Finally, i see a bodybuilding post here. 5x5 is great for strength, but brother you aint seen nothing yet if this is your first bbing split!
Follow this and you will explode with muscle gains:-
Day 1: Back & Abs
(1) Bent over barbell rows 4 sets 12, 10, 8, 6, 12
(2) Lat Pulldowns 4 sets 12, 10, 8*, 6*
(3) Cable rows 4 sets 10, 10, 10, 20
(4) Reverse grip pulldowns 4 sets 10, 10, 10*, 20
(5) DB shrugs 4 sets 12, 10, 10, 25
(1) Hanging leg raises 3 sets to failure
(2) Cable crunch 3 sets of 15-25 reps
(3) twists on machine or broom 3 sets of 50-100 reps
Day 2 Chest and forearms
(1) Incline bench press 4 sets of 12, 10, 8*, 6*
(2) flat DB press 4 sets of 10, 10, 8*, 8*
(3) Decline machine press 4 sets of 10, 10, 10*, 20
(4) Cable crossovers 4 sets of 10, 12, 12, 20
(1) (done on a bench with a light barbell) Reverse wrist curls Supersetted with wrist curls 3 sets of 20-50 reps on each.
Day 3 Legs
(1) Squats 4 sets of 12, 10, 8*, 6*
(2) Leg press 4 sets of 12, 10, 10, 8
(3) Laying leg curls 4 sets of 12, 10, 10, 8*
(4) Leg Extensions 6 sets of 12, 10, 8, 10, 25, 25
(5) Romanian Deadlifts 4 sets of 12, 12, 10, 10
(6) Standing calf raise supersetted with seated calf raise 3 sets of 10, 12, 15 on each
Day 4 Shoulders and abs
(1) Seated DB press 4 sets of 12, 10, 8*, 8*
(2) Upright rows 3 sets of 12, 10, 8,
(3) DB lateral raises 4 sets of 10, 10, 15, 25
(4) Rear laterals on machine 3 sets of 12, 12, 15
(5) DB front raises 3 sets of 10, 10, 15
(1) Decline crunch 3 sets to failure
(2) Reverse crunch 3 sets to failure
(3) Roman chair crunsh 3 sets to failure
Day 5 Arms
(1) close grip bench press 4 sets of 12, 10, 8*, 8*
(2) Weighted dips 4 sets of 12, 10, 8, bodyweight to failure
(3) overhead EZ bar (or two handed DB etensions) 4 sets of 12, 10*, 10*, 12
(4) DB tricep kickbacks 4 sets of 12, 10, 10, 25
(1) Seated DB curls 4 sets of 12, 10, 10, 8
(2) Barbell curls 4 sets of 10, 10, 8*, 15
(3) Hammer curls 3 sets of 10, 10, 12
(4) High Cable curls 3 sets of 20
There you have it a flat out bodybuidling split. Believe me, after folling a routine like this (providing your deit is in check) you will not go back to the 5x5 or any other strength based routine for putting on size.
The first thing alot of people will notice is the volume. Yes, we bodybuilders use VOLUME as one of the main principles to encourage muscle growth. The name of the game is repeated stress from variety of angles. This routine typically hits a given muscle group with a compound exercise early on (when strength levels are highest) to recruit as many muscle fibres as possible and then furthers development by targeting the muscles individually. Take delt day - presses first (all 3 delts, tris, traps, upper chest), upright rows (all 3 delts, traps) laterals (side delt), front raise (front delt) etc...This combination is a winner if size is your goal.
The second is the exersice choice.
Let me guess, you start with flat barbell press for chest, barbell curls for arms, deadlifts or chins for back, squats for legs and barbell pressess for shoulders right? Cool, hope it worked for you. Try this, it will take you to new levels, and then some. The exercise change alone will shock your muscles into new growth. The rep ranges will too. Two reasons alone there to try this routine.
No deadlfits?! but they are the best mass builder ever....yeah they are great and do add mass to your entire body. But, and this is a big but...you, like most on here have been deadlifting a while. Hows your back looking? average? Thick but lacks width? Barbell rows are the number one, read that again, BARBELL ROWS are the number one back exercise for a bodybuilder. They hit EVERY muscle in the back and target the lats and mid back so much more that deadlifts. Dont get me wrong, i love deads, but they loose out to rows in this routine where back size and definition are our main goals. This is one area where you will make the most progress, my back exploded on this routine. Get ready to buy some new tops bro!
Combine that with the rep ranges. 1-6 reps will do alot for strength but next to nothing for muscle size, and very little for seperation, definition and detail. Bodybuilders train within 8-12 repetitions generally as this is the best range for hypertrophy. Having said that, this routine also has sets much higher and occassionally lower than that range.
The reasons are:- flushing the target muscle with high reps. This method takes the pump to the next level. If you take leg day, finishing off legs with 2 sets of 25 reps will cause a MASSIVE pump in your quads and those legs will literally BALLOON up in size....this size gain is only temp but the beauty of the pump is that the muscle has alot of blood which stretches it, which is vital for future growth and also that blood carries the nutriets we need so dearly for our muscles to recover, repair and ultimatly grow!
The lower rep work is for strength, which i agree is important for muscle growth and thickness. But the majority of work in this routine is 8-12 reps.
Take each set to failure at the target rep range. a 12 rep set means you can get 12 reps with good form but you cannot get a 13th. Sets marked * require two forced reps from a spotter. These reps are vital and ultimately push you to where you have not been before (or at least your muscles). Make sure you get those forced reps!
If your gym doesnt have any equipment needed, use a similar exercise (no decline machine? - use free wights...). On a related point, no routine is perfect, and a successful bodybuilder is one who adapts his training before his body adapts to it...make SMALL changes often. The best way is to chnage the order you do things. Take chest for example, start on incline one week, flat the next. This will keep you growing like a freight train!!!
day 6 & 7 are rest days. rest days are exacelty that....this is when you grow so eat big and take it easy.
Diet is paramount and will ultimatly be the deciding factor in any routine. This routine was given to me by an IFBB pro who has advised me for many years and helped out with contest prep too.
Good luck. Unit.
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