Week 1: Split of the limbs
Week 2: Upper body/lower body divided for two days
Three-day division in Week 3: Push/Pull/Legs
Four-day division in Week 4: Full body
FIRST WEEK: ALL-IN-ONE
Instead of “splitting up” your training, you will train all main body parts in each exercise to begin the program with a full-body training split. During the initial week of training, complete a single exercise per body part during each of the three sessions. A day of recovery should elapse between each workout; therefore, training on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays is prudent, with Saturday and Sunday serving as leisure days.
The exercises enumerated in Week 1 comprise a compilation of fundamental movements that, although employed by proficient lifters, we deem appropriate for novices. It is worth noting that the routine does not consist solely of machine exercises; instead, it immediately incorporates a limited number of free-weight movements. Because mastering these exercises will result in sustained muscular size and strength increases, it would be prudent to begin learning them immediately. It is advisable to thoroughly review the exercise descriptions before undertaking them.
During Week 1, you will complete three sets of each exercise per session, for nine sets per body part; this is an appropriate starting volume for your objectives. Except for ab twists, each set will consist of 8–12 repetitions. Unprofessional and professional bodybuilders frequently utilize this rep scheme, which is regarded as optimal for attaining hypertrophy, the scientific term for gains in muscle size.
Observe in the following exercises that the first set requires eight repetitions, the second set ten, and the third set twelve. In bodybuilding, this is known as a “reverse pyramid” (a conventional pyramid progresses from higher to lower reps), in which the weight is decreased between sets to achieve the same number of reps. For instance, if you utilized 140 pounds for eight repetitions during your first set of lat pulldowns, try 120 to 130 pounds for set two and 100 to 120 pounds for set three.
WEEK 2: SPLIT
You will begin training different body parts on separate days with a two-day training split (i.e., the entire body is introduced over two days, as opposed to one as in the first week) even though the program has only been running for one week. Each body part will be trained twice. You will prepare four days this week; the schedule consists of two upper-body days (Monday and Thursday) and two lower-body days (Tuesday and Friday). Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday will be designated as days for recovery.
Although several exercises from Week 1 are maintained in Week 2, one additional move is incorporated into each body part routine (abs excluded) to provide a more comprehensive and multifaceted workout for all muscle groups. For instance, the chest consists of two exercises: The first is a compound movement (dumbbell bench press) that targets the pecs more specifically and involves using only one joint (shoulder). The second is an isolation exercise (dumbbell flye), which targets the pecs to a greater extent but involves multiple joints (shoulder and elbow). (Although the deltoids and triceps are partially engaged during chest presses, this does not result in as much isolation of the pecs as chest fly’s do.)
You will utilize the reverse pyramid rep scheme once more; however, during Week 2, you will increase the number of reps (15) performed on the third set of each exercise. While fifteen repetitions per set may not precisely fall within the optimal range for muscle development, they will effectively enhance muscular endurance, establishing a solid foundation for subsequent efforts to increase size and strength.
WEEK THREE: THREE IN A ROW
During the third week of the curriculum, the training schedule is increased to three days: Day one should be devoted to training “pushing” body parts (chest, shoulders, triceps); day two should be devoted to “pulling” body parts (back, biceps), and day three should be dedicated to the lower body (quads, buttocks, hamstrings, calves). As in Week 2, you will devote six days to the gym to train each body part twice this week.
Each body routine is supplemented with one additional exercise to provide even more opportunities to train the target muscles from all sides to promote complete development. Two exercises, each consisting of three to four sets, will target each muscle group: large body parts (chest, back, shoulders, quadriceps, hamstrings) will receive four sets, while smaller body parts (biceps, triceps, abs, calves) will receive three sets. With 16 sets for large and 12 for smaller body parts, the volume significantly increases from Week 1. Once more, the sets consist of 8–15 repetitions.
Week Four: Increasing the Volume
You will train for four days in a four-way split that targets each body part only once during the fourth and final week of the program (except the calves and abs, which are trained twice each). Experienced lifters frequently perform four-day splits because they train fewer body parts (typically two to three per exercise). This allows for more significant volume training and adequate attention to each muscle group. The chest and triceps, back and biceps, quadriceps, and hamstrings are frequently paired by novice and advanced bodybuilders. The shoulders are essentially self-trained, while the quadriceps and abs—which benefit from multiple weekly workouts—are targeted every other session. During Week 4, no new exercises are introduced, allowing you to concentrate on the intensity of your workouts rather than acquiring knowledge of new movements.
The repetition schemes for this week remain within the hypertrophy range; however, the overall volume is increased by including additional sets in specific exercises: for more significant body parts, up to five sets per move, and on Thursday, ten sets of calf raises. This increase in volume will guarantee that your muscles are adequately overworked to sustain the growth that has commenced during the initial three weeks. At this point, successful completion of this four-week program grants you advancement to the subsequent phase.