Jeff Seid’s Aesthetic Workout Split and Diet

There’s no shortage of influencers and moguls in the fitness industry, all fighting to earn followers, sell (sometimes questionable) products, and recruit personal training clients.

But Jeff Seid is an anomaly of sorts.

The youngest-ever IFBB professional bodybuilder revealed one of his all-time favorite aesthetic workout splits, coupled with his carb-cycling cutting plan and supplement list.

The question is: will the Instagram star’s program leave you with a ripped physique?

Let’s find out!

Who is Jeff Seid?

Jeff Seid’s rise to fame in the bodybuilding world wasn’t only unexpected. It was actually his backup plan when two ACL tears ruined his life-long dream of playing college football.

(Imagine fame being your last resort.)

After discovering the bodybuilding.com forum and the IFBB’s new “Men’s Physique” contest, Seid found a new outlook on life: participating in physique competitions.

He won his first-ever title just a month later.

Since then, the now 27-year-old (as of 2021) has a few extra accomplishments to his name:

• Competing in the Mr. Olympia Men’s Physique Showdown
• Kick-starting his own clothing line — SeidWear
• Penning a book (Guide to Aesthetics)
• Earning his ISSA personal trainer certification
• Collecting over four million Instagram followers

Seid doesn’t have a zillion titles to his name. But, his chiseled physique (and by chiseled, we’re also including his impressively sharp jawline) speaks for itself.

What is Jeff Seid’s Aesthetic Workout Split?

Yeah, it’s a classic five-day split. But it also teeters into gym bro — or “brah” — territory, meaning you’ll be the enemy of the people if you’re a Planet Fitness member (Lunk Alarms galore).

Jeff Seid’s aesthetic workout split …

• Is a five-day split routine (with one optional Saturday workout).
• Was designed to keep the muscles guessing while preventing hypertrophy plateaus.
• Is a better choice for those with training experience — intermediates.
• Will drag you to the gym for an hour or more at a time (it’s quite the commitment).
• Requires standard gym equipment.

Like any routine, feel free to adapt Seid’s program to fit your goals and needs. If you’re drained halfway through, cut a few sets from each exercise until you build up your strength!

Jeff Seid’s Program Details

Are you ready to test and fuel your body like the nation’s youngest IFBB Pro ever, Jeff Seid? Let’s dig into the details of the legend’s workout split, diet, and supplement concoction.

Jeff Seid’s Workout Split *

Jeff Seid never sticks with one routine for too long to prevent those dreaded plateaus from creeping in. Now, here’s a look at the aesthetic split he shared on his website:

Day 1 – Chest & Calves Day

• Barbell Incline Bench Press – 4 sets x 10, 8, 8, 6 reps (60 seconds)
• Dumbbell Bench Press – 4 sets x 10, 8, 8, 6 reps (60 seconds)
• Incline Dumbbell Fly – 4 sets x 4 sets x 10, 8, 8, 8 reps (60 seconds)
• Chest Dip – 3 sets to failure (60 seconds)
• Cable Fly – 3 sets x 12, 10, 8 reps (60 seconds)
• Standing Calf Raise – 5 sets x 20, 15, 12, 10, 8 reps (60 seconds)
• Seated Calf Raise – 5 sets x 25, 20, 15, 12, 10 reps (60 seconds)

Day 2 – Back Day

• Barbell Deadlift – 3 sets x 10, 8, 6 reps (60 seconds)
• Bent-Over Barbell Row – 4 sets x 12, 10, 8, 8 reps (60 seconds)
• Wide-Grip Bench Press – 4 sets x 10 reps (60 seconds)
• Seated Cable Row – 4 x 12, 10, 8, 8 reps – drop set to failure each set (60 seconds)

Day 3 – Leg Day

• Barbell Squat – 5 sets x 15, 10, 8, 8, 6 reps (60 seconds)
• Front Barbell Squat – 4 sets x 10, 8, 8, 6 reps (60 seconds)
• Leg Press – 3 sets x 10, 8, 8 reps (60 seconds)
• Quad Extensions – 4 sets x 12, 10, 8, 8 reps (60 seconds)
• Lying Leg Curl – 4 sets x 12, 10, 8, 8 reps (60 seconds)

Day 4 – Arms & Calves Day

• Barbell Curl – 4 sets x 12, 10, 8, 6 reps(60 seconds)
• Alternating Dumbbell Curl – 3 sets x 8–10 reps (60 seconds)
• Preacher Curl – 3 sets x 10 reps 60 seconds)
• Concentration Curl – 3 sets x 15 reps (60 seconds)
• Dumbbell One-Arm Triceps Extension – 3 sets x 12–15 reps (60 seconds)
• Triceps Rope Extension – 4 sets x 12, 10, 8, 8 reps (60 seconds)
• Skullcrusher – 4 sets x 10–12 reps (60 seconds)
• Standing Calf Raise – 5 sets x 20, 15, 12, 10, 8 reps (60 seconds)
• Seated Calf Raise – 5 sets x 25, 20, 15, 12, 10 (60 seconds)

Day 5 – Shoulders

• Shoulder Press – 4 sets x 10, 8, 8, 6 reps (60 seconds)
• Side Lateral Raise – 4 sets x 10 reps (60 seconds)
• Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise – 4 sets x 10 reps (60 seconds)
• Front Dumbbell Raise – 3 sets x 10 reps (60 seconds)
• Upright Barbell Row – 2 sets x 10 reps (60 seconds)
• Rear Delt Pec Dec Fly – 4 sets x 12–15 reps (60 seconds)
• Barbell Shrug – 4 sets x 20, 15, 12, 10 reps (60 seconds)
• Dumbbell Shrug – 3 sets x 12, 10, and 8 reps (60 seconds)

Day 6 – Optional Rest Day

After a brutal week of training, Seid suggests a much-deserved weekend of rest.

But if you’re wrestling with gym withdrawal and an itch to lift, you can spend your Saturday training those stubborn or lagging muscle groups (calves, forearms, shoulders, etc.).

Day 7 – Rest Day

Day seven is your one true rest day a week. Rest means rest — prop your feet up, tune into the big game, binge-watch on Netflix, top your killstreak record in Call of Duty, whatever.

Don’t forget to go to bed early.

There’s another grueling week of training ahead.

* = Newer versions of this routine are making the rounds on the internet; the routine outlined above is exactly as written on Jeff Seid’s official website.

Jeff Seid’s Cutting Diet

Jeff Seid is no stranger to bodybuilding contests and fitness-related photoshoots. In the 8–16 weeks leading up to an event, he eases into a carb-cycling cut to shed excess body fat.

Nutrient-wise, here’s what Jeff Seid suggest while cutting:

Nutrient	Jeff Seid’s Recommendation
Protein	1.5 grams per pound
Carbohydrates	75+ grams a day
Fat	60 grams a day

Carb-cycling is when you alternate between high and low carb days to help refuel your body’s glycogen stores (performance-boosting) while also forcing the body to burn fat for energy.

The result: lower appetite & a few extra pounds dropped.

A 2/1 carb cycle is the most beginner-friendly (and the least extreme) option:

• 180 grams of carbs
• 140 grams of carbs
• 350 grams of carbs
• REPEAT

As your carbs bounce between high and low days, you’ll have to adjust your fat intake. On low carb days, feel free to splurge a little (up to 85 grams); on high carb days, 35 grams is ideal.

With all that in mind, here’s a look at Seid’s aesthetic cutting diet plan:

6:00 AM

• Whole eggs (2)
• Egg whites (4)
• Old-fashioned oatmeal (½ cup)
• Blueberries (¼ cup)
• Multi-vitamin & omega-3 pill

9:00 AM (Two Hours Pre-Gym)

• Brown rice (1 cup)
• Chicken breast (6 oz.)

11:00 AM (Gym Workout)

1:00 PM (Post-Gym)

• Banana (1) or mini Gatorade (1)
• Whey protein powder (2 scoops)

3:00 PM

• Avocado (3 oz.)
• Chicken breast (6 oz.)

5:00 PM

• Round steak (8 oz.)
• (optional) Sweet potato (6 oz.)

8:00 PM (One Hour Before Bedtime)

• Cod white fish (8 oz.) or liquid egg whites (1 ½ cups)

Except for the four-hour gap between your pre and post-gym meals, it might feel like you’re constantly eating throughout the day.

If you work long hours and can’t step away throughout the day to cook chicken breast or fire up a steak on the grill, meal prep is likely your best option!

Total Daily Nutrients & Calories

• 290g protein
• 150g carbohydrates
• 60g fat
• 2,300 calories

Remember that Jeff Seid is 6’0” and weighs 205–215 pounds. In other words, this diet might need a few tweaks to match your caloric needs, training experience, and appetite.

Jeff Seid’s Supplements

For a guy quoted as saying, “In all honesty, food always beats supplements, but still supplements are a must for your diet,” Jeff Seid sure uses a ton of supplements for the purpose of bodybuilding.

He describes mass gainers as his #1 choice, especially if he’s on a 5,000-calorie bulk. But he’s also a strong advocate against pre-workout powders unless you’re absolutely exhausted.

Jeff Seid’s surprisingly long list of supplements includes:

• Animal Pak: Vitamin packs infused with amino acids, antioxidants, and carnitine; designed with performance and athletes in mind
• Chromium picolinate: Believed to boost metabolism and improve weight loss, though studies disagree; a review from 2003 revealed that any weight loss attributed to chromium picolinate during research was minimal
• Glutamine: An amino acid responsible for a strong immune system and preventing muscle breakdown; while many tout it as a fatigue-buster, a 2019 review found that its effects on performance are limited
• Mass gainer: Shake powders loaded with 1,200+ calories, 50+ grams of protein, and other crucial nutrients; ideal while bulking, especially if your appetite is unusually low
• Optimum Nutrition BCAA 5000 powder: Branched-chain amino acids designed to ease muscle recovery post-workout; a 2018 review discovered BCAAs could lessen delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and slightly increased power
• Creatine monohydrate: Notorious for packing on muscle mass, boosting strength, and slashing recovery times; yet another review — this one in 2003 — found that creatine can increase strength by 8%, boost performance by 14%, and add 3–45% to bench 1RMs
• Vitamin C: A water-soluble vitamin that encourages development and growth at the cellular level (including muscle!); if you’re eating a balanced diet featuring fruits and vegetables, a vitamin C supplement would just be overkill
• ZMA (zinc monomethionine aspartate): Reportedly encourages muscle growth while ramping up recovery; no legitimate organization or study like this one from 2004 prove these results — ZMA does not boost testosterone levels or strength
• Casein protein: A dairy protein (like whey) that can encourage muscle growth, especially when consumed within the anabolic window — within two hours post-workout, according to a 2017 review

Our opinion: the only supplements on this list worth opening your wallet for are Animal Paks, mass gainers, creatine monohydrate, and casein protein.

Jeff Seid’s Program Pros

1. Almost Every Muscle Sees Action.

Aside from the lack of ab work, which Jeff Seid clearly does give his photos, you should be able to build most muscle groups from a defined chest to aesthetic forearms.

And, not in the generic ways.

Instead of calling it a day after standard and incline bench press, you’ll also do various flys and dips. It keeps things interesting and targets muscles in every way imaginable.

2. You Don’t Have to Worry About Undertraining.

Are 27 sets of shoulder exercises overkill for a beginner? 100%.

Will you feel burnt out halfway through these workouts? Almost certainly!

But at least you don’t have to worry about undertraining.

Make this aesthetic routine work for you, even if that means cutting sets in half for the first month or so. And, don’t sacrifice good form or force yourself to finish the workout if you’re fatigued.

3. It Features the Big Three: Exercise, Diet, & Supplements.

Sure, we did the legwork to put all three into one digestible post.

But some bodybuilders are very hush-hush about either their routine, diet, or supplements, so the fact that Jeff Seid is up-front about all three certainly helps athletes like you.

Just remember that results vary.

Your metabolism, training experience, and even your appetite are unique to you; don’t forget to make the program work to fit your lifestyle!

Jeff Seid’s Program Cons

1. Most of the Supplements Are Nonsense.

Jeff Seid suggests he’s not the biggest fan of supplements … and then goes on to discuss nine — yes, nine — supplements he takes daily.

Unfortunately, most of them are quack science or offer results that don’t match the hype (ex: ZMA does not boost testosterone as many bodybuilders are convinced).

2. It’s a Huge Time Commitment.

Unless you’re retired, unemployed, or hopped on the bitcoin trend in 2009, this routine might be too much of a time commitment.

For example, day four features 34 total sets.

If you’re focusing on your time under tension (TUT) and resting about 60 seconds between sets, some of your workouts might last an hour or two.

You’ll also eat almost every two hours and have to rearrange Seid’s entire schedule if an hour-long gym visit at 11 AM isn’t realistic.

3. Only the Calves Get Double Work.

Kudos to Jeff Seid for including a specialized leg workout day and extra emphasis on the typically stubborn calf muscles.

The problem is: the research insists that a twice-a-week frequency is better for muscle growth than once a week (2016). Sure, Seid is huge, but your gains might take the scenic route.

Jeff Seid’s Aesthetic Workout Split and Diet Conclusion

Jeff Seid’s program covers almost everything the legend does to perfect his physique, from his diet and supplements to his favorite split routine.

And, if he truly uses all three of these, you could get ripped (with a little commitment, of course). Yet, this might not be the most realistic plan for someone brand new to the gym or lifting.

Our suggestion: take the principles of the program, but adapt them to your needs:

• Follow the exercises and rep ranges, but drop sets down to 1–2 per exercise in the early days of the routine
• Start with a bulking routine to better guarantee noob gains
• Skip most of the recommended supplements
• Use your first rest day to target any stubborn, lagging muscle groups