The Absolute Best
Workout Routine For Men

The best workout routine for men that I’ve ever come across was developed by coach Christian Thibaudeau, aptly named The Best Workout Plan For Natural Lifters. The two fundamental principles of the program revolve around frequency and volume.

Frequency works better than volume. Hitting a muscle three times per week is the optimal frequency for a natural trainee (with a low volume to compensate for the increase in frequency). Train six days a week, doing short, low volume workouts hitting half the body each time.

You can read the entire program at T-Nation.com, just realize that this program is so good, you’ll have to pay a small $7.50 charge which will give you one full month’s access to all of T-nation’s articles.

In addition to this routine, I will list a couple of others that have provided excellent results for my clients. You’ll have plenty of options to determine what works best for you.

The New Drop Sets For Size & Strength

The next best workout routine for men in my humble opinion, is The New Drop Sets For Size & Strength created by trainer Nick Tumminello. Drop sets are an advanced training technique where you extend a set by decreasing the weight. You can read the entire program for free here.

The NT Loop Circuit Workout -
The Best Workout Routine For Men With Bands

The Workout

This workout is made up of four different circuits, with the first circuit being the largest circuit, which consists of nine total exercises. Whereas the remaining circuits in the workout consist of three exercises each.

Perform the exercises designated with a, b, c and so on as a circuit. Perform in each set before moving to the next circuit round. Completing all reps of each exercises within a given circuit is considered one round. Perform all rounds of a given circuit before moving on to the next circuit.

Circuit #1

This first circuit consists of three different exercise complexes – a back and shoulder complex, a push-up complex, and a lower-body complex. Each complex consists of three different exercises, for a total of nine exercises to complete one round of the circuit.

Band Back and Shoulder Complex

1a. NT loop pull-apart x10-15 reps on each side

1b. NT loop scapular-retractions x 20-30 reps

1c. NT Loop Compound Straight-Arm Pulldown x10-15 reps on each side

Band Push-up Complex

1d. NT Loop resisted push-up x as many reps as possible with good technique

1e. Push-up x as many reps as possible with good technique

1f. Band Assisted speed push-up x as many reps as possible with good technique

Or, for those still working on doing their first regular push-up, do this…

1d. NT Loop assisted speed push-up x as many reps as possible with good technique

1e. Kneeling Push-Ups x as many reps as possible with good technique

1f. NT Loop assisted kneeling push-ups x as many reps as possible with good technique

Rest 30 seconds, then perform…

Band Lower-body Complex

1g. NT Loop 1.5 squats* x 10 reps

1h. NT Loop Speed band squats x 20-30 reps

1i. NT Loop Hybrid Deadlift x 20-30 reps

*Go down all the way. Come up half way. Go down all the way. Come up all the way. That’s 1 rep!

Perform 3 to 4 rounds the above nine exercises, resting 3 to 5 minutes between rounds before moving on to circuit #2.

Circuit #2

This circuit hits the arms and glutes. Perform the following three exercises, back to back:

2a. NT Loop Overhead speed triceps extension x 10-30 reps

2b. NT Loop speed biceps curl x 10-30 reps

2c. NT Loop Dynamic Side Elbow with Hip Adduction x20-30 rep each side (take step increments)

Perform 2 to 3 rounds of the above three exercises, resting 2 to 3 minutes between rounds before moving on to circuit #3.

Circuit #3

This circuit, which hits the abs, hips and glutes, requires you to anchor the band low, just above your ankle level, around a stable object. Perform the following three exercises, back to back:

3a. NT Loop Arm walkout (or w/o the NT Loop depending on your strength level) x 30 seconds

3b. NT Loop linear Monster Walk x 45 seconds

3c. NT Loop Band Crunch x 10-15

Perform 2 to 3 rounds of the above three exercises, resting 2 to 3 minutes between rounds before moving on to circuit #4.

Circuit #4: The 30/20/10 band resisted interval protocol

I call this the 30/20/10 band resisted interval protocol – you’ll understand why when you look at the time intervals used for each exercise in this circuit.

Keep the band anchored low of this circuit, which is your cardio-conditioning of this workout. Perform the following three exercises while in-place with the band around your waist, back to back:

5a. NT Loop waist-resisted In-place march x30 seconds

5b. NT Loop waist-resisted In-place Skip x 20 seconds

5c. NT Loop waist-resisted In-place Sprint x 10 seconds

Perform 3 to 6 rounds of the above three exercises without rest.

Note: The 30-seconds of in-placing marching serve as “active rest.”

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