Isn’t it best to divide your workout time into AM and PM instead of pushing too much in one session? If this sounds good to you, this article is for you.
In this article, I’ll share the ultimate guide on working out twice daily, one session in the morning and the other in the evening.
I’ve handed out multiple twice a day workout routines (with PDFs) in this guide—one for muscle gain, one for weight loss, and one for training at home.
Depending on your fitness goal and the place where you train, you can save one of the routines.
Pros and Cons of Working Out Twice a Day
Training two times a day can help you achieve faster gain or increase weight loss. However, it can be challenging and risky if you follow an unstructured workout program, consume a poor diet, and don’t let your muscles recover fully.
I’ve outlined the pros and cons of working out twice a week; knowing them will help you decide whether you should do it or not.
Pros of Double Sessions Workout
1. Splitting Benefits
You can split your training into two sessions for different muscle groups. It will help you train more efficiently and enhance muscle growth, strength, and endurance.
2. Promote Hypertrophy
When you exercise in the morning and evening, you’ll have the option to train your muscles two to three times a week. A small study has shown that training muscles two to three times weekly can increase muscular hypertrophy and build a sizeable physique.1 Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2016;46(11):1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
3. Better Cardiovascular Fitness
When you split cardio and weight training into separate sessions, you perform better in each session. The cardio workout enhances aerobic capacity, while weight training boosts your anaerobic fitness. The combination of these workouts helps develop cardiovascular health and improve body composition.2 Ho SS, Dhaliwal SS, Hills AP, Pal S. The effect of 12 weeks of aerobic, resistance or combination exercise training on cardiovascular risk factors in the overweight and obese in a randomized trial. BMC Public Health. 2012;12:704. Published 2012 Aug 28. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-12-704
4. Help You Work on Different Fitness Goals
Some people love to enhance their overall fitness by combining various workouts, such as calisthenics, cardio, weight training, and plyometrics. So, a twice-a-day workout schedule can be great for them as they can dedicate one session to each training.
Cons of Exercising Two Times a Day
1. Time-Consuming
Training twice a day can be time-consuming, especially if you train in the gym, which is slightly far from your house.
2. Complexity
Designing a two-session workout plan can be complex as it requires including a variety of exercises that target the different muscle groups.
3. Inadequate Recovery and Risk of Injuries
When you exercise two times a day, there is a chance of inadequate recovery, which can lead to negative performance and a higher risk of injuries.
4. Needed More Attention on Nutrition
Engaging in multiple workouts a day increases energy expenditure, so you’ll have to concentrate on your macros highly, or else you won’t achieve the desired results.
Twice a Day Workout Routine for Mass Gain (Example 1-2)
A well-structured workout routine is necessary when you train two times a day. A routine that includes a variety of exercises, focuses on each muscle, and won’t make you over-exhausted.
Designing a workout routine that fits every individual goal isn’t possible, but I’ve created two examples of twice a day workout routines to build muscle: one for gym goers and the other for those who train at home with body weight, bands, and dumbbells.
You can download the one you need and adjust it according to your fitness level and goal.
AM PM Muscle Gain Workout for Gym Goers
It is a three-day weekly schedule. If you train six times a week, you can repeat this to train your entire muscle group twice weekly.
Day 1 (Morning- Cardio & Quad) and (Evening- Chest & Triceps)
Morning – Cardio and Quad
| Exercise | Activity | Rest b/w set |
|---|---|---|
| Treadmill | 5-minute | 1-min |
| Bicycling | 5-minute | 1-min |
| Front Squat | 3 sets x 10-15 reps | 2-min |
| Leg Press | 3 sets x 10-15 reps | 2-min |
| Leg Extension | 3 sets x 10-15 reps | 2-min |
| Plank | 60-second | – |
Evening – Chest and Triceps
| Exercise | Activity | Rest b/w set |
|---|---|---|
| Incline DB Bench Press | 3 sets x 10-15 reps | 2-min |
| Seated Pec Deck Fly | 3 sets x 12-15 reps | 2-min |
| Seated Cable Fly | 3 sets x 10-12 reps | 2-min |
| Incline DB French Press | 3 sets x 10-12 reps | 1-min |
| 1-arm OH Cable Extension | 3 sets x 10 reps/arm | 1-min |
Day 2: (AM – Hamstring, Glutes, & Calves) and (PM – Back and Biceps)
Morning – Hamstring, Glutes, and Calves
| Exercise | Activity | Rest b/w set |
|---|---|---|
| Bicycling | 2-minute | 1-min |
| Elliptical Cross Trainer | 2-minute | 1-min |
| DB Romanian Deadlift | 3 sets x 8-10 reps | 2-min |
| Seated Cable Curl | 3 sets x 12-15 reps | 2-min |
| Hip Thrust | 3 sets x 10-12 reps | 2-min |
| Calf Raises | 3 sets x 12-15 reps | 1-min |
Evening – Back and Biceps
| Exercise | Activity | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| V-grip Lat Pulldown | 3 sets x 10-15 reps | 2-min |
| Seated Cable Row | 3 sets x 12-15 reps | 2-min |
| Bent-over/T-Bar Row | 3 sets x 10-12 reps | 2-min |
| Preacher Curl | 3 sets x 10-12 reps | 1-min |
| Hammer Curl | 3 sets x 10 reps/arm | 1-min |
Day 3: (Morning – Cardio and Core) and (Evening – Shoulder)
Morning – Cardio, Abs, and Oblique
| Exercise | Activity | Rest b/w set |
|---|---|---|
| Treadmill | 5-minute | 1-min |
| Bicycling | 5-minute | 1-min |
| Jumping Rope | 5-minute | 2-min |
| Battle Rope | 5-minute | 2-min |
| Hanging Knee Raises | 3 sets x 10 reps | 45-sec |
| Cable Woodchop | 2 sets x 10 reps | 45-sec |
| Decline Bench Crunches | 3 sets x 10 reps | 45-sec |
| Plank | 2 sets x 1-min | 45-sec |
Evening – Shoulder
| Exercise | Activity | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Overhead Press | 3 sets x 10-15 reps | 2-min |
| Cable Lateral Delt Raises | 3 sets x 12-15 reps | 2-min |
| Rear Delt Raise/Machine Fly | 3 sets x 10-12 reps | 2-min |
| Facepull/Rear Delt Row | 3 sets x 10-12 reps | 1-min |
| Hammer Curl | 3 sets x 10 reps/arm | 1-min |
Morning and Evening Workouts to Build Muscle at Home
People who train at home using the body weight, dumbbells, and resistance bands can also follow this program to build muscle.
This routine is for those who aim to achieve a specific fitness goal (especially musclebuilding) in a limited time.
Monday – Legs and Chest
Perform three sets of 10 to 15 reps with 1 to 2 minutes of rest between them.
| Morning (Legs) | Evening (Chest) |
|---|---|
| DB Front Squat | Resistance Band Pushups |
| Front Lunges | Flat Bench Press |
| Romanian Deadlift | Incline DB Fly |
| Prone Leg Curl | Banded Upward Fly |
Tuesday – Core and Back
Shoot for three sets of 10 to 12 reps with 1 to 2 minutes of rest.
| Morning (Core) | Evening (Back) |
|---|---|
| Low-to-High Chop | Banded Pulldown |
| DB Reverse Crunches | DB Bent-over Row |
| Plank Dumbbell Drag | One-arm DB Row |
| Straight-arm Crunches | Seated Band Row |
Wednesday – Shoulder and Arms
Aim for three sets of 10 to 12 reps with 1 to 2 minutes of rest.
| Morning (Shoulder) | Evening (Arms) |
|---|---|
| Overhead DB Press | French Press |
| Lateral Delt Raise | 1-arm Band OH Extension |
| Banded Pull Apart | Overhand Grip Curl |
| Banded Shrug | Hammer Curl |
Friday – Legs, Chest, and Core
Legs Workout: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
Chest and Abs: Three sets of 8-12 reps (superset).
| Morning (Legs) | Evening (Chest & Abs Superset) |
|---|---|
| DB Pop Squat | Incline Bench Press + Banded Chop |
| Reverse Lunges | Incline DB Fly + Reverse Crunches |
| Step-up | Banded Pushup + Russian Twist |
| Leaning 1-leg Calf Raise | Front and Side Plank (1 min & 30 sec) |
Saturday – Back and Shoulder
| Morning (Back) | Evening (Shoulder) |
|---|---|
| Deadlift | DB/Band Front Raises |
| 45-degree Incline DB Row | DB/Band Side Raises |
| One-arm DB Row | DB/Band Rear Delt Raises |
| Banded Superman Pull | DB/Band Shrug |
Twice a Day Workout Plan for Weight Loss (Example 3)
Monday – Cardio and Upper Body Strength Workout
| Morning (Cardio) | Evening (Upper Body) |
|---|---|
| 15-minute Treadmill | Incline DB Bench Press (3 x 12 reps) |
| 5-minute Bicycle | Overhead Press (3 x 12 reps) |
| 5-minute Elliptical | Narrow Lat Pulldown (3 x 12 reps) |
| 5-min Battle Rope | Rack-Pull/Off Blocks DL (3 x 10 reps) |
Tuesday – Core Workout and Lower Body Strength Training
Instructions: Perform abs exercises into circuit and resistance training with a standard rep-set scheme.
| Morning (Cardio) | Evening (Lower Body) |
|---|---|
| 15 Kneeling Cable Crunches | DB/Bar Front Squat |
| 20 Cable Woodchop (10/side) | Leg Press |
| 10 Bosu Ball Crunches | Leg Curl |
| 10 Hanging Knee Raises | Calf Raises |
| Three Rounds | 3 sets x 10-15 reps |
Wednesday – Cardio and Upper Body Strength Workout
| Morning (Cardio) | Evening (Upper Body) |
|---|---|
| 15-minute Treadmill | Seated Cable Rowing (3 x 12 reps) |
| 5-minute Bicycle | Pec Deck Fly (3 x 12 reps) |
| 5-minute Elliptical | Lateral Delt Raises (3 x 12 reps) |
| 5-min Battle Rope | Weighted Farmers Walk (3 x 20 steps) |
Friday – Core Workout and Lower Body Weight Training
Instructions: Perform abs exercises into circuit and resistance training with a standard rep-set scheme.
| Morning (Cardio) | Evening (Lower Body) |
|---|---|
| 15 Kneeling Cable Crunches | Front Lunges |
| 20 Cable Woodchop (10/side) | Hack Squat |
| 10 Bosu Ball Crunches | DB Romanian DL |
| 10 Hanging Knee Raises | Hip Thrust/Glute Bridge |
| Three Rounds | 3 sets x 10-15 reps |
Wednesday – Cardio and Upper Body Resistance Training
| Morning (Cardio) | Evening (Upper Body) |
|---|---|
| 15-minute Treadmill | Landmine Press (3 x 12 reps) |
| 5-minute Bicycle | T-Bar/Machine Row (3 x 12 reps) |
| 5-minute Elliptical | Rear Delt Raise/Row (3 x 12 reps) |
| 5-min Battle Rope | Rope Pushdown (3 x 15 steps) |
Download The Twice a Day Workout Routine PDF
References
- 1Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2016;46(11):1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
- 2Ho SS, Dhaliwal SS, Hills AP, Pal S. The effect of 12 weeks of aerobic, resistance or combination exercise training on cardiovascular risk factors in the overweight and obese in a randomized trial. BMC Public Health. 2012;12:704. Published 2012 Aug 28. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-12-704
