Look, 2021 has been a wild ride, so let’s get the gains train rolling as bulk season approaches. If you’re looking for a 5 day routine and are up to the challenge, this you may be perfect for you. This workout routine is going to use a 5×5 rep scheme for compound movements, and a higher 8-12 reps for the accessory movements. This workout is designed to be run as long as it works.
The key is consistency and striving for progress each session.
In a hurry? Click here to jump straight to the workout.
Diet and Nutrition Tips
Before we jump in to the meat and potatoes of this workout routine, let’s talk about meats and potatoes.
This routine will work best if you can go on a slow bulk. This means you’ll be getting plenty of nutritious foods so you can keep lifting that heavy ass weight. This isn’t a free pass to smash a pizza every day — but it’s easier to lose a few pounds of fat than build strength on a calorie deficit.
If you’re struggling with gaining weight or you want some usable tips to add some nutritious calories to your diet, here are some of the easiest ways to do so:
- Butter
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Whole milk
- Heavy cream
- Cheese on everything
- Protein shakes
- Peanut butter
- Olive oil
- Extra dressing
These all add flavor and healthy fats to your diet. No I’m not saying to eat a stick of butter. I recommend cooking with some avocado oil, use some butter or oil with your chicken and rice, or add peanut butter and vitamin D milk into a protein shake. This is going to give you much more nutrition than smashing a couple McDoubles and you won’t feel like a McFatAss.
You will feel better, have more energy, and your stomach will thank you.
Note: A little bit goes a long way, so be sure to know how many calories you are adding.
Recommended Supplements
Without a good diet, supplementation is mostly a waste of money. I will be the first to tell you to spend money on some good meats than a jug of protein. If you want the most bang for your buck with supplements, your diet and training need to be consistent. You can’t lift a couple of times a week, and smash a tub of ice cream and think creatine will give you gains. This mens workout routine is not for someone who does.
Trust me.
So if you have your diet somewhat in check, here are some supplements that you could add to your tool bag.
Pre-Workout
There are a lot of pre-workouts on the market. Optimum Nutrition has a great pre-workout supplement that viewers love.
Their Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre-Workout is a solid pre-workout for beginners and veterans alike. They are a brand that has stood the test of time and it’s a fair deal.
They have a few flavors with Fruit Punch and Blueberry Lemonade both being my go-to flavors.
Protein
I’ve yet to have a bad flavor from MTS. Their supplements are great, their flavors are seriously some of the best, and you get a great value. This is in my opinion the best tasting protein on the market. Period.
Marc and the team at Tiger Fitness do a great job with their product and they care about you as a person.
Great blend with no secrets, no amino spiking, and it is some of the best in the industry.
BCAA
Again, I can’t say enough about their flavors. They are smooth, they don’t taste like medicine, and they are loaded with nutrients your body will need after crushing this men’s workout routine.
It’s a solid BCAA ratio, affordable, and tastes amazing.
Creatine
Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine
I have a review of Optimum Nutrition’s Creatine and it’s a tried and true supplement. It will help with performance and recovery. I highly recommend this if you’re shopping for creatine.
Throw some creatine in your shake or shove a scoop in your mouth and wash it down… whatever works for you!
Cardio and Conditioning Schedule for the 5 Day Mens Workout Routine
Conditioning is one of the most important things you can work on to improve your lifts, endurance, and stamina. Improving conditioning will improve life outside of the gym.
This particular men’s workout routine focuses a bit on conditioning, core strength, and mobility to build a more athletic physique.
Once you start lifting relatively heavier weights, you’re going to start breaking form because of muscle weaknesses, lack of conditioning/muscle endurance and mobility issues; so lets address them here. It’s easier to get stronger when you attack your weakest points. If you’re winded after a flight of steps or you start sweating just THINKING about cardio, don’t skip this section if you want the most out of this workout.
Warming Up
For your pre-workout warm up, start by walking for 3 minutes and follow-up with a 30 second balls-to-the-walls high intensity sprint. Finish off with 90 seconds of walking. This “shock” is going to prime your body to train hard and helps get your core body temperature up.
You’ll start to limber up and you’ll feel more energized.
Post Workout Conditioning
I’m not big on citing research materials and I sure as hell am not interested in doing the scientific leg work, but doing high intensity interval training will help improve your muscle and strength gains.
The Plan:
- 5 minutes brisk walking
- 30 seconds jogging
- 30 seconds walking
- 30 seconds sprinting
- 30 seconds walking
- 45 seconds sprinting
- 1 minute walking
- 1 minute jogging
- 1 minute walking
- 30 seconds full sprinting
- 1.5 minutes walking slowly tapering down to finish
The goal is to stress your cardiovascular system and push it to become more efficient. You’re going to burn more calories than walking a steady pace on a treadmill, and you’ll be able to get in and out of the gym much quicker.
Cardio and Conditioning Tips
This sounds like some special formula but it isn’t — this is a template, if you don’t follow it exactly, you’re fine. What I want to make you aware of is the importance of warming up and priming your body for high-intensity training.
Don’t get stuck on the numbers, if you have poor conditioning, add longer walk (resting) periods and strive to recover faster. Everyone has to start somewhere.
Men’s 5 Day Workout Routine Schedule
A sample workout schedule will look something like this. This doesn’t fit everyone’s schedule, so just try to take two rest days out of a 7-day period. Some of you may prefer to not take two days off in a row.
- Day 1 – Workout A
- Day 2 – Workout B
- Day 3 – Workout C
- Day 4 – Workout D
- Day 5 – Workout E
- Day 6 – Off
- Day 7 – Off
The benefit to starting on a Monday is while everyone is benching and hogging the dumbbells, you are deadlifting and on the other side of the gym.
I would recommend doing a short 20-30 minute cardio session post workout at least twice a week for optimum muscle growth and recovery.
When doing this mens workout routine 5 days a week, you should fuel your body with plenty of nutritious whole foods.
Chicken, broccoli, sweet potatoes, bacon, ground beef, lots of veggies, and whey protein will give your body the fuel it needs to get bigger, stronger, and faster. Eating enough food and getting enough sleep is what builds your muscles. Going to the gym lifting heavy ass weight is the easy part.
| Men’s Workout Routine A | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Rep Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlifts | 5 | 5 |
| Dumbbell Shrugs | 3 | 8 |
| Seated Rows | 3 | 12 |
| Standing Bent Over Laterals | 3 | 12 |
| Planks* | 3 | – |
| Men’s Workout Routine B | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Rep Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Military Press | 5 | 5 |
| Arnold Press | 3 | 8 |
| Front Lateral Raises | 3 | 12 |
| Side Lateral Raises | 3 | 12 |
| Men’s Workout Routine C | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Rep Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Bent Over Barbell Rows | 5 | 5 |
| Pull Ups | 3 | 8 |
| Dumbbell Curls | 3 | 12 |
| Straight Arm Pulldown | 3 | 12 |
| Men’s Workout Routine D | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Rep Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Flat Bench | 5 | 5 |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench | 3 | 8 |
| Close Grip Bench Press | 3 | 12 |
| 1 Arm Tricep Extensions | 3 | 12 |
| Men’s Workout Routine E | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Rep Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Squats | 5 | 5 |
| Calf Raises*** | 3 | 8 |
| Hamstring Curls | 3 | 12 |
| Leg Extensions | 3 | 12 |
| Planks* | 3 | – |
* – Planks aren’t the same rep goal scheme as other lifts. When you are supposed to do planks, do 3 sets of 1 rep and record your results for each set. The goal to beat for next time is to beat the combined time of those 3 planks. Keep the rest short; 60 seconds and really squeeze the abs and back and keep that core tight.
*** – There are many different calf raise variations, pick the one that works best for you. Examples are: Seated Calf Raises, Standing Calf Raise Machine, Standing Calf raises in the Smith Machine. Choose the one that works best for you and stick with it.
When performing the compound lifts, treat each rep with the same form. Not only are you striving to lift more weight, but improving your form will help you lift that weight easier. Practice your form and find what works best with your body.
Wrapping Up — 5 Day Mens Workout Routine
Here are the tools to get started on obtaining the body you want. The key to lifting more weight, feeling better about yourself, and able to do more in life. Take the time to take care of your body, follow these tips, stay consistent, and you’ll like what you see in the mirror.
There are no shortcuts, only those who stick with it.
59 years of age started lifting year ago, have got my bench up to 335. Trying to get to where I can bench 315 5 to 8 times. Any thing I can t do to improve
That’s great! There are a few things you could do. If you are running this routine, you could change the set and rep scheme up. Try using a lighter weight with four sets of 12 reps.
For added intensity, focus on performing a slow negative (lowering bar to chest), take a slight pause, and then press the weight up. Be explosive on the press. Adding a few paused reps at the end of your sets could work. Record yourself to see where you are failing. Are you struggling to get it off of your chest? Do you have trouble locking out? All of those are things you can add into your current routine. Adding in a couple more tricep exercises or some chest dumbbell exercises to address weaknesses will help most.
Add in a few sets of hammer curls and bent over lateral raises — it will you maintain tightness and improve your bench.