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I like this routine, as it allows you to split your training over 4 days, which means a different bodypart over 4 days. The benefit of this is that it allows you to train your body more intensely and give it more rest. Some people may find they over train on it, so i recommend keeping the sets and the number of exercises per bodypart down and add them as your recovery allows you.
If you end up doing the normal standard 4 day split; Mon, Tues, rest day, Thurs, Fri…. and you think you’re over training (ie; you’re still sore from the previous training sessions) Why not try adding recovery days. Therefore instead of the normal wed off day, take 2 or even 3 days off, before you repeat the cycle. This will allow you to train far harder, without over training. Tips for beginners:
1. On the first training session, start off light, do 1 set per exercise. You might ache the next day, this is normal and shows you have trained well. Training well results in your body adapting to the stress applied. This causes your muscles to get stronger, firmer and more toned to cope with the stress you have put them under. You tend to ache the most the first few sessions, a dull ache however is good, often desirable and is a true indication that you have trained hard! 2. After a few weeks, perform 2 sets for each exercise. After around 3 months, perform a maximum of 3 sets per exercise. Always do an additional easy warm-up set of around 20 reps, to get the motion right and the blood into the muscle. 3. Perform a maximum of around 6-10 reps for each exercise. The weight you are using should be heavy enough, so that the last rep should be near impossible. Try and increase the weights or reps you are doing every session, to ensure you are progressing. When I say increase, it only needs to be a very little increase in weight, (in some instances, a tiny 1 or 2lb plate or extra 1-2 reps is fine.). Don’t ego train, i.e. throwing two additional big plates on the end of each bar and thinking you can lift it, only to struggle or bounce it up, is a waste of time. You’ll end up using bad form, which makes you look silly, and increase your chance of injury and on top of that you probably won’t even be using the actual muscle you are trying to work! You’ll have noticed that some exercises also work other bodyparts, this is intended. These are called compound exercises. Don’t train forearms too hard, otherwise your grip strength will be reduced dramatically. *Get proper instruction on all exercises or invest in a personal trainer to show you how to perform each exercise properly. (If you want to know how to do an exercise,
click on its name and you’ll see an animated
graphic like this appear) Day 1: Chest/Biceps: Flat Bench Press (5 sets)
Incline Dumbbell Press (5 sets)
Close Grip Bench Press
Dumbbell Biceps Curl
E-Z Bar Curl
Crunches
Hanging leg raises
Day 2: Legs: Squats (5 sets)
Leg Press (5 sets)
Leg Extensions
Leg Curl
Forearms curls
Reverse forearms curls
Day 3: Off Day 4: Shoulders/Traps: Military Press
Upright Row
Lateral Raise
Shrugs
Crunches
Hanging leg raises
Day 5: Back/Triceps: Pull Ups
Close Grip Lat Pulldown
Close Grip Seated Pulley Row
Dips
Triceps Pushdown
Forearms curls
Reverse forearms curls
Day 6: Off
Day 7: Off Avoid the temptation to add loads of sets or many different exercises to this routine, properly done, with the correct weight, this routine will be intense enough. I recommend that this routine is only performed by those who have been training for at least 6 months of training. Lower the sets in your next workout if you find you are still sore 3 days after working that muscle.
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