Chapter 7: Your Gym Workout Program

Your Gym Workout Program

The following is a four week gym workout to get you started with building a foundation of strength while improving your body composition.  Each week you’ll have three workouts to do, which should be done with one day off for rest in between.  Most people will do best structuring it on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday set-up, however you can also use a Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday set-up if you prefer as well.

Make sure to complete a five minute warm-up and cool down as part of the workout session.  If you’re extra short on time, consider performing the workouts below in a circuit style of set-up so you’ll perform one set of the first exercise, move as fast as possible to the next set of the second exercise, then to the third and so on.  Rest for 2 minutes once all the exercises are completed and then go through a second and possibly third time.

Week 1

Day 1

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Rest
Squat	8	2	2 minutes
Bench Press	8	2	2 minutes
Deadlift	8	2	2 minutes
Bent Over Row	8	2	2 minutes
Shoulder Press	10	2	2 minutes
Bicep Curl	12	2	60 seconds
Tricep Extension	12	2	60 seconds

Day 2

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Rest
Leg Press	8	2	2 minutes
Incline Bench Press	8	2	2 minutes
Lunge	8	2	2 minutes
Pull-Down	8	2	2 minutes
Lateral Raise	10	2	60 seconds
Seated Calf Raise	12	2	60 seconds
Lying Leg Raise	12	2	60 seconds

Day 3

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Rest
Squat	8	2	2 minutes
Bench Press	8	2	2 minutes
Step-Up	8	2	2 minutes
Bent Over Row	8	2	2 minutes
Leg Extension	10	2	60 seconds
Hamstring Curl	10	2	60 seconds
Decline Sit-Ups	12	2	60 seconds

Week 2

Day 1

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Rest
Squat	8	3	2 minutes
Bench Press	8	3	2 minutes
Deadlift	8	3	2 minutes
Bent Over Row	8	3	2 minutes
Shoulder Press	10	3	2 minutes
Bicep Curl	12	2	60 seconds
Tricep Extension	12	2	60 seconds

Day 2

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Rest
Leg Press	8	3	2 minutes
Incline Bench Press	8	3	2 minutes
Lunge	8	3	2 minutes
Pull-Down	8	3	2 minutes
Lateral Raise	10	2	60 seconds
Seated Calf Raise	12	2	60 seconds
Lying Leg Raise	12	2	60 seconds

Day 3

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Rest
Squat	8	3	2 minutes
Bench Press	8	3	2 minutes
Step-Up	8	3	2 minutes
Bent Over Row	8	3	2 minutes
Leg Extension	10	2	60 seconds
Hamstring Curl	10	2	60 seconds
Decline Sit-Ups	12	2	60 seconds

Week 3

Day 1

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Rest
Squat	8	3	90 seconds
Bench Press	8	3	90 seconds
Deadlift	8	3	90 seconds
Bent Over Row	8	3	90 seconds
Shoulder Press	10	3	90 seconds
Bicep Curl	12	2	30 seconds
Tricep Extension	12	2	30 seconds

Day 2

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Rest
Leg Press	8	3	90 seconds
Incline Bench Press	8	3	90 seconds
Lunge	8	3	90 seconds
Pull-Down	8	3	90 seconds
Lateral Raise	10	2	90 seconds
Seated Calf Raise	12	2	30 seconds
Lying Leg Raise	12	2	30 seconds

Day 3

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Rest
Squat	8	3	90 seconds
Bench Press	8	3	90 seconds
Step-Up	8	3	90 seconds
Bent Over Row	8	3	90 seconds
Leg Extension	10	2	90 seconds
Hamstring Curl	10	2	30 seconds
Decline Sit-Ups	12	2	30 seconds

Week 4

Day 1

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Rest
Squat	10	3	90 seconds
Bench Press	10	3	90 seconds
Deadlift	10	3	90 seconds
Bent Over Row	10	3	90 seconds
Shoulder Press	12	3	90 seconds
Bicep Curl	15	2	30 seconds
Tricep Extension	15	2	30 seconds

Day 2

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Rest
Leg Press	10	3	90 seconds
Incline Bench Press	10	3	90 seconds
Lunge	10	3	90 seconds
Pull-Down	10	3	90 seconds
Lateral Raise	12	2	90 seconds
Seated Calf Raise	15	2	30 seconds
Lying Leg Raise	15	2	30 seconds

Day 3

Exercise	Reps	Sets	Rest
Squat	10	3	90 seconds
Bench Press	10	3	90 seconds
Step-Up	10	3	90 seconds
Bent Over Row	10	3	90 seconds
Leg Extension	12	2	90 seconds
Hamstring Curl	12	2	30 seconds
Decline Sit-Ups	15	2	30 seconds