What are you doing for the next three months? Nothing much probably, so why not start building a body like Marc Megna? Featured on the cover of January 2012’s Muscle & Fitness, Megna broke down his one week workout in the magazine, and we’re here to give you 11 more weeks of pure muscle building with the workout below.
Week 2
Day I
1A Dumbbell Bench Press Sets: 4 Reps: 8
1B Suspended Row Sets: 4 Reps: 10
2A Chest-Supported Row Sets: 4 Reps: 8 Set an adjustable bench to an incline and lie on it, chest down. Row dumbbells to your sides.
2B Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press Sets: 4 Reps: 10 Hold dumbbells with palms facing each other and press the weights over your chest.
3A Weighted Chin-Up Sets: 4 Reps: 8
3B Feet-Suspended Diamond Push-Up Sets: 3 Reps: To failure Rest your feet in the cradles of a suspension apparatus (such as a TRX) and perform push-ups with your hands touching—your thumbs and fingers will make a diamond shape.
Day II
1 Speed Squat Sets: 8 Reps: 2 Use 55% of your max.
2A Back Extension Sets: 4 Reps: 10
2B Single-Leg Hip Extension Sets: 4 Reps: 8
3A Stiff-Legged Deadlift Sets: 4 Reps: 10
3B Suspended Single-Leg Curl Sets: 4 Reps: 8 Rest your feet in the cradles of a suspension apparatus and bridge up with your hips. Keep them elevated as you curl one leg at a time.
Day III
1 Speed Bench Press Sets: 10 Reps: 3 Use 55% of your max.
2A Dumbbell Bench Press Sets: 4 Reps: 10
2B Suspended Feet-Elevated Row Sets: 4 Reps: 12 Use a suspension apparatus and raise your feet on a box or step.
3A Bent-over Row Sets: 4 Reps: 8
3B Overhead Triceps Extension Sets: 4 Reps: 10
4 Dip Sets: 4 Reps: to failure
Day IV
1 Single-Leg Squat Sets: 4 Reps: 6
2A Barbell Glute Bridge Sets: 4 Reps: 10 Place a barbell on your lap and rest the back of your shoulders across a bench (your body should be perpendicular to it). Bridge up with you hips.
2B Cable Pull-Through Sets: 4 Reps: 15 Straddle a cable with rope handle attachment and pull it up through your legs as you extend your hips.
3 Modified Glute-Ham Raise Sets: 4 Reps: 8 Perform a glute-ham rasie, or, if your gym doesn’t have a glute-ham apparatus, rest your knees on the floor and hook your ankles under something sturdy. Keeping your hips straight, extend your knees and lower your body as far as you can. Then pull with your hamstrings to come back up.
4A Feet-Elevated Push-Up Sets: 4 Reps: 20
4B Cable Row Sets: 4 Reps: 10
5A Rope Pull-Up Sets: 4 Reps: 10 Sling a rope around a chin-up bar and grab an end in each hand. Perform pull-ups.
5B Skull Crusher Sets: 4 Reps: 12
Week 3
Day I
1A Dumbbell Incline Press Sets: 4 Reps: 8
1B Single-Arm Dumbbell Row Sets: 4 Reps: 8
2A Cable Row Sets: 4 Reps: 10
2B Close-Grip Bench Press Sets: 4 Reps: 10
3A Underhand-Grip Bent-Over Row Sets: 3 Reps: 10
3B Dumbbell Triceps Extension Sets: 3 Reps: 12
Day II
1 Speed Squat Sets: 10 Reps: 2 Use 60% of your max.
1 Speed Squat Sets: 12 Reps: 2 Use 50% of your max.
2A Single-Leg Reverse Hyper Sets: 4 Reps: 8 Lie face down on a bench with your head toward the foot of the bench. Raise one leg at a time up behind you.
2B Dumbbell Single-Leg Deadlift Sets: 4 Reps: 8
3A Barbell Glute Bridge Sets: 4 Reps: 10
3B Back Extension Sets: 4 Reps: 10
Day III
1 Speed Bench Press Sets: 10 Reps: 3 Use 50% of your max.
2A Lat-Pulldown Sets: 4 Reps: 10
2B Decline Dumbbell Press Sets: 4 Reps: 10
3A Dumbbell Lateral Raise Sets: 3 Reps: 15
3B Plate Raise Sets: 3 Reps: 15 Hold a weight plate with straight arms in front of your body. Raise it up to shoulder level.
4A Overhead Rope Extension Sets: 4 Reps: 12
4B Diamond Push-Up Sets: 4 Reps: to failure
Day IV
1 Sumo Deadlift Sets: 4 Reps: 5
2A Barbell Lunge Sets: 4 Reps: 6
2B Single-Leg Box Jump Sets: 4 Reps: 5
3A Hamstring Curl Sets: 4 Reps: 10
3B Swiss-Ball Hyper Sets: 4 Reps: 8 Lie face down on a Swiss ball and raise both legs up behind you.
Week 5
Day I
1 Bench Press Sets: 3 Reps: 3
2A Cable Row Sets: 2 Reps: 8
2B Close-Grip Bench Press Sets: 2 Reps: 8
3A Underhand-Grip Bent-over Row Sets: 2 Reps: 8
3B Dumbbell Triceps Extension Sets: 2 Reps: 10
Day II
1 Speed Squat Sets: 6 Reps: 2 Use 55% of your max.
2A Good Morning Sets: 2 Reps: 8
2B Glute-Ham Raise Sets: 2 Reps: 5
3A Back Extension Sets: 2 Reps: 10
3B Hamstring Curl Sets: 2 Reps: 10 Perform each rep slowly with control.
Day III
1 Speed Bench Press Sets: 8 Reps: 3 Use 55% of your max.
2B Single-Leg Box Jump Sets: 4 Reps: 5 Jump onto a low box and stick the landing with one leg. Step off the box and repeat.
3A Hamstring Curl Sets: 4 Reps: 10
3B Swiss-Ball Back Extension Sets: 4 Reps: 8
4 Swiss-Ball V-Up Sets: 4 Reps: 15 Hold a Swiss ball between your feet and raise your legs up while you simultaneously crunch your torso and raise your arms overhead.
Week 9
Day I
1 Three-Board Press Sets: 5 Reps: 3 Set the safety rods in a power rack to where you can lower the bar six inches above your chest. Pause with the weight on the rods but don’t relax. Press the bar up.
2A Hammer Row Sets: 4 Reps: 8 Wedge a barbell into a corner and hold the end of the sleeve with one arm. Row it as you would with a dumbbell row.
2B Dumbbell Triceps Extension Sets: 2 Reps: 12
3A Underhand-Grip Bent-over Row Sets: 2 Reps: 8
3B Dumbbell Triceps Extension Sets: 2 Reps: 10
Day II
1 Speed Squat Sets: 6 Reps: 2 Use 60% of your max.
2A Back Extension Sets: 2 Reps: 8
2B Glute-Ham Raise Sets: 2 Reps: 5
3A Back Extension Sets: 2 Reps: 10
3B Hamstring Curl Sets: 2 Reps: 10 Perform the reps slowly under control.
Day III
1 Speed Bench Press Sets: 10 Reps: 3 Use 60% of your max.
2A Three-Way Shoulder Raise Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Perform 10 reps of front raises. Then immediately do lateral raises, and then rear lateral raises.
1B Glute-Ham Raise Negatives Sets: 4 Reps: 8 Slowly extend your knees and lower your body.
2A Band Curl Sets: 3 Reps: 15 Stand on an exercise band and grab the ends in each hand. Curl the band to shoulder level.
2B Swiss-Ball Leg Curl Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Lie on your back on the floor and rest your heels on a Swiss ball. Extend your hips so your body is straight and then bend your knees to roll the ball toward you.
3 Standing Band Trunk Curl Sets: 3 Reps: 20 Attach a band overhead and grab the ends in each hand. From a standing position, curl your torso forward against the resistance of the band.
Week 10
Day I
1 Decline Dumbbell Bench Press Sets: 4 Reps: 10
1B Dumbbell Bent-over Row Sets: 4 Reps: 12
2A Chest-Supported Row Sets: 4 Reps: 10
2B Close-Grip Bench Press Sets: 4 Reps: 10
3A Pull-Up Sets: 4 Reps: 8
3B Suspended Triceps Extension Sets: 3 Reps: 15
Day II
1 Speed Squat Sets: 8 Reps: 2 Use 50% of your max.
2A Romanian Deadlift Sets: 4 Reps: 10
2B Back Extension Sets: 4 Reps: 10
3A Swiss-Ball Back Bridge Sets: 4 Reps: 10
3B Suspended Single-Leg Curl Sets: 4 Reps: 12
4 Weighted Sit-Up Sets: 4 Reps: 15
Day III
1 Speed Bench Press Sets: 12 Reps: 3 Use 50% of your max.
