Mass Building routines?

[GoingUnder87 Member Find all posts View Profile Close GoingUnder87]

Anyone got some?

I just started some FST7 type thing and I was just wondering what all you guys go opinions on.

[stumpy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close stumpy]

TBH I think diet is more of a variation when it comes down to bulking or cutting, this is my routine and I've been doing pretty much the same with very little variation for years:

My routine comprises of a 4 day split and pretty much remains unchanged week in week out. My method of training works on the basis of working to failure and generally consists of compound movements. Starting with the heaviest weight I can manage with form for a minimum of 6 reps and aiming for no more than 9 or 10 reps. If you can do 10 or more reps you're lifting too light. If you can't do 6 reps you've gone to heavy, remember you're training your body not your ego. Pratt about with big weights that you cannot lift with form whilst blurting out strange noises like you're Ronnie Colemans retarded cousin and you're going to look an idiot in the gym. Remember if you want to look big and strong in the gym lift smart, lift heavy, eat sensibly and rest well and it will all come in time, even with steroids it still takes time.

Monday: Chest & triceps.
Flat bench Dbell press. I prefer Dbells to barbell as in my opinion the rotational movement caused in the balance and movement stimulates the muscle fibers to a greater degree than using a barbell, alos the grip feels unnatural as far as my wrists are concerned when using a barbell. Obviously no need to warm up on this as your muscles are already well pumped and warm from both previous exercises. First set 35k Dbells 7 reps, second set had to drop to 30k 8 reps, last set 27.5k 8 reps.

Next onto weighted dips.First set 10 or so reps, next set generally 10 reps and the last set 10 reps.
Iincline bench with a barbell. First weighted set of 100k 8 reps, next set dropped to 90k 8 reps, next set down to 70k 7 reps.
Tricep pushdown. First set 70k 9 reps, second set 60k 8 reps, last set 55k 8 reps.
Chest flies. I'm not a big fan of Dbell flies as it puts too much onto the front delts and this isn't a shoulder day so I tend to stick with cable flies instead. First set 35k 10 reps, next set 30k 9 reps last set 30k 6 reps.
Tricep extension using one Dbell and both hands.
First set 30k 10 reps, next set 27.5k 7 reps, last set 25k 8 reps.

Tuesday legs.
I used to do squats up until recently but seem to be having problems with my knees so had to go back to using leg press machine. Warm up set of 20 - 25 reps with 20k, First weighted set with 380k 10 reps, next set 400k 8 reps, last set back down to 360k 8 reps.
Hamstring curls, no need for warm up as legs feel a little like jelly after the last exercise. First set ( I can't bloody remember the weights used but I think you've got the idea about going as heavy as possible then dropping down a little for each of the next 2 sets. The weights I'm using are irrelevant as this is a training routine and the weights you will use for this will be relevant to the size, strength and level you are at.
next leg extension, can't remember what the weight is I use but it's the full stack of plates, again dropping down in weight for each of the next 2 sets.
Lastly, calf raises. First set 200k for 10 reps, next set 190k 9 reps and last set 180k 7 reps. By this time I can barely manage to climb the stairs up to the changing rooms and my jeans are tight as hell and going back down stairs is equally as difficult as it was to go up them, good indication of a good leg workout. The guy that originally trained me always advises 10 minutes on the exercise bike afterwards on leg day.

Thursday shoulders.
Shoulders press, warm up set doing 2.5k Dbells. This can be most amusing when someone you haven't seen in the gym before watches you using little weights and then they proceed to make grunting noises on the bench next to you as they press what they consider to be heavy weights. Now for the proper weights 32.5k Dbells (the chap on the bench next to you who was previously making grunting noises soon removes the smirk from his face) 10 easy reps done on this. ( I know I could go heavier but if my tp is not with me I cannot swing the 35k Dbells up onto my shoulders). Next set 32.5k 7 reps, last set 30k 7 reps.
Lateral raises. I prefer to do this using one Dbell, one shoulder at a time. My reasons behind this rather than doing both at the same time will become apparent if you really look at others in the gym or at yourself in the mirror when you do these with 2 hands. I see far too many people in the gym doing these by bouncing up and down with their knees, swinging the Dbells out rather than using their muscles to do it and taking them too high. Lateral raises should never go higher than shoulder height, any higher and you're brining different muscles into play. Do these with one hand at a time and you can get a much more controlled movement.
First set 25k 10 reps, second set 22.5k 10 reps, last set 22.5k 7 reps.
Last exercise of the day, rear delts. At a previous gym I used they had a machine for this but I could do the full stack on this with ease and felt I was never progressing with my rear delt. I now use the method as seen on George Pauls' video using the cable machine and have found this to be much more effective. Oddly enough I never see anyone else in the gym doing rear delts which I feel are important as doing the full shoulder gives a much more rounded look.
I sometimes finish off with rotating shoulder shrugs but only if I am not going to do deads the following day, pointless doing shrugs one day then doing your traps again the next day whilst deadlifting, over training in my opinion.

Friday, back & biceps.
Biceps first with EZ bar. I see a lot of people doing bicep curls with a short barbell. In my opinion this is a completely unnatural thing to use. If you stand and face your palms outwards you'd have to twist your arms at a very unnatural angle, the EZ bar takes the more natural and comfortable angle of your wrists leaving you to use the bar and direct all your affort towards the lift and nothing else. First set with 37.5k 10 reps, next set 35k 8 reps, last set 32.5k 7 or 8 reps.

Back next, dead lifts. I'll not go into the weights as again the weight is only relevant to me. Your weight will again be dependent on your level of training. Dead lift come in various forms and my preferred method is using legs marginally bent as I lift and lower but never letting the weights on the bar touch the ground as I prefer to keep the muscles under tension throughout the movement. Again 3 sets starting heavy and working my way down in weight for each of the sets.

Biceps again, this could either be seated bicep curls or what we on the board have come to know as "shredded curls" after Paul Georges' video of them.

Back again, bent over Dbell rows. I think you've got the jist of it by now, start heavy and work your way down.

Next seated pull downs with your palms facing inwards, this works your biceps and your back, usual method as described above starting heavy............

[mscathc Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mscathc]

So on Wed, Sat and Sun are those just rest days or do you throw any cardio in?

[stumpy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close stumpy]

I'm cadiofobic (read that as fkn lazy (I prefer to stick to my diet instead)) so those 3 days are literally rest days for me. That post is an old one I put on a couple of boards a few years ago but it's still pretty much unchanged today. Positive Mental Attitude is needed in the gym also, it's not all physical, you need that mental positivity to know you can sqeeze out that last rep rather than thinking you can squeeze out that last rep. Always be positive about what you're doing in the gym and don't let others distract you.

[pulpak69 Member Find all posts View Profile Close pulpak69]

I dig German volume training on and off. 10 by tens. Brutal

[limo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close limo]

Research a guy named Mike Mentzer and see what he advocated for Heavy Mass training and let me know what you think...............

[GoingUnder87 Member Find all posts View Profile Close GoingUnder87]

interesting. to failure and forced reps. need a training partner or something

[stumpy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close stumpy]

Some good use of cable work can be seen here

and the "shredded curls" can be seen in this about 30secs into the vid:

Whilst Paul George may not be a mass monster he has IMO a great physique and excellent symetry.