By: James Sadek

How are you guys doing? I know I haven't written an article for a long time but I have been busy training for the state titles.

Enough 'bout me though. This article is about a plan, a plan to get big, a plan to stay big, then a plan to get into ripped condition for the warmer months and/or a contest. Ok picture this: It is coming into the end of summer and u decide you wanna be a beast come next year. You have been inspired all you need now is a way, a direction a PLAN.

If you've got the will, I've got the way!!!!!!

Ok you wanna put on muscle but you don't want to put on fat. Well forget that, this time round you are going to sacrifice. You will get big at any cost. That's where I bring you to "The Bulking Season"

The Bulking Season

Spring Season, Autumn Season, Summer Season, Winter Season…haha don't make me laugh, here I introduce you to the Bulking Season. Where sun doesn't matter, the temperature is irrelevant, and the leaves that fall of the trees are just EATEN. Which brings me to the most important thing to do in bulking season, EAT.

EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT.

That's right you need to have the mind that the only way to gain weight and muscle is too eat everything, this might not always be right or true but it's bulking season and as Dennis James says, "This is the way I do It".

When I mean eat heaps people say to me yeah I do I eat breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. And then they are only having a small plateful of pasta or chips.

What to do?? What to do??

Rules For Bulking Season.

• Eat every 2 to 2 and half hours. Eat as much as you can, eat as much as is available to you. If there is not much eat it at least it's something, if it's a buffet or all you can eat restaurant eat as much as you can.
• Try and eat at least 30 grams of protein per meal, a little hint here that I did was I stocked up on 185 g tins of tuna and added 1 to all my home meals.
• Eat at least 6 times per day, AT LEAST.
• If you wake up in the middle of the night have a protein shake.
• Depending on how long you choose to bulk up for every 4 weeks of training heavy and hard keep the same split and exercise but increase the reps to 15 this will rest your nervous system and shock your system a little.

I suggest training in the morning if possible. This enables you to burn a little body fat and then you give the muscle a chance to fully recover during the rest of the day by giving it food for 10 hours or so instead of training then eating once or twice then making the muscle starves until you wake up.

-3 or 4 exercises for larger muscle groups.
-2 or 3 for smaller muscle groups.
-Reps in the range of 6 to 10.

Base your workouts around the big compound movements, The Bench Press, The Deadlift, and The Squat. Also use military press and bent over row as well.

Sample Workout - 2 days on 1 day off

Chest & Traps

Bench Press 4 x 6-10
Incline Dbell Bench Press 3 x 6-10
Flat Flyes 3 x 6-10 Pumping movement e.g. Pushups, cable crossovers, close grip bench press. 2 x 15

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Chest & Traps.

Legs (reps can range from 15-6 for legs if you prefer)

Squats 4 x 6-15
Leg Press 4 x 6-15
Stiff Legged Deadlift 4 x 6-15
Calf Raise 4 x 6-15
Seated Calf Raise 4 x 6-15

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Legs.

Back and Rear Delts

Deadlift 4 x 6-10
Lat Pulldown/Chins 4 x 6-10
Close Grip Row 4 x 6-10
Pumping Exercise e.g. Rope Pulldown, one arm row, etc. 2 x 15
Dbell Rear Lat Raise 4 x 6-10

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Back and Rear Delts.

Front/Side Delts and Arms

Seated Military Press 4 x 10-6
Upright Row 3 x 6
Side Lat Raise 4 x 6-15 (pumping exercise)
Barbell Curl 4 x 10-6
Hammer Curl 3 x 6
Cable Curl 1 x 15 (pumping exercise)
Skull Crushers 4 x 6-10
Triceps Pressdown 3 x 6
Kickbacks 1 x 15

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Front/Side Delts and Arms.

Supplements During Bulking Season

• Creatine- this will able you to carry more bulk and promote extra muscle growth
• Protein Powder- Easy source of protein available to you at your needs.
There is no need to overuse supplements during this phase, as you should spend your money on food.

This is just an extension of the bulking season. But so many people who try and put on a few kilos gain the weight and then have trouble keeping it off. So here is when you still try and gain wait but the focus is on keeping the weight not loosing it.

Allow a little weight to drop off as it will only be excess fluidly stuff. Keep eating regularly. That is the most important thing. Keep you creatine going, but if you like take a week off training for full body recuperation if you feel like it. When you are at a stable weight it is time to move onto the next step.

Training

During this phase where you are trying to maintain the bulk you have put on I would suggest implementing a power routine for 3 to 5 weeks while you are carrying a little more weight and you will be able to handle heavier weight.

I am not going to give you a routine as there are so many of them out there but pick 1 and stick with it until you start to diet, your size and strength should increase together with stabilizing your weight.

• After taking a 1 to 2 week break off creatine go back on it for another cycle.
• Creatine- Increase your strength and power during your workouts.
• Glutamine - If it's in your price range I suggest to start using glutamine as it will prevent muscle breakdown and promote growth and quicker recovery. Just get used to using it as it will be important during your dieting phase.
• Protein Powder- Again an easy source of protein available to you at your needs

The first step of starting a diet is too realize to keep as much muscle as possible you must loose your weight gradually not all at once. Give yourself about 12-16 weeks.

Firstly do not start dieting in the first week. This week you need to get into a routine, when are you going to train? What is your training split going to involve? These are the things that you need to workout and keep consistent.

The Diet

I have chosen to use percentages that I obtained from reading a lot of articles and thinking about what I think will work really well. It involves having 4 really low carb days, followed by 2 moderate carb days then a high carb day, which would be your junk day for the first 1- 2 months of your diet.

Your low carb days will have high amounts of protein to try and keep size and calories up, the 2 days of moderate carbs will have lower protein amounts but still reasonably high and the high carb day will lower protein levels to the bare minimum.

Although you will be on low fat throughout the diet I stress the need for flaxseed oil to be taken twice daily. Once after your workout with your shake and the other time with dinner or meal 5.

Protein and Carb Amounts

Day 1 - 4 (low carb days)

• Protein - 1.75g per pound of bodyweight
  
• Carbs - 0.4g per pound of bodyweight

Day 5 - 6 (moderate carb days)

• Protein - 1.3g per pound of bodyweight
  
• Carbs - 1g per pound of bodyweight

Day 7 (high carb days)

• Protein- 1g per pound of bodyweight
  
• Carbs- 3.5g per pound of bodyweight

So for a 185-pound bodybuilder I would suggest 328 approx. grams of Protein and 60 approx. grams of Carbs.

It is important for the carbs you eat all have a G.I Index Rating of less than 50 and when possible less than 30. The G.I. Index is relatively new to the bodybuilding world but is very helpful when dieting.

The lower the G.I. on foods the slower they release the nutrients and do not spike insulin as much as higher G.I. foods. Still strive for low sugar and fat but take into account the G.I. Factor as it will benefit you greatly.

To learn more about the G.I. Factor please read my article The G.I Effect.

Below is a diet for a 185 pound bodybuilder who wants to lean down.

• Values may change due to products and foods being used so adjust accordingly
  
• Protein powder being used in this example has a standard serve of 20g, so adjust if needed for you protein powder.
  
• Protein powder is to be mixed in water.

Days 1 - 4
Meal One
14 egg whites, 85g Tuna:	(55 1/2g Protein)
½ cup strawberries:	(5g Carbs)
Meal Two (after training)
Meal Replacement Powder:	(42g Protein, 22g Carbs)
20g Glucose Powder, ½ serve of protein powder:	(15g Protein, 20g Carbs)
1 Serve Flaxseed oil:	(Mixed into one shake)
Meal Three
200g Chicken Breast, 85g Tuna:	(52 ½ g Protein)
2 cups lettuce/serves green beans:	(4g Carbs)
Meal Four
200g Red Meat, ½ serve protein powder in water:	(52g Protein)
2 cups lettuce/serves green beans:	(4g Carbs)
Meal Five
200g Chicken Breast, 85g Tuna:	(52 ½ g Protein)
½ cup mushrooms:	(4g Carbs)
1 Serve Flaxseed Oil
Meal Six
3 serves protein powder	(60g Protein)
Days 5 - 6
Meal One
14 egg whites:	(42g Protein)
…All Bran/Oatmeal:	(25g Carbs)
Meal Two
Meal Replacement Powder:	(42g Protein, 26g Carbs)
Mixed with 30g Glucose Powder:	(30g Carbs)
1 Serve Flaxseed Oil	(mixed all together)
Meal Three
235g Tuna:	(46g Protein)
2 cups lettuce/serves green beans	(44g Carbs)
Meal Four
200g Chicken Breast:	(40g Carbs)
½ cup basmati rice:	(25g carbs)
Meal Five
200g Red Meat:	(40g Protein)
30g All Bran/ Oatmeal:	(30g Carbs)
1 Serve Flaxseed Oil
Meal Six
2 serves Protein Powder:	(40g Protein)
Low Fat Yogurt:	(20g Carbs)
Day 7
Meal One
11 egg whites:	(32g Protein)
200g Peaches:	(20g Carbs)
4 pieces of Toast:	(80g Carbs)
Meal Two
Meal replacement Powder:	(42g Protein, 26g Carbs)
90g Rolled Oats:	(80g Carbs)
30g Glucose Powder:	(30g Carbs)
1 Serve Flaxseed Oil:	(mixed all together)
Meal Three
150g Tuna:	(35g Carbs)
2 ½ Potatoes:	(104g carbs)
Meal Four
100g Red Meat:	(20g Protein)
2 cups Rice:	(104g Carbs)
Meal Five
100g Chicken Breast:	(20g Protein)
1 Potatoes:	(50g Carbs)
1 Cup Rice:	(50g Carbs)
4 serves mixed Veggies:	(8 g Carbs)
1 Serve Flaxseed Oil
Meal Six<
1 ½ Serves Protein Powder:	(30g Protein)
165g Rolled Oats:	(110g Carbs)

Non-Training Days

On non training days for meal 2 Replace the glucose powder with rolled oats or all bran, also you can have a protein shake with the same amount of protein as your meal replacement just add extra all bran or oatmeal to compensate the carb situation.

• Creatine- Increase your strength and power during your workouts. Keep creatine going for the first 4 weeks of dieting then stop using it and give your body a long break from it.
• Glutamine - This supplement is now a necessity. It will keep a hold of straying muscle. Glutamine will prevent muscle breakdown and promote growth and quicker recovery.
• Protein Powder- Again an easy source of protein available to you at your needs.
• Meal Replacement Powder - Great for after training as it has all essential vitamins and minerals, with adequate amounts of proteins and carbs.
• Flaxseed Oil- As fat is needed to keep the metabolism going flaxseed oil is the best fat source going. It will bring your daily requirements of fat to you the good way and help your body grow.
• Vitamin C and Multivitamins- This are essential as food intake will be restricted so try and take 1 to 2 serves twice a day.

Cheat days will be your high carb days for the first 4 to 6 weeks as this will kick start metabolism and also relieve some of the stress from dieting. After the 4 to 6 week period you will still have a high carb day but they will be all healthy, sugarless carbs with a low G.I. Rating.

On cheat days instead of having chicken breast, with the amount of carbs you need go and have some KFC, as you still get adequate amounts of protein. So try to maintain your required protein amounts or their about.

Try not to stress about what you, as it will benefit you having a cheat day by speeding up your metabolism again.

Cardio should be done for the first 4 weeks:

• Days 1 to 4 - 40 to 60mins before Breakfast.
• Days 5 to 6 - 30to 40 mins before breakfast.
• Day 7 - No cardio

  Now for the rest of the time...

• Days 1 to 4 -60mins before Breakfast.
• Days 5 to 6 -40 mins before breakfast.
• Day 7 - light walk after meal 7.

Days 5 and 6 vary your cardio for a walk around the block with a brisk walk.

Training While Dieting

Try and train with as heavy weight as possible. For the first 4 weeks train similar to the program above except add a few reps and 1 more exercise (shaping exercise) for extra intensity.

A good training program is listed below, change exercises as what is available to you but keep the same principles.

Once again I suggest training in the morning if possible. It will enable you to burn more body fat and then you give the muscle a chance to fully recover during the rest of the day by giving it food for 10 hours or so.

• 4 exercises for larger muscle groups.
  
• 3 for smaller muscle groups.
  
• Reps in the range of 6 to 12.

Base your workouts around the big compound movements, but for variation every 3 weeks or so or even a different weider principle for a while then go back to pyramiding. Some common weider principles will be outlined below.

Sample Workout Split- 3 days on 1 day off

Chest and Traps

Flat Dbell Bench Press 4 x 12-6
Incline Dbell Bench Press 4 x 12-6
Flat Flyes/Dips 3 x 10
Cable Crossovers 3 x 12-8 + (1 x Failure)

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Chest and Traps.

Legs

Squats 4 x 15-8
Leg Extension 4 x 15-8
Leg Press 3 x 12
Stiff Legged Deadlift 4 x 6-15
Lying Leg Curl 4 x 10
Calf Raise 4 x 20
Seated Calf Raise 4 x 6-10

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Legs.

Back and Rear Delts

Lat Pulldown/Chins 4 x 12-8
Bent Over Bbell Row 4 x 12-8
Seated Cable Close Grip Row 3 x 12
High Rope Pulldown 3 x 12-8 + (1 x Failure)
Dbell/Cable Rear Lat Raise 4 x 15-8

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Back and Rear Delts.

Front/Side Delts and Arms

Seated Military Press 4 x 12-8
Upright Row/ Front Lat Raise 3 x 12-8
Side Lat Raise 4 x 15-6
Barbell Curl 4 x 15-6
Alt. Dbell Curl 3 x 8-10
Preacher Curl 3 x 12-8
Skull Crushers 4 x 15-8
Triceps Pressdown 3 x 8-10
Kickbacks/bench dips 3 x 12-8

Click Here For A Printable Log Of Front/Side Delts and Arms.

Pre - Exhaustion- This is where you perform a isolation movement before you do a compound movement to eliminate use of surrounding muscles.

Drop Sets- After completing your final heavy set to positive failure drop your current weight and perform the same movement with a weight with either half the heaviest weight you used or the weight you performed your first set with and again go to failure.

Super Sets- Super sets are great for getting maximum blood flow to the desired area I will get you to do super sets using the same body part but different exercises in exception for arms where you can use a bicep exercise with a triceps exercise. E.g. Barbell Curl with Skull crushers or bench pres with Dbell Flyes.

Run The Rack- This is like a massive drop set. Although this might not be the correct name it relates to the events that will eventually take place. What you will do is do 2 or 3 light warm up sets at the beginning of your workout and then your first set will be your heaviest weight.

After your first set, go to failure then pick up the weight for the next set which will be lighter and go until you cant go anymore, do this for the desired number of sets. This can be done for all of your exercises or just the first it will depend on you.

I feel this is a vary effective and challenging program. I recommend that it only be tried if you have at least 1 and a half years hardcore training under your belt.

Dedication will be needed to have full affects take place but if you just use it as a personal guide great changes will occur.

I hope you have learnt as much from reading this article as I did when writing it.

I have put a lot of time and effort into this article so any feedback or questions would be greatly appreciated and by all means let the bosses at bodybuilding.com know what you think of me.

So keep it real, huge and ripped!

Until Next Time,
SADEK

jamessadek@optusnet.com.au

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