It’s also a good idea to do your first set with very little weight. This is to get the blood flowing through the muscles. On the second set, add a little weight and do the exercise again. If you find that it’s just a bit too easy, try more weight. The goal is to add weight until it’s difficult to complete 8-12 reps. Remember, you want to build your body, not lift weights.

Be sure and rest between sets to allow your body to adjust and recover. Usually that’s around a minute or two. DO NOT rest more than a minute or so or else your muscles will get cold and all your previous work will be for naught.

It’s a good idea to sprinkle your workouts with some cardio exercises to help get your blood pumping. This could be a little time on a treadmill or walking. The cardio is good for your body and you’ll be focusing on that most important muscle of all – your heart!

Here is a sample three day workout.

Day 1 – Back, Chest, and Abs

Do three sets of 12-15 reps each.

• Bent over barbell row
• Stiff legged barbell dead lift
• Barbell bench press
• Incline dumbbell press
• Dumbbell flies
• Crunches

Day 2 – Legs and Shoulders

Do three sets of 12-15 reps each.
• Barbell squat
• Seated calf raise
• Front dumbbell raise
• Side lateral raise
• Upright barbell row
• Lunges
• Barbell squats

Day 3 – Biceps, Triceps, and Abs

Do three sets of 12-15 reps each

• Barbell curl
• Incline dumbbell curl
• Lying triceps press
• Barbell tricep extension
• Front dumbbell raise
• Dumbbell hammer curls
• Crunches

For the following exercises, begin with two sets of 10-12 reps each.

• Dumbbell press
• Standing barbell military press
• Lying tricep press
• Side lateral raise
• Preacher curls
• Seated dumbbell curl
• Dumbbell rows
• Dumbbell shrugs

If you have access to weight machines, add the following to your plan:

• Pec deck butterflys
• V-bar pushdowns
• Lat pulls with pulley machine

Day 2 – Lower Body and Abs

Again, begin doing each exercise with two sets of 10-12 reps each except for the crunches which you can do as many of them as you want.

• Barbell squat
• One leg barbell squat
• Lunges
• Standing calf press
• Stiff leg barbell
• Crunches

Machines can be especially helpful when working your lower body. Here are some you should consider on this day:

• Leg presses on a plate loaded machine
• Leg extension machine
• Seated hamstring curls
• Standing hamstring curls
• Ab machine

Day 3 – Rest

Day 4 – Upper Body

Increase your sets to 3 doing 10 – 12 reps each

• Chin ups (get assistance if necessary)
• Seated dumbbell hammer curls
• Dumbbell presses on an inclined bench
• Standing barbell military press
• Standing bicep curls
• Barbell tricep extension
• Upright barbell row
• Front dumbbell raise

The machines you can use on this day include:

• Seated cable rows
• Upright cable rows
• Cable crossover flies
• Tricep rope pushdowns

Day 5 – Lower Body and Abs

Go back to doing just two sets of 10-12 reps each except for the crunches which you can do unlimited amounts of.

• Standing calf press
• Lunges
• Barbell squat
• Stiff leg barbell
• Standing calf raises
• Crunches

Machine exercises include:

• Leg presses on a plate loaded machine
• Seated hamstring curls
• Kneeling hamstring curls

Weekend – Rest

If a four day workout plan is too much for you, consider starting out with a two or three day plan. Keep in mind that you won’t get results as quickly with a fewer day workout, but if you need to start out slowly, it can still be effective.

If the word “damage” makes you flinch, don’t worry. It’s a good thing for a bodybuilder to incur limited muscle damage, because it nudges the body to recover and overcompensate (grow) slightly to prepare for future workouts. This is what bodybuilding is all about – a continuous cycle of one-step-back, two-steps-forward, repeated over and over on a weekly basis.

The following workout plan is designed to focus on one part of your body each day of your workout with mid week and the weekend as your rest days. This plan is just a suggestion. You can adapt it as needed to suit your workout goals.

With any workout, you need to start out with some warm up exercises. This can be simple stretching as you get your body ready to work. A warm-up session prior to working out can not only help get your body ready for exercise, but your mind will get prepared as well.

You should also have an appropriate cool down period after you are done working out. This will reduce the possibility of delayed muscle soreness and will help quell the adrenaline that has been building in your system as a result of the workout. This can also be simple stretching exercises and deep breathing.

Again, it’s important to start out slow and not push yourself beyond your limits.

Use weights that are not too heavy for you but that will give you enough resistance to build your muscles. You can progressively increase the amount of weight you lift as you get stronger.

Keep your upper arms close to your head. Return to the starting position. This can also be done with straight bar, 2 dumbbells, seated or standing or with 2 dumbbells and your palms facing in.

Slowly bend your knees, lowering your hips so your rear knee just clears the floor. Pause briefly in this position, then slowly straighten your legs and raise your body back up to a standing position. Complete a full set, then switch legs and repeat, or alternate legs for each rep.

Make sure your knee does not travel past your toes in the down position! This can also be done with dumbbells in each hand instead of using a barbell.

Stand approximately 2 to 3 feet from the box and turn so that the box is directly behind you. Reach one foot back and place your toe on the box. Keep your opposite foot flat on the floor and point your toes forward. Stand up straight. Keep your back tight and your chest out throughout the entire exercise.

Keep your head and neck in line with your torso so that you are looking forward. Your shoulders should be directly over your front foot. Keeping your front foot flat on the floor, sit your hips back (like you are going to sit in a chair), bend your knee (of your front leg), and lean forward slightly at the waist.

Lower your body in a controlled fashion until your thigh (of your front leg) is parallel to the ground. If you have difficulty lowering yourself down this far, lower yourself until the knee of your front leg is bent 90 degrees. At this point, your knee should be directly over your toe, your hips should be sitting back, and your chest should be directly over the middle of your thigh.

Now, leading with your head and chest, raise yourself by pushing your hips slightly forward and up toward the ceiling, and straightening your leg. Return to the starting position. At this point, your shoulders should be directly over front foot.

Lift the weight in your left hand in front of you in a wide arc until it is slightly higher than shoulder height. With a smooth, controlled motion, lower the weight while simultaneously lifting the weight in your right hand, so that both arms are in motion at the same time.

Do not cheat by swinging or leaning backwards! This lift can also be done with two dumbbells at the same time or a barbell.

Concentrate on either pulling with your traps or the front of your shoulders, depending on what you want to work most. Lower slowly to the starting position. Don’t cheat by leaning forward or backward. Don’t swing!