Workout Summary
Main Goal:
Build Muscle
Workout Type:
Full Body
Training Level:
Intermediate
Days Per Week:
3
Equipment Required:
Barbell, Bodyweight, Cables, Dumbbells, Machines
Target Gender:
Male & Female
Author:
Workout Description
The 3 day-per-week whole body toning workout. This workout is designed for people who don't want to build up bulk but just want to tone and strengthen their muscles.
This workout would go well with an existing cardio or weight loss program. You can this workout on the same day or separate days to your cardio, it really doesn't matter.
This workout hits all major muscle groups over 3 days. The total time needed for the workout is about 1 hour or so. If you need any help with this workout visit our forum.
Daily Workout Schedule:
| Monday - Full Body Routine (series 1) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full Body | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| 45 Degree Leg Press | 3 | 20 |
| Seated Row | 3 | 20 |
| Chest Dip | 2 | 15-20 |
| Machine Shoulder Press | 2 | 20 |
| Cable Curl | 2 | 20 |
| Tricep Extension | 2 | 20 |
| Hover | 3 | 1 minute |
Tuesday: Rest Day
| Wednesday - Full Body Routine (series 2) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full Body | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Smith Machine Squat | 3 | 20 |
| Seated calf Raise | 2 | 25 |
| Lat Pull Down | 3 | 20 |
| Dumbbell Flys | 3 | 20 |
| Tricep Kickback | 2 | 20 |
| Standing Dumbbell Curl | 2 | 20 |
| Decline Sit Ups | 2 | MAX |
Thursday: Rest Day
| Friday- Full Body Routine (series 3) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full Body | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Dumbbell Lunge | 4 | 10 each leg |
| Wide Grip Pull Up | 3 | MAX |
| Barbell Bench Press | 3 | 15-20 |
| Standing Barbell Curl | 3 | 15-20 |
| Tricep Bench Dip | 3 | 15 |
| Horizontal Leg Raise | 2 | MAX |
Saturday and Sunday: Rest Days
Comments (422)
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Posted Tue, 05/18/2010 - 18:01
resttime between sets?
Posted Wed, 05/19/2010 - 08:29
I recommend 2 minutes between sets. You may need to rest longer on certain exercises, but 2 minutes is a good guideline.
Posted Sun, 07/18/2010 - 11:59
if proper diet and routine is maintained when doing these exercises, how should it take to start seeing results from this regimen
Posted Mon, 07/19/2010 - 15:12
Hi Jimmy,
If you are trying to cut fat, a good goal would be to aim for a 2 pound fat loss per week. that will allow you to maintain as muscle muscle as possible while losing fat.
Posted Sun, 06/12/2011 - 20:07
What kind of caloric intake should I shoot for to obtain a 2 pound loss per week?
Posted Tue, 10/11/2011 - 12:38
i need to lose 10lbs, i need to know the proper exercise and food
Posted Sun, 05/23/2010 - 12:56
my doc says i need to lose 30 pounds and lose at lease 6 to 8 percent body fat because i'm borderline to being dibetic what workout would you do to lose the fat and weght fast?
Posted Sun, 05/23/2010 - 20:27
A good diet is really the key to cutting fat. Any beginner workout will work well during cutting if you are focusing on progressive resistance. How quickly are you looking to drop this weight?
Posted Mon, 07/12/2010 - 00:12
hi, i would like to ask if this program is applicable for my goal, im 21 yrs old, 125lbs, 5'4" and less body fat %. i just want to tone my muscle and look fit, i dont want to be bulk.
Posted Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:50
Hi Ey,
This program will be very helpful along with a sound diet approach.
Posted Thu, 03/17/2011 - 18:24
hi, i lost 105 pounds in a year but have reached a 5 month plateau at 206, and have def been slacking on my eating, and with my new jobs and a third kid, time is not on my side. i was on another workout from here and i started to see the bulk but i wanted more of a lean and cut, so im wondering if this is a good workout for that and also if you could... shoot me a meal plan if you have one that you could shoot to me... thanks! if you have a email i could email you if better.
Jodean
Posted Tue, 02/07/2012 - 18:15
Have you ever heard of Take Shape For Life? It features a meal plan, health coach, healthy habits of life. Guarantees weight loss of 3-5the lbs per week.
Posted Fri, 05/27/2011 - 14:52
yeah i just wanna know for a beginner like myself what would be a good work out to cut about 35 pounds. Would it be better to cut the weight I'm lifting down and pick up more rep? And i also would like to know about the diet you would recommend thanks
Posted Tue, 05/31/2011 - 19:42
Hi Garry,
You want to focus on two things to maximize results:
1) Pushing yourself in the gym. Using good form, always push yourself on every set. When you can perform the recommended number of reps for a set, add weight.
2) Eating to maximize muscle retention while cutting fat. Here are two articles that can help:
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/your-go-to-guide-for-cutting-f...
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-create-a-bodybuilding-...
Posted Thu, 07/14/2011 - 22:56
I think if you was to do s 10 min warm up on a running machine then move to muscles upper body , not massive weights but comfortable weight that you can manage without strain' . Do 4-5 sets upper body arms( bicep tricep) and abdominal area 4-5 sets ' do this each day ( or as often in the week as you can fit in. Check your weight before you start this workout and check it every 2 days and see if you notice a difference
Posted Sat, 01/29/2011 - 20:54
The key to losing weight and keeping muscle is hardcore cardio with extreme high repetitions of weight, you do this an hour a day 30min cardio followed by 30min. weight lifting one right after another and being followed by a diet you will lose weight in no time.
Posted Tue, 01/31/2012 - 21:39
Agree. A well balanced diet with plenty of "filtered water" would be a good start. Good friend of mine lost 16Kg and has maintained his weight ever since. He is out of the grey Diabetes zone. Check Healthpointe.
Posted Mon, 08/16/2010 - 17:19
When I originally found this article in early 2008, the rest periods were recommended for 30-60 seconds in between sets. It's a high pace, hi rep workout and is designed to get you in and out of the gym in under and hour (warm up, cool down included).
Posted Sat, 11/12/2011 - 10:24
about 60 seconds will do... but after a while change it up and shorten the rest time to 30
Posted Sat, 12/31/2011 - 17:28
Winters hard so eat some pancakes
Posted Thu, 02/02/2012 - 06:22
each set is 20 rep?for example for the 45 degree leg press is 20 reps? each set will be 20 reps?OR i will divide the 20 reps for 2 sets? im confused..tnx
Posted Thu, 05/20/2010 - 16:35
Hi, I was wondering about how much weight to use. Should I be using about 60% of my max or more? Also, I have a butt, hips, and thighs workout that I use pretty regularly because those are my target areas. Would it be a bad idea to do that routine on my off days? This workout looks great, but it doesn't seem to have a lot of lower body. Thanks!
Posted Thu, 05/20/2010 - 18:10
Use as much weight as you can for a given rep range, and try to increase that weight when possible.
Posted Thu, 05/20/2010 - 17:30
so i do 20reps then pause 2minutes. i always thought i had to wait for 15 seconds. no wonder i aint buff :P
Posted Tue, 05/25/2010 - 14:42
Two questions:
1 -- I have been doing a Spin class for 45 minutes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, followed by about an hour of lifting. If I go that route, do you think I should back off on the leg exercises at all?
2 -- I assume the intent is to do all of the sets of one exercise before moving on to the next. Do you have any opinion about doing one set of each exercise, and then restarting at the beginning, ultimately doing everything but allowing the "rest period" for one muscle group to be the work period for the next?
Thanks!
Posted Tue, 05/25/2010 - 17:27
In a perfect world you should lift first. It will help you tone - retain muscle. Regarding how you do the workout - either way is fine as long as you are pushing for more reps/weight on every set.
Posted Fri, 05/28/2010 - 23:06
Approximately how long should you follow this routine before beginning a low rep high weight lifting program?
Posted Mon, 05/31/2010 - 09:45
That really depends on your goals. I don't recommend staying on pure high reps for too long if your goal is muscle and strength. I would probably recommend suing this program for 4 weeks or so.
Posted Thu, 06/17/2010 - 17:24
i would probably recommend program for big mascles. I play 3day and 1 off
Posted Fri, 04/13/2012 - 04:07
Need to loose 40 kgs real quick.....HELP....don’t eat much, do yoga & some gym.....no weightloss at all....did the cabbage soup diet...lost 5kgs....but gained it all back.........am 52yrs old.....had surgical hystrenocmy.....help
Posted Sun, 12/23/2012 - 22:41
You hAVE to eat. If you cut your calories too low, your body will go into starvation mode, which leads to it hanging onto fat and breaking down muscle. Stick to clean foods- whole grains, lots of produce, quality meats, lots of water. Eat some protein with every meal and include healthy fats (olive oil, cocunut oil, salmon, etc).
Posted Mon, 05/31/2010 - 16:13
80% to achieving your goals is diet and only 20% is actually exercise!!! diet is the most important...obviously with a good workout routine...
Posted Wed, 06/02/2010 - 20:33
I would like to know about dieting while trying to tone. I am currently on a diet that consists of 1500 calories, no more than 75 carbs, less than 60 grams of fat, and at least 120 grams of protein. Should I up the protein intake while trying to tone? or is 120 grams daily enough?
Posted Thu, 06/03/2010 - 09:11
Anything below 1800 daily calories is generally a danger zone for males. You run the risk of "bounce back" weight gain when you stop your cut.
Regarding protein, eat at least 30 to 40 grams of protein every 2.5 to 3 hours.
Posted Fri, 06/11/2010 - 21:12
What is the caloric danger zone for females? And, how much protein should women consume? What type of protein supplement is better?
Posted Sun, 06/13/2010 - 10:39
I have 1200 calories presented as an absolute bare minimum for women. Anything below that is dangerously low. 1500 to 1800 would be healthier.
Women need about 20 to 30 grams every 2.5 to 3 hours to help maximize toning (muscle retention).
Whey protein is generally considered the best protein. It is by far the most popular, and comes in a near endless amount of flavors:
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/store/category/protein/whey-protein.html
Posted Sat, 02/05/2011 - 23:14
okay so i was told by people at the gym to cut down on protein bars. they had to much carbs and sugars
i was literally leaving the gym ( at night) and eating pure protein on the way home.
i thought it was okay for me , but then i started to gain stomach fat and i am none to happy about that.
what is the perfect food to eat after the gym
what should i eat before i go to the gym for a small snack
whats the deal i run do cardio until exhaustion, i run 3-5 miles a day 3-6 days a week ( i work out 6 days a week)
i do body parts like back biceps/ chest triceps /shoulders and legs
i don't understand what im doing wrong i am lifting light weight lots of reps trying to tone
with 1 to 2 days 15 reps but building weight ( up to 45 lbs )
for cardio i try to run then on other days i have started to vary between elliptical arc uphill treadmill etc.
i read to eat first thing in the a.m. / to do cardio first thing in the am on a empty stomach
i'm confused
my diet consist of
celery with peanut butter
apple
banana
special k with strawberries and 2 % milk
progress o veggie soups with crackers
lots of water
and i was doing multiple protein bars a day ( easy fast and easy to carry)
egg beater omelet with brocolli spinach tomatoes red peppers mushrooms spices
and a little bit of parm chz
mostly egg whites IN THE OMELET
sweet potatoes as a side for dinner if i have dinner baked chix/veggies/potato or rice
and boiled eggs
i try to eat 5 times per day but i am not always sucessfull
i am 120 lbs i do not know my body fat percentage i am 5'3
i can wear a small but i am starting to get muffin top and i know it may sound vein but i want to gain muscle get ripped and loose the fat! hence the diet and exercise
LOOK PLEASE DO NOT ANSWER MY QUESTION UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT
IVE READ BOOKS, MY MOTHER WAS A LIFTER, AFTER THE PEOPLE ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS AT THE GYM NOW IM JUST CONFUSED AND TRYING NOT TO GET HURT OR GAIN WEIGHT
I USE TO BE HEAVY!
THANK YOU
please please stear me in the right direction!!!!!
Posted Thu, 03/24/2011 - 15:14
hey roxanne! i actually have the same issue as you. i keep hearing different things from different people and am so confused.
right after the gym, i usually drink a protein shake. it is true, the bars have more sugar and more fattening and better if consumed during the day. before your workout, try eating an apple w/PB or bread with PB for the carbs to give you energy. your diet is the most important thing and make sure you are taking appropriate amount of calories. I would suggest 3-4 x's a week of cardio, interchanging the exercise you do. your body will get used to you doing the same form of cardio so try switching it up everyday. if u want to gain muscle, stick to 6-8 reps for each exercise you do!
Nicole
Posted Sun, 04/17/2011 - 09:02
To much sugar in your diet- i.e. the apple and the bannana and also the special k. its advertised as low fat but the sugar content is massive. plus ur having strawberries with it. 2 pieces of fruit max a day and more veg! plus try and have some nuts or something hih in protein whenever u have ur carbs.
is for your training the reps and weight really arnt the main issue- ur cardio needs to be really high intensity intervals, 3 times per week with some longer duration once or twice.
Posted Mon, 10/31/2011 - 18:21
you should not eat any fiber before working out, including apples, which contain fiber. it use precious energy that you should be using to workout
Posted Fri, 06/04/2010 - 13:41
how exactly can i throw in cardio for this workout, can i do the cardio on the non training days? or what?
Posted Sat, 06/05/2010 - 09:46
You can do cardio 3 to 5 times a week, first thing in the morning or post-workout. You can perform cardio on non-training days if it is convenient.
Posted Sun, 06/06/2010 - 13:45
is there really any difference whether or not i do cardio before or post-work?
Posted Sun, 06/06/2010 - 14:05
It is better to do cardio after resistance training. You want 100% of your energy available for resistance training.
Posted Mon, 06/07/2010 - 15:09
I would like to know, what level you would categorize this program under? I've been lifting for a bit longer then a year, and I've been considering to 'cut' for the summer you know, is this effective for beginners just as well as experienced?
and also, do I take each exercise seperate? or can I switch, while taking pause on the one before?
Posted Mon, 06/07/2010 - 17:22
This is an intermediate level workout. With your training experience it would be perfect for you. I would perform all the sets for one exercise at a time.
Posted Mon, 06/07/2010 - 16:55
what program you recommend for me? i dont want to be bulk, i just want to be tone but i just have a barbell and dumbells here at home.. thnx
Posted Mon, 06/07/2010 - 17:24
There are several great workouts on the site for barbells and dumbbells. Check out this link:
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/home.html
Posted Wed, 06/09/2010 - 01:18
My husband has been lifting weights for three years and has read many books and researched his weight lifting program. His goals are muscle mass, mine are toning problem areas. He continues to tell me that I should do cardio before lifting, but I keep seeing on the internet to do cardio last. What should I do for the best and fastest results?
Posted Wed, 06/09/2010 - 08:38
Cardio is better performed after resistance training. You want to look good after you drop a few pounds of excess weight, and this requires holding as much muscle as possible. Therefore it is wise to focus on resistance training and a solid diet approach, first and foremost.
Think of it this way...when you are fatigued from cardio and can't give a 100% effort for resistance training, you are in essence telling your body that resistance training isn't as important. You then run the risk of losing weight, but remaining flabby. I highly recommend checking out some female transformations:
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/transformations.html
Over and over again you will find that the women trained heavy with weights.
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