Microcycle
The training week — the unit that repeats inside a mesocycle. It defines how many sessions you do, how you spread the muscle groups across the days, and how much volume each muscle receives. Planning the microcycle well means that, by the end of the week, nothing came up short or over.
In practice
The most common microcycle is the week: say four sessions — two upper-body, two lower — with volume spread so each muscle gets its sets without hitting the same group on back-to-back days.
How to use it in a plan
Decide how many sessions you do in the week and how you spread the muscle groups across the days, leaving enough rest between sessions that train the same muscle. It is the week you repeat (with progression) inside the mesocycle.
FAQ
Is a microcycle always a week?
Almost always, because life runs on weeks. But it can be 5 or 10 days if your schedule needs it — what matters is that it is the unit that repeats, not the seven days.
How often should I train each muscle per microcycle?
For hypertrophy, twice a week usually beats once at the same total volume, by spreading the stimulus better. Once is enough to maintain.
Related terms
Weekly volume calculator: sets per muscle group
Pick the week’s exercises, set the sets and see how many sets each muscle receives — no account needed.