Hello, readers! Building muscle isn't just about endless hours at the gym pumping iron (though that's part of it). It's about a strategic combination of targeted exercises, a fuel-efficient diet, and enough rest to let your muscles grow bigger and stronger. But where do you even begin?
Well, a proper diet is a major part of the battle when you are looking for a workout routine for bulking. It is important to consume enough calories and protein, but if you want to build solid muscles rather than fat, you must supplement your diet with a good exercise program. Increasing muscle mass may seem like a difficult task, but with the right approach, it is completely achievable.
This blog post is your bulking success companion! We'll break down the best workout routine for bulking to sculpt that superhero physique, unveil diet tips to keep your body fuelled for growth, and toss in some bonus recovery hacks to maximise your gains. So, get ready to dive into a world of fitness via this blog that will transform your mind, body and lifestyle. Read on!
Table Of Contents
- Which Workout Is Best For Bulking?
- What Is A Good Workout Schedule For Bulking?
- How Should I Train For Bulking?
- Nutritional Intake Required For Bulking
- Tips For Workout Routine For Bulking Up Fast
- Expert’s Advice
- The Final Say
- FAQs
- References
Which Workout Is Best For Bulking?
Increasing muscle mass, known as muscle hypertrophy, requires serious strength training as it is considered the best exercise for bulking up. Strength training causes microscopic or minimal damage to muscle fibres, which may sound a little scary but is actually a prerequisite for growth.
As the body repairs these tissues, they become larger, and when this is repeated, noticeable muscle growth occurs. All strength training helps build strength, but there are certain training methods that maximise muscle hypertrophy. There are many exercises which are effective for bulking, including squats, deadlifts, military presses, bent-over rows, and bench presses. This exercise is known as a compound exercise because it works for several different joints and muscle groups simultaneously. Complete about 4 sets of each of the following exercises. When following a workout plan for bulking, the number of repetitions is 8 to 12 per set, which is considered the optimal range for muscle hypertrophy.
1. Squats
This popular exercise works for almost every major muscle group in the body but is best known for building muscle mass and definition in the hips, thighs, and buttocks.
How to perform squats?
Stand up with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Keep your spine straight, straighten your hips, bend your knees to a point where your thighs are parallel to the floor, and then lower your body a little further.
It is important to keep your spine straight and not lean forward. Or else, the load will be transferred to the knees and lower back and not to the muscles of the legs and buttocks.
Weighted squats involve placing free weights or a barbell on your shoulders.
2. Deadlift
A basic deadlift simply involves lifting a heavy barbell off the floor and lowering it.
How to do deadlift?
Place a barbell on your feet, bend your knees so your hips extend outward, and grasp the bar with both hands shoulder-width apart.
Keep your spine straight.
In one controlled movement, stand upright and lift the barbell to just below hip height, then bend your knees again to lower the barbell to the floor.
While exercising, look forward rather than up at the ceiling or down at the floor.
3. Military Press
This exercise keeps the upper body and core muscles as the focal point.
How to do a military press?
Hold a heavy barbell above your chest with your arms slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and lift it overhead, arms fully extended.
When lifting the barbell overhead, your elbows should be in line with your wrists, your spine should be straight, and your head should be pointing forward.
Your legs and hips should remain still. This means that your upper body is in complete control of your body weight.
4. Bent-Over Row
This exercise targets the major back muscles using a barbell.
How to perform bent-over rows?
Take a barbell with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Lower your knees and use your abdominal muscles to lean forward, keeping your back straight.
Hold the barbell slightly wider than the shoulder width.
Using force from your shoulders, pull the weight toward your chest, straightening slightly but not completely, as if you were rowing a boat.
Then, in a controlled movement, return the barbell back to the starting position.
5. Bench Press
Probably the most popular exercise for bulking up. The bench press uses an barbell raised above your body to exercise your chest, shoulders, and arms. This is done while lying on a bench, a low, padded table specifically designed for weightlifting.
How to do a bench press?
Lie on your back on the bench with your feet flat on the floor.
The weight rack will be overhead.
Grab the barbell and lower it to your chest until it touches your chest, then push up until your arms are straight.
Do not arch your back. Always keep your butt on the bench.
What Is A Good Workout Schedule For Bulking?
The exercise you perform should be comfortable, sustainable and enjoyable. But how much work you do and how many "reps" you divide your weekly volume into are some of the only hard and fast rules when it comes to bulking. Once you decide on this, the details are up to you. A good bulking plan should be easy to follow and below, we have curated the list which can easily be incorporate in your weekly workout routine for bulking:
Target Area | Exercises | Explanation & Tips |
Chest | Flat Barbell Bench Press Incline Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press Decline Bench Press Chest Press Machine Weighted Dip Weighted Push-Up Dumbbell Flye Cable Flye Pec Deck or Machine Flye | Chest training starts with the bench press, of course, but to maximise chest growth, you need to jump off the bench. Chest exercises should include one or two pressing movements (ideally using different equipment or from different angles) and at least one swing movement.
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Back | Barbell Row Dumbbell Row Seal Row Hammer Strength Row or Pulldown Seated Cable Row Lat Pulldown Weighted or Assisted Pull-Up Weighted or Assisted Chin-Up Dumbbell Pullover Straight-Arm Pulldown Face Pull Rear Delt Flye Upright Row Barbell or Dumbbell Shrug | The back is made up of a variety of muscles, each with its own unique structure and function. Therefore, you need a variety of deadlift exercises to comprehensively train your back. To build your back workout, choose one horizontal, one vertical, and one upper back exercise.
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Legs | Barbell Back or Front Squat Leg Press Hack Squat Stiff-Legged Deadlift Romanian Deadlift Hip Thrust 45-Degree Back Extension Bulgarian Split Squat Step-Up Walking Lunge Reverse Lunge Lateral Lunge Cable Glute Kickback Leg Extension Leg Curl Hip Adduction | Leg training separates the wheat from the husks in the gym, and a good bodybuilding leg workout consists of challenging, meaningful exercises that work your quads, core, and posterior chain. To work your leg muscles, choose a bilateral squat, some kind of hinge exercise, or any single leg exercise of your choice. Then, complete the actions to insulate the machine, if necessary.
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Biceps | Barbell Curl Cheat Curl Dumbbell Curl Hammer Curl Reverse Curl Preacher Curl Concentration Curl Incline Dumbbell Curl Spider Curl Bayesian Curl Zottman Curl | A good biceps workout is more about effort than equipment. Of course, there are differences in exercise selection, but the biceps is actually a single-function muscle whose sole function is to bend the elbow. For maximum biceps growth, choose at least one move that locks your shoulders behind your torso. Complete a total of 2 to 3 biceps exercises, depending on the volume you perform each week for those exercises.
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Triceps | Skull Crusher JM Press Close-Grip Bench Press Dumbbell Triceps Kickback Cable Triceps Press Down Cable Overhead Extension Single-Arm Overhead Extension Dip | Like the biceps, the triceps are primarily designed to move the elbow joint but have many more functions underneath. The long head of the triceps is connected to the scapula, so the position of the shoulder has some influence on the action of the triceps. Perform at least one overhead triceps exercise to isolate the long head and provide comprehensive stimulation.
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Shoulder | Barbell Overhead Press Barbell Push Press Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press Arnold Press Machine Shoulder Press Dumbbell Front Raise Dumbbell Lateral Raise Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise Y-T-W Raise | The shoulder is made up of three distinct areas that perform different main functions. As a result, shoulder training for muscle growth requires a three-pronged approach. That is, a forward press or front raise, a lateral raise for the lateral delts, and a rear raise or swing for the back of the delts. You should perform one exercise for each type of movement.
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Abs | Crunch Cable Crunch Machine Crunch Decline Crunch Hanging Leg Raise V-Up Dragon Flag Side Plank Plank Ab Wheel Rollout | There's nothing magical about ab exercises, no matter what you see on magazine covers or what you hear your favourite fitness influencers talk about. Your abdominal muscles respond in the same way to the right stimulation as any other muscle. For a comprehensive abdominal workout, choose exercises that move your torso like crunches, exercises that work your pelvis like leg raises or V-raises, or isometric exercises for stability like plank variations or rolls.
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How Should I Train For Bulking?
It's not a good idea to limit yourself to a certain type of exercise. There is no magic formula in training. If it existed, it would be common knowledge, like knowing that protein is used to build muscle.
Even the exercises listed above should not be relied upon forever. It is always ideal to vary the exercises you perform and the way you perform them. Any exercise program is just a collection of research ideas. Some programs are designed with less research, and some are designed with more research.
Since the goal of bulking is to increase muscle mass, it is important to lift heavy weights with a reasonable repetition range of approximately 8 to 12 reps per set. Base your workouts on compound movements, like squats and bench presses, and add assistive tools. Exercises aimed at training specific muscle groups. Focus on continuous improvement to become stronger. Further in this blog are some tips to help you make your workouts more effective and build more muscle in less time.
Also Read: What Is Your Ideal Percentage Of Body Fat? Get The Answer Here!
Nutritional Intake Required For Bulking
Bulking in the fitness world is used for building muscle weight. You intend to have a calorie rich diet to bulk up. Excess calorie intake may result in accumulation of unrequired body fat. So, you will need a plan to go ahead to bulk up. Here’s how you can incorporate your nutritional intake requirements in your workout schedule for bulking up:
1. Traditional Bulking
If you are not concerned about gaining body fat while bulking, traditional bulking is for you. Traditional volume means eating whatever you want to reach your calorie goal. Fast food and other highly processed foods are fair game. However, be mindful that with this bulking style, you may gain more fat than muscle mass so moderation of food intake must be noted.
2. Prioritise Fat Intake
If your goal is to build muscle using as little fat as possible, you should prioritise the quality of your food and protein. Research shows that when combined with strength training, protein intake should be 2.2 to 3.4 grams per kilogram of your body weight to maximise muscle and strength gains during bulking. You would need to eat three or more meals to reach this amount. Each meal should have about 0.25 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for young adults and about 4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for adults.
3. Indulge In A Nutrient Rich Diet
Incorporating a variety of fruits, whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and lean proteins in your diet is ideal for building muscle mass. The number of meals you eat per day is not important for weight gain if you achieve your total daily calorie intake.
4. Calculate Your Protein Intake
Bulking diets are often extremely high in calories, making it difficult to achieve your calorie goals with just two or three meals a day. For this reason, it is a good idea to spread your calories throughout the day so you can eat your entire meal without feeling uncomfortable. Calculate your calorie needs and you can determine how much protein you need each day.
To do this, calculate your weight in kilograms and reduce it by 2.2. Then multiply this number by 2.2 and 3.4. This is the new daily protein intake range. The remaining calories can be divided between complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats.
Note: Don't be afraid to include high-calorie foods like whole milk, ice cream, and cheese in your diet when your aim is to bulk up. These ways of attaining nutrition for bulking up are nutritious and can help you reach your daily calorie goal.
Also Read: What Is A Healthy Body Weight Index? Discover Key Factors And Strategies For Ideal BWI
Tips For Workout Routine For Bulking Up Fast
Bulking up your diet and eating as much food as possible won't help you build muscle mass unless you combine it with intense strength training. Here are some extra tips you can follow to bulk up fast:
Resistance training is essential to boost your muscle building potential.
Consuming plenty of protein via your daily diet is an essential component to maximise your muscle-building potential.
More advanced training techniques, including supersets, body part splits, and set and rep schemes, can help you overcome plateaus and prevent training boredom.
Incorporate several sessions of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) each week. This is a good strategy for minimising body fat gain
When bulking up through resistance training, aim for 3 to 6 sets of 6 to 12 repetitions at a moderate intensity equivalent to 60 to 80 percent of your one-repetition maximum. The rest should be short, about 60 seconds.
Eventually increase your training volume to 12-28 sets per muscle per week.
Expert’s Advice
As discussed above in the blog bulking is mainly achieved by strength workout and while doing strength training especially for bulking it's important to eat a variety of whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and lean proteins is ideal for building muscle mass. Nutrition plays an important role in bulking therefore all nutrition recommendations suggested above need to be followed for a healthy bulking.
Dt. Lavina Chauhan
The Final Say
Well, readers, that a wrap on your blueprint for best workout routine for bulking. This workout technique is used by bodybuilders to increase muscle size and strength and includes consuming 10 to 20 per cent more calories than your daily calorie needs in addition to resistance training. For bulking to be healthy and effective, you need to make sure your calorie surplus is low. Limit highly processed and low-nutrient foods, but not too high.
So, after knowing about the workout routine and tips, it’s time to plan your own workout routine to bulk up, fuel your body like a champion, and get ready to see the results you've been dreaming of. This bulking journey might be demanding, but the rewards – a powerful, sculpted physique – are absolutely worth it!
FAQs
1. How can I bulk up in 4 weeks?
Bulking up in 4 weeks is a challenging goal and can be intense routine to follow. Here are some steps that can help you bulk up in 4 weeks:
- Firstly, decide how much muscle you want to gain.
- Then, calculate and analyse your daily need for calories.
- Determine your resting metabolic rate (RMR).
- Increase calorie intake by consuming surplus calories (e.g., 300-500 extra calories per day).
- Focus on workout for bulking up like strength training exercises targeting major muscle groups with progressive overload.
- Ensure adequate protein intake of 1.6-2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight to support muscle growth and repair.
2. What is a good workout routine for lean bulk?
Incorporate these exercises in your workout routine for lean bulk:
- Squats
- Rack pull
- Dumbbell press
- Lateral raise
- Lunges
- Calf raises
- Hip thrust
3. What is the best bulking workout routine for skinny guys?
The following exercises are proven best to be a part of workout routine for skinny guys:
- Bench Press
- Squats
- Dumbbell row
- Bulgarian split squat
- Push up
- Deadlift
- Dumbbell floor press
4. What is an ideal weekly workout routine for bulking?
An ideal weekly workout routine for bulking typically includes:
- 3-4 days of resistance training focusing on compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and rows.
- Each session should consist of 3-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions per exercise to promote muscle hypertrophy.
- Incorporate progressive overload by gradually increasing weights or resistance to stimulate muscle growth over time.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5786199/
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/7/7/154
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