Learn how to gain muscle mass up to 10 kg using traditional bodybuilding training methods.

The content of the article:

Gaining muscle mass is quite difficult. If desired, on the Internet you can find many methods and training programs designed to help athletes gain weight. However, they can only be effective if they comply with the basic principles of bodybuilding. Below you will be presented with a weight training program 3 times a week, but for now you need to tell in which case it will be effective.

Bodybuilding principles for gaining muscle mass

Don't use a lot of isolated movements

Spreading your energy between isolated and basic movements will only slow down your progress. For mass gain, it is multi-joint exercises that are most effective and there are two explanations for this fact:

• In basic exercises, a greater number of motor units are involved due to the possibility of using serious weights.
• The more effort you make during the power movement, the more actively the body synthesizes testosterone, which is the main anabolic hormone that can activate the growth of muscle tissue.

Do squats and deadlifts

These movements can be used alternately or simultaneously. As we said above, working with large weights allows you to use the maximum number of motor units. Both of these exercises provide such an opportunity.

Work on increasing strength parameters

Often, athletes forget that increasing strength is very important for muscle growth. Most often, mass training programs involve performing 8-12 repetitions in one set. You must remember that the effectiveness of the session is not affected by the number of repetitions in the set, but by their total number throughout the session. If you are, say, planning on doing three sets of 10 reps, it's much more effective to bulk up by doing ten sets of three reps each. As a result, the total number of repetitions will not change, and you will have the opportunity to work with serious weights.

Don't Focus on Your Abdominal Muscles

The desire to have a well-inflated press is quite understandable. However, overemphasizing this muscle group will not allow you to grow quickly. In addition, when performing most basic movements, the abdominal muscles are involved and receive a decent load.

How to eat while training for mass?

We will also give an example of a weight training program 3 times a week, but now we need to accurately determine the task set before us. In bodybuilding, the main goal is to gain mass. However, you must understand that the mass can be different. The easiest way to gain body weight and for this it is enough to eat a lot of fast food.

You also need muscle mass, although it will not be possible to completely avoid the accumulation of fat. To do this, you need to understand the basic principles of nutrition and training. You also need to add rest to this, which will lead you to muscle growth as a result. In Soviet times, trainers advised thin boys to consume more flour products. But science is developing, and today, after numerous discoveries, this advice seems strange.

Although at the same time, ectomorphs need to eat a lot, but this must be done correctly. For every kilo of body weight, you need to consume about five grams of slow carbohydrates. The norm for protein compounds is the same for any physique and ranges from 2 to 3 grams per kilo of body weight.

Almost no one conducts a strict calculation of calories and the number of calories consumed among amateurs. If you also do not plan to do this, then follow the three main rules of nutrition during the mass-gaining period:

• Eat only slow carbohydrates.
• Eliminate sweets and flour products from the diet.
• Most of the carbohydrates should be consumed before lunch.

If we talk about foods containing complex carbohydrates, then focus on pasta, buckwheat, rice (steamed), wholemeal bread, and baked potatoes in their skins.

Let's talk about protein compounds. Very often, athletes make the mistake of trying to consume protein mixtures in large quantities. You should understand that the basis of your diet should be natural food. Food contains all the nutrients the body needs. Of course, sports nutrition can help you achieve your goal faster, but at the same time, it should only be an addition to your diet.

How to organize a training program 3 times a week?

It must be said right away that novice athletes often perform a large amount of unnecessary work, which only slows down overall progress. In particular, this applies to the active pumping of the biceps. It is understandable that every guy wants to have big biceps, but you need to train all muscle groups, and not do it selectively.

Muscles cannot grow locally and a general increase in muscle mass throughout the body must be achieved. Moreover, these processes are activated only if the maximum number of fibers worked during the training. The 3 times a week weight training program we proposed today is based precisely on this postulate of bodybuilding. Only basic movements are able to use the maximum number of motor units, and in response to this, the body synthesizes a large amount of the male hormone. When you gain a certain amount of total muscle mass, then you can think about specialized training.

If you analyze the training programs for mass 3 times a week, which are often compiled by fitness instructors, you can see the presence in them of a large number of movements performed on simulators. As a result, the athlete does not get the desired effect, since such an approach to training is not effective.

It is quite clear that a novice athlete is waiting for some super-methods that can quickly turn him into a Schwarzenegger. However, this is simply not possible and you should keep this in mind. Doing a lot of work on the simulators, you just waste your energy in vain. You also need to direct it in the right direction, or to put it more simply, focus only on the basic movements.

Exercises such as squats, deadlifts, or the bench press, beloved by many bodybuilders. Contribute to the activation of a large number of muscles of the whole body. As a result, you can use more serious weights, which will lead to the activation of hypertrophy processes. Do not complicate your training program for mass 3 times a week and do extra work.

An example of a weight training program 3 times a week

So we come to the main issue of this article and give an example of a weight training program 3 times a week. Beginners should practice every second day and with the right load, you will not only begin to gain muscle mass, but your joints will also become stronger.

You have to choose the training days yourself, based on your weekly workload schedule. Every person in life has a lot of problems and issues that need to be addressed. The main thing you need to remember is that there should be a day of rest between workouts.

If you have not been involved in sports before, then you need to prepare the body for stress. Start by mastering the technique of all movements and do not try to actively increase working weights during this period. In one set, do 12 to 15 repetitions, but with low weight. Also, for the first few months, it is worth using the full body system or, to put it simply, training all the muscles of the body in every lesson.

When your technique becomes good, and the body gets stronger, you can switch to a split system and begin to progress the load. Now you should also work out three times a week, but work on a specific muscle group in each session.

Thus, now we will talk, as it were, about two training programs. The first of them is intended for beginners, and its main task is to prepare the body. Also, it is during this period that you must work out the technique of all exercises. As we said, in each set you need to perform from 12 to 15 repetitions. Between sets, you need to rest for 60-120 seconds. Depending on your initial level of readiness, you need to train in this mode from three months to six months.

Here is an example program for this period of time:

• Squats - 3 sets of 12 reps.
• Deadlift(you can replace the Romanian on straightened legs) - 3 sets of 12 repetitions.
• Presses in the prone position - 3 sets of 12 repetitions.
• Lifting the bar for biceps in a standing position - 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
• Pull-ups, grip wide - from 2 to 3 sets of the maximum number of repetitions.
• Push-ups on the uneven bars - from 2 to 3 sets of the maximum number of repetitions.
• Military bench press - 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
• Twisting - 3 sets maximum number of repetitions.

When you move on to the main weight training program 3 times a week, the number of repetitions per set should be from 6 to 10, and the rest time between sets is 120-180 seconds. The working weight must be chosen so that the last repetitions are performed at the limit of effort. Progress the load gradually in increments of 1.25 to 2.5 kilos. The exception is the deadlift, where you can add five kilos at once. And now the program itself is training for mass 3 times a week.

1st day of classes

• Bench presses - 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps.
• Lifting the bar for biceps in a standing position - 4 sets of 10 repetitions.
• Barbell rows in an inclined position to the belt - 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
• Press exercise - 3 sets of the maximum number of repetitions.

2nd day of classes

• Squats - 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps.
• Military bench press - 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
• Rises on socks in a standing or sitting position.
• Abs exercise - 3 sets max reps.

3rd day of classes

• Deadlift - 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps.
• Pulling up, grip wide - 3 sets of the maximum number of repetitions.
• Bench press in the prone position, narrow grip - 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.
• Push-ups on uneven bars, if necessary, with weights - 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
• Exercise for the press - 3 sets of the maximum number of repetitions.

How to train for mass, see this video:

You can build muscle and make the body toned and sculpted with the help of strength training. They allow you to improve not only the figure, but also the general condition of the body, strengthen the ligaments and the skeletal system.

STAR SLIMMING STORIES!

Irina Pegova shocked everyone with a weight loss recipe:"I threw off 27 kg and continue to lose weight, I just brew for the night ..." Read more >>

Weight training is shown not only to men, but also to women. Girls should not be afraid of the growth of huge muscles due to low testosterone levels. And it is quite possible to achieve a healthy, beautiful body and a proportional figure. But in order not to get injured and quickly achieve the desired goal, beginners should carefully work out the technique of doing the exercises.

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How to train to gain muscle mass?

To increase strength and gain muscle mass, you need to work out with a sufficiently large weight at home or in gym. It is important to follow a few rules:

1. 1. Include in your program mainly basic exercises and a few isolating ones. The former are necessary for the destruction of muscles and their subsequent growth, while the latter are used to finish off the muscle group being worked out.
2. 2. Constantly change the load. Muscles won't grow unless you shock them every workout. To give them an incentive to grow, you should increase the weight of the weight or the number of repetitions.
3. 3. Set aside time for rest. Building muscle mass consists of strength training and full recovery after them. During exercise, muscles do not grow, but are destroyed. Despite the fact that in appearance they can increase in size during the lesson. But this phenomenon is called pumping and is the filling of the muscle being worked out with blood, which will leave 30–40 minutes after the end of the session.
4. 4. Perform exercises 8-10 times in 3-4 approaches. It is this range of repetitions that contributes to maximum destruction and rapid muscle growth.
5. 5. Work out the whole body, but on different training days. That is, you need to engage in a set of muscle mass according to the split system. For example, on Monday, pump legs and shoulders, on Wednesday - back and biceps, and on Friday - chest and triceps.

It is important for beginners to learn the correct technique of exercises, especially basic ones, during which there is a high risk of injury. For the same reason, beginners should not immediately take big weights. In the first months, it is necessary to strengthen the muscular frame by exercising with your own weight or light weights.

In addition to training, during the period of muscle building, it is imperative to monitor nutrition. Muscle growth is impossible without a calorie surplus. However, it should be understood that this will inevitably lead to a set of not only muscle, but also fat mass. Therefore, it is recommended to observe a surplus only for ectomorphs and mesomorphs, in which fat burning after gaining will pass quite quickly and easily. Fat burning is given to endomorphs with great difficulty, and the muscle relief in this case will simply be invisible to them.

Body Types



Basic set of exercises

There are three main exercises that allow you to increase muscle mass: deadlift, squat and bench press. They are used in both bodybuilding and powerlifting.

They should definitely be included in your training program, as they provide a large testosterone boost. And this hormone is responsible for muscle growth.



How to quickly gain weight for a man - nutrition principles and training program

Deadlift

This is a multi-joint exercise that involves many muscle groups: back, legs, abs, etc.

The technique of its implementation is rather complicated. If you do the traction with a large weight incorrectly, it is easy to get serious injury. You need to perform the exercise as follows:

1. 1. Load the bar and place it on the floor.
2. 2. Come close so that the socks are under the bar, and the shins are practically touching it.
3. 3. Squat down, keeping your back straight, and grab the barbell with a straight grip.
4. 4. As you exhale, straighten up, resting your heels on the floor.
5. 5. The bar should slide over your legs.
6. 6. At the top point, spread your chest and linger for a couple of seconds.
7. 7. Then take the pelvis back and slowly lower the bar, bending the legs at the knees.



Performing deadlift

All movements should be smooth and controlled. Fishing should be avoided.

It is important to keep your back perfectly straight at all times. Rounding your lower back when doing heavy deadlifts will inevitably lead to injury.



Squats

Another effective mass-gaining exercise is squats. In the process of its implementation, the quadriceps, buttocks, as well as the press, calves and biceps of the thigh are involved.

Correct technique:

1. 1. Position the bar so that it rests on the trapezoid and rear delts, and not on the neck.
2. 2. Straighten your back, bring your shoulder blades together, straighten your chest.
3. 3. While inhaling, lower yourself, pulling your pelvis back and bending your knees.
4. 4. Having reached the parallel with the floor, tighten the buttocks and, while inhaling, rise to the starting position.
5. 5. Without extending the legs to the end at the top point, proceed to the next repetition.



Doing squats

It is important not to overload the joints. To do this, make sure that your knees do not go beyond your socks. The main weight of the body should be on the heels. Rounding the waist is not allowed.

Bench press

Bench presses also stimulate the release of testosterone. This exercise is aimed at developing the muscles of the upper body, in particular the chest and triceps. The work includes the latissimus dorsi, trapezium, deltoid muscles and the press.

Technique:

1. 1. Go to the bench with racks and set the barbell at the desired height.
2. 2. Lie down on a bench and take a stable position due to the four points of support - the back of the head, shoulder blades, pelvis and feet.
3. 3. Reduce the shoulder blades, straighten your shoulders. A slight deflection in the lower back is allowed, but the press and buttocks should be tense.
4. 4. Remove the bar from the rack and raise it above the middle of the chest.
5. 5. While inhaling, lower it until it touches the chest, bringing the shoulder blades closer together. The forearms should move parallel to each other, you can not move the bar towards the neck.
6. 6. After lightly touching the chest, exhale and at the same time squeeze the bar up.



Bench press

It is not necessary to fully straighten the elbows at the top, otherwise the load will transfer from the pectoral muscles to the triceps.

If a lot of weight is used, then it is advisable to perform the press with the insurance of a trainer or partner who will help to remove and put the barbell on the rack.

Class frequency

During strength training, muscles are destroyed. In order for them to grow, they must be allowed to fully recover.

Therefore, it is worth exercising no more than 3 times a week. For beginners, dividing the study of all muscle groups by 3 training days will be quite sufficient. Experienced athletes can afford a more detailed separation and frequent workouts (up to 5 times a week). It is impossible to work out the same muscle group two sessions in a row.

For example, leg training is scheduled for Monday and Friday. If after it is held on Monday, muscle pain persists until Thursday, then Friday's session will have to be skipped.

Thus, training for the same muscle group should be carried out no earlier than a day after the pain goes away. This is necessary to achieve supercompensation and muscle growth.

Effective training programs

A training program for gaining muscle mass is usually designed for 3 days and includes a set of three basic exercises discussed above. At each lesson, it is desirable to use one of these exercises, since their implementation requires a lot of strength.

It is more convenient to work out in the gym, as everything is there necessary equipment. But if a power rack is installed in the apartment, there is a barbell and dumbbells, then you can train at home.

For men

The tables show a training program for men aimed at muscle growth. It is designed for going to the gym 3 times a week.

Monday - chest and triceps:

Name of the exercise	Number of approaches	Number of repetitions	Illustration
Bench press	3	8
Breeding dumbbells lying	3	10
Reduction of hands to pectoral muscles in the simulator	3–4	8-10
French barbell press	3–4	8
Push-ups on the uneven bars with a load	3	10
Twisting on a Roman chair on the press	3–4	20–30
Hanging leg raise	3–4	15–20

Wednesday - legs and shoulders:

Name of the exercise	Number of approaches	Number of repetitions	Illustration
Squats with a barbell on the chest	3	8
leg press	3–4	10
Barbell lunges	3	10
Seated Dumbbell Press (shoulders)	3–4	8
Dumbbell raises to the sides on the middle deltas	4	12
Breeding dumbbells in an incline	4	12

Friday - back and biceps:

Name of the exercise	Number of approaches	Number of repetitions	Illustration
Deadlift with barbell	3	8
Dumbbell pull to the belt	3	10
Traction of the lower block sitting to the stomach	3–4	12
Barbell curl for biceps	3–4	8–10
Hammer Grip Dumbbell Raise	4–5	15
Hyperextension with arched back	3	15–20
Twisting on the press at the lower block	3–4	20

The weight for the exercises should be selected so that the last 2 repetitions in the approach are difficult. This is called muscle failure, due to which the muscles are stimulated to grow.

For women

Not only men, but also women sometimes want to build muscle mass. Girls usually set slightly different goals - to pump up and increase the buttocks, strengthen the legs, get rid of sagging skin, etc.

This must be taken into account when drawing up a training program. It will be different from the male one, since the emphasis needs to be on lower part body. The lesson plan for women is presented in the tables.

Monday - hamstrings and buttocks:

Name of the exercise	Number of approaches	Number of repetitions	Illustration
Romanian deadlift	3-4	8-10
Bending the legs in the simulator	4	10
Reverse hyper with a dumbbell	3–4	12
Glute bridge with barbell	4–5	15
Retraction of the leg back at the lower block	3–4	15

Wednesday - back, arms, shoulders:

Name of the exercise	Quantityapproaches	Number of repetitions	Illustration
Bench press	3	10
Barbell pull to the stomach	3-4	10
Top block pull	3	12
Pull-ups in the gravitron	3–4	10
Bicep Curl	3	10
Straightening arms back for triceps	3	12
Shoulder Dumbbell Press	4	12
Lifting dumbbells in front of you	3	15
Twisting on a fitball (in a superset with leg raises in the hang)	3	20
Hanging leg raises with an emphasis on the elbows (in a superset with hanging leg raises)	3	15

Friday - quadriceps and buttocks:

Name of the exercise	Number of approaches	Number of repetitions	Illustration
Squats	3	8
Leg press on the buttocks	3	8
Lunges back	3 for each leg	10
Stepping onto the platform with dumbbells	3	12
Mahi leg to the side with rubber band on the gluteus medius muscles	4	15
Reduction of legs in the simulator	4	12

After the strength part, you can do a cardio workout lasting 20 minutes. At this time, glycogen stores in the body are already depleted. Therefore, fat will immediately begin to be burned. This will strengthen cardiovascular system and gain lean muscle mass.

And some secrets...

The story of one of our readers Alina R.:

My weight especially bothered me. I gained a lot, after pregnancy I weighed like 3 sumo wrestlers together, namely 92 kg with a height of 165. I thought my stomach would come down after childbirth, but no, on the contrary, I began to gain weight. How to deal with hormonal changes and obesity? But nothing disfigures or rejuvenates a person as much as his figure. In my 20s, I first learned that fat girls are called "WOMAN", and that "they don't sew such sizes." Then at the age of 29, a divorce from her husband and depression ...

But what can you do to lose weight? Laser liposuction surgery? Learned - not less than 5 thousand dollars. Hardware procedures - LPG massage, cavitation, RF lifting, myostimulation? A little more affordable - the course costs from 80 thousand rubles with a consultant nutritionist. You can of course try to run on a treadmill, to the point of insanity.

And when to find the time for all this? Yes, it's still very expensive. Especially now. So for myself I chose a different way ...

Sports coaches are often asked how to build muscle mass in general and a thin person in particular. For this, special ones have been developed. If you have a lean physique, it will be even easier to achieve the desired result, because you do not need to work on burning fat. This article discusses an example training program for 3 days.

Reminder for beginners

To obtain the most effective and, no less important, safe result of the exercise, the correct organization of the training process is essential. Very often, beginners can't wait to see themselves in a renewed body as soon as possible, so they start training 3 times a day, neglect safety rules and overzealous with classes. As a result, instead of pleasure and the desired effect, injuries, sprains and disappointment are received.

Motivation

Human nature is designed in such a way that people need motivation to perform any task that requires long-term effort. Otherwise, the heat will quickly cool down. for 3 days a week also falls into the list of such tasks. With regard to sports activities, the following can be recommended. It is necessary to have a table in which you will weekly enter the results of measurements of body parameters. The starting point will be the measurements taken before the start of training. It should be remembered that any significant changes will be visible only after classes for about three months.

How to do the exercises

For the right pace of classes, beginners are recommended classic combination- 3 days of hard training per week involving all muscle groups. With this intensity, the body will have time to pump up and recover. The bundle is called the term "split" - a training plan for 3 days. Split involves performing exercises in three sets of eight to ten repetitions with three-minute pauses between sets. Before starting classes, a fifteen-minute warm-up is necessarily carried out, followed by pumping - the first exercise from the complex is repeated twenty times with a small weight to warm up and rush blood to the muscles. The following elements are already performed with working scales. The duration of the training should not be more than one and a half hours.

Program duration

As a rule, for maximum effect, a 3-day training program is designed with a progressive movement forward. This means that a certain set of exercises is performed for two months, and then the program must be changed. This is necessary to avoid muscle addiction to a constant type of load, which will slow down or stop the development of muscle mass.

Muscle Recovery

The concept of muscle recovery includes not only the renewal of energy reserves, but also the reconstruction of their cells. For effective classes Athletes use two rules:

• one muscle group trains one day a week;
• the pause between workouts is from 48 to 96 hours.

Such a break allows the body to produce glycogen to replenish spent reserves. Cell recovery occurs within about two weeks - it depends on the characteristics of the organism. The training program for 3 days a week provides not only intensive training, but also a good rest.

Proper nutrition

The main factor without which it is impossible to obtain even small notable results, is properly organized food. The 3-day training program provides for strict adherence to nutritional recommendations, which ensures the success of classes by about 70 percent. General requirements - to exclude from the use of fatty, sweet, fried, starchy foods and drink more fluids.

Menu thin

An approximate diet for thin people can be offered as follows:

1. For breakfast, eat a couple of boiled eggs, oatmeal or buckwheat porridge, whole grain bread and juice.
2. The second breakfast may consist of fruits or vegetables and a protein shake.
3. Lunch should consist of a meat or fish dish with a side dish of rice or potatoes.
4. For an afternoon snack, you can repeat the second breakfast option.
5. For dinner, you need to eat a meat dish with rice or potatoes and juice.
6. Half an hour before bedtime, you need to eat cottage cheese and drink a glass of protein shake.

As you can see, the menu for thin people can hardly be called a diet; rather, it is a kind of diet to achieve the result of sports training. Nutrition advice, as well as a 3-day-a-week workout program, must be strictly followed.

What will we train

The main muscle groups involved in the three-day classic split are:

• deltoid muscles,
• caviar,
• triceps,
• chest muscles,
• forearm,
• back muscles,
• press,
• thighs (quadriceps),
• biceps.

Training for thin people in order to build muscle is the so-called "mass program", 3 days a week are divided into classes with different muscle groups.

The main exercises used in training

For exercises with back muscles, such trainings are suitable:

Performing exercises for biceps:

To train the abdominal muscles, the following complex should be performed:

1. The main exercise is lying twisting. It can be performed on both flat and sloping surfaces.
2. In order not to spoil the waist, oblique twisting is recommended.
3. For stimulation lower press leg raises will be effective.

These exercises will help shape your forearms:

1. To give a good volume to this muscle group, bending the arms with a barbell in the wrists is suitable.
2. The reverse side of the forearm will work by bending the arms at the wrists with the barbell taken with a reverse grip.

To develop the calf muscles, it is enough to rise on your toes while sitting or standing, using weights.

To pump up the trapezius muscles, such an exercise as shrags is used - raising the shoulders with the presence of weights in the hands. It can be done with both dumbbells and barbells. Projectiles can be held both in front and behind when executed. When the shoulders are in the highest position, it is necessary to pause before lowering. The exercise should be performed without making circular movements with the shoulders.

Beginner Program

The 3-day-a-week training program consists of two splits that need to be alternated weekly.

Split No. 1

Monday - chest, triceps, abs workout:

• bench presses (on the bench);
• french presses;
• narrow grip barbell presses;
• dumbbell presses lying or sitting on an inclined bench;
• twisting the body while lying on the bench.

Wednesday - work of the back, biceps, forearms, press:

• thrust of the horizontal block;
• rod thrust in an inclined position of the body;
• pulling up the body, arms wide apart;
• lifting the bar for biceps;
• flexion of the wrists with a barbell;

Friday - exercises for the legs and deltoid muscles:

• squats;
• leg extension lying on the simulator;
• lifting on socks with a barbell;
• dumbbell presses in a sitting position;
• bench presses behind the head while sitting;
• lifts wide across the sides of the arms with dumbbells;
• twisting in the block.

Split No. 2

Monday - training chest, triceps, press:

• dumbbell presses lying on a bench;
• barbell presses on an inclined plane;
• mixing hands on the simulator;
• push-ups on the uneven bars (elbows along the body);
• triceps bench press in a vertical block;
• straight leg raises in the prone position.

Wednesday - back, biceps, forearms, abs:

• thrust to the chest of the vertical block in the position "wide grip";
• thrust of one dumbbell by hand;
• lifting dumbbells for biceps while sitting;
• bending the arms with a barbell in the wrists, reverse grip;
• twisting in the block.

Friday - legs and deltas:

• leg press;
• dead thrust;
• bending the legs in the simulator;
• lifting legs on toes while sitting;
• standing barbell presses;
• sitting dumbbell presses;
• wiring dumbbells in an incline;
• lying straight leg raises.

In exercises where heavy projectiles are used, the presence of a safety partner is desirable.

For those who want to lose weight and girls

This complex is universal and can be used as a training program for 3 days a week for weight loss. In this case, the exercises are performed with small weights and short breaks between sets. The diet should include more protein foods, drink up to three liters of fluid per day, the last evening meal - no later than three hours before bedtime. Sleep for recuperation should have a duration of at least seven hours.

The 3-day training program for a girl is somewhat different due to the characteristics of the female body. The exercises remain the same, but the number of approaches increases to 5, and repetitions - up to 15, the break between sets - for 30 seconds. In the first half of the female cycle, maximum loads are used, in the second they decrease slightly.

To achieve the goal of gaining mass, girls need to create and adhere to a training program so that they can attend sports 3 times a week.

A training program that is designed for 3 times a week is most suitable for gaining mass. Moreover, exercises for the fair sex are slightly different from male activities. Unlike women's workouts, men's exercises are performed with faster approaches and an increased number of repetitions.

During the week, you can change the schedule of visiting the gym. The only point is that classes are recommended to be carried out every other day so that the body can adapt and relax.

The gym is allowed to be replaced by group classes once a week. Also, gynecologists recommend giving up training in the first days of the menstrual cycle, because the body is currently experiencing a stressful situation, and a pass of 2-3 days will not affect the physical condition of the girl in any way. The training itself can be built in different ways.

In the initial period, the training program is built in such a way that all classes 3 times a week are carried out with a load on all the muscles of the body, and not with an emphasis on a separate group on a specific day

Some experts recommend working out the entire body in one session, while others advise paying attention to only a few muscle groups. But in any case for beginners, it is advisable at the initial level to choose those programs that are aimed at the whole body, as such training can help to dry faster.

Introductory period for beginners

It is very difficult for beginners in the field of weight gain. The introductory period is necessary for the full adaptation of the body to the loads and the recommended type of nutrition. The duration of the adaptation process for each girl is individual (3-4 months are enough for some, while others need six months of grueling training).

In fact it all depends not only on the level of preparedness of the body, but also on the technique of performing exercises(you can do 30 squats, which will not bring any benefit, or you can do the right 10 squats, from which the muscles will “burn”). During this period, you need to establish sleep and start eating right.

Girls are advised to alternate strength training with cardio. At the same time, do not forget about the rest between sets (the optimal recovery time is 30-60 seconds).

An example of a workout for a beginner athlete:

1. Squats classic - 15 times.
2. Plie squats - 5 times.
3. Squats "sumo" - 5 times.
4. Push-ups from the floor - 3 cycles of 6-8 times.
5. Deadlift on legs - 3 cycles of 4-6 times.
6. Plank - 20-30 seconds.
7. Press - 20 times.

This timed workout will take less than 20 minutes a day, but thanks to these exercises, you can easily tone the body.

Base period

After the introductory period, the muscle building process begins. This period is called the base period due to the results achieved. Training at this time is toughened and divided into more repetitions (up to 8-10 repetitions). Rest is increased to two minutes.

Exercises are now done with weights (barbell, dumbbells, etc.). If the exercises are too light, it is recommended to choose a barbell with a large weight.

Nutrition for weight training

In addition to compiling right program training, girls need to improve their nutrition and decide on the foods that need to be consumed so that training 3 times a week is not in vain. If you eat fatty unhealthy foods, then the muscles will not be noticeable under a pile of fat on the body.

To emphasize the muscles on the body, it is desirable to lose weight and adhere to special dietary rules. The right choice will replace sweets with complex carbohydrates. Refusal of flour products will only benefit.

It should be remembered that you need to eat foods rich in carbohydrates (for example, cereals) for breakfast. It is also desirable during weight gain to take a special look at the important role of protein foods. An excellent example of such food are eggs, breast, cottage cheese and other dairy products, as well as various types of fish.

If it is not possible to often buy and cook protein foods, you can buy different sports supplements, including protein. As for the number of meals - you need to eat at least 5 times a day in small portions.

Warm-up exercises

A warm-up is a mandatory procedure before performing the main set of exercises.

The main warm-up exercises include:

1. Rotation of the head, shoulders, hands, torso.
2. Tilts, jumps.
3. Leg swings and lunges are a great pelvic girdle warm-up exercise.
4. Lifting on toes - warming up the calf muscles.
5. Easy running (3-4 minutes).

Without a warm-up, it is extremely dangerous to start your workout, as you can pull the muscles.

2 weekly workout options

Experts advise building your training program so that only a certain muscle group is worked out in 1 day.

Let's say a girl goes to the gym on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, then her training program 3 times a week will be as follows:

First option:

1. Training for the development and strengthening of the muscles of the legs and shoulders: squats with a neck on outstretched arms - 2 sets of 15 times; pull-ups on the crossbar - 18 times (can be divided into several approaches); bench press - 6 times for each area (legs and shoulders).
2. Training for the development of the muscles of the back and triceps: flexion and extension of the arms with dumbbells in an inclination forward - 12 times for each arm; bench press (if it's very hard, you can only take the bar) - 7 times; flexion and extension of the arm behind the head (you can take dumbbells or another type of weighting) - 7 times for each arm.
3. Training for the development of the muscles of the chest and biceps: french press(take only the neck) - 10-12 times; plank - 40 seconds; push-ups - 10 times; lifting the barbell (in a standing position) - 2 to 8 times; mixing and distributing straight arms with dumbbells - 8-9 times.

Second option:

1. Training for the development of the muscles of the legs and the press: any squats with weighting - 18 times; press - 25-35 times; plié squats with dumbbells - 16-18 times; lunges forward and backward - 12 times on each leg.
2. Training for the development and strengthening of the muscles of the chest and triceps: plank - 30-45 seconds; reverse push-ups - 10-12 times; pull-ups on the crossbar - 20 times; chest press - 8-12 times.
3. Training for the growth of the muscles of the back and shoulders: pull-ups (arms at such a distance that an angle of 90 degrees is obtained when pulling up) - 6-8 times; deadlift - 20 times; rod pull to the chin (another option - to the belt) - 12-14 times.

Increase in power parameters

During the period of mass gain, girls often need to attend strength training, which is aimed at developing either the whole body or a specific muscle group. It often happens that after some time of intensive training, the exercises are easier and do not bring those significant results that before.

Therefore, to increase the effect on the muscles, girls need to gradually increase the weight of their weighting agents. At this time, the girl's strength parameters increase, and training becomes more effective. There are programs for mass and strength, which differ greatly from each other in execution technique.

For example, rest during a strength workout is about 3-5 minutes, while a mass workout is only 1-2 minutes. There are general recommendations that are suitable for any type of training - these are various sports nutrition supplements.

A mixture of a huge amount of protein and carbohydrates is suitable for both muscle growth and strength gains.

Are isolation exercises necessary?

Many girls who follow their training program and go to the gym 3 times a week often ask the trainer about isolation exercises. Such exercises are designed to increase blood flow to the muscles, so that a sufficient amount of hormones and other components necessary for growth enter the muscle tissue.

Some experts believe that isolating exercises help to increase mass. But do not forget about the importance of basic exercises for a girl, because basic and isolating exercises will not work without each other.

Isolating exercises complement the effect of the basic ones, so experienced specialists compose their training program so that for each lesson, in addition to the basic exercises, there are an additional 3-4 rows of isolating ones.

Rest between sets

In order to fully consolidate the result of the exercise performed, trainers strongly recommend adhering to a certain amount of rest. According to the theory of experts, it is the formation of lactic acid in muscle tissue that contributes to their growth. Therefore, for relaxation during strength training for mass, it is recommended to reduce the rest time to two minutes.

The minimum rest time must be at least half a minute. Based on various previous studies, it is a short rest interval that is suitable for releasing the right amount of growth hormone into the blood. Testosterone is essential for muscle growth. However, there are other studies whose results contradict the previous expression.

According to the findings of scientists, during a short rest, a large amount of cortisol is produced, which in turn prevents active muscle growth. That is why you need to know the optimal rest time between exercises, because through ignorance a person can waste his time and money in vain.

In the process of gaining mass, girls often resort to special nutrition, the basis of which is protein food. To speed up the desired result, experts recommend additional use of special supplements that help achieve a better result.

Among the popular sports nutrition supplements, trainers distinguish:

What to do if there is no result

It happens that girls after a month of training in the gym do not notice any shift to the planned levels.

Experienced specialists have identified several errors and ways to solve them:

Sleeping mode

Sleep plays an important role in the mass gain process. The ideal amount of sleep is in the order of 8-9 hours per day. During sleep, a person produces the most important hormones and assimilates the protein so necessary for muscle growth. At this time, the muscles have the opportunity to completely relax, and the body can restore its strength.

Experts assure that in order to gain mass, it is desirable to adjust the sleep mode, as well as the meal time.. It is also advised to sleep in the daytime after training and the main meal.

To restore sleep patterns, as well as avoid insomnia, you need to attend sports in the morning, and eat light meals for dinner.

Nutrition, sleep and exercise itself are of key importance during the period of mass gain. By visiting the gym only 3 times a week, according to the built training program, and adhering to proper nutrition, any girl can really succeed.

Video training programs 3 and 2 times a week for girls

The program of training in the gym for girls:

Training program 3 times a week:

Training program in the gym 2 times a week:

This program is well suited for both beginners and returning athletes. power sports after long break. Its main advantage is simplicity.

What is the essence of the training program

The program consists of five exercises:

1. Back squat: 5 sets of 5 reps.

2. Bench press: 5 sets of 5 reps.

3. Deadlift: 1 set of 5 reps.

4. Bench press standing: 5 sets of 5 times.

5. Bent Over Row: 5 sets of 5 reps.

These exercises consist of two workouts:

1. Workout A: squat, bench press, bent over row.
2. Workout B: squat, bench press, deadlift.

You work out three times a week and constantly alternate workouts A and B. Rest at least one day between two workouts.

Here is a sample workout schedule for the week:

1. Monday: workout A.
2. Tuesday: rest.
3. Wednesday: Workout B.
4. Thursday: rest.
5. Friday: Workout A.
6. Saturday and Sunday: rest.

You start the next week with Workout B.

To keep track of your progress and keep track of your progress, you can download the StrongLifts 5x5 app. It has a schedule with exercises that you can customize for yourself. You mark completed sets and reps right during your workout, after which the rest timer starts.

Also in the application there is a video with exercise technique, a history of training, and after the first three classes, you can track your progress.

The paid version has a warm-up set chart, a pancake calculator, integration with Google Fit and Health (iOS), the ability to mark sets without unlocking the screen.

What weight to start

If you are already familiar with the exercises and do them with correct technique, select the maximum weight with which you can perform five sets of five repetitions.

If the exercises are new to you or you haven't done them for a long time, start with half of your five-rep maximum or even less:

1. Squats, bench press, standing press: 20 kg (bar bar without plates).
2. Deadlift: 40 kg (hang two 10 kg pancakes on the bar).
3. Bent over row: 30 kg (hang two 5 kg plates on the bar).

In the first weeks you will be very light, but the weight will increase rapidly. In four weeks, you will be squatting 30 kg more, bench press 15 kg more.

Start back squatting and you can reach 100kg in 12 weeks.

How to increase weight

1. Squats. If you were able to complete five reps on all five sets, next time add 2.5 kg - small pancakes of 1.25 kg on each side. If you can't do five reps, keep using that weight until you can.
2. Bench press, barbell press, bent over row. Men add 2.5 kg, women - 1 kg.
3. Deadlift. Add 5 kg - 2.5 kg on each side. The deadlift engages more muscles, so you can increase the weight faster.

If there are no 1.25 kg pancakes in the gym, buy your own and wear them to workouts.

How to warm up

Avoid doing cardio before your workout: it can tire your leg muscles before squats. Three to five minutes of brisk walking or gentle jogging will suffice.

If you're doing exercises with an empty bar, you don't need warm-up sets because the weight is too light. You can do two sets of five.

As you move up to heavier weights, warm-up sets are a must. They allow you to warm up the target muscles and test your technique.

Perform two warm-up sets of five reps with an empty bar. After that, add 10-20 kg each and perform 2-3 times until you reach your working weight.

Don't rest between warm-up sets. Pause only after them, before starting the set with working weight.

How much rest between sets

At first, because of the light weights, you will not need a long rest. But when the weight starts to increase, it may take longer to recover from the set.

1. 1.5 minutes if you completed the last set without much effort.
2. 3 minutes if you had to try hard to complete the set.
3. 5 minutes if your last rep went to muscle failure.

You can also navigate by your breathing. If during the exercise you have, rest until it is fully restored.

What are the goals and timing of the training program

Plateau: what to do when there is no progress

The first thing to do if you fail to complete the set is to rest longer. Put down the barbell and wait 5 minutes and then try again.

If it didn't work this time, check if there are any errors:

1. They warmed up badly: the lack of warm-up approaches makes you work on cold muscles, and the excess tires them.
2. They did it with bad technique. The wrong rod trajectory increases the risk of failure.
3. Missed a workout. If you don't load your muscles consistently, you won't grow.
4. Did too much cardio or extra exercise, which slowed recovery.
5. Didn't get enough sleep. Lack of sleep slows recovery.
6. Didn't eat. Lack of nutrients also slows down recovery.

If you can't complete all sets and reps for three workouts in a row, it's worth reducing the weight or the number of sets and reps.

How to reduce the load

You will not be able to add weight all the time, sooner or later the process will stop. If the working weight does not increase for three workouts in a row, reduce the load as follows:

1. Three sets of five reps.
2. Three sets of three reps.
3. One set of three reps and two sets of three reps with -5% of the weight.

You can also reduce the weight to 10% of the worker and add it again, watching the technique and correcting your mistakes.

Why is this training program effective?

There are several factors that make the 5×5 program very effective:

1. Free weights. You have to maintain balance, which additionally loads the muscles.
2. Minimum equipment. All you need is a barbell and a bench, so you can do 5×5 at any gym or garage.
3. Multi-joint exercises. Basic exercises use more muscles and thus allow you to lift more weight.
4. Easy start. Light weights in the first workouts allow you to test your technique and avoid injury.
5. Intensity. The workouts are hard but short. You finish before you get tired, so you always stay focused.
6. progressive overload. Constant weight gain forces your body to adapt faster. Muscles get bigger, bones and tendons get stronger.
7. Clear plan and confidence. You know what to do in every workout and you know the program is working.
8. Excitement. You are wondering how much weight you can reach, how long you can increase the weight. This adds excitement and makes many challenge themselves.
9. Simplicity. No need to invent, search and select. You master the technique once, and then just add weight.

The program has no gender restrictions. It is suitable for different ages, including healthy teenagers and people over 40 years old.

Of course, not everyone will like this program. For example, if you like variety, five exercises performed every day will quickly bore you. As a result, you will lose motivation and quit training.

If you like consistency and need a clear plan of action, 5 × 5 is perfect for you and will help you achieve good results.