Sit down, and listen up. I’m going to train you.
You will get big, and you will get strong. But you have to do exactly as I say. Ready? Of course you’re ready! Well then, what are we waiting for…let’s get lifting.
What I’m about to present to you is my 2 year plan for massiveness. It is a step by step, 24 month map to maximizing your muscle mass. I am not playing games here, and this is not hype. This system will work if you follow it.
What does it mean to “follow” this 24 month plan? Ah! Glad you asked. It means:
- Never missing a workout. No excuses. To pack on muscle mass you need to be persistent. Taking weeks off won’t cut it.
- Never missing a meal. Starting to see the big picture yet? Eat to grow, eat to grow. All the hard training in the world won’t matter if you don’t eat properly.
- Trusting in the process. This program works. End of story. Believe and achieve.
Listen, there are a ton of theories and studies on the Interwebz. This plan involves common sense, straight forward hard work. If you jump off my plan every 2 weeks to follow the latest workout program of Mr. Olympia, or to follow the advice of the latest study, you will fail.
Eat, train and believe!
Before You Begin
Master Exercise Form
To become a master of muscle building, you also have to become a student of lifting. Learning proper form is essential. Watch the videos and read the descriptions for exercises listed in the following programs. Practice good form. Ask questions about good form in the forum.
Good form is essential. Training injury-free allows you to grow more quickly. No more bouncing the bar off your chest during bench press. No more cheat curls.
Ab and Bicep Obsession
I understand you want a six pack. I also understand you want big Arnold biceps. So when you peruse my workouts, you will most likely be asking the following questions:
- Where is all the ab work? I treat abs just like I treat every other minor body part, meaning that I DO NOT overtrain abs. You do not need to perform 16 sets of abs 5 times per week. This is not the route to a six pack. A six pack comes from diet, AND a six pack comes after you have first added enough muscle to your physique to frame that six pack and make it look good.
- Where is all the bicep work? Nothing builds bigger arms then heavy, compound lifts. You need to perform big, beefy exercises to build monster arms. Performing 20 sets of curls twice a week isn’t going to help you much. This program focuses on building your arms the fastest way possible, and that’s with heavy, heavy weight using heavy compound lifts.
Stage 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 2 | 10 |
| Bench Press | 2 | 10 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 2 | 10 |
| Seated Barbell Press Behind The Neck (with back support) | 2 | 10 |
| Bent Over Row | 2 | 10 |
| Leg Press | 2 | 10 |
| Leg Curl | 2 | 10 |
| Barbell Curl | 2 | 10 |
| Seated Calf Raise | 2 | 10 |
| Sit Ups | 2 | 10 |
Stand - Stage 2
- Stage Length - 2 weeks.
- Workouts - 3 times per week. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- Goals - Continue to practice exercise form. Add a small amount weight to the bar each week. You should not be challenging yourself with weight yet, and no set should be overly taxing nor close to failure.
The stand stage is a "prep" phase. By slowly adding weight, you will begin to learn about your body's limitations for each exercise. On some exercises, adding 5 pounds will feel like you've added 50. And on some exercises, adding 10 pounds may feel like you've added a feather.
When you do add weight and it still feels incredibly light, make sure to add a bit more then next time you perform the exercise. If it feels too heavy, back off the weight just slightly. During this stage you want to eventually get the the point where you have found a weight that is challenging without being taxing. This is a hard "zone" to define. Basically, you should mentally feel like...wow, if I add just a bit more weight, this is going to get difficult.
Stage 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 2 | 10 |
| Bench Press | 2 | 10 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 2 | 10 |
| Seated Barbell Press Behind The Neck (with back support) | 2 | 10 |
| Bent Over Row | 2 | 10 |
| Leg Press | 2 | 10 |
| Leg Curl | 2 | 10 |
| Barbell Curl | 2 | 10 |
| Seated Calf Raise | 2 | 10 |
| Sit Ups | 2 | 10 |
Walk - Stage 3
- Stage Length - 1 month.
- Workouts - 3 times per week. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- Goals - Systematically add weight, starting to challenge yourself.
It's time to get more aggressive about adding weight. Workouts are now split up, and new variations of exercises are added. Each week you will add 10 pounds to heavier lifts, and 5 pounds to smaller lifts. For some lifts you may approach training to failure, which simply means that you can't complete another rep. If you reach this point with an exercise, do not continue to add any more weight. Continue to use this amount of weight throughout the remainder of the walk stage.
Continue to focus on, and practice quality exercise form. As the weight gets heavier, you may notice that the weight shakes or feels unstable, and it's harder to keep good form. This shakiness will improve in the coming weeks as you gain strength, and is the primary reason why you are not ready to train full steam yet.
You will be performing Workout A and Workout B as follows:
- Week 1 - A, B, A
- Week 2 - B, A, B
- Week 3 - A, B, A
- Week 4 - B, A, B
Stage 3: Workout A
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat +10 | 3 | 10 |
| Bench Press +10 | 3 | 10 |
| Romanian Deadlift +10 | 2 | 10 |
| Bent Over Row +10 | 3 | 10 |
| Barbell Curl +5 | 2 | 10 |
| Sit Ups | 2 | 10 |
Stage 3: Workout B
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Leg Press +10 | 3 | 10 |
| Seated Barbell Press Behind The Neck +5 | 3 | 10 |
| Leg Curl +5 | 2 | 10 |
| Deadlift +10 | 3 | 10 |
| Close Grip Bench Press +5 | 2 | 10 |
| Seated Calf Raise | 2 | 10 |
Charge - Stage 4
- Stage Length - 2 months.
- Workouts - 3 times per week. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- Goals - Time to push yourself and learn your limits! You will be training hard, and training heavy
Play time is over. It's time to push yourself. You will be working as hard as possible on every set of every workout. Try for as many reps as possible without training to failure. Stop a set when you feel like you may fail on the next rep. If you hit 10 reps for a set, do not perform any more reps. When you can perform 10 reps for all the listed sets with a given weight, add more weight!
Exceptions - Do not train near failure for squats and deadlifts. Leave a couple extra reps "in the tank."
Some new exercises have been added for the charge phase. Always keep good form when pushing for more reps. No exceptions.
Stage 4: Monday
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 3 | 6-10 |
| Bench Press | 3 | 6-10 |
| Barbell Rows | 3 | 6-10 |
| Leg Curls | 3 | 8-15 |
| Sit Ups | 3 | 10-25 |
Stage 4: Wednesday
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | 3 | 5 |
| Seated Barbell Press Behind The Neck | 3 | 6-10 |
| Barbell Curls | 3 | 6-12 |
| Seated Calf Raises | 3 | 8-20 |
| Side Bends | 2 | 8-15 |
Stage 4: Friday
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Leg Press | 3 | 8-20 |
| Close Grip Bench Press | 3 | 6-10 |
| Pull Up or Lat Pull Downs | 3 | 6-10 |
| Romanian Deadlifts | 3 | 6-10 |
| Sit Ups | 3 | 10-25 |
Crush - Stage 5
- Stage Length - 4 months.
- Workouts - 3 times per week. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- Goals - You are learning about your body, and its strengths and weaknesses. During the crush stage you will live for progression - adding more reps and weight, using good form.
This will be a great period for muscle and strength gains. Workouts will be hard, focusing on a greater volume of heavy compound lifts. Continue to try for as many reps as possible without training to failure. Stop a set when you feel like you may fail on the next set. If you hit the top recommended rep range for a set, do not perform any more reps. When you can perform the top recommended rep range for all the listed sets with a given weight, add more weight!
Exceptions - Do not train near failure for squats and deadlifts. Leave a couple extra reps "in the tank."
Please notice the addition of a 20 rep set of squats on Friday. During this set, it is recommended that you take several deep breaths in between each rep. This single set will be brutal - and brutally effective!
5x5 Exercises - 5x5 exercises are performed as follows:
- Set 1 - 60% of working weight for 5 reps.
- Set 2 - 80% of working weight for 5 reps.
- Sets 3-5 - 100% of working weight for 5 reps.
No NOT worry if you can't complete 5 reps for all sets. Keep pushing until you can, and then add weight!
Stage 5: Monday
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 5 |
| Bench Press | 5 | 5 |
| Barbell Rows | 5 | 5 |
| Leg Curls | 3 | 8-15 |
| Sit Ups | 3 | 10-25 |
Stage 5: Wednesday
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | 5 | 5 |
| Seated Barbell Press Behind The Neck | 5 | 5 |
| Barbell Curls | 3 | 6-12 |
| Seated Calf Raises | 3 | 8-20 |
| Side Bends | 2 | 8-15 |
Stage 5: Friday
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squats | 1 | 20 |
| Close Grip Bench Press | 5 | 5 |
| Pull Up or Lat Pull Downs | 3 | 6-10 |
| Romanian Deadlifts | 5 | 5 |
| Sit Ups | 3 | 10-25 |
Destroy - Stage 6
- Stage Length - 16 months.
- Workouts - 4 times per week. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
- Goals - By the end of this stage, you should have gained upwards of 25 pounds of muscle in 2 years, as well as being strong as an ox.
Time for a change. You are lifting heavier weights, and taxing your CNS. You will be moving to a 4 day split routine. This split will focus on a variety of rep ranges, helping you to maximize hypertrophy (muscle growth). Continue to push yourself on every set, adding more reps and weight when you can. Also continue to refrain from training to failure.
For the next 16 months, you will be using the following sets and rep ranges, and progression patterns:
- 2 sets x 4-6 reps. Use the same weight for both sets. When you can perform 6 reps for BOTH sets, add weight.
- 2 sets x 6-12 reps. Use the same weight for both sets. When you can perform 12 reps during your first set, add weight the next time in the gym. If you complete 12 reps on your first set, do NOT add weight for the second set.
- 2 sets x 12-15 reps. Use the same weight for both sets. When you can perform 15 reps during your first set, add weight the next time in the gym. If you complete 15 reps on your first set, do NOT add weight for the second set.
You will be using the following training split:
- Monday - Chest, Biceps and Abs
- Tuesday - Quads, Hamstrings and Calves
- Thursday - Shoulders, Triceps and Abs
- Saturday - Back, Traps and Rear Delts
Stage 6: Monday
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bench Press | 2 | 4-6 |
| Bench Press | 2 | 6-12 |
| Incline Barbell or Incline Dumbbell Press | 2 | 6-12 |
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 2 | 6-12 |
| Dumbbell Flyes | 2 | 12-15 |
| Standing Barbell Curl | 2 | 6-12 |
| Seated Dumbbell Curl | 2 | 6-12 |
| Concentration Curl | 2 | 12-15 |
| Weighted Sit Up | 3 | 10-25 |
Stage 6: Tuesday
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 2 | 4-6 |
| Squat | 2 | 6-12 |
| Leg Press | 2 | 6-12 |
| Leg Extension | 2 | 12-15 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 2 | 4-6 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 2 | 6-12 |
| Leg Curl | 2 | 12-15 |
| Standing or Seated Calf Raise | 2 | 10-20 |
Stage 6: Thursday
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Seated Behind The Neck Press | 2 | 4-6 |
| Seated Dumbbell Press | 2 | 6-12 |
| Upright Row | 2 | 6-12 |
| Side Lateral Raise | 2 | 12-15 |
| Close Grip Bench Press | 2 | 4-6 |
| Skullcrushers or Seated French Press | 2 | 6-12 |
| Tricep Extension | 2 | 12-15 |
| Hanging Leg Raises | 3 | 10-25 |
Stage 6: Saturday
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | 2 | 4-6 |
| Barbell Rows | 2 | 6-12 |
| Pull Up or Lat Pull Down | 2 | 6-12 |
| Dumbbell Row or Seated Cable Row | 2 | 6-12 |
| Straight Arm Lat Pull Down | 2 | 12-15 |
| Dumbbell or Barbell Shrugs | 3 | 6-12 |
| Bent Over Reverse Flyes | 3 | 12-15 |
Diet Plans
It's time to eat. I will remind you that this "get huge" plan is not for the ab obsessed. I have provided several different eating options, some more aggressive then others. You will put on some fat during these 2 years, but keep in mind that the fewer calories you eat, the harder muscle building becomes. In most cases, even with the most aggressive eating plan, you should be gaining more muscle then fat.
If you make great muscle gains during your first year of training (and you should!), I recommend sticking with a more moderate diet during year two. The more muscle you gain in your first year of training, the less muscle you will gain in year two. So there is no sense overeating in year two of this plan.
If muscle/weights gains are coming too slow for you, there is only one thing to do - eat more! If you find that you are packing on pounds too rapidly, there is only one thing to do - eat less!
On the average, a trainee can gain around 16 pounds of muscle during his first year of training and 8 pounds during his second. Make it a goal to gain 2 pounds each month during year one, and one pound each month during year two. This would be a total gain of 24 pounds of muscle and only 12 pounds of fat. And that is an incredible amount of muscle mass! The extra few pounds of fat can be lost rapidly during a cut, but the muscle mass lasts a lifetime.
Find Your Maintenance Level
Muscle building requires that you learn about your own body. You must find out what your daily caloric maintenance level is to be successful with this plan. Simply stated, you need to find out how many calories you can eat per day without gaining or losing weight. How do you do this? Here is my suggestion...eat exactly 3500 calories per day for 2 weeks. No more, no less.
If you gain weight during this period, cut back by 300 calories per day and watch the scale again. If you lose weight during this period, add 300 daily calories. Continue "zeroing in" until the scale holds steady. This is your daily caloric maintenance level.
Now that you know your "maintenance level", it's time to pick a bodybuilding diet. Here are your choices:
- The Moderate Bodybuilding Diet. On the average, eat 300 calories above your daily maintenance level.
- The Aggressive Bodybuilding Diet. On the average, eat 500 calories above your daily maintenance level.
- The Zig Zag Bodybuilding Diet. On non-training days, eat your daily maintenance level. On training days, eat 500-600 calories above your daily maintenance level.
Which plan is best for you? This is a very complicated question. I will make some general suggestions, but you must understand that these suggestions are not be-all, end-all answers. You must still be wiling to monitor the scale and make appropriate adjustments.
- If you easily gain fat, start with the moderate diet.
- If you have a hard time gaining weight, start with the aggressive diet.
- If you feel you're about average, it's ok to try any diet plan.
How Much Protein Should You Eat?
Good question! In general, I recommend eating at least 30 to 40 grams of protein every 2.5 to 3 hours. There are a wide variety of dieting approaches in the bodybuilding realm. My simple recommendation is to eat your daily protein, make sure you eat enough healthy fats, and consume the rest of your calories in carbs. You can count grams if you want, but it is not necessary for this program. It IS necessary to eat enough, and that should be your primary focus.
Get Huge Fast Supplement Plan
The "Get Huge Fast" supplement plan is a template. Times are provided for example purposes only. Adjust it as needed:
- 6 am - Upon Waking - 5 grams of BCAAs and 5 grams of glutamine.
- 6:30 am - 1 gram fish oil, multivitamin.
- Noon - 1 gram fish oil.
- 2:30 pm - 40 grams of waxy maize (with whey protein drink).
- 3:00 pm - 30 minutes Pre-workout - 5 grams of BCAAs, 5 grams of creatine, nitric oxide supplement.
- 3:30 pm - Workout.
- 4:30 pm - Post-Workout - 5 grams of BCAAs, 5 grams of glutamine, 5 grams of creatine, 40 grams of waxy maize.
- 5:30 pm - 1 gram fish oil.
- 8:30 pm - Before Bed - 5 grams of glutamine, ZMA.
Optional - Beta- Alanine. Promising research is revealing a synergistic relationship between creatine and beta-alanine. Beta-alanine must be taken every 4 hours at approximately 750 to 800 mgs. It also also a good idea to supplement with taurine when using beta-alanine. For more information on the beta-alanine/creatine stack, please read: Stacking Creatine and Beta-Alanine For Better Results.
479 Comments
There's no text in Phase 1? did this got taken away?
Hi Steve
ive just turned 45 wanting to try this 2year plan . Please could you let me know if i need to tailor anything as of my age or is there anything i should be aware of being middle aged ? just want to stay safe and healthy for future years
many thanks
Kevin
Hey Steeve, thanks for this amazing post!
I really like how you explained the stuff, simple and inspiring. I don't try to argue with you at all, I'm a noob :D but I always thought that the more I will work out the faster I'll get bigger. Your saying just won't get out of my head
"Don't add additional sets to these workouts. Adding in another arm day isn't going to speed up the arm building process. Adding in another chest day isn't going to speed up chest building. Muscle building isn't simply..."do more, get more." Muscle building requires recovery, sleep, food AND weight training."
I can't make myself believe(because I am not educated in this field I guess) that this is true :)
I am working out 6 times a week, and I feel myself either an idiot that I do this to my body, or a hero because I thought I'd get bigger faster.
I would appreciate if you could share some links about muscle growth in human body(like, why muscles won't grow faster if adding another arm day etc.). Once again I am not arguing with you, just can't make myself believe.
Thank you,
Cheers!
Has anyone tried this plan on keto? I am curious how that would work out.
In the Crush Stage, for the 20 squat reps - what percentage of working weight should these be done at? Apologies if someone already asked this. Thanks
Hi Steve, I have been using this workout routine for 5 months. I've been using 70% working weight and this works best for me.
Best Regards
Hi,
I've been working out for nearly 2 years. Progressed quite a lot but find it hard to bulk.
I'm bulking at the moment and it's not really working. I've got another month left and then I'm going to start cutting. Could I use the first 3 months of the program as a cut and do cardio on off days and start at phase 4 for the bulking. ? Also is there any good foods to help bulk.
Thanks luke
I am excited about starting this program. I was just wondering if the are any warm up sets needed before performing any of the heavy sets if you have warmed up with some cardio? Sorry if this sounds like a stupid question.
Hey Steven,
This seems to be a very good workout routine and I plan on following it. But noticed there seems to be only one major chest workout. Do the compound lifts make up for that or should I add a couple lifts for the chest?
Steve Shaw,
After looking for endless days, I really like this workout routine. I want to give it a try. With my job, I would be able to accomplish stages 1-5, but with stage 6 changing to 4 days.... I wouldn't be able to finish out the last 16 months. Is there any way of working around that issue, or am I just dead in the water. Thanks for taking the time to read this comment.
Thank you for this post. I have been lifting for the last year and recently took a few weeks off with just some dumbbell workouts here and there. This program and guide is just what I was looking for. I started it this week and will post my progress!
My Question for you is I am 6'3" 226 and my home scale says 22%BF When looking into a BB meal plan. To I base my intake off of 226 or the minus 22% and somewhere around 175 lbs. Would you recommend I do 500 cal over my recommended calorie intake?
Hi Steve,
Under stage 6, when you have the same exercise on the same day with 2 different rep ranges (e.g.-bench 2 sets, 4-6 reps, and bench 2 sets 6-12) are these using the same weight for all sets? Are you supposed to go heavier on the 4-6 and then pull of X% weight for the 6-12 sets?
Thanks!
Hey Steve, I'll be starting the crush stage tomorrow, and I was curious what "working weight" is. Is that my one rep max? Or is it the weight I have currently been using? Thanks!
Hi Steve,
I'm a beginner in all of this document excuse my questions. I can't work out on the days you listed in the first stage. I can work out Sunday, Monday, and Thursday. Is that fine? And isn't whey protein bad on the long term?
Steve,
The information that you provide is phenomenal! About to pick up a copy of Massive Iron as well! Just wanted to gather your thoughts on how someone should jump in to this program that is not a beginner. Not sure if it would be optimal to start at a later Stage, or if just as beneficial to start from the beginning.
Thanks!
Brian
Thanks Brian!
For non-beginners I would probably just jump to Stage 4. As long as you are pushing at this Stage you should see some decent process. You won't need the earlier stages.
Hi Steve. I have been training on and off for 20 years and I just found this website and have been making gains in size and strength since following your routines. I was wondering if you still do custom diets as this is the area I struggle with most and how much would it cost? Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
Most well-written, simple, easy to understand plan I've read for a newbie. Thanks a ton!
I don't have a leg press machine can I substitute a different workout?
Steve i am 16 years old and if u can steve please give me a Month plan i am 58 kg and 1,75m please
hi Steve.
i have been working for a year and i am 18 years old with 185 height and 65 weight.
i want to get a huge body and i tried different kinds of exercise programs and i new all the exercises but i haven't succeeded yet. i am also working heavy almost 90 pounds in bench or ect, i started using gainer and i have a good meal program but i dont now why i dont get bigger body help me with you good advice.
and also help me that form which stage should i start
thanks Walid.
Hi, I'm following this plan and I'm getting close to Stage 4 and have a question about it. It says "If you hit 10 reps for a set, do not perform any more reps." but yet you have suggested 8-20 reps on Seated Calf raises, leg press or Side bends 8-15 reps. Is there a reason for that? Thanks.
I want to gain mass, and I agree 100% with the amounts of dead lifts and squats, but tricep exercise and bicep and back and shoulder excersie Im not really convinced with those, is this really work? I mean no military press? no cable triceps extension? There are a lot of things missing, and for the amount of time this plan need I would really love to see results and not just waste my time.
hi steve,
i was just curious if this program is for me, i have been working out for almost 2 years, 5 days a week and i am looking to add size, definition and strength. so when you say this is for natural bodybuilding, if you have your diet and nutrition in check and you follow this program, will you be gaining muscle and chiseled definition at the same time? or will this program make you look like what a lot of power lifters or strong men look like which is puffy without a lot of definition but very strong? also which stage would you recommend i begin with? thanks! also love your youtube videos!
Can this be used if you are trying to lose tat as well.
Is it necessary to have all those supplements?.
Hi Steve first of all ur article is a masterpiece. I left for one year now I started at a gym.but due.to late work hours I left the.gym, bought dumbbells and now training at home. Do u think this is.enough.or I have to.join a gym again?
If women do this regime with more reps and maybe a slower weight progression would we also gain so much wt/muscle over the years? I don't want to gain that much muscle, but to tone up and build overall muscle! Thx
Hi steve
Great plan for long term ..How should we get to kw I have gain muscle mass r fat .. how to measure that ...
Hi steve
Great plan for long term ..How should we get to kw I have gain muscle mass r fat .. how to measure that ...
Steve,
I really hope you still respond to this. But I have a problem with one of my shoulders, and I cannot do behind the head barbell military press. If I do in front of the head will I get the same results?
On Stage 3, "Walk", it states that i will add 10 lbs to heavier lifts and 5 lbs to smaller lifts. Does this mean add an additional 10 & 5 on top of what ive added before? for example starting squat weight is 135. week 1 i would be doing squats on mondays and friday. lets say monday i add 10 to 135, my weight that day would be 145. would i then add 10lbs on friday? and then the next week would i add 10 additional lbs everyday i do squats?
This plan looks great, and I know there's always an emphasis on not missing workouts. However I tend to stress about not sleeping and I turn, don't sleep. Normally missing a full 8 hrs (the night after a workout) a night a week, or missing almost the entire night multiple times a week. Would you advise training after not having slept the night before?
How do you periodise this? Do you have down weeks between/during stages?
Hey Steve,
Thank you for the great routine! I would consider myself an intermediate fitness athlete, I'm familiar with most exercises and their correct form. So my question is, since I have already worked with a big variety of work out routines with each of them having different aspects and characteristics, would you still recommend this work out plan to me or is it really more suited for beginning lifters?
Thank you again, also for the many other great articles you write!
Hi
Im not sure if i will get answer as this was posted 4years ago but basically i workout out at home so cant do leg press so should i just do more squats or leg curls or something?? Thanks for the plan by the way i been looking for years for a proper play so thanks.
Please help
Chris
Great program steve! Good well explained details on the techniques! My question is after im done with the whole program wat then?? Do I restart the whole prgram again and still get results?? Ots too overwhelling to make my own workout program....thx steve
Steve, i'm 46 years old, l have been working out for a year. I have not had a lot of gains, I am trying your program and wanted to know if I should do Cardio on the days i'm not lifting, I have a belly so I wanted to try and trim that down a bit. Thank you
Hey Steve, Great article. Was planning on jumping on this plan since I recently got back into weight lifting after standard PT from a motorcycle accident. Just had a quick question to ask regarding this article and how I should jump into it at this point, here's a background.
Prior to my accident I was sitting at 164lbs with a height of 5' 7".
I was able to do 3-5 reps @225lbs incline bench press and 2-3 reps @315 for a past parallel back squat.
Started lifting in high school and while I built strength incredibly fast from a 125lb 1 rep max @ 115lbs to 185 1 rep max @130lbs in 9 weeks. From there I raised myself to near 200lbs and having a maximum weight of 135lbs even though I was easily consuming over 3000 calories a day. Had the luxury 2.5 years ago to get in a military bod pod and have my caloric burn at rest measured. Turns out at 22 years old I was burning 2980 some calories according to the pod's calculations at the start of the morning (having been instructed to not do any exercise 48 hours prior to).
That being said it was apparent that I had to increase my caloric intake to gain any weight even though I was lifting at the gym approximately 5 times a week and consuming as much food as my 6 foot friend (minus the chocolate he fancied) who weighed 190lbs.
Increasing my consumption to 3700-3800 calories a day had me shoot up from the mid 130s to the 160s.
So my question here is should I consume more than your suggested 4000 calories suggested in your other article?
Also my rotator cuff still has some flexibility/tendinitis in it and I am only capable of benching painlessly at shoulder width or closer (essentially close grip bench press) at the moment. I've rehabbed my right knee back to a painless state with squats from 3 weeks of alternating leg press with squats.
Should I stick to this routine as is listed? Or seeing how I have previous lifting experience should I skip any of your early phases listed?
Thanks!
Jack
I actually just went ahead and started on phase 2 except I added 1 set to each movement and made it so that I went ahead and blew out too maximum reps on the first sets and adjusted weight to be at 1-2 reps prior to failure for sets 2 and 3. Been eating a good bit every day so I had plenty of energy to pump out for the workout routine in this way. I'll stick with this for the suggested two weeks and bring down the intensity during the last two sessions in preparation for phase 3.
Hi again steve,
Can u give me an alternative schedule to use after finishing this?
I tought about this one:
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/4-day-power-muscle-burn-worko...
You said: ''I used it for 10 years'', I am curious why you don't switch any exercises? because of the difference reps?
Another greetz from me, Bo
Hi steve,
In the last stage do I have to repeat the same exercises? Isn't just better to switch between exercises to grow? Just asking:)
Greets Bo
Hi Steve so this workout plan would b great for me since I'm just starting even with a over active metabolism
I consume about 2000-2500 calories a day is it OK?
Hey Steve, thanks man for this article, I am 186 cm & only 64 KG so obviously I need a lot of mass especially Muscle mass. I have several questions though:
1- Regarding supplements when should I introduce supplements for example I don't think for phase I it would be appropriate or reasonable to take full supplements, etc.
2- I train boxing 3 times a week (1-1.5 Hours) on Saturdays, Sundays and Tuesdays whats your thoughts about maybe I will be doing so much cardio and training days?
3- Regarding diet do you recommend 6 meals or so or I just can eat 3-4 +pre & post workout shakes
4- I want to start now but i am going for a 5 days vacation outside country and there will be no gym access should i start or wait till i get back, and again i travel a lot and this is a 2 years plan so what should i do to overcome this issue?
Thanks in advance man, its a very useful thread though
This workout blows!
I'm looking to get fast results before baseball season ready to start training hard I'm weak right now and need to get tremendously stronger is this the program for me?
You will get big, and you will get strong. But you have to do exactly as I say. Ready? Of course you’re ready! Well then, what are we waiting for…let’s get lifting. http://buildmusclesupplements.org/no2-maximus-review/
Hi Steve
I want to follow the supplement plan but is this just for workout days or every day
Thanks chris
hey im deployed in afghanistan nutrition sucks here im 105 lbs suggestions advice @ doing this program thanks man