Basic Bodybuilding Split

How do you want your body to look? Do you want to be ultra-ripped like a professional bodybuilder in contest condition even if it means being leaner, with less massive muscles? Or, do you want to have huge massive muscles like an off-season bodybuilder, but not that ultra ripped contest look? Maybe you just want to be big and strong like a professional strongman and you really don't care how you look with your shirt off?

All of the above goals can be accomplished with alterations to your diet and training, but here is a workout plan for those of you who want to be big and strong, yet still care how your body looks. This is a workout for those of you who want to have a strong, vibrant, attractive body that stands out from the rest. It is basically a bodybuilding split with higher reps. The 3 heavy sets of 8 should be executed with the heaviest weight you can handle while maintaining good form. Well, here it is:

DAY 1: CHEST
Barbell Bench Press
1x20
3x8 (heavy)
1x20

Incline Barbell Press
3x12

Flat Wide Dumbbell Flys
3x12

Incline Wide Dumbbell Flys
3x12

Cable Crossovers
3x20

ABS
Hanging Leg Raises
3x20 (work your way up to this if you can not do 3x20 right away)

Weighted Incline Sit Ups
3x20

DAY 2: BACK
Dumbbell Pullovers
1x20 3x8 (heavy)
1x20

Lat Pulldowns (medium grip, in front)
3x12

Dumbbell Rows
3x12

Bent Over Barbell Rows
3x12

Lat Pulldowns (narrow grip, in front)
3x12

Standing Front Lat Straight Arm Pulldowns
3x12

LOWER BACK
Weighted Hyperextensions
3x20

Stiff Leg Deadlifts
3x20

DAY 3: LEGS
Squat (narrow foot stance, feet pointed straight ahead to isolate quads)
1x20
3x8 (heavy)
1x20

Leg Press
3x12

Leg Extensions
3x12

Leg Curls
3x12 3x12

Hack Squat
3x12

CALVES
Seated Calf Raise 3x20

Standing Calf Raise
3x20

DAY 4: SHOULDERS
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
1x20 3x8 (heavy) 1x20

Side Dumbbell Lateral Raises
3x12

Front Dumbbell Lateral Raises
3x12

Bent Over Rear Dumbbell Lateral Raises
3x12

Barbell Military Press
3x12 3x12

NECK
Weighted Neck Press or Pull
3x20 (each of 4 ways)

DAY 5: ARMS
Preacher EZ Curl Bar Curls
1x20 3x8 (heavy) 1x20

Lying Barbell Tricep Extensions
1x20 3x8 (heavy) 1x20

Standing Barbell Curls
3x12

Tricep Pushdowns
3x12

Dumbbell Concentration Curls
3x12

Dumbbell Tricep Kickbacks
3x12

ABS
Hanging Leg Raises
3x20

Weighted Incline Sit Ups
3x20

DAY 6
Back To Day 1

This training program has a lot of volume and not much rest. You are isolating the muscle groups so you are not training the same muscle group without four days rest for that muscle, but you are still susceptible to over-training. This type of program would be good for a period of about 15 weeks before switching things up. The high volume approach will help you pack on size, but make sure you are getting adequate rest and are paying special attention to your diet.

Train Hard!