5 Day Compound Workout Routine to Build Muscle (w/PDF)

Whether you want to build strength or promote hypertrophy, you must include compound exercises in your workout regime.

Compound exercises work on multiple muscle groups simultaneously and help you achieve maximum results in less time.

Deadlifts, bench presses, squats, pullups, dips, and pushups are examples of compound movements.

Everyone uses compound workouts, from powerlifters and bodybuilders to athletes and strongmen, to boost their performance and increase muscle growth.

If you also want to challenge your fitness with a new training regime, you can try compound workout training for a couple of months.

I’ve created an easy-to-follow 5 day compound workout routine to help you build muscle and take your fitness to the next level.

5 Day Compound Exercise Routine Summary

Who can do it?

Any man who wants to test his strength and endurance and level up his fitness. I’ve designed this program, particularly for men who have been lifting for a while.

Females can also try if they want.

I’ve also created a 3-day compound workout routine for those who are not experienced but want to focus on compound lifting.

Optimal Rest Time Between Sets

• 3-4 minutes of rest would be sufficient when you lift weight at more than 70% of one rep max.
• 2-3 minutes between 50-70% of 1RM
• 1-2 minutes of rest when you lift at below 50% of your 1RM

However, depending on your fitness level, you can increase or decrease your interval time.

How much should you lift?

• First set: 40-50% of your 1RM
• Second set: 50-65% of your 1RM
• Third set: 65-80% of your 1RM
• Fourth set: 80-95% of your 1RM

You can lift as heavy as you want as long as you maintain proper form during the exercise.

Daily Workout Duration

Working out for 60 to 75 minutes can help you achieve your fitness goal quickly if you want to increase strength and size.

Warm-up

Warming up for 5 minutes before lifting weights can be good for boosting performance.

You can do bodyweight aerobic exercises, lift light weights or run on the treadmill to increase your heart rate and oxygen supply.

Suggested Program Duration

You should follow this program for three months to see noticeable results.

5-Day Compound Workout Routine To Build Muscle Mass

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

Training one large and one small muscle group per session can be helpful in achieving a maximum gain. This way, you can use heavy weights and highly activate muscles.

This 5-day compound workout plan is mostly (not entirely) based on Micheal Mathews’s book “Bigger, Leaner, Stronger – The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body.

Day 1 – Chest, Triceps, and Calves

Exercises	Reps
Flat Bench Press	12, 8, 6, 4
Incline Bench Press	8, 6, 6, 4
Dips (weighted, if possible)	8, 6, 6, 4
Triangle Pushup (weighted, if possible)	8, 6, 6, 4
Standing Calf Raise	12, 10, 8, 6

Day 2 – Back, Biceps, and Glutes

Exercises	Reps
Conventional Deadlift	8, 6, 5, 4
Pullups (weighted, if possible)	8, 6, 6, 4
Seated Cable Rowing	8, 6, 6, 4
Pendlay Row	8, 6, 6, 4
Barbell Drag Curl	8, 6, 4
Barbell Hip Thrust	8, 6, 6, 4

Day 3 – Quadriceps and Shoulder

Exercises	Reps
Barbell Back Squat	8, 6, 6, 4
Stationary Lunges	8, 6, 6, 4
Barbell Jammers	8, 6, 6, 4
Incline DB IYT Raises	8, 6, 6, 4

Day 4 – Chest, Triceps, Core

Exercises	Reps
Incline Bench Press	15, 12, 10
Dumbbell Pullover	12, 10, 8
Narrow Grip Bench Press	12, 10, 8
Parallel Bar Dips	12, 10, 8
Hanging Knee Raises	10 x 2
Landmine Oblique Twist	10 x 2
Forearm Plank	60-sec
Side Plank	30-sec/side

Day 5 – Back, Biceps, and Hamstrings

Exercises	Reps
Bent Over Row	15, 12, 10
Pullups	10 x 3
Front Lat Pulldown	12, 10, 8
Chin-ups	12, 10, 8
Barbell RDL	6-8 x 4
Hack Squat	12, 10, 8

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Pro Tips That Can Help You Build Muscle Mass Faster

Increase the weight Gradually

Progressive overload is one of the things that most people do not know or maybe do not follow.

Progressive overload means continually increasing the load so your muscles can work harder than they are used to.

Continually increasing loads help increase muscle size, strength, and endurance quickly. ¹Challenge Yourself To Grow – The Progressive Overload Principle – Bodybuilding.com

Lifting the same weights and doing the exact number of reps and sets can’t help you grow your muscles.

You have to gradually increase the weight load, frequency, number of sets, and repetitions if you want to achieve the desired result faster.

Optimal Muscle Recovery Time

Muscles grow when you let them recover for 24 to 48 hours. Because your muscles do not grow when you work out, they grow when you rest them and feed them required macros, primarily proteins.

Recommended Nutrition

Consuming the required nutrients help your muscles heal and repair efficiently. You must include protein, carbs, fats, and micronutrients in your diet to increase muscle mass.

You must consume the following quantity of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats to build a strong, muscular, and sizeable body – according to an article published by the National Institute of Health. ²Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review – National Institute of Health Database

• Protein – 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day. You can take the recommended protein into different meals throughout the day (3–6 meals), including pre and post-workout meals.
• Carbohydrates: 3–5 g/kg/day. Carbs convert into energy during the training to help you perform exercises effectively.
• Fats –0.5–1.5 g/kg/day. One gram of fat has nine calories, while protein and carbs have four calories. That’s why you need to consume low fats but high-protein foods.  

“In addition to the above nutrients, incorporating Creatine monohydrate (3–5 g/day), caffeine (5–6 mg/kg), beta-alanine (3–5 g/day), and citrulline malate (8 g/day) may increase ergogenic effects that can be beneficial for bodybuilders” – study suggested further.

Can a Five-Day Split Help Build Muscle?

Yes, 5 day compound workout split is enough for building muscle mass and strength.

The above routine can give promising results if you’re consistent, follow the proper technique, and do the right exercises.

If you want to increase mass and look muscular, you must challenge yourself and lift more than you usually do.

Download 5 Day Compound Exercise Only PDF

Alternate Workout Routines

• The 5-Day Full Body Workout
• The Best Five-Day Day Bro Split
• Push Pull Legs 5-Day Split Workout.
• 5-Day Gym Workout Schedule

References

• 1
  Challenge Yourself To Grow – The Progressive Overload Principle – Bodybuilding.com
• 2
  Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review – National Institute of Health Database