Veteran bodybuilder Lee Priest has tried virtually every training program available, giving him insight into the best methods for achieving results in the gym. In his latest IFBB AMA video on YouTube, Priest discussed the role of pumping in a training program and answered whether it’s possible to gain 40 pounds (18 kg) of muscle in eight weeks.
Priest emphasizes that a lack of pumping doesn’t mean a bad workout. To achieve muscle mass gain, it’s not necessary to include pumping in your program. He believes that as long as the athlete is training their muscles, it works as it should. As for gaining 40 pounds of muscle in two months, Lee advises not to have high hopes for this idea. It’s possible, but you’ll end up with more than just muscle—you’ll likely gain a double chin as well.
Priest favors full-body workouts and often used them, especially before reaching the peak of his bodybuilding career. As he progressed as an athlete, these workouts became less effective because he started lifting heavier weights. “As you progress in the sport, doing more exercises and increasing volume, it becomes difficult to do full-body workouts if you’re working with very heavy weights,” he explained.
According to him, one way to structure a full-body workout is to perform two leg exercises before moving on to a couple of back exercises, and then chest exercises. “If you start with legs and do a full leg workout, then move to back, and then to chest, it will take forever. But now, if you do a full-body workout in the sense that you choose two exercises, say for legs—like a warm-up, leg extensions, and leg curls—you do seven sets. Then you choose leg presses or squats and do seven sets. When you’re done, move on to the back, do pull-downs and pull-ups, then rows. The next exercises will be for the chest. Choose a pressing movement and dumbbell flyes. You can still work the entire body quite well, but you’ll have to limit the number of exercises and sets you do, but it works. It’s not useless. Depending on your time frame and how you like to train, sometimes you might work out three days a week,” advises Priest.
