Push/Pull Workout Routine

60-Minute Fitness Program

DAILY

MONDAY/THURSDAY

CHEST & TRICEPS
Dumbbell Chest Press (3 or 4x10-12)
Incline Dumbbell Press (3 or 4x8-10)
Cable Crossovers (3 or 4x10-12)
Triceps Press Machine (3 or 4x12)
Pulley Pushdowns (3 or 4x12)

TUESDAY/FRIDAY-Off

BACK & BICEPS
Close Grip Chins (or C/G Pull downs) (3 or 4x12)
Wide Grip Pull downs (3 or 4x10-12)
One Arm Dumbbell Row (3 or 4x4-6)
Barbell Curls (3 or 4x8-10)
Biceps Machine Curls (3 or 4x8-10)

WEDNESDAY

LEGS
Squats or Leg Press (3-4x12, 10, 8, 6)
Lunges (3-4x12)

Leg Extension (3-4x15)
supersetted with
Leg Curls (3-4x10-12)

Calf Presses (3-4x20)

The 4 day workout split

This workout can be used a 8 week beginners workout.

Monday
Legs                             Sets and Reps
Squat                             10, 8, 6, 5, 5
Leg curl                          10, 8, 6, 5, 5
Leg press                        10, 8, 6
Abs                                15, 15, 15
Tuesday
Chest/Triceps               Sets and Reps
Incline Bench Press            10, 8, 6, 5
Dumbbell Bench Press        10, 8, 6
Dumbbell Fly                     10, 8, 6
Close Grip Bench Press       10, 8, 6, 5
Thursday
Back/Biceps                  Sets and Reps
Deadlifts                          5, 5, 5, 5 (heavy)
Pull Ups                           10, 8, 6, 5
Dumbbell Row                  10, 8, 6, 5
Barbell Curl                       8, 8, 8
Friday
Shoulders                      Sets and Reps
Standing Overhead press   10, 8, 6
Lateral Raise                     10, 8, 8
Bent lateral raise               10,8,8
Abs                                 15,15,15

Volume Training

Volume Training - 5 Day Split Routine
Day 1 – Legs
5-10 mins bike or cross trainer to warm up
Leg extensions – 3 sets 10-12 reps; 1 set 25 reps
Hack squats - 4 sets 10-12 reps
Staggered leg press – 3 sets 12 reps each leg forward (i.e. that's 24 reps per set)
Walking lunges – 3 sets of 20 steps
Lying leg curls – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Stiff-legged deadlifts – 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Calf raises – 4 heavy sets of 8 reps
Seated calf raises – 4 sets of 12-15 reps
5-10 mins bike or cross trainer to warm down

Day 2 – Chest + Abs
5-10 mins bike or cross trainer to warm up
Db or Bench press – 3 sets 10-12 reps; 1 set 25 reps
Incline press – 4 sets 10-12 reps

Decline Press-3 sets 10-12 reps

Dumbbell Pullover-3 sets 10-12 reps

Chest Press-3 sets 10-12 reps
Pec-dec – 3 sets 10-12 reps; 1 set 25reps
Cable cross-overs – 4 sets of 12-15 reps rapidly, varying position
Leg-raises – 3 sets to failure

Day 3 – Back + Abs
5-10 mins bike or cross trainer to warm up
Lat pull-downs (front neck) – 3 sets 10-12 reps; 1 set 25 reps
Low-pulley rows – 4 sets 10-12 reps
Dead lifts – 3 sets 8-10 reps

Behind-the-back Press – 3 sets 10-12 reps

Back Exts- 3 sets- 35 reps

Chin Up-3 sets 8-12 reps
Bent-over rows – 3 sets 8-10 reps
Straight-arm pull-downs – 3 sets 10-12 reps; 1 set 25 reps
Sit-up crunches – 3 sets to failure

Day 4 – Delts + Traps

Warm up 10 min
Sit-up Crunches – 4 sets x 30 reps
Roman Chair Crunches – 4 sets x 30 reps

Dumbbell side lateral raises – 4 sets 10-12 reps
Seated shoulder press (front neck) – 3 sets 10-12 reps; **1 set 25 reps**
Steering wheels – 3 sets 30 turns)

Bent over Db Fly’s – 3 sets 10-12 reps

BB Bradford Press(Front to Back) – 4 sets 25 rep(Total #100 reps)

Machine Press – 3 sets 10-12 reps

Arnold Press- 3 sets 10-12 reps
Barbell front laterals – 3 sets 10-12 reps) may be performed as a superset
Seated bent-over laterals (rear delts) – 4 sets 10-12 reps
Shrugs – 4 sets 8-10 reps
Upright rows – 3 sets 8-10 reps

Day 5 – Bis + Tris
warm up 10 min
Skull-crushers – 4 sets 10-12 reps
Tricep push-downs - 4 sets 10-12 reps

Tricep Rope Pushdown – 3 sets 10-12 reps

Tricep KickBacks- 3 sets 10-12 reps

Seated Tricep Extentions- 3 sets 10-12 reps

Standing Cable Curl- 4 sets 10-12 reps
Reverse grip single arm tricep pushdowns – 3 sets 10-12 reps each arm
Stranding EZ curls – 4 sets 10-12 reps
Preacher curls – 3 sets 10-12 reps; 1 set 25 reps
Concentration curls – 2 sets 8-10 reps each arm
Reverse curls – 4 sets 10-12 reps
Wrist curls – 4 sets 10-12 reps

Advanced Training Workout Routine

This workout can be done by men and women. This is just not geared to men.

DAILY

MID SECTION & AEROBIC WORK
15 minutes of intense cardio
Crunches, Leg Raises, Rope Tuck, Hyperextensions

DAY 1

CHEST & BACK SUPERSET
Bench or Dumbbell Press (3-4x12, 10, 8, 6)
supersetted with
Wide Grip Pulldown or Chins (3-4x12, 10, 8, 6)

Dumbbell Incline Press (3-4x12, 10, 8, 6)
tri-setted with
Dumbbell Pullover (4x10)
and
Seated Lat Row (4x10)

Cable Crossovers (3-4x12)
supersetted with
One Arm Dumbbell Row (3-4x12)

Optional: Dead lift (3x10)

DAY 2

SHOULDERS
Overhead Press (3-4x8)
supersetted with
Sidearm Lateral Raise (3-4x12)

BICEPS & TRICEPS TRI-SETS
Bent Bar Curl (3-4x8-12)
tri-setted with
Close Grip Bench Press (3-4x10-12)
and
Lying Triceps Extension (3-4x10-12)

Dumbbell Curl (3-4x8-10)
tri-setted with
Dips or Triceps Press Machine (4x12)
and
Pulley Pushdowns (4x12)

DAY 3

LEGS
Standing Calf Raise (4xMax)
supersetted with
Seated Calf Raise (4xMax)

Leg Extension (4x12)
supersetted with
Leg Curl (4x10-12)

Squat (4x12, 10, 8, 6)

Stiff Legged Dead lifts (4x10)

3 Day Split Information and Routine

3-day split workout
The best 3-day split workout is one that will work all the muscle groups in your body and give them enough time to rest and grow. This workout is best if you have limited time like most people, and have a desire to gain mass and strength in a few short weeks. The most important thing to remember is to not give up and to keep working out, do not miss a day because this will mess up your whole schedule. It is vital that you do your 3 days a week or you will not have enough rest and you will not grow.

The Workout will be split into 3 different body groups, each designed to allow for adequate amount of rest and also made to be completed in a short amount of time. Workout should take no longer than 1 hour, but should be a mimimum of 45 minutes. If you have a partner, rest when your partner is doing their set and vice versa.

Day 1- Chest, Triceps, Delts

2 x 10 Bench press
2 x 10 Close grip bench press
2 x 10 Incline bench press
2 x 8 Dumbbell flies
2 x 8 Skull crushers
2 x 10 Tricep extensions
2 x 15 Front dumbbell raise
2 x 15 Side dumbbell raise

Your triceps should be fully pumped; delts and chest should be solid as a rock after this workout.

Day 2- Rest

You deserve this day off, make sure to eat right and rest. If you’re sore from the day before, massage and stretch those sore muscles. If you’re not sore, then think about using heavier weight next time.

Day 3- Biceps, Back, Traps, Forearms

3 x 10 Barbell curls (try wide and close grips too)
2 x 10 Concentration curls
2 sets of pull-ups to failure (if you can do them)
2 x 10 Lat pulls
2 x 10 Bent over Rows
3 x 10 Wrist curls
2 x 10 Barbell shrugs
2 x 10 Calf raise machine shrugs

Day 4- Rest

If you did everything right this week, you should be sore from yesterday’s workout. If not, you know what to do – lift heavier! Be safe when lifting though, you don’t want to get injured.

Day 5- Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings and Calves

3 x 10 Squats
2 x 10 Barbell deadlifts
3 x 10 Leg press
2 x 10 Leg extensions
3 x 10 Calf raises
2 x 10 Barbell lunges
2 sets Farmer’s walk

This should be your favorite day because this is when you pack on mass from those squats that work those large leg muscles and release growth hormone throughout your body. Your base also gets stronger and you will be able to lift more next week! Have a cheat meal the next day as a reward for going through this punishing and painful week.

Day 6- Rest
Day 7- Rest

When doing a 3-day split, should any muscle groups be trained only once per week? Any twice per week? Why?

Because the legs are a big muscle group, you should only work them out once a week. Compared to other the muscle groups, they take the longest to recover because they contain the most muscle fibers and can result in higher levels of soreness. Some muscles that can be trained more than once a week would include the forearms, traps and delts. This is because these muscles are small and are used to being used frequently, therefore they have high endurance. The only way to get them to grow when they have high endurance is to work them constantly and with heavy reps. Working them more than 3 times a week is pushing it though, so do not over train and keep working them out about 1-2 times a week.

Who would be interested in doing a 3 day split and how would it help them if they did?

A 3 day split body workout can be beneficial to anyone, from the beginner to the more advanced bodybuilder. If you are a beginner it can help by getting the body ready to take the overload of future lifting by working the whole body with heavy weights. Also, remember that the beginner does not know much about the anatomy of the body and what muscles to specifically workout each day because it is known that certain muscles are used in conjunction with others in some exercises, such as bench press which utilizes the pectoral and triceps muscles, consequently making the chest and triceps one big muscle group. The beginner may not know this, so this workout will make sure that they work muscles by group and not by location or preference. A person new to weight lifting may also not have the time to have a workout every day, so this 3 day a week workout is great for those short on time. Finally and most importantly, it will teach the beginner to be consistent with their workout and have strict discipline, something that will help them greatly in their weight lifting life.

For the advance bodybuilder, it is important to change workouts every couple of weeks. This is because after a while, the human body adapts to change, such as 5 day workout, and this workout is the perfect way to keep the body from getting used to a certain workout and plateauing. Sometimes bodybuilders tend to workout for size or strength; this workout will help both and not just one. This can prove to be advantageous to the advanced bodybuilder as it can help gain mass or strength by taking more time off to rest.

Are there any pros that do a three day split?

Not many pros out there use the 3 day split for one reason. That’s because they do longer split workouts 5-6 days long, instead of 3. They are able to do this because this is their job and they have all the supplements to help them recover faster, letting them workout longer than the average Joe. There are a couple of amateur bodybuilders out there that use the 3 day split workout routine such as Russ Hosmer. Russ Hosmer uses a combination of 3 and 4 day splits, and depending on his needs he changes it around a bit.

Are 3-day splits better for bulking, cutting, maintaining? Why?

3 day splits are better for bulking because it can quickly add mass with a strict workout and a proper diet. One reason why it would not be good for cutting is because in cutting you are shedding fat, normally by doing cardiovascular exercises. As you will be working out your legs heavily, you will not be able to do most cardio exercises such as running, treadmill or jump rope without refusing your legs of their much-needed rest. 3 days splits are too heavy to be used to maintain muscle, or tone, because they overload the muscle and instead of toning or increasing endurance, they will add size and strength. Higher reps and sets are what increases endurance, so this workout will not significantly increase endurance, making maintenance hard with this workout.

Bonus: How does a 3-day split match up to a 4-day or 5-day split? Better or worse? Why?

As mentioned earlier, professional bodybuilders use more days in their split workouts because it allows them to do more in less time. They have supplements that help them recover their bodies much faster, therefore they can come back and work a muscle group more than once a week without overtraining. But, we are not all pro bodybuilders, so we have to use shorter days to achieve our goals. One way to do that is to use the 3 day split workout which will workout the whole body in the least amount of time. 4 or 5 day splits will only increase the risk of overtraining and injury. If you want to grow quickly but safely, use the 3 day split as it will give you enough rest. The key is consistency because you do not want to miss a day that will impair your ability to recover and grow.

The

Absolute Best Way

to Build Muscle Mass

Research suggests that in order to gain strength and size you have to overload your muscle by pushing it beyond it's present capacity. From this theory of what is called the overload principle, we know that intensity is the key to gaining muscle. This is where muscle growth occurs.

I conclude that one set to failure is not only all that it takes, but the most optimal. Does that mean you only do one set in your entire workout? No! You need to perform warm-up sets to prime the muscle for that one all-out set along with cool-down sets to flush out the ammonia, toxins, and lactic acid that built up from the stress you placed it in during that one all-out set to failure.

However, your definition of failure and my definition of failure are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum.

To get hundreds of tips and workouts like this one, consider my MP45 Program. I give you all the best exercises and diet plans to get you absolutely shredded in just 45 days. I map out everything for you. All you do is follow the program as written and I can guarantee you that 45 days later you will never look better.

 You will lift more weight than you could have imagined and you will have the best physique in the gym. This is a very simple approach and it will get you into the best shape of your life in the shortest period of time. Give my program a chance, I know you won't regret it. 45 Days. Change Your Life.

Failure does not occur when you put 225 pounds on the bench press, lift it for 9 times, and because you can’t get it up for the 10th rep, you stop. Many people refer to that as failure. However, do not get confused because of the misuse and misunderstanding of this commonly used term. Too often do I see people refer to their cowardly sets as reaching failure. It is just that they are either a) uneducated on how to properly perform an adequate failure set; or b) their mental constraints were too tight to allow their bodies to experience failure. They may be uncomfortable at that present moment in time, but definitely not realizing what their muscle is actually capable of once they unlock their minds to allow their bodies to experience such pain. They have not reached complete exhaustion to the point where there is a total cessation of performing potential additional work.

So let’s refer back to the previous example of the 225 pound bench press. Stopping after 9 reps may mean you have failed to perform 225 anymore, but think logically here. Isn’t it possible that you could perform 220 pounds for 1 rep? And then 210 for another? And then 200 for 2 additional reps? And so on down the line? The answer is yes to all of the above. That means your muscle technically has not reached absolute failure when failing to complete rep 9. Your muscle still has juice left in it to continue to work. Therefore, theoretically, failure would have to mean that you’ve worked your muscle so hard that you couldn’t lift 1 more pound off of your chest for one more rep. Obviously that is unrealistic, but do you get my point? That should be the standard for what you are trying to achieve when attempting to reach failure. You’ve got to apply more effort than what you are currently doing. That one set to failure needs to be the definition of living hell if you want to see the best possible results.

Focusing on quality, not quantity is what is important here.

Stimulation occurs when you’ve gone to failure. However, that does not suggest to you that you should go to failure each and every set. Studies show that stimulation occurs with just one set to failure and that anything more than that provides no further stimulation. The muscle fibers are completely torn with that one failure set. Going to failure set after set is going to damage them to the point where overtraining occurs.

There is such a thing as overtraining and overstimulation to the point where repair cannot adequately take place. Once a muscle has been thoroughly stimulated, anything applied further beyond that can actually hurt you, hindering growth, rather than supporting it. Think about it. If you damage the fibers properly, then they are forced to repair. However, if you stress it further than that, you are damaging the already torn fibers to the point where it takes that much longer to repair them just to reach the level that they were at prior to exercise. Now logic may tell you that the more they are damaged, the more they are going to rebuild past their normal level. However, this is not the case. Once the muscle fibers are torn, that’s all the muscle requires to stimulate growth of the muscle to develop stronger and bigger. Damaging of these torn muscles is just going to hinder your growth.

8x Mr. Olympia, Lee Haney, known by many to be one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time, always preached to “train to stimulate, not annihilate”. He also believed that “it doesn’t take a ton of weight to stimulate a muscle to grow, just the correct stimulus.”

You will want to choose one set of one exercise per muscle group where you will go all-out for that set using one of the following to do so:

·                            Drop Set- When you cannot complete another rep on your own with the weight you currently are performing, drop the weight down and bang out some more reps without any rest in between. In a 2-set drop set, decrease the weight so that you can perform at least 8 reps on your second set.

·                            Strip Set- This is a drop set, but performed multiple times. Perform a three, four, five, or six set drop set, where you continually lower the weight upon each successive set. In a strip set, the range of reps is up to you, but make sure you mentally push through to get as many done as you can with strict form.

·                            Forced Reps-When you cannot complete another rep on your own, have a training partner assist you by applying only the required help necessary for you to keep the weigh moving for extra reps. Shoot for 5-6 more reps with the assistance.

·                            Negatives- Using heavier weight than you are used to, lower the weight very slowly on the negative portion of the rep (it should take 4-5 seconds to complete that half rep) and have a partner help you as much as necessary on the positive portion of the rep. For instance, aim for 6-8 total reps on a weight that you possibly could only do for 2 reps with your partner’s assistance.

·                            Rest-Pause Theory- Take brief rest periods during a set to squeeze out more reps. For instance, if you use a weight you can lift for 6 reps, only do 2-3 reps. Take a brief rest of up to 20 seconds at most and try for another 2-3 reps. Rest again and repeat the process. You will essentially lift the same weight for more reps in this one set.

·                            5, 5, 5- This set consists of 5 fast reps (explosion of only 1 second for both the negative and positive portion of the rep), followed by 5 very slow reps (5 seconds on each the negative and positive portion of the rep), then followed by 5 normal reps (2 seconds on each the negative and positive portion of the rep). This works all twitches of the muscle fibers. Keep the same weight for all 15 reps, but make sure a proper weight is chosen, where you are really struggling to get those last 5 in. Have a spotter help you. Also you can vary it so you start out with a heavy weight for the first 5, then immediately after, with no rest, use a low weight (around 40% of your 1 rep max) for the 5 very slow reps, and then raise the weight for your 5 normal reps (around 60% of your 1RM) for the 5 normal reps.

·                            Giant Set- Using multiple exercises that focus on the same bodypart, one set consists of performing at least 3 exercises in a row without rest. For instance, during back you could do a pull-up straight to a bent over barbell row straight to a wide grip lat pulldown; ensuring that there is no rest in between the set.

·                            Slow and Controlled Reps- Take 4-5 seconds on each portion of the rep. Have a spotter help you just enough when you’ve failed.

·                            Pause Contraction Reps- Pause at different phases of the movement to realize an incredible contraction. For instance, during a squat throw on 50% of your one rep max and pause halfway for 3-5 seconds, then pause at the bottom position at parallel for 3-5 seconds, and then back up halfway with a hold, and then at the top with a hold (that is one rep). Complete it as many times as you can. Once you can’t hold it anymore, bang out as many normal reps as possible with the help of a spotter. You can switch up the times you are paused. For real intensity, hold it at the bottom, midway, and top positions for 20 seconds at a time.

·                            Peak Contraction Reps- Hold the peak contraction for up to five seconds on each rep. Squeeze the muscle as hard as you can before starting the next rep.

·                            Rep Overload– Instead of performing your normal rep range, which most people keep within the 6-15 rep range, you are going to shoot for 30, sometimes, 50, and even up to 100 reps. Choose a moderately heavy weight but one where you can perform a good amount of reps. Keep focused and keep pushing them out for an incredible amount of reps. It’s really all mental. For instance, put 135 on your back for a squat. Bang out 10 at a time, hold at the top position for 5 seconds and breathe, then bang out another 10 reps, and another 10 reps and so forth until you’ve reached failure.

  However, stimulating the muscle is only half the battle. The other half is nutrition. Your workouts are useless if you don't feed your muscles with the necessary nutrients it needs to repair itself. Too often do I see people work hard in the gym and then they throw it all down the drain with their pre and post workout meals. Building muscle mass is really about stimulating your muscles, and then repairing them to grow with proper nutrition and creating the proper anabolic hormonal envirnoment within your body. Consider my MP45 Program for the best diet plans to get you absolutely shredded in just 45 days. I map out everything for you. All you do is follow the program as written and I can guarantee you that 45 days later you will never look better. This is a very simple approach and it will get you into the best shape of your life in the shortest period of time. Give my program a chance, I know you won't regret it. 45 Days. Change Your Life.

Training For Your Body Type

Over the years I've been asked hundreds of times: "How do I gain mass?" The simple answer is always train harder, eat more and get sufficient rest. More often than not though, I find myself delving into the individual's diet and training habits, refusing to take the easy way out. Typically my investigation begins with such questions as: how many days do you train, how many exercises, how many reps until failure, goals, typical daily diet habits, etc. Usually at this point it becomes apparent that most people do not know enough about their own body to make a significant impact on the size of their muscle tissue - which has led me to write this article.
To truly understand your body and achieve your desired goals, you must first determine your body type. Body types, or somatotypes, fall under three different classifications: endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph. The classic endomorphic physique is characterized by the ability to gain muscle and fat easily, a naturally strong, "stocky" build and the inability to lose fat rapidly due to a very slow metabolic rate. Offensive linemen and strongmen are typically endomorphs. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the ectomorph: your classic "hardgainer." These individuals are typically characterized by a thin build, long, thin limbs with stringy muscles, and a small frame and joints, and are typically extremely lean and struggle to gain any substantial amount of lean muscle mass due to an extremely fast metabolic rate. Examples of ectomorphic physiques are those of distance runners and cyclists. The third and final classification is the mesomorph: the classic athletic physique, the one we all aspire to look like. These individuals possess the ability to gain lean muscle mass quickly, lose body fat rapidly, are naturally strong, and display round, full muscle bellies, ideal for bodybuilding. Now you may be thinking that you don't fit exactly into any one of these three classifications; and it is possible. Due to training, or genetics, you may be a hybrid of two classifications. To make it simple, consider the traits of your physique and align it with the one category that you have the most in common with. From here we can start to develop a plan that best suits your needs.
Now that we have determined your somatotype, we need to talk about fiber types. The striated muscles of the human body are comprised of different fiber types. The term for the balance between the different fiber types is one you may recognize: fiber type distribution. The ratio of slow- to fast-twitch fibers may determine one's ability to gain strength and muscle mass. Before we get into that discussion, let us first determine the differences between the fiber types contained within your skeletal muscles.

The first fiber types that we must talk about are slow-twitch fibers (Type I). These muscle fibers are characterized by a high resistance to fatigue and a slow contraction time (how quickly force is generated). Typically slow-twitch fibers have very low concentrations of creatine phosphate as well as glycogen and glycolytic enzymes. Remember, our muscles use the energy from ATP, made by creatine phosphate, to contract/release, especially during anaerobic training, which uses a glycolytic energy pathway. So these fibers are more beneficial during times of aerobic training, not anaerobic training. Another key feature of slow-twitch fibers is the fact that they contain higher triglyceride stores and oxidative enzymes. Aerobic training uses oxidative energy pathways (oxidative phosphorylation, Krebs cycle), which yield higher amounts of energy and are typically fueled by fat stores.
The next fiber type that we will discuss, fast-twitch fibers, can be divided into two separate categories, Type IIA (a.k.a. fast oxidative) and Type IIB (fast-twitch). Type IIA fibers are in between Type I and TypeIIB fibers, possessing properties of both. These fast oxidative fibers have a moderate resistance to fatigue due to higher creatine phosphate and glycogen stores, as well as moderate triglyceride levels. Within the Type IIA fibers, there is a balance of glycolytic and oxidative enzymes. These characteristics make Type IIA fibers ideal for prolonged anaerobic training - supersets, giant sets, drop sets, or for sprinters who run 400 and 800 meters.
The second of the two fast-twitch fibers, Type IIB, is most valuble in the realm of weight training. These particular muscle fibers have the highest concentration of creatine phosphate, thereby generating ATP quickest, in addition to higher levels of glycogen and glycolytic enzymes. These characteristics are ideal for weight training and strength activities, generating the most force in the shortest period of time, allowing an individual to overload the muscle - all necessary for muscle growth.
When it comes to training for mass and strength, fast-twitch fibers (Type IIB) are probably of more interest to you. We needed to talk about the other two first because fiber recruitment starts from smallest to largest. No matter how heavy a weight you may move, slow-twitch fibers will contract first; they may not generate much force, but they will always contract first. As the intensity escalates, increasing the need to generate force, fibers with the larger motor neurons (Type IIA and IIB) will be activated to generate the necessary force. This leads to my next point: in order to gain muscle mass, it is necessary to train at a high enough level of intensity to activate fast-twitch fibers. Far too often individuals fail to train at a high enough level of intensity, thus failing to recruit and activate fast-twitch muscle fibers. To gain muscle mass, you must place a demand on these fibers. First off, they are the only fibers capable of generating the force needed to move weight heavy enough to cause the microtrauma necessary for muscle growth. Additionally, fast-twitch fibers have much greater surface area than slow-twitch fibers. By training in a manner that targets fast-twitch fibers, your muscles will hypertrophy (grow larger) due to the fact that fast-twitch fibers are bigger and are receiving the most stimulation. Not only will the size of the muscle increase, but so will strength; thus size and strength are related. If muscle hypertrophy (size) is what is most important to you, you will want to train with a weight that brings about muscular failure between 8 and 12 repetitions. You will still gain strength, due to the increase in the size of fast-twitch fibers, but more importantly you will be causing muscle hypertrophy.
You are probably wondering, "How does this all help me with gaining mass, and what does my body type have to do with it all?" When you look at body types, you will see correlations with certain fiber types. Take an ectomorph for example: very lean, stringy muscles. This would lead us to believe there is a larger distribution of slow-twitch fibers, since slow-twitch muscle fibers have a smaller cross-sectional surface area. In order for that individual to gain muscle size, the primary focus must be on stimulating fast-twitch muscle fibers as much as possible. The number of slow- and fast-twitch fibers will not change, but the relative size of each can. As the fast-twitch fibers grow larger and hypertrophy, the slow-twitch fibers may start to decrease in size (atrophy). When this happens, the relative percentage of fast-twitch fibers, in terms of overall muscle size, is increased. This individual may not have the genetic structure to become a professional bodybuilder, as would a mesomorph, but they can definitely manipulate their fiber type distribution to increase the size of the muscle as much as possible. So for an ectomorph, the ideal rep range for stimulating the most fast-twitch fibers would be 4-8 reps per set. In the case of a mesomorph or endomorph, these individuals already have larger amounts of fast-twitch fibers, so when they train these particular fibers, hypertrophy is accelerated, thus putting them at a genetic advantage for gaining lean muscle mass. A mesomorph would see greatest gains in muscle mass training in the 8-12 rep range, while an endomorph may experience better results training in a 12-15 rep range.
No matter what your body type, or fiber type distribution, you will always have the ability to increase the amount of high quality lean muscle mass you carry on your frame; the quantity of your gains is what may vary. If you're like me, you will want to get the greatest gains out of your efforts. By training based on your body type, you will be able to maximize your efforts in gaining lean muscle mass.