How to Create a Workout Plan for Men
Breaking Down Split Routines, Full-Body Workouts, and Other Training Methods
A well-structured workout plan is essential for achieving fitness goals, whether it’s building muscle, losing fat, or increasing strength. Choosing the right training split can make a huge difference in your progress. In this guide, we’ll cover full-body workouts, split routines, push-pull-legs (PPL), and other methods to help you design the best workout plan for your needs.
1. Define Your Goal
Before creating a workout plan, decide what you want to achieve:
🏋️ Muscle Growth (Hypertrophy) – Focus on moderate weights (8–12 reps), progressive overload, and controlled rest periods (30–60 sec).
🔥 Fat Loss – Combine strength training with high-intensity cardio and a calorie deficit.
💪 Strength & Power – Lift heavier (4–6 reps), longer rest (2–5 min), and prioritize compound movements.
⚡ Endurance & General Fitness – Higher reps (12–20), shorter rest, and full-body movements.
💡 Tip: Be specific. Instead of just saying “gain muscle,” aim for “gain 10 lbs of lean muscle in 6 months.”
2. Choosing the Right Workout Split
The structure of your workouts depends on training frequency, recovery, and experience level. Here are the most common training splits:
A. Full-Body Workouts (3x per week) – Best for Beginners
- How it works: You train all major muscle groups in each session.
- Best for: Beginners, busy schedules, fat loss, and general fitness.
- Training Days: 3 times per week (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, Friday).
💡 Example Full-Body Workout:
🔹 Squats – 3×8
🔹 Bench Press – 3×8
🔹 Deadlifts – 3×6
🔹 Pull-Ups – 3×10
🔹 Shoulder Press – 3×10
🔹 Planks – 3×30 sec
🚀 Pros: Efficient, great for beginners, helps with fat loss.
⚠️ Cons: Can be exhausting if intensity is too high.
B. Upper/Lower Split (4x per week) – Balanced Approach
- How it works: You alternate between upper-body and lower-body workouts.
- Best for: Intermediate lifters, muscle growth, and balanced strength gains.
- Training Days: 4 times per week (e.g., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday).
💡 Example Upper/Lower Split:
Day 1 (Upper Body): Bench Press, Rows, Shoulder Press, Biceps Curls
Day 2 (Lower Body): Squats, Deadlifts, Lunges, Calf Raises
Day 3 (Upper Body): Pull-Ups, Dumbbell Press, Lateral Raises, Triceps Dips
Day 4 (Lower Body): Romanian Deadlifts, Step-Ups, Hamstring Curls, Core Work
🚀 Pros: Allows muscle recovery, works well for strength & size.
⚠️ Cons: Requires 4 days per week, not ideal for beginners.
C. Push-Pull-Legs (PPL) – Best for Muscle Growth
- How it works: You divide workouts into push (chest, shoulders, triceps), pull (back, biceps), and legs.
- Best for: Intermediate & advanced lifters focusing on hypertrophy.
- Training Days: 3–6 times per week (e.g., Monday-Saturday).
💡 Example PPL Routine (6x per week):
Day 1 (Push): Bench Press, Shoulder Press, Dips, Triceps Extensions
Day 2 (Pull): Pull-Ups, Deadlifts, Bicep Curls, Face Pulls
Day 3 (Legs): Squats, Lunges, Hamstring Curls, Calf Raises
Day 4 (Push): Dumbbell Press, Incline Press, Overhead Press, Triceps Dips
Day 5 (Pull): Rows, Lat Pulldowns, Shrugs, Hammer Curls
Day 6 (Legs): Romanian Deadlifts, Step-Ups, Leg Press, Core Work
Day 7: Rest
🚀 Pros: Maximizes muscle recovery, ideal for hypertrophy.
⚠️ Cons: Demands high training frequency, not ideal for beginners.
D. Bro Split (5-Day Split) – Focused Muscle Group Training
- How it works: Each muscle group gets a dedicated day.
- Best for: Intermediate & advanced lifters focused on muscle definition.
- Training Days: 5 times per week.
💡 Example Bro Split:
Day 1: Chest
Day 2: Back
Day 3: Shoulders
Day 4: Arms
Day 5: Legs
Day 6–7: Rest or cardio
🚀 Pros: Allows high volume for each muscle group.
⚠️ Cons: Muscles are trained only once per week, which can slow growth.
3. Additional Training Techniques
💥 Supersets – Pairing exercises with minimal rest (e.g., biceps + triceps).
💥 Drop Sets – Reducing weight after failure to push further.
💥 Rest-Pause Training – Brief rests within a set to complete more reps.
💥 Pyramid Sets – Increasing/decreasing weight across sets.
💥 Periodization – Changing intensity over time (e.g., strength → hypertrophy → endurance).
4. Cardio: Where Does It Fit In?
Cardio should match your goal:
✔ For Fat Loss: 3–5x per week, 20–40 minutes (HIIT or steady-state).
✔ For Muscle Gain: 1–2x per week, 15–20 minutes (light jogging, walking).
✔ For General Fitness: 2–3x per week (cycling, swimming, running).
💡 Tip: If muscle gain is your priority, avoid excessive cardio to prevent calorie burn interfering with recovery.
5. Recovery & Nutrition: The Foundation of Progress
🛌 Sleep – Aim for 7–9 hours per night to support muscle growth.
🍽️ Protein Intake – 1.6–2.2g per kg of body weight (chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt).
💧 Hydration – Drink 3–4L of water daily.
🛀 Active Recovery – Foam rolling, stretching, and mobility work.
💡 Tip: Recovery is just as important as training. Without proper sleep, nutrition, and rest days, progress will stall.
6. Tracking Progress & Adjustments
📊 Log Your Workouts – Track weight, reps, and sets.
📸 Take Progress Photos – Every 4 weeks under similar lighting.
⚖️ Monitor Body Weight – Check once a week (same time & conditions).
📝 Adjust Based on Results – If progress stalls, change intensity or volume.
💡 Tip: If you stop seeing gains, consider increasing calories, adjusting workouts, or improving sleep/recovery.
Final Takeaways: How to Build the Perfect Workout Plan
✅ Choose a split that fits your schedule & experience level.
✅ Focus on compound lifts for maximum efficiency.
✅ Train 3–6 days per week, depending on recovery.
✅ Include cardio based on your goal (fat loss, endurance, or heart health).
✅ Prioritize progressive overload – always challenge yourself.
✅ Recover properly – sleep, nutrition, and active recovery matter.
✅ Track progress and adjust your plan over time.
🏆 The best workout plan is the one you can stay consistent with! 💪
