Getting to single-digit body fat is no walk in the park. It requires discipline, precise nutrition, and a training strategy that preserves muscle while the body is in a calorie deficit. After recovering from surgery to remove loose skin, Dr. Mike Israetel embarked on a focused fat loss phase to push his physique to the limit. The result? A DEXA-verified 6% body fat.
The secret wasn't just in the diet; it was in the architecture of his training. Dr. Mike utilized a specific "floating split" designed to maximize stimulus while managing the immense fatigue that comes with dieting.
If you are looking to get shredded without losing your hard-earned muscle, you need a plan that balances intensity with recovery. Here is the exact training split Dr. Mike used to achieve his results.
The Strategy: The "Floating Split"
The core problem with traditional training schedules (like "Monday is Chest Day") is that life gets in the way. If you miss Monday, your whole week is thrown off. Furthermore, recovery isn't linear. Some days you heal faster; other days you need more time.
Dr. Mike solved this with a Pull-Legs-Push floating split.
Here is how it works:
- Pull Day (Back, Shoulders, Biceps)
- Leg Day (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves)
- Push Day (Chest, Triceps, Shoulders)
- Repeat
The "floating" aspect means there are no assigned days of the week. You simply train, and if you need recovery, you take a rest day (or two). If you feel great, you roll right into the next session. This flexibility allows you to train as much as your recovery allows—typically 5 to 7 days a week—without being handcuffed to a calendar.
The Workouts: Day by Day
This split is divided into two microcycles: A and B. You rotate through Pull 1, Legs 1, Push 1, then Pull 2, Legs 2, Push 2.
Day 1: Pull (Vertical Focus)
The goal here is prioritizing vertical pulling while maintenance-training the rowing muscles.
- Weighted Parallel Pull-Ups: 3-5 sets. Start heavy.
- Unweighted Parallel Pull-Ups: Same grip, no weight. Because your nervous system is primed from the heavy sets, you will feel incredibly strong and connected to the movement here.
- Machine Chest Supported Rows: Myo-rep match sets. This is the only rowing movement for the day.
- Dumbbell Seated Lateral Raises: Myo-rep match sets. 10-15 reps.
- Dumbbell Lying Curl: High reps (40 total) using myo-reps.
- Cable Wrist Curls: Forearm finisher.
Day 2: Legs (Posterior Chain & Quads)
This session balances heavy hinging with high-rep metabolic stress for the quads.
- Decline Sit-ups: A quick check-the-box exercise for abs.
- Transformer Bar Good Mornings: Sets of 10. Going higher than 15 reps on hinging movements often fatigues the lower back before the hamstrings. Heavy sets of 10 are safer and more effective here.
- Leg Press: Myo-rep sets in the 10-20 rep range.
- Sissy Squat Machine: One giant myo-rep set to absolute failure. This takes about 90 seconds but completely cooks the quads.
Day 3: Push (Chest & Triceps Focus)
Push days in this split are designed to hit the chest hard and then obliterate the triceps with supersets.
- Calf Raises: Get them out of the way early.
- Camber Bar Flat Press: The camber bar allows for a deeper stretch.
- Overhead Cable Extensions Superset w/ Deficit Pushups: This combination provides a massive pump and keeps the joint stress lower while maximizing the stimulus.
- Dumbbell Incline Curl: Myo-rep match sets.
- Dumbbell Seated Lateral Raises: One giant myo-rep set (50-75 reps total). This saves time while torching the delts.
Day 4: Pull (Variation)
The second pull day changes the grip and angles to prevent overuse injuries and provide a fresh stimulus.
- Weighted Overhand Pull-Ups: Switching from neutral to overhand grip.
- Unweighted Overhand Pull-Ups: High volume work.
- Smith Machine Row: A stable movement to safely target the back.
- Lying Cable Front Raises: Hitting the front delts.
- Cable Curls & Wrist Curls: Finishing off the arms.
Day 5: Legs (Hamstring Isolation)
To save the lower back, Dr. Mike alternates a heavy hinge day (Day 2) with a leg curl day (Day 5).
- Lying Leg Curls: High reps (15-20). This isolates the hamstrings without loading the spine.
- Belt Squats: An excellent way to load the legs without spinal compression. Myo-rep match sets.
- Bulgarian Split Squats: The ultimate glute finisher.
Day 6: Push (Volume)
The final day of the rotation introduces more stable machine work and isolation exercises.
- Incline Machine Chest Press: Focus on the deep stretch at the bottom.
- Flat Bench Press: Standard powerbuilder staple.
- Barbell Skull Crushers: A move away from the Smith machine for variation.
- Free Motion Cable Curl: Standing far forward to drag the elbows back, maximizing the stretch on the biceps.
- Lying Cable Front Raises: One giant set to finish.
4 Rules for Training While Dieting
The program is solid, but the execution matters more. When you are in a caloric deficit, your recovery resources are limited. You cannot train the same way you do when you are bulking.
1. Don't Be a Hero with Loads
In a muscle gain phase, you can aggressively add 5 or 10 pounds to the bar. In a fat loss phase, that is a recipe for injury. Fatigue is high, and joints are drier.
Increase loads by the smallest fraction possible—1.25 lbs or 2.5 lbs. If you can add a single rep or a tiny amount of weight while dieting, you are winning. Your ego might hate the small jumps, but your results will love them.
2. Pick Exercises You Actually Like
Dieting is miserable enough. You are hungry, tired, and likely irritable. Do not make it worse by forcing yourself to do exercises you hate.
If you despise barbell bench press but love the Smith machine, use the Smith machine. You need to keep your motivation high to get into the gym and train hard. Use your favorite exercises to "butter yourself up" so you don't dread your sessions.
3. Frequency is King
You should aim to hit every muscle group at least twice a week during a fat loss phase.
If you only train a muscle once a week, the anabolic signaling drops off after a few days. In a calorie deficit, your body is looking for energy sources, and unused muscle is prime fuel. Training frequently sends a constant signal to your body: "We need this muscle, don't burn it."
4. Cap Your Sessions
Long workouts lead to "junk volume." When you are depleted, you simply don't have the glycogen stores to train hard for two hours.
Dr. Mike recommends keeping sessions under 90 minutes. Get in, hit the stimulus hard, and get out. Any longer, and you are likely just accumulating fatigue without stimulating muscle retention.
Conclusion
Getting to 6% body fat is an extreme goal that requires an intelligent approach. You cannot simply outwork a bad diet, and you cannot train with reckless abandon when your recovery is compromised.
This floating split offers the perfect balance of structure and flexibility. It allows for high frequency, adequate recovery, and the psychological wins necessary to keep going when the diet gets tough.
Whether you use this exact split or adapt the principles to your own routine, remember the golden rule of fat loss training: Maintain your strength, check your ego at the door, and stay consistent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a floating split?
A floating split is a training schedule that doesn't align with specific days of the week (e.g., Monday isn't always Chest Day). You simply perform Day 1, then Day 2, then Day 3, taking rest days whenever recovery demands it, and picking up the next session where you left off.
How many days a week did Dr. Mike train?
On average, about 6 days per week. However, because of the floating nature of the split, some weeks were 5 days and others were 7, depending on his recovery and travel schedule.
Did he do cardio?
While not detailed in this specific training video, the focus here was on weight training to retain muscle. The primary driver of his fat loss was the caloric deficit and high daily step count, which he has mentioned in other updates.
Why use Myo-Reps?
Myo-Reps allow you to get a massive amount of "effective reps" (reps close to failure) in a very short time with lighter weights. This is safer for joints during a fat loss phase and keeps workout duration under control.
