Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Blueprint to Mass is an 8 week bodybuilding program with a focus on increasing size. It is a shockingly high volume workout routine.
Blueprint to Mass Program PDFs
This spreadsheet was created based on an interpretation of Arnold’s Blueprint to Mass, freely available on PDF via BodyBuilding.com (Phase 1 PDF, Phase 2 PDF).
There is also a helpful daily training overview you can follow along with, though occasionally it seems to deviate from the program (e.g. on 1RM days).
[Spreadsheet removed due to request from BodyBuilding.com]
Blueprint to Mass Overview
Blueprint to Mass utilizes a few different lifting methods over the course of the 8 week program. They’re described below to aid your success with the routine.
1-10 Method
Find a weight you can only hit for 1 rep (95% to 100% of 1 rep max) and perform 1 rep. Then remove enough weight so that you can perform 2 reps and do that. Repeat this process until you perform a 10 rep set.
Take no rest between sets, only resting when you’re changing the weight on the bar.
Stripping Method/Shocking Principle
This is very similar to a drop set.
After doing your last working set, remove some weight from the bar and hit 5 to 10 reps. Then take some more weight off the bar and hit 5 to 10 more reps. Keep doing this until you’re lifting an empty bar for 20 reps.
Max Effort
This is simply finding your one rep max (1RM) for an exercise.
It is suggested in the PDF that you perform the following rep counts per set: 20, 15, 10, 8, 5, 3, 1, 1, then your 1RM, but ultimately what matters is finding your 1RM. In my humble opinion, you can work up to your 1RM however you’d like.
Frequently Asked Questions about Blueprint to Mass
What are these 20 and 30 rep sets?
They are essentially warm up sets. You should be performing them with a very light weight while focusing on correct form and muscle activation. 20 rep sets should be done with about 50% of your 1RM, while 30 rep sets should be done with approximately 25%.
What weight should I be using for these sets?
Since the majority of these exercises are accessory movements that isolate a small set of muscles, it is not very practical to use percentages of a 1RM to estimate loads. Instead, emphasis should be placed on correct form and the mind/muscle connection.
This is program has a lot of volume. Weights should start light.
I included a volume tracker next to each movement so you can track the total tonnage (weight*reps) for each movement over time. Make sure to log all reps and weights to take advantage of this feature.
There is also a recommended load calculator on the “Input” sheet that can provide you with guidelines for different rep ranges. These are just a guideline and you should listen to your body. Remember: the goal of this program is induce hypertrophy and develop mass -- not necessarily add weight on the bar.
VIDEO: Blueprint to Mass Workout Overview
