BY JIMMY SMITH, CSCS
Building bigger muscles doesn’t need to be impossible but rather an adventure that will give you bragging rights once you’ve achieved your maximum fitness level. But before you take all the credit, you have to start your adventure—in this case, your adventure is to build muscle by doing multi-joint exercises with heavy weights.
HOW IT HELPS
Multi-joint movements lead to faster muscle growth because they cause the body to release more of the muscle-building hormone testosterone, as well as recruit fast-twitch muscle fibers. The five exercises below have been carefully selected to recruit more muscle to explode your growth.
BEFORE & AFTER
Before you start your workout, take a photo of yourself with your shirt off (your “Before” photo). After six to eight weeks, when you’ve finished your workout, take another photo (your “After” photo) and send it to us at editorial@maxfitmag.com. Who knows? You might be featured in the pages of Maximum Fitness.
SUITCASE DEAD LIFT
TARGETS Glutes, hamstrings and spinal erectors
SETUP Begin with a barbell on your left side (as if you’re going to pick up a suitcase that you’ve just put down) and be sure to put collars on both sides of the bar.
ACTION With your feet shoulder width apart and your lower back arched, bend down and grab the bar with your left hand in the middle so that it’s balanced. Stand up while trying to keep the bar balanced. Reverse the movement on the way down.
BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT
TARGETS Glutes, hamstrings, quads and spinal erectors
SETUP Holding a dumbbell in each hand, elevate your left foot on a bench behind you so that your foot rests comfortably on the bench—your right thigh should be parallel to the floor.
ACTION Bend your right thigh and allow your left knee to drop (as if you’re trying to kneel). Graze the floor with your left knee before driving your right heel through the floor and return to the starting position.
