Superman Summer: The Ultimate Hypertrophy Blueprint

TL;DR

• Targets upper chest, lateral delts, and lats — the defining features of a superhero build.
• Five-day plan with three “hero muscle” days and two lighter maintenance sessions.
• Uses rotation to prioritize each focus area evenly across the week.
• Progressive overload, autoregulation, and optional deload built in.

The Superman Silhouette

This plan prioritizes shape over symmetry. To emulate Superman’s iconic frame — think Justice League animation or comic book covers — three muscle groups take precedence:

• Upper Pecs: Provide depth and posture, especially visible in fitted clothing or side profiles.
• Lateral Delts: Expand shoulder width dramatically, creating that broad-shouldered look from every angle.
• Lats and Upper Back: Deliver the V-taper — a hallmark of power and aesthetic size.

While arms and legs are trained, they’re purposefully deprioritized to reduce fatigue and emphasize upper body growth where it matters most.

Superman Training Split: Weekly Overview

The program uses a five-day structure, rotating muscle group priority to balance recovery and intensity:

• Day 1: Chest → Delts → Back
• Day 2: Legs & Arms (Maintenance)
• Day 3: Back → Chest → Delts
• Day 4: Arms & Legs (Maintenance)
• Day 5: Delts → Back → Chest (Higher rep day)

This rotation ensures that each of the three target muscle groups has a chance to be trained first, when you're freshest — increasing quality volume and long-term growth potential.

Exercise Selection, Sets, and Reps

Each main day includes 5 movements total. Start with 2 sets per exercise, progressing based on recovery and soreness. Here’s how the week breaks down:

Day 1: Chest → Delts → Back

• Incline Dumbbell Press — 2 sets of 10–15 reps
• Flat Machine Press — 2 sets of 10–15 reps
• Dumbbell Lateral Raises — 2 sets of 10–15 reps
• Cable Upright Rows — 2 sets of 10–15 reps
• Machine Lat Pulldown — 1 set of 10–15 reps

Day 2: Legs & Arms

• High Bar Squats — 2 sets of 10–15 reps
• High Bar Good Mornings — 2 sets of 10–15 reps
• Dumbbell Skullcrushers — 2 sets of 10–15 reps
• Standing Dumbbell Curls — 2 sets of 10–15 reps

Day 3: Back → Chest → Delts

• Overhand Pull-ups — AMRAP up to ~10–15 reps, 2 sets
• Assisted Pull-ups or Lat Pulldowns — 2 sets of 10–15 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Press — 2 sets of 10–15 reps
• Cable Chest Flys — 2 sets of 10–15 reps
• Cable Upright Rows — 1 set of 10–15 reps

Day 4: Arms & Legs (Flipped Order)

• Cable Biceps Curls — 2 sets of 10–15 reps
• Cable Triceps Pushdowns — 2 sets of 10–15 reps
• Lying Leg Curls — 2 sets of 10–15 reps
• Leg Press — 2 sets of 10–15 reps

Day 5: Delts → Back → Chest (Higher Reps)

• Cable Lateral Raises — 2 sets of 15–20 reps
• Dumbbell Upright Rows — 2 sets of 15–20 reps
• Machine Row or Lat Pulldown — 2 sets of 15–20 reps
• Straight-Arm Pulldown — 2 sets of 15–20 reps
• Deficit Push-ups — 1–2 sets to near failure

Want Smarter Tracking? Let the App Do the Work

Tracking your sets and reps in a notebook or spreadsheet works, but there’s a smarter way to manage progression. The RP Hypertrophy App takes care of set adjustments, rep targets, and volume regulation automatically. Just log your performance after each set, and the app handles the rest.

Bonus: The Superman template is already built into the app. Just sign up here, use the template, and start training like a hero.

Progression and Deloading

Start with 2 sets per movement and increase based on recovery and soreness feedback. Add reps or 5 lb weight jumps as long as performance is trending up and recovery is intact. If soreness persists or you feel under-recovered, back off sets temporarily.

After 4–8 weeks of progression, schedule a deload: train only twice that week, cut reps, sets, and weight by 50%, and allow fatigue to dissipate.

Nutrition Options for Growth or Fat Loss

The program works in either a gaining or cutting phase:

• Cutting: 500 kcal daily deficit, ~10–12k steps/day, expect to lose ~4 lbs/month
• Gaining: 250 kcal daily surplus, slow scale movement of ~2 lbs/month

Whether leaning out to reveal definition or building up to fill out shirts, consistent nutrition and training are what bring the “Super” to your man.

The Final Word

This isn’t a general fitness plan. It’s a physique-forward hypertrophy program built to exaggerate the exact muscles that give the illusion of superhuman power. After 8–16 weeks, expect visual changes — broader shoulders, fuller chest, and back width that commands space. Repeat it with new variations or shift to another aesthetic goal, but the blueprint here remains a reliable foundation for building the kind of physique that turns heads — or at least earns a nod from Lois Lane.