Sample Routines and Splits In bodybuilding, the routine that you follow plays a huge role in determining your overall progress. You must design and follow it to meet your specific goals, whether they are to gain mass and power, endurance and definition, or whatever you're striving for. In addition to meeting your goals, there are things you must avoid too, overtraining for example. So this article is dedicated to providing splits and routines for the beginner, the intermediate who is training for mass, and the intermediate who is training for definition. There really is no need for me to list an advanced, or competition routine. Someone at that point needs to design their own individualized split so they can target what they need at that point- weak areas and such. However, a split is totally different. A good split could be used by a competitor or a beginner, its what's in the routine that's important. Now the way I set this article up was so you can pick a split that you prefer, and then apply the routines for each body part to it. However, some of you are just starting out and some of you have been training for awhile, so of course this means that more than one routine is needed for each body part. So what I've done is listed an example routine for beginners, intermediates training for mass, and intermediates looking to bring out definition and detail. When I say beginner I'm generally referring to someone who has been training for anything under a year; intermediate is anywhere over a year. A lot of bodybuilders never progress past the intermediate stage. That change is what makes the difference between bodybuilding being a hobby, or becoming a way of life. The Splits I believe that beginners should work out 2-4 days per week, intermediates 3-5, and advanced/competition 4-6. Some of the off days (the ones not marked with a *) are optional, but where I have placed them is just my recommendation- feel free to change them your preference. Just to mention it, I would definitely recommend 4-day splits, I believe they are the best for optimal growth. I use this first one listed. So here goes... Four Day Splits Day 1: Quads and Calves Day 2: Upper and Lower Back, Hamstrings, Day 3: Rest Day 4: Chest and Tris, Biceps Day 5: Shoulders and Traps Day 6: Rest Day 1: Legs Day 2: Rest Day 3: Upper/Lower Back, Biceps Day 3: Chest and Tris Day 5: Rest* Day 4: Shoulders and Traps Day 1: Chest and Upper/Lower Back Day 2: Shoulders and Traps Day 3: Rest Day 4: Bis, Tris Day 5: Legs Day 6: Rest Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, and Traps Day 2: Quads, Calves Day 3: Rest Day 4: Upper and Lower Back, Hamstrings Day 5: Bis and Tris Day 6: Rest* Day 7: Rest* Three Day Splits Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, and Traps Day 2: Off Day 2: Legs Day 3: Upper/Lower Back, Arms Day 1: Back, Shoulders, and Traps Day 2: Rest* Day 3: Chest, Bis, and Tris Day 4: Rest Day 5: Legs The Routines It's a good idea to change your routine up here and there. With all of these routines, any of the exercise orders can be switched around in order to keep the change-up technique in effect. There is not a set time period that you should use any given routine, but it's the opinion of many to switch it up at least every 2-4 months. By switching it up I mean changing the volume, frequency, order of exercises, or the exercises themselves. Also, if you are a beginner, make sure that you take some time to get comfortable with the form of each exercise. You will find that some exercises take longer to learn than others, deadlifts or rows, for example. Trust me here: Do not even think about going heavy or at maximum intensity on an exercise until you are completely comfortable and in habit of doing it in perfect form! It's not worth risking an injury than could put you out of training for weeks, months, years, whatever. And be especially careful when it comes to the lower back- you don't want an injury that could stay with you for the rest of your life. Just train safely- bottom line. Below each type (beginner, intermediate mass, etc...) I have listed "Other Exercises", or exercises that you could switch in for exercises listed in the split above. However, there are certain exercises I believe should not be bumped out for the section they are in (mass, definition, etc...), and those are marked with a *. Sets with decreasing reps are pyramided. For those of you who do not know, when you pyramid a set, the reps go down as the weight goes up. The number form here represents Sets/Reps. 3-4/12 means 3 to 4 sets, with 12 reps each- you get the picture. Now I have left a slightly broad range when it comes to sets, but a beginner isn't at the same point after 6 months of training that he was when he first started. Same thing goes for an intermediate. When you start out, take it easy and don't overdo it. If you have never been on a workout program, assuming you are healthy, start out at the minimum sets given, and if you feel you can handle more, increase slowly and gradually. Quad Routines Beginner *Squats 3-4/15, 12, 10, 8 Lunges 3-4/12 Other exercises for beginners: Quad Extensions, Leg Press Intermediate: Mass *Heavy Squats 5-6/15, 10, 8, 6, 6, 6 Leg Press 3-4/12, 10, 8 Quad Extensions 3-4/15-12 Other exercises for mass: Front Squats, Hack Squats, Lunges, Half-squats, Squats can also be done occasionally on a smith machine in order to better isolate them and use heavier weight- but don't ever let them replace regular squats. Intermediate: Definition Squats 2-4/20, 18, 15, 12 *Quad Extensions 4-5/20, 18, 15, 12, 10 Hack Squats or Sissy Squats 1-3/12 or failure Other exercises for definition: Pretty much the same for mass, just use higher reps. Calf Routines Note: For calves, especially when training for mass, I believe that you should include a lot of partials. And if you have a weak point, 21's work great for calves- just do more of the range you are weak in. Beginner Seated Calf Raises 1-2/25 reps Standing Calf Raises 2-3/25 reps Other exercises for beginners: One-legged calf raises (standing or sitting) Intermediate: Mass Seated Calf Raises 4/15 *Standing Calf Raises (as heavy as possible) 4/20, 15, 15, 12 Other Exercises: One-legged calf raises (standing or sitting), Donkey Calf Raises, Leg Press Calf Raises Intermediate: Definition Same for Mass- just use higher reps/less weight and include some One-legged raises to isolate each calf muscle individually. Hamstrings Routines Beginner Stiff-legged Deadlifts 3/12, 10, 8 *Lying Leg Curls 2-3/12, 10, 8 Intermediate: Mass *Stiff-legged Deadlifts 3-4/10, 8, 6, 6 Lying Leg Curls 2-4/10, 8, 8, 6 Intermediate: Definition Lying Leg Curls 3-4/15, 15, 12, 10 Standing Leg Curls 2-4/15, 12, 12, 10 Lower Back Routines Beginner *Deadlifts 2-4/12, 10, 8, 6 Stiff-legged Deadlifts 2-3/12, 10, 8 Intermediate: Mass *Deadlifts 3-5/10, 8, 8, 6, 6 Stiff-legged Deadlifts 2-4/10, 8, 8, 6 Intermediate Definition Good Mornings 3-4/15, 12, 10, 8 Hyperextensions 3-4/20, 15, 12, 10 Upper Back Note: If you aren't in good enough shape to get a good pump going from wide-grip chins, then follow them up a few sets of lat pulldowns. Wide-grip Chins are hard because the minimum weight available is your own bodyweight. Lat Pulldowns allow you to use less than your bodyweight, so you can do more full reps. In other words, do not do the lat pulldowns if you are able to handle wide-grip chins. And if you can't handle them, do a few sets of each. Beginner *Chin Ups 2-3/to failure Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns 2-3/15, 12, 10 *Bent-Over Barbell Rows 3-4/15, 12, 10, 10 Intermediate: Mass *Wide-Grip Chins (weighted if possible) 3-5/to failure Lat Pulldowns 2-3/12, 10, 8 *Bent-Over Rows 4/10, 8, 6, 6 T-Bar Rows 3-4/10, 8, 6, 6 Other exercises for mass: Close or medium grip chins, close or medium grip pulldowns, dumbbell rows Intermediate: Definition *Wide-Grip Chins 3-5/to failure Bent-Over Rows 3-5/20, 15, 12, 10, 8 Seated Cable Rows 2-4/15, 12, 10, 8 Other Exercises: Close or Medium Grip Chins, Close or Medium Grip Pulldowns, Dumbbell Rows, Dumbbell, Barbell, or Machine Pullovers, One-arm Cable Rows, and Nautilus Row Machines are also great for isolation. Chest Routines Note: You must remember when doing incline presses of any kind that you must hit the chest from many angles. Don't just kick the incline to 20 degrees, and then stop there- you have to use variety. Instead, do a few sets at 20 degrees, then do a few more at 30 or 35 degrees, or do all of your incline sets at 20 degrees one workout, then do all of them the next workout at a higher or lower degree. Also, remember that the higher the incline, the higher the area of the chest you are recruiting, but also the greater the involvement of the front delts. This is why it is a good idea to do flats first, so when you do inclines, your chest gives out before your shoulders do. Beginner *Barbell Bench Press 3-4/12, 10, 8, 6 *Incline Dumbbell Presses 2-4/12, 10, 8, 6 Flat Bench Flys 2-3/12, 10, 8 Other exercises for beginners: Incline Barbell Presses Intermediate: Mass *Barbell Bench Press 4-5/12, 10, 8, 6, 6 *Incline Barbell Bench Press 3-5/12, 10, 8, 6, 6 Flat Bench Flys 2-4/8 Other exercises for mass: Parallel Bar Dips, Decline Barbell/Dumbbell Presses Intermediate: Definition Barbell Bench Press 3-4/15, 12, 10, 8 Incline Flys 3-4/15, 12, 10, 8 Cable Crossovers 2-4/12 Other Exercises: Parallel Bar Dips, Decline Barbell/Dumbbell Presses, Pec Deck machines. Pullovers can also be used to develop the pectorals. Because they work both the chest and lats, they work great as a transition movement if you are doing chest and back in the same workout. For example, if you are finished doing chest and its time to move on to back, do some pullovers- they will finish off your chest and at the same time begin to warm up your lats. Biceps Beginner *Barbell Curls 2-4/12 Seated Dumbbell Curls 2-4/12 Other exercises for beginners: Incline Dumbbell Curls, Standing Dumbbell Curls Intermediate: Mass *Barbell Curls (a little cheating is OK) 4-5/12, 10, 8, 6, 6 Incline Dumbbell Curls 3-4/8 Other exercises for mass: Preacher Curls, Standing or Seated Dumbbell Curls, Hammer Curls Intermediate: Definition Concentration Curls 3-4/12 *Alternate Dumbbell Curls 3-4/10 Other Exercises: Preacher Curls, Incline Curls, Standing or Seated Dumbbell Curls, Spider Curls, 3-Part Curls (21's), Prone Dumbbell or Prone Barbell Curls, Cable Curls, Machine Curls Triceps Beginner *Close-Grip Presses 2-4/12, 10, 8, 8 Pressdowns 2-3/15, 12, 10, 8 Other exercises for beginners: Parallel Bar Dips, Kickbacks Intermediate: Mass *Close-Grip Presses 3-4/10, 8, 6, 6 *Behind-the-back Dips or *Parallel Bar Dips (weighted if needed) 3-4/12, 10, 8, 6 French Presses (Skull Crushers) 1-4/10 Other exercises for mass: Single-Dumbbell overhead Extensions, Power Pushdowns, Kickbacks Intermediate: Definition French Presses (Skull Crushers) 2-4/15, 12, 10, 10 One-arm Dumbbell Extensions 2-4/12, 10, 10, 8 One-arm Reverse-Grip Pressdowns 2-4/15, 12, 12, 10 Other exercises for definition: Reverse/Narrow-Grip Bench Presses, Standing Barbell or Dumbbell Extensions, Decline or Incline French Presses (Skull Crushers), Single or Two-handed Regular or Reverse-grip Pressdowns, Overhead Cable Extensions, Kickbacks Shoulders Beginner *Seated Military Press 3-4/12, 12, 10, 8 Arnold Presses 2-3/10 *Side Laterals 3-4/12 *Seated Bent-over Laterals 2-3/12 Other exercises for beginners: Dumbbell Presses, Front Laterals, Upright Rows Intermediate: Mass Military Press 2-3/12, 10, 8 *Push Presses 2-3/8, 6, 6 *Side Laterals 4-5/10 *Bent-Over Laterals 3-4/10 Other exercises for mass: Smith Machine Presses, Upright Rows, Incline Side Laterals Intermediate: Definition *Arnold Presses 2-4/10 Front Plate Raises 2-3/15 Side Laterals 2-4/12 *Incline Side Laterals 3-4/15 *Seated Bent-Over Laterals 3-5/12 Other exercises for definition: Dumbbell Presses, Smith Machine Presses, Palms-Up Dumbbell Laterals, Front Dumbbell Laterals, Upright Rows, Cable Side Laterals, Lying Side Laterals, Bent-Over Laterals, Pressing Machines, Lateral Machines, Reverse Pec Decks Traps Beginner *Dumbbell Shrugs 3-4/12 Intermediate: Mass Upright Rows 2-4/10 Barbell Shrugs 3-4/10 Other exercises for mass: Dumbbell Shrugs Intermediate: Definition Same as for mass; except use higher reps and sub dumbbells in for the barbells. Forearms Note: Here's what I like to do for forearms. I train the extensors when I do biceps by doing hammer curls and/or reverse barbell curls after Bi's. Then I do the flexors at the end of either the back or shoulders routines, because either workout will get them pre-fatigued at least a little. Beginner Reverse Barbell Curls 2-3/10 Standing Dumbbell Wrist Curls 2-4/25 Intermediate Reverse Barbell Curls 2-3/10 Reverse Wrist Curls 2-3/15 Behind-the-back Barbell Wrist Curls 3-4/15 Wrist Curls 2-3/15 Abs Note: Hit the abs twice per week, or whenever they're not sore. It's your choice which days to place them in, but since they take only about 10 minutes or less to train, it will be easy to slide them in somewhere. If you want definition in your abs, you have to be in shape. Just working them out hard won't cut it...it's all about the cardio. Beginner Crunches 4-5/failure or Leg Raises 4-5/failure Intermediate Incline Board Reverse Crunches 2-3/failure Hanging Knee Raises 1-3/failure Crunches or Low-decline Crunches 3-4/failure I hope these routines and splits can serve you as a guide. Feel free to email me any questions, and I'll be glad to answer them. But remember, if you have a question about the performance of an exercise, look at the anatomy section of Bodybuilding.com, it has an awesome selection- best of all: pics. I also plan to write a follow-up article on where to place supersets, drop sets, etc... in these routines. Keep Pumpin' John Giljum