Imagine going on a trip. It’s much easier if you have a map, right? You know where you start and where you want to go. Following a map helps you not get lost, getting you to your destination faster. Bodybuilding Program Creation will make your bodybuilding journey easier and the right way.
Now, think about going on that trip without a map. You might still reach your destination, but it’s much harder. Chances of success are lower, and you might waste a lot of time and energy. You could even get lost and not find your way back!
The same goes for working out, like bodybuilding. Having a plan is like having a map. It makes success more likely and prevents wasting time on a confusing journey.
Many weightlifters enter the gym without a plan, just knowing the muscle group they want to train. They improvise, paying little attention to weights, sets, reps, or rest periods, leaving the gym feeling tired but making minimal progress.
This changes with a well-designed bodybuilding program.
While pre-written workouts can deliver good results, they’re designed for groups, not individuals. Off-the-shelf programs won’t perfectly match your needs. That’s why learning to create your workouts is a valuable skill.
This guide will show you how to build your bodybuilding program creation, making it easier and quicker to reach your training goals. Follow these steps:
Table of Contents:
- Choose Your Split
- Select Your Exercises
- Determine Your Sets and Reps
- Optimize Rest Periods
- Incorporate a Training System
- Instill Progression in Your Workout
- Evaluate Your Results
- FAQs
- Overview
- References
1. Choose Your Split
When it comes to bodybuilding, full-body workouts can only take you so far. A full-body approach allows only one exercise per muscle group, and this low-volume method might not be optimal for triggering muscle growth beyond the beginner stage.
Opting for a split routine means training different muscle groups on different days. This provides more time for each body part, allowing for more exercises and sets, ultimately yielding better workout results.
Various split routines exist, accommodating different training frequencies per week.
Examples include:
- Push/pull/legs (three or six training days per week)
- Upper/lower/upper/lower (four training days per week)
- Body part splits (five training days per week)
With numerous options, it’s crucial to select a split that aligns with your consistency. There’s no sense in choosing a six-day-per-week split if you can only reliably hit the gym four times. Consistency is key to maintaining balance in your training week.
If you decide to create your split, ensure you avoid training similar muscle groups on consecutive days. For instance, working on chest on Monday and shoulders on Tuesday could lead to repetitive exercises two days in a row. This is why the push/pull/legs split is popular, naturally preventing such overlaps.
Choose a split that you can commit to not just for a week or a month, but for an entire training cycle spanning several months.
2. Select Your Exercises
After deciding on your split, it’s time to fill it with exercises. The choice of exercises depends on factors such as available equipment, personal strengths and weaknesses, and preferences.
As a general guide, aim for 2-4 exercises per muscle group, categorized as primary or secondary. Primary exercises provide the most significant impact, while secondary exercises are valuable but less crucial.
For instance:
- Bench press (primary)
- Incline dumbbell press (primary)
- Cable crossovers (secondary)
Avoid excessive similarity in movements, like seated leg curls, standing leg curls, and lying leg curls. Instead, opt for compound and isolation exercises that target muscles from various angles and engage different movement patterns.
Tailor your exercise selection to address your weaknesses. If your back lacks density and thickness despite its width, prioritize heavy Pendlay rows at the beginning of your back workout.
Once you’ve chosen exercises, organize them so that you perform the hardest or highest-skilled exercise first and the easier or less complex ones last. This sequencing ensures that you can dedicate maximum effort to exercises yielding the best results.
3. Determine Your Sets and Reps
While it’s possible to perform three sets of ten for all exercises, it’s not the most effective way to make progress in your bodybuilding program. Instead, maximize your gains by utilizing the entire hypertrophy rep range.
Hypertrophy training typically involves 6-12 reps using 67-85% of your one-repetition maximum. Knowing your 1RM isn’t essential; the key is reaching muscular failure within the designated rep range.
Given the 2-4 exercises per muscle group, applying different rep ranges to each exercise adds variety, contributing to effective muscle building.
For instance:
- Bench press: 4 sets of 4-6 reps
- Incline dumbbell press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Cable crossovers: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Primary exercises are generally best with heavier weights and lower reps, while secondary exercises work well with moderate to light weights and medium to high reps. This balance between building strength and chasing a pump triggers the necessary mechanisms for successful muscle growth – muscle tension, metabolic stress, and training volume.
As for sets, aim for anywhere between 1-5 per exercise, with an average of three. Tailor your training volume to fit your workout, avoiding the misconception that more sets are always better. The first set or two contributes significantly to progress, and doing more than necessary might be counterproductive, potentially extending recovery time between workouts.
Determine the minimum sets needed for progress rather than aiming for the maximum tolerable sets.
4. Optimize Rest Periods
Timing your rest periods based on water cooler conversations is a common mistake among lifters. The duration of your rest between sets significantly impacts the effectiveness of your workouts.
Resting too long allows your muscles to recover too much, diminishing the intensity crucial for optimal muscle growth. On the other hand, inadequate rest may leave you too fatigued to achieve the optimal number of reps or lift sufficient weight.
As a general rule, the heavier the weight and the lower the reps per set, the longer rest you need between sets. Heavy weight/low rep sets are neurologically demanding, requiring more time for your nervous system to recover compared to muscles and their energy systems.
Conversely, waste products like lactic acid produced during lower weight/higher rep training clear faster, necessitating a shorter rest before your next set.
Consider the following rest periods, adjusting them for different exercises:
- Low reps/heavy weights (e.g., 5 reps): 2-5 minutes
- Medium weights/moderate reps (e.g., 8 reps): 1-2 minutes
- Light weights/high reps (e.g., 12 reps): 20-60 seconds
Use the upper end of these scales if you feel insufficiently recovered and the lower end if you recover quickly. Adjust rest periods during workouts as fatigue sets in, avoiding excessively long rests that may lead to complete recovery or make you feel cold, reducing workout productivity.
5. Incorporate a Training System
For seasoned lifters, traditional straight sets like four sets of eight might not deliver the required intensity for muscle growth and strength. Instead of adding more sets or exercises, integrating training systems can elevate your workout intensity.
Training systems enable you to push beyond the point of momentary muscular failure, where additional unaided reps become impossible. This heightened intensity could be the key to sustaining progress.
Hypertrophy-specific training systems include:
- Drop sets
- Forced reps
- Cheat reps
- Iso-holds
- Rest-pause
Experimenting with these systems can provide the extra challenge needed for continued growth and improvement in your training.
6. Instill Progression in Your Workout
Following these steps, you now possess a well-crafted bodybuilding program. Yet, while your initial workout may yield good results, sustained progress requires making your program progressively challenging.
This involves increasing the difficulty of your workout each week.
Methods to achieve this include:
- Adding more weight
- Performing additional reps
- Reducing rest periods between sets
- Completing more sets
Regardless of the approach, these increments ensure that each week’s workout is slightly more intense than the previous one, sustaining your gains. Without a progressive element, your workouts may plateau sooner than later.
7. Evaluate Your Results
Now that your program is on paper, it’s crucial to review and ensure it aligns with your available training time. Aim for around 20-25 sets per hour, factoring in warm-ups and exercise transitions. If your workout seems too lengthy, trim some sets or exercises to accommodate your schedule.
Once the review is complete, it’s time to put your program into action. Execute the entire week, making necessary adjustments. Sometimes, what looks effective on paper might not translate well in the gym. Take note of what works and what doesn’t, and modify accordingly.
As you approach the next training week, your program should be refined, tuned, and ready for implementation. Stay consistent for the next 4-8 weeks, tracking your progress.
At the end of this training cycle, consider introducing changes to your workout or embark on crafting a new one. This practice helps prevent potential training plateaus and keeps your fitness routine dynamic and effective.
FAQs – Bodybuilding Program Creation
How many days a week should I work out for bodybuilding?
The frequency of your workouts depends on your goals, fitness level, and schedule. Many bodybuilders train 4-6 days a week, allowing for adequate rest between muscle groups.
Can I do full-body workouts for bodybuilding?
While full-body workouts are effective, especially for beginners, intermediate and advanced bodybuilders often prefer split routines to focus on specific muscle groups.
What is the best split routine for bodybuilding?
The best split routine depends on your preferences, schedule, and recovery ability. Common splits include push/pull/legs, upper/lower, and body part splits.
How long should a bodybuilding workout last?
A typical bodybuilding workout lasts 60-90 minutes. Focus on intensity and quality rather than the duration.
Should I lift heavy or use lighter weights with more reps for hypertrophy?
Both heavy weights with lower reps and lighter weights with higher reps can contribute to muscle hypertrophy. A mix of both is often recommended for well-rounded development.
How do I know if my bodybuilding program is effective?
Track your progress by monitoring strength gains, muscle size, and overall fitness. Consistency, proper nutrition, and adequate recovery are crucial for effectiveness.
Should I include cardio in my bodybuilding program?
Cardio can be included for overall health and fat loss. The type and frequency depend on individual goals. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is popular for combining cardio with muscle preservation.
How often should I change my bodybuilding program?
Change your program every 8-12 weeks to prevent plateaus and keep your workouts challenging. Progressive overload is key for continual gains.
Do I need to follow a specific diet for bodybuilding?
Nutrition is crucial. Consume enough protein, carbohydrates, and fats to support muscle growth. Consider consulting a nutritionist for a personalized diet plan.
Can beginners follow an advanced bodybuilding program?
It’s advisable for beginners to start with a foundational program before advancing to more complex routines. Gradual progression helps prevent injuries and builds a solid fitness base.
Overview – Bodybuilding Program Creation
While you could opt for a coach or ready-made workout, the path to better results often lies in crafting your own training plans.
Initiating your first bodybuilding program might seem overwhelming, faced with an empty sheet or spreadsheet. The reassuring news is that, despite the initial challenges, the art of writing bodybuilding workouts becomes more manageable with practice.
As you pen a few programs, you’ll evolve into a programming pro, turning what once took hours into a matter of minutes. Follow these steps diligently, and you’ll soon find yourself adept at designing effective bodybuilding programs.
References:
- ISSA (International Sports Sciences Association):
Source: https://www.issaonline.com/blog/index.cfm/2020/creating-effective-split-training-routines - Bodybuilding.com:
Source: https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/ultimate-8-week-hiit-for-fat-burning-program.html - ACE Fitness (American Council on Exercise):
Source: https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/6593/how-to-create-a-periodized-training-plan/ - NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association):
Source: https://www.nsca.com/education/articles/nsca-coach/how-to-build-a-periodized-training-program/ - PubMed Central:
Source: Search for scientific articles related to workout splits and periodization. - Featured image @Unsplash, freepik, pexels (com)
- Featured stream @Youtube, freepik, pexels (com)