Muscle and Cardio - 5 Day Split Routine

Phil — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 01:01:48 +0000

Muscle and Cardio - 5 Day Split Routine

Chest & Biceps + Cardio
Legs & Core + Cardio
Cardio Day
Shoulders & Triceps + Cardio
Back + Cardio

Note - You are going to be doing pyramid sets, I find this is the best way to build muscle.

Pyramid sets are: as the weight increases the amount of reps decreases.

Example:

15 reps @ 10kg
10 reps @ 15kg
5 reps @15kg

Day 1 - Chest & Biceps + Cardio

Chest

Bench Press - 5 sets

Warm up set of 20 reps - light weight
12 reps - medium weight
10 reps - medium / heavy weight
8 reps - heavy weight
12 reps - medium weight

Incline Dumbell Bench Press - 4 sets

12 reps - medium weight
10 reps - medium / heavy weight
8 reps - heavy weight
12 reps - medium weight

Pec Deck - 4 sets

12 reps - medium weight
10 reps - medium / heavy weight
8 reps - heavy weight
12 reps - medium weight

Incline Bench Press / Incline Bench - Smith

3 x 20 reps - light / medium weight

Biceps

Alternate Seated Curl - 4 sets

12 reps - medium weight
10 reps - medium / heavy weight
8 reps - heavy weight
12 reps - medium weight

Standing EZ Curl - 5 sets (pick a weight you can perform 12 reps with)

10 reps - rest for 10 sec
8 reps - rest for 8 sec
6 reps - rest for 6 sec
4 reps - rest for 4 sec
2 reps - rest for 1 minute

Cardio

Bike - 10 minutes

Increase resistance level every 2 minutes

Day 2 - Legs & Core + Cardio

Legs

Bike - 5 minutes (light warm up)

45º Leg Press (Sled) - 6 sets

Warm up set of 20 reps - light weight
15 reps - medium weight
12 reps - medium weight
10 reps - medium / heavy weight
8 reps - heavy weight
12 reps - medium weight

Squats - 4 sets

15 reps - medium weight
12 reps - medium / heavy weight
10 reps - heavy weight
12 reps - medium weight

*Hack Squat (Sled) - 4 sets (Alternative to squats if you have a weak core or back complaint)

15 reps - light / medium weight
12 reps - medium weight
10 reps - medium / heavy weight
12 reps - medium weight

Leg Extension - 4 sets

15 reps - medium weight
12 reps - medium / heavy weight
10 reps - heavy weight
12 reps - medium weight

Lying Leg Curl - 4 sets

15 reps - medium weight
12 reps - medium / heavy weight
10 reps - heavy weight
12 reps - medium weight

Seated Calf Raise / Standing Calf Raise - 6 sets

20 reps - light weight
15 reps - medium weight
12 reps - medium / heavy weight
10 reps - heavy weight
15 reps - medium weight
20 reps - light weight

Core

Cable Ab Crunch - 4 sets

15 reps - light / medium weight
15 reps - light / medium weight
15 reps - light / medium weight
15 reps - light / medium weight

Crunch - 3 sets

20 reps
20 reps
20 reps

Trunk Twist (Digger) - 2 sets

15 reps - light weight
15 reps - light weight

Trunk Twist (Chopper) - 2 sets

15 reps - light weight
15 reps - light weight

*Knees-To-Chest on Side - 3 sets (Alternative to trunk twists if you have a weak core or back complaint)

20 reps
20 reps
20 reps

*Alternate Sit-up - 3 sets (Alternative to trunk twists if you have a weak core or back complaint)

10 - 12 reps
10 - 12 reps
10 - 12 reps

Back Extension - 3 sets

20 reps
20 reps
20 reps

Cardio

Stepper - 10 minutes (use bike if stepper is unavailable)

Moderate pace

Day 3 - Cardio Day

Bike - 5 minutes (light warm up)

Cross-Trainer - 10 minutes

Increase resistance level every 2 minutes

Treadmill - 10 minutes

If available - increase the incline every 2 minutes

Rower - 10 minutes

For the last 20 seconds of each minute increase your rpm as much as possible

Bike - 10 minutes

For the last 20 seconds of each minute increase your rpm as much as possible

Bike - 5 minutes (light cool down)

*Stepper - 10 minutes

Alternate exercises on different routines to remove the monotony of doing the same workout each time round. Substitute the stepper for the treadmill or rower each week

Note - As an alternative to a time limit, set your self a distance and record the time taken to complete the distance. You can measure your performance and monitor your development. (e.g. rather than running for 10 minutes, run for 2 miles and record your time taken).

Note - Here is an alternative to increasing the resistance every 2 minutes (works for bike and cross-trainer):

Warm up - 2 minutes at a normal pace
10 seconds at a normal pace (e.g. 60 rpm)
20 seconds at a fast pace (e.g. 120 rpm)
Repeat for 6 minutes
Cool down - 2 minutes at a normal pace
Total workout time = 10 minutes

Note - Use the bike as a warm up and cool down tool as it requires no balance and has no impact through the joints, therefore is most efficient at effectively preparing you for the workout ahead.