There are two givens when it comes to building mass and keeping that muscle: you’re going to have to work hard, and you’re going to have to really challenge yourself. This is more than lifting heavy weight. The body naturally responds to lifting weight, and you gain mass naturally; but you’re going to need more than high rep, isolated exercises. Outlined below are the principles needed to put on mass and keep it throughout the years. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced lifter, you can use these tips to progress and get those gains.
Mass Workout Schedule
To get gains, you need to do an upper/lower split. The upper/lower body is a fantastic choice, because you get to work every single muscle group through the week, depending the variation you choose. Let’s have look at the common variations:
Upper/Lower 4 day Split:
In this 4-day split, every muscle group gets trained once every 3rd or 4th day, which is ideal for building mass.
- Monday – Upper Body Workout A
- Tuesday – Lower Body Workout B
- Wednesday – Off
- Thursday – Upper Body Workout B
- Friday – Lower Body Workout A
- Saturday – Off
- Sunday – Off
Upper/Lower 3 Day Split:
In the 3rd-day split, the muscle groups get trained once every 4th or 5th day, making it a little less frequent than the 4-day split. Either template below can be customized for your needs. Just keep the 1 on/1 off or 1on/2off format that’s been outlined.
- Monday – Upper Body Workout A
- Tuesday – Off
- Wednesday – Lower Body Workout A
- Thursday – Off
- Friday – Upper Body Workout B
- Saturday – Off
- Sunday – Off
Or option 2:
- Monday – Lower Body Workout B
- Tuesday – Off
- Wednesday – Upper Body Workout A
- Thursday – Off
- Friday – Lower Body Workout A
- Saturday – Off
- Sunday – Off
The Muscle Building Workout Routine
When it comes to making a decision on your schedule, it doesn’t matter which you pick as long as you stick to it. Consistency is the key to developing mass, so you need to make sure that the routine you choose is going to fit into your life.
The split workouts divide everything into two kinds of workouts: upper body focus and lower body focus. The upper body works the chest, back, shoulders, triceps, and biceps; and the lower body aims for the quadriceps, hamstrings, abs, and calves.
Remember to use a heavyweight to achieve fatigue within the noted number of reps. Rest for the time indicated between every set.
Upper Body
1. Bench Press
3 sets x 6-8 reps
Rest: 2-3 minutes
2. Rows
3 sets x 6-8 reps
Rest: 2-3 minutes
3. Incline Dumbbell Press
3 sets x 8-10 reps
Rest: 1-2 minutes
4. Lat Pull-Downs
3 sets x 8-10 reps
Rest: 1-2 minutes
5. Lateral Raises
2 sets x 10-15 reps
Rest: 1 minute
6. Triceps Pushdowns
3 sets x 10-12 reps
Rest: 1 minute
7. Dumbbell Curls
2 sets x 12-15 reps
Rest: 1 minute
Lower Body
1. Romanian Deadlifts
3 sets x 6-8 reps
Rest: 2-3 minutes
2. Leg Press
3 sets x 10-12 reps
Rest: 1-2 minutes
3. Seated Leg Curls
3 sets x 8-10 reps
Rest: 1-2 minutes
4. Standing Calf Raises
4 sets x 6-8 reps
Rest: 1-2 minutes
5. Abs
Choose 3-4 exercises, 8-15 reps of each
Rest: 1 minute rest between exercises
Upper Body Option B
1. Pull-Ups
3 sets x 6-8 reps
Rest: 2-3 minutes
2. Barbell Shoulder Press
3 sets x 6-8 reps
Rest: 2-3 minutes
3. Seated Cable Row
3 sets x 8-10 reps
Rest: 1-2 minutes
4. Dumbbell Bench Press
3 sets x 8-10 reps
Rest: 1-2 minutes
5. Dumbbell Flyes
2 sets x 10-15 reps
Rest: 1 minute
6. Barbell Curls
3 sets x 10-12 reps
Rest: 1 minute
7. Skull Crushers
2 sets x 12-15 reps
Rest: 1 minute
Lower Body Option B
1. Barbell Back Squats
3 sets x 6-8 reps
Rest: 2-3 minutes
2. Split Squats
3 sets x 8-10 reps
Rest: 1-2 minutes
3. Lying Leg Curls
3 sets x 10-12 reps
Rest: 1-2 minutes
4. Seated Calf Raises
4 sets x 101-5 reps
Rest: 1-2 minutes
5. Abs
Choose 3-4 exercises, 8-15 reps of each
Rest: 1-minute rest between exercises
As you can see in the sample workouts listed above, every workout chooses compound exercises instead of isolated exercises. You will also find that there is a push-pull pattern, allowing for specific muscle groups to rest. The order is also from demanding to least demanding exercise, so be sure to do them in the order prescribed to ensure you are working out to the fullest possible extent.
Also keep to the rep ranges, for these ranges, when paired with heavyweight, are ideal for taxing the muscle and promoting strength and muscular growth.
Workout Order Of Importance
Now, you have 4 different workouts to use. How do you use them to your advantage? Easy.
Depending on the split you choose, either 3-day or 4-day, you will have a schedule that looks like the one previously mentioned above or you can remember it as: Upper body A, Lower body A, Upper body, B, Lower body B. Or, you can do UB, LB, UA, LA or UA, LB, UB, LA. Just remember to have either 2 days on, 1 day off or 1 day on, 1 day off between these workouts.
General Guidelines To Muscle Building
Next, let’s clear up any questions you might have about these split workouts.
First, you want to ensure you are using the same weight for every single set of a specific workout. Don’t try to go abnormally heavy on one set, hurt yourself, then have to decrease the weight. I’ll say it again: Consistency is key for building mass. So, the right way is to have 3 sets at 100 lbs, not 3 sets at 90 lbs, 95 lbs, and 105 lbs.
Next, the sets and rep range listed doesn’t include your warm-up sets. Warm-up as needed. Remember to work through the entire ROM before attempting these exercises at a heavyweight.
The exercises are meant to be done in the order they are listed. You shouldn’t change them. Don’t skip any of them either. Unless you have a previous injury, you shouldn’t alter the exercise in any way. In the event that you to modify, I’ve discussed your options below.
Details and Clarifications
- Bench press – this is meant to be a flat barbell bench press. Find a spotter so you can get the full effect of a heavyweight and not be worried about falling short or going for an additional rep when nearing failure.
- Row – opt for any horizontal pulling exercise, such as chest-supported row, hammer strength machine, row machine, t-bar row. You want to give your lower back a break after doing bench press.
- Incline press – while you can choose between a barbell, dumbbells, or the machine version, the dumbbell version is great because the weight is concentrated in both hands and not across a bar.
- Lat pull-down – use an underhand grip.
- Lateral raises – do whatever lateral raise you want. Pick your favorite.
- Triceps exercise – do the pushdowns with whatever handle you prefer.
- Biceps exercise – any type of dumbbell curl is fine.
- Romanian deadlift – the recommended grip is double overhand grip instead of mixed grip.
- Leg press – you do either both legs at the same time or one leg at a time, whichever you prefer. Aim for a 45-degree press, but if your gym doesn’t have that available, any kind of leg press works.
- Leg curls – any type of leg curl machine will work.
- Standing calf raises – you can do calf raises on the 45-degree leg press or while holding dumbbells if you don’t have a standing calf raise machine.
- Pull-ups – use an overhead grip. If you can’t do pull-ups, you can use an assisted machine or swap in lat pull-downs. This is also the perfect time to work on achieving a pull-up. And if you can already do multiple pull-ups, look into getting a pull-up belt to make the exercise more challenging.
- Shoulder press – do either seated barbell presses (in front, not back) or seated dumbbell presses. Any type of overhead press works, though.
- Seated cable rows – use a neutral grip if possible.
- Dumbbell flyes – do these on either a flat or incline bench. If you prefer, the pec deck machine works well.
- Biceps exercise – you can choose barbell curls or an EZ curl bar.
- Triceps exercise – do the skull crushers with an EZ bar if possible, because it is easier on the hands/wrists. However, if the exercise is uncomfortable, any similar triceps isolation exercise will work.
- Split squats – you should start with dumbbells if you’re new to this exercise.
How To Progress
You will notice that the sets and reps are a range, meaning that once you can do these sets and rep ranges with ease at a specific weight, it is time to move one. Once you can do 8 reps at 100 pounds, for example, the next time you do the workout, you change to 9 reps at 100 pounds. Again, never switch the weight on the same day. Changing reps is fine. If you can’t get to the prescribed rep range with the weight you’re using, then the goal is to eventually reach that rep range.
An example of this would be:
Set 1: 100 lbs bench press, 8 reps completed
Set 2: 100 lbs, 7 reps completed
Set 3: 100 lbs, 6 reps completed
The next time you do that workout, you attempt:
Set 1: 100 lbs bench press, 8 reps completed
Set 2: 100 lbs, 8 reps
Set 3: 100 lbs, 7 reps
and so on.
Optionally, you increase the weight during the next round, upping the weight to 105 lbs and going for the 8, 7, 6 rep range listed in the first example.
The idea here is that, as your muscles grow, you will be able to systematically work within the 6-8 rep range while increasing the weight by 5-10 lbs. So if one week you’re lifting 8, 8, 7 or 8, 7, 6 or, 8, 7, 7, it’s all good. This is how every exercise will progress, regardless of the prescribed rep range. So if one is 10-12 reps, you aim to get 12, 11, 10 reps in the 3 sets.
Keep in mind that as your body gains strength, not every workout is going to feel like a success. Don’t beat yourself up over a week where you do worse than the week before. Keep track of your growth, and keep working on the progression.
A Muscle Building Diet Plan Is REQUIRED
Lastly, you’re going to be working hard. Really hard. You need to eat well in order to support the mass you’re trying to put on. If you’re getting a calorie deficit, you’re not going to bulk up. Prioritize protein, the building blocks of muscle. You want about 0.7-08 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight, or about 225 grams of protein every day. Eat lean meats and fish. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, there’s soy and other based options that have high amounts of protein.
Next, use carbohydrates to replenish your muscles after a workout. During this time, you body needs an immediate source of carbs to help it with recovery and repair.
Don’t nix fat entirely either. You need fat to be able to burn fat.
But the golden rule is that you need to eat more than what you burn off. If you have a fast metabolism, try to divide up your meals from 3 to around 6, so you can continuously feed your muscles.
There you have it: the best way to build mass and keep it. If you want to build your best body yet, it’s time to get serious. This schedule and progression will help get you the results you want.
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