I've read and leafed through many books and articles about muscle mass workouts, but the problem I have always had was time constraints. Then I found the book Huge in a Hurry. After doing a couple phases, I had great results. Of all the books containing muscle mass workouts, this served me best.

It was pretty surprising to me, because I was an old school lifter who thought more was better. Before marriage, kids, and business stole all my time away from lifting, I spent many hours a week at the gym. Much of it was socializing, but much of it was lifting as well.

Then I had kids and got into the rat race of life that leaves many people, including myself, with no muscles and tons of blubber. Finally deciding this year was going to be the year, I started looking for muscle mass workouts that could be done quickly, and that is when I stumbled on Huge in a Hurry.

Huge in a Hurry focuses on muscle mass workouts that use compound exercises. Although I don't look like a professional bodybuilder at this point, I have gained nicely over a short period of time, and with the proper diet, I've lost much of the fat.

I've completed the program, and now as we head into the holiday, I'm looking to just maintain until the new year. After the new year, I'll jump back on the routine and focus on gaining size again. While it isn't really a muscle mass workout, I've altered the huge in a hurry program a little for increasing strength while I maintain my size.

In the new routine, I have two workouts that I alternate. Both workouts have three exercises that consist of 15 total reps. The first set can be no more than five reps, so you need to choose a weight that you can't do more than five times.

Day 1, I do bench press, pullups, and squats. Day 2, I do dips, rows, and deadlifts. I do this three days a week, so each routine is done three times every two weeks. So far, I've been gaining strength almost weekly.

As you can see this maintenance routine is not very time consuming. It's perfect for me at this time of year, and I'm hoping that come the beginning of the year with increased strength, I'll be able to get back to the muscle mass worksouts and start putting on size again.
 

Being away from GrowHuge.com and Twitter for the most part, I figured I should let everyone know where I've been. Life has been very busy with the day job. Last week I was in Baltimore for training, and this week I have been swamped getting client firewalls setup and helping another client restructure their IT department. On top of that, I have been working on another passion of mine, which is politics.

I created a separate Twitter ID for this, because I didn't want to alienate my GrowHuge followers. I'm sure my fitness followers come in all political stripes, so I didn't want to offend anyone. Personally, I revel in political disagreements and debate, but I know many people hate political discussion. With the new ID, I also created a blog where I can put my opinions out there and test them out. I love having my ideas challenged. If I win the argument my ideas are stronger. If I lose, I'm that much wiser. So, I've written two blogs so far, and my mind has been going a million miles an hour in that regard.

Also, I was losing steam on the GrowHuge front. We love our members, but building a community site takes either a ton of money to invest in marketing or a ton of focused time to do it grassroots. One of the downfalls of my personality is I get extremely excited about things, but then as the excitement wears off, I tend to move on to something new and exciting. Many times these aren't new things per se, but things such as politics that come in bursts. Anyone who knows me personally will tell you I love politics, but I tend to burn out after elections. Then after a while I get pumped up again, and I'm back at it. Politics is a game that beats you down mentally, because both parties really come up short when it comes to doing what's right in the long term, but enough digressing.

With all this taking place, I lost two weeks of working out. Yesterday, I finally got back on the horse and got my first lift in. I didn't lose too much strength; although squats still sucked. With the lift, came a new sense of excitement that I had previously. I was pumped up.

Xfactor and I want to continue growing GrowHuge.com. Hopefully, we can stay focused and excited enough to do so. We look forward to continuing our little GrowHuge family here, and we hope that you guys help us build the site as well.

Hey, with both my body and my mind, it's time to GrowHuge!

I know, I never posted my workouts on my last blog. It's been pretty hectic with my wife going to boot camps at night, so only had time to actually do the workout. After that, it was upstairs to watch the kids. 

Feeling OK with my size, I've decided to focus on burning the remaining vestiges of my gut. To tackle that, I went back to what has worked for me in the past, the stepper. Luckily for me, no one at my gym seems to like the stepper. Out of all the cardio machines they have, there are only two steppers. One was broke until this week, and the other was always free. Now they are both always free (smiley face)

So far, I've dropped another 5lbs, and I haven't noticed any loss in strength or size. (although I haven't officially taken any measurements) Last week, we went to Vegas for a conference, which through a wrench into my lifting and cardio schedule. They had a great mirror in the hotel though. Was looking pretty desent. Apparently, my wife and mom think its weird to take pictures of yourself with your shirt off in front of the hotel mirror. Whateves (as my son says).

Well, I'm back on track now. I've hit the stepper every day except Monday (slept in), and I lifted Monday night. It's Wednesday, so I'll be lifting again. My lifting routine is only going to be three exercises to hit the whole body. The goal is to maintain size and strength while I finish off the fat burning. 

Without further ado, here is my lifting routing plus stepper as many mornings as I can for 30 mins.

Day 1 - 20 Reps Total - 4-6 rep max first set

Pullups

Incline Bench

Deadlifts

Lateral Raises

Day 2 - 15 Reps total - 3-5 Reps max on first set

High Pull

Decline Bench

Squats

Calf Raises

Day 3 - 20 Reps total - 4-6 Reps max on first set

Bentover Rows

Barbell Shoulder Press

Good Mornings 

Shrugs

I really liked lifting twice a day, so I'm sticking with it. The workout consists of a full body work out in the morning with isolation exercises in the evening to focus on specific muscles. Last month, I focused on arms and chest (see previous blog). This time I'm focusing on shoulders, traps, and calves. 

Without further a do, here is this months routine:

Day 1 AM - 25 total reps - max for 6 - 8 reps for first set. (I do as many sets as it takes to complete 25 reps with consistent speed)

Weighted Pull-ups 

Incline Barbell Bench

Deadlifts

Day 1 PM - 35 total reps - max of 8 - 10 rep for first set

Lateral raises

Barbell Upright Row

Calf Raises - Toes In

Day 2 AM - 35 total reps - max of 8 - 10 rep for first set

High Pull

Barbell Decline Bench

Squat

Day 2 AM - 25 total reps - max for 6 - 8 reps for first set. 

Front Raises

Behind the Back Barbell Shrugs

Calf Raise - Toes straight

Day 3 AM - 25 total reps - max for 6 - 8 reps for first set.

Barbbell Bent-Over Row

Barbell Shoulder Press

Good Mornings

Day 1 PM - 35 total reps - max of 8 - 10 rep for first set

Dumbbell Shrugs

Seated Reverse Flyes

Calf Raises - Toes Out

OK, so I didn't complete Huge in a Hurry Get Big Phase 2. I really wanted to push myself and Huge in a Hurry talks about HFT (high frequency training) as an option for faster, better results. They don't recommend doing it until you get through Get Big, but what the heck. I will give it a shot.

With this HFT workout, I lift twice a day three days a week. My morning workout is a full body workout made up of three exercises. The afternoon workout is focused on arms and chest. The goal is to see if I can grow my arms and chest. The book recommends not doing too many muscles at one time for the focused part of the workout (second workout), but what the heck. I'm smarter than the guy who wrote the book. He's only studied this stuff his whole life. (I'm obviously being a complete ass here, but I'm still going for it)

I'm going to do this routine for four weeks. At that time, we'll see how it worked. If it doesn’t' work, I'll have proved how big of an idiot I am. If it works, well, I'll do another four weeks focusing on different muscles (probably shoulders).

Without further ado, here is my workout.

Day 1

AM Workout - Heavy Load - 20 total reps per exercise - 4 to 6 reps max for first set – 60 sec rest

Chinups

Dips

Single leg dumbbell deadlifts.

PM Workout – Medium Load – 30 total reps per exercise – 10 to 12 rep max for first set – 60 sec rest

EZ-Bar Reverse Curl

Skulls

Flyes

Day 2

AM Workout - Medium Load – 30 total reps per exercise – 10 to 12 rep max for first set – 60 sec rest

Barbell bent over rows palm up

Dumbbell Bench Press

Bulgarian Split Squat

PM Workout – Heavy Load - 20 total reps per exercise - 4 to 6 reps max for first set – 60 sec rest

Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Pushdowns

Incline Flyes

Day 3

AM Workout - Heavy Load - 20 total reps per exercise - 4 to 6 reps max for first set – 60 sec rest

Rows with pull down rope

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Hack Squat.

PM Workout – Medium Load – 30 total reps per exercise – 10 to 12 rep max for first set – 60 sec rest

Barbell Curls

Single Arm Pushdowns

Decline Flyes

After a week of unloading after Huge in a Hurry Get Big Phase 1, I'm ready to jump into Phase 2. I did measurements, but didn't see any size gains. More than likely this is because I'm trying to cut up for summer, and it's hard to build size while cutting fat. I did lose 1" off my waist and 2" around my belly button, while still maintaining my other measurements.

Over the next four weeks, I will do the following exercises, and I will post my results in the comments section of this blog. Follow along and let me know what you think.

Day 1 - Super Heavy Load - 15 Reps total - 2 to 3 reps max for first set

Exercise 1 = Pullup

Exercise 2 = Dip

Exercise 3 = Hack Squat

Exercise 4 = Standing Single-Leg Calf Raises

Day 2 = Medium Load - 40 Reps total - 10 to 12 reps max for first set

Exercise 1 = Cable Standing One Arm Mid-Pulley Row, Palm Up (I don't have a mid-pulley, so I did this with the bottom pulley and sat on my knees.)

Exercise 2 = Dumbbell One-arm Bench Press

Exercise 3 = Dumbbell Single-leg Deadlift

Exercise 4 = Dumbbell Decline One-arm Tricep Extension (Linked video is two-arm. Do the same, but only one arm)

Day 3 = Medium Load - 40 Reps total - 10 to 12 reps max for first set

Exercise 1 = Cable Standing Mid-pulley row with Neutral Grip

Exercise 2 = Dumbbell Standing Shoulder Press

Exercise 3 = Squat

Exercise 4 = Barbell Curl

Having just finished the HIAH Get Ready phase, I'm ready to jump into the Get Big phase with enthusiasm. Get Big Phase 1 is 4 weeks followed by a week of unloading. Each day consists of 4 exercises. They are as follows:

Day 1 - Heavy Load - 25 Reps Total per Exercise- 4-5 Reps Max for first set

Exercise 1 - Chinup

Exercise 2 - Barbell Decline Close Grip Bench Press

Exercise 3 - Deadlift

Exercise 4 - Standing Single-leg Calf Raise

Day 2 - Medium Load - 40 Reps total per Exercise - 10-12 Reps Max for first set

Exercise 1 - Cable Seated One -Arm Row with Neutral Grip

Exercise 2 - Dumbbell Standing One-Arm Shoulder Press

Exercise 3 - Bulgarian Split Squat

Exercise 4 - Double Standing One-Arm Tricep Extension

Day 3 - Light Load - 25 Reps total per Exercise - 20-22 Reps Max for first set

Exercise 1 - High pull

Exercise 2 - Dumbbell Incline Bench Press

Exercise 3 - Front Squat

Exercise 4 - Hammer Curl

I'll post my progress here in the comments section. Please follow along and leave your thoughts.

Also, here are my beginning stats. Don't laugh.

Weight 185lbs
Waist 33.5"
Arms 15.5"
Chest 41"
Legs 25"

So after some coaxing from posters on Men's Health's forum, I decided to jump into the "Huge in a Hurry" work out program instead of waiting till summer time. "Huge in a Hurry" is a book by Chad Waterbury who writes on TNation.com. The book basically emphasizes doing compound exercises to build mass instead of isolation exercises. With these compound exercises, you must lift heavy and fast.


The first phase of the program is the Get Ready phase, which consists of three weeks of doing three full body workouts per week. Each full body workout includes three exercises. Day 1 you do heavy, which means you do as many sets as it takes to complete 25 reps of each exercises. The amount of weight you use should limit you to doing 4 to 6 reps on the first set. As soon as your pace slows, you quit the set.


Day 2 is medium with more reps per set and Day 3 is light with even more reps per set.


Once I complete the Get Ready phase, I will more than likely move into the Get Lean phase. The other options are Get Big or the Get Strong phases. For now I want to get ripped up for summer, so my choice is get lean.


Along with these workouts, you follow his diet plan. For me, I need to get 1 gram of protein for each pound of body weight. I'm cutting out grains and focusing on meats, veggies, and berries.


Here are my stats, and I will try to update them as I progress.


Weight 190lbs
Waist 34"
Arms 15.5"
Chest 41"
Legs 24.5"

 

Here's another article from Men's Health highlighting the benefits of using compound exercises to build more muscles. This artical, "Add 2 Inches to Your Arms", states you are better off using compound exercises instead of isolated workouts to build muscle. The compound exercises allow you to use more weight. See what you think. There are videos accompanying this article.

Add 2 Inches to Your Arms

Your Time: 24 Minutes

Unless you can complete a set of five chinups and eight dips, you should limit muscle building workout exercises that isolate your arms, such as biceps curls and triceps extensions. "Your arms will grow best when you focus on the basics," says Kelly Baggett, a certified personal trainer with the International Sports Sciences Association.

The basics, he explains, are compound exercises--such as the chinup and dip--that force you to move at more than one joint. These movements allow you to use heavier weights than you would with single-joint isolation exercises, while also training either your chest or back. So don't worry: By using these muscle building workouts, you'll fully engage the muscles of your arms with each repetition, and you'll also shore up any weaknesses in the larger muscles of your upper body.

If you can't yet perform five chinups and eight dips, do Workout A, on the other side of this poster, twice a week. When you're able to complete a full complement of both exercises, progress to Workout B, performing the routine once every 3 to 5 days for bigger arms--and a better total body.

Fuller Biceps
This muscle building workout routine places your arms in front of you during some arm curls and behind you or at your sides during others. Varying arm positions builds the biceps evenly. As a result, you'll raise your peak and build thickness throughout your arms.

Stronger Triceps
Your triceps consist of three distinct muscles--the lateral head, on the outside of the arm; the long head, which provides bulk; and the medial head, which lies between the other two. This plan develops all three.

A Bigger Upper Body
The chinup and bench press in this workout develop your arms with help from your back and chest, respectively. The benefit: You'll build a bigger and more balanced upper body to support larger--and stronger--arms.

How  Big Are Your Arms?

Since it requires only a tape measure, finding the circumference of your arms is an excellent way to gauge the effectiveness of your arm workout.

Your arms may look slightly larger after a workout or meal, when blood and water rush to your muscles. So, for the most accurate results, take all your measure-ments at the same time of day, such as before breakfast. Extend your arm in front of you (unflexed) and wrap a measuring tape around the largest portion of your upper arm. Record the circumference, then measure your other arm.

Record the total circumference of both your arms in the chart below. Then follow this workout and remeasure every 2 weeks. Go to MensHealth.com/poster to chart your improvement and get more exercise tips.

START  [TOTAL INCHES]

WEEK 2  [TOTAL INCHES]

FINISH  [TOTAL INCHES]

Over the past three months, I've been lifting pretty hard and doing some cardio. I've had some nice gains, but summer is right around the bend. I'm not sure if I want to continue focusing on building muscle, or if I should switch over to maintenance and focus on burning fat. I probably need to cut about 10 to 15lbs to bring the abs out.

With that said, recently I started reading "Huge in a Hurry" by Chad Waterbury. The program sounds really good. You are basically doing total body workouts three times a week with compound exercises that hit mutliple muscles at once. He has three progams within it, Get Big, Get Strong, and Get Lean. The problem I have is you have to do a three week Get Ready phase. With that, I'd be coming right up on summer.

With this in mind, I am going to use some of the workouts from HIAH, and do my own maintenance phase with three full body workouts per week. Then I'm going to blow up some cardio (hopefully HIIT, high intensity interval training) the remaining days to burn the fat off. With the correct diet, hopefully I can maintain or even gain some muscle plus burn the fat off and get the abs popping.

I'll do my best to come back to this blog and comment on my progress. DDay is Monday March 30 with a hopeful VDay of the day the pools open. Onces the abs are out, I plan on going full speed at Chads Get Big and Get Bigger programs.

Jbyrd

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