Build Muscle Program

K09

Hi,

I am looking to bulk up. I have just put together my own program. Any advice or suggestions?

Thanks!

Mon: (3 sets 8reps)
Bench Press
Chin Ups
Pullover
Military Press
Shoulder Press
Barbell Shrugs

Wed: (3 sets 8reps)
Squats
Deadlift
Lunges
Calf Raises

Fri:
Repeat Mondays

Will Heffernan

K09 wrote: »

Hi,

I am looking to bulk up. I have just put together my own program. Any advice or suggestions?

Thanks!

Mon: (3 sets 8reps)
Bench Press
Chin Ups
Pullover
Military Press
Shoulder Press
Barbell Shrugs

Wed: (3 sets 8reps)
Squats
Deadlift
Lunges
Calf Raises

Fri:
Repeat Mondays

If they are the exercises you've decided you wanted to do then you've be better off with:

Mon: (3 sets 8reps)
Squats
Calf Raises
Chin Ups
Military Press
Barbell Shrugs

Wed: (3 sets 8reps)
Deadlift
Lunges
Bench Press
Pullover
Shoulder Press

Then repeat Mon on Fri and Wed on Mon etc etc etc.

K09

Thanks.
I thought I would be better off to give the legs a full workout one day. And upper body a full workout another day rather than mixing upper/lower body training?

Will Heffernan

K09 wrote: »

Thanks.
I thought I would be better off to give the legs a full workout one day. And upper body a full workout another day rather than mixing upper/lower body training?

1. You can do whatever you want....no one is the boss of you.
2. It is my opinion that if you did the exercises as I've listed them then you will be able to get more 'exposure' to stimulus both for your lower body and upper body.

Chancer3001

add in rows.

get rid of calf raises imo

do you need both military press and shoulder press?

Will Heffernan

Chancer3001 wrote: »

add in rows.

get rid of calf raises imo

do you need both military press and shoulder press?

If we are going down that road....

....I'd go with:

Mon:
Squats
DB RDL's
Core Work - Linear Static or Dynamic
Chin Ups
Push Up Variation
Core Work - Rotational
Triceps

Wed:
Deadlift
Split Squats
Core Work - Lateral Static or Dynamic
Bench Press
Inverted/Bent Over Row Variation
Core Work - Complex
Biceps

I'd ditch the shoulder work...because 96.3% of the general population need more shoulder work like they need a hole in the head.

I'd go for something more in the range of 2-5 in the primary movements after warming up and ramp those up.

I'd go for straight sets for the supplementary work and do these in the 8-12 rep range.

The thing is....with advice here on boards people are looking for one of the following:

1. People are looking for you to tell them what they are doing is great and look for reinforcement/encouragement...so if I give them advice I try to make it along the lines of modifying what they are doing as little as possible so that they feel good and keep doing it but enough so that they reduce the damage they are doing to themselves.

2. Some people are just looking to be given something....given anything that they can do...in which case I still offer conservative advice because most people just need to do something and often in this case less is more.

3. Others are heading in the right direction and you can tell be their post and the questions they are asking that they have some idea of what they are doing and those people I answer genuinely because quite often they know what you are talking about because the response you give them is one they are already weighing up in their head anyway.

4. Then there are times that I have to try and steamroll over everyone because I see advice here by lots of people that is so bad that there's actually a danger that people could hurt themselves if they followed the advice of the 5 or 6 people who are posting for whom health and fitness is a hobby but an area they only think they have some understanding of because of their own misguided assumption about the standard of their own training and fitness.

....and p.s: Chancer3001...this little diatribe wasn't aimed at you...because I agree whole heartedly with your comment and the soundness of the reasoning behind it. Just saying what I said to put my own comments into perspective

KeithReilly

Will Heffernan wrote: »

I'd ditch the shoulder work...because 96.3% of the general population need more shoulder work like they need a hole in the head.

What exactly would be the problem with shoulder work for 96.3 of the population?
and
Why would you feel that the other 3.7% of the population could do it for any reason other than they would be able to do it?

I take it you pass no value in the thinking that standing shoulder press has far better bang for your buck than bench press with regard to pressing exercises? and if so why?

Will Heffernan

KeithReilly wrote: »

What exactly would be the problem with shoulder work for 96.3 of the population?

1. They already do enough indirect shoulder work as is.
2. They already have shoulder issues and more work doesn't help that.

and
Why would you feel that the other 3.7% of the population could do it for any reason other than they would be able to do it?

Because they do need it and will benefit from it.

I take it you pass no value in the thinking that standing shoulder press has far better bang for your buck than bench press with regard to pressing exercises?

Nope, that would be incorrect. I am a big fan of shoulder pressing actually. Just a realist is all. What do you think would be the chances of me stopping people whose programs I don't have a say in from benching? So I always choose the lesser evil and just try to stop people from doing too much damage.

and if so why?

I like standing pressing movements. Much more carry over to real life activities and much better for complete upper body development.

john t

O P, Mayb change it around and do mon, wens, fri, workouts and increase exercises and movements..

Brian?

Will Heffernan wrote: »

1. They already do enough indirect shoulder work as is.
2. They already have shoulder issues and more work doesn't help that.


Because they do need it and will benefit from it.

Nope, that would be incorrect. I am a big fan of shoulder pressing actually. Just a realist is all. What do you think would be the chances of me stopping people whose programs I don't have a say in from benching? So I always choose the lesser evil and just try to stop people from doing too much damage.


I like standing pressing movements. Much more carry over to real life activities and much better for complete upper body development.

I have no interest in bench pressing am I allowed military press?

Serious question. I didn't think OH pressing was actually bad for ones shoulders as long it was balanced with pulling, is It?

Will Heffernan

Brian? wrote: »

I have no interest in bench pressing am I allowed military press?

Absolutely. I don't bench press and I haven't written bench pressing into a program in a long time.

Serious question. I didn't think OH pressing was actually bad for ones shoulders as long it was balanced with pulling, is It?

It isn't bad...I just know that most people are going to bench just like I know that most lads are going to bicep curl. Don't get me wrong I am in no way anti overhead pressing.

KeithReilly

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Absolutely. I don't bench press and I haven't written bench pressing into a program in a long time.


It isn't bad...I just know that most people are going to bench just like I know that most lads are going to bicep curl. Don't get me wrong I am in no way anti overhead pressing.

Whats your opinion on incline pressing, do you think it has any more value than flat bench pressing for hypertrophy and strength? and why would you choose a flat bench press over an incline and vica versa?

Brian?

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Absolutely. I don't bench press and I haven't written bench pressing into a program in a long time.

Excellent, we have an accord.

It isn't bad...I just know that most people are going to bench just like I know that most lads are going to bicep curl. Don't get me wrong I am in no way anti overhead pressing.

Is there a particular form of overhead pressing you favour others?

Will Heffernan

KeithReilly wrote: »

Whats your opinion on incline pressing, do you think it has any more value than flat bench pressing for hypertrophy and strength? and why would you choose a flat bench press over an incline and vica versa?

I prefer decline pressing over flat and or incline pressing...has that thrown a spanner in the works?

Funk It

Will Heffernan wrote: »

I prefer decline pressing over flat and or incline pressing...has that thrown a spanner in the works?

Will, would you care to expand on why that would be? Not doubting that it makes sense, but interested to know why. I am doing flat benching and flys with dumbells for chest at the moment, if declined pressing is more beneficial, then I will certainly interchange with that, just a bit unsure what the benefits are.

Will Heffernan

Funk It wrote: »

Will, would you care to expand on why that would be? Not doubting that it makes sense, but interested to know why. I am doing flat benching and flys with dumbells for chest at the moment, if declined pressing is more beneficial, then I will certainly interchange with that, just a bit unsure what the benefits are.

1. I prefer the movement because it is less stressful on the ac joint.
2. It allows me to tuck more...which again reduces shoulder stress.
3. You still have the same 'pec' involvement.
4. I can load it heavier that my flat bench because of the decreased range of movement and improve mechanical advantage.

Also...you can doubt me all you like...more people should...I answer to quickly and to briefly and don't explain myself as well as I should/could and it makes me come off as a-hole'ish and dismissive and I don't mean to be...I always tell people that if someone can't explain things to your satisfaction then don't put too much faith in what they are saying.

That is if what I said above isn't enough detail for you...then I am happy to go into more detail.

nice_guy80

I hope you're recommending dumbbells for this program? (outside of squat and deadlift - both of which 90% of the lads in my gym do incorrectly)

Funk It

Will Heffernan wrote: »

1. I prefer the movement because it is less stressful on the ac joint.
2. It allows me to tuck more...which again reduces shoulder stress.
3. You still have the same 'pec' involvement.
4. I can load it heavier that my flat bench because of the decreased range of movement and improve mechanical advantage.

Also...you can doubt me all you like...more people should...I answer to quickly and to briefly and don't explain myself as well as I should/could and it makes me come off as a-hole'ish and dismissive and I don't mean to be...I always tell people that if someone can't explain things to your satisfaction then don't put too much faith in what they are saying.

That is if what I said above isn't enough detail for you...then I am happy to go into more detail.

Cheers.

Would there be much restriction in doing decline with dumbells as opposed to with a barbell at all?

I prefer to use dumbells as I think that they are more balanced (i.e. one side not taking more load) and offer a wider movement.

Also, what do you mean by saying that you can "tuck more"?

Not really wanting to derail what is a "Build Muscle Program" into a benching thread.

Will Heffernan

nice_guy80 wrote: »

I hope you're recommending dumbbells for this program? (outside of squat and deadlift - both of which 90% of the lads in my gym do incorrectly)

As I said...my suggestion was just a modification of what the OP had already suggested they were going to do as I think that here on boards that's the thing that has the most chance of happening.

My next suggestion was a program of the 'style' the OP suggested that I thought was much better.

If someone actually wanted my help...then I am sure what they got would in all likelihood look nothing like what they'd come up with themselves...that's why people who's lives depend on their training and or who's income depend on it have me write their programs

Will Heffernan

Funk It wrote: »

Cheers.

No problem.

Would there be much restriction in doing decline with dumbells as opposed to with a barbell at all?

What do you mean?

I prefer to use dumbells as I think that they are more balanced (i.e. one side not taking more load) and offer a wider movement.

I prefer them as well but for some jobs you just need the right tool.

Also, what do you mean by saying that you can "tuck more"?

Elbow tuck.

Not really wanting to derail what is a "Build Muscle Program" into a benching thread.

Derailed more than it has been you mean?

Funk It

Will Heffernan wrote: »

No problem.

What do you mean?

Suppose this was just a thought about the gym I go to. There are decline bench presses but these would have the the built in barbell mounts, so thought there might be some restriction to using dumbells on them, more out of awkwardness than anything. Also without a spotter, not too sure if I would be wanting to try and maneuver onto a declined bench with the heavier dumbells (ok, heavier for me at least, 30-40kg).

I prefer them as well but for some jobs you just need the right tool.

Thats my thinking now for the declined bench.

Elbow tuck.

Now this I am still confused about, what do you mean by elbow tuck?

Derailed more than it has been you mean?

Fair point.

Will Heffernan

Funk It wrote: »

Suppose this was just a thought about the gym I go to. There are decline bench presses but these would have the the built in barbell mounts, so thought there might be some restriction to using dumbells on them, more out of awkwardness than anything. Also without a spotter, not too sure if I would be wanting to try and maneuver onto a declined bench with the heavier dumbells (ok, heavier for me at least, 30-40kg).

The awkwardness of of using dumbbells on a rack with fixed mountings...I think that is always manageable and a skill to be mastered Just don't dump them on your face while you are learning to manage them.

Thats my thinking now for the declined bench.

Dumbbells are great...barbells are great. I'd use both at various times.

Now this I am still confused about, what do you mean by elbow tuck?

Your elbows closer to your midline.

Fair point.

I try to be