Here’s a Body Recomposition Workout Plan to Lose Body Fat & Gain Muscle Mass
Is recomposition of your body possible? In other words, can you lose fat and gain muscle mass simultaneously? The short answer is: Yes, it’s possible. You can recompose your body through a proper body recomposition workout plan and nutrition.
Whether you’re a complete beginner who wants to make a change in your life, an enthusiast who wants to look good naked, or an advanced athlete like IFBB Pro looking to make a comeback after taking time away from workouts due to injury, the body recomposition is achievable. But you must remember to prioritize a proper workout and diet plan for a lean body. And it should also be in alignment with your body recomposition goal. So let’s dive into the body recomposition workout plan and learn about it.
8 Weeks Body Recomposition Workout Plan for Female & Male Both
Here below is the 8-week workout routine that’s divided into two phases:
Phase 1 (Weeks 1 – 4)
Day 1 – Chest & Triceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Incline BB Bench Press | 4 | 12 – 15 |
| Decline BB Bench Press | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| DB Flys | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Skull crushers | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Triceps Dips | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Triceps Press downs (Reversed Grip) | 3 | 12 – 15 |
Day 2 – Back & Biceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| BB Deadlifts | 4 | 12 – 15 |
| Lat Pulldowns (Close Grip) | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Bent Over BB Rowing | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Lat Pulldowns (Wide Grip) | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| BB Curls (Reverse Grip) | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Curls W/ Cable | 3 | 12 – 15 |
Day 3 – Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| BB Back Squats | 4 | 12 – 15 |
| Stiffed Leg BB Deadlift | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| BB Lunges | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Leg Curls | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Leg Extensions | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Hyperextensions – Reverse | 3 | 12 – 15 |
Day 4 – Shoulders & Triceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Seated BB Military Press | 4 | 12 – 15 |
| BB Shrugs | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| DB Shoulder Press | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| DB Side Lateral Raises | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Cable Face Pulls | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Shrugs W/ Cable | 3 | 12 – 15 |
Day 5 – Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| BB Curls | 4 | 12 – 15 |
| Close Grip BB Bench Press | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| EZ Bar Curls | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Skull Crushers (EZ Bar) | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Cable Curls (Reverse Grip) | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Triceps Pressdowns | 3 | 12 – 15 |
Day 6 – Cardio, Calves & Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Calves Raises (Standing) | 4 | 12 – 15 |
| Leg Raises (Hanging) | 3 | Till Failure |
| Calves Raise W/ Leg Press Machine | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Weighted Sit–Ups (Decline) | 3 | 12 – 15 |
Phase 2 (Weeks 5 – 8)
Day 1 – Chest & Triceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Incline DB Bench Press | 4 | 12 – 15 |
| Decline BB Bench Press | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Flat DB Flys | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Triceps Dips | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| DB Overhead Triceps Extensions | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Triceps Press Downs (Rope) | 3 | 12 – 15 |
Day 2 – Back & Biceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| DB Deadlifts | 4 | 12 – 15 |
| Lat Pulldowns (Close Grip) | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| 1 Arm DB Rowing | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Lat Pulldowns (Wide Grip) | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Hammer Curls | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Cable Curls | 3 | 12 – 15 |
Day 3 – Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Hack Squats | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Stiffed Leg DB Deadlifts | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Bulgarian Squats | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Seated Leg Curls | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Leg Extensions | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Hyperextensions (Reverse) | 3 | 12 – 15 |
Day 4 – Shoulders
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| DB Press | 4 | 12 – 15 |
| DB Shrugs | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Shoulder Press (Machine) | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| DB Side Lateral Raises | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Face Pulls | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Shrugs (Using Cable) | 3 | 12 – 15 |
Day 5 – Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| DB Curls (Seated) | 4 | 12 – 15 |
| DB Overhead Triceps Extensions | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| DB Concentration Curls | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| DB Skull Crushers | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Cable Curls Using Reverse Grip | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Triceps Press Downs | 3 | 12 – 15 |
Day 6 – Cardio, Calves & Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Standing Calf Raises | 3 | 20 |
| Seated Calf Raises | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Hanging Leg Raises | 3 | Till Failure |
| Leg Press Machine Calf Raises | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Decline Weighted Sit Ups | 3 | 12 – 15 |
Body Recomposition – What Is It?
Put simply, body recomposition is the term used for the process that includes improving your body composition. It’s the term that’s used when anyone is looking to gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously. Body recomposition usually increases lean body mass (LBM) while reducing body fat.
Here LBM (Lean Body Mass) is your total body weight without fat. And, for the recomposition of your body, you’ve to increase the same. Unfortunately, theoretically, you can’t build muscles and lose body fat simultaneously, but it’s possible by following proper nutrition and a body recomposition workout plan.
Here’s Why Everyone Thinks Body Recomposition Isn’t Possible
The major misconception people have about body recomposition is that you require to
- Build muscle, and for that, you need energy or increased muscle protein.
- To lose fat, you must burn energy or reduce your already stored body fat.
But, people mistake that you require to be in an energy surplus for building muscles and an energy deficit for losing fat. In addition, these assumptions need to be clarified because skeletal muscles and fat tissues are two different functions in our body that signal different metabolic processes needed for energy. On the contrary, body recomposition is the best approach
- For a complete beginner.
- Once you finally decide to train properly.
- Decide to improve your diet dramatically.
- After taking a long layoff from the workout.
- Using PEDs (Performance Enhancing Drugs).
Assessing Your Potential Body Recomposition
You can assess your body recomposition based on training age, body fat percentage, and training status. So let’s know each in detail.
Training Age
It shows from how long you’ve been working out. For instance, someone who’s a beginner has a better chance of recomposing their body than those who’ve been training for decades.
Body Fat Percentage
If you’ve got a higher body fat percentage, it’s more likely to consider body recomposition. On the other hand, body recomposition becomes harder if you’ve got a leaner body.
Training Status
Depending upon how much training experience you’ve. We mean how effectively you’ve trained your body in your entire weightlifting timespan. Similarly, considering body recomposition is a little fruitful if you’re an elite powerlifter or bodybuilder.
For Advanced Lifters, Body Recomposition Is Simply a Good Nutrition
For advanced male & female bodybuilders and powerlifters, good dieting is an option. For instance, lifters with years of experience will see the effect of body recomposition through well-planned dieting.
Body recomposition is an excellent way to lose fat while gaining muscles. Though it’s not an opportunity to gain muscle and lose fat, but prioritizing makes the difference. Furthermore, you can opt for this option if you think about body recomposition to get a noticeable leaner body while gaining a small amount of muscle mass. But you’ve to be strategic about it. Similarly, below are some strategies you should look out for before jumping into body recomposition.
6 Best Strategy for Body Recomposition – A Blueprint
Stay Focused on Outcome Based Decision
Stay focused on the outcome. For instance, short-term body recomposition is best when you’re looking for a photoshoot, planning to get stage ready physique, or preparing for a special occasion. By having a particular goal and keeping yourself accountable for the same, increases your commitment and dedication level. Similarly, stay equally focused on the outcome, which is gaining muscle while losing fat. In addition, make adjustments in your body recomposition workout plan and nutrition.
Know Your Ideal Body Fat Loss Ratio
Usually, fat loss per week should be 0.25 to 0.5% of your body weight. For instance, if you’re a 200-pound guy, then 0.5 to 1 pound per week is considerable. Also, as lean as you get that much, you risk losing muscle mass. So, keeping a target fat loss ratio of 0.5% is recommended for a few weeks. And then reduce it to 0.25% per week.
Stay Aware of Your Maximum Adaptive Volume (MAV)
Put simply, you should be aware of how much amount of work you’ll need to put in to progress optimally without eating at the time of recovery time. Your calories will be relatively reduced at the time of body recomposition. And, with lower calories, you’ll lose your energy and tolerance towards overall workout volume. By not knowing, you risk losing muscle mass, overtraining, and opening yourself to injury while increasing your cortisol level, hindering muscle mass growth and fat loss.
And, if you don’t know about your peak bulking volumes, then you can go with the 8 to 12-rep range per muscle group per week.
Consume Optimal Protein
Consuming 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight is reasonable. But, when it comes to body recomposition, you’ve to be optimal. Hence, when your calories are lower, prioritize in consuming higher protein to retain your muscle mass.
Usually, it’s recommended that you go for 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. So, go for 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
Don’t Go Caloric Deficiency Everyday
Avoid going caloric deficiency every day. For instance, for two non-consecutive days consume little above your maintenance level. It’ll reduce your chances of negative metabolic adaptations and help build muscle mass. Similarly, go for a heavy and intense workout on these days when you consume above maintenance.
Similarly, if you’re planning to reduce your overall calorie intake as you can’t lose a pound in a given week, then it’s recommended to reduce it these days. However, be sure that these caloric surplus aren’t your cheat days and that you don’t go for the food that doesn’t support your body’s recomposition goal.
Keep Your Cardio Low
Don’t do excessive cardio. Instead, go for relaxing walks or jog on the treadmill for not more than 20 minutes. In other words, avoid doing endurance sessions and keep your cardio on the lower side. Heavy cardio activities will backfire, and there’s less chance of gaining muscle mass.
5 Common Mistakes That Wreck Your Body Recomposition
Below are some of the often-seen 5 mistakes that wreck body recomposition planning. Hence, ensure you aren’t doing these, and they’re:
- Not training optimally. For instance, if you want to look like someone who lifts, you’ll have to lift weights, so your physical appearance changes.
- Doing excessive cardio that hinders your muscle mass gains.
- Not sleeping enough.
- Not keeping track of what you’re eating.
- Not drinking enough water.
Body Recomposition Workout Plan – Our Closing Thoughts
Body recomposition is one training strategy geared towards building muscle and burning body fat simultaneously. This approach is popular among fitness enthusiasts, elite bodybuilders, and powerlifters to achieve a leaner and more defined physique.
A successful body recomposition workout plan involves a combination of resistance training, cardiovascular exercise, and proper nutrition. By staying consistent and focused on building muscle while also burning fat, you can achieve a leaner and more defined physique. It’s not a one-day result, so ensure you’re consistent with it and don’t make the silly mistakes covered here that wreck your body recomposition planning. Lastly, here we’ve covered an 8-week body recomposition workout plan that you can try. Good luck!
