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I would like to start the Brad Pitt Fight Club routine:

Monday: Chest

  • Push-ups: Three sets of 25 reps
  • Bench press: 25, 15 and eight reps at 165, 195, 225 lbs
  • Nautilus press: 15 reps at 80, 100, 130 lbs
  • Incline press: 15 reps at 80, 100, 130 lbs
  • Pec deck: 15 reps at 60, 70, 80 lbs

Tuesday: Back

  • 25 pull-ups: Three sets to fatigue
  • Seated rows: Three sets at 75, 80, 85 lbs
  • Lat pull downs: Three sets at 135, 150, 165 lbs
  • T-bar rows: Three sets at 80, 95, 110 lbs

Wednesday: Shoulders

  • Arnold press: Three sets at 55 lbs
  • Laterals: Three sets at 30 lbs
  • Front raises: Three sets at 25 lbs

Thursday: Biceps & Triceps

  • Preacher curls: Three sets at 60, 80, 95 lbs
  • EZ curls cable: Three sets at 50, 65, 80 lbs
  • Hammer curls: Three sets at 30, 45, 55 lbs
  • Push downs: Three sets at 70, 85, 100 lbs

Friday and Saturday: Cardio

Sunday: Rest

I think this is a fantastic program, but it is obviously devoid of leg workouts. I would like to work in squats, deadlifts, and Romanian deadlifts, such that they are balanced when considered alongside the rest of the exercises, and I am still lifting for only four days. How could I effectively do this? I was thinking of tacking on squats for three of the days, deadlifts for one, and Romanian deadlifts for two (obviously spacing out the days when I do so). Please advise.

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  • What is your goal ? Hypertrophy ? Strength ? Cardio ?
    – P154
    Commented Jan 4, 2019 at 14:28
  • Hypertrophy, but I don’t want to get too big. Just toned and muscular.
    – Someone
    Commented Jan 4, 2019 at 15:06

2 Answers 2

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Since Wednesdays are Shoulders and the next day is Biceps and Triceps I would consider adding Shoulders onto the Bi's and Tri's Day. Turning the Biceps and Triceps day into a full Arms Day. So it could look something like this:

  • Monday: Chest
  • Tuesday: Back
  • Wednesday: Legs
  • Thursday: Arms
  • Friday: Rest

For Leg Day it could look something like:

  • Deadlifts 4 sets of 4 / alternate with Squats 4x4 for every other week.
  • Leg Press or Romanian Deadlifts 3sets x8-10reps
  • Leg Extensions 3sets x10reps
  • Leg Curls 3sets x10reps
  • Calf Raises 3sets x15reps

Also I wouldn't worry too much about getting too big, if you find that happening then you can lower the reps to around 5-8 and still maintain size while gaining strength.

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Since your goal is hypertrophy, I suggest removing a cardio session and using this "free time" for legs. I assume your cardio is involving your legs so, do your leg day 2 or 3 days before, like this:

  • Monday: Chest
  • Tuesday: Back
  • Wednesday: Legs
  • Thursday: Shoulders
  • Friday: Biceps & Triceps
  • Saturday: Cardio

Cardio can be counter productive for hypertrophy: you need to eat more calories than you spend and to stress a lot your muscles to get bigger and cardio spends a lot of calories but doesn't stress your muscles enough for hypertrophy. Of course, cardio has other benefits so if you want to do some it can be good for you, just be sure you eat enough.


Hypertrophy, but I don’t want to get too big.

Don't worry, you won't get too big by mistake. Hypertrophy is a long term work and even if your goal is not really big, you will have plenty of time to correct your training before becoming "too big" (unless you use illegal products).


If you really don't want a 5th day of lifting, I'd suggest removing pec deck on chest day, doing shoulders the same day than chest (chest exercises stresses shoulders too) and replace shoulders day by leg day.

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  • I would only be training chest + shoulders once a week in that case. Is this too little?
    – Someone
    Commented Jan 4, 2019 at 15:34
  • You are already training chest and shoulders once a week. Shoulders' work on your chest day is too little to really train your shoulders that day with your proposed program. If you want to train your muscles more than once per week with 4 days lifting a week, then half body is the way to go (monday & thursday legs, tuesday and friday upper body, wednesday and saturday cardio)
    – P154
    Commented Jan 4, 2019 at 15:39
  • So you are recommending I find a different routine in order to adequately train every week?
    – Someone
    Commented Jan 4, 2019 at 15:50
  • The type of training you should depends on your experience (beginner, intermediate, expert...), your nutrition, your sleep, your genetics and a lot more things. If you are a beginner, I suggest to do some research on what to eat for hypertrophy and start with half body, and adapt your training over the time
    – P154
    Commented Jan 4, 2019 at 15:54

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