Gym workout plan: which one to pick
The best gym routine is the one you can stick to: one that fits the days you have and suits your experience. Here are the complete routines, each with the exercises for every session, the sets, the reps and how to progress. Start with how many days you can train.
By how many days you can train
Two days a week
If you are just starting, the beginner routine: two sessions on machines and dumbbells for your first eight weeks. If you already train and only have two days, do sessions A and B of the full body routine, one on each day: that way every muscle is trained twice a week.
Three days a week
The 3-day full body routine: your whole body every session, with the basic barbell lifts. It works if you are starting out, coming back after a break, or can't train more days. If you have never set foot in a gym and prefer machines, the beginner routine also works on three days.
Four or five days
Push pull legs with a repeated day: push, pull and legs, and on the fourth or fifth day you repeat whichever you most want to improve, rotating which one each week. The routine explains it in its section for four or five days.
Six days
Push pull legs twice a week: push, pull, legs, and start again, with one day off. It is the version that pays off most once you have been training for a few months.
If you want to prioritize one area
The glute and leg routines can replace another routine's leg days; the back and chest routines, its back or chest work; and the ab routine goes at the end of any session.
Glute workout routineLeg workout routineBack workout routineChest workout routineAb workout routine
By your experience
It's your first time
Start with the beginner routine: it relies mostly on machines, which guide the movement, and it is built for your first eight weeks, with two sets per exercise at the start.
You've trained before or are coming back
The 3-day full body routine: the basic barbell lifts, your whole body every session and a clear way to add weight gradually.
You've been training for a few months
When full body sessions get too long for all the sets you need and you can train more days, push pull legs splits the work by movement.
All routines at a glance
| Routine | Days | Level | For you if… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full body workout, 3 days a week | 3 a week | Beginner or intermediate | You want to train your whole body on few days, with the basic barbell lifts. |
| Beginner gym workout plan | 2 or 3 a week | Beginner | It is your first time in a gym and you want to learn on machines and dumbbells. |
| Push pull legs routine | 3 or 6 a week | Intermediate | You have been training for a few months and can go most days. |
| Ab workout routine | 2 or 3 a week, after another routine | Any | You want to add ab work to what you already do. |
| Glute workout routine | 2 a week | Any | You want to prioritize your glutes in your lower-body training. |
| Leg workout routine | 1 or 2 a week | Any | You want a complete leg day: quads and hamstrings. |
| Back workout routine | 1 or 2 a week | Any | You want to prioritize your back, with vertical pulls and rows. |
| Chest workout routine | 1 or 2 a week | Any | You want to prioritize your chest, with flat and incline presses and dips. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best gym routine?
The one you can do every week. What matters most is how many days you can go: on two or three days it pays to train your whole body every session, and on four or more you can split by muscle group.
How long should I stick with the same routine?
As long as you keep progressing: if your weights or reps go up every few weeks, there is no need to change it. Switching routines often makes it harder to tell whether you are moving forward.
Can I combine two routines?
Yes, with some judgment: the ab routine goes with any of them, and the glute or leg routines can replace another routine's leg days. Avoid stacking two full routines, because you double the volume without giving yourself time to recover.
Gojan builds the routine and changes it when you tell it your week falls apart. Download Gojan