RetiredPowerhouse
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As I gear up for my next bulking cycle, I wanted to share some fundamental principles for creating a successful training routine during this phase. These guidelines will help you design an effective program tailored to your goals, so this is not about specific exercises, sets, or reps, but rather the overarching principles to keep in mind when structuring your bulk. Here’s what I’ll cover:
1. Cardio
2. Tempo
3. Volume
4. Workout Frequency
5. Workout Split
6. Types of Exercises & Their Order
7. Reps
8. Rest Intervals
To maximize muscle growth, consistency and volume are key, and proper nutrition is crucial. The extra calories you consume will fuel your workouts and support muscle recovery, allowing you to handle more volume and intensity for optimal results. Let's dive in!
1. Cardio: Should You Do It During Bulking?
This is a point of contention for many, but here's my take: Cardio has minimal benefit during a bulking phase. Your main goal is muscle growth, and cardio only expends calories you need for muscle building. If you're gaining too much fat too quickly, it’s a sign your diet needs adjustment, not more cardio.
Instead of cardio, focus on increasing your workout volume or frequency if needed. Use rest and recovery wisely to recover from high-volume sessions. Save cardio for your cutting phase, not while you're trying to pack on size.
2. Tempo: Slow and Controlled for Growth
The tempo of your lifts plays a huge role in muscle development. Speeding through sets won’t cut it. Focus on controlling the eccentric phase (the lowering portion of the lift) for 3-4 seconds. If you can’t handle this tempo, reduce the weight and check your ego at the door. Slow, controlled movements and emphasizing the mind-muscle connection during the concentric phase (lifting) will drive better hypertrophy.
3. Volume: The Foundation of Your Bulk
Volume is the most critical factor in a successful bulking program. The extra calories you consume will support the increased volume, so make the most of it. For larger muscle groups, aim for 20+ sets per session. Smaller muscle groups (e.g., biceps) can be trained with 12-15 sets.
However, be mindful not to overdo it. Workouts should stay within 60-80 minutes to avoid becoming overly catabolic. If you're taking too long, it’s likely your intensity is too low, and you're not using the time effectively.
4. Workout Frequency: Consistency is Key
Training frequency is the other pillar of your bulking program. To take full advantage of your increased calorie intake, you need to train each muscle group more frequently. For example, instead of hitting each muscle once a week, aim for twice a week or even more.
For those with lagging body parts, consider training them twice per day (with at least 4 hours between sessions). This method can significantly enhance growth, but make sure you're recovering properly and fueling your body with enough nutrition. If you can, try low-rep, heavy weight in the morning and high-rep, lighter weights in the evening for optimal results.
5. Workout Split: How to Optimize Your Routine
To accommodate increased training frequency, structure your split to prioritize weaker or lagging muscle groups. A 6-day/week training split can work well for bulking, and if you’re doing two-a-day workouts, you could go up to 9 sessions a week. Just make sure to include deload periods to avoid burnout or regression.
Here’s an example of a 2x/day split (9 workouts/week), targeting arms as a priority:
- Sat AM : Back
- Sat PM : Biceps
- Sun AM : Chest
- Sun PM : Triceps
- Mon : Legs (quad-dominant)
- Tues : Shoulders, Calves, Abs
- Wed AM : Low-rep, heavy weight arms
- Wed PM : High-rep arms
- Thurs : Legs (hamstring-dominant)
- Fri : Rest
You can adjust the split based on your goals and lagging body parts. After a deload, consider switching your focus to another muscle group for continued growth.
6. Exercise Selection and Order: Compound Movements First
When selecting exercises, prioritize large compound movements early in your session to maximize muscle activation and load. For example, when training legs, start with squats or leg presses before finishing with isolation movements like leg curls or extensions. Don’t waste your energy on isolation exercises before tackling the big lifts.
Aim for at least 4 exercises per muscle group, ensuring at least half are compound lifts. This way, you can load the muscle more effectively and hit it from different angles.
7. Reps: Hypertrophy Range is Your Friend
For muscle growth, stick to the hypertrophy range of 5-10 reps for most exercises. The goal is volume (lots of sets) with heavy weight, not necessarily strength. For finisher exercises, it's okay to go up to 12-15 reps, especially for smaller muscles like delts or abs. Avoid going overboard with supersets and giant sets; they can be effective in moderation, but the focus should be on volume at high intensity.
8. Rest Intervals: Short, but Sufficient
To maintain the intensity needed for muscle growth, keep rest intervals between 60-90 seconds for most exercises. Larger lifts like squats and deadlifts may require up to 2 minutes of rest. For smaller muscles like biceps or delts, 45 seconds is often enough. Don't rest too long, but don't rush your recovery either. Find the balance to keep the intensity high and maximize growth.
Conclusion
By focusing on volume, frequency, and proper exercise selection, you’ll create a training routine that supports significant muscle growth during your bulk. Nutrition is a huge part of the equation, so don’t neglect your diet—calories, protein, and carbs are essential to fuel your workouts and recovery.
What are your go-to bulking strategies?
1. Cardio
2. Tempo
3. Volume
4. Workout Frequency
5. Workout Split
6. Types of Exercises & Their Order
7. Reps
8. Rest Intervals
To maximize muscle growth, consistency and volume are key, and proper nutrition is crucial. The extra calories you consume will fuel your workouts and support muscle recovery, allowing you to handle more volume and intensity for optimal results. Let's dive in!
1. Cardio: Should You Do It During Bulking?
This is a point of contention for many, but here's my take: Cardio has minimal benefit during a bulking phase. Your main goal is muscle growth, and cardio only expends calories you need for muscle building. If you're gaining too much fat too quickly, it’s a sign your diet needs adjustment, not more cardio.
Instead of cardio, focus on increasing your workout volume or frequency if needed. Use rest and recovery wisely to recover from high-volume sessions. Save cardio for your cutting phase, not while you're trying to pack on size.
2. Tempo: Slow and Controlled for Growth
The tempo of your lifts plays a huge role in muscle development. Speeding through sets won’t cut it. Focus on controlling the eccentric phase (the lowering portion of the lift) for 3-4 seconds. If you can’t handle this tempo, reduce the weight and check your ego at the door. Slow, controlled movements and emphasizing the mind-muscle connection during the concentric phase (lifting) will drive better hypertrophy.
3. Volume: The Foundation of Your Bulk
Volume is the most critical factor in a successful bulking program. The extra calories you consume will support the increased volume, so make the most of it. For larger muscle groups, aim for 20+ sets per session. Smaller muscle groups (e.g., biceps) can be trained with 12-15 sets.
However, be mindful not to overdo it. Workouts should stay within 60-80 minutes to avoid becoming overly catabolic. If you're taking too long, it’s likely your intensity is too low, and you're not using the time effectively.
4. Workout Frequency: Consistency is Key
Training frequency is the other pillar of your bulking program. To take full advantage of your increased calorie intake, you need to train each muscle group more frequently. For example, instead of hitting each muscle once a week, aim for twice a week or even more.
For those with lagging body parts, consider training them twice per day (with at least 4 hours between sessions). This method can significantly enhance growth, but make sure you're recovering properly and fueling your body with enough nutrition. If you can, try low-rep, heavy weight in the morning and high-rep, lighter weights in the evening for optimal results.
5. Workout Split: How to Optimize Your Routine
To accommodate increased training frequency, structure your split to prioritize weaker or lagging muscle groups. A 6-day/week training split can work well for bulking, and if you’re doing two-a-day workouts, you could go up to 9 sessions a week. Just make sure to include deload periods to avoid burnout or regression.
Here’s an example of a 2x/day split (9 workouts/week), targeting arms as a priority:
- Sat AM : Back
- Sat PM : Biceps
- Sun AM : Chest
- Sun PM : Triceps
- Mon : Legs (quad-dominant)
- Tues : Shoulders, Calves, Abs
- Wed AM : Low-rep, heavy weight arms
- Wed PM : High-rep arms
- Thurs : Legs (hamstring-dominant)
- Fri : Rest
You can adjust the split based on your goals and lagging body parts. After a deload, consider switching your focus to another muscle group for continued growth.
6. Exercise Selection and Order: Compound Movements First
When selecting exercises, prioritize large compound movements early in your session to maximize muscle activation and load. For example, when training legs, start with squats or leg presses before finishing with isolation movements like leg curls or extensions. Don’t waste your energy on isolation exercises before tackling the big lifts.
Aim for at least 4 exercises per muscle group, ensuring at least half are compound lifts. This way, you can load the muscle more effectively and hit it from different angles.
7. Reps: Hypertrophy Range is Your Friend
For muscle growth, stick to the hypertrophy range of 5-10 reps for most exercises. The goal is volume (lots of sets) with heavy weight, not necessarily strength. For finisher exercises, it's okay to go up to 12-15 reps, especially for smaller muscles like delts or abs. Avoid going overboard with supersets and giant sets; they can be effective in moderation, but the focus should be on volume at high intensity.
8. Rest Intervals: Short, but Sufficient
To maintain the intensity needed for muscle growth, keep rest intervals between 60-90 seconds for most exercises. Larger lifts like squats and deadlifts may require up to 2 minutes of rest. For smaller muscles like biceps or delts, 45 seconds is often enough. Don't rest too long, but don't rush your recovery either. Find the balance to keep the intensity high and maximize growth.
Conclusion
By focusing on volume, frequency, and proper exercise selection, you’ll create a training routine that supports significant muscle growth during your bulk. Nutrition is a huge part of the equation, so don’t neglect your diet—calories, protein, and carbs are essential to fuel your workouts and recovery.
What are your go-to bulking strategies?
