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GET HUGE IN 90 DAYS | YOUR TOTAL TRAINING &

NUTRITION PLAN
Wri‫﬙‬en by Ron Harris & Photography by Gregory James 01 May 2019

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Get Huge in 90 Days

Your Total Training & Nutrition Plan
 

A Goal You Can Achieve!

I believe that “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” The first component in achieving anything is to
set a clear and distinct goal of what it is you want. It must be specific! Once you do that, you
need to design a plan of action to achieve it. Finally, you need a specific time frame within which
to reach that goal, i.e., a deadline. It’s the lack of those three factors that keeps most of you
spinning your wheels and not making gains. You have vague, hazy goals that you’d like to be
bigger, but how are you going to do it? How much will you gain, and by what date?

Another factor that keeps many from improving their physiques is stagnation in your workouts.
You keep doing the same workouts over and over again: same exercises, same reps and sets, yet
you expect to see new growth. That’s the definition of insanity— repeating the same actions but
expecting a different outcome. It doesn’t work that way. If you keep giving your muscles what
they’ve always gotten, they will have no physiological “reason” to adapt and grow. Only by forcing
them to do things they’ve never done— be it in terms of heavier loads, different exercises, rep
schemes, rest periods and rep tempo— will you stimulate growth.

For 90 days, you are going to keep your muscles constantly guessing— and growing! First, I want
you to write down your bodyweight goal. How much do you want to gain? Keep in mind that we
want a minimum of what you gain to be body fat, and we want a realistic amount of muscle
mass you can put on in 90 days. If you’re past the beginner and intermediate stages of training,
something like 10 pounds is very achievable. If seven to eight pounds of that is new lean muscle
tissue, you’re doing pretty damn good. For those who think eight pounds of muscle isn’t much,
go ahead and put eight pounds of raw steak on a cutting board. Now imagine that evenly
distributed over your body in the form on new muscle. That’s a lot more impressive than you
distributed over your body in the form on new muscle. That s a lot more impressive than you
thought!

So right now, map out when your 90 days is up, and then write down in a journal, “I will weigh X
on X date.” Got it? Good, now let’s talk about how you will get there.

The 90-Day Breakdown

Phase 1 – Basic Blitz: Weeks 1-4

You hear it all the time: the basic compound movements are the ones that give you the most
“bang for your buck.” It’s simple mathematics, really. These are the exercises that involve
multiple muscle groups at once and allow for the heaviest loads to be used. You probably thrived
on them in your early days of training, that magical but fleeting moment in time when you
seemingly grew bigger and stronger by the day. A routine made up mainly of free-weight basics
is how legions of men around the world have built solid foundations of mass for many decades.
Chances are you have gotten away from a lot of these movements, instead incorporating more
isolation, machine and cable exercises because that’s what “advanced” trainers do. Forget about
those for the moment.

For Phase 1 of your “Get Huge in 90 Days” program, you will return to the foundation of basics.
You won’t be focusing on one body part at each workout and attacking it from every conceivable
angle. Instead, you will pour your efforts into just a handful of bad-ass barbell and dumbbell
movements, and overload all your major muscle groups for straight sets in the eight to 10 range
after warming up. There will be no direct arm work, and don’t even think about adding that or
anything else to your workouts. Rest assured that your biceps and triceps will get more than
enough carryover work from heavy back, chest and shoulder training to maintain their size. If
your arms happen to be overtrained from too much work on a regular basis, you might even see
some growth occur from giving them the chance to fully recover. But in the meantime, you will be
attempting to increase your weights on all the basic movements in the routine, week by week, in
that eight to 10 rep range. Use good form, and rest only as long as you need to. Each workout
should be able to be completed in an hour.
Phase 2 – Reps and Volume: Weeks 5-8

Now it’s time to switch things up. Your joints will probably need a break from the very heavy
loads, so for the next four weeks we’ll be lightening things up. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean the
workouts will be any easier. The intensity will still remain high, but now we increase the reps and
slow them down a bit. The goal here is to achieve full-blown, tight pumps in every muscle group.
It will be more of a traditional bodybuilding split, focusing on one or two body parts per workout
in order to hit them with several movements from various angles of push or pull. Isolation
movements enter the picture too, and machines and cables are tools added to the program.
Instead of lifting in an explosive manner, we slow the reps down so they’re more of a squeeze.
You’ll also be emphasizing the negatives. Combined, this is all going to give your muscles
maximum time under tension.

Phase 3 – The Best of Both Worlds: Weeks 9-12

In the third and final phase of your 90-day program, you will combine the best of both worlds.
Each workout will feature both compound basic free-weight movements as well as isolation
exercises using free weights, machines and cables. Your reps will range from as low as eight to
as high as 30. You will do some sets in the standard straight set fashion, while others will
incorporate intensity-boosting methods such as supersets, drop sets, rest-pause and multiple
sets done consecutively with very little rest. You will use various rep tempos. In the process, you
will be stimulating all your muscle fiber types and assaulting your muscle groups with a barrage
of hellish effort. As long as your nutrition and rest are on point, this is when you will really see the
rewards on the scale and in the mirror.
Phase 1 – Basic Blitz Workout

Day 1

Exercise                                     Sets and Reps                    Tempo*

Flat Barbell Bench Press             4 x 8-10                                 0/0/1

Barbell Rows                               4 x 8-10                                 0/0/1

Military Press (seated)                 4 x 8-10                                 0/0/1

Dumbbell Rows                           4 x 8-10                                  0/0/1

Barbell Upright Rows                   4 x 8-10                                 0/0/1

(shoulder-width grip)
 

Day 2

Exercise                          Sets and Reps                    Tempo

Squats                              8 x 8-10                                 0/0/1

Lying Leg Curls                5 x 8-10                                 0/0/1

Standing Calf Raises        4 x 12                                    1/1/1

Day 3: OFF

Day 4

Exercise                                       Sets and Reps                    Tempo

Chin-Ups                                       4 x 8-10**                             0/0/1

Incline Barbell Press                     4 x 8-10                                0/0/1

Deadlifts                                        4 x 8-10                                1/0/1

Seated Dumbbell Press                 4 x 8-10                               0/0/1

Dips                                               4 x 8-10                                0/0/1

T-Bar Rows                                    4 x 8-10                                0/0/1

Add weight if you can on chin-ups and dips.

Day 5

Exercise                                 Sets and Reps                    Tempo

Front Squats                            5 x 8-10                               0/0/1

Leg Press                                 5 x 10                                  0/0/1

Romanian Deadlifts                  5 x 10                                  1/0/1    

Seated Calf Raises                   4 x 10                                 1/1/1
 

Day 6: OFF, Repeat

*Tempo is the rep speed, in seconds. The first number is the positive, the second number is the
time to pause and emphasize the contraction, and the third number is the negative, or speed you
will lower the rep. For Phase 1, you will lift the weight in an explosive manner to recruit the
maximum amount of fast-twitch muscle fibers. You will not pause at the completion of the rep,
but you will control the weight back down into the start position for a one-second count.

**Two sets using a wide grip, and two sets with either a neutral (palms facing each other) or
underhand, shoulder-width grip.

Phase 2 – Reps and Volume Workout

Day 1: Chest and Triceps

Exercise                                              Sets and Reps                    Tempo

Incline Dumbbell Press                         4 x 12-15                             1/1/2

Pec Flye Machine                                 4 x 15                                   1/1/2

Machine Bench Press                           4 x 12-15                             1/1/2

Cable Pushdowns                                 4 x 15                                   1/1/2

Overhead Dumbbell Extensions            4 x 15                                   1/1/2

Seated Dip Machine                              4 x 15                                   1/1/2

Day 2: Back

Exercise                                               Sets and Reps                    Tempo

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns                       4 x 15                                  1/1/2

Supported T-Bar Rows                          4 x 15                                  1/1/2

Underhand Pulldowns                            4 x 15                                  1/1/2

Seated Cable Rows                               4 x 15                                   1/1/2

Cable or Machine Pullovers                   4 x 15                                   1/1/2

Dumbbell Shrugs                                   4 x 15                                    1/1/2    

Day 3: OFF

Day 4: Shoulders and Biceps

Exercise                                                       Sets and Reps                  Tempo

Seated Dumbbell Press                                 4 x 15                                1/1/2

Dumbbell Lateral Raises                                4 x 15                                1/1/2

Rear Lateral Machine                                     4 x 15                                1/1/2

Dumbbell Upright Rows                                 4 x 15                                1/1/2

E-Z Bar Curls                                                 4 x 15                                 1/1/2

Hammer Dumbbell Curls                               4 x 15                                 1/1/2

Cable Curls (short, straight bar)                     4 x 15                                 1/1/2

Day 5: Legs

Exercise                                           Sets and Reps                   Tempo

Leg Extensions                                  4 x 20-25                            1/1/2

Lying Leg Curls                                  4 x 15                                 1/1/2

Squats                                                4 x 20                                 1/0/2

Leg Press                                           4 x 20-25                            1/0/2

Romanian Deadlifts                           3 x 15                                  1/0/2    

Walking Lunges                                 3 x 20*                                 1/0/1

Standing Calf Raises                         4 x 20-25                             1/1/2

*per leg

Day 6: OFF, Repeat

  

Phase 3 – The Best of Both Worlds Workout

Day 1: Chest and Biceps

Exercise                                                     Sets and Reps                   Tempo

Flat Dumbbell Press                                    4 x 8-10                              1/1/2

Incline Hammer or Smith Press                  3 x 12-15                             1/1/2

(Do these rest-pause: 6-8 reps to failure, rest 10 seconds, 3-4 reps to failure, rest 10 seconds, 2-3
final reps to failure.)

Pec Flye Machine                                        3 x 12                                  1/1/2

superset with

Seated Bench Press Machine                     3 x 15                                    0/0/0

Alternate Dumbbell Curls                             3 x 8-10                                1/1/2

Reverse Barbell Curls                                  3 x 12                                   1/1/3

Machine Curls                                              3 x 15-20                              0/1/1

(Do these as drop sets: 8-10 reps, drop weight to get 5-7 more, drop weight to get 4-5 more.)

Day 2: Legs

Exercise                                                 Sets and Reps                   Tempo

Seated Leg Curls                                     3 x 12-15                            1/2/2

Leg Extensions                                        3 x 12-15                             1/2/2

Squats                                                      4 x 20,15,12,10                   1/0/2

Hack Squats                                             3 x 12                                  1/0/2

Leg Press                                                 3 x 20, 2 x 30-40                 1/0/1

(Final 2 sets are rest-pause: 12-15 reps to failure, rest 10 seconds, 10-12 reps to failure, rest 10
seconds, 10-12 reps to failure.)

Lying Leg Curls                                        4 x 8-10                                 2/1/3

(Rest only 30 seconds between those sets.)

Seated Calf Raises                                  3 x 10                                    2/2/4

Standing Calf Raises                               3 x 15-20                               2/2/4

 
Day 3: OFF
 

Day 4: Back

Exercise                                                   Sets and Reps                   Tempo

Wide-Grip Chin-Ups                                  5 x 10-12                             0/1/1

Rack Deadlifts (from knees up)                 4 x 8-10                               1/0/1

Barbell Rows                                             4 x 8-10                                0/0/1

Seated Row Machine                                3 x 12-15                             2/1/2    

(Hammer Strength or other type with chest pad)             

Underhand Pulldowns                                4 x 10-12                             0/1/1

Cable Pullovers                                          3 x 12                                  0/1/1

superset with

High Cable Pull to Upper Chest                  3 x 12                                 0/2/1

(This is a hybrid angle between a pulldown and a row— you can use the same bar and setup you
are using for the pullover.)

Day 5: Shoulders and Triceps

Exercise                                                            Sets and Reps                   Tempo

Seated Dumbbell Press                                     4 x 8-10                               0/0/1

Machine or Cable Lateral Raises                       2 x 40-60                              1/1/1

(Do each of these 3 sets as you would “up and down the rack” sets with dumbbells. Do 3
increasingly heavier “sets” of 8-10 reps, then make your way back down the weight stack with 3
drops, again getting 8-10 reps each time.)

Bent Lateral Raises                                            3 x 12                                    0/1/1

Machine Overhead Press                                   4 x 12-15                               0/0/0

(Rest only 30 seconds between those sets.)

Rope Pushdowns                                                3 x 15-20                               0/0/0

EZ-Bar Skull-Crushers                                        4 x 10-12                                1/1/2

(Do these on a decline bench.)

Overhead Cable Extensions                                3 x 12                                    1/1/1

Close-Grip Bench Press                                      4 x 10-12                               1/1/2

(Use a Smith machine for this, and experiment with a reverse grip to see if you feel your triceps
activating more strongly with that hand position. Be sure your hand spacing isn’t too narrow, as
this will cause wrist pain.)
 

Day 6: OFF, Repeat

  

Your Mass-Gaining Diet

Meal 1:                3 whole eggs, 4 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal (dry measure), 1/2 cup fruit of
choice mixed into oatmeal. You may add sausage or ham to the eggs.

Meal 2:                Large chicken breast, 2 cups of white rice. You may add sauce of your choice to
the rice for flavor.

Pre-Workout:       Advanced Molecular Labs (AML) Preworkout

Post-Workout:     Advanced Molecular Labs (AML) Postworkout

Meal 3:                Chicken or turkey breast, large sweet potato.

Meal 4:                Protein shake with 1-2 pieces of fruit

Meal 5:                10-12 ounces of salmon, 2 cups of white rice.

Meal 6:                10-12 ounces of steak, 1 cup of mixed nuts.

Meal 7:                Protein shake during mid-sleep cycle.

Notes on Your Nutrition

The above diet is merely a guideline, and you may substitute foods accordingly as long as the
general framework remains the same. Meals should be spaced two to three hours apart, and all
should contain a quality protein source. There is a world of difference between a chicken breast
you buy from the market and grill yourself and a 10-piece box of Chicken McNuggets, for
example. Even though this is an off-season diet aimed at putting on weight, that weight should
be mostly in the form of quality muscle. Cheat meals and treats are acceptable a few times a
week, but quality food leads to quality gains, and garbage food will only make you gain fat.

You should be getting 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. As for carbohydrates, start
with two grams per pound and adjust from there based on your results. If you aren’t gaining at
all, increase by 50 grams a day for a week and check again. Keep adding until you do see bigger
numbers on the scale. If you are putting on more fat than muscle, decrease by 50 grams. Soon
you will find the right amount where you are gaining primarily muscle along with a bit of fat. Don’t
skimp on healthy fats like lean red meat, fish and nuts.

You will need to keep a food log to manage your nutrition properly. There are many good
websites that list the calories and macronutrient breakdowns of various foods. One excellent
one I’ve see is www.calorieking.com. It is a lot of work to write down all your meals and work out
the calories and macros, but it’s the only way you can truly be in control of your nutrition. Even if
you do decide to cut back on your carbohydrate intake, do keep a substantial amount of carbs in
your pre-workout meal, your post-workout shake, and the meal that you should have about an
hour later. Your last meal of the day should have fats in it, so it takes longer to digest while you
sleep.            Staying anabolic and avoiding catabolism, or the breakdown of muscle tissue for its
amino acids by the body, is key in making gains. Finally, that’s also why a protein shake at some
point in the middle of the night is particularly valuable. Have it premixed in your refrigerator, and
drink it whenever you get up to use the bathroom at some point between going to sleep at night
and getting up in the morning. Just this one small change has helped many guys I have known
break past a plateau.
Rest and Recovery

It’s been repeated ad infinitum, yet it always bears repeating. It doesn’t matter how hard you train
or how perfect your workouts are plotted out. If you don’t recover from the workouts, no muscle
growth will occur. After nutrition, not respecting the need for proper recovery is where most guys
go wrong in their pursuit of greater size. First up, you need to sleep a solid eight hours a night. If
that means you can’t watch as much TV or have to cut back on your hours online, so be it. Take
naps if you can, too, unless you’ve found naps make it tougher to get to sleep at night. Limit your
outside physical activities, including cardio. For you younger guys, I wouldn’t do any cardio for
the 90 days of this program. If you’re over 35, it’s a good idea to keep a moderate amount in for
health purposes. Three 30-minute sessions a week should suffice, and don’t go all-out on those
by any means. Just do enough to break a sweat and get your breathing and heart rates elevated.

All three training phases have you training two days on, then taking a day off. Resist the
temptation to skip rest days and keep training continuously. The workouts have been designed
to avoid overlap between body parts on consecutive days, and again— you must fully recover to
grow.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention steroids, since some of you out there do use them. Steroids
greatly enhance recovery, but I still stress the need for those rest days that are built in. For those
of you training naturally, and especially if you’re 35 or older or work a demanding job, you might
even choose to take two rest days between workouts if you’re starting to feel run down. I would
strongly suggest that everyone take two full days off between Phase 1 and 2, and again between
Phase 2 and 3. Stimulate the muscle with hard work, feed it and rest it. That’s the simple formula
for gains!

Are You Ready to Get Huge? Ready, Set, Go!

Now you have a clear goal, a solid plan of action to follow and a deadline to reach your goal by.
Record your workouts and meals, as well as your bodyweight once a week, in a journal. This will
not only give you a record to look back on, but it will also serve as a quick reference as the weeks
go by to make sure you’re on the right track. It’s a new year, and now you can create a bigger,
better version of you with fresh new muscle mass!

Ron Harris got his start in the bodybuilding industry during the eight years he worked in Los
Angeles as Associate Producer for ESPN’s “American Muscle Magazine” show in the 1990s. Since
1992 he has published nearly 3,000 articles in bodybuilding and fitness magazines, making him
the most prolific bodybuilding writer ever. Ron has been training since the age of 14 and
competing as a bodybuilder since 1989, and maintains the popular website
www.ronharrismuscle.com, most notable for its blog “The Daily Pump.” He lives with his wife and
two children in the Boston area.

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