As a strength and conditioning coach I have been asked many times “how can I quickly gain muscle?” For those who find it hard to build muscle I have found this is because people spend too much time in the gym and therefore either don’t work intensely enough or end up over training.
I designed a program for trainees with at least 6 months experience, enabling them to gain 2-4kg of muscle in 4 weeks and a gain a lot more free time.
The Program
Warm up for 10 minutes.
Then make sure that all of your exercises have 3 warm up sets:
- 10 reps at 25% working weight (20kg if you Bench Press 80kg)
- 5 reps at 50% working weight (40kg if you Bench Press 80kg)
- 2 reps at 75% working weight (60kg if you Bench Press 80kg)
This is in order to stimulate your nervous system to lift heavy.
Day 1 i.e. Tuesday
- Clean and Press – 2 sets of 6-8 reps
- Squats – 1 set of 6-12 reps, 1 set of 20 reps
- T-Bar or Bar Bell or Seated Row (underarm grip) 1 set 6-8 reps, 1 set of 10-12 reps
- Bench Press – 1 set 6-8 reps, 1 set of 12-15 reps
- Swiss Ball Crunch – 2 sets of 10-12 reps
Stay out of the weights room for 3 or 4 days then do:-
Day 2 i.e. Saturday
- Deadlift – 2 sets of 8-10 reps
- Parallel Bar Dips (Use the assist if necessary) 1 set of 6-8 reps, 1 set of 12-15 reps
- Wide Pull-Up (Use the assist if necessary) 1 set of 6-8 reps, 1 set of 12-15 reps
- Dumb Bell Shoulder Press – 1 set of 6-8 reps 1 set of 10-12 reps
- Weighted Sit Ups – 2 sets 10-12 reps
Rules
· Have 2 to 3 minutes rest between working sets.
· Have 3 to 4 minutes rest between exercises.
· Do not stretch before weight training.
· Stretch either after weight training or after cardio sessions.
This is a two day a week program with two to four days rest after each session.
Speeding Up Recovery
On 2 of your 5 days off do some conditioning work; like a jog, a bike ride, a row, some cross training or boxing training – something that gets a little blood pumping but nothing too intense. This will help speed up recovery and push much needed blood and nutrients into the muscle cells.
Final Points
This program will enable your body to stimulate excellent protein synthesis and large amounts of growth hormone. In order to capitalise on such a great training program and build muscle fast, you must:
- Eat a lot of nutrient dense whole fresh foods.
- Consume a minimum of 3g per kg of body weight of protein daily.
- Consume a lot of carb and protein rich foods post workout.
- Be asleep before 10.30pm to take advantage of your biggest growth hormone release of the day.
If you are thinking “no way can this be enough” try it and see how much muscle you build and how much strength you gain.
Live Strong & Prosper
Disclaimer: It is wise to see your doctor before starting any exercise or nutrition program.
Copyright © by Professional Whey
Day 2 i.e. Saturday
Rules
10 Responses
July 1st, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Not bad for beginners!!! Try the exact workouts in a cycle for 5-6 sets with 10 reps for intermediate to experienced lifters!!! This styles adds muscle and burns fat, and is basically the same as a training system called Crosfit (www.crossfit.com). This systems makes you extremly fit and add it once or twice per week to break up your routine!!!
April 11th, 2010 at 6:52 pm
I find it interesting that you state the short reps before the long reps (ie. do 6-8 reps then 12-15 reps).
I have traditionally always done it the other way round (15, 12, 10, 8, 6 etc.), but i guess the reasoning behind your suggested method is so the muscle is fresh when your lifting your heaviest?
Or do you want us to lift the same weight on the 12-15 that we do on the 6-8?
Thinking of adapting your workout but with my own excersises, i usually do weights every day but tend to think that im over training. (different muscles each day of course)
Heres what im thinking atm.
Mon- Chest/tri/shoulders (although i usually try and keep shoulders seperate from chest)
Wed- Back/bi
Fri- Legs
Its hard cramming it all into 3 days when im used to 5!
Cheers
Alex
April 11th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
Hi Rob
Your right in that it will get you fit and lean. However in terms of growth i think it would be too much of a catabolic seed in order to bring about the anabolic response to trigger the growth this program creates.
Living Strong
Stephen
April 11th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
Hi Alex
The lower rep range is given to stimulate type 2b fibres (powerful explosive) and the higher rep range is to get growth hormone stimulated whilst hitting the type 2a fibres (hypertrophy). This also helps to flush the muscles with blood and nutrients after the power rep range.
Your question of “do you want us to lift the same weight on the 12-15 that we do on the 6-8?” My answer is No!
In regards to say chins and dips, if you can, this is what I do. I use a weight around my waist, with a weighted belt with around 30-40kg and get out 6-8reps and then I would use no or little weight to do the 12-15 reps.
Everyday training is seriously too much for all your systems, (muscular, immune, endocrine and nervous). It will leave you very overtrained.
3 day splits are fine but play around with a some full body workouts….I think the body appreciates them more….and heres a tip, 12-20 sets per workout is more than enough to get the positive anabolic response.
Living Strong
Stephen
April 11th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
Ah ok, ive done the high/low rep workouts before, usually week to week rather than on the same day though.
its funny, generally they say 8-12 builds muscle, yet this is a muscle building routine that has 6-8 (strength) and 12-15 (endurance)?
Yeah i too like the full body workouts, never have i been so screwed over from an hour at the gym (snatch and grabs), but at the moment im fairly limited in my home gym setup, i only have:
Dip station/chinup station
FID bench with preacher curl
Dumbbells
lol wow its pretty pityfull when i list it like that, but yeah no barbells or ezi curls in my home gym. Just havent got the room.
Any excersise suggestions?
Cheers
Alex
April 11th, 2010 at 7:57 pm
Alex
For weighted chins and dips squeeze a dumbell between your legs, if you havent got the weighted belt/vest.
Making use of the dumbells, you can do dumbell deadlifts/squats dumbell sumo squats, dumbell rows, dumbell bench rows (chest laying on a 45 or 35 degree incline bench), one arm dumbell rows.
The workout above is perfect for you as long as you have the weight on your dumbells….If not then do one legged and one armed exercises. i.e one legged squats, one arm push press, one arm shoulder press etc.
Hope that helps
Stephen….Living Strong
April 15th, 2010 at 7:01 pm
Hi Stephen,
Interesting routine. I only understand the comination of rest, nutrition and exercise at a basic level.
Just to clarify, for each exercise you do 3 warm up sets and then then the exercise at max weight and second set at 10-20 reps at a reduced weight, say 50-70% max? So it is really 5 sets of each exercise, varying the weight each time I think.
Thanks,
JP
April 15th, 2010 at 7:08 pm
JP
You pretty much got it! However follow the guidelines for each exercise. It is 5 sets but 3 are to just get your nervous system and muscular system primed and into the groove without causing injury, whilst increasing performance.
I always get strength breakthroughs with this style of training and the muscle growth just follows.
Enjoy
Stephen….Living Strong
August 9th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
Hey Stephen
This looks good. I am about to get back into training after about a two weeks off (after training for about a year) and I wanted to try this. However, I like to have a longer term training plan (say 3 months) as it gives me a longer term goal and helps keep me motivated. What is a good program that I can follow this up with?
Cheers
Harry
August 25th, 2010 at 5:56 am
totally agree with this “Fast Muscle Building Program”. low reps, lots of weight, lots of rest and lots of eating!
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