In this article, you are guaranteed to learn seven ways to build mass in your upper body!
You’ll discover tips to recover, and how to maximize the most out of your workouts in the weight room.
I cannot think of any better way to become more masculine than for you to start implementing these tips.
Let’s start out with what you’re doing in the kitchen because what you eat drastically influences how you build mass.
Protein For Building Mass

If I got my hands on you and we started working together to tackle your fitness goals, I’d tell you to buy six cartons of eggs, 5 packs of organic chicken breast, and one pound of organic grass-fed steak.
Why? Because this right here is the number one reason my clients sometimes tell me, “Adam, I’m not seeing muscle.”
Then I ask them, “How much cartons of eggs do you have?” Any number below 4, you my friend are missing a critical component of building mass.
You must do this my friend. If you don’t, then I can guarantee you that you won’t gain the mass that you want to gain due to this reason alone.
Protein is the most important macronutrient to building muscle. Without it, you are missing a huge opportunity to not only build mass but shred your body.
Eggs is also extremely beneficial for boosting testosterone fast. Virtually all of these foods are very beneficial for testosterone.
More importantly, don’t throw out the yolks. That is a mistake. You won’t mess up your cholesterol levels.
When I was competing, I had eggs for breakfast, chicken for lunch, and steak for dinner. Watch your body get bigger when you do this.
Pre-workout For Building Mass
This is one of those pre-workouts that I recommend you use prior to mass building routines.
Why? Because it puts you in the right mindset to knock out a lot of reps.
Let’s say for example your doing 3 sets of 10 reps on the squat rack and you want to annihilate legs.
You are guaranteed to blast through plateaus when you use Woke AF.
This pre-workout I have been using for a long time.
And I strongly recommend it to guys that take seriously the value of training hard.
If you aren’t training hard, quit being a fucking wimp.
Because you get nowhere doing half-ass range of motion.
I see this all the time at the gym I consistently go to, guys grabbing weights too heavy.
And then they struggle completing the reps. THAT RIGHT THERE, is how you get hurt.
If you use a good high stimulant pre-workout, you’ll be able to handle heavy lifting much better.
That results in building more mass in your upper body because of the high energy you have.
You get out of each rep what you put in to each rep my friend.
Bodyweight Exercises for Building Mass
So many people just want to lift, lift, lift, however, you must not overlook bodyweight exercises.
Here are some bodyweight exercises for upper body that builds mass:
Parallel Bar Dips for Triceps/Forearms
Assisted Pull-Ups (Upper Body)
Diamond Push-Ups for Chest/Triceps
Pike Push-Ups for Chest/Shoulders
Incorporate more of these exercises because they will define your body.
You can gain muscle with bodyweight exercises.
I’ve seen it happen with my clients time and time again.
@masculinemindsetcoach Never Doubt What Your Body Can Do Because You Can Always Prove Your Negativity Wrong 🙌 #fitness #motivation #personaltrainer #backworkout #pullup
Eccentric Training for Building Mass
This has to be one of my all time favorite style of training out there for weight lifters.
I love this because you can drastically gain muscle mass when you overload your muscles and train time under tension.
I remember teaching this style of training at a five count on the way down, not a three count!
So here’s what I want you to do, grab a set of dumbbells and do an incline bench press.
Go heavier than what you think you can handle (but not too much).
Then lower it down at a slow three count (at first).
Gradually as your body gets used to doing this style of training, you will be able to handle it and go to five count.
This is time under tension for greater gains and it’s powerful to build mass.
And it’s so much fun 🙂
Do assisted pull-ups for a lighter stack of weight (to make it hard) and pull-up to the bar fast, then come down slow.
Another fun eccentric exercise are parallel bar dips.
Go slow on the way down (do NOT go too low because you’ll fuck up your shoulder) then explode fast back up.
I strongly recommend you try eccentric barbell curls, this is guaranteed to get those veins popping 😉
Drink EAA’s for Building Mass
This one is important as I’ve recommended this for clients and every time they use it, always helps them recover when they are waiting for their next set.
There are so many different kinds of essential amino acids, however, I strongly recommend Ultra Human Amino Code.
Because this particular product comes with BCAAs and EAAs, which in result, helps you recover and hydrate.
Need I say more?
As an experienced personal trainer and group fitness instructor, recovery I always say is extremely important.
So if you haven’t tried this product, I cannot recommend this one enough!
I’ve had clients get this and they reported less soreness.
So my friend, try this out, you won’t regret it.
It tastes amazing and it’s one of those supplements that you really get your money’s worth. It’s good shit.
Don’t skip this one. When you lift, you can even drink this when you’re resting in between sets.
Set Goals For Building Mass
Now I know you’re probably thinking “Really Adam? Why do I have to set goals?”
And I tell you, “How the hell do you know where you’re going if you don’t know your goals?”
You guys, it would blow your fucking mind how many people skip this one and then they wonder why they leave the fitness scene never to come back again.
I say to you, what the fuck are you doing without knowing the specific weight number that you want to achieve?
The only way a goal becomes quantifiable is if you, my friend, write down your goals.
Otherwise how do you stay disciplined and excited to hit the gym?
You don’t, BECAUSE YOU HAVEN’T WRITTEN THEM DOWN!
I’m calling you out. Without knowing your goals, you might as well not lift anymore weights.
Without goals, how do you have purpose in your fitness?
You don’t. So write them down starting today.
There was a Harvard Business Study done that concluded 83% of people have zero goals.
14% had plans but didn’t write it down. 3% of the respondents did write down their goals and succeeded.
Just read this, I am NOT bullshitting you. [R]
I want you to have clarity on your fitness goals.
You Build Mass When You Recover
Now this lesson I’ve learned more times than I can count.
I remember tearing a back muscle in my lats, fucking up my lower back, and ignoring it.
This was before I started training. Either way, I had to go to a physical therapist.
She told me, “Stop lifting and rest.”
I hated hearing that. But you know what?
I thanked her because if I didn’t do this, then I can guarantee you that I would have been out of the gym.
Years ago I ran track, I was a pole vaulter and I got hurt. What did I do?
I didn’t want to miss the track meet, I still went to perform.
And then here’s what happened, I fucked up my body so much, I had to skip 2 full weeks after that meet.
Even though it’s not lifting per se, it applies to athletic training as well as lifting to build mass.
You can hurt yourself if you ignore recovery.
Too many times I was stubborn. Too many times I tried working out when my body said no.
So guess what? I started listening to my body.
And then this is when I started seeing a visible difference.
Why is that? Well because I started foam rolling, doing hydro-contrast therapy, and healing.
Recovery is your friend. So my friend, take it from a stubborn ass like me that didn’t want to quit.
I had to learn to recover, or I would have probably been in a fucking wheelchair.
The Bottom Line
If you are struggling to build mass, take all of these in to consideration and implement.
Because success loves speed of implementation.
I want you to be consistent if you’re serious about building mass.
By the way, none of these action steps will work if you just and read this.
You must act, and you must take this seriously.
Harness your masculine mindset so that you develop the discipline to follow through.
I want you to succeed, but you can’t lead a horse to water and make it drink.
You have to want it for yourself.
Because having a realization only works when you follow it up with immediate action.
I am on your side, so let’s crush our goals together.
Reach out to me here where I take fitness consultations.
And you can find me on Instagram at MasculineMindsetCoach.
I’m swamped with DMs, but if you found me through this article, DM Me “I found you through your blog.”
I appreciate you for reading this all the way through and always, feel comfortable to comment down below.