We suggest you start the intermediate routine once your body has gotten used to weight lifting. If you haven’t been working out recently, starting too aggressively too quickly will lead to debilitating soreness. Start slow and and then increase. Now that you’ve progressed through the beginner routine or are at a comparable level of fitness, the intermediate routine will use to failure techniques. To failure means that you can not complete any more repetitions with good form. Make sure on your last rep that you don’t just drop the weights. If you’ve reached positive failure where you can do no more, then lower the weight slowly to finish the repetition properly. Each time you do each exercise you want to increase in reps, weight, or both from the previous workout. If you did 10 reps of 25 pounds for curls, then next week you need to do at least 11 reps of 25 pounds. We recommend once you hit 12 repetitions you move up in weight. Move up to a weight you can do at least 8 times. If you can’t do 8 repetitions, you moved up too high. There may be a shortage of choices with certain exercises, for instance bicep curls, where the selection of weight is limited. If you can’t do eight reps with the next weight yet then continue past 12 reps with the weight you can do until you reach a point of strength where you can do the next weight for at least 8 reps. You may find you have a preference for different exercises that work the same body part. There are some that are arguably superior if you have the right body for it such as squats. Check out our morphology article for some recommendations based on your body.
In addition, we recommend working out with a partner when going to failure for maximum safety. If you prefer to workout by yourself you can often use machines instead to allow full failure to be reached without compromising safety. Continue with this workout as long as you are making progress.
Sunday – Back and Biceps
- Wide Grip Pulldowns: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- Seated Rows: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- Hyper Extensions: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- Preacher Bicep Curls: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
Monday – Legs
- Leg Press: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- Leg Extension: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- Leg Curls: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- Calf Raises: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- Thigh Adductors: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- Thigh Abductors: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
Tuesday – Chest, Triceps, and Abs
- Incline Bench Press: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- Decline Bench Press: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- Skull Crushers: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- Hanging Leg Lifts: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- Bicycles: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – Shoulders
- Military Press: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- Side Laterals: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- Reverse Butterfly: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- Internal Rotations: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
- External Rotations: 1 Set of 8-12 Repetitions
Friday – Rest
Saturday- Rest
If you have stopped making gains for a month or longer with the intermediate routine, it’s time to move onto the advanced routine assuming everything else is in order. There could be additional factors keeping you from progressing including diet, lack of sleep, or inability to go to failure. Check out our other articles if you need some additional help.