Day One - Chest & Triceps
Chest and triceps are two body parts that go well together on the same day the reason being both parts are very connected when training. As you are training the chest, your triceps are getting warmed up since they are secondary movers in chest workouts. The chest being the larger muscle, should be trained first - if you were to train triceps before chest, your chest workout would be very poor since you would be forced to cut your sets short due to your fatigued triceps.
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CHEST
- Incline Dumbell Bench Press
- Incline Dumbell Flyes
- Push-ups
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TRICEPS
- French press (skull crushers)
- Cable push downs
- Kickbacks
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Perform 3 sets of 10 - 15 reps
Day Two - Back & Biceps
Back and biceps are trained on the same day for the same reason chest and triceps are. While working the back, the biceps get a slight working, therefore giving you a slight pump in your arms. By the time you have completed the larger muscle workout of your back, your biceps are ready to go!
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BACK
- Lat pulldowns
- Cable Rows
- One arm dumbell rows
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BICEPS
- Barbell curls
- Alternating dumbell curls
- Cable Curls
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Perform 3 sets of 10 - 15 reps
Day Three - Legs & Shoulders
We have been working the larger body parts first because they take up more energy, and, you need to have enough energy to carry you through to the end of your workout!
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LEGS
- Leg Press
- Leg Extension
- Hamstring Curl
- Standing Calf Raises
- Seated Calf Raises
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SHOULDERS
- Seated Dumbell Press
- Front Dumbell raises
- Lateral Dumbell Raise
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Perform 3 sets of 10 - 15 reps
Key points:
Leg Press: a great compound exercise (using more then one joint) for quads - it isolates the quads while also works glutes and hamstrings to some degree. Never lock out your legs at the top of each rep, always have a slight bend in your leg. Locking out will cause damage to your knees.
Leg Extension: provide a real burn, and is a better exercise for definition than for mass gains. When you do this exercise try not to rock your upper torso back and forth, but instead remain locked in a vertical position. Your legs should extend all the way.
Hamstring Curl: work your 'leg biceps', hamstring curls can be done seated, or lying face down on a machine. When lifting the weight, try to reach your buttocks with your feet, come as close to it as possible. If lying down, try to press your hips into the bench as you move the weight. For added tension on your hamstrings, point your toes. Many people will flex their feet during this exercise, only to have their Calves come into play, letting their hamstrings "off the hook". See for yourself, and start pointing your toes. You will most likely have to lower the weight if you have been flexing all this time.
Standing Calf Raise: In a standing position, you are working a part of your Calf called the Gastrocnemius. Have the pads on your shoulders, and get your body under the weight, while keeping your knees unlocked. Go all the way up on your toes and come as far down as you can with your feet still on the platform. Always let your Calves move the weight, don't start squatting. (a good way to get stubborn calf muscles to grow is to do high reps (i.e. 15+ per set) one workout, and do low reps (i.e. 5-10 per set) the next workout.
Seated Calf Raise: Because your legs are bent, it works the soleus muscle which lies just beneath the gastrocnemius muscle. Sit on the machine with your knees underneath the pads and your feet on the platform. The key to all Calf exercises is to concentrate on flexing the muscle on the way up. As with the standing raises, go all the way up on your toes and come as far down as you can with your feet still on the platform.
Seated Dumbbell Press: places the emphasis on your medial head, while Barbell shoulder press puts more emphasis on your front head. During this exercise, stabilizer muscles directly involved because each arm/shoulder is independent of the other. (You can not help your weaker shoulder with the driving force of the stronger one as with Barbell Press). Seated in an upright chair/bench, push the weight up so your arms are almost straight above your head. (Don't lock your elbows) Slowly lower the weight to the point where the dumbbells are inches away from your shoulder, then press up again.
Front Dumbell Raise: These are good for front delt heads. Start by holding the dumbbells in front of you and, one at a time (or together), slowly, without swinging them, bring them up to just above shoulder level.
Important Tips :
- Stretch the working body part between every set, and drink water.
- Train your Abs every second day.
- Cardio - 20 minutes minimum, three - six days a week, preferably after your weights.
- Change your routine every three months to keep your body from adapting.