Part 3: Training

By: Roger Lockridge

In the previous two parts of this series of articles, I covered my plan for gaining mass through nutrition and supplementation. Now we finally hit the gym.

I am going to cover the training aspect of how I went from a seventeen year old teenager that weighed 125 lbs. to being over 200 pounds today. To change your body the way you are hoping to, the training is not going to be easy. Do not take this lightly.

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To Change Your Body The Way You Are Hoping
To, The Training Is Not Going To Be Easy.

Have A Spotter

When you get to the gym, I recommend getting a partner. I had to spend time finding a spotter because I didn't have a partner to keep me motivated and to help spot me. It got frustrating after a while.

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A partner or spotter can ensure you will be safe when lifting heavy and can help you critique your form while training. The extra person will go a long way in helping you and increase your chances of success.

Speak To Your Physician

Remember when I advised for you to go talk to your doctor about taking the supplements in the last section. Well, while you are there you might as well talk about training too.

This article cover what I did and what worked for me may not work for you. You may not be able to do what I did because of some condition you may have or prior injuries you may have suffered.

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What Worked For Me May Not Work For You.

I know you read it all the time and it appears as only legal type, but you seriously need to see your physician to ensure you can take on a strenuous program.

The Training Philosophy

In the research I did before I started training, which consisted of many books and magazines because Bodybuilding.com hadn't existed yet, I found one common theory about building muscle: compound movements work.

Bench press, squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, and dips all play a big part in gaining quality mass and strength. If you are looking for that secret that no one seems to know about that magically help bodybuilders get so huge, you can quit looking now, I tried for years. There is no secret program and it isn't that complicated.

I broke up my program into a three day split. Monday was chest and back, Wednesday was legs and abs, and Friday was shoulders and arms. I only went to the gym three days a week because rest was absolutely crucial in gaining mass and strength. Training the way you are going to is going to tear the body down.

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Training The Way You Are Going
To Is Going To Tear The Body Down.

You want to go in, get it done, and get out so you can rest. Rest equals recovery. I rested 90-120 seconds between sets. Since I had to walk to the gym and back, the walk to the gym was my warm up.

A few minutes on the treadmill and the jog back was the cardio I did afterwards to keep in shape and prevent gaining too much body fat.

Roger Lockridge's Sample Workout

Here is an example of what I did each day of the week in the gym. I would stick to the plan for four to six weeks and then change the exercises up.

The only things that stayed consistent were that I used the compound movements. As the reps decrease, I add weight. This is known as pyramid training.

Monday: Chest And Back
• Warm-Up: 10 minute walk
• Barbell Bench Press: 4 sets of 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps
• Dumbbell Flyes: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Deadlift: 4 sets of 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
• Pullups: 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps
• Seated Cable Rows: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Cardio: 20 minute jog

Wednesday: Legs And Abs

• Warm-Up: 10 minute walk
• Barbell Squat: 4 sets of 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
• Leg Press: 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps
• Stiff-Legged Deadlift: 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps
• Lying Leg Curls: 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps
• Calf Raises On The Leg Press: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Crunches: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Side Bends: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Cardio: 10 minute walk

Friday: Shoulders And Arms

• Warm-Up: 10 minute walk
• Seated Dumbbell Press: 4 sets of 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
• Lateral Raises: 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps
• Rear Delt Raises: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell Curls: 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps
• Alternating Dumbbell Curls: 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps
• Weighted Dips: 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps
• Triceps Pushdowns: 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps
• Cardio: 20 minute jog

Although the compound movements are the ones you really want to focus on, do not neglect the isolation movements. Isolation movements are great to help get extra blood flow into the muscle you are training.

Do not neglect the cardio at the end of the workout either. There is a notion by most hardgainers that you should stay away from cardio period because it burns calories. I feel that the cardio is just as important as the resistance training. At the end of the day, this is about being in great overall shape, not just getting big.

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At The End Of The Day, This Is About Being
In Great Overall Shape, Not Just Getting Big.

Other Things To Keep In Mind

• Stretch And Flex In Between Sets: During that minute and a half to two minutes in between sets, flex the muscle you are training. Stretching helps keep the muscles from cramping. Flexing the muscle helps you get a deeper contraction of the muscle fiber and keeps blood in to help enhance the pump.
• Do Not Sacrifice Form To Lift Heavier: I can't emphasize this enough. I know you want the big numbers and honestly I can't blame you. But you will not get bigger and stronger sitting at the house nursing an injury. The heavier weights will come with time.

• Be Patient: This is not a process that is going to happen overnight. You are literally trying to change your physique. You are trying to add something to your body that was not originally there. Take it one day at a time. As long as you don't rush it, the results you desire will come.
• Be Polite To Others, But Stay On Task: I am not saying do not acknowledge anyone that says hi to you. It doesn't hurt to smile and ask how someone is, but at the end of the day, you are in the gym to do work. That gym is your office from the time you walk in to the time you walk out. If you do not stay focused on what you need to do, your chances of meeting your goals decrease.

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At The End Of The Day, You
Are In The Gym To Do Work.

• If You Are Sick, Stay Home: Your immune system is too busy fighting off whatever it is you are suffering from. Going to the gym is going to do more harm than good. Wait until you are better before going back to face the iron.
• Keep Track Of Your Progress: I had to use a training log, and honestly it is OK to have a basic notebook and pen. Nowadays, though, there is this great tool that Bodybuilding.com has called BodySpace. You can get a BodySpace account for free and keep track of everything there.

GET MORE FROM BODYBUILDING.COM!

Learn What BodySpace Can Do For You! Updating Your Profile. [ Click here To Start Your Account. ] Back | Next 1 of 9: Your Profile Page: BodySpace is more than just a MySpace for bodybuilders. It's your best tool for staying motivated over the long term. On BodySpace, you can create a profile with your photos, your body stats, your progress, and much more.

Posting your information, where over a quarter of a million people from all over the world can see it, will keep you motivated to train hard and also lead to gaining support from others.

Conclusion

We have now covered nutrition, supplementation, and training. There is one aspect left that I will go over to help you gain mass. Motivation is just as important as the other aspects in my humble opinion. I will share the tips, tricks, and strategies that kept me going when I wasn't sure I wanted to.

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Be Sure To Stick Around For
Part 4 In This Hardgainer Series!

If you have any questions about any of the articles or just want to share your thoughts and comments, email me at rock23@bodybuilders.com. You can also pay me a visit at my BodySpace profile.

rock23@bodybuilders.com

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