Arnold Schwarzenegger's Mass-Building Workout Routine - 'The Golden Six'

I have written many times about benefits of full-body workouts for building strength and muscle and 'The Golden Six' is the routine that got 'The Austrian Oak' started in bodybuilding. 

It is certainly one of the best workout routines for muscle growth that I recommend to all beginners and to lifters that are looking to change their routine that stopped producing new muscle gains.

Same as his idol and mentor Reg Park, Arnold Schwarzenegger also built his impressive foundation on full-body workouts. Many years later Arnold became famous as a fan of the high volume body part split routines, but honestly, I think that he gained most of his muscles by following  Reg Park's 5x5 Workout Program and his own full-body routine 'The Golden Six'. And he started favoring these high volume split routines in the time when he was experimenting with anabolic steroids.

This workout program was nicknamed 'The Golden Six' for its straightforward focus on six of the most basic exercises. This may not be a routine that you will use forever but it is great for beginning lifters and those who want to get back to basics with one of the simplest workouts. Also, one of the good things is that you only need to visit gym three times per week.

EXERCISE	SETS	REPS
Barbell Squat	4	10
Wide Grip Bench Press	3	10
Chin Up	3	Max
Behind The Neck Press	4	10
Barbell Curl	3	10
Bent Knee Sit Up	3-4	Max

Arnold Schwarzenegger recommended performing "The Golden Six" workout routine 3 times per week for a 3-month cycle. Once you become able to do 2 or more reps above the reps given in this workout plan increase the weight. It is very important to add more weight plates whenever possible to force your muscles to adapt and grow.

This classic full-body routine is ideal for beginners and hardgainers that are looking to gain muscle mass fast. It is simple and effective like most full-body workouts and doesn't leave any muscle group unattended.

The Ultimate Chest Workout for Mass - Build a Bigger Chest Fast

You've probably heard it a million times when somebody asks for advice to get a bigger chest it is always somebody there to say well, do bench press. Ok, it is true that bench press it the best mass-building chest exercise, but it isn't enough just to do flat, incline and decline bench presses to increase the size of your chest.

Bench press, performed from any angle, is a basis of a great mass-building chest workout and it is best to start every workout with a multi-joint movement like this one. But, aside to king of chest exercises, you will need to perform some dumbbell flyes and pullovers to add more mass to your chest.

The best way to increase your chest width and size is to focus on the upper chest and to perform incline bench press from many incline positions. So, instead of classic incline bench find an adjustable bench and use less of an incline for better impact on your upper chest and less stress on your deltoids.

It is a very common mistake that lifters make when they are training their chest, they don't pay a lot of attention on the stress they are making on their deltoids which lead to many shoulder pains or injuries. What can probably cause that is your form when performing bench presses. 




Here are some tips to improve your bench press form:


- Drop your traps and shoulders down
- Hold your shoulder blades together
- Puff your chest up
- Hold your elbows slightly under the nipple
- Touch your chest with barbell and don't lock out your shoulders

Bench press form is very important when it comes to building a big chest. It is very important to hold a barbell (or dumbbells) with a medium grip which put less stress on front shoulders than the wide grip. 



Many bodybuilders agree that bench press with a grip little wider than shoulder width is great for hitting your pecs. 



Performing a barbell bench press will allow you to lift more weight than using dumbbells which is why it is the best exercise for stronger and bigger pecs. On the other side, dumbbells allow you to perform presses with a more controlled range of motion and it can be safer for deltoids. It is best to perform dumbbell chest exercises after your pecs get exhausted from barbell bench presses.



It is considered that incline bench presses are better than flat bench presses for muscle building because it put deltoids in less vulnerable position. 



A good reason to use dumbbell flies in your chest workout routine is that flies are chest only exercise. Performing it will put all the tension on your chest. Remember to squeeze the weights on the top when performing flies.

One thing that is very important for chest development is stretching. This is the reason why you should also add dips (chest version) to your chest routine. Key to best form is to lean forward, keep your elbows tucked, and go down till your arms are parallel to the ground. 

MASS BUILDING CHEST WORKOUT:

   

EXERCISE	SETS	REPS
Bench Press (Flat or Decline)	3	8
Incline Dumbbell Press	3	8
Incline Dumbbell Flye	3	12
Dip (Chest Version)	3	12

Workout for Strength and Size - Gain Strength and Muscle Mass with one Workout Routine

Alright, we all know that best rep range for building muscle is from 8 to 12 and that is range is usually used in bodybuilders' routines. We also know that working out with 1 - 5 rep range is common for powerlifters for strength gain. 

But can strength and muscle mass be built at the same time?

Actually, strength and size are highly related to each other and one of the best ways to keep gaining both of them each week is to unite strength and hypertrophy training.

Three big lifts, deadlift, squat, and bench press are the probably the best exercises to build muscle and also strength with lower rep range. Those three exercises are very important but you are going to need some isolation exercises to train some of the smaller muscles directly.

The best way to increase muscle mass and strength is to start with multi-joint movements like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses in a powerlifting rep range and then continue training with higher rep range to aim for muscle hypertrophy.

Muscle Palace Strength and Size Workout Routine:

MONDAY - Legs and Calves

TUESDAY - Chest and Triceps

THURSDAY - Back and Biceps

FRIDAY - Shoulders and Traps

To gain lean muscle mass you need to be in caloric surplus, constantly. Consume proteins, carbs, and fats to feed your muscles and follow this workout routine for at least 8 weeks for to gain more strength and muscle mass.

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Mass-Building Shoulder Workout - Exercises for Bigger Shoulders

When it comes to building muscular and good-looking physique then one of the most important things is to build big and broad shoulders. Main elements of V-taper are boulder shoulders, wide lats, and a small waist. That means that you can build a well-balanced figure without developing your shoulders.

Workout for Muscle Growth - Build Muscle Mass Fast

How to build a big set of shoulders? Choose the right workout and also consume enough healthy calories to make them grow. Also, try to avoid the mistake that many lifters make and don't only focus on the middle head of deltoid. The shoulder is three-headed muscle and it consists of anterior, middle, and rear heads of the muscle. Every head is important, don't neglect any of them.

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FORCE YOUR SHOULDERS TO GROW:

It is very important to follow the progressive overload, so don't just lift the same weight on every shoulders day, you need to force your shoulder muscles to grow so add more weight, or add more reps. But don't go over 12 reps, that won't help you in building muscle mass. Stay between 8 - 12 reps, which is the best rep range for muscle hypertrophy.

Another way to force your shoulders to grow is to mix your workouts every time. Don't let your muscles to adapt to the same exercises and weights over and over. Make some changes from time to time, shock your muscles. Make your shoulders don't know what is coming.

Best Exercises to Build Muscle Mass Fast

BEST EXERCISES TO BUILD BIGGER SHOULDERS:

1. Barbell Military Press

Seated Military Press

You can perform barbell military presses by standing or seating on a bench. This is the best exercise for building big shoulders. It targets all three heads of shoulders.

How to perform it: Grab a barbell and push it upwards then slowly bring the barbell down while inhaling. Keep your back straight through the process.

2. Side Lateral Raise

Standing Side Lateral Raise

One of the best exercises for widening your shoulders. Try not to use momentum and swing the weights, focus on a good form while performing lateral raises.

How to perform it: Hold dumbbells in each hand at the side of your body and lift them up while slightly arching your back. Return dumbbells to the starting position and that is the first rep. 

3. Arnold Dumbbell Press

The king of the bodybuilding Arnold Schwarzenegger himself invented and popularized this exercise. You can guess how good is it by looking at his shoulders

How to perform it: Similar to classic dumbbell press but with one difference. You are starting the exercise with dumbbells in each hand and your palms facing your head and then lift dumbbells up while rotating palms of your hands until they are facing forward. Repeat the process for as many reps you want.

4. EZ Barbell Upright Row

One of the exercises that work more than one muscle joint. Great for targeting the middle delts. Upright rows are mostly performed with EZ barbell, but you can perform them with straight barbell or dumbbells too. 

How to perform it: Hold a barbell with an overhand grip that is slightly less than shoulder width and hold your back straight. Exhale and use the sides of your shoulders to lift the bar up, raising your elbows up and to the side. Pause for a second and return the barbell to a starting position. 

5. Rear Lateral Raises

Let's not forget about rear shoulders which are very important for a well-developed physique. Rear Lateral Raises are probably the best exercise for rear shoulders development. 

How to perform it: Similar to side lateral raises but this time starting in a bent over position.

Try not to neglect any of the three shoulder heads, especially the rear shoulders which are very important for muscle balance. Neglecting rear delts can get you muscles imbalance and shoulders instability.