Thinner Leaner Stronger is Michael Matthews’ strength and physique program for women, and the female counterpart to Bigger Leaner Stronger. It runs on 3-day or 4-day splits built around heavy compound work in the 4-6 rep range, with accessories in the 8-12 rep range. The training is organized into 8-week phases followed by a deload week, and the cycle repeats indefinitely as you progress.
The program’s core idea is that women build strength and shape the same way men do: progressive overload on the big lifts. Matthews pushes back on the “light weights for toning” myth. Each session starts with a primary compound lift (squat, deadlift, bench, overhead press, or hip thrust depending on the day), then moves into 3-4 accessory exercises. The 3-day version runs a push/pull/legs structure; the 4-day version splits into chest and triceps, back and biceps and glutes, shoulders, and legs.
TLS is a good fit for beginner to early intermediate women who want to get stronger and change their body composition. You do need access to a barbell and a rack. If you’re looking for a program that doesn’t require a full gym setup, Strong Curves is worth a look since it works well with dumbbells and a hip thrust setup. The full TLS book and bonus materials (including official Excel and Google Sheets versions) are available at legionathletics.com via Michael Matthews and Legion Athletics.
Table of Contents
Thinner Leaner Stronger Spreadsheets
Program by Michael Matthews / Legion Athletics. Spreadsheet adaptation (3-day and 4-day) by /u/parkourdeer + /u/endlesscupcakes on /r/xxfitness. The 5-day version is a Lift Vault build in the TLS style.
TIP: You can print any of these spreadsheets just like a PDF.
3 Day Split
4 Day Split
5 Day Split (LV Build)
We also built a 5-day TLS-style option for lifters who want to train five days a week. It follows the same loading model as the 3 and 4-day versions (4-6 rep range for primary compounds, 8-12 for accessories, progressive overload), with one muscle focus per day. This is a Lift Vault-built split, not Matthews’ official gated 5-day version, but it applies the same principles.
Thinner Leaner Stronger Program Overview
The program runs in 8-week training phases followed by a deload week, then repeats. You keep adding weight as you progress through phases. There’s no hard endpoint: you run another phase when you finish one.
Every session starts with one primary compound lift done for heavy sets in the 4-6 rep range. After that you hit 3-4 accessory exercises in the 8-12 rep range. The progression rule is simple: once you can hit the top of the rep range on all your working sets, add weight next session.
Warm-up sets use percentage-based loading. A typical warm-up sequence before the working sets is 50%, 70%, and 90% of your working weight for a few reps each. The 4-day spreadsheet has this built in.
3-Day Split Structure
The 3-day version is push/pull/legs, trained Monday, Wednesday, Friday or any three non-consecutive days. Day 1 (Push) centers on bench press. Day 2 (Pull) centers on deadlift. Day 3 (Legs) centers on squat. Each day has 3-4 accessories in the 8-12 range targeting the same muscle groups as the primary lift.
4-Day Split Structure
The 4-day version spreads the volume across four days: chest and triceps, back and biceps and glutes, shoulders, and legs. This gives you more total sets per muscle group per week than the 3-day version. If you want more volume and have four days to train, start here.
Recommended Reading
The spreadsheets cover the training side, but the book goes deeper into the exercise technique and nutrition theory that the program is built around. If you’re new to barbell training, it’s worth reading before you start. The book also covers the official bonus materials.
Thinner Leaner Stronger by Michael Matthews.
Thinner Leaner Stronger FAQs
What is Thinner Leaner Stronger?
Thinner Leaner Stronger is a strength and physique program for women written by Michael Matthews of Legion Athletics. It uses heavy compound lifting in the 4-6 rep range as the foundation, with accessory work in the 8-12 rep range. The program runs in 8-week phases with a deload week between phases. The goal is building muscle and losing fat through progressive overload on barbell movements like squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press.
Is TLS only for women?
It’s written for women, but the training principles work for anyone. The exercise selection, rep ranges, and structure are solid for any beginner to early intermediate lifter. Matthews wrote a companion program called Bigger Leaner Stronger aimed at men that uses the same training model with slightly different exercise emphasis.
What’s the difference between the 3, 4, and 5 day versions?
The 3-day version is a push/pull/legs split, which is a good starting point if you can only get to the gym three times a week. The 4-day version spreads the volume across an extra day, so you get more sets per muscle group per week. The 5-day version (our LV build) takes that further with one muscle focus per day, which works well if you have the training schedule and recovery capacity for five days.
If you’re new to the program, the 3-day split is a fine place to start. You can move to 4 days once you’re comfortable with the movements and want to add volume.
How much weight should I lift?
Start with a weight you can lift with good form for the full rep range. The working sets are in the 4-6 rep range for primary lifts, so pick a weight you could do for 6 clean reps. If you hit 6 reps on all your working sets, add weight next session (5 lbs for upper body lifts, 10 lbs for lower body is a typical jump). If you miss reps, stay at the same weight until you can hit the full range.
How long is the program?
Each phase is 8 weeks of training plus a deload week, so roughly 9 weeks per cycle. The program is designed to run indefinitely: you finish a phase, take your deload, and start the next phase with slightly higher weights. There’s no fixed endpoint. Most people run it for 6 months to a year before moving on or running a more advanced program.
