Most people who perform regular workouts assume they are doing their best to build muscle in the gym—yet they have no scientific plan of attack. Training without the right knowledge and direction is like building a house without an engineer’s blueprint. Results will be mediocre at best.

Even worse, an overwhelming majority of gym-goers never formally record their progress. And if you don’t know where you’ve been, you’ll never know where you’re going. Read on to learn how you can make the most of your time spent in the gym with a little guidance and a planned approach.

Strategic Success
To help you achieve your brawny goals, we’ve put together an annual strength and conditioning plan. The program is designed to be completed in a progressive fashion (that is, each phase of activity builds on the previous phase) so proceed slowly if you missed any of the past workouts. This is the second phase of our yearlong series; it’s designed to help you add a few inches (a.k.a. hypertrophy) to your chest, back, legs, calves and arms while forging your washboard abdomen. Remember to combine these workouts with good food, adequate sleep and an anti-stress mindset.

Planned Results
Mike Clark, M.S., C.S.C.S., a physical therapist and president of the National Academy of Sports Medicine, stresses the importance of changing exercise program variables to achieve lean muscle tissue, “A sound periodized training plan systematically cycles different phases of training to ensure the body has adequate rest and proper levels of stabilization and flexibility.” In other words, organize your exercise program to withstand the stress of high volume training. Your reward: bigger, stronger muscles.

Frequency of training

• Beginner: If you’re new to the iron game (less than 12 months of consistent strength and conditioning experience) consider yourself a beginner. In addition, it’s a good idea to follow the beginner plan if you’ve been away from the gym for two or more months. Contrary to popular belief, for the beginner, less is more. You will make steady progress with just two sessions each week. Be sure to rest 48 to 72 hours between training days. Monday/Thursday, Tuesday/Friday or Wednesday/Saturday training splits work best. For example, perform Schedule A on Monday and Schedule B on Thursday.

• Intermediate/Advanced: If you have been involved in organized strength training and conditioning exercise for the previous year or more, you’re in the Intermediate/Advanced category. Perform three workouts per week, alternating between Schedule A and Schedule B.

Recording your workouts

Keep track of the forces used, as well as the number of repetitions completed for each set. We’ve provided a training log for the Intermediate/Advanced athlete; however, beginners can use the same template by eliminating the third workout in each week.

Phase 2 Schedules (Excel)

Dynamic warm-up

Before you get started with each training session, warm up on the stationary cycle or treadmill for five minutes. This will help you increase your core body temperature and decrease injury.

Cardiovascular exercise

Perform 20 minutes of interval training at the end of each session. Cardiovascular intensity is calculated by a percentage of your age-predicted maximal heart rate (HRmax). Use this formula to determine your interval training intensities:

220-age x .6 = ___________ beats per minute (60 percent of your age-predicted HRmax)

220-age x .8 = ___________ beats per minute (80 percent of your age-predicted HRmax)

Click here to use the online calculator

Stationary cycle: After a 5-minute warm-up, increase pedaling speed (RPM) to 90 to 100 and resistance to 80 percent of your age-predicted HRmax. Do this for 60 seconds. Immediately reduce RPM to 70 to 80 and resistance by half for 60 seconds. Repeat.

Treadmill: After a 5-minute warm-up, increase incline and/or speed (these combined variables are called intensity) to 80 percent of age-predicted HRmax for 60 seconds. Immediately reduce intensity by half for 60 seconds. Repeat.

Flexibility exercise

Hold each stretch for 30 seconds.

Active rest

At the end of this phase, take a break from the gym. In other words, do not perform any formal resistance training for seven days. Recreational activities, like walking or swimming, are fine. “Effective training requires regular, planned recovery phases,” says Tudor Bompa, Ph.D., author of Periodization: Theory and Methodology of Training (hkusa.com).

Demonstrations for many of the exercises below can be seen here

RESISTANCE TRAINING EXERCISES
PHASE 2: HYPERTROPHY 1A

• Body weight/assisted lat pull-ups
• Dumbbell standing deltoid lateral raises
• Dumbbell bent-over deltoid lateral raises
• Dumbbell standing deltoid front raises
• Dumbbell kneeling single-arm lat rows
• Stability ball kneeling triceps extensions
• Dumbbell standing biceps curls
• Body weight single-leg calf flexions
• Dumbbell standing biceps hammer curls
  

CORE EXERCISES
PHASE 2: HYPERTROPHY 1A

• Stability ball torso curls
• Stability ball prone back extensions

RESISTANCE TRAINING EXERCISES
PHASE 2: HYPERTROPHY 1B

• Smith machine lunges
• Stability ball supine hip extension knee flexions
• Machine seated calf flexions
• Barbell flat chest presses
• Barbell standing scapular elevations
• Dumbbell flat chest flyes

CORE EXERCISES
PHASE 2: HYPERTROPHY 1B

• Stability ball prone plank isometrics
• Low back extensions
  

CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISES
PHASE 2: HYPERTROPHY 1A/B

• Treadmill
• Stationary upright cycle

FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES
PHASE 2: HYPERTROPHY 1A/B

• Supine hip extensor stretches
• Supine general stretches
• Single shoulder stretches against wall