What method is good for gain ing mass?

[NOS]

I have been lifting for about 3 years. I was wondering what your opinion was on the best way to lift for mass? I have been lifting all upper body twice a week and lower body twice a week then resting on the weekend. I normally do 4 sets of 8 reps with heavy weight. A friend told me to try work one muscle group a day for mass. He said to do 12-14 sets of 8-10 reps on each muscle group. Like chest on Mon, back on Tues, arms on Wed. and son on. This is with heavy weights. Is this a good routine or should I stick with my old one or do you any good formulas for building mass?

Later,

 

[BigGuns2]

For mass you should do less reps and heavier weights. Use the Olympic bar instead of dumbbells on your exercises. Also eat like a horse!

 

[el cubano]

For mass use heavy weights, do 3-4 sets of each exercise (with exceptions of course) do 8 reps to failure, then 6 to failure then 4 to failure, etc.

 

[BigAndy69]

The truth is, most of these techniques work, but you need to keep changing it up.

I use High-Intensity style training,( 6-8 sets for Back, 6-8 sets for Chest, 8-9 sets for Legs, 5 sets each for Tris and Bis. Low reps(4-8, lots of time between sets)

I do get bigger on this routine, but it's mostly for strength in my opinion.

I also train High-Volume, ( 16-20 sets per workout. I use drop sets, supersets, Higher reps (10-15), very little rest between sets 1-2 mins.)

Very effective for promoting vascularity, good muscle fullness and size. It improves the overall quality of your physique. Great for cutting.


Then there is the best way to train overall, 12-16 sets per Bodypart, 8-12 reps, 2 mins between sets, sometimes using drop sets and supersets. Very challenging.

I use each one for 3-4 months at a time.

 

[NOS]

But is is ok to work your muscle once a week or should I work them more often. Will it matter on growth of the muscle?

 

[Toenail Juice Z]

Pretty simple. Basically it's what you eat.

Try to eat at least 30g of protein every 2-3 hours. Buy 2-3 weight gain drinks, stock up on tuna fish & steaks.

I would also stick to heavy duty. Maximum intensity, heavy weights, training till failure.

I beleive training each bodypart once a week is perfect. Try the one bodypart per day routine (5 x a week, & take weekends off). This is a sure method to induce muscular hypertrophy. Good Luck.

Laters bro.

 

[BigAndy69]

Only once a week, you shouldn't be able to train that muscle more than that.

This is a good split for me:

Day1: AM: Chest
PM: Tris

Day2: AM: Back
PM: Bis

Day3: Cardio

Day4: Shoulders/Abs

Day5: Legs

Day6: Rest

Day7: Cardio

The reason I split my arm training that way is because my arms really suck and this was the only way they grow.

 

[Beezers]

Pretty simple. Basically it's what you eat.

This about sums it up. It all comes down to your diet ultimately. To gain mass you have to eat to gain mass. This means ample protein the build and repair muscle tissue and an abundance of calories which totals more than your body uses in a day. Lifting stimulates the hypertrophy of muscle mass, but without the necessary supplies(amino acids, glucose, and fatty acids) you can't build new tissue. Lifting style is individual dependant. Everybody responds to different stimulus in different ways, so there is no "best" way to train for mass. Though heavy weights, lower reps seem to induce a hypertrophic reaction quite substantially in most, other variables like number of sets, days per week, rest periods, and even number of reps all vary from person to person. You have to experiment to conclude what works best for you. It takes time and patience, but once you find the right mix of training stimulation for your own physiology you are golden.

 

[NOS]

Thanks for the advice bros!