Going Back To School? How To Stick To Your Physique Goals

Can you believe it? Summer is almost over. It’s just about time to go back to school. Whether you’re going back to high school or college, your life is about to get a lot busier. 5% Nutrition understands the demand school will have on your time and we’re here to tell you that your physique goals do not have to suffer. How do you find the time to stick to your plan? 5% has the answer!

Use A 3-Day Push/Pull/Legs Split Routine

The first step is to use a routine that emphasizes recovery. The best routine for that is the 3-day push/pull/legs split routine. With a 3-day, you will have a more flexible schedule. That means if you have a very demanding day at school, you have 4 days available to reschedule your workout.

A typical 3-day split divides your body into 3 separate parts. In this case, you will do pushing muscles on one day, pulling muscles on another, and legs on their own day. Since flexibility is key, you perform this 3-day workout split once over 7 days.

For example, you can do pulling muscles (back, biceps) on Monday. Pushing muscles (chest, shoulders, triceps) can be done on Wednesday. Finally, you can work legs on Friday. This approach provides optimal recovery and works very well with a busy schedule.

The key to making this work with a busy school schedule is to always perform 3 workouts over 7 days. You can do your workout any time of the day. There is also a trick or 2 you can do to get through the workout faster.

Also, we will look at nutrition and the best 5% Nutrition supplements to use with a busy schedule.

The 3-Day Push/Pull/Legs Split - The Back To School Workout

No doubt you had a serving of Drink Sleep Grow last night before bed. I’m sure you began your day with ADYM or maybe Shake Time. Next up, take the 5% Nutrition pre-workout of your choice 20-30 minutes before your workout. For Push Day and Pull Day, I suggest Kill It Reloaded. For Leg Day, go with 5150 and Full As F*ck.

Add Core Creatine or Crea-TEN to your pre-workout.

Finally, drink 1-2 servings of ADYM or ADYM Natty during your workout. Use Rich’s trick of freezing it for 20-30 minutes before your workout. It’ll be like a slushee - refreshing and delicious!

Day 1: Push

Bench Press
As noted, I have a great tip to get through your workouts faster. We will use the classic rest-pause technique. It’s a time saver, and it works like this: Once you’ve warmed up, you’ll do your first working set to a point where you’re struggling to get that last rep. Stop the set, count to 10, then knock out as many reps as possible. It should only be 3-4 reps. Stop the set again, count to 10, then knock as many reps as you can. It should only be 1-2 reps. You should struggle on the last rep of each rest-pause “mini-set”. Once you’ve done your second rest-pause mini-set, your set is over. Rest for 60 seconds and go on to the next set or exercise.

Bench Press

As noted, I have a great tip to get through your workouts faster. We will use the classic rest-pause technique. It’s a time saver, and it works like this:

Once you’ve warmed up, you’ll do your first working set to a point where you’re struggling to get that last rep. Stop the set, count to 10, then knock out as many reps as possible. It should only be 3-4 reps. Stop the set again, count to 10, then knock as many reps as you can. It should only be 1-2 reps. You should struggle on the last rep of each rest-pause “mini-set”. Once you’ve done your second rest-pause mini-set, your set is over. Rest for 60 seconds and go on to the next set or exercise.

Warm up over 3 sets

Bar x 15 reps

20% RM x 10 reps

40% RM x 8 reps

3 Working sets x 8-10 reps, then 2 rest-pause mini-sets as described above.

Incline Press
2 sets x 8-10 reps - no rest-pause

Overhead Press
3 sets x 8-10 reps, then 2 rest-pause mini sets

Close Grip Bench Press
3 sets x 8 reps-no rest pause

Crunch
2 sets x 15 reps

Post-Workout - Follow Rich’s advice and have 1-2 scoops of Real Carbs + Protein. Feel free to add fruit. Then wait an hour or so, and have your post-workout meal.

I listed 5% supplements to use around your workout. The other 5% supplements you can use depend on your goals. I suggest the following:

For Mass

Optional

For Fat Loss

Day 2: Rest

Day 3: Pull

Deadlifts
Same set and rep scheme as the bench press. This is a serious exercise. Be sure your form is 100% correct. Work the complete range of motion, up and down. No dropping the weight from the top.

Bent Rows
2 sets x 8 reps

Pull Ups
1 set x as many as possible. This exercise is natural for rest-pause style reps. Use the technique to get additional reps.
Alternate Exercise:
Lat Pulldowns - Do this if pull-ups are too hard
2 sets x 8-10 reps, then 2 rest-pause mini sets

EZ/Drag Curls
2 sets x 8-10 reps, then 2 rest-pause mini-sets. We’re also adding another twist. When you’re struggling on your standard EZ curl, switch to Drag Curls, do as many as you can, then use the rest-pause protocol.

Hammer Curls
1 set x 8 reps

Wrist Curl
2 sets x 8-10 reps

Hanging Leg Raise
1 set x 10 reps

Crunch
2 sets x 15 reps

Post-Workout - Same as Push Day.

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Legs

Squats
Same set and rep scheme as bench presses. Maybe even more than deadlifts, this is a hardcore exercise when it’s done right. Go as deep as you can. Do not do these fast. Drop slowly and under control. Explode up from the bottom.

Lying Leg Curls
2 sets x 8 reps

Standing Calf Raises
2 sets x 10-12 reps, then 2 rest-pause mini sets

Seated Calf Raises
2 sets x 10-12 reps, then 2 rest-pause mini sets

Crunch
2 sets x 15 reps

Post-Workout - Same as Push Day.

Day 6 & 7: Off

Performance Notes

The beauty of rest-pause is it allows you to spend less time in the gym. That makes a big difference when time is tough to come by.

You can change the workout schedule any way you like. For example, you can do legs on day 1, push muscles on day 3, and pull muscles on day 5. This makes sense because the legs are heavily involved in deadlifts. If you give them some rest, they will be fresh for squats.

This routine assumes Monday, Wednesday, and Friday as workout days. Still, you can change the workout days to whatever works best for you. You can change them every week if you have to. Allow 1 rest day in between your workout days.

You can change the exercises, too. If your goal is size and strength, stick with the exercises listed here. Otherwise, you can change exercises to fit your own goals or needs.

Concentrate on the correct exercise form. Lift the weight under complete control from beginning to end. Don’t let momentum do the work. Emphasize the negative part of the rep. Take 2-3 seconds to lift the weight. Explode up but stay in control. Take 4-6 seconds to return to the start position.

When you can do the listed pre-rest-pause reps easily, add 10% more weight. Try to add weight every 2 weeks. Add weight to as many exercises as you can. If you can’t add more weight, add 1-2 more reps.

What About Cardio?

Cardio depends on your goals. If fat loss is your priority, do cardio 5 days a week, early in the day. Drink a small protein shake beforehand.

How Can I Keep My Calories Up?

One of the problems with a very busy schedule is finding time to eat. So what’s the solution? Shakes and Knock The Carb Out Bars! You might not have time to sit down to a meal. But you have time to drink a shake and eat a bar.

For example, 1 serving of delicious vanilla cinnamon Shake Time mixed with cold water gives you 130 calories and 26g of real food protein. Add a Knock The Carb Out Bar, and you have an additional 300 calories. Plus, there are 23g of slow-burning carbs, 19g of fat mainly from almonds, and another 18g of whole food protein. That’s a meal! Eat this combination 1-2 times a day and you’re good to go. Make sure you’re eating quality meals when you can sit down to a meal.

Tips & Common Mistakes

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Number Of Exercises - Do not add exercises or sets. If you’re working the routine as described, you shouldn’t be able to add anything. If you are adding exercises or sets, add weight to the bar and work harder!
Workout Length - This is meant to be a fast workout. Get in, get it done, and get on with your busy day.
Changing Your Workout Schedule So There’s No Rest Days In Between - Yes, you can change the schedule of your workouts as needed. Still, make sure you leave at least 1 rest day in between your 3-day routine. Remember, recovery is everything.
Don’t Make Excuses Not To Eat Quality Meals - Don’t fall into the junk food/fast food trap. Instead of Shake Time and Knock The Carb Out Bars, you grab a slice of pizza and gulp it down on the run. Or, you grab Mickey-D’s and choke it down in a hurry. Don’t do that! Go for the quality of 5%! You can eat regular, quality whole food meals at home. When you’re in school and pressed for time, go with 5%.

Let’s Recap

In this article, we have detailed a workable split routine, supplement schedule, and quick meal tips that anyone can use. The beauty of 5% supplements is Rich’s belief that his products be based on whole food sources. You’re not losing anything nutritionally by eating a 5% bar and drinking a 5% shake. Also, the 3-day routine as presented will save you time and give you exceptional flexibility. Now it’s up to you to go out there and do whatever it takes to make it happen. Get it done!

Stock up on all your 5% Nutrition supplements here!