According to Arnold Schwarzenegger's "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding," in order to attain bulky muscle, you need to perform heavy, compound exercises that you can later refine with lighter isolation exercises. Compound exercises use muscles across multiple joints so that you can lift very heavy weights. Lifting heavy weights shocks your muscles into growth. So by performing the big, basic lifts, you can attain the raw body mass you need more quickly and efficiently.
Shoulder Press
The shoulder press is the basic move for packing mass onto the deltoids and upper trapezius. It's also one of the best displays of upper-body strength.
Hold a bar with a slightly wider-than-shoulder-width grip at your clavicles. Press the weight up over your head. Bring the weight back down in a controlled manner, not trying to bounce it off your upper chest. It's safest for the rotator cuff to bring the weight to the front instead of behind the head. "Strength Training Anatomy" explains that this involves the upper pectoral, but that can be a benefit as many lifters have a problem with lagging upper pectoral development. Perform sets of eight to 12 reps.
Bench Press
Schwarzenegger explains that the bench press is the lift that will pack muscle onto your chest.
Lie on a bench with your feet planted firmly on the ground. Dig your scapula into the bench to minimize the use of the shoulders. Lower the bar to your lower chest. Press it back up. Determine how wide of a grip you use and how far you flare your elbows through trial and error. It's very specific to your personal body structure. Go light until you figure out the best form for you. Perform sets of eight to 12 reps.
Pull-ups
Pull-ups are as important for your lats as the bench press is for your chest, but they are often skipped over because they're really difficult, and it's more satisfying to heave a lot of weight at the lat pull-down station than it is to struggle with your own bodyweight. But the pull-up is important enough to be included in the big seven lifts in the "Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding."
Grab a pull-up bar and pull yourself to it until your chin is higher than your hands. Use a wide, palms-forward grip to isolate your lats. A narrower grip will increase involvement of your forearms and mid-back. A narrow, palms-in grip will increase involvement of your biceps. Switch grips between sets for total back development. Perform sets of eight to 12 reps. Add weight with a weight belt as you get stronger.
Deadlifts
The "Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding" explains that the deadlift is practically a full-body workout. It builds the muscles of the hamstrings, glutes and lower back that you would expect, but as you lift heavier, you'll find it might be the only trap exercise you need, and that it adds mass to the upper back as well as rows.
Stand before a loaded barbell. Squat down to it at the knees and hips and grab it with a shoulder-width grip. Your forearms should be pressed against the outside of your knees. Keep a straight back and look forward. Stand with the barbell. Follow the same path to set it on the ground. Deadlifts are very draining, and so have a lower rep range. Perform sets of four to six.
References
- "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding"; Arnold Schwarzenegger; 1998
- "Strength Training Anatomy"; Frederic Delavier; 2010
- "Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding"; Robert Kennedy; 2008
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