Building size and strength go hand-in-hand, and you can build both with only a few exercises. Compound movements that use multiple joints and recruit large muscle groups give you strength and power without spending all day in the gym. Use heavy weight but never sacrifice good technique to add weight to the bar. Train your body, not your ego. Consult a health care provider before beginning any strength training program.
Old-School Full-Body Workout
In the days before muscle magazines and fancy routines, muscle was built through the use of heavy squats and deadlifts, presses and rows. Chinups and bench pressing round out the program. Training all six exercises three days a week gives you plenty of volume, and taking at least one day of rest in between each training session gives you time to recover and build muscle. Perform each exercise for three to six sets of five to eight repetitions per set. The exception should be the deadlift, due to the strain it puts on your recovery ability. Perform only a single set of no more than five repetitions per set for the deadlift.
Basic Powerlifting Program
A basic powerlifting program is very similar to an old-school workout, but the volume is lower and the intensity is higher. Every workout should consist of five sets of squats and five sets of bench presses. For your first workout of the week, you should use a weight that you can lift for five repetitions per set on each exercise, and eight repetitions per set on your second workout. For your last workout you should use a weight that you can lift for ten repetitions of each exercise, then follow this with a single set of deadlifts for five repetitions. Take at least one day of rest between each workout.
Linear Periodization
Another basic way of gaining strength and size is through the use of linear periodization. Many powerlifters train this way, including both novice and advanced athletes. Training three times per week, with a rest day between each session, focus every workout on either the squat, bench press or deadlift. Start your training cycle with a weight you can use for ten repetitions for each set, and over ten weeks reduce the repetitions per set by one and add weight to the bar. At the end of the ten-week period you should hit a new maximal single repetition on each lift. On your squat day, follow with leg curls and abdominal work. On your bench day, follow your bench press with extra work for your triceps and shoulders. On your deadlift day, perform chinups and rows for your back. Your training volume for your follow-up exercises will depend on your energy levels.
Diet
It does not matter how hard you train if you do not eat enough, and enough of the right foods. If you are trying to add muscle, it is not the time to crash diet. You need protein to build muscle, and the right proteins. Get most of your proteins from animal products, particularly beef and oily fish. Beef and oily fish contain essential fats that help you in your quest for muscle in addition to being an excellent source of protein. Round your diet out with milk, eggs and chicken. If you are trying to gain muscle, you will need up to twice as much protein as someone content to remain small, according to a study by the University of Western Ontario published in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" in 2000.
References
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; Beyond the Zone: Protein Needs of Active Individuals; P.W. Lemon; October 2000
- "Periodization Breakthrough!: The Ultimate Training System"; Steven J. Fleck, et al.; 1996
- "Designing Resistance Training Programs - 3rd Edition"; Steven Fleck; 2003
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