Your body is made up of different muscle groups, you probably already know that, and each one of them has specific needs when it comes to training to make them grow, to improve their strength and endurance.
The truth is that there are many ways to train to get what you want, you can do it by focusing on one muscle at a time, choosing routines that activate the whole body or targeting different groups in each session. But what’s the same for everyone is that in order to get to hypertrophy, which is essential for muscle development, you’re going to need to train the right muscle groups at the right time.
The experts have already said it, it’s not just about going through all the possible movements and gym equipment in one session, it’s about having a goal and including elements that really help you work what you want in the best possible way. otherwise it will take much longer to see your muscles grow, and you may end up with an injury or not reach your full potential (which may look different for everyone, so stop comparing yourself to others).
With all this in mind, you should already be very clear that there is a correct combination when training muscle groups, and part of this reveals that you should not include two large groups in the same session, this is one of the biggest mistakes that you can commit without realizing it.
Why shouldn’t you? Well, because large muscle groups require a lot of your energy, so after working one, you will be too tired to continue with the other, you will not perform well and it can even become an obstacle to your progress.
What muscle groups should you train together?
Bodybuilding principles say that it is best to target a large group per session, combining with smaller muscles to ensure maximum performance and effective training, while also preventing you from plateauing.
Experts recommend dividing your routine into 3 days (although the rest you can add cardio and other types of training) in which you work different parts of the body until you go through all the muscles at the end of the week.
Group 1: Chest, shoulders and triceps
What exercises to add?
Incline chest press, 3 sets of 12 reps
Decline chest press, 3 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell flat bench flys, 3 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell Lateral Raises, 3 sets of 12 reps
Face Pulls, 3 sets of 12 reps
Group 2: Back, biceps and abs
What exercises to add?
Wide grip pull-down, 3 sets of 12 reps
Bent over row, 3 sets of 12 reps
Deadlift, 3 sets of 12 reps
EZ Bar Curls, 3 sets of 12 reps
Crossed Dumbbell Hammer Curl, 3 sets of 12 reps
Triceps curl with rope, 3 sets of 12 reps
Skull crushers with EZ bar, 3 sets of 12 reps
Group 3: Hamstrings, quads and calves
What exercises to add?
Barbell back squat, 3 sets of 12 reps
Romanian deadlift, 3 sets of 12 reps
Leg extension, 3 sets of 12 reps
Dumbbell split squat, 3 sets of 12 reps
Calf raise, 3 sets of maximum reps
And we are going to repeat this to you ad nauseam, you have to warm up before you start and it is essential to leave recovery time so that your muscles can heal and get all the benefits of the training you just did.
*This article was originally published in the Mexican edition of GQ.