Top 6 Strength and Mass Building Exercises

HOW TO BUILD MUSCLE MASS FAST:



- Focus on progressive overload

- Consume enough calories to support muscle growth

- Quality rest

- Consume all three macro-nutrients (Proteins, Carbs, Fats)

- Perform compound exercises



More tips on how to gain muscle mass fast you can read in other articles:

The Bodybuilding Guide to Build Muscle Mass Fast


Old-School Bodybuilding Tips by Joe Weider - Build Muscle Mass Fast

Best exercises to become bigger and stronger are compound movements that involve more than one muscle group at the same time. With compound exercises, you can build muscle mass fast, lose fat and increase your strength faster than using isolation exercises. 

Check out the list of compound exercises that are best for building muscle:

1. Squat

It is the best muscle building exercise because:

  -  The entire musculature is activated

 - Performing squat highly boost muscle building hormones

  

Even the squat is very dangerous exercise, especially if it is done with bad form and too much weight, there is nothing like putting a heavy weight on your back and going down as low as you can, then coming back up and doing it again and again while you are naturally boosting testosterone levels and engage many muscle groups. Even those that you didn't hear of before. 

The squat is definitely the best muscle builder ever. 

2. Bench Press

This is one of the most famous gym exercises and it is famous for building a big chest, but Bench Press is also working Deltoids, Triceps, and Traps. Bench Press is an ultimate exercise for building upper body muscles, there is no better exercise for upper body strength and size. Practice Bench Press form and lift heavy and you will build an awesome torso.

The best way to build muscle with Bench Press is by using a barbell. The reason for that is that you can lift more weight than if you use dumbbells. 


Incline Bench Press - better effect on upper chest

Decline Bench Press - best lower chest exercise

3. Bent-over Barbell Row


One of the best exercises for the thickly muscled back. Like all multi-joints movements, barbell row is also difficult exercise for performing but it still way better for building muscles than alternatives like seated rows and lat pulldowns. You should include this exercise in every back workouts.


Bent-over rows work every muscle from traps to lower lats and are also very good for developing biceps. 




4. Military Press


The most effective exercise to build big and round shoulders. Military Presses are also good for developing upper back, neck, and back of arms. 




5. Lunges


The best exercise for your legs after squats. By performing lunges you can target butt and hamstrings and further develop your lower body by combining them with squats.




6. Lat Pulldowns


Doing Lat Pulldowns will help you to develop your back muscles and biceps. By performing this exercise often you can make your physique have a much more balanced appearance. 



Best Bodyweight Exercises for Muscle Building are Pull Ups/Chin Ups, Dips, and Push Ups (make sure that you put a weighted belt if you can do more than 12 reps with your bodyweight only). 


Recommended rep range for muscle hypertrophy is from 8 to 12 reps for one set. 


To build muscle mass fast I recommend doing these exercises as first in every workout (bench press on chest day, bent-over rows on back day etc.) and combine them with a few isolation exercises. Just make sure that you are mixing your workout, your muscles should not get used to the same workout every time, confuse your muscles to ensure more muscle growth.

Complete Guide to Bigger Arms - Workout and Tips for Bigger Biceps and Triceps

Okay, you want to have bigger arms, that is why you are reading this article. Arms are one of the body parts that we first notice on someone who lifts, especially on summer, with the shirt on or off. Most beginning lifter starting going to the gym to lose some fat and pack on a few pounds of muscle especially on their triceps and biceps.

To be honest, there is nothing so impressive than having huge and muscular arms. Every guy in the gym wants it and ladies like to see them too. Maybe that is exactly the reason why are you looking to get bigger arms. To be noticed by lifters in the gym and especially by ladies.

What are you going to need to get bigger arms fast?

- Hypertrophy training

- Muscle-Building Diet

- Rest

To build bigger arms you will need to use the right exercises. You won't build bigger arms by training on machines, that must be clear. You need to lift heavy iron to make your triceps and biceps get bigger and stronger. 



I recommend a workout starting with barbell exercises which allow you to lift heavier weights, and then isolate your arms muscles with dumbbells. Also, to build bigger arms fast you can do supersets.

ALSO READ:


How to Gain Muscle Mass - 5 Principles of Muscle Hypertrophy


Mass-Building Shoulder Workout - Exercises for Bigger Shoulders





For those who don't know what are supersets, supersets are performed when two exercises are performed in a row, without a pause between them.



High volume workouts and supersets are key to bigger arms. 

For example, if you are planning to do both arms muscles, triceps and biceps, on the same day you can perform a superset of biceps curls immediately followed by triceps extensions. Combine a biceps exercise with a triceps exercise. A typical superset often includes targeting two different muscle groups. 



This rule for supersets can also work for other body parts like Chest and Back, Quads and Harmstings but they can also work for the same muscle group.





WORKOUT FOR BIGGER ARMS:



4 x Superset 1:


Barbell Biceps Curl, 10 - 12 reps
Barbell Triceps Extension, 10 - 12 reps



4 x Superset 2:


Dumbbell Curl, 10 - 12 reps
Triceps Pushdown, 10 - 12 reps



4 x Superset 3:


Hammer Curls, 10 - 12 reps
Dumbbell Kickback, 10 - 12 reps



 4 x Superset 4:


Incline Dumbbell Curl, 10 - 12 reps
One-Arm Triceps Extension, 10 - 12 reps

That is it, 8 exercises combined in 4 supersets that will help you build your arms muscles faster. You should also add one forearm exercise performed for 4 sets of 12 reps to have a complete arms workout.

The Ultimate Muscle-Building Workout Routine - Build Muscle Mass Fast

Are you curious about how to gain more muscle mass and what is the best way to get it? If your answer is yes, then continue reading this article, don't just skip to the workout program.

TRAINING IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR MUSCLE BUILDING, BUT NOT AS IMPORTANT AS YOUR DIET

By following the right workout routine, you can gain muscle even if you train just two or three times for a week. Also, eating 8 meals a day as many Fitness instructors advises is not necessary, I had good results in lean muscle growth with only 4 – 5 meals and 2 of that meals are consumed in shakes so I have 3 big meals and two good protein shakes for a day and all of that differs from day to day. 

The most important things you need to know in order to build muscle mass is to consume all nutrients that are necessary for muscle growth, consume more calories than you burn and stimulate your muscles to grow by lifting harder and harder whenever you are able to. That is called a progressive overload and it is the best way to force your body to grow.



You can split all nutrients into 10 small meals, or you can eat 5 bigger meals that consist of all nutrients that muscles require to grow, that doesn't make such a big difference. You will grow as long as you force your muscles to grow with progressive overload and feed them will enough calories and nutrients that your muscles need for growth.

ALSO READ:


How to Gain Muscle Mass - 5 Principles of Muscle Hypertrophy

Just focus on lifting heavy with compound movements and consume a lot of proteins, carbs, and fats, have a good night sleep and you will gain lean muscle mass. By following these tips you will gain at least one pound of lean muscle every week and that is enough. Gaining one pound of lean muscle every week will lead you to gain 4 pounds of lean muscles for a month and so on, keep calculating. 

Nobody can gain 10 pounds of lean muscle for a week or even for a month without using anabolic steroids and just by proper training and nutrition plan. So, focus on little gains every week and try to eat clean and train hard.

The Muscle Building Workout Routine:

Monday:  (Push Workout)

Exercise	Reps	Sets
Incline Bench Press	8-10	4
Military Press	8-10	4
Bench Press for Triceps	8-12	4
Dumbbell Flies	10-12	4
Dips (Chest)	12	4
Seated Shoulder Press	10-12	4
Triceps Overhead Press	10-12	4

Wednesday: (Pull Workout)

Exercise	Reps	Sets
Dead Lift	8	4
Bent-Over Row	8-12	4
Chin Up	12	4
Biceps Curls	8-12	4
Bent-Over Laterals	10-12	4
Hammer Curls	10-12	4
Lat Pulldowns on Machine	10-12	4

Friday: (Legs Workout)

Exercise	Reps	Sets
Barbell Squat	6-8	4
Dumbbell Lunges	12	4
Leg Press	12	4
Lying Leg Curls	12	3
Leg Extensions	15	3
Standing Calf Raises	12	4

This Workout Program for Mass is created as Push, Pull and Legs split and it is great for hypertrophy (muscle growth). Try this workout routine for one month and you will see results in strength and muscle mass.

How to Build Muscle with Push Ups?

Can we build muscle with a bodyweight exercise like push-up? Are the weights and machines the only way to build muscle mass? 

There are many different opinions about this question, calisthenics fans swear that bodyweight exercises are very effective at muscle building while gym rats claim that without a barbell, dumbbell, and weights it is very hard to gain even two pounds of muscle mass.

Push-ups are probably the oldest exercise that people ever performed and the primary muscles that they work are the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Training these muscle groups is great for developing upper body strength and they also develop your core strength and help with balance which is very necessary for many athletes.

But are push-ups effective for muscle building?

Many bodyweight exercises like pull ups/chin ups, dips and also push-ups are one of the best exercises if you are looking to gain muscle mass. The problem is that you need to give your muscles a reason to grow so by only doing basic push-ups every day you won't make a lot of progress. It will probably give you good results in the first couple of weeks but then when you master this exercises and become able to perform 50 or more push-ups they won't build muscle anymore. 

If you want to continue gaining muscle mass with push ups you need to keep making the exercise more difficult to force the muscles to keep growing and adapting. 

When you master the basic push-ups, try other harder versions of push-ups and when that also become easy for you and your body adapts to it try adding some weight plates on your back to give more resistance to your muscles to force them to adapt to harder exercise which will make them grow.

Gaining muscle mass isn't an easy process, whether you choose to build muscles with bodyweight exercises or by lifting weights. You have to stress your muscles and provide them with the proper nutrients to help them to rebuild and give them good rest to recuperate and grow. Pushing your muscles to grow becomes more difficult over time as your body adapts to the workout, so the best thing that you can do to build muscle mass fast is to always make your workouts more challenging. 

What are the benefits of doing push-ups?


1. Compound movement, target multiple muscle groups

2. No equipment needed and you can do them anywhere

3. Push-ups build core strength

4. Burning a lot of calories

5. Improve your posture

6. Prevent lower back injuries 

7. Higher testosterone levels

8. Strengthen bones, reduce risk of osteoporosis




How to build muscle mass with push ups?


Considering that you are able to do more than 10 regular push ups you can start with 5 sets of 10 push-ups and perform them every other day in the first week. 


Next week, try to add 3 to 5 more push-ups in each set and also perform 5 sets of that number of push-ups.


Continue doing this until you easily do more than 20 push-ups per one set.




1. Try other variations of push-ups


To make your workout harder try some other push-ups variations like diamond push-ups, incline push-ups, decline push-ups, incline and decline diamond push-ups and the hardest - one arm push-ups. 

Diamond Push-Up

Incline Push-Up

Decline Push-Up

One arm push-up

Try all these push-ups variations to make your workout more challenging and be consistent. Perform every variation for some time until you can do more than 15 push-ups then it is time for the next step.




2. Perform Push-ups with a weighted vest or a weight plate on your back


This is also one of the ways to make your push-ups routine more challenging and more effective for building muscle mass. Weighted vests and weight plates are a great way to add more resistance to your push up. If you don't have an access to weight plates and weighted vests then there is also an alternative - fill your backpack with heavy objects that should equal to 20% of your body weight and wear it while performing your push-ups routine.



If you really follow all these tips and remain consistent every week your push-ups routine could really build some pounds of muscle mass, but of course, you shouldn't forget that one of the main components of muscle building plans is - Diet. You need to be in caloric surplus and consume a proper number of nutrient (proteins, carbs, fats) every day.


More about muscle-building foods and diet you can find in other articles on this site:


20 Foods You Should Eat to Gain Muscle Mass



Diet Tips for Lean Muscle Gain





If you are planning to start lifting weights, or you don't feel that you are getting results by doing push ups you can check out many other workout programs and muscle building tips on this website:



How to Gain Muscle Mass - 5 Principles of Muscle Hypertrophy



Try Reg Park's 5x5 Workout Program to Gain Strength and Muscle Mass