Simple Bodyweight Mass Gaining Routine

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14Sep/1117

No prelude. Just straight to your face Rough Strength routine.

Monday

A1) Handstand Push-Ups - 20 total reps

A2) Front Lever Pull-Ups - 20 total reps

B) Pistol - ladders (count total reps)

Tuesday - off

Wednesday

A1) Pseudo-Planche Push-Ups - 30 total reps

A2) Pull-Ups with 3 sec holds at the top, 90 degree and at the bottom - 30 total reps

B) Pistol - 50% of Monday's total reps in any set-rep scheme.

Thursday - off

Friday

A1) Explosive Dips - 40 total reps

A2) Explosive Pull-Ups - 40 total reps

B) Pistol - 75% of Monday's total reps in any set-rep scheme.

Saturday - off

Sunday - off

That's it. Closing points:

Adjust difficulty according to your current condition. If it's too hard then choose a bit lighter version. If it's too easy then pick harder variant.
Eat a lot. On your training days you shouldn't feel hungry and especially before bed. You can experiment with off-days. Stay away from sugars.
Ladder is a special approach to sets and reps. Here in Ukraine everybody knows this stuff. Let me explain you. You pick an exercise and perform 1 rep. Then you partner performs one rep. Then you perform 2 reps and so on. It's like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc. When you feel exhausted start over. So, for example, it's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (you feel that 7 would be impossible), 1, 2, 3, 4 (again you feel that 5 would be mistake), 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 1. That's ladder principle. It helps you to build a lot of volume while staying relatively fresh.
Where's core work? I'm not a big fan of it. You can add 1 core exercise after main training part is done if you wish. Bridging every day in the morning would be a good idea for your lower back.
Don't forget about progression. Make exercises harder once thay become easy or add reps.
"'x' total reps" means as much sets as it would take to complete 'x' reps.
Rest no more than 2 minutes between sets.

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Play rough!

Alex Zinchenko

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Tagged as: alex zinchenko, bodyweight training, build muscle, calisthenics, full-body routine, full-body workout, gain strength, rough strength, roughstrength, strength training Leave a comment

Comments (17) Trackbacks (0) ( subscribe to comments on this post )

Sparky Sparky
January 5th, 2012 - 11:02

Перевод на русский, если можно :)

( REPLY )
- Alex Zinchenko Alex Zinchenko
  January 5th, 2012 - 12:11
  
  Возможно в будущем (:
  
  ( REPLY )
  - WasD WasD
    January 5th, 2012 - 17:13
    
    Алекс,
    
    А насколько интересным тебе было бы выкладывать русскоязычные версии этих статей про упражнения с собственным весом на http://WorkOut.SU в раздел статьи? =)
    
    ( REPLY )
    - Alex Zinchenko Alex Zinchenko
      January 5th, 2012 - 22:23
      
      Можно было б. Свяжись со мной по почте: roughstrength@yahoo.com
      
      ( REPLY )
      - WAsD WAsD
        January 6th, 2012 - 18:33
        
        Написал.
Gabri Gabri
June 12th, 2012 - 15:47

Hi Alex!!

Great article as always, but i have a few questions regarding building leg size.
Can you build big legs with pistols and weighted one leg squats ?

I know deadlifts and squats are the best, but if i do them too aften mi low back feel too tired, and i don’t like that.
So what about doing Squats or DL just once a week and the other days doing single leg movements like squats or jumps?? How would it work to try one of the 20 rep programs once a week and doing then bodyweight leg exercises the rest of the week??

I just wanna train my legs and make them more muscular without hurting my back, since i already spend too much time sitted studying and it already kills my lower back. Thank you for your help!

( REPLY )
- Alex Zinchenko Alex Zinchenko
  June 15th, 2012 - 23:26
  
  Gabri,
  
  Barbell squats are king of exercises for building leg size. Heavy weight for high reps and your legs will grow like weed. 20 reps once a week was the most productive leg size protocol for me.
  
  - Alex
  
  ( REPLY )
  - Gabri Gabri
    June 16th, 2012 - 02:22
    
    Thank you Alex. Since doing it just once a week can give results i will definitely try it. Thank you!
    
    ( REPLY )
    - Alex Zinchenko Alex Zinchenko
      June 16th, 2012 - 18:58
      
      Let me know how it worked for you.
      
      - Alex
      
      ( REPLY )
Michael Michael
July 7th, 2012 - 08:23

Alex could you please go into a bit more detail as far as the rep and set scheme? For instance… your routine for monday

A1) Handstand Push-Ups – 20 total reps

A2) Front Lever Pull-Ups – 20 total reps

B) Pistol – ladders (count total reps)

how many sets of 20 for A1 & A2???

confused…

( REPLY )
- Alex Zinchenko Alex Zinchenko
  July 8th, 2012 - 17:09
  
  Michael,
  
  You can perform as many sets as it will take. For example, reps could be 5, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2, 1. Or 5, 5, 5, 5. Just hit the total. Of course you’ll need to adjust difficulty. If you can do more than 6 reps in the first set then add weight or make exercise harder.
  
  - Alex
  
  ( REPLY )
John Taylor John Taylor
July 12th, 2012 - 04:47

alex last 2 questions, im use to working out with weights.. will pistol squats be a pretty effective leg workout?

and last, im going to basic training for the department of corrections and wont be able to go to gym, will this be enough to achieve a good body compareable to weights? and can i do sternum pulls up instead of front lever?

( REPLY )
- Alex Zinchenko Alex Zinchenko
  July 13th, 2012 - 15:35
  
  Pistol squats are cool but they are quite easy. Add weight when you need it.
  
  Try it and see for yourself. Everyone is different. You can build solid strong upper body with bodyweight strength training. Just apply it correctly.
  
  - Alex
  
  ( REPLY )
Mads Mads
October 30th, 2012 - 23:56

Hello Alex.

I am not capable of doing many of these excersises yet. is it possible that you can make a routine with “light versions” of the ones u have listed? So that i will be able to use this one later when i have gotten stronger? Great work :)

Cheers
Mads, Denmark

( REPLY )
- Alex Zinchenko Alex Zinchenko
  October 31st, 2012 - 10:23
  
  Hey, Mads. If you can’t do these variations yet then you should concentrate on basics: pull-ups, push-ups, dips and bodyweight squats and lunges. When you’ll get strong enough you can try this routine.
  
  Alex
  
  ( REPLY )
Nick Nick
January 16th, 2013 - 12:51

Hey alex, is it possible to gain 8+ pounds of upper body mass following this routine?

( REPLY )
- Alex Zinchenko Alex Zinchenko
  January 17th, 2013 - 00:10
  
  Hey, Nick. Try it and see. It all depends on many factors.
  
  - Alex
  
  ( REPLY )