So I thought I'd share this on here, it's a routine I designed for an old client. I would usually subscribe them to a general 5x5 routine for functional strength. However, he wanted something more "extreme" and "custom" so I threw this together. Instead of making it step by step I wanted him to start learning how to set up his own routines, mainly because he wasn't paying me and I felt like he was trying to take advantage of the situation, I also gave him an alternate workout after the third week, I'll post that later. Tell me what you think, love it, hate it, laugh about it.

The overall goal is to build functional strength, while maintaining a fat burn. You’ll slowly start to become more defined over the course of the next few weeks. This is a 6-12 week routine, continue it until you are no longer seeing results, then switch to another routine for 3-4 weeks, then come back to continue the results.

 

The basic setup of this routine is going to be focused on strength building, with a minor increase in size. You’re going to be using 80% of your 1rm (REP MAX), or your 5RM. The sets will be 4-6 reps, focus on your breathing while you’re doing the exercise, and your form. If you form starts to slip then that’s the end of the set, you want to maintain perfect form through the movement for best results, and to keep your Range of Motion (ROM).

Shoulders & Deltoids will be on day one, followed by Chest & Triceps, with your Back&Biceps&Legs being your third day. I’m incorporating back days with the leg days and putting them after chest, because this will give you extra recovery time for your shoulders. 90% of your back exercises use your shoulders as well, so you want to maintain maximum rest.

I’m going to be giving you a list of exercises to chose from, alternate the exercises every week to keep your muscles from adapting to the routine.

 

Shoulder&Delts
TRAPS:
Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown
Cross cable Lat pulldowns.
V-Bar pull downs
Underhand cable pulldowns
DELTS:
Arnold Dumbbell Press

Back flyes

Rocky Press (these are awesome for developing strength)
Bent Over Dumbbell Raises- bend over holding dumbbells in a skiing position, then raise them to the side of your head. They’re also called chicken wings, because they looking like your flapping your arms. These are great also, can’t recommend these enough.
Upright Rows
Military Press

Chest & Triceps
CHEST:
Classic Bench Press
Floor Press- This will help to develop your stabilizers better.
Cable Cross Overs
Incline Press
Alternate of the the press moves with dumbbells one week and bar work the next.
TIRCEP:

Dips (alternate with weighted bench dips)

Rope pulldowns
Bar pulldowns
Skull crushers
Decline Tricep extension

Back&Biceps&Legs
BACK:

Bent Over Rows
T-bar row
Machine Rows
BICEPS:

Barbell Curl
Preacher Curl
Hammer curls
Arnold Curls- bend over with weight and curl from hanging position to the opposite shoulder, you should feel it completely in your bicep.
LEGS:

Squat
Deadlift
Dumbbell Lunge
GoodMornings
Farmers walk

WARNING! :  Stay away from the smith machines for squats, it will cause injury. I cannot stress this enough, the smith machine is great for many other exercises, but not squats!!!

Ok the set up will be 3 exercises per session, 2 sets of 4-5 reps. Make sure to alternate exercises as much as possible, and do a light warm of set of about 15 reps with 20% of your 1RM for that muscle group and exercise. Don’t forget to do a dynamic warm up before you lift, and then stretch as part of your cooldown. Also make sure to do cardio at the end of your lifting, 30 minutes of sustained cardio. I recommend the fat burning mode, because this will help you to cut up better.

 

On your non lifting days, you will be doing cardio but you need to alternate the forms. HIIT for 20 minutes, if the gym has a summit training use it, those things are gold.