After you have sweated enough for 2 to 3 months as a beginner, either at home or a gym near you, you must be looking for an ultimate workout plan as an intermediate. You have a clear aim in your mind and the results you are looking for are crystal clear in your mind. You must be looking to step up your training and expecting gains. If so, you are at the right place.
Get a quick review of the best workout plan 3 days/week here: The Best Workout Plan: 3 Days a Week and beginner’s workout plan here: 4 Workout Plan for ALL: Achieve Results. The ultimate workout plan assumes that you have good grasp of exercise techniques and you can handle significant weights during exercise.
Since this ultimate workout plan is for intermediates, it includes more sets and increased number of repetitions per set in order to stimulate more muscle growth. After few days, you may consider adding more reps, sets or weights as you deem fit. Follow this ultimate workout plan for at least a year or two in order to reach advanced level. You may get sore after some of these exercises but don’t worry, your body will adjust soon enough.
Select a Fully Equipped Gym Near You
For the ultimate workout plan, it is recommended that you must use a fully equipped gym near you. You can easily locate/find a gym near you online, no matter wherever you are. However, look for the equipment available with the gym before joining the one. Fully functional equipment of all types must be available with a lot of gyms near you.
You must ensure resting intervals of 2-3 minutes for main workout and a minute and half between accessories. Also carefully select the weights to use during different exercises in the ultimate workout plan. In order to make the workout more intense, test your limits during the last set of each exercise by increasing reps. However, be careful and never overdo it since it may result in injury.
Let’s start the ultimate workout plan for intermediates.
Ultimate Workout Plan: 1st Day Focuses Upper Body
- For Chest: you have to start with dumbbells front press @ the rate 3 sets with 10-15 reps and flat bench press with barbell @ 3 sets with 8-12 reps.
- For triceps and Chest: at intermediate level, dips are ideal to start with @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps and 3 sets of triceps extensions in standing position (add dumbbells) with 10-15 reps. Perform inclined dumbbells curls for biceps @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps.
- For Back: start with pullups @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps. Also, you may opt for lateral pulldowns at the same rate. Once you are into the ultimate workout plan, you may opt for both because back strengthening is vital for an adorable body shape.
- For shoulders: Start with 3 sets (10-15 reps) of seated press with dumbbells. This will stimulate growth in shoulder muscles.
2nd Day of Ultimate Workout Plan: The Lower Body
- For Legs: start with the leg press @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps each. Then perform back squats, 3 sets with 8-12 reps for strengthening leg muscles. Read more on leg exercises: 30 Best Leg Exercises: Get Strong and Toned Legs.
- For Calves: Perform calves press along with leg press @ 4 sets with 10-15 reps. It will result in increased muscle mass in calves and will strengthen calf.
- For Quadriceps: Perform seated leg extensions followed by bend over to toes @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps. Follow this with front lunges @ 4 sets with 10-15 reps.
- For abs: Straight crunches, cross leg crunches and decline crunches @ 3 sets each with 10-15 reps will definitely provide you with good start for working your abs. Read more on abs workout plan in our blog titled 10 Best HIIT For Abs: Get Six Packs.
3rd Day: Again, Upper Body
By now, you are halfway through of the ultimate workout plan for intermediates. On day 3rd, all exercises will focus the upper parts including chest, shoulders, back, biceps and triceps.
- For shoulders, start your 3rd day with cable lateral raises, weight is your choice. Perform the raises @ 4 sets with 12-15 reps. Also perform overhead press @ 3 sets with 12-15 reps. Isn’t it a good start? 12 Best Shoulder Exercises: Enjoy bodybuilding
- Perform inclined bench presses @ 4 sets with 10-15 reps for your chest growth.
- For back, perform cable rows with one arm @ 4 sets with 8-12 reps. 13 Most Effective Back Workouts.
- Perform face pulls @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps and dumbbell shrugs @ 4 sets with 8-10 reps for rear deltoids or traps.
- For biceps, perform preacher curls on machine @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps each. Overhead triceps extensions are useful for triceps. Perform these @ 3 sets with 10-15 reps.
Congratulations at the end of day 3 of this ultimate workout plan. A polite reminder that the suggested sets and reps may be increased/reduced according to your own preferences.
4th Day: Lower Body Workouts
- Start day 4 with the focus on back and hamstrings. Perform barbell deadlifts @ 3 setts with 8-10 reps each. Dumbbells deadlifts and lying leg curls should also be performed @ 3 sets with 8-12 reps each.
- For calves, continue performing calf raises while you are seated @ 4 sets with 10-15 reps each.
- For abs, perform crunches with legs raised and mountain climb @ 4 sets with 10-15 reps each.
Summary
From the ultimate workout plan given above, it is evident that this plan focuses on enhanced frequency (more sets) and intensity (more reps). It also includes complex workouts that require skill and technique but promise enhanced muscle growth.
3 thoughts on “4 Days/Week Ultimate Workout Plan: Intermediates”