Workouts to gain muscle mass: ready-made three-day programs. Mass training program 3 day training program for mass gain

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

Reading articles about weight gain found on the Internet, I came to the conclusion that there is catastrophically little high-quality information on this topic on the Internet, one might even say that there is none at all, well, maybe, with the exception of only some very simple truths, and even then, unfortunately, not all of them. Having come across similar questions on the Internet more than once about the same beginners in bodybuilding, I decided to write a series of articles in which I planned to include detailed materials on the training program, nutrition, and sports supplements. Today we will talk about a training program aimed at effectively gaining muscle mass.

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

• It is necessary to do a warm-up before the main workout, which includes heavy weight gain. The athlete must warm up well so that his joints and ligaments have time to warm up, and for this I would recommend that the athlete use a walking machine, running at an average pace for ten minutes will prepare the body for subsequent heavy exercises. Then you need stretching, aimed specifically at those areas of the body that are most “problematic” for you, for example, elbows or shoulders - these are the ones that need to be carefully and thoroughly kneaded first.
• Before each main working set, you need to do one or two warm-up approaches, using light weight, which should be about 40-50 percent of the worker's weight. Warm-up sets allow the athlete to also get a feel for this exercise.
• Don't go to the gym for too long– intensive work for an hour is quite enough. And remember a simple truth: In training, the main thing is not its duration, but only the intensity.
• The end of the workout should be a short cool-down to stretch the muscles and joints.. A good option is swimming in the pool.
• During mass training, you should not be distracted by extraneous matters.. The observed pictures of what often happens in the gym are depressing: someone is enthusiastically talking on the phone, someone is playing with a new toy in their iPhone, someone is talking to a neighbor and the like. That is, people who train do not understand why they came here and waste time in the gym, allotted specifically for training, and then receive, as a natural result of this, the absence of any, even small, progress in bodybuilding. Make it a rule: since you came to the gym to train and your goal is to gain weight, then train without being distracted by extraneous matters or absolutely anything else.
• The key to success- this is to work in a working approach until the very last repetition, performing it too. It is the last one or two repetitions, done through overcoming, that become the most effective in the training process and it is thanks to them that muscle mass is effectively built up.
• It is necessary to adhere to a nutritious diet, on which success in bodybuilding is half dependent. I can subscribe to every word I say and responsibly declare that without high-quality nutrition, weight gain is impossible and you will never be able to build decent muscles. My next article will be devoted to this - it will be convenient for you to follow the news using the newsletters of this blog.
• Adequate rest before the next workout is also important.. Don’t be surprised or scared now - the goal of bodybuilding training is precisely to injure muscle fibers, however, in the safe sense of the word - during heavy loads, our muscle tissue receives microtraumas, which the body then strives to heal and due to this, tissue growth occurs. So, for this restoration of muscle fiber, the body needs several days and therefore daily training is absolutely contraindicated for the average bodybuilder.

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

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

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

Three day training

Monday: work on the abdominal muscles, chest and triceps

The exercises in this workout are aimed at pumping up the pectoral muscles and triceps. First, five approaches are performed, the goal of which is abs. To do this, take any exercise to work the abdominal muscles. In any case, pumping the pectoral muscles is also associated with working the triceps (triceps muscle). The triceps are fully worked through bench press and incline press.

• . Two warm-up sets are followed by four working sets of 8-12 repetitions. This exercise most effectively works the pectoral muscles, increasing their volume and mass.
• After one warm-up, four working sets of 8-12 repetitions follow. In addition to gaining muscle mass, this exercise allows you to give your muscles a beautiful definition and a good athletic shape.
• After the first warm-up, four working sets of 8-12 repetitions are performed. When doing presses, don't forget about your partner! The exercise is effective for working the triceps and inner pectoral muscles.
• in four sets of 8-12 repetitions, but only after mandatory warming up of the muscles of the shoulder joint to reduce the risk of shoulder injury. This exercise perfectly works the muscles of the upper chest.
• in four sets with the maximum possible number of repetitions in each approach. This exercise is an excellent workout not only for the triceps, but also for the entire shoulder girdle.

What was done: The exercises allowed us, first of all, to pump up the pectoral muscles through a heavy load - bench press, and thereby we launched the mechanism of their growth, and also worked on their shape. All triceps bundles have been fully worked out to stimulate its effective growth. After such training, you need a cool-down and the best option here is the pool - swim for your health for 10-20 minutes.

Wednesday: back and biceps work

This workout is aimed at the back muscles, which should become wider and more powerful as a result, as well as pumping up our beloved biceps. Don’t forget about the mandatory warm-up before training and five sets of abdominal exercises.

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

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

Friday: shoulder and leg work

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

• in four working sets of 8-12 repetitions after completing two warm-up ones. Before training, it is necessary to thoroughly stretch the shoulder joints, given that the shoulder is the most vulnerable place in the bodybuilder’s body in terms of injury.
• . The squat is a heavy arsenal exercise and there is nothing heavier than it. And here, more than anywhere else, the athlete must be as concentrated as possible and have perfect technique. Before performing this exercise, it is necessary to especially thoroughly knead the knee joints, ankles and lumbar spine. Having completed all four approaches and giving maximum effort, the athlete feels a real pumping. After performing just one squat during a leg workout, I usually have no energy left for anything else.
• in four working sets of 8-12 repetitions after three warm-up. When performing this exercise, there is also a high risk of injury to the shoulder joint. It is necessary to perform lifts of the barbell behind your head with maximum concentration, without jerking, and always in the presence of a trainer or someone who can put the barbell on the rack after completing the exercise.

What has been done

The training worked on the leg muscles and gave a good impetus to their growth. The shoulder muscles also worked. Now we move on to cool down and stretching.

So, here I have given the entire weekly training cycle that works to gain muscle mass. An athlete can devote at most two to three months to it, and then he must make radical changes. This is done so that the body does not have time to get used to and adapt to monotonous loads. In my next articles, I will talk about and provide an overview of types acceptable to an athlete that help gain muscle mass.

This program is well suited for both beginners and athletes returning to strength sports after a long break. Its main advantage is simplicity.

What is the essence of the training program?

The program consists of five exercises:

1. Back squat: 5 sets of 5 reps.

2. Bench press: 5 sets of 5 reps.

3. Deadlift: 1 set of 5 reps.

4. Standing barbell press: 5 sets of 5 times.

5. Bent-over barbell row: 5 sets of 5 reps.

These exercises consist of two workouts:

1. Workout A: squats, bench press, bent over row.
2. Workout B: squats, bench press, deadlift.

You work out three times a week and constantly alternate between workouts A and B. You rest at least one day between two workouts.

Here is an approximate training schedule for the week:

1. Monday: training A.
2. Tuesday: rest.
3. Wednesday: training B.
4. Thursday: rest.
5. Friday: training A.
6. Saturday and Sunday: rest.

You start the next week with workout B.

To avoid missing workouts and track your progress more easily, you can download the StrongLifts 5×5 app. It has a schedule with exercises that you can customize. You mark completed approaches and repetitions right during the workout, after which the rest timer starts.

The application also contains a video with exercise techniques, a training history, and after the first three classes you can track your progress.

The paid version has a schedule of warm-up approaches, a pancake calculator, integration with Google Fit and Health (iOS), and the ability to mark approaches without removing the screen lock.

What weight to start with

If you are already familiar with the exercises and are doing them with proper form, choose the maximum weight with which you can perform five sets of five repetitions.

If the exercises are new to you or you haven't done them in a long time, start with half your five-rep maximum or even less:

1. Squats, bench press, standing press: 20 kg (barbell without weights).
2. Deadlift: 40 kg (hang two 10 kg plates on the bar).
3. Bent-over barbell row: 30 kg (hang two 5 kg plates on the bar).

In the first weeks you will feel very easy, but the weight will increase quickly. In just four weeks you will be squatting 30kg more and bench pressing 15kg more.

Start back squatting and you can reach 100kg in 12 weeks.

How to gain weight

1. Squats. If you were able to complete five reps on all five sets, next time add 2.5 kg - small 1.25 kg pancakes on each side. If you couldn't do five reps, keep working with that weight until you can.
2. Bench press, standing barbell press, bent-over barbell row. Men add 2.5 kg, women - 1 kg.
3. Deadlift. Add 5 kg - 2.5 kg on each side. The deadlift uses more muscles so you can add weight faster.

If the gym doesn’t have 1.25 kg weight plates, buy your own and carry them to training.

How to warm up

Don't do too much cardio before your workout, as this can tire out your leg muscles before squats. Three to five minutes of brisk walking or gentle jogging will be enough.

If you're doing exercises with an empty bar, you don't need warm-up sets because the weight is too light. You can do two sets of five.

When you move up to heavier weights, warm-up sets are a must. They allow you to warm up your target muscles and test your technique.

Perform two warm-up sets of five reps with an empty bar. After this, add 10–20 kg each and perform 2–3 times until you reach your working weight.

Don't rest between warm-up sets. Pause only after them, before starting an approach with working weight.

How long to rest between sets

At first, because the weights are light, you won't need much rest. But when the weight starts to increase, it may take longer to recover from a set.

1. 1.5 minutes if you finished the last set without much effort.
2. 3 minutes if you had to work hard to finish the set.
3. 5 minutes if you reach muscle failure on the last rep.

You can also navigate by your breathing. If you have pain during exercise, rest until it is completely restored.

What are the goals and timing of the training program?

Plateau: what to do when there is no progress

The first thing to do if you are unable to complete a set is to rest longer. Place the bar down and wait 5 minutes and then try again.

If it doesn't work this time, check if there are any errors:

1. Have not warmed up well: a lack of warm-up approaches forces you to exercise on cold muscles, and an excess of them tires them.
2. They did it with bad technology. Incorrect bar trajectory increases the risk of failure.
3. Missed training. If you don't load your muscles consistently, you don't grow.
4. Did too much cardio or extra exercise, which slowed down your recovery.
5. Didn't get enough sleep. Lack of sleep slows recovery.
6. We didn't eat. Lack of nutrients also slows down recovery.

If you can't complete all sets and reps for three workouts in a row, you may want to reduce the weight or number of sets and reps.

How to reduce the load

You will not be able to gain weight constantly; sooner or later the process will stop. If the working weight does not increase for three workouts in a row, reduce the load as follows:

1. Three sets of five reps.
2. Three sets of three repetitions.
3. One set of three reps and two sets of three reps with -5% of the weight.

You can also reduce the weight by up to 10% of the working weight and add it again, monitoring the technique and correcting your mistakes.

Why this training program is effective

There are several factors that make the 5×5 program very effective:

1. Free weights. You have to maintain your balance, which puts extra strain on your muscles.
2. Minimum equipment. All you need is a barbell and a bench, so you can do 5×5s in any gym or garage.
3. Multi-joint exercises. Compound exercises use more muscles and therefore allow you to lift more weight.
4. Easy start. Light weights in the first workouts allow you to test your technique and avoid injury.
5. Intensity. The workouts are hard, but short. You finish before you get tired and therefore always stay focused.
6. Progressive overload. Consistent weight gain forces your body to adapt faster. The muscles become larger, the bones and tendons become stronger.
7. A clear plan and confidence. You know what to do in each workout and are confident that the program is working.
8. Excitement. You are wondering how much weight you can get to, how long you can keep increasing the weight. This adds excitement and makes many people challenge themselves.
9. Simplicity. There is no need to invent, search and select. You master the technique once, and then just add weight.

The program has no gender restrictions. It is suitable for different ages, including healthy teenagers and people over 40 years old.

Of course, this program will not appeal to everyone. For example, if you like variety, doing five exercises every day will quickly get boring. As a result, you will lose motivation and quit training.

If you like consistency and need a clear plan of action, 5 × 5 is ideal for you and will help you achieve good results.

Three day split It is no coincidence that it is one of the most common options for a separate training system, as it is optimal for both beginners and advanced athletes. Three workouts per week allow you to thoroughly work out each muscle group and fully recover between workouts. Therefore, a three-day training program is often used for both gaining mass and increasing strength, and for losing weight.

Benefits of a 3-Day Split Training Program

The 3 times a week training program is a bodybuilding classic. Unlike a two-day split, a three-day split allows you to pay more attention to working the muscles of the upper body. Exercising every other day optimally promotes recovery and avoids overworking the body.

Each muscle group is thoroughly worked out once a week, not counting indirect load. This interval between training one muscle group is optimal for muscle recovery and supercompensation. Therefore, by following a three-day training program, you can successfully achieve your goals, be it increasing muscle mass and strength, or losing weight.

There are many options for creating a three-day workout program. The main thing is to correctly distribute muscle groups. As usual, in one workout two muscle groups are worked out - one large and one small muscle group. For example, on Monday we train the leg muscles + shoulders, on Wednesday the pectoral muscles + biceps, and on Friday the back muscles + triceps.

In each workout, heavy basic exercises are always performed first, which involve many large and small muscles, then lighter and isolating exercises. For example, on Monday, a leg and shoulder workout might look like this:

1. Barbell Squat
2. Bench leg press in the simulator
3. Leg extensions on the block
4. Leg curls on a block
5. Standing barbell/dumbbell press
6. Standing Barbell Row

Training days are separated by 1-2 days of complete rest. Each MG is worked out once a week at the peak of supercompensation, when the muscles have fully recovered and become a little larger and stronger. In this case, you can progress the load by slightly increasing the working weight or performing 1-2 more repetitions. However, if at the next workout you feel that you have not yet recovered, then you need to either reduce the volume of the load or increase the rest time between workouts, working each MG every 8-9 days.

Below are several options for three-day training programs for beginners, advanced athletes and a three-day split for girls. These options are not dogma. You can independently replace the exercises, the number of repetitions and approaches, and so on. Any training program can and should be tailored to suit you, based on your body’s recovery abilities.

THREE-DAY MASS SPLIT FOR ADVANCED

WORKOUT 1 (BACK-CHEST)

1. Pull-ups with extra weighing 4x8-12
2. Dumbbell/barbell bench press 4x8-12
3. Bent-over barbell row 3x8-10
4. Dumbbell press at an angle of 3x8-10
5. Bent-over dumbbell row 3x8-10
6. Lying dumbbell flyes 3x8-10

WORKOUT 2 (SHOULDERS, ARMS)

1. Seated barbell/dumbbell press 4x8-12
2. Barbell/dumbbell rows to the chest while standing 4x8-12
3. Close grip bench press 3x8-10
4. Barbell curls 3x8-10
5. French press 3x8-10
6. Hammers with dumbbells 3x8-10

WORKOUT 3 (LEGS, CALVES)

1. Squats 4x8-12
2. Deadlift 4x8-12
3. Leg press 3x8-10
4. Leg curls 3x8-10
5. Standing calf raise 3x12-15
6. Seated calf raise 3x15-20

THREE-DAY SPLIT FOR BEGINNERS

MONDAY (BACK, BICEPS)

1. Deadlift 3x6-8
2. Pull-ups 3x6-12
3. Bent-over barbell/dumbbell row 3x6-12
4. Barbell curls 3x6-12
5. Hammers with dumbbells 3x6-12

WEDNESDAY (CHEST, TRICEPS, ABS)

1. Bench press 3x6-8
2. Incline dumbbell press 3x8-12
3. Dumbbell flyes 3x8-12
4. Dips 3x6-12
5. French press 3x6-12
6. Crunches 3x20-30

FRIDAY (LEGS, SHOULDERS)

1. Squats 3x6-8
2. Leg press 3x8-12
3. Calf raise 3x12-15
4. Seated barbell/dumbbell press 3x8-12
5. Barbell row to the chin 3x8-12
6. Dumbbell swings to the sides 3x10-12

THREE-DAY SPLIT FOR GIRLS

Men's and women's training, as a rule, have several fundamental differences. Firstly, most men want to increase muscle mass and strength, while girls dream of losing weight, pumping up their butt, making their stomach flat, removing their sides, and so on. That is, girls pay special attention to working on the so-called “problem areas.” Consequently, training for girls will be less intense and consist mainly of exercises on the most problematic areas of the body, such as the hips and buttocks, and the abdomen. In addition, after strength training, you can add 20 minutes of cardio or do cardio training on a separate day, if possible, of course.

MONDAY (LEGS and BUTTOCKS, PRESS)

1. Squats 3x12-15
2. Deadlift on straight legs 3x12-15
3. Lunges with dumbbells 3x12-15
4. Leg curls 3x12-15
5. Incline crunches 3-4x20-25

WEDNESDAY (CHEST, TRICEPS)

1. Push-ups 3 max.
2. Incline dumbbell press 3x12-15
3. Lying dumbbell flyes 3x12-15
4. Extension of arms with a dumbbell from behind the head 3x12-15
5. Arm extensions on the block down 3x12-15

FRIDAY (BACK, SHOULDERS)

1. Pull-down of the upper block behind the head 3x12-15
2. Bent-over dumbbell row 3x12-15
3. Hyperextension 3x12-15
4. Seated dumbbell press 3x12-15
5. Lifting dumbbells through the sides 3x12-15

NOTES FOR THE PROGRAM

You should switch to a three-day split after a full-body training program or a two-day split. However, it is quite common for beginners to jump straight into the 3-day beginner split. The main thing is not to overdo it with the load to avoid overtraining.

At the initial stage, it is enough to perform 2-3 approaches with small weights of 10-15 repetitions in order to establish the correct technique for performing the exercises and gradually prepare the muscles for working with large working weights.

When working on mass, trained athletes need to perform exercises with large working weights (75-80% of the maximum), 3-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions.

Rest between sets depends on your goals. When working on mass and strength, rest between approaches and exercises for 2-3 minutes. To lose weight, rest between approaches should be reduced to 30-60 seconds. Rest no more than 2 minutes between exercises.

To build muscle and become stronger, you need to train effectively, so we continue to introduce you to ways to build training for different tasks. This time we will consider two options for a mass training program, designed for 3 times a week.

Basics

Before you start lifting, you need to understand the basics of gaining mass. You can exercise at least twice a day every day, do every exercise until you drop, and in the end you will not gain a single kilogram in addition to what you had.

And all because weight gain is a whole science. And let’s make a reservation again, if you gain weight on a pharmacological course, every week you will gain significant muscle gains. The results will be visible in the mirror. But the course has several bad sides:

• The muscles last the course, as soon as you stop delivering the “pharma” to the body, a rapid regression will begin.
• Negative impact on sexual function in men (over time it weakens, since the body stops producing its own testosterone) and the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics of the male type in women (deepening of the voice, etc.).

Pharmacology works on the principle “I want it here and now.” It's like a loan: you get what you want quickly, and then it takes a long time to pay it off. Not with money, but with health and quality of life. A competent course is long-term, periodic, including rehabilitation measures for the gonads. If you are planning to show off your muscles just once, it is better not to try. If your priority is health and harmonious development of the body, even more so.

So, you set out to build muscles. To do this you will need:

1. Organize your diet correctly.
2. Follow a training regimen - 3 days a week.
3. Actually, create a competent training program.
4. Plan a complex of sleep, rest, wakefulness.
5. Pay attention to your health and take into account contraindications.

Nutrition

You need to figure out what body type you are. For each of the three types (ecto-, endo- and mesomorphs), the daily calorie content will be different. Ectomorphs have the hardest time gaining weight. Therefore, they will need to eat more intensively.

For endomorphs, it is enough to add a little more carbohydrates to their diet than they should for a slim figure, and their weight will go up.

In any case, no matter what type you are, you need to eat a lot of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Do not forget to take vitamins, chondroprotectors, creatinine and some amino acids in parallel.

Number of meals – 4–6 times a day.

Training mode

The three-day training program is a classic bodybuilding scheme for gaining muscle mass. You can train 2 days a week. The frequency of training will depend on your body's ability to recover.

If you take enough substances your body needs, your muscles will recover faster. Thanks to this, you can study every other day. With poor nutrition, recovery can take much longer, which greatly reduces the number of possible sessions per week.

In bodybuilding, it is important to give your muscles a critical load so that they grow. Powerlifting places more emphasis on strength rather than muscle shape. Nevertheless, gaining mass in bodybuilding is a mandatory thing, and in powerlifting it is natural. As strength increases, body weight also increases.

A three-day training program will be the best option in bodybuilding, because in 3 workouts you can pump up all key muscle groups.

Option A

A gym workout program should work all muscles. The emphasis is on basic exercises. Minimum isolated, maximum basic elements.

The training regime in the gym for girls will be exactly the same, despite gender differences. But their weight does not grow so noticeably (we are talking about muscles, not fat, because it is usually easier for girls to gain weight than for guys). In general, it is better for girls not to focus solely on gaining muscle mass and to fall in love with regular fitness.

A training program for gaining muscle mass might look like this.

First day: legs and shoulders

1. Cardio and warm-up.
2. Barbell squats: 5 sets of 5-6 reps.
3. Leg press: 3 sets of 8–10 reps with maximum weights.
4. Lunges with dumbbells or: 3 sets of 10 reps.
5. Bench press sitting behind the head: 4 sets of 6-8 repetitions.
6. Abdominal work: hanging leg raises with weights, 3-4 sets of 10 repetitions (you can hold a dumbbell between your feet, bend your knees slightly).

Day two: back and biceps

1. Cardio and warm-up.
2. Hyperextension: 3 to 15 without weight with a straight back.
3. Deadlift: 5 x 5-6 with maximum weights.
4. Upper block rows to the chest: 3 to 8.
5. Bent-over rows of a T-bar or dumbbell to the belt: 4 to 8.
6. Barbell for biceps: 4 to 6.
7. Hammer: 2 to 10.

Day Three: Chest and Triceps

1. Cardio and warm-up.
2. Bench press: 4–5, 5–6 repetitions.
3. Bench press on a bench with an incline of 30 degrees: 3 x 8 times.
4. Bringing your arms together in a crossover to the bottom of your chest: 2 x 10 times.
5. Arm extension in block: 3 to 10.
6. Abs: Roman chair crunches: 4 x 10 times with weight.

You need to rest for 1-2 minutes between sets. If you are not rested enough, you will not be able to fully complete the set.

Weights should be maximum, no pumping, no cheating, pay close attention to your technique.

Those with back problems should eliminate the deadlifts and squats. The latter can be replaced with Smith squats, a HAKK machine, or just a leg press.

What exercise you do depends on the severity of your back condition. If acute pain or discomfort occurs when bending over, it is better not to tempt fate. Either you were doing squats and deadlifts incorrectly, or you simply shouldn't be doing them (at least not in the near future).

Option B

And another 3-day training program. The second option is more designed to develop strength qualities.

Day 1

1. Cardio and warm-up.
2. Hyperextension: 2 to 15.
3. Deadlift: 5 sets of 5 reps and a sixth set of 60% of the working weight for 15 reps.
4. Bench press: 5 x 5 with heavy weight, but not maximal.
5. Biceps hammer: 2 x 10.
6. Abs: 2 x 2 hanging leg raises with weights and 2 x 10 Roman chair crunches with a dumbbell.

Day 2

1. Cardio and warm-up.
2. Bench press: 3 x 5 and 2 x 3 with maximum weights.
3. from chest: 3 to 8–10 with maximum weights.
4. Crossover raises, dumbbell raises lying on a horizontal bench with supersets: 2 x 10 and 2 x 10 (alternate 1 set of raises with 1 set of raises).
5. Extension of arms on a block: 3 x 10, 1 x 8, 1 x 6, 1 x 4 - we make a “ladder” with increasing weights. You must push yourself to the limit for the last 2 reps of each set using proper technique.
6. Abs: Roman chair crunches 3 x 10 with weight.

Day 3

1. Cardio and warm-up.
2. Barbell squats: 5 to 5.
3. Leg press: 3 x 8–10.
4. Lat pulldowns or pull-ups with a narrow reverse grip: 4 to 8 with weights.
5. Pullover: 2 to 10.
6. Cardio: 15 minutes with 1 interval.

You can remove the deadlift and replace it with the leg press. It all depends on your physical capabilities.

Isolated exercises should be eliminated. You can change various auxiliary elements every 2 weeks, for example, bringing your arms together in a crossover to pressing dumbbells upside down, or lunges with dumbbells to straightening and bending your legs in a machine.

A two-day mass training program will be very different from the ones above, because the whole body needs to be worked out in 2 days. At the same time, you should not excessively delay the duration of classes.

The training program for girls, if they also want to gain weight, will look about the same.

Both training programs are aimed at developing muscle mass and strength.

Sleep and health

No matter how ideal your training programs are, without proper sleep and good health, you will not be able to build muscle.

Firstly, if you often get colds, you will take breaks from your classes. A week's break already rolls your results back.

Secondly, if you have weak connective tissue (a congenital diagnosis), you will be more likely than usual to pull the ligaments when reaching heavy weights. One careless movement or one bad warm-up is enough.

Thirdly, insufficient sleep greatly slows down anabolic processes in the body.

Therefore, you need to sleep well and toughen up. Building muscle requires stability and monotonous long-term work on your body, iron will and a healthy stomach.

In a competent program, it is important to indicate the correct working weight. It is selected experimentally. The effectiveness of each individual program depends on the correctness of its choice.

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.