12-Week Upper Body Mass Gain

Program Description

COACH NOTES 12-Week Upper Body Mass Gain — Arms & Shoulders Priority ⸻ PROGRAM GOAL This program is designed to maximise upper-body hypertrophy, with specific emphasis on shoulders and arms, while maintaining chest and back. Progression is linear, volume is hypertrophy-biased, and fatigue is managed via planned deloads. ⸻ WEEKLY STRUCTURE • Train 4 days per week • Rest days as needed (e.g. Day 1 / Day 2 / Rest / Day 3 / Day 4) • Expect sessions to last 70–90 minutes ⸻ INTENSITY & EFFORT GUIDELINES • Weeks 1–2: Stop with ~2 reps in reserve (RIR 2) • Week 3: RIR 1 on most sets • Week 4: Push close to failure only on the final set • Deload weeks: RIR 4 (very easy) Do not train to failure on compound presses except where stated. ⸻ PROGRESSION RULES (VERY IMPORTANT) • Stay within the prescribed rep ranges • When you hit the top of the rep range on all sets, increase load next week • If load increases stall: • Add +1 rep per set • Then add load once reps are capped • Isolation lifts progress reps first, then weight Consistency beats chasing PRs. ⸻ PERIODISATION OVERVIEW Weeks 1–4 — Accumulation • Build volume and work capacity • Focus on clean reps and strong mind-muscle connection • Shoulder and arm volume is intentionally high Week 5 — DELOAD • Cut total sets by ~50% • Reduce load by 10–15% • No intensity techniques • You should finish the week feeling fresh and hungry to train Weeks 6–9 — Overload • Restart slightly heavier than Week 1 • Aim to beat Week 4 numbers with better form • Pumps should be significant but joints should feel stable Week 10 — DELOAD • Same deload rules as Week 5 • Treat this as injury insurance, not lost progress Weeks 11–12 — Specialisation Peak • Extra focus on delts and arms • Push top-end reps and controlled intensity • Last set AMRAP allowed on safe isolation movements only ⸻ SPECIALISATION RULES (DELTS & ARMS) Applied in Weeks 4, 9, 11, and 12 • Add +1 extra set to: • Lateral raises • Rear delt movements • Cable curls • Triceps pushdowns / overhead extensions • Use one intensity technique on the final set only: • Rest-pause OR drop set (not both) If joints feel irritated → skip intensity, keep volume. ⸻ EXERCISE EXECUTION PRIORITIES • Lateral raises: Control the eccentric, stop swinging • Curls: Full elbow extension unless specified • Presses: Stable torso, no excessive lower-back arch • Rear delts: Prioritise feel over load Load only matters if tension stays where intended. ⸻ RECOVERY EXPECTATIONS • Mild soreness is normal • Persistent elbow or shoulder pain is not • If recovery drops: • Reduce isolation volume by 1 set • Keep compounds unchanged Sleep and calories drive growth. BODYWEIGHT & PROGRESS CHECKS • Target gain: ~0.25–0.5 kg per week • By Week 6: • Sleeves tighter • Better delt cap visibility • By Week 12: • Noticeable arm measurement increase • Pressing strength clearly higher If scale weight isn’t moving → increase calories.

Program Overview