If you are training seasonally and looking for a winter plan to play out with the concept of extra calories and bulking you will not go too far wrong with the programme I will outline for you here.
When you want to add size you should just keep in mind that "basic is best"! Its time to get big and strong with basic yet brutally effective lifts. Now if this was as easy as it sounds everyone would be doing it! But they are not. No, when you are pounding out reps in the big basic free weight lifts most will be sat on a resistance machine taking it easy, machine training has its place (particularly if you are working around an injury or health condition) and I have included some machine options in the routine but if you can use a barbell or dumbbell then do so.
Programmes will always need tailoring to the individual according to their ability to perform the exercises, their ability to recover and the time it takes to actually make it into the gym! However, take a look at the programme and you will see that time should not be too much of a factor.
Workout A
Squats
Clean & Press
Chins
Workout B
Deadlifts
Bench Press
Rows
So that's two workouts a week with just three exercises. Too easy? Then you are not working hard enough! Okay, so you can add a couple of assistance exercises and you can complete the routine more than once a week but you will need at least one day between each workout, without that your progress will come to halt and you will not recover sufficiently to actually grow in size and strength. So with this I recommend a maximum of three training sessions a week plus light cardio work - personally I walk the dog for an hour or so every day but you can do it in the gym or whichever way you personally prefer.
So what about sets and reps? Well, I have noticed over the years that people will naturally gravitate to a particular scheme (particularly a rep range) despite what they have been prescribed. So whilst I am willing to give a scheme to be followed I would say to use it as a guideline, as far as I am concerned the rep range is not as important as working hard enough and continuously adding weight to the bar or reps to the set.
Here is how it might look:
Workout A
Squats: 3 progressive warm-up sets (NOT to failure!), 3 work sets of 4-8 reps (close to failure, but not failing)
Clean & Press: 3 progressive warm-up sets (NOT to failure!), 3 work sets of 4-8 reps (close to failure, but not failing)
Chins: 2 sets at bodyweight to failure (if you cannot do bodyweight chins either do slow negatives only or use a pulldown machine)
Workout B
Deadlifts: 3 progressive warm-up sets (NOT to failure!), 3 work sets of 4-8 reps (close to failure, but not failing)
Bench Press: 3 progressive warm-up sets (NOT to failure!), 3 work sets of 4-8 reps (close to failure, but not failing)
Rows 3 progressive warm-up sets (NOT to failure!), 2 work sets of 4-8 reps (close to failure, but not failing (use either barbell, a dumbbell, or a machine)
Where are the curls and calf raises? You don't need them! The longer I work in a gym the more convinced I have become of this. However, as with rep ranges I know and accept that people will do their own thing anyway! If you must curl, do calf raises, crunches and other isolation exercises I advise you to keep the volume low and don't train them to destruction! You really do not need a "biceps" day whereby you blast them with multiple sets of multiple exercises from multiple angles. Do what you will with this advice (you will anyway!) but please bare in mind it is born from years of experience from my own training and from observing and helping other people in the gym.
by Ben France
