What gym routine should a man follow?
Three full-body days a week, then 4 after about 6 months. Gym or home. But lifting meets only one of the two NHS weekly targets. The plan below adds the other.
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What gym routine should men follow?
Three full-body sessions a week, such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For anyone new to lifting, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) advises 2 to 3 days a week.
Each session works your legs, hips, back, tummy, chest, shoulders and arms. That meets the NHS ask to work every major muscle on at least 2 days a week.
| Exercise | Sets and reps | At home |
|---|---|---|
| Squat or leg press | 3 sets of 8 to 12 | Squat holding a loaded backpack |
| Bench press or chest press | 3 sets of 8 to 12 | Press-ups |
| Seated row or dumbbell row | 3 sets of 8 to 12 | Row with a resistance band |
| Romanian deadlift: lower the bar down your thighs, hips back | 3 sets of 8 to 12 | Hip bridge |
| Shoulder press | 3 sets of 8 to 12 | Press-ups with your hips high |
| Plank | 3 holds, stop when your hips sag | Plank |
The order follows the ACSM rule: big lifts that use several joints come first. The exact moves are our pick. Any move for the same muscles works.
Pick a weight you can lift 8 to 12 times with good form. Rest 1 to 2 minutes between sets, as the ACSM suggests for building muscle.
The other NHS target, for adults aged 19 to 64, is cardio. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous.
Moderate means you can still talk, but not sing. Brisk walking and cycling count.
Never lifted before? Our beginner gym plan walks through your first session. Then put your 3 gym days in your diary.
Do men need a different workout plan from women?
No. When men and women follow the same plan, their results are close.
| What was measured | Result | Review |
|---|---|---|
| Muscle growth, for your starting size | Similar in men and women | 29 studies, 2025 |
| Muscle growth in total | A little more in men | 29 studies, 2025 |
| Lower-body strength | Similar in men and women | 23 studies, 2020 |
| Upper-body strength, for your starting level | Rose more in women (mostly new lifters) | 17 studies, 2020 |
Sources: Refalo 2025; Roberts 2020
The 2025 review looked at healthy adults aged 18 to 45. The 2020 review looked at young to middle-aged adults.
So the rules are the same for you. Choose weights for your body, not the man on the next bench.
Wondering how lifting links to hormones? Read exercise and testosterone.
A 4 day gym workout schedule for men
After about 6 months of steady training, the ACSM counts you as intermediate. It suggests 3 to 4 days a week.
| Day | First 6 months | After about 6 months |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Full body | Upper |
| Tuesday | Brisk walk, 50 minutes | Lower |
| Wednesday | Full body | Brisk walk, 50 minutes |
| Thursday | Brisk walk, 50 minutes | Upper |
| Friday | Full body | Lower |
| Saturday | Brisk walk, 50 minutes | Brisk walk, 50 minutes |
| Sunday | Rest | Brisk walk, 50 minutes |
Upper days are bench, row and shoulder press. Lower days are squat, Romanian deadlift and plank. Three 50 minute walks make your 150 minutes.
Both weeks train each muscle at least twice. A review of 10 studies found twice a week beat once for muscle growth.
Full body every time, or a split (upper and lower days)? A review of 14 studies found no clear difference in strength or muscle gains when the total work matched.
Pick the week that fits your life. For 5 or 6 days, see our weekly workout splits.
Can I do this as a home workout?
Yes. The NHS counts lifting weights, resistance bands and your own body weight as strength work, at home or in a gym.
Use the home column in the session above. Work each set until you need a short rest before going again.
Can you do more than 12 press-ups without needing that rest? Make the move harder. Put your feet on a step, or lower yourself more slowly.
A pair of adjustable dumbbells lets you keep adding weight. For more moves, see strength training at home.
How do I make progress each week?
Add weight once you can do 1 or 2 reps more than 12. The ACSM says to add 2 to 10% at that point.
On a 60 kg bench press, that is 1.2 to 6 kg. A 2.5 kg jump fits. Your reps will drop back, then you build them up again.
Start your plan this week
- Book 3 full-body sessions, such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- Warm up for at least 6 minutes before each one.
- Do 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, big lifts first.
- Write down the weight and reps for every set.
- Add 2 to 10% once you can do 1 or 2 more reps than 12.
- Add 150 minutes of brisk walking or cycling across the week.
Sources: NHS; NHS: warm-up; ACSM
More on adding weight in our progressive overload guide.
When to speak to a GP
The NHS says to get advice from a GP before you start if:
- You haven’t exercised for some time.
- You have a medical condition or health concerns.
- You have an injury or symptoms, feel unwell, or had a recent health event such as a heart attack or operation.
- You get chest pain that comes and goes, or that goes away quickly but still worries you.
Stop at once if you feel pain or become unwell. If symptoms worry you or don’t go away, call 111.
Call 999 for sudden pain or discomfort in your chest that doesn’t go away. It can feel like squeezing, pressure, burning or indigestion.
Also call 999 for pain that spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back. The same goes for chest pain with sweating, feeling sick, light-headed or short of breath.