Build Muscle Workouts - 5 Day Split
I always workout just one muscle group each workout session, and setup my workout week into a 5 day split - 5 days one, and 2 days off. It looks something like this:
Monday - Legs
Tuesday - Chest
Wednesday - Back
Thursday - Shoulder
Friday - Arms
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Rest
Rinse and repeat. I start of my workout weeks always with the biggest muscle groups, and working down to the smaller muscle groups. This is why I train legs on monday, and arms on friday. I start my training week with the largest muscle group first is because these are the most demanding workouts (legs and chest). These muscle groups are always the most physcially demanding, so I start them while I'm fresh from 2 days of full rest. Of course, I always take an entire week off after six to eight weeks of hard training.
Following a work out plan like this works nicely to build muscle. By working just one muscle group per day, you can keep your workouts short and sweet, usually around 30 to 40 minutes, with the exception of leg days which usually takes me around 45 minutes. By keeping your workouts short, you are then able to work through them with a high level of intensity, compared to a workout where you have to workout more than one muscle group. You can't maintain a high intensity level for long periods of time. So limiting your time spent each workout session to around 30 minutes workouts great.
My weekly muscle building workout looks something like this.
Monday: Legs
Squats 3 x 6 (335)
Leg Press 3 x 6 (595)
Stiff leg deadlifts 2 x 6 (225)
Lying leg curls 2 x 6 (100)
Standing calf raises 3 sets to failure (varying weights)
Seated calf rasises - same as above
Suggested substitute exercises for variety: Front squats, leg extensions, hack squats, lunges, standing leg curls, donkey calf raises
Tuesday: Chest
Incline dumbbell press 3 x 6 (90)
Flat dumbbell press 3 x 5 (85)
Weighted Dips 2 sets to failure (70)
Suggested substitute exercises for variety: incline bench press, flat bench press, decline bench press, machine bench presses
Wednesday: Back Muscle
Deadlifts 3 x 5 (365)
Lat Pulldowns 3 x 6 (160)
Seated rows 3 x 6 (180)
Suggested substitute exercises for variety: pullups, chinups, bent barbell rows, dumbbel rows, good mornings
Thursday: Shoulders
Military press 3 x 6
(165)
Seated dumbbell press 3 x 6 (80)
Side lateral 3 x 6 (25)
Front raises 3 x 6 (25)
Reverse Pec Dec 3 x 6 (130)
Suggested substitute exercises for variety: Clean and press, push press, arnold presses
Friday: Arms
Standing barbell curls 3 x 6 (95)
Close grip bench press 3 x 6 (185)
Dumbbell curls 3 x 6 (40)
Tricep press downs 3 x 6 (150)
Cable curls 2 x 8 (110)
Rope press downs 2 x 8 (100)
Suggested substitute exercises for variety: hammer curls, alternating db curls, kick backs, tricep dips
The above is a sample muscle building workout plan based on a 5 day split. Notice that most muscle groups use only 3 to 4 different exercises, and rarely do I do more than 6 reps. This allows me to keep my workouts short, and allows me to maintain high intensity throughout my workout. You can always make adjustments to it and make changes to it to suit your needs.
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