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Workout Summary
Download WorkoutWorkout Description
It’s all about the mass, am I right?
If you’re looking to gain muscle mass over the next couple of months, this high volume workout is perfect for you.
The program includes 2 leg days, because as we all know your legs are the strongest muscle group in your body. Which means, they can lift heavier weight than your other muscle groups.
Why is this important? Because muscle protein synthesis is elevated for 48-72 hours after heavy resistance training1! In simpler terms, the extra leg day could help you gain more mass.
When performing this program, you’ll want to take 0-90 seconds of rest in between each set, superset, or triset.
Ideally, to gain mass, you’ll want to be in a ~250-500 calorie surplus. Use our BMR calculator here to figure out your daily maintenance calories and then add your desired amount of surplus calories to that total.
If you’d like to add cardio to the program, you are more than welcome to. Just be sure to account for the extra volume when you’re figuring out how many calories you should eat daily.
Give the program a shot for 6-8 weeks before taking a week to deload, track your progress, reassess your goals, and progress to another workout cycle.
If you have any questions or comments, reach out to us in the comments section below. We’re more than happy answer them and help you get another step closer to accomplishing your goals.
Monday - Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Squat | 4 | 10-12 |
| 2. Walking Lunge | 3 | 10 each leg |
| 3. Leg Press | 3 | 10-12 |
| 4a. Goblet Squat | 3 | 15 |
| 4b. Leg Extension | 3 | 15 |
| 4c. Leg Curl | 3 | 15 |
| 5. Calf Raise | 3 | 20 |
Tuesday - Chest and Shoulders
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bench Press | 4 | 10-12 |
| 2. Dumbbell Incline Bench | 4 | 12 |
| 3a. Hammer Strength Incline Press | 3 | 15 |
| 3b. Pec Deck | 3 | 12 |
| 4a. Standing Dumbbell Press | 3 | 15 |
| 4b. Lateral Raise | 3 | 15 |
| 4c. Front Raise | 3 | 15 |
Wednesday - Back and Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pull Up | 4 | 10-12 |
| 2. Dumbbell Row | 4 | 12 |
| 3. Hammer Strength Row | 4 | 10 |
| 4. Lat Pull Down | 3 | 15 |
| 5a. Cable Curls | 3 | 12 |
| 5b. Rope Pushdown | 3 | 12 |
| 6a. Hammer Curls | 3 | 12 |
| 6b. Dips | 3 | 12 |
Friday - Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Deadlift | 4 | 10-12 |
| 2. Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift | 4 | 10-12 |
| 3. Plie Squats | 3 | 12 |
| 4a. Standing Hamstring Curl | 3 | 15 |
| 4b. Reverse Lunge | 3 | 15 |
| 5. Calf Raises | 3 | 20 |
references
- MacDougall, J. D., Gibala, M. J., Tarnopolsky, M. A., MacDonald, J. R., Interisano, S. A., & Yarasheski, K. E. (1995). The time course for elevated muscle protein synthesis following heavy resistance exercise. Canadian journal of applied physiology, 20(4), 480-486.
52 Comments+ Post Comment
I want to continue doing 2 leg days a week after this. I've alway had lagging legs compared to my upper body. Would this be considered quad focused for day one and hamstring focused for day 2? Should I continue to follow these templates for two leg days, just alternating similar exercises, if I want to continue with two leg days in the future? I am new to two leg days and I know people who do two usually have a quad focused day and a hamstring focused day. Love this routine though!
Hi Ryan,
Yes, I'd recommend 2 leg days per week if you struggle to build leg mass. Yes, this program does have a more quad focused day and hamstring day, but both days utilize both. You can continue performing these days in a new program if you like.
Hope this helps!
Hi...
I will start this program tomorrow
I wnt to.know what is the meaning of
4a and 4b
If u plz
Tnx
Hi Amr,
That represents a superset. Perform both exercises one right after the other prior to taking your rest period.
Hope this helps!
thanks, Man ... appreciate it
Can I add cardio, I am naturally lean so I try not to overdo it with cardio other than having it for my heart. Usually I will add a 10-15 minute HIIT session at the end of a lifting day and one steady-state cardio session on an active rest day. I also would like to add a few ab isolation exercises. So could my schedule potentially look like this?
Monday: Legs as is with maybe 3 ab exercises
Tuesday: Chest and Shoulders as is with a 10 round HIIT session (20 seconds all out intensity, 40 seconds light intensity) on the stationary bike at the end.
Wednesday: Back and Arms with maybe 3 ab exercises or so at the end
Thursday: Active Rest (Walking and foam rolling/stretching)
Friday: Legs as listed with a 10 round HIIT Session like Tuesday at the end
Saturday: Steady-State Cardio (30 mins on stair master, bike or elliptical) with a few ab exercises
Sunday: Rest
Hi Ryan,
For sure! That weekly split looks awesome!
Hope this helps!
So you wouldn't recommend much more ab training than a few isolation exercises every so often correct?
Hi Ryan,
Generally, I don't recommend ab isolation work at all for most - depending on time restraints and goals. The abs get worked indirectly during your other workouts and during the course of the day in general.
Hope this helps!
Also, sorry for all the questions. You would recommend stay in these exact rep ranges for the whole 6-8 weeks and strive for progressive overload? Then, deload and do a different program?
Hi Ryan,
No worries at all! Happy to help. Yes, that is correct.
Hope this helps!
what does triset mean?
Hi Hamed,
You perform all exercises consecutively with no rest in between exercises. Once you've completed all of the exercises for the prescribed number of reps, then you rest. That's one triset.
Hope this helps!
Hello,
I just came back to train from a break of 3-4 months (had back pain, decided to stop for a while).
My legs are kinda weak (couldnt train them, now I can). Could bench press 70X5 for 3 sets. (height 176, weight 77kg).
Should I start with that program, or using lighter training program?
Thanks
Hi Aviran,
Tough to say not knowing how your injury has affected your movement patterns. If you're ever unsure about where to start, hiring professional help in the form of a personal trainer is always a good idea. Even if only for a couple of weeks, they'll be able to point you in the right direction and the knowledge you can gain from them is worth its weight in gold.
Hope this helps!
Are you able to provide a recommend nurituon plan?
Hi Carl,
Start here: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/tools/bmr-calculator
Then go here: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-calculate-perfect-macros
And finish up here: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-create-a-bodybuilding-...
Hope this helps!
hi
i dont understand what it 3a
3b
need to do one or the all excrices?
Hi dor,
Letters represent that the exercises are part of a superset. Perform both exercises before taking a rest period and perform all the sets of both exercises before moving on to the next exercise.
Hope this helps!
Hi Josh England,
I just came across with this program and I think its perfect to me as I wanna focus on lower body.
However I would like to check with you if its possible to make some changes.
For example,
I wanna put the deadlift on back day and add sumo deadlift on friday leg day.
Also I would like to do the last leg day on Thursday so I could have 3 days off with an high intense intervals training on Saturday.
And last, how about to have one week 3-5 reps, one week 8-10 reps and one week 15-20 reps than repeat. Or I should keep the reps of or program for the whole length?
I appreciate or time
Thanks
Joss
Hi Joss,
I'd say all of those are fine amendments to the program if you feel you are capable of recovering fully from the added lifts and cardio sessions.
I wouldn't recommend switching the rep scheme weekly. Focus on one goal (adding strength, building muscle size, or increasing endurance). You'll be far more likely to accomplish that goal than if you try to tackle all three at once.
Hope this helps!
Allright Iam going to keep this program with just one change, deadlift on the back day and add sumo deadlift on
Last leg day and see the results for 4 week.
That's a nice website.
Thanks
Joss
what is superset?
Hi Dor,
A superset is where you perform two exercises before taking a rest period. After you finish both exercises for the prescribed number of reps, then you rest.
Hope this helps!
What weight should I start out with
Hi Chris,
It's tough to say what weight you should start off with. I'd recommend picking a weight you know you can perform the prescribed reps with. If it feels to easy, move up in weight. If it feels too heavy, go down in weight.
If you're just starting off, spend the first week or 2 finding the appropriate weight and then the rest of the program progressing by trying to increase the weight you use as you're capable of doing so.
Progressing is also very individual. Some may be able to increase weight weekly, while others bi-weekly. Experiment a little (always erring on the side of caution), you'll find what works for you for the long-term.
Hope this helps!
iam going to be giving this routine a try starting today is there a single day or can i make a single day for my abs and to lose my beer gut lol?
Hi Matt,
You'll be better off including compound exercises (this program has plenty) and eating at a slight calorie deficit (eat less calories than you burn). Do that consistently for a while and you should be able to trade that beer gut in for a pair of abs. (It does take time, but if you're consistent, you'll get there.)
While your core is targeted indirectly, there are a number of ways you could add abs to this program if you really want to.
You could add a few ab workouts to the end of your leg days and/or on M/W/F simply by adding a few sets of ab isolation exercises. For some ideas, start here: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/abs
Hope this helps and best of luck!
For the Monday leg routine, what is 4a. 4b. 4c. all about? Is that meant to be interchangeable or do all 3 in one workout?
Hi Matt,
letters represent supersets and trisets. So if the workout says 4a, 4b, 4c, you'd perform all of those lifts right after another with no rest in between exercises. Once you've finished all the exercises, you take your rest period and that equals 1 set.
Hope this helps!
How could I incorporate traps and abs. With which workouts and what should I do?
Hi Ali,
There are a number of ways you could add abs and traps to this program. You could add a few ab workouts to the end of your leg days and/or on M/W/F simply by adding a few sets of ab isolation exercises. For some ideas, start here: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/abs
For traps, you could incorporate them on either the day you work shoulders or the day you work back. Add a couple sets of trap isolation exercises. For some ideas, check these out: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/traps
Hope this helps!
Hey Josh
What should the tempo of each lift be?
Hi Cameron,
A 2/0/2 rep tempo is thought to be ideal to maximize time under tension during hypertrophy lifts.
Hope this helps! If you're giving the program a try, let us know how it goes!
What's a Plie squat ??
Hi Kevin,
Below is a link to a good demonstration vid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlnYtOX5zIo
Hope this helps!
What percentage of max would be good for most of the exercises?
Hi Alden,
Shoot for 75-85% of your 1RM on all exercises within this program.
Hope this helps!
Why is back and arms combine for one day?
Hi Boa,
Arms and back are on the same day to make this program a 4 day split that allows for 2 leg days.
You're more than welcome to have them each on their own day. To do this you can either add a workout day to make this a 5 day split or trade out one of the leg days for an arm day (however, I would not recommend this option).
Hope this helps!
Heya,
I'm just wondering why some exercises are labelled 4a, 4b, 4c as opposed to there being just a list of 1,2,3,4.
Many thanks.
Hi Luke,
Those represent supersets or trisets.
So you'll perform exercises 4a, 4b, and 4c one right after another without any rest in between exercises before taking a rest period in between the triset.
Hope this helps!
Ah many thanks!
nutrition overview?
Hi Vandit,
Find out your BMR here: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/tools/bmr-calculator
To build muscle add ~250-500 calories a day and make sure you eat enough protein to recover from your workouts and enough carbs to fuel your workouts.
Hope this helps!
Hey what about abs? Which day should I do them?
Hi Dan,
While you'll get enough indirect core work, you're more than welcome to add in additional direct core work if you feel it is necessary and will help you reach your goals. I've provided a link to our ab workouts page below. Feel free to add one to the tail end of your preferred workout days or on rest days.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/abs
Hope this helps!
Thanks Josh, I'm starting this workout today so perhaps i'll be doing abs on friday then.
Cheers!
?I am very interested in trying this soon when I start a lean bulk. I want to gain weight very slowly so it's mostly muscle and not fat. I know that has a lot to do with being in a slight calorie surplus and not overeating too much. I have a question though. What amount of resting between sets should a person do on this program? 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, etc.?
Hi David,
Keep rest periods between 45-60 seconds.
Hope this helps!