)
Week 2: Progression (add reps or weight)
Week 3: Progression (add reps or weight)
Week 4: Peak/Overreach (highest volume)
Week 5: Deload (reduce volume 40-50%)

Phase Types

Phase	Focus	Rep Ranges	Intensity
Foundation	Build base, technique	8-12	RPE 7-8
Hypertrophy	Maximize muscle	6-12	RPE 8-9
Strength	Neural adaptations	4-8	RPE 8-9
Peak	Test PRs	Mixed	RPE 9-10

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Deload Protocol

When: Every 4-6 weeks

How:

• Volume: Reduce to 50-60%
• Intensity: Keep at 85-90% or reduce
• Same exercises, fewer sets

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Summary: Workout Design Principles

Principle	Application
Train each muscle 2x/week	Upper/Lower or PPL split
Prioritize compounds	Squat, bench, deadlift, row, press
Progressive overload	Add weight or reps each week
Appropriate volume	12-16 sets/muscle/week
Train close to failure	RPE 7-9
Periodize training	Cycle through phases
Deload regularly	Every 4-6 weeks
Track everything	What gets measured improves

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Document created: December 2024 Part of the Wellness Guide Series