A Workout Routine – The Best Workouts, Routines, Programs And Plans

Welcome to A Workout Routine! The goal here is pretty simple: to provide you with everything
you need to create the workout routine that is best for you.
To do this, I’ll be walking you through all of the best workout routines, programs, plans,
workouts and exercises to explain exactly what will work best for you, your body, your
schedule, your preferences, and your specific fitness goal.
What I mean is, you probably want to either:
Build muscle.
Lose fat.
Increase strength and/or performance.
Improve your health.
Look great naked.
Or all of the above.
Whatever your specific goal is, you need a workout routine that is tailored to reaching that goal
as quickly and effectively as possible.
At the same time, everyone has different needs, schedules, and exercise preferences.
That means that the workouts you design, the exercises you select, the workout split and
schedule you set up, the weight training and/or cardio volume, frequency and intensity you
plan to use, and virtually every aspect of your workout program needs to be adjusted to fit you
perfectly.
You probably already knew that, and that’s probably why you’re here. You want everything I
just described, and you want it for free.
Well, that’s exactly what you’re going to get.
The best place to start is right here: The Ultimate Weight Training Workout Routine

The Ultimate Weight Training Workout Routine

How would you like to create the ultimate weight training workout routine… for free?
You know, the one that will produce the results you want as fast as possible. Interested? Good,
because that’s exactly what I’m going to show you how to do.
Below is a step-by-step guide to designing the weight training program that will work best for
you, your body, your experience level, your schedule, your preferences, and your exact fitness
goal.
So, if you’re ready to do this, the guide starts now…
1. Things You MUST Know Before You Begin
 How To Design An Effective Workout Routine
 Fitness Goals – What Is Your Workout & Exercise Goal?
 Do You Need A Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced Workout Routine?
2. Weight Training Frequency
 Exercise Frequency – How Often Should You Workout Per Week?
 Training Each Muscle Group Once Per Week
 Training Each Muscle Group 3 Times Per Week
 Training Each Muscle Group Twice Per Week
3. Weight Training Schedules & Splits
 The Best Weekly Workout Schedules & Weight Training Splits
4. Weight Training Intensity & Rep Ranges
 Weight Training Intensity – How Many Reps Per Set Of An Exercise?
5. Weight Training Volume
 Weight Training Volume – How Many Sets, Reps & Exercises?
 The Optimal Volume Per Muscle Group, Body Part, Workout & Week
 How Many Sets & Reps Should You Do Per Exercise?
6. Exercise Selection & Organization
 Selecting Weight Training Exercises For Your Workout Routine
 Free Weight Exercises vs Body Weight Exercises vs Machines
 Compound Exercises vs Isolation Exercises: Which is best?
 Movement Patterns: Exercises For Horizontal & Vertical Push & Pull,
Quad & Hip Dominant, And More
 A List Of The Best Weight Training Exercises For Each Muscle Group
  What Are The Best Exercises For My Workout Routine?
 Exercise Order – How To Arrange The Exercises In Your Workout
 How Long To Rest Between Sets & Exercises – Workout Rest Times
7. The Final Requirements
 Progressive Overload – The Key Workout Requirement
 Workout Progression: When & How To Progress At Weight Training
 How To Create The Perfect Diet Plan For Your Workout Goal
8. Sample Workout Routines
 Sample Workout Routines – Example Weight Training Workouts
 Beginner Workouts & Routines
 The Beginner Weight Training Workout Routine
 Intermediate and Advanced Workouts & Routines
 The Muscle Building Workout Routine
9. The End
 The End Of The Ultimate Weight Training Workout Routine
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this guide for?
Uh, pretty much everyone. Basically, if you want to create the weight training workout routine
that will work best for you and the results you want, then this guide is for you.
Men, women, young, old, fat, skinny, beginners, advanced… whatever.
Looking to build muscle, lose fat, increase strength, improve performance, get in better overall
shape, be healthier, look great naked or any combination thereof.
Whoever you are and whatever your goal is… this guide is for you.

How To Design An Effective Workout Routine

If you’re reading this, it means you want to design a workout routine for yourself. Awesome!
And we’re not talking about just any workout routine here. No, we’re talking about designing
the most effective, most efficient, fastest working, maximum results producing workout routine
possible.
You know, the one that will work best for you, your body, your experience level, your
preferences, your schedule, and of course… your specific weight training goal.
To do this, we’re going to walk through all of the crucial steps and components of workout
routine design and put every single aspect together as optimally as possible. Here’s how…
The 7 Steps of Workout Routine Design
To bring your ideal workout routine to life, we’re going to take the following steps:
1. Figure out your goal and training status.
Before you can do anything, you need to decide why you’re working out. Meaning,
what’s your specific goal? Building muscle? Losing fat? Increasing strength? Getting
“toned?” Whatever it is, you need to know it beforehand. You also need to know what
your training status is… beginner, intermediate or advanced. Many aspects of your
workout routine will need to be tailored to your exact goal and experience level in order
to be as effective as possible.
2. Figure out your ideal weight training frequency.
Workout frequency refers not only to how often you’ll work out, but also how often
you’ll work out each muscle group, body part and/or movement pattern over the course
of a week.
3. Choose a workout split that fits your ideal frequency AND schedule.
Once you’ve figured out what the ideal workout frequency is for you, the next step is to
pick a workout split that not only allows for that ideal workout frequency to be reached,
but a workout split that will fit perfectly within your daily/weekly schedule and life.
4. Figure out your ideal weight training intensity.
Workout intensity basically refers to how hard you’re going to be working. Meaning,
how much weight will you be lifting, how heavy or light is that weight for you, and how
many reps will you be able to lift it for?
5. Figure out your ideal weight training volume.
Workout volume refers to the amount of work you’ll be doing. As in, how many
exercises, sets and reps will you do per muscle group, per workout, and per week?
6. Choose your exercises and properly implement them.
Once you know how much volume you’ll be doing, the next step is to select the
exercises that are most ideal for you and then properly implement those exercise into
your workout routine.
 7. Make sure it works.
This final step involves bringing the 6 previous steps together along with the remaining
requirements that must be in place in order for it all to work. Specifically, some form of
progression and a diet plan that supports your goals.
So, if you’re ready to design the workout routine that will produce the results you want as
quickly and effectively as possible, it’s time to begin. The first step? Choosing your goal…

Fitness Goals – What Is Your Workout & Exercise Goal?

When you decide to create the most effective workout routine possible to reach your specific
fitness goal, there is an important question you need to ask yourself first.
That question is… just what the hell is your specific fitness goal?
If I had to guess, I’d say these are the most common answers you’d get to this question:
 To build muscle.
 To lose fat.
 To gain weight.
 To lose weight.
 To get “toned.”
 To increase strength.
 To improve performance.
 To get “in shape.”
 To be healthier.
 To look great naked.
 Any combination of the items on this list.
And those are just the broad answers. Some people may have much more specific fitness goals
in mind. For example, build X pounds of muscle, lose X of fat, get a 6 pack, deadlift 400lbs, fit
into a certain piece of clothing, and so on and so on and so on.
Whatever your workout/exercise related goal may be, and no matter how broad or specific it
may be, the first key step in creating the workout routine that will work best for you is figuring
out what your overall fitness goal is right now.
So, what is your current fitness goal?
Based on your answer, certain aspects of your workout routine will need to be set up a certain
way to best accommodate that goal.
Since there’s a million ways this can go and I’m a big fan of simplifying things as much as
possible, we’re going to break up all of the possible fitness goals into just 2 groups:
1. Team “Looks”
2. Team “Performance”
Let me show you what they include…
Team “Looks”
The people in this group have the primary goal of improving the way their body looks.
They want to build muscle, lose fat, or do both. This group also includes more generic goals like
getting “toned,” or getting a 6 pack, or losing weight/gaining weight, or really anything that
basically translates into “I want to look better.”
Granted, there are various differences between the goals I just described, and there are some
adjustments that should be made to your workout routine depending on EXACTLY which goal is
yours (don’t worry, I’m going to explain all of them).
But, in the most basic sense, anyone whose primary goal is to somehow improve the way their
body looks falls into this same top level category.
Team “Performance”
The people in this group have the primary goal of improving the way their body performs.
They want to get stronger, get faster, get better at a certain sport or activity, or really anything
that basically translates into “I want to perform better.”
Granted, there are again various differences between the goals I just described, and there are
some adjustments that should be made to your workout routine depending on EXACTLY what
your goal is.
But, in the most basic sense, anyone whose primary goal is to somehow improve the way their
body performs falls into this same top level category.
Team “Looks” vs Team “Performance”
So, did you figure out which group your fitness goal fits into best? Good.
Now is a good time to mention that there is a lot of overlap between the groups. Meaning,
training for performance will ultimately lead to more muscle and/or less fat in most cases. And,
training for looks will ultimately lead to increased strength and/or improved performance in
most cases.
However, it will NOT be in a way that is most optimal for those goals. It would be more of a side
effect.
That’s why the objective here is to set up a workout routine that is as optimal as possible for
your primary fitness goal. That needs to be the sole focus even though it may lead to various
secondary goals being reached as well.
Meaning, if your goal is “looks” related, you want to only do the things that will maximize those
results. If your goal is “performance” related, you want to only do the things that will
maximize those results.
As obvious as that seems, there are plenty of idiots out there on the internet trying to tell you
that people on Team Looks should be doing things that work best for Team Performance, and
vice-versa.
Why? Because they’re either really ignorant, just trying to sell you something, or plain old
stupid.
We will avoid that here.
What’s next?
Now that you have your exact fitness goal in mind, you’re ready to start putting together a
workout routine that is aimed at reaching your goal as quickly and effectively as possible.
The next step is to figure out what your training experience level is. Meaning, are you a
beginner, intermediate or advanced trainee? Let’s find out…

Do You Need A Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced Workout Routine?

Before you can get into the specifics of putting your workout routine together, you need to
figure out what your weight training experience level is.
Meaning, would your level of weight training experience be considered:
 Beginner
 Intermediate
 Advanced
The reason this needs to be known beforehand is because there are many differences between
the 3 experience levels in terms of what you are capable of doing AND what will work best for
you.
What I’m saying is…
 Beginners need to use a beginner workout routine in order to get their best results.
 Intermediates need to use an intermediate workout routine in order to get their best
results.
 Advanced trainees need to use an advanced workout routine in order to get their best
results.
So, I guess the next logical question is, what the hell are you? A beginner, intermediate or
advanced trainee? Let’s find out…
Beginners
Beginners (aka newbies, newbs, noobs, etc.) are people who are either completely new or at
least somewhat new to consistent intelligent weight training.
Exactly what that means will vary slightly depending on who you ask, but in my opinion, I’d
consider a beginner to be anyone who has been weight training for LESS than 6 months.
And again, that is 6 consistent months of intelligent weight training.
Meaning, I don’t care if you’ve been weight training in some pointlessly inconsistent on-and-off
format for the last 20 years. I also don’t care if you HAVE been weight training consistently for a
long time but you’ve been doing it in some incorrect and/or absolutely horrible way that caused
your results to be nearly or completely nonexistent.
If you haven’t been following some kind of intelligently designed weight training workout
routine (that actually produced some amount of positive results) for at least the last 6 months
consistently, you are most likely a beginner, at least for a short amount of time.
The same goes for anyone who actually did weight train consistently and intelligently at some
point in their lives, but have since stopped for a significant period of time. In most cases, you
are considered a beginner all over again.
Intermediates
Intermediates are the next level up from beginners. If you HAVE been weight training
consistently and intelligently for the last 6 months or more, then you most likely qualify as (at
least) an intermediate trainee.
At this point, intermediates would have at the very least already used some type of beginner
program that allowed them to build up at least some base level of strength and
muscle, improved your work capacity and volume tolerance to some degree, and learned (and
damn near mastered) perfect form on every exercise you’ve done thus far.
This is the category the majority of the population falls into.
Advanced
Advanced trainees are the next level up from intermediates, and would be considered the
highest weight training experience level there is.
While beginners and intermediates were classified by a combination of how long they’ve been
weight training and what type of results they’ve gotten, I classify advanced trainees solely by
the results they’ve gotten.
What I mean is, I’d consider an advanced trainee anyone who has already gotten the majority
of the results they wanted to get and are extremely close to reaching their natural genetic
potential.
For some people that can take 3 years, or 5 years, or 8 years, or 10 years. There is really no
duration of time that matters here. Whenever your body has improved almost as much as it can
possibly improve, you are considered advanced.
This is the category the least number of people fall into.
I know this is the category everyone likes to think they are in (which is why many people
stupidly go straight to the “advanced workout routines”), but in all honesty, if you’re reading
this, I’d say there is a 95% chance that you are NOT advanced.
Beginner vs Intermediate vs Advanced vs Dumbass
Now comes the point where I’m going to beg you to please be realistic about what your weight
training experience level is.
Like I mentioned a second ago, everyone likes to think they are more advanced than they truly
are. That’s just a recipe for disaster 100% of the time.
Why? Because advanced programs only work well for people who truly are advanced. You
wouldn’t see an advanced person using a beginner program (for the same reason: beginner
programs only work best for beginners), so you shouldn’t see it the other way around either.
The truth is, workout routines are designed for specific experience levels for a reason. They
take into account everything that does and does not work at that point so that you end up
doing everything in the way that is going to work best for you at that exact point in your
training experience.
So, if you want results that are worse than they should be for you or just pure crap altogether,
feel free to be a dumbass and use a workout routine that you aren’t ready to use yet.
But if you want the best results possible, use a workout routine that is tailor made for your
exact training experience level.
What’s next?
With all of that out of the way, you’re finally ready to begin putting your workout routine
together. The next step? Finding your ideal exercise frequency…

Exercise Frequency – How often should you workout per week?

When putting together your workout routine, the first major component you need to figure out
is your exercise frequency. As in, how often and how many times should you workout per
week?
Now, I’ll admit… that’s a pretty broad question. After all, terms like “exercise frequency” and
“workout frequency” can have a ton of different meanings.
But for us though, here’s the 3 specific exercise frequencies that we need to care about most:
 Overall Exercise Frequency: How often and how many times will we do any form of
exercise (weight training, cardio, etc.) per week?
 Weight Training Frequency: How often and how many times will we weight train per
week?
 Muscle Group/Body Part Frequency: How often and how many times will we train each
muscle group or body part per week?
The main exercise frequency missing from that list is cardio frequency, but seeing as this is a
guide to putting together the best weight training workout routine possible, cardio is a topic
we’ll get to in depth at some other time (don’t worry, a cardio-specific guide is already on my
to-do list).
For now, let’s focus on those 3 extremely important frequencies.
Overall Exercise Frequency
So, the first thing we need to decide on is how many times we will workout per week total. This
would include weight training workouts, cardio workouts, whatever. It’s our overall exercise
frequency.
Now, this is the one that can vary the most because it depends on many factors specific to you
and your goal (example: a fat person with the primary goal of losing fat may have 4 cardio
workouts per week, while a skinny person with the primary goal of building muscle may do no
cardio whatsoever).
Because of this, it’s impossible to say exactly how often/how many times everyone should be
working out per week total.
However, there is 1 general rule I can pretty much definitively set in terms of everyone’s overall
exercise frequency.
And that rule is: take at least 1 full day off per week from all forms of exercise.
That means, AT THE VERY MOST, you should be exercising 6 times per week total (and again,
this includes weight training, cardio, and any other form of exercise).
I’m setting this rule because I am pretty confident that there is no one reading this that needs
to be or would benefit from working out 7 days a week.
In fact, I’d say that there are many people reading this who should set their maximum total
exercise frequency at between 3-5 times per week depending on their goal.
Why? Because it’s not only NOT necessary for reaching your goal… it’s almost always
counterproductive.
Weight Training Frequency
While too many individual factors come into play for me to get super specific about overall
exercise frequency, weight training frequency is the opposite. I can get pretty damn specific
here.
If it isn’t obvious enough, weight training frequency in this case will refer to how often and how
many times we weight train per week.
My recommendation is: the majority of the population should weight train 3-4 times per
week, and never more than 2 consecutive days in a row.
Some people can get away with 5 (although few truly need it), and some people can get by with
2. However, for most of the people, most of the time, you’ll get your best results with either 3
or 4 total weight training workouts per week.
This is based on the fact that the majority of the most highly proven and intelligently designed
workout programs in existence are all built around doing 3 or 4 weight training workouts per
week.
The same goes for having no more than 2 weight training workouts on back-to-back days.
These recommendations appear to create the sweet spot in terms of allowing for optimal
recovery, and when recovery is at its best, your results will be at their best too.
Muscle Group/Body Part Frequency
And last but definitely not least, we have muscle group/body part frequency.
Out of all the different exercise frequencies, how often and how many times you should train
each muscle group or body part per week is by FAR the most discussed, argued, thought about,
screwed up, and potentially confusing one of them all.
That’s why I think the best way to fully explain it all is by taking a look at the pros and cons of
each of the 3 most common muscle group/body part frequencies.
Those 3 frequencies are:
1. Training each muscle group/body part once per week.
2. Training each muscle group/body part twice per week.
3. Training each muscle group/body part three times per week.
Now let’s break them down one-by-one and see exactly which frequency will work best for you.
First up…

Training Each Muscle Group With A Once Per Week Workout Frequency

One of the three most common weight training frequencies is one in which each muscle group
or body part is trained just once per week.
For anyone who has spent any time trying to find a workout split and schedule before, this is
probably the frequency you are most familiar with seeing.
Whether or not that means a once-per-week frequency is actually what’s best for you is
something we’re going to figure out right now.
First, let’s take a look at a few common examples of this type of frequency…
Example Split #1
1. Monday: Chest & Triceps
2. Tuesday: Back & Biceps
3. Wednesday: off
4. Thursday: Shoulders & Abs
5. Friday: Legs
 6. Saturday: off
7. Sunday: off
Example Split #2
1. Monday: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
2. Tuesday: off
3. Wednesday: Legs & Abs
4. Thursday: off
5. Friday: Back & Biceps
6. Saturday: off
7. Sunday: off
As you can see, the example workout splits above (of which there are dozens more) show each
muscle group and body part being trained with a frequency of only once per week.
This means that each muscle group gets trained just once every 7th day, which makes this a
pretty low frequency form of weight training.
How To Make A Once-Per-Week Training Frequency Work
The key to making a once-per-week training frequency work is ensuring that you provide
enough of the right training stimulus during that one weekly workout to actually warrant not
training that muscle group again for an entire week.
You see, one of the many pitfalls of training each muscle group just once per week is that you
are not training it again for another 7 days. And, it’s very easy for your body to de-train
during this time and lose whatever progress you made during that previous workout.
Think about it. What happens if you stop working out for a while?
You regress, results gradually disappear, and you slowly lose whatever muscle, strength or
performance related improvements you’ve made.
To a lesser degree, that’s exactly what can (and often does) happen when you wait a full week
before training each muscle group again.
You may end up doing enough to stimulate progress and new adaptations during your workout,
but then by the time a full week passes, you’ve already lost those new adaptations and you end
up getting nowhere.
So, to make this frequency work, volume (exercises, sets, reps) per muscle group would need to
be high enough to allow you to maintain the progress made from workout to workout (which in
this case is a full week to week) without actually exceeding your capacity to recover. (More
about that here: The Optimal Workout Volume)
The Other Problem With This Frequency
The other big issue with training each muscle group just once per week is that, even if you did
do everything perfectly (provided enough of the right training stimulus, maintained all of the
new adaptations made over that 7 day break, etc.), it’s still a full week of time being wasted.
Think about it. Training each muscle group once per week means you’ll have 52 potential
progress stimulating workouts per year, per muscle group.
In comparison, if you trained with a twice-per-week frequency (more about that soon), you’d
have 104 potential progress stimulating workouts per year, per muscle.
Now, with all else being equal, which do you think has the potential to produce better/faster
results over the same period of time?
Seems pretty obvious, doesn’t it?
The point I’m getting at here is that even if you do everything right with a once-per-week
training frequency, it’s still pretty tough to look at that week off between training sessions for
each muscle group as anything but an unnecessary waste of time.
You could have been back in the gym stimulating progress again instead of sitting around
waiting for a week to pass.
Not to mention, there’s absolutely nothing special or magical about training each muscle group
once every 7th day.
It’s a totally arbitrary amount of time based on nothing but that fact that we happen to have 7
days in a week. Seriously. It’s NOT that it works better or has some kind of benefit, it’s just that
that’s how many days we have in a week, and it’s convenient to schedule stuff in this manner.
So, Is A Once-Per-Week Training Frequency Optimal?
Based on everything I just told you, I think you already know the answer. I’ll say it anyway…
Training each muscle group once-per-week is the LEAST EFFECTIVE weight training frequency.
There… I said it. And no, it’s not just my opinion. It’s the opinion of every single qualified expert,
trainer and strength coach with half a brain.
Oh, and guess what else? It’s not just an opinion… it’s a fact backed by science and real world
results.
Literally all research and scientific studies looking at weight training frequency conclusively
show that training each muscle just once per week is the least effective way to train regardless
of your goal or experience level.
Can it work? Sure. Does it work? Sure.
Honestly, as long as you do everything else correctly, ANY weight training frequency can work
to some degree, including this one.
HOWEVER, this isn’t about what works and what doesn’t work. This is about what
works best and what works worst.
And, all research, expert opinions and my own firsthand experience shows that training each
muscle group just one time per week is just NOT optimal for the majority of the population.
Who Is A Once-Per-Week Frequency BEST Suited For?
Training each muscle group once per week tends to work best for the following people:
 People using steroids/drugs.
 People with above average genetics.
 People whose primary goal at the time is to just maintain their current level of muscle
and strength rather than improve it any further. In that case, training each muscle group
once per week should be perfectly sufficient.
 Advanced trainees looking to specialize certain body parts or muscle groups. They’d
train those “specialized” muscle groups with a better, higher frequency, and train
everything else once per week for maintenance purposes only.
I’d personally only recommend this workout frequency to the last 2 groups on that list. The first
2 would likely get better results with an improved frequency, just like the rest of us.
Who Is A Once-Per-Week Frequency LEAST Suited For?
Like I said before, a once-per-week training frequency is NOT ideal for the majority of the
population.
Chances are that includes you.
For starters, anyone with a strength/performance type goal should almost always avoid this
type of training frequency like the plague. It’s typically seen as being borderline useless in that
area, especially in comparison to other better training frequencies.
And, while it can work to some degree (assuming everything else is done right) for those of us
trying to build muscle, get “toned,” or improve the way our bodies look in any capacity, it’s just
clearly NOT what works best.
I don’t recommend it at all.
What About Other Weight Training Frequencies?
Good question. Let’s take a look at a higher workout frequency and see if that’s more ideal for
you…

Training Each Muscle Group With A 3 Times Per Week Workout Frequency

Training each muscle group once per week is considered the most common form of low
frequency training.
On the other end of that spectrum, we have the concept of training each muscle group 3 times
per week. This is what is typically considered to be the most common form of high frequency
training.
The question is… is this the workout frequency that will work best for you? Let’s find out.
To start let’s take a look at the most common example of this weight training frequency…
Example Split
1. Monday: Full Body
2. Tuesday: off
3. Wednesday: Full Body
4. Thursday: off
5. Friday: Full Body
6. Saturday: off
7. Sunday: off
Above is an example of the classic 3 day full body split, which is the split most commonly
used with this frequency. As you can see, each muscle group and body part is trained 3 times
per week.
This means that each muscle group gets trained once every 2nd or 3rd day, which makes this a
pretty high frequency form of weight training.
This is especially true when compared to the previously mentioned once per week frequency
where each muscle group gets trained only once every 7th day.
How To Make A 3-Times-Per-Week Training Frequency Work
The key to making a 3-times-per-week training frequency work is pretty much the opposite of
what it takes to make a once-per-week frequency work.
Instead of ensuring that you provide enough of a training stimulus to warrant that full week of
rest between training sessions of the same muscle group, your goal here is to provide just
enough of the right training stimulus during each workout WITHOUT exceeding that ideal
amount.
If the training stimulus is too high, you won’t be able to recover in time for the next workout
(which is just 2 or 3 days later with a higher frequency like this).
So, while you must still do enough to provide an effective training stimulus that will cause
positive results, you must keep it low enough to avoid impacting your body’s ability to recover
in time for these more frequent workouts.
Here’s How People Screw It Up
And that brings us to one of the common pitfalls of training each muscle group 3 times per
week (or really using any frequency greater than once-per-week).
People incorrectly think they need to take the same amount of volume (exercises, sets, reps)
that they were doing or would do once per week, and now start doing it three times per week.
Due to the higher frequency, that’s not only NOT going to work… that’s just plain stupid.
The trick here is to take that total weekly amount of volume and divide it up somewhat evenly
over three workouts; not do the same amount of total weekly volume three times per week like
an idiot.
The human body (muscles, nervous system, etc.) just can’t recover fast enoughto make that
work.
But, as long as the volume done per workout is low enough to allow for quick recovery yet still
high enough to be effective, a weight training frequency like this can (and does) work for many
people. (More about that here: The Optimal Workout Volume)
So, Is A 3-Times-Per-Week Training Frequency Optimal?
For certain people… hell yes. For others, not so much. Specifically…
If you are a beginner with any goal, a 3-times-per-week training frequency is the MOST
EFFECTIVE way to train.
And by beginner, I mean anyone who has been weight training for LESS than 6 months
consistently and intelligently. (My full definition of what I consider a “beginner” to be is
here: Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced.)
And as usual this is not just my opinion. It’s the opinion of every single qualified expert, trainer
and strength coach with half a brain.
In fact, it’s actually a fact backed by science and real world results.
Literally all research and scientific studies looking at the effects of different weight training
frequencies in beginners came to the same conclusion: training each muscle three times per
week is the most effective way for a beginner to train, regardless of their specific goal.
So, if you’re a beginner with any goal (build muscle, lose fat, increase strength, or improve your
body in any way), a 3-times-per-week workout frequency is indeed optimal for you.
As for everyone else, let’s break it down…
Who Is A 3-Times-Per-Week Frequency BEST Suited For?
Training each muscle group 3 times per week tends to work best for the following people:
 Beginners with any goal.
 Anyone with the primary goal of increasing strength.
It’s not a coincidence that every single intelligently designed beginner’s program tends to be
some version of the classic 3 day full body split that I showed earlier. This is what has been
proven to work best for beginners.
The higher frequency allows them to improve motor learning at a much quicker rate. It’s kind of
like a baby learning something for the first time. How would they learn faster… doing
something once a week, or doing it three times a week?
And, for all intents and purposes, a beginner is basically a weight training “baby.” It’s all brand
new to their body, and that means they will be able to soak it all up and progress at a faster
rate than non-beginners.
It just so happens that a 3-times-per-week training frequency is the most conducive to allowing
this to occur.
In fact, this reason is also a big part of why this frequency is extremely effective for non-
beginners whose primary goal is strength related.
Meaning, if you’re past the beginner’s stage and your main goal is getting stronger, a 3-times-
per-week frequency is a very proven option for you, too.
This is why many of the most popular strength oriented programs around use this same
frequency (along with that same 3 day full body split from before).
Being able to train each important movement as frequently as 3 times per week is a very good
environment for consistent strength gains to be made. So if that’s your goal, this frequency can
definitely be effective.
I highly recommend it in both of these cases.
Who Is A 3-Times-Per-Week Frequency LEAST Suited For?
Honestly, probably everyone not mentioned above.
Now, don’t misunderstand me here. Training each muscle group 3 times per week CAN in fact
work for pretty much everyone with any goal and at every experience level.
No doubt about it.
However, what we’re talking about now is what works best and what doesn’t. For the people I
mentioned above (beginners with any goal and anyone mostly interested in strength), this
frequency fits the “what works best” description.
For the rest of the population at other experience levels and/or with other goals, it fits the
“what doesn’t” description.
Yes, it can (and does) work, it’s just usually not what works best in these cases.
Well Then, What Workout Frequency Is Best In Those Cases?
Damn good question. Let’s get straight to the answer…

Training Each Muscle Group With A Twice Per Week Workout Frequency

Weight training frequency can typically be divided up into 3 groups.

First, there’s low frequency, which would most often mean training each muscle group
just once per week. On the opposite end, we have high frequency training, which most
commonly refers to training each muscle group 3 times per week.
The final workout frequency is the one that lies right in the middle of those two
extremes: training each muscle group twice per week.
The question is… is this the frequency that will work best for you?
To answer that, let’s first look at the most common example of this frequency in action:
Example Split
1. Monday: Upper Body
 2. Tuesday: Lower Body
3. Wednesday: off
4. Thursday: Upper Body
5. Friday: Lower Body
6. Saturday: off
7. Sunday: off
Above is an example of the classic 4 day upper/lower split, which is the split most commonly
used with this frequency. As you can see, each muscle group and body part is trained 2 times
per week.
This means that each muscle group gets trained once every 3rd or 4th day, which makes this
a moderate frequency form of weight training.
This is especially true when compared to the previously mentioned once per week frequency
where each muscle group gets trained only once every 7th day, and the previously mentioned 3
times per week frequency where each muscle group gets trained every 2nd or 3rd day.
But Wait, There’s More!
Before we can continue there’s a very important point that needs to be made first.
You see, because this frequency is in the middle of the other two, there’s actually another way
it can be set up where the frequency STILL remains higher than the first and lower than the
second.
It’s a frequency where you end up training each muscle group about two times per week rather
than exactly two times per week like in the example split shown above.
Training Each Muscle Group About Twice Per Week
Here’s some examples of exactly what I mean when I say “about” twice per week…
Example Split #1
Week 1
1. Monday: Upper Body
2. Tuesday: off
3. Wednesday: Lower Body
4. Thursday: off
5. Friday: Upper Body
 6. Saturday: off
7. Sunday: off
Week 2
1. Monday: Lower Body
2. Tuesday: off
3. Wednesday: Upper Body
4. Thursday: off
5. Friday: Lower Body
6. Saturday: off
7. Sunday: off
Example Split #2
Week 1
1. Monday: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
2. Tuesday: Back & Biceps
3. Wednesday: off
4. Thursday: Legs & Abs
5. Friday: off
6. Saturday: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
7. Sunday: Back & Biceps
Week 2
1. Monday: off
2. Tuesday: Legs & Abs
3. Wednesday: off
4. Thursday: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
5. Friday: Back & Biceps
6. Saturday: off
7. Sunday: Legs & Abs
Split #1 is the classic alternating 3 day upper/lower split, and split #2 is a rotating push/pull/legs
split done over a 5 day span.
Both splits provide an example of each muscle group being trained about twice per week,
meaning each muscle group is trained 3 times in 2 weeks.
This means that each muscle group gets trained once every 4th or 5th day.
While this is slightly less frequent than the exact twice per week frequency I showed you first
(where each muscle group is trained every 3rd or 4th day), this is still right smack in the middle
of high frequency (once every 2nd or 3rd day) and low frequency (once every 7th day).
For this reason, I (and many others) like to consider any workout frequency where each muscle
group is trained somewhere between once every 3rd day (like the original twice-per-week
example) and once every 5th day (like the two twice-per-week examples above) a part of the
same “moderate frequency” group.
Meaning if each muscle group is trained between once every 3rd and 5th day, I’m classifying it
all in this same twice-per-week category from this point on.
Got it? Good.
How To Make A Twice-Per-Week Training Frequency Work
The key to making a training frequency of twice (or about twice) per week work is really a
combination of what it takes to make the other two frequencies work.
And that is, ensure you provide enough of a training stimulus to be effective, but not enough to
cut into recovery.
For that same reason, the pitfalls of this training frequency are a combination of the pitfalls of
the other two as well, albeit to a lesser degree. HOWEVER…
Those “CONS” Are Actually A “PRO”
The thing is, because this is a moderate frequency (neither too high nor too low) and because
it falls in the middle of the other two extremes, it really kinda cancels out the biggest problems
the other two frequencies faced.
Think about it.
With a once-per-week frequency, the main problem is de-training and losing the progress you
made during that full week when you’re waiting to train each muscle group again (not to
mention the time being wasted by waiting that long in the first place).
With a three-times-per-week frequency, the main problem is ensuring you do just enough to
stimulate progress WITHOUT exceeding that ideal amount and negatively impacting your ability
to recover.
But, with a frequency of about twice-per-week, you sort of get the best of both worlds while at
the same time lessening their biggest drawbacks.
It’s frequent without being TOO frequent, yet just infrequent enough to not be TOO infrequent.
So really, it’s not too high and it’s not too low. It could be just right. Let’s see if it is…
So, Is A Twice-Per-Week Training Frequency Optimal?
For most of the people, most of the times… YES! Specifically…
If you are an intermediate or advanced trainee with any goal, a training frequency of twice
(or about twice) per week is the MOST EFFECTIVE way to train.
I consider an intermediate or advanced trainee to be anyone who is past the beginner’s stage
(more about that here: Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced).
As always, this is not just my opinion. It’s the opinion of every single qualified expert, trainer
and strength coach with half a brain.
And once again, it’s actually fully backed by science and real world results.
Literally all research and scientific studies looking at weight training frequency have come to
the same conclusion: training each muscle group about twice per week between once every
3rd and 5th day) is the most effective way for an intermediate or advanced person to train.
That means, with the exception of beginners (who will do best with a 3-times-per-week
frequency), the majority of the population will get their best results training each muscle group
about twice per week.
And yes, that applies to all goals. Let me make that even clearer…
Who Is A Twice-Per-Week Frequency BEST Suited For?
Training each muscle group twice (or about twice) per week tends to work best for the
following people:
 Most of the population, most of the time.
 Intermediate and advanced trainees who want to build muscle, increase strength, get
“toned,” lose fat, improve athletic performance, or really do anything that involves
improving the way their body looks or performs in virtually any capacity.
It’s not a coincidence that the majority of the most proven and intelligently designed weight
training programs in existence happen to be built around this training frequency.
It’s just what flat out works better than everything else the majority of the time, regardless of
goal.
Sure, other frequencies can work if everything else is done right. That’s a fact. But again, this is
not about what works… this is about what works best.
And, scientific research, real world results, most expert recommendations and my own
firsthand experience all show that a training frequency where each muscle group gets trained
somewhere between once every 3rd day and once every 5th day is what works best most of the
time.
Who Is A Twice-Per-Week Frequency LEAST Suited For?
Pretty much just beginners.
Is it possible this frequency could work for beginners? Yup, for sure. However, it’s just not what
will work BEST for them.
Instead beginners will get their best results with a 3-times-per-week frequency.
What’s Next?
Now that you know which weight training frequency is best for you, it’s time to pick a workout
split that best fits this ideal frequency as well as your schedule and training preference. Here we
go…

Workout Schedule – The Best Weekly Weight Training Schedules & Splits

Choosing your overall weekly workout schedule is one of the key aspects of creating the weight
training routine that is best for you.
What makes it a little tricky is the fact that there’s a lot of ways it can go. The amount of
potential workout schedules, splits, and plans to choose from is enough to make your head
explode.
However, you can greatly narrow them down to just the handful that are best for you by
factoring in 3 key workout schedule requirements. They are:
1. Your workout schedule must fit your ideal training frequency.
The workout split you choose must allow you to reach the weight training frequency
that is BEST FOR YOUR specific goal and experience level. Meaning, do you need a split
that allows you to train each muscle group once per week, twice per week, or 3 times
per week?
2. Your workout schedule must fit your personal weekly schedule.
How many days can you actually manage to work out per week? 3 times? 4 times?
More? Less? Are there specific days you can work out on and specific days you
 absolutely can’t? Do you need to take the weekends off, or are the weekends the days
you need to train on?
3. Your workout schedule must fit your training preferences and needs.
Fitting your ideal frequency and personal schedule is what’s most important, but at the
same time you should also actually enjoy what you’re doing and make sure the smaller
details suit you and your goal.
Once those 3 factors are taken into account (and the crappier choices have been eliminated),
we’re only left with a few to choose from.
So, I figure the best thing to do now is go through those  few and list what I (and many others)
consider to be the best weekly weight training schedules and splits for various goals and
experience levels.
You can then pick the one that seems best for you. Sound good? Here we go…
The 3 Day Full Body Split
1. Monday: Full Body Workout
2. Tuesday: off
3. Wednesday: Full Body Workout
4. Thursday: off
5. Friday: Full Body Workout
6. Saturday: off
7. Sunday: off
Weekly Schedule: It’s 3 total weight training workouts per week (all of which are full body)
done in an every-other-day format with 2 consecutive days off at the end.
Weight Training Frequency: Each muscle group/body part is trained to some degree once every
2nd or 3rd day, making this a high frequency split.
Best Suited For: Beginner’s with any goal, and intermediate or advanced trainees with the
primary goal of increasing strength or improving performance.
Additional Details: I discuss this split in detail right here: 3 Day Full Body Split
The 2 Day Full Body Split
1. Monday: Full Body Workout
2. Tuesday: off
 3. Wednesday: off
4. Thursday: Full Body Workout
5. Friday: off
6. Saturday: off
7. Sunday: off
Weekly Schedule: It’s 2 total weight training workouts per week (both of which are full body)
ideally done with 2-4 days off in between each workout.
Weight Training Frequency: Each muscle group/body part is trained to some degree once every
3rd to 5th day depending on your specific set up, which makes this a moderate frequency split.
Best Suited For: Anyone who can only manage to fit in 2 weight training workouts per week.
Additional Details: I discuss this split in detail right here: 2 Day Full Body Split
The 4 Day Upper/Lower Split
1. Monday: Upper Body Workout
2. Tuesday: Lower Body Workout
3. Wednesday: off
4. Thursday: Upper Body Workout
5. Friday: Lower Body Workout
6. Saturday: off
7. Sunday: off
Weekly Schedule: It’s 4 total weight training workouts per week (2 upper body and 2 lower
body) done with a 2 on/1 off/2 on/2 off format.
Weight Training Frequency: Each muscle group/body part is trained to some degree once every
3rd or 4th day, making this a moderate frequency split.
Best Suited For: Most of the population, most of the time. Specifically, intermediate or
advanced trainees with virtually any goal (building muscle, getting “toned,” increasing strength,
improving performance, etc.).
Additional Details: I discuss this split in detail right here: 4 Day Upper and Lower Body Split
The 3 Day Upper/Lower Split
Week 1
 1. Monday: Upper Body Workout
2. Tuesday: off
3. Wednesday: Lower Body Workout
4. Thursday: off
5. Friday: Upper Body Workout
6. Saturday: off
7. Sunday: off
Week 2
1. Monday: Lower Body Workout
2. Tuesday: off
3. Wednesday: Upper Body Workout
4. Thursday: off
5. Friday: Lower Body Workout
6. Saturday: off
7. Sunday: off
Weekly Schedule: It’s 3 total weight training workouts per week done in an every-other-day
format with 2 consecutive days off at the end. The workouts alternate between upper and
lower body so that you do Upper, Lower, Upper one week, and then Lower, Upper, Lower the
next.
Weight Training Frequency: Each muscle group/body part is trained to some degree once every
4th or 5th day, making this a moderate frequency split.
Best Suited For: Most of the population, most of the time. Specifically, intermediate or
advanced trainees with virtually any goal (building muscle, getting “toned,” increasing strength,
improving performance, etc.).
This is just a slightly less frequent 3 day version of the 4 day upper/lower split mentioned
earlier, so it’s still best suited for the same people. The only difference is that this version is
more ideal for people who can only train 3 days per week (or would just prefer to) as well as
people who prefer the slightly reduced frequency.
Additional Details: I discuss this split in detail right here: 3 Day Upper and Lower Body Split
The Rotating Push/Pull/Legs Split
Week 1
1. Monday: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
2. Tuesday: Back & Biceps
3. Wednesday: off
4. Thursday: Legs & Abs
5. Friday: off
6. Saturday: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
7. Sunday: Back & Biceps
Week 2
1. Monday: off
2. Tuesday: Legs & Abs
3. Wednesday: off
4. Thursday: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
5. Friday: Back & Biceps
6. Saturday: off
7. Sunday: Legs & Abs
Weekly Schedule: It’s either 4 or 5 total weight training workouts per week (it changes from
week to week) done with a 2 on/1 off/1 on/1 off format that repeats every 6th day.
This means the days you work out on will change from week to week unlike the previous
schedules shown where the workout days always remain fixed and constant. This could be a big
problem for many people from a scheduling standpoint.
Weight Training Frequency: Each muscle group/body part is trained once every 5th day,
making this a moderate frequency split.
Best Suited For: Intermediate or advanced trainees whose primary goal is “looks” related
(building muscle, getting “toned,” etc.) AND who also have a very flexible schedule.
Additional Details: I discuss this split in detail right here: Push/Pull/Legs Split

The Push/Pull Split

Week 1
 1. Monday: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps + Quads & Calves
2. Tuesday: off
3. Wednesday: Back & Biceps + Hamstrings & Abs
4. Thursday: off
5. Friday: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps + Quads & Calves
6. Saturday: off
7. Sunday: off
Week 2
1. Monday: Back & Biceps + Hamstrings & Abs
2. Tuesday: off
3. Wednesday: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps + Quads & Calves
4. Thursday: off
5. Friday: Back & Biceps + Hamstrings & Abs
6. Saturday: off
7. Sunday: off
Weekly Schedule: It’s 3 total weight training workouts per week done in an every-other-day
format with 2 consecutive days off at the end. The workouts alternate between “pushing”
muscles and “pulling” muscles so that you do Push, Pull, Push one week, and then Pull, Push,
Pull the next.
It’s basically a 3 day version of the previously mentioned Push/Pull/Legs split, only here the
“legs” workout is eliminated. Instead, leg training is also divided up in terms of “push”
(quads/calves) and “pull” (hamstrings and usually abs) and then included along with the upper
body push and pull workouts.
The only potential issue with this schedule is the overlap between quad and hamstring
exercises. Meaning, training hamstrings and then quads with just 1 day in between could
potentially be problematic for some people from a recovery standpoint.
Weight Training Frequency: Each muscle group/body part is trained once every 4th or 5th day,
making this a moderate frequency split.
Best Suited For: Intermediate or advanced trainees whose primary goal is “looks” related
(building muscle, getting “toned,” etc.).
My Recommendations
In all honesty, all of the weight training schedules and splits shown above can work to some
degree for virtually every goal and experience level assuming everything else is done properly.
However, the goal here isn’t to just choose one that works. It’s to choose the one that will
work BEST for you and your exact schedule, preferences, needs, experience level and goal.
So, here are my personal recommendations for which workout schedule I feel would be best for
you:
 For beginners with any goal, the answer is extremely simple: the 3 day full body split. It
is the most proven and recommended workout schedule for beginners, period.
 For intermediate or advanced trainees whose primary goal is increasing strength or
improving performance, the 4 day upper lower split or the 3 day full body split are my
top choices.
 For intermediate or advanced trainees whose primary goal is “looks” related (building
muscle, getting “toned,” etc.), the 3 or 4 day upper/lower split is probably my #1 choice
most of the time, although the push/pull/legs split is an equally perfect choice if you
have a schedule flexible enough to make it work.
Sure, there are various other workout schedules and splits out there that can work for you
(some I like, most I hate), but more often than not, these are the ones that have been proven to
work best.
What’s Next?
Once you’ve selected a weight training split and set up your overall weekly workout schedule,
it’s time to actually plan out what you’re going to be doing during those workouts.
First up is figuring out what your ideal intensity level is and answering the old “how many reps
per set” question. Let’s do that…

Weight Training Intensity – How Many Reps Per Set Of An Exercise?

Weight training intensity basically refers to how much weight you will be lifting and how heavy
or light that weight is for you on a given exercise.
The lighter the weight/easier it is for you, the lower the intensity. The heavier the
weight/harder it is for you, the higher the intensity.
And, all of this intensity stuff is usually predicted by one thing: how many reps you’re doing per
set.
Reps (short for “repetitions”) are the number of times you move a weight from point A to point
B during a set of an exercise. The lighter the weight, the more reps you will be able to lift it for.
The heavier the weight, the fewer reps you’ll be able to lift it for.
Obvious, I know. But, as you can see, reps and intensity go hand in hand most of the time.
Meaning…
 The more reps you can lift a weight for = the lower your training intensity is.
 The fewer reps you can lift a weight for = the higher your training intensity is.
The reason this is important to us is because certain levels of intensity are more ideal for
certain goals than others (due to factors like time under tension, muscle fiber recruitment,
etc.).
And this leads to an important question: what weight training intensity is best for your goal?
Or, to put it another way, how many reps should you do per set of an exercise? Let’s find out…
The Ideal Rep Range For Various Weight Training Goals
Here now are the most commonly used rep ranges along with their primary training effect:
 1-5 Reps Per Set = Mostly Strength
 5-8 Reps Per Set = Strength AND Muscle Equally
 8-10 Reps Per Set = Muscle With Some Strength
 10-12 Reps Per Set = Muscle With Some Endurance
 12-15 Reps Per Set = Endurance With Some Muscle
 15-20 Reps Per Set = Mostly Endurance
So, as you can see:
 Lower reps (high intensity) is most ideal for increasing strength.
 Higher reps (low intensity) is most ideal for improving muscle endurance.
 Moderate reps in the middle of the two (moderate intensity) is most ideal for building
muscle and really anything related to improving the way your body looks (rather than
performs).
Now, the key word I’m using here is “ideal.” Just because I didn’t put “strength” next to the 10-
12 rep range doesn’t mean you will never be able to increase strength when doing 10-12 reps
of an exercise. That’s not true at all.
In fact, each rep range shown is capable of producing some amount of strength, muscle, and
endurance results. However, the objective here is to choose the rep range that is most ideal for
your specific goal, because that’s the one that will work best for the results you want.
Oh, and if you’re wondering why there is no rep range that is ideal for “tone” or “definition” or
“fat loss” or anything similar, it’s because, metabolic training aside (a topic for another day),
there really is no such thing.
The whole “high reps makes you toned/defined/ripped/lean/etc.” concept is pure bullshit. I
cover this in more detail in my post about muscle tone.
The take home message is that, from a training intensity standpoint, these goals all fall into the
same category as “muscle” on the chart shown above. The same rep ranges are ideal.
Weight Training Intensity Recommendations
So, when it comes to intensity and figuring out how many reps you should do per set, here are
the most widely accepted recommendations based on science and real world results…
 If your primary goal is increasing strength, then you should mostly train in the lower rep
ranges between (1-8 reps per set) and therefore at a higher intensity.
 If your primary goal is building muscle (or anything related to improving the way your
body looks), then you should mostly train in the moderate rep ranges (between 5-12
reps per set) and therefore at a moderate intensity.
 If your primary goal is improving muscle endurance, then you should mostly train in the
higher rep ranges (between 12-20 reps per set) and therefore at a lower intensity.
Two Other Intensity Related Factors
Before leaving the subject of weight training intensity, there’s actually two other
subjects/questions that are directly influenced by what rep range you end up using. They are:
 Determining How Much Weight To Lift
Once you know how many reps you’ll be doing per set of an exercise, the next thing you
need to determine is how much weight you need to lift for each exercise to end up in
that ideal rep range. I explain how to do that here: How Much Weight Should You Lift
For Each Exercise?
 Training To Failure
Another topic directly related to training intensity is training to failure (the point where
you can’t complete another rep). The question is, should you train to that point, or
 should you end a set before reaching that point? I cover this topic right here: Should You
Train To Muscle Failure?
What’s Next?
Now that you know how many reps per set is most ideal for your goal, the next thing you need
to figure out is how many TOTAL reps, sets and exercises you should do per workout, per week
and per muscle group. Let’s find out…

Weight Training Volume – How Many Sets, Reps & Exercises?

In weight training, volume refers to the amount of work being done.

The “work” will of course come in the form of the exercises you do and how many sets and reps
you do for each.
That means volume can be measured in a lot of different ways, the most important of which
are:
 How much volume is being done per muscle group/body part both per workout AND per
week.
 How much volume is being done per exercise.
 How much total volume is being done per workout.
 How much total volume is being done per week.
The reason this information is so important is because volume is one of the key factors
influencing the effectiveness of your workout routine.
What I mean is…
 If you do too much volume, you run the risk of hindering (or completely destroying)
your body’s ability to repair and recover at an ideal rate. And if the repair/recovery
process isn’t happening at the ideal rate, the results you want probably won’t be
happening at all.
 If you do too little volume, you run the risk of not providing enough of the training
stimulus required to signal your body to actually make the changes/improvements you
want it to make.
As you can clearly see, the goal here is to find the amount of volume that is high enough to
provide the training stimulus needed to get the results you want, yet low enough to avoid
negatively affecting your ability to recover.
For the best results possible, we need that optimal middle ground.
So, How Much Volume Is Best For Me?
Now, when trying to figure out how much volume is best for you, some people think “just tell
me how many exercises I should do per muscle group/workout/week” and taaadaaa, there’s
your workout volume.
The thing is, it’s a little more complicated than that. Here’s why…
Exercises Don’t Accurately Measure Volume
You see, even if there is an exact number of exercises recommended, the total amount of
volume being done can still vary GREATLY.
For example, let’s say I just said the best volume is 3 exercises per muscle group, and three
different people take my advice.
 Person A might do 2 sets for each exercise, for a total of 6 sets altogether.
 Person B might do 3 sets for each exercise, for a total of 9 sets altogether.
 Person C might do 4 sets for each exercise, for a total of 12 sets altogether.
So right there you have three clear examples of how doing the same number of exercises per
muscle group can still lead to very different amounts of volume being done.
For this reason, trying to measure or prescribe volume using exercises is a pretty horrible idea.
Sets Don’t Accurately Measure Volume, Either
The next thought then is that sets should be used to measure and prescribe volume. Then I
could just say to do 6 sets for each muscle group per workout, and you could divide those sets
up over however many exercises you want.
Using 6 sets as the example, you could do 3 exercises for 2 sets each, 2 exercises for 3 sets
each, 1 exercise for 4 sets and 1 exercise for 2 sets, and so on and so on.
Unlike before, the number of sets being done remains the same either way, which makes sets
a MUCH better way to measure/prescribe volume than exercises were before.
However, a very similar problem still exists: how many reps are you doing per set?
Granted, I’ve laid out the ideal number of reps you should do per set for your goal, but the total
volume being done can still vary by quite a bit.
For example, I said the 5-12 rep range is best for people looking to build muscle/get toned/look
good, which is probably most of the people reading this.
Using the same 6-sets-per-muscle example from before…
  Person A might do 6 sets of 6 reps for a total of 36 reps per muscle group, per workout.
 Person B might do 6 sets of 10 reps for a total of 60 reps per muscle group, per workout.
As you can see, that’s still a pretty significant difference even with the same ideal rep range (5-
12) being used.
For this reason, measuring or prescribing volume in terms sets is still not the best idea. It’s a
million times better than exercises, but it’s still pretty flawed.
So then, what’s left? Reps!
Reps Are The Most Accurate Measurement Of Volume
If you recommend a certain amount of reps to do per muscle group or per workout or per
week, it can be divided up into 1000 different combinations of exercises and sets.
But, in the end… the number of reps being done always remains the same.
For this reason, the best way to measure and prescribe weight training volume is by the total
amount of reps being done per muscle group, per workout, and per week.
So, What Total Amount Of Reps Is Best For Me?
Now that’s the question we’re looking for. Let’s get down to the specifics and answer it…

The Optimal Volume Per Muscle Group, Body Part, Workout & Week

As I’ve previously explained, weight training volume (the amount of

exercises, sets and reps you do) is a key factor influencing the effectiveness of your workout
routine.
Meaning, if you want to get the best results possible, your goal is to use an optimal amount of
volume for each body part and muscle group per workout and per week total.
The thing is, there is no exact amount of weight training volume that is absolutely perfect
for everyone.
Due to individual differences like specific goals, training experience, genetics, volume tolerance,
work capacity, recovery capabilities, and more, it’s impossible to make one recommendation
that suits everyone.
However, there is some good news.
There Is A Volume Range That Is Best For Most People
After 10+ years of obsessive research, firsthand experience and observing a ton of real world
results, you start to notice that the most successful workout programs tend to have certain
things in common.
In this case, I’m talking about volume. More specifically, the total amount of sets and reps being
prescribed per muscle group and body part per workout and per week.
While the workout routines may be very different, the volume recommendations are always
surprisingly close and within a certain range.”
As it turns out, science appears to agree with this “range” too.
The majority of the studies I’ve seen over the years that have looked at workout volume (most
notably one by Wernbom et al.) show that there is in fact an amount of sets and reps per body
part/muscle group that tends to work better than everything else.
Combine all of that with various other expert recommendations, and you get what I like to
call The Optimal Volume Range.
The Optimal Volume Range
In the most simple and basic of terms, the optimal volume range for most people is:
 For each bigger muscle group: about 60-120 total reps PER WEEK.
 For each smaller muscle group: about 30-60 total reps PER WEEK.
In more specific terms, this breaks down like this:
 Chest: 60-120 reps per week.
 Back: 60-120 reps per week.
 Quadriceps: 60-120 reps per week.
 Hamstrings: 60-120 reps per week.
 Shoulders: 30-60 reps per week.
 Biceps: 30-60 reps per week.
 Triceps: 30-60 reps per week.
 Calves: 30-60 reps per week.
 Abs: 30-60 reps per week.
And there it is… my recommendations for the optimal volume range.
Can more or less volume also work? Yeah, it’s certainly possible. However, this is once again
NOT about what can work. This is all about what works best.
And, based on scientific research, real world results, 10+ years of firsthand experience, expert
recommendations and the most successful weight training programs in existence, this appears
to be the amount of volume that works best for most people.
Applying The Optimal Volume Range To Your Training Frequency
Now, looking at these recommendations, the first question you probably have is:
Why is it “per week” instead of “per workout?”
Basically, this is the optimal total weekly amount of volume you should use for each muscle
group and body part.
In order to break it down in terms of what you need to do each workout, you must apply this
optimal volume range to your chosen weight training frequency.
Meaning, the exact amount of sets and reps you should do each workout depends on whether
you will be training each muscle group/body part once, twice or 3 times per week.
Here’s how that would break down…
Training each muscle group once per week.
If you are training each muscle group/body part once-per-week, you would do:
 60-120 reps for each big muscle group per workout, with just 1 workout for each muscle
group per week.
 30-60 reps for each small muscle group per workout, with just 1 workout for each
muscle group per week.
With a workout schedule that only trains each muscle group once per week, you would need to
get that entire weekly volume range in during your 1 weekly workout for each muscle group.
(Note, this is the frequency I least often recommend.)
Training each muscle group twice per week.
If you are training each muscle group/body part (about) twice-per-week, you would do:
 30-60 reps for each big muscle group per workout, with about 2 workouts for each
muscle group per week.
 15-30 reps for each small muscle group per workout, with about 2 workouts for each
muscle group per week.
With a workout schedule that trains each muscle group about twice per week, you would need
to divide that weekly volume range by about 2 and split it up evenly over your 2 (or so) weekly
workouts for each muscle group.
(Note, this is the frequency I recommend to most intermediate/advanced trainees.)
Training each muscle group 3 times per week.
If you are training each muscle group three-times-per-week, you would do:
 20-40 reps for each big muscle group per workout, with 3 workouts for each muscle
group per week.
 10-20 reps for each small muscle group per workout, with 3 workouts for each muscle
group per week.
With a workout schedule that trains each muscle group three times per week, you would need
to divide that weekly volume range by 3 and split it up evenly over your 3 weekly workouts for
each muscle group.
(Note, this is the frequency I recommend to all beginners.)
Should You Use The Low, Middle Or High End Of The Volume Range?
The second question you probably have about the optimal volume range is whether you should
use the low, middle or high end of it.
This question goes back to what I mentioned earlier about there being no EXACT amount of
volume that is perfect for everyone because of various individual differences.
Well, it’s those individual differences that will answer this question.
In general and in most cases, this is how it breaks down…
 If you are a beginner with ANY goal (building muscle, increasing strength, losing fat,
etc.), then you will do best staying in the lowest end of the volume range.
 If you are an intermediate or advanced trainee with the primary goal of building
muscle (or anything “looks” related), you should most often stick to the middle-higher
end of the volume range. If you happen to have below average genetics and/or a below
average ability to recover, then you’d be best served to stay in the lower end of optimal
volume range.
 If you are an intermediate or advanced trainee with the primary goal of increasing
strength, you should most often stick to low-middle end of the volume range.
 If you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced trainee with the primary goal of losing
fat and maintaining muscle (and possibly building some) while you lose that fat, then
you would do best sticking to the lower end of the volume range.
Why Is There Less Volume For Smaller Muscle Groups?
A third question you might have about the optimal volume range is why there is less
recommended for smaller muscle groups than there is for bigger muscle groups.
This is partly due to the fact that they are smaller and just don’t need/benefit from as much
volume as larger muscle groups.
However, it’s mostly due to the fact that those smaller muscle groups already get used pretty
hard secondarily while training the bigger muscle groups. Meaning, they already get a ton
of indirect volume.
For example, most chest exercises also hit the shoulders and triceps quite well, most shoulder
exercises also hit the triceps quite well, and most back exercises also hit the biceps quite well.
There is a very significant amount of overlap there, and it definitely needs to be accounted for
when planning your workout volume.
The optimal volume recommendations already factor this in.
What’s Next?
Now that you know what the optimal volume range is for each muscle group and body part on
a per workout and per week basis, you’re probably also wondering how to break this down into
sets and reps per exercise. Well, let’s find out…

How Many Sets & Reps Should You Do Per Exercise Each Workout?

At this point you should have a pretty good understanding of why properly
planning your weight training volume (the amount of sets, reps and exercises you do) is so
important.
And, you should also be familiar with what I consider to be the optimal volume range for most
people, which is the total amount of reps you should do for each muscle group per workout and
per week.
From here, the next logical step is to break this optimal amount of volume down in terms of
how many sets and reps you should do per exercise each workout.
So, let’s do just that.
How Many Sets And Reps Should I Do Per Exercise?
Simple. You should do exactly enough to allow you to fall within the optimal volume range for
each muscle group.
Honestly, as long as that happens, then exactly how you divide your volume up among
exercises becomes a little less important.
Of course, that’s just the quick and simple answer. You’re probably going to want to know the
most common and all around proven ways of doing it. So, here we go…
The Most Common Set And Rep Combinations For An Exercise
Below are the most commonly used and prescribed combinations of sets and reps you could do
per exercise along with the total amount of volume each one produces.
Also included is the level of intensity each rep range falls into as well as what fitness goal that
combination of sets/reps/volume is most ideal for.
 8 sets x 3 reps = 24 reps
High intensity.
Most ideal for strength related goals.
 6 sets x 4 reps = 24 reps
High intensity.
Most ideal for strength related goals.
 3 sets x 5 reps = 15 reps
High intensity.
Most ideal for strength related goals.
 5 sets x 5 reps = 25 reps
High to moderate intensity.
Most ideal for strength goals, but also suited for building muscle.
 4 sets x 6 reps = 24 reps
High to moderate intensity.
Equally ideal for increasing strength and building muscle.
 3 sets x 8 reps = 24 reps
Moderate intensity.
Most ideal for building muscle, but also suited for increasing strength.
 4 sets x 8 reps = 32 reps
Moderate intensity.
Most ideal for building muscle, but also suited for increasing strength.
 3 sets x 10 reps = 30 reps
Moderate intensity.
Most ideal for building muscle, but also suited for muscular endurance.
  4 sets x 10 reps = 40 reps
Moderate to low intensity.
Most ideal for building muscle, but also suited for endurance.
 2 sets x 12 reps = 24 reps
Moderate to low intensity.
Most ideal for building muscle, but also suited for endurance.
 3 sets x 12 reps = 36 reps
Moderate to low intensity.
Equally ideal for building muscle and improving muscle endurance.
 2 sets x 15 reps = 30 reps
Low intensity. Most ideal for muscle endurance, but also suited for building muscle.
 2 sets x 20 reps = 40 reps
Low intensity. Most ideal for muscle endurance.
As you can see, based on your specific goal and what rep range is most ideal for it, you have
quite a few set/rep combinations to choose from for each exercise you do.
As you can also probably tell, there are a few principles these very different combinations have
in common. The 2 most worth noting are:
 The fewer reps you are doing per set, the more sets you do. And, the more reps you do
per set, the fewer sets you do. While this isn’t an absolute rule, it is what should be
happening the majority of the time.
 The total volume being done per exercise is pretty similar despite the different amount
of sets/reps being used. For example, 10 of the 13 popular combinations shown above
produce between 20-36 reps total. The take home message? Most of the time, that’s
probably how much volume you should end up doing per exercise.
How To Put This Information Into Action
Alright, so you now know the most popular and proven combinations of sets and reps that can
be used for an exercise.
In order to put this information into action, you need to apply it to your optimal training
intensity, volume and frequency.
A Practical Example
Let’s take an example person named Person A.
Let’s pretend Person A is an intermediate or advanced trainee whose primary goal is building
muscle (or really anything related to improving the way their body looks rather than performs).
Based on Person A’s experience level and goal, they previously learned:
 Their ideal frequency is to train each muscle group about twice per week.
 Their ideal rep range is 5-12 reps per set.
 Their ideal volume is 30-60 reps per big muscle group per workout (half that for smaller
muscle groups), with about 2 workouts per week for each muscle group (since that’s
their optimal frequency).
Now, based on this, a chest workout for Person A could potentially break down like this:
 Bench Press: 4 sets of 6 reps (24 total reps)
 Dumbbell Flyes: 2 sets of 12 reps (24 total reps)
 Total Volume Done For Chest During This Workout: 48 reps
In this example, Person A chose to do 2 exercises. For both exercises, the set/rep combination
they picked has them working in their optimal intensity range (which is 5-12 reps per set for this
example person).
And, these 2 set/rep combinations also combined to put them right in the middle of their
optimal volume range per workout (which in this example was 30-60 reps for bigger muscle
groups).
This amount of volume (or whatever amount of volume is optimal for you, your goal, your
experience level, and your training frequency) could have been reached just the same using
various other set/rep combinations from that list above as well as a different amount of
exercises.
This was just one example of how to do it.
(If this was at all confusing, don’t worry. It will make perfect sense when you see the sample
workout routines later on.)
What’s Next?
Now that you know how to apply your optimal amount of volume to the exercises you do, it’s
time to actually figure out what exercises you’re going to be doing. Let’s get to it…

Selecting Weight Training Exercises For Your Workout Routine

At this point you should know what weight training frequency is most ideal for you and have
selected a workout schedule that suits that frequency.
You should have also figured out how many reps to do per set for your goal, and planned how
much volume (total amount of sets, reps and exercises) you’re going to do each workout for
each muscle group.
With all of that out of the way, the last big step in creating your weight training routine
is exercise selection.
So, here’s a question. Which weight training exercises should you use in your workout routine?
It’s really not that complicated of a question, but it’s one a lot of people spend a lot of time
trying to answer. There’s just so many different exercises to choose from, it can make things a
little confusing if you don’t fully understand what you’re looking for.
So, let’s clear up all of that confusion right now.
The 4 Different Ways To Categorize Weight Training Exercises
The way I see it, there are 4 different ways weight training exercises can be categorized. And,
each different way brings up a whole new set of important details that you will need to know to
ensure your workout routine has the best exercise selection possible.
Let’s now go through those categories one-by-one and see how each will affect your selection
process.
1. Free Weight Exercises, Body Weight Exercises, and Machines
One of the simplest ways to categorize an exercise is by the type of equipment it requires.
Meaning, is it done using free weights, your own body weight, or some type of machine.
Depending on your exact goal and weight training experience level, one may be more ideal for
you than the other.
2. Compound Exercises and Isolation Exercises
Another simple way to categorize weight training exercises is by how it trains your body.
Specifically, does it target more than 1 major muscle group at a time (compound), or does it
target just one muscle group by itself (isolation)?
Once again, depending on your exact goal, one type of exercise is definitely more ideal for you
than the other. Plus, the more muscle groups an exercise targets, the more attention you need
to pay to how it affects your planned amount of volume/frequency for those additional muscle
groups.
3. The Different Movement Patterns
Now here’s something a lot of people are going to be unfamiliar with, and it’s a big part of the
reason why injuries occur so frequently among people who workout regularly.
Selecting weight training exercises based on their specific movement pattern (horizontal push
or pull, vertical push or pull, etc.) isn’t just useful for the effectiveness of your workout routine,
it’s a flat out requirement if you want to avoid imbalances and injuries.
4. Body Parts and Muscle Groups
And last but not least, we have the most common way of categorizing weight training exercises,
which is simply by which muscle group/body part that exercise targets.
This is unfortunately the only category most people pay any significant attention to (it is useful
for obvious reasons), but for the best results possible, it really needs to be used in conjunction
with the other 3 I just mentioned.
Let’s Begin The Exercise Selection Process…
So, without further ado, let’s go through each category in detail and figure out exactly which
weight training exercises are best for you, your body, your experience level, and your goal. Let’s
start here…

Free Weight Exercises vs Body Weight Exercises vs Machines

In the most basic and obvious sense, weight training exercises can fall into 3 different groups
based on how they are preformed and what type of equipment is used.
They are:
1. Free Weight Exercises
2. Body Weight Exercises
3. Machines
Despite what anyone else tells you, each type of exercise can serve a useful purpose in literally
every workout routine regardless of what your goal is.
However, certain types of exercises are definitely more ideal for certain people based on
factors like experience level, training preferences, body type/genetics, and of course, your
specific fitness goal.
So, let’s go through free weight exercises, body weight exercises and machines and look at
some examples of each, find out what their pros and cons are, and see how they compare with
each other.
You’ll then be able to easily determine which is best (and worst) for you.
Free Weight Exercises
A free weight exercise is any exercise where the resistance is provided by a barbell, dumbbells,
or any other free moving object. Some common examples include any type of barbell or
dumbbell press, row, curl, extension, or deadlift.
Basically, if you’re moving some sort of weight (like a barbell or dumbbell) from point A to point
B, and that weight isn’t supported by or attached to anything other than you, it’s most likely a
free weight exercise.
PROS
 Completely natural movement. Allows you to move through a range of motion that is
completely natural for your specific body. Nothing is restricted or put into any sort of
fixed position that may not be perfect for your body.
 Uses additional muscles. Since you are in full control of the weight and stabilizing the
entire movement itself, you are therefore recruiting the use of various stabilizer muscles
that tend to go unused with machines.
 Extremely functional. Free weight exercises allow you to mimic actual movements that
you actually do in real life, and in the exact manner you’d actually do them.
 Ideal for home use. If you happen to do your weight training at home, a barbell (or
dumbbells), some weight and a bench is all you need to be able to perform dozens of
different exercises in your house.
CONS
 Usually harder to learn at first. Especially when compared to machines (and to a lesser
extent, body weight exercises), it’s usually a little harder to learn proper technique as a
beginner.
 Higher potential risk of injury. There is a risk of injury with EVERY type of exercise, but
the potential may be a little bit higher with free weights than others.
Body Weight Exercises
A body weight exercise is any exercise where the resistance is provided by your own body
weight.
Instead of moving a barbell or dumbbell from point A to point B like you would with a free
weight exercise, a body weight exercise requires moving your own body from point A to point
B. Some common examples include push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, and dips.
PROS
  Completely natural movement. Allows you to move through a range of motion that is
completely natural for your specific body. Nothing is restricted or put into any sort of
fixed position that may not be perfect for your body.
 Uses additional muscles. Since you are in full control of the weight (which is your body)
and stabilizing the entire movement itself, you are therefore recruiting the use of
various stabilizer muscles that tend to go unused with machines.
 Extremely functional. Body weight exercises allow you to mimic actual movements that
you actually do in real life, and in the exact manner you’d actually do them.
CONS
 Sometimes too hard/impossible. For certain people (especially beginners and people
who are overweight), body weight exercises like pull-ups and dips are extremely hard
and in some cases just impossible to do. With free weights or machines, if it’s too heavy,
you can just use less weight. With a body weight exercise, you’re kinda stuck with your
own body weight. (I will mention however that there are ways around this issue to some
degree, but that’s a topic for another time.)
Machines
A machine exercise is any exercise that works on a fixed path with the weight (and usually the
entire movement itself) stabilized for you by a machine.
Rather than holding the actual weight that is providing the resistance and moving it from point
A to point B (like you are with free weight exercises), you are instead holding handles that are
in some way attached to some form of weight, and you’re moving that from point A to point B.
Some common examples include any type of machine press, row, curl, extension, leg
extension/curl, and leg press.
PROS
 Usually easier to learn and do. Using a machine is usually as simple as sit down, grab
the handles and move them in the only direction they are capable of moving. Especially
in the case of beginners, this is the easiest form of exercise to learn.
 Can sometimes be safer. While you can definitely still get injured using a machine, there
is usually less risk of injury when compared to free weight or body weight exercises.
CONS
 Unnatural movement path. A fixed, unnatural movement path forces you into positions
that in many cases are not right for many people. At best this can be uncomfortable and
make it hard to progress and properly train the target muscle. At worst, it will eventually
cause an injury.
  Least functional type of exercise. The carryover between machines and movements you
actually do in real life is lesser than it is with either free weight or body weight exercises.
 Does part of the work for you. While you are definitely still working the target muscle
and moving the weight (or in this case, the handles) from point A to point B, the entire
movement is being stabilized by the machine itself and therefore preventing you from
using various stabilizer muscles.
 Not ideal for home use. Machines are the most expensive (by far), take up the most
space (by far), and are the least usable (one machine is typically only capable of one
exercise, whereas a barbell or dumbbells can be used for dozens).
So, Which Type Of Exercise Is Best For You AND Your Goal?
In most cases, most of the time, this is how it breaks down based on your specific goal:
Performance Related Goals
If your primary goal is performance related (increasing strength, improving performance, etc.),
then the majority of your workout routine should be comprised of free weight and body weight
exercises. Machines should usually be kept to a minimum, or possibly none whatsoever.
Looks Related Goals
If your primary goal is looks related (building muscle, losing fat, getting “toned,” etc.), then
really all 3 types of exercises can serve as suitable choices for your workout routine. In general
however, free weight and body weight exercises are the ideal first choice, with certain
machines being a perfectly fine secondary option.
Silly Myths
Oh, and before ending this, I figure I should quickly mention the extremely idiotic myth that
“free weights are for adding bulk” and “machines are for toning up.” That’s complete and utter
bullshit.
My post about muscle tone explains this in more detail, but the big point is that free weight
exercises, body weight exercises and machines are all 100% equal in terms of being for “bulk”
or “tone.” There is no difference whatsoever.
What’s Next?
The next part of the exercise selection process is learning the difference between compound
and isolation exercises and determining which is best for you and your goal. Let’s go…

Compound Exercises vs Isolation Exercises: Which is best?

A common way of classifying weight training exercises is in terms of how the exercise trains
your body and what/how many muscle groups are being used significantly when it’s performed.
In this case, there’s 2 groups an exercise can fall into:
 Compound Exercises
 Isolation Exercises
Now, a lot of silly (or stupid) people like to make general definitive statements such as
“compound exercises rule!” and “isolation exercises suck!”
Unfortunately for them (and the people who listen to them), it’s not quite that simple.
The truth is, both compound and isolation exercises can serve a ton of different purposes in a
ton of different workout routines based on your goal and your body, and that means the only
way to know for sure which type of exercise is best for you is by getting down to the specifics of
each.
So, let’s do that.
Compound Exercises
A compound exercise is any exercise that involves the use of more than one major muscle
group at a time. Typically, there is one larger muscle group that ends up doing the majority of
the work, and then one or more smaller muscle groups that are recruited secondarily.
Here’s a list of the most common compound exercises along with the primary and secondary
muscle groups each one targets:
 Flat, Incline or Decline Bench Press (barbell, dumbbell or machine)
Primary Muscle Group: Chest
Secondary Muscle Groups: Shoulders, Triceps
 Overhead Shoulder Press (barbell, dumbbell or machine)
Primary Muscle Group: Shoulders
Secondary Muscle Group: Triceps
 Dips (on parallel bars with slight forward lean)
Primary Muscle Group: Chest
Secondary Muscle Groups: Triceps, Shoulders
 Dips (on parallel bars with no forward lean)
Primary Muscle Group: Triceps
Secondary Muscle Groups: Shoulders, Chest
  Rows (barbell, dumbbell, or machine)
Primary Muscle Group: Back
Secondary Muscle Group: Biceps
 Pull-Ups, Chin-Ups, Lat Pull-Downs (any type of grip)
Primary Muscle Group: Back
Secondary Muscle Group: Biceps
 Deadlifts (many variations)
Primary Muscle Group: Posterior Chain (Hamstrings, Glutes, Back, etc.)
Secondary Muscle Groups: Much Of Lower Body, Much Of Upper Body
 Squats (many variations)
Primary Muscle Group: Quads
Secondary Muscle Groups: Most Of Lower Body (Glutes/Hamstrings), Lower Back
Basically, if an exercise involves pushing, pulling, squatting or deadlifting, it’s usually training
more than one major muscle group, and that makes it a compound exercise.
And, as you can see from the list above:
 All chest pushing/pressing exercises also use the shoulders and triceps.
 All shoulder pushing/pressing exercises also use the triceps.
 All back pulling/rowing exercises also use the biceps.
 Deadlifts and squats (and split squats, lunges, step ups, leg presses) also use a variety of
lower body muscles and, in some cases, the lower and/or upper back.
How Compound Exercises Can Affect Your Planned Frequency, Recovery & Volume
Now, you may be wondering why you should care about what secondary muscle groups get
trained during compound exercises. Here’s why.
You’re using a workout schedule that will allow you to train each muscle group with an
optimal frequency, right?
Well, based on the information I just told you, can you see how easy it would be to unknowingly
train certain muscle groups more often than you’re aiming to as a result of their secondary use
during exercises that primarily target other muscles?
Plus, there’s also the issue of recovery. For example, you might train chest one day and triceps
the next. In reality, you’ve trained triceps 2 days in a row (because of their secondary usage
during chest exercises).
A similar issue can easily arise with pretty much every muscle group there is if you don’t plan
carefully enough. This is another reason why I consider these the best workout schedules. Each
one pairs muscle groups up in a way that avoids any potential problems with
frequency/recovery as a result of secondary usage during compound exercises.
The same potential problem can exist for your planned volume per muscle group too. This goes
back to what I’ve mentioned before about smaller muscle groups (like biceps and triceps)
needing less direct volume due to how much indirect volume they get during compound
exercises.
This is all stuff that needs to be taken into account when creating your workout routine. Luckily,
if you’ve been following along from the beginning, it’s all stuff that has already been taken into
account.
Isolation Exercises
An isolation exercise is any exercise in which only one major muscle group is trained by itself.
Typically, the movement is done in such a way where usage of all other muscle groups is
avoided, which leaves one muscle group isolated and able to do all of the work.
Here’s a list of the most common isolation exercises along with the muscle it isolates/trains:
 Flat, Incline or Decline Flyes (dumbbell, cable or machine)
Muscle Group Trained: Chest
 Lateral Raises or Front Raises (dumbbell, cable or machine)
Muscle Group Trained: Shoulders
 Biceps Curls (barbell, dumbbell, cable or machine)
Muscle Group Trained: Biceps
 Triceps Extensions (barbell, dumbbell, cable or machine)
Muscle Group Trained: Triceps
 Leg Extensions
Muscle Group Trained: Quads
 Leg Curls
Muscle Group Trained: Hamstrings
 Calf Raises
Muscle Group Trained: Calves
Basically, if an exercise involves raising, curling or extending, it’s usually training just one major
muscle group, and that makes it an isolation exercise.
Compound Exercises vs Isolation Exercises
Now that you have a damn good understanding of both types of exercises, it’s time to compare
them and figure out which is best for you. Here we go…
Round 1: Generally
Compound exercises allow you to engage more muscle groups, which in turn allows you to lift
more weight, which in turn allows for faster and more consistent progression, which in turns
causes a lot of good stuff to happen that all leads to the results you want to get.
Isolation exercises isolate muscle groups so they are trained by themselves. This means you’ll
typically be using MUCH lower amounts of weight, which in turn means there won’t be
anywhere near as much consistent progression, which in turn means the potential for results
won’t be nearly as high as with compound exercises.
Let me explain that another way. Which do you think has more potential to improve the way
your body looks or performs… adding 100lbs to your bench press, or adding 10lbs to your
dumbbell flyes??
Obvious, isn’t it?
In general, compound exercises allow you to create MUCH more of the right type of training
stimulus than isolation exercises can. And for this reason (and many other less important
ones), compound exercises beat isolation exercises by a fairly large margin
for most people, most of the time.
Round 2: Specifically
But wait, this battle isn’t over just yet.
You see, there are plenty of specific situations when isolation exercises can definitely be of
use and serve an important purpose in your workout routine.
For example, let’s say you’ve already done some bench pressing but still need to get some
additional chest volume in. However, at the same time, you don’t want (or need) any additional
volume for your shoulders and triceps.
Since every compound chest exercise uses the shoulders and triceps secondarily, your best
option in this scenario is to do a chest isolation exercise like dumbbell flyes (rather than another
type of press).
In this case the isolation exercise allows you to do a second exercise for a muscle group to reach
the optimal amount of volume, and it does it in a way that isolates that muscle so that no other
secondary muscles are being trained with unwanted volume.
Another similar example is in the case of people who are training primarily for building muscle
and have a hard time actually using their chest when bench pressing. This is somewhat
common, and it means your triceps and shoulders are taking over and doing most of the work.
Aside from trying to correct this issue as much as they can, how else is this person supposed to
properly train their chest? That’s right… with an isolation exercise like flyes.
And here’s yet another example. Let’s say you are doing chest and shoulders in the same
workout. You’ve already done some flat bench pressing and some incline bench pressing, and
your triceps (which are used secondarily in both) are pretty much dead at this point.
Does it make sense to do some kind of overhead press for shoulders and therefore use your
already very fatigued triceps? In this case, a shoulder isolation exercise like lateral raises might
be a better choice for some people.
And let’s not forget that isolation exercises are really the only way we can directly train smaller
muscle groups like the biceps, triceps and calves without adding additional unnecessary volume
to the larger muscle groups.
So really, while compound exercises are the winner of this battle in terms of what tends to be
best in general, isolation exercises definitely have a time and place in the workout routines of
many people.
Silly Myths
Before ending this with my recommendations, I figured I should probably mention the silly
myth that “isolation exercises are for getting toned, lean and defined” and “compound
exercises are for building lots of muscle and bulk.” Um, no. That’s 100% bullshit.
This is explained in detail in my muscle tone post, but the big point is that compound and
isolation exercises are complete equals in terms of being for “tone” or “bulk” or whatever
dumb words are associated with this idiotic myth. It’s all nonsense. Ignore it.
My Recommendations
So, what’s best for you? Here’s what I recommend…
 If your primary goal is performance related (increasing strength, improving
performance, etc.), then compound exercises should comprise the majority of your
workout routine. Isolation exercises should be greatly limited or possibly avoided
completely.
 If your primary goal is looks related (building muscle, losing fat, getting “toned,” etc.),
then compound exercises should comprise the majority of your workout routine and get
your primary focus. However, a secondary focus on isolation exercises is fine and in
some cases, maybe even ideal.
 If you are a beginner with ANY goal, then compound exercises should comprise the
majority of your workout routine. Isolation exercises should be kept to a minimum or
possibly avoided completely.
What’s Next?
The next part of the exercise selection process is learning the major weight training movement
patterns, the exercises that go along with each, and how to properly implement them. Let’s
go…

Movement Patterns: Exercises For Horizontal & Vertical Push & Pull, Quad & Hip
Dominant, And More

Another one of the many ways of categorizing weight training exercises is in terms of

their movement pattern.
You see, while there might be hundreds of different exercises in existence, there’s really only a
few basic movements the human body is capable of doing during an exercise.
For the most part, these movement patterns are:
 Horizontal Push
 Horizontal Pull
 Vertical Push
 Vertical Pull
 Quad Dominant
 Hip/Hamstring Dominant
 Elbow Flexion
 Elbow Extension
 Accessory Movements
Now let’s take a look at each and see which exercises fit which movement pattern, how it
should affect your exercise selection, and why it all plays a key role in preventing injuries and
imbalances.
Horizontal Pushing Exercises
A horizontal pushing exercise is any exercise that involves moving a weight straight out in front
of you so that it’s going away from your torso horizontally (think bench press).
Specifically, the most common examples of horizontal pushing movements are:
 Bench Press
  Low Incline Bench Press
 Decline Bench Press
 Flat/Incline/Decline Chest Press Machine
 Flat/Incline/Decline Flyes
Horizontal Pulling Exercises
A horizontal pulling exercise is any exercise that involves moving a weight in towards your torso
horizontally from straight out in front of you (think rows).
Specifically, the most common examples of horizontal pulling movements are:
 Bent Over Rows
 Seated Cable Rows
 T-Bar Rows
 Chest Supported Machine Rows
Vertical Pushing Exercises
A vertical pushing exercise is any exercise that involves moving a weight up vertically in relation
to your torso so that it goes straight over head or at least in that direction (think shoulder
press).
Specifically, the most common examples of vertical pushing movements are:
 Standing Overhead Shoulder Press
 Seated Overhead Shoulder Press
 Lateral Raises
 Front Raises
 High Incline Bench Press
Vertical Pulling Exercises
A vertical pulling exercise is any exercise that involves moving a weight down vertically in
relation to your torso so that you are pulling down from over head (think lat pull-downs).
Specifically, the most common examples of vertical pulling movements are:
 Pull-Ups
 Chin-Ups
  Lat Pull-Downs
Quad Dominant Exercises
A quad dominant exercise is any exercise where the primary mover is your quadriceps (think
squats).
Specifically, the most common examples of quad dominant movements are:
 Squats
 Front Squats
 Split Squats
 Lunges
 Leg Press
Hip/Hamstring Dominant Exercises
A hip/hamstring dominant exercise is any exercise where the primary mover is your hamstrings,
glutes, or posterior chain as a whole (think deadlifts).
Specifically, the most common examples of hip/hamstring dominant movements are:
 Deadlifts (all variations)
 Glute-Ham Raises
 Hyperextensions
 Pull-Throughs
 Good-Mornings
 Leg Curls
Elbow Flexion Exercises
An elbow flexion exercise is any exercise that involves moving a weight towards you by flexing
at the elbow (think bicep curls).
Specifically, the most common examples of elbow flexion movements are:
 Standing Biceps Curl
 Seated Biceps Curl
 Preacher Curls
 Cable Curls
Elbow Extension Exercises
An elbow extension exercise is any exercise that involves moving a weight away from you by
extending at the elbow (think triceps extension).
Specifically, the most common examples of elbow extension movements are:
 Laying Triceps Extension (Skull-Crushers)
 Triceps Cable Press-Downs
 Overhead Triceps Extension
Accessory Movements
The 8 types of exercises described above (especially the first 6) are considered the major
movement patterns and the ones that should get the most attention. However, there are other
minor movement patterns that I like to lump into one general accessory” type category.
This mostly includes the leftover isolation exercises that don’t fit into any of the other
categories. For example, calf raises, ab exercises, rotator cuff work, shrugs and things like that.
But Why Should I Care About Movement Patterns?
Now, you may be wondering why the hell anything I just told you is of any importance to you or
your workout routine’s exercise selection. I have 3 reasons.
For starters, your overall weight training program should be comprised of exercises
from EVERY movement pattern. If it isn’t, it means you’re missing something and failing to
properly train your entire body.
Second, certain workout schedules and programs are designed in a way where the movement
patterns play the largest role in how you select exercises for each workout.
For example, the most generic way of setting up an upper body workout (as part of
an upper/lower split) is by combining 1 horizontal push, 1 horizontal pull, 1 vertical push, 1
vertical pull, 1 elbow flexion and 1 elbow extension exercise. And just like that, your upper body
workout is good to go.
In the case of a full body split, you might take 1 exercise from every movement pattern
category for each workout.
See what I mean? Depending on the exact routine you use, movement patterns could be a key
part of the exercise selection process.
Even still, it’s the third reason that may be most important of all.
Balancing Opposing Movement Patterns To Prevent Injuries
The third reason you should care about movement patterns is for the purpose of preventing
common weight training injuries and imbalances caused by typical crappy exercise selection.
Let me explain.
If you “push” more than you “pull,” something will almost always eventually go screwy with
one (or both) of your shoulders. This is extremely common, as most people (hi guys!) are much
more interested with getting a big chest and huge shoulders than they are with getting a big
back.
This means there tends to be more of a focus on pushing exercises (chest/shoulders) than there
is on pulling exercises (back). And this lack of balance around the shoulder girdle is
an extremely common cause of shoulder related injuries.
I’ve personally been there and done that myself, so I know exactly how common (and not fun)
it is.
I also now know that the way to prevent it is by balancing the opposing movement patterns.
How so? Like this…
 For every horizontal push, you should have a horizontal pull (and vice-versa).
(Example: For every bench press, you should have a row.)
 For every vertical push, you should have a vertical pull (and vice-versa).
(Example: For every shoulder press, you should have a pull-up or lat pull-down.)
 For every elbow flexion, you should have an elbow extension (and vice-versa).
(Example: For every biceps curl, you should have a triceps extension.)
It gets a little trickier with the lower body as there is a lot of overlap between quad dominant
and hamstring dominant movements. But, generally speaking, for each quad dominant
movement there should usually be a hip/ham dominant movement too.
And not only should the amount of exercises for each opposing movement pattern be equal,
but the amount of volume (sets/reps) done should be pretty close (if not exactly) the same as
well.
This doesn’t necessarily always have to balance out during each individual workout if that’s not
how your program is set up.
For example, if your workout routine is designed in a way where you ARE training opposing
movement patterns in the same workout, then the amount of volume and exercises for each
should indeed be pretty equal and balanced in that specific workout.
But if your workout routine is designed in a way where you are NOT training opposing
movement patterns in the same workout, then the goal is to ensure that the amount of
exercises/volume for each ends up being pretty equal and balanced over the course of the
week.
Meaning, if you have X sets of bench presses at the end of the week, you should usually have X
sets of rows too. Y sets of overhead presses? Then there should be Y sets of pull-ups/pull
downs. You get the picture.
There are some rare exceptions to all of the above recommendations, but
for most people, most of the time, here’s the moral of this story:
Setting up your weight training routine in a way that ensures there is balance around the
joints (shoulder, knee, elbow) and balance between the different movement patterns
(horizontal push/pull, vertical push/pull, etc.) is KEY to injury prevention and building a
balanced body.
Don’t ignore that.
What’s Next?
At this point there’s really only one remaining way of categorizing weight training exercises, and
that’s in terms of the muscle groups/body parts they target. So, let’s get to it…

A List Of The Best Weight Training Exercises For Each Muscle Group

The most common and straight forward way of categorizing weight training exercises is simply
in terms what muscle group or body part an exercise targets.
While some explaining was necessary to properly show the difference between free weight
exercises, body weight exercises and machines, and compound exercises and isolation
exercises, and of course the different weight training movement patterns, very little explaining
is needed here.
In fact, all this is going to be is just a big list of exercises for each muscle group with virtually no
explanation whatsoever.
So, let’s get to it.
In no specific order, here’s a list of what are considered to be the best and most often used
exercises for each major muscle group…
A List Of The Best Chest Exercises
 Flat Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press
 Incline Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press
 Decline Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press
  Flat Chest Press Machine
 Incline Chest Press Machine
 Decline Chest Press Machine
 Dips (on parallel bars with slight forward lean)
 Push-Ups
 Flat Dumbbell Flyes
 Incline Dumbbell Flyes
 Decline Dumbbell Flyes
 Pec Deck Machine
 Cable Crossovers/Cable Flyes
(Compound chest exercises also target the triceps and shoulders secondarily.)
A List Of The Best Back Exercises
 Pull-Ups
 Chin-Ups
 Lat Pull-Downs
 Bent Over Barbell or Dumbbell Rows
 T-Bar Rows
 Seated Cable Rows
 Chest Supported Barbell or Dumbbell Rows
 Chest Supported Machine Rows
 Inverted Rows
 Barbell, Dumbbell or Machine Shrugs
(Compound back exercises also target the biceps secondarily.)
A List Of The Best Shoulder Exercises
 Seated Overhead Barbell or Dumbbell Press
 Standing Overhead Barbell or Dumbbell Press
 Overhead Machine Press
  Arnold Press
 Barbell, Dumbbell or Machine Upright Rows
 Dumbbell, Cable or Machine Lateral Raises
 Dumbbell, Cable or Machine Front Raises
 Barbell, Dumbbell, or Machine Rear Delt Rows, Raises or Flyes
(Compound shoulder exercises also target the triceps secondarily.)
A List Of The Best Quadriceps Exercises
 Barbell or Dumbbell Squats
 Barbell or Dumbbell Front Squats
 Barbell or Dumbbell Split Squats
 Barbell or Dumbbell Lunges
 Barbell or Dumbbell Step-Ups
 Leg Press
 Machine Squat/Hack Squat
 Leg Extensions
(Compound quad exercises also target a significant portion of the lower body/posterior chain.)
A List Of The Best Hamstring Exercises
 Barbell or Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts
 Barbell or Dumbbell Straight Leg Deadlifts
 Barbell or Dumbbell Sumo Deadlifts
 Glute-Ham Raises
 Hyperextensions
 Cable Pull-Throughs
 Good-Mornings
 Leg Curls
(Compound hamstring exercises also target a significant portion of the lower body/posterior
chain.)
A List Of The Best Biceps Exercises
 Standing Barbell or Dumbbell Curls
 Barbell or Dumbbell Preacher Curls
 Seated Dumbbell Curls
 Incline Dumbbell Curls
 Hammer Curls
 Concentration Curls
 Cable Curls
 Biceps Curl Machine
A List Of The Best Triceps Exercises
 Dips (on parallel bars, elbows close to body, without forward lean)
 Flat Close Grip Bench Press
 Decline Close Grip Bench Press
 Close Grip Push-Ups
 Laying Barbell or Dumbbell Triceps Extensions
 Skull Crushers
 Overhead Barbell or Dumbbell Triceps Extensions
 Cable Press-Downs
 Bench Dips
Additional Notes
So, there you go, a big list of exercises for each muscle group. I eventually plan on writing
descriptions of each along with pictures and videos showing proper form at some point in the
future, but for now it’s just a big list.
And this is in no way meant to be the definitive list of EVERY exercise in existence, by the way.
While it is pretty damn comprehensive (especially in terms of what is considered best and most
popular), some stuff has been left out.
I mean, for a majority of the exercises mentioned, I could have listed various minor variations of
each based on the type of grip (pronated, supinated, neutral), how wide or narrow the grip or
stance is, the specific placement of the bench/seat height, and on and on and on.
However, to avoid being unnecessarily repetitive, I decided not to get THAT specific. So, if
you’re looking for additional exercises beyond what’s on this list, just know that minor
variations (like the ones I just mentioned) can be made to many of them if desired.
Also keep in mind that, in the case of all compound exercises listed above, additional muscle
groups are targeted secondarily. (I explain this more here.)
What’s Next?
Now that we’ve gone through the major aspects of the exercise selection process, it’s time to
go over one last important aspect of determining exactly what exercises are best for you. Here
we go…

What Are The Best Exercises For My Workout Routine?

When it comes to diet and fitness, people are always obsessed with finding out what works
best. You know, like…
 What is the best workout routine?
 What is the best workout schedule?
 What is the best diet plan?
 What are the best exercises?
These questions are all extremely common, and for good reason. If you do what works best,
you’ll get the best results. Simple as that.
The problem however is that truly answering those questions is never quite as simple. I mean, I
could give you the stereotypical answers that people like to throw around as though they are
always right, but… they just aren’t always right.
Due to a ton of individual differences, what’s best for one person is not always best for another.
And in the case of figuring out what the best exercises are for you… this couldn’t be more true.
Let me show you what I mean.
Typical Stupid Blanket Statements About Exercises
As I said before, there are certain stereotypical answers you’ll almost always get if you asked
someone about what exercises are best for you.
The problem is, in almost every case, they are just stupid blanket statements that may be true a
lot of the time, but are definitely not true 100% of the time.
Here’s the most common examples that come to mind…
“Compound exercises are better than isolation exercises.”
Now, in general, I definitely agree with this statement the majority of the time.
However, as I’ve already explained in Compound Exercises vs Isolation Exercises, there are
plenty of situations when an isolation exercise is better than a compound exercise.
“Free weight and body weight exercises are better than machines.”
Once again, a lot of the time, I fully agree with this statement. But once again, there are plenty
of situations when a machine is equally as good (or maybe even better) than free weight and
body weight exercises.
It all depends on factors that are specific to you and your goal.
“Squats are better than leg presses.” “Squats are the best quad exercise.” “You must do
squats.”
Listen, I love squats and am fully aware of how effective they are, how often recommended
they are, and how they are single-handedly responsible for building some of the biggest,
strongest, most impressive looking legs in the world.
HOWEVER, just because that is the case for many people doesn’t make it the case for everyone.
Want an example? How about… me.
You see, due to certain factors specific to my body, squats have never been that great of a quad
exercise for me. I don’t know if it’s bone structure, height or leg length, naturally (or just overly)
strong hamstrings and glutes, or some issue with flexibility or mobility, but whatever it is…
squats have always felt like more of an awkward posterior chain exercise for me rather than the
supposed king of the best quad exercises.
In my specific case, squats were never that great at building me big/nice looking legs. And since
that is my primary goal, why on earth should I keep squatting when leg presses (along with split
squats and lunges), are, for me, much more effective for what I need?
You see, in reality, no one truly NEEDS to squat except people who are involved in competitive
powerlifting or some other similar sport where squatting is a requirement.
And with me just being a guy looking to build some nice looking quads, that doesn’t apply. For
me, leg presses ARE better than squats at doing what I need them to do.
And guess what? There are a ton of people just like me. And while I will continue to recommend
squats in the programs I create and always consider them one of the “in general/most of the
time” best exercises, I will always take into account the fact that that’s not the case 100% of the
time.
You should too.
“Exercise A is the best exercise for Muscle Group A.”
And this is basically what I just described with squats being the best leg exercise, only with
some other exercise and muscle group in their place.
For every exercise that someone thinks is the best (or may actually be the best in most cases),
there is almost always someone out there who could prove them wrong.
Here’s an example. Most people consider parallel bar dips to be one of the best triceps
exercises. I fully agree. The problem is, dips are an exercise that often bothers people’s
shoulders, especially those who have had shoulder issues in the past.
I know this first hand, because I am one of those people. For whatever reason, dips annoy my
shoulders. I love them, and really really want to do them, but if I do, I end up with a shoulder
problem every single time.
So, are dips the best triceps exercise for me or the thousands of other people who have the
same issue? Nope, they aren’t. It’s just another stupid blanket statement.
Want another example? A lot of people consider bent over barbell rows one of the best back
exercises.
I agree, unless of course you’ve deadlifted the day before or plan on deadlifting the day after. In
that case, the additional stress bent over rows place on your lower back make them a pretty
poor choice for a back exercise. In this case, some type of chest supported machine row would
be better.
And speaking of back exercises, here’s another example. There are a ton of people who
complain about being unable to actually use and “feel” their back working during certain types
of rows.
In many cases, the person will come across a certain type of row that they ARE able to “feel”
their back working on, in which case that specific exercise is the one that’s best for them above
all the others.
And these are just a few examples of MANY.
You could name any of the supposed best exercises for any muscle group, and I can give you a
reason why it may not be the best for someone based on their specific goal, body, experience
level or preferences.
What’s best in general is only best in general. You need to care about what’s best specifically
for you. The better you do that, the better your results will be.
The Best Exercises For YOU
Well, at this point I’ve already shown you:
 How to determine if free weight, body weight or machines exercises are more ideal for
you.
 How to determine if compound or isolation exercises are more ideal for you.
 The different exercise movement patterns and how to properly implement them with
ideal balance.
 A list of exercises for each muscle group that are most often considered the “best.”
In addition to that, the best exercise selection really comes down to 3 simple rules.
1. Choose exercises that you can do safely and correctly.
2. Choose exercises that allow you to properly train the target muscle group and/or allow
you to achieve your desired training effect.
3. Choose exercises that you can progress at consistently.
When you’ve done all that, you will have selected the best exercises for your workout routine.
Feel free to use the stereotypical blanket statements and generalities as a starting point, but
use all of the factors specific to you as the end point. That’s how you’ll truly find what’s “best.”
What’s Next?
Now that you know how to select the exercises for your workout routine, it’s time to learn how
to properly organize them. Let’s start here…

Exercise Order – How To Arrange The Exercises In Your Workout

Once you select the weight training exercises you will perform during each of your workouts,
the next decision you need to make is what order to perform them in.
As is the case with most aspects of creating an effective weight training routine, exercise order
can vary significantly based on factors specific to you and your goal.
Having said that, there are some general rules that tend to apply in the majority of cases. Here
now are those rules…
The General Rules Of Exercise Order
For most of the people, most of the time, proper exercise order can be summed up in one
simple sentence:
More demanding exercises should be performed before less demanding exercises.
Here are the most common examples of what that means…
1. Exercises for bigger muscles should come before exercises for smaller muscles.
Examples: Chest or back before shoulders, biceps or triceps. Shoulders before biceps or
triceps. Quads or hamstrings before calves or abs.
2. Compound exercises should come before isolation exercises.
Examples: Bench press before dumbbell flyes. Overhead press before lateral raises.
Squats before leg extensions. Romanian deadlifts before leg curls.
3. Free weight/body weight exercises should come before machines.
Squats or deadlifts before leg presses. Barbell bench press before incline machine press.
Pull-ups before chest supported machine rows.
As I mentioned earlier, there are plenty of times when it might make sense to deviate slightly
from these rules based on various individual factors, but in general… these rules should apply in
most workout routines.
When More Than 1 Muscle Group Is Trained In The Same Workout
Now, you may be wondering what should happen when you are training more than one muscle
group in a workout… as most people will be. In fact, the many people using a full body
split or upper/lower split will be training quite a few muscle groups per workout.
As you already learned in rule #1 above, exercises for bigger muscle groups should come before
exercises for smaller muscle groups.
This is easy when it comes down to obvious stuff like training chest before triceps or quads
before calves, but what about when there’s more than one big muscle group being trained in
the same workout?
Simple… all of the above rules still apply, even if it means you end up having to train each
muscle group out of order.
Meaning, instead of doing all of the exercises for the same muscle group back-to-back and then
doing all of the exercises for the next muscle group back-to-back, you might do an exercise for
Muscle A, then Muscle B, then Muscle A again.
This is perfectly fine and perfectly normal and SHOULD happen to ensure you are performing
your exercises in their optimal order.
Once again, here’s a reminder that there are certain instances where it might make sense to
stray from these guidelines. However, since I can’t predict every possible scenario for every
person’s specific situation, the best I can do is tell you what guidelines should be followed
in most cases.
And, in most cases, these are the rules of exercise order that should be followed the majority of
the time.
What’s Next?
Now that you know what order you will perform your exercises in during each workout, it’s
time to figure out how long you should rest between each set of each exercise. Let’s do that…

How Long To Rest Between Sets & Exercises – Workout Rest Times

After you’ve selected the exercises you will perform in each of your workouts and put them in
their ideal order, the next important step is to answer the following questions:
 How long should you rest between sets of an exercise?
 How long should you rest between different exercises?
Simply put, if your rest periods are too long or too short, you’ll end up sacrificing the results you
want to some degree.
The goal is to find that sweet spot right in between resting too much or too little. When you
find that, you’ll have found your optimal rest time.
As it turns out, there’s primarily 3 major factors that influence what your ideal rest times should
be:
1. What intensity/rep range you are using for a given exercise.
2. How demanding that exercise is on your body as a whole.
3. Your primary goal (building muscle, increasing strength, losing fat, etc.).
Based on these three factors, it’s pretty common to see rest time recommendations of
anywhere from 0 seconds to 5 minutes between sets and exercises.
Yeah, that’s a pretty broad range.
Luckily, this range can be narrowed down greatly by applying each factor to your exact
situation. Here’s how.
How Your Intensity/Rep Range Influences Rest Times
In my post about weight training intensity, I explained that the fewer reps you can do per set of
an exercise, the higher your training intensity is. And, the more reps you can do per set of an
exercise, the lower the intensity.
You know, like how only being able to lift a weight for 5 reps means you are training at a fairly
high intensity, while being able to lift a weight for 15 reps is a fairly low intensity. Ring a bell?
Good.
This all has a direct effect on the amount of rest you need between sets. Here’s what I mean…
 The higher the rep range/lower the intensity, the less rest you need between sets of
that exercise.
 The lower the rep range/higher the intensity, the more rest you need between sets of
that exercise.
So, for example, if you are doing 6 reps per set of an exercise, you would need more rest
between sets than if you were doing 12 reps per set of the same exercise.
Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?
How An Exercise’s “Demand” Influences Rest Times
Along with how many reps you’re doing per set of an exercise, the exercise itself and how
demanding it is on your body also plays a big role in how long you should rest.
Quite simply:
 The more demanding an exercise is on your body, the more rest you need.
 The less demanding an exercise is on your body, the less rest you need.
Meaning, exercises for bigger muscle groups like legs, chest and back typically need more rest
between sets than exercises for smaller muscle groups like biceps, triceps and calves.
At the same time, more demanding compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, and
various presses and rows typically require more rest between sets than less demanding
isolation exercises like lateral raises, dumbbell flyes, biceps curls, triceps press-downs, leg
extensions or anything similar.
Even if the isolation exercise is for a bigger muscle group, it still needs less rest between sets
than a compound exercise for that same muscle group.
Again, it makes perfect sense.
How Your Primary Goal Influences Rest Times
The final major factor influencing rest times is your specific fitness goal.
You see, rest time between sets can be classified 2 different ways, complete and incomplete,
and both have their own pros and cons depending on your goal.
Complete (or near complete) rest times.
This type of rest is longer in duration and allows for more recovery of your central nervous
system. This means you’ll be able to maintain your work capacity better, maximize strength
performance and basically be at your strongest from set-to-set and able to lift the most
amounts of weight for the most amounts of reps.
However, the amount of fatigue and metabolite accumulation (all of which play a role in fat
loss, building muscle, and improving muscular endurance) is typically lower.
Incomplete rest times.
This type of rest is shorter in duration and allows for more accumulated fatigued (which is
associated with higher increases in growth hormone) along with various metabolic benefits as
well.
However, the amount of neural recovery will be lower, and this means your strength and work
capacity from set-to-set will be a lot lower as well.
Which type of rest is best for me?
As you can see, there is something good and bad about each, and this is when your primary
goal comes into play.
Depending on exactly what your goal is, certain rest times (complete, incomplete, or a
combination of both) would be better suited for you than others. Let me show you what I
mean…
 Rest Time Between Sets: 20-60 seconds
 Type Of Rest: Incomplete
 Most Ideal For: Muscular endurance, metabolic training/circuit training, burning some
additional calories.
 Rest Time Between Sets: 1-2 minutes
 Type Of Rest: Incomplete/Complete
 Most Ideal For: Building muscle, getting “toned,” looking good.
 Rest Time Between Sets: 2-3 minutes
 Type Of Rest: Complete/Incomplete
 Most Ideal For: Building muscle, getting “toned,” looking good, increasing strength.
 Rest Time Between Sets: 3-5 minutes
 Type Of Rest: Complete
 Most Ideal For: Strength and muscular power.
As you can see, it doesn’t have to be JUST incomplete or JUST complete rest times. Rest times
don’t have to be JUST real short or JUST real long. You can rest somewhere in the middle and
get the benefits of both types of rest.
And this of course leads to the almighty question…
So, How Long Should I Rest Between Sets?
Putting all 3 of the factors influencing rest times together, here are my recommendations for
exactly how long you should rest between sets based on your goal…
 For Muscular Endurance And/Or Getting The Benefits Of Metabolic/Circuit Type
Training…
Resting 20-60 seconds between sets is probably ideal for you. If the exercise being done
is more demanding on the body, rest more towards the higher end of that range. If it’s
less demanding, rest more towards the lower end.
 For Increasing Strength And Maximizing Muscular Power…
Resting 2-5 minutes between sets is probably ideal for you. The higher your training
intensity is for a given exercise and/or the more demanding it is on your body, the more
you should stay towards the higher end of that range. The lower the intensity and/or
less demanding it is, the more you should stay towards the lower end of that range.
 For Building Muscle, Getting “Toned,” And Improving How Your Body Looks…
Resting 1-3 minutes between sets is probably ideal for you. The higher your training
intensity is for a given exercise and/or the more demanding it is on your body, the more
you should stay nearer to the 2-3 minute range. The lower the intensity and/or the less
demanding the exercise is, the more you should stay in the 1-2 minute range.
How Long Should I Rest Between Exercises?
Regarding how long to rest between different exercises, it should usually be about as long as
you rested between sets of the previous exercise. Meaning, if you rested 3 minutes between
sets of Exercise #1, you should rest about 3 minutes before doing your first set of Exercise #2.
I actually tend to be a little less strict when it comes to rest times between exercises, because
sometimes you just need a little more time to recover from that last set of the previous exercise
as well as time to actually get to and set up at your next exercise.
So, if you end up taking an extra minute or 2 when switching from one exercise to the next,
that’s usually alright with me unless otherwise instructed.
However, your rest times between sets of each exercise should stay much more strict and
consistent.
What’s Next?
Well, at this point we’ve covered the majority of what goes into creating the ideal workout
routine. Now it’s time to go over the final requirements that can literally make your break the
effectiveness of your program. First up…

Progressive Overload – The Key Workout Requirement

Do I have your attention? I mean seriously… do I really have your attention?

I ask because I’m about to explain the single most important factor in getting positive results
from any type of workout or any form of exercise.
Are you listening now? Good.
When trying to create the most effective workout routine possible, your goal is to use
the frequency, schedule, intensity, volume, and exercise selection that is as optimal as possible
for you and your goal.
If you do that correctly, you are pretty much guaranteed to get the best results you can get.
Unless of course you happen to leave out the one component that matters more than
everything else.
It’s the component that can turn the most perfect workout program into a useless waste of
time and literally make or break your success.
I’m talking about a little something called progressive overload, and it is the absolute key to
getting the results you want from your workout routine.
What Is Progressive Overload?
The best way I can explain it is by telling you a very important secret.
You see, the human body doesn’t care that you have some type of workout/exercise goal in
mind. It doesn’t care that you want to build muscle, or lose fat, or get toned, or become
stronger, or improve performance, or just look great naked.
Your body only knows and cares about 1 thing: keeping you alive and functioning as efficiently
as possible. That’s your body’s only real goal.
And, to ensure it meets this goal, your body is both smart enough and capable enough to do
whatever is needed of it in order to adapt to its environment.
And it’s this fact that is the basis for all workout/exercise goals to be reached.
What I mean is, the only way your body will ever change or improve the way you want it to is by
creating an environment that proves to your body that these changes and
improvements MUST be made.
Or, to put it another way, your body will not change or improve unless you force it to.
No matter how perfect your workout is, muscle will not be built, strength will not be gained,
and performance will not improve unless you show your body that these are things that
absolutely NEED to happen in order for it to survive.
And that right there brings us to something called the progressive overload principle.
The Progressive Overload Principle
The progressive overload principle basically states:
In order for a muscle to grow, strength to be gained, performance to increase, or for any similar
improvement to occur, the human body must be forced to adapt to a tension that is above and
beyond what it has previously experienced.
Go back and read that again. It’s pretty important.
And what it means is, if you lift the same weights, for the same number of reps, the same way
for the next 20 years… nothing will ever happen. Your body will never change or improve in any
way.
You will only maintain your current state.
However, if you increase the demands you are placing on your body by increasing the weight
being lifted, lifting the same weight for more reps, or just doing something that increases the
demands that your body needs to meet, then your body will have no other choice but to make
the necessary changes and improvements that will allow it to adapt to this environment and
remain capable of performing these tasks.
And these “changes” and “improvements” and “adaptations” come in the form of more
muscle, more strength, less fat, more tone, better performance and just the overall results
you are looking to get.
That’s what all of these goals are, really… just our body’s adaptive response to the demands
being placed on it through exercise.
You’re basically showing your body that in order for it to survive, in order for it to do what you
are forcing it to do, it’s going to NEED to make these changes and improvements.
Let me show you exactly what I mean in the specific context of weight training.
An Example of Progressive Overload
Let’s pretend that right now you can lift 50lbs on some exercise for 3 sets of 8 reps.
Now, if you continue to lift that same 50lbs for those same 3 sets of 8 reps for the next 20
years… you will not gain ANY new muscle or strength at all. Why? Because there was no
progressive overload.
Your body has already adapted to this tension (50lbs for 3 sets of 8 reps) and has already
provided you with exactly as much muscle and strength as you need to be able to perform this
task on a regular basis.
Because you aren’t increasing the demands being placed on your body, you aren’t giving your
body ANY reason to improve any further.
And, because of that… it won’t.
You can do everything else perfectly, but if you fail to provide some form of progressive
overload over time, your body will never see any reason to change.
However, if you were to lift 50lbs for 3 sets of 9 reps (instead of 3 sets of 8 reps) on that same
exercise, then a reason would finally exist.
Why? Simple. You increased the tension. You increased the demands. You increased the work
your body had to do. Instead of doing the same 3 sets of 8 reps with 50lbs, you worked to do 1
additional rep on each of those sets.
And, while it may only seem like a tiny improvement, it’s EXACTLY what you need to do in order
to prove to your body that it needs to improve.
Similarly, if you were to now try to lift 55lbs for 3 sets of 8 reps (an increase of 5lbs)… the exact
same type of reason would exist.
You’re basically telling your body: “Hey, look at this. The work you have to do has increased, so
you better build some more muscle and add some more strength to compensate.”
This is progressive overload.
Whether you get just 1 more rep on just 1 set, or add 5lbs to all of your sets… it doesn’t matter.
Your goal is to somehow beat what you did the previous time.
And as long as you do this as often as you can and cause some form of gradual progression to
take place over time, then you are giving your body a reason to continue to change and
improve.
As long as that reason is present, results are guaranteed to follow.
At the same time, as soon as that reason stops (or if it never exists in the first place), then your
body stops having a reason to continue to improve. No matter how perfectly you are doing
everything else, no new positive changes will be made without progressive overload happening.
This Is Why Most People Fail
It’s this lack of progressive overload that is easily the #1 reason most of the people who
workout look pretty much the same way today as they did when they first started working out.
It’s a sad sight to see, and you can see it in every gym in the world.
Men, women, young, old, fat, skinny… they are doing nothing to increase the demands being
placed on their body. So, their body has no choice but to remain exactly the same.
This is fine if that’s your goal. If you’ve already reached the point where your body is perfect
and it looks and performs exactly how you want it to. No more progressive overload is needed
then since you just want to maintain your current condition.
But, until the day you reach that point, your primary focus must be on progressive overload.
Does That Mean I Need To Progress Every Single Workout?
Nope. In fact, doing so would be pretty much impossible, at least for a significant period of
time. If we could, everyone would be lifting a million pounds for a million reps on every
exercise. That’s just not realistic.
However, we should definitely have that mindset and strive to increase the demands being
placed on our bodies as often as we possibly can (within the realm of safety and proper form, of
course).
Whether that happens every workout, or every other workout, or just once per month or less
depends on a ton of individual factors specific to you and your goal.
However, your #1 job is to just make sure it happens.
As long as you’re forcing progressive overload to take place in some form over time, then your
body will continue to build muscle, increase strength, appear more toned, or improve in
whatever way you are trying to get it to improve.
The Moral Of This Story
So, in case you skipped right to this part because you’re really lazy, here’s the take home
message…
If you want to get any degree of positive results from your workout routine, progressive
overload is the absolute key.
I don’t care who you are, what your goal is, or what type of workout/exercise you’re doing. If
you want it to work, you must focus on making progressive overload happen.
If you don’t, you are guaranteed to fail. If you do, you are guaranteed to succeed. Simple as
that.
How Should I Make Progressive Overload Happen?
Now there’s a good question. Let’s take a look at the most common and effective ways…

Workout Progression: When & How To Progress At Weight Training

As I’ve previously explained, the #1 key to getting positive results from your workout routine
is progressive overload.
Meaning, you must strive to increase the demands being placed on your body in some way over
time.
When you fully understand how big of a requirement this is, the next logical question is pretty
obvious…
Exactly how and when should this progression take place?
Well, in the specific context of weight training, there’s a bunch of ways it can be done, and
some are more ideal for certain goals and experience levels than others.
The most common methods of weight training progression that come to mind are:
 You can increase the weight being lifted.
For example, if you are currently lifting 100lbs on some exercise, you can lift 105lbs the
next time you perform that exercise.
 You can increase the number of reps a weight is being lifted for. 
For example, if you are lifting 100lbs on some exercises for 3 sets of 8 reps, you can do 3
sets of 9 reps with that same weight the next time you perform that exercise.
 You can increase the number of sets you are lifting a weight for. 
For example, if you are lifting 100lbs on some exercises for 3 sets of 8 reps, you can do 4
sets of 8 reps with that same weight the next time you perform that exercise.
 You can increase the amount of work being done in a given time period.
For example, if you currently rest 3 minutes between sets of an exercise, you can try
lifting the same weight for the same amount of sets and reps, but with only 2 minutes
and 30 seconds of rest between sets.
 You can increase the difficulty of the exercise being performed.
For example, if you are currently doing split squats/static lunges, you can move up to a
similar but more challenging version of the same exercise such as walking lunges or
Bulgarian split squats.
Once again, depending on your exact goal and experience level, some of these methods are
more or less ideal for you than others.
However, for most of the people, most of the time, here’s the method of weight training
progress that I (and many others) most often use and recommend…
The Typical Weight Training Progression Protocol
In any intelligently designed weight training routine, you will have specific exercises that you
are supposed to perform during each workout.
For each exercise, you will have a certain number of sets that you are supposed to do. For each
set, you will have a certain number of reps that you are supposed to do.
And obviously, you will also have a certain amount of weight that you will be lifting during each
exercise.
Now, the most basic, generic, and common form of weight training progression works like this:
1. Meet the prescribed set and rep goal for the exercise.
2. Increase the weight being lifted for that exercise by the smallest increment possible.
3. Meet the set/rep goal again with this new, slightly heavier weight.
4. Increase the weight being lifted again by the smallest increment possible.
5. Repeat this process over and over again as often as you are capable of making it
happen.
Confused? Here’s an example…
An Example Of How & When To Progress
Let’s say that for one of the exercises in your workout routine (let’s call it Exercise XYZ) you are
currently lifting 50lbs. Let’s also say that your program calls for you to do 3 sets of 8 reps for
Exercise XYZ.
Now let’s say today you did Exercise XYZ and it went like this:
 Set #1: 50lbs – 8 reps
 Set #2: 50lbs – 8 reps
 Set #3: 50lbs – 8 reps
As you can see, you lifted 50lbs for 3 sets of 8 reps in this example. Since your program calls for
you to do 3 sets of 8 reps, this workout was a success.
Since you’ve reached the prescribed set/rep goal for this exercise, it’s now time to increase the
weight by the smallest increment possible. So, the next time you perform Exercise XYZ, you
should do something like this:
 Set #1: 55lbs – 8 reps
 Set #2: 55lbs – 8 reps
 Set #3: 55lbs – 8 reps
See what happened? Progressive overload took place. You increased the weight you were lifting
by 5lbs (which is usually the smallest possible increment) and performed that same prescribed
3 sets of 8 reps with this new slightly heavier weight.
That means this workout was once again a complete success. The next time you perform
Exercise XYZ, you’d go up to 60lbs and again attempt 3 sets of 8 reps. You would then continue
increasing like this as often as possible over and over again.
The only thing is, most people will NOT be able to increase this much and/or this consistently
from workout to workout (beginners might, but few others will).
In fact, instead of that second successful workout shown above (the 55lbs for 3 sets of 8 reps),
many people would have ended up only able to do something like this:
 Set #1: 55lbs – 8 reps
 Set #2: 55lbs – 7 reps
 Set #3: 55lbs – 6 reps
This is completely normal and should still be considered a successful workout (it is still
definitely progressive overload). Now, in this case, your goal the next time you perform Exercise
XYZ is something like this:
 Set #1: 55lbs – 8 reps
 Set #2: 55lbs – 8 reps
 Set #3: 55lbs – 7 reps
And then the time after that…
 Set #1: 55lbs – 8 reps
 Set #2: 55lbs – 8 reps
 Set #3: 55lbs – 8 reps
And the time after that…
  Set #1: 60lbs – 8 reps
 Set #2: 60lbs – 7 reps
 Set #3: 60lbs – 6 reps
And you would repeat this similar pattern of increasing reps/weight over and over again so that
your body continues having a reason to adapt and improve over and over again.
Oh, and in case it isn’t obvious enough, if your weight training routine called for 3 sets of 10, 4
sets of 6, 5 sets of 5, 2 sets of 12, or any other combination of sets and reps, you’d still progress
virtually the same way as shown in the above example, just with a different number of reps and
sets.
Will progression always be this consistent?
Nope, not always. There will definitely be times when you end up repeating the same exact
number of sets/reps/weight that you did the previous workout.
Sometimes this might even continue for quite a while with certain exercises (this is especially
true the more advanced you get).
There will also be times where, in the above example for instance, you might only get reps of 7,
7, 7, or 7, 6, 6, or 7, 6, 5 in the three sets after going up in weight. Don’t worry, it’s all perfectly
normal.
Just work your ass off to progress in some way as often as you can and beat what you were able
to do the previous time. Add 1 rep to every set, add 1 rep to just one set, add 2 reps to one set
and 1 rep to another… whatever.
Just work hard to gradually reach your workout routine’s prescribed set/rep goal for each
exercise. And then, once you do reach it, increase the weight you are lifting for that exercise by
the smallest possible increment and repeat this protocol all over again.
This is all part of the process of progressive overload, and it’s the only true requirement for
getting positive results from your workout routine.
What’s Next?
Well, at this point we’ve covered every major aspect of creating and implementing an effective
workout routine. The funny thing is, your workout routine is only half of what’s needed to reach
your goal. The other half is your diet. Here’s what I mean…

How To Create The Perfect Diet Plan For Your Workout Goal
What is an article about creating the perfect diet plan doing on a site called “A Workout
Routine” in the middle of a guide to creating the most effective weight training program?
I mean, this is obviously a site geared specifically towards workout related topics, so why the
hell am I writing about diet stuff?
Well, I’ll tell you why.
If your diet plan isn’t what it needs to be, your workout routine will fail completely no matter
how perfect it is.
That is not an exaggeration. You could be using the single greatest workout program ever
created and it will get you absolutely nowhere if you aren’t eating in a way that supports your
goals.
What I’m trying to say is, your diet plan is equally as important as your workout routine (if not
more so) in terms of getting the results you want to get.
So, what you need to do now is create the diet plan that will work best for you.
As you can imagine, fully explaining how to do that would require its own insanely
comprehensive guide.
Until I get around to doing that, here’s the ultimate mini-guide to how to create your perfect
diet plan.
Step 1: Calorie Intake
The most common recommendations for your daily calorie intake are:
 If your primary goal is losing fat, you need to create a daily caloric deficit of around 20%
below your maintenance level.
 If your primary goal is building muscle (or increasing strength), you need to create a
daily caloric surplus of about 250 calories above your maintenance level (about half that
for women).
Now let me explain what the hell that actually means.
Calorie Maintenance Level
Every person has a certain number of calories that they need to eat each day in order to
maintain their current weight. This is what’s known as your calorie maintenance level.
There are a bunch of complicated ways to estimate what your maintenance level is, but the
quickest and simplest way is to just multiply your current body weight (in pounds) by 14 and 18.
Somewhere in between those 2 amounts will usually be your daily calorie maintenance level.
If you’re more active and/or think you have a fast metabolism, then you should probably use
the higher end of that range. If you’re less active and/or think you have a slow metabolism,
then you should probably use the lower end of that range.
If you’re unsure, just pick a number in the middle. We’ll make sure it’s perfectly accurate later
on. Don’t worry.
Next, pick your goal…
If Your Primary Goal Is Losing Fat…
In order to lose fat, you must consume LESS calories per day than your maintenance level
amount. Doing so creates a caloric deficit, and this forces your body to start burning your
stored body fat for energy.
Meaning, a caloric deficit is a fat loss requirement.
As I mentioned before, the most often recommended caloric deficit is about 20% below your
maintenance level. So, let’s do some basic first grade level math.
For example, if your estimated calorie maintenance level is 2500 calories per day, you’d figure
out that 20% of 2500 is 500 (2500 x .20 = 500). Then you’d just subtract that 500 from 2500 and
get 2000.
In this example, this person would need to eat 2000 calories per day to lose fat.
If Your Primary Goal Is Building Muscle…
In order to build muscle, you must consume MORE calories per day than your maintenance
level. Doing so creates a caloric surplus, and this provides your body with the calories it needs
to actually create new muscle tissue.
Meaning, a caloric surplus is a muscle building requirement.
As I mentioned before, the ideal caloric surplus for most guys is about 250 calories above your
maintenance level, and around half that for girls. So, let’s do some basic first grade level math.
For example, a man with an estimated calorie maintenance level of 2500 calories per day would
add 250 or so calories to it and get about 2750.
In this example, this person would need to eat about 2750 calories per day to build muscle at
an ideal rate.
Ensuring That Your Calorie Intake Is Correct
Since our calorie intake is based on an estimate, it’s possible it can be a little off. Luckily, there’s
a very simple way to double check it.
Weigh yourself once per week first thing in the morning before you eat or drink anything (or
weigh in daily and take the weekly average). Then, just monitor what your weight does from
week to week.
 If your goal is losing fat, you should end up losing between 0.5-2lbs per week (closer to
2lbs if you have a lot of fat to lose, closer to 0.5lbs if you only have a little fat to lose, or
somewhere in the middle if you have an average amount to lose). If you are losing
weight slower than that or not at all, then reduce your calorie intake by an additional
250 calories. If you are losing weight faster than that, then increase your calorie intake
by about 250 calories.
 If your goal is building muscle (or increasing strength), you should end up gaining
about 0.5lb per week (or about 2lbs per month). And again for women, it should be
about half that. If you are consistently gaining weight faster than that, reduce your
calorie intake by about 250 calories. If you are gaining weight slower than that or not at
all, then increase your calorie intake by about 250 calories.
Basically, just consistently weigh yourself each week and make sure your weight is moving in
the right direction at the optimal rate that I just described.
If is it, perfect! Keep eating that amount of calories each day.
If it isn’t, then just adjust your calorie intake in 250 calorie increments until it is. Simple as that.
Step 2: Protein Intake
The most common recommendation for the daily protein intake of healthy adults who are
weight training regularly is:
Between 0.8 – 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. An even 1 gram of protein per
pound is probably the most common recommendation of all.
So, for example, if you weigh 175lbs, you’d shoot for about 175 grams of protein per day (or a
little more if you prefer it).
High protein foods include chicken, fish, turkey, lean meats, eggs/egg whites, milk, protein
supplements and to a lesser extent nuts and beans as well.
Step 3: Fat Intake
The most common recommendation for your daily fat intake is:
Fat should account for between 20-30% of your total calorie intake, with an even 25% probably
being most common.
For that to make sense, you need to know that 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories.
So, for example, if your ideal calorie intake is 2000 calories per day, you’d first figure out that
25% of 2000 is 500. Then, you’d divide 500 by 9 and figure out that you’d need to eat about 55
grams of fat per day in this example.
Foods high in the “healthy fats” that should account for the majority of your fat intake include
fish, fish oil supplements, nuts (peanuts, almonds, walnuts, etc.), seeds, and olive oil.
Step 4: Carb Intake
The most common recommendation for your daily carb intake is:
However many calories are left after a sufficient protein and fat intake have been factored in…
those calories should come from carbs.
Don’t worry, it’s not as confusing as it sounds.
Basically, figure out how many calories your protein and fat intake will account for, and then
subtract them from your ideal total calorie intake. However many calories you’re left with to
reach that ideal total… those calories will all come from carbs.
Confused? It’s alright, I’ll show you an example in a second.
The majority of your carb intake should come from foods like fruits and vegetables, rice (brown,
white, whatever), sweet potatoes, white potatoes (they are not evil), and various beans and
whole wheat/whole grain products (unless of course you have issues digesting grains).
An Example Diet Plan
Now let me show you a step by step example of how to put it all together.
Let’s pretend we have a guy who weighs 175lbs and has the primary goal of building muscle.
Let’s also pretend his calorie maintenance level is 2250 calories (just a completely made up
example number).
Here’s how he’d create his diet plan…
1. Since he wants to build muscle, he’d need to create a caloric surplus. With a
maintenance level of 2250 calories, he’d now eat about 2500 calories per day.
2. Next, he decided to go with an even 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Since
he weighs 175lbs, that means he’ll need to eat about 175 grams of protein per day.
Since 1 gram of protein contains 4 calories, that means his protein intake will account
for 700 calories each day (175 x 4 = 700).
3. From there he learned that about 25% of his total calorie intake should come from fat.
Since this example person will be eating 2500 calories per day, he first figured out that
25% of 2500 is 625 calories (2500 x 0.25 = 625). Then, since 1 gram of fat contains 9
 calories, he figured out that he’d need to eat about 69 grams of fat per day (625 ÷ 9 =
69).
4. At this point he sees that he has 700 calories worth of protein and 625 calories worth of
fat, which means a total of 1325 of his daily calorie intake is accounted for (700 + 625 =
1325). But, since he needs to be eating 2500 calories per day, he’d see he has 1175
calories that are not yet accounted for (2500 – 1325 = 1175). So…
5. That means those leftover 1175 calories will come from carbs. Since 1 gram of carbs
contains 4 calories, this person would need to eat about 294 grams of carbs per day
(1175 ÷ 4 = 294).
And that’s it. The most important parts of this example diet plan are done.
This example person figured out they will eat:
 2500 calories per day
 175 grams of protein per day
 69 grams of fat per day
 294 grams of carbs per day
Once again, these are all just completely made up amounts to show an example of how to set
up your diet plan. That’s how you’d do it.
And yes, even though the person in the example above had the primary goal of building muscle,
the diet would have been set up the exact same way if they had the primary goal of losing fat
instead. The only difference is that they would have created a caloric deficit instead of a surplus
in step 1.
The process of putting it all together would remain exactly the same.
But What About Everything Else?
Now, you may be wondering about certain other aspects of your diet besides your calorie,
protein, fat and carb intake.
The thing is… you shouldn’t.
In all honesty, nothing else is that important. Everything described above is what will account
for 99% of your diet’s effectiveness. Everything else is just a minor detail.
All that truly matters diet-wise is ensuring that you eat the right amount of calories each day
along with an optimal amount of protein, fat and carbs that ideally come from mostly higher
quality sources.
After that, it’s all a matter of doing whatever will best allow you to make that happen. What I
mean is…
 Eat at whatever times of the day you want.
 Eat as many meals per day as you want.
 Eat whatever combinations of foods and nutrients you want.
 Organize you diet in whatever way is most convenient, enjoyable and sustainable for
you.
That’s all that matters. Everything else is either extremely insignificant or just a stupid myth
that is scientifically proven to not matter at all (like how you must eat 6 smaller meals per day…
it’s bullshit).
Whatever is best for you, your life, your schedule and your preferences… that’s what you
should do.
But Seriously, What About Everything Else?
Well, in addition to what I just explained, there’s really only a couple of additional tips worth
caring about:
 Drink plenty of water each day.
 Surround your workouts with meals (aka your PRE and POST workout meals) that
contain a nice amount of protein and carbs.
 Get the majority of your calories from higher quality, nutrient-dense sources. Some
junky stuff is fine, but keep it to just a small part of your overall diet.
 Feel free to take a fish oil supplement and a basic multivitamin, use protein powder for
convenience purposes, and possibly consider creatine as well.
And… that’s it.
That’s the ultimate mini-guide to creating the diet plan that will best support your workout
routine and overall goal.
(UPDATE: I’ve now written the diet mega-guide. It’s here: The Best Diet Plan)
What’s Next?
Well, at this point we’ve already covered every major aspect of how to create the workout
routine and diet plan that will work best for you. All that’s left to do now is put it all together
properly and put it into action correctly. To ensure that you do that, let’s start here…
 Sample Workout Routines – Example Weight Training Workouts

If you’ve been following the guide to creating The Ultimate Weight Training Workout
Routine from the very beginning, then congrats… you just learned a ton!
At this point you’ve figured out what your exact goal and training experience level is, found out
how much frequency, intensity and volume is best for you, chose a workout schedule that is
optimal for what you need, selected the exercises that are most ideal for you, learned the
importance of progressive overload, and created a diet plan that will perfectly support it all.
So, good luck putting your workout routine together and have a nice life.
Wait… what? What’s that you say?
You want sample workout routines and example weight training workouts?
Oh, ok. You got it!
However, before we get to those sample workouts, there’s a few things that need to be said
first about the pros and cons of sample workout routines.
Why Sample Workout Routines Are Great
Even though I’ve done my best to explain exactly how to create the weight training program
that will work best for you, it’s always possible that you can still screw something up.
As someone who has spent a ton of time on various fitness/training related forums over the last
10+ years, I’ve seen it happen constantly.
No matter how much high quality information a person is exposed to, it’s up to them to actually
execute it properly. And needless to say, that execution doesn’t always turn out so well.
This seems to be extra true when it comes to designing weight training workouts.
However, that’s where pre-made sample workout routines come in.
Assuming the person designing the sample workouts actually knows what they’re doing, you
end up getting what should be an already proven and extremely effective weight training
program 100% of the time.
And that’s what makes intelligently designed sample workout routines so great. They eliminate
the risks that come with leaving program design in the hands of someone who may not be truly
ready to design themselves a program.
The potential for you to accidentally screw something up (big or small) along the way is gone
and you’re basically guaranteed that your weight training program is set up exactly as it should
be.
That’s why some of the most widely used and highly successful workout routines in existence
are pre-designed programs. They are just what works best for most people, and this is the #1
reason why I released an entire guide of proven workouts (The Best Workout Routines).
On the other hand…
Why Sample Workout Routines Suck
As I’ve said over and over again on this site, the key to creating the most effective weight
training workout routine possible is doing all of the things that are optimal for you, your goal,
your body, your schedule, and your preferences.
And that fact brings us to the only real downside of sample workout routines: they can’t
possibly take ALL of that into account and be absolutely 100% perfect for EVERY SINGLE
PERSON in EVERY SINGLE SITUATION.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s very possible to write up an example weight training routine that
would work amazingly well for the majority of the population with a certain goal…
but everyone? That’s just not possible.
That’s a big part of the reason why a lot of very smart people avoid creating example workout
routines. They prefer to only work with each person individually and create a program that is
tailored to them based on their exact situation and goals.
While that need for individualization tends to be more warranted as you get more advanced
and/or your goals become more advanced, it’s sometimes needed most in the earliest stages
based solely on what you’re capable of.
This Is Especially True With Beginners
Even though beginners are the people who are by far the most in need of having someone
create a workout routine for them, they are sometimes the group that needs the most
individualization.
With intermediate or advanced trainees, everyone is within some sane range and level of
fitness and will be capable of doing similar workouts.
But with beginners, you get ALL kinds of people in ALL kinds of different situations and
conditions who are NOT all capable of the same exercises, workouts and routines.
For example, should an overweight 50 year old woman who sometimes has trouble getting up a
flight of stairs do the exact same sample beginner workout as a fit and athletic 20 year old guy
or girl?
They could both be complete weight training beginners and benefit equally from the same
routine, but the differences in what they can (and maybe should) be doing can vary big time.
So, while the guidelines, principles and fundamentals of the workouts will always be perfect,
sometimes it’s the minor details (which usually don’t matter) that end up causing problems
based on the specific person using the program.
This of course is something I have no control over when designing sample workout routines.
The Solution
And that brings me to my point (I knew I was going to make a point sometime).
The best I (or anyone else) can ever do is lay out sample weight training programs that tend to
be most ideal and effective in MOST cases and for MOST people.
It’s then up to you to determine what you are and are not capable of and then adjust as needed
using the information I’ve explained throughout the rest of this site.
Got it? Good.
Now, with that big point out of the way, let’s get to what you’re probably most interested in
seeing…
The Sample Workout Routines That I Recommend
I guess all that’s left to do now is show you what I consider to be the best workout routines for
most people in most situations.
So, here are the weight training routines that I most often recommend…

Beginner Workouts – The Best Workout Routines For Beginners

If you’re reading this, then you are probably fairly new to weight training and looking for the
best workouts and routines for beginners like yourself.
Good, that’s exactly what you should be doing, and I’m going to provide you with a few proven
sample beginner workouts at the end of this post.
However, before we get into the actual specifics of those routines, there are a few important
things that you need to know about beginner workouts and beginners in general in order for
your results to be as positive as possible.
How To Tell If You’re A Beginner
First, before you start looking for the best beginner workouts and routines, you need to make
sure that you actually are a beginner.
If you are, then a weight training plan that is geared towards beginners is definitely what will
work best for you and it’s definitely what you should be using (as opposed to something more
advanced, which would be terrible for you at this early training stage).
But if it turns out that you’re not a beginner, then you’d be way better off using a program  that
is geared toward intermediate or advanced trainees.
So, I guess the first question we need to answer is: What the hell is a beginner?
As I’ve previously mentioned (Beginners vs Intermediates vs Advanced), I and most others
consider a beginner to be anyone who has been weight training for LESS than 6 months
consistently and intelligently.
And obviously, anyone about to start a weight training routine for the very first time is a
beginner as well.
Once again, that’s 6 months of consistent and intelligent training. I don’t care if you’ve been
training inconsistently for the last decade (or just in an incorrect way where your results were
nonexistent).
If you haven’t been following some sort of intelligently designed weight training routine for the
last 6 months, then you are most likely a beginner, at least for a short amount of time.
This also includes people who DID train consistently/intelligently at some point in their life, but
stopped for a significant period of time. In most cases, you are considered a beginner all over
again.
Now that we know what qualifies a person as a beginner, it’s time to go over the proven
guidelines that should be met by all workouts and routines designed for beginners.
The General Guidelines Of A Beginner Workout Routine
One thing you’ll notice about most beginner workout routines is that they will almost always
have a lot in common.
Why? Because there is a very specific list of weight training guidelines that have been proven to
work best for beginners. And, any intelligent beginner program aims to meet them all.
These guidelines are:
 Higher frequency (usually 3 times per week).
 Full body split.
 Low volume.
 Primarily comprised of basic compound exercises and very little (or nothing) else.
 Very little exercise variety.
  No advanced methods or techniques.
 A huge focus on consistent progression.
And the reason for these very specific guidelines is because all beginner workouts are typically
aimed at reaching the same equally specific goals. Here’s what I mean…
The General Goals Of A Beginner Workout Routine
Whether you realize it or not, all beginners essentially have the exact same goals.
Sure, someone might be more interested in losing a significant amount of fat, and someone
else might be more interested in gaining a significant amount of muscle. Someone else might
just want to get stronger, and someone else might just want to be more fit and healthy.
Those goals are all fine and good, and any intelligently designed beginner program WILL make
each of them happen. But, they are NOT the true goals of a beginner.
See, the true goals of a beginner generally involve becoming better at weight training so you
can then become better at reaching your other weight training related goals (muscle, tone,
strength, fat loss, etc.).
What I mean is, all intelligently designed beginner workout routines are created with these
specific goals in mind:
 Fastest improvement of motor learning, coordination, and proper form.
 Fastest improvement of work capacity, volume tolerance and recovery.
 Fastest improvement in building up a base level of strength, muscle and endurance.
At the beginner stage, these are the goals that are truly important. In fact, it’s reaching these
goals as a beginner that makes those other goals (increased muscle, strength, tone, fat loss,
improved health/fitness level) begin to happen rapidly pretty much as a side effect.
Remember that list of guidelines I mentioned before? Well, they are guidelines because they
allow these goals to be reached at their fastest and most consistent rate.
The Best Beginner Workout Routines
Now that you know how to tell if you are indeed a beginner, what guidelines a beginner
workout routine should typically meet and what the purpose of those guidelines are, it’s time
to recommend some routines that take all of the above into account.
So, in no specific order, here are the workout routines that I most often recommend to
beginners:
My Beginner Workout Routine
Here are 2 slightly different versions of my own ideal weight training program for beginners
with ANY goal (especially people with “looks” related goals). Above all else, this has become my
preferred beginner program:
 The Beginner Weight Training Workout Routine
The Starting Strength Program
Quite possibly the most often recommended beginner routine of them all (especially for people
looking to get as strong as possible as fast as possible), you really can’t go wrong with Mark
Rippetoe’s Starting Strength program or any of its variations.
While I highly recommend picking up a copy of the book (Starting Strength (3rd edition)), you
can find everything you need to know about the Starting Strength program online for free. Start
here:
 Starting Strength Program
 Starting Strength FAQ
Practical Programming Novice Program
Here’s another of Mark Rippetoe’s proven beginner workout routines. This version is slightly
different than the original Starting Strength Program mentioned above, and I personally think
the exercise selection is a bit more ideal for more beginners than Starting Strength is.
It’s once again part of a book that I highly recommend getting (Practical Programming for
Strength Training), but you can once again find virtually everything you need to know about the
program online for free. Start here:
 Practical Programming Novice Program
What’s Next?
Well, first you learned how to create the most effective workout routine possible, and then you
learned how to create the ideal diet plan to support it.
You’ve now just been given some recommendations for what I (and most others) consider to be
the most highly proven/effective routines for beginners which you can either learn from or,
better yet, just use as is.

Intermediate and Advanced Workouts & Routines

If you’re reading this, then you should be past the beginner stage of weight training and in
search of the best intermediate or advanced workouts and routines.
If so, then you’re in luck. I’m going to provide you with a handful of the most proven and
effective intermediate and advanced workout routines for various goals and situations.
However, before we get into the actual specifics of those routines, there are a few important
things that you need to know about intermediate/advanced workouts and
intermediate/advanced trainees in general to ensure your results are as positive as can be.
How To Tell If You’re An intermediate or Advanced Trainee
Before you start looking for intermediate and advanced workouts, the first thing you need to do
is make sure that you actually are an intermediate or advanced trainee.
If you are, then these are the types of workout routines that will produce the best possible
results for you.
However, if you’re not truly at the intermediate or advanced level, then you’d be WAY better
off using a program that is geared towards beginners.
In the weight training world, everyone likes to think they are more advanced than they actually
are, so they always go looking for the more advanced workouts. Unfortunately, all you end up
doing is screwing yourself in the end by using a weight training program that just doesn’t work
optimally for your specific experience level.
So, the question is: What the hell is an intermediate or advanced trainee?
Well, as I’ve previously mentioned (Beginners vs Intermediates vs Advanced), I
consider intermediates to be the majority of people who have been weight training
both consistently and intelligently for at least the last 6-12 months.
By this point you would have, at the very least, already been on some type of proper beginner
program that allowed you to build up a base level of strength and muscle. You should have also
improved your work capacity to some degree and learned proper form on every exercise you’ve
done thus far.
As for advanced trainees, I consider them to be anyone who has already gotten the majority of
the results they’ve wanted to get and are fairly close to reaching their natural genetic potential.
So basically, if you are reading this and you are legitimately past the beginner’s stage, I’d say
there is a 95% chance you are an intermediate, and a 5% chance you are advanced.
Whichever it is (trust me, it’s intermediate), you’re ready for the next level of weight training
workouts and routines. Here’s what that “next level” typically entails…
The General Guidelines of an Intermediate/Advanced Workout Routine
Unlike beginners who all typically tend to benefit most from the same type of workout
regardless of their specific goals, workouts for intermediate and advanced trainees can
vary GREATLY depending on exactly what the person is looking to get out of weight training.
For example, a program geared strictly towards strength or performance can look completely
different than a program geared strictly towards building muscle and looking good.
For this reason, there really are no true guidelines that should ALWAYS stand for all
intermediate/advanced workout routines because there are so many individual variables that
come into play.
However, there are a few guidelines that usually stand in most cases most of the time, because
they are what usually works best at the intermediate and advanced level:
 Moderate frequency. Each muscle group/movement pattern should typically be trained
to some degree between once every 3rd and 5th day.
 Moderate volume. Most larger muscle groups should usually get between 60-120 reps
per week total, and most smaller muscle groups should usually get about half that.
 A potential mix of free weight, body weight and machine exercises as well as
a potential mix of compound and isolation exercises.
 A potential use of more advanced methods and techniques.
 A potential higher variety of rep ranges.
 A focus on progression.
The Best Intermediate and Advanced Workouts & Routines
Now that we’ve gone over the basics of what typically goes into creating an intermediate or
advanced workout routine and you’ve confirmed that you truly are (or are not) an intermediate
or advanced trainee, it’s time to recommend some workouts for different weight training goals
and situations.
So, in no specific order, here are the routines that I most often recommend to
intermediate/advanced trainees based on their goal…
Workout Routines For Building Muscle
If your primary goal is building muscle, getting “toned,” or improving the way your body looks,
these are the programs I recommend:
The Muscle Building Workout Routine
This is the weight training program that I have personally used and recommended most often
to intermediate or advanced trainees looking to build muscle or really just improve the way
their body looks in any capacity.
The full details are here:
 The Muscle Building Workout Routine
The Best Workout Routines
While The Muscle Building Workout Routine might be one of my favorite and most
recommended programs, there are actually quite a few highly effective workouts that I’ve
personally used and designed for others with GREAT success over the last 12+ years for the
purpose of building muscle and looking awesome.
And since so many people have asked for them, I’ve now put together a completely NEW
premium guide containing every single one of those highly proven workouts.
The full details are here:
 The Best Workout Routines
Workout Routines For Improving Strength & Performance
If your primary goal is increasing strength or improving performance, these are the programs I
recommend:
Bill Starr’s 5×5 (aka Madcow 5×5)
As one of the most proven and highly recommended strength-oriented workout routines out
there, Bill Starr’s 5×5 (also referred to as Madcow 5×5) is pretty much as effective as it gets for
getting as strong as possible as fast as possible.
The original website that contained the full details of this program disappeared a while ago, but
luckily other people saved full versions of it and hosted it themselves. Here now is one such
example of where you can find everything you need to know about Bill Starr’s/Madcow’s 5×5
program:
 Bill Starr/Madcow 5×5
Westside For Skinny Bastards (aka WSFSB)
Joe Defranco’s variation of the classic Westside Barbell template is aimed specifically at
athletes, especially skinny ones looking to get both stronger and bigger.
You can check out all 3 versions of his program here:
 Westside For Skinny Bastards Version 1
  Westside For Skinny Bastards Version 2
 Westside For Skinny Bastards Version 3
The Texas Method
Mark Rippetoe is probably most famous for his often recommended and highly proven beginner
workouts. However, his Texas Method program is the next perfect step up for people looking to
move on to a strength-oriented intermediate program.
While I highly recommend getting a copy of his book (Practical Programming for Strength
Training), you can find the full details of this program here:
 The Texas Method
 The Texas Method Write Up via [Link] Forums
What’s Next?
Well, first you learned how to create the most effective workout routine possible, and then you
learned how to create the ideal diet plan to support it.
You’ve now just been given some recommendations for what I consider to be the most highly
proven/effective routines for intermediate or advanced trainees which you can either learn
from or, better yet, just use as is.
At this point, there’s nothing left to do but bring this guide to its conclusion and pass long some
final important information…

The End Of The Ultimate Weight Training Workout Routine

If you’re reading this, then it appears that you’ve made it all the way to the end of my free (and
awesome) guide to creating The Ultimate Weight Training Workout Routine. Sweet!
At this point, I have just 5 things left to say.
1. Congrats!
First of all… congratulations are in order.
You’ve now learned more about weight training, program design, and how to get the results
you want than the majority of the population will ever learn in their lifetime. Congrats!
2. Put It To Use!
I hope you liked the guide and actually use what you’ve learned to create the workout routine
that will work best for you and your specific goal (or use one of my recommended sample
routines).
Because honestly, reading and learning and understanding are great and all, but the only way
it’s truly going to work is if you actually put it into action. So… do that.
3. But Wait, There’s MORE! So Much More!
Believe it or not, I still have a TON of information to share with you here at A Workout Routine.
While The Ultimate Weight Training Workout Routine was pretty damn comprehensive, there
actually is a whole lot of stuff that I purposely left out, skipped over or just felt didn’t fit right as
a part of this guide.
And the more I think about, the more I realize just how much additional important and useful
stuff there is to say about weight training, cardio, diet and nutrition, supplements, building
muscle, losing fat, increasing strength and performance, improving health, and much more.
Luckily, I fully plan on sharing all of it right here on a regular basis. To make sure you never miss
any of it, be sure to subscribe to A Workout Routine using the subscription box directly below
this post.
4. The Best Workout Routines Are Here!
Even though I just covered everything you need to know about designing your own workout
routine (and provided a few sample routines of my own), I’ve realized that many people want
something more.
What exactly? They want MORE highly effective workouts that are already fully designed and
proven to work as quickly as possible. Well… you asked for it, and now it’s here.
Allow me to introduce: The Best Workout Routines
The Best Workout Routines is my brand new guide containing the most highly successful
workouts for every goal, schedule, experience level, training preference and individual need
you can think of.
These are the exact routines that I’ve personally used myself and designed for countless others
over the last 12 years and have seen work better than everything else time and time again.
Trust me, it’s awesome.
You can learn all about it right here: The Best Workout Routines
5. Give Me Your Feedback!
And last but not least, I want to hear your feedback. In fact, I want 3 different kinds of feedback.
 1. First, I want to know what you thought of the guide.
I want to know what you liked best, what section was most useful, what you wish I
covered in more detail or explained better, what you felt was missing (if anything), and
basically your thoughts and opinions on the guide itself.
2. Second, I want to answer your questions.
If you had any questions about any aspect of weight training, creating your routine,
reaching your specific goal (building muscle, increasing strength, losing fat, etc.), the
sample workouts or anything else while reading any part of this guide, just leave a
comment below and ask me. I will answer.
3. Third, I want to hear how well it’s working for you.
Once you start using the information contained in this guide, guess what’s going to
happen? You’re going to start getting the results you want. Sounds good, huh? Trust
me… it is. And when that starts happening for you, I want to hear all about it in the
comments below.
The End
Well, that’s about it.
Once again I hope you liked the guide (and if you did, be sure to tell your friends about it) and I
hope you actually use what you’ve learned from it.
I also hope you subscribe using the subscription box below, because I plan on writing similarly
awesome and useful guides in the future.
And again, if you have any questions, comments, feedback or just want to tell me how well it’s
working for you, just leave a comment below.
Enjoy your results.
 How To Lose Fat – The TRUTH About Fat Loss

There’s a million reasons why people fail to lose fat, but somewhere at the top of that list is just
a fundamental lack of understanding of the scientifically proven principles of how to lose fat.
To show you exactly what I mean, let’s start this off with a list of things that DON’T cause fat
loss.
Things That DO NOT Cause Fat Loss:
 Eating healthy
 Eating “clean.”
 Eating less carbs.
 Eating less fat.
 Eating less junk food.
 Eating less sugar.
 Eating 6 smaller meals per day/every 3 hours.
 Eating “good” foods instead of “bad” foods.
 Not eating after 7pm.
  Cardio.
 Weight training.
 Building muscle and/or getting stronger.
 And MUCH more.
These are all things that can definitely HELP a person lose fat and can definitely assist in the
overall fat loss process. But, in and of themselves, not a single thing on that list actually causes
fat to be lost.
They never have, and they never will. In fact, not a single one of these things actually needs to
be done. You can do the complete opposite of every item on that list and still lose fat just fine
so long as one specific thing IS being done.
So, what is this “thing?” What actually causes fat loss? Let’s find out…
How To Lose Fat: The One Absolute Requirement
Simply put… a caloric deficit. That is the scientifically proven “secret” to losing fat. It literally
can’t happen any other way.
So just what is a caloric deficit? It’s what happens when you burn more calories than you
consume (or consume less calories than you burn… just another way of saying the same thing).
Basically, every single person has a unique calorie maintenance level. This is the amount of
calories that your body requires each day to burn for energy to perform all of the tasks it needs
to perform. From intense exercise like cardio and weight training, to simple daily tasks like
brushing your teeth and getting dressed, to the various physiological functions needed to keep
you alive (like digesting and breathing).
Calories are what our bodies use for energy to do all of these things, and we provide these
calories via the foods we eat. As a result, 3 things can happen…
The 3 Calorie Intake Scenarios
1. If we consume the SAME number of calories that our bodies need to burn each day, we
will be at our maintenance level. Our weight will be maintained because all of the
calories we needed were provided. No more, no less.
2. If we exceed this amount and therefore consume MORE calories than our bodies need,
all of the left over calories that weren’t burned will then be stored on our body in some
form for later use. And guess what form it’s most often stored in? Yup… body fat! This is
known as a caloric surplus, and it is the one and only cause of fat gain.
3. But what we’re interested in is the opposite of this… a caloric deficit. This is what
happens when we consume LESS than our maintenance level amount. What happens
 then is that our bodies are forced to find some other source of energy to burn instead.
And guess what that source most often is? Yup… your own stored body fat! And this is
the one and only cause of fat loss.
So if you maintain your current weight eating 2500 calories per day (just an example), you will
gain weight (mostly in the form of body fat) if you consumed 3000 calories per day. However,
you would lose weight (mostly in the form of body fat) if you consumed 2000 calories per day.
This all remains true regardless of what the source of those calories are (carbs, fat, protein,
healthy, unhealthy, clean, dirty, processed, unprocessed… whatever) or when/how they were
consumed (after 7pm, in 3 large meals, in 6 small meals, every 2 hours, every 5 hours,
whatever).
Exercise Can Play A Role, Too
See how it works? These are the proven fundamentals of how to lose fat, and that was a simple
example of how to create the required caloric deficit via your diet alone (by eating
less calories). I mention this because that same deficit could have also been created via exercise
(by burning more calories).
Meaning, you could have still eaten 2500 calories for the day in the previous example, but then
burned an additional 500 through exercise thus creating the same caloric deficit. Both scenarios
would effectively cause fat loss, as would a third scenario where you did a combination of both
(diet AND exercise).
But no matter which way you choose to do it, one absolute requirement ALWAYS stands. In
order to lose fat, you MUST create a caloric deficit. Nothing else works.
But Then How Do Other Fat Loss Diets Work?
This is the point when various stubborn, misinformed or just annoyingly stupid people like to
mention that other diets cause people to lose fat all the time, and those diets have nothing to
do with creating a caloric deficit.
I mean, people lose fat on low carb diets, low fat diets, paleo diets, vegan diets, raw food diets,
diets that involve eating “clean” instead of “dirty” or not eating after a certain time at night,
and countless other types of diets that involve every gimmick, fad and method you can think
of except the specific task of creating a caloric deficit. But yet, they have all caused people to
successfully lose fat.
What the hell? How can that be? If the only requirement for fat loss is a caloric deficit, and all of
these diets have nothing to do with a caloric deficit, then how do they work? Obviously I must
be wrong about all this calorie stuff, right?
Wrong.
You see, all of these diets and methods just indirectly cause you to create that caloric deficit.
What I mean is, any diet that actually causes you to lose fat did so because it caused you to
create a caloric deficit. That’s a fact. There is literally NOTHING else that could possibly make it
happen. This is the most basic proven science of the human body. Calories in vs calories
out (aka the law of thermodynamics) is ALWAYS the basis for fat loss (or gain).
These diets and methods might never come right out and admit that or say you just need to eat
less calories (partly because it doesn’t fit with their gimmick, partly because people don’t want
to hear that they have to [GASP!] count calories or [GASP!] eat less of them, and partly because
it’s hard to make money off of something that is simple, obvious and free.)
BUT every successful fat loss diet makes you do it anyway. How? By getting you to do things
that just so happen to restrict or reduce your calorie intake. For example…
 Eating less carbs means you’re eating less calories.
 Eating less fat means you’re eating less calories.
 Eating less “dirty” junk food means you’re eating less calories.
 Eating less processed foods means you’re eating less calories.
 Eating less grains means you’re eating less calories.
 Not eating after 7pm causes you to eat less calories.
 A raw food diet, vegan diet, paleo diet or any remotely similar diet eliminates many of
the foods you were regularly eating, which means you’re now eating less calories.
Noticing a trend? In every single case, less calories end up being eaten. And like magic, it causes
you to lose fat. But what some people incorrectly think is that it was the reduction in carbs, or
fat, or grains, or sugar, or junk food, or processed food, or not eating after 7pm or whatever
else that made it happen.
It wasn’t.
It was the reduction in calories that indirectly came as a result of all of these other things. Sure,
these “things” are what caused the deficit to be created, but the deficit itself is what actually
caused you to lose fat.
And that’s how various fat loss diets/methods work despite not directly making you eat less
calories. They just get you to do things that make you eat less calories anyway.
There’s A Ton Of Ways To Create Your Deficit… Pick Your Favorite
Now, if you want to create your caloric deficit by using any of these diets and methods, that is
perfectly fine by me. If any of these or other manners of eating appeal to you for whatever
reason, then I’m all for you using it to reach your fat loss goals.
But if you’d rather just directly create your ideal caloric deficit and then get the calories you do
consume from a nice balance of protein, fat and carbs comprised solely of foods you actually
enjoy eating in a format that is actually convenient and preferable for you, then that’s fine by
me too.
In fact, it’s what I personally do and most often recommend. I explain exactly how to do it for
free) right here: The Best Diet Plan
The point I’m making however is that in every single case with every other diet or method, the
reason it works is simply because a caloric deficit was present. And if it didn’t work, then it’s
simply because a caloric deficit wasn’t present.
There is no other magic or voodoo involved in the actual cause (or lack thereof) of fat loss. It
always comes down to calories in vs calories out.
But wait, what’s that? You think I’m lying? You think I’m making this all up? You think this is just
my opinion or gimmick?
If for whatever reason you still aren’t convinced that what I’m saying is true and accurate (likely
as a result of years of nutritional brainwashing), then allow me to present some additional
proof.
Still Don’t Believe Me? Here’s Some Proof…
There is such an overwhelming (and seemingly infinite) amount of legitimate evidence showing
that everything I’ve explained thus far is 100% true and accurate that I honestly don’t even
know where to begin.
So, here now is just a SUPER TINY sample of some of the MANY examples that come to mind…
 Metabolic and behavioral effects of a high-sucrose diet during weight loss.
This study took 2 groups of women and put them on similar hypocaloric diets (meaning
below maintenance level so that a caloric deficit was present). The only difference
between the diets of the two groups is that 43% of one group’s daily calorie intake came
from sucrose (aka table sugar), while just 4% of the other group’s daily calorie intake
came from sucrose. Guess what happened? Despite one group eating a VERY high sugar
diet and the other group eating a VERY low sugar diet, they both lost equal amounts of
weight and body fat. Why? Because it’s NOT the source of your calories that causes fat
loss, it’s the presence of a caloric deficit.
 Increased meal frequency does not promote greater weight loss […]
This study took 16 overweight men and women and split them into 2 groups. They then
had each person in each group create the same sized caloric deficit and then consume
that same calorie intake every day for 8 weeks. HOWEVER, they had one group eat 3
meals a day, and the other group eat 6 meals a day. Guess what happened? They all
lost the same amount of weight. In fact, the study showed that there was no difference
 at all in fat loss, appetite control, or anything similar. Why? Because meal frequency
doesn’t affect your ability to lose fat or gain fat. Calories do.
 Comparison of isocaloric very low carbohydrate/high saturated fat and high
carbohydrate […]
This study took 83 subjects, estimated the daily calorie requirements of each person
(aka their maintenance levels), and then created a caloric deficit of 30%. They then
divided them up into 3 groups. The first had only 4% of their total daily calorie intake
coming from carbs. The second had 50% of their total calorie intake coming from carbs.
The third had 70% of their total calorie intake coming from carbs. Guess what
happened? Even though some people were eating a VERY LOW carb diet and others
were eating a VERY HIGH carb diet… they all lost the same amount of weight and body
fat. Why? Because low carb or high carb isn’t what makes us gain or lose fat. Calories
are, regardless of how many of them come from carbs.
 Similar weight loss with low-energy food combining or balanced diets.
This study divided 54 obese patients up into 2 groups, both of which were put on low
calorie diets (meaning a caloric deficit was present) and fed similar percentages of
protein, fat and carbs. HOWEVER, one group was given a more balanced diet comprised
of meals that contained protein, fat and carbs, while the second group had their carb
and fat calories separated so they were not eaten together in the same meal. Guess
what happened? They all lost the same amount of weight and body fat. Why? Because
the manner in which you combine foods, organize your meals and consume your daily
calories isn’t what causes fat loss. A caloric deficit is.
 Fat loss depends on energy deficit only, independently of the method for weight loss.
This study divided its subjects up into 2 groups, and had them both create the same
sized caloric deficit. HOWEVER, the difference between them was the manner in which
this deficit was created. One group did it by eating less total calories (diet alone), but
the other group did it by eating less total calories AND burning more calories by doing
cardio (a combination of diet AND exercise). But again, the total weekly caloric deficit
was the same for both groups. Guess what happened? They all lost the same amount of
weight and body fat. Why? Because a deficit of X calories is a deficit of X calories
regardless of whether you burned those calories off via cardio or just didn’t eat them in
the first place. Fat loss isn’t about how you create the deficit, it’s just about the deficit
itself.
 The Twinkie Diet
You know what? This one is so F-ing fantastic that a quick bullet point just doesn’t do it
justice. So…
The Twinkie Diet
And finally, here’s the holy grail of proof for anyone that’s still even remotely skeptical that this
whole calorie thing (and by “thing” I mean scientifically proven fact) truly is the singular answer
to the almighty “how to lose fat” question.
In 2010, Mark Haub (who is a professor of human nutrition at Kansas State University) wanted
to prove the very same thing I’ve been explaining: that fat loss and fat gain always happen as a
result of calories in vs calories out, and that a caloric deficit will ALWAYS cause a person to lose
fat no matter what food sources those calories come from.
To do this, Mark took things to a very extreme point-making level that I would never actually
recommend, but absolutely love for the purpose of proving that calories are what matter most.
Specifically, Mark went on a 10-week diet comprised primarily of snack foods. Twinkies, Little
Debbie cakes, Doritos, Oreos, sugary cereals like Corn Pops and other equally crappy foods that
are all highly processed, lacking in nutritional value, loaded with sugar and “bad” carbs, high in
“bad” fat, contain trans-fat, and possess other similar traits that are common among typical
“junk food.”
But, he also created a caloric deficit.
He went from eating 2600 calories per day (his estimated maintenance level) to eating about
1800 calories per day instead. He just so happened to get the majority of those 1800 daily
calories from the most junky foods you can think of.
The purpose? To prove that despite his daily diet being loaded with sugar-filled garbage and
junk food, he’d still lose fat just fine because a caloric deficit was present.
The result? He lost 27lbs in 2 months and reduced his body fat percentage from 33.4% to
24.9%.
The conclusion? A caloric deficit is the sole cause of fat loss. Even if those calories come from
the shittiest sources known to mankind, fat will STILL be lost. It’s not the source or the quality
of those foods and the calories they provide… it’s the total quantity of it all.
The Opposite Is True, Too
And even though Mark didn’t do a reverse version of this “experiment,” the opposite would be
true, too. Meaning, creating a caloric surplus, regardless of the content of those calories, will
ALWAYS cause those excess calories to be stored on your body in some form (most often as
body fat).
This is equally true whether those calories come from only the healthiest, “cleanest,” most
natural and nutritious foods on the planet, or the same type of junky garbage eaten in Mark’s
experiment. What matters is the caloric surplus itself, not the form or manner in which that
surplus was provided.
Or, to put it another way, eating too many “healthy” and “clean” foods will make you fat just
the same as eating too many “unhealthy” and “dirty” foods will. It’s always the “eating too
much” part that causes this to happen, not the specific foods that were or were not eaten.
The Example Is Extreme, But Understand Its Point
Yes, what Mark did is a CRAZY extreme example, and NO, I’d never recommend anyone try to
actually eat like that. I’m all about getting a sufficient amount of protein, fat and carbs primarily
from higher quality, natural, nutrient-dense foods you enjoy, and keeping the typical junkier
foods to a sane yet enjoyable and sustainable minimum.
What I want you to do however is look at this example for what it is… clear undeniable proof
that fat loss occurs strictly as a result of eating less total calories.
It doesn’t happen as a result of what you eat, when you eat or how you eat. It happens solely as
a result of HOW MUCH you eat. And if a dude losing fat while practically eating nothing but
Twinkies and Oreos still doesn’t prove this to you… then you are a lost cause.
Feel free to get together with the others who are just like you (of which there are unfortunately
and pathetically plenty), and continue to dispense your horrendously bad diet and exercise
advice together while quoting various inaccurate sources of information.
Summing Up Fat Loss
So, for anyone who wanted to know how to lose fat… here’s how. Create a caloric deficit. That
is ALL that EVER works.
Yes, there are a million other factors and components of your diet and workout that play
important roles in successfully, permanently and efficiently getting you to lose fat (while
also maintaining lean muscle mass and being healthy), and a million ways to go about creating
that deficit in a way that is as easy, enjoyable and sustainable for you as possible.
Once again, I fully explain how to do all of that right here: The Best Diet Plan
However, the big point I’m getting at is that ALL OF IT is completely irrelevant and useless to
your goal of losing fat in the absence of that required caloric deficit.
Anyone who disagrees or claims otherwise is often either wrong or just trying to sell you
something that is definitely NOT worth buying. In other words, they should be ignored
completely 100% of the time.
Oh… and mocked, too.
NEW: My brand new fat loss program, Superior Fat Loss, is now available. It’s completely
designed to allow you to lose fat as quickly and effectively as realistically possible… WITHOUT
losing muscle, or feeling hungry all the time, or giving up the foods you love, or doing tons of
cardio, or following annoying diet rules, or experiencing excessive metabolic slowdown and
plateaus, or regaining the fat after you lose it. You can learn all about it right here: Superior Fat
Loss

How To Lose Fat Without Losing Muscle – Burn Fat, NOT Muscle

Not too long ago, I covered how to lose fat. The thing is, there’s a second important topic that
always needs to be covered right along with it. And that is: how to lose fat WITHOUT losing
muscle.
Wait… what?!?!?! Did I just imply that you can lose your pretty hard-earned lean muscle mass
while only trying to lose your ugly body fat??? Yup, I sure did. It’s happened to me and
countless others plenty of times, and it can definitely happen to you.
To understand why and how this is possible and (more importantly) how to prevent it from
happening, you first need to understand an important fact…
Weight Loss vs Fat Loss: It’s NOT The Same Thing!
People often say they want to lose weight. This is sort of a dumb statement, because “weight”
can be a few different things. For example… water, glycogen, muscle or fat. Hell, you can cut off
a leg and you’ll lose “weight” just fine.
In reality however, what most of us want to lose is fat, NOT muscle.
Now, despite some of the crazy things you may have heard before about how to lose fat, the
truth is that there is just one major requirement… a caloric deficit.
As I’ve explained 1000 times before, a caloric deficit is what happens when you consume less
calories than your body needs to burn for energy performing all of the tasks it needs to perform
over the course of the day (move, breathe, pump blood, digest food, etc.).
When that caloric deficit is present, your body is forced to find some alternative source of
energy on your body to burn instead. Ideally, this would ONLY be your ugly stored body fat.
However, it can also be your pretty lean muscle tissue.
Sure, you might want your body to just burn body fat and not muscle, but your body doesn’t
really give a crap about what you want. It just knows that in order for it to survive and function
under the current conditions, it will need to pull stored energy from somewhere. And that can
mean fat, muscle or a combination of both.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to do everything you can to improve the fat:
muscle loss ratio as much as possible and basically signal your body to maintain ALL of your
muscle and ONLY burn body fat. But the question is… how? I thought you’d never ask.
Here now are what I’d consider to be the 8 best ways to lose fat WITHOUT losing muscle…
1. Eat Enough Protein
A sufficient daily protein intake is the single most important dietary requirement for
maintaining muscle. It’s not meal timing, or supplements, or the exact size of your caloric
deficit, or the quality of the foods you eat (more on that nonsense later), or anything else diet
related.
Nutritionally speaking, losing fat without losing muscle is all about eating enough protein every
day. Numerous studies have proven this to be true. Even in the absence of a proper weight
training routine, more of the weight you lose will be body fat rather than muscle mass just as a
result of an increased protein intake.
So, the first step of any muscle-preserving diet is always getting your ideal amount of protein
for the day. The question is… what is ideal?
Well, research and real-world experience have shown that something in the range of 0.8-1.3g
of protein per pound of your current body weight is the sweet spot for people with this goal.
(Note: those who are significantly overweight/obese should use their goal body weight
instead.)
2. Maintain Strength Levels
And now here is the single most important training requirement for anyone who wants to lose
fat without losing muscle. Simply put, the primary training stimulus required for maintaining
muscle is maintaining your current levels of strength.
You know how gradually getting stronger (aka the progressive overload principle) is what
signals your body to begin the muscle building process? Well, on a fat loss diet, just maintaining
your current levels of strength (aka intensity, aka the weight on the bar) is what now signals
your body to maintain muscle.
If that signal goes away, your body’s need to keep your pretty muscle tissue around goes away
right along with it.
That’s why the insanely stupid myth of lifting heavier weights to build muscle but then lifting
lighter weights (for higher reps) when you want to lose fat, get lean and get toned is the
absolute WORST thing you could possibly believe when you’re trying to avoid losing muscle. In
reality, you lift heavy weight to build muscle, and then lift that same heavy weight if you want
to actually maintain that muscle.
If you start purposely lifting lighter weights while in a caloric deficit, your body essentially
thinks: “Hmmm, it looks like we only need to lift lighter weights now. I guess all of that muscle I
built for the purpose of being able to lift heavy weight is no longer needed. Time to start
burning it for energy instead of body fat!”
Not too good, huh? This means that your primary weight training goal is to, at the very least,
NOT lose strength. This in turn will allow you to NOT lose muscle.
For example, if you currently bench press 200lbs for 3 sets of 8 reps, your goal throughout the
duration of your fat loss phase is to end up bench pressing as close to that same 200lbs for 3
sets of 8 reps as you can (or more if possible) when you’re done and all of the fat has been lost.
The same goes for every other exercise in your routine.
Sure, you can continue trying to get stronger and continue trying to make progressive overload
happen while losing fat. It can and does happen (especially for beginners, who should still be
progressing consistently even in a deficit).
But, if you’re past the beginner’s stage, don’t be surprised if it’s MUCH harder to do (if not
borderline impossible in some cases) and the best you can do is just maintain strength rather
than increase it.
This is fine of course, as just maintaining the amount of weight you currently lift on every
exercise is the key weight training requirement for losing fat WITHOUT losing muscle.
3. Reduce Weight Training Volume and/or Frequency
A caloric deficit is really an energy deficit, and while this is fantastic (and required) for losing any
amount of body fat, it kinda sucks for all things training related (recovery, work capacity,
volume tolerance, performance, etc.).
What that means is, the workout routine you were (or would be) using with great success to
build muscle, increase strength or make whatever other positive improvements to your body
under normal circumstances (where there is no deficit present) has the potential to be TOO
MUCH for your body to handle and optimally recover from in the energy-deficient state it is
currently in.
And do you know what this scenario will ALWAYS lead to? One in which you’re not recovering
properly from your workouts? A loss of strength.
And do you know what a loss of strength will ALWAYS lead to, especially while in a caloric
deficit? A loss of muscle.
Like I explained a minute ago (#2 on this list), the key training requirement for maintaining
muscle is simply maintaining strength. The problem is, if you’re using a workout routine that
you aren’t properly recovering from, the opposite of this is going to happen.
This is something that I and so many others have learned the hard way. The workout routine
that seemed perfect before when those beneficial extra calories were present is now the
reason your workouts are getting harder, you’re getting weaker, reps are decreasing, weight on
the bar needs to be reduced, and your fat loss phase (aka the cutting phase) ends with you
having lost way more muscle and strength than you should have.
Been there, done that.
Luckily, It Can Easily Be Prevented
How do you avoid all of this? Simple. By adjusting your weight training program to compensate
for the drop in recovery that comes with being in a caloric deficit. That means reducing training
volume(the total amount of sets, reps and/or exercises being done), reducing training
frequency (the total amount of workouts being done per week and per muscle group), or a
combination of both.
My brand new program, Superior Fat Loss, lays out EXACTLY how to make these adjustments so
you can easily turn any intelligent workout routine for building muscle into one that is ideal for
maintaining it.
Even better, I also include a workout routine I call The Fat Loss + Muscle Maintenance Solution,
which is the workout that I’ve already made these adjustments to and ALWAYS use for
maintaining muscle while I lose fat. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to do the same.
You can download the whole thing right here: Superior Fat Loss
(One possible exception to this would be beginners, as they should already be using an
intelligently designed lower volume beginner routine.)
4. Get Pre & Post Workout Nutrition Right… Still
I once read an article on some diet/training website that tried to make the point that pre and
post workout nutrition become LESS important when your goal is fat loss rather than muscle
growth. I don’t remember the exact reasoning for this (if I did, I’d be making fun of it right now),
but whatever it was… it couldn’t be more wrong.
As mentioned, recovery, work capacity, volume tolerance and overall training performance in
general go to crap as a result of being in a prolonged caloric deficit. And if you haven’t heard,
the entire concept of pre and post workout nutrition is practically built around improving these
very aspects of training and recovery.
That makes the meals you eat before and after your workouts JUST as important (arguably even
more SO) when your goal is losing fat without losing muscle as opposed to just building that
muscle in the first place.
So, what should you eat during these meals? Simple: consume a nice amount of protein and
carbs within 1-2 hours before and after your workout. No need to make it any more
complicated than that.
5. Don’t Reduce Calories By TOO Much
As we hopefully all understand by now, in order to lose any amount of body fat, you need to
create a caloric deficit (I figure if I repeat it enough times, it will sink in). And that means you’re
going to need to reduce your calorie intake below maintenance level so stored body fat can be
burned for energy instead.
The thing is, that deficit can be classified as small, moderate or large based on how far below
maintenance you go and how much you reduce your daily calorie intake by. Now, while each
degree of deficit has its own PROS and CONS, a moderate deficit of about 20% below
maintenance level tends to be ideal for most people.
Why not a larger deficit? Why not reduce calories by a lot more and make fat loss happen even
faster?
Well, aside from it worsening metabolic slowdown, hormonal issues, hunger, mood, sleep,
libido, lethargy (and more) and simply being harder to actually sustain… another major
downside of a large caloric deficit is that it will have the largest negative impact on training and
recovery.
And that means that reducing your calorie intake by TOO much will increase the potential for
strength and muscle loss. For that reason, I’d recommend most people stick with no more than
a moderate deficit. Those who are already quite lean and looking to get REALLY lean may do
better with an even smaller deficit.
6. Incorporate Calorie/Carb/Nutrient Cycling
I can never decide if I want to refer to it as cycling calories, carbs or nutrients (they sound
different but it’s all the same thing), so give me a second while I “eeny, meeny, miny, moe” this.
[8 seconds later…]
Alright, calorie cycling it is.
And what it refers to is eating more calories on certain days (typically training days) and less
calories on other days (typically rest days). This is done primarily by manipulating carbs and/or
fat, as protein is something we want to be high every day… especially when our goal is to lose
fat, NOT muscle.
Now, with a more simple and straight forward fat loss diet, you’d consume about the same
amount of calories and nutrients every day and be in a similar sized deficit each day of the
week.
But with calorie cycling, you’d be in a larger deficit on certain days, but then a smaller deficit or
possibly even NO deficit at all on the other days (this is also known as a refeed). However, at
the end of the week, the total amount of calories consumed would still be the same. It’s just
the method of getting there (eating less on certain days, more on others) is different.
The theoretical purpose for doing this is to improve everything from training performance,
recovery and calorie partitioning, to hunger, metabolic rate and of course… our ability to
maintain muscle and strength while we lose fat.
Does it actually work? Well, this is something I’ve been experimenting with a lot over the last
decade, and I’ve become a HUGE fan of it.
Not just for maintaining muscle while losing fat (which I’ve found it works great for), but also
for diet adherence, controlling your appetite, and keeping you happy and satisfied. That’s why
calorie cycling and refeeds are a big part of my Superior Fat Loss program. It covers exactly how
I recommend doing it.
7. Take Diet Breaks When Needed
Can we all be honest for a second? Regardless of how you go about making fat loss occur, the
simple fact is that it kinda sucks either way. Your body doesn’t really like being in a caloric
deficit, and as anyone who has ever tried to lose any amount of fat already knows, your mind
sure as hell doesn’t like it either.
The truth is, there are a ton of physiological and psychological aspects of being in the energy-
deficient state required for fat loss to take place that just plain suck. From the aforementioned
drop in recovery and performance to the changes in leptin, ghrelin, testosterone, cortisol,
insulin, thyroid, metabolic rate and more, the human body (and mind) just run a whole lot
better with no deficit present.
And that brings us to the concept of the diet break.
The exact definition of what a diet break is will vary based on who you ask, but I think of it as a
1-2 week period where you come out of the deficit and back up to maintenance level for the
purpose of briefly allowing all of the things that suck about fat loss to recover and go back
normal for a little while.
There are dozens of potential benefits (some physical, some mental) that come from taking diet
breaks like this, but the reason I’m mentioning it here are for its performance and recovery
related benefits. Why? Because any improvement there will help with our goal of maintaining
muscle and strength while we lose fat.
The specifics of when and how often a diet break should be taken would require its own article
(UPDATE: instead of an article, I’ve now written an entire chapter in Superior Fat Loss all about
it), but the basic point is that while people with LESS fat left to lose will generally need/benefit
from a diet break more than someone in the early stages of losing a lot of fat, the fact remains
that it can be quite beneficial for many reasons… one of which is preserving muscle.
8. Avoid Excessive Amounts Of Cardio (Or Just Don’t Do ANY At All)
This all goes back to what I mentioned 100 times already about recovery being reduced as a
result of calories being reduced. For this reason, ALL of the exercise you’re doing (not just
weight training, but cardio as well) may need to be reduced or adjusted to some extent to
compensate for this and help prevent muscle loss.
Now, weight training obviously still needs to be kept around as it provides the primary signal
that tells our bodies to maintain muscle and only burn body fat. But cardio? That’s completely
optional.
And honestly, I feel there is no more overrated and over-given-a-shit-about aspect of fat loss or
muscle growth than cardio. Obviously if your goal is endurance or performance related, my
opinion would change. But strictly in terms of just improving the way your body looks? I hate
cardio.
In fact, I rarely do any myself and my default recommendation for most people with body
composition related goals is to do little or even NO cardio whatsoever. I’d much rather see
people create their deficit via diet alone, use weight training to build/maintain muscle, and use
cardio as a last resort tool for when you reach a point where lowering calories any further
becomes too difficult and you’d rather burn those calories off instead.
Here’s why…
 HIIT (or really any high intensity cardio) will cut into the recovery of both your nervous
system AND muscle fibers almost in the same way an additional weight training workout
would.
 Typical steady state cardio (30 minutes of jogging, for example) will also cut into
recovery, albeit not nearly as much as HIIT can.
 And excessive amounts of steady state cardio (let’s say 60+ minutes of jogging and/or
doing it every single day) is often quite problematic in terms of preserving muscle.
When you weigh these CONS against the PROS of cardio (it burns some calories… yay!), you
begin to realize that it may not be worth doing for the purpose of losing fat… specifically for
people whose primary goal is to lose that fat without losing muscle.
Don’t get me wrong here… both HIIT and steady state cardio are useful fat loss tools for sure
and I’m definitely not against doing them. It’s just that, considering cardio is IN NO WAY
required for losing fat and that doing it could potentially hurt your ability to maintain muscle
(plus it’s boring as hell)… I don’t really see the point.
Obviously personal preferences and individual differences play the most important role here,
but generally speaking… I rarely recommend cardio by default or do much of it myself. And
when I do, my first choice is always 30-60 minutes of brisk walking. Still burns a decent amount
of calories and won’t cut into recovery. Win-win.
What About Eating Only Healthy & “Clean” Foods?
After looking over this list of what I’d consider to be the most important/effective ways to
maintain muscle while losing fat, some people might be wondering if I forgot to mention one
final tip.
The “tip” I’m referring to is to eat healthier, cleaner, natural foods instead of unhealthy, dirty,
processed foods. Why? Because doing so will supposedly make a significant difference in terms
of getting the “weight” you lose to be fat instead of muscle.
As nice as that theory sounds, the truth is that with all else being equal (total calorie and
macronutrient intake, strength being maintained, etc.), clean vs dirty, healthy vs unhealthy,
processed vs unprocessed really doesn’t matter at all in terms of calorie partitioning and
whether the “weight” you lose ends up being fat (good) or muscle (bad).
Now obviously in terms of things like overall health, appetite control and diet adherence there
are some big differences, which is why I’d always recommend getting most of your calories
from higher quality foods rather than junky garbage. But the common thought that changes in
body composition are directly influenced by a food being “clean” or “dirty” is total bullshit.
So no, while it’s still a great idea, it’s not an idea that will (in and of itself) improve your ability
to maintain muscle while losing fat. Which means, it doesn’t belong on this list.
Goodbye Fat, Hello Muscle!
There you have it… the 8 best ways to ensure you lose fat without losing muscle in the process.
The first 2 items (sufficient protein intake and maintaining strength) are BY FAR the most
important. It just so happens that the majority of the other items on this list are proven to
significantly help make those things (specifically strength maintenance) actually happen.
So, if you’ve ever lost any muscle or strength while trying to lose fat or are just concerned it
might happen to you in the future… this is how you can prevent it.
NEW: The Program That Puts All Of This Together
I wrote this article a few years ago, and it has gone on to become one of the most popular
things I’ve ever written. Unfortunately, losing muscle while trying to lose fat continues to be a
huge problem for people, as I hear from both men and women on a daily basis who struggle to
properly implement the recommendations we just covered.
That’s why I decided to finally do something about it.
I just spent the last year putting together a program that is designed from top to bottom (diet,
workout, everything) to help you finally solve this problem. In addition, I also designed this
program to solve many of the other common problems we all deal with when trying to shed
body fat. You know… like feeling hungry all the time, not being allowed to eat the foods you
love, metabolic slowdown, weight loss plateaus, too much cardio, annoying diet rules, losing
motivation and on and on and on.
If you struggle with any (or all) of these problems, I created this program for you.
Full details are here: Superior Fat Loss

What Is The Best Way To Lose Weight Fast And Keep It Off?

Today I want to talk to you about weight loss.

Nah, screw that. I want to do a lot more than talk to you about it.
I want to help you fully understand it and then successfully make it happen. To do this, I’m
going to provide answers to three of the most common (and important) questions…
 What is the best way to lose weight?
 What is the fastest way to do it?
 What is the best way to permanently keep it off after you’ve lost it?
Let the games begin.
But First… The Clarification
In order to properly answer these questions, we need to make sure we understand what it is
we’re trying to answer. You see, we might be talking about “weight loss,” but what we’re really
interested in is “fat loss.” That’s what we want this lost “weight” to be.
Now that may seem like an annoying nitpick of semantics, but it’s not. There is a very important
distinction that needs to be made here.
As I almost always mention in every article I write about this subject (seriously, if you’re a
regular reader, you’ve seen me say this approximately 80 billion times before), you could lose
fat, muscle, water, glycogen, poop and more, and the scale will tell you that you lost weight.
However, out of everything on that list, the one you’re truly seeking to lose here is fat.
This point is important for two reasons:
  To help you avoid losing muscle, or avoid seeking weight loss at the expense of muscle
loss. Basically, the secondary goal of everyone trying to lose weight should be to
preserve as much lean muscle as possible while that weight is lost, thus ensuring it’s
primarily body fat. This is a topic I’ve covered in detail before: How To Lose Fat Without
Losing Muscle
 To help you avoid useless nonsense that will cause some temporary weight loss, but
won’t do dick in terms of causing any actual fat loss. This would be stuff like cleanses,
detoxes, fasts and other similarly pointless garbage marketed as miracles to people who
don’t understand the difference between fat loss and weight loss… in the hope that
they’ll be so easily fooled by the fast initial decrease in body weight that takes place that
they won’t actually notice there was no body fat lost… or that any weight (water) they
do lose is instantly regained right after. Yes, that was a really long sentence.
So while people use these phrases interchangeably all the time (and I’ll probably do it a few
dozen times in this article), and we know what most people truly mean when they use them,
it’s still worth noting the very important difference between them. It matters. You’ll see why in
a few minutes.
With me so far? Cool. Now let’s start answering the first question…
What’s The Best Way To Lose Weight?
I’ve spent a whole lot of time trying to answer this one, and what I’ve discovered is that it takes
a combination of three things:
1. A fact.
2. A method for implementing that fact.
3. An approach to implementing that method.
Let me show you exactly what I mean…
Step 1: The Fact
So what’s the best way to lose weight? That’s easy: create a caloric deficit.
Not only is this the “best” way, but the bonus here is that it’s literally the only
way. Literally literally. There is no other (non-surgical) way of losing body fat. A caloric deficit is
a requirement and every single smart, sane, evidence-based person agrees. That’s my nice way
of saying that everyone who disagrees is either misinformed, stupid or crazy. Or all of the
above. Or maybe just trying to sell you something useless (so misinformed, stupid, crazy or an
asshole).
So what is a caloric deficit, you ask? It’s what happens when you consume less calories than
your body needs to burn for energy, thus requiring it to find some alternative fuel source to
burn instead. That alternative fuel source is your stored body fat. I explain all of this in detail
right here: How To Lose Fat
Wait… what’s that you say?
“But what about the glycemic index and cortisol and clean foods and super foods and slow
metabolisms and starvation mode and carbs and meal frequency and 40 thousand other
things?!?!”
Um, no.
“But calories in vs calories out is too simplistic and doesn’t apply to humans and blah blah
blah!!”
No. Just no. (Details: The Energy Balance Equation)
“This is just your preference and you’re trying to pass it off onto everyone else!!”
Sure, if by “preference” you mean “proven fact,” you’re right. As I’ve said before, there’s a
reason it’s called the law of thermodynamics and not the opinion of thermodynamics.
“But I tried creating a caloric deficit and it didn’t work for me?!?!”
The key word there is “tried.” If you successfully did it for a reasonable period of time, it would
have worked. 100% of the time, in fact. So if it didn’t, there was simply no deficit present. Yes,
even if you undeniably believe that there was. I promise you, there still wasn’t. Details
here: Why Am I Not Losing Weight?
“But I’m losing weight right now and I’m not paying any attention to calories!! My diet allows
me to eat as many calories as I want!!”
That’s fantastic. Please let me be the first to congratulate you on unintentionally creating the
required caloric deficit you needed. Or, slightly more bluntly, for being too stupid to realize
your often pointlessly restrictive “calories-don’t-matter” diet has tricked you into eating less
calories. More about that right here.
“But [insert someone/something widely regarded as a terrible source of information] says…”
lolz!
Sorry kids, but the answer is still no. Calories in vs calories out is, was and always will be the
key. If you want to lose weight (and by “weight” again we’re really talking about fat), there
must be a caloric deficit. This is a fact.
Always has been, always will be.
And please note that this isn’t me saying that nothing else matters besides calories. That’s not
true at all and I’m definitely not saying that. PLENTY of other stuff matters. What I AM saying is
that the deficit is always what matters most. Take that away and no fat will ever be lost
regardless of everything else. On the other hand, put the deficit in place and completely screw
up the rest and guess what? Fat will still be lost 100% of the time.
Yes, even if most of your daily calories come from:
 Twinkies (real world example)
 Potatoes (real world example)
 Fast food (real world example)
The one thing each of these extreme examples have in common is the presence of a caloric
deficit. And for that reason alone, fat was lost just fine in all three cases. (And no, I don’t
actually recommend these “diets” or anything similar to them. They are however perfect
examples of real world evidence that support my point.)
So what’s the best way to lose weight? By creating a caloric deficit. This is not an opinion, or a
concept, or a method, or even just my personal favorite way. It’s the required way. If you still
want to argue against it, feel free. Just understand that when you argue against a fact, you’re
guaranteed to be wrong. That’s just how facts work.
Step 2: The Method
Now let’s move on to part 2 of determining the best way to lose weight. And that is by coming
up with the best method of implementing our one required fact.
Or to put that another way, what’s the best way to create a caloric deficit?
There are really only three possible options…
1. Diet: Eating Fewer Calories
So if you maintain your current weight eating 2500 calories per day (which is just a
random example), eating 2000 calories per day would put you into a 500 calorie deficit
(which is just a random example deficit) and cause weight loss to happen.
2. Exercise: Burning More Calories Through Cardio And/Or Metabolic Training
So using this same example, if you eat 2500 calories per day but then burn an additional
500 calories through exercise such as cardio (e.g. steady state or HIIT) or metabolic
training (which is essentially turning more strength-focused weight training into a form
of high intensity cardio), that same 500 calorie deficit would exist and you would lose
weight.
3. Diet + Exercise: A Combination Of Both
Again using this same example, if you eat 250 fewer calories and burn 250 more
calories, this same 500 calorie deficit would exist yet again, thus causing weight loss to
occur.
So the question now is, which of these three methods is the best of them all?
Well, strictly in terms of fat loss and with all else being equal, a deficit is a deficit. So whether
it’s created by eating less, burning more or a combination of the two, you’ll lose virtually the
same amount of fat at virtually the same rate.
So then which method is best? Simple: whichever one best suits your personal needs and
preferences, is most convenient, efficient and sustainable for you, and will make you most
likely to consistently be in the required deficit you need to be in.
Meaning… how would you like go about creating your deficit? Which method would you prefer
to use? Different people will give different answers, which is why you’re honestly the only
person who can answer this question.
Here are my best attempts at helping you:
 How Much Cardio Should I Do To Lose Weight?
 Weight Training Workouts For Burning Fat
But wait, there’s more!
You may have noticed that I purposely went out of my way to name cardio and metabolic
training as the types of exercise being used for the “exercise” method. That’s because in terms
of exercising for the explicit purpose of burning calories and losing fat, cardio and metabolic
training are the two most efficient choices.
There is however one other form of exercise I didn’t mention, and that is strength-focused
weight training. You know, the kind of weight training you’d use primarily to gain
muscle and/or increase strength rather than burn calories and create a deficit like these other
two are much better suited for.
Now, sure, this style of training burns some calories as well which means it will certainly help a
bit in that regard. But, it’s just not what it’s best used for in this context. Rather, this style of
training is best used as a method of maintaining muscle and strength while losing fat (and
in certain cases, building muscle while losing fat).
Remember our little weight vs fat clarification from before?
Well, in terms of losing weight, all forms of exercise are completely optional. Seriously. Your
deficit can very easily be created through diet alone and not a second of cardio, metabolic
training, strength training or anything else ever needs to be done at all. (Which, by the way, is a
point I wish all of the “I want to lose weight so badly but I just don’t have any time to exercise”
people would realize.)
But in terms of improving the composition of the weight being lost (fat or muscle), the cardio
and/or metabolic stuff still remains completely optional (yes, seriously… and I personally rarely
do any myself). HOWEVER, heavy, intelligent, strength-focused weight training now becomes
a requirement.
Why? Because some form of heavy, intelligent, strength-focused weight training is what signals
your body to preserve muscle mass in a deficit, thus helping to ensure the “weight” being lost is
primarily body fat.
Now if all you care about is just losing weight, seeing the number on the scale go down, fitting
into smaller clothes and being skinnier, you’ll be fine without it. If, however, you want to
maintain whatever muscle and strength you currently have or potentially gain more muscle and
strength while you lose this fat, or you simply want to look strong/lean/toned/muscular/other-
similar-words instead of skinny/thin… then you will NOT be fine without it. For this
purpose, heavy, intelligent, strength-focused weight training is required. 
Additional details here: How To Lose Fat Without Losing Muscle
So what does all of this mean for the “method” portion of weight loss? It’s pretty simple.
Decide how you want to create your deficit. You can do it through diet, a typical calorie-burning
form of exercise (e.g. cardio), or some combination of both. And make this decision based
solely on your own personal preferences and needs because that’s really the only part of this
decision that actually matters. Pick the most convenient, efficient and sustainable option for
YOU.
Then, assuming you don’t want to lose muscle/strength while you’re in this deficit (or that
you’d like to gain some while you’re in this deficit), combine that deficit method with the type
of heavy, intelligent, strength-focused weight training needed to ensure this second goal is
taken care of, too. (Superior Muscle Growth contains workouts that fit this description.)
If you care what I think, my default advice is to use your diet to cause fat loss (meaning set the
deficit by eating a little less than you currently do), and use weight training to maintain (or
increase) muscle and strength. Cardio and/or metabolic training are completely optional.
I prefer using them only if I ever reach a point where I’d rather start burning a little more rather
than eating a little less. Which is rare as hell. But that’s just me. You should do whatever is best
for you.
Step 3: The Approach
Okay, quick recap.
We know that losing weight requires a caloric deficit (the fact), and we know this deficit can
come to exist via diet, exercise or a combination of both (the method).
The final part of this equation is the approach. As in, what type of diet and/or workout should
you use to create this deficit?
Well, in terms of exercise, we kinda already just covered the majority of what you need to
know. Additional details you might be seeking are covered here: What’s The Best Cardio
Exercise?
What I really want to focus on now is how you should approach your diet. Because, in case you
haven’t noticed, there are about 150 billion dietary methods out there aimed at allowing a
person to lose weight. The only question is, which one is the best of them all?
In order to answer this, we need to come up with some kind of classification system to narrow
things down a bit. And if you ask me, there’s really only one form of diet classification worth
mentioning…
The Direct Deficit vs The Indirect Deficit
Basically, we can put every diet designed for weight loss into one of two groups:
1. Diets built around directly creating a caloric deficit.
2. Diets built around doing other things that indirectly cause you to create a calorie deficit
(all typically while claiming/pretending/assuming it’s these other things that are making
weight loss occur when in reality it’s still always the deficit these other things indirectly
caused).
With all else being equal (e.g. adherence), every diet in the first group is guaranteed to work.
Always. Every time.
The diets in the second group? With all else being equal, most of them CAN work. And many DO
work. No doubt about that at all. The problem however is that in this case, it’s less of a
guarantee and more of a lucky side effect.
What I mean is, the diets in Group 1 are all about figuring out how many calories you need to
consume in order for your deficit to exist, and then simply putting everything else together with
that calorie intake as the foundation of your diet.
The diets in Group 2 don’t do this. What they do instead is ignore calories while placing various
rules and restrictions on the way that you eat (e.g. special foods/food groups you can eat,
special foods/food groups you must avoid, special times you can eat, special times you must
avoid eating, special combinations of foods must eat or avoid, and on and on and on), thus
indirectly causing you to eat less… thus indirectly causing a deficit to exist.
Hopefully.
So think of the low carb diet. Or the low fat diet. Or a diet that eliminates all sugar, or wheat, or
grains or gluten or whatever else. Or the paleo diet, or a vegan diet, or a raw food diet, or an
organic diet. Or a diet built around only eating “clean” foods. Or any diet that puts some non-
calorie-based limit on when, how or what you can eat. Or 800 other similar examples.
These are all Group 2 diets. Can they cause weight loss? Sure. It happens all the time. However,
it’s never because of any of the specific rules and restrictions they entail (even though they will
all claim that it is). It’s always because those rules and restrictions indirectly caused you to eat
less total calories, which caused the required deficit to exist.
Or at least… HOPEFULLY caused that deficit to exist.
And therein lies the problem (well, one of the problems) with all Group 2 diets. You’re doing
stuff you don’t truly NEED to be doing for the purpose of causing the one and only thing you
NEED to be doing. And those non-essential things are not always guaranteed to be enough to
make it happen.
Meaning, regardless of what kind of rules/restrictions a diet employs, it’s always going to be
possible for a person to out-eat them. So while limiting this, this and that
should hypothetically make it harder for someone to eat more calories than they should be, it
certainly doesn’t make it impossible.
Which is a fact many people on these types of diets unintentionally prove on a regular basis.
And that, combined with the fact that these various unnecessary rules and restrictions often
force you to eat in a manner that doesn’t fit your personal preferences or just flat out annoys
the crap out of you (thus often leading to problems with adherence and long term
sustainability… more about that later), is the main difference between Group 1 diets and Group
2 diets.
Let me make this extra clear:
 If you want to do a bunch of unproven, gimmicky, fad-ish, non-evidence-based, non-
science-based, sometimes unhealthy, largely-if-not-entirely-unnecessary things with
your dietary approach for the purpose of maybe indirectly causing the one proven, non-
gimmicky, non-fad-ish, evidence-based, science-based, healthy and necessary thing (a
caloric deficit) to happen… then a Group 2 diet is perfect for you.
 If however you’d rather just directly set your calorie intake to an amount that causes fat
loss to occur, and then get all of those calories from a good balance of protein, fat and
carbs, and then get those nutrients from a variety of foods you truly enjoy eating, and
then put it all together in whatever the hell way best suits your personal preferences
and is completely free from all of the stupid rules and restrictions that make weight loss
a lot harder than it needs to be… then a Group 1 diet is perfect for you.
I don’t know about you, but my vote goes to Group 1.
For the full step-by-step details on exactly how to set up a diet fitting this description, check out
my free guide to doing just that: The Best Diet Plan
What’s The Best Way To Lose Weight… FAST!!
Alright, so now we’ve fully answered the first of our three questions. We learned the
required fact, figured out a method for implementing that fact, and came up with
an approach for implementing that method.
Which brings us to question #2, which tends to be the one everyone cares about the most: how
do we do it all as FAST as possible?!?!
As in, how do you lose weight fast?
Well, the way I see it, there are really only three “options” to consider:
1. Silly Temporary Water Loss
So what’s the fastest way to lose weight? Simple. By losing something that ISN’T body fat.
The most common example is water. To quote myself from the beginning of this article…
This would be stuff like cleanses, detoxes, fasts and other similarly pointless garbage marketed
as miracles to people who don’t understand the difference between fat loss and weight loss… in
the hope that they’ll be so easily fooled by the fast initial decrease in body weight that takes
place that they won’t actually notice there was no body fat lost… or that any weight (water)
they do lose is instantly regained right after.
So sure, if you wanna waste some time doing silly (often unhealthy) nonsense that will make
it temporarily appear as though “fast weight loss” has taken place, this is how it is done (and
no, I definitely don’t recommend it… at all… even a little). You’ll basically just lose a bunch of
water weight and then regain it soon after all while having no effect whatsoever on the body fat
you’re actually trying to lose.
Then again, you can also cut off one of your legs and achieve a similar “fast weight loss” effect.
Although, in this case, the results will be waaaay less temporary.
(Disclaimer: please don’t cut your fucking leg off.)
2. Unrealistic Expectations
Then we have what can best be described as the insane, unrealistic expectations people have
about weight loss that exist primarily as a result of being lied to by the weight loss industry for
the purpose of getting you to buy a bunch of useless crap.
You know… magic pills, powders, equipment, diets, workouts, programs or whatever else that
will supposedly allow you to “get the six pack of your dreams in just 4 weeks!” Or “torch 30lbs
of belly fat in just 1 month!” Or “melt away 20lbs of fat every week!”
And so on.
It all sounds nice. And it all panders to our universal desire for getting the fastest results
possible. And it all does a pretty good job of convincing millions of people to buy a lot of
shit that does nothing.
But unfortunately, it’s just not how weight loss actually works in the really real world. Or how it
could ever come close to working outside of our unrealistic hopes and dreams.
3. The Size Of The Deficit
Now for the big secret behind legitimate fast weight loss.
Although honestly, this “big secret” isn’t a secret at all. It’s just common sense. And math.
Basically, if a caloric deficit is the sole cause of fat loss, the sole determinant of what makes it
happen slower or faster is the size of that deficit.
Meaning…
 A larger deficit (let’s say 30% or more below maintenance) will cause faster weight loss.
 A smaller deficit (let’s say 10% or less below maintenance) will cause slower weight loss.
 A moderate deficit (let’s say 20% below maintenance) will cause weight loss to occur at
a rate somewhere in between.
So if you maintain your current weight eating 3000 calories per day (just an example), ending
up some degree below 3000 calories would put you into a deficit. As I explained before, you can
do this by either eating less, burning more, or some combination of both. For the purpose of
showing examples, I’m going to pretend it’s done by eating less.
So, if 3000 calories is some example person’s maintenance level, they could eat 2100 calories
per day, 2700 calories per day, or 2400 calories per day… respectively.
What would the difference be between these 3 scenarios? Well, in terms of the speed at which
weight loss takes place, the bigger deficit will cause the fastest weight loss. And vice-versa.
Now if this was the only factor worth considering, aiming for the largest deficit possible
(something even bigger than the 30% example) would make all of the sense in the world, right?
Unfortunately, speed is NOT the only factor to consider here.
Health (both physical and mental… my breakdown of “starvation mode” covers some of the
lovely effects of very low calorie diets), the potential for nutrient deficiencies, the potential for
disordered eating habits to develop, the potential for food and body image issues to develop,
strength, performance, recovery, muscle maintenance, hunger, mood, metabolic issues, etc.
etc. etc. and just your overall ability to consistently stick to your diet in the short term and then
sustain it in the long term are all factors that need to be taken into consideration as well.
And, generally speaking, while a larger deficit will always cause the fastest weight loss (good!),
it’s also the most likely to be problematic in terms of these other factors (bad!). A smaller
deficit is the opposite of this… the least problematic in this regard (yay!) but also the slowest
rate of weight loss (boo!).
For this reason, a moderate deficit tends to be the sweet spot for most of the people, most of
the time. You’ll get a lot of the good while avoiding a lot of the bad.
An additional factor that should also be taken into consideration is the amount of weight that
needs to be lost. For example, someone with 100lbs to lose will be able to use a larger deficit
with a much lower risk of any potential downsides (and the more fat you have to lose… the
faster you can and arguably should lose it), whereas someone who is already lean and looking
to get REALLY lean will often do best with a smaller deficit (and thus a slower rate of progress).
So exactly how realistically fast should you expect things to go? Typically between 0.5-2lbs lost
per week in most cases (or potentially more in the case of someone with a very significant
amount of fat to lose).
…And Keep It Off?
Okay, so by now you know how to lose weight, and you know the most relevant aspects of the
“losing it fast” part.
Which brings us to the third and final question: what’s the best way to keep the weight off
(permanently) after you lose it?
Ready to have your mind blown?
I’ve already answered this question throughout this article.
Almost… kinda… subliminally.
Seriously.
You know the answer to this question right now.
Think about it.
See it yet?
How about now?
Just in case you don’t, I’ll lay it out for you.
The best way to keep the weight off after you lose it is by losing it in a manner that is
sustainable in the long term.
That means…
  No quick fixes.
 No silly gimmicks.
 No stupid fads.
 No bullshit products.
 No unrealistic expectations.
 No unnecessary rules.
 No annoying restrictions.
 No unhealthy methods.
 No excessively large deficits.
 No very low calorie diets.
 No extreme amounts of exercise.
 No forcing yourself to eat in a manner that goes against your personal dietary needs and
preferences.
 Just… no.
Because while all of this sort of stuff certainly has the potential to cause weight loss to occur,
research, common sense and an infinite amount of real world experience shows us that people
are much more likely to regain the weight when it is initially lost in a manner fitting any or all of
this description.
Why? Because THIS is the type of stuff that is LEAST sustainable in the long term.
Which means at best, trying to do so will make your life miserable while simultaneously making
it much harder than it needs to be to keep the weight off after you have lost it. And at worst
(and more commonly), you’ll just fail and eventually gain the weight back.
That’s a losing scenario either way.
So how do you avoid it? Simple. You avoid all of the unsustainable stuff in favor of things that
make your results as sustainable as possible.
Because let’s face it, losing fat sucks. It’s not fun. Most of us would love to just sit around and
eat whatever the hell we want whenever the hell we want with no regard for calories,
macronutrients or the quality of that food. For proof of this, look no further than the fact that
this is what most people actually do (and of course why most people are fatter than they want
to be).
Which means, by default, doing anything besides this is always going to suck to some extent. To
make it work, your goal is to make it suck the least amount possible. How do you do that? By
approaching weight loss in a manner that is as efficient, convenient, preferable, enjoyable
and sustainable for you as realistically possible.
Not only will this greatly increase the potential of your weight loss progress remaining
permanent in the long term, but it will also greatly increase the potential of you successfully
losing that weight in the first place.
And that, right there, is the winning scenario you want.

Bulking and Cutting – How To Bulk Up & Cut For More Muscle/Less Fat

Whether you want to build muscle, lose fat or do both, there’s a good chance you’re going to
come across the terms bulking up and cutting in your quest for figuring out how to best reach
those goals.
In fact, I’m sure many of you have already done a couple of “bulk and cut” cycles over the
years, and many others are probably thinking about doing it for the first time. How nice.
The thing is, how successful these bulking and cutting cycles have been for you in the past and
how successful they will be for you in the future depends on a bunch of factors, the most
important of which may just be understanding what these terms DO and DO NOT mean and
applying them accordingly.
So, let’s start with the basics.
What Are Bulking And Cutting?
Honestly, they are just stupid words used to describe building muscle and losing fat. The
reason I call these words “stupid” is because they are quite broad, and that leaves an opening
for them to be interpreted many different ways… some of which are VERY wrong.
You see, in the most general sense, they can be defined the following way:
 The Bulk: A period of time when the primary goal is building muscle, gaining weight,
increasing strength, or all of the above. Calorie intake is increased so a caloric surplus is
present.
  The Cut: A period of time when the primary goal is losing fat, losing weight, getting
leaner, or all of the above. Calorie intake is decreased and/or calorie expenditure is
increased so that a caloric deficit is present.
The final constant about the scenarios these words entail is that they are typically done in
alternating cycles. You know… bulk for X amount of time, then cut for Y amount of time (or vice-
versa depending on your initial goal).
This is how countless people have gone about trying to reach their fat loss and muscle building
goals for decades and will likely still do it decades from now.
Why? Because it works IF it’s done right. However, as you’re about see, that’s a pretty big IF.
Now For The Problems…
What sucks about these words is that they lack details and specifics. The general concept of
each is well known and widely agreed upon, but exactly how those concepts should be applied
will vary.
And therein lies the problem, because there’s a way of bulking and cutting that works well, and
a way that works horribly. Let’s make sure you know the difference.
How To Bulk… The Wrong Way
The typical old-school approach to bulking up tends to take things literally. As in, the goal here
is to just gain a lot of “bulk” at a fairly rapid rate.
Of course, “bulk” can be a few different things (muscle or fat), and while we might want it to
mostly be muscle, this style of bulking doesn’t really put much of a focus on actually making
that happen.
What I mean is, usually…
 Calorie intake isn’t closely monitored. In fact, there’s often little attention paid to
calories beyond just making sure you eat a shitload of them.
 Nutrient intake also isn’t closely monitored (other than maybe protein).
 Food choices are typically “dirtier” than they would normally be (more junk food is
allowed in the diet to provide that aforementioned shitload of calories).
 No cardio activity is done.
 The focus is largely on just gaining weight fast… even if a significant amount of that
weight is ugly body fat rather than pretty muscle. As long as body weight is increasing,
the bulk is successful!
This is the approach that comes with such genius sayings as “just eat as much as you can” and
“eat whatever isn’t nailed down” and the always wonderful “you gotta eat big to get big, bro!”
There is some truth to this of course, as a caloric surplus is definitely required for building
muscle. But here’s the thing… there’s a limit to the amount of muscle a person can build and
the rate at which they can build it (more here: How Fast Can You Build Muscle?).
What this means is that there is also a limit to the amount of calories the human body can
actually put towards the process of muscle growth. Consuming more calories than that amount
doesn’t lead to more muscle growth or faster muscle growth. It just leads to you getting fat as
hell.
See, once you have supplied your body with the extra calories it needs to build muscle, any
additional calories you consume beyond that point will just be stored as fat. And with this style
of bulking (where little to no attention is put on monitoring calories, and the attempted rate of
weight gain is often hilariously high), this is something that always ends up happening.
And that fact right there is EVERYTHING that is wrong with the typical old-school approach to
bulking that a surprisingly high number of stupid people still keep trying to make seem right. It’s
not.
But What About REALLY Skinny People Who Have A Hard Time Gaining Weight?
Now even if you’re someone who agrees that the old-school “bulking up” method of just eating
as much as you can, not closely monitoring calorie intake, and gaining weight fast is totally
wrong and dumb for most people… you might however still feel that there is one exception to
this. A group of people who a typical “just-shut-up-and-eat” bulk IS ideal for.
I’m talking the super skinny. The guys/girls with naturally thin body types and ectomorph
genetics who seem to be unable gain weight and build muscle no matter how hard they try and
how much they eat.
Surely a guy who is something like 5’11 125lbs is someone who would benefit from just “eating
whatever isn’t nailed down” and sticking with the old-school bulking approach we just covered,
right?
Right???
RIGHT??????
Um, as a dude who literally started lifting at exactly 5’11 125lbs… I’m here to tell you that this
approach is still completely and utterly WRONG.
Super skinny or not, eating MORE calories above what is needed for optimal muscle growth will
STILL lead to excessive amounts of fat being gained just the same. Sure, it may seem like less of
a problem if a really skinny person gains that extra fat rather than someone who isn’t as skinny
to start.
But who gives a shit? No one wants to unnecessarily gain extra fat, period. Even the super
skinny.
As someone who once fit that description (it may have even been an understatement), I know I
sure as hell didn’t. But, all of the advice I was hearing at the time made it seem like someone as
skinny as I was needed to ignore everything and just eat a ton. Eat big, get big, right?
Why should someone who is barely 125lbs and the width of a broomstick waste time closely
monitoring their calorie intake or try to gain weight at a slower more moderate pace? Someone
with my body type should be gaining 20lbs in the next 10 weeks!!! Right?
This seemed to make sense in my silly noob head, so that’s exactly what I did. And do you know
what happened? I built some muscle, but I also got fat as hell in the process.
So fat that looking back at those pictures right now still makes me feel terrible. One day I may
even fight the embarrassment and post them as proof that a super skinny guy can easily
become disgustingly fat as a result of old-school bulking methods and just eating big with no
real regard for closely monitoring the exact extent of the caloric surplus and the rate of weight
gain taking place.
Weight Gain Can Happen Fast… Muscle Growth CAN’T
That’s why whenever I see people recommend the “eating whatever isn’t nailed down”
approach, or to not bother closely counting calories, or suggesting you aim for 2 pounds gained
per week (or more), or doing GOMAD (gallon of milk a day) for the purpose of gaining
something as insane as 25lbs in 25 days… I do a combination of laugh and cringe.
Seriously… as someone who started off as skinny as anyone ever will, I can tell you firsthand
that it’s all just flat out wrong. Even for the super skinny. You’ll certainly gain a ton of weight
really fast by following this type of bulking advice. There’s no doubt about that at all, and if all
you care about is just gaining weight, then I guess it’s alright.
But if you actually give a crap about what that weight is, then it’s not alright at all. Why?
Because the majority of that weight will always be fat, not muscle.
And besides making you look like crap (hooray, now you’re skinny-fat instead of skinny), this is
just going to create a much bigger time-wasting job for you when it comes time to cut and get
rid of that fat. Trust me, I know.
And I know how tempting the thought of fast weight gain is to someone super skinny. I also
know how the weight gain feels awesome at first regardless of what the composition of that
weight is. It’s just nice to have people notice that you’re filling out your medium shirts a little
better, even though what’s going on underneath that shirt is getting uglier by the pound.
Still, none of this changes the fact that in the end, this type of bulk will ALWAYS cause you to
gain a bunch of body fat that you DID NOT NEED TO GAIN!
That’s why I feel that the old-school approach to bulking up is wrong for EVERYONE. Not just
“most people,” but the super skinny as well. (Additional details here: Ectomorph Workout &
Diet Guide And The Skinny-Fat Hardgainer Solution)
How To Bulk… The Right Way
And now for the new-school approach to bulking, although I use the term “new-school” loosely.
There’s nothing really “new” about this type of bulk at all. It’s just that many people have finally
seen the light in recent years, so to the people who have been doing it wrong all this time, this
just seems like the newer way to bulk.
In reality, it’s just the smarter way to bulk.
The goal with this approach isn’t to just gain weight, eat whatever isn’t nailed down, and get as
“big” as possible as fast as possible. Instead, the goal here is to build quality lean muscle mass
while keeping fat gains to an absolute minimum.
A caloric surplus is still DEFINITELY required, only now it’s closely monitored and set to a level
that is optimal for both muscle growth AND preventing any unnecessary body fat from being
gained. The same goes for the rate of weight gain. Since muscle can only be gained so fast, the
focus is on slow and gradual (yet still consistent) increases in body weight to ensure muscle is
being gained without a ton of fat coming with it.
Similarly, the rest of the diet plan and the entire weight training routine is set up accordingly to
improve calorie partitioning (meaning how your body uses the extra calories you’re
consuming… to support muscle growth or just go towards fat storage?).
With this type of smart bulking, we’re doing everything we can to ensure muscle is being built
as fast as it can while ALSO doing everything we can to ensure there is as little fat as possible
coming with it.
Now, unless you’re using drugs and/or have the greatest genetics on the planet, everyone will
always gain at least some small amount of fat along with muscle when creating a caloric
surplus. But the goal should be to adjust diet and training to ensure the ratio of muscle to fat
gain is as ideal as it can possibly be. Details here: How To Gain Muscle Without Gaining Fat
And that’s what this approach to bulking is all about (and why some people like to call it a lean-
bulk or a clean-bulk… but it’s really just a smart-bulk).
So whereas an old-school bulk ends with you having gained some muscle along with a ton of fat
that now needs to be lost in order to actually see it, a new-school bulk ends with the same
amount of muscle being built, only now there’s significantly LESS fat that needs to be lost.
(UPDATE: Since writing this article a couple of years ago, I’ve had an insane amount of people
ask me for more specifics about doing the kind of “smart-bulk” I just described. Well, it took me
a while, but I’ve finally put together the ultimate answer. I call it Superior Muscle Growth, and
it’s a program designed entirely for one specific purpose: allowing you to build lean muscle as
quickly and effectively as realistically possible WITHOUT gaining excess body fat along the way.
If you’re interested, I highly recommend it: Superior Muscle Growth)
And that brings us to cutting.
How To Cut… The Wrong Way
The typical old-school approach to cutting is really about just losing weight as fast as possible.
It’s probably because at the end of a typical old-school style bulk, you’re so F-ing fat that you
just can’t wait to get rid of it by any means necessary… no matter how dumb.
And that describes old-school cutting exactly. There’s usually…
 An extra large reduction to your calorie intake.
 A huge increase in cardio… something like 30-60 minutes of steady state activity done 5-
7 days per week is pretty normal (coming from doing zero cardio during the bulk), with
maybe some HIIT thrown in for good measure.
 A switch from heavy weight and low reps (for bulking and building muscle) to light
weight and high reps (for cutting and toning, duh)
 A switch from eating lots of junk while bulking to only eating “clean” foods now that
you’re cutting.
 A switch from barely paying any attention to nutrient intake to now paying all sorts of
OCD-like attention.
 And it’s usually all added instantly and simultaneously as soon as the bulk is over.
If all of that sounds right to you, then please have a close friend or family member kick you
square in the nuts (or, for those without nuts, somewhere equally attention-getting). Everything
associated with the old-school approach to cutting is VERY wrong and VERY counterproductive.
Yes, you’ll lose weight for sure… probably really fast too. But, THAT’S the problem with cutting
this way. “Weight” isn’t just fat… it can also be muscle. And believe me, when following these
methods… you can bet your ass that a significant amount of the weight you lose will be quality
lean muscle instead of body fat.
Yup, the same quality lean muscle you just put in a ton of time and effort to build.
And that fact right there is EVERYTHING that is wrong with the old-school style of cutting.
Losing weight is simple, but ensuring the weight being lost is fat and NOT muscle takes effort
and attention that this approach not only doesn’t provide… but completely goes against. I don’t
recommend it to anyone.
How To Cut… The Right Way
And now for the new-school approach to cutting. Once again, there’s nothing really new about
it. It’s just that it seems “new” in comparison to the silly incorrect way many people have
previously gone about doing it. This is really just the smarter way to cut.
The goal with this approach isn’t to just lose weight as fast as possible. The goal here is to lose
body fat while maintaining all of your hard-earned muscle and strength.
A caloric deficit is still DEFINITELY required, only now it’s closely monitored (as is the rate of
weight loss) and set to a level that will produce optimal fat loss without hindering recovery and
negatively impacting your performance in the weight room (which would lead to muscle loss).
Cardio is completely optional but can still definitely be done to create/help create the required
deficit. However, it’s programmed properly in sane amounts (and intensities) to avoid the
same recovery related problems I just mentioned would lead to muscle loss.
Similarly, the rest of the diet plan (especially protein intake) is set up accordingly to suit the
goal of preserving muscle while losing fat in a way that is the perfect combination of highly
effective, enjoyable and sustainable.
And, most important of all in terms of maintaining muscle… your weight training routine is
designed to provide an optimal muscle maintenance signal, and may also need to be adjusted
to compensate for the drop in recovery/performance that comes with being in a caloric deficit
(thus helping to ensure that strength levels are maintained). My Fat Loss + Muscle
Maintenance Routine (which is now available within my Superior Fat Loss program) makes all
of these adjustments for you.
With this type of smart cutting, we’re doing everything we can to ensure body fat is being lost
as fast as it can be while ALSO doing everything we can to ensure ALL of our lean muscle and
strength is being maintained during the entire process.
So whereas an old-school cut ends with you having lost fat but also a significant amount of
muscle and strength right along with it, a new-school cut ends with the desired amount of fat
being lost without any problem, and muscle and strength levels maintained perfectly (or, in
some cases, possibly even increased).
(UPDATE: I actually just released a brand new program designed from top to bottom to allow
you to lose body fat WITHOUT losing lean muscle. Feel free to check it out: Superior Fat Loss)
The End Result: Wrong vs Right
Now that you’ve seen the major differences between these two approaches to bulking and
cutting, let’s quickly compare their end results.
The WRONG Way To Do It
When you attempt to build muscle in a way that is associated with “old-school bulk up”
methods, you’re always going to end up gaining some amount of excess body fat that you just
didn’t need to gain. When you attempt to lose fat in a way that is associated with “old-school
cutting” methods, you’re always going to end up losing some amount of muscle and strength
that you just didn’t need to lose.
And alternating between these types of bulk and cut cycles is really the ultimate recipe for
disaster. You’ll just keep building underwhelming amounts of muscle and while gaining
overwhelming amounts of fat, and then go on to lose most of that fat while also losing a large
amount (maybe even ALL) of that muscle.
Sounds pretty terrible, huh? Oh… it is. I’ve been there and done that, as have countless others.
You just keep gaining and losing the same weight over and over again and end up EXACTLY
where you originally started at. No real new muscle or strength, and not really any leaner
either. Just spinning your wheels.
If anything, you usually look slightly worse at the end of each bulk and cut cycle.
But that’s what you can expect when you attempt to build muscle and/or lose fat in this
manner. I’d absolutely NEVER recommend it. Anyone who does is an idiot, and you can tell
them I said so.
The RIGHT Way To Do It
Instead, anyone looking to make these kinds of improvements to their body should do it the
way that I’ve described as new-school and smart.
That means if your goal is building muscle, bulk in a way that allows you to slowly but optimally
build that muscle while simultaneously keeping fat gains to an absolute minimum. Superior
Muscle Growth is tailor made for this exact purpose. If your goal is to lose fat, cut in a way that
allows you to lose that fat optimally while simultaneously maintaining all of your lean muscle
mass at the same time. My Superior Fat Loss program is entirely designed for that purpose.
And if you want or need to do both, just alternate between cycles of SMART bulking and
cutting.
Doing it this way, you can be sure that you’ll always end up with more muscle and less fat than
you previously had… as opposed to the other way around.
 Bulk or Cut – Should I Build Muscle or Lose Fat First?

I’ve previously covered the basics of bulking and cutting the right way and the wrong way. In
case you missed it, here’s a quick recap…
 A person would “bulk” when their primary goal is to build muscle.
 A person would “cut” when their primary goal is to lose fat.
 To do this the right way and get the best results possible, the true goal while bulking is
to build muscle while keeping fat gains to an absolute minimum. When cutting, the true
goal is to lose fat while maintaining all of the muscle you’ve built. If you do it the wrong
way like so many people do, you’d gain too much excess body fat while bulking and/or
lose too much lean muscle while cutting and basically spin your wheels and get
nowhere.
 A person would then alternate between phases of bulking and cutting until they’re as
lean and muscular as they desire.
Now after hearing all of this, there are always three questions that come to mind.
1. Which phase should I start with? Should I bulk or cut first?
2. How long should each phase last before switching to the other?
3. The hell with these stupid phases, why don’t we all just lose fat and build muscle at the
same time?
Now those last two questions are really good and I get asked both all the time. The thing is,
their answers are a little complicated and will take an entire article of their own to properly
explain. As it turns out, I’ve recently answered #3 over here: How To Lose Fat And Build Muscle
At The Same Time. But right here and now, it’s the first question that I want to focus on and
answer.
Should I Build Muscle or Lose Fat First?
If you’re asking this question, then there’s one safe assumption I can make about you… you
currently have body fat you’d like to lose AND muscle you’d like to gain. Obvious, right?
But I mention it to make sure we understand that if you’re just fat and don’t really care much
about building muscle, you wouldn’t be asking this question. You’d just lose fat first because
that’s the primary (or only) goal you care about. The same goes for if you’re already pretty
lean/skinny. In that case, you don’t care about losing any more fat… you just want to build
muscle.
But if you’re asking this question, then you obviously want or need to do both. You just can’t
figure out which to do first.
And in that case, while there are a few factors to consider when making this decision, there’s
one that matters more than all of them…
What Is Your Current Body Fat Percentage?
As I mentioned before, the key to doing a “smart” bulk and ending up with something good to
show for it in the end is to avoid gaining excess body fat while you build muscle.
Your diet and weight training routine are the key factors in optimizing this muscle:fat gain ratio,
but there’s actually something else in your control that plays a significant role in this area: your
current body fat percentage. Why? Because…
The fatter you are and the higher your body fat percentage gets, the worse your calorie
partitioning gets and the more likely your body is to start storing excess calories as fat instead
of muscle.
Not to mention, the fatter you are when you start to bulk, the fatter you’re going to be when
you end it. Aside from just giving yourself a longer “clean up” job to do when you finally cut
(which only increases the potential for muscle loss), this also means you’re going to spend a
nice amount of time during the year unnecessarily looking like crap.
Wow, fun!
For these reasons (and others), starting a bulk (and therefore creating the caloric
surplus required for building muscle) when in an already-fat state is just a recipe for disaster.
Instead, the ideal starting point for a muscle building phase is when you are at
least somewhat lean. How lean exactly? Well, you don’t have to be super ripped with an 8 pack
or anything like that (although you certainly can). But, to a certain point, the leaner the better.
 For men, this typically means 10-13% body fat (or less).
 For women, 19-23% body fat (or less).
Starting higher than that can work of course, it’s just probably going to yield sub-optimal
results.
But No One Actually Knows Their Body Fat Percentage
However, since most people have no idea what their body fat levels truly are and the typical
methods for finding it (online calculators and digital body fat scales) mostly suck, the average
person won’t really know for sure if they are indeed at this “at least somewhat lean” status.
So, here’s my advice. Take off some clothes and look in the mirror. Or, take some pictures. Do
you look like someone whose #1 goal right now should be losing fat or building muscle?
Use your best unbiased judgment here. Would you consider yourself “at least somewhat lean”
and ready to start building some muscle, or would you consider yourself in too much of an
already fat state to create a caloric surplus and gain the small amount of fat that will almost
always accompany even the smartest of smart bulks?
Then, find your answer below….
I’m In An Already Fat State
If you do indeed consider yourself as being in too much of an already fat state, then
the very best thing you can do now is cut first and lose that fat.
Once you’ve lost enough fat and reach “at least somewhat lean” status, that’s when you should
start a full muscle building “bulk” phase and create the caloric surplus you need to build that
new muscle. Your results will be WAY better this way, trust me.
That doesn’t mean you should hold off on (or stop) weight training until you reach that point of
leanness. You should definitely still weight train the entire time. It will help a bit with the fat
loss, and even more importantly, it’s the ONLY WAY you will maintain the muscle and strength
you currently have.
My new Superior Fat Loss program actually contains the exact diet and workout I personally use
and always recommend to others who want to lose fat without losing any lean muscle.
I’m At Least Somewhat Lean
In this case, while bulking might be the obvious decision, you can technically start off with
whichever phase you want based on what’s most important to you right now.
For example, you might want to build more muscle. That might be your #1 long term goal. But if
you have some good reason or preference in the short term for getting even leaner than you
currently are (some kind of event coming up, curious to see what a six pack looks like, want to
start your bulk as lean as possible, etc.), then hey… go for it and then start to bulk right after
that.
But if you’re lean enough to start bulking and all you really care about is just building more
muscle already, then let the bulk begin!
You can focus on getting extra lean later on when you actually have some muscle mass to
uncover.
Start Right, Do It Smartly, Switch, Repeat
So, here’s how it works. Use your current body fat percentage to help you determine if you
should bulk or cut first.
Whichever it is, make sure your diet and workout are designed as intelligently as possible so
you don’t gain excess body fat while you bulk, and you don’t lose any muscle mass while you
cut. This step is key.
Then, after you’ve put in enough time, effort and consistency for progress to be made, switch
on over to the other phase and do the same. Depending on exactly what your goals are and
exactly how much muscle you want to build and how much fat you want/need to lose, you can
repeat this process as many times as needed.
When you end up with your ideal “dream” body… you win!
(NEW: If you want to ensure your “bulk” goes as well as it possibly can, I’d highly recommend
checking out my Superior Muscle Growth program. It’s designed entirely for the purpose of
maximizing lean muscle gains while minimizing body fat gains. And if you want your “cut” to go
as perfectly as possible, my Superior Fat Loss program is designed to ensure you maintain lean
muscle while only losing body fat.)
 How To Take Creatine: The Best Time, How Much, Loading and More

People ask me about supplements all the time, but the one I may see the most questions about
is creatine.
This makes perfect sense of course, because creatine is one of the VERY few muscle building
supplements on the market with actual proven benefits. The fact that it also appears to
be perfectly safe (when taken correctly) only increases its popularity.
For these reasons, many people are interested in taking it. But that’s when the confusion sets
in:
 How do I take it?
 How much should I take?
 When is the best time to take it?
 What kind should I take?
 What about loading it? Or cycling it?
There are just so many complex questions, and it’s so damn hard to find the answers!
That’s why I’ve taken it upon myself to create an ultimate guide to taking this extremely
popular yet highly confusing supplement. A guide that would answer the most common
questions people have about it. A guide that could serve as the best and most comprehensive
resource you can link to whenever someone starts a new thread on a forum asking the same
creatine questions over and over again.
So after WEEKS of thinking, researching and writing, I’m finally ready to share it with the world.
Enjoy.
How To Take Creatine: The Guide Starts Now…
Take 3-5 grams of plain creatine monohydrate powder per day, every day.
The End
I hope you enjoyed this ultimate guide, and I hope all of your questions were answered. Be sure
to pass it along to anyone else who has any questions about taking creatine.
Frequently Asked Questions
I realize that the comprehensive nature of this guide can be a lot to take in at once, so you may
have missed a few things. Just in case, here’s a FAQ that will hopefully cover all of it…
1. Your guide mentions taking 3-5 grams every day. What does “every day” mean exactly?
You know how there’s 7 days in a week (e.g. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
Saturday and Sunday)? Take it on all 7 of those days.
2. You also discussed taking a certain amount on these days. If I remember correctly, you said
3-5 grams per day. Is that total for the day, or should I put 3-5g in my pre workout shake,
my post workout shake, my during workout shake, my before-bed shake, my pre before-bed
shake, my weight gain shake, my middle-of-the-night protein shake, and the shake I drink
while asking questions about creatine?
I mean a single 3-5 gram serving for the day. That’s how much you should take. I really should
have been clearer about this in the guide.
3. There’s a section in this ultimate guide where you touch on the type of creatine to take. In
fact, I’ll quote you directly… “plain creatine monohydrate powder.” I was a bit confused by
that. Does this mean I should take the chewable or capsule form of Creatine Ethyl Ester, Kre-
Alkalyn, Malate, HCL or Magnesium Chelate?
That’s a really great question, and I’m just overjoyed that you asked. The answer however is no.
It means you should take plain creatine monohydrate powder. It’s the best and most proven
form of it.
4. You mention taking 3-5 total grams per day. Does that mean I should do the high dose
loading phase and take 10-20 grams per day?
It means you should skip the loading phase and just take 3-5g per day. I probably should have
mentioned this in the guide.
5. I’m a little confused about whether or not I need to cycle creatine. You say to take 3-5
grams of it every day. How am I supposed to cycle it if I’m taking it every day? What does that
mean exactly?
I can definitely see how you’d be confused by this. But it means cycling it is unnecessary and
you should just take 3-5g per day.
6. Where’s the affiliate link bro? You know, there’s supposed to be a link somewhere to a
specific creatine product that you want me to buy, and when I click that link and buy that
product, you get like 12 cents from that sale. Where’s it at?
Ohhh right, my bad. I knew I forgot something. Here ya go: Optimum Nutrition’s Creatine
(Full disclosure: Unlike 99% of the affiliate links and product recommendations you’ll see which
tend to be more about what will make the writer the most money rather than what they
honestly and truthfully recommend, this is legitimately the creatine monohydrate I’ve
personally used since like 2006. And yes, if you click that link and buy it, I’ll make like 12 cents.
Hell yeah!)
7. But what if I want to know more about creatine itself? What it does? How it works? The
proven science behind it? Can you tell me about this kind of stuff?
I sure can. But there just so happens to be a group of guys who have already done a better job
of this than I ever would. In fact, they’ve already covered every single aspect of every single
supplement you’ll ever consider taking. Seriously.
It’s called the The Supplement-Goals Reference Guide, and I highly recommend it. It literally
contains the answer to every question you have or will ever have about any supplement. It gets
my full approval.