5x5 workout routine

My Modified 5x5 Workout day


During my 12 week transformation, the weight training routine I was doing was a full body heavy/medium split with 2 heavy days a week and 1 medium day. The details of that routine can be found in my blog post regarding training for my 12 week transformation.

Parallel Grip Pull ups to failure

Heavy for me is defined as weight training in the 3-5 rep range. Medium workouts for me are defined as weight training in the 8-12 rep range.

If I workout with heavy weights too often for too long, then my joints start hurting. So what I am doing now is giving my joints a break and also trying to put some more emphasis on hypertrophying my upper body. 

To do this, I have taken a break from working out legs and am now just doing 1 heavy day with 2 medium days. The 2 medium days are reserved for a chest/shoulders and back/biceps split. The one heavy day consists of a heavy chest, back, and shoulder exercise. 

I also do a few sets of ab exercises at the end of each workout.

I just did a heavy workout yesterday and decided to take some pics to show you guys what I do :) 

Here are the details of my current heavy workout:

Format is Set # - Weight used x # of reps 

Heavy Chest Exercise: Low Incline Smith Machine Bench Press

Set 1: 245 x 5

Set 2: 245 x 5

Set 3: 245 x 5 

Set 4: 245 x 5

Set 5: 245 x 5 followed by dropset of 155 lbs to failure

Low Incline Smith Machine Bench Press

Heavy Back Exercise: V-Bar Handle Pulldown

Set 1: 240 x 5

Set 2: 245 x 5 

Set 3: 245 x 5

Set 4: 245 x 5

Set 5: 245 x 5 followed by parallel grip pullups to failure

V-bar Pulldown Back View

V-Bar Pulldown Side View

Dumbbell Push Press

Set 1: 85 x 5

Set 2: 85 x 5 

Set 3: 85 x 5

DB Push Press - Start

DB Push Press - Middle 

DB Push Press - End

Lateral Raises
Set 1: 55 x 5
Set 2: 55 x 5 followed by dropset of 35 lbs to failure

Ab Wheel (Standing on Feet)

Set 1: 8 reps

Set 2: 8 reps 

Set 3: 6 reps followed by Ab Wheel from the knees to failure

Ab Wheel from feet -Start

Ab Wheel from feet - Finish

I feel great using this workout routine and split right now. The medium days give my joints a break and I also get to work on a "pump" on those days. The heavy days allow me to use the heavier weights so my strength stays high.