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Find real-world hacks for designing a workout plan, crushing key lifts, and hitting new PRs in your training split.
A good workout routine hits three essentials: it matches your fitness goals, fits your schedule, and uses proven exercises that get results.
If you’re chasing muscle mass or strength, build your routine around big compound exercises like Squats, Deadlifts, Dumbbell Bench Press, and Dumbbell Rows. Aim for 3 to 5 sets of 6 to 12 reps, keeping 1 to 2 reps in the tank to avoid burnout while still driving muscle growth.
If your goal is weight loss, combine strength work with cardio exercises like intervals or finishers, and keep rest periods short to increase calorie burn.
Here’s how to structure a solid week:
Beginners: Start with a full-body gym workout or home workouts 2 to 3 days per week. Focus on perfect form before loading weight.
Intermediate/Advanced: Try a training split, like Push/Pull/Legs or Upper/Lower, to hit muscles more often and allow recovery.
Time-crunched? Use tools like a resistance band, kettlebell workouts, or bodyweight circuits for home workouts.
Don’t forget progressive overload. Track your lifts, add small weight jumps, or squeeze out extra reps weekly. And build in mobility work (on a mat or with a suspension trainer) to stay injury-free.
The best workout plan is one you enjoy enough to stick with. Consistency beats perfection every time.
Forget split routines and fancy machines for now. Start with full-body workouts 2 to 3 times a week, hitting each muscle group with smart compound movements. Here’s how:
Choose 5 to 6 key moves: Build your routine around basics like:
Keep It Light: Use bodyweight exercises (e.g., Pike Pushups), light dumbbells, or resistance bands. Perfect your form before worrying about how much weight is on the bar.
Rep Range: Aim for 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps for each exercise. Focus on control and quality over speed.
Stick to a Simple Schedule: Two or three workouts per week is plenty to start. Rest days help you recover and grow.
Track Progress: Write down your weights and reps. Over time, use progressive overload, adding small amounts of weight, reps, or time under tension, to keep challenging your muscles. /
A 30-day beginner workout plan can be a great guide, but the real goal is learning good habits, moving pain-free, and building confidence for your long-term fitness journey.
Starting a workout routine isn’t rocket science but it takes smart planning and consistency if you want real results. Here’s how to launch your fitness journey the right way:
Set Your Goal: Pick ONE primary goal such as muscle growth, fat loss, or better endurance. Your goal determines your workout plan, whether you’ll focus on strength training, cardio workouts, or a mix.
Build Around Big Lifts: Use compound strength exercises as your foundation. Beginners should nail the basics:
Start Light: If you’re new, stick with body weight, light dumbbells, or a resistance band. Perfect your form before loading plates on the bar.
Plan Your Training Split: For beginners, 2 to 3 full-body sessions per week is plenty. More advanced? Try a training split like Push/Pull/Legs or Upper/Lower.
Schedule It: Look at your week realistically. Can you hit the fitness club three times? Or is a home workout with home workout videos and a full body equipment fitness mat more sustainable?
Track Everything: Progress doesn’t happen by accident. Log your workout schedule, weights, reps, and sets. Use progressive overload by adding a bit more weight, reps, or time under tension each week.
Recover Smart: Rest days are when your body grows. Don’t skip them. Use them for light mobility workouts, walking, or exercise snacks to stay active without burning out.
Skip the “perfect” plan and start with a routine you’ll stick to. Consistency builds results.
You don’t need a brand-new workout routine every week to make gains. Constant change kills consistency, and without consistency, your results stall fast.
For most lifters, stick to a program for at least 6 to 8 weeks before switching. That’s enough time to push progressive overload and build real strength and muscle mass.
Change your routine if:
Otherwise, tweak instead of overhaul:
Example tweak for chest day:
Remember to keep your main lifts long enough to track progress but don’t be afraid to change accessories or variables to keep your training sharp.
Planning a workout routine isn’t about stringing together random strength exercises. It’s about creating a blueprint that matches your fitness goals and lets you recover enough to keep showing up.
Here’s how to build a routine like an athlete:
Pick Your Goal: Want muscle mass? Prioritize heavy resistance training with big lifts. Chasing fat loss for a flat tummy? Your goal will directly correlate with the acute variables (sets, reps, tempo, etc.) of the workout.
Choose Your Split: Beginners should stick with 2 to 3 days of full-body workouts to hit every muscle multiple times a week. Those who are intermediate or advanced can try split workouts for more volume.
Select Core Moves: Base your plan around compound exercises such as Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Press, and Rows. Add accessories like Dumbbell Flyes, Curls, or Calf Raises for extra detail work.
Manage Volume and Recovery: Lower body gym workout? Stick to 3 to 5 exercises per session. Upper body day? Keep it to 4 to 6 key lifts. More isn’t always better. Train hard but smart.
Plan Progression: Write down your sets, reps, and weights. Use progressive overload by adding weight, reps, or time under tension weekly to turn a basic plan into a muscle-gaining workout routine.
Stay Flexible: Training at a fitness club? Use resistance machines for safe overload or variation for certain exercises. Stuck at home? Crush it with resistance bands and an at-home workout plan.
There’s no single “best” workout routine for everyone but there’s a best one for YOU. And what is that?
The best routine is the one you do consistently.
It fits your schedule, aligns with your fitness goals, and keeps you progressing, regardless of whether you’re chasing muscle mass, fat loss, or peak performance.
Here’s how to build your best plan:
Start with Compound Lifts: Base your training around big moves like Squats, Deadlifts, Rows, and Presses. These hit multiple muscles, torch calories, and drive muscle growth.
Pick the Right Split: Short on time? Go for a full body training split three days a week. More advanced? Try split workouts for greater intensity and volume. Choose what fits your goals and schedule so you stay consistent.
Mix Up Your Tools: Keep things interesting with full body equipment like barbells, dumbbells, resistance machines, kettlebells, or resistance bands. Training at home? A fitness mat and bodyweight moves go a long way.
Train for Specific Goals: For a full body toning workout plan, keep rest periods short, incorporate circuits, and include cardiovascular exercise to boost fat loss and endurance. If your goal is strength and size, focus on lower rep ranges with heavier loads to maximize muscle and power gains. Tailoring your workout routine to your specific goal is key to seeing real results.
Plan Recovery: Schedule recovery days. Use lighter sessions like mobility workouts to stay active without burning out.
Track Your Progress: Write down weights, reps, and how you feel. Apply progressive overload including increasing weight, reps, or time under tension to keep moving forward.
There’s no single list of the “absolute best” exercises for everyone, but certain moves show up again and again in the best workout programs for good reason: they build muscle mass, strength, and athletic performance all at once.
Here’s my go-to top ten:
These are mostly compound strength exercises, meaning they train multiple muscle groups at once for maximum return.
It doesn’t matter if you’re lifting in the gym, following structured exercise programs, or trying moves from a fitness class, these strength training exercises should anchor your routine.
Swap in variations that fit your level and keep your joints healthy but keep the core lifts consistent for real progress.
There’s no magic “best” gym workout routine for everyone but there’s definitely a best exercise routine for you.
It’s the one you’ll stick to, fits your schedule, and drives you closer to your fitness goals.
If you’re new to the gym, keep it simple. Start with a full-body workout program three days a week.
Focus on the big lifts that matter:
Perform 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps each and nail your form before chasing big numbers. Learn the movements, stay safe, and build a solid foundation.
If you’re more experienced, step up your game with split workouts. These let you crank up volume and intensity for serious muscle mass and strength gains.
For example:
Don’t skip your cardiovascular exercise, especially if fat loss or conditioning is your goal.
And if you’re looking to shake things up, throw in an ATHLEAN-X YouTube fitness class once a week. HIIT, boxing, and circuit training all challenge your body in new ways and keep things fun.
The way you split your training matters, and it should match your experience, recovery, and goals.
If you’re a beginner, skip the complicated splits. Instead, stick with full-body workouts 2 to 3 times per week. That way, you hit every muscle group multiple times, practice key lifts often, and build a solid base of strength and muscle mass.
If you’re more advanced, splitting your routine lets you increase training volume while giving muscle groups time to recover.
I’d recommend some of the following workout splits:
Push/Pull/Legs Split: Push (chest, shoulders, triceps), Pull (back, biceps), and Legs (quads, hamstrings, glutes).
Upper/Lower Split: One day upper body, one day lower body, repeated through the week.
Body Part Split: One muscle group per day. For example, chest Monday, back Tuesday, legs Wednesday. Great for targeting weaknesses but more demanding in terms of time and recovery.
Here’s a Push/Pull/Legs workout example:
No matter how you split it, aim to train each muscle group at least twice per week if your goal is muscle growth.
Choose the split that fits your schedule and stick with it long enough to see real results.
The best workout routine for building muscle isn’t complicated. It’s built on smart structure, progressive overload, and consistency.
First, focus on resistance training that challenges multiple muscle groups. Big compound lifts should anchor your sessions, because they let you move the most weight and create the biggest stimulus for growth.
But remember that it’s not just about lifting heavy. It’s about lifting with control and purpose.
Here’s how to train for maximum muscle growth:
Hit the Right Rep Range: Stick to 6 to 12 reps for most sets. That’s the sweet spot for the microscopic tears that trigger muscle hypertrophy.
Train Close to Failure: Don’t leave too many reps in the tank. Aim for sets that feel tough, with maybe 1 to 2 reps left before form breaks.
Apply Progressive Overload: Track your lifts and look to add weight, reps, or time under tension week to week. If you’re lifting the same weight for months, your muscles have zero reason to grow.
Balance Volume and Recovery: More sets aren’t always better. For most muscle groups, 10 to 20 challenging sets per week is plenty. Keep your sessions between 45 to 75 minutes to avoid junk volume.
Include Accessory Work: After your big lifts, hit smaller muscles and detail work. Moves like Dumbbell Flyes, Curls, Lateral Raises, and Calf Raises bring shape and balance to your physique, but keep them as support work, not the main event.
Fuel Your Gains: No matter how good your workout program is, you won’t build muscle mass without enough calories, protein sources, and quality sleep. Training hard is only half the battle. Recovery builds size.
For intermediate and advanced lifters, a split workout can help you train each muscle with higher volume while allowing recovery. Just make sure your split fits your schedule so you can stay consistent.
Choosing the right workout routine is where most people screw up. Pick the wrong plan, and you’ll waste time, spin your wheels, and stay frustrated instead of getting results.
Here’s how to pick a plan that works, not just looks good on paper:
Your experience level matters. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking more advanced means better results.
If you’re new to lifting, your number one priority is learning how to move well. Stick with beginner workout programs that focus on proper form, balanced strength, and safe progressions.
Mastering basics like Squats, Deadlifts, Presses, and Rows builds the foundation you’ll rely on for every future lift.
Trying to jump into advanced splits, crazy supersets, or lifting super-heavy too soon is a recipe for frustration, back pain, and injury. You’ll end up spinning your wheels, or worse, sidelined.
Intermediate and advanced lifters can handle more complexity: higher volume, heavier free weights, and specialized techniques like supersets or drop sets.
But even then, training smarter beats just training harder. Know where you stand and choose a workout routine that matches your level.
Progress comes from consistency, not from pretending you’re a pro before you’re ready. Earn your right to lift heavier and do it safely.
Here’s where most people sabotage themselves: trying to do everything at once.
You want to get huge, lean, strong, shredded, athletic, and look like a superhero all at the same time. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that.
Pick one primary goal and structure your training around it.
Want to build muscle mass? Focus on resistance training, progressive overload, and eating in a calorie surplus (with the help of a calorie counter).
Working out to drop fat? Combine strength work with cardiovascular exercise and tighten up your nutrition for a calorie deficit.
Chasing sports performance? Train for strength, power, and conditioning but accept that you might not look like a bodybuilder in the process.
Looking to move better and improve men’s or women’s health? A balanced mix of resistance, cardio, and mobility workouts will serve you well.
Don’t fall for the myth that you can bulk up and get shredded at the same time unless you’re brand new to lifting or using “other methods” we don’t recommend. Focus your workout routine on one goal at a time so your efforts aren’t scattered and wasted.
Clarity beats confusion every time. Know your goal, and make every set, rep, and meal serve that goal.
The best workout routine in the world is worthless if you can’t actually do it.
Look at your life honestly. Work stress, family obligations, and commute times all matter.
If your schedule is already chaos, don’t kid yourself into thinking you’ll train six days a week. That’s how people burn out, skip sessions, and eventually quit altogether.
If you’ve only got time for three sessions a week, that’s perfectly fine. A three-day gym workout can absolutely build muscle and strength if you train hard and stick to the plan. Quality beats quantity every single time.
Plan your training frequency around how many days you know you can consistently show up.
Don’t pick a program that demands more than you’re willing, or able, to give. That way, you’ll stay on track, avoid frustration, and keep making progress.
People jump ship on their workout routine way too soon.
You start strong, but halfway through you spot some new “miracle” program online and suddenly your old plan looks boring. So, you drop it, start over, and wonder why you’re not seeing results.
Don’t do that.
Most solid workout programs are designed to run for 8 to 12 weeks. That time frame isn’t random. It’s long enough to apply progressive overload, build new movement patterns, and actually see your body change.
Gains come from sticking it out and giving your body time to adapt.
If you’re bored, swap out a couple of accessory strength training exercises or tweak your rep ranges but keep your main lifts and structure consistent. It’s consistency, not novelty, that transforms your physique.
Your body type matters and ignoring it can waste months of effort.
A tall, lanky guy (ectomorph) won’t pack on muscle mass the same way a stocky, thicker-built lifter (endomorph) will.
And that’s perfectly fine. You just have to play the cards you’re dealt and play them well.
Ectomorphs have fast metabolisms and longer limbs. They often struggle to gain size and strength, which is why they’re sometimes referred to as ‘hardgainers.’ Here’s how to beat that:
Endomorphs naturally carry more body fat and often gain both muscle and fat quickly. To train smart:
Mesomorphs are the lucky ones. They build muscle relatively easily but still need solid habits:
Knowing your body type isn’t an excuse. It’s a tool. Use it to adjust your workout routine, your nutrition, and even your recovery strategies.
For example, ectomorphs may thrive on fewer training days but higher weights, while endomorphs might need more frequent movement and tighter calorie control.
Write down your body type and list one change you’ll make this week either in training, diet, or recovery to match your plan to your physiology.
Social media has everyone fooled. You scroll past shredded influencers and think, “Why don’t I look like that?”
Easy answer: they’ve been lifting for years, sometimes decades, and it’s literally their full-time job. Some also have “help” we’re not endorsing.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you’ll look like a cover model in 12 weeks.
Set goals that are achievable. Aim to lift heavier, build muscle mass, drop body fat slowly, and improve how you move and feel. Those small wins stack up into big transformations over time.
Focus on your progress, not the person next to you. You’re competing with who you were yesterday, not some influencer with perfect lighting and filters.
Keep your expectations grounded. Chase steady improvement, and you’ll look back a year from now amazed at how far you’ve come.
Don’t underestimate the power of a solid training partner.
The right partner keeps you accountable, pushes you to finish that last brutal set, and makes the grind a lot more bearable.
It’s easier to skip the gym when no one’s waiting for you, but a partner changes that.
Here’s how to pick a good one:
Even if you’re training solo, you can create virtual accountability. Join an online community or connect with a friend who’ll check in on your workouts.
The goal is simple: never train alone mentally, even if you’re training alone physically.
Don’t just grab the first workout program you see online because it’s got flashy thumbnails or a shredded coach selling “secrets.”
What works wonders for one person could be useless, or downright dangerous, for someone else.
Think of choosing your training plan like buying a car: you wouldn’t throw down your money without knowing if it fits your needs, budget, and lifestyle. Your fitness goals deserve the same respect.
Before you commit, here’s how to do it right:
Read Reviews and Testimonials: Dig deeper than just the star ratings. Look for details from lifters with your same body type, experience level, and goals. If you’re an ectomorph trying to build size, don’t follow a plan praised by people focused solely on weight loss.
Check if the Plan Fits Your Schedule: Be honest. If you can realistically train three days a week, don’t pick a program that demands six sessions plus two extra hours of cardio. You’ll end up missing workouts, feeling like a failure, and quitting altogether.
Watch Exercise Demos: You should know exactly what movements are in the plan and whether you can perform them safely. Not sure about a lift? Either learn it properly first, or swap in a variation you’re confident with. Bad form is a shortcut to injury.
Look Under the Hood: Is the program balanced? Does it include all major movement patterns (squat, hinge, push, pull, carry)? Does it account for mobility work, progressive overload, and recovery? Or is it just random exercises thrown together for views?
Ask Around: Join forums or social media groups. Other lifters love sharing what worked for them and what wasted their time. Learn from their wins and mistakes so you don’t repeat them.
Remember, the internet is a double-edged sword. It’s packed with incredible info and an equal amount of absolute garbage.
Separate science from hype, and you’ll save months or years of wasted effort and frustration.
You can crush every rep in the gym, sweat buckets in a fitness class, and hit new PRs all month but if your nutrition is garbage, you can forget ever hitting your goals.
Training breaks your muscles down. Nutrition rebuilds them bigger and stronger. Skip that piece of the puzzle, and you’ll stay stuck in the same body year after year.
Here’s how to get your nutrition game dialed in like an athlete:
Track Your Calories: Whether you’re chasing muscle mass or fat loss, your results depend on energy balance. If you’re trying to bulk, aim for a small calorie surplus around 300 to 500 extra calories a day. Cutting? Keep a modest deficit of 300 to 500 calories below maintenance. Use apps like MyFitnessPal, Nike+ Training Club, or go old-school with a food journal.
Prioritize Protein: This is non-negotiable. Aim for at least 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day. Protein fuels muscle repair, growth, and helps keep you full longer. Think lean meats, eggs, Greek yogurt, whey protein, fish, and legumes.
Time Your Meals: Your body is like an engine, and it needs fuel to perform. Eat carbs and protein around your workouts to boost energy, improve training output, and speed up recovery. Pre-workout, think oats and protein. Post-workout, go for fast-digesting carbs like fruit and a protein shake.
Stay Hydrated: Even mild dehydration can zap your strength, endurance, and focus. Grab your water bottles and aim for at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily. Even more if you’re sweating hard in training.
Be Consistent, Not Perfect: Forget all-or-nothing diets. Consistency wins every time. You don’t need to hit 100% perfection. Aim for 80 to 90% adherence to your nutrition plan. One bad meal doesn’t ruin progress but giving up does.
Mind Your Micronutrients: Don’t live on protein bars and chicken alone. Include a variety of fruits, veggies, nuts, and whole grains for vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Your body needs more than just macros to perform at its best.
Think of training as the spark and nutrition as the fuel that makes the fire burn. You wouldn’t try to build a house without bricks, and you sure can’t build muscle without calories and quality nutrients.
If you’re serious about transforming your body, put as much focus into the kitchen as you do in the gym.
