Gym Rat Joe: It's Time for that Routine to Go!

Walk into any gym, and you will find an army of lifters performing the same old, same old routine. You know the routine…first hit the bench press, then knock out some flyes and/or pec deck flyes.

Then it’s on to bicep curls. Gym Rat Joe places the barbell in the squat rack (and why not, no one at the gym squats anyway except for that one big guy), and proceeds to knock out set after set of bicep curls. Staring at the mirror, he frequently flexes his biceps and chest, convinced that he’s making progress.

Finally, it’s time for abs. Gym Rat Joe knocks out 2 sets of sit-ups. Deciding that they are just too darn hard, he switches to twists and side bends. Then, one last set of sit-ups because he’s determined to get a 6-pack.

The next day, Joe works back and shoulders. Of course, the workout begins with lat pulldowns, and then proceeds to low pulley rows. After a brief, and extremely ineffective back blitzing, Gym Rat Joe grabs the 20 pound dumbbells and performs front, side, and bent-over laterals.

Checking the clock, he realizes that his workout is over and it only took 30 minutes. What to do, what to do? More ab work! Gym Rat Joe farts around the weight room for another 20 minutes, doing a few sets of sit-ups. In between sets, he catches glimpses of himself – and the girls on the treadmill – in the mirror.

The following day, Joe rests and recovers. Then it’s back to the gym for chest, biceps and abs.

Dump That Routine!

Honestly, I’m not sure how this routine developed. Maybe it’s genetic, or instinctual. Most likely, it’s just Gym Rat Joe doing the best he can – performing exercises he’s familiar with.

Gym Rat Joe, it’s time for that routine to go!

It’s time to break out of your comfort zone, and learn a few new exercises. I know the lack of progress is making you sick. If you really want a monster chest, beach biceps, a 6-pack, and quads the size of monster truck tires, then listen up! I’m here to put you on the right track.

Step 1: Forget Everything You Know About Weight Training

You heard me correctly. Empty your brain of everything you’ve learned from other Gym Rat Joe’s. Following the advice of a bunch of no muscle twerps is a fool’s game.

The only thing you’re doing right at the moment is bench pressing. But one exercise alone won’t pack on much muscle.

Step 2: It’s Time to Learn about Heavy, Compound Lifts

You need to start with the basics, and the basics are heavy, compound lifts. These lifts include:

• Chest. Bench Press, Incline Bench Press, Dips, Decline Bench Press, Dumbbell Bench Press
• Shoulders. Overhead Press, Upright Rows, Arnold Press
• Triceps. Closegrip Bench Press, Skullcrushers
• Back. Deadlifts, Yates Rows, Barbell Row, Dumbbell Row, Low Pulley Row, T-Bar Row, Pull-ups
• Biceps. Barbell Curls, Dumbbell Curls
• Traps. Power Shrugs, Barbell Shrugs, Dumbbell Shrugs
• Quads. Squats, Front Squats, Leg Presses, Lunges, Leg Extensions
• Hamstrings. Romanian Deadlifts, Hamstring Curls
• Calves. Seated or Standing Calf Raises
• Abs. Weighted Sit-ups, Leg Lifts

Muscle and Strength has plenty of resources that can help you learn these lifts. And if you have questions, please hit the forums and ask. You want to familiarize yourself with each exercise on this list, and learn proper form.

Step 3: Time for a Makeover

Now that you’re armed with heavy compound lifts, it’s time for a training routine makeover. As a beginner, you don’t need to get fancy to pack on muscle mass. I’ve provided you with two possible routines. Pick one and stick with it.

Each routine tells you how many exercises to choose for each day. Do NOT add in more. More is not better – better is better.

Full Body Workout

Routine 1: The Full Body Workout

You will hit the gym 3 times a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Monday

• Squats, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Bench Press, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Back Exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Shoulder Exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Hamstring exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• 2 sets of Ab work

Wednesday

• Deadlift, 2 sets of 4-8 reps
• Dips, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Back Exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Shoulder Exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Tricep Exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Bicep Exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps

Friday

• Squats, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Bench Press, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Back Exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Shoulder Exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Hamstring exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• 2 sets of Calf work

2 Day Split

Routine 2: The Split

You hit the gym 4 times a week, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Monday

• Bench Press, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Chest exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Shoulder Exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Tricep Exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• 2 sets of Calf work
• 2 sets of Ab work

Tuesday

• Squats, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Quads exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Hamstring exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 2 Back exercises, 2 sets of 6-10 reps per exercise
• Pick 1 Bicep exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps

Thursday

• Bench Press, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Chest exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Shoulder Exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Tricep Exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• 2 sets of Calf work
• 2 sets of Ab work

Friday

• Deadlift, 2 sets of 4-8 reps
• Squats, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Quads exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Hamstring exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pick 1 Back exercises, 2 sets of 6-10 reps per exercise
• Pick 1 Bicep exercise, 2 sets of 6-10 reps

Lift, Eat and Grow

Rule 4: Progression: The Road to Growth

Want to grow? I’ll give you the golden key to the kingdom of massive muscle: it’s called progression of weight.

Push for more reps on every set you perform. No excuses! And when you have reached the upper rep range for that exercise, move up in weight. It’s that simple.

Rule 5: Eat at Least 5 Times a Day

To grow muscle, you need to change the way you eat. Eat every 2.5 to 3 hours, and make sure you get at least 25-30 grams of protein with each meal. Protein sources can include chicken, tuna, salmon, cheese, dairy products, beef, beef jerky, eggs, nuts, peanut butter, protein shakes and protein bars.

You’ll also want to make sure you are eating the proper amount of vegetables, fruits and healthy fats.

One other key point – you need to learn to out-eat your metabolism. If the scale isn’t moving, odds are you’re not gaining weight. Count your daily calories, and add 500 to that total. If you’re still not gaining weight, add another 500.

This is Only the Start

The information provided in this article is only a start. It’s meant to get you on the right track; the path to more muscle. Natural bodybuilding is a lifestyle. You must learn all you can about this lifestyle if you want to grow.