Intermediate Workout

Intermediate Workout

Welcome, as you are accessing this page we'll assume that you are a bodybuilder with at least a years weightlifting experience and that you know all the usual glossary and gym lingo that gets thrown around like weights.

If you find you don't yet know the meaning of terms such as reps, sets or spotter, then visit our glossary section.

The best way to gain muscles is to train with heavy weights in a normal rep range and to perform mostly compound movements "mostly".

As an intermediate weightlifter you more than likely understand a bit more about the human body and the workings of muscles than the average person, if you are then you are probably eager to create your own workout routine rather than relying on any routine you read in this site. Access our advanced page to find out about advanced techniques such as supersets, compound sets and pyramid training.

These techniques you can apply to your workouts to achieve better results along with a proper diet program.

Below is a sample workout routine for the more advanced lifter, try it for 4 - 6 weeks and see what you think, then feel free to make as much or as little changes to it as you like and feel free to apply advanced techniques to it as you see fit.

Remember at this point in a lifters training its easy to get caught up in a race of self improvement, DO NOT over train, such a mistake at this point would be detrimental to your progress. View our top tips section for advice on avoiding overtraining.

Assuming you have access to a gym perform these exercises as follows. If you don't have access to a gym then view our list of exercises for body parts and find an alternate exercises you can perform with a home bench and weight set.

TIP : If you want to know what weight to apply to each exercise, follow a simple principle that works for most bodybuilders.

Look at the number of reps that is required for each exercise, then select a weight that allows you to do that number of reps, BUT NO MORE, that is, while continuing with proper lifting form, you would struggle with the last one or two reps of that set.

This way you can be sure you have the appropriate weight used and also it is a method that allows you to note progress in the gym, once the weight you normally use becomes easy for that amount of reps then you know its time to increase the weight.

To find out how to perform the exercises then please look at the body parts section to view different exercises under different body parts.

Day 1 Monday - Quads, Hamstrings and Calves
*Leg Presses	3 sets of 8 - 12 reps
*Squats	3 sets of 8 - 12 reps
One Legged Presses or lunges	3 sets of 8 - 12 reps each leg
Leg Extensions	3 sets of 8 - 12 reps
Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlifts	3 sets of 8 - 12 reps
Lying Leg Curls	4 sets of 8 - 12 reps
Calf Machine	3 sets of 15 - 20 reps
One Legged Calf Raises	3 sets of 15 - 20 reps each leg

Day 2 Tues - Shoulders, Traps and Biceps
*Seated Dumbbell Presses	3 sets of 8 - 12 reps
Front alternate dumbbell raises	3 sets of 8 - 12 reps each arm
Side Raises	3 sets of 8 - 12 reps
Dumbbell Shrugs	4 sets of 8 - 12 reps
Smith Machine Shrugs	4 sets of 8 - 12 reps
Standing alternate dumbbell curls	4 sets of 16 - 24 reps
Machine preacher curls or bar curls	3 sets of 8 - 12 reps
Concentration Curls	3 sets of 8 - 12 reps each arm

Day 3 Thurs - Chest and Hamstrings
*Flat Smith Machine Presses	4 sets of 8 - 12 reps
Incline Dumbbell Presses	4 sets of 8 - 10 reps
*Dumbbell Flyes	3 sets of 12 - 15 reps
Dips	3 sets of 10 - 12 reps
*Dumbbell stiff legged deadlifts	3 sets of 12 - 15 reps
Lying leg curls	3 sets of 8 - 12 reps

Day 4 Sat - Back and Triceps
*Lat Machine Pulldowns	4 sets of 8 - 12 reps
One armed dumbbell rows	3 sets of 8 - 12 reps each arm
Smith Machine Rows	3 sets of 8 - 12 reps
Dumbbell Deadlifts	3 sets of 12 - 15 reps
Lying Triceps Extensions or triceps dips	3 sets of 8 - 12 reps
Triceps machine	3 sets of 8 - 12 reps
Let machine triceps pushdown	3 sets of 12 - 15 reps

* Plus one warm up set.

As always before starting your exercises be sure to warm up properly and to stretch if need be.

Questions, comments or feedback? Feel free to e-mail at:

muscleandworkouts@muscleandworkouts.com