There is only one way for building new lean muscle – hit the gym and start lifting weights. However, if you want quick visible results, you need a strategy in both training and nutrition. We offer you a month-long training program, which will help you in achieving this.
STARTING THE PROGRAM
We’ve set an ambitious goal. Gaining 10 pounds (5kg) of muscle in just four weeks. At first sight the idea to gain 10lbs of muscle in 4 weeks seems impossible. Yet, people who’ve tried this program managed in reaching this goal, with average mass gain on 2-3 pounds a week.
Naturally, this kind of muscle gain is very aggressive, and can’t go on indefinitely. But, by pushing up your training and drawing a good nutrition strategy, it can be achieved.
Notice how we always give special attention to the nutrition aspect, and for a good reason. It is just as important as hard training. Without good nutrition packed with adequate calories and macronutrients, you’ll never achieve the wanted muscle mass no matter how hard you work out.
The timing and quality of your food is crucial in achieving good results. Because of that, in addition to our work-out plan, you’ll need to also follow an aggressive diet plan, which will help you to bulk up in no time.
However, here we’ll focus on the training program.
How to gain 10lbs of muscle in 4 weeks
This two-phase program aims at building muscles by combining mass building exercises with balanced volumes and intensity-boosting techniques. Start today, and enjoy your 10 pounds in just one month.
Weeks 1-2: Heavy Hitter
The first two weeks are focused on heavy lifting in combination with compound exercises for bulking up. The sets for all the muscles except the abs and calves are designed to have 6-8 reps.
So, if you’re accustomed to doing 8-12 reps per set, you’ll have to get used to lifting heavier weights than usual. This phase includes just a few isolation exercises for chest, back, shoulder and legs. This is due to putting the focus on lifting greater weights in order to add strength and increase size.
The volume is moderate. This phase includes 11 sets for large muscle groups, except for the shoulders, which require 15 sets. Each part of the body is trained once a week.
The reason for this is that your muscles need enough time for recovery in order to grow. When you do sets without end, your body can go in a catabolic state.
Your lean tissues start to break down instead of building up. In order to gain 10 pounds in such a short period, you need the right balance of adequate training volume, much needed rest and recovery.
The four days split pairs in each workout the larger muscles groups with the smaller ones like biceps, triceps, traps, calves. This way you preserve your muscles fresh for the heaviest compound exercises.
Weeks 3-4: Intensity Boost
The second two weeks of the program are focused on maximizing the size, by slightly increasing the reps and putting emphasis on intensity. In most exercises you’ll do 10-12 reps, which is thought as best in promoting muscle growth.
During these weeks, the overall volumes mark just a slight increase. This is due to including isolation exercises, which are performed before the compound exercises focused on large muscle groups.
This is known as a pre-exhaustion technique, and drastically boosts the intensity of workouts. The isolation exercise first exhausts the main targeted muscle, and while in this state of fatigue, you do a compound exercise that leads to failure of main muscle before the secondary muscles collapse.
This phase also employs the four-day split. Yet, the pairing of body parts is different. For example, you train the chest and back on the same day, the biceps and triceps on the other.
This way, you provide your muscles with added incentive for new muscle growth. Drop sets are included in each workout. However, you do only one set for each part of the body, thus avoiding overgrazing.
As a conclusion, we’ll once again stress out that best results are achieved only with consistency and focus. It’s not enough just to visit the gym for two hours each day.
You need intensive and fast-paced workouts. Having this in mind, try following the program we’ve offered. We can’t promise easy results, yet you’ll soon find that they were worth every drop of sweat. In the end, there are 10lbs of muscle to look forward to in just 4 weeks.
Week 1: Heavy Hitter |
Day 1: Chest & Triceps
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
bench press | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Weighted Dip | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension | 3 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Day 2: Legs, Calves & Abs:
Barbell Squat | 3 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Leg Press | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Barbell Hack Squat | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Romanian Deadlift | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Standing Calf Raise | 3 sets | 20 reps |
Hanging Leg Raise | 3 sets | 20 reps |
Cable Crunch | 2 sets | 20 reps |
Day 3: Shoulders & Traps
Overhead Dumbbell Press | 3 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Arnold Press | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Barbell Upright Row | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Bent-Over Lateral Raise | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Shrugs | 3 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Day 4: Back, Biceps & Abs
Barbell Deadlift | 3 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Barbell Bent-Over Row | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
T-Bar Row | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Barbell Biceps Curl | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Incline Dumbbell Biceps Curl | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Crunch | 2 sets | 20 reps |
Reverse Crunch | 2 sets | 20 reps |
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest
Week 2: Heavy Hitter |
Day 8: Chest & Triceps
Incline Barbell Bench Press | 3 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Flat Dumbbell Press | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Weighted Dip | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Barbell Lying Triceps Extension | 3 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Day 9: Legs, Calves & Abs:
Smith Machine Squat | 3 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Leg Press | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Barbell Hack Squat | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Romanian Deadlift | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Standing Calf Raise | 3 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Hanging Leg Raise | 2 sets | 20 reps |
Cable Crunch | 2 sets | 20 reps |
Day 10: Shoulders & Traps
Overhead Dumbbell Press | 3 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Arnold Press | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Barbell Upright Row | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Bent-Over Lateral Raise | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Dumbbell Shrug | 3 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Day 11: Back, Biceps & Abs
Barbell Deadlift | 3 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Barbell Bent-Over Row | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
T-Bar Row | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Barbell Biceps Curl | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Incline Dumbbell Biceps Curl | 4 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Barbell Preacher Curl | 3 sets | 6 – 8 reps |
Crunch | 2 sets | 20 reps |
Reverse Crunch | 2 sets | 20 reps |
Day 12: Rest
Day 13: Rest
Day 14: Rest
Week 3: Intensity Boost |
Day 15: Chest & Back
Dumbbell Flye | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Barbell Bench Press | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Cable Crossover | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Rack Pull | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Lat Pulldown | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Single-Arm Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Row | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Day 16: Legs, Calves & Abs:
Leg Extension | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Barbell Squat | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Leg Press | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Barbell Hack Squat | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Romanian Deadlift | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Lying Leg Curl | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Seated Calf Raise | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Donkey Calf Raise | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Reverse Crunch | 2 sets | 12 reps |
Hanging Knee Raise | 2 sets | 12 reps |
Double Crunch | 2 sets | -To Failure- |
Day 17: Shoulders & Traps
Cable Lateral Raise | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Arnold Press | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Smith Machine Overhead Press | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Leaning Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Reverse Pec Deck Flye | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Dumbbell Shrug | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Incline Dumbbell Shrug | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Day 18: Triceps, Biceps & Abs
Lying Barbell Extension | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Weighted Bench Dip | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Reverse-Grip Pressdown | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Close-Grip EZ-Bar Biceps Curl | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Preacher Curl with Cable | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Hanging Leg Raise | 2 sets | 20 reps |
Double Crunch | 2 sets | 20 reps |
Day 19: Rest
Day 20: Rest
Day 21: Rest
Week 4: Intensity Boost |
Day 22: Chest & Back
Dumbbell Flye | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Barbell Bench Press | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Cable Crossover | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Rack Pull | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Lat Pulldown | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Single-Arm Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Row | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Day 23: Legs, Calves & Abs:
Leg Extension | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Barbell Squat | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Leg Press | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Barbell Hack Squat | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Romanian Deadlift | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Lying Leg Curl | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Seated Calf Raise | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Donkey Calf Raise | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Reverse Crunch | 2 sets | 12 reps |
Hanging Knee Raise | 2 sets | 12 reps |
Double Crunch | 2 sets | -To Failure- |
Day 24: Shoulders & Traps
Cable Lateral Raise | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Arnold Press | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Smith Machine Overhead Press | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Leaning Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Reverse Pec Deck Flye | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Dumbbell Shrug | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Incline Dumbbell Shrug | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Day 25: Triceps, Biceps & Abs
Lying Barbell Extension | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Weighted Bench Dip | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Reverse-Grip Pressdown | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Close-Grip EZ-Bar Biceps Curl | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Preacher Curl with Cable | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Hammer Curl | 3 sets | 10 – 12 reps |
Hanging Leg Raise | 2 sets | 20 reps |
Double Crunch | 2 sets | 20 reps |
Day 26: Rest
Day 27: Rest
Day 28: Rest
Final words
Gaining 10lbs of muscle in just 4 weeks seems impossible, and it often is for the average Joe. However, genetically gifted individuals that follow the above program and eat enough to fuel their body and the intense workouts, gaining this weight can really happen.
The average lifter might not gain 10lbs in 4 weeks, but following the above protocol, we’re sure that they will gain a few lbs of muscle as well and change their appearance.
Photo credit : Bony to Beastly
Hey guys,
You’ve used my illustration here without providing credit. I’m totally cool with you guys continuing to use it, just say that you got it from us at http://www.bonytobeastly.com 🙂
Hi Shane, sorry about that. We just put a backlink to your site at the end of our article.
Where can I find the nutrition for this 4 week plan?
Try this eating plan – http://www.fitnessandpower.com/nutrition/eating-for-mass-a-two-week-nutrition-regime-to-help-you-build-muscle
It is a 2 week plan that you are going to rotate. When you complete it, start all over again.
Before I start this… Is this implying that I work out one day and rest the next? Or does it literally mean 4 days on 3 days off? That seems sort of odd.
The workout is meant to be run as it is. 4 days back to back, then 3 days off. The split changes every 2 weeks.