Training for Bulk
In advanced training, whether this be for bulk, definition, or regardless of what the particular goal may be, the bodybuilder must stop thinking of exercises and exercise combinations as being his entire salvation.
More on this by the same author here:
Instead, he must look at exercises as merely being a means of physical expression, and rely on variations in sets, repetitions, frequency of training, and actual exercise style as being even more important than the exercises he selects. These variations in sets, repetitions, etc., are termed 'basic principles'. From six months experience right up to the end of his training life, the bodybuilder will have to be constantly conscious of 'basic principles' if he is to reach his desired goals.
In training for bulk, almost any exercises can be made to do the job, PROVIDED the correct basic principles are followed. Just what are those basic principles. I will outline them now.
In a bulk program the most important is DIET. You cannot gain weight and bulk up your body if you do not supply it with adequate nutrition. The arrangement of your meals is important. To gain weight quickly you should be eating three substantial meals each day, and several in between meal snacks.
If breakfast finds you with a lack of appetite, you may be eating too soon after waking. Try getting up half an hour earlier in the morning if possible. Do your usual preparations first, take your time, and only after that time sit down to breakfast.
If you are unaccustomed to quite heavy eating don't simply force a great amount down at first. Gradually increase the quantities until you have reached the needed amount.
The mental approach is also important. You must be confident, relaxed and must avoid any nervous tension as much as possible.
Of course, REST is important.
Now for your exercise programs. When specializing on any body part or lift, the goal being specialized must receive more attention than any other training goals. To do this, you can follow one of two plans:
1) You can perform the specialization 'stuff' first [don't be intimidated by these scientific terms] in your routine when your energy is highest and then follow up with the 'stuff' for the rest of your body. When following this plan, once you have passed the beginner and intermediate stages of your playing, I mean training, your best method is to start off with the front chest exercises, then go to the upper back. Follow these exercises with the arms, waist, lower back, legs and finally the neck.
When following this first type of plan for bulk training you are to train 3 TIMES A WEEK, covering the entire body each time, but with special emphasis on the front chest and the upper back.
2) A better plan, and the one I recommend is the split method of training. To do this your perform your front chest and upper back exercises ONLY on two or three training days of the week. On two or three alternate days of the week you train the rest of your body, NOT INCLUDING the front chest and upper back.
Since most chest and upper back exercises influence the shoulders, there is no need to exercise them directly when on a specialized chest/upper back program. At a later date, once your chest has made substantial improvement, you can spend some time with direct shoulder exercises and bring them up to par if they have fallen behind. But generally speaking, by their very nature, front chest and upper back exercises, when specialized in, will automatically attend to your shoulder requirements.
The basic exercise principles that you should follow when bulking up are NOT to perform too many different exercises in any one routine. You can change your exercises from time to time and in that way assure the development of your muscles from all angles, but if you do too many different exercises for any one part in any single routine you will never reach your peak performance in the exercises and will hold back your gains. The absolute maximum number that you are to perform is 6 different exercises, 3 for the front chest and 3 for the upper back.
The repetitions are to be relatively low, from 5 to 8 repetitions a set, but you can safely work up to 5 sets of each exercise. DO NOT perform the exercises in too strict a style. Rather, cheat as much as necessary to force out the sets and repetitions when handling maximum poundages for the repetition counts.
Whether you are training three times a week on an all around routine or if you are following the split routine of training, confine the exercises for the rest of your body to ONE exercise for each major part. This will mean that besides the 6 front chest and upper back exercises (which is your absolute maximum) you are to perform 1 neck exercise, 1 biceps exercise, 1 for the triceps, 1 for the forearms, 1 for the waist, 1 for the lower back, 1 for the thighs, and 1 for the calves, adding up to a maximum total of 14 different exercises.
For the exercises for the other parts of your body, follow the same basic exercise principles that you do for the chest, which are LOW REPETITIONS, HEAVY WEIGHTS, UP TO 5 SETS OF EACH EXERCISE AND A CHEATING STYLE.
In this rather highly specialized form of training which is now being discussed, it is best to start off with your front chest muscles and then go on to the upper back. In the intermediate and beginner's routines, experience has indicated that it is better to perform the upper back exercises and then follow them with the chest. But, this pattern should be reversed once you are more advanced.
While six total chest and upper back exercises are your limit, this in no way means you need practice this number for bulk. In many instances the bodybuilder will do best with only two exercises, one for the front chest and one for the upper back. If he handles really heavy weights and cheats on the exercises, two really good movements might serve him best.
A sample grouping would be the barbell bench press, Exercise No. 4, and the barbell bent forward rowing, Exercise No. 20. Concentrating on these two exercises for a few months and making a real effort to handle limit poundages will often result in remarkable bulking up of the area.
Another grouping is the dumbbell bench press, exercise No. 15, and the one arm rowing, Exercise No. 27. In these exercises the dumbbells are made to perform the same duties that a barbell was in in the first set of exercises.
The observant reader will notice that in the two sample routines just listed the pectorals and the latissimus were given the work to do. And, for a good reason, of course. The pectorals and the latissimus add the most to the actual bulk of the front chest and the upper back, so any sensible bulk routine must not overlook this truth.
Using this as a key, the bodybuilder should now have no difficulty selecting other two-exercise combinations. The lying lateral raise, Exercise No. 12, and the kneeling clean, Exercise No. 24, can make up another example. The round the world exercise, Exercise No. 11, combined with the seated upright rowing, Exercise No. 19, makes another good 2-exercise pairing.
You will have little difficulty in arranging many combinations if you study the exercise chapter and review what each of the exercises listed can be used for.
With the actual exercises decided on, your method of performance comes next. Most bodybuilders will respond well by merely performing 5 sets of the front chest exercise, each set from 5 to 8 repetitions, with a short rest between sets and then after another short rest doing the same with the upper back exercises. They will merely use all the weight that they can and force out the repetitions by using a cheating style.
However, other bodybuilders will do best if they follow another style of forced repetitions training. They will perform the first 5 repetitions of each exercise as usual. Here they must use a weight that is so heavy that they simply cannot perform more than 5 repetitions regardless how much they cheat. Then, they should have a training partner who assists them is squeezing out a few extra repetitions. To do this, he merely places his hand under the weight and assists the bodybuilder to force out extra repetitions. The training partner is to supply just enough help to make the movement possible and, the bodybuilder must be forced to fight the weight every inch of the way.
A total of 8 repetitions a set is performed in this manner, 5 in regular cheating fashion and 3 more in this forced repetition style. Often, such a method can be used for a time to force growth into stubborn muscles after other methods have failed to do so.
Another method of training which will help many individuals build bulk is the super sets style of training. In practicing this, the bodybuilder performs one set of the first chest exercise he has selected. He then immediately performs a set of the upper back exercise. Then he goes back to the front chest exercise and continues to alternate between the two until the full number of sets is performed in each.
This method of training produces tremendous flushness and often makes exceptionally stubborn muscles grow when used at the appropriate time. There is another method of super sets that can be done when two front chest exercises and two upper back exercises are practiced in the same program and that will be explained later on.
A final method of bulk training is called the 'long pause' system. in this, the bodybuilder performs a set of his front chest exercise and then rests a full 5 minutes by the clock. After 5 minutes he performs another set. He continues to perform a set of the exercise and to rest a full 5 minutes before he performs another set until all 5 sets have been completed. Then, he does the same thing with his upper back exercise. This method of training is usually only practical when a maximum of two different exercises are performed, for obviously if more were done in the same workout the program would become impossibly long. The theory behind this method of training is that by forcing oneself to rest for such a long period of time between sets permits a certain amount more weight to be handled.
If following only two chest exercises, one for the front chest and one for the upper back, does not seem to produce the desired results over time or no longer is showing results, then the next step is use two for the front chest and two for the upper back.
If you decide to do this, then you can select two pectoral exercises if you wish and two latissimus exercises. Or, you can select one pectoral exercise, one rib box exercise, one latissimus exercise, and one for the trapezius, or rear of the shoulders.
Most practical, in my estimation, would be to select 4 exercises which influence different chest and upper back areas. However, I will list two routines which show how to select pectoral and upper back exercises only, and then two routines which will show how to select 4 exercises which affect 4 different general areas.
For pectoral and latissimus bulk specialization try these routines.
1) Barbell Bench Press, No. 4
2) Lying Lateral Raise, No. 12
3) Bent Forward Rowing Exercise, No. 20
4) End of Bench Rowing, No. 22
And now, for another similar routine for bulk using 4 exercises.
1) Dumbbell Bench Press, No. 15
2) Round the World Exercise, No. 11
3) One Arm Rowing Exercise, No. 27
4) Kneeling Cleans, No. 24
For affecting 4 different chest areas, try these.
1) Bench Press, No 4
2) Bent Arm Pullover, No 2
3) Barbell Bent Forward Rowing, No. 20
4) Shrug, No. 18
Here is another.
1) Dumbbell Bench Press, No. 15
2) Bent Arm Pullover With One Dumbbell, No. 9
3) Seated Upright Rowing, No. 19
4) Standing Press Behind Neck, No. 16
In following these exercises perform the usual 5 to 8 repetitions, use all the weight you can and perform the exercises in cheating style. You can also try the forced repetitions method explained previously. Or, the super sets method, but when doing this, if practicing 4 exercises, instead of only two, you alternate the 2 front chest exercises super sets style and then the 2 upper back exercises as super sets.
The final method of bulk specialization includes 6 exercises, 3 for the front chest an three for the upper back. Here too, you can either perform 3 for the pectorals and 3 for the latissimus, or you can split them up over exercises that affect different parts of the chest.
Here are some sample routines.
1) Bench Press, No 4
2) Lateral Raises, No. 12
3) Round the World Exercise, No. 11
4) Bent Forward Rowing, No. 20
5) Kneeling Clean, No. 24
6) One Arm Rowing, No. 27
1) Dumbbell Bench Press, No. 15
2) Round the World Exercise, No. 11
3) Barbell Bent Arm Pullover, No. 2
4) Seated Upright Rowing, No. 19
5) One Arm Rowing, No. 27
6) Shrug, No. 18
1) Barbell Bench Press, No. 4
2) Bent Arm Pullover, No. 2
3) Dumbbell Pullover With One Dumbbell, No. 9
4) One Arm Rowing, No. 27
5) Seated Press Behind Neck, No. 17
6) Bent Forward Laterals, No. 25
The three combinations listed will give you an idea of how to arrange routines when 6 exercises are used. Here too, you can make many alterations to suit yourself as long as you consult the exercise chapter to make sure that you are selecting exercises which will do the job you want from them.
You should use heavy weights, cheat our the repetitions and perform 5 to 8 repetitions, 5 sets of each exercise.
You can also employ forced repetitions. It is not practical to practice super sets when using more than 4 exercises, however. It is better to perform the exercises regular set series style when this many exercises are being used to build bulk.
Next: Power Training Principles and Sample Routines.
For the exercises for the other parts of your body, follow the same basic exercise principles that you do for the chest, which are LOW REPETITIONS, HEAVY WEIGHTS, UP TO 5 SETS OF EACH EXERCISE AND A CHEATING STYLE.
In this rather highly specialized form of training which is now being discussed, it is best to start off with your front chest muscles and then go on to the upper back. In the intermediate and beginner's routines, experience has indicated that it is better to perform the upper back exercises and then follow them with the chest. But, this pattern should be reversed once you are more advanced.
While six total chest and upper back exercises are your limit, this in no way means you need practice this number for bulk. In many instances the bodybuilder will do best with only two exercises, one for the front chest and one for the upper back. If he handles really heavy weights and cheats on the exercises, two really good movements might serve him best.
A sample grouping would be the barbell bench press, Exercise No. 4, and the barbell bent forward rowing, Exercise No. 20. Concentrating on these two exercises for a few months and making a real effort to handle limit poundages will often result in remarkable bulking up of the area.
Another grouping is the dumbbell bench press, exercise No. 15, and the one arm rowing, Exercise No. 27. In these exercises the dumbbells are made to perform the same duties that a barbell was in in the first set of exercises.
The observant reader will notice that in the two sample routines just listed the pectorals and the latissimus were given the work to do. And, for a good reason, of course. The pectorals and the latissimus add the most to the actual bulk of the front chest and the upper back, so any sensible bulk routine must not overlook this truth.
Using this as a key, the bodybuilder should now have no difficulty selecting other two-exercise combinations. The lying lateral raise, Exercise No. 12, and the kneeling clean, Exercise No. 24, can make up another example. The round the world exercise, Exercise No. 11, combined with the seated upright rowing, Exercise No. 19, makes another good 2-exercise pairing.
You will have little difficulty in arranging many combinations if you study the exercise chapter and review what each of the exercises listed can be used for.
With the actual exercises decided on, your method of performance comes next. Most bodybuilders will respond well by merely performing 5 sets of the front chest exercise, each set from 5 to 8 repetitions, with a short rest between sets and then after another short rest doing the same with the upper back exercises. They will merely use all the weight that they can and force out the repetitions by using a cheating style.
However, other bodybuilders will do best if they follow another style of forced repetitions training. They will perform the first 5 repetitions of each exercise as usual. Here they must use a weight that is so heavy that they simply cannot perform more than 5 repetitions regardless how much they cheat. Then, they should have a training partner who assists them is squeezing out a few extra repetitions. To do this, he merely places his hand under the weight and assists the bodybuilder to force out extra repetitions. The training partner is to supply just enough help to make the movement possible and, the bodybuilder must be forced to fight the weight every inch of the way.
A total of 8 repetitions a set is performed in this manner, 5 in regular cheating fashion and 3 more in this forced repetition style. Often, such a method can be used for a time to force growth into stubborn muscles after other methods have failed to do so.
Another method of training which will help many individuals build bulk is the super sets style of training. In practicing this, the bodybuilder performs one set of the first chest exercise he has selected. He then immediately performs a set of the upper back exercise. Then he goes back to the front chest exercise and continues to alternate between the two until the full number of sets is performed in each.
This method of training produces tremendous flushness and often makes exceptionally stubborn muscles grow when used at the appropriate time. There is another method of super sets that can be done when two front chest exercises and two upper back exercises are practiced in the same program and that will be explained later on.
A final method of bulk training is called the 'long pause' system. in this, the bodybuilder performs a set of his front chest exercise and then rests a full 5 minutes by the clock. After 5 minutes he performs another set. He continues to perform a set of the exercise and to rest a full 5 minutes before he performs another set until all 5 sets have been completed. Then, he does the same thing with his upper back exercise. This method of training is usually only practical when a maximum of two different exercises are performed, for obviously if more were done in the same workout the program would become impossibly long. The theory behind this method of training is that by forcing oneself to rest for such a long period of time between sets permits a certain amount more weight to be handled.
If following only two chest exercises, one for the front chest and one for the upper back, does not seem to produce the desired results over time or no longer is showing results, then the next step is use two for the front chest and two for the upper back.
If you decide to do this, then you can select two pectoral exercises if you wish and two latissimus exercises. Or, you can select one pectoral exercise, one rib box exercise, one latissimus exercise, and one for the trapezius, or rear of the shoulders.
Most practical, in my estimation, would be to select 4 exercises which influence different chest and upper back areas. However, I will list two routines which show how to select pectoral and upper back exercises only, and then two routines which will show how to select 4 exercises which affect 4 different general areas.
For pectoral and latissimus bulk specialization try these routines.
1) Barbell Bench Press, No. 4
2) Lying Lateral Raise, No. 12
3) Bent Forward Rowing Exercise, No. 20
4) End of Bench Rowing, No. 22
And now, for another similar routine for bulk using 4 exercises.
1) Dumbbell Bench Press, No. 15
2) Round the World Exercise, No. 11
3) One Arm Rowing Exercise, No. 27
4) Kneeling Cleans, No. 24
For affecting 4 different chest areas, try these.
1) Bench Press, No 4
2) Bent Arm Pullover, No 2
3) Barbell Bent Forward Rowing, No. 20
4) Shrug, No. 18
Here is another.
1) Dumbbell Bench Press, No. 15
2) Bent Arm Pullover With One Dumbbell, No. 9
3) Seated Upright Rowing, No. 19
4) Standing Press Behind Neck, No. 16
In following these exercises perform the usual 5 to 8 repetitions, use all the weight you can and perform the exercises in cheating style. You can also try the forced repetitions method explained previously. Or, the super sets method, but when doing this, if practicing 4 exercises, instead of only two, you alternate the 2 front chest exercises super sets style and then the 2 upper back exercises as super sets.
The final method of bulk specialization includes 6 exercises, 3 for the front chest an three for the upper back. Here too, you can either perform 3 for the pectorals and 3 for the latissimus, or you can split them up over exercises that affect different parts of the chest.
Here are some sample routines.
1) Bench Press, No 4
2) Lateral Raises, No. 12
3) Round the World Exercise, No. 11
4) Bent Forward Rowing, No. 20
5) Kneeling Clean, No. 24
6) One Arm Rowing, No. 27
1) Dumbbell Bench Press, No. 15
2) Round the World Exercise, No. 11
3) Barbell Bent Arm Pullover, No. 2
4) Seated Upright Rowing, No. 19
5) One Arm Rowing, No. 27
6) Shrug, No. 18
1) Barbell Bench Press, No. 4
2) Bent Arm Pullover, No. 2
3) Dumbbell Pullover With One Dumbbell, No. 9
4) One Arm Rowing, No. 27
5) Seated Press Behind Neck, No. 17
6) Bent Forward Laterals, No. 25
The three combinations listed will give you an idea of how to arrange routines when 6 exercises are used. Here too, you can make many alterations to suit yourself as long as you consult the exercise chapter to make sure that you are selecting exercises which will do the job you want from them.
You should use heavy weights, cheat our the repetitions and perform 5 to 8 repetitions, 5 sets of each exercise.
You can also employ forced repetitions. It is not practical to practice super sets when using more than 4 exercises, however. It is better to perform the exercises regular set series style when this many exercises are being used to build bulk.
Next: Power Training Principles and Sample Routines.