A bodybuilding program focuses on increasing strength and size. While some people argue bodybuilding is not good for increasing strength, they are wrong. While activities such as powerlifting and Olympic lifting are better geared toward improvements in strength, if a person completes a bodybuilding program and increases resistance over time, then that individual will see improvements in strength. It’s simple adaptation of the body to imposes demands, namely an increase in resistance used. At the same time, due to the volume of work completed in conjunction with the types of exercise and body part focused approach to training, bodybuilding style of training is ideal for building a muscular body such as a bodybuilder’s or physique competitor’s. This is something that pure strength programs like powerlifting and Olympic lifting are not ideal for, though those programs will allow someone to build muscle. Simply put, if you want to see reasonable improvements in strength and add quality mass to your body in the pursuit of an aesthetically pleasing frame, then the bodybuilding program may be for you. Included below is a bodybuilding program intended for advanced trainees due to the volume and exercises selection. It follows a three-week cycle and then repeats. With each iteration, the goal is to use more weight and/or where a rep range is present, complete more reps. Though simplistic in design, if followed over time consistently with enough intensity, the program yields results. We speak from real-world application of this program. To get the most from this program, you must use the heaviest weight safely possible. What this means is you must be able to complete all reps in good form for each set and that the weight must be challenging, though you should avoid going to failure; you should generally have 1-2 reps left in the tank. For example, the first exercise is back squat with five sets of seven reps. The goal would be to use a weight that is hard for seven reps, but that you might be able to complete 8-9 reps if pushing max reps. If you can complete 225 for 8-9 reps before hitting failure, this may be a good load for the first set. Depending on how you recover, you may be able to use that weight for consecutive sets or you may have to drop weight. As an example for the first exercise, you may complete 225 pounds by five sets of seven, or you might drop five pounds each consecutive set and end on 205 for the last set. Again, to get the most from this program, you must use the heaviest weight safely possible. What this means is you must be able to complete all reps in good form for each set and that the weight must be challenging, though you should avoid going to failure; you should generally have 1-2 reps left in the tank. On a final note, for body weight exercises such as the pull-up, add weight as needed to keep the exercise challenging within the target rep range. Week 1 – Day 1 Barbell Back Squat - 5 sets x 7 reps Barbell Front Squat - 4 sets x 7 reps Barbell Straight Leg Romanian Deadlift - 4 sets x 12 reps Leg Press Machine Single Leg Calf Raise - 5 sets x 15 reps Leg Press Machine Calf Raise - 3 sets x Max reps Week 1 – Day 2 Barbell Bench Press - 4 sets x 7 reps Barbell Incline Bench Press - 6 sets x 15 reps Barbell Decline Bench Press - 4 sets x 15 reps Cable Bent Over Chest Fly - 5 sets x 15 reps Week 1 – Day 3 Wide Grip Pull Up - 4 sets x 7 reps Close Grip Pull Up - 4 sets x 7 reps Barbell Standing Row - 3 sets x 15 reps Dumbbell Single Arm Bent Over Row - 4 sets x 15 reps Cable Seated Row - 3 sets x Max reps Hyperextension Roman Chair Back Extension - 5 sets x 10 reps Week 1 – Day 4 Barbell Overhead Press - 5 sets x 7 reps Dumbbell Lateral Raise - 4 sets x 15 reps Cable Lateral Raise - 3 sets x Max reps Dumbbell Standing Back Fly - 4 sets x 15 reps Cable Standing Rear Delt Crossover - 3 sets x Max reps Week 1 – Day 5 Barbell Bicep Curl - 4 sets x 7 reps Dumbbell Alternating Bicep Curl - 5 sets x 15 reps Dumbbell Hammer Bicep Curl - 3 sets x Max reps Dip - 4 sets x 10-40 reps pick a weight Cable Straight Bar Tricep Pushdown - 4 sets x 15 reps Cable Rope Tricep Extension - 5 sets x 15 reps Week 1 – Day 6 (optional workout) Dumbbell Incline Bench Press - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Machine Seated Chest Fly - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Barbell Standing Row - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Lat Machine Wide Grip Pulldown - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Barbell Bicep Curl - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Barbell Skullcrusher - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Week 2 – Day 1 Barbell Back Squat - 5 sets x 12 reps Machine Leg Press - 4 sets x 7 reps Barbell Good Morning Deadlift - 4 sets x 12 reps Machine Seated Single Leg Calf Raise - 5 sets x 15 reps Machine Seated Calf Raise - 3 sets x 15 reps Week 2 – Day 2 Barbell Bench Press - 4 sets x 12 reps Dumbbell Incline Bench Press - 6 sets x 12 reps Dumbbell Decline Bench Press - 4 sets x 15 reps Dumbbell Flat Bench Chest Fly - 5 sets x 15 reps Week 2 – Day 3 Parallel Grip Pull Up - 4 sets x 12 reps Dumbbell Standing Row - 3 sets x 15 reps Dumbbell Single Arm Bent Over Row - 4 sets x 15 reps Cable Seated Row - 3 sets x Max reps Hyperextension Roman Chair Back Extension - 5 sets x 10 reps Week 2 – Day 4 Dumbbell Standing Shoulder Press - 5 sets x 12 reps Dumbbell Single Arm Lateral Raise - 4 sets x 15 reps Cable Lateral Raise - 3 sets x Max reps Dumbbell Incline Bench Back Fly - 4 sets x 15 reps Cable Standing Rear Delt Crossover - 3 sets x 15 reps Week 2 – Day 5 Cable Bicep Curl - 4 sets x 12 reps Cable Rope Curl - 5 sets x 15 reps Dumbbell Hammer Bicep Curl - 3 sets x Max reps Dip - 4 sets x 10-40 reps Cable Rope Triceps Extension - 4 sets x 15 reps Cable Triceps Kickback - 4 sets x 15 reps Week 2 – Day 6 (optional) Dumbbell Incline Bench Press - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Machine Seated Chest Fly - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Barbell Standing Row - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Lat Machine Wide Grip Pulldown - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Barbell Bicep Curl - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Barbell Skullcrusher - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Week 3 – Day 1 Barbell Back Squat - 5 sets x 15 reps Barbell Front Squat - 4 sets x 7 reps Dumbbell Single Leg Deadlift - 4 sets x 7 reps Dumbbell Single Leg Calf Raise - 5 sets x 7 reps Dumbbell Calf Raise - 3 sets x 15 reps Week 3 – Day 2 Barbell Bench Press - 4 sets x 15 reps Machine Incline Chest Press - 6 sets x 15 reps Dumbbell Decline Bench Press - 4 sets x 15 reps Machine Seated Chest Fly - 5 sets x 15 reps Week 3 – Day 3 Lat Machine Wide Grip Pulldown - 4 sets x 15 reps Lat Machine Reverse Grip - 4 sets x 15 reps Cable Bent Over Row - 3 sets x 15 reps Dumbbell Single Arm Bent Over Row - 4 sets x 15 reps Cable Seated Row - 3 sets x Max reps Hyperextension Roman Chair Back Extension - 5 sets x 10 reps Week 3 – Day 4 Machine Seated Shoulder Press - 5 sets x 15 reps Dumbbell 90 Degree Lateral Raise - 4 sets x 12 reps Cable Lateral Raise - 3 sets x Max reps Dumbbell Seated Back Fly - 4 sets x 15 reps Cable Standing Rear Delt Crossover - 3 sets x Max reps Week 3 – Day 5 EZ Bar Bicep Curl - 4 sets x 15 reps Cable Single Arm Bicep Curl - 5 sets x 15 reps Dumbbell Hammer Bicep Curl - 3 sets x Max reps Dip - 4 sets x 10 reps Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension - 4 sets x 15 reps Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension - 5 sets x 15 reps Week 3 – Day 6 (optional) Dumbbell Incline Bench Press -3 sets x 7-15 reps Machine Seated Chest Fly - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Barbell Standing Row - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Lat Machine Wide Grip Pulldown - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Barbell Bicep Curl - 3 sets x 7-15 reps Barbell Skullcrusher - 3 sets x 7-15 reps
Nathan DeMetz holds degrees in Exercise Science, Business Administration, and Information Technology as well as certifications in strength and conditioning, sports nutrition, run coaching, and other areas. His credentials come from organizations such as Indiana Wesleyan University, Ivy Tech College, and the International Sports Sciences Association. Nathan has 17 years of personal and professional experience in the health and fitness world. He works with people from across the globe, including locations such as Kuwait, Australia, and the USA.