Program for an effective set of muscle mass. 4-Day Mass Split Workout 4x/Week for Men

Until recently, coaches and doctors agreed that each day of training should fall on only one muscle group. Today I had to move away from this method, as it turned out that the athlete simply did not have time to recover in such conditions. Daily activities had a detrimental effect on the body as a whole. The nervous system could not cope with frequent stress. The effect of training was reduced, and the athlete experienced the effects of overtraining.

There are various supplements with which the body can restore strength much faster, but the daily use of such substances can be bad for health.

The time for normal, but incomplete muscle rest is usually within 3 days. This figure varies greatly depending on experience. Beginners may need a whole week. A lot also depends on the muscles themselves. So, large ones suggest a long recovery, small ones, respectively, rest faster.

For example, legs, which occupy about 50% of the entire muscle mass of the body, are often not worth loading. Hands, on the other hand, correspond to 25%, so they need 2 times less time to recover. The biceps, triceps, and shoulders should be trained most often, but they are often used when working on larger ones.

Therefore, it is important to take into account the indirect participation of a particular muscle group.

Number of workouts

How much should be the number of visits to the gym per week for beginners and amateurs? Those who have recently decided to acquire a pumped-up body should stop at the “1 day of training / 2 days of rest” scheme. But provided that the loads correspond to the level, and after the workout you will feel tired. If such a frequency of classes no longer causes any particular difficulties, then it is worth moving to the amateur stage, the number of classes will increase up to 3-4 times.

For those who want to lose weight, the number of workouts can vary greatly. The fact is that when losing excess weight, cardio exercises are a priority, and they can be performed daily without harm to health. But you should not exercise through force, since exercising with excess weight is much more difficult, in addition, there is a possibility of a sharp deterioration in the condition. Therefore, before starting intensive weight loss, you should consult your doctor.

If you use strength exercises, then the weight may, on the contrary, increase, as muscle mass will increase, which will not contribute to the destruction of fat. Therefore, it is worth moving on to such exercises only after losing a few kilograms thanks to cardio exercises.

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Training program 3 times a week for girls

Workouts for girls should be simple. The main task at first is the body's addiction to power loads and stress. He reacts to such a shake very quickly, and progress appears very soon. You also need to remember to rest between workouts so that the muscles recover.

First you need to warm up and run for 10 minutes to warm up. Then proceed to basic training for girls. These include: squats, bench press with a barbell sitting and lying down, traction of the lower and upper block, twisting, flexion and extension of the legs on the simulator, lifting the torso on the bench and others.

It is necessary to include exercises for the buttocks and legs. Rest between sets is about 1-2 minutes. Between repetitions, a break is 3-4 minutes. Correct execution is the main task for beginners. Often the rules of the back are not respected, when it should be tightly leaning against the back of the simulators, it is impossible to round.

When it’s hard to complete all approaches or your health worsens, take a break, reduce the load.

After a while, you can move on to a larger load and do more approaches.

The goal of strength training is continuous progress in which there are many components. This is the correctness of the exercises performed, and the gradual but constant weight gain and mandatory recovery, which allows you to maintain this process.

It is very important for girls to be careful with weight and not overdo it. Be sure to listen to well-being, and the reaction of the body to a large load.

Then after a while you can see an excellent result - a good figure and a toned body.

We optimize the process

It is no secret that in order to achieve results, along with training and strength training, athletes follow a diet and adhere to a daily routine.

What should an athlete do?

  • Provide yourself with food. You can supplement the diet with sports supplements, but a person receives the main amount of nutrients from food, so take care of the additional intake of food into the body.
  • Sleep. If there are serious problems with sleep, then streamlining the process will help to fix it. Going to bed at the same time as getting up. If you plan to train on Sunday, then sleep from Friday to Saturday. It is not forbidden to sleep during the day. But from Saturday to Sunday it is worth sleeping no more than 8-9 hours.

A well-designed training program once a week, in conjunction with a diet and regimen, will help you put yourself in order. But much depends on the initial preparation of a person, his willingness to "work" on himself.

Sample training program for 3 times a week

First workout - chest and back

  1. Hyperextension (3x10-15)
  2. Classic deadlift (5-6x6-10)
  3. Bench press (4-6x6-12)
  4. Dumbbell bench press at an angle of 30 gr. (4x8-12)
  5. Pull-ups for the head with a wide grip (3-4x6-12)
  6. Bent Over Bent Over Row (4x8-12)
  7. Raising the legs in support (3x10-15)

Second workout - hands

  1. Triceps push-ups (4-5x6-12)
  2. Pull-ups to the chest with a reverse grip (3-4x6-12)
  3. Close Grip Bench Press (4-5x8-12)
  4. Standing Dumbbell French Press (3x10-15)
  5. Standing barbell curl (3-4x10-15)
  6. Hammer dumbbell curl (3x10-15)
  7. Flexion / extension of the wrist joint (3x10-15)

Third workout - legs and shoulders

  1. Barbell Shoulder Squats (4-6x6-10)
  2. Barbell lunges (3x8-12)
  3. Alternate dumbbell bench press (4x8-12)
  4. Bench press from behind the head while standing (3x8-15)
  5. Broach with a barbell (3x10-15)
  6. Mahi dumbbells to the sides (3x10-15)
  7. Twisting on an inclined bench (3x10-15)

Remember that the core workout is not always the easiest exercise to do - just spit. Often these are quite difficult tasks to complete, which must be completed and cannot be skipped.

Rest days must be included in the training program. If you work out effectively and hard, then you need to rest for a long time so that the muscles have time to recover and build mass. If you want to develop your muscles as much as possible, you don’t have to exhaust yourself with something else - throw all your strength into bodybuilding.

Train while fresh and full of energy. With a normal and rationed work day, you may have to get up early to start training, but the result will be worth it. Such dedication on your part will bring you what you desire - the perfect athletic figure. There is nothing wrong with evening training, but it is often done not because of desire, but because of what is needed, often through force, while the exercises themselves do not bring results and are ineffective.

Monitor your weight, nutrition and rest. Do not forget about the internal mood - a lot depends on how comfortable you feel inside. Never be afraid to ask a trainer for advice, and if problems arise, consult your doctor. Keeping track of your physical condition during training is simply necessary. And do not stop, even if it gets harder, because the path to success is not easy.

Training once a week how to pump up if there is no time for training at all

Working out once a week is the way out for people with a limited amount of time, which is the vast majority of office workers and people building a career, raising young children, but not wanting to start themselves.

Training once a week, of course, will not give a grandiose result in an increase in muscle mass, or strength indicators, but “bad training is better than no training,” especially since the training will not be so bad, and the result is quite acceptable.

If you train only once a week, you need to have time to use all the muscle masses in one workout, so the workout will be circular.

Training once a week obeys the same laws as all other training programs, so you don’t need to train for 3-4 hours doing a bunch of useless work.

Attention!

You should have time to load all the muscles in 90 minutes, maybe the whole workout can take 120 minutes, with a warm-up, stretching and cool-down.

The conclusion follows from this: exercises should be basic, loading many muscle groups at once, and exercises should be aimed at training large muscle masses, loading small muscle groups indirectly.

Since you train only once a week, respectively, training is stressful for you, therefore, you need to bring yourself to the “failure” approach gradually, so you should train according to the pyramid principle.

The pyramid principle involves a gradual increase in training weight from set to set, with or without maintaining the number of repetitions in sets. Thus, each approach is getting harder and harder, and the last approach you end up in failure.

All this suggests that training once a week should be high intensity, but at the same time and volume enough so that the athlete has time to prepare his body for the “failure set”. The best scheme for such a circular training is three sixes.

Weekly workout program

Barbell Squat – 6 sets of 6 reps Bench Press – 6 sets of 6 reps Military Press – 6 sets of 6 reps Deadlift – 6 sets of 6 reps Barbell Rows – 6 sets of 6 reps Biceps Curls – 6 sets of 6 reps

Increasing the effectiveness of training

Mode: An important component of any training program, although, of course, it is clear that for a person who wants to train once a week, the regime is a very conditional thing. Surely you have little time, there is no way to eat according to the schedule and sleep well.

To improve the quality of nutrition, you can use a thermos, taking an extra meal with you to work, it may be important to use sports nutrition, but remember that 70% of the nutrients should come from ordinary food.

If you have trouble sleeping, then sleep should be the day before training.

For example, you train on Sunday, and Saturday and Sunday are your days off, then you need to sleep for a long time from Friday to Saturday, you can sleep on Saturday afternoon, but from Saturday to Sunday you should sleep 8-9 hours, getting up early to 10-11 You could go to practice.

Home Workouts: This is a great addition to a one-time gym workout that you can practice at home. For example, you can at least just do push-ups, squats and pull-ups without weight, or you can buy a kettlebell and practice with it in the yard.

These workouts should not be oppressive, they are needed to maintain the metabolic rate, helping the muscles to recover for the next workout.

If there is such an opportunity, then we recommend the kettlebell, because the kettlebell is such a projectile that allows you to load not only the superficial muscle layers, but also the postural ones, thanks to which you will feel much better, especially if you are not very young.

Gym programs

Training each muscle group once a week

Sample Program #1

Monday: chest, triceps
Tuesday: shoulders, biceps
Wednesday: day off
Thursday: Shoulders, Abs
Friday: legs
Saturday: day off
Sunday is a day off

Program example #2

Monday: chest, triceps, shoulders
Tuesday: day off
Wednesday: legs, abs
Thursday: day off
Friday: back, biceps
Saturday: day off
Sunday is a day off

As you can see, in the splits above (and a bunch of others), each muscle group is trained once a week. This means that each muscle group is trained once every 7 days, which is a fairly low frequency of strength training.

Features of training once a week

Think about it. What happens if you stop exercising for a while? You degrade, the results disappear instantly, and you gradually lose muscle, strength and success that you have achieved. To a lesser extent, but the same thing can (and often does) happen when you wait an entire week before training a muscle group again.

You can train intensely during a workout, but after a week you may lose your progress and not make any progress. So, in order for your once-a-week workouts to be successful, the volume of training (exercises, reps, number of sets) must be intense enough so that progress is maintained from workout to workout without going beyond your ability to recover.

Another problem with such training

The other big problem with training once a week is that you lose a whole week. Even despite a fairly large load and maintaining the progress of training. Think about it. By training a muscle group once a week, you get 52 workouts per year for each muscle group.

If you trained twice a week, you would get 104 workouts per year. What do you think will bring you the best results in the same amount of time? Obviously, isn't it? What I'm getting at is... even if you're doing everything right, training each muscle group once a week, you're still wasting a lot of time.

You could come back to the gym and increase your progress instead of chilling out for a whole week. And it doesn’t even make sense to say that there is nothing special or magical about training once every 7 days. This is just a random period of time, which is not based on anything. There are no benefits here. It’s just that there are 7 days in a week, so it’s quite convenient to plan workouts with a frequency of once a week.

So, is exercising once a week the best?

All scientific studies show that training each muscle group once a week is the least effective way to train, regardless of your goals and fitness level. Can it work? Certainly. It works? Yes. To be honest, if you do everything right, then ANY workout can lead to positive results, even this one.

However, the question is not whether it works or not. The question is what works better or worse. And all the research, all the expert opinions, and my personal experience show that exercising regularly once a week is not the best option for most people.

Who can train once a week?

Training each muscle group once a week is suitable for the following group of people:

  • People who use steroids
  • People with good genetics
  • People whose goal is to maintain muscle mass rather than increase it. In this case, training
  • once a week is the best option.

Advanced athletes who specialize in specific body parts or muscle groups. They intensively train a certain muscle group, the rest of the muscles are worked out once a week.

Who can't train once a week?

As I said earlier, exercising once a week is not the best solution for most people. Perhaps for you too. For beginner athletes and those who have as their primary goal to increase strength and develop muscle shape, it is better to avoid such regularity of training. Of course, such training will also lead to certain results (assuming that you are doing everything right). This applies to those who are trying to increase muscle mass, dry out and look better. However, these are NOT the best results you can achieve. I don't recommend this option.

Power training

If you prefer to work out in a relaxed mode and pace, then these workouts are for you.

To get your body in shape and lose weight, you must first identify your problem areas. For every girl, these are their places. For some, this is the stomach and sides, and for others, the hips and buttocks. Once you have done this, then from here you need to push off.

Let's take a look at an example.

If you have a problem area of ​​the buttocks and thighs, and you really want to change their shape, size, shape, etc., then naturally, you should focus on the muscles of the legs and buttocks in your workouts.

The structure of your workout might look like this:

  1. Warm up. Warming up is a mandatory component before any workout, absolutely any! You should devote 3-8 minutes to warm-up and joint gymnastics.
  2. Next, you choose any workout for the legs and buttocks that I have on the channel, and perform it according to my recommendations that I give. I usually say how many sets or laps to do for a given workout. If I don’t mention the number of repetitions, then you just do the first circle with me, and then rewind to the beginning of the video and do the second circle again with me, without bothering about repetitions, I have already taken care of this, so you even no need to count. And so on, depending on how many circles you need to do in this workout.
  3. When you have finished your workout, I recommend that you do a few minutes of cardio. This is necessary in order for the fat burning process to start, since during strength training (its main part) we mainly affect our muscle fibers, making them denser, stronger, more resilient, creating beautiful shapes and relief, but as such, the fat burning process does not happening. In order for it to turn on, you need to do cardio.

The cardio time is from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on how long the main part of the workout took you and what kind of physical fitness you have. But less than 15 minutes, I do not recommend doing. The effect just won't work.

  1. And after cardio, the last stage of training remains - this is stretching. Stretching is also an essential part of any workout. It allows you to restore your heart rate, breathing and return your muscles to their pre-workout state.

Yes, even such a moment. If you have time, then you can do a little abs workout before cardio, after all the circles on the legs and buttocks. If you include exercises for the press after the main workout on the legs, then it is enough to devote 10 minutes to working it out, and then proceed to cardio.

If you have a problem area in the stomach, then you can do a full workout for the press for 20-30 minutes, and after it you still do cardio.

This is with regard to training in a power calm mode. The same applies to arm, chest and back workouts or workouts for all muscle groups at once (there are few such workouts, but they still exist). The entire sequence remains the same.

And now let's look at how many times a week you need to do strength training according to this principle.

Ideal body when training 3 times a week

With the help of a three-day split, you can not only work great on the relief (for this you need to follow an appropriate diet), but also get an excellent result on the mass (for this result, you need a different diet). The training program is built as standard: we train for a day, we rest for a day. Tired, clogged muscles need rest for further productive work. On one day we load: biceps-triceps-shoulders, on the second: chest-back, on the third: legs-press. Such a program is effective, and the result will not be long in coming. Although it already depends on how you plow in the hall

Example of a training program

The set of exercises is designed for people with little training experience. It allows you to tone all the main muscle groups for further work on strength and mass. Weights for training are selected individually. Performing a set of exercises should not be easy. We select the weight for the average resistance / effort. The first 2-3 weeks should not reach "failure" in the exercises - first learn the technique. Rest between sets 1-3 minutes, between exercises 3-5 minutes.

Before training, warm up the muscles. After training, we pull the muscle group we worked on. Print out the plan and run to the gym!

At each training session, we write down in the training diary the exercises and weights with which we worked. The first two or three weeks you get used to the correct technique for performing exercises, after which you begin to gradually add working weights in basic exercises. After another two or three weeks, as the working weights increase, you can start to throw out isolation exercises from training. The period of work under the program is 1.5-2 months. After that, change the program to another, depending on the result and your further goals.

Workout at home

If you prefer to study at home, there is also a way out! However, keep in mind that there is no experienced trainer at home who will tell you the correct execution of the technique and insure at the right time. Therefore, carefully choose the weight and carefully monitor the technique in order to avoid injuries and home furniture pogroms.

For training at home, it is enough to have at least collapsible dumbbells. Next, we perform the same set of exercises as described above, with the exception of working on simulators. We replace exercises with a barbell with similar ones using dumbbells. Since the number of exercises will be reduced, you need to do 1 more approach in each exercise.

Achieve your desired goals is real! The main rule is SYSTEMATICITY. This means that there may be a bad mood, bad weather and "so much to do that you can't breathe." But, THREE DAYS a week you go to the gym or organize a sports field at home. This is a guarantee of your health and excellent appearance. And remember: the road called THEN leads to the goal called NEVER.

Perhaps training 2 times a week or full body is suitable for you.

Negative effects of frequent training

In any business, it is not so much quantity that is important for a person, but quality, the same applies to playing sports, so you don’t have to force your body or be too lazy: because at least there will be no result, but as a maximum, health problems will arise. I would like to once again dwell on the most popular negative consequences of too frequent training:

  1. Deterioration of general well-being, weakness, chronic overwork.
  2. Violation of morale. depression, mood swings, aggression or apathy, overexcitability.
  3. Violation of the central nervous system with a variety of symptoms.
  4. The development of heart failure or even multiple organ failure.
  5. Injury or degradation of muscle tissue.
  6. Fall of immunity.
  7. Insomnia.
  8. Hormonal failure, which in women very often leads to at least a violation of the menstrual cycle, then to amenorrhea (absence of menstruation) and even to pathological infertility, and in men to impotence, the production of female hormones, etc.

When choosing your training program, you need to turn on the brain and first of all think about your health, and not rely on advertising for fitness centers or sports products of all kinds. No matter what posters and posters promise to lose weight or gain muscle mass very quickly without serious disruptions in metabolism and homeostasis - the basic concepts that ensure normal human life.

How to organize workouts for weight loss three times a week

Several strategies can be distinguished:

"Group lessons". You attend 3 Body Pump or Hot Iron classes, or any other club class that uses light to medium weight stacking rods. Don't equate this with full-body bodybar workouts, it's still not quite strength training. Why lessons with stacking rods? Because they perfectly speed up metabolism, help to increase endurance and at the same time work out the technique of strength exercises. Usually, after these classes, people quickly get used to the gym and achieve good results. If you still have energy after these sessions, spend 20-30 minutes on the treadmill at an average pace, advanced aerobics visitors can try interval training.

"Gym" - in this case it is better if the trainer writes a strength program for you. For those who are engaged in the first year or two, there is no particular point in doing a split. Especially when it comes to girls, after all, your priority is to increase energy consumption, and this is possible only if you load large muscle groups. If, nevertheless, you do, it is better to combine the training of one large group with a load on the “small”, that is, not the classic approach - 1 day back and chest, 2 day - abs and legs, 4 day - arms and abs, and the other - We train the back with biceps, the chest with triceps, and the deltas with legs. Moreover, the press should be pumped every training day, varying the intensity and type of exercises. At the end of the strength session, literally for 15-20 minutes, you should stand on a treadmill or ellipsoid, and conduct a short but intense (intervals, wave-like increase in load) workout.

"Dancing". In this case, ordinary dances will not work. If you need to shape and burn fat at the same time, and gain plasticity and stretching, go to the pylon studio school. Do not be afraid, no one will undress you there, forcibly drive you to the stage - too. Usually the lesson lasts 1.5 hours, during which you will have time to get a power load, and cardio, and stretching. And this dance is quite an energy-intensive thing. Plus, it builds self-confidence and the valuable skill of walking in heels.

"Rock climbing". If the pylon does not suit you for ideological and political reasons, and the gym is simply boring, you can try to be like a climbing wall. Choose an “institution” organized according to the type of section, there must be a coach there, and ideally, also physical training classes. Training in such a club will help not only achieve the utilitarian goal - to lose weight, build a "dry" muscular body, but also significantly expand the circle of communication and leisure activities.

In general, the ideal mode is one in which you recover and enjoy your workouts, and do not drive yourself into the gym for fear of depriving dinner. So, experiment with the frequency of training, and you will definitely find your “recipe for harmony”.

Elena Selivanova

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How often should you exercise

In any case, the right approach is important. Having decided to go in for sports, you should stick to a certain program and not skip workouts. Often, many visitors to the gym cannot find the optimal number of classes per week. Someone does too little - 1-2 times and does not get the desired results, the other can walk every day and also not see significant changes in the figure. So how many times a week should you go to the gym?

Firstly, you can quickly run out of steam and lose all interest in classes in just a few weeks. Secondly, the muscles need rest to recover, and doing 6-7 times a week, overtraining will inevitably occur and instead of a positive one, you can get a negative effect.

The optimal frequency of sports is 3-4 workouts per week, but these are very average figures, any program should be compiled individually. Consider these factors:

  • the level of physical fitness of a person
  • class load level
  • free time and desire
  • the purpose of the lessons

If you have not previously been involved in sports at all, then you should enter the training regimen gradually, starting with 2-3 workouts per week. Also, do not start frequent visits to the fitness club if you have had a long break in classes. Those who have a lot of experience and are not new to the sport can work out in the gym 4-5 times a week.

But even people with sufficient experience need to adjust their program depending on the load. You can practice only 3 times a week and completely exhaust yourself in training. In this situation, the body must be given a full long rest. And you can reduce the load by 20-30% and distribute them for 5-6 days.

How many times a week should you go to the gym

With the third point, everything is simple, everyone adjusts the program to suit their capabilities. Not everyone has the time and desire to visit the gym 5-6 times a week, in which case training can be reduced to 2-3 times.

Last, but no less important in importance, is the purpose of the classes. And here it is worth dwelling in detail on the various types of training.

How much exercise do you need to lose weight

However, not everyone likes running or walking. Then you can perform strength exercises with light weights at a fast pace. So you can save and tighten muscles, as well as start fat burning processes. The recommended number of weekly workouts is 4-6. And be sure to give yourself at least one day off.

How often to train to gain mass

A thin body with protruding bones, stick legs and twig arms looks ugly regardless of gender and age. In order to pump up muscles and get rid of this aesthetic problem, it is recommended to engage in heavy power mode, namely, try to lift weights close to the maximum for a small range of repetitions. This will help you training program for gaining muscle mass. Muscles will be injured, so the body needs to arrange rest, during which the restoration and growth of muscle tissue occurs.

Engaging 5-6 times a week in this case is impractical, since the body will not recover until the next visit to the gym. Ideally, you should have at least a rest day after each hard workout, so 3-4 times is the optimal number of sessions for a seven-day cycle.

Working to keep in shape

For regular workouts, it is best to visit a fitness club, but you can work out at home. Of course, it is unlikely that you will be able to achieve stunning results at home, but it is quite possible to keep yourself in good shape and even lose a couple of kilograms, if there is a desire and willpower. For more active exercises, you can purchase a neck, a small size range of dumbbells and you can successfully train even outside the gym.

Two important points

There are many different options for 4-day workouts (I will describe some of them in this article), but there are two key factors: the modifications or types of exercises you choose are not particularly important here, the main thing is something else. You need to carry iron at least 4 days a week, and work on a specific muscle group every day. Got it? Now, we can continue.

Why 4-day split workouts are better than all other systems

If your main goal is to build muscle mass, it makes sense to consider one decisive factor in your training - the intensity of your approaches. When I say "intensity" I mean the optimal level of effort that your muscles are working at during one training session. Their stamina and your capabilities are significantly increased compared to more intense workouts that allow you to pump only certain muscles, which are done once a week. Therefore, I recommend choosing exactly a 4-day split for mass. And generally speaking…

Four times a day (weekly) is the most optimal pace for such loads

Split workouts allow you to focus on working on one muscle group during one session, such as pumping your legs. It will also allow your muscles to fully relax, bounce back and even grow, i.e., prepare well for the next session, and this is the most important component for building muscle. Another important point is the increase in muscle mass. If you lose sight of this, then very soon you will overdo it, stop noticing the results of your work, and as a result, regression in everything, both in strength and in muscle growth. But do not go crazy, everything is much simpler than it seems. Let's continue…

You will be interested

4 workouts per week must be attended to increase the amount of muscle mass. The program below is especially effective for owners of an ectomorphic body type. Such fans of a healthy lifestyle easily get rid of excess weight, while building muscle is given to them with great difficulty.

For each workout to be effective, 4 days a week will have to be devoted to strength fitness. The remaining three days can be devoted to a well-deserved rest. It is advisable to combine intensive training with a balanced diet, since only an integrated approach will help achieve impressive results.

No matter how competent the training program is, it will not be easy to do 4 times a week. In order for the body to recover, the duration of sleep should be at least eight hours. It is also necessary to follow a diet that includes all the necessary nutrients.

Each workout should begin with a warm-up that prepares the muscles for a high load. It is advisable to alternate approaches with two-minute breaks. This time can be spent with benefit by devoting it to stretching the muscles. After completing each exercise, you should arrange a three-minute break. All movements must be performed smoothly and accurately.

During the period of building muscle mass, it is desirable to minimize the cardio load. Stretching the duration of training should not be done either, since short, intense sessions are the most effective.

As an addition to the main program, it is recommended to perform exercises on the press. They should be done on days off from work.

Example of a training program

Since you need to train four days a week, you should properly distribute the exercises between classes. The first day of the week should be dedicated to working out the triceps and chest. To do this, you should use a bench press, a dumbbell press on an incline bench and breeding dumbbells in a prone position on a bench.

The second training day is recommended to devote to the back and biceps. The program includes standing and sitting barbell curls, concentrated bicep curls, wide-grip pull-ups, bent-over dumbbell rows, and horizontal rows. Those who can pull up more than ten times in a row should use weights.

The next workout should be started after a daily rest. On it you need to work out the muscles of the thighs. On this day, you need to perform squats, leg extensions, leg presses, leg curls and Romanian raises.

Friday class includes exercises for the development of the calf muscles and the shoulder girdle. The workout plan includes standing and sitting calf raises, shrugs, seated bench press, standing and bent over dumbbell raises.

Review of the best training programs

Numerous visits to bodybuilding websites 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 excite not only beginners, but also quite venerable athletes. Although this is not surprising - it is worth looking at yourself from the side in those days when our main tasks were exclusively building huge muscles, gaining maximum mass, giving volume to the biceps, expressiveness of the chest or the width of the back.

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

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

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

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

Three day workout

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

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

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

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

Wednesday: back and biceps workout

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

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

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

Friday: shoulder and leg work

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

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

What has been done

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

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

This training program provides for the full development of all muscle groups. The training program consists of 4 workouts per week and 9 weeks.

Training program for bodybuilding. The load in the exercises is distributed among all muscle groups as evenly as possible. The program consists of:

  • 9 training weeks (8 core 1 deload)
  • 4 workouts per week.
  • 5-7 exercises in one workout.

The program states:

  • The name of the exercise.
  • The number of sets and repetitions.
  • Rest time between sets.
  • Emphasis on the muscle fiber (head or bundle).

Distribution of muscles by microcycle (split)

In one microcycle, all major muscle groups are trained, the distribution is as follows:

First week- pectoral muscles, legs and shoulders are trained in power mode, the rest - in a more repeated (pump):

  1. Chest muscles and triceps.
  2. Latissimus dorsi and biceps.
  3. Shoulders and trapeze.
  4. Legs.

Second week- the latissimus dorsi, and arms are trained in power mode, the rest - in a more repeated (pump):

  1. Pectoral muscles and anterior bundle of deltoid muscles.
  2. Latissimus dorsi, middle and posterior deltoid muscles.
  3. Hands.
  4. Legs.

As you can see in one week, the chest muscles, legs and shoulders go into a more power mode, they also stand at the beginning of the workout. The next week already, the latissimus dorsi and arms are trained in strength mode, so they move to the beginning of the workout, and the rest of the muscles shift.

It is scrupulous load cycling that is the hallmark of this program. Only the most effective methods and exercises, which are designed in such a way that it is as difficult as possible for the body to adapt to the load, and adaptation (and, accordingly, growth) took place all the time, without stagnation and “plateau”.

Cycling occurs on:

  • Exercise.
  • Approaches.
  • Replays
  • Rest time between sets.
  • Emphasis on the bundle (or head) of the muscle group.
  • Emphasis on fast and slow muscle fibers.

Also in the training there are exercises for OMF (oxidative muscle fibers - slow muscle fibers), but only in the last easy week. These are exercises that were invented and scientifically confirmed by Professor V.N. Seluyanov.

The training program describes:

  • Training days and exercises.
  • The number of sets and repetitions.
  • Rest time between sets, depending on exercise and week.
  • Emphasis on the bundle or head of the muscle.

The program is designed and written to suit most people. Just open the file and start training.

How is this program different from others?

Macrocycling - load cycling for 9 weeks. There are a lot of free workouts on the internet. There's one workout or one week. This program is 9 weeks long. And the load is cycled so that there are no 2 identical workouts. All workouts are different. All weeks are different and are built in such a way as to diversify the training as much as possible and complicate the body's adaptation to the program.

Who will suit?

The program is designed to suit most people. There are no very complex unnecessary or incomprehensible exercises. The training volume and intensity are designed to suit both those with little training experience and those who are advanced.

This program is not suitable for complete beginners, if you are completely new to the site there is for you

Program in the table:

Week 1 Legs, chest, shoulders, back - power. Hands - pump
No. exercise Exercise an approach repeat Accent rest per sec
№1 (Gy+tr)
1 4 8 top 120-240
2 3 10 middle 120-180
3 3 12 top 120-180
4 3 12 external 45-60
5 3 12 long 45-60
No. 2 (wide+bits)
1 Bent over row 4 8 thickness 120-240
2 Medium grip pull-ups 3 10 Width 120-180
3 3 10 width\bottom 120-180
4 3 12 outside + brah 45-60
5 3 12 inside 45-60
No. 3 (shoulders + tr)
1 Seated Dumbbell Press 4 8 front 120-180
2 4 8 average 120-180
3 4 8 rear 120-180
4 Shrugs with a barbell 3 10 ladder 90-120
No. 4 (Legs)
1 3 10 quadric 120-240
2 3 10 quadric 120-180
3 Barbell row with straight legs 3 10 biceps feet 120-180
4 Bending the legs on the simulator 3 10 biceps feet 90-180
5 Standing barbell calves 3 10 caviar 90-120
Week 2 Legs, chest, shoulders, back - pump. Hands - power
No. exercise Exercise an approach repeat Accent rest per sec
No. 1 (Gr + per delt)
1 Dumbbell bench press on a horizontal bench 3 12 middle 60-90
2 3 15 top 45-90
3 2 20 bottom 45-90
4 3 15 before 60-90
No. 2 (width + avg + rear deltas)
1 3 12 width 60-90
2 3 15 thickness 60-90
3 3 12 width\bottom 60-90
4 3 15 average 60-90
5 3 15 rear 60-90
No. 3 (hands)
1 narrow grip press 4 8 long 120-180
2 French bench press 3 10 long 120-180
3 3 10 external 120-180
4 4 8 Vnu+ext 120-180
5 Bending arms with dumbbells with a hammer 3 10 external + bra 120-180
6 3 10 inside 120-180
No. 4 (Legs)
1 leg press 3 12 quadric 90-120
2 Leg extension in the simulator 3 12 quadric 45-60
3 3 12 biceps feet 60-120
4 Bending the legs on the simulator 3 12 biceps feet 45-60
5 Sole on the simulator 3 12 caviar 60-120
6 Shrugs with dumbbells 3 12 ladder 60-120
Week 3 Legs, chest, shoulders, back - power. Hands - pump
No. exercise Exercise an approach repeat Accent rest per sec
№1 (Gy+tr)
1 3 10 middle 120-240
2 3 10 top 120-180
3 Descent of hands on the crossover to the bottom 3 12 bottom 120-180
4 3 12 external 45-60
5 3 15 long 45-60
No. 2 (wide+bits)
1 Incline dumbbell row 3 10 thickness 120-240
2 Wide grip pull-ups 4 8 Width 120-180
3 Reverse Medium Grip Chest Row 3 10 width\bottom 120-180
4 Bending arms with dumbbells with a hammer 3 12 outside + brah 45-60
5 3 15 inside 45-60
No. 3 (shoulders + tr)
1 Seated Barbell Press 3 10 front 120-180
2 3 10 average 120-180
3 3 10 rear 60-90
4 Shrugs with a barbell 4 8 ladder 90-120
No. 4 (Legs)
1 Barbell Squats 4 8 quadric 120-240
2 Narrow stance leg press 4 8 quadric 120-180
3 Barbell row with straight legs 4 8 biceps feet 120-180
4 Bending the legs on the simulator 4 8 biceps feet 90-180
5 Standing barbell calves 4 8 caviar 90-120
Week 4 Legs, chest, shoulders, back - pump. Hands - power
No. exercise Exercise an approach repeat Accent rest per sec
No. 1 (Gr + per delt)
1 Incline Dumbbell Press (30 degrees) 3 12 top 60-90
2 3 15 middle 45-90
3 Seeing hands on the crossover up 2 20 top 45-90
4 3 12 before 60-90
No. 2 (width + avg + rear deltas)
1 Pulldown of the upper block to the chest 3 15 width 60-90
2 Reverse pulldown 3 15 thickness 60-90
3 2 20 thickness 60-90
4 3 12 average 60-90
5 Pulling dumbbells to the side while sitting in an incline 3 12 rear 60-90
No. 3 (hands)
1 Bar push-ups 3 10 long 120-180
2 seated french press 3 12 long 120-180
3 3 12 long 120-180
4 3 10 Vnu+ext 120-180
5 Bending arms with dumbbells with a hammer 3 12 inside 120-180
6 3 12 inside 120-180
No. 4 (Legs)
1 leg press 3 15 quadric 90-120
2 Leg extension in the simulator 3 15 quadric 45-60
3 Dumbbell row on straight legs 3 15 biceps feet 60-120
4 Bending the legs on the simulator 3 15 biceps feet 45-60
5 Sole on the simulator 3 15 caviar 60-120
6 Shrugs with dumbbells sitting 3 15 ladder 60-120
Week 5 Legs, chest, shoulders, back - power. Hands - pump
No. exercise Exercise an approach repeat Accent rest per sec
№1 (Gy+tr)
1 Bench press on an incline bench upside down (30 degrees) 4 8 top 120-240
2 Dumbbell bench press on a horizontal bench 3 10 middle 120-180
3 Seeing hands on the crossover up 3 12 top 120-180
4 Extension of arms on the block with a cord while standing 3 12 external 45-60
5 Extension of the arms on the block while standing alternately each from behind the head 2 20 long 45-60
No. 2 (wide+bits)
1 Bent over row 4 8 thickness 120-240
2 Medium grip pull-ups 3 10 Width 120-180
3 Reverse Medium Grip Chest Row 3 10 width\bottom 120-180
4 Bending arms with dumbbells with a hammer 3 12 outside + brah 45-60
5 Bending the arms on the upper block behind the head 2 20 inside 45-60
No. 3 (shoulders + tr)
1 Seated Dumbbell Press 4 8 front 120-180
2 Barbell row to the chin with an average grip 4 8 average 120-180
3 Dumbbell row to the chest in an inclination with an average grip 4 8 rear 60-90
4 Shrugs with a barbell 4 8 ladder 90-120
No. 4 (Legs)
1 Barbell Squats 4 8 quadric 120-240
2 Narrow stance leg press 4 8 quadric 120-180
3 Barbell row with straight legs 4 8 biceps feet 120-180
4 Bending the legs on the simulator 4 8 biceps feet 90-180
5 Standing barbell calves 4 8 caviar 90-120
Week 6 Legs, chest, shoulders, back - pump. Hands - power
No. exercise Exercise an approach repeat Accent rest per sec
No. 1 (Gr + per delt)
1 Dumbbell bench press on a horizontal bench 3 12 middle 60-90
2 Incline Dumbbell Raise (30 degrees) 3 15 top 45-90
3 Descent of hands on the crossover to the bottom 2 20 bottom 45-90
4 Lifting dumbbells in front of you alternately each 3 20 before 60-90
No. 2 (width + avg + rear deltas)
1 The pull of the upper block behind the head 3 12 width 60-90
2 Reverse pulldown 3 15 thickness 60-90
3 Reverse close grip chest row 3 12 width\bottom 60-90
4 Pulling dumbbells to the side while sitting 3 20 average 60-90
5 Pulling dumbbells to the side while sitting in an incline 3 20 rear 60-90
No. 3 (hands)
1 narrow grip press 4 8 long 120-180
2 French bench press 3 10 long 120-180
3 Extending the arms with a sitting dumbbell 3 10 external 120-180
4 Bending the arms with a piece while standing with an even bar 4 8 Vnu+ext 120-180
5 Bending arms with dumbbells with a hammer 3 10 inside 120-180
6 Bending the arms with dumbbells alternately each on the Scott bench 3 10 inside 120-180
No. 4 (Legs)
1 leg press 2 20 quadric 90-120
2 Leg extension in the simulator 2 20 quadric 45-60
3 Dumbbell row on straight legs 2 20 biceps feet 60-120
4 Bending the legs on the simulator 2 20 biceps feet 45-60
5 Sole on the simulator 2 20 caviar 60-120
6 Shrugs with dumbbells 2 20 ladder 60-120
Week 7 Legs, chest, shoulders, back - power. Hands - pump
No. exercise Exercise an approach repeat Accent rest per sec
№1 (Gy+tr)
1 Bench press on a horizontal bench 3 10 middle 120-240
2 Incline Dumbbell Press (30 degrees) 3 10 top 120-180
3 Descent of hands on the crossover to the bottom 3 12 bottom 120-180
4 Extension of arms on the block with a cord from behind the head 3 12 external 45-60
5 Extension of the arms on the block while standing alternately each 3 12 long 45-60
No. 2 (wide+bits)
1 Incline dumbbell row 3 10 thickness 120-240
2 Wide grip pull-ups 4 8 Width 120-180
3 Reverse Medium Grip Chest Row 3 10 width\bottom 120-180
4 Bending arms with dumbbells with a hammer 3 12 outside + brah 45-60
5 Bending the arms on the lower block 3 12 inside 45-60
No. 3 (shoulders + tr)
1 Seated Barbell Press 3 10 front 120-180
2 Dumbbell row to the chin with an average grip 3 10 average 120-180
3 Bent-over barbell row with medium grip 3 10 rear 60-90
4 Shrugs with a barbell 3 10 ladder 90-120
No. 4 (Legs)
1 Barbell Squats 3 10 quadric 120-240
2 Narrow stance leg press 3 10 quadric 120-180
3 Barbell row with straight legs 3 10 biceps feet 120-180
4 Bending the legs on the simulator 3 10 biceps feet 90-180
5 Standing barbell calves 3 10 caviar 90-120
Week 8 Legs, chest, shoulders, back - pump. Hands - power
No. exercise Exercise an approach repeat Accent rest per sec
No. 1 (Gr + per delt)
1 Incline Dumbbell Press (30 degrees) 3 12 top 60-90
2 Wiring dumbbells horizontal bench 3 15 middle 45-90
3 Seeing hands on the crossover up 2 20 top 45-90
4 raising hands on the block in front of you alternately each 4 12 before 60-90
No. 2 (width + avg + rear deltas)
1 Pulldown of the upper block to the chest 3 15 width 60-90
2 Reverse pulldown 3 15 thickness 60-90
3 Traction of the lower block with a direct grip 2 20 thickness 60-90
4 Retraction of hands to the side on the block 4 12 average 60-90
5 Pulling dumbbells to the side while sitting in an incline 4 12 rear 60-90
No. 3 (hands)
1 Bar push-ups 3 10 long 120-180
2 seated french press 3 12 long 120-180
3 Extension of arms with dumbbells lying down 3 12 long 120-180
4 Bending the arms with a piece standing with a crooked neck 3 10 Vnu+ext 120-180
5 Bending arms with dumbbells with a hammer 3 12 inside 120-180
6 Bending the arms with dumbbells alternately each through the knee 3 12 inside 120-180
No. 4 (Legs)
1 leg press 3 12 quadric 90-120
2 Leg extension in the simulator 3 12 quadric 45-60
3 Dumbbell row on straight legs 3 12 biceps feet 60-120
4 Bending the legs on the simulator 3 12 biceps feet 45-60
5 Sole on the simulator 3 12 caviar 60-120
6 Shrugs with dumbbells sitting 3 12 ladder 60-120
Week 9
No. exercise Exercise an approach repeat Accent rest per sec
№1 (Gy+tr)
1 Incline Dumbbell Press 3 8 top 120-240
2 Descent of hands on the crossover to the bottom 3 10 bottom 120-180
3 Extension of arms on the block with a cord from behind the head 3 12 external 120-180
No. 2 (wide+bits)
1 Incline dumbbell row 3 8 thickness 120-240
2 Reverse Medium Grip Chest Row 3 10 width\bottom 120-180
3 Bending the arms on the lower block 3 12 inside 120-180
No. 3 (shoulders)
1 Seated Barbell Press 3 8 front 120-180
2 Dumbbell row to the chin with an average grip 2 10 average 120-180
3 Bent-over barbell row with medium grip 2 10 rear 120-180