4 Day Power and Muscle Building Routine

So you want to build some muscle and start building some powerful strength and stumbled across this routine. Prepare for gains.

Goal Of This Workout

This routine is based on a powerbuilding model and is intended for intermediate lifters. If you are a beginner and would like to do this routine, change the 3 sets of 3 rep exercises to a 5×5; there is no need for a beginner to do anything under 5 reps.

Diet and Nutrition Tips

I would recommend going on a slow bulk for this routine to get the most out of it. It is easier to cut some fat afterwards than trying to make strength gains on a calorie deficit.

If you keep your weight consistent and need some tips to add calories into your diet, here are some of the best and healthiest ways to do so:

• Butter
• Cream cheese
• Sour cream
• Whole milk
• Heavy cream
• Cheese on everything
• Protein shakes
• Peanut butter
• Olive oil
• Extra dressing

These all add flavor and healthy fats to your diet. Personally, I prefer adding calories through this means instead of going to McDonalds and smashing a couple McDoubles.

You will feel better, have more energy, and your stomach will thank you.

Note: A little bit goes a long way, so be sure to know how many calories you are adding.

Recommended Supplements

Without a good diet, supplementation is mostly a waste of money. I will be the first to tell you to spend money on some good meats than a jug of protein.

For those who have their diets in check, here are the supplements I would use with this routine.

Pre-Workout

MTS Nutrition Clash

I personally like apple mango, but all flavors are good.

This is a great blend without too many stimulants.

Protein

MTS Machine Whey Protein: 5lbs

This is in my opinion the best tasting protein on the market. Period.

Great blend with no secrets, no amino spiking, and it is some of the best in the industry.

So far I’ve had Red Velvet, Cookies and Cream, and Key Lime. All are A+.

BCAA

MTS Nutrition Machine Fuel

Marc Lobliner has his sweetening on point with these supplements.

I’ve used mixed berry and grape and I love them both.

Creatine

Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine

I have a review of Optimum Nutrition’s Creatine and it’s a tried and true supplement. It will help with performance and recovery. I highly recommend this.

Cardio and Conditioning Schedule

Conditioning is one of the most important things you can work on to improve your lifts, endurance, and stamina. Improving conditioning also improves life out of the gym.

This particular routine focuses a bit on conditioning, core strength, and mobility.

Once you start lifting relatively heavier weights, you’re going to start breaking form because of muscle weaknesses, lack of conditioning/muscle endurance and mobility issues; so lets address them here.

Warming Up

For your pre-workout warm up, start by walking for 3 minutes and follow-up with a 30 second balls-to-the-walls high intensity sprint. Finish off with 90 seconds of walking.

This “shock” is going to prime your body to train hard and helps get your core body temperature up.

Post Workout Conditioning

For your post workout conditioning, I would recommend doing any low intensity cardio. This is going to act as some active recovery and begin the building process.

Use this time to listen to audio books, read, or otherwise enrich your mind. A strong mind = a strong body.

Workout Schedule

• Monday – Chest and Bi
• Tuesday – Quad and Ham
• Wednesday – OFF
• Thursday – Shoulder and Tri
• Friday – Back, Calves, Abs
• Saturday – OFF
• Sunday – OFF

 4 Day Power and Muscle Building Routine

Workout Tips

For the main lifts that have 3 sets of 3 reps, take your known 1 rep max and start this routine at 70% of your maxes. Take plenty of time to rest in between these big exercises so you can use as much power as your nervous system can produce.

For the rest of the exercises keep the rest periods shorter and keep the intensity high. On the burnout sets, use a weight that will challenge you to get 15 or more reps. Don’t pick a weight that you can do 100 reps easily.

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