Lean Bulk Week One: Workout

by Dr. David Minkoff March 04, 2023 4 min read

YOUR 30-DAY LEAN BULK CHALLENGE EXERCISE ROUTINE:

You’ve most likely lifted weights before. But as there are a few points that are specific for the success of this program, please read this.

On this protocol you will be lifting 5-6 days per week.

As this protocol is very specific, there will only be weight lifting — no running or other forms of cardio.

If you would like to take a walk, that’s fine. But adding in other forms of cardio will hamper your progress and may cause you trouble.

And it’s only 30 days.

Let’s run through the key points.

KEEPING IN PROPER FORM

One very important note to prevent injury — only lift the amount of weight you can lift while keeping in proper form.

Any exercise you do requires more than one muscle. It could require many muscles. And you are only as strong as your weakest muscle.

So maybe you’re lifting 50 lbs on an exercise and it requires the use of 10 different muscles. If 9 of those muscles can lift 50 lbs, but one can only support 45 lbs, this will cause the other muscles to try to compensate, throwing your form off.

And if it throws your form off, then continuing it will lead to injury.

So only lift as much weight as you can while maintaining proper form.

If your form goes off, lower the weight.

YOUR WORKOUT SCHEDULE:

You will be working out 5-6 days per week, with 1-2 rest days. This can be scheduled as 2 days of exercise, then 1 rest day, then 3 days of exercise, then 1 rest day, repeat, or as 6 days exercise and 1 day rest.

Each day you will work a different muscle group: Chest, Back, Shoulders, Legs, Arms.

If you choose to add a 6th day, use it to focus on key muscles you feel are behind. (Realize this may mean you will increase macros sooner.)

You will do 3-4 different exercises each day.

And you will do 3 sets for each exercise.

You will also rest 3 minutes between each set.

For each set we will be working in the 6-8 repetition range, no higher or lower.

So, if you’re lifting 50 lbs, and you can do 8 repetitions in one set, then on your next set increase the weight by approximately 5 lbs — or until you can only do 6 repetitions. Then continue to work at this new heavier weight.

As your strength builds, you will again hit 8 repetitions. So raise the weight again until you can only do 6 repetitions and carry on this way.

WARMING UP YOUR MUSCLES:

We want to warm up your muscles before we start each day to ensure they’re ready to take on heavier weights. This ensures you get the most out of each workout while also helping to prevent injury, so it’s very important.

The first exercise of each day will begin this way:

First warm-up set: Do 12 repetitions at approximately half of the weight of your 6-8 rep set. So if you are lifting 50 lbs for your 6-8 rep set, lift 25 lbs instead for this warm up set.

Rest one minute.

Second warm-up set: Use the same weight, but only do 10 repetitions. Do these slightly faster.

Rest one minute.

Third warm-up set: add 5-10 pounds on and do 4 repetitions.

Rest one minute.

This warm-up is only done before the first exercise each day. Or on Arms Day, before each arms exercise.

From here you just move on into the first exercise at full weight.