The method
The method behind the generator
A program generator is only as good as the rules it follows. These are the rules behind every program BodyBurn produces.
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In short
How does BodyBurn build your program?
You enter your goal (4 options), your level (3), your training days (2 to 6 per week), your session length (30 to 90 minutes), your equipment (5 types) and your joint limits (7 areas). BodyBurn then builds your program from a library of 82 exercises, removes the ones that are contraindicated for you, and sets your loads from one session to the next based on what you actually lifted.
01
Volume before variety
Each muscle group gets a weekly volume that matches your level and your goal. No exercise gets added just to fill a session.
02
Real progression over time
Your program is a block of workouts that you repeat. What changes from one round to the next is the target load and reps, calculated from your last two logged sessions, not a week guessed in advance.
03
The equipment you have, not ideal equipment
The program only includes exercises you can do with what you said you own: barbell, dumbbells, machines, resistance bands, or just your bodyweight.
04
Joint limits come first
You can flag 7 at-risk areas (shoulder, knee, lower back, hips, ankles, neck, elbow). Each flagged area removes every contraindicated exercise from the library and replaces it with a suitable substitute.
Load progression
How the load changes, rule by rule
BodyBurn uses double progression: reps first, then load. The ACSM position stand (Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2009) points the same way: increase the load by 2 to 10% once the lifter beats the rep target by one or two reps over two consecutive sessions. BodyBurn's increments (2.5 to 7.5%) stay within that range.
- You succeed: the load goes up
- All your sets reach the top of the rep range without going over the target RPE. The load goes up by 2.5% on an isolation exercise, 5% on upper body and 7.5% on lower body, rounded to the nearest 2.5 kg (lower body) or 1.25 kg (everything else).
- You struggle: same target
- An RPE above target, or a single missed set: the load and the rep range stay the same next session.
- Two misses in a row: deload
- Two consecutive sessions missed at the same load: the load drops back to 90%, rounded the same way, so you can build back up cleanly.
- Bodyweight and resistance bands
- There's no load to add, so the rep range goes up by 2 reps once you've hit the previous one.
The BodyBurn method
Making progress
easier to follow.
Calibrate
Start from where you are: level, time, frequency, equipment and goal.
Less guesswork
Structure
Order the workouts, exercises, sets and intensity into a cycle you can read at a glance.
More consistency
Progress
Make the next steps visible, so you move forward without improvising every week.
A clear direction
Health notice
A program generated by BodyBurn does not replace advice from a healthcare professional. If you have pain, a medical condition or any doubt, see a doctor or a physiotherapist before you continue.
Questions about the method
- How many exercises are in the BodyBurn library?
- 82 exercises across 5 equipment types: barbell, dumbbells, machines, bodyweight and resistance bands. Each exercise is linked to a muscle group and to the joint areas it isn't recommended for.
- What happens if I declare pain or discomfort?
- You can flag 7 areas: shoulder, knee, lower back, hips, ankles, neck, elbow. Every exercise contraindicated for a flagged area is removed from your program and replaced with a substitute from the library. BodyBurn doesn't diagnose anything. If the pain persists, see a doctor or a physiotherapist.
- How does BodyBurn decide to increase a load?
- With double progression: once all your sets reach the top of the rep range without going over the target RPE, the load goes up by 2.5 to 7.5% depending on the muscle group. The calculation uses your last two sessions that were actually logged.
- Does my program change every week?
- No. Your program is a block of workouts that you repeat. The exercises stay the same. The target loads and reps change based on your results. You generate a new program when your profile, equipment or goal changes (one new program per month).
- Can a generated program replace a coach?
- For organising your training and tracking your progress, yes, within clear limits. For correcting your form in real time or assessing a medical condition, no: BodyBurn doesn't replace an in-person coach or a healthcare professional.