Best 5-Day Workout Program (Fitness Training Program)

Best 5-Day Workout Program (Fitness Training Program)

This 5-day hypertrophy program is designed for optimal muscle growth across all major muscle groups, grounded in scientific principles.

Scientific Foundations:

• Ideal Rep Range for Hypertrophy: 6-12 repetitions (Schoenfeld et al., 2017).

• Set Count: 10-20 sets per muscle group per week (Ralston et al., 2018).

• Rest Periods: 60-90 seconds for isolation exercises, 2-3 minutes for compound movements (Schoenfeld et al., 2016).

• Weekly Rest: At least 1 full rest day (active recovery can be incorporated).

5-Day Hypertrophy Program

Goal: Achieve maximum muscle growth in the chest, shoulders, back, arms (biceps/triceps), forearms, and legs.

Day 1: Chest + Forearms

Compound Movements:

• Bench Press (4 sets x 6-8 reps)

• Incline Dumbbell Press (3 sets x 8-10 reps)

Isolation Exercises:

• Cable Fly (3 sets x 10-12 reps)

• Dips (Chest Variation) (3 sets x maximum reps)

Forearms:

• Barbell Wrist Curl (3 sets x 12-15 reps)

• Reverse Curl (3 sets x 10-12 reps)

Day 2: Back + Triceps

Compound Movements:

• Deadlift (4 sets x 5-6 reps)

• Pull-Up (3 sets x 8-10 reps)

Isolation Exercises:

• Seated Row (3 sets x 10-12 reps)

• Lat Pulldown (3 sets x 10-12 reps)

Triceps:

• Close-Grip Bench Press (3 sets x 8-10 reps)

• Triceps Rope Pushdown (3 sets x 12-15 reps)

Day 3: Legs

Compound Movements:

• Squat (4 sets x 6-8 reps)

• Romanian Deadlift (3 sets x 8-10 reps)

Isolation Exercises:

• Leg Press (3 sets x 10-12 reps)

• Leg Curl (3 sets x 12-15 reps)

• Calf Raise (4 sets x 15-20 reps)

Day 4: Shoulders + Forearms

Compound Movements:

• Overhead Press (4 sets x 6-8 reps)

Isolation Exercises:

• Lateral Raise (3 sets x 12-15 reps)

• Face Pull (3 sets x 12-15 reps)

Forearms:

• Farmer’s Walk (3 sets x 30 seconds)

• Plate Pinch (3 sets x maximum duration)

Day 5: Biceps + Triceps

Biceps:

• Barbell Curl (4 sets x 8-10 reps)

• Hammer Curl (3 sets x 10-12 reps)

Triceps:

• Skull Crusher (3 sets x 8-10 reps)

• Overhead Triceps Extension (3 sets x 10-12 reps)

Day 6: Rest or Active Recovery

• Light cardio (walking/swimming) or mobility work.

Scientific Optimization of the Program:

• Progressive Overload: Increase weight or reps each week.

• Rest Day: Critical for muscle repair (Morton et al., 2018).

• Compound-Isolation Balance: Fundamental movements for muscle activation, isolation for increased volume.

• Forearm and Arm Separation: Ensures balanced training and tendon health.

Note: Nutrition (1.6-2.2g/kg protein) and sleep (7-9 hours) are essential for this program's effectiveness.

Program Design Rationale:

1. Why are Set Counts Generally 3?

Scientific studies show that the optimal set range for hypertrophy is 10-20 sets per muscle group per week (Ralston et al., 2018; Schoenfeld et al., 2019).

3 sets per exercise is ideal for distributing weekly total sets safely and sustainably:

• For example, 4 exercises x 3 sets = 12 sets/week for chest (ideal for intermediate-advanced levels).

4 sets are generally reserved for compound movements (squats, bench press, deadlifts) because:

• These movements activate more muscle fibers and result in higher central nervous system (CNS) fatigue.

• They require more volume (Wernbom et al., 2007).

• Exception: For leg day, movements like squats and RDLs often have 4 sets because leg muscles (quadriceps, hamstrings) require higher volume.

2. Why 4 Exercises for Large Muscle Groups?

Large muscle groups like the chest, back, and legs have:

• Greater variety of muscle fibers (e.g., latissimus, trapezius, rhomboids in the back).

• Need to be worked from different angles (e.g., horizontal/vertical pull-push).

Example: Back Workout

• Deadlift (vertical pull + hamstring/glute activation)

• Pull-Up (vertical pull, emphasizes upper lats)

• Seated Row (horizontal pull, targets mid-back)

• Lat Pulldown (vertical pull, isolated lat work)

Why 4 Exercises instead of 3?

• To cover all angles (if only 3 exercises were done, a horizontal row, for example, might be missed).

• To target different muscle fibers (e.g., upper/lower/middle regions of the chest).

3. Why 3 Exercises for Shoulder Day?

The shoulder (deltoid) is a smaller muscle group and:

• Is more prone to overtraining (risk of rotator cuff injuries).

• The combination of press + lateral raise + face pull works the anterior/lateral/posterior heads in a balanced way.

• It is already worked indirectly on bench press and overhead press days.

4. Why Fewer Sets/Exercises for Arms and Forearms?

• Biceps and triceps are already worked secondarily on chest, back, and shoulder days (bench press → triceps, pull-up → biceps).

• Isolated forearm exercises are limited to 3 sets to prevent overtraining.

Summary: Scientific Optimization

This distribution:

• Prevents the risk of overtraining.

• Adheres to the 10-20 set weekly range.

• Maintains muscle symmetry.

Additional Scientific References:

• Schoenfeld et al. (2017): 6-12 rep range provides the best hypertrophy.

• Wernbom et al. (2007): 10+ sets per week maximizes muscle growth.

• Morton et al. (2018): Rest days are critical for protein synthesis.

If you want to personalize the program:

• If you're a beginner, reduce the number of sets to 2-3.

• If you're advanced, you can add a 4th set to isolation exercises.