Hypertrophy Mesocycle
RP volume landmarks. Add sets weekly, grow, deload.
- Length
- 6 weeks
- Frequency
- 4 days/week
- Session
- ~70 min
- Level
- Intermediate
The program
A six-week hypertrophy mesocycle built on Dr. Mike Israetel's volume landmarks. Week 1 starts near your minimum effective volume; sets are added every week until you train near your maximum recoverable volume; week 6 cuts volume in half at the same loads to deload.
Upper/Lower across four days. Loads are self-selected — the RIR target in every exercise's notes is the intensity prescription. Week 1 you leave 3–4 reps in reserve; by week 5 top sets go to 0–1 in reserve.
When every set hits the top of the rep range at the target RIR, add load next session. Full range of motion and a controlled eccentric on everything.
Week 1, as written
The actual first-week prescriptions from the app — exercises, sets, tempos and rests, exactly as the program runs them.
Session 1Upper A — Horizontal▾
| Barbell Bench Press | 3 × 6–8 · 150s rest |
| Bent Over Row | 3 × 6–8 · 150s rest |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 × 8–10 · 90s rest |
| Face Pull | 3 × 12–15 · 1 min rest |
| Lateral Raise | 3 × 12–15 · 1 min rest |
| Dumbbell Curl | 3 × 8–10 · 1 min rest |
| Rope Pushdown | 3 × 10–12 · 1 min rest |
Session 2Lower A — Quad Focus▾
| Back Squat | 3 × 6–8 · 3 min rest |
| Leg Press | 3 × 10–12 · 2 min rest |
| Seated Leg Extension | 3 × 12–15 · 1 min rest |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 × 8–10 · 2 min rest |
| Lying Leg Curl | 3 × 10–12 · 1 min rest |
| Standing Calf Raise | 3 × 15–20 · 1 min rest |
Session 3Upper B — Vertical▾
| Overhead Press | 3 × 6–8 · 150s rest |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 × 8–10 · 2 min rest |
| Machine Fly | 3 × 10–12 · 1 min rest |
| Chest-Supported Row | 3 × 8–10 · 90s rest |
| Lateral Raise | 3 × 12–15 · 1 min rest |
| Hammer Curl | 3 × 10–12 · 1 min rest |
| Overhead Triceps Extension | 3 × 10–12 · 1 min rest |
Session 4Lower B — Posterior Chain▾
| Deadlift | 3 × 5–6 · 3 min rest |
| Hack Squat | 3 × 8–10 · 2 min rest |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 × 8–10 · 90s rest |
| Nordic Hamstring Curl | 3 × 5–8 · 90s rest |
| Seated Leg Curl | 3 × 12–15 · 1 min rest |
| Seated Calf Raise | 3 × 15–20 · 1 min rest |
Week 1 as programmed in the app. Later weeks progress loads, volume and variations block by block.
How it progresses
- —Sets are added every week — the volume ramp IS the progression.
- —RIR tightens from 3–4 in week 1 to 0–1 on week-5 top sets.
- —Top of the rep range at target RIR on every set → add load next session.
- —Week 6: half the sets, same loads. That is the deload — take it.
Who it's for
- —You want to grow and you want the dose–response logic visible.
- —You can gauge RIR honestly (PRESZN reads it from every set you log).
- —You want a mesocycle you can repeat with heavier baselines each time.
Equipment
Barbell · Dumbbells · Cable Machine · Machines · Bench · Squat Rack
Questions
What are MEV and MRV?
Minimum effective volume — the least training that still produces growth — and maximum recoverable volume, the most you can productively recover from. The mesocycle ramps from just above the first to just under the second, then deloads.
How do I know my RIR is honest?
PRESZN estimates the effort of every set from the load and reps against your own history, alongside what you report. If your '2 reps in reserve' keeps pricing like 5, you will see it.
Can I run mesocycles back to back?
Yes — that is the design. Deload on week 6, then start the next mesocycle with slightly heavier baseline loads and repeat the ramp.