ProgramsCody Lefever · GZCL

GZCL: General Gainz - Bodybuilding

General Gainz variation for hypertrophy/bodybuilding

Weeks: 1
Days / week: 4
Exercises / day: 8

Intermediate
Hypertrophy
Repeats weekly

Run this program in TopSet

Copy it to your plans in the free app. TopSet works out each set’s target weight from your training max or 1RM.

Download on the App Store

Week structure

Week 1

Day 1

Day 1A: legs + abs

Safety Bar Squat1 × 6-10 · 85% TM · @8T2. * Find: on the first set, find your 6RM. Once found, update that weight as the exercise's 1RM (exercise details on the Profile page) and complete the first set. * Extend: do "half-rep" sets (half of the first set's RM) to bring volume up to twice the RM. For example, after a 10RM, do 4 sets x 5 reps (20 reps total). If the 10RM felt easy, you can add up to 2 more sets. * Next time, try to Push one variable (reps or sets) and Hold the others constant. * Once you can complete the 10RM with 6 sets of extension, increase the weight next time4 × 3 · 85% TM · @8
Ab Wheel Rollout1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Barbell Romanian Deadlift1 × 6-10 · 85% TM · @8T2. * Find: on the first set, find your 6RM. Once found, update that weight as the exercise's 1RM (exercise details on the Profile page) and complete the first set. * Extend: do "half-rep" sets (half of the first set's RM) to bring volume up to twice the RM. For example, after a 10RM, do 4 sets x 5 reps (20 reps total). If the 10RM felt easy, you can add up to 2 more sets. * Next time, try to Push one variable (reps or sets) and Hold the others constant. * Once you can complete the 10RM with 6 sets of extension, increase the weight next time4 × 3 · 85% TM · @8
Cable Crunch1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Machine Leg Press1 × 6-10 · 85% TM · @8T2. * Find: on the first set, find your 6RM. Once found, update that weight as the exercise's 1RM (exercise details on the Profile page) and complete the first set. * Extend: do "half-rep" sets (half of the first set's RM) to bring volume up to twice the RM. For example, after a 10RM, do 4 sets x 5 reps (20 reps total). If the 10RM felt easy, you can add up to 2 more sets. * Next time, try to Push one variable (reps or sets) and Hold the others constant. * Once you can complete the 10RM with 6 sets of extension, increase the weight next time4 × 3 · 85% TM · @8
Machine Seated Leg Curl1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Barbell Standing Calf Raise1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Cable Twist1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8

Day 2

Day 2A - Shoulders

Barbell Behind-Neck Press1 × 6-10 · 85% TM · @8T2. * Find: on the first set, find your 6RM. Once found, update that weight as the exercise's 1RM (exercise details on the Profile page) and complete the first set. * Extend: do "half-rep" sets (half of the first set's RM) to bring volume up to twice the RM. For example, after a 10RM, do 4 sets x 5 reps (20 reps total). If the 10RM felt easy, you can add up to 2 more sets. * Next time, try to Push one variable (reps or sets) and Hold the others constant. * Once you can complete the 10RM with 6 sets of extension, increase the weight next time4 × 3 · 85% TM · @8
Dumbbell Reverse Fly1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Barbell Incline Bench Press1 × 6-10 · 85% TM · @8T2. * Find: on the first set, find your 6RM. Once found, update that weight as the exercise's 1RM (exercise details on the Profile page) and complete the first set. * Extend: do "half-rep" sets (half of the first set's RM) to bring volume up to twice the RM. For example, after a 10RM, do 4 sets x 5 reps (20 reps total). If the 10RM felt easy, you can add up to 2 more sets. * Next time, try to Push one variable (reps or sets) and Hold the others constant. * Once you can complete the 10RM with 6 sets of extension, increase the weight next time4 × 3 · 85% TM · @8
Cable Lateral Raise1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Chest Dip1 × 6-10 · 85% TM · @8T2. * Find: on the first set, find your 6RM. Once found, update that weight as the exercise's 1RM (exercise details on the Profile page) and complete the first set. * Extend: do "half-rep" sets (half of the first set's RM) to bring volume up to twice the RM. For example, after a 10RM, do 4 sets x 5 reps (20 reps total). If the 10RM felt easy, you can add up to 2 more sets. * Next time, try to Push one variable (reps or sets) and Hold the others constant. * Once you can complete the 10RM with 6 sets of extension, increase the weight next time4 × 3 · 85% TM · @8
Cable Front Raise1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Push-Up1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Dumbbell Lateral Raise1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8

Day 3

Day 3A - Back

Barbell Clean1 × 6-10 · 85% TM · @8T2. * Find: on the first set, find your 6RM. Once found, update that weight as the exercise's 1RM (exercise details on the Profile page) and complete the first set. * Extend: do "half-rep" sets (half of the first set's RM) to bring volume up to twice the RM. For example, after a 10RM, do 4 sets x 5 reps (20 reps total). If the 10RM felt easy, you can add up to 2 more sets. * Next time, try to Push one variable (reps or sets) and Hold the others constant. * Once you can complete the 10RM with 6 sets of extension, increase the weight next time4 × 3 · 85% TM · @8
Pull-Up1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Barbell Bent Over Row1 × 6-10 · 85% TM · @8T2. * Find: on the first set, find your 6RM. Once found, update that weight as the exercise's 1RM (exercise details on the Profile page) and complete the first set. * Extend: do "half-rep" sets (half of the first set's RM) to bring volume up to twice the RM. For example, after a 10RM, do 4 sets x 5 reps (20 reps total). If the 10RM felt easy, you can add up to 2 more sets. * Next time, try to Push one variable (reps or sets) and Hold the others constant. * Once you can complete the 10RM with 6 sets of extension, increase the weight next time4 × 3 · 85% TM · @8
Cable Lat Pulldown1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Cable Seated Row1 × 6-10 · 85% TM · @8T2. * Find: on the first set, find your 6RM. Once found, update that weight as the exercise's 1RM (exercise details on the Profile page) and complete the first set. * Extend: do "half-rep" sets (half of the first set's RM) to bring volume up to twice the RM. For example, after a 10RM, do 4 sets x 5 reps (20 reps total). If the 10RM felt easy, you can add up to 2 more sets. * Next time, try to Push one variable (reps or sets) and Hold the others constant. * Once you can complete the 10RM with 6 sets of extension, increase the weight next time4 × 3 · 85% TM · @8
Dumbbell Overhead Press1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Dumbbell One-Arm Row1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Dumbbell Shrug1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8

Day 4

Day 4A - Arms

EZ Bar Curl1 × 6-10 · 85% TM · @8T2. * Find: on the first set, find your 6RM. Once found, update that weight as the exercise's 1RM (exercise details on the Profile page) and complete the first set. * Extend: do "half-rep" sets (half of the first set's RM) to bring volume up to twice the RM. For example, after a 10RM, do 4 sets x 5 reps (20 reps total). If the 10RM felt easy, you can add up to 2 more sets. * Next time, try to Push one variable (reps or sets) and Hold the others constant. * Once you can complete the 10RM with 6 sets of extension, increase the weight next time4 × 3 · 85% TM · @8
Cable Triceps Pushdown1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Dumbbell Triceps Extension1 × 6-10 · 85% TM · @8T2. * Find: on the first set, find your 6RM. Once found, update that weight as the exercise's 1RM (exercise details on the Profile page) and complete the first set. * Extend: do "half-rep" sets (half of the first set's RM) to bring volume up to twice the RM. For example, after a 10RM, do 4 sets x 5 reps (20 reps total). If the 10RM felt easy, you can add up to 2 more sets. * Next time, try to Push one variable (reps or sets) and Hold the others constant. * Once you can complete the 10RM with 6 sets of extension, increase the weight next time4 × 3 · 85% TM · @8
Cable Standing Biceps Curl1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Band Bicep Curl1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Band Overhead Triceps Extension1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
Dumbbell Hammer Curl1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8
EZ Bar Skullcrusher1 × 15-20 · 50% TM · @8T33 × 15+ · 50% TM · @8

Program guide

It's an intermediate/advanced program for hypertrophy, with very flexible progression logic.

Make sure to read Cody's program description before starting the program!

The program by default contains A days only (so Day 1A, Day 2A, etc) - feel free to change that by using other days exercises from Cody's GGBB post, or just coming up with your own. The weekly volume per muscle group may help you to come up with proper exercises. Note that the program contains TONS of volume, so feel free to adjust if you don't need that much - remove some sets, maybe the last pair of t3 exercises, etc.

The program is supposed to be done in 4 supersets each day, supersetting t2 and t3, so the exercise order is set like that - t2, t3, t2, t3, t2, t3... The weights for T2s will be automatically bumped up once you hit 6 extensions and 10 reps on the first set, and for T3s - once you hit at least 20 on each set.

In the blogpost Cody also recommends tracking effort, in the app it's done by RPE logging. So, @8 is easy effort, @9 is medium, @10 is hard.

Other than that - it's the same old General Gainz with T2s - so all those find,push,hold,extend actions. The app will show the last week sets/reps/RPE etc for the exercise, so based on that you can make a decision what part you'll push and what parts you'll hold this time.

FAQ

Is GZCL General Gainz Bodybuilding good for hypertrophy?

Yes, GGBB is specifically designed for hypertrophy. It removes T1 heavy work entirely and replaces it with three T2 exercises and five T3 exercises per day, creating very high volume. It's one of the most volume-heavy GZCL programs available.

How many days a week is GGBB?

GGBB is a 4-day program with a body-part split: legs and abs, shoulders, back, and arms. Each session runs 90+ minutes due to the high number of exercises and superset structure.

How is GGBB different from regular General Gainz?

Regular General Gainz uses T1 heavy compounds for strength. GGBB drops T1 entirely and uses only T2 and T3 exercises, shifting the focus to hypertrophy. It also has significantly more volume per session — typically 8-10 exercises per day arranged in supersets.

What does the superset structure look like in GGBB?

Each day is organized into pairs: a T2 exercise supersetted with a T3 exercise (T2, T3, T2, T3...). This keeps rest times efficient and increases training density. The T2 exercises use the General Gainz find/push/hold/extend system while T3 exercises use max rep sets.

Can I reduce the volume in GGBB?

Yes, Cody himself suggests adjusting volume to your needs. You can remove the last pair of T3 exercises from each day, or reduce the number of sets. Start conservatively and add volume over time if you recover well.

What experience level do I need for GGBB?

GGBB is an intermediate to advanced program. You should have at least a year of consistent training and be familiar with the General Gainz find/push/hold/extend system. The high volume requires good recovery capacity and training experience.

Program by Cody Lefever. TopSet is not affiliated with or endorsed by the program’s creator. Program names and trademarks belong to their owners. See the guide for original sources.

Make every set count.

Download on the App StoreiOS 18.0 or later · All features free for now · Android coming soon