Workout Routines and Splits

weightlifting and bodybuilding programs

      Workout routines are exercises having many sets and reps, for each muscle. A workout split is a term is used for split up your workout. Example for chest weightlifting workout routines are 3 sets of the flat bench press, 3 sets on the incline bench press, and 2 sets of flat bench dumbell flyes.To avoid overtraining, workout split is very important.

      Doing chest on Monday, then triceps on Tuesday, then shoulders on Wednesday will overtrain your triceps. Every chest and shoulder exercise works the triceps secondary. And almost every back exercise works the biceps secondary.

      When making your workout routines and splits:Triceps, Work chest and shoulders on the same day, back and biceps on the same day is acceptable if the secondary muscles get worked that day. Separate those muscles that work a secondary muscle so that to avoid overtrain.

Sample split routines

Monday - Chest/Triceps
Tuesday - off
Wednesday - Biceps/Back
Thursday - off
Friday - Shoulders/Legs
Saturday - off
Sunday - off

Monday - Chest/Triceps
Tuesday - off
Wednesday - Shoulders/Legs
Thursday - off
Friday - Back/Triceps
Saturday - off
Sunday - off

Monday - Chest/Back
Tuesday - Shoulders
Wednesday - off
Thursday - Biceps/Triceps
Friday - Legs
Saturday - off
Sunday - off

      Remember, these are just sample programs.Some people like to workout on the weekends, and I don't. So in all the samples I made them off days. It all depends on what days you have time to workout and/or when you want to workout which is why these are just samples, not splits you have to use.

Sample Weightlifting Workout Routines

      There are many exercises for each muscle, and so many ways to split them up and make a routine out of them. So instead of listing 10,000 workout routines,list of most effective muscle building exercises for each muscle.

Chest

Flat Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Flat Bench Dumbell Flyes
Incline Dumbell Flyes

Back

Deadlift
Lat Pulldown (or weighted pull ups)
Seated Cable Row
Bent Over Barbell Row
Bent Over 1 Arm Dumbell Rows .

Chest

Standing Barbell Curls
Preacher Curls (with dumbells or barbell)
Seated/Standing Dumbell Curls

Triceps

Tricep Press Down
Dips
French Press

Legs

Squats
Calve Raises

Shoulders

Seated/Standing Military Press (with barbell or dumbells)
Lateral Raises
Shrugs

Abs
       Abs are an important muscle and should be worked, but most people are just so confused when it comes to ab workouts.

Weightlifting Workout Routine And Split

       I've tried a bunch of different workout routines, and this one is probably my favorite. Remember, I'm not selling this. Its just what I do. I'm not saying because I do it and it works for me, that you should do it and that it will work for you.

Monday - Chest/Triceps
Tuesday - Legs
Wednesday - off
Thursday - Shoulders
Friday - Back/Biceps
Saturday - off
Sunday - off

Chest

Flat Bench Press 4 sets
Incline Hammer Strength Machine 2 sets
Dumbell Flyes 2 sets

Back

Deadlift 3 sets
Lat Pull down 3 sets
Seated Cable Row 2 sets

Biceps

Standing Barbell Curls 3 sets
Preacher Curls (with dumbells) 1 set

Triceps

Tricep Press down 2 sets
Dips (weighted) 2 sets

Legs

Squats 4 sets
Leg Extension 2 sets
Leg Curl 2 sets
Seated/Standing Calve Raises 5 sets total (2 or 3 sets each way)

Shoulders

Seated Military Press (with dumbells) 4 sets
Lateral Raises 3 sets
Shrugs 3 sets

      Why do you do the incline hammer strength machine and not the incline bench press? Well, I used to do the incline bench press, but I never felt right on it. I can't really explain it, but I couldn't get into a groove so to speak. So I went to the next best thing to free weights (by the way, free weights are the best thing for building muscle mass) which are hammer strength machines.

      They are the closest thing to free weights, and I happen to love the incline hammer machine, so I use it.Why do you do so little? Wouldn't you be better off doing 10 sets for biceps or doing 15 sets for the chest? Nope, I tried that and it didn't work. After trying a bunch of different workout routines and programs, I discovered that the one I am using now works, so I use it. 10 sets for biceps might work for you but it doesn't for me.

      For more information on this, read the Important Facts section where I explain this in more detail.If you did for example, biceps and back on different days, or triceps and chest on different days, would you do more for the secondary muscles, biceps and triceps? This is hard to answer. You see, I never did triceps on a different day then chest, or biceps on a different day then back.

       Like I said, this routine works for me, so I stuck with it. But I would guess, if I did them on different days, I would probably end up doing a few more sets for biceps and triceps.What if I have another question about weightlifting and bodybuilding programs that you didn't answer? Simple, mail me and ask me and I will be glad to answer.

E-mail me at: vijayyyy@hotmail.com