If a person has decided to put sports into his life and visit the gym, he clearly has one goal: to improve his appearance and make his body more toned and sporty. But how to achieve the desired result? To do this, we need a well-designed training program for mass gain, which, in combination with rational nutrition, will lead to the accumulation of treasured kilograms in the necessary places.
General principles of muscle gain
It is very important to understand that even a professionally designed training program for gaining muscle mass will not be equally effective for completely different people. Due to differences in gender, age, initial weight and initial level of physical fitness, each person needs his own plan. Also, do not forget that training programs for gaining muscle mass at home and in the gym will vary quite significantly. However, there are general rules and principles of mass recruitment that are common to all:
- The regularity of the training. If you have taken a course on muscle growth, then come to terms with the idea that the gym will forever become part of your previously unsportsmanlike life. Save muscles without regular power support will not work.
- Continuous improvement. Any training program for weight gain should undergo significant changes over time, because your strength indicators grow, and your muscles get used to the same loads. About once a season, change the program, add new exercises to it, or look for alternative ways to work out the same muscles.
- Nutrition and nutrition again. Any even the best program for gaining muscle mass will be useless if your building material is not enough. A complete and balanced diet is the key to rapid muscle growth and recovery.
Basic and effective exercises for quick muscle gain
"Make the base - to failure!" Probably any novice athlete heard this sacred phrase from more experienced roommates. And this phrase is absolutely true! It makes no sense to work out small and single muscles if there is no common muscle corset and the main largest anatomical groups are not developed. Therefore, it is extremely important that the training program for building muscle mass includes the following types of exercises:
Squats This exercise involves about 40% of the muscles in our body. Squats, especially with free weight, involve such large anatomical groups: buttocks, hip biceps, front and inner thighs, calves, lower back, and abdominal muscles. So, with the help of one rather tricky, but very difficult from a technical point of view, exercise, you can work out almost the entire part of the body from the ribs to the legs. The weight training program may include the following variations of this exercise:
- Squats.
- Squats in Smith.
- Weights squats on platforms.
Thrust. It is the second most popular basic exercise. She also uses the gluteal muscles, thighs, lower back and back, the press, as well as the forearms and muscles, stabilizers. This exercise perfectly develops strength and endurance, helps to feel well developed areas of the body.
Traction is ideal for both beginners and experienced athletes. And its various variations are successfully performed by both boys and girls. As a rule, any training program for mass gain can include the following types of traction:
- standing on straight or bent legs,
- Romanian type of traction
- traction at which the widest position of the legs is used.
Bench press. Do not forget about the upper body. The pectoral muscles, shoulders, biceps and triceps require no less attention than the legs and buttocks. The best basic exercise for pumping the top is originally considered to be a bench press. However, this classic exercise has many variations that can perfectly complement your training program for gaining muscle mass:
- Bench press with narrow, medium and wide arms.
- "Guillotine" - the bar lowers and rises at neck level.
- Dumbbell bench press or barbell on an inclined bench at angles of 30 and 45 degrees.
- The pull of the block to the chest in the crossover.
Pullups This is perhaps the only exercise in the list of basic ones that can be performed both at home, on the playground, and on the school court, and also, importantly, with its own weight. Pull-ups work well on the back, and this is one of the largest and most aesthetically attractive anatomical groups.
Best weight gain schemes
It does not matter where you exercise, in the simulator or at home, the training program for mass gain can be of two types: general and isolated. Which scheme to give preference to is only your choice. The main thing is to really assess the initial strength indicators and initial muscle data.
The whole body in one workout
If you decide to exercise at home, a training program for gaining muscle mass of a similar plan is more suitable for you. Since it does not require a lot of equipment to perform basic exercises, and in some cases you can do with improvised materials. This type of mass building is well suited for beginners and people with large overweight, as general strength exercises will help to quickly get in shape. This method will not make your body very embossed, but it is quite possible to build up the missing volumes for further work on a detailed study. According to this scheme, your chart will look like this:
- Monday is the first workout.
- Tuesday is the second workout.
- Wednesday is a break.
- Thursday is a break.
- Friday is the first workout.
- Saturday is the second workout.
- Sunday is a break.
- Monday - break, etc.
The first and second workouts will include exercises for identical muscle groups, but only in different variations. If, for example, in the first training session for developing buttocks, you performed deadlift and buttock bridge, then the next day you will lunges and leg press or squat. The main rules of general training:
- All exercises should be strength and stimulate mass gain. The training program in the hall or at home must necessarily include exercises with the most comfortable weight for you.
- In one training session all muscle groups should be involved, namely: buttocks and legs, back and lower back, chest, shoulders and forearms, abs.
- The duration of the training should not exceed 45-60 minutes. Work is at the maximum load level. Exercise is best done within amplitude. The number of repetitions to keep in the range of 12-15.
Isolated training
This scheme is more suitable for people who already have extensive experience and skills in building muscles. It is also important to clarify that in this type of training you can not do without a gym, which will require a clear and understandable training program. A set of muscle mass for men and women is impossible without a point and isolated effect on the desired parts of the body. A weekly training plan will look something like this:
- Monday - legs and buttocks.
- Tuesday is the chest.
- Wednesday is rest.
- Thursday - hands.
- Friday is the shoulders.
- Saturday is the back.
- Sunday - rest.
As you managed to notice, the main difference of this scheme: the study of each large anatomical group separately. Roughly speaking, you train each muscle no more than 1 time per week. This type of training has its advantages, because rare, but very intensive work on muscles will allow you to start supercompensation processes, which will significantly speed up the process of recruiting muscles in the right places.
Training program for men
Before going to the gym, you need to draw up a training program. The mass gain for men and women, although it has a common nature, is still full of specific features, in particular due to different hormonal levels. Oddly enough, the male half to start the process of gaining the treasured kilograms is worth most of the effort to throw on food, not on training. So the body of men is arranged that due to the high content of testosterone their body very willingly and fairly quickly responds even to the most insignificant physical activities. Simply put, with any type of strength training, a man will observe the growth of his muscles in a couple of months. The main thing is to provide the necessary building material for this. Everything is extremely simple: for a man to grow and become stronger, he needs food, preferably homemade, and a training program for gaining mass.
Monday. Work on the legs and buttocks:
- Squats (barbell or Smith) - 4 x 12.
- Caviar (barbell, dumbbell or Smith) - 4 x 15.
- Deadlift (dead on straight legs or Romanian) 4 x 12.
Tuesday. Pectoral muscles:
- Bench press on an inclined bench (barbell or dumbbell, angle 30-45 degrees) - 4 x 12.
- "Guillotine" (bench press to the chin) - 4 x 12.
- Wiring with dumbbells on a bench - 4 x 12.
Thursday. Handwork:
- Training for biceps (barbell or dumbbell) - 4 x 12.
- Narrow Grip Bench - 4 x 12.
- Hammer or semi-over - 4 x 12.
- Bench in French - 4 x 12.
Friday. Swing shoulders:
- Inclined draft (barbell or dumbbell) - 4 x 12.
- Thrust to the chin (barbell, kettlebell, crossover) - 4 x 12.
- Machs or wiring dumbbells to the sides - 4 x 12.
- Machs or wiring dumbbells in a slope - 4 x 12.
Saturday. Back:
- Thrust in the crossover (vertical and horizontal blocks) - 4 x 12.
- Dumbbell barbell on a support - 4 x 12.
- Pullups - 4 x 12.
Muscle, mass and girls
Does a girl need a training program to gain muscle mass? After all, ladies, on the contrary, strive to become easier and slimmer, and not gain weight. This is a pretty controversial issue. First of all, girls do not want to reduce the number on the scales, but to change their volumes. But it is not so simple. In fact, there is no connection between the weight and harmony of the girl. Two ladies with the same height and weight can look completely different, and the body of one will be slim and fit, and the waist of the other will be very far from ideal. The thing is that with an equal mass, fat occupies a much larger volume than muscles. In addition, they have different structures: your body with a lot of fat will be flabby and loose, while the muscles will stretch your skin, and you will feel very firm and toned.
The training program for girls for mass gain will not be much different from men's, but will have a number of specific features:
- Girls should focus on the upper body, as the bottom of the ladies by nature is larger. Buttocks and legs will be more willing to respond to the study and, accordingly, grow faster.
- Girls should not do some original male exercises. Otherwise, they risk spoiling the figure and making it less feminine. Under the ban: the classic stand-up (expands the waist), shrugs (deltas hypertrophy) and all kinds of leg extensions (disfigure the hips).
Mass gain for ectomorphs
As you know, according to the constitution and the course of physiological processes, people are divided into mesomorphs, endomorphs and ectomorphs. If the first and second do not have problems with mass gain, the latter experience some rather tangible difficulties in this matter. The main minus is the incredible efforts that you need to make an ectomorph. A training program for gaining muscle mass should be designed in such a way that each muscle group is involved no more than once every 5-10 days. Otherwise, the muscles simply will not have time to adapt and recover, and, accordingly, grow.
However, thin people have their own advantages, for example, they should not worry about excess calories, since the body is not sharpened on the formation of body fat. In addition, any even the smallest muscle gain becomes visually noticeable due to the constantly dried state of the body. The training program for gaining mass by ectomorph has a number of nuances that are definitely worth considering:
- Training should not be delayed, otherwise you can start the reverse processes aimed at the destruction of muscle tissue.
- It is worth doing no more than three times a week, the reason is accelerated catabolic processes.
- The number of approaches and repetitions should be minimized to the maximum, choose the largest weights that are possible. It is necessary to shock muscle tissue as much as possible and give it a course for intensive recovery, respectively, and growth.
- Long rest - up to 2 minutes between exercises and approaches.
- Emphasis on the base, minimized isolated exercises.
- In mass-collection schemes, it is worth giving preference to three-day splits, they are very suitable for this case.
Mass collection at home
If you do not have the opportunity to visit the hall, do not be upset. It's no secret that you can build muscle at home. This does not require any special equipment, because most exercises do not require any sports equipment, and in other cases, you can resort to improvised materials. So, for example, as extra weight and weight we can use books, water bottles, buckets with stones and sand, or even other family members.
A home workout program for gaining muscle mass will not be much different from what you are offered in the gym. It must include the following exercises:
- Press study.
- Hand exercises.
- Squats
- Bench press.
- Pullups
The important part: recovery, rest and nutrition
Training is not the most important part in building muscle.
Your whole lifestyle should fully obey the laws of mass recruitment:
- Sleep, sleep and sleep again. At least 8 hours, of course. After all, it is no secret that the restoration of the body and many other positive things happen precisely during rest. And the athlete, like no one else, needs to get enough sleep, otherwise you can forget about the large mass. Daytime sleep is also not forbidden, however, it must last at least 40-50 minutes in order to start production of oxytocin, which most favorably affects our muscles.
- Be less nervous. The release of adrenaline instantly triggers the release of cortisol - the worst enemy of bodybuilders. This hormone is responsible for the destruction of everything that has been so long and hard in the hall.
- Intimate peace for men, and for women - activity. Unfortunately, moments of intimacy lead to a drop in testosterone in a strong half of the planet, and this is the main hormone responsible for the intensity of training and muscle growth. But this does not mean that sex should be put an end to, just try not to combine training days and love affairs, then everything will go without unpleasant consequences. Women, on the contrary, should pay more attention to intimacy, since the female body receives an incredible energy charge, which can be put in the right direction.
- Nutrition and only nutrition! Often, a lot and balanced! Forget about the feeling of hunger, eat 6-8 times a day. Accelerate your metabolism. This will cause the body to receive all the necessary elements for muscle growth directly from food. If you are unable to eat properly throughout the day, you can resort to the help of sports nutrition.
Pharmacological support
Each athlete in his life begins a period when he does not want to go a long and difficult path, but there is a great desire to soon see a pumped and beautiful body in the mirror. A quick result can only be achieved by taking pharmacology, namely anabolic steroids and hormones. However, it is worth remembering that such experiments are not in vain for the body. Once hooked on the "farm", it will be difficult to get off it. After all, the body adapts to substances coming in with drugs and will no longer respond to training without them. Even worse, these are various side effects that can ruin the work of your internal organs, ruin the condition of your skin and hair, and also significantly affect the reproductive system. Is it worth it?
You can completely do with sports nutrition and strict adherence to the regime, and most importantly - remember that the muscles gained by the natural method are much more durable. They will retain an attractive appearance for a very long time, even if you leave training for a while.
Slowing down catabolic processes
Unfortunately, the destruction of muscles under the influence of various factors is inevitable, because it is impossible to adjust your lifestyle to the ideal. But small tricks will help you significantly slow down catabolic processes and make muscle gain more effective:
- Less cardio. Eliminate jogging and all aerobic exercise.
- Have a snack at night or drink a gainer.
- Include long-digestible foods in your diet: nuts, meat, cottage cheese.
- Do not neglect daytime sleep.
- More positive emotions - hormones of joy have a beneficial effect on muscle growth.