Dana Linn Bailey is one of the original female bodybuilders who still has one of the most impressive physiques in the fitness world.

Dana Linn has been scrutinized in the past, being told she is too muscular, but she has completely revolutionized the world of bodybuilding for women.

Her dedication to bodybuilding made her the first IFBB Physique Pro, and she was the first-ever female to win Ms. Physique Olympia.

Dana Linn Bailey’s Workout Program Explained

Dann Linn Bailey is an American IFBB Women's Physique Professional bodybuilder, entrepreneur, and social media influencer.

How did she create a physique admired by both men and women in the bodybuilding world?

There is no doubt that building muscle takes a lot of dedication, hard work, and great programming and nutrition.

Dana Linn is a big fan of compound movements and usually likes to start her workout routine with movements like the squat, leg press, and bench press.

She likes to mix up her workout routines and chooses exercises that will build strength and also includes isolation movements that help with definition to show lean muscle mass.

Dana Linn Bailey's workout puts a big emphasis on lifting heavy weights and taking advantage of higher sets and reps.

She likes to ensure her workout routine is varied and interesting, so she doesn't get bored with training.

Dana Linn Bailey's workout split is separated to train specific muscle groups on different days to optimize growing muscle mass. The workout is split into 6 days of training and 1 rest day.

Day 1-5 focuses on specific muscle groups and day 6 is a full body circuit.

This section will examine the Dana Linn Bailey workout routine and how to get a shredded physique like her.

Dana Linn Bailey's workout routine follows a 6 day training split.

Monday: Chest Exercises

Dana Linn Bailey's chest workout starts with heavy bench presses; then, she moves on to cable and single dumbbell exercises.

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Bench Press

4

5 at 90%

30-40 secs

Incline Dumbbell Press

5

12, 10, 8, and 6

30-40 Secs

Incline Cable Fly

4-5

to failure

30-40 Secs

Cable Cross Fly Into Dumbbell Floor Press

4-5

To Failure

30-40 Secs

Tuesday: Shoulder Routine

The Dana Linn Bailey compound shoulder workout ensures that she targets all areas of the shoulder. Dana Linn isn't known as the 'delt queen' for nothing!

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Seated Cable Front Raise

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Seated Cable Face Pull 

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Seated Cable Overhead Press

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Incline Dumbbell Rear Fly

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Alternating Front Raise Into Clean And Press 

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Wednesday: Back Workout

Dana Linn Bailey’s back workout consists of plenty of rowing work to achieve a thick and muscular back.

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Bent-Over Cable Lat Pulldown

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Close-Grip Seated Cable Row

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Wagon Wheel Barbell Deadlift 

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Wide-Grip Seated Lat Pulldown

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Behind The Head Lat Pulldown

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Barbell Row

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Reverse Push-Up On Rack

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Machine Rear Delt Fly

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Thursday: Leg Routine

Dana Linn Bailey's leg routine has a large variety of exercises to target quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Seated Leg Curl

2

10

30-40 Secs

Pause Squat

5

6-8

30-40 Secs

Leg Press 

5

3

30-40 Secs

Lying Leg Curl

4

10

30-40 Secs

Barbell Stiff Leg Deadlift

5

15, 12, 10, 8, and 6

30-40 Secs

Elevated Dumbbell Sumo Squat

4

15

30-40 Secs

Single-Leg Extension supersetted with Bulgarian Split Squat

4

10-12

30-40 Secs

Friday: Arm Routine

Dana Linn is known not to enjoy training arms as much as other muscle groups, but her arm workout is guaranteed to add size and definition.

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Straight Bar Curl

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Dumbbell Hammer Curl

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Reverse Grip Cable Curl

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Reverse Grip Pulldown

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

EZ Bar Skull Crusher 

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

EZ Bar Close-Grip Press 

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Overhead Rope Cable Extension

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Rope Extension

4

8-12

30-40 Secs

Saturday: Total Body Circuit

Dana Linn adds a total body focus on her last training day of the week, ensuring she is getting in a workout that will burn fat and build muscle.

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Box Jump Series

3

30

30-40 Secs

Toes To Bar

3

30

30-40 Secs

Ring Pull-Up

3

30

30-40 Secs

Clean And Jerk

3

30

30-40 Secs

Bar Dips

3

30

30-40 Secs

Sunday: Rest

Sunday is Dana Linn’s rest day in order to give her the recovery her body needs from a hard training week.

Dana Linn Bailey Posing at the Gym

Who Is Dana Linn Bailey? (AKA DayDay Knucks)

Dana Linn Bailey is a female bodybuilder, social media personality, gym owner, and entrepreneur with her own merchandise line.

Dana Linn has an impressive 2 million followers on Instagram and 500k subscribers on YouTube, making her one of the most famous female fitness influencers.

Dana Linn's fitness journey started as a child when she was into competitive sports such as swimming, basketball, and soccer.

As a young girl she struggled with body image issues but finding physical exercise and sport allowed her confidence to grow.

When she wasn't playing sports, she looked to other ways to improve her fitness capabilities, and this is where she discovered the gym and world of bodybuilding with her boyfriend, now husband, Rob Bailey.

Before switching to a career in bodybuilding, Dana taught Physical Education at Conrad Weiser Middle School in Robesonia, Pennsylvania, until 2007.

Dana Linn Bailey started her bodybuilding fitness career as a figure competitor, first competing in 2006.

In 2011 Dana Linn first competed in the physique category in the Junior USAs competition. She made history by becoming the first women’s physique professional in the NPC/IFBB.

Even though Dana Linn does not compete on stage anymore, her training routine remains intense, and her weight-lifting content on social media inspires and motivates her followers.

Dana Linn and her husband Rob opened their own gym in 2015. Unfortunately, Warehouse Gym, based in Pennsylvania, closed its doors in 2020 due to the global pandemic.

Dana Linn now focuses her efforts on her online training platform and content creation.


Current Body Stats

Stat

Measurement

Height

5’4”

Weight

126 lbs

Age

39 years old

Biceps

24 inches

Waist

33 inches

Chest

31 inches

Dana Linn Bailey Posing at the Ms Olympia Physique Competition

Dana Linn Bailey’s Workout Principles

Dana Linn’s training style encompasses both powerlifting or weightlifting in order to train for both strength and aesthetics.

Dana Linn Bailey workout routines are dedicated to helping trigger muscle growth. She trains different muscle groups on separate days of the week.

This style of training is very traditional in bodybuilding and allows one muscle group to recover while she trains another.

Her routines focus on lifting heavy weights and utilizing higher sets and reps in order to build as much strength.

Her workout routine also focuses on adding definition to her physique by using isolation movements and higher reps.

Dana Linn is a powerhouse and not only looks very muscular, but she is able to move some serious weight in the gym.

She believes you need to have a solid workout routine and know what you're doing in advance. You must plan for success in order to see results in training.

Rest is as important as training and is another critical factor when growing muscle. Dana Linn expresses that you need recovery to let the muscle repair and grow back bigger and stronger.

Related Article - David Laid's Workout And Diet 

Dana Linn Bailey believes that your workout routine must be something you enjoy. If you don't, then you are much more likely to quit.

Her Achievements & Accomplishments (So Far!)

Dana Linn Bailey has an impressive list of accomplishments from her career up until now, having competed in many bodybuilding competitions and, more recently, powerlifting.

  • 1st place and overall winner at 2011 Jr. USAs
  • 4th place in 2012 Desert Muscle Classic
  • 16th place in 2012 New York Pro
  • 2nd place at 2013 Tampa Pro
  • 1st place at 2013 Dallas Europa
  • 1st place at 2013 Olympia
  • 2nd place at 2014 Olympia
  • 2nd place at 2015 Arnold Classic
  • 2018 Arnold Classic (powerlifting)
  • 2nd place 2018 Brute Showdown Women’s edition

The Unique Diet Plan Of Dana Linn Bailey

Dana Linn Bailey's diet is centered around supporting her training goals, managing energy levels, and optimizing muscle growth.

Dana Linn places a lot of importance on the simplicity of her meals and doesn't try to do anything complicated. Her diet focuses on building muscle mass by eating a beneficial high-protein diet.

Dana Linn Bailey's diet will change depending on if she is preparing for a show. She would need to track her diet very closely and drop calorie intake in order to decrease body fat.

However, Dana Linn does not believe that it is good to fluctuate between the on and off seasons and wants to maintain her physique the best she can all year round.

You do not need to be a professional bodybuilder to follow Dana Linn's diet principles. They can be applied by anyone who is looking to build muscle or those who are focusing on weight loss.

Dana Linn doesn't promote needing to take a lot of supplements to build a shredded physique. Instead, sticking to your training routine and a good diet are the things that are going to help you achieve your fitness goals.

There are a few diet principles that Dana Linn swears by. The Dana Linn Bailey diet principles can easily be followed by everyone.

  1. 1
    Eat High Protein
    Dana Linn Bailey recommends eating food that is high in protein with every or most meals. Protein helps with both building lean muscle and losing weight. The ideal thing about protein is it keeps you fuller for longer, which reduces the chances of too much snacking between meals.
  2. 2
    Don’t Avoid Carbs
    When many people start training, they believe that lower carbs will get the results they want. But in reality, low carbs will be detrimental to performance in the gym. Don't be scared of carbs.
  3. 3
    Flexibility
    Dana Linn believes that following a strict diet is not sustainable, and you should eat to support your training goals but not be too restrictive.
  4. 4
    Don’t Deny Yourself
    Dana Linn Bailey's diet has space for dessert. When asked how she copes with cravings, she doesn't believe in denying herself and will eat what she is craving but makes sure she doesn't consume too much. If she is prepping for a show, she will try to find an alternative to what she wants.

Below is an example of what Dana Linn typically eats in a day:

  • Meal 1 - 1 whole egg, egg whites, oatmeal, almond milk
  • Meal 2 - Greek yogurt, almonds
  • Meal 3 - 6 ounces of chicken breast, white rice, Franks hot sauce
  • Meal 4 - 6 ounces of chicken breast, or tuna, sweet potato, green vegetables
  • Meal 5 - Low sugar cereal, rice cakes, whey protein

Foods To Eat and Avoid On Dana Lynn Bailey Diet Program

What To Go For

  • Grilled Chicken Breast
  • Lean Ground Turkey
  • Fish
  • Eggs and Egg Whites
  • Greek Yogurt
  • Fruits and Green Veggies
  • Rice
  • Potatoes
  • Oats

What To Avoid

  • Overly Processed Foods
  • Refined Sugar
  • Chemical Ingredients
  • Artificial Additives
  • Fried Foods

What Supplements Does Dana Linn Bailey Take?

Dana Linn Bailey believes that the most important factors in successful training are intensity, variety, and a good diet.

She uses supplements to support her training but always believes good nutrition cannot be replaced by any supplements.

Below are supplements that Dana Linn Bailey takes to support her training:

  • Whey Protein
    Protein helps build more muscle and burn body fat. Protein powders are a convenient way to get more protein into your diet.
  • Multivitamins
    Multivitamin supplements are a great way to ensure you are getting your micronutrients into your diet and can help with energy levels, mood and strength.
  • BCAAs
    BCAAs are used to assist muscle growth and help decrease the effects of DOMS.
  • Pre-Workout
    Dana Linn Bailey trains hard with very high intensity. A good pre-workout helps the quality and focus of hard workouts.

Check Out The DLB Daily App!

Dana Linn Bailey has her own training app, meaning wherever you are in the world, you can train just like Dana does! Her training app allows you to adjust to your own fitness goals.

The DLB Daily App has a daily Dana Linn Bailey workout routine, workout plan, tips, and videos.[1]

It also has a nutrition guide and access to support and guidance through her online community.

Dana Linn Bailey’s Workout Playlist

Dana Linn Bailey’s workout routine needs to be accompanied by some music to get you ready to work hard!

Check out Dana Linn’s personal workout playlists from Spotify[2] and YouTube.[3]

Dana Linn Bailey Workout FAQs

When did Dana Linn Bailey start bodybuilding?

Dana Linn Bailey started bodybuilding in 2006 when she entered her first official competition. She was introduced to bodybuilding by her boyfriend and has achieved many accomplishments in the sport.

What is DLB shredded summer?

DLB shredded summer is Dana Linn Bailey's 6-week challenge, and it is a total body transformation to help people get in the best shape possible for summer. The challenge is also a competition where people submit their progress photos with the chance to win cash prizes.

What division did Dana Linn Bailey compete in?

Dana Linn first started off in the figure category of the IFBB, competing in this category from 2006-2010. The goal of this category is to achieve muscular symmetry and proportion without being too lean and muscular. She moved onto the physique category in 2011 where the goal is to achieve a higher level of muscular development.

How does Dana Linn Bailey make money?

Dana Linn Bailey is one of the top professional bodybuilders in the world. Winning the physique Olympia competition has grown Dana Linn's network year on year. Her income is made from her online training app, brand endorsement, and sponsorship on her social media platforms and her merchandise line.

What condition does Dana Linn Bailey have?

Dana Linn was admitted to hospital in 2019 with a rare condition called Rhabdo which can be common in high-performance athletes. The muscle cells break down and burst, causing them to leak into the bloodstream. It can then travel to the kidneys, but in Dana Linn's case, it entered her liver. 

Conclusion

Dana Linn Bailey is an incredible athlete who has had many accomplishments since entering the world of competitive bodybuilding in 2006.

Her strong work ethic and determination are admired by the fitness world. Her training is not easy, but you can see it is what gets results.

While she doesn't compete on stage anymore, she continually works to motivate and inspire people through her social media platforms.

References:

1. https://dlbdailyapp.com/
2. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Z2WebhbNzYmLfr5mV1tZ3
3. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1E3332FE69BF9BF4

Jo Taylor

Jo Taylor

Hi, I’m Jo. I love sunrise swims, cold water immersion and cats. I have been dedicated to strength training for the past 14 years. I became a qualified Personal Trainer in 2020, and am passionate about helping my clients get stronger. Visit Jo Taylors Website