TOPIC: What Is The Best Mass-Building Workout For Skinny Beginners?

As a respected member of the Bodybuilding.com message board and as a bodybuilder, you get a lot of questions from people that look up to you. Today, it's a skinny kid, who just hours earlier bought his first gym membership after seeing the latest Terminator movie. He is ready to pack on the beef, scare away the bullies, and get the ladies! He is motivated and excited... but has no idea what to do with all the dumbbells, barbells, and odd machines that he sees in front of him in the gym.

What workout program would you design for him so he can gain as much mass as possible in the shortest amount of time? We are not talking about nutrition or supplements right now, just the workout plan. Design a 12-week or longer program, list the exercises, reps, days to do the workout(s), and list some tips for getting the most out of it.

When you are done, he should be able to just print it out and take it to the gym and have all the information he needs to do his workout. (We will add the exercise descriptions and videos for you.)

Let's see what you come up with! Are you really the smart bodybuilder that this kid thinks you are?

Show off your knowledge to the world!

The Winners:

1. ravadongon View Profile

2. Squats View Profile

3. BigNorwegian View Profile

4. sword chucks View Profil

1st Place: ravadongon

The short answer to the question: what is the best mass-building workout for skinny beginners? Well... there isn't. Beginners will more than likely make progress irrespective of what they do, as long as they train consistently.

Beginning weight trainers exhibit around twice the improvement in about half the time compared with stronger experienced weight trainers. After a while though, the body's ability to recover from workouts is out paced by the trainer's ability to increase the intensity of their workouts.

Before I jump into the routine, I feel the need to discuss with you the key concept behind weight training and my training plan for you. Nutrition and rest aside, the key to all lean gains in the training department is progressive overload.

What Does Hypertrophy Mean?

An increase in the size of a tissue or organ due to the enlargement of existing cells. |

Progressive overload is the principle of progressively increasing the demands on the musculoskeletal system so that gains can continually be made in hypertrophy, strength and endurance.

It can be achieved in 8 main ways:

• Increasing volume
• Increasing resistance
• Increasing repetitions
• Increasing sets
• Increasing time under tension (aka TUT)
• Increasing exercises
• Increasing frequency
• Increasing intensity
• Increasing efficiency
• Decreasing Rest

The following 6 month plan is one that I've had a couple of my mates, who were reasonably new to weight training, do.

All of them have had excellent results, in both overall strength and hypertrophy, with this routine, even without the best of diets (that's not to say diet isn't important, as it is more important than training, and they could've had even better results with improved diets).

Not being a bodybuilder myself I haven't tried it, but I realize the main principle, which I built it behind (progressive overload), and the results of my mates speak for themselves. So without further ado, here it is:

Ravadongon's Hypertrophy Training 4 n0oBz! 6 Months (24 weeks) Worth Of Solid Muscle Gains!

Weeks 1-8: Upper/Lower Split

Comments:

All exercises are performed in the 8-12 repetition range, as it allows you to work with weights which you can develop good form with, as well as being in a range promoting hypertrophy.

So the idea is you start of with a weight you can use for 8 repetitions, work up to doing 12 repetitions with that weight and then increase the weight until you can only perform 8, continue this cycle.

This way you will be achieving progressive overload through increasing repetitions and increasing resistance.

Weeks 8-16: Push/Pull/Legs Split

Comments:

Exercises are performed in varied repetition ranges; however they are all lowered from the previous split, forcing you to work with heavier weights for all exercises.

As with the previous split follow the same guideline of choosing the weight to use e.g. if the repetition range is 4-8, choose a weight you can perform 4 repetitions with.

When you can perform 8 repetitions with that weight, then increase the weight until you can only perform 4 and continue the cycle (same principle applies with other rep ranges). This promotes progressive overload by both increasing resistance and increasing repetitions.

Personally I have tried this particular split before, and made some great gains in both hypertrophy and strength using it, all while not spending as long in the weights room.

Weeks 16-24: Strength/Hypertrophy Split

Note: So you don't overtrain it is important that you follow the guidelines of a 3 week loading phase and a 1 week unloading phase cycle when using this split.

For 3 weeks you work with the split stated using maximum poundage in those rep ranges and for 1 week you decrease volume and intensity, by only doing the first 2-3 exercises in each workout with less than your maximum poundage in those rep ranges (~75%), with the same frequency of training.

Once you have unloaded, repeat from the start, by loading once more for 3 weeks and following it up with 1 week of unloading.

Comments:

This split is a further progression on the previous split. It is based on the Dual Factor theory, which is about fitness (the positive effect after training) and fatigue (the negative effect after training) and striking the correct balance between the two.

It also works using conjugate periodization, by working more than one fitness abilities, strength and hypertrophy at the same time (bigger strength gains promote progressive overload which lead to bigger hypertrophy gains).

Again you are also achieving progressive overload in numerous ways, by increasing resistance, repetitions, sets, exercises and frequency. Rest periods are longer on strength days because you will be working with much heavier weights and therefore will need more time to recover between sets.

Many people have had excellent results using the dual factor system of training, and in fact many of the top athletes use that method of training, so there is no doubting that it works well.

Quick Tips

• Use proper form on all exercises. No one is responsible for your injuries as a result of improper form but yourself. If you are unsure of the correct form for a certain exercise look it up on the internet or ask someone who is knowledgeable about weight training.

• Ensure you warm-up and cool down properly. Warming up has numerous benefits such as preventing muscle stiffness (which leads to muscle stiffness), improving coordination and increasing the speed of contraction and relaxation of the muscles that have been warmed up.

  Cooling down also removes waste products such as lactic acid from the muscles, ensuring faster recovery time.

• When working with heavy weights on certain exercises it is important you have a spotter. You are your best judge here, if you feel uncomfortable working with a certain weight in a particular exercise on your own, get yourself a spotter.

• Keep track of your progress. This means keeping a log of all your workouts and your diet (optional) so you can keep improving, as well as taking measurements and/or pictures so you can compare before/after changes, to see if you are making progress in your body composition. 

• Be prepared for your workouts. Don't be in a last minute rush to organize what you need to take to the gym, have everything packed in advance so you don't need to worry and can prepare mentally for your workout, i.e. get yourself 'psyched up'. You'd be surprised how much your frame of mind can affect your workout.

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• Once you finish the 6 months of training, you can either try a new routine, or start at the beginning again from my training plan.

Enjoy your workouts and your new muscle gains, Ravadongon

2nd Place: Squats A Mass Building Workout For Beginners

When starting out being a skinny bodybuilder is a good base to start off on. The main focus of a skinny beginner is to always get bigger and gradually add mass to his frame.

One of the best ways to stimulate growth is to train with a serious mindset of what he/she is doing. One of the best basic workouts for building mass would be to start lifting heavy with low/moderate rep ranges using a lot of compound movements and little single joint (isolation) exercises.

Why Do You Get Bigger From Lifting Heavier?

One of the common myth's I hear a lot is lifting heavy will not do much for size, well this is true and false. People who train sh*t heavy for 3 lifts may not be as big as some bodybuilders. But some are, a lot of them eat a lot and lift heavy 24/7 and most have good genetics.

I see plenty of guys who do this. They diet down and enter bodybuilding shows and just crush their competitors. Rep ranges usually would be around 4-8 reps per set (aside from warm-up sets). Lifting more weights will tear the muscle fibers (what you want) instead of doing less weight and tearing less fibers.

Now to make sure growth will occur you have to have proper nutrition to fully recover the torn muscle to grow and get bigger and stronger than ever before. This is the #1 reason why nutrition is important with a solid workout to grow bigger in the beginning.

What Split Should You Use?

There are plenty of different ways to split your workouts and muscle groups in the week. Many people do basic 3-day splits (which is 3 workouts to work the entire body). Many like to do 6-day splits and working 1-2 muscles each workout. Many of these work well but don't for many people.

Recovery issues come into play when figuring the right training split. Many with good recovery time would use more workouts to work the muscles instead of less workouts to work the same muscles.

Many like to workout each body part twice a week (which should be used in advanced training later on) which I don't recommend for beginning.

Muscle Groups

• Chest
• Back (thickness, width)
• Thighs (hamstrings, quadriceps)
• Biceps
• Triceps
• Deltoids
• Abdominals
• Forearms
• Calves

Chest Exercises

Flat Bench Press: Many bodybuilders don't like this exercise due to how much they feel it doesn't work the chest. This is a compound exercise that works the chest, triceps, and anterior deltoids.

I have felt a beginner should always start with the basics. I used this exercise when I began and I had pretty good results with it. So I always add it because of personal experiences, but if someone feels they're not growing enough from it, I would switch it to dumbbells instead.

Incline Press: This exercise stresses more of the upper pectorals of the chest. It is a good exercise to use in your training program and should always be used to your advantage.

Another good thing to use with this is dumbbells. Use them every now and then if you need to. Dumbbells will help you get a better range of motion (ROM), which are very useful in training.

Decline Press: This is one of the exercises that has been lost in the past couple of years. No one seems to ever use it and that is one problem with today's average training. This is one of the greatest exercises to add more stress to the lower pectorals. Using dumbbells with the pecs is another option for variety and a better range of motion.

Dips: Another good exercise to add to your training is chest dips. This will really bring out your lower pectorals and making your chest look a lot fuller. Another good compound exercise to use every workout.

Pushups: Although most people don't use this exercise much, I always suggest to beginners that they try them. It's a great exercise to pump up and tear the muscle fibers and is a good exercise to improve on.

Back Exercises

Deadlift: One of the best back builders is the deadlift. This is an exercise that should always be used with lower rep ranges and heavy weights. This exercise is really good for developing the lower back as well. Deadlifts will also improve back thickness which is one of the factors that makes a good back.

Barbell Rows: Another good back thickness exercise is basic barbell rows. This exercise is one of the best exercises used in back training and should always be used to develop the lats of the back.

Pull-ups: One of the basic compound exercises should be added to your workout regime as well. This exercise should be the first exercise you do in a back workout. If you can do more then 12 reps with your body weight, add weight to it. Good in developing width in the lats.

Lat Pull-downs: Another good exercise to develop and widen the lats is the lat pulldown. This exercise is a great beginning exercise to strengthen the lats and improve over development.

Thigh Exercises

Squats: The best thigh developer is the basic squat. This stresses the quadriceps and is a great mass builder. If you can go real deep on squatting without sacrificing form do that.

If you can go to parallel, do that. It all depends on your abilities right now. When you get the hang of it, it will be easier to go deeper when squatting.

Lunges: Another good exercise to use to develop the quadriceps and hamstrings are lunges. Great way to add mass and develop mass in the thighs.

Leg Curls: To further develop the hamstrings is to use leg curls. Just a basic single joint movement to add more mass to the hamstrings.

Bicep Exercises

Barbell Curls: The overall mass builder for developing good biceps is the basic barbell curl. Use shoulder width for this exercise when gripping the barbell. You will most likely feel a pain in the forearms when using this exercise.

Make sure to set the bar down slower so you don't get as much pain. You can also use a EZ-Bar to take stress off the forearms.

Incline Dumbbell Curls: This exercise is great for creating more peak to the biceps. Doing this exercise heavy will greatly develop the biceps than most other exercises. Great for adding mass.

Chin-ups: Many don't understand how this exercise works the biceps. It works the biceps because it is a compound exercise. Underhand grip and pulling yourself up is a great way to add more mass to the biceps.

Tricep Exercises

Close-Grip Press: This exercise is one of the best mass builders for triceps. Develops all the heads with a heavy weight and stimulates the muscle into growth. Weird movements, but you'll get the hang of it a few weeks after doing them.

French Press: Another good exercise is basically extending the triceps at a different angle. Great developing exercise for the three heads of the triceps.

Dips: Heavy dips are another good mass building exercise for the triceps. When training the triceps, heavy compounds are the only way to go.

Deltoid Exercises

Barbell Shoulder Press: Some of the best movements to hit the deltoids are mainly heavy compound presses. You can go a lot heavier on presses then regular raises causing more stimulation to the deltoids.

Push Press: Another over head press where you can add a lot more weight and stimulate the deltoids more than regular seated overhead presses. Good exercise to develop the deltoids.

Dumbbell Shoulder Press: For more variety and stabilizer muscles being used, try these. With dumbbells you get a lot better range of motion (ROM) which develops the deltoids better.

Side laterals: The only raising movement I suggest for deltoids are side laterals. Most overhead presses don't hit the medial deltoid as much as anterior and posterior deltoids.

Abdominal Exercises

Crunch: One of the basic exercises to work the abdominals is the crunch. Just a basic contraction to stimulate growth.

Oblique Crunch: Side bends are one exercise that can ruin your v-taper. That is why I suggest you use a oblique crunch instead to keep your v-taper and still have obliques.

Knee Raises: For lower abdominal work, just simple leg raises are enough to hit them. Crunches don't hit the lower abdominals as much as knee raises will.

Forearm Exercises

Wrist Curls: Just the basic wrist curl is enough to help stimulate growth in the forearm. Most the time it gets worked when doing back exercises. This exercise is good because it is safer then others.

Reverse Wrist Curls: Another exercise to stimulate the other side of the forearm. Again another safe exercise and is also worked by other exercises performed with different muscle groups.

Calf Exercises

Calf Raises: Whether it is standing, seated, or donkey calf raises, those are all you need to stimulate growth for the calves. Many people grow from high rep ranges and serious weights to make the calves pop out.

Trap Exercises

Shrugs: The traps get a lot of stimulation from other exercises, but the basic exercise for traps are shrugs. I recommend barbell or dumbbell shrugs and keep it at that.

The Workout

Basic Nutrition

Now remember don't always expect that your training will make you grow. When you lift you stimulate your muscles and your nutrition recovers them making them grow and get stronger.

Proper nutrition is always your #1 key when starting bodybuilding. Especially when your skinny, your diet will determine 9/10 of whether your going to gain weight or not.

Information For Safety

1. Always work on form before you add weight. Make sure to get all your lifts down and have good form before you start lifting.
2. Make sure when you do this workout that you always have a spotter or a power rack with you to insure you don't get hurt.

List Of Exercises and How To Perform Them Here.

3rd Place: BigNorwegian

This is a bulking routine I've been using for a good time now. I received the original version from DL, however I have modified it to my personal liking.

I've gained a good 20-25 lbs with this routine and still am seeing steady results. This is by far the best routine I have tried. With a solid diet you are sure to see great results.

Monday: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Chest:

• BB Incline Press: 3-4 warm-up sets, 1 work set where you struggle to get 5-6 reps = if you get over 6 reps go up by 5 lbs next workout. If you can get 6 reps at new weight, go up by 5 lbs. Don't go up unless you got 6 reps the last workout.

• DB Flat Fly: 2-3 warm-ups, then 1 work set of 6-8 reps. Try to get maximum stretch and do it slow. If you get over 8 reps go up by 2.5 to 5lbs next workout. If you can't get 8 reps, that's good - go up in reps each workout until you can get over 8 reps at the new weight. Alternate this exercise each week with Incline DB fly's so you hit upper chest from two positions.

• DB Cross Bench Pullovers: lie on bench with shoulders resting just off bench, and feet spread wide for balance, dip your butt so it's towards ground. Have a friend hand you a DB and with arms outstretched, holding arms straight and DB with both hands, raise DB until it's over chest, then lower DB to ground but don't touch ground.

  Get full stretch of upper pecs and upper lats (This will tie them together). Slowly raise DB until directly over chest, and then slowly lower DB to almost touch ground. Same as before; 1-2 warm-ups and one working set of 6-8 reps. Only go up in weight when you get over 8 reps.

• Cable Crossovers: 1-2 sets for pec stretching. Stand with one upper cable in each hand and pull across chest and down and hold with hands crossed for 3 sec, then hands back up to stretch pecs, and repeat. Do 6-8 reps. You may substitute pec-dec machine for cable crossovers, if your gym has a pec-dec machine.

Delts:

• Military Press: 2 warm-ups, 1 work set like with incline bench getting your last set in the 6-8 range.
• Lateral Fly: 10-12 working sets in 10-12 range. Perform as a drop set (machine laterals are good for drop sets) starting as high as you can and still get 8-10 reps. Next week go up 5-10 lbs on first set but don't go up the next week unless you can get 10 reps on first set. Once in a while you can go up the ladder in weights using DB's.
• Rear Delt Machine: 1 warm-up, 1 work set
• Seated Row Rear Delt Exercise: Sit in seated row machine, and using a rope through the hook, pull each end of rope until your elbows are up and out to sides and your hands are by your cheeks on your face. You will feel this in your rear delts the next day. Do 2 warm-ups, one working set.
• Wide Grip BB Upright Rows: Grab the BB as far out as you can and slowly raise up along your body until the BB is over your chest and at lower neck level. Then slowly lower weight until arms are fully stretched. Slowly raise BB up your body until at neck level, then slowly lower and repeat. One set should destroy your rear delts if you did one of the other two exercises first.

Tris:

• Close Grip Bench: 1-2 warm-ups, 1 working set in 6-8 range.
• Overhead DB Extensions: 1 warm-up, 1 working set in 6-8 range. Only go up in weight when you can get over 8 reps.
• Tricep Pushdowns: 1 warm-up, 1 work set

Wednesday: Quads, Hams, Calves

• Squats: 3-4 warm-ups starting with 15-20 reps and work down in reps until you can get 1 work set of 5-6 reps. Higher reps, not higher weights, develop bigger quads. Every 4th leg workout try to get 20 reps of a weight you can do 10 reps of.
• Leg Press: 2-3 working sets of 15-20 reps. Stop at a weight you can't get 15 reps of and get it the next workout, then go up in weight. On leg press if you keep your toes just over the edge of the platform, the leg press will work your hams as well as quads.
• Hack Squats: 1 warm-up, 1 working set of 8-12 reps. Alternate every other week with Smith front squats, one warm-up, one working set of 8-12 reps.
• Leg Extension: warm-up, one work set
• Leg Curl: warm-up, work set
• Stiff-Leg Deadlift: work set
• Standing Calf Raise: work set

Friday: Abs, Back, Bis

• Lat Pull-down: 2-3 warm-ups, one work set in 6-8 range. Alternate wide grip pulldown bar and V-grip handle every other week to get your upper lats.
• Deadlift: 3 warm-ups, one work set using higher reps on first sets and lower on last.
• BB Bent-Over Rows: (Use the curl grip with palms face up and elbows close into sides) 2 warm-ups of 8-10 reps, then one work set of 6-8 reps.
• BB Shrugs In Power Rack Or Using Smith Machine: 135x12 reps standing behind bar, then rest, then 135x12 reps standing in front of bar. Then rest, then 225x10-12 reps standing behind bar, then standing in front. Then 315x8-10 reps standing in front, then behind bar. Try to get up to 405, then 495. Go up in plates on this exercise each week or each month.
• Standing BB Curls: 3 warm-up of 8-12 reps, one work set of 6-8 reps.
• Hammer Curls Standing: 1 warm-up, one work set
• Preacher Curl: 1 work set (Machine preachers are good for this.)

Your first exercise should be a warm-up; warm-ups play a very important factor with this routine. A warm-up per exercise allows your body to optimize the firing of the neuropathways.

Example: If your max (a work set) for bench press is 3 plates, then you would do 2 warm-up sets with the bar, 2 warm-up sets of one plate, 1 warm-up set with 2 plates and then your work set with 3 plates. 

Reps, Sets and Tempo

So if in one work out you fail at 6 reps, the following should be nothing less than 7. When you reach around 8 reps for that exercise, the following workout for that exercise set should be an increased weight from the previous, you should note that you have to do a minimal of 4 reps after increasing the weight, if not you are not ready to increase the weight.

Each rep has a tempo of 2-1-1. That is 2 seconds in the negative, one second in the contraction and 1 second in the positive. Then, after you fail in the incline press, you move straight to flat fly. You do not need a warm-up now because your chest is more than warm after you failed on presses. And that's it for chest.

The basic routine stays the same. If you want variety, small changes as using DB's instead of BB or doing flat press and incline fly for example, is more than enough variety to keep the muscle 'confused'.

Keep in mind a muscle will not grow until it's recovered. A muscle will not begin to recover until the nervous system is recovered. It takes roughly 24hours for the nervous system to recover from a workout, after the nervous system has recovered the muscle will begin to recover as well and grow. This is the very reason why I do not train 2 days in a row.

Note:

Remember to stay focused and realize that you are here to complete a job not to waste your own time. Walk into that gym as if you own it. Rip the room apart if need be, just make sure you give everything for that hour.

You MUST give 100%. BB is a game of mind over matter, your body will tell you that you are tired and taxed but that is generally only at around 85%, step your game up and bust your ass. This is why you stepped foot into the gym isn't it? This is what you want, isn't it? So give it all you got!

3rd Place: sword chucks (Tie) Size And Strength For Impatient Beginners

Getting started in bodybuilding is really exciting once you learn the possibilities and challenges that it gives you. When I started, it was really difficult to wait and I found myself checking the scale to see if I had gained any poundage.

I am still like that now. Even if I just get 1 or 2 more reps on an exercise compared to last week, I still get hungry for more.

I think the key to this is finding a training routine that is fun, simple and intense, such as the one I am going to present in this article. With this program I am going to address the two things that all bodybuilders, experienced or novice levels, want to add on; size and strength.

And we all have one thing in common - we are extremely impatient - we want to get bigger, now!

The program in this article is everything that a beginner needs - simplicity and effectiveness. It is based off of a few principles that have always worked for me, even when I was starting out, and even today.

The Keys To Success In This Program

1. Learning to train heavy.
2. Training each muscle at a higher frequency than most programs.
3. Keeping strict form and a full range of motion on each exercise.
4. Using both low rep and high rep sets to fully develop strength and size.
5. Only including the safest possible exercises, because as a beginner the joints are very vulnerable to damage.
6. Including fitness-improving cardiovascular activity to give you a good foundation of fitness.

The Training Arrangement

This is the training schedule I want anyone on this program to be on for each week.

This schedule is ideal for what I want you to accomplish, because it provides a good amount of rest between workouts, allowing the muscles to fully recover, and it minimizes overlap of muscle groups, so that each workout can be done with as much energy as possible.

This routine will only change on each fourth week.

The Routine

• Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, Back, Trapezius
• Day 2: Legs, Calves, Arms
• Day 3: Rest from weights*
• Day 4: Chest, Shoulders, Back, Trapezius
• Day 5: Legs, Calves, Arms
• Day 6: Rest from weights*
• Day 7: Rest from weights*

*On Days 3, 6 and 7, I recommend having no intense weight training. However, since you are just starting to body build, your fitness levels are probably not all that great. This can cause some serious problems.

Problems

1. The first one is that the fatigue from this routine will accumulate very quickly if you aren't ready for it, so by doing cardio you can quickly improve fitness levels with a minimal impact on recovery.
2. If your heart isn't very efficient at getting blood around to your muscles, then you will be huffing and puffing after just a set or two, and you won't have as much energy for the rest of your workout.

Sets, Reps, Exercises, Rest Periods and Exercise Tempo: Little Questions That Beginners Always Have

Trying to explain most of these things to people just starting bodybuilding is difficult. You are going to want to pay close attention to how your body responds to things like more sets, more reps, more rest time, slower reps, and other things based on feel.

I mean, if you feel very winded or fatigued right after something, or nauseous, it probably isn't good to do too much of it, until you get used to it. So pay attention to those feelings when changing these things around.

Sets

I believe that is a good idea to keep the number of sets performed relatively low. I notice that after a workout with very many sets, I feel very fatigued and not good like you should after a workout. You should usually perform 2 or 3 sets per exercise, but that also depends on how many exercises you do.

Reps

The cornerstone of this program is using a big variety of rep ranges to add both strength and mass fast. I recommend the 3-6 rep range for some days and the 6-10 range for others, because both are very good for gaining strength and mass.

Exercises

When anyone talks about a simple routine, they probably are talking about that it has few exercises, and the few exercises that it has are basic movements like deadlifts, pullups, and presses. In this program, you should really stick to exercises like this.

Rest Periods (Between Sets)

Going by feel, I have learned that a 2 to 3 minute rest period is generally all that you need. Some muscles will recover faster or slower though. Just go by instinct on this one, you can easily find out on your own because your breathing will steady and your muscles will feel ready to do another strong set.

Exercise Tempo

It has been proven that the old theories of super slow reps really are incorrect. You should try pushing as hard as you can on the up phase of a rep, and then lower the weight under control, without purposely pausing at any time.

The Program: For Impatient Beginners

Note For Strength Days:

You need to be really strict about this with yourself. For example, I put a friend of mine on this program, and every strength day on bench press he would put his max on the bar, and do one rep, and have me spot him for 5 more. I kept telling him to lighten the weight so he could actually get results, but he didn't listen.

A good way to make sure that you aren't like my friend was if you take a weight and try to make all 4 sets with it in the same number of reps. Getting 4 sets of 4 with the same weight really doesn't allow you to let your ego take over. This goes for all exercises too, not just the bench press.

Day 3: Cardio

• 15 to 30 minutes of activity at least, but don't kill yourself if you don't have to over this. Make sure it is something that gets you breathing hard though, like a game of flag football or something

Day 6 and 7: Cardio

• See Day 3.

Every 4th Week

Every fourth week, I want you to do me a favor and train a little bit less. I am going to cut back the workouts to only two this week, with the other days for rest or cardio.

This program is a pretty heavy work load, so taking one week every now and then to ensure that your body is fully recovered is smart. I don't include low rep workouts this week because they are extremely taxing on the joints, so this week will also clear out any joint pains that you may be feeling.

Here is the program for every fourth week:

Days 2,3,5,6 & 7

• Rest or cardio.

Now Bring It To The Gym!

Okay, to all of you impatient beginners out there, I know this was a bit long, but sometimes patience is a good thing. Luckily, with this program I think that you will be satisfied with your results, and patience won't be an issue. You will get bigger and stronger with this simple plan.

As you go on, be sure to use experience to figure out what you should and shouldn't do in the weight room, try out new exercises, don't be afraid of machines now and then eat like there won't be any food tomorrow and have fun getting big.