3-4 days a week
Legs, push, pull
2 main exercises, with progressive variations
Example: legs and push
2-3 sets of each:
Overhead squats
Front squats
Back squats
Pistols
Superset with:
Close grip push-ups
Bodyweight dips
Weighted dips
Overhead press or db bench
- each exercise or variation is progressively heavier, except possibly the first/last, which are more skill based and for warm up/cool down
- choose exercises that can be done in a rack for the most part. Bodyweight exercises serve as good warm ups and can be done anywhere.
- the two exercise 'paths' progress in parallel. I like to take about one minute rest between each set -- you get sufficient rest between heavy sets but don't get bored.
- There shouldn't be too much overlap between the two paths. E.g. if doing legs/pull, don't do squats and pull ups would be better than squats and deadlifts.
Work in some mobility/stretching and you can be in and out of the gym in an hour, 3-4 times a week. I've been working out this way for a few weeks and just feel like it makes more sense than any of my previous routines, especially if you like to do other activity in addition to 'bodybuilding'. Cuts out all the less productive exercises, redundant warming up (too many unrelated exercises) and just flows from warm up through easy sets to hard sets in a single, natural progression.