One of the most popular workout regimes among people who are serious about training is a five day workout program, sometimes called a five day split. This type of workout plan is an excellent choice for adding muscle to your frame. It involves working a different muscle group every day, and comes together as the best 5 day workout plan.
What Does the Best 5 Day Workout Plan Look Like?
There are many possibilities for what a five-day workout plan could entail. Usually, it is picking one muscle per day and doing 6 to 8 workouts for that particular muscle.
One of the reasons this type of workout is popular is because it allows you more time to recover between working each muscle group than a full body work out plan would.
It also tends to lead to more efficient workouts. When you’re doing a full body workout, the muscles you work on at the beginning of your workout get a more effective workout than those you leave for the end of your workout.
This is due to fatigue. By the time you reach the end of your workout, your body will inevitably be tired. You are probably ready to just get it over with.
When doing a five-day split focusing on one muscle group at a time, you can give each individual muscle group your full attention. This also means you can train at a higher intensity, since each muscle is only worked once per week.
A higher intensity level is one of the reasons the five-day split is popular amongst body builders. Being able to work with heavier weights at a more intense level leads to quicker muscle gain. You can start to notice the results you are looking for.
A Five-Day Split
Every workout should aim to leave at least 60 seconds between exercises and 20 seconds between sets.
Day 1: Legs/Abs
Warm up: 10 minutes of running followed by light stretching
- Barbell Squat: 5 reps, 3 sets
- Hamstring Curl: 12 reps, 3 sets
- Goblet Squats: 15 reps, 2 sets
- Leg Presses: 12 reps, 4 sets
- Weighted Calf Raises: 20 reps each leg, 2 sets
- Kettlebell Deadlifts: 10 reps, 3 sets
Abs:
- Sit Ups: 15 reps, 2 sets
- Lying Leg Lifts: 10 reps, 2 sets
- Bicycle Crunches: 30 reps, 2 sets
- V-Ups: 5 reps, 3 sets
Day 2: Chest
Warm up: 5 minutes on the rowing machine
- Flat Bench Barbell Press: 8 reps, 4 sets
- Kettlebell Chest Fly: 6 reps each arm, 2 sets
- Dumbbell Chest Press: 10 reps, 3 sets
- Push-Ups: 20 reps, 3 sets
- Cable Crossovers: 20 reps, 3 sets
- Pec-Deck Machine: 12 reps, 3 sets
- Low-Incline Barbell Press: 5 reps, 3 sets
- Machine Chest Press: 12 reps, 3 sets
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Back/Abs
Warm up: 5 minutes of stair machine
- Pull Ups (or Assisted Pull Ups): 8 reps, 3 sets
- Bent Over Rows with Barbell: 12 reps, 3 sets
- Straight Arm Cable Pulldown: 12 reps, 3 sets
- Seated Cable Row: 12 reps, 3 sets
- Single Arm Dumbbell Row: 15 reps each side, 2 reps
Abs:
- Side Plank: 30 each side
- Reverse Crunches: 20 reps, 2 sets
- Flutter Kicks: 45 seconds
- Sprinter Crunches: 8 reps each side, 2 sets
Day 5: Shoulder/Abs
Warm up: 5 minutes rowing machine
- Upright Barbell Row: 10 reps, 3 sets
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 12 reps
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 8 reps each side, 2 sets
- Dumbbell Shrugs: 15 reps, 3 sets
- Single Arm Lateral Cable Raise: 8 reps each side, 3 sets
- Dumbbell Arnold Press: 10 reps, 3 sets
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Arms
- Standing Hammer Curls: 10 reps, 4 sets
- Tricep Extensions: 20 reps, 2 sets
- Skull Crushers: 12 reps, 3 sets
- Preacher Curls: 3 reps, 5 sets
- Tricep Dips: 12 reps, 2 sets
- Barbell Curls: 12 reps, 3 sets
- Close Grip Bench Press: 10 reps, 3 sets
- Alternating Dumbbell Curl: 8 rep each arm, 3 sets
It is important to keep in mind you should be giving yourself rest days and not doing five straight days. Your body needs the time to recover after an intense workout as appropriate recovery time allows you to maintain the same levels of intensity and not risk injury.
This workout will be most effective if you do each workout at the highest weight you can handle without putting yourself at risk for hurting yourself.
