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This is a muscle building workout that I have been using lately now that I am training more often at commercial gyms. It works well both with, and without a training partner. If training with a partner, I recommend keeping rest periods brief. After your partner's set is finished, you should waste little time before hitting your next set.
Each training day is balanced. You start by challenging major muscle groups with 3 sets of compound or taxing machine exercises. Next, you follow up by finishing a muscle group with a more isolation-style movement that typically focuses on the use of 3 second negatives. Lastly, you work smaller muscle groups with 3 sets each, using 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
Here is the training schedule:
- Day 1 - Upper Body
- Day 2 - Lower Body
- Day 3 - Off
- Day 4 - Upper Body
- Day 5 - Lower Body
- Day 6 - Off
- Day 7 - Off
Upper body training days
Upper body training days follow this scheme:
- Chest - 3 sets, compound
- Back - 3 sets, compound
- Shoulders - 3 sets, compound
- Chest - 2 sets, isolation or machine/moderate compound. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
- Back - 2 sets, isolation or machine/moderate compound. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
- Shoulders - 2 sets, isolation or machine/moderate compound. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
- Triceps -Â 3 sets, isolation or machine/cable exercises. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
- Biceps -Â 3 sets, isolation or machine/cable exercises. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
Lower body training days
Lower body training days follow this scheme:
- Quads - 3 sets, compound
- Hamstrings - 3 sets, compound
- Calves - 3 sets, taxing machine or isolation
- Quads - 2 sets, isolation or machine/moderate compound. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
- Hamstrings - 2 sets, isolation or machine/moderate compound. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
- Calves - 2 sets, isolation or machine/moderate compound. Use 3 second negatives when it makes sense.
- Abs - 3 sets, isolation or machine/cable exercises.
- Abs, Lower Back or Obliques -Â 3 sets, isolation or machine/cable exercises.
| Day 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Upper Body | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Bench Press | 3 | 6-12 |
| Barbell Row | 3 | 6-12 |
| Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Pec Dec - 3 sec negative | 2 | 10-12 |
| V-Bar Lat Pull Down - 3 sec negative | 2 | 10-12 |
| Side Lateral Raise | 2 | 10-15 |
| Cable Tricep Extensions - 3 sec negative | 3 | 8-12 |
| Cable Curls - 3 sec negative | 3 | 8-12 |
| Day 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Lower Body | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Squats | 3 | 6-12 |
| Stiff Leg Deadlifts | 3 | 8-12 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 10-15 |
| Leg Extensions - 3 sec negative | 2 | 10-12 |
| Leg Curl - 3 sec negative | 2 | 10-12 |
| Seated Calf Raise - 3 sec negative | 2 | 10-12 |
| Cable Crunch - 3 sec negative | 3 | 10-12 |
| Cable Pull Through w/Rope | 3 | 10-12 |
| Day 4 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Upper Body | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Rack Deadlifts - 3" to 5" off ground | 3 | 5-8 |
| Military Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Machine Chest Press - 3 sec negative | 2 | 8-12 |
| Pull Ups or Machine Rows - 3 sec negative | 2 | 8-12 |
| Machine Shoulder Press - 3 sec negative | 2 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Curls - 3 sec negative | 3 | 8-12 |
| Machine Tricep Dip - 3 sec negative | 3 | 8-12 |
| Day 5 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Lower Body | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Leg Press | 3 | 10-20 |
| Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlifts | 3 | 8-12 |
| Leg Press Calf Raise | 3 | 10-15 |
| Hack Squat | 2 | 8-12 |
| Seated Leg Curl - 3 sec negative | 2 | 10-12 |
| Seated Calf Raise - 3 sec negative | 2 | 10-12 |
| Planks | 3 | 60 sec |
| Hyperextension | 3 | 10-12 |
107 Comments+ Post Comment
I'm 37 years old and only been lifting seriously for about a year. I've had some recent set backs due to bad lifestyle decisions I've made but I'm looking to get back in the gym and get serious. I've got a goal weight in mind and need to lose around 50 pounds to hit it. I'm no where near as strong as I should be at my size and even when I lifted hard I found it difficult to build lots of strength. With fat loss as my primary goal is this program a good choice or should I build a base of strength first with something like 5x5?
Hi Josh
I'm 56 years old been lifting off and on for years. Looking to ge shredded. My question is would you recommend this workout to an advance lifter.
Hi Steve,
Absolutely. The way I see it, and so long as the individual is healthy enough to exercise and doesn't have compensation with the movements, a program that consists of:
Squating
Pushing
Pulling
Hinging
Lunging
Carrying
is suitable for every lifter and can be adapted to fit any level of experience.
Hope this helps!
Hey!
Would u recommend this program for loosing weight ? if not then do u have such a program?
Hi Aliraza,
Sure you can use this program for weight loss. The most important factor in determining whether you reach your weight loss goals is making sure you are in a calorie deficit. This program can help you burn calories to assist with creating that deficit.
Find out how many calories you need here: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/tools/bmr-calculator
Then subtract ~250-500 calories from that number to create a deficit.
Hope this helps!
Also. Where am I able to find a complete setup of this workout ? Like an excel file with it all graphed up?
Hi Coltom,
Downloadable versions of all of our programs should be available in the very near future. Hang tight and I apologize for the inconvenience in the meantime.
Hello. I have been doing the madcow 5x5.. and it doesn't seem like it's enough for me. I'm 19, 155, 5'9. And I don't get any kind of burn with the madcow after a couple weeks. Which, I am looking for a burn and increase in size. This a good workout for that? I'm also wondering. What is the process in which you increase weight from workout to workout ?
Hi Coltom,
Yes, this program is geared towards building muscle mass. Finding the perfect program for yourself takes a lot of trial and error. Test it out, see how you respond and how you like it, then determine if it is a good program for you.
Hope this helps!
for how many weeks, i have to follow same routien until i changed to next level??
Hi Khansahib,
Perform the program for 6-8 weeks before taking a week to deload. During that week, ask yourself:
Is this program still helping me achieve my goals?
Am I still seeing progress with this program?
Do I enjoy doing this program?
If you answered yes to all three questions, you dont necessarily have to change your program. If you answered no to any of them, it may be time to move on to something new.
Hope this helps!
What about adding some deadlifts (3 working sets of 3-5 reps) every other workout on the second lower body day ? Perhaps as the first exercise, then continuing with the leg press, leg press calf press and so on.
Hi Alex,
Instead of adding them in, I'd recommend subbing them for one of the other deadlift variations already listed within the program. This program contains 3 different deadlift variations. Adding any more might be a bit much for the movement pattern.
Hope this helps!
I plan on using this program for 3 months, what intermediate plan from muscle and strength would you suggest after that. I like to change my programs every 3-4 months.
Thank you
Hi Christopher,
You could go with something such as our PHUL program. It is one of most popular 4 day Upper/Lower splits and has an intermediate training level difficulty. The link can be found below.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/phul-workout
Hope this helps!
im not familiar with negative sets and i dont have a training partner, what changes should in order to switch the negative sets for normal ones instead?
Hey Steve. I'm going into an 8 week transformation contest. First would this routine be good for that. And second I know everything is about diet now would you do a kinetic diet or a moderate carb diet or a high carb diet or would you do a carb cycle diet. Also in this routine you have sets of 2 is that enough or do you think I should add another set to the set of 2's
can i use this workout for like 4-3 months to lose weight with a diet?
Hi Daniel,
Of course! Pairing this program with a sound diet plan and a caloric deficit will help you lose weight.
Hope this helps!
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR A PERSON WHO NEEDS TO LOSE 80LBS, THIS PROGRAM OR A FULL BODY 3 DAYS A WEEK PROGRAM.
I was just wondering, is it bad to have a cardio day on one/two of the rest days if I'm trying to put on muscle mass? I have fat around my belly and chest which I want to get rid of for the summer.
I was thinking to do swimming one day and 30mins running on the other?
Hi Kumar,
You should be fine doing that amount of cardio. Personally, I like to do some form of cardio either day (either low intensity or HIIT). Cardio keeps you heart healthy and as long as you are eating in accordance with your goals and recovering properly in between workouts, you should be fine.
Hope this helps!
Hi can I swap the sldl for conventional DL?
Hi Scott,
Sure, I don't see why not.
Thanks for the reply. Just didn't know if it would be to much, I like to dl
This is a 2 part question.
1). Could you do pyramid sets for the compound lifts, (ie. 20,15,12 or 15,12,10 or 12,10,8 etc etc)?
2). Could this be done 6 days a week, (ie. U,L,U,L,U,L rest)? If so, what changes would need to be made to make something like this work?
Please and thank you.
Hi Jeff,
Yes, feel free to pyramid your sets.
Sure, this program can be done 6 days a week. If you plan to do so, I'd recommend lowering the overall volume (sets) you do per workout. I'd also say it's not exactly necessary depending on your goals. You should still see plenty of good adaptations performing 4 weight training sessions per week. Use the additional days to do some active recovery outdoors or other recreational activities you enjoy performing.
Hope this helps!
Do you think its ok to superset opposing muscle groups? Could I bench/row and a superset, take 2m rest and then repeat? Same with tris/bis at the end? i find this can cut down on the time spent in the gym (not because im lazy but because I work out early in the morning and gets me to work a little sooner). Also what do you recommend for warm ups?
Hi Andy,
Yes, I'm all for it. Which is why I included that scheme in my Fast Mass program, check it out below:
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/fast-mass-program
As far as warm ups go, start here: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/warming-up-for-dummies
Hope this helps!
It does! Thank you for the quick reply.
Thanks for the reply. What would you recommend for warm up sets? I have heard some people say do an entire set at about 60-70% the weight you will do for working sets. Others, like in Starting Strength, follow a formula in which you do 1-3 reps at 20, 40, 60, 75, 90% weight to work up to your working sets.
Hi Andy,
The link provided before to the warming up article should provide you with all the warm up information you need.
The generic fall back for warm ups is performing cardio on a treadmill and then doing a couple of lifts with lighter weight, however this doesn't always warm up the central nervous system like something along the lines of dynamic breathing and stretching would.
If you're following some of those sample warm ups in the article linked to my last reply, some additional sets prior to the lift with lighter weight and focusing on form should get you set to perform your working sets at a high level.
Hope this helps!
This workout is Excellently put together, not like my grammar but what matters here is the full use of muscles in upper and lower body. I've been out of the gym for awhile and needed something not too much as well as a routine to build good foundation. I vary the exercises weekly. I do more reps and more sets as I've progressed. Very simple and very good routine. There's really no room for negative criticism here. If you're having trouble with this workout, then you're not putting in the discipline. When it comes to negatives, there's no need to complain about that either. You don't even need to ask to do them it should be a given. I really appreciate the wisdom and the knowledge of this base routine.. I love it!.
Feel like this workout is too demanding on hamstrings..
Is it OK to skip dumbell SLDLs?
Hi Davor,
Yes, you can skip the SLDLs if you feel like you're having difficulties recovering from this workouts. It might be a good progression to this program to aim to work to the point where you are comfortable adding them back in though.
Should I do straight sets in this workout plan???
H Aniket,
Yes. You should perform these in a straight set fashion.
How long can you do this routine. Plus can you do cardio on this program.
Will this help me bulk up? I've been going to the gym for 3 months on a 5x5 strength, but I'm lanky and want to bulk up, will this help? ??
I've been doing this program for about 3-4 weeks and do monday wednesday thursday and saturday. I feel that 48 hours rest is too little since Im still sore on thursday from mondays workout. Any comments?
Yeah, cut out the long negatives and do the reps at a normal speed. Long eccentrics are notorious for causing some brutal soreness, and there's a ton of them here! If there were fewer exercises, I could see using longer negatives. But honestly, this is already ALOT of volume. I've been lifting for years and this routine would trash me good. If removing the slow rep speed doesn't help - I'd look at your caloric intake and your sleep. You may not be eating enough or sleeping enough, thus making your recovery slow. Beyond that - I'd probably drop some of the machine isolation exercises to cut out some volume. This is a lot of work, there's a chance it's simply too much. I've been lifting for years and am a NSCA certified trainer. This routine is a tad too crazy in my opinion.
Hey man this is actually an awesome split breakdown, i really like the you formulated the compound excersises , then isolation then , smaller muscle groups. Most articles I have been reading mainly only stick to about five excersises per workout day and I wasn't much agreeing with that. This routine shows you how to really push the muscle groups with more excersises while at the same time incorporating a smarter methodology of compound and isolation movements and the structure of the workout is laid out excellently. Great job in this.
Hey I've been doing the HIML-4 Maximum muscle building workout program for about two months. It's been a slow process. My goal is to build muscle. I'm 5'11 and about 135lb. Would this workout help me build muscle faster?
Tried this routine , wanted to try an upper/lower split after working out for about 8 months. It feels like too many exercises. I agree with Paul, stick mostly with compounds. Simpler is better.
Too many exercises. Remove the isolation exercises.
An upper/lower body split is not for beginners. It is on intermediate and advanced level.
I need to lose body fat,i workout 6 days a week,i'm very active person during the day,i will try the full body workout but i dnt know for how long before i switch my program and when to do cardio?my main goal is to lose fat and keep or gain more muscle
If you want to lose weight I would say do heavy cardio until you get to the stage where you can do HIIT. 6 days a week is way to heavy and there's no way you can relax your muscles in just one day. Try to switch it to 3 or 4. It'll be easier for you as well because you won't get bored and tired of going to the gym. But as they say Abs are made in the kitchen so you need nutrition as well
My gym doesn't have a flat bench chest machine should I do dumbbell bench press or use the seated chest press machine
You need to switch gyms!
Started this work out last week but my gym doesn't have a laying chest press machine should I do bench presses or sitting chest press machine