Normal people who need to make strength gains start by developing neurological adaptations. That is a fancy way of saying they become more coordinated. Over a longer period, we are going to start to look for sarcoplasmic hypertrophy or myofibrillar hypertrophy. To achieve these neurological adaptations and hypertrophy we need to optimize our nutrition and sleep.

Let’s look at some key tips. 

A training split is essentially what is being done for the entire week. On day 1, people should be doing a leg day. The leg day needs a big compound movement in it, like a back squat. On day 2, the focus is on a big upper body strength day. Focus on a movement like a bench press or pull-ups. On days 3 and 4, the focus should be on some type of endurance training to improve general health and help with recovery and the other day can be hyper-focused on bodybuilding to help increase overall strength and maintain health.

For max strength, do 4 to 6 sets of 3 to 5 reps on days 1 and 2. If the focus is on hypertrophy and building huge muscle mass to fill out the sleeves and boulderize the shoulders with a nice tear drop coming off the quad as well, 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 17 reps can suffice. 

Rep ranges need to align with goals. Selecting the correct rep ranges is a big win in developing and achieving the body aesthetic being chiseled out upon the flesh.

A target to be fired upon is necessary. That means max strength goals when talking about trap bar deadlift, barbell back squat, dumbbell bench press, or a barbell bench press. State a specific number to be achieved to give a clear landing mark. Saying, “I want to bench press 405 lbs” is legit. It helps you hold yourself accountable.

Also, have clear-cut bodyweight goals. Step on that scale or get out the tape measure and measure your waist, arms, or calves. Notice how many pull-ups can be done as bodyweight goes down or up, depending on what is being sought.

Another goal that needs to be established and adhered to is deciding how many days in the week to train. Three days a week? Four days a week? Or even five days a week? The most actionable item with achieving goals in the gym all begins with showing up, doing the work, and getting things done.

Make sure to be getting at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Start there and if you feel really good, keep smashing protein. Part of optimizing health and nutrition requires getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep to make sure the body is anabolic and recovering well. On top of that, do mobility work at least 5 days a week; I even recommend doing yoga and mediation at least 2 days a week to level up the recovery game.

Another tip is to get a ton of carbs about an hour to an hour and a half before training. That means eating a banana, oatmeal, rice, or smashing nine kiwis a day to be super-Saiyan levels of anabolic.

Remember, you have to have the right training splits which are derived from the overarching goals that are being trained for to help decide the correct rep ranges that are used within a split. And maybe most importantly, to optimize training nutrition and recovery need to be on point. Turn the lights out, go to bed, sleep like a teenager on a Saturday morning and let the hours dream away to make all the large muscle enticing gains a reality.