Daily Workout Routine
Workout Routine
Workout Routines for Men: The Ultimate Guide
Whether you’re a seasoned expert or new to strength training, working out at home is a great option when you can’t get to the gym or need a change of pace.
The at-home workouts below require a limited amount of equipment. Plus, some of the movements can be substituted for bodyweight exercises in which you use your body’s own weight as resistance.
These exercises can serve as a weeklong beginner routine or be cycled to provide several sessions per week for advanced trainees.
If your goal is weight loss, you can add a form of cardio, such as running or cycling, between sessions.
Equipment required: flat weight bench, appropriate adjustable dumbbells based on your level of experience
If you’re just starting out, you may want to visit a specialty store to get expert advice on selecting the right equipment. But if you know what you’re looking for, you can purchase adjustable dumbbells online.
Rest intervals: 60–90 seconds
Day 1: Legs, shoulders, and abs
- Legs: dumbbell squats — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Shoulders: standing shoulder press — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Legs: dumbbell lunge — 2 sets of 8–10 reps per leg
- Shoulders: dumbbell upright rows — 2 sets of 8–10 reps
- Hamstrings: Romanian dumbbell deadlift — 2 sets of 6–8 reps
- Shoulders: lateral raises — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Calves: seated calf raises — 4 sets of 10–12 reps
- Abs: crunches with legs elevated — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
Day 2: Chest and back
- Chest: dumbbell bench press or floor press — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Back: dumbbell bent-over rows — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Chest: dumbbell fly — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Back: one-arm dumbbell rows — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Chest: pushups — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Back/chest: dumbbell pullovers — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
Day 3: Arms and abs
- Biceps: alternating biceps curls — 3 sets of 8–10 reps per arm
- Triceps: overhead triceps extensions — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Biceps: seated dumbbell curls — 2 sets of 10–12 reps per arm
- Triceps: bench dips — 2 sets of 10–12 reps
- Biceps: concentration curls — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Triceps: dumbbell kickbacks — 3 sets of 8–10 reps per arm
- Abs: planks — 3 sets of 30-second holds
Starting out in the gym can seem intimidating, but with proper guidance, the process becomes more approachable — and even invigorating.
As a beginner, you can progress very quickly because almost any exercise promotes muscle and strength gains. Still, it’s important to avoid overexertion, which can lead to injuries or decreased performance.
This workout routine has you in the gym 3 days per week (such as Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), with full-body sessions completed each day. This allows you to get used to new movements, focus on proper form, and take time to recover.
You can add reps and sets as needed as you progress.
The beginner phase should last as long as you continue to improve. Some people may plateau at around 6 months, whereas others may continue to see results for more than a year.
Equipment required: fully equipped gym
Rest periods: 90–180 seconds for main movements, 60–90 seconds for accessories
Intensity: Select a weight that allows you to complete the prescribed reps while leaving about 2 solid reps in the tank.
Day 1: Full body
- Legs: barbell back squats — 3 sets of 5 reps
- Chest: flat barbell bench press — 3 set of 5 reps
- Back: seated cable rows — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Shoulders: seated dumbbell shoulder press — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Triceps: cable rope triceps pushdowns — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Shoulders: lateral raises — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Calves: seated calf raises — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Abs: planks — 3 sets of 30-second holds
Day 2: Full body
- Back/hamstrings: barbell or trap bar deadlifts — 3 sets of 5 reps
- Back: pullups or lat pulldowns — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Chest: barbell or dumbbell incline press — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Shoulders: machine shoulder press — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Biceps: barbell or dumbbell biceps curls — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Shoulders: reverse machine fly — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Calves: standing calf raises — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
Day 3: Full body
- Legs: leg press — 3 sets of 5 reps
- Back: T-bar rows — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Chest: machine or dumbbell chest fly — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Shoulders: one-arm dumbbell shoulder press — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Triceps: dumbbell or machine triceps extensions — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Shoulders: cable or dumbbell front raises — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Calves: seated calf raises — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Abs: decline crunches — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
SUMMARYThis 3-day beginner program provides the full-body stimulus you need to gain muscle while allowing adequate recovery between sessions.
Intermediate workout routine for men
After working hard in the gym for several months, it’s time to step your training up a notch to keep your gains coming.
At this point, you should have good exercise technique and be able to handle more weight on the bar.
This 4-day-per-week intermediate program increases reps and sets to stimulate new muscle growth. When they become too easy, you can gradually add more weight or more reps/sets.
If you do it correctly, you can follow this routine for several years until you reach an advanced level. It may be helpful to switch up your exercises on occasion to keep yourself engaged and prevent burnout.
Remember that soreness is not always an indicator of muscle growth. Now that you have some training experience, you may not get sore after every workout.
Equipment required: fully equipped gym
Rest intervals: 90–180 seconds for main movements, 60–90 seconds for accessories
Intensity: Select a weight that allows you to complete the prescribed reps while leaving about 2 solid reps in the tank. To increase intensity, go to your limit on the last set.
Day 1: Upper body
- Chest: flat barbell bench press — 4 sets of 6–8 reps
- Back: bent-over barbell rows — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Shoulders: seated dumbbell press — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Chest/triceps: dips — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Back: pullups or lat pulldowns — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Triceps/chest: lying dumbbell triceps extensions — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Biceps: incline dumbbell curls — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
Day 2: Lower body
- Legs: barbell back squats — 4 sets of 6–8 reps
- Legs: leg press — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Quadriceps: seated leg extensions — 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Quadriceps: dumbbell or barbell walking lunges — 3 sets of 10–12 reps (no videos)
- Calves: calf press on leg press — 4 sets of 12–15 reps
- Abs: decline crunches — 4 sets of 12–15 reps
Day 3: Upper body
- Shoulders: overhead press — 4 sets of 6–8 reps
- Chest: incline dumbbell bench press — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Back: one-arm cable rows — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Shoulders: cable lateral raises — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Rear deltoids/traps: face pulls — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Traps: dumbbell shrugs — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Triceps: seated overhead triceps extensions — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Biceps: machine preacher curls — 3 sets of 12–15 reps
Day 4: Lower body
- Back/hamstrings: barbell deadlift — 4 sets of 6 reps
- Glutes: barbell hip thrusts — 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Hamstrings: Romanian dumbbell deadlifts — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Hamstrings: lying leg curls — 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Calves: seated calf raises — 4 sets of 12–15 reps
- Abs: leg raises on Roman chair — 4 sets of 12–15 reps
SUMMARYThis 4-day intermediate program adds additional sets and reps, as well as more complex exercises, to jump-start new muscle growth.
Advanced workout routine for men
Additional volume (sets and reps) and intensity (weight on the bar) are essential for advanced gym-goers to keep gaining muscle. Keep in mind that you should not attempt this routine unless you’ve been training consistently for 2 or more years.
While the muscle gains won’t come as fast as they did when you were a beginner, there’s still room for significant progress at this stage.
This grueling workout routine has you in the gym 6 days per week with 1 rest day in between. It follows a pull-push-legs pattern, hitting each muscle group twice per week, with supersets incorporated for maximum hypertrophy (muscle growth).
Again, you can increase weight on the bar, as well as sets and reps, from week to week to ensure continued progress while following this program.
Equipment required: fully equipped gym
Rest periods: 90–180 seconds for main movements, 60–90 seconds for accessories
Intensity: Select a weight that allows you to complete the prescribed reps while leaving about 2 solid reps in the tank. To increase intensity, go to failure on the last set.
Supersets: Complete the initial set of the first movement immediately followed by the second movement. Repeat until all designated reps and sets are complete.
Pull A
- Back/hamstrings: barbell deadlift — 5 sets of 5 reps
- Back: pullups or lat pulldowns — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Back: T-bar rows or seated cable rows — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Rear deltoids/traps: face pulls — 4 sets of 12–15 reps
- Biceps: hammer curls — 4 sets of 10-12 reps supersetted with dumbbell shrugs 4 sets of 10–12 reps
- Biceps: standing cable curls — 4 sets of 10–12 reps
Push A
- Chest: flat barbell bench press — 5 set of 5 reps
- Shoulders: seated dumbbell press — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Chest: incline dumbbell bench press — 3 sets of 10–12 reps
- Triceps/shoulders: triceps pushdowns — 4 sets of 10–12 reps supersetted with lateral raises — 4 sets of 10–12 reps
- Chest: cable crossovers — 4 sets of 10–12 reps
Legs A
- Legs: barbell back squats — 5 sets of 5 reps
- Hamstrings: Romanian dumbbell deadlifts — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Legs: leg press — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Hamstrings: lying leg curls — 4 sets of 10–12 reps
- Calves: seated calf raises — 4 sets of 12–15 reps
- Abs: decline crunches — 4 sets of 12–15 reps
Pull B
- Back: bent-over barbell rows — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
- Back: pull-ups (weighted if needed) — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Back: one-arm rows — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Lower back: hyperextensions — 4 sets of 10–12 reps supersetted with machine preacher curls — 4 sets of 10–12 reps
- Traps: barbell shrugs — 4 sets of 10–12 reps
- Biceps: standing dumbbell curls — 4 sets of 10–12 reps
Push B
- Shoulders: overhead press — 5 sets of 5 reps
- Chest: dumbbell bench press (incline or flat) — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Chest/triceps: dips (weighted if needed) — 4 sets of 10–12 reps
- Shoulders: single-arm cable lateral raises — 4 sets of 10–12 reps
- Chest: machine fly — 4 sets of 10–12 reps
- Triceps: overhead extensions with rope — 4 sets of 10–12 reps
Legs B
- Legs: barbell front squats — 5 sets of 5 reps
- Hamstrings: glute ham raises — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
- Legs: walking dumbbell lunges — 3 sets of 10–12 reps per leg
- Quadriceps: seated leg extensions — 4 sets of 10–12 reps supersetted with standing calf raises — 4 sets of 12–15 reps
- Abs: hanging leg raises — 4 sets of 12–15 reps
SUMMARYThis advanced program is incredibly intense and follows a push-pull-legs pattern for 6 days per week. Attempt this program only if you have several years of training under your belt.
As you age, muscle and bone mass gradually decrease. Nonetheless, you can counteract this loss by following a resistance training program to stimulate muscle and bone growth (
The exercise routines outlined above still apply to people ages 40 and older, though you may to replace some exercises with more joint-friendly options — especially if you have any preexisting injuries.
For example, you can do goblet squats instead of back squats or triceps pushdowns instead of dips.
Regardless of your age, it’s best to start with the beginner program and work your way up.
It’s also important not to work out too strenuously, because there’s an increased risk of injury as you age. You may likewise need to extend recovery times to 2 days between workouts instead of 1 day, because your body takes more time to recuperate (
While exercise presents some obstacles for those over 40, maintaining a proper resistance training program can provide endless benefits and keep you consistently in shape.
SUMMARYTrainees over age 40 may have to adjust their workout routine to account for injuries or slower recovery times. While muscle and bone mass decline as you age, you can combat this with proper exercise.
8 Benefits of Deadlifts You Probably Never Knew About
The deadlift is a staple of most strength-training programs, and it’s one of the three lifts performed in the sport of powerlifting.
Deadlifts can be performed using a variety of training tools, with the barbell being the most common option.
A large body of research supports the use of the deadlift for a variety of fitness and performance goals — both among athletes and the general population.
Multiple deadlift variations offer different but related benefits compared with the conventional deadlift. These variations allow the deadlift pattern to be incorporated into a fitness program tailored toward your needs.
This article discusses the benefits of deadlifts and offers a few deadlift variations to add variety and customization to your workouts.
The deadlift is a widely used compound weight exercise that involves picking up a weight from the ground by bending at your waist and hips and standing back up.
The deadlift exercise and its variations require you to bend over while maintaining a braced, neutral spine, gripping the weight, and driving through the floor with your feet. The motion uses your glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps to lift the barbell off of the floor.
In the standard deadlift, the initial level change to grasp the bar comes through a combination of hinging at the hips and bending your knees. In a standard deadlift, your torso angle at the beginning of the pull will be roughly 30–45 degrees above horizontal.
Throughout the motion, you must keep your core contracted to stabilize your spine and avoid any twisting, rounding, or arching throughout your torso.
All deadlift exercises begin with the weight roughly in line with the middle of your foot before bending forward and picking up the object.
Deadlifts are highly effective at increasing functional strength due to the activation of your largest lower body muscles.
They also train you for the functional activity of safely lifting objects off of the floor, which is a key skill for day-to-day activities.
SUMMARYDeadlifts are an exercise that involves picking a barbell or other training tool off of the floor. They use the largest muscles in your lower body and train the ability to safely lift objects off of the ground.
Here are 8 evidence-based benefits of incorporating deadlifts into your training program.
1. Activate your hip extensors
Deadlifts are among the best exercises for training your hip extensors. Your hip extensors include the gluteus maximus and hamstring complex, which are commonly targeted muscles in fitness programs due to their functional use and aesthetic appeal when properly trained.
Research suggests that deadlifts are superior to squats when it comes to training these muscles. Still, squats offer different benefits than deadlifts and are also an important component of well-rounded fitness programs (1, 2).
The activation of the gluteus maximus and hamstrings when performing deadlifts will lead to both increased strength and size of these muscles.
2. Reduce lower back pain
Lower back pain is an incredibly common complaint among the general population.
While there are many causes of lower back pain that require differing treatments, research suggests that for mild mechanical low back pain, deadlifts can be an effective tool for reducing or reversing this ailment (3).
Note that proper deadlift technique with a braced, neutral spine is crucial for ensuring deadlifts do not aggravate your pain. You should consult a healthcare professional before attempting deadlifts as part of a treatment for lower back pain.
3. Improve jump performance
Jumping is a key skill for a variety of athletic and recreational activities, and your jumping ability often reflects the overall development of your lower body power.
Plus, the increased power reflected in the ability to jump transfers to other maximal power activities like sprinting.
Research suggests that deadlifts are among the most effective strength-training exercises for improving maximal jump performance (
4. Improve bone mineral density
Loss of bone mineral density is a common effect of aging and a major health issue facing older adults.
Advanced loss of bone mineral density results in osteoporosis, which greatly increases the risk of fractures among older adults. Fractures can lead to a cascade of ongoing physical health problems related to loss of mobility.
Fortunately, a large body of research supports the use of resistance training to slow or even reverse age-related loss of bone mineral density. This includes the use of exercises such as the deadlift (
The key to increased bone mineral density is performing weight-bearing exercises that load the whole body with external resistance.
The location of increased bone density is directly related to the area of the body being trained. Specifically, the area of the muscles that work to perform the given movement will experience the most improved bone mineral density.
Given that the deadlift targets your legs and hips, performing deadlifts in conjunction with other resistance exercises can be an effective way to reduce or reverse age-related loss in bone mineral density.
5. Activate your core
Training your trunk muscles and core is a key aspect of well-rounded fitness programs.
While many different exercises train your core, research has suggested that deadlifts and other free-weight exercises are an effective way to activate and strengthen the muscles that stabilize your spine, such as the external oblique, rectus abdominis, and erector spinae (
6. Boost your metabolism
Weight loss is a common goal of many fitness programs. Successfully losing weight, particularly via losing body fat, requires you to burn more calories than you consume in a given period of time.
Traditional weight loss programs combine dietary modifications to reduce calorie intake and physical activity to increase calorie burning.
When it comes to effectively increasing your metabolism through movement, studies suggest that resistance training with exercises like the deadlift may be among the most efficient methods to increase calorie burn, all with less overall time spent training in the gym (7).
Additionally, the muscle growth you’ll experience over time will help you burn more calories at rest throughout the day.
7. Carry less risk during failed repetitions
The previously mentioned benefits are based on scientific research. Yet, there are some subjective benefits of deadlifts that make them an effective exercise in practice.
For example, deadlifts allow you to lift large amounts of weight without positioning the weight on top of you. In the event of a failed repetition, you can usually safely drop the weight without risking major injury.
Exercises like the barbell back squat or bench press are also effective training methods. However, you generally cannot risk going as heavy without a spotter given that a failed repetition can literally crush you.
If you typically work out alone, deadlifts are a good way to safely add heavier training to your workouts.
8. Offer simplicity of equipment
The final subjective benefit of deadlifts is the relative simplicity of the equipment. All you need is a barbell and some plates, or a weighted object with a handle, such as a kettlebell, to perform the movement.
Unlike other exercises that require specific equipment or access to a power rack, deadlifts are a very minimalist exercise for the extensive benefits they provide.
SUMMARYDeadlifts provide a range of scientifically proven health and fitness benefits. Additionally, deadlifts offer some subjective, practical benefits compared with other exercises.
The deadlift is far from a single exercise, and multiple variations allow you to target specific benefits.
Additionally, changing up the deadlift variation after performing a particular variation for 4–8 weeks can be beneficial for long-term continued gains.
Here are a few deadlift variations you may want to try.
Sumo deadlift
The Sumo deadlift variation has you adopt a much wider stance, with your feet turned 45 degrees or more outward. This results in increased activation of the inner thigh muscles, which can provide some athletes with greater leverage.
In particular, research suggests that Sumo deadlifts offer advantages for athletes with longer torsos in terms of being able to lift more total weight (
Single-leg deadlift
The single-leg deadlift involves a similar motion as the standard deadlift. The difference is that as you lean forward, one leg stays straight at the hip as your foot leaves the floor and extends behind you.
With the single-leg deadlift, maintaining a straight torso position requires increased activation of the core muscles to prevent any inward or outward rotation.
Single-leg deadlifts don’t allow as much weight to be lifted, and they’re generally used as rehabilitation protocols or warmups. Some research suggests that warming up with single-leg deadlifts may reduce markers of muscle damage following the end of a training session (
Romanian deadlift
Romanian deadlifts have you maintain a slight bend in your knee as you hinge forward at your waist, compared with the more aggressive bend found in a traditional deadlift.
This results in more emphasis on your glutes and hamstrings and less emphasis on your quadriceps.
Research using electrical measurements of muscle activation found similar gluteus maximus activation during the Romanian deadlift and barbell hip thrust, which is a glute-specific exercise.
Both the Romanian deadlift and barbell hip thrust led to much greater gluteus maximus activation than a back squat, whose pattern is more similar to that of the traditional deadlift (10).
With this in mind, the Romanian deadlift is a great way to add increased training for the gluteus maximus.
Stiff-legged deadlift
The stiffed-legged deadlift is performed with your knees virtually locked straight. The entire raising and lowering motions come from hinging at your waist.
Research has shown that the stiff-legged deadlift places much greater emphasis on your hamstring muscles compared with other deadlift variations (11).
Deficit deadlift
In the deficit deadlift, you stand on a modestly raised platform — typically 4–8 inches (10—20 cm) high — in relation to the resting position of the barbell.
This variation trains the same muscles as the deadlift but allows for a greater range of motion due to the lowered position of the barbell relative to your shins.
Research suggests that deficit deadlifts may improve the strength balance between your hamstrings and quadricep complex, potentially reducing your risk of a hamstring injury (12).
Hex bar deadlift
The hex bar deadlift uses a hexagonal-shaped bar and has you stand inside the hexagon with the handles positioned parallel to the direction you’re facing, resulting in a suitcase-style grip. Plates are added to standard-style sleeves that protrude from the side of the hexagon.
The hex bar deadlift allows a more natural hand position and allows the direction of the weight to be completely in line with the rest of your body.
Studies suggest that hex bar deadlifts allow more total weight to be lifted, potentially resulting in greater gains in strength and power due to the increased resistance (13,
SUMMARYDeadlift variations allow increased targeting of certain muscle groups and can be beneficial to cycle into your fitness program during different phases of training.
Deadlifts and their variations are extremely safe when performed by healthy individuals with proper technique.
The biggest danger occurs if you fail to maintain a neutral spine and instead round your back as you pull the weight, particularly if your spine actively moves while bearing the weight.
This places extreme pressure on the discs in your spine and can lead to acute and chronic injuries.
Often, attempting to lift more weight than you’re ready for leads to a compromised spinal position. Movement in the spine during deadlifts can also be due to a lack of knowledge about proper technique.
Taking a big breath to engage your core and abs before pulling the weight will stabilize your spine under the load and can help prevent the rounding issue.
If you have a spine or disc injury or history of chronic back pain, you should seek professional guidance from a physical therapist or other licensed expert before attempting deadlifts.
SUMMARYDeadlifts are safe for most of the population across all ages, provided the load is not excessive and proper technique is maintained for all repetitions. Consult your healthcare professional beforehand if you have a history of back injuries.
Deadlifts are a foundational strength-training exercise that offers a multitude of benefits for different health and fitness goals.
Additionally, multiple deadlift variations allow for more variety in your training program and emphasize certain muscle groups over others compared with standard deadlifts.
Deadlifts are safe for most people to perform provided you maintain proper technique and don’t increase the load beyond your current capabilities.
If you want to maximize your strength-training improvements, deadlifts and their variations are key exercises to include throughout your training.
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