Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your overall health. It’s good for your muscles, your heart, your brain, and pretty much everything else.
While there are a lot of different forms of exercise out there, resistance training is king. It’s the one type of exercise that is good for any and all fitness goals.
Whether you want to build muscle, lose body fat, or just benefit your overall health, resistance training is going to help with all of it. There are tons of workout plans out there that you can follow, too.
What’s the best workout program for men, though? Is any specific one of them better than all the others?
The short answer is no. There’s no special workout program that men should be doing or that's better than any other.
There are good strategies out there you can utilize, but there’s more to it than that.
Not only will I cover that with you today, but I’ll write up some different workout plans for you as well.
In This Article:
• What’s the Best Workout Plan For Men?
• Different Workout Plan Styles
• Sample Workout Plans
• Getting the Best Results From Your Workout Plan
What’s the Best Workout Plan For Men?
This is a simple answer. The best workout plan for men doesn't truly exist. For one, no workout is gender specific. Second, there is no "best" workout program.
If anything, though, there is a best workout program for YOU. This is one that works for you and one that you like.
Your schedule isn’t the same as anyone else’s. Your preferences may be different from other people, too.
Not to mention, you may have different goals from other people. We’re all a bit different, and a workout plan that works for you may work differently for me.
Let’s dive a little deeper into what variables you should look at when coming up with your workout plan.
Schedule
This is a big one. If you choose a workout plan that doesn’t fit your schedule, you’ll have trouble sticking to it.
You may only have 3 days available to get any training done each week. If that’s the case, you probably shouldn’t pick a workout plan that requires 5-6 days per week.
Workout plans are generally chosen specifically to give you a certain amount of training volume each week. If you choose a program for 6 days, and only train 3, you’ll only be getting half the volume you should be getting.
The opposite is true, too. If you choose a 3-day program and train 6 days per week, you may be getting too much volume. That can make it difficult to recover optimally.
So, pick a plan based on your schedule and what you can commit to regularly.
Here’s a general rule to think about: The fewer days you train, the more you’ll pair muscle groups together.
The more days you train, the more you can separate them into separate workouts. Here’s an example.
If you want to train 3 days per week, your workout plan might look like this:
Monday - Full body
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - Full Body
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Full Body
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Rest
If you want to train 6 days per week, it may look like this:
Monday - Chest, Triceps, & Shoulders
Tuesday - Legs & Abs
Wednesday - Back, Biceps, and Forearms
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Chest, Triceps, & Shoulders
Saturday - Legs & Abs
Sunday - Back, Biceps, and Forearms
Splitting up into 6 days allows you to hit each muscle group with more volume and train twice per week. Only training for 3 days means you’ll use less volume each workout, but train those muscles 3 times per week.
This helps you plan out proper recovery for each muscle group, and still train them enough to see progress.
Fitness Goals
This is another big one. Different workout programs can be better for different goals.
For instance, if you want to build muscle, an EMOM (every minute on the minute) workout plan might not be the best. It can help, but it will mostly train your muscular and cardiovascular endurance.
If you want to build better endurance, a powerlifting program with 3-5 minutes of rest between sets probably isn’t the best idea.
You see what I mean? Depending on what goal you want to achieve, some programs will address it better than others.
Preference
Believe it or not, this is important too. If you don’t like your workout plan, you’re not going to stick to it.
The most important thing is choosing a workout plan you can and want to stick to. Sticking to it is the only way to get results from it!
So if you only like lifting weights, don’t choose a workout plan with tons of running. Well, unless you’re willing to stick to it still.
No matter what workout plan you choose, it should still have some element of resistance training in it. Resistance training can help with all these benefits (1):
• Physical Performance
• Muscle Growth
• Fat Loss
• Higher Metabolic Rate
• Movement Control
• Walking Speed
• Functional Independence
• Cognitive Abilities
• Self-esteem
So no matter what workout plan you choose, make sure it contains resistance training.
Different Workout Plan Styles
I touched on this a little bit earlier, but every workout plan can have a different focus. Some are centered around muscle groups, while others can be focused on exercises.
Let’s dive into the different focuses your workout plan can have.
Full Body Workout Plan
Your workout plan can be centered around full-body workouts if you only train a few times per week. The reasoning behind this is all about getting enough weekly volume with fewer total workouts.
With only 3 workouts per week, you can’t really give enough attention to each muscle group if you separate them out. That could limit your potential for muscle growth in the long run.
But if you do 1-2 exercises per muscle group 3 times per week, that allows you to get enough weekly volume for muscle growth. You also won’t neglect any muscle groups that way either.
Body Part Split Workout Plan
This type of workout plan is much easier to do when you work out at least 4 days per week. When you have more workouts each week, you can dedicate each one to a more specific focus.
I personally love this workout plan. I like doing 6 workouts per week, so it works out perfectly.
I have specific days to train my chest and triceps, back and biceps, and legs. Actually, I can hit them with heavier volume twice per week this way.
So when it comes to building muscle, this is a great workout plan for that. You have to factor in recovery because of the high volume, though.
With 4 days per week, you have to be a little more strategic about what to train on a given day. With 6 days per week, it’s pretty easy, though.
There’s just a lot more room to move things around and split them up.
Exercise Focused Workout Plan
This is similar to the body part split. The difference is that each workout is centered around a particular exercise.
So, for instance, you might have a workout centered around the bench press. The rest of the workout will be filled with accessory exercises.
Accessory exercises will all help you strengthen that main lift. So you might also do incline bench press, close-grip bench press, and floor press.
The other exercises your workouts might be focused on would likely be the deadlift, back squat, and barbell overhead press. So it’s more of a powerlifting style workout program, you’ll likely do 4 days per week.
In powerlifting, you compete by lifting as much weight as you can in the bench press, back squat, and deadlift. So this program makes perfect sense for you if you’re looking to compete!
Sample Workout Plans For Men
Here I’ll write up some sample weekly workout plans for all experience levels. Keep in mind that a good workout plan may change from week to week. Usually, you’ll progress in weight and volume throughout the training cycle.
Why do they need to change as time goes on? Well, the short answer is your body gets used to it. I’ll get into that more in the last section of this article, though. Let’s get to the workout plans!
For all of these workout plans, make sure to do a proper warm-up first. This is true whether it’s for an upper-body or lower-body workout.
Full Body Workout Plan
Monday - Full Body Workout
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - Full Body Workout
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Full Body Workout
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Rest
Full-Body Workout - Beginner
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bodyweight Squat | 3 | 15–20 |
| Push-Ups | 3 | 15–20 |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 10 |
| Lunges (with or without Dumbbells) | 3 | 10 Each Leg |
| Pec Deck Machine | 3 | 10 |
| Cable Low Rows | 3 | 10 |
| Sit-Ups | 3 | 10 |
Full-Body Workout - Intermediate
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back Squat | 3 | 10 |
| Bench Press | 3 | 10 |
| Pull-Ups | 3 | 10 |
| Kettlebell Swings | 3 | 10 Each Leg |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 10 |
| Bent-Over Row | 3 | 10 |
| Lateral Raises | 3 | 10 |
| Planks | 3 | 60 Seconds |
Full-Body Workout - Advanced
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back Squat | 3 | 8 |
| Bench Press | 3 | 8 |
| Pull-Ups | 3 | To failure |
| Single Leg Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10 each leg |
| Arnold Press | 3 | 10 |
| Single Arm Dumbbell Row | 3 | 10 each arm |
| Lateral Raises | 3 | 10 |
| Weighted Decline Sit-Ups | 3 | 10–20 |
Body Part Split Workout Plan
Monday - Chest, Triceps, and Shoulders
Tuesday - Legs and Abs
Wednesday - Back, Biceps, and Forearms
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Chest, Triceps, and Shoulders
Saturday - Legs and Abs
Sunday - Back, Biceps, and Forearms
This is basically a push/pull/legs split. Your chest day will be a push day, back day is a pull day, and obviously, your leg day is the leg day.
If you can work out 6 days per week, this is an awesome workout plan! It allows you to train every muscle group with a good amount of volume twice per week.
It’s great for recovery, too! You get 3-4 days of recovery until you train those muscles again.
Chest Day Workout - Beginner
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Push-Ups | 3 | 10–20 |
| Incline Chest Press Machine | 3 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raises | 3 | 10 |
| Pec Deck | 3 | 10 |
| Triceps Pressdown | 3 | 10 |
| Sit-Ups | 3 | 10 |
Back Day Workout - Intermediate
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Wide Grip Pull-Ups | 3 | To Failure |
| Barbell Bent-Over Row | 3 | 10 |
| EZ Bar Bicep Curl | 3 | 10 |
| Single-Arm Cable Low Row | 3 | 10 Each Arm |
| Shrugs | 3 | 10 |
| Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown | 3 | 10 |
| Cable Reverse Fly | 3 | 10 |
| Planks | 3 | 60 Seconds |
Leg Day Workout - Advanced
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back Squats | 3 | 8 |
| Romanian Deadlifts | 3 | 8 |
| Bulgarian Split Squats | 3 | 8 Each Leg |
| American Kettlebell Swings | 3 | 8 |
| Goblet Lateral Squats | 3 | 8 Each Side |
| Barbell Glute Bridge | 3 | 8 |
| Calf Raises | 3 | 10–20 |
| Hanging Toes-to-Bar | 3 | 10–20 |
Exercise Focused Workout Plan
Monday - Bench Press + Accessory Exercises
Tuesday - Back Squat + Accessory Exercises
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - Barbell Overhead Press + Accessory Exercises
Friday - Deadlift + Accessory Exercises
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Rest
Again, this is more of a powerlifting type of workout program. Each day is centered around a main lift, and the rest is made up of accessory exercises.
The accessory exercises can be focused on training that particular exercise. They could also be focused on training the main exercise for another day.
So on bench press day, the accessory exercises could be focused on benefiting the bench press or overhead press. On back squat day, they could be focused on helping with your back squat or the deadlift.
There’s more than one way to do it. You just have to find what works best for you!
You don’t have to be a powerlifter to follow this program either. It can help you build muscle and get really strong, though!
Bench Press Day Workout - Beginner
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bench Press | 3 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 10 |
| Overhead Triceps Extension | 3 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raises | 3 | 10 |
| Bench Dips | 3 | 10 |
| Sit-Ups | 3 | 10 |
Squat Day Workout - Intermediate
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back Squat | 4 | 8 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10 |
| Reverse Hyperextension | 3 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Glute Bridge | 3 | 10 |
| Sled Push | 3 | 30 Yards |
| Dumbbell Split Squat | 3 | 10 Each Side |
| Plank | 3 | 60 Seconds or to Failure |
Overhead Press Day Workout - Advanced
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Overhead Press | 4 | 6–8 |
| Dumbbell Incline Bench Press | 3 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Floor Press | 3 | 10 |
| Bent-Over Row | 3 | 8–10 |
| Skull Crushers | 3 | 10 |
| Chin-Ups | 3 | 8–10 |
| Chest Dips | 3 | 10 |
| Half Kneeling Med Ball Rotational Throw | 3 | 10 Each Side |
Getting the Best Results From Your Workout Plan
There are millions of different workout plans out there. Most of them can help you see awesome results.
Having the best workout plan isn’t the only thing you need to see results, though. No matter which one you choose, there are other factors that play into your results.
If you need help with:
• Nutrition
• Writing up workout plans
• Adjusting your workouts and diet as you go
• Seeing optimal results over the long run
...It wouldn’t be a bad idea to hire an expert, like a personal trainer or nutrition coach. They can be pretty expensive, though.
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References:
(1) Westcott WL. Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2012;11(4):209-16.
