Kai Greene, one of the most revered and philosophically driven bodybuilders in the world, has built a career on his exceptional physique, artistic approach to bodybuilding, and his unique training style. With multiple Arnold Classic victories and numerous top placings at the Mr. Olympia, Kai's training program is focused on building mass, achieving muscle symmetry, and developing a strong mind-muscle connection.

Kai’s training philosophy goes beyond just lifting heavy weights—it's about sculpting each muscle with precision and intent. Here’s a breakdown of Kai Greene’s training program, including key elements of his approach to different muscle groups.

Training Philosophy

Kai’s approach to training focuses on:

• Mind-Muscle Connection: Kai believes in the power of feeling the muscle work through every rep, ensuring full engagement of the target muscle.
• Controlled Movements: Rather than simply moving heavy weights, Kai emphasizes strict form and slow, controlled reps to maximize muscle activation.
• High Volume: Kai’s training involves a significant amount of volume, often performing multiple sets and reps to fully fatigue the muscle.
• Frequency and Intensity: Kai trains with high frequency, typically working out six days a week, targeting different muscle groups twice per week to ensure they get enough stimulus for growth.

Weekly Training Split

Kai Greene usually follows a 5 to 6-day split, hitting each muscle group twice a week with variations in intensity and exercise selection.

Here’s a sample of his weekly training split:

• Day 1: Back
• Day 2: Chest and Triceps
• Day 3: Legs
• Day 4: Shoulders and Abs
• Day 5: Back and Biceps
• Day 6: Legs
• Day 7: Rest or Active Recovery (Light cardio or stretching)

1. Kai Greene’s Back Workout

Kai is known for his incredible back development, which he attributes to a combination of heavy compound lifts and exercises that emphasize width and thickness.

Key Exercises:

• Deadlifts: 4 sets of 6-8 reps
• Wide-Grip Pull-Ups: 4 sets to failure
• Barbell Rows: 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• T-Bar Rows: 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Lat Pulldowns: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Dumbbell Rows: 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Focus:

Kai performs these exercises with slow, controlled movements, focusing on feeling the contraction in his lats and rhomboids. He varies his grip and angles to hit the back from all sides, ensuring a well-rounded development.

2. Kai Greene’s Chest Workout

Kai’s chest routine is centered around building size and shape, with an emphasis on targeting both the upper and lower chest for complete development.

Key Exercises:

• Incline Barbell Press: 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Flat Dumbbell Press: 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Flyes: 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Cable Crossovers: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Pec Deck Machine: 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Focus:

Kai emphasizes a full range of motion and controlled contraction, especially on movements like flyes and crossovers. He focuses on feeling the stretch and squeeze in the chest to maximize hypertrophy.

3. Kai Greene’s Leg Workout

Kai’s legs are some of the most impressive in bodybuilding, and his leg days are brutal. His routine incorporates both heavy compound lifts and isolation movements to fully exhaust the quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

Key Exercises:

• Squats: 4-5 sets of 6-10 reps
• Leg Press: 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Walking Lunges: 3-4 sets of 12-15 steps per leg
• Leg Extensions: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Lying Leg Curls: 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Stiff-Leg Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8-12 reps

Focus:

Kai emphasizes deep squats for full quad and glute engagement, and he performs high-volume isolation exercises like leg extensions and curls to finish off each workout.

4. Kai Greene’s Shoulder Workout

Kai’s shoulder routine is designed to build 3D delts with exercises that target the front, middle, and rear delts, while also hitting the traps.

Key Exercises:

• Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Side Lateral Raises: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Front Dumbbell Raises: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Reverse Pec Deck (Rear Delt Flyes): 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Dumbbell Shrugs: 4 sets of 10-12 reps

Focus:

Kai uses high volume and controlled movements to target all three heads of the deltoid. He performs lateral and front raises with strict form, ensuring maximum tension on the shoulders.

5. Kai Greene’s Arm Workout

Kai’s arms are a defining feature of his physique, and his arm workouts focus on both biceps and triceps to create balanced growth.

Key Exercises for Biceps:

• Barbell Curls: 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Dumbbell Curls: 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Preacher Curls: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Hammer Curls: 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps

Key Exercises for Triceps:

• Skull Crushers: 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Close-Grip Bench Press: 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Rope Pushdowns: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Overhead Triceps Extension: 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps

Focus:

Kai uses a mix of heavy lifting and controlled isolation movements to fully engage both the biceps and triceps, ensuring maximum pump and muscle fatigue.

6. Kai Greene’s Ab Workout

Although abs are trained indirectly through many compound movements, Kai includes direct abdominal work in his routine to build core strength and definition.

Key Exercises:

• Hanging Leg Raises: 4 sets to failure
• Cable Crunches: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Decline Sit-Ups: 4 sets to failure
• Planks: 3 sets of 60 seconds

Focus:

Kai focuses on controlling each rep, especially during exercises like leg raises and cable crunches, to engage the lower and upper abs fully.

Kai Greene’s Training Tips

• Mind Over Matter: Kai emphasizes that bodybuilding is just as much a mental battle as it is physical. Developing a strong mind-muscle connection is key to getting the most out of each workout.

• Variety is Key: Kai often varies his exercises, rep ranges, and workout intensity to keep his body guessing. This helps prevent plateaus and ensures continuous progress.

• Form Over Weight: While Kai lifts heavy, he always prioritizes proper form and controlled movements over just moving the weight from point A to point B.

Kai Greene’s training program is a reflection of his philosophy—bodybuilding as both an art and science. His focus on the mind-muscle connection, high volume, and controlled movements has helped him achieve one of the most impressive physiques in the world. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced lifter, incorporating Kai’s principles into your routine can help you achieve greater muscle growth, symmetry, and overall body awareness. For more information click here