Realistic Exercise Plan For Bodybuilding

Bodybuilding involves continuously performing and changing your weightlifting program so gains are continually made in muscle growth and strength. Not only does bodybuilding require gains in muscle size and strength, but it requires reducing body fat levels. Developing a realistic bodybuilding and fat loss plan is the key to achieving your dream physique.

Weekly Training Plan

Your weekly bodybuilding routine may be planned in many ways. Beginning with a three-day strength-training split is the most realistic way to start your program and can easily be altered in the future. Your training schedule might consist of training chest, shoulders and triceps on Monday; training legs on Wednesday; and training back, biceps and abs on Friday. In addition to strength-training sessions, aerobic exercise -- incline walking, for example -- is necessary four or five days a week for 30- to 40-minute sessions at a moderate-intensity level.

Exercises

In bodybuilding, include both compound and isolation exercises in your routine. Compound exercises are multijoint movements that help to increase overall muscle size and strength -- such as bench press, squats, deadlifts and pullups. Isolation exercises -- such as leg extension, chest fly, preacher curls and abdominal crunches -- are essential for shaping and sculpting the individual muscles.

Workout Plan

Perform the exercises in the following order for chest, shoulders and triceps: barbell bench press, incline dumbbell press, cable crossover, Arnold press, lateral raises, rear deltoid fly, close-grip bench press, triceps kickbacks and cable pressdowns. On leg day, perform barbell squats, straight-leg deadlifts, leg press, leg curl, leg extension and standing calf raise. Train your back, biceps and abs with the pullups or lat pulldown, bent over barbell row, seated cable row, dumbbell curls, preacher curls, reverse crunches and leg lifts.

Twelve-week Plan

A 12-week program allows you to become accustomed to the exercises using a lighter resistance for more repetitions, then gradually increasing the weight and decreasing the reps to promote muscle growth. Complete each exercise in the routine for 12 to 15 repetitions for two sets during the first two weeks, and then complete three sets the second two weeks, resting 30 to 60 seconds between each set.

The second four weeks should focus on increasing muscle mass. Increase the weight and decrease the repetitions, using a weight in which muscle failure occurs between six and 12 repetitions for three sets, resting 60 to 90 seconds between each set. Increase the weight if you are able to complete more than 12 repetitions. Decrease the weight if you cannot complete at least six repetitions.

The last four weeks of training should involve improving muscular power and strength. Increase the weight again and perform two to six repetitions for three to four sets for your compound exercises only, resting two to three minutes between sets. Continue to keep your repetition range between 12 and 15 for isolation exercises.