The holiday season has arrived, complete with mistletoe, dreidels, and holiday eating. This is the best time of year to spend time with family and friends, but even better for bulking. The calorie surplus is ideal for putting on slabs of muscle, but there’s one catch, it’s going to take dedication, consistency and lots of hard work.
Enter the 4-week December Bulk Fest.
To stimulate the muscles maximally, a body part split has been chosen. This will have you in the gym 5x/week.
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Chest/Tris
Legs
Back/Bis
Shoulders
Low Intensity Cardio/Abs
In addition, you’ll perform a supplemental program consisting of pushups, pull-ups and lateral raises. This mini-workout should be performed as a separate workout from the main workout and performed daily. On the first day, perform 10 pull-up variations (use different grips), 25 push-ups and 25-lateral raises. Every day following, add one additional repetition. Therefore, on day 2, you’ll perform 11 pull-ups, 26 push-ups and 26 lateral raises. You’ll add one rep per day for 4 weeks. Use perfect form and focus on the muscular contractions. Used a controlled tempo and minimize momentum.
If possible, try to have an AM session and a PM session. Also, due to the high frequency of these movements, it’s strongly recommended you use a suspension trainer for the push-ups and pull-ups. This will be easier on your joints as the movements aren’t as restricted due to the dynamic nature of the handles/rings.
Chest/Tri Workout
Exercise Number
Exercise
Week 1 Sets/Reps
Week 2
Sets/Reps
Week 3 Sets/Reps
Week 4 Sets/Reps
Rest
A1.
Barbell Bench Press
3×5
4×5
5×5
2×5
(zero)
A2.
Dips (weighted if possible)
3×10
4×10
5×10
2×10
(zero)
A3.
High Cable Fly
3×15
4×15
5×15
2×15
(90-sec)
B1.
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
2×8
2×10
2×12
2×10
(zero)
B2.
Incline Dumbbell Fly
2×10
2×12
2×15
2×12
(60-sec)
C.
Decline Dumbbell Triceps Extension Dropset*
2 sets
2 sets
2 sets
2 sets
(60-sec)
D.
Overhead Triceps Extension
1×25
1×25
1×25
1×25
(N/A)
*Start with a weight that allows for 5 reps, drop the weight by 10lb, perform as many reps as possible.
Legs Workout
Exercise Number
Exercise
Week 1 Sets/Reps
Week 2
Sets/Reps
Week 3 Sets/Reps
Week 4 Sets/Reps
Rest
A1.
Barbell Front Squat
3×5
4×5
5×5
2×5
(zero)
A2.
Romanian Deadlift
3×10
4×10
5×10
2×10
(zero)
A3.
Knee Extension
3×15
4×15
5×15
2×15
(90-sec)
B1.
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat*
2×8
2×10
2×12
2×10
(zero)
B2.
Glute Ham Raise**
2×10
2×12
2×15
2×12
(60-sec)
C.
Machine Hamstring Curl Dropset***
2 sets
2 sets
2 sets
2 sets
(60-sec)
D.
Barbell Back Squat
1×20
1×20
1×20
1×20
(N/A)
*Hold a pair of heavy dumbbells like suitcases
**If you don’t have access to a Glute Ham Raise machine, perform the Hip Thrust
***Start with a weight that allows for 5 reps, drop the weight by 10lb, perform as many reps as possible.
Back/Bis Workout
Exercise Number
Exercise
Week 1 Sets/Reps
Week 2
Sets/Reps
Week 3 Sets/Reps
Week 4 Sets/Reps
Rest
A1.
Weighted Pull Up
3×5
4×5
5×5
2×5
(zero)
A2.
Pendlay Barbell Row
3×10
4×10
5×10
2×10
(zero)
A3.
Dumbbell Pull Over
3×15
4×15
5×15
2×15
(90-sec)
B1.
Seated Cable Row (wide neutral grip)
2×8
2×10
2×12
2×10
(zero)
B2.
Bent Over T-Raise
2×10
2×12
2×15
2×12
(60-sec)
C.
Inverted Suspension Trainer Row
2xAMAP*
2xAMAP
2xAMAP
2xAMAP
(60-sec)
D.
Good Morning
1×25
1×25
1×25
1×25
(N/A)
*AMAP=as many as possible
Shoulder Workout
Exercise Number
Exercise
Week 1 Sets/Reps
Week 2
Sets/Reps
Week 3 Sets/Reps
Week 4 Sets/Reps
Rest
A1.
Overhead Barbell Press
3×5
4×5
5×5
2×5
(zero)
A2.
Facepull
3×10
4×10
5×10
2×10
(zero)
A3.
Plate Halo
3×16 (8/direction)
4×16
5×16
2×16
(90-sec)
B1.
Dumbbell Shrug
2×8
2×10
2×12
2×10
(zero)
B2.
Front Dumbbell Raise
2×10
2×12
2×15
2×12
(60-sec)
C.
Handstand Pushup*
2xAMAP*
2xAMAP
2xAMAP
2xAMAP
(60-sec)
D.
Arnold Press
1×25
1×25
1×25
1×25
(N/A)
*Heels against wall
Low Intensity Cardio/Abs Workout (do first thing in the morning on an empty stomach)
Exercise Number
Exercise
Week 1 Sets/Reps
Week 2
Sets/Reps
Week 3 Sets/Reps
Week 4 Sets/Reps
Rest
A.
Treadmill Incline Walk
30-45 min
30-45 min
30-45 min
30-45 min
(N/A)
B1.
Elbow Plank on Ball (“Stir the Pot”)
3×60-sec
3×60-sec
3×60-sec
3×60-sec
(zero)
B2.
Reverse Crunch
3×15
3×15
3×15
3×15
(zero)
B3.
Hanging Leg Raises
3×12
3×12
3×12
3×12
(60-sec)
C1.
Ab Roll Out
3×15
3×15
3×15
3×15
(zero)
C2.
Farmer’s Walk
3xAFAP*
3xAFAP*
3xAFAP*
3xAFAP*
(zero)
C3.
Kneeling Rope Crunches
3×12
3×12
3×12
3×12
(60-sec)
Jon-Erik Kawamoto, CSCS, CEP, is a Personal Trainer, Strength Coach and Fitness Writer out of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. He contributes regularly to many major health and fitness magazines and websites and is currently in the middle of a master’s in exercise physiology at Memorial University. Check out more of his work at www.JKConditioning.com and follow him on Twitter at @JKConditioning.
