|
The Question: Twelve weeks is a good time frame to set some short-term fitness goals. It's just enough time to be able to notice a positive transformation to one's physique. What is the best 12-week workout program? Be specific. What kind of results can one expect from this 12-week program? What are some practical goals that one can achieve using a 12-week program? Show off your knowledge to the world! The Winners:
2nd place - 50 in store credit. To use your credit, e-mail Will @ will@bodybuilding.com for more info.
Twelve weeks is a good time frame to set some short-term fitness goals. It's just enough time to be able to notice a positive transformation to one's physique.
There is no universal 12-week program. The best 12-week program will depend on one's goals. Due to that reason I've included both bulking and cutting workouts to suit individual requirements.
When bulking, the goal is to pack on as much quality mass as possible while limiting an unsettling increase in body fat. Two of the most popular methods for achieving a monstrous stature include Volume training and High Intensity Training. This program contains principles from both. Always aim to increase either the weight used or the amount of reps completed. A caloric surplus from a high (complex) carbohydrate, high protein diet will deliver the best results. Cardio is recommended at least twice per week. *It is recommended to spend 5-15 minutes warming up with either low intensity cardio and/or dynamic stretching to increase circulation. The following programs do not include warm-up sets. Warm-up sets are encouraged to prevent injury.
HIT is a popular training protocol amongst natural bodybuilders. High Intensity Training emphasizes performing heavy compound movements with proper form. During this phase of the program, practice modified rest-pause training. Suppose a HIT program dictated a set of 10-12 and one can only perform 8 repetitions with strict form at 250lbs. Upon completing the 8th repetition, wait 10-15 seconds and aim for another few reps until reaching the sets repetition goal. Both squats and deadlifts should be performed with a weight which can be lifted 10-12 times with proper form and aim for an additional 5-8 repetitions. Full Body Split:
1 day on, 2 days off
Cardio: While bulking, cardio is a friend, not foe. Partaking in cardiovascular activity while bulking will minimize fat gain. Interval Training is recommended as it improves physical conditioning and athletic performance.
After 3 weeks of HIT, it's time to introduce more volume. Volume Training increases the amount of muscle Time Under Tension (TUT), stimulating more muscle fibers. These next few weeks the focus will be on establishing a base with volume. Upper/Lower Split:
1 on, 1 off
The next two weeks will include more volume. Strive for additional repetitions or increasing the weight each workout. Follow the same training schedule as weeks 5-6.
Once again, overall volume increases while rep ranges decrease. Split changes. Upper/Lower Split:
2 on, 2 off
The number of sets increases while rep ranges and exercise totals fall. Split remains. Upper/Lower Split:
2 on, 2 off
This workout was constructed around a pyramid and powerlifting foundation with 5 x 5 thrown in for good measure.
Pyramid training has long been a favorite of many and is a great way to get huge. Pyramids should be executed as following:
Push/Pull Split:
1 on 1 off
It's time to move on from pyramids and enter the 5 x 5 training world. 5 x 5 training is a popular method of increasing strength. 5 x 5 should be executed as follows:
Increase weights by 2.5% each workout. Full Body Split:
1 on 2 off
Before the end of the 12-week program, strength training peaks with low repetition work. Sets should be performed with a weight that could be lifted for 5-6 reps. Full Body Split:
1 on 2 off
Once you've bulked up and need to trim down for a contest, consider the following:
After packing on slabs of muscle during one's bulk, layers of fat also accumulated. It's time to diet down. While dieting, one requires a workout which will still stimulate muscle and prevent atrophy without too much volume that may influence overtraining. Cardio is encouraged at least 3x/week.
This is a time to bring out striations with isolation work and a proper diet. Cardio should be performed at least 3 times per week at medium-high intensity for at least 30 minutes. Abs and forearms can be performed by personal preference. Sunday - OFF Monday - Legs
Tuesday - Chest
Wednesday - Back
Thursday - Shoulders
Friday - Arms
Saturday - OFF
Routine changes, more isolation work added. Cardio increases to daily low intensity work. Plyometrics can be substituted for the occasional cardio session. Sunday [OFF] Monday - Legs
Tuesday - Chest
Wednesday - Back
Thursday - Shoulders
Friday - Arms
Saturday - OFF
During this time, workouts should be kept very short and intense while preparing for a bodybuilding competition. Reduce the number of sets and increase the amount of repetitions based on personal preference.
Supplements do not replace a nutrition program, however, when used with a well-founded training protocol and diet, supplements provide an edge.
The results that one can expect will vary by dedication and genetics. Twelve weeks will not turn one into the next Ronnie Coleman or Jay Cutler, that takes superior genetics and years of training.
The before and after differences will be more noticeable on a beginner than an experienced lifter, however, this is still plenty of time to notice a change in your physique in even the most advanced trainees. If one maintains a caloric surplus and allows ample recovery time of at least 9 hours of sleep, gains will start at adding 10lbs or more while staying relatively lean during the entire bulking program or leaning out and noticing striations with the cutting regimen.
Practical goals that one can achieve using either 12-week bulking program alongside a proper caloric surplus include adding at least 15 lbs to each lift and at least 10 lbs of solid size to one's frame. These are bare minimums. Practical goals which can be achieved using the 12-week cutting program in conjunction with a healthy caloric deficit include a lower body fat percentage - enough to notice a significant difference in muscle striation and definition. One can achieve visible results in a 12-week program. A good way to stay on track is using the BodySpace feature as well as the Workout Tracker on www.Bodybuilding.com. EAGLES56
Twelve weeks is a good time frame to set some short-term fitness goals. It's just enough time to be able to notice a positive transformation to one's physique. Note: The purpose of this workout program is not to dictate particular sets and exercises to anyone but to try to make every reader understand the real way in which they can benefit from any workout program and design their own workouts or make adjustments to this one. The goal is to really help all the readers even though compared to the knowledge pool on this website my ideas are very limited.
Thinking that a 12 week program would do wonders would not only be unrealistic and de-motivating for ourselves, but would also be a joke for everyone to laugh on. But even though a 12-week period is a very small time compared to the time put in by professionals to become what they are, small goals can always be set and achieved. What is the best 12-week program? There is no such thing as a perfect workout program, as everyone has a different body type, different genetics, a different diet and lifestyle and more over, different goals. Body Type Articles: What might work wonders for one person may not work at all for another person. But still working on an overall goal such as fat loss or a gain of muscle size, the guidelines would be some what the same.
Again it depends on our goals. Whatever we wish to achieve sets what we end up doing. But more importantly, we are what we eat, and no workout takes a person anywhere without a strict diet.
The two most favorite goals for anyone who works out are either of gaining muscle or that of losing fat. So there would be two different types of exercise regimes for people with these two different goals. A third kind of a workout could be made up for someone who wishes to bulk up for the first 6-8 week and then bring down their body fat for the last 4-6 weeks and to achieve some sort of transformation according to their level of hard work and dedication to the program.
It's as simple as 'Eat, Eat and Eat'; your workouts will not take you anywhere until your body isn't getting the fuel and the rest it requires to grow. But as this is a workout article I would rather stick to the exercises. I would rather stick to a 3 - 4 days a week program, for the sake of recovery, so that each muscle gets enough rest to recover from all the beating at the gym and really gets time to grow. Related Recovery Articles:
So you could workout on Monday/Tuesday then give yourself a rest on Wednesday then workout on Thursday and Friday; just hit one major muscle group a day which would give each muscle an 8 day rest to recover, and believe me I have seen a lot of people who have benefited from this. (You can set the days in a way that suits your schedule and can set a 3-day schedule as well... but that makes the recovery time way too long.) This gap is necessary for doing heavy compound movements to both grow muscle and avoid injury.
Do abdominals on any rest day, not more than once a week Keep the abs workout simple - just do hanging leg raises and crunches: 3 sets of as many reps as you can manage A number of major exercises and alternatives to them are mentioned below; workouts each week or every two weeks should be changed in order to shock the muscles and keep the mind confused to promote muscle growth. Squats, Deadlifts and Bench press are three exercises that make use of more than one muscle and are highly anabolic. Doing at least two of these heavy movements each week would kick your metabolism into high gear.
The chest is made up of two major muscle groups the pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor. The major being the upper chest and the minor being the lower chest. Targeting both parts equally is the key to success. The Workout: 3 sets for each exercise:
12 sets are more than enough but if you feel really energetic on a particular day you can do 3 more sets of another chest exercise. As this is a 12 week program, shocking the muscles with new exercises is very important as the moment a muscle. So the 4 exercises stated above can be substituted with the exercises stated below. Barbell Bench Press: This exercise works the mid chest. This is one of the most anabolic exercises and is really recommended for anyone who wants a real gain in size. As this exercise works the mid chest it can be substituted with Dumbbell bench press. So either of the two can be done to add variety.
Barbell Incline Bench Press: This particular exercise works the upper chest (pectoralis major) and could be substituted with another press movement the incline dumbbell bench press.
Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes: The reason for adding this exercise is to work the sides of the chest, but doing this exercise each time isn't as necessary. Incline bench dumbbell flyes are an alternative as they target the sides of the upper chest. You can alternate these exercises, do one in a particular workout and do another one in the next.
Decline Bench Flyes: The reason why I added this exercise to the program was to target the lower chest so this can be substituted with an exercise that targets the lower chest. Dips for the chest or a decline bench barbell press could be substituted with the exercise.
The back is one of the biggest muscle groups in the body; it consists of the main parts which are the latissimus dorsi, the rhomboids and the lower back. Only targeting all parts can guarantee a nice thick and wide back. The Workout: Again 3 sets for each exercise:
Again 12 sets are enough for a size gaining program if you do them really heavy (to your potential). Now is the time to understand why we are doing these exercises and deciding an alternative for a change. Deadlifts: Undoubtedly the king of all exercises and doesn't have a real alternative. But as mentioned earlier we will have 2 exercises out of squats, deadlifts and bench press in a week so the week in which you wish to skip Deadlifts you can do hyperextensions to work the lower back.
Bent Over Barbell Rows: This exercise works the middle back quite well. Another variation for this exercise is the reverse grip bent-over row which also is quite affective.
Seated Cable Rows: This is another rowing movement which can be alternated with another rowing movement such as single arm dumbbell rows.
Wide Grip Cable Pulldowns: In some workouts you can do two workouts for the lats and skip a rhomboid exercise which would mean for example skipping seated cable rows and doing two lat exercises. Reverse grip pulldowns are an alternative (watch any Jay Cutler video; it seems as if its Mr. O's favorite exercise) and even simple pullups are great for the lats.
One of the smallest muscle groups, yet the most loved and valued. As they are small muscle groups I would recommend working them out on the same day. The biceps have two heads, the inner head and the outer head while the triceps as the name suggests has 3 heads. Both the biceps and the triceps are the most over trained muscles as everyone works too hard for them. 9 sets each are enough for them. The Biceps Workout: Biceps: (3 sets for each exercise) Barbell Curls: This is the most important exercise when it comes to getting bigger biceps. The only variation that is almost as effective is the EZ bar curl.
Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curls: Instead of doing this you can do hammer curls to work the brachiallis or dumbbell curls on an incline bench to work the outer head of the biceps. The same movement can be done with both arms at the same time to bring variation.
Cable Preacher Curls: This is an isolation exercise and other isolation exercises are an alternative. Concentration curls can be used instead of cable preacher curls to work the peak of the biceps. The key to bicep training is not to overtrain.
The Triceps Workout: Triceps: (3 sets for each exercise)
Variation and not over training is again the key. Alternatives: Cable pulldowns, reverse cable pulldowns, seated dumbbell extensions are the exercises that can be incorporated into the workout for better results. Cable exercises work very well in isolating the triceps. Any two forearm exercises can also be put into this workout program. A good combination would be:
The shoulders are made up of three main parts, namely the front, back and the side shoulders. To have round shoulders it is necessary to attack the shoulders from all sides. The Workout: 3 sets for each exercise again but firstly when working out the shoulders it is a good idea to pump the shoulders even before the real workout starts. So I suggest a warm-up set of side lateral raises with which you can manage up to 20 repetitions in order to increase blood flow.
Side Lateral Raises: This exercise is mainly for the side deltoid and can also be done with cables. Bent over delt raises can also be done with cables.
Overhead press: This is front shoulder exercise and can also be done by using dumbbells.
This again is a very small muscle group. The Workout:
The major muscles in the legs are the quads the hamstrings and the calves. The Workout: Again 3 sets per exercise: Barbell Squats: This is another compound movement which works a lot of muscles this should be done on alternate leg workouts and the other exercise should be barbell front squats which also are very effective.
Dumbbell Lunges: These can be alternated with barbell lunges which are another variation of the same exercise.
Lying Leg Curls: They can be alternated with seated leg curls.
Sticking to a workout program exactly the way it is isn't of much use to most people. Our body works with coordination with our mind and there are particular days when we feel like doing a particular exercise more than we want to do another one. So go where your mind takes you and mix the exercises up and stick to the basics to get to your goals. If you want to continue gaining size for the next 4 weeks you can go on doing the same workouts for all 12 weeks.
Ok now for the last few weeks I would like to explain something. It's only the diet that determines our levels of body fat. Here we will try to bring down the fat brought on by bulking for 6-8 weeks. The main change that would be made here would be the addition of cardio sessions in the workout. This would depend on the amount of body fat a person has. Even just half an hour of cardio is enough for most people who tend to lose fat quickly. The main part is the follow a high protein low carb and low fat diet in these last few weeks. Adding a glutamine supplement to the diet would enhance anabolism and help in not losing too much muscle. Cardio sessions could be brought in once or twice daily. Once in the morning and once right after the weight workout. Now we will workout just a single muscle every day.
The goal in these workouts would be to burn as much glycogen as possible so that when the cardio session starts all we would be doing would be burning fat.
Twelve weeks are enough for any one with a decent amount of body fat and a couple of years of bodybuilding experience to get ripped to shreds. But when it comes to gaining size it takes years to get big. Still a decent amount of muscle can be put up while bulking for 12 weeks. 12 weeks is a pretty long period for staying on a low fat diet. A low fat diet would lead to lower hormone levels if a person is not using steroids.
Ummmmm... Practical goals?? I thought we are supposed to say nothing impossible. And then everyone has a different body type. I might achieve the same goals in a year that you achieve in the next 12 weeks. We should always set goals that are positive and more than we can do so that we are pushed to our limits. Coming back to practical, 20 pounds in 12 weeks is what can be gained by a person who is on a proper diet and has 8 to 10 hours of rest every day and has good genetics.
Stay positive, work hard, and good luck with your goals.
Twelve weeks is a good time frame to set some short term fitness goals. It's just enough time to be able to notice a positive transformation to one's physique.
The best 12-week workout program would allow you to reach your goals in the shortest time possible. Below I've included two of my routines for packing on size and strength. These workouts will be most beneficial when bulking, but the bodybuilding workout will also suit those who are cutting. My training is usually based around these programs with minor changes from time to time to prevent myself from getting bored.
Workout Summary:
Suggested Supplements:
Weight Training 3x/week on non-consecutive days. Sunday - Core, Calves, Cardio:
Cardio
Core Training Calves
Cardio Monday - Chest, Back, Shoulders: 10 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at low intensity Back Chest Shoulders Tuesday - Repeat Sunday: Wednesday - Biceps, Triceps, Forearms: 10 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at low intensity Biceps Triceps Forearms Thursday - Repeat Tuesday: Friday - Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Trapezius: 10 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at low intensity Quadriceps Hamstrings Trapezius Saturday - Cardiovascular activity optional. Relax.
Weight Training 3x/week on non consecutive days. Sunday: 5 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at low intensity Core Training Your choice of exercises for 20-30 minutes with very little rest. Suggested exercises: Calves 30-45 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at medium intensity. Monday - Chest, Back, Shoulders: 10 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at low intensity Back Chest Shoulders Tuesday - Repeat Sunday Wednesday - Biceps, Triceps, Forearms: 10 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at low intensity Biceps Triceps Forearms Thursday - Repeat Tuesday Friday - Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Trapezius: 10 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at low intensity Quadriceps Hamstrings Trapezius Saturday - Relax
Weight Training 3x/week on non consecutive days. Sunday - Core, Calves, Cardio: Cardio 5 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at low intensity
Core Training Calves Cardio 45-60 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at medium intensity Monday - Chest, Back, Shoulders: 10 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at low intensity Back Chest Shoulders Tuesday - Repeat Sunday Wednesday - Biceps, Triceps, Forearms: 10 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at low intensity Biceps Triceps Forearms Thursday - Repeat Tuesday Friday - Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Trapezius: 10 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at low intensity Quadriceps Hamstrings Trapezius Saturday - Cardiovascular activity optional. Relax.
Weight Training 3x/week on non consecutive days. Sunday - Core, Calves, Cardio:
Cardio
Core Training Calves
HIIT Cardio Monday - Chest, Back, Shoulders: 10 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at low intensity Back Chest Shoulders Tuesday - Repeat Sunday Wednesday - Biceps, Triceps, Forearms: 10 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at low intensity Biceps Triceps Forearms Thursday - Repeat Tuesday Friday - Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Trapezius: 10 minutes running, rowing, or cycling at low intensity Quadriceps Hamstrings Trapezius Saturday Relax, you've just completed the 12-week program. Take a week off and repeat or try another program.
Workout Summary:
Suggested Supplementation:
Weight training 3x/week. Alternate Upper Body and Lower Body. Sunday - Cardio 30 minutes of low-intensity jogging, rowing, cycling. Monday - Upper Body:
Tuesday - Cardio Wednesday - Lower Body:
Thursday - Cardio Friday - Upper Body:
Saturday - Relax Sunday - Lower Body:
Monday - Cardiovascular Activity Tuesday - Upper Body:
Wednesday - Cardiovascular Activity Thursday - Lower Body:
Friday - Relax Saturday - Relax
Weight training 4x/week Sunday - Cardiovascular Activity Monday - Moderate-Heavy Upper Body:
Tuesday - Light Lower Body:
Wednesday - Cardiovascular activity optional. Relax. Thursday - Light Upper Body:
Friday - Moderate-Heavy Lower Body:
Saturday - Cardiovascular activity optional. Relax.
Weight Training 3x/week Sunday - Cardiovascular Activity Monday - Heavy Upper Body:
Tuesday - Cardiovascular Activity Wednesday - Heavy Lower Body:
Thursday - Cardiovascular Activity Optional. Relax. Friday - Cardiovascular Activity Optional. Relax. Saturday - Light Upper And Lower Body:
Weight Training 3x/week Sunday - Cardiovascular Activity Monday - Heavy Upper Body:
Tuesday - Cardiovascular Activity Wednesday - Heavy Lower Body:
Thursday - Cardiovascular Activity Pptional. Relax. Friday - Heavy Upper Body:
Saturday: Cardiovascular activity optional. Relax, you've just completed the 12-week program. Take a week off before running this or another program.
A 12-week program will provide greater results for those new to training than those with more experience. Beginners can expect to pack on at least 10 pounds of muscle due to the overcompensation to the new stress from lifting and the need for new muscle to perform. This is enough time to notice an obvious change in your body, how much will depend on your diet, rest, supplementation, and experience.
This program is designed to add size to your frame. You can expect to gain a lean 5 or more pounds while staying lean. You can also expect looking fuller and more defined in the mirror. Co-workers will notice a difference at the next work function. You new-found size and musculature will have been well worth the past 3 months of training.
This is not an amateur program. You can expect to add at least 20 pounds to all of your lifts over 12 weeks. During this time you can expect to injure yourself with the wrong equipment or if you do not know how to do the exercises properly. The first two weeks provide ample time to learn the exercise form. After that, expect at least your upper back to grow by leaps and bounds. It will be a grueling 12 weeks but the results are well worth it.
Using a 12-week program you can achieve practical goals such as adding size and strength and forming a base for future training. Be realistic with your goal setting. You will not put on 50lbs, but you could add 5 to 10 or more with very little struggle. Your diet, rest, and supplementation will determine how much and how fast you make gains. Feel free to email me if you have any questions about the program: stix@bodybuilders.com Bodybuilding.com Username: Stix2
Recommend this article to a friend by e-mail here! Visitor Reviews Of This Article!
Related Articles
|
Weeks 1-3:
Click To Enlarge. 
Sign in for more FREE features and tools!
|
|
Give Us Feedback:
Report A ProblemSite Feedback |
Follow Us:
|
Bodybuilding.com Newsletter
Receive exciting features, |
