The majority of the guys who are working out do so because they want a muscular, well-sculpted physique. We all know that you have to put in the work to get such a body shape. Although many people want to attain this fitness goal, they sadly often choose the wrong workout plan. Remember that a workout plan can be a deal-breaker and the most crucial aspect in the journey to getting ripped. There are many workout plans online, all promising results. Instead of wasting time to find out if a routine is effective or not, why don’t you try this expert-approved effective 8 week workout plan to get ripped!
Is It Possible To Get Ripped In Eight Weeks?
Getting ripped is easy if you do it the right way. The biggest myth about getting ripped is that food avoidance and excessive weight training will do the trick. In truth, this is not the case.
All it takes to get ripped is healthy eating and following a practical strength training workout plan, with some rest days. Some people can get ripped in eight weeks, while others may take a bit longer.
Such differences occur because factors such as your age, gender, and physique affect the rate at which you build muscle. So even if you do not get ripped by the end of these eight weeks, keep working out and eating healthy to eventually attain this fitness goal.
Read More: The Ultimate 2-Week Workout Challenge For Fat Loss And Muscle Growth
8-Week Workout Plan To Get Ripped: Gym Workout Plan
Before we look at an overview of this routine, let us first get some things out of the way. First we should explain what will happen after these eight weeks. Let us be honest with each other. You will not be entirely ripped by the end of these eight weeks.
As mentioned above and as you will learn later on in this article, we all build muscle at different rates. That said, by staying dedicated to the workout plan and exercise in the correct form, you will eventually reap what you sow.
Secondly, let us point out that you may lose some pounds. When you exercise using a strength training program, you build muscle. Increased muscle mass helps with burning more calories by boosting your resting metabolism (1). According to WebMD, 10 pounds of muscle can burn 50 calories a day while one is resting (1).
With that out of the way, let us dive straight into this 8 week workout plan to get ripped. Below are some categories to provide a comprehensive overview of the workout plan.
Aim
The main goal of this workout plan is to help an individual get ripped.
Structure
This workout plan has been divided into four weight training workouts to be performed on different days. You will be performing these workouts over the next eight weeks. If you suspect you are reaching a plateau or need more intensity, talk to your trainer and suggest performing more reps or sets.
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Rest
We urge you to keep your resting breaks between 30 and 45 seconds. But, again, you know your body well, so you decide what amount of resting timeline suits you best. Furthermore, as you will notice from the workout schedule, we have set some rest days.
These are critical as they will help you relax and give your muscles enough time to recover and grow. That said, if you are looking for faster results, you can sneak some low or moderate intense cardiovascular activities on some resting days.
Low-intensity aerobic activities like brisk walking promote active recovery because they initiate calorie burning and rest simultaneously. Feel free to talk to your trainer about making such changes.
Exercise Form
Although we have not gone into details on how to perform each exercise in this plan, we urge you to learn the correct technique. As much as we want to see you ripped, we also want you to do it safely.
Gender
The following workout plan targets men. Unlike other workout plans for men, this one has some of the most effective yet muscle-challenging workouts to help you get lean and cut.
Flexibility
Sometimes, guys feel the need to add some extra chest or leg days if they want more muscle growth in such regions.
Remember that you cannot build muscle in one region. Instead, you do so uniformly. To help with this, we have blended the best exercises and for every muscle group to trigger muscle growth. For faster and increased muscle growth, stick to the program and increase weights if need be.
The Weekly Workout Schedule
Congratulations for making the bold decision to sweat to get ripped. We will see you through this journey and help you attain this goal. But before we proceed to look at the schedule, we emphasize you talk to your doctor before starting this fitness program. If you get the green light, here is the plan you need to abide by for the next eight weeks:
- Monday: Upper Body
- Tuesday: Lower Body
- Wednesday: Rest
- Thursday: Upper Body
- Friday: Lower Body
- Saturday: Rest
- Sunday: Rest
Read More: 12-Week Body Transformation Workout Plan – The Ultimate Guide To Toning And Sculpting Your Body
Upper Body Circuit 1
This routine is to be performed on Monday. It targets all your upper body muscles, including your chest, biceps, triceps, shoulders, latissimus dorsi (back), and forearms. Here are the best upper body strength training exercises and those you are expected to perform:
- Close-chained triceps extension (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
- High plank rope drag kickback (reps: 12-15, sets: 3)
- Supine rope climbs (reps: 15-20, sets: 3)
- Bent-over row (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
- Arnold press (reps: 15-20, sets: 3)
- Hammer-grip dumbbell bench press (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
- Barbell biceps curl (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
- Barbell rollout (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
Lower Body Circuit 1
This is the first of the two lower body exercise routines, and it is to be performed on Tuesday. We mean the glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves, shins, adductors, and hip flexors when we talk about the lower body. Below are the exercise we have compiled to help target all these muscle groups:
- Dumbbell goblet squat (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
- Standing calf raises with a dumbbell in hand on an elevated surface (reps: 12-15, sets: 4)
- Kettlebell front squats (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
- Rear foot elevated split squats (reps: 12-15, sets: 4)
- Reverse lunges (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
- Single leg deadlift (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
- Swiss ball hamstring curl (reps: 15-20, sets: 3)
- Front foot elevated Bulgarian split squat (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
Upper Body Circuit 2
This is the second upper body routine, and it is crucial as it increases the training volume that stimulates your upper body muscles to grow bigger faster. We will not be repeating the exercises we did in the first circuit but will instead perform a new set of exercises. They are as shown below:
- Ring dips (reps: 15-20, sets: 3)
- Side plank with elevated foot (reps: 12-15, sets: 4)
- Barbell high pull (reps: 12-15, sets: 4)
- Lateral raises (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
- Dumbbell rear-delt fly (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
- Ab wheel rollout (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
- Skull crusher press (reps: 12-15, sets: 3)
- Dumbbell overhead press (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
Lower Body Circuit 2
The other lower body routine contains the best lower body exercises for increased lower body muscle mass and size. The exercises are as follows:
- Bulgarian split squat (reps: 12-15, sets: 4)
- Romanian deadlift (reps: 10-12, sets: 4)
- Barbell back squat (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
- Leg presses (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
- Barbell hip thrust (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
- Rear-foot elevated lunge with dumbbells in hand (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
- Seated calf raise (reps: 12-15, sets: 4)
- Lying leg curls (reps: 15-20, sets: 4)
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How Long Does It Take To Get Ripped Using This Plan?
The rate at which you see changes will depend on several factors. Some of these include:
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Age
We tend to lose muscle mass and strength as we age (3). So, individuals above 40 may take longer to build muscle than those under this age bracket.
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Body Size
The rate at which you build muscle will also depend on your body size. It will be easier to get ripped if you already have a muscular physique (3). However, it may be harder if you have a straight frame, even more than those with a curvy body shape.
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Gender
Men generally build muscle mass and strength faster than women due to hormonal differences. Men have a higher rate of the hormone testosterone that helps form muscle (3). Since women have less testosterone and shorter muscle fibers, they have a reduced muscle mass and strength rate.
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Muscle Present At The Start Of The Challenge
The other factor that affects how fast you get ripped is the muscle you have at the beginning of this 8-week workout plan. The more muscle you have, the more chances you will see throughout this bodybuilding workout plan (3).
Tips To Help You Keep Up With The Workout Plan
Despite your desire to get ripped within eight weeks, your muscles may tend not to cooperate. They may get tired and sore and push you to the extreme of giving up. Giving up equals no results, which is why you need to outsmart muscle fatigue and soreness. Here are some tips that can help with this:
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Listening To Music
Music is not only entertaining but also very rewarding, especially during a workout. According to WebMD, listening to music when performing an exercise routine is associated with the following benefits (4):
- Distraction from Fatigue. Music has the power of distracting you from dwelling on your fatigue. You can end up finishing your routine, no matter how tired you are.
- Keeping You Focused. Listening to the right tracks will also keep you glued to your workout plan. It can pump you into finishing the routine and also performing it correctly.
- Switching On the Fun Meter. Most people never get to enjoy their workouts because they view it as a punishment. However, this can change if you listen to some music. Find tracks that have a rhythm that keeps up with your routine’s pace and mood.
- Improving Muscle Memory. WebMD reveals that listening to music while partaking in a skill can help reinforce the moves and help you perfect them faster (4). So, listening to music can help you master various exercise movements more quickly.
- Increasing Motivation. You are least likely to give up on a routine when listening to music because you tend to be more energized and psyched. Music helps you create flow, which is hard to break when you are listening to music.
All these are benefits associated with listening to music when working out. Make sure you create a good playlist that matches your workout pace to boost your moods and motivation.
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Consuming Coffee Pre-Workout
Remember that you need to consume pre-workout meals before you start this 8 week workout plan to get ripped. One of the best beverages to have is coffee. According to WebMD, drinking coffee an hour before your workout helps your body withstand muscle fatigue and discomfort (4).
Research suggests that caffeine consumption before exercising reduces muscle fatigue and pain and boosts performance in activities like weightlifting (4). You can also have another caffeinated beverage if you cannot stand coffee. However, remember to keep it to about four cups a day (2).
Having more than four cups of coffee can cause stomach upset, insomnia, nausea and vomiting, restlessness, nervousness, increased heart, and breathing rate (2).
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Working With A Trainer
Any 8 week workout plan to get ripped at home or in the gym requires you to use the proper exercise technique. The correct technique always helps you prevent injuries. If you are new to strength training or using equipment, it is best to work with a trainer. They will help you learn the correct exercise form and technique.
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Listening To Your Body
You must be very careful and listen to your body when exercising. If you feel pain, stop performing the exercise. Consider trying fewer reps or an easier variation of the movement to minimize injury risk.
The Bottom Line
Getting ripped is pretty straightforward so long as you have an effective routine like this 8 week workout plan to get ripped. It is specifically tailored for men in the advanced fitness level to help get ripped. Make sure you talk to your doctor before adopting this program.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for decision-making. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- 8 Ways to Burn Calories and Fight Fat (2007, webmd.com)
- Coffee (2021, webmd.com)
- How long does it take to build muscle? (2018, medicalnewstoday.com)
- Trick (and Treat) Your Muscles (2021, webmd.com)
