I am not going to waste time with insight and opinions on why you should try to take on a monumental task like bodybuilding. You want to change your body. You are sick and tired of being small, weak and having no confidence in yourself. You have the same dream that millions of other people around the world have.

You want to be big, strong, look good and be confident in yourself to take on any challenge that is set in front of you. You don't just want to change your body. You want to change and improve every aspect of your life. You have the passion, but you don't know where to start or what to do.



Go From Zero To Hero In One Year: The Ultimate 365 Day Muscle Building Plan!

You have the passion, but you don't know where to start or what to do.

Follow Me

Well fear no longer for I am here to show you the way. I will give you the training, nutrition, supplementation, and light a fire under your butt to keep you going when you think you can't. Who knows? You may establish yourself in the bodybuilding and fitness world by the time this year passes. I am going to prove to you that you do and this will happen.

For the next 365 days, I will take you step by step to realizing your dream. This is going to be the guide for you to do what you have wanted to do for years. You will no longer need to buy magazines every month, you can save your money for the latest "Get big and strong" guide because this one is free, and you will see by the results you experience by following this program that what you are reading is the roadmap to absolute hugeness. The first thing I am going to do is tell you this will not be easy. As a matter of fact, this will be a monumental challenge and it will take a will power that you may not think you have right now.

Knowing all of that from the beginning, the first thing we are going to do is make that pledge that you will commit to this right now so read this statement and speak it out loud. Yes, speak it out loud. Hearing it will motivate you. Now read and repeat this:

"I pledge from this moment on that I am going to do all that is necessary to finally achieve my dream of building a huge, muscular and strong physique that will make people look at me with wide eyes and dropped jaws. I will not quit, back down or give any less than 100% toward doing this because I now know it is possible and I am going to prove it to those who know me and even those who don't. There will be no excuses for failure as I am the only one I can hold accountable and only I determine whether I succeed or fail. Doubters and haters will not deter me because I am stronger than all of the negativity and I now know that my time to succeed is right now!"

Did you say it out loud? If not, do it. I want you to be fired up for this. You are about to change everything about your life as you know it right now. You should be excited and feeling a surge of energy and power like never before. Now are you ready to read the map to that dream body? You better be. Let's go!

Get A BodySpace

What if I told you that the first thing I will provide you is the ultimate source for motivation, progress trackers and opportunities to make up to over 1,000,000 friends? That is awesome, right? Well that is what I am giving you by telling you to join BodySpace. This is going to be your training log, nutrition log, progress tracker, everything.

BodySpace makes life so much easier because you can do so many things on it. First off it is free so already you are saving money so you don't need notebooks to write in. Second, you have everything you need in one place. This is only the beginning of the perks though.



You can make friends on BodySpace so you have people to encourage you and to hold you accountable to what you want to do. That extra push could be just what you are missing out on and BodySpace takes care of that. Your friends can keep up with you through your daily Fit Status posts on your Dashboard. You can post what you did in the gym and what you ate that day so you can show those friends you're giving it your all and if you are being successful you can show others how you're making it happen.

To help you with your Fit Status, I'm giving you your first series of posts right now. You're going to make three posts. The first is "My Goals for the Next Year". Next is "Things I Should Stop Doing to Reach My Goals" and the third is "Things I Will Start Doing to Reach My Goals."

My Goals

  • Gain 25 pounds of muscle.
  • Improve my bench by 50 pounds.
  • Achieve 7 % body fat.
  • Wear at least XL shirts without increasing my jeans size.
  • Inspire 100 people to do what I am doing.

Things I Should Stop Doing to Reach My Goals

  • Drinking soda with every meal.
  • Not go out every weekend where I will be tempted to eat bad and drink.
  • Stay up late knowing I have to get up early for work.
  • Shop for snacks when I go grocery shopping.
  • Talking negative about myself.

Things I Will Start Doing To Reach My Goals

  • Drink water with every meal.
  • Go to bed early so I am well rested for my busy day ahead.
  • Eat before I go grocery shopping so I won't be hungry and tempted to buy bad food.
  • If I must go out, I will be the designated driver so I won't drink.

This is only an example. Whatever things you must decide you should do to reach your goals, write them down so you will commit to them since others are watching you now.

Go From Zero To Hero In One Year: The Ultimate 365 Day Muscle Building Plan!

Write down your goals to increase your commitment to them.

No Excuses

Remember when in the pledge you said no excuses will be allowed. Well we are taking care of that right now. I am going to cover the excuses that are given often and I am going to help you resolve them before they even become an issue so you have every possible opportunity to succeed and have no excuse for failure.

Excuse

I am on the road a lot and I have to get something to eat quickly and there are no choices besides fast food.

Tip

Wrong! You can get protein bars or meal replacement powders to take with you while traveling. Also, a cooler isn't that expensive and neither is Tupperware. You can pack your food and take it with you. You may also find you save a lot of money doing it this way.

Go From Zero To Hero In One Year: The Ultimate 365 Day Muscle Building Plan!

Packing your food and taking it with you can save you time and money.

Excuse

I always see the junk food in the store and want to buy it when I shop for food.



Tip

Eat a healthy meal right before going to the store. If you are not hungry, you will be less tempted to buy the bad food and will stay focused on the task at hand. Make a list, get your food and get out.

Excuse

I don't have time to cook every night.

Tip

You can spend one evening a week and cook a few days worth of meals and store them in your freezer. Cooking in bulk saves time both preparing and eating.

Excuse

I don't have time to go to the gym.

Tip

Normally you don't need more than 45 minutes to properly train to build the body you want. If you are really in a pinch, you can use one of the 20 minute workouts on the Video Article main page of Bodybuilding.com.

Excuse

I am not sure where to start.

Tip

Keep reading.



Month 1

We are going to cover each of these phases in this order: BodySpace, nutrition, training, and supplementation. This is the priority that I want you to keep these aspects in because this is how important they should be to you.

Before Hand

When you start on Day 1, take a before photo. This will show you where you are actually starting. Make sure you do photos of both your front and back. You will also take photos every four weeks to show yourself and those on BodySpace how much you have improved. Seeing the results before your own eyes will motivate you to keep going.

Nutrition

Nothing, nothing, nothing is more important than the diet. This is especially true when it comes to packing on the mass and building your strength. You are literally trying to put something on your body that is not there right now and that is more muscle, so you better feed that body properly.

Here is what you do for the first month of your plan. It is going to be six meals a day, one every three hours. Each meal will have protein and carbs in it. You will also drink water every time you eat.

Don't forget your fats as well. Make sure at least three of your meals have some type of healthy fats included with them. Some ways to do this is to make sure you are eating fish every day so you get omega 3 fatty acids in them. You can also include flaxseeds in your oatmeal or protein shakes. As long as you get the fats in there somehow, you are good. Here is a sample diet that can help you get started.

Breakfast
Egg Whites
8
Eggs
2
Oatmeal (with flaxseeds)
1 1/2 cups
Snack
Tuna Sandwich (with whole-wheat bread and lettuce)
1
Lunch
Chicken (grilled)
1
Sweet Potato
1
Snack
Protein Powder (mixed with skim milk)
2 scoops
Dinner
Steak (or chicken breast)
1 serving
Brown Rice
1 serving
Salad
1 serving
Before Bed
Cottage Cheese
2 servings

This is only an example. As long as you are getting plenty of protein and carbs, you will be okay. If you want numbers, then go for 1.5 grams of protein and 2.5 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight. Make sure your carbs are low-glycemic so they keep your energy up throughout the day and you will be stronger in the gym. Speaking of which, let's go train now.

Training

It is going to be short and sweet. No wasting time talking to people or flexing. You will go in, train each day like you won't succeed unless this workout is the best you ever had, and get out. You should never be in the gym longer than an hour.



Here is the workout plan for the first month.

Day 1: Upper-Body
1
Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
3 sets, 8-10 reps
+ 5 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos
  • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images
  • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Day 2: Lower-Body/Abs
1
Barbell Squat
3 sets, 8-10 reps
+ 7 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos
  • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images
  • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Day 3: Rest
+ more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos
  • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images
  • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Day 4: Repeat Upper-Body
+ more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos
  • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images
  • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Day 5: Repeat Lower-Body
+ more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos
  • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images
  • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Days 6 and 7: Rest
+ more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos
  • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images
  • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Go back to Day 1.

That is it. No more, no less. You grow when you rest, not when you train. Understand that now so you will grow sooner. Rest for 90 seconds between sets. Also do cardio 2 days a week for 15-20 minutes a session after your training. This is good for your cardiovascular system and will keep you from gaining too much body fat. Also drink a liter of water while training to replace what you lose while sweating and training.

Supplementation

First Month

That is it.

What?! No creatine, no nitric oxide, why? Right now you are primed for growth because you are just starting out. Your body is going to respond to what you do for the first month so the extra supps are not necessary yet. Save your money now and just focus on this.

Months 2-5

What happened to you? Are you on roids or something? You grew like a weed. Oh, wait. You actually followed the plan and you are growing. Congrats. Take some photos and post them so you can inspire others now. You are doing great and you should be proud. OK. Celebration time is over. Back to work. Let's check out the diet and see what we can modify.

Before Hand

Hopefully you have been taking those pictures and seeing the results of your hard work is pushing you. Now I want you to see the results beforehand.

Wait... what?



Yeah I know it sounds strange, but hear me out. From here on in, before going to bed you will take a few minutes and visualize what you are going to do the next day. Watch yourself training, eating right and watch yourself improve every night before going to sleep. If this is your dream then you have been doing this anyway. Now you are focusing on seeing it to be it.

Go From Zero To Hero In One Year: The Ultimate 365 Day Muscle Building Plan!

Every night, before going to sleep, visualize yourself living a healthy lifestyle the following day.

Nutrition

You are going to cut back on carbs slightly and that is about it. Let's look at the new menu.

Breakfast
Egg Whites
8
Eggs
2
Oatmeal (with flaxseeds)
1 1/2 cups
Snack
Tuna Sandwich (with whole-wheat bread and lettuce)
1
Lunch
Chicken (grilled)
1
Sweet Potato
1
Snack
Protein Powder (mixed with water)
2 scoops
Dinner
Steak (or chicken breast)
1 serving
Salad
1 serving
Before Bed
Cottage Cheese
2 servings

We've taken the rice out of dinner and from here on in mix your shakes with water only. Taking these calories out will prevent gaining more body fat than you need. If you are still keeping up with numbers, then you stick with the 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight, but now you do no more than 2 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight. Also make sure your water intake is still around a gallon a day.

One more thing. Treat yourself once a week for doing so well with the diet and training. If you are craving a burger or some pizza, go ahead and have it. Just make sure it is on a day that you are not training. Sundays are generally the free day, but have it when your schedule allows it.

Training

Now we are going to split the body parts up a little more. Now your routine will look like this.

Day 1: Shoulders
1
Seated barbell shoulder press
3 sets, 6-8 reps
+ 4 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos
  • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images
  • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Day 2: Back/Biceps/Abs
1
Pullups
3 sets, 6-8 reps
+ 8 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos
  • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images
  • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Rest Day 3

Day 4: Legs
1
Barbell Squat
3 sets, 6-8 reps
+ 6 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos
  • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images
  • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Day 5: Chest/Triceps/Abs
1
Barbell Incline Bench Press Medium-Grip
3 sets, 6-8 reps
+ 6 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos
  • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images
  • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Rest Days 6-7

Repeat Day 1

Now the rest is going to be cut down to a minute between sets and you can also add a third cardio session after one of the weight training days. Make sure it is low intensity so you don't burn muscle tissue.

Supplements

Months 2-5

I have added creatine and a pre-workout supplement if you can afford one. If you can't that is okay. The creatine is going to be important for your recovery now that you are training with more volume and with heavier weights. Make sure you are consistent with all of your supplements or they won't work.



Months 6-12

Wow. You should be proud of what you have done thus far. You are inspiring people and impressing many that know you. The photos you have been taking are certainly making a huge statement about your hard work and dedication. You are also probably motivated like never before because of the results. I bet those shirts you had when you started don't fit anymore either. That is great, but now it is time to turn the intensity level up as high as possible because the second half of the year is much tougher than the first so your focus and determination must not falter at all.

Nutrition

Everything at this point is the same as with months 2-5. Nothing changes here so just keep doing what you are doing. Make sure you are only treating yourself if you are following through the rest of the week. If you grab a candy bar somewhere or grab a burger on the way home, that is your treat and you are now starting over for the week. Keep up with the water too.

Go From Zero To Hero In One Year: The Ultimate 365 Day Muscle Building Plan!

Make sure you only treat yourself if you are following through the rest of the week.

Training

Obviously you can't do the same thing over and over for six months so this is where I am going to give you some creative control on your training. I am going to give you the blueprint and you get to plug in the exercises where you want. You pick the movements, but stick to this objective in the gym. To find some great choices of exercises, go to the Bodybuilding.com Exercise Database.

Day 1: Shoulders/Abs

  • Shoulder exercise 1: 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps
  • Shoulder exercise 2: 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps
  • Shoulder exercise 3: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
  • Shoulder exercise 4: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
  • Abs exercise 1: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
  • Abs exercise 2: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
  • Abs exercise 3: 3 sets of 15-20 reps

Workout PDF

Day 2: Back

  • Back exercise 1: 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps
  • Back exercise 2: 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps
  • Back exercise 3: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
  • Back exercise 4: 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Workout PDF

Day 3: Legs

  • Quads exercise 1: 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps
  • Quads exercise 2: 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps
  • Hamstring exercise 1: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
  • Hamstring exercise 2: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
  • Calf exercise 1: 5 sets of 20 reps
  • Calf exercise 2: 5 sets of 20 reps

Workout PDF

Day 4: Chest/Abs

  • Chest exercise 1: 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps
  • Chest exercise 2: 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps
  • Chest exercise 3: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
  • Chest exercise 4: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
  • Abs exercise 1: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
  • Abs exercise 2: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
  • Abs exercise 3: 3 sets of 15-20 reps

Workout PDF



Day 5: Arms

  • Biceps exercise 1: 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps
  • Triceps exercise 1: 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps
  • Biceps exercise 2: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
  • Triceps exercise 2: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
  • Biceps exercise 3: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
  • Triceps exercise 3: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
  • Forearm exercise: 5 sets of 20 reps

Workout PDF

Program Note: One minute rest between sets. This is going to be intense, but at this point you should be craving the punishment because you know by now that pain is weakness leaving the body. Change the exercises every 6-8 weeks to keep from getting bored and so your body won't adapt to what you are doing. 2-3 days of cardio at 20 minutes low intensity.

Complete Workout PDF

Supplements

Months 6-12

Words To Live By

Now that you have the plan, you should remember that pledge you took at the beginning of this article. Do not quit, do not let negativity and haters get to you, and do not doubt yourself! You must have absolute faith that this will work and you are going to live your dream of having that body you have wanted for so long. A year may seem like a long time, but trust me it really isn't. You will find this out for yourself as the weeks progress. You will also establish yourself as a success story in the fitness world thanks to your efforts on your BodySpace page.

I am not going to put a set number of weight you will gain in this year long quest. It may be 10-15 pounds of muscle. It could be even more. That depends on the person and how bad you want it. You also must not doubt yourself at all. I cannot emphasize that enough. If you want this to happen, you must have absolute faith that you are going to succeed. This is going to happen and right now is the beginning of you living the dream of having the jacked up physique that everyone stares at in awe.

How does it feel?

About the Author

Roger Lockridge

Roger Lockridge

Bodybuilding is the reason I am who I am today. I am more confident in myself, actually looking for the next challenge, and inspiring others.

View all articles by this author