Winter Mass and Strength Program (Updated for 2025)

*Note: Always consult a physician before starting any exercise regimen. Opinions expressed in this article are not medical advice.

As 2025 unfolds, many of us are prioritizing routines that support both health and vitality. If your goal this winter is to build solid muscle mass and boost your strength, this program has you covered.

The plan focuses on two key elements:

• Heavy, compound lifts that effectively promote muscle growth and strength gains.
• Consuming enough calories—at or above maintenance—to fuel that growth.

Training for Mass in 2025

While workouts stimulate muscle hypertrophy, proper nutrition is ultimately the deciding factor in how much mass you’ll gain. Rely on compound movements—like deadlifts, back squats, overhead presses, chin-ups, and dips—to kickstart a strong anabolic response.

Remember: continual progression drives success. Add a little more weight, reduce rest intervals, or increase difficulty each session. Pay special attention to the negative (eccentric) phase to maximize time under tension and foster muscle growth.

Best Exercises for Mass

• Deadlifts
• Back Squats
• Overhead Presses
• Chin-Ups / Pull-Ups
• Dips

Explode on the concentric (lifting) phase, then lower the weight slowly. Form always trumps weight—quality reps build more muscle than ego-lifting.

The Workouts

This routine alternates between two variations (Workout A and B) for each muscle group. Aim to train five days weekly, reserving two days for rest. Combining strength-focused movements with higher-rep bodybuilding techniques ensures both neural adaptations and significant muscle pumps.

Control each repetition: slow on the negative, strong and steady on the positive. Below, you’ll find an A/B split for each body part.

Chest

Workout A

• Incline Bench Press: 4 × 6 (heavy)
• Flat Dumbbell Bench: 4 × 12
• Forward-Leaning Dip: 3 × 15
• Cable Fly: 3 × 20
• Pushups: 100 total reps, bodyweight

Workout B

• Cable Fly: 3 × 20
• Flat Barbell Bench: 5 × 5 (heavy)
• Incline DB Bench: 4 × 12
• Stretch Incline DB Flies: 3 × 10
• Dips: 50 total reps, bodyweight

Back

Workout A

• Deadlift: 4 × 8 (heavy)
• Wide-Grip Pull-Ups: 4 sets to failure, bodyweight
• Close-Grip Seated Cable Rows: 3 × 15
• Rope Straight-Arm Pressdowns: 3 × 12
• Seated Dumbbell Shrugs: 3 × 12 (light, with a hard squeeze)

Workout B

• Barbell Row: 4 × 8 (heavy)
• Wide-Grip Pull-Down: 3 × 15
• Machine Row (choice): 3 × 12
• Rope Face Pulls: 3 × 12
• Wide-Grip Straight-Arm Pressdowns: 3 × 10

Shoulders

Workout A

• Standing Overhead Press: 3 × 10
• Seated Incline Lateral Raise: 3 × 12
• Seated DB Press: 3 × 15
• Javelin Press: 3 × 10 (each arm)
• 10lb Plate Lateral Raises: 3 × failure

Workout B

• Seated DB Press: 4 × 6 (heavy)
• DB Lateral Raise: 3 × 8 (heavy)
• Hammer Strength Shoulder Press: 3 × 12
• Seated Arnold Press: 3 × 10
• Cable Lateral Raise: 3 × 15

Legs

Workout A

• Barbell Back Squat: 5 × 5 (heavy)
• Straight Leg Deadlift: 3 × 10
• Walking Lunges: 3 × 20 (bodyweight)
• Lying Leg Curl: 3 × 12
• Leg Press: 3 × 15
• Leg Press Calf Raises: 3 × 12
  • 12 reps with a 3-second negative and 3-second hold at the top
  • Then 30 seconds of partial reps
  • Finally, 30 seconds holding the stretch at the bottom

Workout B

• Front Squat: 3 × 8 (heavy)
• Hack Squat: 3 × 15
• Goblet Squat: 3 × 20
• Seated Leg Curl: 3 × 12
• Leg Extension: 3 × 20
• Seated Calf Raises: 3 × 12
  • 12 reps with a 3-second negative and 3-second hold at the top
  • Then 30 seconds of partial reps
  • Finally, 30 seconds holding the stretch at the bottom

Arms

Workout A

• Close-Grip Chin-Ups: 4 × failure
• Close-Grip Bench Press: 4 × 6 (heavy)
• Seated Close-Grip EZ-Bar Curls: 3 × 12
• Rope Tricep Pushdowns: 3 × 12
• DB Hammer Curls (across body): 3 × 12
• One-Arm DB Triceps Overhead Press: 3 × 12 (slow negative)

Workout B

• DB Curl: 4 × 6 (heavy)
• Skullcrushers: 4 × 6 (heavy)
• Concentration Curl: 3 × 12
• Tricep Dips: 4 × failure
• Preacher Curl: 3 × 12
• One-Arm Rope Pushdown: 3 × 15

Organize your sessions as desired, ensuring you take two rest days each week. Keep progressive overload front and center, and prioritize controlled form to avoid injury.

Nutrition for Mass Gain

For effective bulking, multiply your bodyweight (in pounds) by 15–18, then add around 500 calories. If you weigh 200 lbs, your baseline might be 3,000 calories, so you’d target 3,500 daily.

Aim for 0.5–1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Carbs can speed up muscle gains—especially around workouts—while dietary fats help support hormone function. Experiment with macro ratios to see what your body responds to best.

First Things First: Diet

Lifting creates the stimulus for growth, but your body needs enough nutrients to rebuild muscle. A consistent calorie surplus is non-negotiable. Calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR), then add 500 to keep steady gains rolling in.

Some prefer a 40/40/20 approach (protein/carbs/fats), while others swear by higher fat. What matters most is hitting your daily calorie and protein goals consistently.

Quality Food Sources

• Lean meats (beef, bison, venison)
• Hormone-free poultry, cage-free eggs
• Wild-caught fish (salmon, tuna, etc.)
• Whole milk, Greek yogurt
• Honey, rice, oats, granola
• Avocado, peanut butter, coconut oil
• Grass-fed butter

Choose nutritious meals you enjoy—consistency makes bulking far simpler.

Supplements for Mass Gain

Certain supplements can complement your diet and training regimen:

• Mass Gainers: Powdered blends that deliver extra calories, ideal for “hardgainers.”
• Protein Powders: If you’re not hitting daily protein targets with whole foods, Gold Standard Whey offers a reliable boost.

For best results, drink your shakes first thing in the morning or post-workout.

Stress & Rest

Building muscle effectively requires adequate rest and stress management. Chronic stress raises cortisol, which can sabotage muscle gains. Consider using Hi-Tech Pharma Somatomax for better sleep and stress control. Its adaptogenic properties may help keep cortisol in check, enhancing recovery.

Daily mindfulness practices—like yoga or short meditation—can also reduce stress and help you stay focused on training and diet goals.

For additional supplement suggestions, explore The Top Supplements for Gaining Muscle in 2025 .

Conclusion

By sticking to a structured regimen of heavy compounds and targeted hypertrophy work, alongside a consistent calorie surplus and thoughtful stress management, you’ll be well on your way to hitting new personal bests in both strength and size this season. Make 2025 your most powerful year yet with disciplined training, smart nutrition, and dedicated recovery.