A basic training program has been prescribed for every body part. To emphasize some muscles over others, simply plug in the appropriate exercises that focus on the lacking area from the lists provided. The areas we’re offering targeted training for are the upper chest, lower lats, side delts, biceps, and calves—common weak points on guys that, when corrected, really make for a complete physique. Customize the workouts as you like, and get the body you want at last.
Directions
Perform the chest/shoulders and legs workouts on consecutive days, if possible. Then, rest a day, perform the back workout, rest another day, do the arm workout, and rest again before repeating the cycle.
Occasionally integrate an alternate move seen below. For example, if you want to target your upper chest, find the “Upper-chest Emphasis” exercise list and replace the dumbbell bench press with the incline dumbbell flye (or incline cable flye), the bench press with the incline bench press, and the wide-grip dip with the stretch pushup. Note that the arms and calves don’t need replacement exercises; they’re simply trained more often or with more volume.
Alternate Exerecises
Upper-Chest Emphasis
Incline dumbbell flye with palms-down grip
Incline cable flye with palms-down grip
Low-incline bench press (incline the bench only slightly)
Stretch pushup with feet elevated
Shoulders and Side-delt Emphasis
Lateral raise with partial range of motion: Use heavy dumbbells and swing the weights only a few inches away from your sides.
Over and Back Press: Press a bar overhead but don’t lock out your elbows. Lower it behind your neck, then press up.
Calf Emphasis
Perform this exercise last on leg day and in the arms, abs, and calves workout.
Tibialis Raise Sets: 3 Reps: 25 Rest: 2 min.
Stand on a block or step with your toes hanging over the edge and rock your heels back, raising your toes as high as you can.
Back and Lower-lat Emphasis
Single-arm Pulldown with Palm-facing Grip: Attach a single-grip handle to a high-pulley cable, and pull the handle down to your collarbone with one hand.
Rack Pull: Set a barbell on the spotter bars of a power rack so it’s just below knee height. Grasp the bar outside your knees and drive your heels into the floor to extend your hips to lockout.
One-arm Barbell Row: Performed the same as a DB row but with a barbell loaded with weight.
Biceps Emphasis
Choose two biceps exercises and perform three sets of each after your back training. Do this in addition to the arm workout day. Hold the top of each rep for one second while flexing, and take three seconds to lower the weight on each rep.
Don’t Forget: 10 is the percentage to reduce the weight on each set when doing 8–12 reps with 60 seconds’ rest.
Arch your back and grasp the bar outside shoulder width. Remove it from the rack and lower the bar to your sternum, tucking your elbows near your sides. Press the bar up.
Attach single-grip handles to two facing pulley stations. Grasp the handles and step forward with arms out to your sides so you feel a stretch in your pecs. Perform a flye motion, bringing the handles in front of your chest.
*As many reps as possible. Position yourself at the widest part of dip bars. Suspend over the bars and lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Press yourself up a few inches, but not to lockout, and then lower yourself again.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and bend your hips back to lower your torso until it’s parallel to the floor. Raise your arms 90 degrees out to your sides.
Legs
Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 8 of 22
Lying Leg Curl
Equipment
Sets
4
Reps
15
Rest
2 min
Lie facedown on a leg curl machine and brace your ankles under the pad. Bend your knees to curl the pad.
Exercise 9 of 22
Barbell Squat
Equipment
Barbell
Sets
4
Reps
12,10,8,6
Rest
as needed
Grasp the bar outside shoulder width and pull your shoulder blades together. Set the bar to rest on your traps. Set your feet shoulder width apart. Take a deep breath and push your hips back to lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Exercise 10 of 22
Leg Press
Equipment
Sets
3
Reps
20
Rest
2 min
Set up in a leg press machine and place your feet inside shoulder width on the foot plate. Lower the plate until your knees are bent 90 degrees, and then press the weight back up.
Exercise 11 of 22
Dumbbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift
Equipment
Sets
4
Reps
8
Rest
2 min
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with feet hip-width apart. Push your hips back to lower your torso until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
*Each side. Place your right knee and palm on a bench and hold a dumbbell in your left hand. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you row the dumbbell to your ribs.
Stand with feet at hip width and grasp the bar outside your knees. Keeping your lower back flat, push through your heels and extend your hips and knees until you’re standing tall.
Hold the end of a dumb- bell with both hands and lie on a flat bench. Lower the weight behind your head, keeping a slight bend in your elbows, then straighten your arms back over your forehead.
Arms, Abs & Calves
Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 16 of 22
EZ-Bar Curl
Equipment
EZ-Bar
Sets
4
Reps
8
Rest
60 sec
Hold a barbell with your hands shoulder-width apart and palms facing up. Keeping your elbows pinned to your sides, curl the bar up.
Hold a barbell at shoulder width and sit at a preacher bench with your arm- pits just above the edge of the bench. Lower the bar, but don’t extend your elbows completely.
Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Curl the weights up simultaneously.
Exercise 19 of 22
Grage Rope Pushdown
Equipment
Rope Attachment
Sets
4
Reps
15
Rest
60 sec
Place a rope attachment on the high pulley of a cable station. Grasp with palms facing each other. Keeping your elbows at your sides, push down, flexing your triceps at the bottom.
*As many reps as possible. Place your palms on the bench behind you and your feet on one in front of you. Suspend yourself above the benches and bend your elbows to lower your body between them.
Set an incline bench to 45 degrees and lie on it holding an EZ-bar with hands inside shoulder width. Press up, bend your elbows to lower the weight, then extend your elbows.
Use a standing calf raise machine or stand on a block with a dumbbell in your hand. Allow your heels to sink toward the floor so you feel a stretch on your calves and then press them up.
Use a seated calf raise machine or sit on a bench with your feet on a block or step and a weight on your thighs. Perform a calf raise as described above.
Exercise 26 of 22
Tibia Raise
Equipment
Sets
3
Reps
25
Rest
2 min
Stand on a block or step with your toes hanging over the edge and rock your heels back, raising your toes as high as you can.
