The Best Workouts to Get Big & Ripped

If you really want to get big and ripped, you've got to train a lot, eat a lot, and sleep a lot. It's key though, to make sure that your workouts are going to be moving you towards your goal of getting huge. Hypertrophy, or muscle growth, relies on progressive overload: you need to be lifting weights, and consistently adding weight to what you are lifting. In order to do this effectively, it's easiest to target your workouts to a specific part of the body. For example, doing two upper body lifting sessions per week that target the arms, chest and upper back, and two lower body lifting sessions that target the legs, glutes and lower back.

  1. Upper Body Workouts

    • To increase the size of your arms, chest and upper back, the best workouts are comprised of several key exercises. Designate Monday and Thursday as your upper body workout days. Perform three sets per workout, with each set being made up of six to 10 repetitions of each of the following exercises: chest press, bent over row, lateral raises, weighted triceps dips, pull-ups and bicep curls. Ensure that the weight you are lifting allows you to complete at least six repetitions but no more than 10, in order to trigger the most muscle growth.

    Lower Body Workouts

    • To bulk up your legs, glutes and strengthen your lower back, there are again several key exercises to focus on over your two sessions. Designate Tuesday and Friday to your lower body workouts, and perform three sets per workout, with each set being made up of six to 10 repetitions of each of the following exercises: barbell squats, deadlifts, split squats, leg press, leg extensions and standing calf raises. Your lower body's muscles are bigger than your upper body's, and so will be able to tolerate higher weights, and produce increased growth. If you like, you can add in some core work to these workouts, including exercises like hyperextensions, decline crunches and weighted oblique crunches.

    Cardio Intervals

    • So now that you know what it takes to get big, here's the best kind of workout to do in order to get ripped. Cardio interval training is the quickest way to burn extra fat from your body, and it's also the most time-effective way to do it. Adding two to three cardio intervals to your weekly workout schedule will ensure that you also drop body fat while you're increasing your muscle mass. A classic, effective interval session goes like this: sprint on a treadmill or stationary bike as hard as you can for 30 seconds, then rest for 15. Repeat this 10 to 12 times, then follow with a slow 15-minute walk or cycle. It's often easiest to add these cardio sessions in after your upper body workouts so you're not making extra trips to the gym just for these.

    It's Not All About the Workouts

    • To really put on size while simultaneously cutting down on body fat, it's important to increase your total caloric intake, specifically by eating more protein. This means eating a lot of lean meats and eggs, and supplementing with protein powder if necessary. You also need to be eating carbohydrates at every meal -- such as brown rice or sweet potato -- and some healthy fats like dairy, olive or coconut oil or nuts, and lots of fresh vegetables for micronutrients. It's also key to get enough sleep and take one to two rest days per week in order to give your body time to recover and rebuild, as outlined on Simply Shredded.