The Ultimate 3 Day Gym Workout Routine With Free PDF

Whether you want to put on some muscles, increase strength, or maintain mass, you need a proper strength training program. That’s why I’ve created a 3 day gym workout routine to help you achieve your best physique. So whether you’re a male or female, you can save or download this gym workout split schedule to train efficiently.

Summary

Program Duration6-8 Weeks
Program GoalBuild Muscle and Strength
Routine TypeUpper/Lower Mix and PPL
Training LevelBeginner to Advanced
Training Days per Week3 Days
Suitable ForMen and Women
Duration of One Session45-90 minutes
Alternate Programs30 Day Muscle Building Workout Plan

You can save this 3-Day Gym Workout Plan if you’re a beginner.

The Best 3 Day Gym Workout Routine For Mass

3 Day Gym Workout Schedule
  • Day 1: Chest, Triceps, and Calves
  • Day 2: Back, Biceps, and Hamstrings
  • Day 3: Shoulder, Quadriceps, and Glutes

Day 1: Chest, Triceps, And Calves

WorkoutSetsRepsRest Between Sets
Flat Barbell Bench Press412, 10, 8, 81-2 min
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press312, 10, 81-2 min
Machine Chest Fly312, 10, 101-2 min
Triceps Rope Pushdown312, 10, 101-2 min
One-arm Overhead Tricep Extension210, 101-2 min
Standing Calf Raises315, 15, 151-2 min
  1. Increase the load after each set of every exercise.
  2. Perform each exercise in a controlled manner with proper form.

You can replace some exercises for the chest, triceps, and calves in the following weeks of 3 Day gym workout schedule.

Here’s the list of exercises you can incorporate or replace:

ExerciseMuscle
Barbell Incline Bench PressChest
DipsChest and Triceps
Dumbbell PulloverChest
Pec Deck FlyChest
Skull CrusherTriceps
Tricep KickbackTriceps
Bench DipsTriceps
Cable PushdownTriceps
Donkey Calf RaisesCalves
3 Day Gym Workout Routine

Day 2: Back, Biceps, And Hamstrings

WorkoutSetsRepsRest
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown412, 10, 10, 81-3 min
Bent-over Barbell Row312, 10, 81-2 min
Seated Cable Rowing312, 10, 81-2 min
Barbell Biceps Curl312, 10, 101-2 min
Concentration Curl312, 10, 101-2 min
Romanian Deadlift38, 6, 61-3 min
  1. You can replace some exercises in the following weeks. For example, you can do one-arm dumbbell rowing instead of bent-over row, pull-ups instead of the deadlift, cable curl instead of barbell curls, etc.

Day 3: Quadriceps, Shoulder, And Glutes

WorkoutSetsRepsRest
Barbell Back Squat415, 12, 10, 81-3 min
Machine Leg Press/Extension315, 12, 101-2 min
Barbell Overhead Press312, 10, 81-3 min
Dumbbell Lateral Raises312, 10, 81-2 min
Machine Reverse Fly312, 10, 81-2 min
Upright Row312, 10, 81-2 min
Hip Thrust312, 10, 81-2 min

Advanced 3 Day Gym Workout Schedule To Build Muscle

chest workout at the gym
  • Day 1: Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps
  • Day 2: Back, Biceps, and Forearms
  • Day 3: Legs and Core

Day 1: Chest, Shoulder, And Triceps

ExerciseSetsRepsRest
Flat Barbell Bench Press412, 10, 8, 62-3 min
Incline Dumbbell Press410, 8, 8, 62-3 min
Barbell Overhead Press412, 10, 8, 62-3 min
Dumbbell Lateral Raises312, 10, 81-2 min
Machine Reverse Fly310, 10, 81-2 min
Triceps Pushdown312, 10, 81-2 min
One-arm DB Tricep Extension310, 10, 81-2 min

Day 2: Back, Biceps, And Forearms

ExerciseSetsRepsRest
Conventional Deadlift46, 4, 3, 22-3 min
Bodyweight/Weight Pull-ups36-12 each2-3 min
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown412, 10, 8, 62-3 min
Seated Cable Rowing412, 10, 8, 61-2 min
Standing Barbell Bicep Curl312, 10, 81-2 min
Seated Dumbbell Curl312, 10, 81-2 min
Dumbbell Wrist Curl312, 10, 81-2 min

Day 3: Legs And Core

ExerciseSetsRepsRest
Barbell Back Squat415, 12, 10, 82-3 min
Machine Leg Press315, 12, 102-3 min
Leg Extension312, 10, 81-2 min
Machine Leg Curl312, 10, 81-2 min
Hip Thrust312, 10, 81-2 min
Dumbbell Side Bends212, 1230-sec
Hanging Knee Raise210, 1030-sec
Weighted Plank11-2 min
3 Day Gym Workout Routine

3 Day Gym Workout Schedule PDF


Tips and Suggestions

  1. You should add weight to every set of each exercise. The last 2 to 3 reps should be challenging. If they are not, add more weight, or do more reps.
  2. You can replace some exercises with other exercises in the following weeks of training.
  3. Diet is equally important for gaining muscles. You can’t grow by doing multiple sets and reps if you don’t feed your body the optimum nutrition. You can find various articles regarding diet plans on the web; check them out and try to follow the one you like.
  4. Get quality sleep every night. Research has shown that good sleep quality is associated with greater muscle strength. So early in the night will have a positive impact on your results.1 Chen Y, Cui Y, Chen S, Wu Z. Relationship between sleep and muscle strength among Chinese university students: a cross-sectional study. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2017 Dec 1;17(4):327-333. PMID: 29199194; PMCID: PMC5749041.
  5. Consistency is one of the most important factors for achieving the desired goal. If you skip diet or workout, you won’t be able to achieve your fitness body.

FAQs

Can I do cardio on training or rest days?

You can do aerobic cardio after strength training for 10 to 15 minutes on your workout day. And you can also do it on your rest days if you want to.

What’s the best time to work out?

You can work out at any time of the day that suits you the most. No studies have strongly suggested the best time for exercising for muscle growth. So, you can work out when you feel more energetic and when you can lift more weight.

Can you build muscle by working out 3 days a week?

You can build muscles by working out three times a week but not significant. The frequency of workouts matters when you’re trying to put on beefy muscles throughout the body. A study has shown that a muscle group should be trained at least twice a week to maximize muscle growth.2Schoenfeld, Brad J et al. “Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 46,11 (2016): 1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8 So, it would be best if you increase the frequency of your training once you gain strength and endurance for growing mass.

Can you make modify this routine?

You can make whatever changes you want in this plan. For example, you can replace, remove or add some exercises, depending on your choice. And for that, you can find various exercises from different categories on this website.

How long will it take to build muscle?

It will take about four to six months to build decent strength and muscle with this gym 3 day split workout. Working out three times a week isn’t enough to build big muscles. You’ll have to increase the workout frequency to 5 days to see significant results in three to four months. And muscle building does not only relies on exercising; your diet equally matters. So, you need to find or buy a diet chart for muscle gain. Here’s a list of foods and proteins you can check out for growing muscles.

Alternate Gym Workout Plans

References

  • 1
    Chen Y, Cui Y, Chen S, Wu Z. Relationship between sleep and muscle strength among Chinese university students: a cross-sectional study. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2017 Dec 1;17(4):327-333. PMID: 29199194; PMCID: PMC5749041.
  • 2
    Schoenfeld, Brad J et al. “Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 46,11 (2016): 1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
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Author
Murshid Akram
I'm an online personal trainer, fitness blogger, and fitness enthusiast. I love researching and writing about exercise and nutrition. I share science-based, practical, and logical information that can help you achieve your desired fitness goal.
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