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The Ultimate 6 Day Gym Workout Schedule with PDF
Maybe you’re one of those folks who just can’t stay out of the gym. It’s your happy place, your sanctuary. It’s where you go when you could go anywhere.
If this describes you, keep reading. We’ve got a 6-day gym workout schedule that will keep you occupied for 6 days with only one day off.
Jump to the workout schedule now!
Alternatively, you can download the free PDF version of the routine using the link below:
The 6 Day Gym Workout Schedule In a Nutshell
| Program style | Resistance training |
| Workout duration | 1-2 hours |
| Scheduling | 6 days a week |
| Goal | Build muscle |
| Level | Beginners to advanced |
| Target Gender | Male and Female |
Is This Program For You?
This program is for you if…
- You love the gym so much, you have to go every day.
- You’re disciplined enough to go 6 days a week.
- You don’t mind short workouts.
- Your nutrition and sleep habits are excellent.
What To Expect
Expect to be doing a resistance training workout organized into a “bro split” Bro Splits are workouts organized by body part. Turns out that this works out to be 6 days’ worth of workouts.
You can expect short and (hopefully) intense workouts. Workouts may be shorter than what you’re accustomed to. The intense part is up to you.
Expect to be using free weights, cable, and selectable weight machines. As the program name implies, this is a gym workout schedule. So unless you’ve got a killer home workout facility, expect to be going to a commercial gym.
Finally…
If you do the program right, expect to need that 7th day to rest. You’ll need it.
6 Day Gym Workout Structure
As mentioned, this 6 Day schedule is essentially a bro split:
Chest, back, arms, shoulders, legs, abs. I’ve tossed in some low intensity steady state cardio for good measure.
The workouts are arranged with gains and recovering in mind. Legs–if you’re doing leg day right–will be your most strenuous workout, so the easiest workout of the week follows Leg Day.
Why don’t we put Leg Day last?
Good question.
Because we don’t want any leg fatigue at all going into Leg Day, and even LISS can keep your legs from being as fresh as they need to be.
Each day has only 3 or 4 exercises, with the single exception being Leg Day. It has 6.
Get used to the idea that you do not need dozens of exercises to build your body. What you need are the right exercises, done properly and with great intensity.
Your 6-day workout schedule will be structured as shown below:
| Day | Split | Exercises |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chest | Chest Press Incline Press Chest Flyes Pullovers |
| 2 | Back | Lat Pulldowns Seated Row Kelso Shrugs |
| 3 | Arms | Triceps Extensions, Both arms, Equipment of Choice Single Arm Triceps Extensions Hammer Curls Biceps Curls, Standing or Seated |
| 4 | Shoulders | Lateral Raises Thumbs-Up Front Raises Posterior Shoulder Flyes “Y” or “I” Raises |
| 5 | Legs | Squats Leg Extensions Hip Adductions Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs), option Single-Leg B-Stance RDLs Leg Curls Calf Raises |
| 6 | Abs (LISS) | Walking, RPE 4-5 Crunches Sit-ups with a Twist |
| 7 | REST |
The 6 Day Gym Workout Schedule
Here’s a quick high altitude view of the workouts. The downloadable PDF has all the details, including equipment options and suggested Reps in Reserve conveniently noted.
The Set 1 column is not the warm-up set. It’s a higher-rep set that transitions you from your warm-up into the more-intense sets to follow, where you’ll really need to be grinding.
Day 1: Chest Day
| Exercise | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest Press | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| Incline Press | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| Chest Flyes | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| Pullovers | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
Day 2: Back Day
| Exercise | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lat Pulldowns | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| Seated Row | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| Kelso Shrugs | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
Day 3: Arm Day
| Exercise | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triceps Extensions (Both arms, Equipment of Choice) | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| Single Arm Triceps Extensions | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| Hammer Curls | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| Biceps Curls, Standing OR Seated | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
Day 4: Shoulder Day
| Exercise | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lateral Raises | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| Thumbs-Up Front Raises | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| Posterior Shoulder Flyes | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| “Y” or “I” Raises | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
Day 5: Leg Day
| Exercise | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squats | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| Leg Extensions | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| Hip Adductions | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs) OR Single-Leg B-Stance RDLs | 15-20 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 8-10 |
| Leg Curls | 15-20 | 10-15 | 10-12 | 8-10 |
| Calf Raises | 15-20 | 15-20 | 15-20 | 15-20 |
Day 6: Ab/LISS Day
| Exercise | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walking, RPE 4-5 | >= 1 mile (2k) @ 0.5 MPH | |||
| Crunches | 20-30 | 20-30 | 20-30 | 20-30 |
| Sit-ups with a Twist | 10-20 | 10-20 | 10-20 | 10-20 |
Day 7: REST
Program Guidelines
1. Always Observe Progressive Overload
Progressive overload is a constant principle in resistance training. Universally applicable.
Progressive overload is adaptive stress applied to exercise.
If the last reps of any set are easy, raise the weight. If they’re too hard or you can’t finish the set, lower the weight.
Remember that weights are your tool for muscle growth. Your muscles can’t read the numbers on the weights, and your ego can’t make your guns grow.
Think: I’m going to the gym to accomplish something, not prove something.
2. Keep Reps in Reserve
Keep 1 to 2 reps maximum in reserve for the first 2 sets of each exercise. Go all-out with 0 RIR for the last 2. The last rep of the last set should be absolute max effort. If you could squeeze out another if someone held a gun to your head, you didn’t go all out.
That said…
Reps with lousy form don’t count, ever. I use penalty reps in my own workouts. If a rep stinks, I make myself do another. Amazing how much better this little hack will make your form.
3. Focus on Rep Cadence
Use a methodical, rhythmic, pumping motion.
No fast concentric-slow eccentric, etc. Your eccentric phases should be slow and controlled… just not timed. 3 – 4 seconds on the eccentric is plenty.
Use weights that are challenging enough that you can push or pull hard yet the weight won’t move fast. If the weight does move fast through all your reps, it’s way too light.
4. Do Warm-up Sets
Warm up for each exercise by doing ultra-light sets of the exercise you’re about to do. There’s no need to walk on the treadmill or ride the exercise bike or stretch or any of that stuff.
In fact…
You should never stretch a cold muscle. Warm up to stretch and not the other way around.
Light sets of what you’re about to do gets you ready to perform.
5. Observe Your Rest Days
A mentor of mine said:
“it’s not what you can do, it’s what you can recover from”.
Working out 6 days a week is a lot. You’ll need your rest day.
Recovery is when you grow. Take your rest day as seriously as you do your workout days.
I often cite these studies on the importance of rest and recovery; they’re always worth mentioning:
- Muscle recovery time after resistance training can range from 24 hours to 72 hours, depending on the individual’s training status, workout intensity, and the specific muscles involved. (Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2017).
- Effects of different recovery periods on muscle function. Findings: a recovery period of at least 48 hours was necessary for maximal muscle function to be restored after resistance training. (European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2019).
- Comparison of effects of 24-hour and 48-hour recovery periods on muscle strength. Findings: a 48-hour recovery period was necessary for optimal muscle strength recovery. (Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 2020).
Rest between sets
Rest a minute or two between warm-up sets and 3 minutes between your “working” sets.
Use your rest time between sets to analyze the set you just did.
Ask yourself:
- What would have made that set better (other than using more weight)?
- Was my form correct?
- How about my intensity? Could I really have done another rep?
- Any discomfort that signals a problem?
Visualize your next set before you do it.
And stay off your phone.
Download our 6 Day Gym Workout Schedule PDF below:
If you’d enjoy having us customize this program just for you for your unique situation or goals, contact us or reply in the comments. First come, first served.
