3 Day Routines for Bodybuilding

Working out 3 days a week is one of the best ways for a natural bodybuilder to gain strength and muscle mass, it gives you three days of hard training and four days of rest each week so you can recover and grow.

Some amazing physiques have been built using three day a week routines, such as John Grimek, Steve Reeves, Reg Park and many more amazing old school drug free bodybuilders!

As a matter of fact 3-day routines were the standard before steroids found their way into bodybuilding.

Here are the 3 day workout routines that I have found work best for each level beginner, intermediate and advanced natural bodybuilders.

3 Day Beginner Workout

Workout your whole body, with one basic exercise for each body part, three days a week, Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Full Body Workout
Squat - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Barbell Row - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Bench Press - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Shoulder Press - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Barbell Curls - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Triceps Extensions - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Calf Raise - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps

3 Day Intermediate Workout

Split your body into two different workouts, using 1 basic exercise and 1 isolation exercise for each body part. On the first week you do Workout A on Monday, Workout B on Wednesday and back to Workout A on Friday. The next week you do Workout B on Monday, Workout A on Wednesday and back to Workout B on Friday. Simply keep alternating as above.

Workout A
Chest, Shoulders, Biceps and Calves
Bench Press - 2 to 3 sets of 8 reps
Dumbbell Fly or Pec Deck - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Shoulder Press - 2 to 3 sets of 8 reps
Dumbbell Lateral Raise - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Barbell Curls - 2 to 3 sets of 8 reps
Dumbbell Concentration Curls - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Standing Calf Raise - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Seated Calf Raise - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps

Workout B
Thighs, Hamstrings, Back and Triceps
Squat - 2 to 3 sets of 8 reps
Leg Extensions - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Leg Curls - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Barbell Row - 2 to 3 sets of 8 reps
Lat Pulldowns - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Triceps Pushdowns - 2 to 3 sets of 8 reps
Triceps Extensions - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps

3 Day Advanced Workout

Split your body into three parts and using multiple exercises for each body part.

Monday
Chest and Back
Bench Press - 2 to 3 sets of 8 reps
Incline Bench Press - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell Fly or Pec Deck - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Dips - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Barbell Row - 2 to 3 sets of 8 reps
Lat Pulldowns - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Machine or Barbell Pullover - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps

Wednesday
Thighs, Hamstrings and Calves
Squat - 2 to 3 sets of 8 reps
Leg Press - 2 to 3 sets of 8 reps
Leg Extensions - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Lying Leg Curls - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Standing Leg Curls - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Standing Calf Raise - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Seated Calf Raise - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Donkey Calf Raise - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps

Friday
Shoulders, Biceps and Triceps
Shoulder Press - 2 to 3 sets of 8 reps
Dumbbell Lateral Raise - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Rear Dumbbell Lateral Raise - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Barbell Curls - 2 to 3 sets of 8 reps
Hammer Curls - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell Concentration Curls - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Triceps Pushdowns - 2 to 3 sets of 8 reps
Triceps Extensions - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell Kickbacks - 2 to 3 sets of 12 reps

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