When it comes to building muscle, achieving your ideal physique, or reaching specific fitness goals, you’ve probably heard of the terms “cutting” and “bulking.” Both are essential phases of training for many fitness enthusiasts, but they require different workout approaches to maximize results. Whether you’re looking to shed fat during a cutting phase or bulk up with muscle during a bulking phase, your gym workout schedule needs to align with your goals.
Here’s a simple guide to structuring your gym workout schedule for both phases.
What is Cutting?
Cutting is the phase where the focus is on fat loss while preserving as much muscle mass as possible. During cutting, the body is in a calorie deficit, meaning you are consuming fewer calories than you burn. This forces your body to use stored fat as energy. The goal is to slim down while maintaining strength and muscle.
What is Bulking?
Bulking, on the other hand, is the phase where you aim to gain muscle mass. During bulking, the body is in a calorie surplus, meaning you consume more calories than you burn. This provides the energy needed for muscle growth. The goal is to put on muscle, but some fat gain is usually inevitable during this phase.
Gym Workout Schedule for Cutting
During the cutting phase, you’ll want to maintain muscle while burning fat. The key is to keep your workouts intense, focus on compound lifts, and include cardio to increase calorie burn. Here’s a sample cutting workout schedule:
Weekly Split (4-5 Days of Training)
- Day 1: Upper Body Strength (Push Focus)
- Bench Press
- Overhead Press
- Tricep Dips
- Lateral Raises
- Push-ups
- Abs (Plank, Leg Raises)
- Day 2: Lower Body Strength (Leg Focus)
- Squats
- Deadlifts
- Lunges
- Leg Press
- Hamstring Curls
- Calf Raises
- Day 3: Cardio & Core
- 30-45 minutes of steady-state cardio (e.g., jogging, cycling)
- Core exercises (Russian Twists, Bicycle Crunches, Mountain Climbers)
- Day 4: Upper Body Strength (Pull Focus)
- Pull-ups or Lat Pulldowns
- Barbell Rows
- Dumbbell Rows
- Bicep Curls
- Face Pulls
- Abs (Plank Variations, Hanging Leg Raises)
- Day 5: Full Body Circuit & Conditioning
- Circuit of bodyweight exercises (e.g., jump squats, push-ups, burpees)
- 30 minutes of HIIT (high-intensity interval training)
Key Notes for Cutting:
- Lower weight, higher reps: Perform exercises at a moderate weight for 8-12 reps to stimulate muscle endurance and fat burning.
- Incorporate cardio: Aim for 2-3 sessions per week, alternating between steady-state cardio and HIIT.
- Prioritize strength: While fat loss is the primary goal, keeping up with strength training helps prevent muscle loss.
Gym Workout Schedule for Bulking
In the bulking phase, the main goal is to build muscle mass, so you’ll need a workout schedule that emphasizes strength training, progressive overload, and sufficient recovery. Here’s a sample bulking workout schedule:
Weekly Split (5-6 Days of Training)
- Day 1: Upper Body (Push Focus)
- Bench Press
- Overhead Press
- Incline Dumbbell Press
- Dumbbell Lateral Raises
- Triceps Pushdowns
- Day 2: Lower Body (Quad Focus)
- Squats
- Leg Press
- Lunges
- Leg Extensions
- Calf Raises
- Day 3: Rest or Active Recovery
- Light stretching, yoga, or a walk for recovery
- Day 4: Upper Body (Pull Focus)
- Deadlifts
- Pull-ups or Lat Pulldowns
- Barbell Rows
- Dumbbell Rows
- Bicep Curls
- Day 5: Lower Body (Hamstring & Glute Focus)
- Romanian Deadlifts
- Hamstring Curls
- Bulgarian Split Squats
- Glute Bridges
- Calf Raises
- Day 6: Full Body/Accessory Work
- Focus on smaller muscle groups like abs, forearms, and shoulders
- Perform accessory lifts like cable machines or dumbbell work
- Day 7: Rest or Active Recovery
Key Notes for Bulking:
- Heavier weight, lower reps: Focus on heavier lifts (4-6 reps) with compound movements to build muscle mass.
- Increase volume: Aim for multiple sets of each exercise (4-6 sets) to maximize muscle overload.
- Avoid excessive cardio: While cardio is still important for overall health, limit it during bulking to avoid burning too many calories that could be used for muscle growth.
- Progressive overload: Gradually increase the weights you lift over time to continually challenge your muscles.
Conclusion: Cutting vs. Bulking Gym Schedule
The key difference between a gym workout schedule for cutting and bulking lies in the balance of calories, the intensity of your workouts, and the focus of your training. For cutting, the goal is fat loss, so you’ll prioritize cardio and higher-rep strength training. For bulking, you focus on building muscle with heavier weights and more volume.
