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

As this protocol is very specific to building lean muscle and toning, there will mainly be weight lifting. 

There will also be something called Zone 2 Cardio, which will not cause muscle loss, but other than that there is no cardio during this challenge unless you have extra energy for Day 6.

But if you really want to build muscle, extra cardio is not recommended.

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

And it’s only 30 days.

Okay, let’s run through a few key points and then jump into the workouts.

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 pounds on an exercise and it requires the use of 10 different muscles. If 9 of those muscles can lift 50 pounds, but one of them can only support 45 pounds, 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.

OVER-TRAINING

In order to build muscle we first injure our muscle tissue through workouts, and then give our muscle time to heal.

Muscle growth occurs during the recovery time after the work out.

Most muscle takes approximately 48 hours to recover, with some less and some more.

But our ligaments, tendons and nerves take longer.

If we increase intensity to try to speed gains, and don’t give them enough time to fully heal, recover and grow, this can lead to not only injury, but muscle loss.

It can also lead to extreme exhaustion.

The regimen in this article is advanced. It is not for someone just starting out.

For some it may be just right. For some it may be a bit much, and for some it won’t be enough.

You can absolutely add to this regimen as long as you increase macros if you get hungry, and ensure you still get enough rest for proper recovery.

And, while it isn’t likely, if one day you’re completely beat and dead to the world — take the day off and continue the next day. And take an extra serving of PerfectAmino.

Don't push it.

And if you get sick during this, stop working out until you’re completely better.

But as long as you get good sleep each night, increase macros when you’re hungry, take your PerfectAmino and other supplements, you probably won’t experience this.

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 of exercise and 1 day rest.

Each day you will work a different muscle group: Chest, Back, Shoulders, Legs, and Arms, with Abdominals or Zone 2 Cardio every other day.

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 4-6 different exercises each day.

And you will do 3-4 sets for each exercise.

You will also rest 90 seconds to 3 minutes between each set.

If you are not already lifting heavy daily, your first week you will be doing 8-12 repetitions per set to build up familiarity with the exercises and practice, and then move on to 6-8 reps per set at a heavier weight.

After that you will be working in the 6-8 repetition range, no higher or lower.

So, if you’re lifting 50 pounds, and you can do 8 repetitions in one set, then on your next set increase the weight by approximately 5 pounds — 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.

You will also be doing ten minutes of Zone 2 Cardio on some days. Zone 2 Cardio does not put you into a catabolic state and so will not affect muscle mass. This puts you into the fat-burning zone.

This will be incline walk on treadmill, or stair master, or stationary bike, or row machine. It is your choice of which to do.

And lastly, at the beginning of each workout you will be doing a few warm-up sets.

WARMING UP YOUR MUSCLES

We want to warm up your muscles before we start each day to make sure 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 (or 8-12) rep set. So if you are lifting 50 pounds for your workout set, lift 25 pounds 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 and do 6 repetitions.

Rest one minute.

This warm-up is only done before the first exercise each day. Or on Arms Day, before each exercise type (biceps or triceps).

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

Now we get into your full exercise regimen.

YOUR 30-DAY CHALLENGE WEEKLY EXERCISE REGIMEN:

Below you will find your complete daily work outs for the week.

If you need to see any of these exercises, Korey Rowe has made a whole page of videos to show the proper way to do them, along with notes to ensure you do them properly.

Watch these videos for any exercise you are not sure about.

Go here for the Lean Body/Lean Bulk Exercise Videos.

CHEST DAY WORKOUT + ABDOMINALS:

Incline Barbell Bench Press

3 warm-up sets as above

4 sets at 6-8 repetitions per set (or 8-12 for week one)

Dumbbell Chest Flys

4 sets at 6-8 repetitions per set (or 8-12 for week one)

Flat Barbell Bench Press

4 sets at 6-8 repetitions per set (or 8-12 for week one)

Abdominal Exercises (Pick One Or More From The Below)

Cable Crunches

3 sets of 12 repetitions per set. Wait 30 seconds between sets.

If you can do more than 12 at the weight you are at, increase until you can only do 12

Or

Toe Touches

3 sets to failure. Wait 30 seconds between sets

Or

Leg Raises

3 sets to failure. Wait 30 seconds between sets

BACK DAY WORKOUT + ZONE 2 CARDIO:

Barbell Deadlift

2 warm-up sets

4 sets at 6-8 repetitions per set (or 8-12 for week one)

Dumbbell Row Left Arm

3 sets at 6-8 repetitions per set (or 8-12 for week one)

Dumbbell Row Right Arm

3 sets at 6-8 repetitions per set (or 8-12 for week one)

Close-Grip Lat Pulldown

4 sets at 6-8 repetitions per set (or 8-12 for week one)

Weighted Hyper Extension

3 sets of 12 repetitions

Or

Supermans

3 sets of 15-20 reps

Zone 2 Cardio

Ten minutes of Zone 2 Cardio. Choose from:

Incline Walk on treadmill

Stair Master

Stationary Bike

Row Machine

SHOULDERS DAY WORKOUT + ABDOMINALS:

Seated Military Press

2 warm-up sets

4 sets at 6-8 repetitions per set (or 8-12 for week one)

Side Lateral Raise

3 sets at 8-12 repetitions per set every week

Arnold Press

4 sets at 6-8 repetitions per set (or 8-12 for week one)

Bench Incline Rear Delt Flys

3 sets at 8-12 repetitions per set every week

Abdominal Exercises (Pick One From The Below)

Cable Crunches

3 sets of 12 repetitions per set. Wait 30 seconds between sets.

If you can do more than 12 at the weight you are at, increase until you can only do 12

Or

Toe Touches

3 sets to failure. Wait 30 seconds between sets

Or

Leg Raises

3 sets to failure. Wait 30 seconds between sets

LEG DAY WORKOUT + ZONE 2 CARDIO:

Barbell Front Squat or Goblet Squat

2 warm-up sets

4 sets at 6-8 repetitions per set (or 8-12 for week one)

Split Squat Right Leg/Left leg (Goblet Form or Low-Hold Dumbbells)

3 sets at 6-8 repetitions per set per leg (or 8-12 for week one)

Romanian Deadlift

4 sets at 6-8 repetitions per set (or 8-12 for week one)

Zone 2 Cardio

Ten minutes of Zone 2 Cardio. Choose from:

Incline Walk on treadmill

Stair Master

Stationary Bike

Row Machine

ARMS DAY WORKOUT + ABDOMINALS:

Barbell or Supine Dumbbell Curl

2 warm-up sets

3 sets at 8-12 every week repetitions per set

Hammer Curl

3 sets at 8-12 every week repetitions per set

Preacher Curl

3 sets at 8-12 every week repetitions per set

Seated Triceps Press

2 warm up sets

3 sets at 8-12 every week repetitions per set

Crossover Cable Extension

3 sets at 8-12 every week repetitions per set

Katana Extension or Skull Crushers

3 sets at 8-12 every week repetitions per set

Abdominal Exercises (Pick One From The Below)

Cable Crunches

3 sets of 12 repetitions per set. Wait 30 seconds between sets.

If you can do more than 12 at the weight you are at, increase until you can only do 12

Or

Toe Touches

3 sets to failure. Wait 30 seconds between sets

Or

Leg Raises

3 sets to failure. Wait 30 seconds between sets

OPTIONAL DAY 6

This is an optional day to concentrate on any specific muscles you have your attention on, as well as cardio — running, biking, etc., if you must.

Only use this if you do have more energy. Do not overtrain.

Also, note that if you do an additional day you will be more hungry and do not hesitate to increase your macros to ensure your body has the nutrition it needs.

LET'S GET STARTED!

That’s it. Remember, don’t over-train, get proper recovery, if you get hungry then increase macros, and take your supplements.

Alright, go here for Metrics & Key Data For Week One, and then let's get started!

And if you have any questions, make sure to join our VIP Group where you can ask any question you have and get only the best answers.

Index To The Lean Body/Lean Bulk Guide:

Introductory Articles:

1. Is It Possible To Build Lean Muscle Without Cutting?
2. The Diet Of The Golden Age Body Builders

Getting Started:

1. The Lean Body/Lean Bulk Guide & 30-Day Challenge
2. Hormones: The Third Dimension of Calorie Cutting
3. The Lean Body/Lean Bulk Diet

Supplements & Macros By Goal:

1. Supplements & Macros For Lean Body
2. Supplements & Macros For Beginner To Moderate Lean Bulking
3. Supplements & Macros For Advanced Lean Bulking

Workout Regimens & Exercise Videos:

1. Beginner to Moderate Level Workout Regimen
2. Advanced Workout Regimen
3. Lean Body/Lean Bulk Exercise Videos

Week One:

1. Metrics & Key Data For Week One
2. How BCAAs Build Body Fat & Lower Health Over Time
3. The Importance Of Complete Protein Digestion

Week Two:

1. Dialing In Our Macros For Lean Muscle: Hormones & Cravings
2. How Cortisol Breaks Down Muscle & Prevents Protein Synthesis
3. How To Improve Growth Hormone, Testosterone & Protein Synthesis

Week Three:

1. Thyroid, Estrogen & Progesterone: Speeding Fat Loss & Lean Muscle Creation
2. Improving Sleep: Muscle Building, Fat Loss, Mood & Aging
3. Maximizing Cellular Function For Endurance & Recovery

Week Four:

1. Raising VO2 Max: Endurance, Performance & Recovery
2. How Toxins Affect Our Hormones: Building Muscle & Fat Loss
3. Blood Flow For Muscle, Fat Loss & Overall Health

Final Week:

1. What Is HRV & How Does It Affect Recovery & Health
2. End Of The Lean Body/Lean Bulk Challenge: Where To Go From Here