If you’re reading this, then it appears you’ve made it all the way to the end of my guide to creating The Ultimate Weight Training Workout Routine. Nice!
At this point, I have just 5 things left to say.
1. Congrats!
First of all… congratulations are in order.
You’ve now learned more about weight training, program design, and how to get the results you want than the majority of the population will ever learn in their lifetime. So… congrats on that!
2. Put It To Use!
I hope you liked the guide and actually use what you’ve learned.
Because honestly, reading and learning and understanding are great and all, but the only way it’s truly going to work is if you actually put it into action. So… do that.
3. But Wait, There’s MORE!
Believe it or not, I still have a ton of information to share with you.
While this guide was pretty damn comprehensive, there’s actually plenty of stuff that I purposely left out, skipped over, or didn’t think fit right within this guide.
Stuff about weight training, cardio, diet and nutrition, supplements, building muscle, losing fat, increasing strength and performance, improving health, and much more.
And I’ll be sharing all of it right here on a regular basis. To make sure you never miss any of it, you can subscribe for free, and also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
4. More Workouts To Choose From!
Even though I just covered how to create your own workout routine, I’ve realized that many people want something more.
More what? More proven workouts to choose from that I designed myself and have been using with my coaching clients for years with amazing results.
They are now all included as part of my Superior Muscle Growth program.
Feel free to check it out.
5. Give Me Your Feedback!
And last but not least, I want to hear your feedback. In fact, I want 3 different kinds of feedback.
- First, I want to know what you thought of the guide.
I want to know what you liked best, what section was most useful, what you wish I covered in more detail or explained better, what you felt was missing (if anything), and basically just your thoughts and opinions on the guide itself. - Second, I want to answer your questions.
If you had any questions about any aspect of weight training, creating your routine, reaching your specific goal (building muscle, increasing strength, losing fat, etc.), the sample workouts or anything else while reading any part of this guide, email me here and ask. I will answer. Also be sure to check out the nearly 3000 comments below this post. Most questions have already been asked/answered at this point. - Third, I want to hear how well it’s working for you.
Once you start using the information contained in this guide, guess what’s going to happen? You’re going to start getting the results you want. Sounds good, huh? Trust me… it is. And when that starts happening for you, I want to hear all about it. So, email me and let me know.
The End
Well, that’s about it.
I hope you liked the guide (and if you did, be sure to tell your friends about it) and I hope you actually use what you’ve learned from it.
I also hope you subscribe for free, because I plan on writing similarly awesome and useful guides in the future.
And again, if you have any questions, comments, feedback, or just want to tell me how well it’s working for you, email me here.
Enjoy your results.
(This article is part of a completely free guide to creating the best workout routine possible for your exact goal. It starts here: The Ultimate Weight Training Workout Routine)
Okay, after re-reading this whole thing from start to finish (TWICE!), lots of useful info here, and boy did it help clarify things for me! However, potentially stupid question here. My apt complex has a weight room with machines, which is good for total klutzes like me. The machines are, going in order around the room:
Glute Press
Leg Extension/Leg Curl
Inner thigh/Outer thigh
Lats/Row
Shoulder Press/Supine Press/Incline Press
Biceps/Triceps
Let me preface the question with this: I’m a beginner, I *KNOW* I’m a beginner. So if I understand your site right, if I want to build strength/muscle, I’d be doing 3 sets, 5-10 reps each (depending on large vs small muscle groups), 60 seconds between sets, 3x/week.
(NOW comes my question.)
How can I adapt the Beginner Workout to the above machines?
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!
Are there any dumbbells available at all, or is it just those machines and nothing else? If it’s the latter, your exercise replacements will need to go a little something like this:
Squat: a leg press (or hack squat machine) would be the only real machine based replacement for squats, so this one is tough. Leg extensions would be the closest, but they’re really not that close at all. This is where dumbbells would come in handy.
Bench press: the supine press you mentioned sounds ideal, or push-ups would be fine too.
Row: not completely sure what you mean by lats/row, but assuming the “row” it’s some type of “horizontal pull” (where you’re pulling weight towards your torso horizontally), that would be good.
Deadlifts: same as squats. Leg curl be the next closest, but again… not as close as it would ideally be.
Pull-ups: if the “lats” machine you mentioned is a lat pull-down, that would be perfect.
Overhead press: the shoulder press machine you mentioned would be perfect.
Awesome, thanks so much for the clarification! To address your questions:
They have dumbbells (not sure what the max weight they have is, there’s a rack of them near the door). Also got a couple of kettlebells, IIRC – again, not sure of the weights. Admittedly, squats scare me because my knees are in less than great shape, but if squats I must do, then squats I must do.
Re: row – yep, it’s a horizontal pull.
Re: lats – yep, they are a vertical-pull. Also, recommendation on grip (palms facing me, palms facing away, one each way)?
Squats are NOT a must do (I personally haven’t done them in a while), but I would consider something similar to them (meaning some kind of quad dominant lower body compound movement) to be a must-do.
So if you do have dumbbells available, some kind of dumbbell squat, goblet squat (a kettlebell can work well for this too), or split squat/lunge would be a much better replacement for squats than a leg extension would (and if you have knee issues, machines may sometimes be more problematic for you then free weights). Same with deadlifts, some kind of dumbbell version would be better than leg curls.
As for lat pull-down grip, pick your favorite. I tend to prefer overhand.
First I would like to start by saying thank you so much!! You are so great at explaining and making it easy to understand. I learned a lot!
I started today with your second workout routine for beginners. I started with workout B (because I missed Monday).
I think the workout was great, but definitely way less then I am used to doing. (From your article I have realized I was doing too much and not getting enough from my diet). I think it will take some getting used to.
I just have a few question if you don’t mind helping me out. I would greatly appreciate some feedback.
If I am not sore the next day does that me I didn’t push myself hard enough or that my workout wasn’t a success?
Should I add 15-30 mins of cardio before or after my weight training to give my body an extra workout?
Is it best to try and work out the same time every week?
If I really want to focus on building a specific area is it ok to add an extra exercise in there for that muscle? (I’m going to be honest I really don’t like my butt and want to build a nice one.)
Thanks again!! Looking forward to hearing from you.
🙂
Glad to hear it!
Soreness is not an indicator of effectiveness. Read this one.
About cardio, read this one, especially the second half.
As for what time to workout, read this one.
And for the last one, that’s something to think more about once you’re an intermediate. Until then, squats and deadlift will have all kinds of butt improving effects.
Read all the information you gave me! Great! That helped a lot. I appreciate you answering my beginner questions 🙂
Looking forward to continuing your weight training routine and taking everything I learned from your articles and putting it to use. You will hear from me again soon.
Looking forward to it!
First off, let me say this is the best routine I’ve seen set up for beginners like me. But because I’m not sure if this is the best workout for someone my age/weight/height, I want to give you some information and I would like you to recommend what is best for me if you could.
Gender: Male
Age: 14
Height: 5’2
Weight: 115lbs (I’m several pounds lighter than the recommended weight for my age and height (123lbs?), from what I’ve researched.)
Calculated Calorie Maintenance + Surplus: 2,550
Experience with weight lifting: 4 months of (very, imo) inconsistent training. My high school has a weight room with just about everything. I’ve usually done something similar to your intermediate routine which was given to me by my track coach. I can do 3×10 70lbs Bench Press and 3×10 115lbs Squats. I’ve never done deadlifting, but there is a Hammer Strength Deadlift machine that focuses more on your lower body in the weight room that I’d be willing to try.
Any tips?
Check your email, I responded there. In the future by the way, please only either comment or email your question. Doing both is annoying as hell. 😉
lol, what a noob thing to do right. thanks for the reply
Hi Jay,
1, Is there any exercise that can replace deadlift? My apartment’s gym doesnt have barbell to do that and the closest is the cable pulling machine.
2, I’m now working on your beginner routine 3 times per week ( Mon Wed Fri ). Can I add 30 mins abs exercise on rest days? ( Tue , Thurs , Sat )?
3, Do you recommend to take green tea extract EGCG for weight loss? It rated 8.9/10 on bodybuilding.com. I am now taking multivitamin only.
1. Are there dumbbells? Some kind of dumbbell deadlift (probably Romanian) would be the best option.
2. 30 mins of abs? Read this.
3. Nope, not really. The only thing I recommend for weight loss is a small caloric deficit.
Hi there,
Just wanted to say that I finished my second week of ABA BAB on Version 1. It’s been great so far, but I have no idea if and when I have “perfect” form… because sometimes I don’t feel as if my muscles are sore, ever.
Obviously that could be because I purposely chose weights that are a little lighter than they’re supposed to be, but even when I look at YouTube videos I have no idea if I’m doing it right.
Also, because I’m too shy to ask someone to be a spotter, I’ve been using what I believe to be a Smith machine to do my Bench Presses – is that OK, or should I be looking at something else?
Also, what constitutes “perfect” form? I’ve never once in this entire guide seen an “exercise example”, and hence have no comparison module, since I see wildly varying “correct” techniques on the web (particularly YouTube, since I am a visual learner, and suck at just “reading” things, because I do this enough at school and at work).
Last dumb question: how long are the workouts supposed to last? I awkwardly feel as if I only go to the gym for a maximum time of like 45 minutes before leaving after I finish my stuff (I’m switching to Version 2 for next week to feel less awkward – but if you have any kinds of advice as to how to deal with it, it’d be appreciated).
Thanks again for your help so far.
For your three sections of feedback, I have this to offer; I hope it’s to your liking. 🙂
1. The guide was very comprehensive in terms of specifying what, when, and why, but what was missing was the “how”. I have no idea what perfect form looks like, and thus feel as if I will never progress because “perfection” is something that’s pretty subjective based on who you talk to. If “perfection” means feeling sore in the “right places” the next morning (of which I have no idea, since the muscle groups being exercised are in places I have no idea about!), then maybe I’m doing it right?
I think one thing I had a problem with was the amount of sheer text, and the number of sections (it was daunting… I actually skipped two sections because I was lacking clarity and felt lost in some sections… more on that in the questions section) made me feel like I was inferior or inadequate, for probably the wrong reasons, but in any case… yeah.
2. I have a lot of questions above. I hope you don’t find me too stupid, because I’m “new” in a weird way – I took a weight training class in Grade 10/11, but mostly just used that time to do leg presses and cardio, since both of those aspects of my body were completely lacking. It was only recently that I noticed my lack of upper body strength was depressing to a fault. Also, I haven’t been to a gym since then, and that was… roughly 6-7 years ago (I’m a fifth-year student at university). Now that I have access to a gym both at home and at work, I want to take full advantage of working out as much as possible.
That leads me to my last question, actually (I keep getting them, I’m so so sorry for wasting your time!) — when we work out more than three times a week, does that move into the “intermediate” section?
3. Well, after the first couple of workout days, I actually woke up sore, but refreshed… I find myself falling asleep less at work, which is important because I have a huge sleep problem, and this is starting to solve it slowly, since restful sleep is hard for me (I’m a massive insomniac, and that’s not due to a lack of trying).
Glad to hear it dude!
Soreness: read this one.
Smith machine: not something I recommend using. I’d much rather you ask for a spotter, use dumbbells, or as a 3rd option try some kind of good machine chest press designed better than the smith machine is.
Perfect form: until I get into a gym with a camera, this one is hard to answer.
Workout time: they should last exactly as long as they do. The amount of time you spend in the gym doesn’t matter. What matters is that what you’re doing is designed optimally for your goals and is being put into action correctly. As long as that’s happening, they’ll automatically take however long they should.
1. See above. Also keep in mind that this guide contains an amount of information that takes most people years to finally learn and understand.
2. Beginners should ideally be doing some kind of basic 3 day full body routine, nothing more. Intermediate programs can still involve 3 workouts per week, though.
3. Glad to hear it!
Hey again, thanks for the response.
Another idiot question: I don’t know if you covered it, but I found myself sweating MORE post-workout than during the workout, despite finishing like a half hour before… just before my shower, I’m almost soaking – it’s like some kind of delayed sweat reaction to doing work or something, LOL.
Also, I’m kind of new to “assigned times” — should I be going before work or after? So far I’ve been doing it in the evening after dinner. Not sure if it’s the best time to do it, but I find time then, so I go… I could go earlier though! 🙂
1. You might just be a weird sweater? 😉
2. Totally up to you. Read this one.
On December 4th of 2013 I started my diet. I walk no less then 3 miles per day in a 60 minute time. I weighed 210 lbs at that time. I now weigh 192. I stick to a 1700 calorie a day diet. I also lift weights every other day for 1 hour. I am 63 years old. I am 6′ with a thin frame. My belly on December 4th, fully relaxed was 45 inches. Today after losing 18 pounds, its 43 inches. Not much improvement for losing 18 lbs. What else can I do to lose belly fat??
Read this one.
Man you are awasome so informative!!!
i have a question for you my brother.My goal is to increase my muscle mass as fast as possible naturally.I am in indermidiate state i think (i can bench 110 kg for 8 squat 140 for 10 and deadlift 170 kg x5 reps).I have reached this level thru full body workouts 3 times per week A B style 1 day on 1 day off.
Now i have a home gym and i have a very flexible calendar and based to what ive read here i have come up with this routine: FULL BODY day 1 (day 2 recovery) (day 3 recovery) FULL BODY day 4 (day 5 recovery) (day 6 recovery) day 7 FULL BODY (day 8 and 9 recovery) day 10 FUll BODY and so on….
Now when i mean full body i mean full body all the muscles so the muscles get worked 3 times per week 120 repetions divided by 3=40 reps divided by 4 sets=10 reps per set for big muscle groups like legs back etc and like 50 reps per week or less for the smaller muscles.I want to do these exercises squats bench press close grip bench press standing overhead press barbell rows wide grip pullups deadlifts and some form of curling and ab roller(I have in mind progressive overload thats what brought me so far and it will continue) but i have 1-2 questions i want to do deadlifts but i dont know in what order to do them or how many sets and reps for this particullar exercise.Also i think that my overhead pressing will suck because of barbell bench pressing how can i avoid this?Overall i think it is a very good routine because protein synthesis lasts for 48 hours and after that waiting to hit the same muscle again is kinda time wasted like i did in 3x week full body(4 days until i hit the same bodypart) Let me know what do you think of this and also please let me know what do you think of farmer walks and how can i incoporate them in this routine.Thank you in advance and sorry for the long post
People come to me all the time with their workouts and diets looking for me to tell them if it’s good or what should be changed or how it can be improved, but it’s unfortunately not something I do at all for anyone anymore. It’s nothing personal of course. It’s just too time consuming to go through every detail and provide the proper feedback. So, it’s just one of those things I always avoid doing. Sorry!
Thanks for this amazing guide!
I have a quick question; how do you feel about working to failure? Many people advocate it for growth/overload whilst others say that it causes too much of a strain on the CNS (my recovery isn’t great as it is). I’d like to get your opinion.
Thanks again!
Read this one.
Brilliant, just the kind of info i needed! I’ve been training to failure quite a lot recently and been wondering why my recovery has been awful and I keep getting ill. I’m gonna start stopping a rep short now and see how I get on.
Thanks again 🙂
Hi Jay,
Any exercise that you would recommend to add on top of beginner routine vesion 2 to cure Kyphosis/Hunchback??
Search around for stuff Eric Cressey has written. I remember him doing a series of articles about correcting postural issues like this.
Hi Jay,first and foremost before asking my questions I would like to thank you for all the hard work and dedication, email answers you have given for all of us
Sincerely I would say,that your website is top notch for diet and weight training,it truly is meticulously genius and considering that you can sell an ebook just by using text with no pictures whatsoever is actually quite an awesome ability.I truly think that you website is awesome and have educated me extremely well.Two thumbs-up.
Almost 3 months into your beginner version 2 routine and I have progress really well,now for my questions:
Q1-I always have this question in mind:
*You state that beginner should hit each muscle group 3 times a week
*However your beginner routine doesn’t(sometimes twice sometimes once),why?
Q2-Bench press I replace with Incline DB Press(slight incline actually) due to discomfort and pain reason,is this fine?
Q3-
*Most of your routines does not balance horizontal push/pull
*Why is that?(more horizontal push on 2 day/week routine and most intermediate routines)
*You state that balancing the movements is important to prevent shoulder injuries
Q4-What are our thoughts on hypertrophy specific training,is it bullshit for you?
Q5-My at home workout(when I cannot go to gym due to unavoidable causes)
*Problem: DB weights not heavy enough
1.Incline Leg Press replaced by Goblet Squat of 3 x 12-15
2.Lying Leg curl replaced by DB Rom DL of 3 x 12-15
3.Incline DB Press replaced by Flat DB press of 3 x 12-15
4.DB Shoulder press rep range 8-10 to 12-15
5.Lat-pulldowns replaced by assisted pullups using a chair 3 x 8-10
6.Cable row replaced by inverted row 3 x 8-10(10 is my max now)
What are you thoughts?
Thank you for your feedback,it is much appreciated,keep posting and educating us
1. See my response to “Arif” below.
2. In what routine?
3. It is important. I think you’ll find all of the routines I design to be either 100% balanced or pretty close to 100% balanced (e.g. 2 sets more/less).
4. Certainly not bullshit. Just not what I’d consider optimal for growth, at least for people past the beginner stage.
5. Sorry dude, workout critiques are something I always avoid doing because it’s just too time consuming to go through it all and provide the proper feedback.
workout A for beginner routine instead of bench press I do Incline DB Press,just that.
That should be alright.
Hi Jay,
You mentioned that beginner should train 3 times a week with hitting the each muscle every 2nd or 3rd day however your beginner routine hits each muscle every 4th or 5th day,why is that?
Thank you
Shorter answer: don’t worry about.
Longer answer: I need to write an article about this one day.
Hi,
I would like to ask if the beginner routine I do it 4 x 6-8 instead of 3 x 8-10, I find that my form is better in the 6-8 range.I do not go heavy,or to failure coz I dont like that.So when I do 8 reps,it means that to failure would be 10 or 11 reps.
Is it ok to do this?
You can switch it to 6-8 reps, but keep the sets at 3.
Ok thanks
Hi Jay,
Firstly this is a very detailed and comprehensive plan with some great advice. I’d just like to ask whether these half body plans are optimal for growth? I’ve been training isolated muscle groups for the past year or so and am finding growth limited. So I was wondering whether these half-body plans are the optimal routines for growth, and I’d like to get your opinion on training separate muscle groups.
Best,
Nath
When you say “half body plans” are you referring to upper/lower? And when you say “training separate muscle groups” are you referring to body part splits?
If so, read this. And this.
In your article explaining the difference between push and pull exercises you constantly stress balance must be kept between the two (i.e one vertical push must be paired with a vertical pull). However, in the workout of yours I am following, namely the muscle building one, I’ve noticed that there is a ratio of 3:2 for push/pull exercises in both the upper body routines. Isn’t this a rather significant difference that implies a lack of balance? I’m afraid that the 2 extra sets of upper body pushing exercises per week will slowly accumulate and result in an injury in the future.
First, that 2 set difference is quite insignificant. If it wasn’t… trust me… I wouldn’t have designed it that way.
If you happen to have preexisting shoulder issues or just want to play it extra safe, you can always add in 2 sets of rear delt work to balance it out.
Hi there, loving the website, looks very in depth and can’t wait to start trying these out. Will hold my hands out saying I don’t have anything to compare with as this’ll be the first time I’ve ever weight trained.
I’ve probably got the stupidest question ever….but in the beginner guide when you say rows, do you mean seated rows? There are just quite a few different varieties and I wanted to be sure.
Bit nervous about starting out as I’ll be doing going to the gym alone and hope that when I bench press I don’t make a noob mistake and start too high! Cheers for all the info and love the writing style too.
Rows in this case would be any sort of “horizontal pulling exercise” which would include bent over barbell or dumbbell rows, seated cable rows, t-bar rows, various seated machine rows and chest supported rows, etc..
Hi Jay,
On Beginner routine A & B , can i use dumbells to make it become DB squats / DB Tricep Press bench and DB Calf Raise ? Or just bodyweight is better?
DB squats are alright if you don’t have other options available. DB calf raise is fine. For triceps, make it a dumbbell overhead extension (so it’s an isolation exercise, not a compound like a press).
Hey, let me start by saying this guide is exceptionally helpful and im looking forward to getting going on my routine however being a student im pretty short on money and cant afford a gym membership. I have a set of dumbbells but was wondering if you thought a bench and pull up bar are essential in order to perform an exercise for each muscle group, looking through your guide I couldn’t see anyway to include hori push and vert pull without the use of a bench, pull up bar or machine. I am a beginner by the way and would really appreciate any suggestions for exercises I can do at home to fill these gaps without the need for machines or pull up bars.
Thanks,
Sam
Read this one.
Hey….. Didn’t get your name (author of book) or if this was written by a group. I’ve lifted for quite some time ( on & off) and am starting up AGAIN. Last time I lifted was about 1.5 years ago, so I’m starting your program as a beginner. After reading your website it makes so much sense, I’m anxious to get going and move on to intermediate level. I have a question on your routines on abs. I was under the assumption that you could work on abs every workout/everyday. I see you list AB work every other workout. Was I misinformed ????
Nope, no group. Just one guy here writing everything (I’m Jay, nice to meet you).
Regarding abs, read this one.
Hey Jay !!…. thanks a lot
I’ve been on your beginner work out for 3 weeks now. The first 2 weeks I substituted the exercises with a relevant machine, but this last week I have moved onto free weights after getting a PT to show me proper form etc. I learnt to deadlift on Tuesday and on Thursday it should have been squats but I found that my quads were hurting way too much. I know that deadlifts are meant to target the hamstrings more but I barely ached anywhere other than my quads (weak quads catching up maybe?) My PT was impressed with my form and I’ve done plenty of research into the proper way to do it so I don’t think I’m doing it wrong.
I guess my question is, should I just leave out squats if I’m in too much pain? Do something else? I’m tempted to just push through it but my weaker leg was occasionally buckling every now and then, any worse and I would be unable to walk! For background info, I had a serious foot injury 2 years ago so I have one leg a lot weaker than the other.
By the way, from following your advice I have lost 11 pounds and lost 7 inches from my waist, thank you so much for your website, it’s awesome!
Glad to hear it Kylie!
It’s perfectly fine (and normal) to train through some mild soreness as a beginner. Injuries and actual non-soreness “pain” are another story, though.
Hi Jay,
1-If I perform a deadlift and I feel most on the lower back,does that mean I am doing it wrong?
I do feel soreness around my back more after a deadlift,but not much on the legs
Which type of deadlift?
The standard deadlift(normal)
You should certainly feel your lower back working during a conventional deadlift. But if that’s all you feel doing anything (no legs at all), then it’s certainly possible there is some kind of issue with your form.
Without seeing it though, it’s impossible to say for sure.
Hello,
I enjoyed reading this guide alot! I have been lookibg for something organized and in dept for a long time and this is the best one I’ve read by far.
I still have one question for you.
I would like to increase strength and mass. I don’t care much about being gigantic or something but more about being generally stronger (and bejng good looking is a good side effect).
According to this guide I should be doing 6×4 or 8×3 for every exercise.
Will it be ok if i take the exact same exersises from your muscle building routine (upper lower split) but do 6×4 for every exercise instead to make it a strength AND muscle building workout?
Also, if yes, which is better for my goal – 6×4 or 8×3?
Thanks in advance! I appreciate your hard work and contribution to us.
You kinda have the right idea, but I definitely wouldn’t switch to that rep range for EVERY exercise.
Something like sets of 3-6 reps for the primary exercises (the ones that are currently 6-8 reps), and then sets of 6-8 reps for the secondary exercises (the stuff is that currently 8-10) would be a better way to do this. The higher rep isolation stuff I’d actually keep in the same higher rep ranges, though.
Thank you for your answer. But if this program is focused on both strength and mass, why do I keep the 10-12 wich is much more about muscle mass?
Im just alittle concerned that having 10-12 reps in the workout nakes it a more muscle mass oriented workout (i want a more strength oriented one).
Also the muscle groups that get these 10-12 reps never get 6×4 (like biceps) meaning (as I understand) they wont get much stronger. Am i missing something?
Because isolation exercises like curls, triceps extenions, lateral raises etc. are not meant for being done super heavy in lower rep ranges.
The important stuff that is, which makes up the majority of the routine, will be in the rep range you want it to be. The higher rep accessory stuff will remain higher rep accessory stuff because that’s what it is.
Is there never a need for training strength for biceps and triceps (6×4)?
Won’t they remain weak in comparison to the rest of the muscle groups?
Nope. All training your biceps/triceps for heavy sets of 4 will do is destroy your elbows/tendons/maybe even tear a muscle.
Hi Jay,
When im doing DB bench press I feel that it doesnt seem to hit my chest ..any tips?
Usually just a matter of learning to use your chest when pressing. Lyle McDonald has written a pretty good article about this here.
Hello.
The gym that i go to doesn’t have a squat rack.
Is there an alternative for squats?
Leg press would work.
Hello! Really great blog, I can’t get enough of it!
I’m a total beginner at weight lifting, 31-year-old woman. I’m absolutely determined to listen to your advices, so I can get in best shape I can, not making the silly beginner’s mistakes 🙂 The thing is I want to make exercises at home. Let’s say I am creative enough for the weights (I don’t have dumbbells, barbell or even a bench), but with some of the exercises it won’t be very easy to progress this way.
So I hope you can give me some ideas for the exercises from the beginners program I have difficulty with – deadlift, bench press, overhead shoulder press. For now I can handle it with some bottles full of water instead of dumbbells, but with the progressing of the weight it will be getting harder to hold five or more bottles 🙂 Maybe I could put some salt packs in a bag and then it won’t be so big like the bottles, but what about the grip and the proper form, do you thing this will affect it in some way? And how exactly I hold the bag in order to not affect the proper form of the bench press for example? Or I just could replace the bench press with push-ups (progressing of course with some weights on the back, or more reps, because I do only 10 reps in a sequence with no weight), deadlift with weighted swing/squats or something like that…
And something else – if I use the second workout program with more exercises, can I do instead of biceps curls and triceps press downs some more isolated exercises for the buttocks like kickbacks (butt is my trouble zone)?
Sorry for my english and please, don’t get annoyed with me, I’m just a silly beginner who wants to make things right 🙂
Have you read this one yet?
I just did! Thanks a lot, you’re my inspiration! I’ll share the results!
WOW. LOVELY STUFF. AMAZING.
I have been reading dozens of articles daily about bodybuilding but they all say opposite things.
By far this is the most reliable article I have read.
I started working out 50 days back doing one body part a day, six days a week. Being an ectomorph and pure vegetarian I struggle getting enough protein. Though I have now made a decision and a diet chart providing me with 180 gm protein, 300 gm carbs and 3000+ calories. I don’t have nutrition problem now.
I didn’t see much results during my past workout. During those 50 days I didn’t see much changes. I grew only 3.3 pounds. I have decided to start doing compound exercises three days a week full body split.
I have problem designing the exercises to be done. Your workout routine for beginners doesn’t have exercise for biceps. I want bigger biceps so I want to place more concentration on biceps (I have 11 inch biceps. Looks sad to me. 🙁 )
I want to design 3 day full body split myself. Can you tell me how many exercises can I do everyday. I think 6 is fine. I do 4×10 reps.
Am I training too much? Should decrease the number of exercises?
I’d recommend using the beginner routine (the second version in your case) and not trying to come up with your own.
Been doing this workout for about a month and love it. My favorite exercise is chest dips. If doing the intermediate routine where do you think the best place to work in chest dips is?
In place of flat dumbbell presses in the Upper B workout.
Where would you suggest working in conventional deadlifts in the intermediate routine?
I personally prefer not to try. More here.
I have your “The Best Workout Routine” PDF and used to do the Upper Body Focused workout. Then I switched to some crazy push/pull/legs/push/pull and then after hurting my shoulder again I switched to a 5 day split to get me into the gym for cardio 5 days a week (I have a horrible track record for going in just to do cardio). It was chest/back on mondays, arms on tuesday, legs on wed, shoulders on thurs and chest/back on friday usually each workout is 18-20 sets. Now both shoulders and elbows are sore, even after 2 full weeks off. So Im thinking of going back to your Upper Body Focused Workout. I did the 5 day split so I could do front, and side lateral raises, shoulder press, rear pec deck, and internal and external rotator stuff but I think adding all that plus a seperate arm day is what made my shoulders even worse!
The only think I wonder about the upper body focus is there is no rotator cuff stuff and I like to do shrugs every week as well and it does not have shrugs either. Cheers Rob
I consider rotator cuff type stuff to be accessory prehab/rehab type training, which I think is more of an individual need so I rarely ever include it in the programs I design by default. As for shrugs, throwing 3 sets of 8-10 on at the end of one of the upper body workouts per week is usually just fine.
Ok Thanks and I saw one of your comments up about about throwing in 2 sets of rear pec deck as well so that sounds fine. One upper I will add rear pec and also front lateral 2 sets each (as I see one set of laterals is included which will be side) and the other upper day I will throw in 3 sets shrugs 🙂 One upper has 18 and one has 19 sets so this way both will have 22 as Im kind of anal about things being equal Thanks for the input Cheers
Some rear delt work is fine, but front raises are VERY unnecessary and often nothing but overkill placing excess stress on your shoulders for no beneficial reason. The front delts already get a ton of volume (often too much as it is) from every chest and shoulder exercise.
Thank you! You did really great job, this is the best guide i have ever read. My favorite parts are Training splits, Compound a isolated exercises and Movement paterns. My question is related to the third one – what do you think about (dumbell) pullover and Barbell Upright Row. Are they push or pull? Compound or isolated? Thank you.
Those aren’t really push/pull exercises. They’re more weird exceptions (an upright row is a pulling motion, but it’s a shoulder exercise). Not really a fan of either, honestly. A good pullover machine can be nice, and upright rows tend to piss off a lot of people’s shoulders.
Thought of a thousand ways to word this question then decided just to keep it simple. So here it is. I am doing the muscle building routine. I was able to do three days a week. But can now only manage two, so would it be OK to combine the upper and lower portions and make it two workouts instead of four? Love the site by the way.
Combining the workouts would make for some huge workouts. If you can only manage to train twice per week, I’d recommend using some version of my 2 Day Workout Routine (which is included in The Best Workout Routines).
Hi Jay,
How do you make progression on abs exercise? Longer duration ( from 10 mins to maximum 45 mins ) or just add some weight on it?
Read this one.
Hi! I´m Alejandro from Argentina.
Let my start by congratulating you, you run an amazing website. You seem to be really smart by the way you analise and explain things. It´s great to find somenone who knows how things work.
I have an old shoulder impigement injury. It was due to a muscular imbalance.I need to strengthen my back imperatively. The doctor has forbidden me to do pull-ups and shoulder presses.
Here comes the question. Can I repeat rows and floor press on Workout B? Does it make any sense to have a workout like this? Even if it´s not ideal.
Workout A
Squats
Floor Press
Seated Rows
Workout B
Deadlifts
Floor Press
Seated Rows
I´ve started to add pec work. Im using a ridiculously low weight for that but increasing it fast, Im focusing more on squats and rows.Next week i will try with deadlifts if it doesnt bother my shoulders.
I dont know if im doing right. Your answer can give me some peace of mind, thanks! I apologize for my horrible english.
People show me their workouts all the time looking for me to tell them if it’s good or what should be changed or how it can be improved, but it’s unfortunately not something I do at all for anyone anymore. It’s nothing personal of course. It’s just much too time consuming to go through every detail and provide the proper feedback. So, it’s just one of those things I always avoid doing. Sorry!
Dear Jay,
Loving this information. I’m excited to get on the computer and continue reading every day. Just started reading the Best Diet Plan. Thank you!
Not sure if this is intentional or not but I looked around (hope you don’t think I’m a creeper) 🙂 and I haven’t found any pictures of you. I have no doubts that you’re a healthy looking beast!
Thanks again for the free info,
-Andy
Glad to hear it man! I understand your creeping intent, but the lack of pics is on purpose. I explain this a bit more in a comment right here.
hey man today i was doing conventional deadlifts at the gym and then the owner came and told me that this exercise is mostly for powerlifting and not so good for building muscle because your muscles are not under constant tension and that rdls are a much better one.what’s your opinion on this?
Nonsense. Plenty of people have built plenty of muscle with conventional deadlifts. Are they a requirement for building muscle? Absolutely not. There are plenty of other options (including RDLs) that can get the job done just as well, sometimes even better in some cases.
I am in the process of bulking and would like to know if I am suppose to increase my calories on days that I work out? Or on my off days from training if I cut my calories?
As long as the total surplus at the end of the week is the same, it can be done both ways. Explaining the pros/cons of each approach will require a full article, though. It’s on my to-do list.
Over the past year I have had 2 lower back injuries while doing the squat and the deadlift which I believe is due to the way my body is structured rather than form which is as good as it can be. I have extremely long femurs and a short torso and short tibias. I think that this puts a tremendous amount of strain on my lower back when doing both exercises. Therefore I’m thinking about stopping doing deadlifts and squats altogether. Are my thoughts correct? Should people with my body type stay away from the squat and deadlift? If so, then could you give me some replacement exercises which don’t place so much strain on my lower back.
I can’t comment on your injuries and/or your needs because of those injuries, but if you have some kind of legitimate issue with a certain exercise, you should avoid it.
Squats can be replaced with leg presses and a variety of single leg movements (split squats, lunges, etc.).
Deadlifts are much tougher to replace as the best replacement exercises tend to mimic a similar type of movement (like hyperextensions, for example) and could be similarly problematic.
Have you tried sumo deadlifts? I tried doing conventional and straight legged style deadlifts, but quickly realized I simply don’t have the torso and/or back strength to perform them without pain. I discovered sumo squats, world of difference. I love them. I will be moving on to conventional eventually but these are great for beginners or people with back issues. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysuMQ6QeWMs
What kind of ab workout do you refer to/recommend for the set of abs in version 2? Also, do all of the workouts involve weights? (Mainly asking about abs and calf raises)
Thanks!
Read this one.
Hi! first of all- I absolutely love your website! FINALLY some comprehensive, condensed information about training&diet without bullshiting and “miraculous”, esoteric techniques to get in shape!
Question – I have terrible problems with balance during squats. Wider stance, feet facing outwards, barbell plates under heels, whatever – I just feel as if I’m about to fall on my back and “unglue” toes from the ground. It happens even without any load! (unless I stretch my arms in front of me which obviously I can’t do with a barbell on my back). I’ve asked spotters (local personal trainer included) hundreds of times to check my technique and it doesn’t seem to be the reason of my imbalance. Smith’s machine works on me perfectly but I’ve heard it’s not as good as free squats. Any advice?
Impossible to say without seeing it myself, but if you just aren’t suited for squats, there a plenty of perfectly suitable replacement exercises (leg press, lunges, split squats, etc.).
Smith machine squats on the other hand isn’t really something I recommend. The completely straight up-and-down position it forces you into just isn’t ideal for most people’s bodies.
Hello.
I am trying to plan a workout for my girlfriend and wanted to know whether this guide works for women too.
Her goal is to loose weight and to get a little in shape. I have tried searching for a good workout, but it seems to me like they’re all for weather for some female bodybuilders (AND SHE DOES NOT WANT TO GET BUFF) or just not serious lists of recommended exercises.
So how do I start planning a program for a woman? Strength / mass workouts are everywhere, but these..
Thanks in advance for your attention and help.
Everything on this site is equally for men AND women. Read this one to understand why.
So she should just use ‘The Muscle Building Routine’?
She needs to loose weight. Won’t a muscle building routine interfere with that?
Also, she will never go for certain exercises, like bench press and deadlifts. How do I replace such important exersises?
No, building muscle will not interfere with fat loss. It will only help make it happen, and also make her look awesome.
If she doesn’t want to bench press, replace it with something similar that she will be okay with doing (e.g. dumbbell bench press, push-ups, chest press machine, etc.). Same thing with other exercises.
Thank you very much for your help.
But I still don’t know how to replace the deadlift.
I thought about combining lying leg curls with some lower back exercise to replace the muscle groups. Would that be ok? What do you suggest?
She prefers machines over other exercises because she’s very shy (I believe this will change over time)..
How about the Romanian deadlift, which is basically a less complicated, less scary, hamstring/glute focused version of a conventional deadlift?
If not, a cable pull-through or weighted hyperextension (where you bend at the hips rather than the lower back) would be good.
Thanks a lot! I think that a hyperextension would be a great exercise for her. (Or ball hyperextension maybe).
Thank you for your time and efforts, I appreciate it.
I feel i have to re-read this over and over in order to completely convince myself that someone can actually be so willing to help people out like this. UNBELIEVABLE.
The whole amount of information, the super-friendly approach which keeps us so interested on reading it entirely, and the structuring… you dude are a real superstar.
someone with 1% interest in training would read this all…it’s THAT awesome.
I especially loved the “Progressive Overload” part, where you explain how the body reacts, what the body understands and so on… I have been reading tons of nutritional and fitness information for the last 10 years, and it still got me contemplating at that point.
THANK YOU…
Ha, thanks dude!
Couldn’t have said it better myself. The method of interaction was key.
Thank you for the amazing and comprehensive guide~! It’s been an amazing source of modivation and knowledge for persuing my goals.
So I’ve been at the beginner workout routine for a few weeks now, and I’ve went through a few different variations of the deadlift with dumbbells (they only have dumbbells in my gym). I just can’t seem to comfortably execute a conventional or romanian deadlift. I’ve adamantly tried perfecting the form for either. I think I’ve reached the conclusion that I just don’t have the back and/or torso strength for them. I can, however, do sumo deadlifts. I’m actualy a big fan of them at this point. I’m wondering what your take on replacing a conventional/romanian deadlift with a sumo deadlift is? Would it screw up this routine? Is one better or different?
Thanks so much
-Alex
In the beginner routine, a sumo deadlift is perfectly fine.
Hey I’ve only just come across this and there’s so much on here which has cleared allot of things i didn’t know or wondered about with workout routines and stuff.
I am a beginner and can never get myself into a regular routine as I always added stuff and tried to do more reps than intended and i also get fed up really easily with the workouts, then on top of that I also never dieted properly as I had no idea how to.
So huge thanks for this guide.
although one thing i want to ask is .. In your beginner workout you included pull-ups, Is there anything else i can substitute there as I have always struggled to do them and as i want to start working out from home now i don’t actually have anywhere to do them. I’m hoping i can change this soon but just for now is there anything else i can do instead and still get similar results?
If you have a pull-up bar, you can do some form of assisted pull-ups. For example, like this.
at moment I dont even own a pull-up bar or have anywhere to attach one if I did but im hoping to change this soon. so wondered if theres anything else that would be as effective as a substitute for pullups for now until I do as wont be for probably another month or 2.
thanks again though for everything.
If possible, band pull-downs would be another option to consider. Something like this, albeit slightly slower: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZDqSqLQa7I
But if that’s not a doable option for you… the next best option is another horizontal rowing movement (such as a bent over dumbbell row). However, to target your lats better (like a pull-up/lat pull-down would), keep your elbows tucked in close to your sides and pull the weight more toward your hip/lower stomach rather than your chest.
Been doing the three day intermediate version of this for a while and am having a problem. I like to ride motocross on Friday or Saturday and on the weeks where I am doing two leg workouts my legs are really exhausted after the second workout so its hard to ride. Could I condense the leg routine into once a week or should I maybe take it easier on leg days? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
One lower body day per week might be the ideal option. Lower Body Focused Training (from my book) is designed for this purpose.
Can cardio be integrated into the ABA BAB beginner 3 day full body workout?
Read this one.
FIANLLY, something for those of us who are beginners!!!!
If there’s one thing i absolutely can not stand, it’s tutorials that are structured for people who already know what the hell they’re doing. Which is why i could not put this lengthy blog post down once i started reading it. It’s brilliant!!!
Up until now, I’ve just been seeing and reading ‘WHAT’ exercises are out there, or having to follow someone regime that is already ripped to shreds and have to try their best to look like what they’re doing in the DVD is actually causing some sort of difficulty.
However you go deeper into the why’s, the personal affects, the different levels, quantity, frequency and how to actually do it in the first place. And being someone who has never exercised but has wanted to for years, but never felt confident that i would succeed based on the tangled web of information i was taking in. I Now actually feel confident that I can start something up without a well organized ‘Plan’.
That said, i do have a few ‘noob’ questions.
1) My choice of workout will be ‘Version 1’ for starters. Now, you state that the first few weeks ought to focus on technique and form. So what exactly is that technique/form for the 6 exercises you’ve used in your example?
Sure, I can squat from point A to point B. But how do i know i’m doing it ‘correctly’ and ‘effectively’?
2) Are there any alternative exercises that you would recommend for your beginner workout version 1? Simply for variety purposes to avoid boredom. Or should i be just sticking to those particular ones?
3) In regards to Progression and balance.
In order to maintain overall balance, should i be holding back on progression with exercises if I haven’t reached that point with others?
e.g If i can comfortably hit 8-10 reps with bench press, but not yet with squats, should i be holding off on the next weight increment until i am ready to do so with both exercises? …. I don’t want to end up looking like Mr.Olympia up top and Mr.Bean at the bottom.
4) Like you, i’m living with the aftermath of shoulder injuries. Dislocations on either side to be exact. That said, Would the Lat Pull-Down perhaps be a better option at first, than the Pull-up? Or should it not matter if i’m using proper technique.
5) Continuing on with the shoulder debate…Do you find that, the further you progress, the more stable your shoulders become, or does the fact that it was dislocated mean that it doesn’t matter how much muscle surrounds it, it can pop just as easily as it did before.
All in all, a great blog, and i’m actually considering the Download.
Thanks again.
Thanks dude, glad to hear it!
1. Great question. In an ideal world you’d have someone who actually knows wtf they’re doing teach you each exercise in person and make sure you’re doing it right. Unfortunately that won’t happen for most people, which is why until I get into a gym with a camera (it’s on my to-do list) I don’t really have a great answer for ya.
2. Consistency is the key to progress, so you don’t want to screw around changing exercises too often, especially as a beginner. Alternative exercises are fine, but you’d still need to consistently stick with them just the same.
3. Nope, progress each exercise individually of the others.
4. Impossible to say.
5. Not really something I can answer. I know about a handful of shoulder injuries and have dealt with a handful of my own, but a dislocation is not one of them.
thanks a lot for your answers.
I’ve set up an appointment with one of the fitness consultants at the family center that we all go to. I will be using the plan that you’ve provided as a template and have them provide guidance on my form and technique.
Thanks again. You should be getting Tony Horton money for this blog. 😉
Ha!
hi jay
let me start off by saying what an absolutely amazing amazing guide you got there…esp for beginners like me…been following it since more than six months now and as you have mentioned it in one of the articles why switch over to the intermediate routine when you are seeing improvement with the current one..well that’s what what i’ve been doing…
heres my question though– actually two:
1. do i need to add another exercise if i need GREAT LOOKIG BIG TRAPS (like brock lesnar perhaps)??because i read that traps get exercised by doing shrugs…and i couldnt find any exercise which target these primarily or secondarily ..also would you place them in the category of the major muscles or minor( in terms of reps needed/week– 60-120 or 30-60??)
2.do i need to add neck exercises for the anterior and lateral muscles or are these getting exercised secondarily while doing pull ups/shoulder presses ??
also i read that its important that both the muscle and its antagonist need to be exercised equally(or nearly same muscle tone needs to be maintained) to avoid chances of injury…for instance muscles like biceps/ tri, quads/hams etc…so in that context does exercising the neck ( side to side and front to back) become important??
goal— fitness/looks related
weight- 78 kg
height- 5’11”
thanks in advance
1. Shrugs can be added later as an intermediate. Not something you need right now in my opinion.
2. Same as #1.
Is there a table of contents available?
Disregard. Found it.
Thanks for this great guide. This is easily the best website i have found for fitness and diet info. I am one of those guys that trained the chest more than back and now keep getting shoulder pulls in my right shoulder. Should i reduce total volume on my chest for a while or should i just make sure to keep chest and back volume equal from now on?
That would depend on the overall design of your program and the nature of your shoulder injury. But in general, if chest volume is excessive, it should be reduced.
Thanks for taking the time to write this great guide. I just have a few questions:
1. What would be the ideal protein recommendation for someone in their early teens.
2. What do I do in a situation where I absolutely can’t weigh anything (like at a party or something).
3. Is using the chest while benching (and shoulders during shoulder presses) just pushing the elbows where they need to go, instead of “pushing the weight away”.
Thanks again. Without this website I probably would’ve ended up like the guy on his 76th set of quarter-squats…
1. 1g per pound of body weight is a perfectly fine place to start.
2. Take your best guess.
3. Yes, this is one common tip for teaching yourself to push with your chest rather than your triceps. The same thing works for back as well.
Hi again! Just a quick question about rest days… I’m doing the beginner workout, 3x a week but I’m finding it difficult with my work rotas to go every other day (every week my shifts are totally different)… is it much of a problem to do 2 days in a row, or even 3 sometimes? I would obviously prefer to recover fully but the last 2 weeks I have been lucky to go more than once a week and it’s slowing my progression significantly!
Nope, full body is pretty much the only type of workout that I would not recommend doing on consecutive days. If you can keep somewhere between 1-3 days between each workout, you’ll be fine.