How To Build Muscle MassWith These Weight Training TipsHow to build muscle is something every weight trainer and bodybuilder wants to know. A big problem with training articles in the magazines is that they are incomplete. There isn't enough room to include everything. Weight training routines aren't in a vacuum. You need to understand this when learning how to build muscle. So many different variables affect the results you do or do not get. Just some of those are: 1 - Genetics - how easy or difficult it is for your body to add muscle mass 2 - Leverage - how productive or unproductive specific exercises are for your body type 3 - How intensely you train and how easily you recover 4 - How many meals you eat 5 - When you eat the meals 6 - What your macronutrient percentages are 7 - Quality of food - ie, are your carbs from processed foods or things like fruits and vegetables 8 - How much sleep you get 9 - How many total calories you get These all play a role in understanding how to build muscle and choosing weight training routines to use. That's just a partial list but you get the idea. Different people are always going to get different results, in a different amount of time, from the same weight training routine or nutrition program. While the fundamentals apply to us all, the results will vary, just like people are different heights, etc. You have to judge yourself against yourself when learning how to build muscle and not anybody else. Maximize all the variables to your favor in order to get the best results you can get for yourself. Here's a recent weight training routine that I've put together. I've been doing this routine for the past week and I can tell you this - everything is sore! Here's how it lays out (see below):
Workout #1 Chest, Shoulders, Triceps Decline Bench Press 8 x 8 (30 seconds between sets) Flat Bench Flyes 3 x 15 (30 seconds between sets) Seated Dumbbell Press 8 x 8 (30 seconds between sets) Lateral Raises 3 x 15 (30 seconds between sets) Lying Tricep Extensions 8 x 8 (30 seconds between sets) On the 8 x 8 exercises, I will reduce the rest between sets until I can get 8 x 8 with only 15 seconds between sets. When I can do that, I will up the weight and go back to 30 seconds rest, reduce down to 15, up the weight, etc. On the 3 set exercises, when I can complete all 3 sets of 15 reps I will increase the weight. I will only take 1 minute between exercises. It's a fast paced workout. Workout #2 Legs, Abs Squat 1 x 20 (with my normal 10 rep weight - this is incredibly intense) Leg Curls 3 x 15 (30 seconds rest between sets) Stiff Legged Deadlift 1 x 20 Squat 1 x 20 (much lighter weight than the first set) Standing Calf Raises 8 x 8 (30 seconds rest between sets) Oblique Twists 3 x 15 (30 seconds rest between sets) Weighted Crunches 8 x 8 (30 seconds rest between sets) Reverse Crunches 3 x 15 (30 seconds rest between sets) Workout #3 Back, Biceps, Forearms Chin Ups 8 x 8 (30 second rest between sets) Seated Row 8 x 8 (30 second rest between sets) Pullover 3 x 15 (30 seconds rest between sets) seated High Row 8 x 8 (30 seconds rest between sets) Incline DB Curls 2 x 10 (include rest pause reps at the end of the second set, then partial reps, then stand and do regular curls Incline DB Hammmer Curls 2 x 10 (same intensity techniques as regular curls) I'm breaking down the routine into the following split. Monday - WO 1 Monday - WO 3 As you can see, I am only hitting legs once a week. This is due to the intensity of the 20 rep squat program. You may want to experiment and see if a slightly higher frequency works better for you. You may want to try twice per week and then go to once per week as you increase the weight and intensity. This is a pretty intense program that will work for both muscle building and fat burning as long as your nutrition program is in place. You can check out a whole bunch of weight training articles on how to build muscle mass right here on this site.
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