Bodybuilding Routine for Mass: Free Program

Looking for an incredibly effective bodybuilding routine for mass? This bodybuilding routine will pack mass on you for sure if you can get in the calories!

Included are some tips to help you hit your mass gaining goals as well.

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It is important with any bodybuilding routine for mass to try and keep weights progressing up. This will increase training stimulus and overall training volume, in turn increasing the potential of the workout to add more mass. This program allows untrained individuals as well as bodybuilding veterans to add mass by continually changing training stimulus while also optimizing for progress in the lifts being used.

Program Notes

To get the best results read through the bodybuilding routine for mass notes below.

This is a 12 week program focused on adding mass to your frame.

The workouts should be intense and heavy so give yourself 2 rest days throughout the week to let your body recover.

Each week alternate through the available movements assigned. For Example: Week one perform Seated Barbell Press, Week two Smith Machine Press, Week three Standing Push Press, and week 4 back to Seated Barbell Press. If you do not have the available equipment choose a similar movement.

The Bodybuilding Routine for Mass

Shoulders/Biceps

1. Press Movement 4 x 8, 6, 4, 4 – Seated Barbell Press, Smith Machine Press, and Standing Push Press
2. Press Movement 3 x 12, 10, 8 – Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Hammer Strength Shoulder Press
3. Lateral Movement 3 x 12, 10 8 – Lateral Machine, Seated Dumbbell Side Raise, Standing Cable Side Raise
4. Front Delt 3 x 10 – Upright Barbell Row, Underhand Barbell Front Raise, Standing Alternating Dumbbell Front Raise
5. Rear Delt 4 x 12 – Reverse Fly Machine, Incline Dumbbell Chest-Supported Reverse Fly, Bent Over Reverse Dumbbell Fly
6. Bicep Barbell 3 x 15, 12, 10 – Barbell Curl, Preacher Curl Machine or Free Weight, Standing Cable Bar Curl
7. Bicep Dumbbell 3 x 10-12 – Dumbbell Standing Alternating Curl, Incline Dumbbell Curl with 3 second negative
8. Bicep Auxiliary 3 x 10-12 – Single Arm Preacher Curl, Concentration Dumbbell Curl, Hercules Curl

Legs

1. Leg Extensions 4 x 15 superset with Seated Leg Curls 4 x 15 – heavier each set
2. Squat Movement 3 x 8 – work up to a max set then perform 2 additional sets – Back Squat, Smith Machine Squat, Hack Squat, Front Squat
3. Stiff Leg Deadlift 3 x 10 – Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift, Barbell Stiff Leg Deadlift, Barbell Sumo Deadlift
4. Lunges 3 x 10-12 each leg – Barbell/Dumbbell Walking Lunges, Split Lunge on Smith Machine
5. Leg Curl 3 x 15, 12, 10 – Standing Single Leg Curl, Lying Leg Curl, Glute Ham Machine

Chest

1. Chest Press Movement 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 – Incline Dumbbell Bench Press, Incline Barbell Bench Press, Flat Barbell Bench Press
2. Chest Press Movement 3 x 12, 10, 8 – Smith Machine Incline Bench, Hammer Strength Incline Chest Press
3. Chest Fly 3 x 10-12 – Incline Dumbbell Fly, Flat Dumbbell Fly
4. Auxiliary Chest Press 3 x 8 (Double Reps) – Choose a lift from the first two movements that you have not done today
5. Chest Cable Fly 3 x 12-15 – Chest Fly Machine, Cable Crossover, Seated Chest Fly
6. Finisher to Failure or 30 reps total – Push Ups, Dips

Arms and Calves

Superset Bicep and Tricep if possible.

1. Bicep 3 x 15 – Cable Barbell Curl, Cable Reverse Barbell Curl, Rope Hammer Curl
2. Tricep 3 x 15 – Rope Pushdowns, Straight Bar Pushdowns
3. Bicep 3 x 8-10 – Alternating Dumbbell Curl, Incline Alternating Dumbbell Curl, Dumbbell Hammer Curl
4. Tricep 3 x 10-12 – Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension, Seated Overhead Dumbbell Extension, Dumbbell Close Grip Bench
5. Bicep Double Rep or 3 second negative 3 x 10 – Preacher Curl Machine, Barbell Curl, EZ Bar Curl
6. Outer Tricep Focus 3 x 12-15 – Underhand Cable Pushdown, Single Arm Cable Kickbacks
7. Bicep Finisher 21’s or 10 reps followed by two 10 rep drop sets of any bicep movement above that you have not completed today
8. Standing Calf Raise 4 x 15-20 – Smith Machine, Standing Calf Raise Machine
9. Seated Calf Raise 3 x 15 double rep
10. Auxiliary Calf Raise 3 x 20 movement of your choice

Back

1. Pullups 3 x 10-15 – Use multiple grip positions, use assistance if needed
2. Lat Pulldown 3 x 12, 10, 8 – Wide Grip Lat Pulldown, Wide Palms-Facing Lat Pulldown
3. Pullover Movement 3 x 10-12 – Standing Rope Pullover, Lying Dumbbell Pullover, Seated Straight Bar Pullover
4. Row Movement 3 x 8-10 – Bent Over Barbell Row, T-Bar Row, Chest Supported Smith Machine Row
5. One-Arm Row Movement 3 x 10-12 – One-Arm Dumbbell Row, One-Arm Hammer Strength Row, Meadows Row
6. Deadlift Movement 3 x 6-8 – Rack Pulls from Knee, Banded Deadlifts, Conventional Deadlifts

Core

Train your core three times a week with a variety of movements. Shoot for 3 sets of 10-15 with a weighted movement and 2 movements that are a bodyweight movement. The bodyweight movements should total around 100 reps.

An ab-wheel is a great option for the bodyweight movement. Here is the recommended one.

Bodybuilding Routine for Mass Supplements

Supplementation is highly individual based on your goals. However, there are a few supplements that will help you achieve greater results on the bodybuilding routine for mass. The goal is to get in the nutrients that will help you gain the muscle mass you want that you may be missing in your diet.

As supplements can really start to add up in cost, this section will be limited to just three that will offer the most support. The goal should be to pack the most nutrition in the least supplements to compliment your diet.

Supplement One: Protein

Supplement Two: Creatine

Supplement Three: Vitamins, Prebiotics, and Probiotics

Nutrition for the Bodybuilding Routine for Mass

The most important factor for gaining lean body mass, hands down, is nutrition. If you are not in a high enough caloric surplus then your body will not be able to pack on the lean body mass that you are after.

The amount of calories that you need is highly individual to your body. If you are unsure of how many calories you should be consuming you can check out the Calorie Calculator: Find Your Caloric Needs page.

Where these calories come from will be just as important as how many you consume. Try to consume around 1-1.25 grams of protein per pound of lean bodyweight. This will keep your body in an optimum range for tissue recovery. High protein alone isn’t going to be enough to pack size on though. It is also important to get in carbs, healthy fats, and greens to keep your body running at peak performance.

For ideal results keep meals in the following macronutrient ratios: 50% of your calories from carbs, 30% of your calories from protein, and 20% of your calories from fats. For three of your meals be sure to include around 4 ounces of green vegetables and try to get your fats from sources like nuts/nut butters or healthy oils.

Basic Meal Example:

• 200 grams of lean meat – 50 grams protein
• 1 tablespoon of oil – 20 grams fat
• One and a half cups of brown rice – 80 grams carbs
• A cup of veggies – greens

Over your whole 12-weeks, carbs should include options like:

• Oats
• Wholegrain and whole meal breads
• Brown rice
• Fruits

Proteins on other hand consist of:

• Lean meats
• Fish
• Seafood
• Turkey
• Nuts
• Legumes

Make sure you aren’t consuming alcohol in excess, as well as staying away from too much take-out and other junk foods.

Overall, consume mainly foods closest to their natural state as you can, with the bulk of food choices coming form high calorie foods. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as well and you are on your way to getting huge and healthy as well.

It will be much easier to stay on top of your caloric needs if you use this app.

Recovery:

Recovery on the bodybuilding routine for mass is crucial. Many don’t realize that weight training isn’t only about what happens inside the gym, but is even more the result of how you take care of yourself outside the weight room.

How you eat, supplement, rest, and even think affect your overall gains. But many decide to skimp on these things, especially beginners or those returning from a lay-off. If mass is your game, then you need all these things need to be treated seriously.

Rest:

Along with diet and, to some extent, supplementation, an equally important factor is sleep.

During sleep your body shuts off; it’s the period where the recovery process is at its fullest, which means an opportunity to maximize gains. Additionally, a good night’s sleep leads to higher energy levels and increased focus for a better muscle-mind connection.

Avoid excessive late nights and partying, and make it a commitment to get 8 hours of sleep each night. Try to maintain the same sleep patterns as well which will set up a healthy rhythm. Rest will also be achieved though naps, and regular “down-time”, taking time out and just listening to your body.

In whole, the components of sleep will enhance the intensity of your workouts, as well as increase your potential to grow mass. If you need to, add something like this into your supplement regimen to help with sleep. Sleep tight!

Stress:

When it comes to the mass game, your mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy. High levels of stress are one of those things that make the mind a potential danger to your goal of adding mass.

Stress closely relates to how optimistic one is, and taking control of stress will lead to a positive mentality, giving you an edge in the gym. This will improve your attitude, increase your intensity and help you enjoy the whole process more. Uncontrolled stress on the other hand promotes all sorts of catabolic things; high cortisol levels, bad adrenal function, and a destructive attitude. These no doubt will result in less overall gains by the end of the bodybuilding routine for mass.

To control your stress levels, the best thing you can is adopt a positive mindset. Sometimes this can be hard, but learn to talk back to that inner critic that says,

“I can’t gain mass” because YES, YOU CAN!

“This isn’t going to work?” … THERE’S NO REASON IT CAN’T!

Additionally, be assertive. Don’t be afraid to say “no” to unnecessary commitments that will put your body out. Remember, you can only do what you can. You also might want to try stress reduction techniques such meditation, yoga and teas such as peppermint and valerian. Together these things will aid in promoting a highly productive mass gaining phase.

Conclusion

So there you have it: the recipe for creating a massive body in 12-weeks. Nothing too surprising, but applying it takes commitment and effort. If you ensure you have all grounds above covered, there is no telling the type of physique you have the potential to develop.