Why you Should Bulk First

A lot of beginners when they first start training or bodybuilding have no clue where to start.  This is not surprising.  The issue that they have is that they spend their time in the gym on foolish nonsensical exercises and machines.  This will keep anyone small and lead to no gains.  What beginners need to do is focus their energy and the bulk of their training on the heavy big lifts.

Now, lucky for you, in the era of the internet there are plenty of free programs out there that can help you make consistent gains.  What you need to do is pick one program and do that for 6 months straight without stopping.  With that being said, you need to focus on bulking when you first start training.

Assuming you're not 30 lbs overweight you need to bulk.  This is because your first year of training is when you can make the most gains.  People in the fitness industry call these noob gains.  This means you need to consume 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per day and consume at least 250 grams of carbs per day as well.  Unless you want to become a lard ass, you need to watch how many carbs you eat.  Because over-consumption of carbs can turn into body fat fast.


Now lets's get back to the gym.  For your first year of training here are some recommended programs.

Workout A:  

 Low bar Squats:  4 x 6, 1 x 20

Bench press: 3 x 6

Power clean: 3 x 5

Dead-lift: 5 x 5

Workout B:

Low Bar squat: 1 x 20

Standing overhead press: 5 x 5 reps

Dead-lifts: 1 x 5

Weighted dips: 3 x 8 reps

Weighted chin ups: 3 x failure

This workout is to be done exactly as written.  Perform this 3-4 times per week every other day.  Some weeks you'll do Workout A twice and others you'll do Workout B twice.  If you eat enough food you will make progress.  I suggest that you eat a minimum of 4,000 calories per day.  If you do this every day and stick to it you will make impressive gains.  

The weighted chin ups and weighted dips are more than enough arm training.  This will build thickness in the arms.  If you skip out, you will miss out on major strength gains.  The power cleans in workout A are done 3rd on purpose.  Make sure you never miss a rep on power cleans.  Don't take power cleans to failure ever.  Every body part is trained in this program.  Except calves.  

It's up to you whether or not you want to train calves.  If you want to be a bodybuilder, train them, if not, don't.  I train calves, it's up to you if you want to train them.  

Now, if you want a program that is purely for adding mass here it is.

Barbarian mass program

Workout A

Low bar squat: 3 x 20 reps

Weighted dips: 4 x 8 reps

Weighted chin ups: 4 x 8 reps

Dead-lift: 2 sets 6, 12 reps

Dumbbell pullover:  3 x 20 reps

Weighted cable crunches: 4 x 15-20 reps

Workout B:

Low bar squat: 3 x 20 reps

Incline bench press: 4 x 6 reps

Bent over barbell rows: 5 x 5 reps

Barbell curls: 5 x 12 reps

Dumbbell pullovers: 3 x 20 reps

Workout C: 

Low bar squat: 1 x 20

Flat bench press: 5 x 5

Barbell overhead press: 4 x 8 reps

Dead-lifts: 2 x 10 reps

The mass gain program is superior to the other if you're talking about pure muscle gains.  20 rep squats add crazy mass all over your entire body.  Weighted dips and weighted chin ups are functional exercises that everyone needs to do.  If you can't do them with weight just start off with body weight until you can.  Progression on all of these exercises will lead to size gains.