When it comes to building a big muscular physique the CHEST & ARMS are top priority for most guys. After all what guy wouldn’t want to be able to fill out their T-shirt with a thick powerful chest and big muscular guns?
Now there is certainly nothing wrong with the desire to build a bigger chest and arms. In fact, I think it’s a good thing. But the problem is when that is your ONLY training focus.
The next time you are at the gym, just take notice of how many guys are working “Chest & Biceps” compared to how many guys are working legs.
Keep an eye out over the next few weeks and you’ll probably see several guys who have fallen into the trap of doing the “STUPID WORKOUT” as outlined in the video below…
Watch the video, but please DON’T DO THIS…
Note: if you are on an iPad and can’t watch the embedded video clip above,
you can watch it right on my YouTube Channel by Clicking Here
To give you an example of how common this problem is, at the gym where I train there are 6 bench presses and only 3 squat racks. I rarely ever have to wait for a squat rack, but good luck getting close to the bench press, especially when the gym is busy.
The bottom line, if your goal is to build a more muscular upper body than you need to work your ENTIRE BODY. If you neglect leg training than you are missing on a lot of potential muscle gains.
You see when you train the big muscles of the legs and back this will stimulate your central nervous system to release higher amounts of natural testosterone and growth hormone, which will then help you to get bigger and stronger all over… Including the “Chest and Biceps”.
So to maximize your overall muscular development and get the fastest results possible, make sure to cover all basis and include lower body workouts as part of your regular training routine.
And if you would like help with choosing the best workouts for each muscle group, than I highly recommend that you sign up for my VIP “Inner Circle” Coaching Club at: www.TotalFitnessBodybuilding.com
As a member of the “Inner Circle” Coaching Club you’ll get on going training and nutritional advice, including the Workout Of The Month program. This is where you’ll get a brand new training program each month. Each “Workout Of The Month” builds on the previous month’s training and is specifically designed to help you make continuous progress over the long term towards your muscle building goals.
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29 Comments
AL
I had the great honor of meeting Dr.Franco Columbu in 1982 he called it Cantalope smuggler workout Great since of humor, A Long Time Ago.
josian
hi lee:
i really love this video,
by the way is my 3 day body split is okay,
for example:day 1:legs. day 2:chest and back.
and day 3:shoulders and arms?
what do you think of my 3 day body split?
thank you!
your friend,
josian.
leehayward
AL,
Awesome, I’ve never heard that name before 😉
leehayward
josian,
That’s fine, the main thing is that you are working all your major muscle groups equally.
Sean Havens
Without big strong legs and a solid trunk how they gonna hold them massive pecs and arms up..?
josian
hi lee:
i have a question for you:
i included in my workout routine a leg workout too,
for example my 3 day body split is like this:
day 1:legs
day 2:back and biceps
day 3:chest, shoulders and triceps
is this workout routine will help me with my legs workout for mass?
thank you!
your friend,
josian.
Steve
SO TRUE. The gym I work out in is on a college campus, so it’s full of frat dudes who only work their show muscles. I work all of my muscles twice a week and because I work my legs a lot, I’m now one of the biggest guys at the gym and have the strongest leg press by far, in a little over a year of training. My upper body caught up even though they only work their upper bodies, and my legs dwarf theirs. I don’t understand how they think they look good when their calves and legs look goofy because they’re so underdeveloped and disproportional.
josian
hi lee:
is true that what you said about that some bodybuilders
ignore the legs workout i always include a leg workout in my routine,
for example, my 3 day body split is like this,
day 1:legs.
day 2:back and biceps.
day 3:chest, shoulders and triceps.
this is a good basic 3 day body split that i
recommend to everyone!
i hope some people like my 3 day body split!
what do you think of my 3 day body split lee!
is this 3 day body split is useful?
thank you!
your friend,
josian.
Josian
Hi lee,
I have a question:
My 6 day body split
Is like this:
Day 1:chest & back
Day 2:legs & abs
Day 3:shoulders & arms
Day 4:chest & back
Day 5:legs & abs
Day 6:shoulders & arms
Is this possible?
Your friend,
Josian.
leehayward
That training split is fine, the most important thing is being consistent with your workouts and listening to your body.
Joshua A
Hey Lee, just a question, im currently weighing in at a tiny 123lbs, as a child i suffered from pyloric stenosis and because of that its stopped my body from processing food too easily and pretty much halted all of my attempts to gain weight or muscle. do you have any advice for me to take so that i can try to gain weight and to be able to work on muscle at the same time?
Thanks!
Joshua A.
Leslie
So true, i gain best when blasting legs! Thanks Lee for your great tips.
Ziyad
I have gained a lot of experience and skills through this website.
please keep us updated.
Thanks
Joe Chamberlin
I’ve just started working out at Anytime Fitness and was intimidated at first but after reading your tips and watching your videos I am excited about going to the gym everyday!
Martin
Hi Lee
Just want to say thanks for all the great videos and info from you,I just started weight lifting again for the first time in a good couple years and thought I would try some msten to kickstart my body seeing that I am 34, but after all your videos I placed that Msten on a shelf for now, thanx from South Africa 😉
leehayward
josian,
Yes, the way you are including leg training with your workouts will help you build a well balanced physique.
leehayward
Joshua A,
I’m not a doctor so I’m not qualified to offer any medical advice. But if you have trouble eating a lot of solid food you may want to look into consuming more of your calories in liquid form to see if it’s easier to digest and keep down. Things like protein shakes and meal replacement drinks may help. But you should discuss this with your doctor first to make sure that it’s ok.
leehayward
Thanks for the comments and feedback, it’s much appreciated 🙂
josian
hi lee:
i have a question for you:
is this a good 3 day total body split workout for a weight lifter like me
to train all the all the major muscle groups?
for example:
day 1:legs
day 2:back and biceps
day 3:chest,shoulders and triceps
what do you think of my 3 day body split lee?
thank you!
your friend,
josian.
leehayward
josian,
That’s perfectly fine, in fact I have a similar bodybuilding split routine posted on YouTube at:
Norman Paskowsky
Thanks for your tips, even for the intermediate!
Allan
Thanks lee for this video,,its help a lot of people,,especially those people going to gym to build muscular body.
Baruch Kastenbaum
If you don’t work your legs, you are weak…..Can you imagine trying to do a clean and jerk with out legs?? or the snatch??…..I think a lot of guys starting out are uninformed…..want big arms?? Tear up your triceps…..Preaching to the choir!!…..
Your right, I train at Planet Fitness….So many guys are clueless about how to train…Not to mention eating properly…………….Very few working their legs…
Barry K……………..
P.S. You want to be a body builder? Watch Pumping Iron….There’s a scene with Arnold and Ed Corny doing full squats……just tearing it up!!….If you walk out of the gym normally, work harder!!
Joseph Croft
Hi Lee , I have trained since the age of 14 off and on , I am 71 years of age now and for the last 14 years I have just been playing around on my York multi-Gym and not training serious but since retiring a have gained some weight around the waistline , but this week I have gone back to a proper gym and my favourite exercise is the deadlift which I do Sunday , Wednesday , Friday , and from Monday to Friday I do a 4 day push pull split routine consisting of Monday Bench press 5ets making the last set 6-7 reps , then shoulder press 3 x 10 , side laterals 3 x 10 , then Tricep pushdowns 5 X 10-8 reps , Tuesday Leg press 3 X 10-6 , Leg extensions 3X 10 , leg curl 3 X 10 , lat pulldowns 3 X 10-6 , seated rows on a machine 3 X 10-8 finishing with 6 sets of various curls for biceps Wednesday just deadlifting , and Friday a repeat of Monday & Tuesday is there any thing wrong with that routine can it be improved , regards Joe ,
Morne
Hi Lee, please see my split, is this all good or do you think i must change something around.
Day 1: chest and triceps
Day 2 : Back and Biceps
Day 3: shoulders and legs
With all 3 days I include a HINNT for 15 min as well as 3 abs
Regards
leehayward
That’s a good well balanced training split that covers all your major muscle groups.
Fred Vanderbom
Joshua A, Joshua, many of us with PS in our past have a similar issue. Lee’s advice is a good place to start, as most doctors I’ve had or read about aren’t into PS issues. I’ve discovered that in many cases PS is linked with a super-skinny body type (ectomorph – Google it). These people find it hard to put on weight or bulk, and their GI/metabolism is fast, which in our case fired the immature stomach into overdrive (high gastrin, the blood hormone that stimulates acid release) and this overworked the pylorus.
adrijana radosevic
I think we’re all guilty of uneven training one way or the other. For me, it’s usually doing pull muscles way more than push, mostly because I love training my back so much. Any pointers on how to gauge muscle imbalances before they freakishly show up in the mirror?
leehayward
Doing more pulling moves is usually not that big of a problem in terms of joint mobility. Most people have the opposite problem and do too many pressing moves. But you want to make sure that you balance out the types of pulling exercises you do – over head pulling (i.e. pull ups, pull downs, chins, etc.), horizontal pulling (different rowing variations), reverse flys and band pull aparts, and shrugs. If you work your back through all these different ranges of motion you should build good balance.