Goal program

Six-Pack Reveal

Build the blocks and strip the fat that hides them.

4 days a week
12 weeks
Any level
For men
Gym

About this program

Abs usually show at around 10–13% body fat, and crunches don't burn belly fat, so the real driver is a steady calorie deficit, high protein and daily steps. This 4-day upper/lower plan keeps the heavy lifts so you hold on to muscle while you cut, and adds weighted ab work 3x/week (about 16 hard sets) so the blocks stand out once the fat comes off. Starting from around 15% body fat, 12 weeks is often enough to see them; from 20% or more, expect a clearly leaner waist but a longer road to a full six-pack.

Who it’s for

Any level: beginners start with fewer sets and lighter weights, as the notes explain.
Written with men in mind; anyone can follow it.
A gym with machines, cables and free weights.
4 sessions a week, about 65 minutes each.
8–10k steps a day on top of the workouts.

The week

Warm up for 5–7 minutes first. Rest is the pause between sets. A1 and A2 (B1 and B2) are supersets: do one set of each back to back, then rest. Rest days: walk and recover.

Monday Upper A: Press, Pull & Heavy Abs

Chest, back, shoulders, weighted abs · about 65 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Barbell Bench PressStop 1–2 reps short of failure (beginners: 3). Use safety pins or a spotter.	4 × 6–⁠8	2.5 min
Lat PulldownFull stretch at the top, pull your elbows down to your ribs.	3 × 8–⁠12	2 min
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder PressLower the dumbbells to about ear level and keep your lower back against the pad.	3 × 8–⁠12	2 min
A1 Lateral RaiseLight weight, lead with your elbows, no swinging.	3 × 12–⁠20	—
A2 Face PullPull the rope to your forehead with elbows high.	3 × 12–⁠15	60 s
Cable CrunchKneel and curl your ribs toward your hips while your hips stay still. Once you get 12 reps on every set, add weight.	4 × 8–⁠12	90 s
Captain's Chair Knee RaiseCurl your pelvis up toward your ribs instead of just lifting your knees. When 15 feels easy, hold a dumbbell between your feet.	3 × 10–⁠15	75 s

Cardio after: Incline Treadmill Walk, 10–12 min, 10–12% incline, 3–3.5 mph. Brisk uphill walk without holding the rails. Easy on your joints and burns extra calories.

Tuesday Lower A: Squat & Hinge

Quads, hamstrings, glutes, grip and bracing · about 65 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Barbell Back SquatGo as deep as you can with a neutral back, and brace hard before each rep. New to barbell squats? Do goblet squats for the first 3–4 weeks to learn the pattern.	4 × 5–⁠8	3 min
Romanian DeadliftKeep your back flat, push your hips back until you feel a deep hamstring stretch, and keep the bar close to your legs.	3 × 8–⁠10	2.5 min
Lying Leg CurlLower the weight slowly, over 2–3 s.	3 × 10–⁠15	90 s
Standing Calf RaisePause for 2 s in the bottom stretch.	3 × 10–⁠15	60 s
Farmer's WalkHeavy dumbbells, stand tall, ribs down. Builds bracing and grip.	3 × 30–⁠45 s	90 s

Cardio after: Stationary Bike, 15 min, moderate pace. Moderate effort: you can still talk in short sentences. Cycling barely interferes with leg gains.

Thursday Upper B: Incline, Pull-Ups & Arms

Upper chest, lats, arms, weighted abs · about 60 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Incline Dumbbell PressSet the bench to about 30° and get a deep stretch at the bottom.	4 × 8–⁠10	2 min
Assisted Pull-UpChoose assistance so you finish each set with 1–2 reps in reserve. Once you get 10 clean reps, reduce the assistance; when you no longer need it, switch to bodyweight pull-ups.	3 × 6–⁠10	2 min
Seated Cable RowLet your shoulders stretch forward, then row to your belly.	3 × 10–⁠12	90 s
A1 Overhead Cable Triceps ExtensionFace away from the cable and get a full stretch behind your head.	3 × 10–⁠15	—
A2 Cable Biceps CurlElbows pinned at your sides, no leaning back.	3 × 10–⁠15	75 s
Captain's Chair Knee RaiseSlow on the way down. Hold a dumbbell between your feet for extra load.	3 × 10–⁠15	75 s
Cable CrunchA bit lighter than Monday. Squeeze for 2 s at the bottom.	3 × 12–⁠15	60 s

Cardio after: StairMaster, 10 min, steady pace. Steady climb, stand tall, keep your hands off the rails.

Saturday Lower B: Legs & Core

Quads, glutes, calves, weighted abs, obliques · about 60 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Leg PressLower the sled until your hips start to lift off the pad, and don't lock your knees at the top.	4 × 8–⁠12	2.5 min
Bulgarian Split SquatHold dumbbells. If your balance is shaky, start with bodyweight.	3 × 8–⁠12 per leg	90 s
45° Back Extension (glutes)Once 15 is easy, hold a plate to your chest.	3 × 10–⁠15	90 s
Standing Calf Raise	3 × 10–⁠15	60 s
Cable CrunchYou can take the last set to failure: it's a low-risk exercise to push hard.	3 × 10–⁠12	90 s
Side PlankKeep your body in one straight line with your hips high. Too easy? Lift your top leg.	2 × 30–⁠45 s per side	45 s

Cardio after: Incline Treadmill Walk, 12–15 min, 10–12% incline. Easy-to-moderate uphill walk to round out the week's calorie burn.

How to progress

Double progression: add reps within the range first. When every set reaches the top of the range with clean form, add a little weight (about 5–10 lb on lower-body lifts, 2.5–5 lb on upper-body lifts) and start again at the bottom.
Stop most sets 1–2 reps short of failure. Beginners stop 2–3 reps short for the first weeks.
Every 6–8 weeks, or when you feel run down, take an easier week: half the sets, same weights.

Food

Eat in a moderate deficit to lose 0.5–1% of body weight per week, with 2.0–2.4 g of protein per kg (about 0.9–1.1 g per lb) spread over 3–5 meals.

Find your numbers with the free TDEE calculator, the macro calculator and the protein calculator.