by sosso » Wed Oct 19, 2011 1:22 am
You'll definitely get big by just focusing on squats, bench, deadlift and overhead press, using a simple 5x5 routine and gradually adding weight to the bar.
If you want something with a bit more assistance and exercises specifically for hypertrophy, just think about which muscles you need to have big and strong to help those four main lifts -
Squats - abs, quads, hamstrings, glutes, lower back. Do glute ham raises, lunges, plus ab wheel rollouts or hanging leg raises.
Bench - triceps, chest, shoulders, lats/back. Do tricep pushdowns, weighted dips, bent-over rows.
Deadlift - pretty much the same as squat, but grip strength is important, plus upper back. Heavy shrugs will help (don't use straps).
Overhead Press - same as bench, plus abs/lower back, but you'll cover those with everything else you do.
Do assistance after the main lift. Think about it logically. If you have identified a weak area, pick something that will help improve it. Sets and reps for assistance is up to you. Do as much or as little as you think you need. Something like 3 x 10-12 reps will work.
Honestly though, if you're just starting out, I'd just do what baldy suggested. Later on you might change to 5/3/1 or westside or something. Or you might not.. but what I wrote here is more suited to a routine that is more split up, instead of one that has several compound movements each day.
OR you could ignore everything I've written here and do squats and eat lots.
