Building muscle and strength isn't just about hitting the gym hard; it’s about smart planning, tracking your progress, and putting in consistent effort. The key to achieving that often lies in your training frequency and split.
With a 5-day workout split, you open yourself up to greater exercise selection and volume, which is advantageous for hypertrophy and strength gains, but you do so at the potential sacrifice of recovery and intensity if your routine isn't in good order. It’s hard to train hard every day, so organization is essential.
Thankfully, there are tried and true 5-day plans for you to follow. The two below will not steer you wrong if you are on a path to muscle growth and strength gains.
Table of contents:
- Who is a 5-day weight training routine good for?
- The two best 5-day splits to run
- Top exercises for your plan
- 5-Day Body Part Split**
- 5-Day ULPLL Split**
- Progressive overload, recovery & nutrition tips
- FAQs
Who is a 5-day Workout Plan Best For?
A 5-day weight training routine works for various goals around strength gain, muscle building, and fat loss. You just have to be able to commit to a rigorous and consistent workout schedule.
- Building muscle: Allows for more focus (volume and intensity) on each muscle group.
- Getting stronger: Plenty of time for both strength-focused lifts and "accessory" exercises. It's important to note that heavy sets also build muscle.
- Fat loss: The increased metabolic demand from frequent weight training sessions is effective for fat loss and improved muscle definition.
Intermediate to advanced lifters will find a 5-day routine most effective, as it requires a solid foundation in weight training techniques and recovery management. However, beginners who have the basics down and a strong commitment to their workout plan will see fantastic results with the right 5-day split and a focus on gradual progression
The Two Best Options for a 5-Day Workout Split
If you want a well-rounded 5-day weight training split to build muscle and strength, these are the two options that I most recommend as the head trainer at SET FOR SET.
1. 5-Day Body Part Split (complete routine below):
- Day 1: Chest
- Day 2: Legs
- Day 3: Back
- Day 4: Shoulder
- Day 5: Arms
At your discretion: Core and cardio
The 5-day body part split, aka bro split, is great for all levels. It gives each major muscle group plenty of attention, without pushing you so hard that you can't recover well enough. It's a solid pick if you want to build muscle and get stronger without overdoing it. It's a common split for a reason, it works.
2. 5-Day ULPPL Split (complete routine below):
- Day 1: Upper Body
- Day 2: Lower Body
- Day 3: Rest
- Day 4: Push Day
- Day 5: Pull Day
- Day 6: Leg Day
- Day 7: Rest
At your discretion: Core and cardio
The 5-day ULPPL split, a hybrid that combines both the upper-lower and push-pull-legs splits, is designed to optimize gains by targeting each muscle group twice a week. This approach is utilized most often by intermediate to advanced lifters looking to overcome plateaus inherent in less frequent, muscle group-specific splits, offering a change in stimulus for the body. While anyone can do this routine, it's important to understand the workouts are more demanding.
Exercise Selection: The Best Options By Muscle Groups
Here are the best exercises for a 5-day weightlifting split (most of which we've included in the two splits below). There is a healthy mix of multi-joint and single-joint exercises, each selected for their proven effectiveness.
- Chest: BB Bench, DB Bench, Incline (BB & DB), DB Fly, Cable Fly, Pec Deck, Dips, Push Ups, Machine Press
- Back: Bent Over Row, Single Arm Row, T-Bar, Pull Ups, Chin Ups, Machine High Rows, Lat Pulldowns, Straight Arm Pulldown, Seated Rows, Rack Pull
- Shoulders: Standing OHP, Seated OHP, Arnold, Seated Smith, Lateral Raises, Y-Raises, Front Raises, Rear Delt Fly, Face Pulls
- Biceps: Barbell Curl, Supinated, Reverse Grip, Hammer, Preacher, Concentration, Incline DB, Zottman, Overhead Cable
- Triceps: Pressdown (overhand), Reverse Grip Pressdown, Rope Pressdown, Overhead Extension, Kickbacks, Bench Dips, Skull Crushers, Close Grip Bench, Tate Press
- Legs: Back Squats, Hack Squats, Leg Press, Split Squats & Lunges, Deadlifts, Hip Thrusts, RDL & Stiff-Leg, Good Mornings, Extensions & Curls
- Core: Front Plank, Side Plank, Ab Rollout, Hanging Leg Raise, Lying Leg Raise, Legs Up Crunches, Pallof Press, Woodchoppers, Reverse Crunch
5 DAY WORKOUT PLAN #1: "BODY PART" SPLIT
This program is designed to build muscle & strength, with an emphasis on building a lot of muscle mass. Do this split for 8-12 weeks.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE:
- Day 1: Chest
- Day 2: Back
- Day 3: Arms
- Day 4: Legs
- Day 5: Shoulders
- Day 6 & 7: Rest
I recommend using the two-in-a-row rest day schedule, but you could put one rest day between day 2 and 3 or 3 and 4 to the same effect.
WARM UP: A dynamic warm up should be done before each workout. Focus on the mobility of the muscles and joints that you will be working on that particular workout and get your body temperature up.
WARM UP SETS: The sets below do not include warm up sets - Always do warm up sets before getting into your working weight. Do as many as you need to warm up at any given exercise, but never take warm up sets close to failure. They should be light weight and low reps, gradually increasing the load to your working weight.
DAY 1: CHEST DAY
| Flat Bench Press | 4 sets | 6-10 reps (pyramid) |
| Flat Bench DB Fly | 3 sets | 8-10 reps |
| Incline DB Bench Press | 4 sets | 8-10 reps |
| Low to High Cable Fly | 3 sets | 10 reps |
| Chest Dips | 3 sets | 10 reps |
| Decline Push Ups | 3 sets | Max reps |
Notes:
- Rest time: 60-90 seconds between sets.
- You can switch between DB and BB for presses, and cable machine and DB for flys.
- You can also switch the order of Incline Bench Press & Flat Bench Press each week.
DAY 2: BACK DAY
| Deadlift | 4 sets | 3-6 reps (increase weight each set) |
| Pull Ups | 4 sets | 6-12 reps |
| Bent Over Rows | 4 sets | 8-12 reps (2 sets underhand, 2 sets overhand) |
| Close Grip Lat Pulldown | 3 sets | 8-12 reps |
| Machine High Row | 3 sets | 10-12 reps |
| Trap Raises | 3 sets | 10-20 reps |
Notes:
- Rest time: 60-90 seconds (90+ seconds for deadlifts)
- You can switch grip variations for lat pulldowns and pull ups each week.
- You can swap trap raises for rack pulls.
DAY 3: ARM DAY
| Barbell Curl | 3 sets | 8-10 reps |
| Alternating Hammer Curls | 3 sets | 10 reps each arm |
| Reverse Cable Curl w/ Straight Bar | 3 sets | 10-12 reps |
| Triceps Pressdown w/ Rope | 3 sets | 10-12 reps |
| Triceps Kickback | 3 sets | 10-12 reps |
| Skull Crushers | 3 sets | 8-10 reps |
Notes:
- Rest time: 60 seconds or less between sets.
- Use an EZ bar instead of a barbell if you have wrist pain.
- Feel free to use a variety of equipment (i.e. DB, cable, machine).
- Swap out exercises with our list of best exercises further above.
DAY 4: LEG DAY
| Back Squat | 4 sets | 6-10 reps (increase weight each set) |
| Stiff Leg or RDL | 3 sets | 10 reps |
| Split Squat | 3 sets | 8-12 reps each side |
| Hip Thrust | 3 sets | 8-12 reps |
| Leg Curl x Leg Extension (superset) | 3 sets | 10-15 reps |
| Standing or Seated Calf Raise | 3 sets | Max reps |
Notes:
- Rest time: 90 seconds (90+ for back squats)
- You can replace hip thrusts with Good Mornings or even Reverse Hack Squats (although they are not as effective at targeting the glutes).
- Switch from seated to standing calf raises each week.
DAY 5: SHOULDER DAY
| Seated or Standing OHP | 4 sets | 8-12 reps |
| Arnold Press | 3 sets | 10-12 reps |
| Lateral Raise | 3 sets | 10-15 reps |
| Cable Y-Raise | 3 sets | 10-12 reps |
| Rear Delt Fly | 3 sets | 10-12 reps |
| Face Pull | 3 sets | 10-15 reps |
Notes:
- Rest time: 60-90 seconds (longer if needed for OHP).
- You can switch from standing to seated OHP weekly or as you want.
- Dumbbells, cables, and machines can be used for raises. Feel free to switch things up.
DAY 6 & 7: REST OR ACTIVE RECOVERY:
On your rest days, feel free to...REST. But if you are the type of person who has to move, do some light activities that won't affect your recovery, such as mobility training, some forms of Yoga, walk, easy hike, etc.
WHAT ABOUT AB/CORE EXERCISES?
You probably noticed there are no core-specific exercises in the bro split above.
It's important to note that your core will be worked with the big compound lifts. However, doing a little extra core work is great and often undervalued.
For core workouts, try to do 1-2 per week. They can be done after any training day or whenever you feel like it during the day. As a seasoned trainer, I prefer that you rest on your rest days, but if you feel that it won't hurt your workouts the coming week, you can also do your core workouts on your rest days. Remember though, if your core is sore, your lifts will suffer, as your core is a huge element to any big compound movement.
Here are some examples of effective and efficient core workouts...
CORE WORKOUT EXAMPLE #1:
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets x 10 reps
- Plank: 3 sets x 30-60 seconds
- Pallof Press: 3 sets x 20 seconds
Rest 30-45 seconds per set.
CORE WORKOUT EXAMPLE #2:
- Side Plank: 3 sets x 30 seconds (each side)
- Oblique Side Bends: 3 sets x 15 reps (each side)
- Woodchoppers (high-to-low or low-to-high): 3 sets x 10 reps (each side)
Rest 30-45 seconds per set.
CORE WORKOUT EXAMPLE #3:
- V-Ups: 3 sets x 10 reps
- Russian Twists: 3 sets x 20 reps (10 each side)
- Mountain Climbers: 3 sets x 20-30 seconds
Rest 30-45 seconds per set.
Alternative Exercises:
The above bro split workout plan is designed to targets all of your primary muscles in full and from all angles. However, if you find yourself more comfortable with different exercises or variation (i.e. Front Squats vs Back Squats), then choose whatever works for your fitness level, mobility, preferences or weak areas, and the equipment available to you.
Is the 5-Day Body Part Split right for you?
Pros:
- Simplicity. A 5 day bro split is very easy to program as the focus is only on one area of the body per session. With full body, upper/lower, or PPL splits, it can be hard to create a workout that targets each muscle group enough. With bro splits, you are guaranteed to hit the targeted area/muscle group with enough volume.
- Recovery. Your muscles will surely be recovered by the time you are training them again, so you can hit them with high intensity and high volume (with good form) every set.
- Mind-Muscle Connection. When focusing on just one muscle group, it will be easier to get in the zone to create a strong mind-muscle connection.
- Shorter Workouts. Your workouts should be at least a little shorter with a bro split because you won’t need to cram so many exercises into your work like you would with a 3 day or even 4 day split. That volume is spread out over 5 days rather than jam-packing it into 3 or 4 days.
- Intensity. The combination of less volume per workout, full recovery between sessions, and a better mind-muscle connection will allow you to have high intensity workouts.
- Lagging Muscles: The bro split, which is also known as a body part split, is great as it allows you to focus on lagging areas, such as smaller muscle groups like your biceps and triceps. Moreover, you can do this without sacrificing volume for your major muscle groups. With each day getting a specific area of focus, you have the ability for a wide exercise selection.
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Larger Muscles Need More Recovery time: Another important thing to consider is that the more muscular you are and the heavier you lift, the more time you will need to recover between sessions. So, if you are big bodied, the bro split will give you the time you need to fully recover. This is why a lot of bodybuilders use a 5 day bro split. Bigger muscle takes longer to recover.
Cons:
- Consistency. For a 5 day bro split to work, you need to be consistent with training 5 days a week, every week. For some people, it can be hard to make time for an hour workout 5 days a week, and they end up missing days here and there, which then throws off the routine.
- Volume Too High. If you are hitting your muscles correctly and with intensity, productivity starts to decrease after 10 or so sets (total per week), especially for beginners. So, it may not be necessary to have so much volume for one muscle group each workout, hence the term "junk volume". However, our body part plan above takes this into account.
- DOMS. DOMS, which means delayed onset muscle soreness, will definitely be more prominent with 5 day splits because you will be taxing the muscle group to a greater degree. Moreover, with longer muscle recovery between sessions, DOMS tends to occur each week, whereas with splits that have you training your muscle groups multiple times per week, DOMS stop or becomes less noticeable.
5 DAY WORKOUT PLAN #2: U-L-P-P-L SPLIT
This 5 day workout split is designed to build muscle and strength while keeping lean. The workouts are going to provide a higher calorie burn than the bro split and you are going to be doing slightly more volume each workout.
Like any split, you should stick with this plan for at least 8 weeks if you want measurable results. However, with this one, it's important to monitor how you feel and take a deload or rest week as needed to catch up on recovery.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE:
- Day 1: Upper Body
- Day 2: Lower Body
- Day 3: Rest
- Day 4: Push
- Day 5: Pull
- Day 6: Legs
- Day 7: Rest
FYI: Our upper and lower workout days are going to focus on strength, so the reps will be lower and you will mainly be doing big compound lifts, and the PPL portion of the week will emphasize hypertrophy. That said, you will see improvement in both strength and size with all of the rep ranges you'll use, as science shows any rep range can build muscle if the weight load is correct (more on rep ranges vs weight load after I run through this workout routine).
WARM UP: A dynamic warm up should be done before each workout. Focus on the mobility of the muscles and joints that you will be working on that particular workout and get your body temperature up.
WARM UP SETS: The sets below do not include warm up sets - Always do warm up sets before getting into your working weight. Do as many as you need to warm up at any given exercise, but never take warm up sets close to failure. They should be light weight and low reps, gradually increasing the load to your first sets working weight.
DAY 1: UPPER BODY (STRENGTH FOCUSED)
| Bench Press | 4 sets | 4-8 reps |
| Bent Over Row | 3 sets | 4-8 reps |
| Seated OHP | 4 sets | 6-10 reps |
| Pull Ups or Chin Ups (weighted if needed) | 4 sets | 6-10 reps |
| Barbell Curl x Chest Dips (superset) | 3 sets | 10 reps |
| Hanging Leg Raises or Lying Leg Raises | 3 sets | 6-12 reps |
Notes:
- Rest time: 90-120 seconds between sets.
- Increase the weight load each set for the first three exercises, which will likely cause a decrease in reps. Aim to work at an RPE8, which means you have 1-2 reps left in the tank (or 80-85% max effort).
DAY 2: LOWER BODY (STRENGTH FOCUSED)
| Deadlift | 4 sets | 1-5 reps |
| Front Squat (or Hack Squat) | 4 sets | 4-8 reps |
| Hip Thrust (or Reverse Hack Squat) | 4 sets | 6-10 reps |
| Split Squat | 3 sets | 10 reps each side |
| Leg Press (wide foot placement) | 3 sets | 10 reps |
| Standing Calf Raise | 3 sets | 10-15 reps |
Notes:
- Rest time: 120+ seconds for deadlifts & squats, and 90-120 seconds for the others.
- Increase the weight load each set for the first three exercises, which will likely cause a decrease in reps. Aim to work at an RPE8, which means you have 1-2 reps left in the tank (or 80-85% max effort).
DAY 3: REST
DAY 4: PUSH (HYPERTROPHY FOCUSED)
| Incline Bench | 4 sets | 8-15 reps |
| Incline Fly or Cable Fly | 3 sets | 10-12 reps |
| Arnold Press | 3 sets | 10-15 reps |
| Lateral Raise x Front Raise (superset) | 3 sets | 10-12 reps |
| Triceps Kickback x Rope Pushdown (superset) | 3 sets | 12-15 reps |
| Up Down Planks | 3 sets | 30 seconds |
Notes:
- Rest time: 60-90 seconds.
- Work at an RPE of 6 or 7, which essentially is about 60-70% your 1RM (or several reps left in the tank).
- Work through a full range of motion to really maximize contraction and stretching.
DAY 5: PULL (HYPERTROPHY FOCUSED)
| Lat Pulldown | 4 sets | 8-12 reps |
| Seated Row | 4 sets | 10-12 reps |
| Straight Arm Lat Pulldown | 3 sets | 10-12 reps |
| Rear Delt Fly or Face Pull | 3 sets | 10-15 reps |
| Concentration Curl x Hammer Curl (superset) | 3 sets | 10 reps |
| Side Plank | 3 sets | 30-45 sec/side |
Notes:
- Rest time: 60-90 seconds.
- Work at an RPE of 6 or 7, which essentially is about 60-70% your 1RM (or several reps left in the tank).
- Work through a full range of motion to really maximize contraction and stretching.
DAY 6: LEGS (HYPERTROPHY FOCUSED)
| Back Squat | 4 sets | 8-12 reps |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 sets | 10-12 reps |
| Stiff-Leg or RDL | 3 sets | 10-12 reps |
| Good Mornings | 3 sets | 8-12 reps |
| Leg Curl x Leg Extension (superset) | 3 sets | 10-15 reps |
| Seated Calf Raise | 3 sets | 10-20 reps (pyramid) |
Notes:
- Rest time: 60-90 seconds.
- Work at an RPE of 6 or 7, which essentially is about 60-70% your 1RM (or several reps left in the tank).
- Work through a full range of motion to really maximize contraction and stretching.
DAY 7: REST
Alternative Exercises:
The above workout plan is designed to targets all of your primary muscles in full and from all angles. The first part of the week focuses on strength using heavier loads and the second part of the week on hypertrophy using medium loads.
If you find yourself more comfortable with different exercises or variation, then choose whatever works for your fitness level, mobility, preferences or weak areas, and the equipment available to you.
Do this routine for 8-12 weeks and then assess and change things up as needed.
Is the 5-day ULPPL split right for you?
Pros:
- Frequency. You will hit your muscles more frequently, which many studies show to be best for hypertrophy. You also can keep your frequency of workouts at 5 days a week, which is great for people who love to workout.
- Supersets. Great for supersets because you can hit opposing muscles. For example, on upper body days, you can do push and pull supersets with good intensity and form, whereas supersetting the same muscle group (while still good for exhausting a muscle) sacrifices form for speedier workouts and calories burned.
- No or Less DOMS. You will still experience DOMS when first starting your workout plan and maybe throughout the training plan if you are really crushing each workout using progressive overload, but they will not be as noticeable and intense as with bro splits.
- Missing a Workout. If you happen to miss a workout, your week won’t be completely thrown off because you’d still have hit that muscle group that week (albeit with half the volume). Don’t use this as an excuse to skip a day though!
- Strength & Hypertrophy. You can split your week up by 2 days of strength training and 3 days of hypertrophy training, or vice versa. For example, upper and lower days can be all about strength training, where you keep your reps around 3-8 with the weight load around 80-90% 1RM, then on PPL days, you focus on higher reps, like 8-15 reps with 60-75% 1RM.
Cons:
- Complicated. Training multiple muscle groups each workout and twice a week can be a little complicated to structure. It definitely requires more thought to ensure all your muscles are getting the same amount of work.
- Recovery. Your muscles may not be fully fresh every workout because they are being trained with less rest days between them. However, comparing to PPLs and Upper Lower Splits, this split actually has a nice separation so this shouldn’t be much of an issue. Nevertheless, you will need good recovery practice (diet and sleep).
- Less Focused. It can be hard to give each muscle group the focus it needs to fully exhaust them. You’ll need to be an experienced trainee to know how to get the most intensity out of less volume each session. That said, if you are able to get into the zone and smash a muscle group with 10 or so sets, you will see great results.
TRAINING RULES & TIPS FOR BUILDING MUSCLE AND STRENGTH
Here are some important rules and tips to follow when creating or following a workout plan with the goal of building muscle and/or strength.
It's important to understand the information below so you can make adjustments to the routine as needed or desired.
1. Separate The Muscle Groups Strategically:
Avoid doing pushing muscle groups and pulling muscle groups back to back. For example, you don’t want to do Chest on Day 1 and then Shoulders on Day 2. Separate the days by opposing muscle groups. This is why we’ve structured the weekly routine in that way.
2. Choose Exercises Strategically:
You don’t need to do every single exercise you know on any given day. Choose 5-6 exercises that complement each other (not repeat one another), meaning they target the same muscle group or body area but in a different way.
It’s all about angles and training variables. For example, doing a flat barbell bench press and then a flat dumbbell bench press doesn’t make sense, rather you should do a flat bench press and then an incline press (which changes the training variable of body position, thus targeting your chest differently).
3. Use Multiple Rep Ranges:
You’ll notice that the program has various rep ranges depending on the exercise at hand. Reps can range anywhere from 1-15 for building muscle and strength, and it really depends on the exercise and how far you are into your workout.
Generally speaking, you should put the big compound lifts at the beginning of your workout when your strength levels are highest. This means you will be doing lower reps with a heavier load. Then, towards the middle and end of your workout, you focus on the “accessory” exercises, using a higher rep range with lighter weight.
- Primary Big Lifts: Your strength training movements will consist of your big compound movements working in a rep range of 1-8 with 3-5 sets and using loads of about 80-90% of your 1RM.
- Accessory Movements: These are going to consist of your “smaller” compound movements as well as some isolation exercises. These will work in a rep range of 8-12+ with 2-3 sets using loads of about 65-80% of your 1RM.
- Rep Ranges For Building Muscle: While studies show that all rep ranges can build pure size if the weight load you use brings you to near failure, the best rep range to be in is 6-15 reps. Lower than 6 reps and you risk injury because you’ll be using such heavy weights, and higher than 15 reps is really taxing on your body.
So, unless you are near-advanced or advanced, stick to the the 6-15 rep range. There are only a few exercises where 1-5 reps makes sense, and that’s the big three - bench press, squats, and deadlifts. If you do these big lifts with heavy weight loads, use caution. If a workout plan tells you to do 1-5 reps, which ours does, and you feel you are not at that level, then work in the 5-6 rep range with a weight load you feel comfortable with yet is challenging enough to bring you to near failure (near failing meaning you have a couple reps left in the tank) - and use a spotter just to be safe.
4. Rest Time:
I recommend 60-90 seconds of rest between sets. This should be enough time to let your muscle recover for the next set yet not get cold. If you are doing very heavy weight and big compound movements, you may need a little more time between sets and that’s perfectly fine. Just make sure you are not resting to the point where your muscles get cold. You will know when you are ready for the next set, your heart rate will tell you. But push yourself as sometimes you will extend the rest time longer than you actually need.
5. Progressive Overload:
Progressive overload involves gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts over the course of your training period. Without doing this, you won’t be able to continue to build muscle or strength because your muscles will no longer be adequately stressed to continue adapting.
Progressive Overload Methods Include:
- Increase weight load
- Increasing reps
- Increasing sets
- Decreasing rest
- Increasing Intensity (i.e. slower tempo or greater range of motion)
- Progression exercises
While there are several ways to progress, for our 5 day split workout routines, all you need to focus on is increasing the weight load and increasing the reps (to the top of the given rep range).
I provided a rep range for most exercises, so if you start on the low end, you can progress to the top of the range. Once you reach the top of the range, you should increase the weight load and drop the reps down to the lower end as needed.
i.e., If the rep range is 10-15 for 3 sets, work up to 3 sets of 15, then increase the weight load slightly.
Conversely, if either of the plans involves too much volume for you, you can adjust by making it 3 sets instead of 4, or 2 sets instead of 3, then you can progress by adding sets to the exercises.
The rep ranges in our 5 day workout split programs can also be slightly altered. For example, if it says 8-12 reps for any given exercise, but you prefer 10-15 reps, that's fine. Once you decide on the change you want, just keep the same rep range over the course of the training period so you can focus on the aforementioned progressive overload method.
Be sure to keep track of your workouts. Make an excel or diary of your training. It helps! It allows you to clearly see and work towards your progressive overload goals. If you do this properly, you will build muscle and strength without fail.
Note: Progress is NEVER linear. It's perfectly normal to have days where you don't outperform the previous weeks. In fact, it'll happen quite often. But as long as you progress over time, you are doing well.
No matter what split you do, you should always be implementing progressive overload if your goal is strength & mass building.
Related: Guide to Progressive Overload for Hypertrophy & Strength
6. Periodization:
Follow a program closely for 4-12 weeks so you can actually make progress, but after that training cycle is up, change up your routine. For most people, the point of diminishing returns is around 8 weeks, so to avoid that, you need to use periodization.
Essentially, after every training cycle, you take a week or so to deload or completely rest and then start up a new training plan. It can be the same split with changes to the exercises and structure or it can be a completely different split.
This will help you avoid plateaus and injury or overtraining.
With each training cycle, you should stay consistent with your routine, only making changes in weight load, reps, sets, volume, intensity, rest time, etc., which is what we call progressive overload.
Related: Macrocycles, Mesocycles, Microcycles of Periodization Training Explained
RECOVERY METHODS FOR TRAINING 5 DAYS A WEEK
The concept of recovery is simple and straightforward, but for a lot of people, it’s hard to follow through.
The three pillars of recovery are nutrition, hydrations, and sleep.
Remember, muscle growth occurs outside of the gym!
1. Nutrition:
If you want to build muscle, you need a good nutrition plan with ample amount of protein and high quality carbs. You should be eating around .75 gram of protein for every lb of bodyweight. So, if you weight 180lbs, you need at least 135g of protein each day (yes, even on days you are not working out). Carbs should be around 2-3.5 grams per lb of bodyweight. Avoid cards before bed and always consume carbs after your workout.
If you are looking to lose weight while keeping on muscle, then you should up the protein and lower the carbs. For a fat loss diet, your protein needs to be at around 1 gram per lb of bodyweight. Your carbs should be cut in half, only consuming them in the mornings, a little an hour or so before your workout, and just after a workout.
2. Hydration:
Water is essential for building muscle. It helps energize your muscles and keeps them performing at the highest level. It also helps you keep off fat.
You should be drinking about half your bodyweight in ounces of water. So, if you weight 200lbs, you need 100 ounces of water per day (or 3 liters).
3. Sleep:
Make sure you are getting 8+ hours a night. If you are training hard, you body needs more sleep than those who are not. If not, your immune system will suffer, as will your workouts.
When I say 8+ hours of sleep, I mean good sleep. If you are constantly waking up in the night, you are affecting your deep sleep, which is the sleep that aids in recovery and boosts the good hormones. So, if you have any issues with your sleep, work on fixing them. Good quality sleep is vital.
WHAT SUPPLEMENTS SHOULD YOU TAKE?
There are many supplements out there, but there are really only a few that you need to consider for your 5 day gym workout routine:
- Protein Powder: Protein powder is nothing but real protein that has been processed into a powder. You will need to consume more protein than people who don’t train so protein powder is a very efficient and economical way to consume the protein you need to recovery. The best time to use protein powder is post-workout but can also be used for a healthy snack. Note: Don’t let all of your protein come from protein powder, it’s to help supplement your daily protein intake, not make up all of it.
- Creatine: Creatine is one of the most researched supplement there is. Studies show that it is one of few supplements that actually supports sports performance. It can help you improve strength, intra-workout recovery, and lean muscle mass.
- Caffeine: Caffeine is similar to creatine in that it has an overwhelming amount of studies to support its use. This is why it is usually the primary ingredient in many pre-workouts, as it gives you increased energy and can help you train hard throughout a session. So, if you need a boost before your workout, caffeine in the form of coffee or energy drinks will surely help.
FAQs About 5 Day Workout Plans:
To wrap things up, let's answer several frequently asked questions regarding exercising 5 days a week...
1. Is working out 5 days per week too much?
Working out 5 days a week is perfectly fine as long as you are not training each muscle group every day or too close together. If you want to train 5 days a week, then you should follow one of the 5 day workout split options because they are structured in a way that allows you to workout at this weekly frequency without overtraining. A systematic approach is important to ensure good recovery. By separating your body parts into different days, you can train more frequently.
Most people do perfectly fine with a 5 day workout “bro split” because the workouts are so focused on one area of your body and there's plenty of recovery, so its hard to overtrain.
Word of Caution for Beginners:
If you are a beginner, 5 days a week may be unnecessary. Your body as a whole may need more time to recover. It’s not even about your muscles, because you are training specific muscle groups each day with a bro split. It’s about your nervous system. As a complete beginner, a workout with 16-20+ sets per muscle group can be too taxing, especially if you still haven’t dialed in on good nutritional practices or aren't getting enough sleep.
This could be a recipe for failure or some serious DOMS. So, I recommend most beginners to go for a 3 day split or 4 day split that trains 2-3 different muscle groups per workout with 6-10 sets each muscle group. As you become more experienced and in better shape, you can gradually increase your training volume and eventually do a 5 day split.
If you decide to go for a 5 day split and you are feeling fatigued after a couple weeks, place a rest day in-between every 2 workout sessions. It’s fine if you complete your split routine in 8 or 9 days rather than 7. Recovery is vital.
2. Is 5 days a week enough to build muscle?
Working out 5 days a week is more than enough to build muscle. You can spread out the volume of your training throughout the week, which a lot of people find easier to manage than 3-4 days of high volume training.
If you are a beginner, you will build muscle with just 3 days a week, or even a 2 day split can be enough as long as you bring the intensity those two days. It’s the newbie gain phenomenon - people new to training will see gains quickly and easily, usually in their first three months, then things start to slow down as you reach an intermediate level. By 6 months in, you will need to start ramping things up.
3. How long will it take to see results?
Follow the training plan for at least 8 weeks and at most 12 weeks. If you are a beginner, you should start seeing physical results around 4 weeks in. If you an experienced lifter, you will see some good results by the time the training cycle is over (especially if you do some before and after pics).
What you will noticeably see throughout the training cycle are improvements in your strength and overall fitness. Also, if you eat right, you should be able to build muscle while keeping lean. A clean bulk is always the best bulk.
It can take years to build the body you want. One training cycle is just a step on the ladder.
4. How long should my workouts take?
I can’t give you an exact length of time for each workout for a 5 day split as it depends on your training goals, your schedule, the muscle groups you are targeting, and your fitness level. However, generally speaking, your workouts should last no longer than 60 minutes (including warm up but excluding cardio).
The average time for workout sessions for a 5 day split is usually around 45-60 minutes. Remember, you are training 5 days a week, so the volume is spread out more over the week, which means you can do slightly less total volume each workout than you would with a 3 or 4 day split.
Now, to give you some ideas why your workout may be longer or shorter:
Let’s say your training goal is strength, then you would be doing heavy sets of approx. 5 reps. In this case, you’d need at least 2 minutes of rest between each set, so your workout may last longer.
On the flip side, maybe you are doing a bro split for muscle hypertrophy, using just 30-60 seconds rest between sets and aiming to do a total of 20 sets per workout. This workout shouldn’t take you any longer than 45 minutes - 30 seconds working time + 45 seconds rest = 75 seconds per set x 20 sets = 1,500 seconds, which is 25 minutes, but it would be very hard to maintain 45 seconds every set especially with setting up for new exercises. So, it would really be like 40 minutes or so. This is the perfect workout time for metabolic training, which focuses on burning a lot of calories while building muscle.
Another example of why workout times will vary is your schedule. If you only have 30 minutes, then you can make that work! It’s as simple as that. Anyway, 30 minutes 5 times a week is perfectly adequate.
As for fitness level, obviously the more experienced you are and the better shape you are in, the more your muscles can handle. So, it may take a beginner just 10 sets to reach fatigue for a specific muscle group, whereas an advanced lifter takes 20 sets, which is why beginners usually do better with splits that train 2 muscle groups per workout.
So, as you can see, it all depends. But the general rule of thumb is 45-60 minutes for a 5 day split. Just make those minutes count by not lollygagging around - a 30 minute workout that’s intense is far better than a half-ass workout that takes 90 minutes. Plus cortisol (the fat producing hormone) starts to increase after 60 minutes or so, especially for people over 40, which is obviously something you want to avoid.
5. How to get cardio in with 5 weight training sessions a week?
If you want to lose fat or simply keep lean, cardio is a must. Calories burned when weightlifting, especially with a bro split, simply can’t compare to traditional cardio. So, if cardio is important to you, I recommend that you do 20-40 minutes of cardio 3-4 days a week, although even 2 days is ok.
You can do cardio after your workout, on your rest days, or in the morning or evening separated from your weightlifting sessions. If it was up to us, we’d say do cardio in the morning and weightlifting in the evening. Your muscles are strongest in the evening because your body is warmer. For most people, they will get the best strength workouts in later on in the day.
If you are interested in comparing morning workouts to night workouts, you can read this: When should I workout, morning vs night?
6. Can I do a bodyweight 5-day split?
Absolutely! You can use the same structure as the 5 day workout splits above, but just do bodyweight exercises. And, yes, you can build muscle like this if you employ progressive overload. You just need to focus on increasing volume, reps, intensity, as well as decreasing rest.
If you want to do a bodyweight-only 5 day workout split, follow the same workout plan above, but swap out the exercises for bodyweight exercise.
Here are the best exercises to include in a bodyweight 5 day training plan:
- Chest: All Push Up Variations, Parallel Dips (lean upper body slightly forward)
- Back: All Pull Up & Chin Up Variations, Inverted Rows, Superman Extensions
- Shoulders: Pike Push Ups, Wall Stand Hold/Push Ups, Bear Crawls
- Biceps: Close Grip Pull Ups, Chin Ups, Underhand Inverted Rows, Reverse Grip Push Up
- Triceps: Parallel Dips (with upper body straight), Bench Dips, Close Grip Push Ups, Diamond Push Ups, All Push Up Variations
- Legs: Jump Squats, Glute Bridges, Nordic Ham Curl, Lunges/Split Squats, Plyometrics, Sprints
- Core: Leg Raises, All Plank Variations
Notes for bodyweight training:
- Just because you are doing bodyweight exercises doesn’t mean you will be doing more total exercises per workout, but you may need to do more volume. Keep your workouts to 5-8 exercises and up the reps a little so that you are reaching near failure during sets.
- Who says you need equipment to add weight load? A backpack full of books, a rock from outside, water jugs, etc., can all be used to take your exercises up a notch.
- Get yourself some home equipment to enhance your bodyweight workouts.
7. How long should you run a 5-day plan?
Stick with one of the two plans provided in this article for 8-12 weeks.
While it’s ok to make some small variations to accessory lifts, you should be strict with your main lifts and keep the workout the same for the entire 8-12 week cycle. This will allow you to track and see real progress.
After 8-12 weeks, you can change up your routine (i.e. if you were doing the bro split, try the ULPPL split after!) OR simply change the order of the muscle groups’ training days.
Using the bro split workout plan above as an example, this could be an effective change for the next 8-12 week training period:
- Day 1: Leg Day
- Day 2: Shoulder Day
- Day 3: Arm Day
- Day 4: Rest
- Day 5: Back Day
- Day 6: Chest
- Day 7: Rest
You can also change up the order of the exercises or the exercises themselves. For example, you could switch back squats with front squats, standing overhead barbell press with seated overhead dumbbell press, and so on.
However, be sure to maintain focus on big compound lifts first, and accessory exercises second, as the big compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, bench press, and overhead presses are what build serious muscle mass and require higher strength levels, which you will have earlier in your workout.
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Prepare to maximize your gains with our exclusive 12-week hypertrophy training program. Choose between a 4 or 5 day training split and gain 2-12 pounds of muscle over 90 days...
Garett Reid
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