so im looking for a 5 day split and i’m not sure what one to pick. i’m looking for one that will help with fat loss. It could be 4 days too, ill be adding cardio to but i just need a basic plan that will help get me shredded. The one that i have been on i have cycled twice and i’m just getting bored of it.
if you have more questions ill be happy to answer.
Assuming you’re not on Da Joose, the best approach to lifting during a fat loss phase is to keep volume low and the weights fairly heavy. Your diet, not your lifting plan, is what will ‘help you get shredded;’ the goal of lifting is to minimize muscle loss during the cut.
He meant muscle. All the lifting does in a deficit is hold onto muscle. You’ll get “shredded” from diet, cardio and energy balance. There’s 100’s of programs on t-nation.
For those who can commit to training five days per week, this is a great training split.
Note: If you’re a bit savvy, you can reconfigure the following template to use with a different 5-day training split.
No-Nonsense 5-Day Training Split
Day 1: (e.g., Monday) – Chest & Calves
Day 2: (e.g., Tuesday) – Back & Abs
Day 3: (e.g., Thursday) – Shoulders & Hams
Day 4: (e.g., Friday) – Quads & Abs
Day 5: (e.g., Saturday) – Arms
Chest & Calves
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
A 1° Chest 5 5 Long
B 1° Chest 3-4 6-10 Long/Moderate
C 2° Chest 3 8-12 Moderate/Short
D 2° Chest (weak point isolation) 3 10-15 Short
E 1° Calf 4 5-10 Moderate
F 1° Calf 3 10-15 Short/Moderate
G 2° Calf 3 12-20 Short
Back & Abs
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
A 1° Back (vertical pull) 3-4 6-10 Moderate/Long
B 1° Back (lift/row) 3-4 4-8 Long
C 1°/2° Back 3 8-12 Moderate
D 2° Back 3 8-12 Moderate
E 2° Back (weak point isolation) 4 10-15 Short/Moderate
F 1° Ab 3-4 6-12 Moderate
G 2° Ab 3 12-20 Short
Shoulders & Hamstrings
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
A 1° Shoulder (press) 4 4-8 Long
B 1° Shoulder (abduction) 4 6-10 Moderate
C 2° Shoulder 3 8-12 Short/Moderate
D Shoulder Health (i.e., ext rotation) 3 12-15 Short
E 1° Ham (knee flexion) 3-4 6-10 Moderate
F 1° Ham (hip ext) 2-3 6-10 Moderate
G 2° Ham 3-4 10-15 Short/Moderate
Quads & Abs
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
A 1° Quad 5 6-10 Long
B 1°/2° Quad 4 8-12 Moderate/Long
C 2° Quad 3-4 8-12 Moderate
D 2° Quad 3 10-20 Short/Moderate
E 1° Ab 3 6-12 Moderate
F 2° Ab 3 12-20 Short
Biceps, Triceps, & Forearms
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
A 1° Triceps 4 4-8 Moderate/Long
B 1° Biceps 4 4-8 Moderate/Long
C 1°/2° Triceps 3 8-12 Moderate
D 2° Triceps 3 12-20 Short
E 1°/2° Biceps 3 8-12 Moderate
F 2° Biceps 3 12-20 Short
G Forearms (as needed) 3 8-15 Short/Moderate
I did indeed–fixed. Thanks for catching that.
Yep! Like I tell everyone, ALWAYS train to build muscle, even when you’re cutting. Plenty of my prep clients on here will tell you stories of actually gaining muscle during contest preps but that was a combination of intelligently juggling multiple variables.
Bottom line though is that your diet and cardio will change from off season to cut mode but that should be it.
S
Just for you 
so if i’m understanding what your say correctly, just cause i’m having low cals (2200) i can still gain some muscle just cause of the workout plan i’m doing?
this is amazing, now i just need to pick one from there lmao… so many choices
It’s not that cut and dried. Covering all of the bases to support muscle growth isn’t just getting enough calories (something everyone always advising “just eat an extra 500 cals every day oversimplify). I certainly couldn’t tell you you’re good without knowing details and tracking what happens when you’re following exact measures for at least a short duration.
Low calories is relative. I had preps where I was still eating 2700-2800 cals most days while cutting. Certainly more than most people would expect.
S
Good to know. Okay so i was looking at this and doing a 6 day a week split Wanted to know what you thought. I would also be adding cardio as well… not sure if it will be too much.
HOnestly, the only way to tell if something is too much, too little, good, or not good for you, is to try it. I was never a fan of the 3 day split,… I did a basic attempt at it after becoming a fan of Mike Francious way back when,…, but what I failed to take away from it, was that he was a former Powerlifter (or at least trained like one), his genetics were vastly better than mine, and he was using a ton of PEDs.
Now, I’m not saying 3 day splits are bad,… my buddy Brad did them for years, and was happy,… BUT, he’ll also tell you that there;s a reason why most top bodybuilders don;t train that way, and it was reinforced when after many many years training, I put him on a more bodybuilder geared split and he made muscle gains even though he was on a contest prep diet.
The bottom line is that when you;'re splitting all the muscle groups in your body (and yes, I know they all overlap, no need for anyone to point this out), the fewer days you break your split into, the more you’ll have to get done. So the solution is to do less each time. Sure, you can double up with the frequency, something I used to do myself with weak points during off seasons, but even then, I would make sure I didn’t repeat the same workout for the same bodypart twice in a week. There;'s a reason why powerlifters don’t look like bodybuilders (except the few exceptions who actually train with some inclusion of bodybuilder routines).
S
thank you for this information. This is what i ended up finding/ creating if u could let me know what u think that would be great! ik this was a 6 day split but i think i may just stop on Friday and then pick up where i left up on the Monday.