Training all muscle groups for mass. Gain weight quickly. Mass program

In this There are several main features:

  1. Basic exercises
  2. Muscle failure on last rep
  3. Progression of loads sequentially training to training
  4. Microperiodization (alternating loads of varying complexity in order to perform progression)
  5. Stretching the muscle fascia (so that nothing interferes with the growth of muscle fibers)

Why basic exercises? Firstly, because they are more natural for our osteoarticular framework. And secondly, these exercises create a better brain-muscle connection (better neuromuscular connection).

Why are they more natural? Because they involve multiple joints, which means that in these movements you are stronger on one hand, and on the other hand, you are more comfortable doing them than in those exercises in which you are limited to working only one joint.

The nervous muscle connection works better in such exercises, because more muscles contract (more joints are involved in the work), accordingly, the “brain-muscle” connection works better in such exercises.

In basic exercises for beginners, mental connection, the “brain-muscle” connection, is very important.

Muscle failure

What is a refusal? Failure is the inability to independently perform one more repetition with correct technique. When performing an exercise, with each repetition your strength runs out, and there comes a moment when your strength is exhausted, and with exactly the same technique you are no longer able to perform another repetition. You have experienced a failure, you have run out of energy. Failure is very important in this bulking training program, failure means that you have run out of the necessary energy to continue working out. The fact that you have run out of energy is one of the main incentives for starting further muscle growth.

It is best for failure to occur within 15-30 seconds. Because if a failure occurs in this interval, it will mean that the resynthesis of energy from anaerobic glycolysis, from an alternative method of energy supply, has not reached sufficient capacity to cover the costs. This will lead to injuries to muscle fibers, to the destruction of your protein structures, which will subsequently lead to their healing, restoration to the original level, and if you do everything correctly, then to super recovery, super compensation, that is, fiber growth in a larger volume than it was before failure. Therefore, failure is a way of depleting your energy to a level sufficient to cause the necessary destruction, which will then lead to the necessary growth. In this regard, refusal in this weight gain training program very important.

Progression of loads

Now let's focus on another important thing, this is the progression of loads in training according to this program for gaining weight.

Why are we raising this issue? Because principle of load progression is a fundamental principle in any speed-strength sport that uses your muscles. The principle of load progression means that the load on your muscles increases. If the load on your muscles does not increase, then your muscles have no reason to change and increase in response to this load. That is, the point of progression is to increase the load on your muscles and force them to grow. People can go to the gym for decades and not achieve anything because they don't have this progression. In this regard, when we talk about progression, we will talk about the diary. A journal is required when training with this weight gain training program. Because the diary will allow you to follow the principle of load progression.

Microperiodization

We will also be using microperiodization in this muscle building program. This is a useful and effective remedy that will help us increase muscle mass.

Microperiodization- This is alternating training. Roughly speaking, alternating light workouts with hard workouts. A week - heavy, a week - light, heavy, light... etc.

The thing is, after a hard workout on your muscles, they are destroyed, they need a week to recover, and then another week for super recovery, super compensation, to grow. That is, our contractile proteins and damaged fibers usually take quite a long time to recover after a severe failure workout - two weeks. The terms are conditional - for some a little less, for others a little more, but the process is very long. That is why we train large muscle groups in Mentzer training quite rarely (once every two weeks, or even once every three weeks), and they grow well. This is because they are given enough rest during heavy workload.

During the first hard week, our muscles are restored, in the second week there is super recovery, super compensation, increased growth, but usually all other functions, such as energy, glycogen reserves in your muscles and others, with such rare training, begin to degenerate, a phase of loss of compensation begins and super compensation. Because they rest too much and begin to lose the benefits they received. That is, these functions need to be trained more often. You train these functions, such as energy, during the easy week.

During the easy week you are also training some degree of hyperplasia of your muscle fibers, as you are delivering a lot of volume with very little intensity, you are achieving a slight burn, a certain amount of hydrogen ions - this all leads to a lot of messenger RNA.

During a light week, muscle growth is no less, if not more intense, than during a hard week. This must be done - use microperiodization.

This scheme allows you to achieve much greater progress than if you used a conventional linear scheme of loads with maximum impact in each workout.

Stretching the muscle fascia

Fascia– this is the so-called pouch, a case in which muscle fibers are stored. Accordingly, the denser this “cover” is, the greater the pressure is created on the muscle fibers, and the harder it is for them to grow in breadth and increase in volume. Purely physical laws are at work here - external pressure prevents fibers and muscle cells from increasing in size. If we remove this external pressure, then it will become much easier for muscle cells and muscle fibers to grow. Therefore, during training it is necessary to stretch the muscle fascia.

Stretching can be done in two ways:

  1. Mechanical stretching (performing stretching exercises)
  2. Pumping (filling muscle fibers with blood, resulting in stretching of the fascia, and there is more room for the growth of your muscle fibers)

Fascia has a kind of shape memory, that is, if it is regularly stretched, it will retain the shape it received.

Microcycle training programs for gaining weight will go like this:

  • Week 1 – challenging workout
  • Week 2 – light training
  • Week 3 – challenging workout
  • 4 week easy workout

Features of a challenging workout

Heavy training includes some features:

  1. The weights must be heavy. These are the weights that lead to muscle failure within 6 – 8 repetitions. The main feature of such training is that it is strength training.
  2. The number of exercises for large muscle groups is about 4 exercises, for small muscle groups it is about 2 - 3 exercises.

The number of working approaches for large muscle groups is 4–5, for small muscle groups 3–4.

  1. In this case, failure should be present in 2–3 working approaches of each exercise. We are talking about at least a positive refusal, this is a refusal when you yourself can no longer lift an exercise into a positive form (squeeze a barbell, do a biceps curl, do a pull-up).
  2. There is definitely a stretching of the fascia in the form of pumping. At the end of the workout, we do 2-3 dropsets to stretch this fascia. Stretching is also present during stretching exercises for this particular muscle group between working approaches.

During a hard week, at each hard workout, before performing each working approach, look at the diary in order to understand what the result was in the last hard workout.

This is necessary in order to understand what result you need to surpass in each working approach. This way you will follow the principle of progressive load, and this way they will turn into heavy ones, they will destroy your muscles, and you will be able to monitor and control the process.

You must progress the load, only then will your muscles increase.

The weekly plan looks like this:

  • Monday – Back muscles
  • Tuesday – Chest muscles
  • Wednesday - Rest
  • Thursday – Leg muscles
  • Friday – Deltoids
  • Saturday – Biceps and triceps
  • Sunday - Rest

This technique allows us to work on the strength of each part of the body separately, while giving good rest to other muscle groups for a long time.

Monday (challenging back workout)

1. Pull-ups or
2 warm-up sets, 4 – 5 working sets of 6 – 8 repetitions.
After each working approach, this muscle group is stretched.

2. or
1 warm-up set, 4 working sets of 6 – 8 repetitions.

3.
3 – 4 working sets on each side, 6 – 8 repetitions.
Again, stretching in every working approach.

4. Horizontal block thrust
3 working sets of 6 – 12 repetitions.
Again, stretching in every working approach.

5. Low weight horizontal block pull
6 sets of 8 - 10 repetitions with a rest of 15 - 30 seconds.
Again, stretching in every working approach.

This is done in order to fill your muscles with blood as much as possible and stretch the muscle fascia as much as possible.

Tuesday (challenging chest workout)

1. Bench press on an incline bench (at an angle of 30 degrees)

Again, stretching in every working approach.

2. (at an angle of 30-40 degrees)

Again, stretching in every working approach.

3. on the bench
1 warm-up set, 4 working sets of 8 – 10 repetitions.
Again, stretching in every working approach.

4. on a horizontal bench
6 working sets with light weights, resting for 15-30 seconds.
Again, stretching in every working approach.

Goal: exactly the same as on Monday, to achieve a good pump into the muscles, fill them with blood. At the end of the pump, be sure to stretch the muscles well.

Wednesday – rest

Thursday (challenging leg workout)

1. Standing calf press
2 warm-up sets, 4 working sets of 12 – 20 repetitions.
Again, stretching in every working approach.

2.

Again, stretching in every working approach.

3. Seated leg extensions

Again, stretching in every working approach.

4.
2 warm-up sets, 4 working sets of 6 – 8 repetitions.
Again, stretching in every working approach.

5. Lying leg curl
1 warm-up set, 4 working sets of 8 – 15 repetitions.

6. Seated leg extension
6 working sets of 8-15 repetitions with a rest of 15-30 seconds.

The muscles are filled with blood as much as possible, and be sure to stretch this muscle group well.

Friday (challenging shoulder workout)

1. 3 warm-up sets, 4 working sets of 6 – 8 repetitions.
Again, stretching in every working approach.

2. 1 warm-up set, 4 working sets of 6 – 8 repetitions.

3.
1 warm-up set, 4 working sets of 6 – 8 repetitions.
Again, stretching in every working approach.

4.
1 warm-up set, 4 working sets of 6 – 8 repetitions.

5.
Triple drop set, 3 sets.

Saturday (difficult arm workout)

1. (for biceps)
2 warm-up sets, 4 working sets of 6 – 8 repetitions.
Again, stretching in every working approach.

2. or dips (triceps)
2 warm-up sets, 4 working sets of 6 – 10 repetitions.
Again, stretching in every working approach.

3. (for biceps)
1 warm-up set, 4 working sets of 6 – 8 repetitions.

4. French press standing behind the head with a dumbbell or barbell (triceps)
1 warm-up set, 4 working sets of 6 – 10 repetitions.

5. +
: lifting the barbell for biceps for 8 repetitions not with the maximum weight, after extension on a vertical block, with a rest of 15 - 30 seconds.
There are 5 supersets in total.
Again, stretching in every working approach.

The point of a hard week is progression of loads, and for progression of loads to be possible, you must work to the brink of failure, to your limit. This is the essence of hypertrophy.

Features of an easy workout

  1. Light weights (50-60% of usual).
  2. The number of exercises for large muscle groups is 2x - 3x, for small muscle groups 1 - 2x exercises.
  3. The number of approaches for large muscle groups is 4 – 8, for small muscle groups 4 – 6.
  4. There is no load progression and no failure. Your goal is not to progress in weight gain, but to accelerate rehabilitation processes, accelerate growth, form messenger RNA, and accelerate hyperplasia.

Monday (light back and shoulder workout)

1.

2. Horizontal block thrust
Again, stretch in every approach.

3. Horizontal block thrust
6 sets of 10 - 12 repetitions, with 15 - 30 seconds rest between sets.
Again, stretch in every approach.

4.
1 warm-up set, 8 sets of 8 – 12 repetitions.
Again, stretch in every approach.

5. Dumbbell row to the chin
1 warm-up set, 6 sets of 10 – 12 repetitions.
Again, stretch in every approach.

6.
Triple drop set: 3 sets. 8 repetitions with a rest of 15 - 30 seconds.
Again, stretch in every approach.

Tuesday (light chest and arms workout)

1. Incline Barbell Press
1 warm-up set, 8 sets of 8 – 12 repetitions.
Again, stretch in every approach.

2.
1 warm-up set, 6 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
Again, stretch in every approach.

3. 4 sets of 10 - 12 repetitions, with 15 - 30 seconds rest between sets.
Again, stretch in every approach.

4.
1 warm-up set, 6 sets of 8 – 12 repetitions.
Again, stretch in every approach.

5. 1 warm-up set, 6 sets of 10 – 12 repetitions.
Again, stretch in every approach.

6. Barbell curls + biceps extensions on a vertical block
: 5 sets of 10 repetitions of each exercise, with 15 - 30 seconds rest between supersets.

Thursday (light leg workout)

1. Standing calf raises
1 warm-up set, 8 sets of 15 – 20 repetitions.

2. 1 warm-up set, 8 sets of 10 – 12 repetitions.
Again, stretch in every approach.

3.
1 warm-up set, 6 sets of 8 – 10 repetitions.
Again, stretch in every approach.

4. Seated leg extensions
1 warm-up set, 6 sets of 8 – 12 repetitions.
Again, stretch in every approach.

5. Seated leg curls + seated leg extensions
Superset: 5 sets of 10 repetitions of each exercise, with 15 to 30 seconds rest between supersets.
Again, stretch in every approach.

This training program for gaining weight is universal and suitable for almost every athlete who has 1 year or more experience in the gym. It also includes stretching the muscle fascia, which is very important for muscle growth in general. So that nothing prevents them from growing in volume.
This program has been tested and works 100%.

Video about a training program for gaining weight

A slim, fit figure is the key to health, good mood, attractiveness and self-confidence. This is why you should always look good. But what if you don’t have time to workout in the gym? Work out at home!

Yes, it’s possible to get in shape without leaving home. Especially at the initial stage of training, when the muscles do not need professional trainers and too heavy weights.

We will help you understand all the nuances of training at home and create the right program for gaining muscle mass.

How to build muscle mass at home

To gain muscle mass at home as quickly as possible, you need to learn several important rules:

Regular does not mean exhausting. Three workouts a week for 40-50 minutes are the best option for both beginners and “experienced” athletes. The main thing to remember is that it takes a week for a muscle to fully recover, that is, seven days should pass between the first and second training for a particular group.

You can build muscle mass at home only if you follow a diet. It is necessary to provide the body with energy - carbohydrates and fats, and building material - protein.

An athlete’s diet should contain egg whites, cottage cheese, lean meat, poultry, fish, cereals, nuts, legumes, and mushrooms.

The athlete's body's need for protein is 1.8 - 2.3 g per kilogram of weight, here it is written what to eat and when, calculations of the body's needs and a menu are given.

If this standard is difficult to meet with food, then you need to think about buying protein or gainer.

During sleep, the body recovers, which is why proper rest is as important a part of a weight gain program as nutrition and training. In this case, the athlete’s sleep duration should be at least 8 hours, the recommended norm is 9-11 hours.

To ensure your body gets healthy sleep, you need to go to bed at the same time, rest on an empty stomach, and not exercise before bed.

  1. Adaptation to new conditions

The body's ability to adapt to changed conditions can negatively impact an athlete's progress. That is why a training program at home should be drawn up taking into account the muscles’ adaptation to the level of load.

  1. Inventory

To work with weights, you need to purchase a bar, dumbbells, and plates of different weights. You can also install a horizontal bar at home, buy or make weights for your legs and arms, and fill an old backpack with something heavy, such as sand. Otherwise, all you need is comfortable, breathable clothing and a water bottle.

Workout program for gaining muscle mass at home

Each workout should begin with a 15-minute warm-up, which will prepare the muscles for intense work and further growth. Warming up should warm up the muscles, increase blood flow to the muscles, “accelerate” the pulse and reduce the risk of injury. Moreover, unlike the main training program, warm-up does not involve working on a specific muscle group - it must prepare the entire body.

Day one: working deltoids, chest, back, biceps and triceps

Day two: abs, lumbar muscles

Day three: gluteal muscles, legs

The above program is just a drop in the ocean of opportunities that open up for an athlete who strives to improve his form.

The first thing you should know is that building muscle mass is hard work. You will have to work hard in the gym, and also eat a lot (especially for ectomorphs). Gaining quality muscle mass is a more labor-intensive process than losing weight. However, many athletes are looking forward to this period of training. Also a prerequisite for successful training is adherence to the correct regime. Nutrition is a very important factor, no less important than the training itself.

How and why do muscles grow?

Imagine what you are doing. Here comes the 7th repetition, you have already straightened your legs with difficulty and begin to doubt that you will do the eighth. But after taking a deep breath, you drop to parallel, or even lower! And so, through the pain and burning sensation in the muscles, you begin to slowly rise, feeling how your partner’s hands support and control this process. Of course, you got up safely and, as soon as you placed the barbell on the racks, you collapsed on the bench in exhaustion. This is mass training!

In addition to eloquently describing the moment of Friday's workout, this story is also good because it will help you understand when and why muscles grow. At the moment when you completed the eighth repetition, the muscle fibers of the working muscles were experiencing severe stress and tension. So big that it actually tore them apart. This happens during the last, hard reps. That's why it's so important to finish the set to the end, to the very limit, or even beyond it.

After training, muscle fibers present a pitiful sight: they are weak and destroyed, and need urgent resuscitation. So you go home and immediately take or. This can be done directly after training, in the gym. The main thing is to close the protein-carbohydrate window within an hour.

The protein-carbohydrate window is a state of the body when, due to depletion, it is in great need of nutrients. Closing the carbohydrate-protein window within an hour after training will give a powerful boost to muscle growth."

45 minutes after taking the cocktail, you need to eat a large portion of high-quality, healthy, high-calorie, varied food. This cycle should be completed with a healthy, full 8-9 hour sleep, directly during which recovery processes will take place over the muscle fibers. Muscles grow in your sleep, not in training!

How to train to grow muscles

A mass training program should consist primarily of basic exercises, because they are the ones that involve the largest number of muscle fibers. Knowing the process of muscle growth, you understand that the more muscle fibers you work in training, the more mass you will subsequently gain. This does not mean that you need to train all muscle groups and do it for several hours; on the contrary, training to gain muscle mass should last no more than an hour, and there should be no more than 3 muscle groups working. Squats, of course, involve almost all the muscles of the body, but in a passive form. The target muscles are the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes. They can be considered one muscle group - legs.

Mass training program

Enough theory! It's time to start practicing. But before that, you need to create a training program to gain muscle mass. The following factors must be taken into account:

  1. Age. This is an important factor that may limit the list of exercises used during training. For example, it is not recommended to do deadlifts with heavy weights.
  2. Health status. This aspect is no less important, because the goal of training is not only to gain muscle mass, but also to improve health, and not to destroy it. If you have the slightest doubt, it is better to consult your doctor before starting training.
  3. Life schedule. I’ll explain with an example: a person working as a loader and an administrator in a computer club need different approaches to training, since one sits on a chair all day, while the other sweats.

There are quite a few such factors, because it’s not without reason that training to gain muscle mass with a personal trainer often gives a greater effect than fighting your reflection in the mirror on your own.

Training program for gaining muscle mass

Below you can find an example of a mass training program. Under other good conditions, practicing it will give results, but this is not the best approach. It’s better to analyze your schedule, as well as other factors, and create a personal program for yourself to gain muscle mass, or have it written by a trainer. It will not necessarily be very different from this program, but this individual approach usually gives a greater effect than classes on programs downloaded from the Internet.

Day 1(chest, biceps)

  • Bench press – 8-10x3
  • Incline Dumbbell Press – 10x3
  • Wide grip dips 10x2
  • Standing biceps curl 10x3
  • Standing dumbbell biceps curl 10x3

Day 2(back, triceps)

  • Deadlift 10x3
  • Pull-ups 10-12x3
  • Bent-over barbell row 8-10x3
  • Shrugs 12x3
  • Close grip dips 10x2
  • French press 10x3

Day 3(legs, shoulders)

  • Squats with a barbell 10-12x3
  • Leg press 10x3
  • Exercise “Donkey” 15x3
  • Military press 10x3
  • Barbell row to the chin 12x3

Follow the recommendations given in this article, and your workouts to gain muscle mass will soon bring the first results! A prerequisite is the correct technique for performing all exercises in the weight training program. Do not take this lightly - in addition to the greater effect from training, you will also preserve your health.

Our fitness editor Dmitry Smirnov has been thinking about this training program for gaining muscle mass for fourteen years, and here you are - before you is a new edition of his rules that help make the body big and strong. Don’t be scared right away - try to understand it first!

When I read my articles from the early 2000s, I invariably remember the main question that readers familiar with my work ask me: has anything changed in my training views since 2004?

Strength progress is a must!

No matter what you do, no matter what methods you use, no matter how fancy you modify exercises or approaches, but if your working weights do not increase, your muscles will definitely not grow. From the word “absolutely”. You can train as hard as possible, concentrate on the working muscles, be meticulous in terms of exercise technique and scrupulously calculate your BZH, but without strength progress, this entire process will mostly be aimed at heating the gym. Just check: have your working weights in the main exercises in sets changed by 6-10 reps over the past two to three months? If not, I'm sorry, but you wasted all this time.

Frequency is the key to health!

At the beginning of my coaching journey, I was convinced that I needed to train hard, but rarely enough to have time to recover and allow my muscles to grow. That's how I was taught. And I followed a similar strategy for many years until I began to notice that, let’s say, if I suddenly need to do three workouts not every other day, but in a row - in connection with an urgent trip, for example - then my muscles and my strength suddenly begin to increase much more noticeable. As a result, I am now convinced that for maximum progress, you need to train as often and as hard as is personally possible for you - subject to adequate recovery. In practice, for the average person in good shape, this means five to six workouts a week, and believe me, this is not much at all. An outstanding practitioner, theorist and world-famous coach, Charles Poliquin, recommends that a natural athlete gradually reach the level of two workouts a day, five to six times a week.

It is necessary to work until failure!

Many athletes and coaches of my generation remember the statement that was churned out by one sports publication after another: about the dangers of muscle failure. The horrors of possible injuries and inhuman suffering of the central nervous system were described. Although - well, really, guys! - 40–60 minutes of even the most strenuous workouts three times a week will definitely not drive anyone into overtraining. In any sports section you will be asked to exercise much more often, longer and more intensely, and you will also ask for supplements. And in general: this was not tolerated in war. So, I believe that failure training is extremely useful for hypertrophy, but the degree of failure intensity simply needs to be regulated. For example, the simpler the exercise, the closer to the edge of the failure abyss you can get. The more complex the exercise, the less necessary it is, and in principle possible. A simple example: deadlifts and any forearm exercise. It is clear that doing drop sets and going to failure is only reasonable in the second exercise, but not in the first.


Twice, no less!

As part of a weekly microcycle, the same region of the body (legs, upper body) or the same movement (presses, rows) should be loaded or repeated at least twice, and ideally all three times. If you look at successful training programs that brought you significant results, you will definitely notice just such a systematic approach. I would like to remind you that athletes of the golden era of bodybuilding loaded one muscle exactly three times a week. And this despite the fact that the state of their hormonal system was much more natural compared to the current generation of bodybuilders, who load the same place no more than once a week, while placing in themselves volumes of pharmacology that would be enough for the entire Gold's Jim" of the seventies at once. At the same time, I ask you to pay attention to a strange paradox: if some muscle suddenly begins to lag behind in development, even today’s bodybuilders double the frequency of its training. So train more often and don’t be afraid of anything. Moreover, remember that there are muscle groups that, in principle, grow only from almost daily work, for example, calves.

Periodization

The biggest problem with bodybuilding-oriented training is the lack of clear periodization. The vast majority of athletes stupidly try to “destroy, hammer, kill, annihilate” and so on their muscles during training, after which they go to rest. But human physiology doesn't work that way. “There is a big difference between training for adaptation and training for demonstration. Let me explain: as a coach, it is not at all necessary for me to push my athlete to maximum weights every workout in order to know that he is progressing. Moreover, most of the training time is usually spent at fairly moderate working weights,” these are the words of the great Alwyn Cosgrove. Yes, reaching peak loads should be mandatory, but such training must be clearly planned, and not dumped on your head chaotically and according to your mood.


photo: Shutterstock/fotodom.ru

There are few working additives, but they exist

Here I’m unlikely to say anything new, because over the years of work my attitude towards supplements has shifted more and more to the natural old school. As a result, today my personal top 5 supplements and pharmaceutical drugs for increasing strength and muscle mass looks like this.

  • Protein

Regular whey protein, in my opinion, solves all problems. There is no need to look for hydrolyzate or so-called long-lasting proteins. And the timing of protein intake does not matter much: you just need to drink it to reach the daily amount of protein, which was mentioned above. BCAAs - and I don’t care how many studies say they are useless. BCAAs taken during training do something fabulous for performance, strength gains and muscle fullness. Only there should be a lot of BCAAs - about 40–60 grams per day minimum. Such doses, however, are very painful for the wallet, so in general, you can get by with the same whey protein. As I already noted, he solves all issues.

  • Vitamin C

One gram of effervescent vitamin C will do more to restore your connective tissue than any massage or any more expensive and sophisticated product. And healthy connective tissue means a steady increase in strength. In addition, ascorbic acid has a positive effect on protein synthesis, helps fight waste products accumulated after exercise, and generally invigorates the body and spirit.

  • Riboxin

This is such an old metabolic remedy that it still remembers the samizdat Schwarzenegger posters that were sold on the street. Riboxin improves cellular metabolism and increases the force of contraction of the heart muscle, has an antihypoxic effect on the tissues of your body and is involved in glucose metabolism. By taking 4-6 tablets per day, you will get an effect comparable to a number of prohibited and harmful drugs. Jokes aside. But remember that you cannot get carried away with Riboxin and drink it constantly, because this is fraught with the development of such an unpleasant disease as gout. Limit the period of consumption of Riboxin to a month and a half.

  • Potassium orotate

Another unchanging drug from the arsenals of the grandfathers of domestic bodybuilding, which I really respect and love. Potassium orotate is a non-steroidal anabolic agent, and that says it all. It improves appetite, enhances protein synthesis, and therefore it is even prescribed to patients with dystrophy. So three to four tablets a day in small courses of 4-6 weeks will give your training a solid boost.

The program must be long

There is an old saying: “Don't fix what isn't broken.” It’s a shame that training programs are rarely approached with such wisdom. Most often, I see how the program is changed to a new one just because “something doesn’t work.” Well, after another two weeks, such an athlete will not rush again, and again, and again. And the problem is that our bodies have incredible inertia - they don’t want to change, this is unprofitable from a physiological point of view and even from a survival point of view. Therefore, any incentives in the form of physical activity that you begin to regularly apply to yourself must first “gain trust” in your body. After all, initially he believes that you are not doing this on purpose and that everything will work out. And only after a month or two does he finally understand that his owner is serious about gaining unnecessary 10 kilograms of muscle mass, and begins to adapt to this, changing his previous physiological habits.

There are no hardgainers

Show me a hard gainer and I will show you a person who doesn't want results. In my brain, the words “hard gainer” and “weak-willed person” are almost synonymous. Because those who really want something, especially from their body, really get it. Because he doesn’t have “I can’t stuff food into myself” or “I can’t go to the gym that often”, he just does what he needs to do for as long as he needs to. There are no quick results, there are no magic pills, there are definitely no magic programs, there is no easy way - there are only years of constant struggle with oneself, built on willpower and dreams. Excellent physical shape, like an excellent education or a successful business, requires constant, daily, painful years of effort. For anyone who is not ready to swallow such a thought, it is better not to cross the threshold of the gym at all.


Technology comes first

To get bigger, you have to get stronger. To get stronger, you have to train long enough. To train for a long time, you must do without injuries that would set you back. To train without injury, you must be able to do each of the exercises in your program flawlessly: cleanly, technically, to the fullest amplitude available to you personally. And if this is not the case, don't expect results, but expect sore shoulders, elbows, knees and lower back. Remember that a high-level athlete is always a professional in his field, and you should follow his example in this regard, even if you are even a hundred times an amateur.

Consider it BZHU

Are you eating enough to grow? Exactly? Do you just throw in everything that isn’t nailed down? Do you constantly chew something? Do you count proteins, fats, carbohydrates? No, is everything somehow done by eye? Then it’s no wonder you haven’t seen any progress since Arnie first said, “I’ll be back.” I myself fell into this trap for many years, thinking that no matter who, I definitely eat enough. But it was not there. It was enough for me to pick up a calculator once to understand: I have a chronic protein deficiency. And without protein, my friends, it is impossible to grow by definition. Today, I consider proteins and fats to be the main nutrients for gaining muscle mass. I recommend consuming a lot of protein - 2–2.5 grams per kilogram minimum. Ideally, it should be 3 grams or more. Fats - about 0.8–1.2 grams per kilogram. If you count the amount of food that comes out in the end, you can easily understand why I don't pay much attention to carbohydrates. After consuming such an amount of protein, you are unlikely to fit in a lot of carbohydrates, so you can eat them without restrictions, but it is very advisable to abstain from simple sugars.

Training program

This is the latest in my 10 week hypertrophy regimen. It is divided into two blocks of four weeks, after each of which an easy fasting week is performed.

During the block itself, the loads grow uncontrollably. Workouts can be distributed throughout the week arbitrarily, but they definitely need to be packed into seven days. Ideally, you should study for five days in a row.

The basis of the program is cluster approaches. They are performed as follows.

If you see the numbers 4(4*2), this means 4 sets (first number), each of which consists of 4 short sets (second number) of 2 repetitions (third number). It works like this. You put a weight on the bar equal to 6–7 RM. Let it be, for example, an incline press. Do 2 repetitions, place the barbell on the racks, rest for 10-15 seconds. You do 2 more repetitions. Place the barbell back on the racks and rest for 10–15 seconds. Do 2 repetitions a third time. Place the barbell back on the racks and rest for 10–15 seconds. And the last time - the fourth time - you do 2 repetitions. That's it - 1 approach completed. You rest until complete recovery and repeat three more times.

The program contains only working approaches, all warm-up is on you. Rest between sets until complete recovery.

Periodization of methods:

  • In the first week perform all approaches as written.
  • In the second week combine all exercises in pairs, except those performed in a cluster manner. And alternate sets of each pair of exercises with normal rest, that is, use stretched supersets.
  • In the third week You also leave cluster approaches alone, and combine the remaining exercises into two sets, that is, you do two exercises for the same muscle group in a row, without rest, after which you rest and repeat.
  • In the fourth week perform some exercises in drop sets mode - drop the weight by 20 percent twice and work to failure, and others - with partial repetitions. Finish your set of full-amplitude repetitions with a series of 8-10 short repetitions of one-third amplitude.

Legend

  • *max reps- do as many repetitions as you can until failure;
  • +frequently- complete the approach with a series of 8–10 short repetitions at a third of the amplitude;
  • dr 10–10–10- drop set. Do 10 repetitions with the original weight, reduce the weight by 20 percent and do another 10 repetitions, again reduce the weight by 20 percent and do 10 repetitions again;
  • (Ph.D.)- the number of repetitions is indicated for each leg;
  • (k.r.)- the number of repetitions is indicated for each hand.

Workout 1

1. Incline Bench Press

Week 1: 4(4*2) | Week 2: 3(4*2) | Week 3: 6(4*2) | Week 4: 4*10–12

2. Horizontal flyes with dumbbells, bent legs on a bench

Week 1: 3*10–12 | Week 2: 4*8–10 | Week 3: 5*6–8 3 | Week 4: dr 8–8–8

3. Seated dumbbell abductions

Week 1: 4*12 | Week 2: 4*10 | Week 3: 6*8 | Week 4: 4*20+frequently

4. Standing one dumbbell row to the chin

Week 1: 3*12 (k.r.) | Week 2: 4*10 | Week 3: 6*8 | Week 4: 4 dr 6–6–6

5. Vertical row with a wide grip behind the head

Week 1: 4*12 | Week 2: 4*10 | Week 3: 6*8 | Week 4: 4*10+frequently

6. Vertical pull with V-shaped handle

Week 1: 3*12 | Week 2: 4*10 | Week 3: 6*8 | Week 4: 4 dr 6–6–6

7. Dumbbell biceps curls while sitting on an incline bench

Week 1: 3–4*15–12 | Week 2: 4*10–12 | Week 3: 5*10–8 | Week 4: 4*8–6

8. Crunches lying on the floor, legs raised

Week 1: 3-4*max reps | Week 2: 3-4*max reps | Week 3: 3-4*max reps | Week 4: 3–4*max reps

Workout 2

1. Double-legged shin extensions

Week 1: 4*10–12 (candidate of science) | Week 2: 3*25 | Week 3: 5*20 | Week 4: 3 dr 12–12–12

2. Front squat with a pause (2 sec.) at the bottom point

Week 1: 5*6–8 | Week 2: 6*6 | Week 3: 5*8–10 | Week 4: 6*6+frequently

3. Bulgarian split squat with dumbbells

Week 1: 4*10–12 (candidate of science) | Week 2: 4*8–10 (candidate of science) | Week 3: 6*6–8 | Week 4: 3*12–10+frequently

4. Calves sitting with two legs

Week 1: 3*30 | Week 2: 3*20 | Week 3: 4*25 | Week 4: 3 dr 12–12–12

5. Seated calves with one leg

Week 1: 2*15–20 (candidate of science) | Week 2: 2*15–20 (candidate of science) | Week 3: 4*15–20 (candidate of science) | Week 4: 2*20+frequently

6. Vacuum in front bar position

Week 1: 4*40–60 seconds | Week 2: 4*40–60 seconds | Week 3: 4*40–60 seconds | Week 4: 4*40–60 seconds

Workout 3

1. Seated Smith Press

Week 1: 4(4*2) | Week 2: 3(4*2) | Week 3: 6(4*2) | Week 4: 5*10–12

2. Raising dumbbells forward while sitting, with both hands at the same time, palms facing down

Week 1: 3*10–12 | Week 2: 4*8–10 | Week 3: 5*6–8 | Week 4: 3 dr 6–6–6

3. Bent-over barbell row with reverse grip

Week 1: 4*12 | Week 2: 4*10 | Week 3: 6*8 | Week 4: 6*6

4. Single dumbbell row supported on a slightly inclined bench

Week 1: 3*12 (k.r.) | Week 2: 4*10 (k.r.) | Week 3: 6*8 (k.r.) | Week 4: 4 dr 6–6–6

5. Chest crunches on blocks while lying on a horizontal bench

Week 1: 3*12 | Week 2: 4*10 | Week 3: 6*8 | Week 4: 3*12+frequently

6. Dips

Week 1: 2*15–20 | Week 2: 4*15–12 | Week 3: 6*max | Week 4: 2 dr*15–15

7. Extension on the upper block with a rope while kneeling

Week 1: 3–4*15–20 | Week 2: 5*15–12 | Week 3: 6*12–10 | Week 4: 5*10–8

8. Reverse Incline Crunches

Week 1: 3–4*max reps | Week 2: 3-4*max reps | Week 3: 3–4*max reps | Week 4: 3–4*max reps

Workout 4

1. Flexion of the lower leg in the simulator lying down, one leg

Week 1: 4*12 | Week 2: 3*15 (candidate of science) | Week 3: 5*12 (candidate of science) | Week 4: 3dr 10–10–10

2. Romanian deadlift with dumbbells

Week 1: 3*20 (candidate of science) | Week 2: 5*10 | Week 3: 6*8 | Week 4: 4*6

3. Glute bridge with one leg, shoulders on the bench, leg on the floor

Week 1: 3*max (k.n.) | Week 2: 3*max (k.n.) | Week 3: 6*max (k.n.) | Week 4: 4–5*max (k.n.)

4. Standing calves in the machine

Week 1: 4*20 | Week 2: 3*20 | Week 3: 4*15 | Week 4: 3dr 10–10–10

5. Calves standing on one leg

Week 1: 2*max | Week 2: 3*max | Week 3: 4*max | Week 4: 2*max+freq Week 4: 4 dr 10–10–10

3. Incline Dumbbell Press

Week 1: 4*12 | Week 2: 4*10 | Week 3: 6*8 | Week 4: 4 dr 6–6–6

4. Crossovers on the lower block

Week 1: 3*12 | Week 2: 4*10 | Week 3: 6*8 | Week 4: 3*10+frequently

5. Bent-over dumbbell flyes with forehead resting on an inclined bench

Week 1: 4*12 | Week 2: 4*10 | Week 3: 6*8 | Week 4: 4 dr 6–6–6

6. Reverse pull-ups on blocks while standing

Week 1: 3*12 | Week 2: 4*10 | Week 3: 6*8 | Week 4: 3*10+frequently

7. Leg raises in the press bars machine

Week 1: 3–4*max reps | Week 2: 3–4*max reps | Week 3: 3–4*max reps | Week 4: 3–4*max reps

Fasting week 5

During this week, it is critically important to train not to failure, with light weights that are comfortable for you, until you feel a good pump in the working muscles. Rest between sets no more than 60 seconds.

Workout 1

1. Information about the chest machine | 3*20

2. Crossover classic | 3*20

3. Standing one-arm abductions on the block | 6*20 (k.r.)

4. Wide-grip vertical row to chest | 6*20

5. Standing biceps curls | 4*20

Workout 2

1. Shin extensions in the simulator | 4*20

2. Leg press | 6*20

3. One leg calf extension | 4*20 (k.n.)

4. Calves sitting with two legs | 2*50

Workout 3

1. Standing dumbbell abductions | 3*20

2. One-arm delt press | 3*20–15 (k.r.)

3. Seated front block row with a narrow grip | 6*20

4. Bodyweight dips | 4*max

5. Bent-over dumbbell extensions with two hands | 5*20

Workout 4

1. Lying calf curls in a lying machine | 4*20

2. Oblique hyperextensions with weights | 5*20

3. Seated calf curls with one leg | 3*20 (candidate of science)

4. Standing calves in the exercise machine | 2*50

Workout 5

1. Reverse Grip Vertical Row | 4*20

2. Information on the lower blocks while lying on an incline bench | 4*20

3. One-arm vertical row | 3*20–15 (k.r.)

4. Reverse flyes in the simulator (rear deltoids) | 6*20

5. Forearms - optional | 3–5 sets

After completing this week, go through the four weeks of the main block again, but change the main exercises - those in which you did cluster approaches, and increase the working weights wherever possible.

    ). Those. for each muscle group, I will try to highlight just 1 exercise that I would 100% not ignore unless there is a special reason. Go!

    Your future SUCCESS (in terms of speed) half depends on the correct choice of exercises in the gym, therefore, it is vitally important not to make a mistake and make the right choice.

    BACK

    Everyone knows this exercise. The best of the best. One of the most effective exercises for developing the latissimus dorsi muscles... that is, FOR DEVELOPING A POWERFUL V-SHAPED BACK.. This is probably the most popular/ancient and at the same time easily accessible exercise, which I would never ignore .

    When performing it, the entire upper shoulder girdle is involved: the latissimus dorsi, shoulders (mainly the anterior bundle), trapezius (by the way, they are very heavily loaded), forearms (also actively plowed) and arm muscles (biceps, brachialis, too active for most people) and even CHEST and TRICEPS. This exercise forms the BASIS in training the back muscles of all (if not all, then the absolute majority) athletes.

    There is an equally effective replacement for this exercise:

    The vertical block row imitates pull-ups (this is analogous), the only difference is that in pull-ups we attract (pull up) our body to the projectile (crossbar), and in the vertical block row we attract the projectile to the body, and of course, in the vertical For deadlifts, it is possible to set a small weight (or medium), this is useful for those who do not know how to do pull-ups (can’t, they don’t have enough strength), for girls, etc. That's all. As for the muscles, the same ones work.

    For many people, pulling a vertical block to the chest will be even more effective than pull-ups, because pull-ups are a very, very difficult EXERCISE (both PHYSICALLY and TECHNICALLY), as a result, as practice shows, many people do pull-ups WRONG! They jerk jerkily, just to pull themselves up, they don’t feel the back muscles, they pull themselves up mainly due to the strength of the biceps, in general, for many people (who don’t know how to pull themselves up correctly), the pull-down of a vertical block to the chest is better suited because of the fact that we have the opportunity to put on medium or even light weights and clearly work out the technique (learn to turn off the biceps from work, perform traction using the back muscles), this will be much more effective than jerking on the horizontal bar, haphazardly, if only it was possible.

    LEGS

    Squats with a barbell on your shoulders

    An exercise from among the best of the best. It involves almost the entire body... legs, buttocks, legs, abdominals, back, arms, shoulders... in short, it should never be ignored, without special reasons (for example, injuries to the spine, knee joints, etc.).

    This exercise, in my opinion, is the best in training the muscles of the legs and buttocks! It is this exercise that I would choose (perform) if I did not have the opportunity (for example, due to lack of time) to do other leg exercises. This is the BASIC-BASIC, there is nothing cooler than it.

    If you cannot do the squat (for some reason), I would then recommend:

    Ideally, of course, do a good squat, and then do a leg press, but if it is not possible to do a squat, then the leg press is the second, most effective movement for the leg muscles, and that is what I would do, which is why I recommend it to you.

    Actually, I am one of those who cannot do squats, therefore my main exercise in training the leg muscles is the leg press. If there was something more effective, I would do it, but the leg press!!!

    SHOULDERS

    The barbell row to the chin (also known as a pull-up) with a medium (relatively wide grip) is the only basic exercise for training the MIDDLE DELTA BUNCH. THE ONLY!!!

    For those who don’t know, it is the middle bundles of deltas that make your deltoids (shoulders) wide (spherical). In addition, as practice shows, many athletes have overdeveloped anterior fascicles, and the middle and posterior fascicles lag behind; it is for these reasons that I have identified this exercise as the MAIN one in the training of the deltoids (shoulders), and I would strongly recommend that you under no circumstances do it ignore. There is no replacement for him.

    Although, I’m lying, an exercise that can be substituted is standing dumbbell flyes (swings):

    This exercise also develops the middle deltoids, but alas, it is isolated, therefore, less effective than pulling, so it is much better to give preference to rowing to the chin.

    ARMS (BICEPS and TRICEPS)

    For those who do not know what the arm muscles are made of, study:

    • BICEPS:
    • TRICEPS: (emphasis on triceps)

    Reverse grip pull-ups and dips

    Many may now be horrified and ask, where is the barbell curl?))

    For those who don’t know, lifting a barbell for biceps is an isolating exercise =) because when you do it, ONLY ONE JOINT (the elbow) is USED, that’s why it is isolated...

    standing biceps curl

    PRESS

    Hanging leg raises on the bar

    This movement is, in fact, another variation. However, rest assured, this variation of the exercise is much more difficult (to perform), and therefore more effective (better). That's why I recommend it to you.

    The exercise specifically uses the entire rectus abdominis muscle (the entire abs) and oblique muscles (the same “scratches” on the side of the abs), as well as auxiliary muscles: the hand, forearms, back, shoulders and leg muscles. In my opinion, the best of the best exercises for this muscle group.

    CAVIAR

    Standing and sitting calf raises

    In shin (calves) training, these two exercises are the main ones. They do not compete with each other in terms of efficiency, because... develop slightly different areas. Standing calf raises specifically work the calves, but sitting calf raises work the soleus muscle (located under the calf muscles). If the goal is massive, powerful, large shins, you need to do both exercises.

    By the way, calf raises are more basic (harder) than sitting calf raises; if it is not possible to do both, then give preference to standing calf raises! But remember what I told you. I recommend studying:

    FOREARMS

    • Reverse barbell curl
    • Barbell wrist curls

    In my opinion, there is no need to consider forearm training SEPARATELY (it does not make much sense), because This muscle already receives sufficient load during training of the back and biceps muscles. Do you understand? That is why, for the vast majority of people, I would not recommend concentrating on working out this muscle group. It is too small and not significant. But, by the way, the above exercises (in my opinion) are the most effective.

    TRAPEZES

    • Shrugs with a barbell or dumbbells

    Shrugs with barbell and dumbbells

    Ideally, I would recommend somehow alternating or combining, or using the one to which your heart lies (what you like best, where you feel the trapezius more, etc.), in shrugs with dumbbells the AMPLITUDE OF MOVEMENT is slightly greater than with barbell, but when working with a barbell you can work with decent working weights, but with dumbbells you don’t have this opportunity... well, in general, such moments (just know), both exercises are highly effective.

    Regarding the number of repetitions, sets, rest between sets, and other issues, see these articles:

    • (how to choose weight, etc.)

    Best regards, administrator.