Weightlifting Routine for Men

Exercise Instructions

Barbell Squat

1. Position the barbell across your upper back, not on your neck. Grip the bar firmly.
2. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, with your toes pointing slightly outward.
3. Keeping your chest up and your back straight, hinge at your hips and bend your knees to lower yourself down, as if sitting in a chair.
4. Descend until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor.
5. Drive through your heels to return to the starting position, squeezing your glutes at the top.

Bench Press

1. Lie flat on the bench with your feet planted firmly on the floor. Your eyes should be directly under the barbell.
2. Grip the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Arch your lower back slightly while keeping your glutes on the bench.
3. Unrack the bar and lower it in a controlled manner to your mid-chest.
4. Press the bar back up explosively until your arms are fully extended.

Bent-Over Row

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with an overhand grip.
2. Hinge at your hips and lower your torso until it’s nearly parallel to the floor. Keep your back straight.
3. Pull the barbell up toward your lower chest, squeezing your back muscles.
4. Lower the bar slowly and with control to the starting position.

Dumbbell Lunges

1. Stand upright, holding a dumbbell in each hand, your arms by your sides.
2. Step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.
3. Ensure your front knee is stacked over your ankle and your back knee is hovering just above the floor.
4. Push through your front heel to return to standing, then alternate legs for the next rep.

Barbell Deadlift

1. Stand with your mid-foot under the barbell. Your feet should be hip-width apart.
2. Hinge at your hips and bend your knees to grip the bar just outside your shins.
3. Keep your chest up, your back straight, and your hips down.
4. Drive through your heels and lift the bar by extending your hips and knees simultaneously. Keep the bar close to your body.
5. Stand up tall, pulling your shoulders back. To lower, reverse the motion by hinging at the hips first, then bending your knees.

Overhead Press (OHP)

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell at your front shoulders with a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width.
2. Brace your core and glutes.
3. Press the barbell directly overhead until your arms are fully extended. Keep your head neutral.
4. Lower the bar back to your shoulders under control.

Pull-Ups

1. Grip the pull-up bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, your palms facing away from you.
2. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended.
3. Pull your body up until your chin is over the bar. Focus on driving your elbows down.
4. Lower yourself back down with control – if you’re unable to perform pull-ups, use an assisted machine or do lat pulldowns.

Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell with an overhand grip in front of your thighs.
2. Keeping your knees slightly bent, hinge at your hips, pushing your glutes back as you lower the bar along your thighs.
3. Maintain a straight back and keep the bar close to your legs as you lower it to mid-shin or until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
4. Drive your hips forward to raise the bar back to the starting position, engaging your glutes and hamstrings.

Hanging Leg Raises

1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms extended, your legs straight, and your core engaged.
2. Keeping your legs straight, slowly lift them in front of you until they form a 90-degree angle with your torso or as high as you can comfortably go.
3. Control the movement as you lower your legs back to the starting position.
4. Avoid using momentum or swinging to ensure maximal core engagement.

Plank

1. Begin face down on the floor, resting on your forearms and toes. Your elbows should be directly under your shoulders.
2. Keep your body in a straight line from your head to your heels by engaging your core, glutes, and legs.
3. Maintain a neutral neck and spine – avoid dropping your hips or raising your buttocks.
4. Hold the position for the prescribed duration, breathing steadily throughout.

This is a great starting point for weightlifting for male beginners.

For individuals who are looking for different fitness outcomes, it’s useful to understand the differences between muscle strength and endurance.

How Many Days a Week Should a Man Lift Weights?

The ideal training frequency depends on your experience, goals, and recovery capacity. Here’s a general guideline based on training status:

• Beginners (0-6 months of consistent training): Training 2-3 days per week is optimal (13). A full-body routine on non-consecutive days (e.g. Monday, Wednesday, Friday) allows for adequate recovery between sessions while providing enough stimulus for rapid strength and muscle gains.
• Intermediates (6 months -2 years): As you become stronger, you’ll need more training volume to continue progressing. Increasing frequency to 3-4 days per week is effective (13). This is often a good time to transition to a “split” routine, such as an upper/lower split, where you train your upper body twice a week and your lower body twice a week.
• Advanced (2+ years): Highly trained individuals may need to train 4-6 days per week to continue making progress (13). These lifters often use complex splits that target specific muscle groups or movement patterns each day (e.g. push/pull/legs). This includes workouts for men over 50 who have an extensive training history.

Remember, more isn’t always better. The key is to listen to your body. If you feel constantly fatigued or sore, or if your performance is declining, you may need to reduce your frequency or volume.

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Is It Better to Lift Heavy or Light Weights?

This is a classic question, and the answer is that it depends on your goal. However, recent research has shown that muscle growth and strength gains can occur across a wider spectrum of loads than traditionally thought. The critical factor is effort – taking your sets close to muscular failure.

• For Strength

To become stronger, lifting heavy is superior. Strength is a skill, and to get good at lifting heavy things, you need to practice lifting heavy things. The traditional recommendation is to use loads that are 85% or more of your 1RM, which typically falls in the 1-6 rep range (14). This loading range specifically trains your nervous system to recruit muscle fibers more efficiently and generate maximum force.

• For Hypertrophy (Muscle Growth)

This is where the debate gets interesting. While the classic “hypertrophy range” is 6-12 reps (with loads of 65-85% 1RM) (14), studies have shown that you can build muscle with both heavy and light weights, as long as you train with high effort (15).

A well-rounded program for hypertrophy will likely include a variety of rep ranges. This approach ensures you’re stimulating all pathways for muscle growth. So, a combination of both heavy and light lifting is best for maximizing muscle size (16).

What Is the Best Time of Day to Lift Weights?

The best time to lift weights is the time you can do it consistently. From a physiological standpoint, the differences are minor and highly individual (17).

Some research has suggested that strength performance may peak in the late afternoon. This is when core body temperature is highest, which can improve muscle function and neural drive (18). 

However, many people find that working out in the morning sets a positive tone for the day and ensures it gets done before other obligations interfere. Ultimately, your body will adapt to whatever time you choose (17). The most important factor is consistency. Choose a time that fits your schedule and stick to it.

For those who enjoy bodyweight exercises, you can also explore how calisthenics and weight training can complement each other in a program.

What Should I Eat After Lifting Weights?

Post-workout nutrition is all about replenishing and repairing. After a tough session, your muscles are primed to absorb nutrients. The two most important macronutrients to focus on are protein and carbohydrates.

Protein

Protein provides the necessary amino acids for muscle protein synthesis (MPS), the process of repairing and rebuilding muscle tissue (19). Aim for a high-quality protein source within a couple of hours after your workout.

• How much? Consume 20-40 grams of protein. This amount has been shown to maximally stimulate MPS (20).
• Good sources: Whey protein shakes, chicken breast, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, or tofu.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are essential for replenishing the muscle glycogen stores you depleted during your workout. They also cause an insulin spike, which helps shuttle nutrients such as amino acids into your muscle cells (21).

• How much? The amount depends on the intensity and duration of your workout, but a general guideline is to consume carbohydrates and protein in a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio. For a 40-gram protein shake, that would be 80-120 grams of carbs.
• Good sources: Fast-digesting carbs are great post-workout. Examples include white rice, potatoes, fruit, or a sports drink.

Timing isn’t as critical as once thought. While the “anabolic window” concept has been largely exaggerated, consuming a protein and carbohydrate meal within a few hours post-workout is a solid strategy to optimize recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is it OK to work out on an empty stomach?

Yes, it’s generally safe to work out on an empty stomach, a practice that is known as fasted training. However, its effectiveness depends on the type of exercise. For low-to-moderate intensity cardio, it may enhance fat burning (22). For high-intensity weightlifting, having some fuel (carbohydrates) beforehand can improve performance and prevent muscle breakdown (8).

• How long after waking up should I work out?

There’s no universal rule, but it’s wise to give your body some time to wake up. Waiting at least 30-60 minutes allows your body temperature to rise and your joints to lubricate. A light warm-up is crucial for morning workouts to prepare your body for the demands of lifting (23).

• Which muscles grow the fastest?

Larger muscle groups with a higher proportion of fast-twitch fibers, such as the quadriceps, glutes, and chest, tend to grow faster in response to training. Smaller muscles or those with more slow-twitch fibers, such as the calves and forearms, often grow at a slower rate (24). Genetics also plays a significant role in how quickly different muscles develop.

• What are signs of overtraining?

Overtraining occurs when your body can’t recover from the stress of your workouts. Signs include persistent muscle soreness, decreased performance, elevated resting heart rate, sleep disturbances, irritability, loss of appetite, and an increased susceptibility to getting sick. If you experience these symptoms, it’s a sign that you need to take more rest.

The Bottom Line

Crafting an effective weightlifting routine is both a science and an art. It requires an understanding of the physiological principles of training, a commitment to consistency, and the willingness to listen to your body. Start with a solid foundation, prioritize progressive overload, and fuel your body for recovery. By following this structured approach, you’ll be well on your way to building a stronger, more resilient physique.