How to write an exercise program to quickly increase muscle mass

If you want to make your muscles grow, then you should resort to regular training and proper nutrition. In this article, you will learn how to gain muscle mass.

For muscle growth, 3 very important conditions must be observed:

1. Get a large number of calories, that is, you need to consume more calories per day than you spend.
2. The body should have a need to build up new muscle fibers, then you need increased physical activity.
3. The body must fully recover after exertion, that is, you always need to give the body a good rest. Namely, you need to sleep at least 8 hours a day.

Each of these conditions contains a lot of subtleties and nuances. And if you really want to know how to gain muscle mass, then read our 16 tips.

If you are reading this article, then you probably want to build muscle and increase your body size. And it doesn’t matter what exactly you want - embossed biceps or just an extra muscle mass. The tips in this article will add some new tools to your arsenal. These tips are a compilation of information received from the best athletes.

Tips for Gaining Muscle Mass

Add a couple of strategies from the list to your daily arsenal and watch the inevitable growth of your muscles!

1. Focus on more food

James Pulido

You probably know that food plays key role In sports. It helps to demonstrate the beauty of our body after hard work on it. Well, if we are talking about muscle growth, then nutrition is, in principle, necessary - in order to grow, you need to eat. And do not be embarrassed by talking about counting calories.

Want to know how many calories to eat? James Pulido, MuscleTech athlete and Superman fan gives his answer: “The best option for an athlete is to multiply his weight in pounds by 20. That is, an athlete weighing 180 pounds (about 82 kg), multiplying his weight by 20, will get a result in 3,600. This is the number of calories that an athlete should consume daily. For example, I weigh 105 kg, convert the weight to pounds (type in Google "105 kilograms in pounds", write your own instead of my weight at 105), get about 231 pounds, multiply by 20 and get - 4620 calories.

(Note that multiplying body weight in pounds by 20 depends on the quality of the calories consumed. Multiplying by 20 is the maximum limit you can give your body. The minimum limit is multiplying by 15. You can be conservative and multiply your weight at 16 - 18.)

For starters, Pulido recommends dividing your meals in terms of fats, proteins, carbohydrates. For one pound of your weight (about 500 grams), you should have 1.5 grams of protein and 2 grams of carbohydrates daily. Everything else - and this is about 15-35% of the daily diet - should be dietary fats. "Fats are essential for hormonal balance, including testosterone production, and testosterone is critical for muscle growth," says Pulido.

1. Plan your workouts carefully

You want to grow, but it's only important to plan your workouts and not attack the gym like a crazy Banshee. The first thing to do is organize your workouts so that you don't train the same muscle group every day. In addition, muscles grow not only in the gym. They grow thanks to properly calculated rest time and proper nutrition.

“Targetedly stretching and injuring the same muscle groups for two days in a row will not provoke further muscle growth in this area,” says Jesse Hobbs. "If your muscles are aching after yesterday's workout, then you won't get the best results from today."

Jesse Hobbs

Except when you follow an advanced training course. But even in this case, the muscles need to be given 36-48 hours of rest before starting training again. So, if you work hard on the chest and biceps on Monday, then on Tuesday and Wednesday, give the muscles a little rest.

1. Prioritize evenly

A carefully planned program will ensure maximum results without repetitive repetitions of the same exercises or too heavy reinforced workouts. When forming a training program, pay attention to the difference between the main and peripheral muscle groups.

“Major muscle groups are the largest muscles (pectorals and legs, for example) that don’t need to be trained more than once a week,” says Hobbs.

“Peripheral muscles such as biceps, triceps, trapezius, calves, and abs can be trained more than twice a week and will fully recover in a short period of time.”

If you want to build muscle in your arms or pump up killer abs, then train these muscle groups twice a week. For example, if you train biceps, then start doing it on Monday. On Tuesday, move on to triceps, and somewhere on Thursday, start training both at the same time.

1. Add Basic Exercises

If you want to grow muscle, lifting weights is one of the important steps towards this goal. And compound exercises like the squat, bench press, and deadlift allow you to increase your overall muscle mass, get stronger, and lift more weight in isolation exercises. To be frank, if you're not doing barbell squats and bench presses, you're missing out on a lot.

“I strive for natural movement in my exercises,” explains Pulido. "Usage basic exercises causes a hormonal surge in the body and allows me to take on even more weight the next workout.”

The most important thing in bodybuilding is muscle mass. Yes, yes, it is muscle mass, not relief. The relief is already a secondary moment in giving the body beautiful forms. Initially, there should be a good mass so that there is something to emboss.

The training program for gaining muscle mass is very simple and does not require a person to be highly athletic. Just a general physical training. Bodybuilding, like psychology, is inherently very simple, although this is not immediately noticeable, but if you deal with all its subtleties, then everything becomes quite transparent. Of course, we will not analyze all these subtleties in this article, but we will consider which training program to use for this below.

The theory of muscle gain

So, as already mentioned in previous articles on similar topics, in order to gain mass, you should use mainly basic exercises. They are excellent for this purpose. However, thoughtlessly performing these exercises is unlikely to lead you to a large amount of muscle. As noted by Joe Weider, renowned coach and founder International Federation In bodybuilding, muscles respond to loads differently, depending on the weight of the weights and the number of repetitions in the approach. Thus, if your goal is to gain muscle mass, then you should proceed primarily from these rules.

A training program for gaining muscle mass involves exercising with a weight that you can lift 6-9 times. It is this approach to training that will lead to an increase in muscle strength and will place the maximum emphasis on the growth of their mass.

Although also good option to gain mass, you will perform 8-12 repetitions in the approach, but this is for everyone, so you need to try both 6-9 repetitions and 8-12 to determine what your muscles will respond best to.

If you perform fewer repetitions, then the emphasis will be, to a greater extent, on increasing strength indicators, and not muscle volume, but if the number of repetitions is more than 12, then the emphasis will shift from increasing muscle mass to developing muscle endurance. Therefore, during the period of training for mass, it is important to stay in the interval of 6-9 times (8-12), no more and no less.

Exercises should be performed to failure, that is, if, for example, you perform the 9th repetition of an exercise, but you cannot complete the 10th, then this will be a failure phenomenon. If the muscles are not brought to failure, then the process of mass gain will be much less efficient, and for some people who are not genetically adapted to this sport, it will not happen at all.

The number of sets in such a training program will vary depending on the fitness of the athlete. If you are a beginner and your "experience" of regular training is no more than 2 months, then you should perform no more than 1-2 approaches per separate group muscles. If you are no longer a beginner, then the optimal number of approaches will be 2-4.

I would also like to note that you will have to work mainly in the “negative” phase, that is, spend more time lowering the projectile than raising it. For example, if you are doing a barbell lift for biceps, then the upward movement of the projectile should take no more than 1 second, and its lowering should take at least 3 seconds. This is due to the fact that the muscle, in the "negative" phase, in other words, in the lowering phase, receives large quantity microcracks that affect its growth.

Let's start practicing

So, now let's go directly to the training program itself. But first, a small digression. If you don't want your muscles to be pathetic, then no need to feel sorry for yourself in training! Forget about easy fitness, a training program for gaining muscle mass requires maximum strength and energy. In order for muscles to grow, they need to be given a serious reason, a good push, maximum stress!

We will assemble the exercises as follows: two muscle groups in each workout. Rest between workouts should be 48-72 hours, it depends on the speed of muscle recovery, for some this process is faster, and for some it is slower. Nutrition - mostly protein, preferably half an hour before training and within half an hour after it, drink a protein shake.

IN this example We will start our training on Monday. At the beginning of each workout, we spend the first ten minutes on an aerobic warm-up in order to warm up our body. At the end of the workout, we also do a 10-minute warm-up.

Important! If you are a beginner, then it is better to start practicing.

Monday (We pump the pectoral muscles and biceps)

Name of the exercise	Sets/reps	A photo
	4/6-9; 8-12
This additional basic exercise of the complex is more suitable for advanced athletes. Therefore, if you feel that the level of your preparation is low, then it is better to skip it for now. Over time, it will need to be included in the program.	4/6-9; 8-12
This exercise belongs to the category of isolating and shaping, so it can be performed for 12-15 repetitions per approach. Approaches should be 3-4.	3-4/12-15
As with the bench press, the first set is a warm-up. This is followed by 2-4 sets of 6-9 or 8-12 reps to failure.	4/6-9; 8-12
This exercise can be called expanding, since the biceps grow in thickness from it. So, when looking at the hand from the front in the future, you can see the effect of this exercise.	4/6-9;8-12
Again, this is an isolation exercise, doing 12-15 reps per set in order to shape the peak of the biceps. Approaches 3-4.	3-4/12-15

Thursday (Swing back and shoulders)

Name of the exercise	Sets/reps	A photo
The first approach is a warm-up, which should be 50-60% of your working weight. Next, we perform 2-4 approaches with a working weight, repetitions in each approach 6-9 or 8-12 times to failure. * Perform deadlift once every 2 weeks.	4/6-9; 8-12
For some, a difficult, but still very effective exercise for developing the back in width. If you are a beginner and pulling up is still difficult for you, skip this exercise and move on to the next one.	4/6-9; 8-12
If you did pull-ups before, then this will be a “finishing” exercise. If not, then this is the main exercise of the complex for the latissimus dorsi.	3-4/12-15
This will be the main exercise of the complex to increase the latissimus dorsi in thickness. It will be difficult for beginners to perform it correctly after a deadlift, so they should do it once every 2 weeks as well. Naturally, in the week when there is no deadlift.	4/6-9; 8-12
The exercise acts as an alternative to the previous one or its “finishing” addition. The number of reps and sets is 4/6-9 if this is the main exercise and 3-4/12-15 if it is the finishing exercise.	4/6-9;8-12
This is the main exercise of the complex aimed at working out your shoulders. Similar to the rest of the exercises: the first approach is a warm-up, then 2-4 sets of 6-9 or 8-12 repetitions to failure.	4/6-9; 8-12
The second basic exercise of the shoulder complex. The difference from the previous one is in the emphasis of the load. In this case, it falls on the rear bundles of deltas. *Alternate between this exercise and chest press sequence every week.	4/6-9; 8-12
+1 option This exercise must be performed at every shoulder workout in without fail. "+1 option" means to add another variation of the isolation exercise. It could be or. Alternate them every week.	3-4/12-15

Sunday (Swing legs and triceps)

Name of the exercise	Sets/reps	A photo
We warm up with a weight equal to 50-60% of the working weight and perform 2-4 sets of 6-9 or 8-12 reps to failure with the working weight. The exercise requires the insurance of the partner(s)!	4/6-9; 8-12
It can be both a basic and an additional basic exercise. It can only be considered basic when, for some reason, you cannot do barbell squats.	4/6-9; 8-12
Basic exercise aimed primarily at training the back of the thigh. It is better to perform with dumbbells, as this will provide a more correct trajectory of movement and the load vector.	4/6-9; 8-12
Another conditionally basic exercise for the hamstrings, which should “finish off” your legs using exceptional execution technique.	4/8-12
Basic exercise for training triceps. After the warm-up set, perform 2-4 sets of 6-9 or 8-12 reps to failure.	4/6-9;8-12
Just like all the isolation exercises in this example, we perform 3-4 sets of 12-15 times. It can be performed both lying down, and sitting, and standing. As a variety, you can alternate.	3-4/12-15
The last exercise of the complex, designed to fill the triceps with fresh blood and work them into relief. Performed with low weight, but with exceptional technique. You should feel tension and burning in your triceps.	3-4/12-15

The load on the body during weight gain is very serious. A large amount of energy is consumed and, accordingly, it needs to be replenished somehow. Diet ordinary person here it will be ineffective and negatively affect the result of training. Therefore, you need to make some adjustments to your diet.

You need to eat 4-6 times a day. There are practically no restrictions, except perhaps in the size of portions - they should be small so that it is easier for the body to absorb them. Do not be afraid to get better, in any case, when training for mass, along with muscles you will gain fat (but this does not matter, because there are also)

The golden rule of bodybuilding says that the optimal daily dose of protein for an athlete is 1.5-2 grams per kilogram of body weight. Not a small amount, which is very difficult to consume only with ordinary food. Indeed, even for a 70-kilogram athlete, this will amount to 100-140 grams of pure protein. And this is equivalent to, say, 600-700 grams chicken fillet. Not everyone will be able to eat so much meat a day, it is inconvenient, and you will get bored very quickly. You can solve this problem with sports nutrition offered for this training program:

N.O.-Xplode 2.0
A pre-workout complex that helps increase strength and endurance. At times enhances the effectiveness and impact of training with weights.

Conclusion

This program uses mainly basic exercises in addition to some isolating ones. It is this specially designed training program that will help you gain muscle mass as quickly as possible. Finally, I would like to remind you once again do not feel sorry for yourself in training! Watch this motivational video, which once again confirms all of the above.

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Mass is of fundamental importance in bodybuilding. Having sufficient muscle mass, you can work on your body, make it beautiful and embossed. A well-designed bodybuilding training program for gaining muscle mass guarantees a positive result, which can be achieved with a good level of general physical fitness. At first glance, the basics of bodybuilding and the selection of appropriate exercises seem complicated, but practice shows that the basic set of exercises will be enough to achieve the goal.

Fundamentals of bodybuilding training for mass gain

The reaction of the muscles can be different for one exercise. It depends on the weight of the weight and the number of approaches that it will be repeated. If your main goal is to build mass, then it is important not to overdo it, but to choose a weight weight that allows you to perform up to 9 repetitions at a time. It is this approach to building a bodybuilding training program for mass gain that can ensure systematic muscle growth and significantly increase strength performance.

Try varying the number of repetitions. Fewer repetitions will positive influence for power data. A higher number will help develop muscle endurance. When gaining muscle mass, try to perform at least 6, maximum 12 reps.

It is necessary to give all the best when performing each individual exercise to failure. The more you feel sorry for yourself and give insufficient load, the less effective will be the increase in muscle mass. But it is not recommended to overload yourself from the first lessons. If you work out periodically, and your patience lasts for several months, then it is recommended to start with 2 approaches for each of the muscle groups. Experienced athletes can perform up to 4 approaches.

The fastest increase in muscle mass falls on the "negative" phase of the exercise. That is, lowering the barbell or dumbbells will take longer than raising them. This is due to the fact that when lowering the number of microcracks in the muscle increases significantly, which has a positive effect on its growth.

Bodybuilding for Straights - Weekly Mass Training Program

Before proceeding directly to the training, remember the following points:

• you can’t feel sorry for yourself in training - the growth of muscle tissue can only provoke the maximum load on it, so during classes you will need to give all your best;
• proteins in the diet should be allocated no less percentage than carbohydrates;
• you need to eat food half an hour before and half an hour after training;
• consumption of protein shakes is recommended;
• the interval between workouts should vary from 48 to 72 hours - this indicator directly depends on the speed of recovery of muscle fibers.

The men's bodybuilding training program for mass gain starts on Monday. The beginning of any activity is a warm-up: aerobic exercises, cardio or jogging. At least 10 minutes are allotted for a warm-up so that you can prepare your body for stress, disperse the blood and warm up the joints. Each training day includes the study of 2 muscle groups.

Plan for Monday, pumping biceps and pectoral muscles:

• bench press with a wide grip on an incline bench. Use 60% of your working weight to warm up and do up to 2 sets of 8 reps. Then use your working weight and start doing 6 to 9 sets of 8-12 reps;
• bench press with a wide grip on a horizontal bench - 6 to 12;
• dilution of arms with dumbbells on a horizontal bench (work on the pectoral muscles) - 4 to 15;
• isolated exercise for biceps - concentrated lifting of dumbbells. Do 4 sets of 15 reps. Before proceeding, watch the mass training video with this exercise in order to correctly perform the technique;
• in the complex, you can include lifting the bar while standing to the biceps.

Thursday - back and shoulders day:

• main and most best exercise in natural bodybuilding - deadlift. You do the first set as a warm-up with less weight and fewer reps. The rest of the sets are your working weight and maximum amount repetitions. It is recommended to do 6 to 9 sets with 8-12 repetitions;
• reverse dilutions of arms with dumbbells - work on the trapezium and muscles of the arms. The number of sets is from 3 to 4, repetitions are from 8 to 12. This is an isolating exercise, so it is recommended to do it every week;
• classic pull-ups - from 6 to 9 sets with 12 repetitions;
• traction of the lower block to the belt - 6-9 sets with 8-12 repetitions;
• thrust of the upper block to the chest. The number of approaches varies from 3 to 4, repetitions - from 12 to 15.

On Sunday you work out the legs and triceps of the arms:

• weighted squat (barbell or dumbbells). The first approach, as in other cases, is for warming up, the rest are with your working weight and the maximum possible number of approaches. 6-9 hikes with 8-12 repetitions;
• isolating exercise - bending the legs in a prone position. Counts the best technique to work out the biceps of the legs. 6-9 to 8-12;
• dumbbell row on straight legs - an exercise to work out the back of the thighs. Weighting is used to move the body along the correct path. 9 to 12;
• french press style is an isolation exercise for your triceps. Do 3-4 sets of 12 reps. Before performing, watch the video to rule out injury;
• Bench press with a narrow grip on a horizontal bench is the main technique that makes the triceps work. Sets - from 2 to 4, repetitions - from 9 to 12.

In the process of such training, you will need to eat hard. Divide the day into 6 meals. The serving size for each dose should be small so that the body absorbs everything. Don't forget about the balance between carbohydrates and proteins. Protein is the main building material for your muscles, while carbohydrates are the main source of energy. If you do not consume enough carbohydrates, catabolic processes will begin, and the body will begin to burn muscle tissue in order to replenish energy reserves.

To gain muscle mass, men need competent weight training. This is one of the main components of muscle building. Gaining mass is impossible without proper nutrition and good rest. Workouts at home or in the gym can be built in different ways. There are several effective schemes to build muscle. Some of them have been known for a very long time and have been tested by several generations of athletes. Others were created not so long ago and are considered innovative in the bodybuilding environment. Beginners are encouraged to use basic training programs. Only experienced athletes should try new and improved ones.

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Class rules

In order for training to help increase muscle mass, you need to follow a few rules:

• deal with large enough weights to create a stress load and destroy muscle fibers;
• fully rest, observe the daily routine and get enough sleep so that the muscles recover well;
• between workouts for one muscle group must pass at least 48 hours;
• train large muscle groups no more than 1 time per week;
• the total number of classes per week for beginners - 2-3, for experienced athletes - 3-5;
• each exercise should be performed for 6-8 repetitions, since it is this range that contributes to the most effective muscle growth;
• basic exercises should be placed at the beginning of the workout and take up most of it;
• we must not forget about isolation, which is necessary for a more detailed study and finishing of muscles;
• isolating exercises can be done for 12-15 repetitions.

The total duration of the workout should be between 40 and 60 minutes. During this time, you can do no more than 8-10 exercises. You don’t need to exercise longer, as the stress hormone cortisol, which destroys muscles, will begin to be produced in the body.

For beginners, the rules will be slightly different. They do not need to immediately take heavy weights and perform exercises until muscle failure. This can easily lead to injury, as a result of which you can forget about training for a long time. The main task for beginners is to prepare the muscles for real, serious work. This is achieved by working out the correct technique for performing exercises and a smooth increase in weights.

At the initial stage, it is quite possible to practice at home. You just need to find a pair of dumbbells or a small barbell. It is advisable to perform exercises at home in front of a mirror, following the technique.

But over time, it will inevitably be necessary to increase the working weights. Then home inventory will not be enough. In this case, you will still need to register gym or arrange a mini-hall at home.

Meals on the set

An equally important component of gaining muscle mass is special nutrition. The main thing to remember is that muscles do not grow without a calorie surplus.

The required daily calorie content is individual. It depends on the body weight of a person and his goals. In any case, you must first calculate the caloric content of the diet to maintain weight. This is easy to do with the formula:

Calorie rate \u003d Weight (kg) x 30

If the goal is to build muscle, the resulting value should be increased by an average of 30%. Ectomorphs who have difficulty gaining weight can increase the rate by 40-50%. Endomorphs, who gain weight easily, may add as little as 10–20%.

For example, a thin person weighing 60 kg, exercising with weights for muscle gain, should consume 2520–2700 kcal per day. This value was obtained by increasing the daily calorie intake of 1800 kcal (60 kg x 30) by 40-50%.

Having calculated the calorie content that should be followed, it is necessary to determine optimal ratio proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the diet.

The basis should be carbohydrates, as they are the main source of energy during hard workouts. Proteins also play an important role. After all, they are the material for building muscles. Fats should also be included in the menu for normal recovery of the body and maintaining good health. In addition, some fatty acids are involved in the production of growth hormones.

The Best Training Programs for Building Muscle

There are a huge number of training programs for gaining muscle mass in men. Often they are sold for money, calling them the most effective and innovative.

But before spending money, it is worth working out according to the basic well-known plans. In most cases, they help achieve the goal.

Experienced athletes who are accustomed to the load and want to diversify their workouts can use these interesting systems construction of classes, such as German volume training, the "5x5" program and others.

2 day high and low split

For beginners, a schedule that involves only two different workouts per week is perfect. It is not necessary at the initial stage to divide muscle groups in more detail, paying some increased attention. Doing 4-5 workouts a week is only for professionals who have achieved certain results. For beginners, such a schedule will be ineffective and lead to overtraining.

Most often, with a two-day split, the body is divided into top and bottom, working out the muscles of each part on a separate day. An approximate set of exercises in this case may be as follows.

Monday - bottom:

Exercises	Sets/Reps	Illustration
Squats with a barbell for legs and buttocks	4x8
leg press	3x10
Lunges with dumbbells	3x10
Bending the legs in the simulator	4x12
Rises on socks in the Smith machine	5x20
Raising on socks while sitting in the simulator	4x20
Hanging leg raises	3x15

Thursday - top:

Exercises	Sets/Reps	Illustration
Bent over dumbbell row for back muscles	4x8
Lower Block Rows for Lower and Mid Back	3x12
Dumbbell chest press	4x8
French Dumbbell Triceps Press	3x8
Reverse push-ups from the bench for triceps	4x10
Barbell curl for biceps	4x8
Shoulder Dumbbell Press	4x10
Roman chair leg raises	3x15

That is, each muscle group is pumped once a week. The break between workouts is 2-3 days. During this time, the body is restored, so the classes are as efficient as possible.

Basic three-day complex No. 1

When a certain experience of training with the "iron" is gained, you can improve the training program by dividing the muscle groups into three training days. Such a plan is the most common and is suitable for the vast majority of people involved in fitness to improve and maintain shape.

When compiling a program, it is desirable to include three main mass-gathering exercises in the complex: squats, deadlifts and bench presses. As a result of their implementation, there is a powerful release of testosterone - a growth hormone, which leads to an increase in strength indicators and muscle volume.

But it is necessary to put these exercises on different training days, since each of them takes too much energy.

An example of a basic three-day training program is presented in the table.

Monday - chest and triceps:

Exercises	Sets/Reps	Illustration
Bench press on a horizontal bench for pectoral muscles	3x8
Incline dumbbell fly	4x10
Reduction of hands in the simulator "butterfly"	4x10
French bench press for triceps	3x8
Triceps push-ups	4x10
Pulling the legs to the horizontal bar on the press	3x10

Wednesday - back and biceps:

Exercises	Sets/Reps	Illustration
Deadlift with a barbell for the muscles of the back, hamstrings and buttocks	3x8
Rod pull to the belt on the back muscles	4x10
Wide grip pull-ups	3x10
Narrow Grip Seated Lower Block Rows	3x12
Barbell curl for biceps	4x8
"Hammer" with dumbbells for biceps	4x10
Bending the arms in a crossover at the lower block for biceps	3x10

Friday - legs and deltas:

Exercises	Sets/Reps	Illustration
Barbell Squats	4x8
leg press	3x10
Barbell lunges	3x10
Bending the legs in the simulator	4x10
Climbing on your toes in Smith's car	5x20
Shoulder Dumbbell Press	3x10
Lifting dumbbells in front of you on the front deltas	4x15
Lifting dumbbells to the sides on the middle deltas	4x15
Lower block crossover crunches (prayer)	3x15

As you can see, the press does not need to be downloaded daily. The abdominal muscles, like all the rest, need rest to recover. Therefore, it is enough to work them out a couple of times a week.

Basic three-day complex No. 2

There is an alternative option for building a basic 3-day training program. It suggests a different division of the muscle groups of the upper body. The back is worked out with the chest, and the triceps with the biceps. The training of the legs and deltas remains unchanged.

Such an association is based on the fact that the chest and back are antagonistic muscles, that is, they perform opposite functions. Therefore, when performing exercises on the latissimus dorsi, the pectoral muscles rest, and vice versa. This ensures a constant flow of blood to the muscle fibers, which speeds up their recovery and growth.

The most effective option in this case would be to combine exercises into supersets. Arnold Schwarzenegger was very fond of using this scheme in his training. It helps to achieve the maximum flow of blood to the area being worked out. But only experienced athletes should use such programs.

Day 1 - back + chest (exercises are performed in supersets):

That is, you need to do, for example, a bench press for 8 repetitions, then immediately (without rest) go to the horizontal bar and perform 8 pull-ups with a wide grip. This is followed by a break for 1-2 minutes and two more of the same supersets are performed.

Day 2 - arms (biceps + triceps):

As you can see, exercises for biceps and triceps alternate. That is, first one exercise is performed for biceps, and then for triceps. This scheme is optimal, since the muscles in question are also antagonists. Their joint study provides the maximum pumping effect during training.

On the third training day, the legs and shoulders are worked out according to the program described above.

Program "5x5"

A non-standard training scheme, which is considered one of the best to date, was developed by the Arab athlete Mehdi. It is called "5x5". The essence of this technique can be expressed as follows: five exercises and 5 sets of 5 repetitions.

Classes according to such a system, unlike the usual ones, take a maximum of 45 minutes 3 times a week. They are aimed at increasing the strength and, consequently, the mass of the athlete. In addition, in the process of training, it is burned excess fat. Thanks to this, as a result of training, you can get a strong and harmoniously developed body without the help of pharmacological preparations.

At the same time, only five basic exercises are used in the training: squats, deadlift, barbell press, army press and barbell row to the belt in an inclination.

From these exercises, a two-day split is compiled, which remains constant throughout the entire course of training.

TrainingA includes:

• squats;
• bench press;
• tilt bar pull.

TrainingIn includes:

• squats;
• army press;
• deadlift.

Squats are performed in every workout, as Mehdi considers them the most effective exercise for gaining muscle mass due to the large number of muscles being worked out.

Each of the five exercises is always performed in 5 sets of 5 reps. Moreover, the weight of the burden should remain unchanged in all five approaches.

3 workouts per week according to the following schedule.

First week:

• Monday - workout A;
• Wednesday - workout B;
• Friday - workout A.

Second week:

• Monday - workout B;
• Wednesday - workout A;
• Friday - training

The main task of training according to the 5x5 scheme is to increase the working weight at each workout as long as there is strength. Therefore, this program is usually used as a power cycle for 1-1.5 months.

After that, you can return to the standard bodybuilding system, which involves performing various exercises in the range of 8-12 repetitions.

German volume training

Another innovative training scheme called German Volume Training (HOT) was developed by Rolf Feser, the coach of the German weightlifting team. Its main goal is to maximize muscle building in a short time.

The main idea of ​​German volumetric training is to work out antagonist muscles in one workout, which include: back and chest, quadriceps and biceps of the thighs, biceps and triceps, lower back and abs and some others.

Exercises in training are performed according to the scheme 10x10 - 10 sets of 10 repetitions. Due to this, the volume of muscle work increases dramatically. Auxiliary exercises can be performed in 3 sets of 12-15 times.

In HOT, it is important to choose the right working weights. They can not be increased if you can not complete all 10 repetitions in 10 sets. At first, it may seem that the load is too small. But after a few approaches, the muscles will literally burn and fail. Here you will need to show character and complete the entire planned amount of work.

It is categorically not recommended for beginners to use this scheme, since the technique of performing exercises with strong tension can deteriorate. As a result, there is a high risk of injury.

The training program for a week in NOT can be as follows:

Day	muscle group	Exercises, sets/reps
Monday	Quadriceps, hamstrings	1. Barbell Squat 10x10 2. Romanian deadlift with a barbell 10x10 3. Leg extension in the simulator 3x15 4. Bending the legs in the simulator 3x15 5. Rise on socks, standing in the simulator 4x20
Tuesday	Back, chest	1. Bench press 10x10 2. Pull-ups with a wide grip 10x10 3. Breeding dumbbells lying 3x15 4. Bent over row 3x15
Wednesday	Rest	Rest
Thursday	Biceps, triceps, shoulders	1. French bench press 10x10 2. Lifting the bar for biceps 10x10 3. Dumbbell bench press sitting on the shoulders 3x10 4. Dumbbell side raises 4x15
Friday	Rest	Rest
Saturday	Loin, press	1. Pulling the legs to the horizontal bar 10x10 2. Hyperextension 10x10 3. Raising the legs on a Roman chair 3x15 4. Twisting on a Roman chair 3x15
Sunday	Rest	Rest

It is advisable to rest no more than 1.5 minutes between sets.

You cannot use the HOT scheme for a long time. This exhausts the body and over time inevitably leads to overtraining. Therefore, this program is used for 1–2 months to overcome training stagnation and increase working weights.

At home

Not always and not everyone has the opportunity to train in the gym. In this case, you can build muscle by exercising at home. To do this, it will be necessary to exclude exercises performed on simulators from the presented programs.

For effective exercises at home, you still cannot do without a few dumbbells of sufficient weight. The bar will also be useful. But in order to squat with it, you will need to build a power frame, which will ensure the safety of the exercises. After all, you can’t take a heavy barbell from the floor on your shoulders.

An example of a home workout program for gaining muscle mass is presented in the tables.

Monday - back + biceps:

Exercises	Sets/Reps	Illustration
Deadlift with dumbbells	4x10
Incline dumbbell row	3x10
Pull-ups on the bar	4x12
One-handed dumbbell row	3x12
Lifting dumbbells for biceps	4x10
"Hammer"	4x10

Wednesday - legs + shoulders:

Exercises	Sets/Reps	Illustration
Squats with dumbbells
Lifting on socks standing on a hill with dumbbells	4x20
Dumbbell Shoulder Press	4x10
Lifting dumbbells to the sides	4x15

Friday - chest + triceps:

Exercises	Sets/Reps	Illustration
Dumbbell bench press	4x10
Breeding hands with dumbbells	4x10
Push-ups from the floor for the pectoral muscles	3x15
Seated Dumbbell French Press	4x10
Reverse push-ups for triceps	3x15

The rules for homework will be the same. To achieve the result, it is also necessary to follow a special diet, eating with a calorie surplus.

And some secrets...

The story of one of our readers Irina Volodina:

I was especially depressed by the eyes, surrounded by large wrinkles, plus dark circles and swelling. How to remove wrinkles and bags under the eyes completely? How to deal with swelling and redness?But nothing ages or rejuvenates a person like his eyes.

But how do you rejuvenate them? Plastic surgery? Learned - not less than 5 thousand dollars. Hardware procedures - photorejuvenation, gas-liquid peeling, radiolifting, laser facelift? A little more affordable - the course costs 1.5-2 thousand dollars. And when to find the time for all this? Yes, it's still expensive. Especially now. So for myself I chose a different way ...

Numerous visits to bodybuilding websites convince me that one of the most relevant topics and the subject of active discussions on them is questions speed dial muscle mass and growth, which excite not only beginners, but also quite venerable athletes. Although this is not surprising - it is worth looking at yourself from the outside in those days when our main tasks were exclusively building huge muscles, gaining maximum mass, giving volume to the biceps, expressiveness of the chest or the width of the back.

Reading articles on mass gain found on the Internet, I came to the conclusion that there is catastrophically little really high-quality information on this topic on the network, one can even say that it does not exist at all, well, maybe, with the exception of only some very common truths, and even then, unfortunately, not all. Having stumbled on the net more than once on similar questions about the same beginner in bodybuilding, I decided to write a series of articles in which I planned to include detailed materials on the training program, nutrition, sports supplements. Today we will talk about a training program aimed at effectively gaining muscle mass.

Let's touch on the fundamental truths, without which high-quality muscle building is impossible:

• It is necessary to do a warm-up before the main workout, which includes heavy loads for weight gain. The athlete must warm up well so that his joints and ligaments have time to warm up, and for this I would recommend that the athlete use it, running at an average pace for ten minutes will prepare the body for subsequent heavy exercises. Then you need a stretch that is aimed specifically at those areas of the body that you have the most “problematic”, for example, elbows or shoulders - it is these that must first be carefully and thoroughly kneaded.
• Before each main working set, you need to do one or two warm-up approaches. using light weight, which should be about 40-50 percent of the worker's weight. Warm-up approaches allow the athlete to also feel this exercise.
• Don't go to the gym for too long- Quite enough intensive work for an hour. And remember this simple truth: In training, the main thing is not its duration, but only the intensity.
• The end of the workout should be a small hitch to stretch the muscles and joints.. A good option is swimming in the pool.
• During training for the mass, you should not be distracted by extraneous matters. The observable pictures of what often happens in the gym are depressing: someone is talking enthusiastically on the phone, someone is busy with a new toy in his iPhone, someone is talking to a neighbor and the like. That is, training people do not understand why they came here and lose the time allotted specifically for training in the gym, and then they get, as a natural result of this, the absence of any, even a little progress in bodybuilding. Make it a rule: since you came to the gym to train and your goal is to gain weight, so train without being distracted by extraneous matters and absolutely nothing at all.
• Key condition for success is to work in a working approach until the very last repetition, performing it as well. It is the last one or two repetitions, done already through overcoming, that become the most effective in the training process and it is thanks to them that effective muscle mass is built up.
• You need to follow a nutritious diet, on which success in bodybuilding depends in half. I can subscribe to my every word and responsibly declare that without food High Quality mass gain is impossible and you will never be able to build decent muscles. My next article will be devoted to this - it will be convenient for you to follow the news using the newsletters of this blog.
• Sufficient rest before the next workout is also important.. Do not be surprised and do not be afraid now - the goal of bodybuilding training is precisely to injure muscle fibers, however, in the safe sense of the word - during heavy loads, our muscle tissue receives microtraumas, which then the body seeks to heal and due to this, tissue growth occurs. So, for this restoration of muscle fiber, the body needs several days and therefore daily training is absolutely contraindicated for the average static bodybuilder.

In this list, I have listed the rules that should be followed during training aimed at gaining mass. And now you can go directly to the training program itself.

You will have to do three times a week: on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday - it's convenient for anyone, and here the main condition is a mandatory break between workouts of at least one day.

As a rule, athletes distinguish chest, legs, shoulders, triceps and biceps into separate muscle groups and, accordingly, each of our workouts will be focused on pumping a specific muscle group.

Three day workout

Monday: work on the muscles of the press, chest and triceps

The exercises of this workout are aimed at pumping the pectoral muscles and triceps. First, five approaches are performed, the purpose of which is the press. For this, any exercises are taken to work out the abdominal muscles. In any case, the pumping of the pectoral muscles is also associated with the study of the triceps (triceps muscle). Fully work out the triceps by bench press and incline bench press.

• . After two warm-ups, four working sets of 8-12 repetitions follow. This exercise most effectively works out the pectoral muscles, increasing their volume and mass.
• After one warm-up, four working sets of 8-12 repetitions follow. This exercise allows, in addition to gaining muscle mass, to give the muscles a beautiful relief and a good athletic shape.
• After the first warm-up, four working sets of 8-12 repetitions are performed. When doing bench presses, do not forget about a partner! The exercise is effective for working out the triceps and the inner part of the pectoral muscles.
• in four sets of 8-12 repetitions, but only after the obligatory warm-up of the muscles of the shoulder joint to reduce the risk of injury to the shoulder. This exercise perfectly works out the muscles of the upper chest.
• in four sets with the maximum possible number of repetitions in each approach. This exercise is an excellent training not only for the triceps, but also for the entire shoulder girdle.

What has been done: the exercises allowed us, first of all, to pump the pectoral muscles through a heavy load - bench press, and thus we launched the mechanism of their growth, and also worked on their shape. All bundles of the triceps are also fully developed to stimulate its effective growth. After such training, a hitch is needed and the best option here becomes a pool - swim to your health for 10-20 minutes.

Wednesday: back and biceps workout

This workout focuses on the muscles of the back, which should become wider and more powerful as a result, as well as pumping up our beloved biceps. Do not forget about the obligatory warm-up warm-up before training and five approaches to the press.

• - perform five approaches for the maximum number of times. If it doesn’t work with pull-ups, then you can use a pull-up simulator, or a block simulator with a handle pull to your chest. But my advice is this: since there is nothing better for the muscles of the back than pull-ups, try not to use machines, but pull yourself up. the classic way- on the crossbar and believe that it works much more efficiently.
• , doing four sets of 8-12 times after two warm-ups. This is the most effective exercise for the biceps.
• 8-12 times. The deadlift is a basic and highly effective exercise for both the muscles of the back and the whole body - in the process of its implementation, the development of a large number anabolic hormones that stimulate muscle growth. A prerequisite is a thorough warm-up of the back before the deadlift, especially the lumbar region in order to avoid injury during the exercise.
• in four sets, sitting, 8-12 repetitions. This exercise perfectly forms the biceps, emphasizing its relief and increasing its height.
• . After one warm-up, perform four sets of 8-12 repetitions. Exercise effectively draws the muscles of the back, giving them a beautiful shape.

What has been done: Thanks to pull-ups and deadlifts, the mechanism of muscle growth was launched, all the muscles of the back were worked out to the maximum, which will now make it grow. Pumped biceps due to the most effective exercises. Now it's time to cool down and stretch.

Friday: shoulder and leg work

The emphasis of the exercise of this workout - a squat with a barbell on the shoulders, is done on the entire surface of the leg muscles. We also pump the shoulder girdle.

• in four working sets of 8-12 repetitions after completing two warm-ups. Before training, it is necessary to thoroughly stretch the shoulder joints, given that the shoulder is the most vulnerable place in the bodybuilder's body in terms of injury.
• . The squat is an exercise from the heavy arsenal and there is nothing harder than it. And here, as nowhere else, the athlete must be as concentrated as possible and have perfect technique. Before performing this exercise, especially thorough kneading is necessary. knee joints, ankle and lumbar spine. Having completed all four approaches and giving all the best at the same time, the athlete feels a real pumping. After doing just one squat on a leg workout, I usually have no energy left for anything else.
• in four working sets of 8-12 repetitions after three warm-ups. When performing this exercise, the risk of injury to the shoulder joint is also high. It is necessary to perform lifting the barbell behind the head, concentrating as much as possible, without jerking, and always in the presence of a coach or someone who can put the barbell on the rack after the exercise.

What has been done

During the training, the leg muscles were worked out and a good impetus was given to their growth. Shoulder muscles worked too. Now we move on to the hitch and stretching.

So, here I have given the entire weekly training cycle, working on a set of muscle mass. An athlete can dedicate two or three months at the most to him, and then he must definitely change radically. This is done so that the body does not have time to get used to and adapt to monotonous loads. In my next articles, I will talk about and give an overview of the types acceptable for an athlete that contribute to muscle gain.