Beginner Tip (Example Workout Routine)
Here is a good routine for beginners looking to add size
CYCLE: Two Days On, One Day Off, One Day On, One Day Off, One Day On, One Day Off
Monday: Chest/Biceps
Chest
Dumbbell Presses: 4 Sets x 8 Reps
Flat Bench Presses: 4 Sets x 8 Reps
Flat Dumbbell Flyes: 3 Sets x 8 Reps
Cable Crossovers: 2 Sets x 12 Reps
Biceps
Barbell Curls: 3 Sets x 8 Reps
Close EZ Bar Curls: 3 Sets x 8 Reps
Tuesday: Legs
Leg Curls: 4 Sets x 10 Reps
Leg Extensions: 4 Sets x 10 Reps
Leg Presses: 4 Sets x 12 Reps
Squats: 4 Sets x 12 Reps
Stiff Legged Deadlifts: 4 Sets x 12 Reps
Wednesday: OFF
Thursday: Back/Calves
Back
Barbell Shrugs: 3 Sets x 10 Reps
High Pulls: 3 Sets x 10 Reps
Rear Shrugs: 3 Sets x 10 Reps
Reverse Barbell Rows: 3 Sets x 10 Reps
T-Bar Rows: 3 Sets x 10 Reps
Dumbbell Rows: 3 Sets x 10 Reps
Calves
Standing Calf Raises: 4 Sets x 12 Reps
Seated Calf Raises: 4 Sets x 12 Reps
Friday: OFF
Saturday: Shoulders/Triceps
Shoulders
Machine Laterals: 3 Sets x 10 Reps
Dumbbell Laterals: 3 Sets x 10 Reps
Bent Over Laterals: 3 Sets x 10 Reps
Triceps
Dumbbell Presses: 3 Sets x 10 Reps
Tricep Pressdowns: 3 Sets x 10 Reps
Barbell Presses: 3 Sets x 10 Reps
Sunday: OFF
With basic movements, never fall below 8-10 reps. You want major muscle groups to work hard and grow. The actual amount of weight used is always secondary. Concentrate on getting a the right contraction and burn. The pump is what’s important. So pay attention: strict form is extremely important.
Biceps: Close EZ Bar Curls
This movement is similar to the barbell curl except you use a special EZ bar. Use a close grip here and again, make sure you squeeze the bicep throughout the curling movement and avoid using momentum to swing the bar up.
Chest: Flat Dumbbell Flyes
Lie on a flat bench and grab two dumbbells. Your palms should be facing inward. From the starting position at the top, slowly lower the weights following a semi-circular motion until the dumbbells are out to your sides. Be sure to keep your elbows slightly bent to take pressure off them.
Legs: Squats
While in the squat rack, place the bar on your back just above the traps, step back and set your feet about shoulder width or maybe a little wider, toes pointed forward, keep your head up and then squat the weight down till your thighs are parallel to the floor, make sure your back is flat and never relax your back while squatting, push the weight back up to the start position.
Back: Dumbbell Rows
This movement is similar to a bent-over barbell row except you use dumbbells. Begin by placing your left leg on a bench, keeping your knee straight, and your left arm on the bench, with your arm straight. Grab a dumbbell in your right hand, with your palm facing inwards. Holding the weight in your hand, slowly bring it up to your rib cage area. Bring the weight back down to the starting position and repeat.
Calves: Standing Calf Raises
Place feet close together, on the ball of your foot (the part just behind the big toe) on the toe plate of the calf raise machine, keep knees locked and then raise the weight using just your calf not your butt or your knees, come up all the way and then back down all the way to stretch the calf. Do not relax the muscle at any time. always keep tension on the calf even when stretching.
Tricep Pressdowns
Standing in front of cable machine elbows tight at your sides. Slowly push the weight down and extend arms, squeezing the tricep then back up to start position.
Shoulders: Bent-Over Laterals
Bending over at the waste, knees slightly bent, grab 2 dumbbells. While in this position lift the weight out and up and don't swing the weight up using momentum.
I've found this to be the most straightforward....
...and simple way for an "advanced" beginner/intermediate to efficiently, safely, and effectively put on some "raw" size. In fact, I would argue that it's a solid routine for an advanced trainer as well, if only for a month or two out of the year to mix things up.
Anyway, here it is:
MONDAY - Push Day
*Bench Press: (true pyramid) 12-8-6-2-6-8-12
*Military Press: 3 sets of 6-10 reps
*Close Grip Bench: 3 sets of 6-10 reps
*Weighted Dips: 3 sets of 6-10 reps
*Side Lateral Raises 2 sets of 8-10 reps (I include these only because my side delts need very direct stimulation...add at discretion)
WEDNESDAY - Leg Day
*Squats - (true pyramid) 15-12-8-4-8-12-15
*Leg Press - 3 sets of 6-10 reps
*Glute/Ham Raises - 3 sets of 4-8 reps
*Stiff Leg Deadlifts - 3 sets of 8-12 reps
*Selected Calf Exercise - 3 sets of 12-15 reps
FRIDAY - Pull Day
*Deadlifts from low pins - (true pyramid) 12-8-5-2-5-8-12
*Pull-Ups - 3 sets of however many reps one can manage (if greater than 10, use weight to keep it below ten)
*Chinups - 3 sets of same rep restrictions
*Barbell Rows - 3 sets of 10-12 reps
*Cleans or Hanging Cleans (alternate each week or so) - 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Some Notes:
for me, personally, legit chins, deads, squats, goodmornings, standing military presses, etc, all activate my abdominals to the point I don't bother including actual "ab work" during this time period. However, I don't necessarily see a problem with including such exercises where one sees fit.
Depending on your level of training and/or where you perceive yourself to be on a given day, the "true pyramid" for the core lifts on each day can be taken to mean three progressively heavier warmup sets followed by four working sets, or seven total working sets; i've used both at varying times within this "program". While it doesn't look on paper to be a whole lot, each and ever exercise actively recruits a number of muscle groups, and aside from a pure Olympic lifting program, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a more "efficient" program in terms of insuring you're hitting several muscle groups with ever single motion in the weightroom.
