FitnessRx for Men is proud to introduce a new column by actor and fitness model Greg Plitt. Appearing on such TV shows as Bravo’s “Work Out,” HGTV’s “Designed to Sell” and NBC’s “Days of Our Lives,” as well as appearing on more than 100 fitness covers over the last few years, Greg knows all about staying ripped and lean. In this aticle, Greg answers some questions from fans. Be sure to check out Greg’s fitness advice in every issue and right here on FitnessRX For Men.com!
Greg, can you share your training and lifting splits?
I have a five-day split routine that works one body part per day and the entire body over the five-day period. My split is chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs with abdominals done at the end of each workout for 10 to 15 minutes. So my routine starts on Monday, then I will do chest on Monday, back on Tuesday, shoulders on Wednesday, arms on Thursday and legs on Friday. I then immediately go back to day one, that being chest, and do chest again on Saturday, followed by back on Sunday, shoulders on Monday, and so on. I do abdominals at the end of each workout for 10-15 minutes straight. I will focus on one abdominal region each day. So if I am focusing on the lower abdominal region, I will do 10 to 15 minutes straight of leg raises, flutter kicks, ankles to the bar, rocky leg wipers, etc. I do one set of 30 to 50 reps per exercise and then bounce to another one immediately and continue to change up an exercise after each set for 10 to 15 minutes. So, in the event it takes you two minutes to do a set of 30 to 50 reps, then you are looking at five to seven sets in the 10 to 15 minutes straight of the same abdominal region area at the end of the workout. After the fifth day, I go straight to the first day’s workout again without a day off. Given that I have four days between each muscle group, I do not need a day off, but in all honesty, given the nature of work and hectic lifestyles we all lead, there is always a day per week that prevents me from getting to the gym, so that is my day off. I don’t plan a day off due to wanting to avoid missing two days in a row.
How often and what type of cardio do you do?
I do cardio as a fat burn, meaning at a low heart rate for 45 minutes to an hour at a time. I always try to do at least three cardio sessions a week, but some weeks do five. Swimming is my cardio of choice, as it builds muscle endurance and helps striate your muscles, unlike running, biking, StairMaster, etc. I do cardio usually at nighttime before I go to bed to ensure I burn off any food in my stomach. Now if you are trying to grow and put on mass, you can still do cardio at night, but eat a high protein meal before bed or drink a protein shake. For me, I take all my concerns, stresses, and worries and upload them in my head and at the end of the day when the work’s done, I run the streets around my house and work through any issues, worries, plan the next day’s missions, play out what I want to happen, etc. I find that doing cardio thinking of your problem provides quicker solutions than if you sat in a chair brainstorming.
Average Week
| Morning | Evening | |
| Monday | Chest, Abs | Pool laps, 45 min |
| Tuesday | Back, Calves | |
| Wednesday | Shoulders, Abs | 5-mile run around house |
| Thursday | Arms, Abs | Pool Laps, 45 min |
| Friday | Legs, Abs | |
| Saturday | Chest, Abs | 2.5-hour hike with dogs |
| Sunday | Back, Calves | Open |
The “open” spot is room for anything I missed that week or anything that needs extra “love.” I do abs at the end of each workout except on back day— I throw an extra routine of calves that day due to abs and back being mirror muscles. Calves are a muscle group much like abs that can be worked every day if you so desire. If your calves need some extra love, start throwing them in on days other than your leg workout.
Have a question for Greg? E-mail it to editor@fitnessrxmag.com.