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Getbig Bodybuilding Boards => Training Q&A => Topic started by: Option D on December 30, 2014, 07:19:00 AM
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Back has always been a lagging body part (because i really didnt train it a lot).
Im trying to work towards a bigger back with thickness and width. But the issue is the insane numbers of angles and movemnts needed to get the complete back and the time it would take on back day to complete them all with intensity.
So me thinks i could train for thickness on one day and a few days later train for width...
any of you ever attack back like that?
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Back has always been a lagging body part (because i really didnt train it a lot).
Im trying to work towards a bigger back with thickness and width. But the issue is the insane numbers of angles and movemnts needed to get the complete back and the time it would take on back day to complete them all with intensity.
So me thinks i could train for thickness on one day and a few days later train for width...
any of you ever attack back like that?
Barbell rows.... Quality training not quantity or frequency.
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Barbell rows.... Quality training not quantity or frequency.
if you didnt have those purple stars, i would tell you to fuck off J/k
Im a novice in training back, what would a typical back workout look like?
Back day 1 for me is
Deads pyramid up to 495 for 6
BB row pyramid up to 245 for 6
Chainsaws with 120 for 10 (4 sets)
Seated cable rows heavy for 8 4 (sets)
but that doesnt address Lat width...and when i tried to get to some pull downs and pull ups... i had nothing left
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split your back in a horizontal movement day
then vertical.
So one day you're doing chins, pulldowns, pullovers....
Other (3-4 days later) rows of variations.
you will never wanna train back all together again I think.
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split your back in a horizontal movement day
then vertical.
So one day you're doing chins, pulldowns, pullovers....
Other (3-4 days later) rows of variations.
you will never wanna train back all together again I think.
Thats what i figured.
I tried to do heavy rows yesterday and do biceps on the back end...I had nothing left. I got through the Back part...but the biceps..nothing
thursday ill knock out chins, cable pull downs and hammer machine pull downs.
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I'll clean up Donnys shit later. ::)
But for now, Mal, just do deadlifts, bbell rows, then pullups/downs.
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I'll clean up Donnys shit later. ::)
But for now, Mal, just do deadlifts, bbell rows, then pullups/downs.
ok thanks...ill do that next week..
about 16 working sets total sound about right?
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ok thanks...ill do that next week..
about 16 working sets total sound about right?
I do alot of sets, low reps for deadlifts, then the rest i do about 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps.
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Thats what i figured.
I tried to do heavy rows yesterday and do biceps on the back end...I had nothing left. I got through the Back part...but the biceps..nothing
thursday ill knock out chins, cable pull downs and hammer machine pull downs.
train hamstrings after back thickness.
quads after back width.
It's the best of both worlds. Will never wanna do full leg training either once you split them up...
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I do alot of sets, low reps for deadlifts, then the rest i do about 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps.
ok...i do actually do about 6 sets of deads starting with 2 plates and going to 5 plates.
thats some good solid training advices.. thanks
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train hamstrings after back thickness.
quads after back width.
It's the best of both worlds. Will never wanna do full leg training either once you split them up...
i gotta UP my calories for this kind of training. Im at about 3k clean per day. Body basically said "NO MAS" after 4 days of straight if this kind of training
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Glad you just didn't say lat's, but total back. That's a good start, and goal, to keep in mind.
Three mass builders for your consideration. All BB'ing reps of 6-10 reps. 2 or 3 sets each. If doing the sets with serious intent, than more sets are not needed...just like everything else in lifting.
DL's are an excellent total back exercise, but perhaps not meant for everyone. Some men are not designed for this exercise (as some are not designed for the squat or bench...truth be told) and sooner or later come up with some unexpected injuries. If using a trap/shrug bar, with the thumbs facing forward and nothing in the way of the knees, than better the chance of getting the most of this total back mass building exercise. And hopefully without injuries. Taller men usually have a problem with a regular straight bar hitting the knees/shines (top DL'ers will usually have skid marks, as some call them, on the shins and knees; bruises, scabs, etc..) Might want to use reps in the range of 6 to 10. At the top standing position of each rep of a DL, shrug the shoulders as high as possible.
BB Rows: A version, which I have seen some very thick & advanced guys doing. is a medium grip row. As the bar raises from the floor, at the same time the upper body begins to straighten up and the exercise becomes more of a combo row and high pull at the finish. A great mass builder for the whole back area. Or the curl grip, medium hand spacing BB row is another effected back builder. Pull the bar to the lower abs as much as you can....pause for 2-3 seconds and lower the bar back to the starting position.
Heavy weighted chins. Medium grip, either curl grip or hammer grip (thumbs back). Alternate grips each workout if you wish. Find one better grip than the other for you, than use it.
Good luck.
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i gotta UP my calories for this kind of training. Im at about 3k clean per day. Body basically said "NO MAS" after 4 days of straight if this kind of training
4-5 days should be plenty. But it's an individual thing...
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Glad you just didn't say lat's, but total back. That's a good start, and goal, to keep in mind.
Three mass builders for your consideration. All BB'ing reps of 6-10 reps. 2 or 3 sets each. If doing the sets with serious intent, than more sets are not needed...just like everything else in lifting.
DL's are an excellent total back exercise, but perhaps not meant for everyone. Some men are not designed for this exercise (as some are not designed for the squat or bench...truth be told) and sooner or later come up with some unexpected injuries. If using a trap/shrug bar, with the thumbs facing forward and nothing in the way of the knees, than better the chance of getting the most of this total back mass building exercise. And hopefully without injuries. Taller men usually have a problem with a regular straight bar hitting the knees/shines (top DL'ers will usually have skid marks, as some call them, on the shins and knees; bruises, scabs, etc..) Might want to use reps in the range of 6 to 10. At the top standing position of each rep of a DL, shrug the shoulders as high as possible.
BB Rows: A version, which I have seen some very thick & advanced guys doing. is a medium grip row. As the bar raises from the floor, at the same time the upper body begins to straighten up and the exercise becomes more of a combo row and high pull at the finish. A great mass builder for the whole back area. Or the curl grip, medium hand spacing BB row is another effected back builder. Pull the bar to the lower abs as much as you can....pause for 2-3 seconds and lower the bar back to the starting position.
Heavy weighted chins. Medium grip, either curl grip or hammer grip (thumbs back). Alternate grips each workout if you wish. Find one better grip than the other for you, than use it.
Good luck.
Thanks a whole lot. That’s some good advices too…The conscious movements seem to deads, bb rows and pull ups.
Ive been in golds Hollywood and seen rich piana doing those rows where there is some extension at the hip like he’s going to stand straight up a bit. I did them yesterday with a pure “torso parallel to the floor” stance with super strict movement. But you’re saying I can jazz it up a bit (and add more weight) by straightening up half way through my movement.
Are dumbbell rows a waste of time compared to BB rows?
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for the deads i gotta shrug the shoulders UP more...i notice i had been rolling them back more than forcing them up.
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Pretty much a rule of thumb for getting larger and stronger is to use a looser style. Cheating is an art form when done correctly. Which doesn't mean just throwing weight up any old way. Strict style does have a place in BB'ing I suppose, but most very large men mostly use compound exercises, partial reps with a heavier, looser style of training. So might consider all that jazz in some of the future workouts.
Is that Gold's still on Vine, across from the donut shop? Haven't been around that area of Hollywood for years.
Good Luck
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Pretty much a rule of thumb for getting larger and stronger is to use a looser style. Cheating is an art form when done correctly. Which doesn't mean just throwing weight up any old way. Strict style does have a place in BB'ing I suppose, but most very large men mostly use compound exercises, partial reps with a heavier, looser style of training. So might consider all that jazz in some of the future workouts.
Is that Gold's still on Vine, across from the donut shop? Haven't been around that area of Hollywood for years.
Good Luck
its close to vine..its on a street named Cole. It runs the same way as vine, just a couple of blocks over. They just built a huge parking structure next to it. Its a an alright Gym but i dont live in hollywood anymore. So i go to 24 hour fitness in manhanttan beach.. pretty close to my place
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cheating is a quick route to injury. the Best Bodybuilders used strict form and not training to failure. Training to failure is using loose form.
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Cheating is an art form when done correctly.
Good Luck
Absolutely! Even my cheat lifts are stricter in form than some "competitors".
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Absolutely! Even my cheat lifts are stricter in form than some "competitors".
please explain this further ..what lifts and how are yours stricter? what "competitors" are you talking about ? Name me them and why you think your "loose" form is stricter. Also explain why these competitors look WORSE than you do? I assume you look better than they do ?
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please explain this further ..what lifts and how are yours stricter? what "competitors" are you talking about ? Name me them and why you think your "loose" form is stricter. Also explain why these competitors look WORSE than you do? I assume you look better than they do ?
You're much too focused on looks. Makes you come across very materialistic. :-\
Let's not forget I trained at Koloseum and watched many pro bbers lift.
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For lats you have to lower under control, if you let the bar drop on rows for example your missing out big time.. Actually until you can learn to feel your lats your treading water..
If your going to deadlift, flex your lats before you lift the bar and keep the tension throughout the rep, I didn't bother with the shrug at the top, as I followed deads with shrugs
The routine I used as a jnr that actualy built my back was as follows
Light lat pulldown and stretches
Wide grip chin x bodyweight.. Then with added weight, finishing with one set at the end using a very close grip triangle bar draped over the chin bar, deep stretch to begin and drive up to the bar hits your sternom
Yates style bb row, I used to get upto 3 n half plates a side doing these, finish with partials
Then deads as I described
Bb shrugs to finish...
I followed a Yates style set and rep scheme at the time too, with two work sets took to failure
Totally different to the pumpy style I use now, i don't even go to failure any more and use more volume with less rest between sets..but above was how I built it in the 1st place when my joints and tendons were young and fresh
Id also advise anyone to read the 1st blood and guts for exersize execution and how to help feel the movement
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For lats you have to lower under control, if you let the bar drop on rows for example your missing out big time.. Actually until you can learn to feel your lats your treading water..
If your going to deadlift, flex your lats before you lift the bar and keep the tension throughout the rep, I didn't bother with the shrug at the top, as I followed deads with shrugs
The routine I used as a jnr that actualy built my back was as follows
Light lat pulldown and stretches
Wide grip chin x bodyweight.. Then with added weight, finishing with one set at the end using a very close grip triangle bar draped over the chin bar, deep stretch to begin and drive up to the bar hits your sternom
Yates style bb row, I used to get upto 3 n half plates a side doing these, finish with partials
Then deads as I described
Bb shrugs to finish...
I followed a Yates style set and rep scheme at the time too, with two work sets took to failure
Totally different to the pumpy style I use now, i don't even go to failure any more and use more volume with less rest between sets..but above was how I built it in the 1st place when my joints and tendons were young and fresh
Id also advise anyone to read the 1st blood and guts for exersize execution and how to help feel the movement
Lat pull downs warm up
Wide grip chins for 3 sets
V bar chins for 3 sets
BB Row 5 sets (based on getting up to 3 ½ plates)
And then deads (what rep/set) range
Followed by shrugs
sound about right?
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Chins x bodyweight + weight x 2 sets
V bar x bodyweight 1 set
Bbrow 20 per side, 40, 60.... Then 70k each side x 2 sets
Similar progression on deads and shrugs... I never went over 6 reps on deads, and never under 3
I put very little effort into the warm Ups, just let the muscles get used to the weight
As I said, not what I do now, but it worked when I was younger, and I had a very good back
I do like the look of ritch's idea of splitting width and thickness, if your deadlifting 5 plates your quite advanced, you just need to make more of an effort to contract and release under control, any rep and set scheme will work... If you can deadlift 5 plates in the way I described you would have some serious thickness top to bottom
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Chins x bodyweight + weight x 2 sets
V bar x bodyweight 1 set
Bbrow 20 per side, 40, 60.... Then 70k each side x 2 sets
Similar progression on deads and shrugs... I never went over 6 reps on deads, and never under 3
I put very little effort into the warm Ups, just let the muscles get used to the weight
As I said, not what I do now, but it worked when I was younger, and I had a very good back
ah haaaa thanks for the info...its on par with the other trusted members of the training board.
i got about 7 months to build a respectable back. .
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I have to add... I could never start a back workout with a rowing movement, I simply couldn't contract or get the feel when doing pulldown or chin movements afterwards, yet for me it works perfectly well the other way round
I was busy modifying my other post when your replied D...
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to the original poster. have you tried changing how you do the exercises? example. on weighted pullups o pause at top, middle and bottom for 2 sec each rep. rows pause for 3 sec at top, or on dl pausing half of the way dpwn on sets?
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to the original poster. have you tried changing how you do the exercises? example. on weighted pullups o pause at top, middle and bottom for 2 sec each rep. rows pause for 3 sec at top, or on dl pausing half of the way dpwn on sets?
To tell the truth i wasnt as strict as that as im 250 lbs and my back isnt my strong suit. I mostly did cable pull downs. But i as all of you told me, cable pulldowns arent a substitute for chins, so i need to build chins and treat them as a priority movement.
Thanks
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for the deads i gotta shrug the shoulders UP more...i notice i had been rolling them back more than forcing them up.
if you can shrug the shoulder at the top then the weight is not enough
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The traps are a short ROM muscle, and like most other short ROM muscles are very powerful. If more serious work would be directed to the traps, than most men would be able to shrug the same, but usually more than they DL. Hence the suggestion to shrug at the top position of DL's, adding to the attempt to complete a total compound back workout. The whole chain of back muscles (calves, hams, hips, glutes and up to the neck) are getting strengthen by that short range extra work load, reflecting to the improved dl it's self.
Taking a bar (about mid-thigh) from a PR/supports/platform, etc., try preforming shrugs for 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps. The may surprised how the poundage advances rather quickly from workout to workout. Changing the grip from the usual middle to extra wide, touching the inside collars of the bar, to a narrow grip, where the thumbs are around 6" apart can make a notable different on results...both in muscle size and strength. Some will alternate grips in the same shrugging routine. Some from workout to workout. Feel free to use straps for heavier loads. Why limit the powerful potential, and size, of the traps and upper back when a grip is the weakest link. The grip will usually catch up with the heavier weights after awhile.
For most men the better grip position for shrugging (and DL'ing) would be with the thumbs facing forward (hammer grip style). Though obtaining enough plates on the bar, after a while can be limiting for either shrugs or DL's. For pure bb'ers , a trap'shrug bar may fit their needs quite well.
There are also overhead BB shrugs, a very overlooked exercise for a complete trap and shoulder girdle movement. Just press a bar overhead, locking the elbows a bit, and shrug A whole different feel to the exercise and can build power very well. Adjust difference grip positions, also. from extra wide (inside collar) to middle grip. Any version of overhead shrugs will hit the total three delt heads.
Good luck.
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Another shrug exercise, the Hise shrug is one of the better trap exercise, long forgotten.
Get under a bar, as if doing squats, than just shrug the shoulders up...only need a few inches movement. Can do lower reps or, to the extreme, 20 to 30 reps. Hise shrugs, with those higher reps and deeper breathing, are said to be akin to higher rep breathing squats...both growing exercises. Can handle a huge amount of weight (like regular shrugs) after awhile. And again, strengthens the whole body. May need a heavy pad on the neck/shoulders at first, to adjust to the exercise.
I've done 20 rep breathing squats and also Hise shrugs in the past with very good results. Included the bent arm pullover or straight arm pullover over, most of the time with them....for even more quality results.
Good Luck.
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if you can shrug the shoulder at the top then the weight is not enough
would tend to agree with you. I prefer higher reps for traps and getting a full range of motion in the movement. Most people doing a shrug with a Deadlift end up doing partial movements if using a good weight which to me is the point of deadlifts. Traps are a small range of motion but should in my opinion be trained like any muscle with a full range of motion and not a small twitching movement at the end of heavy Deads. I like to concentrate on the muscle(s) i want to train with full concentration and energy.
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There's no such thing as separate training for thickness or wideness. With the right stimulus a muscle will become stronger and grow, that's it.
As for your question, sure you can even train back 3 times a week, as long as you can recover from that. The recovery time is mainly the result of volume and intensity and your individual response.
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There's no such thing as separate training for thickness or wideness. With the right stimulus a muscle will become stronger and grow, that's it.
As for your question, sure you can even train back 3 times a week, as long as you can recover from that. The recovery time is mainly the result of volume and intensity and your individual response.
I knew that would come along soon. I consider rowing movements more for thickness.
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I knew that would come along soon. I consider rowing movements more for thickness.
Well, 'thickness' is just another word for size (or hypertrophy). Science has shown us that you can't change the specific shape of a muscle, so when a muscle grows, it grows in 3 dimensions.
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Well, 'thickness' is just another word for size (or hypertrophy). Science has shown us that you can't change the specific shape of a muscle, so when a muscle grows, it grows in 3 dimensions.
just by placing elbows in/out or pulling at different heights affects different areas of the back.
Can't say I care what the science says when my personal experience says otherwise.
Mountain dog trainer himself talks about how the electromagnetics validate what you say, but why is it when you train certain movements, certain areas feel more sore?
Not even gonna go further here as neither of us will budge on our beliefs... Exercises variety is very important, by what say here is like saying one would get the same results doing 9 sets of bench VS one who does 3 sets of different movements as it all just works the same according to "studies"
No way does real life validate the studies. They don't seek shape and look, just "size gained" it's more than that and think you know this...
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Well, 'thickness' is just another word for size (or hypertrophy). Science has shown us that you can't change the specific shape of a muscle, so when a muscle grows, it grows in 3 dimensions.
Following this belief, do you only do one exercise per body part?
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just by placing elbows in/out or pulling at different heights affects different areas of the back.
Can't say I care what the science says when my personal experience says otherwise.
Mountain dog trainer himself talks about how the electromagnetics validate what you say, but why is it when you train certain movements, certain areas feel more sore?
Not even gonna go further here as neither of us will budge on our beliefs... Exercises variety is very important, by what say here is like saying one would get the same results doing 9 sets of bench VS one who does 3 sets of different movements as it all just works the same according to "studies"
No way does real life validate the studies. They don't seek shape and look, just "size gained" it's more than that and think you know this...
When it comes to various grip positions, angles, rep-techniques and so on, there are definitely differences between muscle activation (I refer to a ton of EMG studies), so in that sense your experience is correct. However, the involved muscles won't become 'wider' without getting 'thicker' or vice verse; it will simply become stronger and grow with the right stimulus, that's all.
Exercises variety is important, but the thing is that most people don't understand this concept, by performing non-complementary exercises.
Following this belief, do you only do one exercise per body part?
That's a good question. In most cases, I choose 2-3 exercises max; 1 with an emphasis on lengthening the muscle, like a pull-up with a 2 second stretch, and 1 from a completely different angle with an emphasis on contracting the muscle, like the barbell row with a 2 second peak contraction. I often end with some high rep hyper extensions.
For arms I often pick 1 exercise without worrying too much which bicep or tricep heads get the most work.
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Well, 'thickness' is just another word for size (or hypertrophy). Science has shown us that you can't change the specific shape of a muscle, so when a muscle grows, it grows in 3 dimensions.
That's a good question. In most cases, I choose 2-3 exercises max; 1 with an emphasis on lengthening the muscle, like a pull-up with a 2 second stretch, and 1 from a completely different angle with an emphasis on contracting the muscle, like the barbell row with a 2 second peak contraction. I often end with some high rep hyper extensions.
For arms I often pick 1 exercise without worrying too much which bicep or tricep heads get the most work.
Why bother with two exercises even? Find your favorite exercise and rep the hell out of it! :D
BTW I disagree with your statement.
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Why bother with two exercises even? Find your favorite exercise and rep the hell out of it! :D
BTW I disagree with your statement.
Well, at the end of the day it's intensity that matters the most. I strive to simplicity, but to complete development as well, so I believe in some variety. Rows, pull-ups... I love both of them!
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Well, at the end of the day it's intensity that matters the most. I strive to simplicity, but to complete development as well, so I believe in some variety. Rows, pull-ups... I love both of them!
I like the stretch/contract style workouts, most of my workouts are done in similar style. However, I believe the shape of a muscle can be changed by consistent overload from a specific angle.
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I say Go POF style. ;)
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I like the stretch/contract style workouts, most of my workouts are done in similar style. However, I believe the shape of a muscle can be changed by consistent overload from a specific angle.
OK, let's assume that rows add 'thickness' to a back and pull ups add 'wideness' (not the terms I prefer to use, but ok...), then it would be an interesting experiment to see what happens when 2 twin brothers (same structure, weight, lifting experience, etc) perform rows or pull ups only for at least 3 months.
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OK, let's assume that rows add 'thickness' to a back and pull ups add 'wideness' (not the terms I prefer to use, but ok...), then it would be an interesting experiment to see what happens when 2 twin brothers (same structure, weight, lifting experience, etc) perform rows or pull ups only for at least 3 months.
Try it yourself. No better body to experiment with than your own. Only do pullups, pulldowns , etc for a couple of months and see if you notice a change in width vs thickness.
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Try it yourself. No better body to experiment with than your own. Only do pullups, pulldowns , etc for a couple of months and see if you notice a change in width vs thickness.
anyone who has suffered from a bad back can answer this... When you have to stick to chins and pulldowns you back starts to slowly deteriorate . Likewise when you have elbow or shoulder issues and you swap presses for pec dec etc
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anyone who has suffered from a bad back can answer this... When you have to stick to chins and pulldowns you back starts to slowly deteriorate . Likewise when you have elbow or shoulder issues and you swap presses for pec dec etc
You mean lower back problems? In this scenario I believe it's both safe and effective to stick to chins or pull downs, combined with high rep hyperextension. Muscle deterioration is rather the result of over/under training on the long run.
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anyone who has suffered from a bad back can answer this... When you have to stick to chins and pulldowns you back starts to slowly deteriorate . Likewise when you have elbow or shoulder issues and you swap presses for pec dec etc
Well that may yield different results than a healthy guy trying an experiment for a couple of months.
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anyone who has suffered from a bad back can answer this... When you have to stick to chins and pulldowns you back starts to slowly deteriorate . Likewise when you have elbow or shoulder issues and you swap presses for pec dec etc
Agree 100%
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Actually the lower back, and the abs, are strongly recruited in any chinning/pull-up movement. A pulldown to a much lesser extent. A man who has never done any chin's may be surprised by the soreness in the abs and the lower back the days following a serious workout. Now your not going to get a super strong lower back, as if you were doing Romanian DL's, but you can gain a certain amount of improvement in that area. The back will not deteriorate by any means. Even dips hit the lower back, and abs, to a good degree.
A effective way to create more flexibility in the total back area, as well as the shoulder girdle is to just hang from a chinning bar....try to relax the body as much as possible. If there's any secret to a good stretching program it's relaxing the area being stretched. Change hand spacing from extra wide to touching the hands together for the full benefits of hanging free. Hold the position anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 or 4 minutes. Weak grip, than advise using straps for the extra long holds. The grip will usually improve, even when using straps. Suggest the nylon style straps. hardly never/ever wear out.
"Try it yourself" is an excellent quote from chaos. So many falsely depend way too much on the untested opinions of others, about certain exercises or routines. That perfect program, that everyone is looking for, may past them by if not taking a little time exploring something new in their training life. If it works for you, than great, it works for you....but you have to try just about everything at one time or another in your training life to find out what really does
No one can change the shape of a muscle, your individual muscle structure was the hand you were dealt with at birth. Muscle inserts/ligaments/tendons all have a major influence of that. No one exercise can influence muscle thickness or width. Can surly take advantage of the potential of a broad frame. And the potential of inherited muscle thinckness. Both a greater advantage to any BB'er. An example of overcoming bad genetics might be Larry Scott, who's shoulder width was extremely narrow, yet develop one of the better delt tie in's in all of BB's. Another example might be being born with longer bicep inserts, giving a flat appearing bicep when flexed. Never going to get that baseball double split biceps when flexing. But can certainly make the most of what your were given at birth. If you were born to be 5"5 your never going to be 6'4...period.
Good luck.
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Another solid post JPM!
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if you didnt have those purple stars, i would tell you to fuck off J/k
Im a novice in training back, what would a typical back workout look like?
Back day 1 for me is
Deads pyramid up to 495 for 6
BB row pyramid up to 245 for 6
Chainsaws with 120 for 10 (4 sets)
Seated cable rows heavy for 8 4 (sets)
but that doesnt address Lat width...and when i tried to get to some pull downs and pull ups... i had nothing left
Damn. Decent pulls there. I'm surprised you're not a little stronger on BB rows but, then again, it depends on how you perform them. With just a modicum of "assistance," I worked up to 275 for 6 Pendlay style, and I'm all but certain that, at that point, I could not have pulled 500 more than a rep or maybe two. (OTOH, I hadn't any deadlifting for quite awhile beforehand.)
Anyway, I digress ...
For lat width, yeah, you might go for a thickness day and width day every week. Width is ALL about the lats and rear-delts ... and while close-grip pulldowns or chins and a quality pullover machine can really NUKE the lats if used properly, that elusive lat width ... hmm.
There are many ways to go about that, I reckon. Thrice-weekly, low-volume, high-intensity (or perhaps close to, but just shy of, to-failure training?)?
One thing I always stand by is the relationship between strength and size. Some people dispute that, but I've yet to see a logical argument to the effect that a much stronger lifter is a potentially more muscular lifter.