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Ultimate 5-Day gym routine for muscle growth
Key Points
- Research suggests a 5-day split is effective for muscle growth, targeting different muscle groups each day for rest and recovery.
- It seems likely that using dumbbell, barbell, cable, and Smith machine exercises can optimize muscle stimulation.
- The evidence leans toward 3-5 sets per exercise, 6-12 reps for hypertrophy, with weights at 60-80% of your one-rep maximum (1RM).
- Sets to failure are recommended for isolation exercises to maximize growth, especially for arms and abs.
Workout Overview
This routine is designed for Monday to Friday, with weekends for rest, lasting 1.5 to 2 hours per session. It targets all muscle groups, including abs and core, using popular exercises for muscle growth.
Daily Split
- Day 1: Back – Focuses on lats, traps, and lower back.
- Day 2: Chest and Abs – Targets chest muscles and core strength.
- Day 3: Legs – Works quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
- Day 4: Shoulders and Abs – Emphasizes deltoids and additional core work.
- Day 5: Arms – Focuses on biceps and triceps for arm development.
Equipment and Intensity
The routine incorporates dumbbells, barbells, cables, and Smith machines, ensuring variety. Lift weights at 60-80% of your 1RM for most sets, with isolation exercises often taken to failure for maximum growth.
Survey Note: Detailed 5-Day Gym Workout Routine for Muscle Growth
This comprehensive 5-day gym workout routine is tailored for muscle growth, targeting different muscle groups each day to allow for rest and recovery. It incorporates dumbbell, barbell, cable, and Smith machine exercises, ensuring all major muscle groups, including abs and core, are addressed. Each session is designed to last between 1.5 and 2 hours, with one session per day from Monday to Friday, and weekends reserved for rest. Below, we detail the routine, including sets, reps, and the percentage of maximum weight to lift, with sets to failure where appropriate.
Background and Rationale
The 5-day split is a popular choice for muscle growth, as it allows for higher training volume and intensity per muscle group, which research suggests is crucial for hypertrophy. By focusing on one or two muscle groups per day, the routine ensures adequate recovery time, aligning with evidence that muscle growth occurs during rest periods. The inclusion of various equipment types—dumbbells, barbells, cables, and Smith machines—provides diverse stimuli for muscle fibers, enhancing growth potential. The rep range of 6-12 is widely accepted for hypertrophy, with weights typically at 60-80% of one-rep maximum (1RM), and sets to failure are included for isolation exercises to push muscle exhaustion.
Routine Development
The routine was developed by analyzing standard bodybuilding practices and reputable fitness websites, such as Muscle and Strength, which offer detailed 5-day splits. The split ensures each major muscle group is trained once weekly, with abs and core integrated into specific days. The choice of exercises reflects well-established movements known for effectiveness, such as bench presses for chest and squats for legs. The percentage of 1RM was estimated based on rep ranges, with higher reps (12-15) corresponding to lighter loads (55-60% of 1RM) and lower reps (6-8) to heavier loads (75-80% of 1RM).
Detailed Workout Plan
Below is the breakdown for each day, including exercises, sets, reps, and the approximate percentage of 1RM. Rest periods are set at 30-45 seconds between sets of the same exercise and 60-90 seconds between different exercises, fitting the 1.5-2 hour session length.
| Day | Exercise | Sets | Reps | % of 1RM | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1: Back | Deadlift (Barbell) | 4 | 6 | ~80% | Compound, heavy load |
| Lat Pull Down (Cable) | 4 | 8-12 | ~70-80% | Adjust weight for range | |
| Dumbbell Row | 4 | 8-12 | ~70-80% | Unilateral, focus on form | |
| Hammer Strength Machine Row | 4 | 10 | ~65-70% | Machine for stability | |
| One Arm Cable Row | 3 | 12 | ~60-65% | Isolation, last set to failure | |
| Straight Arm Cable Pull Down | 2 | 15 | ~55-60% | Light, endurance, to failure | |
| Day 2: Chest and Abs | Incline Bench Press (Barbell) | 4 | 6 | ~80% | Compound, heavy |
| Decline Bench Press (Barbell) | 4 | 8-12 | ~70-80% | Focus on lower chest | |
| Machine Bench Press | 3 | 6-12 | ~70-80% | Machine for control | |
| Machine Fly | 3 | 12-15 | ~55-60% | Isolation, last set to failure | |
| Push Ups | 3 | Failure | Bodyweight | To failure each set | |
| Machine Crunch | 3 | 15 | To failure | Core, light load | |
| Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 12-15 | Bodyweight, to failure | Core, endurance | |
| Day 3: Legs | Barbell Back Squat | 5 | 6 | ~80% | Compound, heavy load |
| Romanian Deadlift (Barbell) | 4 | 8-12 | ~70-80% | Hamstrings and lower back | |
| Leg Press (Machine) | 3 | 10-15 | ~60-70% | Quadriceps, last set to failure | |
| Leg Curl (Machine) | 3 | 12-15 | ~55-60% | Hamstrings, to failure | |
| Walking Lunge (Dumbbell) | 3 | 15 each | ~60-70% | Glutes and quads, bodyweight or weighted | |
| Smith Machine Calf Raise | 4 | 20 | ~50-55% | Calves, light, to failure | |
| Day 4: Shoulders and Abs | Military Press (Barbell) | 4 | 6 | ~80% | Compound, heavy |
| Lateral Raise (Dumbbell) | 4 | 8-12 | ~60-70% | Deltoids, last set to failure | |
| Reverse Machine Fly | 4 | 8-12 | ~60-70% | Rear delts, to failure | |
| Machine Shoulder Press | 3 | 6-10 | ~70-80% | Machine for stability | |
| Barbell Shrugs | 4 | 15 | ~60-65% | Traps, light, to failure | |
| Decline Sit Up | 3 | 15 | To failure | Core, bodyweight | |
| Barbell Roll Out | 3 | 12 | To failure | Core, stability, light load | |
| Day 5: Arms | EZ Bar Curl (Barbell) | 4 | 8-12 | ~70-80% | Biceps, last set to failure |
| EZ Bar Skullcrusher (Barbell) | 4 | 8-12 | ~70-80% | Triceps, to failure | |
| Spider Curl (Dumbbell) | 4 | 8-12 | ~70-80% | Biceps, isolation, to failure | |
| Tricep Dip (Bodyweight or Machine) | 4 | 8-12 | Bodyweight or weighted, ~70-80% | To failure on last set | |
| Cable Hammer Curl (Cable) | 4 | 8-12 | ~70-80% | Biceps, to failure | |
| Cable Overhead Tricep Extension (Cable) | 4 | 8-12 | ~70-80% | Triceps, to failure |
Implementation Notes
- Rest Periods: Rest 30-45 seconds between sets of the same exercise and 60-90 seconds between different exercises to fit the 1.5-2 hour session length.
- Progression: Increase weights when you can complete the top end of the rep range for all sets, aiming for progressive overload to stimulate growth.
- Failure Sets: Exercises like push-ups, machine crunch, hanging leg raise, and isolation movements (e.g., cable rows, lateral raises) are taken to failure, especially on the last set, to maximize muscle exhaustion.
- Equipment Usage: The routine ensures use of dumbbells (e.g., dumbbell row, lateral raise), barbells (e.g., bench press, deadlift), cables (e.g., lat pull down, cable hammer curl), and Smith machine (e.g., calf raise), meeting the user’s request for variety.
Additional Considerations
This routine is based on standard bodybuilding practices and insights from fitness websites like Muscle and Strength, which emphasize high volume for hypertrophy. The inclusion of abs on two days (Days 2 and 4) ensures core strength, though some may prefer training abs once weekly; adjust as needed. The percentage of 1RM is estimated based on rep ranges, with compound lifts at higher percentages (70-80%) and isolation lifts at lower percentages (55-60%) for endurance. For optimal results, ensure proper nutrition, aiming for a slight calorie surplus and at least 1.4g of protein per kg of bodyweight, as suggested by PureGym’s muscle-building guide.
This routine is suitable for intermediate to advanced lifters, with beginners potentially needing lighter weights and fewer sets. Always consult a fitness professional if unsure about form or intensity.