Best routine for bulking??

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SpennyDave

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What would people suggest as the best routine for attempting to put on some decent muscle?
Looking to get into good shape by May next year so got plenty of time but dont want to be wasting it on a routine that isnt getting me anywhere!!!

Dropped around 3stone in the last yr, now down to 13st as 5ft11. In reasonable shape now but want to push on.

Obviously I will need my diet to be spot on as well, but totally lost as to what the best workout structure is.

Any help appreciated. Thanks
 


I'd go with a routine focused around heavy, multi joint barbell work.

Monday
Squat 5x5
Bench Press 5x5
Barbell Row 5x5
Press 5x5
Shrug 5x5
CGBP 3x8
Incline curl 3x8
Ab work

Wednesday
Squat 5x5
Deadlift 1x5
Bench Press 5x5
Barbell Row 5x5
Press 3x8
Incline curl 3x8
Skullcrusher 3x8
Ab work

Friday
Front Squat 5x10
Incline D Press 5x10
Barbell Row Or Pullup 5x10
Press or Seated Dumbbell press 5x10
Good Morning 3-5x10
Incline flyes 3x10
Side lateral raise 3x10
Face pull 3x10
Curl 3-5x10
BTH tricep extention 3x10
Ab work

That routine was put together by a very knowledgable person that I know, however the concept isn't novel.

If you don't like the look of that routine and only really care about gaining muscle, give Lyle's generic bulking routine a go:

Mon: Lower
Squat: 3-4X6-8
SLDL or leg curl: 3-4X6-8
Leg press: 2-3X10-12
Another leg curl: 2-3X10-12
Calf raise: 3-4X6-8
Seated calf: 2-3X10-12

Tue: Upper
Flat bench: 3-4X6-8
Row: 3-4X6-8
Incline bench or shoulder press: 2-3X10-12
Pulldown: 2-3X10-12
Triceps: 1-2X12-15
Biceps: 1-2X12-15

Rest & repeat on thursday and friday. You can make some exercise substitutions on those days.
 
Cheers Titus,
Think i'll give it a go till Xmas and see how I get on.
Just a few Questions......
What is a Press as opposed to a Bench press?
Is an incline D Press just incline dumbell press?
And what does the BTH stand for in Tricep Extension?

Might sound silly questions but just wanna be sure!

Cheers
 
SpennyDave said:
Cheers Titus,
Think i'll give it a go till Xmas and see how I get on.
Just a few Questions......
What is a Press as opposed to a Bench press?
Is an incline D Press just incline dumbell press?
And what does the BTH stand for in Tricep Extension?

Might sound silly questions but just wanna be sure!

Cheers
Click to expand...

Press is a standing barbell press. Go from the chest and lock out over the head, then back down and touch the chest (no leg drive).

Yeah mate, incline D press just refers to incline dumbell press.

'BTH' stands for behind the head, for an emphasis on the long head of the tricep.
 
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQS-tXL1CLg[/ame]
 
Titus said:
I'd go with a routine focused around heavy, multi joint barbell work.

Monday
Squat 5x5
Bench Press 5x5
Barbell Row 5x5
Press 5x5
Shrug 5x5
CGBP 3x8
Incline curl 3x8
Ab work

Wednesday
Squat 5x5
Deadlift 1x5
Bench Press 5x5
Barbell Row 5x5
Press 3x8
Incline curl 3x8
Skullcrusher 3x8
Ab work

Friday
Front Squat 5x10
Incline D Press 5x10
Barbell Row Or Pullup 5x10
Press or Seated Dumbbell press 5x10
Good Morning 3-5x10
Incline flyes 3x10
Side lateral raise 3x10
Face pull 3x10
Curl 3-5x10
BTH tricep extention 3x10
Ab work

That routine was put together by a very knowledgable person that I know, however the concept isn't novel.

If you don't like the look of that routine and only really care about gaining muscle, give Lyle's generic bulking routine a go:

Mon: Lower
Squat: 3-4X6-8
SLDL or leg curl: 3-4X6-8
Leg press: 2-3X10-12
Another leg curl: 2-3X10-12
Calf raise: 3-4X6-8
Seated calf: 2-3X10-12

Tue: Upper
Flat bench: 3-4X6-8
Row: 3-4X6-8
Incline bench or shoulder press: 2-3X10-12
Pulldown: 2-3X10-12
Triceps: 1-2X12-15
Biceps: 1-2X12-15

Rest & repeat on thursday and friday. You can make some exercise substitutions on those days.
Click to expand...
He we gan again how much work to bulk up? I like the days rest in between. But, haway 40 minutes each session and done like! ...easy! You know what I mean?!
 
That's a nice routine you've put forward that betters that of one of the most respected indiviudals in the industry...

Forgot to mention, if you are a complete novice when it comes to lifting you can cut a lot of the accessary work.
 
Titus said:
That's a nice routine you've put forward that betters that of one of the most respected indiviudals in the industry...

Forgot to mention, if you are a complete novice when it comes to lifting you can cut a lot of the accessary work.
Click to expand...
Ha Ha I charge for my work and get results (sometimes)..easy like
 
gizmoganzee said:
Ha Ha I charge for my work and get results (sometimes)..easy like
Click to expand...

99% of people can get results. I see people in the gym every day benching with flared elbows 'getting results'.

With the first Monday/Wednesday/Friday routine you could get away with just the compound movements if you're a novice. If you're more intermediate, then add the accessory/'beach' work.
 
why is accessory work needed at all, surely to get a beach body have a low enough fat % and working you muscles leads to growth.

and another thing when all these routines are recommended they can't work for everyone surely, because forcing adaptation in the body will get harder as time goes on so eventually people will have to adapt a routine to themselves, is that right?
 
Accessory work is used to bring up lagging body parts and prevent muscle imbalances largely, something which isn't an issue in novice trainees, hence the last post.

You want the body to adapt, that is the whole point of weight training...
 
Titus said:
Accessory work is used to bring up lagging body parts and prevent muscle imbalances largely, something which isn't an issue in novice trainees, hence the last post.

You want the body to adapt, that is the whole point of weight training...
Click to expand...

I thought that you have to make it adapt constantly to force the change in strength or size
 
so after say 3 months or when you stop progressing you have to adjust your routine?

what I mean is after a while of prolonged training you will not progress with a bog standard template routine, you must tailor a routine for yourself?
 
It's simply a case of providing more tension, usually in the form of adding more weight to the bar. There are a number of reasons why you'd tailor a routine for your own needs, such as lagging bodyparts/lifts, but there's no need to change routines every few months to "shock the muscles because they've adapted to the routine I'm doing" that I hear people say.
 
This upper and lower workout thing? what the hell

IMO stick to what you know best , what has proven results , what professionals do

Monday back
Tuesday Legs
Wed off
Thur shoulders and bis
Fri Chest and Fris
Sat *optional train lagging body part
Sun off

I followed this with diet in summer, strength increased and started to get bigger and wider
 
nathanrichSAFC said:
This upper and lower workout thing? what the hell

IMO stick to what you know best , what has proven results , what professionals do

Monday back
Tuesday Legs
Wed off
Thur shoulders and bis
Fri Chest and Fris
Sat *optional train lagging body part
Sun off

I followed this with diet in summer, strength increased and started to get bigger and wider
Click to expand...

You're talking about professional drug users. Upper/lower, push/pull/legs isn't novel, it's what is generally more optimal for the drug free trainee.
 
Titus said:
It's simply a case of providing more tension, usually in the form of adding more weight to the bar. There are a number of reasons why you'd tailor a routine for your own needs, such as lagging bodyparts/lifts, but there's no need to change routines every few months to "shock the muscles because they've adapted to the routine I'm doing" that I hear people say.
Click to expand...

I don't mean changing a routine,.ripptoe talks about a need to force adaptation and the stronger you get the more work you need to do to force an improvement, it doesn't really apply to the op but I wondered what your thoughts are about it?
 
Lewberry pie said:
I don't mean changing a routine,.ripptoe talks about a need to force adaptation and the stronger you get the more work you need to do to force an improvement, it doesn't really apply to the op but I wondered what your thoughts are about it?
Click to expand...

You adapt to what you're doing eventually so you must progressively overload, i.e add more weight to the bar/more volume etc.
 
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