Push:
- Flat barbell bench 3x5: the most versatile chest exercise. Targets both heads of your pecs for good overall chest development. A must in every push-orientated workout.
- Military press 3x5: overhead pressing will support anterior delt growth, as well as heavily stimulate the long head of your tricep AND the clavicular head of your pecs (i.e. the "upper" pecs) to a lesser degree.
- Flat/decline DB press OR incline DB press 3x8: these just serve as a means of further stimulating specific heads of your chest. If you have favorable clavicular ("upper" pec) insertions, you will greatly benefit from pressing on a 15-20 degree incline. Otherwise, hitting flat or decline will serve as a much better option to further emphasize your sternal head.
- Side lateral raise 3x8-12: some additional lateral delt work in addition to the military presses. Great mass builder for an isolation movement.
- Overhead tricep extension 3x8-12: works the long head of your triceps.
- Barbell shrug 2x12-15: direct trap work is typically overlooked. Don't get me wrong, deadlifts and rows are great for building prominent traps, but shrugs will bring them to the next level.
Pull:
- Deadlift 1x3-5: Best bang-for-your-buck exercise. Works so many different muscles... from your spinal erectors to your hamstrings to your traps, etc. One top set is sufficient here.
- Barbell or pendlay row 3x5: any horizontal row heavily emphasizes your rhomboids; great for maintaining good posture with all the pressing you'll be doing.
- Pull-up or chin-up 4x6-8: good movement for direct lat work. Grip width doesn't matter all too much here.
- Curl of your choice 3x8-12: curls for the girls brah.
- Face pull 3x15-20: the MOST important movement for rear delt development and postural balance. Even people who don't lift weights seriously should be doing face pulls.
Legs (and abs):
- Back squat 3x5: the most effective leg exercise you can do.
- Front squat 3x6-8: very beneficial for quad development if you squat low bar.
- Hamstring curl 4x8-12: your hammies operate on the knee and hip joints. The hip articulation is worked sufficiently with squats, while the knee articulation isn't. Doing ham curls will help ensure that no muscle imbalances arise.
- Standing calf raise 4x12-15: do these standing to target your gastrocnemius (you don't need to know the specific anatomy... just understand that this is the muscle that gives your calves their round shape)
- Weighted decline crunch 3x8-12: your abs (specifically, your rectus abdominis) aren't really worked sufficiently from compounds like squats and deads, believe it or not. Your transverse (inner) abs, which hold your core in place, are activated to a greater extent during exercises of that nature.
- Stomach vacuum OR plank (for your core stabilizers) x 2 sets: any compound movement you perform while standing will work your transverse (inner) abs. However, it won't hurt to directly train them for aesthetic, strength, and postural purposes.
- REST -
- Repeat -
