OK, here’s what I’m thinking. Aesthetics requires a ‘broad beam’ and a tight waist. Thus, you want to prioritize delts, upper chest, and abs. Given that recovery abilities are a limiting factor, everything else will be put on the back burner–not ignored, just not as emphasized. So, on a 5-day split, that means doing delts and upper chest twice, abs 3-5 times, and everything else once.
Note 1: Delts are a complicated muscle, with multiple heads requiring work from different angles. Thus, the two delt days will emphasize different exercises.
Note 2: To spare your tendons, I have divided the upper-body days into those involving the biceps (Pull movements) and those involving the triceps (Push movements).
Note 3: Since you want to lift 5 days/week, I’m assuming you want weekends off, so I’ve structured the workout to be done M-F.
Day 1: Push Shoulders; Upper Chest
Exercise 1: Unilateral cable laterals. Perform these with the pulley at about knee-height, and the cable running across your lower thighs to the hand opposite the pulley. Grasp the cable directly–no handle–with the back of your hand facing the same direction as your body. Keep your arm straight (or nearly so) throughout the movement, and abduct your arm until it is roughly horizontal (ie, parallel to the floor). The pinky side of your hand leads the motion. Do 4 sets of 15-25 reps on each side. Don’t go to failure; leave several reps in the tank. Rest 30-60 seconds between sets (as in do your right side, immediately do your left side, then rest 30-60 seconds). This is an ‘activation’ exercise, and should leave you pumped but not exhausted.
Exercise 2: Shoulder press. Perform any way you like–seated, standing, barbell, DBs, machine; I don’t care. 4 sets of 8-12 reps done in reverse-pyramid fashion (ie, start with the heaviest weight you can use within the given rep-range, and drop the weight from set to set as needed to stay in that range). Do a couple of warm-up/feeler sets, then jump to the heaviest weight you can use that will still allow you to get 8-12 solid, good-form reps. Each set should approach positive failure–stop when you fail, or when you know you can’t get another rep. Don’t lock out at the top–keep constant tension on the delts. Rest 2 minutes between sets. Remember, lower the weight as needed to stay in the 8-12 rep-range. On the last set, employ some form of intensification technique–forced reps, rest-pause, drops, etc.
Exercise 3: Rear delts. Perform these on a reverse pec-deck machine. 4 sets of 15-25 reps. Each set approaches positive failure. Use the same weight throughout. Rest 1-2 minutes between sets. Employ an intensification technique on the final set.
Exercise 4: 60 degree incline press. Like the shoulder press, these can be performed with DBs, barbell, machine, whatever. Warm up as needed, then reverse-pyramid 6 hard sets of 8-12 reps. Also like the shoulder press, don’t lock out at the top.
Day 2: Pull Back; Biceps
For Back, three exercises of your choice, 4 sets each. All involve ‘pulling’ with the arms (ie, no pullovers or straight-arm pushdowns).
Exercise 1: Activation. Done as above. Limit the ROM to the contracted third.
Exercise 2: Reverse pyramid heavy work. 4 sets with 2 min breaks, intensification on the last set. Limit the ROM to the middle 3/5th or so.
Exercise 3: Stretching movement. 4 sets, fairly light weight/high reps, focusing on the stretched position. No intensification.
Exercise 4: Curls. DBs, barbell, cable, machine–doesn’t matter. One exercise, 4-6 sets in the 10-15 rep range. Intensification technique on the last set is optional.
Day 3: Legs
Do your thing, but limit upper-body involvement (eg, no Zercher squats; no heavy RDLs, etc).
Day 4: Push Chest; Triceps
For Chest, three exercises, 4 sets each. All involve ‘pushing’ with the arms (ie, no flies, DB or otherwise).
Exercise 1: 60 degree DB inclines. An activation exercise, done as above. Limit the ROM to the top half (ie, don’t stretch), but don’t lock out. 4 sets of 15-25 reps, staying 2-3 reps short of failure.
Exercise 2: 30 degree barbell incline press. 4 sets with 2 min breaks, intensification on the last set. Keep the ROM in the middle 3/5th or so–no locking out, no deep stretch.
Exercise 3: 30 degree decline guillotine press. Best to have a spot for these so you don’t kill yourself. 4 sets, fairly light weight/high reps, focusing on the stretched position. No intensification.
Exercise 4: Triceps. DBs, barbell, cable, machine–doesn’t matter. One exercise, 4-6 sets in the 10-15 rep range. Intensification technique on the last set is optional.
Day 5: Pull Shoulders; Forearms
Exercise 1: DB laterals. Do 4 sets of 15-25 reps, leaving several reps in the tank. Rest 30-60 seconds between sets. This is an ‘activation’ exercise.
Exercise 2: Wide-grip upright rows. Can be performed with a bar, DBs, or cable. 4 sets of 8-12 reps, reverse-pyramid fashion. Rest 2 minutes between sets. On the last set, employ some form of intensification technique.
Exercise 3: Rear-delt face-pulls. 4 sets of 15-25 reps. Each set approaches positive failure. Use the same weight throughout. Rest 1-2 minutes between sets. Employ an intensification technique on the final set.
Exercise(s) 4/5: Forearms. Do whatever you’d like–maybe 4 sets of hammer curls and 4 sets of forearm curls; wrist rollers; etc.
Abs
For physique purposes, the only abdominal-wall muscle we want to develop is the rectus abdominis—the ‘six pack.’ The rectus muscle originates at the hip bone, and inserts on the lower ribs. So, when this muscle contracts, all it does is pull the rib cage closer to the hip bone (by flexing the lumbar spine). Thus, when we set out to work this muscle, that’s all we want to do—try and touch the lower margin of the rib cage to the pelvis. We do not want to flex at the hips; ie, change the angle between the legs and the abdomen. (So no sit-ups, and no leg raises!) In fact, we want to put ourselves in a position such that the legs are completely removed from the movement. To accomplish this, you will do crunches, but in a specific manner…
Place a flat bench lengthwise near a wall. Lie on the bench with your butt ~24 inches from the wall, and your legs extended with your feet resting up on the wall. (This position completely eliminates the quads from assisting in the movement.) Cross your arms over your chest, tuck your chin a little, then try and touch the lower margin of your rib cage to your hip bones (it is a very short ROM). After you have gotten as close as you can, lower yourself halfway back (ie, do not let your shoulders touch down), then crunch again. And again. And again…Each rep, think about trying to touch your ribs to your hip bones.
- Work abs 5-or-so days/week. (Every other day is a good start.)
- Go for time, not reps. Start by doing as many crunches as possible in 5 minutes. (Time yourself with a wristwatch that has a stopwatch function.) Don’t worry if you can’t go 5 min straight–pause as needed, then get back to it. But the ultimate goal is to be able to go 5 minutes without pausing once.
OK, those are my thoughts. Hope they help you reach your goals.