Inspired by bodybuilding legends like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lee Haney, Ronnie Coleman, in addition to more moderen greats like Big Ramy and Chris Bumstead, I’ve all the time aimed to include techniques from the world’s best bodybuilders into my workouts. Nonetheless, I’m faced with the truth that there is a huge gap between them and me, from genetics to each day life. Trying to copy their exact training routines is not feasible or desirable, considering the numerous time commitment, dedication, and the danger of injury it entails.
With this in mind, I’ve devised a workout plan that applies techniques and exercises from the world’s top bodybuilders (past and present), while making essential adjustments for mere mortals like myself. This plan is greater than a routine; it is a tribute to those bodybuilding icons, designed for those of us seeking to gain muscle and stay fit amidst a busy work-life balance.
I’m 4 weeks into this plan, and the outcomes are already very promising.
Exercises Chosen For My Bodybuilding Legend-Inspired Workout Routine
First, I’ll present a chart summarizing the exercises included in my routine and the bodybuilding legends who inspired them. I’ll then delve deeper into how I’ve integrated points of every bodybuilder’s approach into my routine.
Note: The next exercises should not the associated pros’ absolute favorite per se, but relatively an exercise they’ve advisable as a ‘top mass builder’ and/or an exercise they’ve consistently incorporated into their routine (and that matches with the others on this list as a complete for the aim of constructing a well-rounded routine). And while quite a lot of bodybuilding comes all the way down to genetics, I even have chosen certain pros based on muscle groups they were known for since it felt right for inspirational purposes.
I’ll delve deeper into the weather I’ve incorporated into my routine from the training sorts of the professionals mentioned above. Following that, I’ll address some common questions that may arise after reviewing the table above, equivalent to the .FYI – abs and calves might be included within the routine, but deads is not going to.
Inspiration From The Goats
My routine was inspired by past and present pro’s (most of whom have won Mr. Olympia) favorite exercises, training styles, preferences, and techniques. The next will assist you to to raised understand the routine. It’s in no particular order, but relatively an attempt to prepare things by muscle groups.
Tom Platz:
- Exercise: High Rep Back Squats (Quads) – Tom Platz, aka The Quadfather or Quadzilla, is synonymous with high-rep squats, pushing beyond conventional limits for legendary leg development.
- Split: Legs prioritized within the split, with multiple sessions per week.
- Training Style: Known for high-rep squats, pushing beyond conventional limits for his leg development.
Hadi Choopan:
- Exercise: Heavy Hack Squats (Quads) – Hadi Choopan’s regimen includes heavy hack squats, reflecting his commitment to each size and aesthetics.
- Split: Balanced approach with an emphasis on conditioning.
- Training Style: Incorporates FST-7 training technique (created by elite coach Hany Rambod), specializing in stretching the muscle fascia for increased size and definition.
Nick Walker:
- Exercise: Seated Leg Curls and RDLs (Hamstrings/Lower Back) – Nick Walker highlights seated leg curls and RDLs for his or her effectiveness in developing the hamstrings, preferring RDLs for focused muscle engagement.
- Split: Dedicated intensity on each muscle group, incorporating a combination of compound and isolation exercises.
- Training Style: Values heavy compound movements for foundational strength, complemented by isolation work for detailed muscle development.
Ronnie Coleman:
- Exercise: Flat Bench Press (Chest) – Ronnie Coleman regarded squats and the flat bench press as foundational for his size and strength, embodying his heavy lifting ethos.
- Split: Twice per week for every muscle group, with a combination of heavy and high volume.
- Training Style: Famous for his heavy lifting, often tackling weights most could only dream of.
Phil Heath:
- Exercise: Incline Dumbbell Press (Chest) – Phil Heath champions the incline dumbbell press for its upper chest development, emphasizing aesthetic appeal alongside functional advantages.
- Split: Focused on one major muscle group per day for detailed work.
- Training Style: Preferred a balanced mixture of machines and free weights, using advanced techniques to focus on muscles from various angles.
Arnold Schwarzenegger:
- Exercise: Deep Stretch Dumbbell Fly (Chest) – Arnold has stated the very best exercise wasn’t a classic bodybuilding move, or his famous “Arnold Press”, however the clean & press, an Olympic Lift, highlighting its comprehensive impact across your complete body. “In case you do one thing, clean and press,” Schwarzenegger said in a Men’s Health interview. “It covers all the things.” Wanting to dive straight into my routine without the delay of mastering a latest skill or compromising effectiveness with lighter weights, I opted for Arnold’s iconic dumbbell fly (deep range of motion). In spite of everything, Arnold’s chest was legendary.
- Split: High-frequency, hitting each muscle group two to thrice per week.
- Training Style: Known for prime volume and intensity, incorporating supersets and “the pump” as central elements of his training philosophy.
Big Ramy:
- Exercise: Iso Lateral Machine Row (Back) – Big Ramy frequently incorporates machine-based exercises like iso lateral machine rows for targeted muscle engagement. You’ll be able to see most of his back workouts include this, and now so do mine.
- Split: Give attention to one or two muscle groups per session.
- Training Style: Preference for machines to attain maximum muscle isolation and control, especially for his back and chest workouts.
Dorian Yates:
- Exercise: Barbell Rows aka Yates Row (Upper Back) – Dorian Yates credited barbell rows as crucial for crafting his formidable back, pivotal in his training regimen. His unique touch was being a little bit more upright, resulting in the exercise name Yates Row.
- Split: 4-day split, emphasizing high-intensity training (HIT).
- Training Style: Proponent of controlled reps and heavy weights, specializing in the eccentric a part of the lift for max muscle growth. He also liked to implement pyramid sets, starting with lighter weights and increasing the load with each set.
Chris Bumstead:
- Exercise: Neutral Grip Pull Ups/Lat Pulldowns (Lats) – Chris Bumstead opts for neutral grip pull-ups to exactly goal his lats and biceps, a part of his strategy for a balanced physique.
- Split: Designed to reinforce classic physique symmetry and proportion.
- Training Style: Prefers a combination of free weight, machines, and body weight exercises, specializing in precise form and technique for a balanced physique.
Lee Haney:
- Exercise: Behind The Back Barbell Shrugs (Traps) – Lee Haney favored behind-the-back barbell shrugs for constructing trapezius muscles, advocating for the unique engagement this movement provides. For me, I’ll go for the better arrange using a Smith Machine.
- Split: Three-day-on, one-day-off split, for comprehensive coverage.
- Training Style: Emphasized strict form and mind-muscle connection, specializing in precision to maximise muscle engagement.
Jay Cutler:
- Exercise: Overhead Shoulder Press BB or DB (Shoulders/Delts) – Jay Cutler values the overhead press for its full upper body engagement, emphasizing its role, particularly heavy sets, in constructing a robust physique.
- Split: Fastidiously organized to focus on each muscle group with volume and intensity.
- Training Style: Appreciates each machines and free weights, specializing in achieving deep muscle contraction and full range.
Derek Lunsford:
- Exercise: Machine Lateral Raises (Shoulders/Delts) – Derek Lunsford’s shoulder workouts emphasize machine lateral raises with slow eccentrics, highlighting his focused approach.
- Split: Each workout dedicated to specific muscle groups.
- Training Style: Favors slow eccentrics and high volume, particularly for shoulder workouts, to reinforce muscle size and definition.
Brandon Curry:
- Exercise: Incline Biceps Curls & Triceps Rope Extensions (Arms) – Brandon Curry favors db incline curls (underhand and neutral) for biceps and cable rope triceps extensions (many variations but pressdowns especially) for triceps, a part of his arm-building strategy.
- Split: Intense sessions specializing in each muscle group once per week.
- Training Style: Leans towards a mix of free weights and machines, using incline angles to focus on muscle groups effectively.
Why didn’t I include deadlifts?
The deadlift is widely thought to be an exceptional exercise for mass constructing, arguably the very best resulting from its high risk and high reward nature. Nonetheless, it is also notorious for encouraging ego lifting, which is counterproductive for muscle growth.
Nick Walker articulates this point effectively:
Moreover, many champions view deadlifts as potentially bulking the waist, thereby compromising the specified V-taper of the shoulders, lats, and waist.
With my goals leaning more towards muscle constructing without risking injury, I’ve decided to exclude traditional deadlifts from my routine.
What about calves?
While I don’t have any specific exercises listed above for calves, calf exercises might be included within the routine below. Fairly than a particular exercise, I’ll be using concepts from the professionals who’re known for working hard to construct their calves. Personally, my calves actually need it.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger: Known for transforming his calves into certainly one of his best body parts, Arnold often spoke concerning the importance of frequency and volume for calf growth. He reportedly trained his calves with high volume and frequency, even going so far as training them day-after-day.
- Kai Greene: Kai has emphasized the mind-muscle connection and the importance of fully stretching and contracting the calf muscles during each rep. He’s known for saying that each rep ought to be performed with intention and focus.
- Ronnie Coleman: The 8-time Mr. Olympia has shared that heavy training was key to his calf development. Coleman incorporated heavy seated and standing calf raises into his routine, specializing in a full range of motion and slow, controlled reps.
- Dexter Jackson: Dexter, known for his symmetry and conditioning, often highlighted the importance of variation in calf training. Mixing up exercises, angles, and rep ranges was a technique he used to make sure all parts of the calves were targeted.
- Chris Bumstead: The Classic Physique Olympia champion has talked about not only training heavy but additionally ensuring a deep stretch and peak contraction with every calf exercise. He advocates for listening to the main points of every movement for max growth.
What about abs?
Which ab exercises and oblique exercises you do is as much as you. I’ll make note of it in my routine, but I plan to modify it up regularly, based on the next concepts:
- Arnold Schwarzenegger: Arnold often spoke concerning the importance of variety in ab training, incorporating movements that focus on every a part of the abdominal muscles. He was known for high-volume workouts that included exercises like crunches, leg raises, and twisting movements to develop his iconic midsection.
- Frank Zane: Known for among the finest physiques by way of symmetry and proportion, Zane emphasized the importance of mind-muscle connection in ab workouts. He often included hanging leg raises and vacuum exercises to reinforce core definition and control.
- Lee Haney: As an 8-time Mr. Olympia, Haney focused on core strength and stability. He often mentioned the importance of incorporating compound movements that engage the core, equivalent to squats and deadlifts, alongside isolation ab exercises.
- Dorian Yates: Yates, together with his ‘blood and guts’ training style, applied an intense approach to each muscle group, including abs. He advisable keeping ab workouts temporary but intense, using weighted exercises like cable crunches to construct thickness within the abs.
- Jay Cutler: Cutler, a 4-time Mr. Olympia, highlighted the importance of consistency in ab training. He included a wide range of exercises in his routine but stressed that food regimen and overall body fat levels play an important role in ab visibility.
- Phil Heath: The 7-time Mr. Olympia winner, Heath has identified that while ab exercises are essential, the visibility of abs is basically depending on nutrition and maintaining a low body fat percentage. For exercises, he’s shown a preference for cable crunches and leg raises for his or her effectiveness in targeting the abs deeply.
- Kai Greene: Greene, known for his artistic approach to bodybuilding, often talks concerning the importance of visualization and specializing in the contraction of the muscles during ab exercises. He incorporates a wide selection of movements, including planks and side bends, to develop core strength and muscle detail.
Predominant Training Techniques & Principles
By incorporating these training techniques and principles appropriately, my workout plan combines the very best practices from a wide range of renowned bodybuilders, offering a comprehensive approach to constructing muscle, strength, and aesthetics.
- FST-7 (Fascia Stretch Training 7): Implement FST-7 for certain muscle groups, equivalent to biceps, triceps, or shoulders, on designated days. Perform 7 sets of an isolation exercise with high reps (around 15-20 reps) and short rest periods (30-45 seconds) to stretch the muscle fascia and promote muscle fullness. Note: That is a sophisticated technique, which I feel is suitable for me, provided that I’ve been training for nearly a decade. Nonetheless, this may easily be adjusted by lowering the variety of sets (3-4) and increasing the remaining time between sets (60-90 seconds).
- Supersets and Drop Sets: Incorporate supersets and drop sets, as favored by Arnold Schwarzenegger, to extend training intensity and create a pump effect. I take advantage of these for exercises which can be easy to superset or drop set.
- Pyramid Sets: Incorporate pyramid sets, a method appreciated by lots of the world’s biggest bodybuilders like Jay Cutler and Nick Walker, to progressively increase weight while decreasing reps in each set, allowing for strength and muscle growth. Pyramid sets are saved for certain big lifts, like bench press.
- High Volume and Controlled Reps: Adopt high-volume training with controlled reps, particularly for compound exercises like squats and bench press. This aligns with the preferences of lots of the pros. Furthermore, I’ll have the opportunity to placed on mass while not having to go too heavy on free-weight exercises.
- Mixture of Free Weights and Machines: Like several of the professionals, use a mix of free weight and machine exercises to focus on muscles from various angles and ensure muscle isolation.
- Mind-Muscle Connection: Emphasize the mind-muscle connection, much like Lee Haney’s approach. Give attention to feeling the muscle working during each repetition to maximise engagement.
- Balanced Split: Ensure a balanced distribution of muscle groups across the week, prioritizing compound movements for major muscle groups. I selected the usual “body part” split, which is the essence of bodybuilding. But unlike Arnold and a few of these other pros who’d manage to hit muscle groups twice per week using a 5-6 day training schedule, I’ll hit each muscle group once per week using a 4-day body part split, emphasizing volume and recovery relatively than frequency.
The Workout Routine Inspired By Bodybuilding Legends
Split: 4 Day Body Part Split
Weekly Schedule:
- Session 1
- Session 2
- Rest Day
- Session 3
- Session 4
- Rest Day
- Rest Day
- Repeat
Session 1: Back and Biceps
- Neutral Grip Pull-Ups or Lat Pull Downs
- Sets: 4 sets
- Reps: To failure
- Technique: Use a large grip for the primary 2 sets and a detailed grip for the last 2 sets.
- Barbell Rows (Yates Rows)
- Sets: 4 sets
- Reps: 8-10 reps
- Technique: Controlled Reps.
- Iso Lateral Machine Row
- Sets: 3 sets
- Reps: 10-12 reps
- Technique: Give attention to squeezing the back muscles at the highest of the movement.
- Incline Curls
- Sets: 5 sets
- Reps: 10-12 reps
- Technique: FST-7 (but only 5 sets)
- Calf Exercise (Optional) – any variation
Session 2: Chest and Triceps
- Flat Bench Press
- Sets: 4 sets
- Reps: 6-10 reps
- Technique: Pyramid sets, starting with lighter weights and increasing the load with each set.
- Incline Dumbbell Press
- Sets: 4 sets
- Reps: 8-10 reps
- Technique: Give attention to a controlled eccentric (negative) phase and explosive concentric (positive) phase.
- Dumbbell Fly
- Sets: 4 sets
- Reps: 10-12 reps
- Technique: Slow and controlled reps.
- Tricep Extensions with Rope
- Sets: 3 sets + 1 drop set to failure
- Reps: 10-12 reps
- Technique: After third set, immediately perform a drop set (take 50% weight off) for max reps.
- Core Exercise Superset (Optional) – i.e. Stability Ball Crunches (10 reps) x Vacuum Exercise (20 second holds x 2-3 times)
Session 3: Legs & Calves
- Back Squats (Barely Wide Stance)
- Sets: 4 sets
- Reps: 10-15 reps
- Technique: High Volume, Controlled Reps.
- Heavy Hack Squats
- Sets: 3 sets
- Reps: 6-8 reps
- Technique: Heavy and controlled
- RDLs
- Sets: 3 sets
- Reps: 8-10 reps
- Technique: Pyramid
- Seated Leg Curls
- Sets: 3 sets
- Reps: 10-15 reps
- Technique: High volume, controlled reps
- Calf Raises (any variation)
- Sets: 7 sets
- Reps: 10-20 reps
- Technique: FST-7
Session 4: Shoulders & Arms
- Overhead Shoulder Press
- Sets: 4 sets
- Reps: 8-10 reps
- Technique: Pyramid sets.
- Machine Lateral Raises
- Sets: 5 sets
- Reps: 12-20 reps
- Technique: Utilize FST-7 principles – 5 sets of high reps with short rest intervals.
- Face Pulls
- Sets: 3 sets
- Reps: 12-15 reps
- Technique: Mind muscle connection and good slow and controlled form.
- Bicep Curl x Tricep Extension (any variations)
- Sets: 3 sets each
- Hold: 10-12 reps
- Technique: Superset
- Hanging Leg Raises
- Sets: 3 sets each
- Hold: 10-12 reps
- Technique: Proper form. If too difficult, perform hanging knee raises or lying leg raises
This 4-day split routine incorporates a combination of rep ranges, training techniques, and exercise variations to stimulate muscle growth and ensure overall development.
In case you like this routine, you’ll be able to adjust it in keeping with your fitness level, training goals (i.e. lagging muscles) and recovery capability. Consistency, nutrition, and adequate rest are key to success in bodybuilding.
My Goals With This Program
As I proceed on with this program, my primary goals are clear and multifaceted:
- Technique Exploration: I intend to experiment with various techniques and styles favored by bodybuilding legends to find what works best for my body.
- Flexibility and Adaptation: Every 8 weeks, I’ll evaluate my routine, making adjustments based on what resonates with me and delivers the very best results.
- Muscle & Strength Development: As you’ll be able to imagine, I hope to construct muscle, improve muscle definition, body composition, and overall proportions, and gain some strength.
By constantly assessing and adapting my approach, I’ll refine my workout routine to align with what suits me best, ultimately working towards my desired physique and fitness level, all while imagining myself as certainly one of the greats with each set.
My Complement Stack
Supplements are…supplemental. A clean, healthy food regimen cannot get replaced. My key focus by way of my food regimen is eating good food, high in protein, at a caloric surplus of around 250-500 per day (here’s a sample 7 day meal plan for that). Nevertheless, I’m a complement guy, as are most bodybuilders.
I won’t need mass-builder, given my caloric needs, but there are lots of pro bodybuilders who do. I’m not a tough gainer. For me, I’ll keep on with the essentials.
Naturally, I wanted some inspiration here as well (links are from Amazon):
- King Whey from Ronnie Coleman’s Signature Series: Ronnie Coleman would take 100 grams of whey protein at a time during his competitive days. Pointless to say, he was an ultra elite pro bodybuilder. I will be sticking to 30-40 grams at a time (normal range for what I’m able absorb).
- Creatine Monohydrate from Cutler Nutrition: “Creatine is certainly one of the important thing foundation supplements that I include in my mass-building regimen” – Jay Cutler, who now has his own line of supplements called Cutler Nutrition.
- CBUM Thavage Pre-Workout from Raw: Chris Bumstead joined Raw Nutrition’s ownership team back in 2021. He has openly expressed his appreciation for his or her products even before then. Now, he has a pre-workout line called ‘Thavage,’ a clever play on the word ‘savage,’ inspired by his distinctive lisp. He is claimed to have meticulously created the formula. It’s greater than just caffeine and energy. He wanted an excellent balance between energy, focus, endurance, and pump. I also just like the flexible dosing, with 1 or 2 scoops being advisable. It’s pricey, though.
Unfortunately, I believe I’ll must skip prime Arnold’s advice, a bottle of Jack 😂.
Need a program with more structure and guidance?
Take a look at our SFS Hypertrophy Program, created by Garett Reid MSc CSCS CISSN
