One of the biggest mistakes people make when they first start working out is working out too much. Our bodies need breaks between workouts. So, if you want to work out every day, you need to get into a particular routine, where you only work specific body parts on certain days. That way, you won’t end up doing damage to your muscles.
Muscles need time to heal between workouts. So, it is always good to concentrate on one muscle group one day and then give that group a break while working other muscle groups on different days.
You can definitely work out five days a week if you want to. Just make sure that you are doing it to benefit your body, not cause a lot of pain, and include rest days. Let’s look at the best way to schedule your workouts to be sure you are doing things the healthiest way possible.
Before You Plan Your Workouts
Before you get excited about planning your workouts, there are several things you will need to consider. Obviously, one of the first considerations would be your fitness goals. Next, you will need to look at your goals, along with your diet and what your boy is physically capable of at the moment. Other things to consider include:
Your Schedule
Your workouts will have to revolve around your schedule. Look at everything you have to do in the run of a day, including your job, taking care of your kids and home, shopping, etc. Come up with a schedule that allows you to do everything you need to do and still have plenty of time to work out for at least one hour a day, five days per week.
Muscle Groups
To build your muscles, consider the six main muscle groups: back, chest, shoulders, arms, biceps, and legs. Your workout schedule should revolve around these muscle groups.
Body Part Splits
If you have a rotating schedule that fluctuates, coming up with a workout schedule will be difficult. Remember, when it comes to body-part splits, you need to know the best way to split things up for the best results.
Sample 5-Day Workout Routine
If you are looking to tone your body and increase your strength, specific exercises need to be done on certain days. However, if you follow this routine religiously, you are going to end up seeing results. Obviously, you can’t expect to see those results overnight, but you will definitely achieve your fitness goals in time.
Let’s take a look at a workout routine that is popular with many bodybuilders. This routine will work all muscle groups while ensuring that each group has time to rest and recover after workouts. You will notice that there are two days when you do not work out at all, Thursdays and Sundays.
Of course, this is just a sample, and your schedule will likely be a bit different, depending on work, home life, etc.
Here is a sample 5-day workout plan to get you started.
Day 1: Legs
- Leg press – Doing leg presses helps you build strength in your legs without having a lot of impact on your joints, mainly your knees.
- Step-up – There are many variations of this exercise, and it is very easy to do. Stand on the bench and step back onto one leg, allowing the foot to touch the ground. Repeat with the other leg.
- Pistol squat – Not only will this exercise help to build your leg muscles, but it is also suitable for bone strengthening. First, extend your leg, moving down slowly. Once your knee is bent, begin moving up slowly. Repeat with the other leg.
- Walking lunge – When you lunge while walking, you will be able to really condition those leg muscles.
- Hack squat – This exercise is easily performed when you use the squat hack machine.
Day 2: Chest
- Arnold chest press – Lie flat on the bench with a dumbbell in either hand. Lower the weight so that it is over your chest and lift upwards.
- Svend press – This is a standing exercise. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart. Hold the plates to your chest, and then push them straight out until your arms are fully extended. Then, pull the plates back to the starting position.
- Chest fly – Lie down on the bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Raise the dumbbells up over the chest, and then slowly lower them back to the starting position.
Day 3: Back
- Barbell deadlift – This is a great exercise to do if you want stronger back muscles. It is one of the most essential back day exercises.
- Kettlebell swing – Here is another excellent exercise for building back muscles. Hold the kettlebell between your legs, and swing it back and forth.
- Standing T-bar row – You can lift much more weight with this exercise than with other back exercises. Once you have repeated it a few times, you are definitely going to feel it working.
- Wide-grip pull-up – This is probably the most effective back exercise and is excellent for those who don’t have the equipment to work out with. As long as you have a pull-up bar, you can do this exercise pretty much anywhere, and it is going to strengthen your upper back.
Day 4: Shoulders
- Barbell push press – You can add more weight with this exercise than you can with other types of presses. Your entire body will be moving, so it is also going to help work different muscle groups. For example, lifting a barbell over your head will send blood to your shoulder muscles.
- Dumbbell incline row – This exercise works multiple joints and strengthens all of the joints in your shoulders. Rowing movements can build the back of the shoulders and strengthen and add volume to the front of the shoulders.
- Seated overhead dumbbell press – This exercise works best with dumbbells rather than barbells. That way, each side of your shoulder will get the proper attention because you are working harder to keep the dumbbells stabilized.
Day 5: Arms
- Barbell curl – This is one of the most popular arm exercises used by bodybuilders worldwide. It is the best for building up your biceps.
- E-Z bar biceps curl – This exercise is pretty much the same as the barbell curl, but it will let your wrists and elbows have a bit of a break. It is excellent for building muscles in your arms.