Men, here’s a fitness truth you can use to your advantage: It’s way easier to stay in shape than to get into shape. You see, getting into shape takes time, effort, and patience. It can take months and even years to adapt, get stronger, and more, but once you have that foundation, believe it or not, the universe finally gives you a break. That’s why I’ve curated five of the absolute best weekly strength workouts for men to stay fit.
To stay in great shape, all you have to do is focus on a few simple and highly effective workouts. I’m not talking about doing a bench press followed by 10 different kinds of bicep curls; I’m talking about total-body strength workouts that target key muscle groups in a balanced way. When done right, you’ll continue to enhance your strength, muscle size, power, conditioning, and overall health and well-being without having to spend hours at the gym.
In this article, I’m sharing five quick and powerful strength workouts for men to stay fit and feel their very best. These are fast and high-octane, so you’ll get more results in less time than before. Pick any two (or more), do these strength workouts weekly, and you will see your fitness soar.
Workout #1
A1) Reverse Lunge, Sets: 8, Reps: 6 per leg
Stand with one foot about three feet in front of the other so that your knees make two 90-degree angles at the bottom. Drop straight down and drive with your front heel. Don’t let your front knee drift past your toe.
A2) Dumbbell Bench Press, Sets: 8, Reps: 6
Lie on a bench with your chest up, shoulders squeezed together, and feet flat on the ground. Drive the dumbbells upward, keeping your shoulders back. Drive through your heels as well, keeping your glutes on the bench.
A3) Pull-ups, Sets: 8, Reps: AMAP (as many as possible)
Grab a pull-up bar with your palms facing away and start by squeezing your shoulder blades together. Pull yourself up and lead with your chest.
B1) Face Pulls, Sets: 3, Reps: 20
Set a cable rope attachment above your head. Grab the ends of the rope in each hand with your palms facing each other and start the movement by squeezing your shoulder blades down and back. Pull the rope toward your nose. For more range of motion, attach two cable rope attachments to the machine and hold one rope in each hand
B2) Band Pull-aparts, Sets: 3, Reps: 20
Grab an exercise band about shoulder-width apart held at chest height. Keep your elbows locked. Start by squeezing your shoulder blades together and pulling the band apart until your arms open 180 degrees. Do not arch your back.
Workout #2
A1) Trap Bar Deadlifts, Sets: 6, Reps: 4
Stand at the center of a trap bar with your feet hip-width apart and toes straight ahead. Keep your knees soft and bend at your hip, grabbing the handles. Keep your shins perpendicular to the ground and lower back flat. Drive through your heels and push your hips forward to stand straight up. Squeeze your glutes at the top. Reverse the movement to lower the weight.
A2) Chin-ups, Sets: 6, Reps: 4
Grab a pull-up bar with your palms facing toward you. Start by squeezing your shoulder blades together. Pull yourself up and lead with your chest.
B1) TRX Pushups, Sets: 3, Reps: 12
Face away from the anchor point with TRX handles in each hand. Get in a pushup position with your hands about shoulder-width apart. Keep your lower back flat, and don’t let your hips sag. Lower yourself and keep your elbows close to your body as you descend.
B2) TRX Inverted Rows, Sets: 3, Reps: 12
Grab TRX straps from underneath with your feet closer to the anchor point. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull yourself up while keeping your body straight like a plank.
B3) Dead Bugs, Sets: 3, Reps: 5 per side
Lie on your back with your arms and knees in the air (like a dead bug), press your lower back into the ground, and lift your glutes. Reach out with your right leg and left leg at the same time while keeping your lower back flat on the ground, keeping your hips off the ground, and exhaling all of your air. Switch sides and repeat.
Workout #3
A1) Front Squats, Sets: 4, Reps: 6 each leg
Grab a barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and roll your elbows under and in front of the bar until your upper arms are parallel with the floor. Take the bar out of the rack and let it rest in front of your neck on the meaty part of your shoulders. Keep your chest high and elbows up and squeezed together.
Stand shoulder-width apart with your toes slightly out. Start the movement by sitting backward and spreading your knees apart. Descend below parallel while keeping your lower back flat. At the bottom, drive through your heels and keep your knees apart. Keep your chest high and elbows up and squeezed together throughout.
A2) Dips, Sets: 4, Reps: 6
Get on a dip bar, keep your chest out, and lower yourself until your elbows make a 90-degree angle. At the bottom, drive back up. To keep pressure off your neck, look at a spot on the ground a few feet in front of you.
B1) Chest-supported Dumbbell Rows, Sets: 4, Reps: 6
Set an adjustable bench to a short incline and lie face down with a dumbbell in each hand. Start the movement by pulling your shoulder blades together and row. Don’t let your elbow pull past your ribcage.
B2) Dumbbell Overhead Press, Sets: 4, Reps: 6
Grab two dumbbells and hold them by your shoulders. Keep your core tight and glutes squeezed, and push the dumbbells directly overhead. At the top, your biceps should be next to your ears. Don’t lean back or arch your lower back.
B3) Stir-the-Pot, Sets: 4, Reps: 8 in each direction
Get into a plank position on a stability ball. While keeping your torso still, move your forearms in a circle. Then, switch directions. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, and don’t let your lower back sag.
Workout #4
A1) Bulgarian Split Squats, Sets: 6, Reps: 5 per leg
Grab two dumbbells, stand facing away from a bench, and rest one foot behind you on the bench. Squat down with the forward leg and keep that shin vertical. Lean forward as you go down, and keep all the weight on the heel of your forward foot.
A2) Bench Presses, Sets: 6, Reps: 5
Lie on a bench with your chest up, shoulders squeezed together, and feet flat on the ground. Set up with your eyes directly under the barbell. Grab the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and bring it over your body. As you lower the barbell, keep your elbows close to your body and touch your sternum. Drive through your heels, keep your glutes on the bench, and push.
A3) Three-point Row, Sets: 6, Reps: 5 per side
Facing parallel to a bench, place your right hand and right knee on the bench, getting your torso parallel to the ground. Grab a dumbbell with your left hand, squeeze your shoulder blades, and row. Repeat on the other side.
B1) Wide Grip Inverted Row, Sets: 3, Reps: 10
Grasp the Smith Machine bar from underneath with hands wider than shoulder-width apart. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, pull yourself up, and touch your chest to the bar.
B2) Single-Arm Farmers Carry, Sets: 3, Reps: 20 yards
Get on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips; keep your knees an inch above the ground. Crawl forward by taking a small step with your right arm and left leg at the same time and alternate. Keep your hips low and your head up.
Workout #5
Set a timer to 30 to 45 minutes and do as many circuits with as little rest as possible.
A1) Front Squats, Reps: 8
Grab a barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and roll your elbows under and in front of the bar until your upper arms are parallel with the floor. Take the bar out of the rack and let it rest in front of your neck on the meaty part of your shoulders. Keep your chest high and elbows up and squeezed together.
Stand shoulder-width apart with your toes slightly out. Start the movement by sitting backward and spreading your knees apart. Descend below parallel while keeping your lower back flat. At the bottom, drive through your heels and keep your knees apart. Keep your chest high and elbows up and squeezed together throughout.
A2) Inverted Rows, Reps: 8
Set a barbell on a power rack or Smith Machine and, from underneath, pull yourself up and touch your chest to the bar. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and keep your body straight like a plank.
A3) Dumbbell Overhead Press, Reps: 8
Grab two dumbbells and hold them by your shoulders. Keep your core tight and glutes squeezed, and push the dumbbells directly overhead. At the top, your biceps should be next to your ears. Don’t lean back or arch your lower back.
A4) Ab Wheel Rollouts, Reps: 8
Start by kneeling with both hands placed on an ab wheel. Engage your core and maintain stability as you roll the wheel as far forward as you’re able to. Roll the wheel back to the start position.
A5) Alternating Split Squat Jumps, Reps: 5 per side
Start in a split stance. Squat down and explode into the air, switching legs and landing in the opposite stance. Alternate quickly and jump as high as you can each time.
