This is a guest post written by Samuel Pustea.
This split routine schedule will include 7 days of weight training. One “any” day may be used as a rest day or a light cardio day.
I set this routine up to train two major muscle groups write a week; your back and chest. I personally feel these two muscle groups should be worked twice a week. This is based on personal preferences and goals.
Each day these two main muscle groups are worked, there will be a distinct type of exercise completed. For instance the chest days will include one push day and one fly day.
Specific Days
- Push days include pressing movements like bench press and push ups.
- Fly days include fly movements such as a high cable fly or a dumbbell fly.
- Row days include rowing movements to build width and mass in the lats.
- Pull days include pulling movements such as a lat pull down or pull ups.
Cardio
The cardio for this routine is simple and includes two types of cardio: High intensity interval training and low intensity.
HIIT cardio is best done in the morning and limited to three times per week and should last 15-20 minutes.
Low intensity cardio should be incorporated right after your workout and last for 30 minutes or longer. You can use this type of cardio as active recovery and is less stressful on your body and nervous system.
A Sample Schedule
- Sunday – Chest & Abs Push Day
- Monday – Back & Forearms Row Day
- Tuesday – Arms
- Wednesday – Legs
- Thursday – Chest & Abs Fly Day
- Friday – Back & Forearms Pull Day
- Saturday – Traps & Shoulders
Once again, pick three days to do HIIT cardio, and then the remaining 4 days do low intensity cardio post-workout.
The Routine
Chest & Abs – Push Day | ||
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Decline Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 8 |
Flat Barbell Bench Press | 3 | 8 |
Decline Dumbbell Bench Press | 4 | 8 |
Rope Crunches | 6 | 20 |
Back & Forearms – Row Day | ||
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Low Dumbbell Row | 4 | 8 |
Normal Dumbbell Row | 3 | 10 |
Mid Cable Rows w/Straight or Lat Pull Down Bar | 5 | 10 |
Dumbbell Wrist Curls | 5 | 20 |
Arms | ||
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Single Arm Preacher Cable Curls | 3 | 8 |
Standing Alternate Dumbbell Curls | 2 | 8 |
Medium Grip Barbell Curls | 2 | 8 |
Rope Tricep Extensions | 3 | 10 |
Single Under Hand Cable Tricep Extensions | 3 | 20 |
Legs | ||
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Barbell Squats** | 4 | 8 |
Leg Press | 4 | 8 |
Leg Extensions | 3 | 15 |
Standing Single Leg Calf Raises | 4 | 15 |
Chest & Abs – Fly Day | ||
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Flat Dumbbell Flys | 4 | 15 |
Incline or Decline Dumbbell Flys | 2 | 15 |
Cable Flys | 3 | 20 |
Weighted Crunches | 5 | 20 |
Back & Forearms – Pull Day | ||
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Medium Grip Lat Pull Downs | 5 | 8 |
Wide Grip Lat Pull Downs | 4 | 8 |
Under Hand Lat Pull Downs | 3 | 8 |
Straight Arm Lat Pull Downs | 3 | 15 |
Cable Wrist Curls | 5 | 20 |
Traps & Shoulders | ||
Exercise | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 4 | 8 |
Dumbbell Shoulder Lateral Flys | 4 | 20 |
Machine Shrugs | 4 | 8 |
Barbell Shrugs | 4 | 15 |
Workout Tips
Keep your rest period for each set under 1 minute.
** 1.5 to 2 minutes rest between squat sets
Each week your goal is to increase the weight on the bar by 5 pounds. This is called progressive overload and in order to get stronger and build more muscle, you must work to add more weight to each exercise.
Make sure to combine this workout routine with a solid meal plan. You should calculate your BMR or your maintenance level calorie intake so you can create a meal plan to support your goals.
Check out this tool to help calculate your BMR or maintenance level calorie intake.
Once you figure out your maintenance calories, subtract 500 from that number and use that for your caloric goal. This is the perfect amount to help you lose fat and build muscle. As long as you are eating fewer calories than you burn, you are going to lose body fat.
On the other hand if you are lean already and want to build muscle, this routine is great for that as well.
Powerful training combined with a solid nutrition plan will help you lose fat, build muscle, and see results quickly.
If you have any comments or questions about this routine, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.
How would you adjust this to fit a more simple Dumbell only work out? I dont have certain machines and i dont go to a gym…
I would check out this dumbbell only workout or just do dumbbell equivalent on everything. For lat pull downs and rows I would suggest doing lat pull overs, 1 arm dumbbell rows, etc.
Cutty
Instead of shrugs. If i incorporate farmer walks. Will i get the same results in definition?
Actually, farmer’s walks will help your overall body better than shrugs and give you the same results (if not better) than shrugging will.
Cutty