Squats, deadlifts, and bench presses

by Tommy
(Michigan)

I am a huge fan of bodybuilding and I have watched bodybuilding shows on TV since I was a small child.

I have always been amazed at the powerful and well-developed muscular physiques of the athletes I watched and looked up to them as role models.

The bodybuilding lifestyle always inspired me because there is so much grueling work and dedication that goes into building a rock solid body.

This great work ethic that these bodybuilders clearly had was so respectable in my eyes and I wanted to look like one of them one day.

I began to lift weights when I was in high school and started out at about 5'6 and 120 pounds.

I now stand at 5'7.5 and weigh about 180 pounds at age 24.

The one thing that I was most concerned with was adding large amounts of muscle mass to my tiny frame.

So, after a little research, I figured out a routine that worked for me.

I call it The Big Three because it includes the three top muscle building exercises that anyone can do: squats, deadlifts, and bench presses.

My routine was as follows:

Short and intense workouts 2 to 3 times a week, depending on how your body feels.

Reps should be kept low (4-8 reps) and weight as heavy as you can handle while still getting the reps down.

Example:

Monday: 3 sets deadlifts, 3 sets flat bench press
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: rest
Thursday: 3 sets squat, 3 sets flat bench press
Friday: rest
Saturday: rest
Sunday: rest

Just as important as working out are eating right and getting lots of sleep.

Combine the three and you will grow like a tree