Joe Delaney’s 5 day full body workout split is a bodybuilding workout routine focused on aesthetic goals and having fun in the gym. It came out of Joey D’s own training experience with different workout splits, and it’s how he was training himself when he published it in January 2020.
You can learn more about Joe Delaney, including personal training services, at his website. He is also on YouTube and Instagram.
Table of Contents
Program Overview
- Frequency: 5 days per week, full body each session
- Structure: 3 blocks (A, B, C), 2 weeks each, then repeat from A
- Progression: Volume drops as you move from block A to C, with some exercises rotated
- Loading: RIR based, with MR (maximum reps) sets on some movements
- Goal: Hypertrophy and aesthetics
Training everything five times a week means the per-session volume for any one muscle group is lower than you’re probably used to. That’s by design, and it’s the main adjustment coming from a body part split.
Spreadsheet
This is the spreadsheet that was shared for free on the YouTube video linked below.
Program Notes
- Lifts are in a specific order to help reduce fatigue. Try to complete them in the order in which they appear in the spreadsheet.
- Volume per muscle group per workout will likely be lower than you’re used to. This is to be expected, as the training frequency is higher.
- You can tweak the muscle group frequency to meet your own personal physique goals. If a certain body part is lagging and you don’t think it’s adequately represented here, feel free to dial it up. The opposite applies too.
- You don’t necessarily need to train 5 days per week on this program, but it is how Joey chose to organize his training. If fewer days are used, the same percentage of total sets per muscle group should still be aimed for. This is explained more in the video below.
Program Structure
This 5 day full body split is divided into 3 training blocks: A, B, and C. Each training block should be run for 2 weeks before moving to the next block. After training block C is completed you can begin block A again.
The main difference between blocks is that there is a reduction in volume as you progress from block A to block B to block C. There are also some exercises rotated in/out – these are highlighted in red on the “Block B changes” and “Block C changes” tabs. These tabs exist only to make it easier to see which new exercises are added.
Program Term Glossary
Maximum Reps (MR)
Complete as many reps as possible using the same weight from the previous set.
Reps in Reserve (RIR)
The number of reps you could have performed after a set is completed. For example, if you complete a set of 10 reps and think you could have completed 3 more reps (a total of 13 reps), then your RIR = 3 reps.
This is similar to rate of perceived exertion (RPE). For example, an RPE of 8 is roughly equivalent to an RIR of 2, RPE 9 is roughly equivalent to RIR 1, and so on.
VIDEO: Full Body Split Routine Overview by Joey D
To best understand the program, I recommend you watch this video from Joe Delaney.
