DAY 1

Chest/Triceps/Abs
Cardio Warm-up

Cardio
5 minutes
Exercises
NOTE: Increase weight on each working set of each exercise.

Incline Dumbbell Press

1 Warm-up Set: 8-12 reps, 3 sets of 8-12 reps,60-90 seconds rest
1 mixed-grip drop set on final set: 21 reps

Incline Dumbbell Flyes

3 sets of 8-12 reps, 30-60 seconds rest
Drop set on final set

Dumbbell Bench Press

4 sets of 6-10 reps, 60-90 seconds rest
Superset


Dips - Chest Version
3 sets to failure

Modified Push-up
3 sets to failure, 30 seconds rest between supersets Alternative Option:
Incline Push-up
Superset

Skull Crushers
1 Warm-up Set: 8-12 reps
3 sets of 12-16 reps

Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

1 Warm-up Set: 8-12 reps
3 sets of 12-16 reps, 60 seconds rest between supersets
Exercises

Triceps Pushdown - Rope Attachment

3 sets of 12-16 reps, 30 seconds rest


Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extension
Quadruple drop set to failure, No rest
Abs: 4 rounds, no rest between sets

Hanging Knee Raise

1 set to failure

Swiss Ball Crunch

1 set to failure

Decline Reverse Crunch

1 set to failure

Broom Stick Twist (Shown with Barbell)

25 reps Alternative Option:
Bicycle Crunch

Bigger Man Tips

Everything I do is based on progression. To get bigger and stronger, you have to add weight,
decrease rest time and focus up. Get pumped and don't let your form get sloppy. Don't cheat
yourself of great results. Increase weight every time you can over the next 12 weeks.
Mental Game ///

Get motivated every day. You can't walk into the gym if you're not ready to work. You need to
prepare yourself to go through hell. This isn't going to be easy, but guess what: Life and college
aren't always easy.

What you learn in the gym each day is something you can transfer to your school studies and the
rest of your life. You need discipline and focus because you'll be pushed to your limits. As soon
as you step foot in the gym, it's all businessthat's the only way to succeed.

Exercise Tips
Incline Press ///

After the fourth set, immediately strip some weight and move into a dropset to take this exercise
beyond momentary muscle failure. Do 21 reps, switching your hand positions after every seven
reps.
Do seven reps with a close grip, seven with a medium grip and seven with a wide grip. Changing
your hand position will isolate different areas of the chest.

In order to save my shoulders, I don't bring the bar all the way to my chest on the way down. The
downward movement should stop about four inches above your chest, and then you'll press all
the way up.

Incline Flye ///

I do two incline exercises because I have a weak upper chest. It's my weakness, so I use the
priority principle to attack my weak spots first. Back-to-back incline exercises might feel weird
at first, but in a couple weeks, you'll be thanking me.
As you do the movement, don't touch the dumbbells together at the top. You want to keep
constant tension on the chestall the way down and all the way up. When you do your final
drop set, do it without rest. You want to force that blood into your chest.
Dumbbell Press ///

The dumbbell press builds mass and adds thickness to the middle chest. It's a compound
exercise, so you'll be resting 60-to-90 seconds. Because we're doing a lot of chest work today,
you might have to use lighter weight than you're used to pressing. Don't let that bother you.
Don't let your form suffer when you add weight. Keep your chest expanded and your elbows
tight. You don't want your anterior delts or triceps to start taking over the move.
Chest Dip and Push-Up ///

Jump on the parallel bars or dip machine. Lean forward so that your chest is over your knees.
This is your starting position. As you come down, your chest should be stressed and there

shouldn't be any stress on your triceps. Raise up by squeezing your chest. It should feel almost
like a flye movement.

Watch the video: My push-ups may look strange, but they're great for getting a massive pump.
Act like you're going into a yoga downward dog and walk your feet in. Rock forward and then
push back. This intense superset is what separates the contenders from the pretenders.
Skull Crusher and Close-Grip Bench ///

I train chest and triceps together because you work your triceps as a secondary muscle when you
hit your chest. Generally, pushing motions involve both the chest and the triceps. This superset is
sure to blast your triceps right off the bat.
When you rest, grab a drink, flex, stretch, and keep your eye on the clock. Sixty seconds goes by
quickly. Don't rest any longer than necessary. You're almost to the end of this workout, so push
with everything you've got. Your future, bigger self will thank you.
Triceps Pushdown ///

For pure triceps extension, don't engage your shoulders and keep your elbows down by your
sides. If you're like me and have an area of your triceps that needs some extra work, try partial
movements to force more blood into the muscle.
Dumbbell Extension ///

Don't rest during this dumbbell extension bomb. You'll perform drop set after drop set. If you
can't move your arms, you know this quadruple finisher is working. Your arms should be
torched. If you need a little help drinking your protein shake, don't hesitate to ask a buddy.

Day 2

Back/Biceps/Calves
Cardio Warm-up

Cardio
5 minutes

Exercises
NOTE: Increase weight on each working set of each exercise.

Wide-Grip Pullups
4 sets of 10 reps, 60 seconds rest

Bent T-Bar Row

3 sets of 10-15 reps, 60 seconds rest
Drop set on final set

Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown

3 sets of 10-12 reps, 60 seconds rest
Drop set on final set

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

3 sets of 8-12 reps, 60 seconds rest

Straight-Arm Pulldown (With rope)

5 sets of 15 reps, 30 seconds rest


EZ-Bar Curl
2 strict sets of 12-14 reps, 60 seconds rest
2 cheat sets of 4-6 reps, 60 seconds rest

Incline Dumbbell Curl

4 sets of 10-12 reps, 30-60 seconds rest
Superset

Spider Curl
2 sets to failure

Hammer Curls
2 sets to failure, 30 seconds rest between supersets
Calves
NOTE: Important to use strict form. Achieve a full stretch at the bottom and hold at peak
contraction.

Standing Calf Raises

4 sets of 10 reps, 30-60 seconds rest

Donkey Calf Raises

4 sets of 10 reps, 30-60 seconds rest
Drop set on every set

Seated Calf Raise

4 sets of 15 reps, 30-60 seconds rest

Bigger Man Tips

Mental Strength ///

Get your game face on before you step foot into the gym. Spend 10 minutes thinking about what
you're about to do; see yourself with that giant back and those incredible arms.
This visualization/focus period is important. If your brain isn't ready, your body can't do what it
needs to.
When you get into the weight room, it's time to do work, not socialize. Put on your headphones,
crank up the music, and pay attention to what you're doing. There's a time for chit-chat, but that
time is not now.

Exercise Tips
Pull-Ups ///

You need to hit at least 10 reps per set. If you need to take a little rest, or get someone to spot
you, do it. On the other hand, if you can get to 15 reps, put on a weight belt. These pull-ups
should be challenging. They'll get easier over the next 12 weeks, so add weight and/or decrease
rest as necessary.

Pull-ups are a great exercise to do at the beginning of a workout because they're very functional.
They're also going to create that width you want.
Make sure you keep the elbows as wide as you can, squeeze at the top of the repetition, and
control the eccentric (lowering) phase of the move.
Bent T-Bar Rows ///

For this exercise, grab a belt for some extra support. If you don't have one, don't worry; you can
still perform the movement. As you begin, keep your back flat and your butt lower than your
hips.
Fully contract your lats on your way up and fully extend on your way down. Like pull-ups, this
movement is great for building a wide back.
On the last set, go to failure. But don't stop there. Strip some weights and keep going. It should
be tough. No matter how difficult these are for you, don't let your form suffer. Bad form leads to
injuries. Injuries lead to less growth.
Close-Grip Pulldown ///

This movement is great for lat length and it targets your lower lats. Since we've been focusing on
width, the close-grip pulldown will help build density and depth. Your back should be wide and
thick.
Dumbbell Single-Arm Row ///

To really isolate your lats, keep your elbow as close to your body as possible and pull towards
your hip. Don't use straps unless you absolutely need to. Instead, try to build some forearm and
wrist strength, which will help you with multiple movements.
If you feel too much strain in your arms, you need to lighten the weight. All emphasis should be
on your lats, not your shoulders or arms. I think it's good to incorporate two rowing movements
into any back program to accentuate the back's thickness.
Straight-Arm Lat Pulldown ///

Keep your chest high as you bring the weight down. The stretch is just as important as the
contraction: the further you stretch, the better the contraction. Between sets, stretch out your
lower lats.

EZ-Bar Curl ///

Your grip should be wider than shoulder-width, and you should be concentrating on the last twothirds of the movement. Don't lock out your elbows at the bottom. Your elbows should be pinned
to your side for pure biceps contraction.
For the second two sets, we're going to cheat a little. Now, that doesn't mean jerk backwards; it
means you should use just enough momentum to get the weight up. You're still focusing on pure
biceps contraction.

Incline Dumbbell Curl ///

At the top of the curl, turn your wrists out and bring your pinky up to really help bring out that
lower cut on your biceps. Get a full range of motion by stretching all the way down without
locking your elbows.
On the last sets, I bring my legs up and cross them so I only use my biceps to lift the weight. I
can't use any momentum from the floor to help me. It's pure contraction for peaked-out biceps.
Spider Curl and Dumbbell Hammer Curl ///

Supersetting these two exercises targets your brachialis, building biceps thickness and
emphasizing your peak. This finisher should also deliver a sleeve-splitting pump.
If your biceps aren't swollen to the point of bursting, you need to lift heavier and work harder.

Day 3 rest off / cardio

Muscle growth requires adequate rest. To become the biggest man on campus, you need to treat
your rest days as seriously as your training days. Lifting actually damages muscle tissue; only
with proper rest and recovery does muscle grow.
Quality rest isn't watching movies, swilling soda and cramming potato chips. Check these seven
essential tips to get the best from your rest days.
1/

Eat

Don't turn your rest days into cheat days. You need to ingest quality fuel to build quality muscle.
Give your body every opportunity to grow by sticking to clean, nutrient-dense food sources.
Junk food may be convenient, but it won't boost your gains. It may even derail them. One cheat
meal per week may help you stick to the nutrition plan, but I'd save it for a training day.

Have your cheat meal after a workout, when your muscles are hungry for nutrients.
2/
Sleep

Sleep is essential for muscle growth. It's the time when your body's growth hormone release
peaks. It's also a key time for muscle repair and growth.
Take your rest days seriously: Use the extra time to schedule extra sleep! You've been working
your butt off in the gym, so make sure you allow your muscles to recover. No recovery means no
growth!
3/
Go Play!

A low-intensity cardio session can help you recover from a lifting session. Take a walk around
campus, play some Frisbee golf, or go play a light game of pick-up ball.

Low-intensity cardio will loosen your muscles, move nutrients to damaged tissue, speed your
recovery and help you maintain a solid level of cardiovascular fitness. Rest-day cardio should be
fun, not taxing.
4/
Stretching

In the process of recovering from cumulative training damage, your muscles tend to shorten. You
can easily tell which bodybuilders don't work on their flexibilitytheir muscles are tight and
stiff, which hampers athleticism.
Take your body through the following light stretching routine, holding each stretch for at least 30
seconds.

Stretching

Kneeling Hip Flexor

30 sec

Intermediate Groin Stretch

30 sec

Ankle On The Knee

30 sec

Chest And Front Of Shoulder Stretch

30 sec

Front Leg Raises

30 sec

World's Greatest Stretch

30 sec
Printable Page

PDF Document

5/
Yoga

Don't want to stretch alone? Turn over a new leaf and try yoga. Current research suggests that
yoga may reduce back pain, reduce stress and anxiety, lower heart rate and blood pressure, and
help relieve insomnia.

Yoga is also great for increasing strength and flexibility. Of course, this is a rest day, so don't
burn yourself out in a hot yoga class.
6/
Foam Rolling

A foam roll (or other device/massage) applies force to a tightened muscle, activating certain
receptors that will cause it to relax. Adhesions that are gluing together your muscle fibers are
broken, accelerating muscle recovery.
After you stretch or hit a yoga class, perform the following soft-tissue routine. Make sure to hit
each exercise for at least 30 seconds.
Foam Rolling

Adductor
30 sec

Quadriceps-SMR
30 sec

Iliotibial Tract-SMR
30 sec

Rhomboids-SMR

30 sec
Printable Page

PDF Document

7/
Study Group

Big Man on Campus is about balance and time management. If you want to be a successful
student, you need to put in the work. Spend some time on rest days paying special attention to
your schoolwork. Join a study group for extra homework help, motivation and socialization.

Day 4

Quads/Hamstrings/Abs
Cardio Warm-Up

Cardio
5 minutes
Exercises
NOTE: Increase weight on each working set of each exercise.

Straight-Legged Deadlifts
1 warm-up set of 8-12 reps, 3 sets of 8-12 reps,
60 seconds rest

Standing Leg Curl

3 sets of 8-12 reps, 60 seconds rest

Seated Leg Curl

5 sets of 12 reps, 30 seconds rest

Front Squats
1 warm-up set of 10-15 reps, 3 sets of 14-16, 10-12, 6-8 reps; 60-90 seconds rest, drop set
on final set

Leg Press
3 sets of 10-12 reps, 60 seconds rest
Superset

Leg Extensions
3 sets of 12-15 reps

Jumping Lunges
3 sets of 12-15 reps, 30 seconds rest
Abs: 4 rounds, no rest between sets


Hanging Knee Raise
1 set to failure

Swiss Ball Crunch

1 set to failure

Decline Reverse Crunch

1 set to failure

Broom Stick Twist (Shown with Barbell)

25 reps Alternative Option:
Bicycle Crunch
Day 5
Shoulders/Traps/Calves
Cardio Warm-up

Cardio
5 minutes

Exercises

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

3 sets of 12-16 reps, 60-90 seconds rest
Drop set on last set

Side Lateral Raise

3 sets of 10-12 reps, 30-60 seconds rest
Triple drop set on last set

Reverse Pec Deck Flyes

5 sets of 10-14 reps, 30 seconds rest
Superset

Front Raise
3 sets of 10-14 reps

Upright Barbell Row

3 sets of 10-14 reps, 60 seconds rest between supersets

Exercise

Barbell Shrug
1 Warm-up set of 8-12 reps
4 sets of 8-12 reps, 60 seconds rest
Calves
NOTE: Important to use strict form. Achieve a full stretch at the bottom and hold at peak
contraction.

Standing Calf Raises

4 sets of 10 reps, 30-60 seconds rest

Donkey Calf Raises

4 sets of 10 reps, 30-60 seconds rest
Drop set on every set

Seated Calf Raise

4 sets of 15 reps, 30-60 seconds rest

Bigger Man Tips

Mental Strength ///

Your legs are some of the biggest muscles in your body. That means your mind-muscle
connection needs to be stronger on leg day than on any other day. Take extra time before every
legs session to get amped, focused and ready for battle.
Because leg day is so tough, it's essential to get motivated. Before I hit the gym, I like to get on
bodybuilding.com and watch people destroying their legs during intense workouts. You can also
grab a training partner to help you work harder and push past failure.
Class Notes ///

I prefer to wear a belt during my leg workouts. If you don't have one, don't worry and don't let it
stop you from crushing. You can always buy a belt down the road when you start handling
heavier weight.

Stay hydrated! Leg day is demanding, so it's in your favor to drink a lot of water. Take sips and
stretch during those rest periods.
Progression is a key factor if you want to build, so keep a journal of your exercises and how
much weight you use. Add weight every week.
We're working our quads and hammies on the same day because they're opposing muscles. When
you contract your quads, you're stretching your hamstrings, and vice versa. I think this is the best
way to train legs for optimal growth.

Exercise Tips
SLDL ///

When you're performing straight-legged deadlifts, make sure you keep your back straight. Also
keep your legs straight, but not quite locked out. Good form is very important when you deadlift,
so keep that core tight. It's not easy to recover from an injured back.

If you're not sure how much weight to go up each set, that's okay. You learn that by trial and
error. Add weight, but if it's so heavy you can't hit the reps, strip it. If you hit 12 reps easily, you
know next time to add a little more. Leave your ego at the door: You're in the gym to enhance
your physique, so don't concern yourself with others.
I don't use straps for many things, but when the weight gets heavy, they help me stick to the bar.
Try not to use your straps as training wheels. Instead, build your grip and forearm strength and
only add straps when you absolutely need them.
Standing Leg Curl ///

If you don't have a standing leg curl machine in your gym, a lying leg curl machine works just
fine. No matter what machine you're using, remember to keep your pelvis flat on the bench to
ensure that you aren't swinging or using your lower back. Control the weight and be conscious
about using only your hamstrings to curl.
Seated Leg Curl ///

As the weight starts to get heavy, pay special attention to your form. Don't let it get sloppy.
Squeeze at the bottom of the movement and come to a full extension without totally locking your

knees. Your last set is going to suck, but you need to bring intensity and concentration to get that

growth.
Stretch! ///

When you're through with the hamstring exercises, take five mintues to stretch them out.
Front Squat ///

I like to do front squats to reach that vastus medialus. When you're headed to the beach, or
wearing shorter shorts, you can show off your defined legs.
Because the weight is in front of you and is less stable, you probably won't be able to load the
bar like you do for back squats. That's okayyou'll get the hang of it.

Leg Press ///

Any leg-press machine will work here, so use what your gym has available. Where you place
your feet on the plate will target different areas of your quads. If you keep your feet closer
together, it'll hit the outer sweep of the quads; if you widen your legs, it'll hit the inside. I like to
switch up my foot placement to hit both areas.
Keep your body guessing by changing the speeds of the concentric and eccentric portions of this
exercise. Never lift so fast that you sacrifice form or control. We're extending the last set of this
movement with a drop set. Your legs may not feel very good, but don't quit!
Leg Extension and Jumping Lunge ///

This last superset is a gut-check. This is where growth happens. By the second superset, your
legs will be screaming and your brain will be telling you to stop. Focus your mind. Don't give
your legs any other option than to just keep going!
For leg extensions, I try to concentrate on the way down. It helps stimulate lots of different
muscle fibers and brings out the cuts in your quads. If you're trying to go too fast, you won't see
the size you want. Stay focused and finish strong.