Skip's Favorite Overall Workouts

"Consistency and Discipline!"

Achieving a well formed physique, will require not only exceptional nutrition, but you'll also need to do your time in the gym. Below is a list of my favorite workout routines that have worked well for me, as well as hyperlinks to beginner, intermediate and advanced workout routines that you may find helpful.

Enjoy! Now go "slam some steel"!

My 6 Day On - 1 Day Off Routine

Sunday	Legs - (LIGHT) Leg Press: 185-315 lbs, 3 sets, 15 reps. Hack Squat: 50-90 lbs, 3 sets, 10 reps. Standing Calf Raise: Holding a 45 lb. dumbbell, 3 sets (each foot), 20-30 reps. Abdominal Crunches: 3 sets, 100 reps.
Monday	Arms: Biceps Alternating Bicep Curl (Dumbbell): 45-55 lbs, 4 sets, 10-12 reps. Standing Barbell Curl: 80-90 lbs, 4 sets, 8-10 reps. Preacher Curls: 70-90 lbs. 3 sets, 8-10 reps. Triceps Tricep Pushdown (Cable): 60-70 lbs, 4 sets, 8-12 reps. French Curl ("Nosebreakers"): 90 lbs, 4 sets, 8-10 reps. Tricep Kickbacks: 20 lbs, 3 sets, 20 reps. Abdominal Crunches: 15 minutes, ~300 reps.
Tuesday	Back: Pull Ups: 4 sets, 8-12 reps. Cable Lat. Pulldown (front): 140-160 lbs, 4 sets, 8-12 reps. Cable Lat. Pulldown (rear): 150-170 lbs, 4 sets, 6-10 reps. T-Bar Row: 75-105 lbs, 3 sets, 8-12 reps. Cable Row: 140-160 lbs, 3 sets, 8-12 reps. Hyper-extensions: 3 sets, rep to failure
Wednesday	Legs - (HEAVY) Squats: 185-205 lbs, 4 sets, 6-8 reps. Hack Squats (Slow & Deep): 135 lbs., 4 sets, 6 reps. Leg Extension: 120-150 lbs, 3 sets, 8-10 reps. Leg Curl: 100-120 lbs, 3 sets, 8-10 reps. Seated Calf Raise: 65-90 lbs, 3 sets, 15-25 reps. Abdominal Crunches: 15 minutes, ~300 reps.
Thursday	Chest: Incline Bench: 185-225 lbs, 4 sets, 8-12 reps. Decline Bench: 185-245 lbs, 4 sets, 8-12 reps. I then do one of the following Flat Bench (barbell): 185-245 lbs, 3 sets, 6-12 reps. Flat Bench (dumbbell): 65 - 95 lbs, 4 sets, 6-12 reps. - New to routine Flat Bench (Strip set): 145-125-105-85-65-45, Rep. until failure Cable Crossovers: 60-75 lbs, 4 sets, 8-12 reps.
Friday	Shoulders: Dumbell Overhead Press: 50-70 lbs, 4 sets, 8-12 reps. Front Deltoid Raise (Dumbbell): 25 lbs, 3 sets, 10-12 reps. Lateral Deltoid Raise (Dumbbell): 25 lbs, 3 sets, 10-12 reps. Reverse Pec Deck (Rear Deltoid): 90-110 lbs, 3 sets, 8-12 reps. Shrugs: 70-90 lbs, 4 sets, 15-30 reps. Abdominal Crunches: 15 minutes, ~300 reps.
Saturday	My Day Off! Woo-HOO!

My 3 Day On - 1 Day Off Routine

Day 1	Legs - Shoulders Legs Squats: 185-225 lbs, 4 sets, 6-8 reps. Walking Lunges: 35-40 lbs. dumbbells, 20 steps Leg Extension: 150-200 lbs, 3 sets, 8-10 reps. Leg Curl: 100-120 lbs, 3 sets, 8-10 reps. Seated calf raises, 95-115 lbs, 3 sets, 10-12 reps Shoulders Dumbell Overhead Press: 50-70 lbs, 4 sets, 8-12 reps. Front Deltoid Raise (Dumbbell): 25 lbs, 3 sets, 10-12 reps. Lateral Deltoid Raise (Dumbbell): 25 lbs, 3 sets, 10-12 reps. Reverse Pec Deck (Rear Deltoid): 90-110 lbs, 3 sets, 8-12 reps. Shrugs: 70-90 lbs, 4 sets, 15-30 reps. Abs Abdominal Crunches: 3 sets, 100 reps.
Day 2	Chest & Back Chest Incline Bench: 185-225 lbs, 3 sets, 8-12 reps. Decline Bench: 185-245 lbs, 3 sets, 8-12 reps. Flat Bench (barbell): 185-245 lbs, 3 sets, 6-12 reps. Cable Crossovers: 60-75 lbs, 3 sets, 8-12 reps. Back Pull Ups: 4 sets, 8-12 reps. Cable Lat. Pulldown (front): 140-160 lbs, 4 sets, 8-12 reps. T-Bar Row: 75-105 lbs, 3 sets, 8-12 reps. Cable Row: 140-160 lbs, 3 sets, 8-12 reps. Hyperextensions: 3 sets, rep to failure
Day 3	Biceps & Triceps Biceps Alternating Bicep Curl (Dumbbell): 45-55 lbs, 4 sets, 10-12 reps. Standing Barbell Curl: 80-90 lbs, 4 sets, 8-10 reps. Preacher Curls: 70-90 lbs. 3 sets, 8-10 reps. Triceps Tricep Pushdown (Cable): 60-70 lbs, 4 sets, 8-12 reps. French Curl ("Nosebreakers"): 90 lbs, 4 sets, 8-10 reps. Tricep Kickbacks: 20 lbs, 3 sets, 20 reps.
Day 4	Shoulders & Legs Shoulders Dumbell Overhead Press: 50-70 lbs, 4 sets, 8-12 reps. Front Deltoid Raise (Dumbbell): 25 lbs, 3 sets, 10-12 reps. Lateral Deltoid Raise (Dumbbell): 25 lbs, 3 sets, 10-12 reps. Reverse Pec Deck (Rear Deltoid): 90-110 lbs, 3 sets, 8-12 reps. Shrugs: 70-90 lbs, 4 sets, 15-30 reps. Legs Leg Press: 205-425 lbs, 4sets, 10-15 reps. Hack Squat: 50-90 lbs, 3 sets, 10 reps. Standing Calf Raise: Holding a 45 lb. dumbbell, 3 sets (each foot), 20-30 reps. Abs Abdominal Crunches: 3 sets, 100 reps.
Day 5	Back & Chest Back Pull Ups: 4 sets, 8-12 reps. Dumbbell Row: 75-105 lbs, 3 sets, 8-12 reps. Cable Lat. Pulldown (front): 140-160 lbs, 4 sets, 8-12 reps. Cable Row: 140-160 lbs, 3 sets, 8-12 reps. Hyper-extensions: 3 sets, rep to failure Chest Incline Bench: 185-225 lbs, 3 sets, 8-12 reps. Decline Bench: 185-245 lbs, 3 sets, 8-12 reps. Flat Bench (dumbbell): 70 - 100 lbs, 4 sets, 6-12 reps Pec Deck: 140-180 lbs, 3 sets, 8-12 reps. ( weight values are unique to this machine).
Day 6	Triceps & Biceps Triceps Tricep Pushdown (Cable): 60-70 lbs, 4 sets, 8-12 reps. French Curl ("Nosebreakers"): 90 lbs, 4 sets, 8-10 reps. Tricep Kickbacks: 20 lbs, 3 sets, 20 reps. Biceps Alternating Bicep Curl (Dumbbell): 45-55 lbs, 4 sets, 10-12 reps. Standing Barbell Curl: 80-90 lbs, 4 sets, 8-10 reps. Preacher Curls: 70-90 lbs. 3 sets, 8-10 reps.

Bonus Workout Tips

Strip sets and Repeating (repping) to Failure

"Repping to failure" basically means to keep lifting the weight until it's impossible to continue (i.e. the muscle no longer wants to contract).

Strip Set Tips:

During a strip set, your spotter removes some of the weight immediately after you've completed the last repetition, allowing you to continue with lighter weight. This fatigues the muscle enormously. The important thing to remember is to move the weight slowly. Since it's lighter, it's easier to move. So to get the maximum benefit out of it, your form must be perfect, and the movement of the weight should be slow and controlled.

For a strip set, an example would be to do:

12 reps for the first set,
10 reps for the second set,
6 reps for the third set,
6 reps for the fourth set,
8 reps for the fifth set,
and 10 reps for the final set.

Other Workouts

A resource that will help get you started is an article series written by Matt Danielson which goes into more detail regarding the concepts I've mentioned above. Matt is a professional personal trainer and he writes articles routinely for bodybuilding.com. His articles are particularly great for beginners or bodybuilders who've been away from the gym for a while or might be plateauing and trying to get a new routine going:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/matt88.htm - Beginner's Bodybuilding Program
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/matt89.htm - Intermediate Bodybuilding Program
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/matt90.htm - Advanced Bodybuilding Program

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/printworklog.htm - Bodybuilding.com's Free Printable (and customizable) Workout Log

Here's also a link to a Resting Metabolic Rate Calculator so that you can determine what your maintenance caloric intake should be:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calrmr.htm