February 4, 2016 Admin Home page » Nuances of the training
The best exercises for muscle growth are described, as well as a set of basic exercises for training individual muscle groups, all supported by important tips and training videos.
To achieve any goal, you need a clearly laid out plan of action, in our case this is the right set of necessary exercises. This article contains the best of the best exercises that will give impetus to the growth of muscle mass.
They are mainly divided into 3 large sections:
- exercises with your own weight - exercises with a barbell - exercises with dumbbells
Moreover, at first it is advisable to use a barbell and dumbbells and only then move on to simulators, despite the fact that recently simulators are being improved, for muscle growth, give preference to the initial part of the workout with dumbbells and barbells, due to the fact that many stabilizer muscles are involved in the work .
For example, pull-ups are much better than lat pull-downs, squats with a barbell are more effective than leg extensions in a machine, and a bench press is more useful than a chest press in a machine. Below we will talk about the seven most effective exercises for building muscle.
Exercises for muscle growth: hot 7
1) DEADLIFT - its greatness is difficult to overestimate; using it, almost all the muscles of our body are involved in the work, and the back, legs and buttocks receive a special load. It allows you to gain more than one kg. muscles and develop the athlete's strength.
2) SQUATS are an excellent exercise for developing strength and muscles of the lower body, no matter how trivial it may sound, but squats allow you to produce additional growth hormone testosterone, which determines the growth of muscle mass throughout the body. Be sure to include it in your exercise arsenal and you will be rewarded with muscle hypertrophy.
3) THE BENCH PRESS is an exercise that completes the golden three for a basic increase in muscle volume. It is performed both with a barbell and dumbbells, using various options.
4) PUSH-UPS – an effective exercise for the upper body; depending on the execution, the triceps or pectoral muscles are actively involved in the work, and the load also falls on the deltoids. They are rightly called core development squats.
5) PULL-UPS - an excellent basic exercise for developing the back and biceps, the beauty of it is that you don’t need to visit the gym, you just need to have a bar and desire at hand. This is a difficult but necessary exercise, even the most experienced athletes cannot perform a large number of repetitions, but it gives real results.
6) SEATED PRESS - it is performed with both a barbell and dumbbells, this is a wonderful way to develop the muscles of the shoulder girdle. Some people prefer the military press, but it is done standing, so the use of a lifting belt is mandatory, and the technique for avoiding stress on the lower back is impeccable.
7) PULL-OUTS – an old exercise covered in moss, but excellent for developing strength and mass in the central and upper back, and if done with a push-back grip, the biceps are actively involved in the work. The leaders are the bent-over barbell row and the T-shaped row. Although it was said earlier that free weights are slightly better than machines, it is the seated rows to the waist and chest in the machines that perfectly load the back muscles.
After you have become familiar with the most important exercises for developing strength and increasing muscle size, it’s time to move on to a set of exercises for developing specific muscle groups.
Squats
Girls come to the gym for a beautiful butt and slender legs. Squats for girls are a very powerful stereotype. Actually, this exercise is designed to train the hips and quadriceps.
Photo: istockphoto.com
The buttocks are activated only at the lowest point of the amplitude. As a result, you get powerful legs, but your butt never grows. And if you are also genetically inclined to have your legs greatly increase in volume, squats should be completely excluded from the training plan.
Replacement:
exercises aimed strictly at working the buttocks, such as leg swings or glute bridges.
Training should be based primarily on your body, its strengths and weaknesses, on sensations, and not on stereotypes and generally accepted trends. Then the result will not take long to arrive.
The best exercises for the back
1) Deadlift is the “mother” of all exercises for developing the back, the most effective and mass-building, it puts the maximum load on the latissimus and all other muscle groups of the body.
2) Pull-ups - a basic exercise for building a wide, powerful back and strengthening the upper body, give preference to it instead of pulling the upper block to the chest.
3) Bent-over barbell (dumbbell) rows – give preference to barbells, and use dumbbells if you have really large weights that can thoroughly work your back muscles.
4) Bent-over dumbbell rows are a good way to work the latissimus dorsi muscles, an excellent replacement for lower back pain when it is difficult to perform barbell rows.
5) Shrugs are the best exercise for creating the dome effect of the back, the leader in pumping the uppermost part of the back.
Feedback from Fitseven readers
Below are reviews from Fitseven readers about putting the basic training program into practice. You can leave your feedback in the comments block.
TrueS
When I started training, I weighed 56 kg with a height of 184 cm. Using this program and a large number of calories, I managed to gain up to 64 kg in 3 months. It seems to be good, the mass continues to grow.
Stanislav
I've been working out with a trainer for a little over a month. Chronic acne - height 195, weight was 71. Now it’s already 75. Total for the month is about 4 kg.
Biomax
With a height of 191 and a weight of 74 kg, I gained 6 kg in a month from 2 cans of gainer, 1 roll, potassium orotate and creatine monohydrate. Guys, the program is working, everything is clear and understandable.
Marat
The program is good, I have been looking for something like this for a long time. Three exercises are enough if you give it your all. For variety, I alternate between heavy (5 repetitions) and light (10 repetitions), accordingly selecting the weight for the number of repetitions. Before that, I tried all possible splits, fullbody, etc., and realized that the base really makes the difference.
The best chest exercises
1) The bench press is the king in the development of the pectoral muscles, a basic heavy exercise aimed at increasing muscle mass. Maybe
The most popular exercise among both beginners and experienced athletes.
2) Incline bench press is the main exercise for pumping up the muscles of the upper chest.
3) Dips - few people know that by slightly tilting the body forward, the pecs are actively involved in the work, removing part of the load from the triceps.
4) The dumbbell bench press is a good alternative instead of a barbell, if the growth of the weights has stopped, switch to pressing heavy dumbbells for a while, due to the fact that many stabilizer muscles are involved in the work, the ligaments will be strengthened, the strength will increase, this will help break through the stagnation in the growth of the weights with the help rods.
5) Push-ups are an excellent exercise at home, perfect for strengthening the upper body, and the variety of types of execution will stimulate the growth of different muscle fibers located even deep inside.
How many days a week do you train?
For the correct pace of training, a classic combination is recommended for beginners - 3 days of hard training per week involving all muscle groups. With such intensity, the body will have time to pump up and recover. The combination is called the term “split” - a training plan for 3 days. A split involves performing exercises in three sets of eight to ten repetitions with three-minute breaks between sets. Before starting classes, a fifteen-minute warm-up is required, followed by pumping - the first exercise from the complex is repeated twenty times with a small weight to warm up and pump blood to the muscles. The following elements are performed with working weights. The duration of the workout should not be more than one and a half hours.
We recommend reading: Workout to burn fat
Best Shoulder Exercises
1) Bench press from behind the head is a basic exercise for developing the middle deltoids, remember that the grip should be such that the forearms at the bottom point are parallel to each other, the bar itself should not be lowered below the ears.
2) The seated dumbbell press is an alternative to the overhead bench press; due to the more comfortable position of the shoulders without a fixed rigid position, this type of exercise is less traumatic.
3) The chest press is a good exercise for developing the front part of the deltas, it is characterized by good efficiency and mass-building impact.
4) Dumbbell swings to the sides - a targeted blow for the development of the middle section of the deltas, must be performed after the main bench press exercises of a barbell or dumbbells.
5) Military press - perfectly develops the entire shoulder girdle, but be careful, this is a traumatic exercise if the technique for the lower back is violated, the use of a belt is mandatory.
Single-joint movements
Also called isolated movements, these exercises focus on movement in one joint.
Examples:
biceps curls, leg extensions, leg curls and almost all exercises performed on machines. If the purpose of the exercise is to “work” a specific muscle group (for example, the middle deltoid or the short head of the biceps), these are single-joint movements.
The best exercises for hands
1) Standing biceps curl is a classic exercise, the main mass-building exercise for increasing the strength and mass of the biceps.
2) Reverse grip pull-ups are a forgotten exercise by many; they are heavy and not entirely comfortable, but they perfectly develop muscle growth in the biceps, while the lats are actively involved in the work.
3) The close-grip bench press is one of the main exercises for the triceps, which allows you to work it out efficiently.
4) Dips are an excellent isolated exercise for targeting the triceps; the main thing is to keep your body straight while doing it, without tilting it forward, in order to minimize the load on the pectoral muscles.
5) French bench press - makes it possible to work with decent working weights, stretches the triceps well and allows you to contract it powerfully. When performing this, the assistance of a insurer is required.
General recommendations for beginners
- Keep a training diary (examples at the link).
- The duration of the programs at the initial stage is 1-2 months. The set of exercises should be changed at such intervals. But only if you have stopped progressing as before.
- During exercise, increase the load gradually. Don't try to lift heavy weights right away. This will help the body adapt to the conditions of constant weight progression and maintain a positive attitude towards training.
- The optimal frequency of classes is 2-3 times a week. Monitor your well-being, do not allow yourself to become overtired. There should be enough rest time between sets.
Before starting the program, you need to pay attention to the following points:
1. Individual scheme. It is necessary to “test” the training in the first 2 weeks, i.e. determine your working weights for each exercise. And identify the option that suits you personally. Then gradually increase the weights a little at each workout.
2. Progression of loads. While maintaining the same volume of exercises (number of repetitions and approaches), and without losing the quality and pace of execution, increase the weight of the equipment.
3. Strict adherence to the plan. Stick to the basic lesson plan. Sometimes you can vary your workouts a little - leave out some exercise, add some exercise, replace it with another, change the number of repetitions and working weights, etc.
The best leg exercises
1) Squats are the main exercise for developing leg muscles, the best way to make your legs powerful and muscular.
2) Stiff-legged deadlifts are an excellent exercise for developing the hamstrings (hamstrings).
3) Leg press is an alternative to doing squats, usually comes second after them or when the lower back experiences discomfort.
4) Squats with a barbell on the chest - it has a slightly shifted emphasis on the load on the front of the thigh (quadriceps), the technique is complex, but mastering it is worth it.
5) Lunges - they are performed both with a barbell and with dumbbells, they work well on the quadriceps and glutes, and are recommended to be performed at the end of a leg workout.
Number of approaches and repetitions
The gym training program for men is based on 3-4 sets of each exercise, 8-12 repetitions. The specific number of repetitions is determined by taking into account that the last 2-3 should always be harder.
If 15 repetitions are already easy, you can take more weight.
We recommend reading: Where to start training for weight loss
The optimal break between approaches is 1.5-2 minutes. It has the same purpose as resting 1-3 days between workouts.
Effective abdominal exercises
1) The crunch lying on the floor is a good exercise for developing and strengthening the upper abs, the beauty of it is that you don’t have to.
lift your lower back off the floor, which automatically removes the load from it.
2) Leg raises while lying on an inclined bench - loads the entire rectus abdominis muscle, the difficulty of performing is difficult, but the exercise is really effective.
3) Raising legs while hanging – develops the rectus abdominis muscle, the main thing is to raise your socks to your chest, lifting your pelvis up, when lowering your legs, do not allow your torso to sway.
4) Lifting the legs in support - great for working out the lower part of the abs, which is worked out the worst.
5) Lateral torso raises - excellent for working out the lateral abdominal muscles; with the right diet and cardio exercises, it helps to remove the sides from the abdomen.
6) The plank is a wonderful general strengthening exercise for the abs, it helps to increase muscle endurance, tone them and make the stomach flat and prominent.
Train and don’t be lazy, everything is in your hands, it’s worth making the effort and you will get the body of your dreams, good luck!
Tips for increasing program effectiveness
It is not necessary to count the number of calories every day, although this brings really good results both in losing weight and in cutting or gaining muscle mass.
Calculate your ideal sports weight!
But in order for the described program for 3 daily workouts for men to bring the best results, it is enough to follow a few rules:
- Number of meals – 5-6 times a day: 3-4 main meals and 2-3 snacks.
- Refusal of simple carbohydrates: sweets, soda, fast food, etc. They must be replaced with complex ones. These can be cereals, legumes, herbs, vegetables, grapes, whole grain bread, pasta, potatoes. Carbohydrates are needed so that the body has enough energy for training.
- In addition to complex carbohydrates, add Omega-3 fatty acids and quality protein in an amount of 2-2.2 g/kg body weight. This is enough for a positive nitrogen balance, which is necessary for muscle growth. Protein with high biological value is found in whey protein, chicken eggs, dairy products and seafood.
Don't forget about pre-workout nutrition, as proper nutrition will help increase your energy potential. If you have difficulty gaining weight and to get the maximum benefit from strength training, you can use sports nutrition. What supplements will help improve results:
- protein,
- pre-workout complexes;
- creatine;
- gainers;
- isotonics;
- BCAAs.
Protein
Protein allows you to build muscle mass by providing your muscles with the necessary amount of amino acids. You can drink protein before and after training.
Pre-workouts
Pre-workout supplements, as the name suggests, are taken before training, approximately 20-40 minutes. Their main purpose is to provide the body with energy so that the workout is as productive as possible. We suggest studying the ratings and tips for choosing pre-workout complexes.
Creatine
Creatine provides an increase in lean muscle mass, i.e. without subcutaneous fat deposits. Creatine is recommended to be taken after training. The supplement will also be useful on days free from physical activity. Here we recommend learning how to take creatine to gain muscle mass.
Gainers
Gainers are supplements with an average protein content of 30% and carbohydrates of 70%. The purpose of the intake is to provide the body with energy and increase the amount of calories consumed without resorting to overeating. Find out which gainer is best and about the most popular supplements in this category, True Mass and True Mass 1200.
BCAA is the most popular amino acid complex. They slow down catabolism, which has a positive effect on muscle growth, and also helps to recover faster.
French bench press
Here's another exercise you should avoid, if only because of its nickname: the "skull crusher." Again, the lying triceps stretch is done with the same dreaded straight riff. The worst part is that each repetition starts and stops above your head, which acts as a take-off base. This is not good, at least not for those of us who like our heads.
If you want to work your triceps with both arms with free weights, do a seated French press with the barbell lowered behind your head, which at least won't bounce off your forehead, and always use a curved barbell.
When training your triceps with lat pulldowns, also don’t use a straight handle; use angled or rope handles. I always avoid straight handles or bars for these types of exercises.
Modern advantages
The common thread among all the classic exercises that I don't like is that they were invented a hundred years ago and were invented along the way before anyone had much knowledge about resistance training.
Nowadays, it's rare to see anyone doing a one-arm dumbbell bench press. Other ancient exercises should also be considered obsolete. I suppose we could still push start our old cars, but I prefer to just put the key in the ignition and start the engine.
Trainers working in modern gyms should take advantage of the many modern machines and exercise equipment they have at their disposal and not worry too much about others considering them "toys."
You can be hardcore on machines like: Nautilus, Hammer Strength, Strive or something new developed by science and on the computer. Why not incorporate as many new instruments into your practice as possible? Too many guys get this ridiculous "hardcore" mentality that ends up limiting their muscle growth.
There is no rule that the more noise you make with the iron or the faster you throw the weight on the floor, the faster you will grow, and there is no rule that you have to do certain exercises just because they have been around since the Sig-Klein era. This is a new millennium. Today's powerful training doesn't mean we have to limit ourselves to the same movements our great-grandfathers performed. There are no sacred cows in bodybuilding in the new muscle growth window.
Multi-joint movements
They are also called basic or compound movements; These exercises require the coordinated work of many levers and joints to move the load.
Examples:
Free weight exercises such as squats, deadlifts, barbell rows, barbell and dumbbell presses, and pull-ups. If you experience soreness and fatigue in multiple muscle groups the day after performing a movement, it is most likely a multi-joint movement.
