Shift your training from summer-shredding to winter-bulking with this volume-heavy, four-day plan guaranteed to get you strong as hell.
Many lifters prioritize size gains during the fall and winter months. It makes sense as to why: chillier temps and added layers of clothing make it an ideal time to consume more calories and adjust your lifts to add muscle. Unfortunately, achieving success involves strategic planning. Otherwise, you risk blowing up your waistline, not your biceps.
Without a plan of attack, it’s easy to get lazy as the weather gets cooler. But your nutritional goals must be prioritized or you won’t achieve your goals, or, even worse, you’ll have to combat unwanted weight gain. To add strength without acquiring a spare tire, Step 1 is to start counting your calories. Yeah, it sucks, but apps like FatSecret make it slightly less annoying. Aim to consume the following per pound of body weight: 14 to 18 calories, 2 grams of carbs, 1 to 1.5 grams of protein, and 0.4 grams of fat.
If you’re dropping or gaining too much weight, add or subtract 250 calories’ worth of carbs and reassess. Remove cheats until you’ve found the right balance, then strategically (and occasionally) work them back into your meal plan. Pair that eating plan with the routine created by former bodybuilder, fitness model, and all-around savage Anthony Presciano and you’re programmed for success. Presciano’s meat-and-potatoes approach helped him knock out 495 pounds for two reps on the bench press, shoulder press 315 pounds, and deadlift 675 pounds for three reps.
The plan is tough but not complex: All you need is a barbell, a couple of machines, a Swiss ball, and 64 days of dedication. Think you can handle that?
MASS GAIN RULES
- Your first set should never require a spotter; your last set should.
- Strictly adhere to the rest times. The idea is to eliminate as many variables as possible from this program, and resting longer or shorter than prescribed will vary your level of energy for each set, workout to workout.
- You’ll follow a two-days-on, two-days-off schedule, training on Day 1 and Day 2 and taking Day 3 and Day 4 off and then repeating the cycle. This is not a traditional seven-day split.
- Steady cardio or HIIT can be thrown in on off days.
- Eat big. “This is not a ‘get lean’ workout plan,” Presciano says. “Your food intake should reflect your activity levels. These workouts can last up to two hours.” Make sure you’re consuming enough calories—between 3,000 and 4,000, in the form of many small meals—to keep your energy high.