Training for Muscular Weight Gain

The training and nutrition program explained in this article is perfect for anyone who needs to gain bo-dyweight, along with more muscle size and strength. If you follow the workout and supplement plan as written, you should conservatively gain a minimum of six pounds in six weeks. Follow either of the training programs intelligently and the accompanying nutritional program to the “tee” and a ten-pound gain in six weeks is highly achievable.

Muscular Weight Gain Training Rules

1. Train 3 days per week. No extras!
2. Do only the exercises listed.
   Do not add anything.
3. Do 3-8 reps on each work set.
4. Do 3-5 work sets on each exercise.
5. Rest 3 to 5 minutes between each work set.
6. Adhere to the compound interest cumulative nutrition plan as closely as possible.
7. Follow this program for six weeks.

Monday:
Chest, Biceps and Triceps

Chest

Bench Presses: 2 warm-up sets, 3 work sets; 5 reps per set.

Your first warm-up set of 5 reps will be with about 60% of your work set weight. If you plan on using 200lbs for your 3 work sets, you’d use 120lbs for your first warm-up set of 5 reps, 160lbs (80%) for your second warm-up set and then 200lbs for 3 sets of 5 reps. If you successfully achieve 5 reps in good form on all your sets, add 5lbs to each set the next week.

Incline Press: 3 work sets; 8 to 4 reps.

You can use a barbell or two dumbbells, whichever you prefer. I use barbell inclines in this particular workout because we’re going to be adding weight and going down to just 4 reps on the last set so the dumbbells can get a bit unwieldy. Do one warm-up set of 12 reps, then choose a weight that you think you can get for 8 reps. If you make 8 – stop! For the second set add 20 pounds (barbell) or 10 pounds to each dumbbell and go for 6 reps. Add 10-20 more pounds for your final work set and try for 4 reps. Record your poundages. If you successfully get 8 – 6 – 4 on your consecutive three sets, add five pounds to each set your next workout.

Biceps / Triceps

Barbell, EZ Bar or Cheat Curls: 5 sets, 5 reps (use the same set and rep scheme as bench press).

Close-Grip Bench Press or Dips: 5 sets, 5 reps.

Wednesday: Legs

Legs

Squats: 5 sets; 5 reps

Squats are undoubtedly the best exercise for weight gain. If you’ve been using a very wide stance and/or less than optimal range of motion, there’s a chance you are going to have to relearn this exercise. Use a foot position about shoulder width apart. As you descend I want you to imagine there is a marble on the center of your quad. Keep going down until the marble would start rolling toward your hips. This will guarantee that you’ve broken parallel and will reap all the benefits in added muscle and strength that come from this fabulous exercise.

Use the same progression as you did for the Bench Press. Do a general warm-up, then for your first set use 60% of the weight you will use on your three work sets. Your second warm-up set will be at 80%. You may want to experiment a little with your weights before you start this program since you may be squatting a little dee-per than normal and may have to use less weight while relearning the exercise.

Select a weight that will allow you to squat in perfect form for your three work sets of 5 reps each. When you can get 5 reps on every set – add 5-10 pounds to bar the next week!

Straight-Leg Deadlifts: 3 sets; 6-8 reps.

Form is everything on this exercise. It’s one of the best to stretch and thicken your hamstrings. Keep your back arched, head up and knees very slightly bent. Arching your back instead of rounding it like so many guys do is the key to this exercise.

Leg Curls: 3 sets; 6-8 reps.

Do not “bang out” the reps on this exercise. Instead squeeze, contract, and let the weight down slowly.

Calves

Standing Calf Raises: 3 sets; pyramid 20 down to 10 reps.

Go all the way up, hold for a two-count, and then extend slowly as far as your range of motion will allow.

Saturday: Back and Shoulders

Back

Deadlifts: 5 sets; 5 reps.

Legs shoulder width, knees bent, back arched – use an overhand grip and straps. Keep the bar close to your body as you pull. Don’t bend your arms.

Warm-up with a couple of light sets and some stretches. Then add weight as you did for the Bench Press. Add 10lbs to the bar each week that you complete all your work sets in good form.

Bent Barbell Row or Cable Row: 2 warm-up and 3 work sets; 5 reps per set. (Same sets and reps as Monday’s bench press workout.)

Pulldowns: 3 work sets; 8-4 reps (same as incline press.)

Use an underhand (palms facing) grip. Hands should be shoulder width or closer. Pull from full extension all the way until the bar hits your upper chest. Try to make your elbows follow an arced path as you pull them down and back. This is a lat builder my friends– think lats and let your biceps go along for the ride.

Shoulders

Shrugs: 3 sets; pyramid from 8 down to 4 reps.

Use straps if you like. Shrug straight upward. Try to touch your shoulders to your ears. Squeeze at the top.

Seated or Standing Military Presses: 5 sets; 5 reps (same set and rep scheme as bench press).

You can use a barbell, dumbbell, or Smith Machine for this exercise; one will work as well as the other. However, it’s easier to progress with the barbell version if you’re not afraid to put a 2-¹⁄₂ lb plate on each side each week. In six weeks you increase your poundage 25lbs – not bad!

Where’s the ab work?

Actually, handling the kind of weights you’ll be building-up to will work your abs indirectly. If you really want to add some direct ab work throw in a total of 50 reps of either crunches and/or leg raises as a warm-up to your primary workout.

An Abbreviated Version for the Slow Gainer

Recovery is a very important factor in weight gain. When you are really trying to gain additional bodyweight, do not overtrain! For many (probably, most), including those relatively new to weight training, those who work at physical labor, those engaged in organized sports, or even those who have a limited time to train, the above workout will be just too much. In that case, we recommend a shorter, but just as effective, program that will allow greater recuperation.

Monday

1. Squats: 5 sets; 5 reps (same set, rep scheme as above)
2. Bench Presses: 5 sets; 5 reps
3. Bentover Row: 5 sets; 5 reps

Wednesday

1. Deadlift: 5 sets; 5 reps
2. Incline Press: 3 sets; 8-6-4 reps
3. Pulldown: 3 sets; 8-6-4 reps

Saturday

1. Breathing Squats: 1 set; 20 reps
2. Light Pullover: 1 set; 20 reps
3. Shoulder Press: 5 sets; 5 reps

For each exercise follow the instructions listed in the full program above. The Breathing Squat is to be performed as follows: after a general warm-up load the bar to 50% of the weight that you used for your squat work sets on Monday. If you used 275lbs for your 3 work sets on Monday, use 135lbs on Saturday. Three monstrous breaths between each rep is the key, not the amount of weight you use. If you successfully complete all 20 reps, add 5-10lbs to the bar next Saturday. Don’t give up on them because they are too hard, many men have gained 50lbs and more in bodyweight by concentrating on this one exercise. For more instruction, Google “breathing squats”. On the Pullovers, keep your arms straight, use a very light weight – 20 or 25lbs is not too light, and try to stretch your ribcage.

Compound Interest Weight Gain Protocol

I got the idea for this nutrition protocol from my experience with Weider Crash Weight Formula #7 back in the summer of 1965. I was 18 years old, 6’1” and stuck at a bodyweight of 170 pounds.

The stuff was horrible but the theory behind it wasn’t so bad. Add 3500 calories daily to your normal caloric intake and you gain a pound a day. And it worked! I drank two quarts of milk per day. I used Weider Crash Weight Formula #7 and actually gained five pounds in one week. The pounds weren’t necessarily muscle because Formula #7 was 70% sugar – but still, I finally gained some weight. That experience taught me one of the basics of weight gain, “If you want to gain weight, you need more calories, PERIOD!”

Another lesson I learned from my Formula #7 experience is to add the extra calories gradually throughout the program. (One of the side effects that anyone who used Formula #7 experienced was- your body cannot get used to pounding an overabundance of calories overnight. Consequently, a lot of time was spent during the first week eliminating the extra calories.)

Here’s how you can gradually add quality calories to your nutritional intake each week and achieve pound-a-week or better gains. Get your hands on a 5lb container of new Beverly Mass Maker Ultra and add just 1 serving daily to your current nutritional food and supplement intake to begin your Compound Interest Weight Gain program.

Then each week add to your protein and calorie intake by following the suggestions below. These subtle additions to your diet will accrue week after week just like compound interest in your muscle bank account.

Week One: Simply drink one serving of Mass Maker Ultra (MMU) each day in addition to your current diet. Don’t cut anything out, just find the best time to drink your delicious MMU shake and do it consistently each day.

Added calories = 390 per day; 2730 per week; calculated gain - 0.78lb. That’s just a little over ¾ of a pound. Doesn’t seem like much, but we’re just getting started.

Week Two: Add a 2nd serving of Mass Maker Ultra to your daily nutrition. (Be sure not to cut back on any of your regular meals. In two weeks you have just increased your daily baseline calorie intake by 780 calories per day (that’s more than a one pound weight gain each week).

Added calories = 780 per day; 5460 per week; calculated gain – 1.56lbs.
Cumulative week 1 and week 2 calculated gain = 2.34lbs.
(You’re well on your way).

Week Three: During week three add one scoop of UMP to each of your two Mass Maker Ultra shakes.

Added calories = 1020 per day; 7140 per week; calculated gain – 2.04lbs.
Cumulative weeks 1, 2 and 3 calculated gain = 4.38lbs.

 

Week Four: I’ll bet you are still gaining at least one pound a week, so stick with the week three protocol of 2 servings of MMU daily with 1 scoop of UMP added to each.

Added calories = 1020 per day; 7140 per week; calculated gain – 2.04lbs.
Cumulative weeks 1- 4 calculated gain = 6.42lbs.

Week Five and Six: We’ll give you 2 options here based on your progress to date.
Option 1: If you are happy with your progress, continue with 2 servings of MMU and UMP daily. To volumize your muscles and wring out the greatest strength gains possible, add Beverly’s Creatine Select with Beta Alanine for the final two weeks.

Added calories = 1020 per day; 7140 per week; calculated gain = 2.04lbs. per week.
Option 1 Cumulative Gains for weeks 1-6 calculated gain – 10.5lbs.

Option 2: If by the start of week 5 you have not gained at least five pounds, add a 3rd serving of MMU and UMP each day, along with Creatine Select for the final two weeks.

Added calories = 1530 per day; 10,710 per week; calculated gain – 3.06lbs.
Option 2 Cumulative Gains for weeks 1-6 calculated gain – 12.54lbs.

Other essentials you must include in your nutrition program are very high potency vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and a digestive enzyme complex to help metabolize the extra calories. Luckily you can get all of these from just two supplements - Beverly’s Super Pak and Multiple Enzyme Complex. Take one Super Pak each morning with your first meal and two Multiple Enzyme Complex tablets with each serving of Mass Maker Ultra.

If you follow this supplement program faithfully and continue eating your current baseline diet you can easily add ten pounds of muscular mass to your frame over the course of this six-week program. Will you gain 12 pounds of muscle? Probably not – various metabolic factors come into play that will generally limit your gains on such a program to 6-10 pounds. And everyone who reads this magazine is an intelligent person who knows that there is no program or supplement out there that requires no effort or discipline on your part. Are you willing to give it a shot?