Bill Jones Mr Universe Training for Mass Routine
As I approach my twilight years, I can tell you that my workouts today are completely different from my Mr Universe days. However, there was a time when I was training for mass muscle growth and as a lot of our Gym 21 members keep asking me about this subject, I’ve decided to write this article.
Simply put, if you want to build big muscles, you have to go heavy and this specialised workout is the way to do it. Please note that I do not recommend this routine for seniors, as it is likely to cause injury in the older guys. Here are the exercises.
1. Bench Press – This is a flat bench free weight exercise and you may need a training partner to spot you. Your aim is to lift the heaviest weight possible for six repetitions only. If you can do more than six reps, you need to add more weight and you need to keep adding weight until you can barely manage the sixth rep! Do this for four sets.
2. Bent Over Rows – This exercise is obviously designed to build your lat muscles and once again, you will be looking to achieve four sets of no more than six reps. Your arms will burn as you row with such heavy weights, but you need to pay the price for growing a wide back. I highly recommend that you wear a weight training belt while you perform bent over rows!
3. Shoulder Press – These should be performed from the front – in a military press style – and a fair degree of cheating is allowed. So this will feel more like a power lifting exercise, while you aim for no more than six reps – of four sets.
4. Deadlifts – This exercise is an absolute killer and it is designed to strengthen the core muscles. It also hits a lot of secondary muscles, such as the lower back and leg bicep muscles (bicep femorus). A weight training belt is a must here, while you aim for four sets of six repetitions.
5. Squats – Once again, you need to be wearing a weight training belt for this exercise, because you’re going to go really heavy and for no more than six reps. At such heavy weights, you do not need to squat as strictly and you need to test the weight on the way down – you might even consider knee supports. Make sure to keep your back straight and stick your bum out, so as to throw all of the load onto your quads. Do four sets and consider using a Smith Machine with adjustable safety bars.
6. Standing Bicep Curls – You should use a straight bar for this movement and it should be so heavy that you are allowed to cheat like crazy. Really throw the bar upwards and feel free to rock your body back and forth while you squeeze out six reps for four sets.
What About Triceps?
You may have noticed that these six exercises consist of the main compound movements and as well as hitting the area they are designed to, they will also incorporate several other muscle groups. For example, you may be worried that there is no tricep exercise included here, but mark my word, you’ll be doing enough for your triceps when you perform very heavy bench and shoulder presses.
How Long Should I Follow this Routine?
You should follow this routine for at least one month per year and you must aim for very heavy weights, whilst sticking to six reps. You should train in this manner for three days per week, with a rest day in between each workout – so something like Monday, Wednesday, Friday would be fine. The four days of rest play an important part in your mass growth.
Can I Do This at Home?
You can try to do this at home, but you will need a lot of weights and it would probably work out cheaper to buy a gym membership! I tried to do this at home many years ago and not only did I get pinned to my bench by an overweight barbell, the weights fell off and took a load of plaster off the downstairs ceiling!
What Results Can I Expect?
After one month of training for mass in the way that I have described, you will increase your overall muscle mass and your strength should increase by around twenty five percent. Now, imagine how big you will become during the subsequent years, if you add twenty five percent to your lifting ability each year?
Here’s an interesting Bodybuilding video about training for mass, from the king of kings Arnold Schwarzenegger.
