# Shredding Gym – 5-Day Advanced > An advanced 5-day gym shredding program. Heavy compound work with high-volume accessories and tight rest periods to maximise fat loss while retaining elite muscle mass. Goal: Shredding · Level: Advanced · Equipment: Barbell, Cables, Machine · 5 days/week · ~55 min/session · 8 weeks Interactive version (free): https://stay-active.app/templates/shr-gym-advanced ## Overview The Advanced Shredding Gym - 5-Day ULPPL is the most aggressive gym-based body composition protocol in our library, designed for the experienced lifter who wants to reach their absolute peak condition. This program uses a high-frequency, high-volume approach with strategic back-off sets and metabolic finishers to strip the final layers of body fat while protecting every fiber of hard-earned muscle. The 55-minute, 5-day split is divided into Upper, Lower, Push, Pull, and Legs. Upper includes the Barbell Bench, Barbell OHP, Barbell Row, Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown, Lateral Raise, and Face Pull. Lower hits the Barbell Squat, Deadlift, Leg Press, Bulgarian Split Squat, Leg Curls, and Pallof Press. Push features the Incline Bench, Cable Fly, DB OHP, Lateral Raise, Skull Crushers, and Rope Pushdown. Pull adds the Seated Cable Row, Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown, Deadlift, Hammer Curl, Barbell Curl, and Face Pull. Legs rounds out the week with the Hack Squat, Walking Lunge, Leg Extension, Leg Curls, Hip Thrust, and Ab Wheel Rollout. Advanced shredding requires a combination of maximum weekly volume to maintain the metabolic demand and heavy top-end sets to protect muscle. By training five days a week, you create a consistent daily caloric expenditure that makes achieving a deficit significantly easier. The finishers at the end of each session—particularly on the Push and Legs days—target the most metabolically active muscle groups to maximize post-workout calorie burn. Over the eight weeks, you will see a profound change. Your vascularity will increase, your muscular separation will become strikingly clear, and your overall conditioning will reach a competition-ready level. This is the program that takes a strong body and makes it truly spectacular. This 8-week block is for the advanced, experienced gym-goer who has the discipline to follow a strict diet and the work capacity to handle a demanding 5-day training split. ## The Program ### Day 1 – Upper — Upper - **Barbell Bench Press** — 4 sets × 4-6 reps, rest 60s - **Barbell Overhead Press** — 4 sets × 4-6 reps, rest 60s - **Barbell Row** — 4 sets × 4-6 reps, rest 60s - **Cable Lateral Raise (Cross-Body)** — 4 sets × 20 reps, rest 45s - **Banded Face Pull** — 4 sets × 20 reps, rest 45s - **Cable Bicep Curls** — 3 sets × 15 reps, rest 45s ### Day 2 – Lower — Lower - **Barbell Back Squat** — 4 sets × 4-6 reps, rest 60s - **Smith Machine Romanian Deadlift** — 4 sets × 8 reps, rest 60s - **Smith Machine Bulgarian Split Squat** — 4 sets × 10 per side, rest 45s - **Leg Curls** — 3 sets × 12 reps, rest 45s - **Smith Machine Hip Thrust** — 3 sets × 15 reps, rest 45s - **Ab Wheel Rollout** — 3 sets × 12 reps, rest 45s ### Day 3 – Push — Push - **Incline Bench Press** — 4 sets × 8-10 reps, rest 60s - **Cable Chest Fly** — 3 sets × 15 reps, rest 45s - **Dumbbell Overhead Press** — 3 sets × 12 reps, rest 45s - **Cable Lateral Raise (Cross-Body)** — 4 sets × 15 reps, rest 45s - **Skull Crushers** — 3 sets × 15 reps, rest 45s - **Rope pushdown** — 3 sets × 15 reps, rest 45s ### Day 4 – Pull — Pull - **Smith Machine Romanian Deadlift** — 4 sets × 3-5 reps, rest 60s - **Seated Cable Row Wide Grip** — 4 sets × 10 reps, rest 60s - **Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown** — 4 sets × 12 reps, rest 45s - **Hammer Curl** — 3 sets × 15 reps, rest 45s - **EZ Bar Standing Barbell Curl** — 3 sets × 12 reps, rest 45s - **Banded Face Pull** — 4 sets × 20 reps, rest 45s ### Day 5 – Legs — Legs - **Smith Machine Hack Squat** — 4 sets × 10 reps, rest 60s - **Walking Lunges (Slow Tempo)** — 4 sets × 15 per side, rest 45s - **Single Leg Extension** — 4 sets × 15 reps, rest 45s - **Leg Curls** — 4 sets × 15 reps, rest 45s - **Smith Machine Hip Thrust** — 4 sets × 15 reps, rest 45s - **Ab Wheel Rollout** — 3 sets × 15 reps, rest 45s ## FAQ ### Why does the Pull day include the Deadlift? The Deadlift is the king of pulling movements, engaging your entire posterior chain. Including it on the Pull day, rather than Lower, is an advanced technique that reduces the overall lower-body fatigue accumulation across the week while maximizing the stimulus on your back and hamstrings for the shredding effect. ### How critical is sleep during a shredding phase? Sleep is non-negotiable. During sleep, your body produces growth hormone, which is responsible for fat burning and muscle recovery. Cutting sleep short while in a caloric deficit will accelerate muscle loss and impair your body's ability to burn fat effectively. Prioritize eight hours above all else. ### What kind of diet supports this level of training? A high-protein, moderate-carbohydrate, low-fat diet works well for most lifters. Carbohydrates should be timed around training to fuel your sessions, and fats should come primarily from healthy sources. The total caloric deficit should be modest—around 400-600 calories below maintenance—to protect muscle mass. ### Is it possible to peak too early on an 8-week block? Yes, it is. If your deficit is too aggressive in the early weeks, you might look your best at week 5 and then start looking flat and depleted by week 8. The key is to be patient with the process and maintain a conservative deficit so your body is constantly improving throughout the full 8 weeks. ### Who is this structure worst for? This structure is worst for anyone who does not have years of lifting experience. The technical demands of the exercises, the volume of the sessions, and the dietary control required make this a program for seasoned lifters only. A beginner or early intermediate would overtrain and risk serious injury. ### How should I handle cravings during a cut? Plan your indulgences. A single controlled meal that is higher in calories once a week will not derail your cut, and it can significantly help you maintain the dietary adherence required for eight weeks. Strict, rigid dieting often backfires; a smart, flexible approach is far more sustainable. ## Safety notes Calorie deficit plus this training volume is demanding. Prioritise sleep and protein intake above all else.