Find out how to gain muscle mass up to 10 kg using traditional bodybuilding training techniques.
The content of the article:
Gaining muscle mass is quite difficult. If you wish, you can find many methods and training programs on the Internet designed to help athletes gain weight. However, they can only be effective if they comply with the basic principles of bodybuilding. Below you will be presented with a weight training program 3 times a week, but for now you need to tell us in what case it will be effective.
Bodybuilding Principles for Gaining Muscle Mass
Don't use a lot of isolated movements
Spreading your strength between isolated and compound movements will only slow down your progress. For gaining mass, it is multi-joint exercises that are most effective and there are two explanations for this fact:
- Basic exercises involve a greater number of motor units due to the ability to use heavy weights.
- The more effort you put into performing a power movement, the more actively the body synthesizes testosterone, which is the main anabolic hormone that can activate the growth processes of muscle tissue.
Do squats and deadlifts
These movements can be used alternately or simultaneously. As we said above, working with heavy weights allows you to use the maximum number of motor units. Both of these exercises provide this opportunity.
Work on increasing your strength parameters
Athletes often forget that increasing strength is very important for muscle growth. Most often, mass training programs involve performing 8–12 repetitions in one set. You must remember that the effectiveness of a session is not affected by the number of repetitions in a set, but by their total number throughout the entire session. If you're planning on, say, doing three sets of 10 reps, it's much more effective to gain muscle mass by doing ten sets of three reps each. As a result, the total number of repetitions will not change, and you will have the opportunity to work with serious weights.
Don't focus on your abdominal muscles
The desire to have well-toned abs is quite understandable. However, overemphasizing this muscle group will prevent you from growing quickly. In addition, when performing most basic movements, the abdominal muscles are activated and receive a decent load.
How to eat while training for weight?
We will also give an example of a weight training program 3 times a week, but now we need to accurately determine the task assigned to us. In bodybuilding, the main goal is to gain mass. However, you must understand that the weight may vary. The easiest way to gain weight is to eat a lot of fast food.
You need muscle mass, although you won't be able to completely avoid fat accumulation. To do this, you need to understand the basic principles of nutrition and training. You also need to add rest to this, which will ultimately lead you to muscle growth. In Soviet times, trainers advised thin boys to eat more flour products. But science is developing, and today, after numerous discoveries, this advice seems strange.
Although at the same time, ectomorphs need to eat a lot, they need to do it correctly. For every kilo of body weight you need to consume about five grams of slow carbohydrates. The norm for protein compounds is the same for any body type and ranges from 2 to 3 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Almost no one keeps a strict count of calories and the amount of calories consumed among amateurs. If you don’t plan to do this either, then follow the three main rules of nutrition during the mass-gain period:
- Eat only slow carbohydrates.
- Eliminate sweets and flour products from your diet.
- Most carbohydrates should be consumed before lunch.
Let's talk about protein compounds. Very often, athletes make the mistake of trying to consume protein mixtures in large quantities. You should understand that the basis of your diet should be natural food. Food contains all the nutrients the body needs. Of course, sports nutrition can help you achieve your goal faster, but at the same time it should only be an addition to your diet.
How to organize a training program 3 times a week?
It must be said right away that beginning athletes often do a lot of extra work, which only slows down their overall progress. In particular, this applies to active pumping of the biceps. It is understandable that every guy wants to have big biceps, but you need to train all muscle groups, and not do it selectively.
Muscles cannot grow locally and a general increase in muscle mass throughout the body must be achieved. Moreover, these processes are activated only if the maximum number of fibers worked during the training. The weight training program we propose today, 3 times a week, is based precisely on this postulate of bodybuilding. Only basic movements are capable of using the maximum number of motor units and in response to this the body synthesizes a large amount of male hormone. When you gain a certain amount of total muscle mass, then you can think about specialized training.
If you analyze weight training programs 3 times a week, which are often compiled by fitness instructors, you will notice that they contain a large number of movements performed on exercise machines. As a result, the athlete does not get the desired effect, since this approach to training is not effective.
It is quite understandable that a novice athlete is waiting for some super-methods that can turn him into Schwarzenegger in a short time. However, this is simply not possible and you should remember this. By doing a lot of work on the machines, you are simply wasting your energy. You need to direct it in the right direction, or, to put it simply, focus only on basic movements.
Exercises such as squats, deadlifts, or the favorite of many bodybuilders, the bench press. Helps activate a large number of muscles throughout the body. As a result, you can use heavier weights, which will lead to the activation of hypertrophy processes. Don't complicate your weight training program 3 times a week and do extra work.
Example of a weight training program 3 times a week
So we come to the main question of this article and give an example of a weight training program 3 times a week. Beginners should exercise every second day and with the right load you will not only begin to gain muscle mass, but your joints will also become stronger.
You have to choose your own training days based on your weekly workload. Every person in life has a lot of problems and issues that need to be solved. The main thing you need to remember is that there should be a day of rest between workouts.
If you have not previously engaged in sports, then you need to prepare your body for the stress. Start by mastering the technique of all movements and do not try to actively increase working weights during this period. In one set, perform 12 to 15 repetitions, but with light weight. Also, for the first few months it is worth using the fullbody system or, in simpler terms, training all the muscles of the body in every lesson.
When your technique becomes good and your body gets stronger, you can switch to a split system and begin to progress the load. Now you should also exercise three times a week, but work on a specific muscle group in each session.
Thus, now we will talk about two training programs. The first of them is intended for beginners, and its main task is to prepare the body. It is also during this period that you should work out the technique of all exercises. As we already said, you need to perform 12 to 15 repetitions in each set. Between sets you need to rest for 60-120 seconds. Depending on your initial level of readiness, you need to train in this mode for three to six months.
Here is an example program for this period of time:
- Squats - 3 sets of 12 repetitions.
- Deadlift (can be replaced with Romanian on straightened legs) - 3 sets of 12 repetitions.
- Bench presses - 3 sets of 12 repetitions.
- Barbell curls for biceps in a standing position - 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
- Pull-ups, wide grip - 2 to 3 sets, maximum number of repetitions.
- Dips - 2 to 3 sets maximum number of repetitions.
- Military press - 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
- Crunches - 3 sets maximum number of repetitions.
1st day of classes
- Bench presses - 3 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions.
- Barbell curls for biceps in a standing position - 4 sets of 10 repetitions.
- Bent-over barbell rows - 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
- Abdominal exercise - 3 sets, maximum number of repetitions.
- Squats - 3 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions.
- Military press - 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
- Calf raises in a standing or sitting position.
- Abdominal exercise - 3 sets, maximum number of repetitions.
- Deadlift - 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps.
- When pulling up, wide grip - 3 sets maximum number of repetitions.
- Bench press, close grip - 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.
- Dips, if necessary, with weights - 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
- Abdominal exercise – 3 sets, maximum number of repetitions.
You need to know the following:
- If your biceps measure 35 cm and you want to start building muscle, then forget about working on your abs for a while.
- The list of the best exercises to increase muscle size is very short, and you should do them in every workout because technique is the key to achieving results.
- The 5-10 rep range is extremely effective for building muscle mass, and the experience of athletes of the last century confirms this.
So get ready to be fast gain muscle mass. I have a program that will help you with this, but first a few recommendations.
1. When working on gaining mass, forget about everything else.
Guys with 35 cm arms sometimes ask me about a mass program, but at the same time they really want to work on their abs, do cardio, etc. When your biceps are 40-45 cm in girth, only then will you be able to do all this.
2. Increase time under load
You must give your body a force load and hold it for several minutes (without lowering the barbell to the floor or power rack). My program is based on exactly this approach.
3. Eat quality and regular meals
You have to stop worrying about every calorie you consume and have a consistent calorie surplus in your diet to force your body to gain weight. My freshman year of college, I gained 30 pounds in 4 months by eating a few sandwiches before lunch. Post-workout nutrition is also a must.
4. Rest and recover fully
I understand that each of you has a lot of things to do after training. However, if you do not sleep for 8 or more hours at night, this will negatively affect the recovery and growth of muscle fibers. Many famous bodybuilders prefer long naps during the day to gain mass. Remember that the body grows during rest.
5. Do little exercise
Good muscle-building programs involve only a few exercises. I build muscle best when I do about 7-8 exercises.
6. Keep your reps low.
Although people typically build new muscle fibers in low rep ranges (1-5) with heavy lifting weights, this approach can be difficult for many. Until you can bench press 180kg, squat 200kg, and deadlift 270kg, do 5-10 reps. This will have a very good effect on muscle growth.
7. Never do less than 10 reps on squats.
Many people ignore this advice (mostly powerlifters), but for most it makes sense. Each time you do squats, perform 10 reps. This provides the necessary time under tension, and also stimulates the entire body (and whets the appetite!).
8. Determine the necessary rest time
Many beginners ask this question: “How long should you rest between sets?” There is no clear answer to this. An advanced athlete may need a year to recover from a record, while another beginner will be full of strength and ready for the next approach after just a few seconds. I think that for rest and recovery between sets, it's enough to rest about 3 minutes on the squat and bench press, and 90 seconds on all other exercises. Again, these numbers may vary in individual cases.
9. Don't train to failure.
Always finish a set feeling like you could have done 1-2 more reps. We all love the Pumping Iron footage of forced reps, but for most guys looking to gain muscle mass, it's too early to start the practice. It is better to perform 1-2 additional approaches than to give your best in one.
10. Take care of yourself
This is old advice for those in the cold season, wear warm clothes so that the body does not waste resources on heating. Park closer. Save strength and energy on everything. Sit more. Remember that this routine is not for life, but for a short period of time while you gain weight.
Workouts to increase muscle mass
This program is based on an old and well-proven training concept. It involves repeating the same exercises every day, but in each workout you focus on specific parts of the body. For example, you focus on squats in program C, but still continue to perform exercises from programs A and B.
There are several good reasons for this approach. First, technique is the key to muscle growth. You won't gain much body mass if you constantly remind yourself of poor elbow position when doing the bench press. Plus, you could get injured. Secondly, the list of the best exercises for bulking is very short, and you should do them often. Everything is very simple. Enjoy!
Exercises for muscle growth
Lifting and pressing dumbbells
Take dumbbells in your hands, stand straight and bend your knees slightly. Bend your arms, bringing the dumbbells to your shoulders (biceps curl). From this position, lift the dumbbells up above your head (press). This is one repetition. Return your hands to the starting position and repeat the movements. Do 10 reps.
Squats
You will do squats in every workout. There is no more effective exercise for building muscle. You must learn to do it correctly.
Deadlift on straight legs
This is the only “tonic” exercise in the entire program. Take a light barbell and bend your knees slightly. Lower the weight to the level of your shins, and then lift it back up. Try to engage your hamstrings rather than your lower back. If you don't understand how to do this exercise, don't do it. It is tonic (after squats), not training.
Pull-ups
In addition to the fact that pull-ups are great for working the latissimus dorsi muscles, they are also the best exercise for the abdominal muscles. I have yet to meet a person who was able to do 20 or more pull-ups and didn't have great abs.
Traction exercise for back muscles in simulators
In recent years, I have changed my attitude towards exercise equipment. The classic bent over row is a great exercise if done correctly. But this is precisely what many people have problems with. If your gym has a good machine that doesn't put stress on your lower back, please use it.
Bench press
By performing a bench press with dumbbells, you will be able to perfectly pump up the pectoral muscles, anterior deltoids and load the triceps without the risk of injury (if you choose the right working weight).
Barbell curl
I have always considered barbell curls to be a gateway to increasing overall strength levels. I once saw a guy lift a 100kg barbell without rounding his back or moving his elbows back. He had really huge hands.
"Farmer's Walk"
If you have the strength to take a weight equal to half your body weight in each hand and carry it a certain distance, then you will understand that this way you can pump up absolutely all the muscle groups of the body.
Mass training program 3 times a week
Workout "A"
Exercise | Approaches | Repetitions |
---|---|---|
Warm-up | ||
A. Lifting and pressing dumbbells | 5 | 5 |
B. Squats with a barbell Increase the working weight with each approach |
2 | 10 |
C. Straight-legged deadlift | 1 | 20 |
D. Chest rows using a machine or block Try to keep the tension in a positive phase. Work as intensely as possible. |
5 | 5 |
E. Pull-ups Do as many sets as necessary to complete 25 reps. If you find it too easy, use additional weight. |
25 | |
F. Bench Press | 3 | 5 |
G. Barbell curl Gradually increase the weight with each set |
3 | 5 |
N. Farmer's Walk Perform 1 set with heavy dumbbells. Try to finish your set at the dumbbell rack. |
1 |
Workout "B"
Exercise | Approaches | Repetitions |
---|---|---|
Warm-up | ||
A. Lifting and pressing dumbbells Try to reduce your rest time |
3 | 5 |
B. Squats with a barbell On the second approach, increase the working weight. This is preparation for training "C" |
2 | 10 |
C. Straight-legged deadlift | 1 | 20 |
D. Pulley to the chest Work less intensely than in workout "A" |
3 | 5 |
E. Pull-ups Do as many sets as necessary to complete 15 reps. If it's too easy for you, use weights |
15 | |
F. Bench Press Before performing the 5 prescribed sets, do a couple of warm-up reps. All approaches should be relatively heavy. |
5 | 5 |
G. Barbell curl You should feel a burning sensation and pumping in the muscles |
3 | 10 |
N. Farmer's Walk Step away from the dumbbell rack as far as possible, lower the dumbbells to the floor, rest, and then come back. |
2 |
Workout "C"
Exercise | Approaches | Repetitions |
---|---|---|
Warm-up | ||
A. Lifting and pressing dumbbells Try to reduce your rest time |
3 | 5 |
B. Squats with a barbell Increase the weight with each approach. The last approach should be the hardest. |
5 | 10 |
C. Straight-legged deadlift | 1 | 20 |
D. Pulling the block to the chest Try to keep the tension in a positive phase. Work as hard as possible. |
2 | 5 |
E. Pull-ups Do as many sets as needed to complete 12 reps. But it is advisable to do them in one approach. If you feel you can do much more, use additional weight. |
12 | |
F. Bench Press Try to finish your last set feeling like you could have done a couple more reps. |
5 | 5 |
G. Barbell curl 2 sets of 5 reps + 1 set of 10 reps. A great combination - first you work on strength, and then on pumping |
2/1 | 5/10 |
N. Farmer's Walk Try to increase your working weight every week. Give your best. Go a long distance, stop, take a breath and try to go a little further. Don't forget that you need to make the return trip. |
2 |
After 6 weeks of being on the diet and doing these workouts, you will see results. Before you start following the program, take a “Before” photo, and after completing the program, take an “After” photo. The growth of lean body mass depends on many factors, but I saw how much more effective this program is than those that I often come across on the Internet.
Bodybuilding is an art. Creating a relief on your own body is art. People who seriously strive for this spend a huge amount of effort, money and time to achieve their goal. And the resulting relief body ultimately compensates for all of the above. However, not everyone understands that the relief is actually secondary. The main thing is to gain muscle mass. And anyone can do this.
Basic principles of gaining muscle mass
So, before you start mastering bodybuilding itself, you need to familiarize yourself with its theory - how different principles of training affect the result. Just picking up a barbell and squatting with it is not enough; thoughtless movements will not lead to great results. Here are the basic principles of training for active muscle growth:
1. The founder of the International Bodybuilding Federation, Joe Weider, has repeatedly noted the importance of taking into account the weight of equipment and the number of repetitions in approaches. Only the right choice of repetitions during a hike will help you achieve your desired goal. The trainer came to the conclusion that for gaining mass it is effective to lift the apparatus 6-12 times in one approach. Based on this, select the weight. Each body is individual, so one person can lift a lot of weight during these 6-12 times, and the second can lift just a little.
If you want to improve your strength, you need to increase the weight you lift and reduce the number of repetitions (3-4 times). If you do more than 12 repetitions, the emphasis will be on endurance training. As you can see, the result greatly depends on the number of repetitions in the approach. Therefore, stay within strictly defined limits - to gain mass, the number of repetitions per approach should be 6-12. Read more about how many repetitions are recommended for what purposes in our article.
2. Carefully monitor your body during the approach - it is important to reach the limit, which in bodybuilding is called “”. For example, you squatted 10 times, but you can no longer do 11 on your own - this will be your limit, which you need to focus on throughout, adjusting it as needed. If you do not bring your muscles to the point where they are worked to the limit, weight gain will occur more slowly, and for some people it will not happen at all.
3. Now you need to figure out the number of approaches. For beginners, that is, people who have been training for no more than 2 months, it is enough to perform 1 or 2 approaches in one exercise. If you have been doing bodybuilding for a long time, do 2-4 approaches.
4. Pay attention to the way you work with weights. Try to use the feature of the “negative phase”; the fact is that when the projectile is slowly lowered, the muscle will receive a larger number of microcracks, which will contribute to its increased growth. Therefore, try to spend less time raising the projectile than lowering it.
The basis of the program is free weight or how to properly increase the load
Free weight exercises (with dumbbells and barbells) are the basis of a program for gaining muscle mass. But be sure to follow these tips:
1. Progression of the load - be sure to increase the weight of the shells. If this is not done, the muscles simply will not grow. But the increase should be small - the pursuit of quick results can lead you not to large muscle mass, but to injury. Remember: you will never achieve great results quickly, it's all a myth. Be prepared from the start for long, grueling, carefully planned workouts.
In order to tell you how to pump up muscles, professionals have written a large article. It explains in accessible language the basic principles of training for muscle growth and what supercompensation is. A must read. .
2. The weight must not only be increased gradually, but also chosen correctly from the beginning. Stretching, muscle rupture, pinched nerve - this is what you can get guaranteed by immediately lifting a heavy barbell or dumbbell that is too heavy for you. - our everything.
3. Safety net is very important if you are not confident in your abilities. Feel free to ask a trainer or another gym goer to help you during the exercise.
The Importance of Recovery When Gaining Muscle Mass
The importance of the recovery process is evidenced by the fact that the growth of muscle fibers does not occur during training, but while the body is resting. This program is built on the split principle - for each muscle group, training once a week - this is quite enough to relax the muscles. Also, split training will save the body from overtraining.
The presented program is designed for 6-8 weeks of training and is suitable for those who have reached an average level. Each workout will work two muscle groups. There is a 2-3 day break between workouts (3 workouts per week).
Don’t forget that you can edit the workouts presented on our website - change the order of doing the exercises or replace the exercise with another, change the number of repetitions. Editing the training program is available only to users authorized on the site.
The role of nutrition is extremely important in recovery. So, half an hour before training and no later than half an hour after it, drink a protein shake. Eat more protein foods: 1.6 grams of protein is required per kilogram of body weight.
If you want to really gain muscle mass, don’t feel sorry for yourself in training! Only maximum impact in training will help you significantly build muscle. By following these tips and using this training program to gain muscle mass, you will notice the first results very soon.
(6
ratings, average: 5,00
out of 5)
When newcomers come to the gym, they often set the goal of building muscle in the shortest possible period, since this is unrealistic at home. For beginners, in order to lose excess fat weight and build muscle mass, you need to follow proper nutrition and need a mass training program 3 times a week.
Optimal workouts for beginners
Suitable training for a beginner is three times a week, with a break of at least one day. If you choose the right load, you can achieve your goal faster. With such a schedule, muscles, ligaments and joints have time to recover from stress. The three-day schedule must be adhered to at all times. The rest period between two workouts is at least one day.
When a beginner is determined to achieve a positive result, he must develop the habit of exercising and develop the correct technique to avoid injury. Therefore, they start with small loads and repetitions, gradually increasing first the quantity, then the weight. In this case, you need to exercise in a circle, then you can work all the muscles.
When the body gets used to such loads, and the student learns to correctly carry out the trainer’s tasks, you can switch to split training and add loads. This program is also designed for three days a week, but additional work on individual muscles is added.
- Monday – chest, biceps
- Wednesday – for legs and shoulders;
- Friday – back, triceps.
Introductory and basic periods for beginners
There are two periods in training programs - introductory and basic.
During the introductory session, do 12-15 repetitions in one approach, rest for 1-2 minutes. All execution must be supervised by an experienced trainer. The goal of this period is to get used to the loads and learn how to do all the exercises correctly and technically. The introductory period usually lasts from 2 to 3 months, taking into account the level of training of the student.
The basic period carries out the main increase in mass. The rhythm changes and you need 6-10 repetitions in one approach with a rest of 2-3 minutes. The trainer selects such a load so that the task is completed, and the final task is performed with maximum strength. If you can’t handle the load in the middle of the task, it means it was chosen incorrectly and you need to make it smaller. The basic period can have different durations, depending on the goals set, the given weight gain, and body adjustments. The main goal is to feel your body and control it. You need to take your time and increase weight gradually, about 1-2 kilograms, no more. If you succeed in completing all the tasks, then in the next lesson we slightly increase the load.
Before any training, you need to do general physical preparation. It includes the most common stretching and muscle kneading exercises. After it, you need to run on a treadmill or exercise on an exercise bike at a calm pace for 5-10 minutes.
- Monday - first;
- Tuesday is a day off;
- Wednesday – second;
- Thursday – day off;
- Friday is the third
- Saturday is a day off;
- Sunday is a day off.
Then you and your trainer select special training plans for certain days. Schemes may change periodically. The numbers written next to the exercises mean: the first is the number of approaches. And the second is the number of repetitions.
Training programs 3 times a week for men
Complexes of classes for men are selected by the trainer, taking into account the complexion and level of the student. With this in mind, the program includes the most effective and simple exercises for gaining mass and building up major muscle groups. Every month it is necessary to make a correction in the program for men - replacing or adding tasks. In order not to, you need to smoothly transition to different programs. To work effectively, it is necessary to alternate training and rest, and not strive to immediately become a professional athlete.
Ectomorphs and mesomorphs usually have completely different workout routines. The tasks are much easier for newbie girls.
Training program for ectomorph
An ectomorph is a person with a thin build. For him, a special system of exercises is selected with a small load to begin with. Nutrition is very important when exercising during this period. He must eat very well and nutritiously and consume more staple foods than usual. You need to eat complex carbohydrates. During intensive training for an ectomorph, flour and sweet foods are completely excluded.
Carbohydrates that need to be included in the diet: durum pasta, buckwheat porridge, steamed rice, baked potatoes, wholemeal bread and more. It is better to take them in the morning. It is better to get proteins from natural products.
Only natural products contain the necessary amino acids, minerals and vitamins. A healthy diet will quickly improve your health and figure, so it is always advisable to give preference to it. It is better to eat foods rich in protein.
Basic exercises of the training program for an ectomorph
- bench press - 4*8;
- dumbbell fly 4*8
- Angle press – 4*10;
- biceps curls – 4*12.
You need to rest for about 1-2 minutes between approaches. The break between repetitions is 3-4 minutes.
Second on Wednesday for legs and shoulders:
- squat with barbell 3*8
- leg press – 4*15;
- military press – 4*12;
- barbell pull to the chin – 3*12.
If it’s difficult to complete all the approaches or your health has worsened, take a break and shorten them.
Third on Friday for back and triceps:
- wide grip pull-up – 4*12;
- Bent-over barbell row – 3*12;
- deadlift – 4*12;
- close grip bench press – 4*12.
Basic exercises are the basis for gaining muscle mass. The optimal number of repetitions is 8-12 times.
Only if you gain total mass, after some time you can begin training for specific muscles. Often fitness trainers immediately give someone who comes to the club a load with a large number of repetitions on all the machines, this is not effective. For a beginner, it’s better to focus on improving your performance in basic tasks. By directing all his energy to this, he can achieve the fastest muscle growth.
The principle is that the muscles involved in one exercise begin to work together. This could be squats, barbell rows, and others where all muscles are involved. Heavy weight shocks the muscles and they begin to grow. These exercises can allow you to exercise with additional weight, which is excluded for certain muscle groups.
Training program for mesomorph
Mesomorph is a human body type with predominant muscles and a minimal amount of fat. They have broad shoulders and a muscular body.
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You can build muscle and make your body toned and sculpted through strength training. They allow you to improve not only your figure, but also the general condition of the body, strengthen the ligaments and skeletal system.
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Weight training is recommended not only for men, but also for women. Girls should not be afraid of growing huge muscles due to low testosterone levels. And it is quite possible to achieve a healthy, beautiful body and proportionate figure. But in order to avoid injury and quickly achieve the desired goal, beginners should carefully practice the technique of performing the exercises.
- 1. Include mainly basic exercises and a few isolation exercises in your program. The former are necessary for the destruction of muscles and their subsequent growth, and the latter are used to finish off the muscle group being worked.
- 2. Constantly change the load. Muscles won't grow unless you shock them every workout. To give them an incentive to grow, you should increase the weight or number of repetitions.
- 3. Make time for rest. Building muscle mass consists of strength training and proper recovery after it. During exercise, muscles do not grow, but are destroyed. Despite the fact that in appearance they may increase in size during the lesson. But this phenomenon is called pumping and is the filling of the muscle being worked with blood, which will leave 30–40 minutes after the end of the session.
- 4. Perform exercises 8–10 times in 3–4 approaches. It is this repetition range that promotes maximum muscle breakdown and rapid muscle growth.
- 5. Work the whole body, but on different training days. That is, to gain muscle mass you need to exercise using a split system. For example, on Monday, work out your legs and shoulders, on Wednesday, your back and biceps, and on Friday, your chest and triceps.
- 1. Load the barbell and place it on the floor.
- 2. Come close so that your toes are under the bar and your shins are almost touching it.
- 3. Squat down, keeping your back straight, and grab the barbell with an overhand grip.
- 4. As you exhale, straighten up, resting your heels on the floor.
- 5. The bar should slide over your legs.
- 6. At the top point, straighten your chest and hold for a couple of seconds.
- 7. Then move your pelvis back and slowly lower the barbell, bending your knees.
- 1. Position the bar so that it rests on the trapezius and rear deltoids, not on the neck.
- 2. Straighten your back, bring your shoulder blades together, straighten your chest.
- 3. As you inhale, lower yourself, moving your pelvis back and bending your knees.
- 4. Having reached parallel with the floor, tense your buttocks and, while inhaling, rise to the starting position.
- 5. Without straightening your legs completely at the top point, proceed to the next repetition.
- 1. Go to a bench press with racks and set the barbell at the desired height.
- 2. Lie down on a bench and take a stable position using four points of support - the back of the head, shoulder blades, pelvis and feet.
- 3. Bring your shoulder blades together and straighten your shoulders. A slight arch in the lower back is allowed, but the abs and buttocks should be tense.
- 4. Remove the barbell from the rack and lift it above the middle of your chest.
- 5. As you inhale, lower it until it touches your chest, bringing your shoulder blades closer together. The forearms should move parallel to each other; the barbell should not be moved towards the neck.
- 6. After lightly touching your chest, exhale and simultaneously press the barbell up.
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How to train to gain muscle mass?
To increase strength and gain muscle mass, you need to train with fairly heavy weights at home or in the gym. It is important to follow several rules:
It is important for beginners to learn the correct technique of exercises, especially basic ones, which carry a high risk of injury. For the same reason, beginners should not immediately lift heavy weights. In the first months, it is necessary to strengthen the muscle frame by exercising with your own weight or light weights.
In addition to training, during the period of muscle building, you must definitely monitor your diet. Muscle growth is impossible without a calorie surplus. However, it should be understood that this will inevitably lead to a gain of not only muscle mass, but also fat mass. Therefore, maintaining a surplus is recommended only for ectomorphs and mesomorphs, for whom fat burning after gaining will be quite quick and easy. For endomorphs, fat burning is very difficult, and in this case, their muscle definition will be simply invisible.
Body types
Basic set of exercises
There are three main exercises for increasing muscle mass: deadlifts, squats, and bench presses. They are used in both bodybuilding and powerlifting.
They should definitely be included in your training program, as they provide a large release of testosterone. And this hormone is responsible for muscle growth.
How to quickly gain weight for a man - nutrition principles and training program
Deadlift
This is a multi-joint exercise that uses many muscle groups: back, legs, abs, etc.
The technique for performing it is quite complex. If you do deadlifts with heavy weights incorrectly, you can easily get seriously injured. The exercise should be performed as follows:
Performing deadlifts
All movements must be smooth and controlled. Jerks should be avoided.
It is important to keep your back perfectly straight at all times. Rounding your lower back when deadlifting with heavy weights will inevitably lead to injury.
Squats
Another effective mass-gaining exercise is squats. In the process of performing it, the quadriceps, buttocks, as well as the abs, calves and hamstrings are involved.
Correct technique:
Performing squats
It is important not to overload your joints. To do this, you need to make sure that your knees do not go beyond your toes. The main weight of the body should fall on the heels. Rounding of the lower back is not allowed.
Bench press
Performing a bench press also stimulates the release of testosterone. This exercise is aimed at developing the muscles of the upper body, especially the chest and triceps. The work includes the lats, trapezius, deltoids and abs.
Technique:
Bench press
There is no need to fully straighten your elbows at the top, otherwise the load will transfer from the pectoral muscles to the triceps.
If you use a lot of weight, it is advisable to perform the bench press with the help of a trainer or partner, who will help you remove and place the barbell on the rack.
Frequency of classes
During strength training, muscles are destroyed. In order for them to grow, they must be allowed to fully recover.
Therefore, you should exercise no more than 3 times a week. For beginners, dividing the work of all muscle groups into 3 training days will be quite sufficient. Experienced athletes can afford more detailed division and frequent training (up to 5 times a week). You cannot work the same muscle group two sessions in a row.
For example, leg training is scheduled for Monday and Friday. If after doing it on Monday, muscle pain persists until Thursday, then you will have to skip Friday’s class.
Thus, training on the same muscle group should be carried out no earlier than 24 hours after the pain has passed. This is necessary to achieve supercompensation and muscle growth.
Effective training programs
A training program for gaining muscle mass is usually designed for 3 days and includes a set of three basic exercises discussed above. It is advisable to use one such exercise at each lesson, since they require a lot of strength to perform.
It is more convenient to work out in the gym, as there is all the necessary equipment. But if a power rack is installed in the apartment, there is a barbell and dumbbells, then you can train at home.
For men
The tables present a training program for men aimed at muscle growth. It is designed for going to the gym 3 times a week.
Monday - chest and triceps:
Exercise name | Number of approaches | Number of repetitions | Illustration |
Bench press | 3 | 8 | |
Lying dumbbell flyes | 3 | 10 | |
Reduction of arms on the pectoral muscles in the simulator | 3–4 | 8-10 | |
French barbell press | 3–4 | 8 | |
Weighted dips | 3 | 10 | |
Roman chair crunches for abs | 3–4 | 20–30 | |
Hanging Leg Raise | 3–4 | 15–20 | |
Wednesday - legs and shoulders:
Exercise name | Number of approaches | Number of repetitions | Illustration |
Front Squats | 3 | 8 | |
Leg press | 3–4 | 10 | |
Lunges with a barbell | 3 | 10 | |
Seated dumbbell press (shoulder press) | 3–4 | 8 | |
Dumbbell lateral raises for middle deltoids | 4 | 12 | |
Bent-over dumbbell raises | 4 | 12 | |
Friday - back and biceps:
Exercise name | Number of approaches | Number of repetitions | Illustration |
Barbell deadlift | 3 | 8 | |
Dumbbell row to waist | 3 | 10 | |
Sitting lower pulley to the stomach | 3–4 | 12 | |
Barbell curl | 3–4 | 8–10 | |
Hammer Grip Dumbbell Raise | 4–5 | 15 | |
Hyperextension with arched back | 3 | 15–20 | |
Ab crunches at the lower block | 3–4 | 20 | |
The weight for performing the exercises should be selected so that the last 2 repetitions of the approach are difficult. This is called muscle failure, due to which the muscles are stimulated to grow.
For women
Sometimes not only men, but also women want to build muscle mass. Girls usually set slightly different goals - to pump up and enlarge their buttocks, strengthen their legs, get rid of sagging skin, etc.
This must be taken into account when creating a training program. It will differ from men's, since the emphasis needs to be placed on the lower part of the body. The lesson plan for women is presented in the tables.
Monday - hamstrings and glutes:
Exercise name | Number of approaches | Number of repetitions | Illustration |
Romanian deadlift | 3-4 | 8-10 | |
Leg bending in the simulator | 4 | 10 | |
Reverse hyperextension with dumbbell | 3–4 | 12 | |
Glute bridge with barbell | 4–5 | 15 | |
Pulling the leg back at the lower block | 3–4 | 15 | |
Wednesday - back, arms, shoulders:
Exercise name | Quantityapproaches | Number of repetitions | Illustration |
Bench press | 3 | 10 | |
Barbell row to stomach | 3-4 | 10 | |
Upper block pull | 3 | 12 | |
Pull-ups in the gravitron | 3–4 | 10 | |
Biceps Curl | 3 | 10 | |
Straightening the arms back to the triceps | 3 | 12 | |
Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press | 4 | 12 | |
Raising dumbbells in front of you | 3 | 15 | |
Fitball crunches (in a superset with hanging leg raises) | 3 | 20 | |
Hanging leg raises with emphasis on the elbows (in a superset with hanging leg raises) | 3 | 15 | |
Friday - quadriceps and glutes:
Exercise name | Number of approaches | Number of repetitions | Illustration |
Squats | 3 | 8 | |
Leg press for buttocks | 3 | 8 | |
Back lunges | 3 per leg | 10 | |
Stepping onto a platform with dumbbells | 3 | 12 | |
Leg swings to the side with a rubber band for the gluteus medius muscles | 4 | 15 | |
Leg abduction in the simulator | 4 | 12 |
After the strength part, you can do a cardio workout lasting 20 minutes. At this time, glycogen reserves in the body are already depleted. Therefore, fat will begin to be burned immediately. This will strengthen the cardiovascular system and gain lean muscle mass.
And a little about secrets...
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