Building muscle, or body mass, is accomplished by training and overloading a muscle followed by a resting phase. Various workout routines help build body mass. It is a good idea to vary your routines, because as your muscles and body adapt to one routine, your progress will plateau. Change your workout routine to shock your muscles, which boosts your muscle-building capability.
Starter Workout
Those new to muscle building should start with a short program, using machines and free weights. Weight machines hold your body in the correct position to prevent injuries while you are learning. Weight train two to three times per week, 20 to 60 minutes per day, and allow time between each workout for muscle recovery and growth, recommends Patty Edinger M.Ed., ATC Certified Athletic Trainer with the Seattle Public Schools.
Choose 8 to 10 exercises that target all the major muscle groups. For example, one routine could include chest press, shoulder press, leg press, calf lifts, biceps curl, triceps extensions, lat pull-downs and seated rows. Perform each exercise for 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions with a 1 to 2 minute break between sets.
Light/Heavy Two-Day Split Workout
Light/heavy routines are good for intermediate and advanced weightlifters. This is also a good body mass workout to use if you have hit a plateau in your existing program. This workout is a four day a week, two day split workout. Instead of working the whole body in one day, you will split your routine into two days. Each split section will be worked light one day and heavy the next. On heavy days, perform three sets of six to eight repetitions, and on light days 10 to 12 repetitions.
For example, Monday will be a heavy workout for split A, Tuesday light for split B, Wednesday off, Thursday light for split A and Friday heavy for split B. A sample split A exercise program may include seated rows, biceps curls, chest press, triceps kickbacks, leg extensions, shoulders, calves and abdominals. A sample split B may include shoulder front raise, lat pull-downs, obliques, dead lifts, calf presses and triceps extensions.
Hypertrophy
Hypertrophy is an increase in muscle size or mass thanks to the enlargement of cells. A body mass workout that uses hypertrophy training works the muscles to exhaustion over the total number sets, instead of over one set. Chemical reactions are stimulated in the body, causing optimal muscle hypertrophy, according to Georgia State University. This workout lasts for three to six weeks. You do six to nine exercises, four to six sets with six to 12 repetitions, two to four times per week. The weight used is based on the lifter's one-rep maximum -- this is the weight you can only lift for one rep. Take 70 to 80 percent of your one-rep maximum as the weight load used for these exercises. When you can perform six repetitions easily, increase the load.
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