Mass-Building Plan
3×/week · ~58 min · powerlifting base, injury-friendly · dumbbells & barbell, almost no machines
Mon · Day A
Wed · Day B
Fri · Day C
Day A — Squat + Upper
Day A · Squat + Upper
Front Squat / SSB Squat
tempo 3-1-1
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press
Bulgarian Split Squat
dumbbells
SSDB Row + Rear Delt Fly
dumbbells, one spot
Day B — Deadlift + Vertical
Day B · Deadlift + Vertical
Trap-Bar Deadlift / RDL
tempo
Seated DB OHP / Landmine Press
SSLateral Raise + DB Biceps Curl
dumbbells, one spot
Day C — Legs/Chest + Arms
Day C · Legs/Chest + Arms
Reverse Lunge
barbell / dumbbells
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
SSOne-Arm DB Row + Rear Delt Fly
dumbbells, one spot
SSDB Biceps Curl + Triceps Extension
dumbbells, one spot
Rules that keep you injury-free
- RIR 1–3 — leave 1–3 reps in the tank. No grinding, no maxing. This is the big shift from powerlifting and it's what takes the injuries off you.
- Tempo 3-1-0 on main lifts — 3 s down, 1 s pause, controlled up. Muscle grows from tension, not jerking.
- Full range, lighter loads — 6–12 reps is home now, not triples.
- Double progression — hit the top of the rep range across all sets, then add weight.
- Deload every 5–6 weeks — one week at ~60% volume. Don't skip it; that's when old injuries come back.
- SS = superset — both moves back-to-back with the same dumbbells in one spot, then rest.
Warm-up 6 min: 2 min bike/rope → shoulder circles + band pull-aparts 2×15 → 2 ramp-up sets of the first lift at 50% & 70%.
Staying under the hour: if rest on a main lift creeps past 2.5 min, start anyway — that's the only place time leaks.