Jeff Seid, born on June 12, 1994, is an American IFBB Pro bodybuilder, fitness model, entrepreneur, and social media celebrity known for his aesthetic physique and inspirational presence in the fitness industry. A three-time Olympian, Seid secured the 2024 Natural Olympia champion title in the Men’s Physique division. Millions are inspired by his massive social media following, where he shares his fitness journey and promotes a healthy lifestyle. But his achievements go beyond bodybuilding. Jeff Seid’s dedication shines through his unique training routines, innovative workout techniques, and commitment to healthy nutrition.
Early Life and Career-Threatening Injuries
Growing up in Renton, Washington, Seid had an active childhood, participating in various sports. He was an All-American wrestler in high school and a skilled football player. The social media fitness celebrity even earned a college scholarship for sports and had sights set on making it big in the football world.
However, Seid suffered a career-ending injury in his first senior football game, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) runs diagonally in the middle of the knee. This injury led to the loss of his scholarship. Jeff Seid felt demotivated and dejected after hearing the news. Against his doctor’s recommendation, Seid decided to compete in the Men’s Physique division. Most people would have given up at this point, but that’s not Jeff Seid.
He had surgery on his knee and he didn’t know what to do with himself. His entire school career he had naively based himself on getting a scholarship and going on to the next level of sports. He never thought something like this could happen to him. Anyways I found out about the fitness industry and discovered a new bodybuilding category, Men’s Physique. At first it was very devastating for me and not going to lie, I was depressed for a short period of time after the surgery. But I knew just dwelling on it wasn’t going to do any good for me, so I just told myself shit happens and planned a new future for myself.
He actually tore his ACL again (2nd time) 3 months after the first surgery. He waited to have surgery though so that he could do a couple bodybuilding competitions and get himself started with the fitness industry. He had surgery 2 months ago (May 2nd) and he is currently preparing himself to compete for his IFBB Pro card in Las Vegas on July 28th. So with all the obstacles that were put in his way he managed to overcome them.
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At 19, Jeff Seid became the youngest IFBB Pro in the National Championships, beating hundreds of competitors. Eight years later, in 2024, Jeff Seid returned after a long hiatus and became the Natural Olympia champion in the Men’s Physique division.
Jeff Seid's Workout Principles
Jeff Seid’s workout routine is intense for a natural bodybuilder. It consists of five days of work and at least two days of rest. He prioritizes rest and recovery because they aid muscle growth and recovery. In fact, studies support longer rest periods between sets to aid strength and muscle gains (1). During his weekly training, Seid sometimes sacrifices one of his rest days to attack a stubborn muscle group. His weekly workout plan provides balance for his different muscle groups. When it comes to Jeff’s routines, he tends to use a lot of super-sets. With most exercises, he will aim for 10-12 reps on the first set, and gradually drop the number of reps to 6-8 on the last set. He also makes sure to hit either calves or abs within each workout; normally right at the end of the workout, for roughly 10-15 minutes.
Before we get into the details of Jeff Seid’s workout routine, it’s important to mention that he is always switching his routines up, in attempt to shock his muscles and focus on progressive overload. And naturally, with any workout routine, regularly switching things up is the key to growth and success.
Key Workout Strategies
- Warm-ups: Jeff Seid starts his training with warmups to get his blood flowing. This helps him get ready for his working sets and also lowers the risk of injury. This study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shows that warmups can improve athletic performance.
- Compound Exercises: Jeff Seid also uses compound exercises to train efficiently. They’re timesaving and improve functional fitness.
- Training to Failure: Seid trains to failure often to boost muscle growth and strength. This training method causes muscles to recruit more fibers, leading to muscle hypertrophy.
- Progressive Overload: Jeff Seid uses the progressive overload technique to ensure he never hits a plateau. You could employ the progressive overload principle in two ways. First, you could increase the weights you are using with each set of an exercise. Then you could try to hit 115 x 10 reps the next week, leaving sets 2, 3, and 4 the same. Then next week you could leave set 1 the same, but increase sets 2 and 3, and so on. Remember that this is a bodybuilding program and the importance is on working the muscles, not necessarily on adding weight. This is just a suggestion - see what works for you.
- Mind-Muscle Connection: Focus on maintaining a mind-muscle connection while performing the workouts. Going through the reps just for the sake of them isn’t going to cut it.
- Consistency: Jeff recommends sticking to this diet and training program for at least six weeks. Most lifters leave gains on the table by switching things up too often.
- Rest and Recovery: Jeff Seid prioritizes rest between sets and on his rest days. During bulking season, he takes 3-minute rests between exercises. However, when cutting, he takes a 60--to 90-second rest. The social media star listens to his body. If he is tired or sore, he takes the day off and gives his muscles time to recuperate. If you went full throttle in each of your workouts, you’ll be running on fumes by the end of the week.
Jeff Seid's Weekly Workout Routine
Here is Jeff Seid’s recommended workout routine:
Monday: Chest/Calves
Since Monday is ‘National Chest Day’, that’s what Jeff Seid’s workout routine consists of on the 1st day of the week. As well as some calve workouts at the end of the session. Within this routine, the 1st and 2nd exercises are a super-set, as well as the 4th and 5th, and 6th and 7th.
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Here is Jeff Seid’s chest routine:
- Incline Bench Press (4 Sets of 10, 8, 8, 6)
- Incline Fly’s (4 Sets of 10, 10, 8, 8)
- Cable Cross-Overs (4 Sets of 15, 10, 8, 8)
- Dumbbell Flat Bench Press (4 Sets of 10, 8, 8, 6)
- Dips (4 Sets to Failure)
- Incline Bench Machine (3 Sets of 10)
- Push-Ups (3 Sets to Failure)
- Pullovers (3 Sets of 15)
- Standing Calve Raises (4 Sets of 15)
- Donkey Calve Raises (4 Sets of 15)
- Seated Calve Raises (4 Sets of 15)
Tuesday: Back/Abs
On Tuesday Jeff focuses on hitting his back and finishes with a short session of ab training. The first and last exercise in his routine before his abdominal session are both single exercises. The 6 exercises shown in between this are super-sets; 2 & 3, 4 & 5, 6 & 7. For example, Jeff starts with exercise 2, and rests for only a few seconds before performing exercise 3. He will then rest, and repeat.
Here is Jeff Seid’s Back/Abs Routine:
- Deadlifts (4 sets of 15, 10, 8, 8 reps)
- Bent-Over Rows (4 Sets of 12, 10, 8, 8)
- Chainsaws (4 Sets of 12, 10, 8, 8)
- T-Bar Rows (4 Sets of 12, 10, 8, 8)
- Wide-Grip Pull Ups (4 Sets to Failure)
- Seated Rows (4 Sets of 10, 8, 8, 6)
- Wide Grip Lat Pull Downs (4 Sets of 12, 10, 8, 8)
- Good Mornings (3 Sets of 12)
- Various Ab Exercises (10 mins of Crunches, Hanging Leg Raises, etc.)
Wednesday: Legs/Calves
On Wednesday, Jeff will hit his legs, including calves. Within this routine, he alternates between single exercises and super-set exercises.For example: the 1st exercise is a single exercise. Then the 2nd and 3rd exercises are super-sets. The 4th is a single exercise, and so on… You get the idea.The calve exercises at the end of his workout routine are all single exercises. Although Men’s Physique athletes are not judged based on their legs, Seid does not use this as an excuse to skip leg days.
Here is Jeff Seid’s legs/calves routine:
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- Squats (5 Sets of 15, 10, 8, 6, 4)
- Front Squats (4 Sets of 12, 10, 8, 8)
- Hack Squats (4 Sets of 12, 10, 8, 8)
- Leg Press (4 Sets of 10, 8, 8, 6)
- Quad Extensions (4 Sets of 12, 10, 8, 8)
- Lying Leg Curls (4 Sets of 12, 10, 8, 8)
- Standing Calve Raises (4 Sets of 15)
- Donkey Calve Raises (4 Sets of 15)
- Seated Calve Raises (4 Sets of 15)
Thursday: Shoulders/Abs
On Thursday, Jeff Seid’s workout routine consists of shoulder exercises, with a small 10 minute ab session at the end of the workout. Being a Men’s Physique competitor, Seid works extra hard on his shoulders. Jeff Seid performs anterior, posterior, and medial deltoid exercises to ensure the overall development of his shoulders.
Within this routine, the first 3 exercises are part of a triple set. One exercise is performed after the other with no rest in between. The 4th and 5th exercises are part of a super-set, and the 6th, 7th, and 8th exercises are once again, a triple set.
Here is Jeff Seid’s shoulder workout routine:
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press (4 Sets of 10, 8, 8, 8)
- Alternative Front Lateral Raises (4 Sets of 12, 10, 8, 8)
- Side Lateral Raises (4 Sets of 12, 10, 8, 8)
- Arnold Press (3 Sets of 10, 8, 8)
- Cable Upright Rows (3 Sets of 8-10)
- Bent Over Lateral Raises (3 Sets of 8-10)
- Upright Rows (3 Sets of 12-15)
- Shrugs (4 Sets of 15)
- Various Ab Exercises (10 mins of Crunches, Hanging Leg Raises, etc.)
Friday: Arms/Calves
On Friday, Jeff focuses on working his arms, and also includes a small calve sessions at the end of the workout. Seid trains his biceps, triceps, and calves on the same day. He starts his day four workout with biceps.
Within this routine, all exercises aside from the calve session are super-sets: 1 & 2, 3 & 4, 5 & 6, 7 & 8.
Here is Jeff Seid’s arms workout routine:
- Barbell Curls (4 Sets of 10, 10, 8, 8)
- Incline Bench Skull-Crushers (4 Sets of 12, 10, 8, 8)
- Machine Curls (4 Sets of 8-10)
- Push Downs (4 Sets of 8-10)
- Incline Curls (4 Sets of 8-10)
- Kickbacks (4 Sets of 10-12)
- Concentration Curls (4 Sets of 8-10)
- One Arm Extensions (4 Sets of 10-12)
- Standing Calve Raises (4 Sets of 15)
- Donkey Calve Raises (4 Sets of 15)
- Seated Calve Raises (4 Sets of 15)
Additional Notes on Training
- Chest: Seid loves training his chest. He performs 18 sets in total in his pectoral workout.
- Calves: Seid trains his lower legs twice a week. He divides his calf training to target the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles optimally.
- Back: Jeff Seid keeps his back workout short but intense. He goes super heavy on his back day to build a solid v-taper.
Saturday: Optional Rest Day
On Saturday, Jeff has an optional rest day. Which means that if he feels his body needs to rest, then he will rest. If, however, he’s itching to hit another body part again, he will pick a lagging muscle group and hit it again on Saturday. So if you’re trying to improve your physique in one area more than the other; you can hit that muscle group for the 2nd time in the week on this day.
Sunday: Rest Day
On Sunday, Jeff takes a rest for the whole day. He’s earned it! Seid uses Sunday to recover, so that he can go back to the gym on Monday ready to hit this routine once again!
Jeff Seid's Diet: Fueling the Physique
Jeff Seid’s training can be intense, so he takes his diet seriously. When he’s bulking, he eats close to 5,000 calories daily. When he’s in his cutting phase preparing for a competition or photoshoot, he does carb cycling on a four-to-three basis. Jeff Seid takes a pre-workout and consumes whey protein immediately after training. When it comes to nutrition, the old-school bulking and cutting methodology is Seid’s chosen way of progression.
Bulking Diet
Since Jeff is into bulking/cutting, he will have a bulking diet that involves consuming a lot of calories. Roughly 5000 calories or so.
Here is an example of Jeff Seid’s bulking diet:
- Meal 1:
- Oats (Dry) W/Water (1-1/2 Cups)
- Banana (1)
- Egg Beaters (1 Cup)
- Meal 2:
- Mass Gainer (1 Serving)
- 2% Milk (16 Oz)
- Flax-seed Oil (1 Tbsp)
- Or: Meal Replacement Powder with Complex Carbohydrates (1 Serving), Flax-seed Oil (1 Tbsp), Fruit (1 Piece)
- Meal 3:
- Chicken, Turkey or Lean Fish (6-8 Oz)
- Brown Rice (1-1/2 Cup)
- Green Beans or Broccoli (2 Cups)
- Meal 4:
- Mass Gainer (1 Serving)
- 2% Milk (16 Oz)
- Flax-seed Oil (1 Tbsp)
- Or: Meal Replacement Power with Complex Carbohydrates (1 Serving), Flax-seed Oil (1 Tbsp), Fruit (1 Piece)
- Meal 5:
- Chicken, Turkey or Lean Fish (6-8 Oz)
- Brown Rice (1-1/2 Cup)
- Green Beans or Broccoli (2 Cups)
- Meal 6:
- Mass Gainer (1 Serving)
- 2% Milk (16 Oz)
- Flax-seed Oil (1 Tbsp)
- Or: Meal Replacement Power with Complex Carbohydrates (1 Serving), Flax-seed Oil (1 Tbsp), Fruit (1 Piece)
- Meal 7:
- Cream of Rice (1/2 Cup)
- Banana (1)
- Meal 8 (Before Bed):
- Casein Protein (2 Scoops)
- Complex Carbohydrate Powder (3 Scoops)
Cutting Diet
When Jeff is trying to cut down his body fat levels for a competition or photo-shoot, he likes to use carb-cycling to help him. He does this on either a 4, 3 or 2 day basis. Essentially what this means is Jeff will slowly lower his carbohydrate intake over a period of X days, and then will dramatically increase it on the next day. While Seid is prepping for a photoshoot or contest, he follows a carb-restricted “cutting” diet.
Here is an example of Jeff Seid’s cutting diet:
- Meal 1:
- 2 Whole Eggs
- 4 Egg Whites
- Half Cup of Old Fashion Oatmeal
- ¼ Cup of Blue Berries
- Multi-Vitamin Pack, Omega 3 pills
- Meal 2:
- 1 Cup of Brown Rice
- 6oz. Chicken Breast
- Meal 3 (Post Gym):
- 1 Banana or 1 Mini Gatorade
- 2 Scoops of Whey Protein
- Meal 4:
- 3oz. Avocado
- 6oz. Chicken Breast
- Meal 5:
- 8oz. Round Steak
- 6oz. Sweet Potato (Optional)
- Meal 6 (Before Bed):
- 8oz. Cod White Fish or 1.5 cups of liquid Egg White
Additional Diet Notes
- Breakfast: He’s always offering fans useful nutrition advice, too, as he recently unveiled the go-to breakfast that keeps him lean and healthy.
- Macro Breakdown: “The macros for the day are 5,500 calories, 384 grams of protein, 668 grams of carbs, and 144 grams of fat,” he shared.
- Clean Eating: Keeping it clean, Jeff Seid continues to showcase a remarkable physique defined by discipline.
- Individual Needs: Although this diet works for him, he cautions others that it might not be suitable for their nutritional needs.
HIIT Cardio
Jeff Seid incorporates HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) into his routine. “I do ten minutes of HIIT every other day. I jump on the bike, keep my RPM over 120 for 30 seconds on level 15, then bump down to level 5 for 30 seconds at a comfortable rate.
Supplements & Recommendations
Jeff Seid is a big fan of using supplements to help his body get the nutrients it needs for quick recovery and growth. Here’s the list of supplements he uses daily:
- BCAA’s
- Glutamine
- Multi-Vitamin
- Fish Oil
- Pre Workout
- Mass Gainer
- Whey Protein
Jeff Seid: An Inspiration
Jeff Seid is one of the most inspirational athletes in the fitness industry. Even after facing two career-ending injuries, he did not lose motivation or give up hope. It does not matter how bad you have it at the moment - patience, persistence, and hard work will get you through it.
References
- Schoenfeld, B. J., Pope, Z. K., Benik, F. M., Hester, G. M., Sellers, J., Nooner, J. L., Schnaiter, J. A., Bond-Williams, K. E., Carter, A. S., Ross, C. L., Just, B. L., Henselmans, M., & Krieger, J. W. (2016). Longer Interset Rest Periods Enhance Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Resistance-Trained Men. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 30(7), 1805-1812.
- Fradkin, A. J., Zazryn, T. R., & Smoliga, J. M. (2010). Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(1), 140-148.