The Best 7 Day Gym Workout Plan with Free PDF

If you are looking for an ultimate weekly workout plan to train in an organized manner and get the most out of your training, I can help you.

In this article, I’ve shared five examples of 7-day gym workout plans, from beginners to experienced lifters and from muscle building to weight loss.

Here are the routines I’ve designed:

• Hybrid Workout Plan for Intermediate
• Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) for Beginners
• Upper Lower Split for Advanced
• Body Part Split for All Fitness Levels, and
• Strength and Cardio Combined for Body Recomposition

You can download one of them depending on your fitness level and goal. I believe following this routine and consuming the needed diet will help you shape your physique over time.

1. 7 Day Workout Routine for Muscle Development

• Day 1 – Chest and Triceps, and Core (optional)
• Day 2 – Back, Biceps, and Wrist
• Day 3 – Quadriceps, Calves, and Shoulders
• Day 4 – Chest and Triceps, and Core (optional)
• Day 5 – Back, Biceps, and Wrist
• Day 6 – Shoulders, Hamstrings, and Glutes
• Day 7 – Rest/Recovery Day

During the first half of the week, you’ll lift moderate weight to focus on improving muscle definition and symmetry, while in the last half, you’ll lift as heavy as possible to bolster your lifting strength.

It can be super effective for those who have been working out for a while but are not seeing growth.

Day 1 – Chest, Triceps, and Core

Optional Core Workout

Day 2 – Back, Biceps, and Forearms

Day 3 – Quadriceps, Calves, and Shoulders

Day 4 – Chest, Triceps, and Abs

Optional Core Workout:

• Weighted Crunches– 10 reps, 30-second rest
• Bicycle Crunches – 20 seconds, 45-second rest
• Hanging Knee Raises– 10 reps, 30-second rest
• Plank – 60 seconds, 30-second rest
• Side Plank – 30 seconds, no rest
• Weighted Reverse Crunches – 10 reps, 45-second rest
• Russian Twist– 20 seconds, 45-second rest
• Kneeling Cable Crunches – 10 reps, 45-second rest
• High-to-low Cable Wood Chop – 10 reps, 30-second rest, repeat on each side.

Day 5 – Back, Biceps, and Lower Arms

Day 6 – Shoulders, Hamstrings, and Glutes

Day 7 – Rest/Recovery Day

Rest is equally important as the workout, so allow each muscle to get complete rest on day 7. Then, repeat the same schedule in the following weeks.

You can also replace some exercises depending on your choice, but this weekly gym workout plan is well-designed and can help you grow strength and size.

2. PPL 7 Day Gym Workout Plan for Beginners

• Day 1 – Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps
• Day 2 – Back and Biceps
• Day 3- Quads and Calves
• Day 4 – Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps
• Day 5 – Back and Biceps
• Day 6- Hamstrings and Glutes
• Day 7 – Abs and Oblique (Core)

This Push, Pull, and Legs (PPL) split workout involves training two to three muscle groups a day and 12-15 sets per session. It is great for beginners who want to build muscle and strength and improve their physical appearance.

I’ve designed this program in such a way that your muscles get enough time for recovery between the workouts and won’t make you exhausted at the end of the week.

Day 1 – Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps

Day 2 – Back and Biceps

Day 3 – Quads and Calves

Day 4 – Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps

Day 5 – Back and Biceps

Day 6 – Hamstrings and Glutes

Day 7 – Abs and Oblique (Optional)

• Treadmill – 5 Minutes
• Bicycling – 5 Minutes
• Mountain Climbing – 15 seconds, 30-second rest
• Crunches– 10 reps, 30-second rest
• Bicycle Crunches – 20 seconds, 45 seconds rest
• Plank – 45 seconds, 30-second rest
• Reverse Crunches – 10 reps, 45 seconds rest
• Russian Twist– 15 seconds, 45 seconds rest
• Flutter Kicks – 15 seconds, 30 seconds rest
• Hanging Knee Raise – 10 reps, 30 seconds rest
• Plank – 60 Seconds Hold, 30 seconds rest
• Side Plank– 30 seconds on each side

3. Advanced 7 Day Split Workout for Mass Gain

This advanced split workout involves training upper and lower body parts separately on alternate days. It contains plenty of reps and sets per day, making it a high-volume training plan.

It is excellent for those who have been working for a while and want a challenging yet effective exercise routine for strength and muscle growth.

Monday – Upper Body

Tuesday – Lower Body

Wednesday – Upper Body

Thursday – Lower Body

Friday – Upper Body

Saturday – Lower Body

4. 7-Day Gym Workout Program to Train One Muscle Group a Day

• Monday: Chest
• Tuesday: Back
• Wednesday: Legs
• Thursday: Shoulders
• Friday: Biceps
• Saturday: Triceps
• Sunday: Abs

This program involves training one muscle group per day. It is a simple yet effective workout program that allows you to focus on one body part at a time and helps you build a strong and symmetrical physique.

First Day – Chest

• Flat Bench Press (warm-up): 1 set x 15-20 reps
• Flat Bench Press (working sets): 3 sets x 10-12 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets x 10-15 reps
• Pec Deck Fly: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
• High to Low Cable Fly: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
• Dumbbell Pullover (optional): 3 sets x 10-12 reps

Second Day – Back

• Pull-ups: Perform three sets of as many reps as possible
• Front Lat Pulldown: 3 sets x 15-20 reps
• Seated Cable Rowing: 3 sets x 15-20 reps
• Bent-over Barbell Row: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
• T-Bar Row: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
• Cable Facepull: 3 sets x 12-15 reps

Third Day – Legs

• Back Squat (warm-up): 20 reps
• Back Squat (working): 3 sets x 15-20 reps
• Leg Press: 3 sets x 15-20 reps
• Leg Extension: 3 sets x 15-20 reps
• Machine Leg Curl: 4 sets x 15-20 reps
• Calf Raises: 4 sets x 20 reps

Fourth Day – Shoulder

• Overhead Press (Warm-up): 1 set x 20 reps
• Arnold Press: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
• Dumbell Lateral Raises: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
• Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
• Reverse Pec Deck Fly: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
• Shoulder Shrug: 3 sets x 10-12 reps

Fifth Day – Biceps

• Chinups: Perform three sets of as many reps as possible.
• EZ Bar Bicep Curl: 3 sets x 10-15 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Curl: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
• Preacher Curl: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
• Hammer Curl: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
• Wrist Extension: 3 sets x 10-12 reps

Sixth Day – Triceps

• Bar Dips: Perform three sets of as many reps as possible.
• Diamond Pushups: 3 sets x 10-20 reps
• Skull Crushers: 3 sets x 10-20 reps
• Rope Pushdown: 3 sets x 10-20 reps
• Single-arm Overhead Extension: 3 sets x 15 reps on each arm
• Cable Kickback: 3 sets x 15 reps on each arm

Seventh Day – Abs

• Hanging Knee Raise: 3 sets x 15-20 reps
• Kneeling Cable Crunches: 3 sets x 20 reps
• Cable Oblique Twist on Swiss ball: 2 sets x 10 reps on each side
• High to Low Cable Woodchop: 2 sets x 10 reps /side
• Hollow Body Hold: 2 sets x 10-15 seconds
• Wheel Rollout: 2 sets x 5-10 reps
• Forearm Plank: 2 sets x 1-2 minute hold

5. Weekly Cardio and Strength Training Schedule for Fat Loss

The goal of this weekly gym workout program is to increase fat loss and build lean mass. It will be challenging but help you progress your fitness level over time.

Perform cardio exercises at your own pace and take 3-5 minutes of rest in between them.

Day 1 – Cardio

Day 2 – Strength Training

Day 3 – Cardio

Day 4 – Strength Training

Day 5 – Cardio

Day 6 – Strength Training

Day 7 – Cardio

Tips to Help You Use These Workout Plans Effectively

1) Warm-up

Warming up before lifting weights is essential as it will help you increase blood flow and allow your muscles to use oxygen efficiently. It can also reduce the chances of injuries.

You can do various cardio exercises, such as treadmill jogs, pushups, bodyweight squats, jumping rope, or stationary bicycling for 5 to 10 minutes to get your heart rate up.

2) Reps and Sets Range

The ideal reps and sets range for bodybuilding are 8 to 12 and 3-4. But you can also increase and decrease the number of repetitions and sets, depending on your goal.

The best thing you can do is to perform lightweight, high-rep sets during the first session and heavyweight low-rep sets during the second session.

For example, if you train your chest twice a week, then you can do a higher rep set on the first day and a heavyweight low rep set on the second day.

3) Rest Between Sets

The optimum rest time between sets is 1 to 3 minutes. 1-2 minutes of rest is sufficient for isolation exercises, while 2-3 minutes is ideal for compound exercises. 1 Willardson JM, Burkett LN. The effect of different rest intervals between sets on volume components and strength gains. J Strength Cond Res. 2008;22(1):146-152. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e31815f912d

4) How Much Weight Should You Lift

You can lift as heavy as you like. It’s best to start with lighter weights and then increase the load as you move to the second and third sets. A study recommends that heavy-load training helps increase maximal strength, moderate-load training increases muscle hypertrophy, and low-load training increases muscular endurance. So according to your, you can lift the weight. 2 Schoenfeld, B. J., Grgic, J., Van Every, D. W., & Plotkin, D. L. (2021). Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports, 9(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9020032

5) Post Workout Stretching

You can also do five to ten minutes of post-workout stretching to cool down, increase mobility, improve flexibility, reduce the risk of injury, and decrease muscle tension in your body. For example, you can do standing and seated bend forward, cobra pose, cat-cow, superman pull, and lunging hip flexor stretch.

6) Progressive Overload

Gradually increasing the weight, frequency, or number of repetitions in your strength training will help you grow your muscles over time.

7) Recommended Nutrition

Nutrition is equally important to work out when it comes to bodybuilding.

Feeding the proper amount of protein, carbs, and fats is essential for muscle growth.

The study suggests the recommended nutrition for developing a better physique. 3 Iraki, J., Fitschen, P., Espinar, S., & Helms, E. (2019). Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review. Sports, 7(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7070154

• Protein – 1.8–2.5 g/kg/day protein
• Carbohydrates – 3–5 g/kg/day
• Fats – 0.5–1.5 g/kg/day

You can take protein in your different meals, especially in your breakfast and post-workout meals. Protein comes from several foods, such as chicken, eggs, beef, fish, chicken turkey, soya chunks, etc. (see: high protein foods)

If you can’t fulfill your protein need from foods, you can use whey isolate protein that can help you recover damaged muscle and may support muscle growth.

Download Your Weekly Gym Workout Program PDF

Depending on your fitness level and goal, you can download one of the workout programs.