Hi Guys. I removed all the lower body exercises from the Lee Hayward 12 weeks program, and I came up with the following. Please don’t start telling me that I should train the lower body too. I already had too many of these conversations. I am familiar with all the arguments and I decided I will not train the lower body.

What I want you to tell me after a glance or two, is how balanced this program is. For example for me it seems that the shoulders are trained too much. But I’m definitely not an expert, so I don’t know.

Now you don’t have to check each month, just glance at some month and tell me if you think its balanced.

Thanks a lot!

P.S. This is a 1 day on 1 day off program (rest after each day).

Month 1

Day 1

Leg raises: 5×10
Wide grip pull downs: 3×15
Hyper extensions: 4×10
Pull down ab crunches: 4×15
Barbell Wrist curl: 4×10
Incline sit ups: 3×10-20

Day 2

Incline barbell bench press:*5×5
Seated dumbbell shoulder press:*5×8
Bicep cable curls (from low pulley): 5×10
Tricep push downs (using straight bar attachment): 5×10
Bent over dumbbell lateral raises:*3×10-15

Day 3

Incline dumbbell bench press: 4×10
Dumbbell side lateral raises: 4×10
Bicep dumbbell curls: 4×12
Tricep push downs (with rope attachment): 4×12
Barbell upright rows: 3×15

Month 2

Day 1

Incline sit ups: 3×10-20
Bent over barbell rows:*5×8
Barbell shoulder shrugs:*5×10
Seated cable rows: 4×15
Leg raises:*4×12
Barbell Wrist curl: 3×12

Day 2

Decline barbell bench press:*5×5
Seated barbell shoulder press (i.e. military press): 5×8
Preacher barbell curls:*5×10
Lying tricep extensions (with the EZ bar): 5×10
Cable upright rows (from the low pulley): 3×15

Day 3

Crunches: 4×25+
Flat dumbbell bench press: 4×10
Dumbbell front lateral raises:*4×10
Bicep barbell curls: 4×12
Tricep push downs: (with V bar attachment): 4×12
Close grip pull downs:*4×15

Month 3

Day 1

Chin ups: 4 x as many as possible
Pull down ab crunches:*5×10
Chest supported row: 4×10
Hyper extensions:*4×10
Leg raises: 5×10
Barbell Wrist curl: 5×8

Day 2

Flat barbell bench press: 5×5
Bent over dumbbell lateral raises:*4×10
Dumbbell side lateral raises:*4×10
Dumbbell front lateral raises:*4×10
Bicep cable curls (from low pulley): 5×10
Tricep push downs (using straight bar attachment): 5×10

Day 3

Pull down ab crunches:*4×15
Dumbbell bench press on the stability ball:* 4×10
Dumbbell shoulder press sitting on the stability ball:*4×10
EZ bar bicep curls:*4×12
One arm over head dumbbell extensions:*4×12
One arm dumbbell rows:*3×15

Month 4

Day 1

Incline sit ups:*5×15
Wide grip pull downs:*4×10
Leg raises:*5×15
Seated cable rows: 4×10
Barbell Wrist curl: 4×12
Pull down ab crunches:*4×15

Day 2

Dips: 5×5
Chin ups: 4 x as many as possible
Side lateral raises: 4×10
Seated barbell shoulder press (i.e. military press): 4×10
Bicep dumbbell preacher curls:*5×10
Tricep push downs (using rope attachment): 5×10

Day 3

Push ups with feet elevated on the stability ball: 4 x as many
Seated dumbbell shoulder press: 4×10
Standing one arm dumbbell curls: 4×12
One arm over head dumbbell extensions:*4×12
Close grip pull downs:*4×15

Filed under: Fitness

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!