Goal program

V-Taper Builder

Wider back and shoulders, so your waist looks narrower.

4 days a week
12 weeks
Any level
For men
Gym

About this program

A 4-day upper/lower split built around what actually makes a frame look wider: lots of pulldowns, pull-ups and rows for the lats, lateral raises three times a week for the side delts, and regular rear-delt work. The key rule: stop most sets 1–3 reps short of failure (new lifters: 2–3 short, with just 2 sets per exercise in weeks 1–2), add reps each week, and add weight once every set reaches the top of the range. Ab work won't shrink your waist (only fat loss does), so over 12 weeks expect a noticeably fuller back and shoulders, most of all if you're newer to training, and the V will show more the leaner you get.

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 Width: Upper A: Width

Lats, side delts, upper chest, rear delts, arms · about 70 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Lat PulldownGrip a bit wider than your shoulders. At the top, let your arms straighten fully so your lats stretch, then drive your elbows down to your sides.	4 × 6–⁠10	2 min
Incline Dumbbell PressSet the bench to about 30°. Lower the dumbbells until you feel a stretch across your chest.	3 × 8–⁠12	2 min
Seated Cable RowLet your shoulders reach forward for a stretch, then row the handle to your belly button and squeeze your shoulder blades together.	3 × 8–⁠12	90 s
Lateral RaiseUse a light weight, lead with your elbows and raise to shoulder height. From week 3, if you're not brand new, take the last set to failure and add partial reps at the bottom.	5 × 12–⁠20	60 s
A1 Overhead Cable Triceps ExtensionFace away from the cable and let your hands go deep behind your head to stretch the long head of the triceps. Go straight to curls.	3 × 10–⁠15	—
A2 Dumbbell Biceps CurlKeep your elbows still. Rest, then go back to the triceps.	3 × 10–⁠15	75 s
Face PullSet the rope at face height, pull toward your forehead and spread the rope ends so your hands finish beside your ears. Trains the rear delts and upper back.	3 × 12–⁠20	60 s

Cardio after: Incline Treadmill Walk, 10–12 min · 10–12% incline · 3.0–3.5 mph. Walk briskly without holding the rails. It burns extra calories for fat loss and barely affects recovery.

Tuesday Squat: Lower A: Squat

Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, abs · about 55 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Barbell Back SquatSquat as deep as you can with a neutral back and leave 2 reps in the tank. New to barbell squats? Do goblet squats or the leg press for the first 2–4 weeks; your quads will grow just as well.	4 × 5–⁠8	3 min
Romanian DeadliftStart light. Push your hips back, keep the bar close to your legs and your back flat, and stop when your hamstrings are fully stretched, usually around mid-shin.	3 × 8–⁠10	2.5 min
Lying Leg CurlLower slowly. If you've been training for a while, take the last set to failure.	3 × 10–⁠15	90 s
Standing Calf RaisePause for 2 seconds in the bottom stretch.	3 × 10–⁠15	60 s
Cable CrunchKneel facing the cable, round your spine and bring your ribs toward your hips. This builds your abs but doesn't burn belly fat; a calorie deficit does that.	3 × 10–⁠15	60 s

Thursday Thickness: Upper B: Thickness and Delts

Lats, mid-back, all three delt heads, chest, arms · about 65 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Assisted Pull-UpUse the least assistance that still lets you do 6 clean reps from a dead hang. Once every set hits 10, lower the assistance one step. If you can already do 6+ strict pull-ups, do them without assistance.	4 × 6–⁠10	2 min
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder PressSit tall and lower the dumbbells to ear level.	3 × 8–⁠12	2 min
One-Arm Dumbbell RowAt the bottom, let the dumbbell hang so your back stretches fully, then pull your elbow toward your hip.	4 × 8–⁠12 per arm	75 s
A1 Dip (assisted if needed)Use the assisted machine if you need it and lean slightly forward. If the front of your shoulder hurts, swap in the machine chest press. Go straight to hammer curls.	3 × 6–⁠12	—
A2 Hammer CurlThe neutral grip trains the brachialis, which adds arm thickness. Rest, then go back to dips.	3 × 10–⁠15	75 s
B1 Lateral RaiseUse strict form with no swinging. Go straight to the rear delt fly.	4 × 15–⁠20	—
B2 Reverse Dumbbell FlyHinge forward until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor, keep a slight bend in your elbows and sweep the weights out to the sides, not back.	4 × 12–⁠20	60 s

Cardio after: StairMaster, 10 min · steady pace. Go at a moderate pace where you can still talk in short sentences.

Saturday Legs + Delts: Lower B: Legs and Delts

Quads, hamstrings, glutes, side and rear delts, abs · about 65 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Leg PressPlace your feet shoulder-width in the middle of the platform. Go as deep as you can without your lower back lifting off the pad.	3 × 10–⁠12	2.5 min
Bulgarian Split SquatRear foot on a bench, dumbbells in hand. In week 1, use bodyweight only to learn the balance.	3 × 8–⁠12 per leg	90 s
Lying Leg CurlLower slowly, same as Tuesday.	3 × 10–⁠15	90 s
A1 Lateral RaiseThis is your third lateral raise day, so keep it light and strict; side delts recover quickly. Go straight to face pulls.	4 × 15–⁠20	—
A2 Face PullRope at face height; pull toward your forehead and spread the ends. Rest, then go back to lateral raises.	4 × 15–⁠20	60 s
Captain's Chair Knee RaiseCurl your pelvis up instead of just lifting your knees. If it's too easy, straighten your legs.	3 × 10–⁠15	60 s
Standing Calf RaisePause for 2 seconds at the bottom.	3 × 10–⁠15	60 s

Cardio after: Stationary Bike, 10 min · easy to moderate. Pedal easily to cool down and burn a few extra calories. Cycling interferes very little with leg growth.

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

If you're above roughly 15% body fat, eat in a small deficit and lose 0.5–1% of your body weight per week; if you're already lean, eat at maintenance or +200–300 kcal; either way, get 1.8–2.2 g of protein per kg (about 0.8–1 g per lb) spread over 3–5 meals.

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