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Phil Heath Workout Routine and Diet Plan

Phillip 'The Gift' Heath was born and raised in Seattle. He grew up with both his parents working full-time, so he had to take care of himself. The varsity basketball team captain and shooting guard for Heath's high school basketball team, he was always athletic. On an athletic scholarship, he attended the University of Denver and played for the Division I team. Bodybuilder Heath began competing in 2002 and won the overall title at the 2005 NPC USA Championships, launching his professional career. During the 2007 Arnold Classic, he placed 5th, and in 2008, he placed second. Heath won the Iron Man in 2008 and finished third in his Mr. Olympia debut. Mr. Olympia went on to win every year from 2011-2017, tying him with Arnold Schwarzenegger for second-most wins behind Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman. The 1988 TNA World Tag Team Champion also won the 2013 TNA World Championship. There are millions of his followers on social media. Heath has a height of 5 feet 9 inches and a weight of 240 pounds. His weight during competitions is about 275 pounds. The off-season is when he loses weight.

As part of this article, we will examine what Phillip 'The Gift' Heath would take to build a strong physique. Our workout routine section would also include his exercise routine since he works out quite diligently. You can hopefully decode the secrets of how he got where he is now by staying tuned to learn all about his routines.

Phil Heath Body Statistics

Birth Year: 1979
Birth Date: December 18
Height: 5' 9" (175.26 cm)
Competition Weight: 240 lbs
Off-Season Weight: 290 lbs
Arm Size: 22.5 inches
Waist Size: 30 inches
Chest Size: 54 inches
Thighs: 30 in or 76 cm
Calves: 20 in or 51 cm
Neck: 18.5 in or 47 cm

Phil Heath Awards and Achievements

2003 Northern Colorado State, Novice, Light-Heavyweight 1st and overall
2003 NPC Colorado State, Light-Heavyweight, 1st
2004 NPC Colorado State, Heavyweight, 1st, and Overall
2005 NPC Junior Nationals, HeavyWeight, 1st, and Overall
2005 NPC USA Championships, HeavyWeight, 1st, and Overall
2006 Colorado Pro Championships, 1st
2006 New York Pro Championship, 1st
2007 Arnold Classic, 5th
2008 IFBB Iron Man, 1st
2008 Arnold Classic, 2nd
2008 Mr. Olympia, 3rd
2009 Mr. Olympia, 5th
2010 Arnold Classic, 2nd
2010 Mr. Olympia, 2nd
2011 Mr. Olympia, 1st
2011 Sheru Classic, 1st
2012 Mr. Olympia, 1st
2013 Mr. Olympia, 1st
2014 Mr. Olympia, 1st

Phil Heath Workout Routine

Phil begins every workout with a short cardio workout as part of his warm-up. You can find the training plan he used while preparing for Mr. Olympia below. It is quite a comprehensive workout schedule that focuses on each body part quite sufficiently.

Monday: Quadriceps / Hamstrings / Calves

Romanian deadlift – 4 sets, 8-10 reps
Lying Leg Curl – 4 sets,8-10 reps
Seated Leg Curl – 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Leg press – 4 sets, 15-20 reps
Machine Calf Raise – 4 sets, 15-20 reps
Seated Calf Raise – 7 sets, 10-12 reps
Leg Extension- 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Barbell Front Box squats – 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Leg press – 3 sets, 12 reps
Hack Squats – 7 sets, 7 reps

Tuesday: Chest / Triceps

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press – 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Incline Dumbbell Flys – 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Machine Bench Press – 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Pec Deck Flys – 7 sets, 10-12 reps
Cable Tricep Pull Down – 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Parallel Bars Dips – 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press – 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Lying French Press – 7 sets, 10-12 reps

Wednesday: Free

Thursday: Back / Biceps

Wide Grip Overhand Pull-ups – 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Close Grip Underhand Pull-ups – 3 sets, 10-12 reps
T-Bar Row – 4 sets, 12 reps
Underhand Barbell Row – 4 sets, 12 reps
Dumbbell Row – 3 sets, 12 reps
Straight Arm Pulldown – 7 sets, 10-12 reps
EZ-bar Bicep Curl – 3 sets, 12 reps
Dumbbell Hammer Curl – 3 sets, 12 reps
Seated Isolated Bicep Curl – 3 sets, 12 reps
Scott Bench Bicep Curl – 7 sets, 8-10 reps

Friday: Shoulders / Trapezes

Smith Machine Overhead Shoulder Press – 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Dumbbell Front Raise – 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Upright Barbell Row – 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Barbell Lateral Raise- – 7 sets, 10-12 reps
Dumbbell Shrugs – 4 sets, 12 reps
Barbell Shrugs – 4 sets, 12 reps

Saturday: Cardio

Sunday: Free

A Phil Heath Routine

ChestWarm-up

Bench press: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Incline bench press: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Strive chest press machine: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Single-arm chest press machine: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Pec deck chest fly: 8-12 reps x 5 sets

Shoulders

Shoulder press machine: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Dumbbell front raises: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Standing lateral delt fly machine: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
One-arm front raise on the machine: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Rear delt fly on pec deck machine: 8-12 reps x 5 sets

Back

Wide grip lat pulldown: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Seated cable row (alternate grip): 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Behind the head lat pulldown: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Seated wide grip cable row: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Bent-over rope pulldown: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Dual cable lat pulldown: 8-12 reps x 5 sets

Legs

Lying hamstring curl: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Standing machine leg extension: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Seated reverse hamstring curl: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Hack squat: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Leg press: 8-12 reps x 5 sets
Seated leg extension: 8-12 reps x 5 sets

Arms

Single-arm machine preacher curl: 6-8 reps x 5 sets
Machine preacher curl: 6-8 reps x 5 sets
Incline biceps curl machine: 6-8 reps x 5 sets
Bent-over single-arm curl: 6-8 reps x 5 sets
Alternating dumbbell curl: 6-8 reps x 5 sets
Rope triceps push-down: 6-8 reps x 5 sets
Single-arm rope extension: 6-8 reps x 5 sets
Machine triceps dips: 6-8 reps x 5 sets

Bulking Training

Hany Rambod, a well-known personal trainer and inventor of the "Fascia Stretch Training" training program, is Phil's coach. Phil gains some muscle mass during contest preparation by combining this technique with other known and tested exercises.

In FST-7, only one exercise is done seven times for six to twelve repetitions followed by a 45-second break. Following every other set, you will perform isometric contractions and stretching during the break.You don't have to invent new exercises if the ones you're using are effective, says Phil. One more tip from this amazing bodybuilder is that you don't have to spend all your energy at the gym to build muscles. If your body does not recover quickly enough after training or does not respond as well to the training as you would like. A smart approach to training is crucial for success. Many people have trouble finding a training system that suits their needs.The workout routine Phil Heath follows could be found in his routine. Besides, he uses some tips and tricks that help him better his workout and gets him good results. Our next section will be about the tips he has to share with his fans!

Phil Heath Workout Tips and Tricks

We will discuss in this section Phil's workout tips that he gives us to be better during his routines. He makes sure he remains consistent, but to look good in the gym you must work hard and be patient. That is exactly what we will talk about here. Take a look.

Be attentive

According to Heath, too many bodybuilders zone out when they work out and just go through the movements. You should pay attention when you work out for optimal results.

You should stick to what you know

Getting fancy at the gym isn't necessary, Heath says. You can adapt your routine by learning from others and switching up the order of the exercises, but you don't have to invent a whole new way to work out.

Don’t Dys Machines

In health, machines often replace free weights because they are easier to control and less likely to cause injury. Although often criticized, his results demonstrate that he has no problem using this method.

Vary Your Grip

To increase the work on his forearms, Heath sometimes uses Fat Gripz.

Warm-Up

Heath always takes the time to warm up his muscles with a few lighter sets.

Classic Split

The classic strategy that Heath follows is working one area of the body each day, and allowing it to rest the rest of the week.

There’s More to Legs Than Squats

Generally, beginners will do squats and think it's enough to build leg muscle, but Heath says isolation exercises are essential for maximum leg definition.

How to Get Hi-Def Shoulders

He believes that great shoulders are the result of volume rather than weight and that the anterior, side and posterior delts must be worked.There were all the workout tips that Phil shares with his family and friends as well as with people who are interested in following him on his fitness journey. The following section will discuss the diet plan that has helped him better his physique so much so that people worship him for the kind of strength he possesses.

Phil Heath Diet Plan

In the past, if you were a professional bodybuilder, you were expected to eat and eat and eat until you couldn't eat anymore. You would stuff your piehole morning, noon, and night - especially at night - in an attempt to pack on the pounds in any way possible. The burgers were good. The pizza was even better. Don't forget the ice cream. Ice cream is a must. The gluttonous behavior of off-season bodybuilders often led to them being mistaken for sideshow attractions rather than the serious athletes they aspired to be. Over its first century of existence, competitive bodybuilding evolved from a quest to achieve the ideal male physique to an all-out race to out-roly-poly the competition.

There was a time when that was true, but now it's not. Let's turn our attention to bodybuilding champ Phil Heath's mass-building diet, which will help you gain quality mass - a muscle with minimal fat, the type that you are probably looking for. In today's hardcore gyms, this kind of approach is considered somewhat unusual, but it makes sense to Phil for several reasons: Looking Good: “My job title is Professional Bodybuilder, so I feel I should look like one not just for a couple of weeks out of the year but for the whole year,” says Phil.Feeling Good: “When I’m too heavy, I just feel slow and lethargic. A little body fat is a good thing for the extra energy it gives you in the gym, but too much of it and I feel like a slob.”Good for Business: “Now that I’m a pro, I can get called to do a guest-posing appearance at any time. The better I look at the guest-posting, the more likely I’ll be asked to do another.” Good Times: “It’s so much easier to get ready for a contest when you have only 20 pounds to drop instead of 50. I was ready for Colorado so far out that I was relaxed the last weeks leading up to the show instead of suffering to lose those last few pounds.”Phil seems to have the whole diet thing down to a science, but it's more of a metaphysical sort rather than hard science. He isn't one of those meticulous types who count each gram of protein, carbohydrate, and fat that enters his body - he eats instinctively. While he does weigh his foods, mainly the meat, so he can estimate his protein intake more accurately. “I’ll probably take in something like 400 grams of protein a day in the off-season,” says Phil.In terms of protein, Phil prefers red meat, particularly steak. “I eat a lot more red meat in the off-season than I do precontest,” he says. “I love red meat because it helps me put on weight. I don’t know if it’s the creatine, B vitamins, or zinc, but red meat helps me grow. My body responds well to it.”His favorite cut is a flank steak (a lean cut he prefers before a contest), but he enjoys sirloin (often leaner than filet) during the off-season. Yet, he tries to choose the leanest cuts from the available options. “I had a barbeque in my backyard the other day, and a bunch of bodybuilders were there,” he says. “I was cooking up hamburgers and they were asking me, ‘How much fat is in these?’ And I was like, ‘This is 90% lean!’ Just because it’s a hamburger doesn’t mean it has to ruin your diet.”Phil eats primarily home-cooked meals throughout the year. “If Jen [Laxson, his girlfriend] and I are cooking, I know exactly what’s going into my food,” he explains. Outside of red meat, he’s a fan of fish, especially when it’s wrapped in rice and dried seaweed. “I’m a sushi nut,” he admits. “I could eat salmon rolls pretty much every day.”

As well as salmon, he consumes salmon steaks. Omega-3s, which are essential fatty acids, are abundant in this cold-water fish. A wide range of conditions has been treated with EFAs, including arthritis, heart disease, allergies, and asthma. In addition to decreasing muscle breakdown and enhancing fat loss, they also help boost energy. In preparation for a competition, Phil switches out the salmon for a drier fish, such as tilapia or orange roughy. Nevertheless, he will take his EFAs in capsule form since he's as health-conscious as he is size-conscious.Not as often as you might think, chicken breast makes its way onto the menu. The variety it brings to Phil's six-meal day is attractive, but it isn't one of his favorite things to eat. Egg whites, typically for breakfast, are his other main protein source, which he enjoys paired with a steaming bowl of Cream of Wheat.He wonders why more bodybuilders don't consume this food. “I love my Cream of Wheat!”Even though porridge is the first source of carbohydrates Phil consumes during an off-season day, it is far from the last. Usually, he consumes around 600 grams of carbs a day. “I know a lot of people hate hearing this, but I’m one of those guys who can stay pretty defined while eating a lot of carbs,” he says. “My body thrives on them. They keep my muscles full and round, so in the off-season, I can eat as many as I want. But I’m talking about complex carbs, not simple sugars, which can ruin a physique.”During off-season mode, Phil does not measure his fat intake. Beef and salmon steaks, as well as occasional cheat meals, are the main sources of calories. He does estimate, however, that he rarely, if ever, consumes more than 100 grams of fat per day. The average person consumes 900 calories per day from fat since one gram of fat contains 9 calories. Added to his intake of 600 grams of carbs and 400 grams of protein, Phil's total calorie consumption sometimes approaches 5,000 calories. Add a gallon or two of water to the mix, and you've got the 24-hour cocktail that fuels a 5'9", 240-pound off-season physique that seems wired from birth to build award-winning muscles.“I could eat garbage during the off-season and probably get away with it,” Phil says. “But bodybuilding is my job, and I take it seriously. It’s not that difficult for me to eat clean year-round, and I feel better when I eat well and look better, too. So there’s no reason for me not to stick to a healthful diet, even when I’m trying to add muscle mass.”How about an off-season bulking-up diet without stomach distension, gastric cramps, and the desire to collapse on the kitchen floor, semiconscious and curled into a fetal position? Nutrition for bodybuilders might be on the verge of a breakthrough. Phil Heath, who boasts a high energy level, good health, and bodybuilding trophies on his mantel, has become a poster child for a sensible approach to mass-gaining during the off-season that will leave you big, hard, and with your senses intact.

Phil Heath & his meal plan for Mr. Olympia

After waking up – BCAA drink

230 g Chicken breasts, 1.5 cups of egg whites, BCAA drink with L-Glutamine
340 g Beef, 225 g sweet potatoes
340 g Tilapia, steamed asparagus, and 1.5 cups of white rice
340 Chicken breast, 225 g roasted potatoes, 2 servings of BCAA with L-Glutamine
340 g Tilapia, steamed broccoli, and 1 cup of white rice
After training – 2x Protein drink, BCAA, and L-Glutamine
340 g Beef with steamed spinach
2 cups of egg whites, 2 whole eggs, and steamed spinach

Before sleep – Amino drink

Off-Season Diet: Phill consumes 5000 calories per day coming from 400gms of protein and 600gms of carbs.Meal 1

12 oz Chicken Breast,
8-10 egg whites,
1 cup of cream of rice,
Anabolic VITAKIC™ 1 serving

Meal 2

12 oz ground beef (94% lean)
2 cups of white rice

Meal 3

8 oz whole wheat pasta
12 oz beef tenderloin

Meal 4

6-8 oz beef tenderloin
10oz white potato

Meal 5

A cup of spinach
12 oz chicken

Meal 6

12 oz of 94% lean ground beef
1 cup of broccoli

Meal 7

Protein powder
2 tbsp of peanut butter

Off-Season Diet:Meal 1

1 cup of oatmeal
2.5 cups of egg whites

Meal 2

12 oz chicken breast
Steamed vegetables with 1 cup of brown rice

Meal 3

12 oz beef tenderloin
Medium-sized sweet potato

Meal 4Same as meal 3Meal 5

A cup of brown rice
12 oz white chicken breast

Meal 6

Steamed Broccoli
12 oz halibut or tilapia

Meal 7Same as Meal 6Here, the important thing to realize is that it is not just a matter of following the "Mr. 'Olympic 2017' Phil Heath Workout and Diet Plan," it is about living the life of your dreams. A taste of success comes from hard work, dedication, and the spirit of a champion. Now is the time for you to prepare yourself for your fitness dream and accomplish your goals with passion

PHIL’S TOP 10 OFF-SEASON FOODS

Top sirloin steak
Salmon steak
Chicken breast
Egg whites
Cream of Wheat
Oatmeal
White rice
Brown rice
Broccoli
Sushi hand rolls (salmon, preferably)

Phil Heath & his bulking meal plan

Phil Heath's bulking diet is primarily about gaining muscle without adding unnecessary subcutaneous fat. An explanation of Phil's meal plan was published in a video from February 2018:He says that eight to nine weeks before the competition he wakes up between 5:00 and 5:30. Immediately upon waking up, he would go on fitness steps or the treadmill for a half-hour cardio workout. Using a heart rate monitor and smartwatch, he reaches a heart rate between 145 and 150. Consequently, he ensures that he is in an effective fat-burning state. After a short while, he returns home for breakfast. It consists of approximately 230 grams of minced chicken, 1.5 to 2 cups of egg whites, and approximately 60 grams of carbohydrates, usual rice in milk or oatmeal. Oatmeal contains fiber that makes food more absorbent, says Phil. In addition to breakfast, he supplements with multivitamins, fish oil, and vitamin C.

He eats every 2 to 2.5 hours during the day. We would have a daily caloric value of about 6400 kcal after counting all his meals, which is a little lower by the end of his prep phase. Examples of such foods include 340 grams of cooked chicken, beef, minced turkey meat, or white fish. Except for egg whites, these are his main sources of protein. A total of 500 grams of protein are consumed by him every day. Other serious bodybuilders should consume at least 3 grams of protein per kilogram of their body weight, according to him. When it comes to fish, he prefers tilapia.Moreover, he pointed out that he prefers tilapia because it contains less mercury than other fish. By the end of his contest preparation, fish is almost his only source of protein. 230-340 grams of meat at the end of the preparation phase is a lot of tilapia.“You surely don’t want to get mercury poisoning. Never. Many of the fish available have higher mercury values than they should have.”The closer the contest gets, the less carbohydrate he consumes to maintain a visually large muscle mass. Just four of the eight meals he eats every day contain carbohydrates.“In the end, this change makes me a living zombie, because it is the carbohydrates that give us energy.”During the last week before the contest, Phil drank one big bottle of water over a few days instead of the usual 4 to 7 liters per day. Even so, he still consumes the same amounts of meat.“This is how we get into the avascular, shredded look.”[8] “I drink approximately 4 liters of water a day during the bulking phase. It is unnecessary to pour liters and liters of water into yourself if you are receiving enough carbohydrates. My off-competition diet is more organized than a couple of years ago. Previously, I randomly swapped meals, but now I adhere strictly to the plan. Even a simple change can make a drastic difference in the appearance of my figure.” “Right now, I weigh 127 kilograms and I am more shredded compared to 2008 when I weighed 125 kg. Consumption of starchy carbohydrates like potatoes instead of rice helped me grow and I don’t feel bloated.”

What to Eat

Egg Whites
Chicken
Turkey
Fish
Red Meat
Almond Butter
Vegetables
Salad
Sweet Potatoes
White Rice
Oatmeal
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Lemon Juice

What to Avoid

Refined Sugar
Processed Foods
Junk Food
Artificial Ingredients
Fried Food
Trans Fats
Chemical Additives

It was the diet plan that Phil Heath followed throughout the day. The diet plan he follows isn't fixed, and he constantly changes the meals he eats to fit his needs. Nevertheless, his macros remain the same. Our next section will also cover some nutritional tips and tricks that he would incorporate into his diet.

Phil Heath Diet Tips

In this section, Phil talks about the diet tips that he adds to his meal plans to stick to it better and have better gains out of it. Thus in this section, we will discuss them and find out if they have really helped him achieve his best. Thus read ahead to know all about it.

Chickens Beware

Heath eats a lot of protein in the form of fish, steaks, poultry, egg whites, and protein powder at every meal. A week, he consumes approximately twenty pounds of protein from chicken.

Carb Fan

At Heath's house, she eats oats, sweet potatoes, and white rice. As for why he eats white rice instead of brown rice, he says he prefers the taste, and that his fast metabolism lets him get away with it.

Home-Cooking Hero

Rather than cooking for others, Heath prefers to do it himself. When he prepares his food, he will know what he is eating.

Spice It Up

Heath says you don't have to eat dull meals, and sometimes he will add flavor to them using hot sauce. Be careful not to overdo it and take in too much sodium.

Go Lean

While he loves red meat, Heath sticks to leaner cuts such as flank steak and 90% or leaner hamburger when he's in training. As a reward for winning a contest, he enjoys fattier cuts like sirloin.

Aromatherapy Tricks

Heath eats a lot of fish, but he isn't crazy about the smell, so he squeezes lemon juice on it to mask the smell.

Clean Eater

Heath says he can probably get away with eating junk food in his downtime, but he prefers to eat healthy all year long.That was all about the diet tips that Phil has to give through to his fans and people who follow him. In the next section, we would get to know how he supplements his diet and what is his supplement of choice that he uses. Read the section ahead to know how each supplement helps him get in optimal shape.

Phil Heath Nutrition and Supplements

It is sometimes the diet that is not enough for this heavyweight bodybuilder and he would need some extra supplements to supplement him! Consequently, he follows several supplements that are a part of his diet and replenish him all over. Find out what they are below.

PRE-WORKOUT

In addition to a self-named line of supplements, Heath offers his brand of supplements. He uses creatine, beta-alanine, citrulline, caffeine, and other ingredients in his pre-workout formula to help maximize energy and focus.

INTRA WORKOUT

A leucine, glutamine, and electrolytes formula is also included in Heath's line of products to assist with peak performance during training.

FAT BURNER

No matter how hard you work out, it won't show if fat is blocking the view. Heather's fat-burning formula contains l-carnitine, green tea, and astragalus, all of which help burn fat.

EFAS

Usually, Health gets his essential fatty acids from food, fish in particular, but he supplements when he reduces his intake of fatty fish in preparation for a contest.