WEEK 1 - Conditioning (Check your weight) 15 minute Bike 15 minute Treadmill 15 minute Stair Climber Abdominal Circuit: 4 x 15 Sit

ups 4 x 15 Leg raises 4 x 15 Ab Crunch (machine) 4 x 15 Ropes WEEK II - Conditioning Program Warm up with 15 minutes on a Bike, Treadmill, or Stair Climber Continue with the abdominal workout as in Week I Start circuit training on the Body Solid Machines with 1 set of 15 reps of each of the following exercises. Find a weight that is comfortable for each activity and make a note of it. You can find this page set up for week II here. Print it out and write down your weights. Activity Pec Deck Arm Curl Leg Curl Leg Extension Sets Reps Weight

_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______

Triceps Push Down _______ _______ _______ Chest Press Shoulder Press Lat Pull Down Rowing Leg Press Calves WEEKS III and IV _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______

Use the workout from week II but add 1 more set to all machines. Thus, week III will be 2 sets of 15 reps and week IV will be 3 sets of 15 reps. Click here to get week 3 and here for week 4. WEEK V onward As you become stronger, gradually increase the weights on the machines or switch to the advanced program here. YOUR WEIGHT Check your weight at the beginning of each week of your program. A reasonable goal for a week is a six pound weight change. Set a goal for your weight loss or weight gain and check your progress after that week. Don't bother to check on a daily basis. Daily fluctuations are common, but after a week some progress should be seen. YOUR DIET REMEMBER a well balanced meal plan is important. At times, some people like to go on crash diets (see a recommended 7 day weight loss diet here). This is good to shock the body, but if you do embark on this weight loss program, remember that it is a temporary program and you must go back to a proper meal plan after one week.

ADVANCED TRAINING PROGRAM

Back to the home page | Rates | Map | Beginner's Program | Diet This is a weekly program with four days of exercize concentrating on different areas of the body each day. It's good for working people because they can squeeze in two days during the work week and come in on Saturday and Sunday for the other two days because Marci's Mega Gym is open on weekends. If you have the time, you can intersperse a heavy cardio workout on alternate days. Warmup with 15 to 20 minutes on a bike, treadmill, or stairstepper, or stretching. Abdominal exercises every day do no harm. It's the best and most effective way to get results. All exercises should be performed in sets of 20-15-10 repetitions with moderate weight, not too light, but not heavy enough to cause injuries. The weight should be heavy enough to provide resistance and to force a little extra effort on the the last three reps. Day 1: Legs and Calves Activity Sets Weight

Leg Extension Leg Press Hack Squat Lunges Wide Squat

3 3 3 3 3

______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

Hamstring Curl 3 Calf Raises 3

Day 2: Chest and Triceps Activity Chest Press Pec Deck Flys with dumbells Triceps Press with dumbells Sets 3 3 3 3 Weight ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

Triceps Pushdown 3 cable machine Triceps Kickbacks 3

Day 3: Back and Biceps Activity Lat Pulldown Rowing Bentover Rowing Hyper-extension Biceps Cable Curl Sets 3 3 3 3 3 Weight ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

Biceps Preacher Curl 3 Biceps Concentration Curl 3

Day 4: Shoulders Activity Dumbell Press Front Lateral Raises Sets 3 3 Weight ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

Shrugs with Dumbells 3 Rear Lateral Raises Side Dumbell Raises 3 3

I want to start working out, what should I do?

As a trainer, I cant even count the number of times Ive heard this phrase. Its great to hear because when people exercise theyll feel better, look better and theyll truly enjoy their life so much more. However, most people never follow through with their new ambition because theres so much workout information available that its hard to figure out where to start. Pick up any fitness

magazine and try to find a beginner workout, and youre sure to be more confused than before you started. Should I do cardio, should I do weight training, should I train like a bodybuilder, should I workout 3 days per week, should I go nuts and go 5 days per week? Theres a lot of variables in a workout, so were gonna keep it simple for you and start you off on the right plan today! Whats the best way to start seeing results?

To get the best results in a 4 week program, were going to focus on weight training in the 8-12 rep range and also on a basic, easy to follow diet. Since most people on a new plan get overwhelmed and quit because of too much to do, we wont introduce the diet plan until the 2nd week of the workout so that youre comfortable in your new workout plan.

Whos this workout for?

If you have never worked out before but want to get in shape, lose that stubborn body fat and change your life forever. If you were previously in shape, but have since fallen off the wagon and want to get back to your old self. If you have a busy life and dont want to spend 2 hrs. in a gym everyday If you arent seeing results with your current workouts

What will this workout do for me? If youre a guy, this workout will

Burn lots of fat Build muscle in all of your large muscle group areas ( chest, arms, core, thighs, back, butt, calves) Boost your metabolism Set an excellent foundation for any type of workout program to follow

If youre a woman, this workout will

Burn body fat through your whole body

Increase your metabolism Give you a tight, toned look in your arms, stomach, thighs and butt.

What youll find in this article

Part 1 : A 3 day per week workout which shows you step by step what you need to do at the gym Part 2: What to do after youve completed the beginners workout plan Part 3: A very simple and easy to use meal plan to incorporate once youre comfortable in your workout routine (this will help you lose more fat and look better)

Ok lets get started..

The Beginners Gym Workout Plan

If you havent worked out in a long time, or youre just starting for the first time, your main goal for the first few weeks will be to learn the correct form for each exercise and to build a base of strength and stability. This will set a good foundation for your workout program. For the first four weeks, well be doing a warmup and two exercises each day. For many people who are used to doing a lot of isolation exercises (i.e. bicep curls, calf raises), you might think that two exercises is barely a workout. But the difference here is that were doing compound exercises that work the largest muscle groups, which means more definition in your muscles and a higher amount of fat is burned. This beginners training program consists of 3 workouts per week (M-W-F) or (T-Th-Sa)

Week 1 workout
Monday

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, doing jumping jacks, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike Squats - 1 set of 12 repetitions with no barbell and then 3 sets of 12 repetitions with the barbell (no added weights Shoulder Press - 3 sets of 12 reps with the barbell

Notes: Rest 60-90 seconds between each set Wednesday

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike Deadlift 3 sets of 12 repetitions with the barbell. (see note #2 below) Chin ups/pull ups 3 sets of 8 reps (see note #3 below if you cant do a chinup yet)

Note: Take a 60-90 second rest between each set Note 2: To perform the deadlift with just a barbell, youll need to put the bar on something about 6-8 inches high to simulate the height the bar would be if there were weight plates on it. My suggestions would be putting the hooks on the squat bar really low, stacking weights up, using step ups or stools, use fake plastic plates or use plyo boxes. The goal is to simulate the height that the bar would be with real plates on it. Note 3: If you cant complete 8 chinups (most newbies cant) there are a few ways to get assistance. Use an assisted chinup machine at the gym which will provide assistance for you and help push you up. Make sure the asssistance you use makes it hard to finish 8 reps (dont use it as a trampoline!) You can also use stretch bands by hanging them over the top of a squat rack and hooking them under your feet. Your last option is to have a partner hold your feet and help push you up and down. Friday

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike Squats - 1 set of 12 repetitions with no barbell and then 3 sets of 12 repetitions with the barbell (no added weights Bench Press 3 sets of 12 repetitions with the barbell (no weight added). If the barbell is too heavy then use dumbbells that allow you to do 12 reps.

Notes: Rest 60-90 seconds between each set

Week 2 workout
Monday

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, doing jumping jacks, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike Deadlift 3 sets of 12 repetitions with the barbell. Chin ups/pull ups 3 sets of 8 reps

Note: Take a 60-90 second rest between each set Wednesday

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike Squats - 1 set of 12 repetitions with no barbell and then 3 sets of 12 repetitions with the barbell (no added weights Bench Press 3 sets of 12 repetitions with the barbell (no weight added). If the barbell is too heavy then use dumbbells that allow you to do 12 reps.

Note: Rest 60-90 seconds between each set Friday

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike Deadlift 3 sets of 12 repetitions with the barbell. Shoulder Press - 3 sets of 12 reps with the barbell

Notes: Rest 60-90 seconds between each set

Week 3 workout
Note: Add in our simple diet plan during week 3 By now you should have a good grasp of all of the basic exercises were going to be working with. If you still cant complete the workouts listed above with the barbell as weight thats perfectly fine. Just continue the two week workout above for another two weeks before moving on to the Week 3 workout. For week 3, were gonna add two new elements to your workout

a simple diet plan

weight to the barbell (unless you feel youre not ready)

If youve made it through the two workouts above and feel like you can add weight to the bar, then well add weight in this workout. To add weight to the bar, youll want to add a weight that makes it hard to do 12 reps. Notice I said 12 reps, not 13 or 14! If youre putting up more than 12 reps, its not enough weight. Your last few reps should be very tough to eek out. Also make sure you are completing all 12 reps with GOOD form. If you have to do half assed shoulder presses to get 12 done, then the weight is too much. Proper form is much more important than lifting more weight. This is really a trial and error process with picking a weight, but a good place to start would be to add about 15 lbs to each end of the bar (30 lbs total) and then move up or down from there to find your correct weight for 12 reps. Monday

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike Squats 1 set of 12 reps with just the barbell, and then 3 sets of 12 reps with the added weight Shoulder Press 1 set of 12 reps with just the barbell, and then 3 sets of 12 reps with the added weight

Notes: Rest 60-90 seconds between each set Wednesday

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike Deadlift 1 set of 12 reps with just the barbell, and then 3 sets of 12 reps with the added weight Chin ups/pull ups 3 sets of 8 reps

Note: Take a 60-90 second rest between each set Friday

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike Squats 1 set of 12 reps with just the barbell, and then 3 sets of 12 reps with the weight added

Bench Press 1 set of 12 reps with just the barbell, and then 3 sets of 12 reps with the weight added

Week 4 Workout
Ok its week 4 now, and were almost finished with the 4 week beginner program. Time to finish strong. If you look back at your notes from last week, you should check to see if you need to add/lose some of the weight on the bar. If you were falling short of the 12 reps, youll need to lose some of the weight plates, and if you were pumping out 12 reps rather easily youll need to add some more weight to the bar. Monday

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, doing jumping jacks, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike Deadlift 1 set of 12 reps with just the bar, and then 3 sets of 12 repetitions with weight added. Chin ups/pull ups 3 sets of 8 reps

Note: Take a 60-90 second rest between each set Wednesday

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike Squats - 1 set of 12 repetitions with the barbell and then 3 sets of 12 repetitions with the weights added Bench Press 1 set of 12 reps with just the barbell, and then 3 sets of 12 repetitions with the weight added. If the barbell is too heavy then use dumbbells that allow you to do 12 reps.

Note: Rest 60-90 seconds between each set Friday

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike

Deadlift 1 set of 12 reps with just the barbell, and then 3 sets of 12 repetitions with the weight added Shoulder Press - 1 set of 12 reps with the barbell and then 3 sets of 12 reps with the weight added.

Notes: Rest 60-90 seconds between each set

What to do after youre done with week 4

After youve completed the 4 week beginners workout program, were going to up the intensity and work on building more strength and muscle. We built you up a good base with the beginners program, but now its time to build as much strength as possible. In the beginning stages of working out (1-9 months) youre going to see the biggest gains in strength. Adding 10-20 lbs on the bar every squat session is not uncommon. Youll also see noticeable results in how you feel and the way your body looks. Your muscles will show more, and the fat is going to start melting off your body. So after youre done with the beginners program, get started immediately on the strength training program or if youre a guy and youre looking to put on some muscle mass, you should check out the muscle building workout. Youll see some GREAT results!

Lifting to build muscle

As usual here at GymJunkies, were going to focus on compound movements using barbells (Pull Ups and Dips being the exceptions to the rule). Were going to combine the 55 strength building protocol with a mid-range weight and rep format to promote hypertrophy (that means getting those muscles big!). Were also going to use the superset (doing two different exercises in a row without rest in between) to keep the workouts short and get you out of the gym in 30 minutes or less.

Muscle building workout plans

Phase 1 Workout A: Deadlift 5 reps x 5 sets. Superset Shoulder Press with High Pulls 8 reps x 4 sets. Workout B: Squat 5 reps x 5 sets. Superset Bench Press with Pull Ups 8 reps x 4 sets. You should stick with the same weight and try to finish all of the sets with that weight. So if you are bench pressing 150 lbs for 5 reps x 5 sets, you should use 150 lbs for all 5 sets. If you make it through that, the next time in the gym you should try 153 or 155 for 55. You should always be trying to break your personal record from the last time in the gym. If you lift the same weight for 8 weeks straight, the muscle WILL NOT GROW. You gotta increase the weight if you want to increase the muscle size. Phase 2 Workout A: Deadlift 5 reps x 5 sets. Power Clean 8 reps x 3 sets. Workout B: Shoulder Press 5 reps x 5 sets. Superset Bent Over Rows with Bench Press 8 reps x 4 sets. Workout C: Squat 5 reps x 5 sets. Lunge 8 reps (each leg) x 3 sets. Workout D: Pull Ups 5 reps x 5 sets. Superset Dips with High Pull 8 reps x 4 sets. For Phase 2 you will train 4 days per week, training two days on, one day off, two days on, two days off. As an example, you may do

Monday Workout A Tuesday Workout B Wednesday Rest Thursday Workout C Friday Workout D Saturday Rest Sunday Rest

Muscle Building Diet

Nutritionist John Berardi says Gaining weight is like going to war, and your weapon of choice is a fork I totally agree with him. In the most basic sense, eat more than youre eating now. A lot more. In a more specific sense, where I commonly recommend a carbohydrate restriction for weight loss, I recommend eating carbohydrates with each meal for muscle building. When trying to put on muscle you should be eating anywhere from 3000-5000 calories per day depending on your current weight. Building muscle is 80% diet and 20% lifting. Your diet is that important. But thats not license to go crazy with Krispy Kreme and crapolla. Oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat pastas and breads, and potatoes should be included in every meal. But thats not at the sacrifice of your protein source: you should be eating a good protein source with each meal. Ideally about 6 oz. per meal. Unless of course youre of the vegetarian persuasion, then no problem. . . tofu will work, as will beans and rice. And to keep your vitamin and mineral content on point, eat at least one serving of fruits or vegetables with each meal. Nuts are another fine addition as they are calorically dense and nutrient packed. Also, bring on the dairy! Im typically not a big fan of dairy (is there another animal besides humans that drinks the milk of another animal?). But if youve been afflicted with Skinny-Man Syndrome your whole life, slurping down the cow juice will go a long way in adding the calories you need to pack on slabs of muscle. Drinking 1/2 gallon 1 gallon of whole milk per day is a good idea if youre super skinny. Itll add an additional 1200-2600 calories to your day. Super skinny guys can put on 10-15 lbs in a month by doing this.

Get protein right after your workout

An important thing to remember is you need to make sure you are eating breakfast everyday and also getting a lot of protein in right after your workout. Most guys that are skinny, have problems getting enough protein, so 20 oz+ of chocolate milk right after a workout will help. You can also eat protein after your workout, but chocolate milk is just much easier to deal with. Strive to eat 3 meals per day with 3 snacks, with about three hours between meals. A sample meal plan follows. When in doubt, just friggin eat!

Meal plans for gaining weight and building muscle

6:00am 4 eggs scrambled. Serving of homefried potatoes with green pepper and onion. Cup of oatmeal with mixed berries.

9:00am 12:00pm

8 oz glass whole milk. Large handful of walnuts. Fruit cup of melon and pineapple. Stir-fried chicken and broccoli with a large serving of brown rice.

3:00pm Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce, tomato, and mustard. 1 apple with natural peanut butter. 6:00pm Grilled steak with tomatoes, peppers, and onions wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla with cheddar cheese and black beans. Side salad of raw spinach. 9:00pm 8 oz. glass whole milk. 1 banana. Large handful of raw almonds.

The hardest thing about getting bigger is eating enough food. To make it easier I suggest cooking your meals ahead of time so theyre always ready. You can cook on Sunday and have meals that will last until Thursday. Things like burgers, chicken, pork, eggs, mashed potatoes, chili and veggies can all be prepared ahead of time.

Recap what you should be eating

Protein Eggs, chicken, pork, steak, burgers, tofu, almonds, walnuts, peanut butter, chili, beans Carbohydrates Potatoes (mashed or baked), whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread, rice (w/beans) Vegetables and Fruits Bananas, oranges, apples, strawberries, green beans, lentils, broccoli, cauliflower Dairy Whole milk, plain yogurt with fresh berries

Proper recovery is crucial for muscle building

In todays fast-paced world, recovery can often be the most difficult component to get in place. Do the following and your body will have the opportunity to process all of the lifting and eating into the muscles you desire.

Sleep: Do your damnedest to get in 8 hours per day. A quick 20 minute nap in the afternoon is also great if you can squeeze it in. No more circuits: I love high intensity Oh, shit Im gonna puke circuit training. But it will be counter productive if youre trying to pack on the muscle. You have to be stingy with your calories: save em for the heavy lifting and revisit the circuits when youre ready to get lean.

Take Off Days Off: Pay the neighborhood kid to cut the grass. Forget about off-day cardio nonsense. And unless your mortgage depends on it, avoid sport specific training if you can. Again, were being stingy with the calories and providing the body time and energy to recover from the intense lifting sessions. Relax!!!: Meditate. Read a book. Pet the dog. Or find a hobby that doesnt involve jacking your heart rate. Whatever you do, make time for activities that help you destress.

Im trying to get bigger but its not working

If youre following the plan above and youre not seeing results, there are a few reasons for it. 1. Youre not eating enough This is plain and simple. If youre following the plan above and youre not gaining weight, then youre not eating enough. Even if you think youre eating a lot, youre obviously not because youre not gaining any weight! My tips for making sure you always have food around to eat are as follows

Prepare meals in advance You can prepare meals ahead of time for the next 3-4 days. You might think this sucks I dont want to eat the same thing.well TOUGH! What youre doing right now obviously isnt working, so its time to try something new. When trying to build muscle food should be seen as fuel, not a delicious meal. Keep your cupboards full If you dont have food to cook youll end up eating something thats not going to help you build muscle. Keep food around at all times. Slurp the milk down Seriously, if youre not drinking 1/2 gallon 1 gallon of whole milk per day, then get on it. Buy 2-3 gallons in advance, and drink them throughout the week.

2. Youre not pushing yourself hard enough when you workout

When you workout, you should be grunting out the last few reps of every set. Thats how intense each set should be. If youre doing shoulder presses and you float through each set without a tough rep then you need to add more weight to the bar. If you find it hard to push yourself like many people do, find a workout partner who is motivated like you that will help push you during a workout. Your biggest muscle gains come in the last few reps you crank out when you think you cant do anymore. What youll find on this page

Part 1 : What will strength training do for you? Part 2: What is strength training? Part 3 : Beginner strength training workouts

Part 1 What will strength training do for you?

Strength training is one of the best ways to build muscle, lose fat and build insane strength. Strength training is the main form of weight training for athletes, especially those in sports like football, wrestling, track, gymnastics and power lifting (any physical sport really). Unlike most bodybuilding routines that youll find in fitness magazines, strength training is actually very useful for improving physical performance in sports. Getting stronger is one of the best ways to improve your performance in nearly every sport. If youre a guy, strength training will help you

get bigger, more defined muscles see significant gains in strength (improves athletic performance) boost your metabolism and help you burn fat produce more testosterone in your body

If youre a woman, strength training will help you

get a tight, toned fitness look through your arms, thighs, butt and stomach make you stronger, and give you more energy stay lean ( You will NOT, I repeat NOT get big and bulky)

Part 2 What is Strength Training?

Strength training is about working your bodys large muscle groups in natural movements (squats, deadlifts, bench press etc..) that result not only in an improved physique, but also a noticeable increase of strength and improved athletic ability. Many weightlifting programs are designed specifically to make your body look better, while neglecting the function behind the form. While this is better than sitting on the couch, you arent getting the full benefits of your workout. The majority of these programs use exercises that are totally useless outside of the gym (wrist curls, calf raises etc), and do not translate into athletics or real world activities. Most guys who work out with traditional magazine workouts (high rep, lower weight) will see some results and start to feel good about themselves. They look better in the mirror, and think damn!this is finally working! Then one day their neighbors car gets stuck in the snow and theny have to help her push it out Or they need to hoist that overloaded box into the crawl space of their attic. This is when people finally realize their bloated three sets of ten reps muscles are utterly useless. Theyre confused. They go to the gym six days per week. They follow everything theyve read online and in the magazines, but despite their muscular appearance, theyre still weak. Now what? Reality has kicked in and the reality is they have form with no function. They have big muscles with no purpose behind them If this sounds like you, no need to panic. Its actually good that you realize theres a problem, and that you need to change your strength training workouts. Heres what were gonna do to fix your workouts

Simplify Increase the weight, decrease the reps Rest Test your progress

Simplify

To build strength we arent going to go through the entire encyclopedia of exercises. Were going to stick with five basic movements: squats, deadlifts, pull ups, shoulder presses and bench presses. Thats it. And dare I say that if these five lifts were the only lifts that you ever did, you would be just fine. Probably better than fine. Its almost always better to keep things simple. Just remember that simple does not necessarily mean easy.

Increase and Decrease

To build strength, do two things: increase the weight of your lifts and decrease the repetitions. Do not do any more than five reps per set. In most cases, three repetitions will be ideal ( 3 reps for 5 sets is a good starter). Heavy sets of one rep on occasion are a good thing as well. If youre using a load that you can lift more than five times in one set, you are not using enough weight to build strength. Put some damned plates on the bar, grit your teeth, and lift! Again, simple does not mean easy.

Rest

You should wait at least two minutes between sets when strength training. Waiting as much as five minutes between sets when doing heavy singles is not a bad thing. I typically rest 2-4 minutes between sets when strength training. Also, you may need to increase your rest periods as the workout progresses and fatigue creeps in. You may rest two minutes between your first and second set, and four minutes between your fifth and sixth set. Use a stop watch and log your rest periods as meticulously as you log your weights, sets, and reps.

Test

Find your one-rep max for each of the five listed exercises. And then test your max every four to 8 weeks thereafter (I find six week intervals to be ideal). You wont know if youre getting stronger unless you establish your max periodically. These tests let you know if your training is effective or if you need to make adjustments.

Lift a weight that requires all of your focus and determination at that moment. Keep your technique clean, be safe, lift with a spotter and also lift as heavy as possible within these parameters. Keep it simple. And when strength training, simple should not mean easy.

Part 3 Strength Training Workouts

Just because this is a novice workout, doesnt mean its going to be easy. If youve never seen results, or youve never done real strength training before, this is a perfect place to start. If you

hate working out, this is a great place to start too because once you start to see real results, youll be hooked! If you dont care about getting stronger and only want to lose fat as fast as possible, you should check out our piece on how to lose fat. Ok for the novice workout, we are going to focus on the 5 main exercises.

Squats Deadlifts Bench press Shoulder press Pull ups

These exercises will help you build the most amount of strength in the shortest time possible, because all of these movements are compound exercises which target the largest muscle groups.

Novice strength training workout

3 day workout (M-W-F) or (T-Th-Sa) If you have never performed Squats, Deadlifts, Shoulder Presses, Pull ups or the Bench Press, I recommend you start with the beginner workout program to learn the proper form (proper form is crucial). Working with just the barbell before you add weight is the best way to learn the proper technique.

Week 1 workout

Day 1 (Monday)

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, doing jumping jacks, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike Squats 2 warmup sets of 5 reps (1 with just the barbell, 1 with some weight added). 5 sets of 5 reps ( Find a weight that makes five reps difficult) Shoulder Press - 2 warmup sets of 5 reps (1 with just the barbell, 1 with some weight added). 5 sets of 5 reps (Find a weight that makes 5 reps difficult)

Notes: Rest 2 minute between each set

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike. Deadlift 2 warmup sets of 5 reps (barbell with some weight added). 5 sets of 5 reps ( Use a weight thats difficult to do 5 sets) Chin ups/pull ups Do 5 sets of 5 reps. If you cant do a chin up, check out the bottom of the chinup page for advice on assisted chinups. If you can do more than 5 chinups, add weight to your chinups so that you can only do 5. We have a lot of info on adding weight at the bottom of the page here

Note: Rest 2 minutes between each set

Day 3 (Friday)

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike Squats 2 warmup sets of 5 reps (1 with just the barbell, 1 with some weight added)- 5 sets of 5 reps ( Find a weight that makes five reps difficult) Bench Press 2 warmup sets of 5 reps (1 with just the barbell, 1 with some weight added)- 5 sets of 5 reps ( Find a weight that makes five reps difficult)

Note: Rest 2 minutes between each set Thats your workout for the first week. For week 2, were going to be doing the same exercises, except well be performing the Day 2 workout twice, and the Day 1 workout once.

Week 2 workout

Day 1 (Monday)

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike. Deadlift 2 warmup sets of 5 reps (barbell with some weight added). 5 sets of 5 reps ( Use a weight thats difficult to do 5 sets) Shoulder Press - 2 warmup sets of 5 reps (1 with just the barbell, 1 with some weight added). 5 sets of 5 reps (Find a weight that makes 5 reps difficult)

Note: Rest 2 minutes between each set

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike Squats 2 warmup sets of 5 reps (1 with just the barbell, 1 with some weight added)- 5 sets of 5 reps ( Find a weight that makes five reps difficult) Chin ups/pull ups Do 5 sets of 5 reps. If you cant do a chin up, check out the bottom of the chinup page for advice on assisted chinups. If you can do more than 5 chinups, add weight to your chinups so that you can only do 5. We have a lot of info on adding weight at the bottom of the page here

Note: Rest 2 minutes between each set

Day 3 (Friday)

Warm up for 3-5 minutes by either jumping rope, doing jumping jacks, using a rower machine or riding a stationary bike

Deadlift 2 warmup sets of 5 reps (1 with just the barbell, 1 with some weight added) Bench Press 2 warmup sets of 5 reps (1 with just the barbell, 1 with some weight added)- 5 sets of 5 reps ( Find a weight that makes five reps difficult)

Notes: Rest 2 minute between each set

Repeat the week 1 and week 2 workouts for at least 12 weeks.

One last note. If you want a step-by-step proven workout plan for packing on slabs of muscle, I highly recommend checking out Jason Ferruggias Muscle Gaining Secrets program. Its hands down the best system for skinny guys (and gals) to put on muscle. Check it out here