No great general goes into battle without a four star plan of attack. Likewise, no contractor can erect a building without a full set of blueprints. So how in the hell can you expect to build a championship physique without a plan that includes a specific strategy every time you go to the gym? Building and maintaining quality lean muscle requires that you pay attention to every workout and make it count. Here are a few strategies that are sure to guarantee your success. 

For optimum muscle growth without the risk of over-training, try a split routine. A split routine is for guys who like to train five or six days a week. Simply split up your exercises and begin by dividing upper and lower body on different days. Next divide upper body by doing chest and back on one day and hit arms and shoulders on another day. Lower body can be divided into ass and hams on one day and quads and calves on another day. Remember to rest at least one day a week because that is when your muscles have a chance to recover and grow. 

Try accentuating the negative to force problem muscle groups to grow. Doing negative reps is a way of putting emphasis upon the eccentric, negative or the lowering phase of the weight rather than the usual raising portion. For example, on a biceps barbell curl, you curl the bar up to your chin and squeeze hard as you contract the biceps. This is the starting position. When you lower the weight slowly and intently, this is the negative phase. Take more time on this lowering movement and you will feel the burn and see the growth. 

Blast your muscles with partial reps for peak muscularity. Upon finishing the last rep of the last set planned, instead continue performing reps halfway or a quarter of the way. Continue until you can’t do a single rep more. It’s better to use a light or medium weight so as to not strain at anytime. Better yet, get a hunky workout buddy to spot you and coax you onward. 

Tom Bonanti is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump'N, Inc Gym in Fort Lauderdale he can be reached at TrainerTomB@aol.com

“Up and Down the Rack” is a favorite technique of mine. Say, for instance, you really want to tear up your biceps. Begin with a light weight and do a set of 15 to 20 dumbbell curls. Move up to the next set of heavier dumbbells and perform a set of 12 reps. Continue with a third set of still heavier dumbbells and force out 8 to 10 reps. Take a break and do this same routine two more times. You can do this sort of regiment with squats, calf raises, ticeps, chest , and just about any muscle group you want to blast! 

Flexing is not just for show-offs! After each set of an exercise, try flexing the muscle group targeted. Follow this with a stretch for those same muscles. Flexing allows you to assess your progress and the extra contractions will result in optimum size gains. 

Stimulate your physique into record gains this Spring by employing any one or all of the above techniques.