Mass PROvisions – Training Schedule

It is very true that you grow outside the gym and what you do or fail to do nutritionally in the hours after your workout will directly impact the speed and degree of your results. That being said, let’s not forget the important fact that the muscle building ball gets put into motion by your efforts in the gym. Intense, heavy training is the catalyst for packing on mass.

I train with basic free weight exercises and the Max-OT principles because it is the best way to train to stimulate maximum muscle growth. Overloading the muscles using compound movements with heavy weights will initiate the best growth response.

I always use the same training approach but periodically change my workout routine. After every 8 to 10 weeks of training I take a recovery week off as prescribed in the Max-OT course. When I resume training I like to begin with a new Max-OT schedule. I find a new Max-OT routine after every 8 to 10 week training cycle keeps me mentally fresh and helps me avoid any potential training ruts.

I recently began a new training schedule constructed by Paul Delia. You’ll notice the changes are not significant compared to my other routines as far as the exercises I use and that’s because my training schedule is always revolved around compound free weight exercises as they are best for achieving maximum overload. The changes mainly come from the arrangement of body parts and the days of the week I train specific muscle groups.

As I said, my exercise selection remains relatively unchanged because you don’t want to change exercises just for the sake of doing something different and include less effective ones. For maximum muscle building, stick with free weight compound movements.

Current Max-OT Schedule

There are a couple new twists in this Max-OT schedule. We have incorporated standing barbell shoulder presses and front squats, both of which I haven’t used in the past.

Standing barbell shoulder presses are an effective variation to seated barbell presses and actually work a little better with our set up here. For seated barbell presses (military presses) we slide a seat into the squat rack because we don’t have a standard military bench. With the height of the pegs in our squat rack I require help un-racking and racking the bar during heavy sets. When I do standing barbell presses I require no help and can conserve a little extra energy to direct towards the set.

It took a little getting used to because I’ve never done them before but standing barbell shoulder presses have been a nice change and are an excellent mass building shoulder exercise.

Front squats are another exercise I’ve basically never done. I tried them a few times several years ago but they felt uncomfortable and awkward so I didn’t stick with them. Now I am giving them a shot again.

Paul and I were talking about leg training for this Max-OT cycle and he suggested front squats as my second leg exercise after regular squats. He mentioned how they are a great compound leg exercise that directs more overload to the quads and away from the glutes due to the distribution of the weight and the more upright position of your body during the lift.

He advised me to take it slow and not worry about the amount of weight I use as I introduce front squats. He recommended gradually building up the weight weekly as my level of comfort and confidence grows.

I’ve only been doing front squat for about 3 weeks and so far so good. They’re tough but feeling better each workout. I’ve taken Paul’s advice and am working the weights up slowly each week as execution improves.

The backbone of all Max-OT workouts is training heavy because overloading a muscle creates the best stimulus for maximum muscle growth. Don’t get fancy with your training schedule. Stick with the basics and lift big to get big!