# Mon-Fri 5 day routine ideas?



## Newbie2008 (Sep 18, 2008)

Hi

I can train every day during the week, but not on weekends.

Can anyone recommend a good 5 day (Mon-Fri) routine?

I was originally thinking of a full body workout (e.g., 5x5 style - Rippetoe, etc) but that really maxes out at 3 times only over Mon - Fri to give enough recovery.

A 5 day split would be more conventionally, but I really want to include large composite movements: deadlifts, squats, military press, pull ups, dips.

Ideas much appreciated.

Thanks very much


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## Rosko (Oct 15, 2007)

If you want to do full body workout then just do that 3 times a week, or even 2 to start off with! Why are you obsessed with training 5 days a week, you NEED REST!


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## asl (Jan 25, 2009)

Either

Mon Chest

Tue Back

Wed Legs

Thur Shoulders

Fri Arms

Or

Mon Chest and biceps

Tue Cardio and abs

Wed Back and triceps

Thur Cardio and abs

Fri Shoulders and legs

As rosko said depending on your aims and how long you have been training 5 days may be too much. When I started I did 5 days and realised that I had over trained after about 3 months.


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## Newbie2008 (Sep 18, 2008)

Rosko said:


> If you want to do full body workout then just do that 3 times a week, or even 2 to start off with! Why are you obsessed with training 5 days a week, you NEED REST!


It's just that I have the opportunity to train 5x so I want to make the most of it. Maybe I could do 4x with Weds off?

Thanks for replying.


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## Newbie2008 (Sep 18, 2008)

asl said:


> Either
> 
> Mon Chest
> 
> ...


If I did the first routine could I still manage large compound lifts in the routine?

Thanks for replying.


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## coldo (Dec 7, 2008)

tbh, i think this "overtraining" if you train 5 days in a row is bull**** - or at least only applies to some people.

I trained 5 days, 4 exercises per day, 4 sets of 8 reps per exercise. If eating plenty and sleeping plenty at night, i don't think you over train at all tbh.

Mon: Legs

Tue: Shoulders

Wed: Arms

Thu: Back

Fri: Chest

Worked fine for me, i grew, didn't feel tired, could lift heavy and intensly every day, wasn't injury prone and never felt tired or weak in the mornings.

I ate about 300g of protein a day, slept 7-8 hours a night.

Sometimes done a bit of cardio on a Saturday too. I love being in the gym.

Now, i'm still in the gym 6 days but 3 days of lifting and 3 days cardio. - doing fine with this too.


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## powerhouse_ad (Jul 30, 2008)

This is a 4 day routine I use:

*Monday*

Deadlifts

Shrugs

Hamstring curls

Calf raises

*Tuesday*

Incline bench press

Flat bench press

Weighted dips

Skullcrushers

*Wednesday*

Dumbell rows

T-bar rows

Pullups

Dumbell curls

*Thursday*

Squats

Leg extensions

Dumbell shoulder press

Smith machine shoulder press


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## Newbie2008 (Sep 18, 2008)

coldo said:


> tbh, i think this "overtraining" if you train 5 days in a row is bull**** - or at least only applies to some people.
> 
> I trained 5 days, 4 exercises per day, 4 sets of 8 reps per exercise. If eating plenty and sleeping plenty at night, i don't think you over train at all tbh.
> 
> ...


Sounds good. What sort of rests between sets and exercises did you take - 1.5 - 2mins?


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## Rosko (Oct 15, 2007)

coldo said:


> tbh, i think this "overtraining" if you train 5 days in a row is bull**** - or at least only applies to some people.


I think it's a bit rude / ignorant to say its "overtraining" is bullsh!t mate, it aint, i've seen better gains since i switched from 5 to 3 days a week, and there'll be a few people who have had the same experience.

If i was to train every day i know i can't put 100% into it because my next session would be hampered. I need a rest day in between. I deliberatly do legs on a Monday and back on a Friday so to have as much time as possible to rest my lower back in between Squats and Deads. If you can train every day and not feel fatigued then lucky you, but do you seriously think your body is getting the chance to repair as well as it could?

Have you ever tried training less days? You might make even better gains if you gave your body more time to fully repair itself!


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## Rosko (Oct 15, 2007)

coldo said:


> Worked fine for me, i grew, didn't feel tired, could lift heavy and intensly every day, wasn't injury prone and never felt tired or weak in the mornings.Why change to 3 days a week then?!
> 
> I ate about 300g of protein a day, slept 7-8 hours a night.
> 
> ...


Just re read your post, and it sounds a bit contradictory. :confused1:

You said the "overtraing" is bullsh!t, and you trained, grew, didn't feel tired etc. and yet the last sentence says you now lift 3 days a week. If you were growing and things were working so well when you were training 5/6 days a week, why change it, why did you go down to 3 days a week? :confused1:


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## coldo (Dec 7, 2008)

Rosko said:


> Just re read your post, and it sounds a bit contradictory. :confused1:
> 
> You said the "overtraing" is bullsh!t, and you trained, grew, didn't feel tired etc. and yet the last sentence says you now lift 3 days a week. If you were growing and things were working so well when you were training 5/6 days a week, why change it, why did you go down to 3 days a week? :confused1:


Only back down to 3 days as i'm cutting at the moment and want to get 3 solid cardio sessions in.

Once i've shed some fat, i'll go back to a 5 day split, although the pump i get doing back/bi's together and chest/tri's is pretty immense tbh, i do enjoy training 3 days.

I dont think overtraining is bull****... i think people (online esp) are too quick to jump in and assume anyone who is in the gym 5 days a week is "overtraining" if the person is eating enough, sleeping enough and training well then there is no reason that they are overtraining, in my opinion?


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## Rosko (Oct 15, 2007)

Fair do's. I know what your saying but you need to remember what section this is posted in, Most of the people in here (the OP is called Newbie2008!) are new to training. If you've been training for a few years and know how your body reacts then like you said as long as you eat and rest enough then it would prob be ok. But for the majority of peeps in here i think it would be better to start with 3 days, just my opinion! :beer:


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## Newbie2008 (Sep 18, 2008)

Thanks guys for all the comments so far!

Is it a fair compromise to go for 4 days?

*Mon*

Back/Bi

*Tue*

Chest/Tri

*Thu*

Shoulders/Abs

*Fri*

Legs


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## coldo (Dec 7, 2008)

Rosko said:


> Fair do's. I know what your saying but you need to remember what section this is posted in, Most of the people in here (the OP is called Newbie2008!) are new to training. If you've been training for a few years and know how your body reacts then like you said as long as you eat and rest enough then it would prob be ok. But for the majority of peeps in here i think it would be better to start with 3 days, just my opinion! :beer:


Yeah, i suppose i do agree with that. Everyone is different though, there are so many methods of training, it's a case of finding out which is best and maybe more importantly, which is most enjoyable and suitable for you! :thumb:



Newbie2008 said:


> Thanks guys for all the comments so far!
> 
> Is it a fair compromise to go for 4 days?
> 
> ...


TBH, i think that looks good. I would be satisfied with something like that.

Although personally i would swap legs to monday or tuesday - sore legs over the weekend sucks!


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## Newbie2008 (Sep 18, 2008)

coldo said:


> Yeah, i suppose i do agree with that. Everyone is different though, there are so many methods of training, it's a case of finding out which is best and maybe more importantly, which is most enjoyable and suitable for you! :thumb:
> 
> TBH, i think that looks good. I would be satisfied with something like that.
> 
> Although personally i would swap legs to monday or tuesday - sore legs over the weekend sucks!


Was trying to keep deadlifts and squats as far apart as possible.


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## Rosko (Oct 15, 2007)

coldo said:


> Although personally i would swap legs to monday or tuesday - sore legs over the weekend sucks!


Yeah i do legs on a Monday, can't have DOMS in the legs to mess up your dance moves over the weekend!!! :cool2:



Newbie2008 said:


> Was trying to keep deadlifts and squats as far apart as possible.


Swap Mon and Fri then - simples!! :thumb:

.......and yeah, that 4 day comprimise looks cool, glad we all sorted that one out!!!!! :lol:


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## clairey.h (Feb 8, 2009)

Newbie2008 said:


> Thanks guys for all the comments so far!
> 
> Is it a fair compromise to go for 4 days?
> 
> ...


thats pretty much what I do, except that back gets whole session, bis get done with shoulders and abs and cardio are done on the fith day, although I do about 30 minutes low imapct cardio everyday and each session is an hr and a half+ 5 times a week.......


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## Newbie2008 (Sep 18, 2008)

So what about this - with bit of detail:

*Mon: LEGS*

SQUATS

LEG CURLS

CALF RAISES

*Tue: CHEST/TRI*

BENCH

FLYS

DIPS - TARGETS CHEST & TRI?

TRI PULLDOWNS

*Thu: SHOULDERS/ABS*

MILITARY PRESS

SIDE LATERALS

HANGING LEG RAISES

*Fri: BACK/BI*

DEADLIFTS

PULL UPS

ROWS

BI CURLS


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