Knowing how much time you can devote to building your body will help you develop a schedule and routine that will maximize your growth quickly. By having a consistent schedule that you keep to, you train your body to expect to be in an anabolic state more often. This helps faster growth. Aim for between three and five workouts per week, depending on your schedule. If you can only workout a few times a week, try to block out enough time so that you can workout for about 60 to 75 minutes. Evaluate your current fitness level and experience. If you are newer to working out, then you want to populate your schedule with less strenuous workouts at the beginning to prevent injury. People newer to working out will typically see gains faster because the body isn’t used to strenuous activity and having to repair muscles. However, after the initial shock, your body finds a pattern. Don’t stop just because you may see quick results.
This doesn’t always mean doing full body workouts. This means that during the course of a week, you hit each muscle group. If you decide that you can realistically workout three days a week, build a schedule that will allow you to workout your whole body by the end of the week. For example: On day one, work your chest shoulders, and triceps. Follow-up this exercise with 15-30 minutes of cardio on a stair climber or elliptical. You can also go hiking or cycling hills outside. On day two, train your back, biceps, and abs. End with 15-30 minutes of cardio, preferably on a rowing machine or an elliptical or AMT with pushing handles. You can also go swimming. On the third day, train your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. Afterwards, try rowing or swimming for cardio. [2] X Research source Make sure that you also get enough rest. The key to success is working the right body parts at the right time, while still getting a good amount of sleep. Muscles actually grow through a cellular process where your muscles repair themselves by fusing fibers back together after a workout. [3] X Research source
During the first couple of weeks, focus on building strength safely. This means lifting slightly heavier weights at lower reps, and resting for about two minutes so your muscles don’t fatigue. After you’ve begun to build mass, do more intensive workouts with higher reps and lower weights to tone your muscles while still building. Rest times on lower weights should be around one minute. [4] X Research source Don’t overtrain because you’re not getting bigger quickly enough. Trying to speed up the process will make you feel too sore to want to work out. A diligent workout plan can show results of about half a pound of muscle gain a week in men, and about half a pound every two weeks in women. [5] X Research source Cardio can be done every day, if you wish, and is very important when it comes to shedding any unwanted fat. Do cardio after you workout, not before, to ensure that your body can perform at a peak level, as cardio will tire you out.
Start by adding five pounds to the weights you lift each week. Add an extra set to your routines at the end of the week to prepare for upping the weight the next week. If you workout your chest, triceps and shoulders on Monday and/or Thursday, focus on your back and your biceps on Tuesday and/or Friday. On Wednesday, work out your legs and add some cardio to your routine. Find a good workout that fits your body and goals. If you want to build size and strength, vary your rep ranges depending on the workout. Start with low rep sets (5-8) with heavy weights on one day, and then lower the weight while increasing the reps (12-15) on the next day you work that muscle group. Varying your weight and reps will keep your muscles guessing, forcing them to adapt to varied routines increasing strength. [6] X Research source Remember that you can and should add weight to your workouts each week. So even on the lower weight days, you want to be increasing how much you lift. Increase the weight slowly over time for the best results. For dumbbells, increase the weight by one to two pounds each week. For plates, you can increase it by five pounds.
Run a couple of miles, swim, do some bodyweight workouts, or even yoga during the weekend to help your body stay focused. Though you might think cardio will burn your muscle and your fat from putting your body in a catabolic state, 30-45 minutes of cardio a week can actually help build muscle. Because cardio workouts increase the number of capillaries in your muscles, you can get more oxygen and other nutrients flowing through them to build mass and increase recovery time, ultimately building your body up faster.
Trainers will also monitor your progress, guide you on a well-balanced diet, stay properly hydrated, and help you get proper rest and recovery. Achieving your goals should be rewarding both mentally and physically. With hard work, a sensible and healthy diet, and proper rest, you will get the body you’ve always wanted.
For this routine, rest 60-90 seconds between each set. When following this plan, workout with a 2-on-1-off routine for the fastest results. This routine will also allow for enough variety in which days you workout to keep your body guessing. The weight you use will vary depending on your current fitness level, and the exercise you are doing. Pick a weight that will challenge you, but not completely exhaust you. For a variant on this routine, try choosing a certain movement for each workout day. Then, repeat that movement for each different part of your body. For instance, on the first day, you might do pushing exercises, then pulling, then squats, followed by core exercises, and finally cardio. [8] X Expert Source Brendon RearickPersonal Trainer & Strength Coach Expert Interview. 30 July 2020.
Crunches. Perform 20 reps, and complete one set. Rest for 60 seconds. Stability Ball Crunches. Perform 15-20 reps, and complete one set. Rest for 60 seconds. Leg Lifts. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete one set. Rest for 60 seconds. V-Up. Perform at least 10 reps and go until you can’t continue. Complete one set. Rest for 60 seconds. Hammer Curl. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Overhead Dumbbell Presses. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Preacher Curl with Barbell. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Palms-Down Grip Cable Triceps Extension. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Reverse Dumbbell Bicep Curls. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. One Arm Cable Curl. Perform at least 10 reps and go until you can’t continue. Complete one set. Rest for 60 seconds. Palm-Up One Arm Cable Pushdown. Perform at least 10 reps and go until you can’t continue. Complete one set. Rest for 60 seconds.
Squats. Go for barbell squats over a bench to afford your body more range of motion and less risk of injury. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Leg Press. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Seated Leg Curl for Hamstrings. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Leg Extension. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Laying Leg Curl. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Reverse Wrist Curls. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Regular Wrist Curls. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Thigh Adductor Machine. Do 8-12 reps, and complete two sets in each direction. Rest for 60 seconds.
Wide-Grip Incline Bench Press. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Wide-Grip Flat Bench Press. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Wide Dips. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Cable Flyes. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Upright Row. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Dumbbell Bent-Over Rows. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 90 seconds. Dumbbell Pullovers. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 90 seconds. Seated Cable Row. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 90 seconds. Wide-grip Lat Pull-Down. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Pull-ups. Do 8-10 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds.
Overhead Shoulder Press. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Front Deltoid Dumbbell Raise. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. One-Arm Incline Lateral Raise. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Front Deltoid Cable Raise. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Side Deltoid Cable Raise. Perform at least 10 reps until you cannot continue. Do one set. Single Leg Calf Raises. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds. Standing Calf Raises. Perform 8-12 reps, and complete two sets. Rest for 60 seconds.
