If you are looking for a well-designed and effective 5 day gym workout schedule that can help you build muscle or lose weight, then you can check out this article.
I’ve shared a couple of workout plans here. The first one is for strength and muscle gain. And the second one will help you build strength and muscles while losing excess fat.
Whether you’re a male or female, you can download one of these programs depending on your goal.
Summary
| Routine 1 | 5 Day Gym Workout Plan for Bodybuilding |
| Routine 2 | 5 Day Workout Schedule for Weight Loss and Toning |
| Program Duration | 12 Weeks |
| Target Gender | Male and Female |
| Exercise Level | Beginner to Intermediate |
| Plan to Follow Next | 6 Day Workout Schedule with PDF |
| Alternate Routine | 5 Day Compound Workout Routine |
5 Day Gym Workout Schedule for Muscle Gain
I’ve seen many people in the gym doing the same exercises, following the same workout routine, and lifting the same amount of weight for a long period of time. But this isn’t the right way to build muscles.
If you want to build muscles, you need to keep the following things in mind:
Type of workouts:
You can create an effective gym workout schedule by combining different types of exercise, such as compound workouts, isolation workouts, and bodyweight exercises.
- Compound Workout: Compound exercises work on several muscles at once, such as bench presses, deadlifts, IYT raises, clean and press, pull up, and push up to renegade row. And they should be your first priority.
- Isolation Workout: Isolation exercises help you build specific muscles at a time, such as dumbbell bicep curls, triceps pushdowns, wrist curls, and front raises. And these should be your second priority.
How Much Weight You Should Lift
You can lift as heavy as you like as long as you perform the suggested sets and reps with the correct form.
You should also gradually increase the weight, sets, or number of repetitions to achieve maximum results.
The Duration of One Session
60 to 90 minutes would be enough to get a proper workout in one session.
Rest Intervals between sets
Optimal Rest Time Between Sets Suggested by Bodybuilding Website 1How Long Should You Rest Between Sets for Maximum Growth? – Bodybuilding.com
For Muscle Growth (Hypertrophy)
60 Seconds to 120 seconds is the optimal interval between the sets for hypertrophy. However, if you’re a beginner, you can take a rest for up to 3 minutes. But remember, the shorter the rest period, the faster you gain muscle.
For Strength Gain
If your goal is to get stronger, the best rest period is 3 to 5 minutes between sets.
If you’re a beginner, you can take 5 minutes of rest, and if you’re an intermediate, the optimal rest would be 3 minutes.
Note: Depending on your fitness level, you can increase and decrease intensity and interval time.
Optimal Recovery Time
Muscle recovery is one of the essential factors of muscle growth.
The optimal recovery time for increasing strength and building muscles is 48 hours. For example, if you train a specific muscle group on Monday, then let it rest for the next two days.
Giving your trained muscle rest will help you increase strength, build muscles, and reduces the risk of injuries.
Recommended Nutrition for Muscle Building
Diet plays an essential role in repairing and healing muscles and increasing muscle growth.
Your diet must include key nutrients, such as protein (highly important), carbs, fats, and fiber.
For your information, one gram of protein and carb has 4 calories, while 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories.
You should take the following amount of nutrients according to an article published by the National Institute of Health: 2 Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review – National Institute of Health Database
- Protein – You need to consume sufficient protein 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day with optimal amounts of 0.40–0.55 g/kg per meal and distributed evenly throughout the day (3–6 meals), including within 1–2 hours pre and post-training.
- Fats – You can take fats in moderate amounts, like 0.5–1.5 g/kg/day.
- Carbohydrates: You can consume sufficient amounts of carbs, such as 3–5 g/kg/day, to support energy demands from resistance exercise.
Other than the above nutrients, Creatine monohydrate (3–5 g/day), caffeine (5–6 mg/kg), beta-alanine (3–5 g/day), and citrulline malate (8 g/day) might yield ergogenic effects that can be beneficial for bodybuilders – study suggested.
5 Day Bodybuilding Workout Schedule
You’ll do a hybrid split for muscle building. It ensures your every muscle gets proper training and enough recovery time so you can build strength and muscle mass over time.
- Day 1: Chest, Lateral Delt, and Triceps
- Day 2: Quadriceps, Calves, and Abs
- Day 3: Back, Rear Delt, Biceps, and Forearms
- Day 4: Chest, Hamstrings, Glutes, and Oblique
- Day 5: Back and Shoulder
Additional Information
- You can take any two days of rest during the week.
- Warm up for 5 minutes before lifting the weight.
- Add more exercise variations in the upcoming weeks of the program.
Day 1 – Chest, Lateral Delt, and Triceps
| Workout | Reps |
|---|---|
| Flat Bench Press | 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 12, 10, 8 |
| Pec Deck Fly | 12 x 3 |
| Parallel Bar Dips | 8-12 x 3 |
| One-arm Cable Lateral Raise | 10/side x 3 |
| Rope Pushdown | 15 x 2 |
| Single-arm Tricep Extension | 10/side x 2 |
Day 2 – Quadriceps, Calves, and Abs
| Workout | Reps |
|---|---|
| Back Squat | 15, 12, 10 |
| Leg Press | 12, 10, 8 |
| Leg Extension | 12, 10, 8 |
| Calf Raise | 15, 12, 10 |
| 10-min Abs Workout | – |
Day 3 – Back, Rear Delt, Biceps, and Forearms
| Workout | Reps |
|---|---|
| Pullup | AMRAP x 3 sets |
| Front Lat Pulldown | 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| Seated Cable Rowing | 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| Bent-over Barbell Row | 12, 10, 8 |
| Cable Pulley Face pull | 10-12 x 3 |
| Barbell Bicep Curl | 10 x 3 |
| Concentration Curl | 10 x 2 |
| DB Wrist Extension | 10 x 2 |
Day 4 – Chest, Hamstrings, Glutes, and Oblique
| Workout | Reps |
|---|---|
| Incline Bench Press | 12 x 3 |
| High to Low Cable Fly | 12 x 3 |
| Dumbbell Lunges | 12, 10, 8 |
| Dumbbell Step Up | 10 x 3 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 8, 6, 4 |
| Cable wood Chop (H2L) | 10 x 2 |
| Landmine Oblique Twist | 10 x 2 |
Day 5 – Back and Shoulder
| Workout | Reps |
|---|---|
| Arnold Press | 8-12 x 3 |
| Rear Delt Raises | 10, 8, 6 |
| Lat Pulldown | 10, 8, 6 |
| T-Bar Row | 12, 10, 8 |
| Single-arm DB Row | 12, 10, 8 |
| Dumbbell Shrug | 12, 10, 8 |
5 Day Gym Workout Schedule for Weight Loss
A calorie deficit is the primary method of weight loss, but to stay within limits, you need to focus on everything possible, particularly exercise and diet.
Exercises do not directly reduce weight, but they allow your body to release more calories, boost metabolism, control blood sugar levels and help you follow a restricted diet plan.
Several studies have shown 225-400 minutes of high-intensity exercises significantly reduce weight in obese adults, and resistance training helps build muscles and ensures you only lose excess fats, not muscle.3Miller T, Mull S, Aragon AA, Krieger J, Schoenfeld BJ. Resistance Training Combined With Diet Decreases Body Fat While Preserving Lean Mass Independent of Resting Metabolic Rate: A Randomized Trial. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018;28(1):46-54. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0221
You can try this below workout routine to increase your fat loss.
Type of exercises you’ll do in this program: Cardio and resistance training.
Duration of one session: 75-90 minutes
The Interval Time Between Sets: You can do each exercise as fast as you can with little to no rest between sets during the cardio exercises.
5 Day Gym Workout Routine for Weight Loss and Toning:
- Day 1: Low-Intense Cardio and Weight Training
- Day 2: HIIT and Compound Exercises
- Day 3: LIIS and Compound Lifts
- Day 4: Cardio and Strength Workout
- Day 5: Compound Lifts and Core Workout
Day 1 – Cardio and Weight Training
| Workout | Time | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| Jump Squat | 20 seconds | 40 seconds |
| Burpees | 10 reps x 2 sets | 60 seconds |
| Mountain Climbing | 20 seconds | 40 seconds |
| High knees | 20 seconds | 40 seconds |
| 15-min Treadmill | – | – |
| Back Squats | 10-12 x 4 | 2-3 min |
| Incline Bench Press | 10-12 x 4 | 2-3 min |
| One-arm Dumbbell Row | 8-10 x 3 | 2-3 min |
| 5-min Bicycling | – | – |
Day 2 – HIIT and Compound Exercises
| Workout | Time | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| High Knees | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Jumping Jack | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Squat Jump | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| 10-min Treadmill Run | – | 2 min walk |
| Deadlift | 4-8 x 3 | 2-3 min |
| Overhead Press | 10-12 x 3 | 2-3 min |
| Leg Press | 10-12 x 3 | 2-3 min |
| 10-min Core Workout | – | – |
Day 3 – LIIS and Compound Lifts
| Workout | Time | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| Burpees | 10 reps x 2 sets | 60 seconds |
| Mountain Climbing | 20 seconds x 2 sets | 30 seconds |
| Reverse Crunches | 20 seconds x 2 sets | 30 seconds |
| Lying Leg Raises | 20 seconds x 2 sets | 30 seconds |
| Alternate Heel Taps | 20 seconds x 2 sets | 30 seconds |
| Side Plank | 20 seconds x 2 sets | 30 seconds |
| Farmer’s Walk | Walk as far as possible x 3 | 30 seconds |
| Dumbbell IYT Raise | 6-8 x 3 | 1-3 minute |
| Bent-over Barbell Row | 8-12 x 3 | 1-3 minute |
| Treadmill | 10-minute | – |
| Bicycling | 5-minute | – |
Day 4 – Cardio and Strength Workout
| Workout | Time | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| Step-up | 10 reps x 2 | 40 seconds |
| Battle Rope | 15-sec x 2 | 30 seconds |
| Burpees | 5 reps x 3 | 60 seconds |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 10 reps x 3 | 2-minute |
| Cable Facepull | 10 reps x 3 | 2-minute |
| Bicep Curls | 10 reps x 3 | 2-minute |
| 10-min Treadmill | – | 2 minutes |
| 5-min Bicycling | – | 2 minutes |
| 5- min Elliptical Cross Trainer | – | – |
Day 5 – Compound Lifts and Core Workout
| Workout | Time | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| Squat Thrust | 20 seconds | 40 seconds |
| Lunges | 10 reps x 2 sets | 30 seconds |
| Treadmill | 5-minutes | 2-minutes |
| Bench Press | 12, 10, and 8 reps | 2-minutes |
| Overhead Press | 12, 10, and 8 reps | 2-minutes |
| Bent-Over Row | 12, 10, and 8 reps | 2-minutes |
| Lat Pulldown | 12, 10, and 8 reps | 90 seconds |
| 20-minutes Triset Abs Workout | – | – |
Additional Tips for Weight Loss:
- You can include low-calorie foods and weight-loss supplements to speed up weight loss.
- Along with diet and exercise, you can also incorporate intermittent fasting into your lifestyle to speed up weight loss.
- Consume a higher-calorie breakfast and comply with overnight fasting to prevent obesity.5St-Onge, Marie-Pierre et al. “Meal Timing and Frequency: Implications for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.” Circulation vol. 135,9 (2017): e96-e121. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000476
- You can also replace one or two meals a day to keep your calorie consumption low.
Download PDF
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Is working out 5 days a week effective?
Yes, the 5-day gym workout routine is good and helps you achieve your fitness goal. Because in this 5 days gym workout schedule, you’ll train your major muscle group once a week, which will allow your muscles enough time to recover and will help you become stronger, larger, fitter, and leaner.
How long will it take to see results?
It may take up to 16 weeks to see some noticeable changes. However, everyone’s body responds differently, so the results are. That’s why you need to keep following the process honestly.
I’m a beginner. Can I do this?
This workout program includes various exercises from beginner to intermediate, so if you’re a newbie and starting out recently, you can start with three days a week full body workout plan.
References
- 1How Long Should You Rest Between Sets for Maximum Growth? – Bodybuilding.com
- 2Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review – National Institute of Health Database
- 3Miller T, Mull S, Aragon AA, Krieger J, Schoenfeld BJ. Resistance Training Combined With Diet Decreases Body Fat While Preserving Lean Mass Independent of Resting Metabolic Rate: A Randomized Trial. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018;28(1):46-54. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0221
- 4The Role of Exercise and Physical Activity in Weight Loss and Maintenance – National Institute of Health Database
- 5St-Onge, Marie-Pierre et al. “Meal Timing and Frequency: Implications for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.” Circulation vol. 135,9 (2017): e96-e121. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000476
Lots to learn , very helpful advice and guidance . Thanks love the workout programs