Workout Routines for Men: The Ultimate Guide
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Whether you’re looking to shed pounds or add bulk, here’s how to tailor your workout to help you reach your fitness goals.
When it comes to achieving your best physique, a proper strength training program is essential.
Whether you’re looking to transform your body or just kick your training up a notch, it’s important to add training volume (in the form of reps, sets, and weight) to stimulate new muscle growth as you progress.
In general, most beginners have been lifting for less than a year, intermediates for at least 1 year, and advanced trainees for at least 2 years. Keep in mind that you should not attempt advanced workouts unless you have appropriate strength training experience.
This article reviews several high quality exercise regimens for men of all experience levels to maximize muscle and strength gains while ensuring adequate recovery.
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Considerations for lifters over 40
As you age, muscle and bone mass gradually decrease. Nonetheless, you can counteract this loss by following a resistance training program to stimulate muscle and bone growth (1, 2).
The exercise routines outlined above still apply to people ages 40 and older, though you may to replace some exercises with more joint-friendly options — especially if you have any preexisting injuries.
For example, you can do goblet squats instead of back squats or triceps pushdowns instead of dips.
Regardless of your age, it’s best to start with the beginner program and work your way up.
It’s also important not to work out too strenuously, because there’s an increased risk of injury as you age. You may likewise need to extend recovery times to 2 days between workouts instead of 1 day, because your body takes more time to recuperate (3).
While exercise presents some obstacles for those over 40, maintaining a proper resistance training program can provide endless benefits and keep you consistently in shape.
Summary
Trainees over age 40 may have to adjust their workout routine to account for injuries or slower recovery times. While muscle and bone mass decline as you age, you can combat this with proper exercise.
Don’t forget nutrition
While working out in the gym provides the stimulus for muscle and strength gains, nutrition plays a major role in recovery and exercise optimization.
Thus, it’s important to ensure that your food intake is adequate to meet the demands of your training.
You can do this by ensuring sufficient calorie, protein, carb, and fat intake based on your training intensity and physique goals. You can use a calorie counter to calculate your needs.
In order to gain muscle, it’s best to be in a calorie surplus, or eat more than your body needs to sustain itself. A surplus of 10–20% over your baseline calorie needs should be sufficient to promote muscle gains (4).
If you’re trying to lose body fat instead, maintaining your baseline or adopting a slight calorie deficit is generally recommended (4).
Nutrient timing, which involves eating at specific times to yield results, may also be vital to maximize muscle gains. For example, many experts recommend eating a well-balanced meal or snack within 2 hours of a workout, ideally both before and after (5, 6).
If you want to ensure proper dietary intake or create an individualized plan to help you meet your goals, consider consulting a registered dietitian.
Summary
Proper nutrition is vital to exercise because it provides your body with the necessary building blocks for gaining muscle and strength.
Tips
When starting a new strength training program, it’s important to take precautions to avoid getting injured or overexerting yourself.
First, you’ll want to accurately assess your level of experience as outlined above and select the appropriate workout program for you.
It’s always best to start with a program that may be slightly too easy rather than an advanced program that is too difficult.
The workout routines above are broken down into specific muscle groups for each session to provide enough stimulus to achieve results without overtaxing your body.
What is your goal?
Depending on your individual goal, you may want to consider adjusting your reps and sets.
For instance, if strength is your goal (your power against resistance), the National Sports and Conditioning Association recommends 3 or more sets of up to 6 reps. You should lift heavier loads if strength is your goal (7, 8).
If hypertrophy, or an increase in muscle size and definition, is your goal, focus on sets of 6–12 reps with 1 minute of rest in between. You should lift about 65–85% of your 1-rep maximum for hypertrophy (9).
If muscular endurance is your goal, you’ll want to focus on lighter weight and higher reps (8).
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In addition, performing a proper warmup is key to avoiding injury because it primes your muscles and cardiovascular system for the exercises to come.
Wear comfortable, close-fitting clothing that makes it easy to move, along with sneakers or other appropriate footwear.
If you’re increasing the weight you’re lifting or are unsure about a movement, it’s a good idea to have a spotter keep a close eye on the weight while you move it.
Lastly, allowing sufficient recovery time between workouts is another factor that will greatly reduce your risk of injury.
Summary
To avoid getting injured or overexerting yourself, it’s important to choose an appropriate workout routine for your level of experience, perform a proper warmup before exercising, and allow enough recovery time between workout sessions.
The bottom line
Whether you’re a new or seasoned gym-goer, workout routines catered to your experience level can help you progress toward your muscle and strength goals.
Over time, you may find that your body responds better to certain movements than to others and choose to adapt your training accordingly.
A proper exercise regimen and good nutrition habits are the first steps to getting in the best shape of your life, no matter your level of experience.
If you have an underlying health condition, it’s always best to check with a healthcare professional before starting any exercise program.
