12 Week Body Transformation Workout Plan with Free PDF

Building a strong and aesthetic physique is the ultimate goal of many fitness enthusiasts. However, it requires discipline, proper nutrition, and a well-designed workout program.

A workout program helps you work out in an organized manner and achieve your fitness goal.

In this article, I’ve shared a 12 week body transformation gym workout plan (with PDF) for those who want to build muscles and transform their physique from lean to muscular.

This workout program will be challenging and requires great effort, but it will ultimately help you achieve your best physique.

Is it Possible to Transform Your Physique in 12 weeks?

It is not possible to transform your physique in twelve weeks. Building muscles takes time, typically from six months to two years depending on how your body responds, how consistent you are, and what you consume to recover and build your muscles.

A study published by the International Journal of Exercise Science has shown that intermediate lifters (including men and women) gained approximately 2.2 pounds of lean mass after eight weeks of resistance training.¹Thomas MH, Burns SP. Increasing Lean Mass and Strength: A Comparison of High-Frequency Strength Training to Lower Frequency Strength Training. Int J Exerc Sci. 2016;9(2):159-167. Published 2016 Apr 1.

So, if you’ve been working out for a while, you can expect a 2-3 pound gain in two months, and if you are a beginner, you can expect more muscle growth in your initial training period.

Three months may not be enough for muscle building, but it can help you achieve noticeable results if you follow this transformation workout plan properly. If you see muscle growth, you can continue further.

Summary of 12 Week Transformation Gym Workout Program

• Week 1 – Full-Body Split
• Week 2 – Full-Body Split
• Week 3 – Upper/Lower Split
• Week 4 – Upper/Lower Split
• Week 5 – Push, Pull, Legs (PPL)
• Week 6 – Push, Pull, Legs (PPL)
• Week 7 – Upper and Lower Mix
• Week 8 – Upper and Lower Mix
• Week 9 – Bro Split
• Week 10 – Bro Split
• Week 11 – Upper and Lower Combine
• Week 12 – Upper and Lower Combine

Goal	Body Transformation (Strength and Gain)
Workout Frequency	5-6 days a week
Difficulty level	Beginner to Intermediate
Duration of each session	75-90 minutes
PDF of This Workout Plan	At the Bottom
Rest Between sets	2-4 minutes
Alternate Plan	30-Day Muscle Building Plan
Nutrition Recommend	Whey Isolates

A full body workout split requires you to train your entire muscle group almost every day and help you boost strength. ²A Comparison Between Total Body and Split Routine Resistance Training Programs in Trained Men– The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

Upper/lower spit and PPL allow you to work on your major muscles a couple of times a week to help you beef up mass.

And with a Bro-split, you can strengthen and build a specific muscle in a single workout session.³ Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis – The National Institute of Health Database

I’ve incorporated various routine types in this 12 week transformation program so you can enjoy working out while building strength and hypertrophy.

12 Week Body Transformation Workout Plan

Before you start, please keep some of the usual tips in your mind.

• Make sure you increase the loads when you decrease the repetitions during the workout.
• Do each rep in a controlled manner by engaging your working muscles efficiently.
• Whether you lift light or heavy, make sure you feel the full contraction and do until failure.

Week 1 – Full-Body Split

Frequency: 5 days a week

Rest days: Thursday and Sunday

Monday

Exercise	Muscles Worked	Reps
Treadmill Run	Full-body	2-5 minute
Barbell Back Squat	Legs	15, 12, 10
Incline DB Bench Press	Chest	12, 10, 8
Lateral Raises	Shoulder	12, 10, 8
Tricep Overhead Extension	Triceps	12, 10, 8
Bent Over Row	Back	12, 10, 8
Leg Curl	Hamstrings	12, 10, 8
Plank	Core	60-sec
Side Plank	Core	30-sec/side

Tuesday

Exercise	Muscles Worked	Reps
Pull-up	Back and Biceps	AMRAP x 3
Deadlift	Legs and Back	5, 4, 2, 1
Military Press	Shoulder	15, 12, 10
Front Lunges	Legs	8-10/side x 2
Single-arm DB Rowing	Back and Biceps	12, 10, 8
Dumbbell Pullover	Back and Chest	12, 10, 8
Reverse Pec Deck Fly	Rear Delt	12, 10, 8
Hanging Knee Raise	Core	10 x 2

Wednesday

Exercise	Muscles Build	Reps
Weighted Push-up	Chest and Triceps	AMRAP x 3
Dumbbell Step Up	Legs	8-10/side x 3
Flat Bench Press	Chest	12, 10, 8
Seated Pec Deck Fly	Chest	AMRAP x 3
Front Lat Pulldown	Back	12, 10, 8
Seated Cable Rowing	Back	12, 10, 8
Chinups	Back and Biceps	AMRAP x 3

Friday

Exercise	Muscles Worked	Reps
Barbell Back Squat	Legs	15, 12, 10
Bar Dips	Chest and Tricep	AMRAP x 3
Military Press	Shoulder	15, 12, 10
Reverse Fly	Back and Shoulder	12, 10, 8
Shoulder Shrug	Shoulder	12, 10, 8
Glutes Bridge	Glutes	10 x 2
Low Back Extension	Posterior Chain	10 x 3

Saturday

Exercise	Muscles Worked	Reps
Pullups	Back	AMRAP x 3
Flat Bench Press	Chest	15, 12, 10
DB Incline Bench Press	Chest	12, 10, 8
Lateral Raises	Shoulder	10-12 x 3
Bent-Over Row	Back	12, 10, 8
Calf Raise	Calves	12, 10, 8
Reverse Crunches	Core	20
Sit-up	Core	20
Leg Raises	Core	10
Plank	Core	60-sec
Side Plank	Core	30-sec/side

Week 2 – Total Body Split

In the second week of the 12 Week Body Transformation Workout Plan, you can replace some exercises from the first-week routine.

For example, you can replace treadmill run warm-up workout with a stationary bicycling, barbell squat with hack squat, barbell RDL to good morning, and military press with Arnold press.

Depending on your fitness level, you can choose compound workouts that work on your entire body.

You can also repeat the same exercise in the second week if you don’t want to change.

Week 3 – Upper/Lower Split

• Monday: Chest and Triceps
• Tuesday: Quadriceps and Calves
• Wednesday: Back and Biceps
• Thursday: Rest
• Friday: Hamstrings and Glutes
• Saturday: Shoulder and Core
• Sunday: Rest

Monday – Chest and Triceps

Workout	Reps
Flat Bench Press	15, 10, 8, 6
Incline Dumbbell Press	12, 10, 8, 6
Machine/Cable Fly	12, 10, 8, 6
Dumbbell Pullover	12, 10, 8
Bar Dips	AMRAP x 3
Triangle Pushup	AMRAP x 2
Skull Crushers	12, 10, 8, 6
Rope Pushdown	12, 10, 8, 6

Tuesday – Quadriceps, and Calves

Workout	Reps
Barbell Back Squat	15, 12, 10
Machine Leg Press	12, 10, 8
Leg Extension	15, 12, 10
Dumbbell Lunges	12, 10, 8
Sumo Squat	12, 10, 8
Calf Raises	12, 10, 8

Wednesday – Back and Biceps

Workout	Muscles	Reps
Pullup/Assisted PU	Back	6-8 x 3
Deadlift	Back	6, 4, 2
Lat Pulldown	Back	12, 10, 8
Seated Cable Rowing	Back	10, 8, 8
Single-arm DB Rowing	Back	10 x 2
Barbell Curl	Biceps	10 x 2
Concentration Curl	Biceps	10 x 2
Preacher Curl	Biceps	60 sec

Friday – Hamstrings and Glutes

Workout	Reps
Barbell Good Morning	10 x 2
Dumbbell Step Up	10 x 2
Hamstring Curl	10 x 2
Barbell RDL	8, 6, 4
Bulgarian Split Squat	10 x 2
Barbell Hip Thrust	12, 10, 8

Saturday – Shoulder and Core

Exercise	Reps
Military Press	10, 8, 6
Front Raises	10, 8, 6
Lateral Raises	10, 8, 6
Rear Delt Raise	10, 8, 6
Upright Row	10, 8, 6
Reverse Crunches	10 x 2
Sit-ups	10 x 2
Leg Raises	10 x 2
Plank	60-sec
Side Plank	30-sec

Week 4 – Upper/Lower Split

You can do the same workouts that you have done in the third week. However, you can add and replace some exercises based on your fitness level in the fourth week of 12 week transformation workout program.

You can select some of the best workouts from the dumbbell compound movements if you like.

Week 5 – Push, Pull, Legs (PPL)

Monday– Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps

Workout	Reps
Flat Barbell Bench Press	12, 10, 8
Incline DB Bench Press	10, 8, 6
Bar Dips	12, 10, 8
Overhead Press	10, 8, 6
Lateral Raises	10, 8, 6
Barbell Front Raise	10, 8, 6
Triceps Kickback	10, 8, 6

Tuesday – Back, Biceps, and Core

Workout	Reps
Pullup	AMRAP x 3
Standard Deadlift	6, 4, 2
Pulldown	12, 10, 8
Seated Rowing	10, 8, 8
Face pull	10 x 2
Barbell Curl	10 x 2
Incline DB Curl	10 x 2
Mountain Climber	30-sec x 2
Plank	60-sec x 2
Side Plank	30-sec x 2

Wednesday – Legs

Workout	Reps
Lunges	10 x 2
Barbell Back Squat	15, 12, 10
Machine Leg Press	15, 12, 10
Barbell RDL	8, 6, 4
Hamstring Curl	10 x 3
Barbell Hip Thrust	10 x 3
Calf Raises	15, 12, 10

Thursday – Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps

Workout	Reps
Incline Barbell Bench Press	12, 10, 8, 6
Pec Dec Fly/Cable Fly	12, 10, 8
DB Overhead Press	10, 8, 6
Front Raise	10, 8, 6
Lateral Raise	10, 8, 6
Narrow Grip Bench Press	10, 8, 6
Bench Dips	10, 8, 6

Friday – Tuesday – Back, Biceps, and Core

Workout	Reps
Pullup	AMRAP x 3
Pulldown	12, 10, 8
Bent-over Barbell Row	10, 8, 8
Seated Rowing	10 x 2
Cable Curl	10 x 2
Preacher Curl	10 x 2
Reverse Crunches	15 x 2
Leg Raises	10 x 2
Toe Touch Crunches	10 x 2

Saturday – Legs

Workout	Reps
Dumbbell Step-up	10 x 2
Barbell Jammers	15, 12, 10
Machine Leg Press	15, 12, 10
Leg Extension	15, 12, 10
Hamstring Curl	10 x 3
Weighted Glute Bridge	10 x 3

Week 6 – Push, Pull, Legs (PPL)

You can repeat the 5th-week routine, or you can make some changes in the sixth week, depending on your choice.

Week 7 – Upper and Lower Mix Workout Plan For Body Transformation

You’ll train your large muscles twice a week, such as your chest, back, shoulder, and legs – in the seventh week of your fitness transformation workout plan.

• Monday: Chest, Glutes, and Calves
• Tuesday: Back and Hamstrings
• Wednesday: Shoulder and Core
• Thursday: Quadriceps and Arms
• Friday: Chest, Glutes, and Calves
• Saturday: Back and Shoulder
• Sunday: Rest

Monday – Chest, Glutes, and Calves

Workout	Reps
Flat Bench Press	15, 10, 8, 6
Incline Dumbbell Press	12, 10, 8, 6
Machine/Cable Fly	12, 10, 8
Dumbbell Pullover	12, 10, 8
DB Step-up	AMRAP x 3
Barbell Hip Thrust	AMRAP x 2
Calf Raises	12, 10, 8, 6

Tuesday – Back and Hamstrings

Workout	Reps
Pullup	AMRAP x 3
Deadlift	6, 4, 2
Lat Pulldown	12, 10, 8, 6
Seated Cable Rowing	10, 8, 8, 6
Single-arm DB Rowing	10 x 2
Hamstring Curl	10 x 2
DB Good Morning	10 x 2
Dumbbell RDL	8 x 3

Wednesday – Shoulder and Core

Exercise	Reps
Military Press	10, 8, 6
Front Raises	10, 8, 6
Lateral Raises	10, 8, 6
Rear Delt Fly	10, 8, 6
Upright Row	10, 8, 6
Mountain Climber	10 x 2
Landmine Oblique Twist	10 x 2
Hanging Knee Raise	10 x 2
Plank	60-sec x 2

Thursday – Quadriceps and Arms

Workout	Reps
Barbell Back Squat	15, 12, 10
Machine Leg Press	12, 10, 8
Leg Extension	15, 12, 10
Dumbbell Lunges	12, 10, 8
Sumo Squat	12, 10, 8
Calf Raises	12, 10, 8

Friday – Chest, Glutes, and Calves

Workout	Reps
Flat Bench Press	12, 10, 8, 6
Incline Bench Press	12, 10, 8, 6
Dumbbell Fly	10, 8, 6
Bar Dips	AMRAP x 3
Dumbbell RDL	10, 8, 6
Glute Bridge	12, 10, 8
Calf Raises	12, 10, 8, 6

Saturday – Back and Shoulder

Workout	Reps
Pullup	AMRAP x 3
Lat Pulldown	12, 10, 8, 6
Seated Cable Rowing	12, 10, 8, 6
Barbell T Rowing	12, 10, 8, 6
Face Pull	10 x 3
Upright Row	10 x 3
Seated Reverse Fly	10 x 3

Week 8 – Upper and Lower Mix

Do the same exercises as you have done during the seventh week of the fitness transformation workout program.

However, you can include or exclude some exercises if you like. You can also train your quads with the chest or core with the back. It’s up to you; there are no disadvantages.

Week 9 – Bro Split Workout Program For Body Transformation

In the 12-week body transformation workout plan, I’ve incorporated the Bro-split program. The bro-split allows you to build up one muscle in one day. For instance, chest on Monday, legs on Tuesday, back on Wednesday, and so on.

So let’s see how you can do that.

• Monday: Chest
• Tuesday: Legs
• Wednesday: Back
• Thursday: Shoulder
• Friday: Biceps and Core
• Saturday: Triceps and Core

Day 1 – Chest

Exercises	Reps
Barbell Flat Bench Press	12, 10, 8, 6, 4
DB Incline Bench Press	12, 10, 8
Incline Cable Fly	10 x 3
Dumbbell Pullover	10 x 3
Bar Dips	AMRAP x 3
Dumbbell Squeeze Press	10 x 2

Day 2 – Legs

Exercises	Reps
Dumbbell Lunges	10 x 2
Barbell Back Squat	15, 12, 10, 8
Machine Leg Press	15, 12, 10, 8
Hamstring Curl	12, 10, 8
Dumbbell RDL	8 x 2
Barbell Hip Thrust	12, 10, 8
Calf Raises	15, 12, 10

Day 3 – Back

Exercises	Reps
Standard Deadlift	AMRAP x 3
Pull-ups	AMRAP x 3
Lat Pulldown	10, 8, 6, 4
T Bar Rowing	10, 8, 6, 4
Bent-Over Barbell Row	10, 8, 6, 4
Seated Rowing	10, 8, 6, 4
Face Pull	10 x 2

Day 4 – Shoulder

Exercises	Reps
Military Press	12, 10, 8, 6
Dumbbell Front Raises	10, 10, 8
Lateral Raise	10, 10, 8
Bent-over Rear Delt Fly	10, 10, 8
Barbell Upright Row	12, 10, 8
Shoulder Shrug	12, 10, 8

Day 5 – Biceps and Core

Exercises	Reps
Chinups	AMRAP x 3
Barbell Curl	12, 10, 8, 6
Incline DB Curl	10 x 3
Concentration Curl	10 x 3
Preacher Curl	10 x 3
Wrist Curl	10 x 3
H2L Cable Woodchop	10 x 2
Hanging Knee Raise	10 x 2
Mountain Climbing	30-sec x 2
Plank	60-sec x 2

Day 6 – Triceps and Core

Exercises	Reps
Narrow Grip Bench Press	AMRAP x 3
Parallel Bar Dips	15, 12, 10
Skull Crusher	15, 12, 10
DB Overhead Extension	10, 8, 6
Rope Pushdown	10, 8, 6
Tricep Kickback	10, 8, 6
Russian Twist	20-sec x 2
Crunches	10 x 2
Reverse Crunches	AMRAP x 2
Side Plank	30-sec/side

Week 10 – Bro Split

You can replace some workouts in the tenth week of the three-month transformation workout program. For example,

• Incline bench press, pec dec fly, and pushups for the chest;
• Arnold press, bent-arm lateral raise, and reverse fly for shoulders;
• Standing pulldown, inverted row and one-arm DB Rowing for back;
• Bench dips, bar pushdown, and cable overhead extension for triceps;
• Hammer curl, crossover curl and cable curl for biceps;
• Leg extension, hack squat, and barbell jammers for legs;
• And leg raises, bicycle crunches, russian twist, and ab roller for core muscles.

Week 11 – Upper and Lower Combine Transformation Workout Program

Monday – Chest, Glutes, and Calves

Workout	Reps
Flat Bench Press	15, 10, 8, 6
Incline Dumbbell Press	12, 10, 8, 6
Machine/Cable Fly	12, 10, 8
Dumbbell Pullover	12, 10, 8
DB Step-up	AMRAP x 3
Barbell Hip Thrust	AMRAP x 2
Calf Raises	12, 10, 8, 6

Tuesday – Back and Hamstrings

Workout	Reps
Pullup	AMRAP x 3
Deadlift	6, 4, 2
Lat Pulldown	12, 10, 8, 6
Seated Cable Rowing	10, 8, 8, 6
Single-arm DB Rowing	10 x 2
Hamstring Curl	10 x 2
DB Good Morning	10 x 2
Dumbbell RDL	8 x 3

Wednesday – Shoulder and Core

Exercise	Reps
Military Press	10, 8, 6
Front Raises	10, 8, 6
Lateral Raises	10, 8, 6
Rear Delt Fly	10, 8, 6
Upright Row	10, 8, 6
Mountain Climber	10 x 2
DB Side Bend	10 x 2
Hanging Knee Raise	10 x 2
Plank	60-sec x 2

Thursday – Quadriceps and Arms

Workout	Reps
Barbell Back Squat	15, 12, 10
Machine Leg Press	12, 10, 8
Leg Extension	15, 12, 10
Dumbbell Lunges	12, 10, 8
Sumo Squat	12, 10, 8
Calf Raises	12, 10, 8

Friday – Chest, Glutes, and Calves

Workout	Reps
Flat Bench Press	12, 10, 8, 6
Incline Bench Press	12, 10, 8, 6
Dumbbell Fly	10, 8, 6
Bar Dips	AMRAP x 3
Dumbbell RDL	10, 8, 6
Glute Bridge	12, 10, 8
Calf Raises	12, 10, 8, 6

Saturday – Back and Shoulder

Workout	Reps
Pullup	AMRAP x 3
Lat Pulldown	12, 10, 8, 6
Seated Cable Rowing	12, 10, 8, 6
Barbell T Rowing	12, 10, 8, 6
Face Pull	10 x 3
Upright Row	10 x 3
Seated Reverse Fly	10 x 3

Week 12 – Upper Lower Combine

Repeat the week-11 schedule or make some changes according to your will.

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12 Week Body Transformation Workout Plan Free PDF

You can download the PDF of the 3-month body transformation workout program for free and use it consistently to transform your physique.

Instructions and Tips to Follow This Program Effectively

1. Pre-Workout Meal

The foundation of a good workout session begins with a couple of hours of training. For example, what you consume before the workout matter a lot. 

For an effective training session, you should have your meal 30 minutes to 2 hours before the training, depending on what kind of food you consume.

2. Warm-Up

The warm-up is a crucial part of any weight training routine as it increases blood flow and heart rate helps prevent injuries and improves performance.

You can use cardio machines or perform bodyweight aerobic exercises (not stretching), such as squat jump, burpees, and jumping jacks for 5 minutes to get ready.

3. Post-workout Stretching

Research shows that the post-workout stretching helps reduce muscle soreness. So it’s best to perform some stretching exercises after intense training.⁴Andersen J. C. (2005). Stretching before and after exercise: effect on muscle soreness and injury risk. Journal of athletic training, 40(3), 218–220.

4. How much should you lift?

You can lift as heavy as possible as long as you perform the suggested reps and sets with the right form.

5. The optimal rest time between exercises

The rest time between sets can be sixty seconds to four minutes, depending on what type of exercises you do. For example, if you do compound liftings you need to take 3-4 minutes of break and if you do isolation exercises, the rest time would be 1-3 minutes.

6. Train When You Feel The Most Active

You can train at any time of the day but make sure you feel physically and mentally active to give your hundred percent.

7. Progress Your Level

Progressive overload is crucial for strength and hypertrophy. That’s why you should gradually increase reps, weight, sets, or workout duration over time to get the maximum results.

8. If You’re a Beginner

It is best to focus on form instead of weight for the first couple of months. Once you gain strength and learn the right form, you can progress your workout. You can also start with the one-hour program.

9. Post Workout Meal

You had a great workout session at the gym, but it is time to maximize your results through a post-workout meal. Having some good foods and supplements after the training will enhance your result.

I suggest consuming at least 40-50 grams of protein and one gram of carbs per kg of your body weight for optimal results (it is only an example, a nutritionist can help you better in this case).

10. Keep yourself hydrated

Keeping yourself hydrated during the workout is crucial for an effective workout session.

Research show that it helps prevents uneasiness and injuries and boosts performance.⁵Judelson DA, Maresh CM, Farrell MJ, et al. Effect of hydration state on strength, power, and resistance exercise performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(10):1817-1824. doi:10.1249/mss.0b013e3180de5f22

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Explore More Workout Routines

• 4 Day Compound Workout Routine (recommended to follow before the above program )

• 6 Day Gym Workout Schedule with PDF (recommended plan to follow next)

I’ve also created a complete 90 day transformation workout plan, you can also check it out and give it a try.

References

• 1
  Thomas MH, Burns SP. Increasing Lean Mass and Strength: A Comparison of High-Frequency Strength Training to Lower Frequency Strength Training. Int J Exerc Sci. 2016;9(2):159-167. Published 2016 Apr 1.
• 2
  A Comparison Between Total Body and Split Routine Resistance Training Programs in Trained Men– The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
• 3
  Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis – The National Institute of Health Database
• 4
  Andersen J. C. (2005). Stretching before and after exercise: effect on muscle soreness and injury risk. Journal of athletic training, 40(3), 218–220.
• 5
  Judelson DA, Maresh CM, Farrell MJ, et al. Effect of hydration state on strength, power, and resistance exercise performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(10):1817-1824. doi:10.1249/mss.0b013e3180de5f22