The Best Workout Schedule To Get Big

Getting big requires a specific type of training program in addition to a high-calorie eating regimen, different from a strength-building or muscle-toning routine. Building big muscles consists of longer and fewer weight workouts during the week. The only cardio you should be doing as you increase the mass of your muscles is a brisk walk or an easy 20 minutes on the cardio machines to maintain your cardiovascular health.

Intensity and Volume

A mass-building workout requires using weights heavy enough so that you can only perform six to 12 repetitions per set. You must do four to six sets of four to six exercises per muscle group. If you can lift the weight for more than 12 repetitions, you are increasing your muscular endurance instead of building your muscle size.

Rest Periods

Short rest periods such as the 10- to 30-second intervals of a circuit-training routine do not give your muscles enough time to replenish energy for the next set. You must have the strength to lift intensely for the specific range of repetitions required to build muscle. Rest for one to three minutes between sets of the same exercise.

Mondays

Pairing opposing muscle groups such as your chest and back permits you to rest your chest muscles while you work your back muscles, maximizing your workout schedule. If you train synergistic muscles together, such as your chest and triceps, you decrease the capacity of your pectoral muscles to work because your triceps are tired. Alternating between one set of a chest exercise and one set of a back exercise for four to six total rounds is commonly referred to as the superset method of training. It is the best way to build all the muscles of your body. Include barbell bench presses, one-arm dumbbell rows, flat dumbbell presses, lateral pull downs, incline dumbbell presses and barbell rows.

Thursdays

Training your legs, shoulders and abdominals on Thursdays allows you to rest your chest and back muscles so that you have plenty of energy for your leg and shoulder workout. Your deltoids will also be recuperated by Thursday because they were engaged during your Monday workout. Complete squats, dumbbell shoulder presses, weighted crunches, dead lifts, upright barbell rows, hanging leg raises and lunges in your Thursday routine. Working your abdominal muscles between your leg and shoulder exercises gives your big leg muscles plenty of time to restore their energy without wasting your time in the gym.

Fridays

Your biceps and triceps are smaller muscles, and it is best to train them at the end of the week. These muscles should be completely recovered from the heavy chest and back workout on Monday. The core exercises for your biceps are barbell curls, dumbbell curls, cable curls and concentration curls. The primary exercises for your triceps include two-arm dumbbell triceps extensions, triceps barbell presses and triceps dips on the bars. Due to their smaller size, complete only four exercises per muscle group on Fridays; stick to the same repetition and set scheme as for your other muscle groups.