So, you’re looking to join me on the 1000 club grind. Well, you’ve come to the right place! Let me learn you a thing or two about what your nutrition goals & training plan should look like.
Determining Your Timeframe
Before we dive in, we have got to iron out some details. That is, how much time you can commit to this goal & what your estimated completion date is going to be.
I craft a new weekly schedule every 3 months or so and this is a habit I HIGHLY recommend. I just did mine, & found a reasonable way to fit in 4 consistent 90-minute sessions each week (as well as a bonus time where I can hit a 5th session if I really want. I’m building my workout plan based on this… it’s crucial that you find a time commitment that you can STICK to. Consistency is absolutely crucial when it comes to habits & hitting your goals.
I suggest doing some soul-searching, & determining how many days you can commit to per week. Then, right after, grab a buddy & max out your three lifts. That’s going to tell you your base, & the timing of when you can expect to complete this challenge. My starting point is a max of 225 on bench, 275 on squat, & 315 on deadlift. Basically, starting at 800 pounds, just needing an additional 200 lbs between the three lifts to achieve the goal. Evaluate your starting point, & use that as context when going through the below exercises.
Nutrition Goal Formulation
With that out of the way, lets talk macros. If you know your weight & how often you expect to work out weekly (based on the above), you can find your maintenance calories with this handy dandy link right here. We’re going to aim for bulking ~1 pound per week because we’re not insane crazy people & don’t want to hate our lives. It takes a 3500 calories surplus to put on a pound, so gaining ~1 pound per week equates to a daily surplus of ~500 calories.
This is the way to think through it, using myself as an example:
As of 10/03/2024, I weigh 160 lbs… & I’m going to have 4-5 consistent training days per week . That means I’m going to burn ~2460 calories per day (using my aforementioned link). I’m going to target gaining ~1 pound per week, so I’m going to target ~3000 calories per day (because gaining a pound a week requires a daily surplus of ~500 calories).
The typical bulk is 3-6 months, & that’s the timeframe I’m using for when I want to hit that 1000 pound club goal. So, in February/March 2025, I should weigh ~180 pounds & be wrapping up with the challenge! At that point, I can evaluate where I stand on the 1000 pound club. If I’m super close but not quite there, I can happily push it another month (being sure to prioritize safety & not destroying my spine).
As far as macros go, when bulking, you’ll want to focus on a ratio that supports muscle growth as well as general health. This looks something like:
- Protein: 30-40% of total daily calories. This is crucial for muscle repair and growth.
- Carbohydrates: 40-50% of total daily calories. Carbs provide energy for your workouts and support muscle growth.
- Fats: 20-30% of total daily calories. Healthy fats are essential for hormone production and overall health.
Based on the above, my target for ~3000 calories looks like:
- Protein: 30%. My goal is ~225 grams per day.
- Carbohydrates: 45%. My goal is ~340 grams per day.
- Fats: 25%. My goal is ~90 grams per day.
My priority list is:
- Make sure I am getting at least 3000 calories each & every day. No exceptions.
- Hit 225 grams of protein every day.
- Go for ballpark ~340g carbs & ~90g fats. #3 is by far lowest priority.
With the above math (kudos to this link & MyFitnessPal), I have my macros goals sorted out. I like to keep things simple, so here’s my nutrition plan:
Nutrition Plan (based on goals formed above).
Breakfast
~700 calories (~70 grams of protein)… usually includes a protein shake.
I am NOT a morning person so I like to basically get this all in with a protein shake of sorts (easy to take down on the road & put together… & its usually the same thing every morning because I do not have the brain capacity to get creative at 7:30am.
Lunch/Dinner
~1000 calories (~60 grams of protein each… meaning recipes with a protein ratio of 20%<)
I basically just filter my recipes by “600-800” or “800+”, & pick any two recipes that look good. Keeping it simple here. If a recipe is too low calories for me… I just double the carb (boosts each serving by ~160 calories). When I do this (& change nothing else), my recipes almost always meet this criteria. You probably won’t be able to eat anything with shrimp since that protein is so damn low calorie… unless you want to cook up 3 lbs of shrimp in the given recipe.
Snack
~300 calories (~30 grams of protein)… usually need to target a protein-rich snack.
That’s all there is to it! Now that’s all left to do is execute on the macro goals & I’ll be at my goal weight around when I’d like to join the 1000 club. The extra mass should help a ton with being able to life heavier. Nutrition is 50% of the battle. Rest is another 30%. Training is still CRUCIAL, so here’s how I’m going to do it:
Training Goal Formulation
First things first when it comes to the 1000 club… it’s about benching, squatting, & deadlifting. That means you need to get a large volume of these exercises in every week. There is a skill component to these workouts. That means you need to practice, & the way to do that is by getting a lot of reps in.
With that in mind, my high-level workout plan is going to look something like this. Keep in mind, in an ideal world, you’re doing a basic 10 minute stretch routine every day to accompany this.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Bench Squat Deadlift Accessories | Rest | Bench Squat Deadlift Accessories | Active Recovery | Rest | Bench Squat Deadlift Accessories | Active Recovery |
Training Plan
Bench/Squat/Deadlift/Accessories Days
My #1 priority as I get started on this journey is not getting injured. Going heavy in weightlifting will put tons of stress on my body, so I need to be sure to listen to my muscles & not push too hard. One injury could ruin the whole goal! I want to get in the gym three times a week, & if I have to go lighter on a lift… or even a bunch of lifts on a certain day… that is completely fine with me. No matter how goofy I might feel squatting 135 for 4 sets in the gym. Everyone has been where we are, & everyone has got to start somewhere. The accessories are intended to target gaps from focusing on the compound lifts, but feel free to tweak these to what works for you!
Here’s what my main lifting days are going to look like:
Day 1:
- Squat:
- 4 sets of 6-8 reps
- Focusing on maintaining form, & gradually increasing weight.
- Bench Press:
- 4 sets of 6-8 reps
- Prioritizing immaculate form & gradually increasing the weight.
- Deadlift:
- 3 sets of 5-7 reps
- Again, prioritizing form. Lower reps to prioritize strength building.
- Accessories:
- Biceps of some variety (concentration, sitting, or hammer for 3×12)
- Triceps of some variety (pushdown, skull crusher, or dips for 3×12)
- Forearms of some variety (wrist curls 3×12 or dead hang 3×1 minute)
- Abs of some variety (8 minute abs, or crunch machine for 3×12)
Day 2:
- Squat:
- 4 sets of 6-8 reps
- Focusing on maintaining form, & gradually increasing weight.
- Bench Press:
- 4 sets of 6-8 reps
- Prioritizing immaculate form & gradually increasing the weight.
- Deadlift:
- 3 sets of 5-7 reps
- Again, prioritizing form. Lower reps to prioritize strength building.
- Accessories:
- Calves of some variety (standing, seated, machine for 3×12)
- Abductor machine (3×12)
- Adductor machine (3×12)
- Abs of some variety (8 minute abs, or crunch machine for 3×12)
Day 3:
- Squat:
- 4 sets of 6-8 reps
- Focusing on maintaining form, & gradually increasing weight.
- Bench Press:
- 4 sets of 6-8 reps
- Prioritizing immaculate form & gradually increasing the weight.
- Deadlift:
- 3 sets of 5-7 reps
- Again, prioritizing form. Lower reps to prioritize strength building.
- Accessories:
- Body-weight pullups (3×12)
- Rows of some variety (cable, machine, dumbbell for 3×12)
- Rear delts of some variety (cable or machine for 3×12)
- Abs of some variety (8 minute abs, or crunch machine for 3×12)
So that’s the crux of my training plan! The accessories are negotiable & flexible, it’s just important to make sure no muscle is left behind. Feel free to take what I’ve made & change it so that it works for you! This training plan is not static & can change based on your needs. The best plan is the one that works.
Active Recovery Days
You have a ton of free reign on these days, but I thought I’d throw some suggestions in here. I highly recommend mixing it up! There are SO many Youtube videos to help you get started with any of these (especially Yoga). I recommend looking around & trying some new things!
- Yoga / Deep stretching
- Targeting 30-45 minutes
- Focusing on flexibility & mind-body connection.
- Mobility Work
- Targeting 20-30 minutes
- I like to use light exercise bands & focus on the areas I’ve worked hardest during the week (typically shoulders for me)
- Light Cardio
- Targeting 30-45 minutes
- This can be running, swimming, biking, etc. You just want to get your heartrate up… no need to get to an intense workout here.
- Calisthenics
- Targeting 20-30 minutes
- Bodyweight movements- pushups, squats, lunges, etc.
- Recreational Activities
- Targeting 45-60 minutes
- Seriously, you can just go out golfing or play tennis with some friends & it’ll serve as a solid active recovery day.
That’s really all there is to it! Just make sure you’re stretching daily and follow the above plan & you’ll be setup for success. All that’s left now is to do it. Onwards!