An intermediate bodyweight shredding program. AMRAP sets with short rest create maximum metabolic output to strip fat while keeping lean muscle.
For the intermediate athlete who wants to get lean without equipment, the Shredding Bodyweight - 4-Day Upper/Lower circuit provides the precise framework for revealing your musculature through high-intensity, minimal-rest training. This program uses advanced bodyweight movements and extreme training density to metabolically destroy body fat while preserving the muscle you have already built.
The 50-minute, 4-day split is divided into Upper A, Lower A, Upper B, and Lower B. Upper A includes the Wide Push-Up, Diamond Push-Up, Pike Push-Up, Table Inverted Row, and Side Plank. Lower A features the Cossack Squat, Hip Thrust, Walking Lunge, Nordic Hamstring Curl, and Single-Leg Glute Bridge. Upper B adds the Hindu Push-Up, Decline Push-Up, Doorframe Row, Pseudo Planche Push-Up, and Plank. Lower B rounds out with the Reverse Lunge, Sumo Squat, Box Squat, Nordic Hamstring Curl, and Mountain Climber.
This program leverages density training—by eliminating the option of adding external weight, every form of progression comes through performing more work in less time. By pushing each set to near-failure and minimizing rest, you dramatically increase your heart rate and metabolic demand, which is the defining characteristic of an effective shredding protocol without equipment.
Over the eight weeks, you will see a transformation in your body composition. Your physique will become visibly leaner, your core will tighten, and your muscular definition—especially in your upper body—will become significantly more pronounced. Your cardiovascular fitness will also peak, and you will develop a supreme level of body control and relative strength.
This 8-week block is designed for the intermediate-level athlete who does not have gym access and needs an equipment-free approach to getting lean.
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Decline Push-Up | 4 × AMRAP | 60s |
| Diamond Push-Up | 3 × AMRAP | 45s |
| Wide Push-Up | 3 × AMRAP | 45s |
| Table Inverted Row | 4 × AMRAP | 60s |
| Towel Row | 3 × AMRAP | 45s |
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Walking Lunges (Slow Tempo) | 4 × 20 per side | 60s |
| Nordic Hamstring Curl | 3 × 8 | 60s |
| Hip Thrust (Bodyweight) | 4 × 25 | 45s |
| Goblet Cossack Squat | 3 × 12 per side | 45s |
| Mountain Climbers (Slow) | 3 × 40 | 45s |
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Hindu Push-Up | 4 × AMRAP | 60s |
| Elevated Pike Push-Up | 3 × AMRAP | 45s |
| Pseudo Planche Push-Up | 3 × 8 | 45s |
| Prone Back Extension Row | 3 × 20 | 45s |
| Side Plank with Hip Dip | 3 × 50s | 45s |
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Pistol Squat (Assisted) | 3 × 8 per side | 60s |
| Kettlebell Reverse Lunge | 3 × 15 per side | 45s |
| Single-Leg Glute Bridge | 3 × 20 per side | 45s |
| Sumo Squat (Bodyweight) | 3 × 25 | 45s |
| V-Up | 3 × 20 | 45s |
Yes, provided the intensity is high enough. The Nordic Hamstring Curl, Pseudo Planche Push-Up, and Cossack Squat are all extremely demanding movements that burn a significant number of calories and preserve muscle. The key is to push every set to near-failure and minimize rest to keep the metabolic demand high.
Rest periods should be between 30 and 45 seconds. The short rest is a core feature, not just a suggestion. By recovering less between sets, you keep your heart rate elevated, which is what drives the metabolic caloric burn central to this shredding protocol.
The Nordic Hamstring Curl is widely considered one of the most difficult bodyweight exercises. It requires exceptional hamstring strength to control the eccentric portion without collapsing. Start with only the eccentric phase until you build the strength to perform the full movement with control.
Absolutely. If you have a pull-up bar, adding pull-ups and chin-ups to your upper body sessions is highly recommended. They provide an incredible amount of pulling volume that perfectly complements the heavy push emphasis of this program.
This structure is worst for the true beginner who has not mastered the foundational bodyweight movements like a standard push-up and squat. The advanced movements in this program will be too technically demanding, and the high density of the circuits will be too great a cardiovascular shock for a beginning trainee.
The right deficit allows you to maintain your training performance while seeing a steady reduction on the scale of 0.5 to 1 kilogram per week. If your performance is crashing, you have likely cut too aggressively. If you are not losing any fat, you are eating too much. Adjust by no more than 200 calories at a time.
Log your AMRAP rep counts each session. If numbers drop significantly, add one minute to rest and reassess.
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