John Gaines 12-Week Mass Building Program

JOHN GAINES–
MASS BUILDING PROGRAM 12

12 WEEK WORKOUT &
NUTRITION PROGRAM
John Gaines 12 - week training program is for anyone— 4400 VANOWEN ST.
man or womn, beginner or advanced. BURBANK, CA 91505
MUSCLEPHARM.COM
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
01 | INTRO / PHASE 1 - THE FOUNDATION WORKOUT PLAN 2
02 | PHASE 2 - THE GAINS WORKOUT PLAN 6
03 | PHASE 3 - THE CUT WORKOUT PLAN 9
04 | 12 WEEK MASS BUILDING NUTRITIONAL GUIDE 14
05 | PHASE 1 - THE FOUNDATION SAMPLE MEAL GUIDE 19
06 | PHASE 2 - THE GAINS SAMPLE MEAL GUIDE 20
07 | PHASE 3 - THE CUT SAMPLE MEAL GUIDE 21
JOHN GAINES 12-WEEK 4400 VANOWEN ST.
MASS BUILDING PROGRAM BURBANK, CA 91505

MUSCLEPHARM.COM
WE LIVE THIS 12 WEEK MASS BUILDING TRAINING WORKOUT & NUTRITION GUIDE
MASS BUILDING TRAINING PROGRAM

John Gaines 12-week training program is for anyone—man or woman, beginner or advanced.
Through three-phases you will work through foundational full body exercises, focused mass
building movements and finally a cut phase to let your results show through.
PHASE 1 – During the foundation phase (weeks 1-4) of this program

you will work out three days a week and focus on building
strength through the use of straight sets. In phase 1 you
FOUNDATION should use heavy enough weights to exhaust the muscles
within the prescribed rep counts and rest periods should
(WEEKS 1 - 4) range between 60 and 90 seconds between each set,
providing ample time for your muscles to recover.
This phase focuses on a lower rep range (5-8 reps per

set) utilizing heavy weight in order to best maximize your
increase in strength.
WEEKS 1 - 4 VOLUME WEIGHT REST
WORKOUT OVERVIEW:
LOW HIGH HIGH
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TRAINING WEEKS 1 - 4
EXERCISE SETS X REPS
(3 DAYS PER WEEK)
MONDAY: FULL BODY SQUAT 5x5
BARBELL BENCH 5x5
BARBELL BENT
5x5
OVER ROW
BARBELL
5x5
PUSH PRESS
DUMBBELL BULGARIAN 3x8

SPLIT SQUAT each leg
LEG EXTENSIONS 5x8
STANDING
3 x 20
CALF MACHINE
ABS - ELEVATED CRUNCHES,

LEG RAISES, RUSSIAN 20 each x 3 rounds
TWISTS
WEDNESDAY: FULL BODY DEADLIFT 5x5
INCLINE BENCH 5x5
REVERSE GRIP BENT

5x5
OVER ROWS
HAMSTRING CURLS 3x8
LAT PULLDOWNS 3x8
SEATED T-BAR
3x8
CABLE ROWS
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(3 DAYS PER WEEK)
REVERSE FLY'S 3x8
UPRIGHT ROWS 3x8
EZ BAR CURLS 3x8
HAMMER CURLS 3x8
ABS - BICYCLES, DOUBLE

FOOT MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS, 20 each x 3 rounds
SHOOT THROUGHS
FRIDAY: FULL BODY LEGPRESS 5x5
DB BENCH 5x5
DB INCLINE FLY'S 3x8
3x8
DB WALKING LUNGES
each leg
DB SEATED
3x8
ARNOLD PRESS
SEATED DB
3x8
LATERAL RAISE
STANDING CABLE
3x8
CHEST FLY'S
BODYWEIGHT DIPS 3 x 15 - 25
CABLE TRICEP
3 x 15 - 25
PRESS DOWNS
ABS - SIDE PLANK, 10 each side

PLANK TWIST 20 x 3 rounds
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PHASE 2 - The “Gains” phase (weeks 5-8) continues to focus on total body
activation with many of the movements being compound exercises.
THE GAINS These compound exercises are designed to help you develop overall
mass while still ensuring growth of individual body parts. Unlike the
(WEEKS 5 - 8) first phase of this program, you will be working out 4 days a week with
a lower, upper push and upper pull split.
This phase will utilize the optimal rep ranges for hypertrophy/muscle
growth (8-12 reps per set). Use heavy enough weights to exhaust the
muscles, but not too heavy as to not be able to complete the prescribed
reps with the 60 -90 second rest periods between sets.
WORKOUT OVERVIEW:
MODERATE MODERATE MODERATE
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(4 DAYS PER WEEK)
MONDAY: LOWER SQUATS 5 x 10 - 12
BARBELL REVERSE 3x8

LUNGES each leg
BARBELL GOOD
3x8
MORNINGS
LEG PRESS 5 x 10 - 12
DB GOBLET SQUATS 3x8
LEG EXTENSIONS 4x8
CABLE CRUNCH
SUPERSET WEIGHTED 10 x 3
HANGING KNEE RAISES
TUESDAY: UPPER PULL PULL-UPS 5 x 5 - 10
SINGLE ARM BENT 3x8

OVER ROW each arm
LAT PULL DOWN

3x8
UNDER HAND GRIP
LAT PULL DOWN

3x8
WIDE GRIP
LAND MINE
3x8
T BAR ROW
FACE PULLS 3x8
ZOTTMAN CURLS 3x8
3x8
CONCENTRATION CURLS
each arm
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(4 DAYS PER WEEK)
THURSDAY: LOWER KB SWINGS 5 x 10
ROMANIAN DEADLIFT 5 x 10 - 12
DB WALKING 3x8
LUNGES each leg
SUMO DEADLIFT 3x8
BARBELL WEIGHTED
3x8
HIP THRUSTS
LYING HAMSTRING
4x8
CURLS
FRIDAY: UPPER PUSH BARBELL INCLINE 3x8
BARBELL PUSH PRESS 3x8
DB BENCH PRESS 3x8
DB CHEST FLY 3x8
DB STANDING
3x8
SHOULDER PRESS
SKULL CRUSHERS 3x8
CABLE KICK BACKS 3x8
OVERHEAD CABLE
TRICEP EXTENSIONS 3x8
(ROPE ATTACHMENT)
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PHASE 3 - THE CUT

(WEEKS 9 - 12)
The “Cut”. The final 4 weeks of this program is designed to cut away fat through the use of supersets,
trisets, and plyometrics. Our heaviest work load of all three phases you will be working out 5 days
a week, with rest periods greatly reduced (30 seconds between sets). The higher reps, shorter rest,
and supersets used in this phase will allow you to keep your heart rate up throughout the workout,
maximizing your caloric burn and fat loss.
During these workouts you will be working opposing muscle groups (i.e. chest and back) which allow one
muscle group to rest while working the other. When preforming super sets and trisets scale the intensity
by letting the reps dictate the weight you are using.
WORKOUT OVERVIEW:
HIGH LOW LOW
MUSCLEPHARM.COM 9
(5 DAYS PER WEEK)
BARBELL BENCH
MONDAY: CHEST / BACK 4 x 10
PRESS
SS / BARBELL
4 x 10
BENT OVER ROW
INCLINE BARBELL
4 x 10
BENCH
SS DB
4 x 10
REVERSE FLY
DB INCLINE PRESS, 4x6

SINGLE ARM each arm
CABLE CROSSOVER
4 x 10
CHEST FLY
SS / CABLE KNEELING
4 x 10
LAT PULL DOWNS
TUESDAY: LEG / SHOULDERS SQUATS 4 x 10
SS / JUMP SQUATS 4 x 10
DB SHRUGS 4 x 10
SS / UPRIGHT ROW 4 x 10
DB RDL 4 x 10
SS / ALTERNATING
4 x 10
REVERSE LUNGE
STRAIGHT BAR
4 x 10
FRONT RAISE
SS / STANDING
4 x 10
DB LATERAL RAISE
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(5 DAYS PER WEEK)
WEDNESDAY: ARMS / ABS PULL-UPS 4 x 5 - 10
SS / BODYWEIGHT DIPS 4 x 10 - 20
CABLE ROPE CURLS 3 x 10
SS / CABLE ROPE
3 x 10
TICEPS PRESS DOWN
INCLINE DUMBBELL
3 x 10
CURLS
SS / OVERHEAD DB
3 x 10
TRICEP EXTENTION
SS / DB TRICEP
3 x 10
KICKBACK
THURSDAY: REST
FRIDAY: LOWER TRISET 2 3 Rounds
SINGLE LEG
5 each leg
BOX SQUAT
STEP UPS 10 each leg
BOX JUMPS 10 reps
TRISET 2 3 rounds
A - KETTLEBELL RDL 10 reps
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(5 DAYS PER WEEK)
B - KETTLEBELL
10 reps
SWINGS
C - KETTELBELL
10 reps
FRONT SQUAT
TRISET 3 3 rounds
A - JUMP LUNGE 10 each leg
B - SQUAT JUMP 10 reps
C - MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS 20 reps
SATURDAY: UPPER TRISET 1 3 Rounds
DB BENCH 15 reps
DB BENT OVER ROW 15 reps
DB STANDING
15 reps
SHOULDER PRESS
A - ELEVATED
10 reps
DB PUSH UPS
B - DB BEAR ROW 6 each arm
C - DB SNATCH 6 each arm
TRISET 3 3 Rounds
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(5 DAYS PER WEEK)
A - PULL-UPS 10 reps
HANGING LEG RAISES 10 reps
BURPEES 10 reps
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12 12 WEEK
MASS BUILDING
NUTRITION GUIDE
MACROS
If you are unfamiliar with macro tracking, we wanted to give you a quick rundown here! There are 3
macronutrients (aka macros) that your body needs in large quantities to survive. These are protein,
carbs, and fat.
1 gram of protein = 4 calories

1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories
1 gram of fat = 9 calories
Depending on our goals, we need to eat a certain amount of macronutrients a day in order to lose weight,
gain weight, or maintain our weight. I have calculated the amount of macros that you personally need
to eat each day in order to reach your goal. That being said, macros make up calories. For example if
my macro goal for the day was 130C 50F 120P I would be eating 1,450 calories a day (130 grams of
carbs=520cals, 50 grams of fat=450 cals, 120 grams of protein= 480 cals). However, instead of focusing
on the calorie number and just making sure we eat a certain amount of calories a day, it is better to
focus on the specific macro amounts you need to eat a day. This is because our bodies need a specific
amount of each macronutrient for different bodily functions (ex. Fat is important for hormone stability,
carbs are important for energy, and protein is important for maintaining lean muscle mass and a fast
metabolism). Therefore if we only focused on eating a certain amount of calories and disregarded the
macronutrient breakdown in our foods, we may be deficient in a certain macronutrient and our bodies
won’t be able to function 100%.
When it comes to “dieting” people make the mistake of thinking that there are “good” foods and “bad” foods.
There is no such thing. To keep this short, 10 grams of carbs from something healthy like fruit will have the
same effect on your body (weight wise) that 10 grams of carbs from something “unhealthy” like pizza would.
Just because you ate your 10 grams of carbs from pizza doesn’t mean you’ll gain weight. Similarly, if you ate
your carbs from fruit, that doesn’t mean you’ll lose weight just because it’s “healthy”. HOWEVER, fruit has
more vitamins and minerals and will benefit your body in other ways so of course I would still recommend
the more macronutrient-dense food option.
That being said, you can always feel free to swap out any of your meals with different foods that will
still fit your macros. We like to use the free app, My Fitness Pal, to track our meals and see how many
macros are in a certain food. For example, if you don’t like chicken, you can swap that out for another
food that has the same amount of carbs, protein, and fat (We give you a specific example in the FAQ
section at the end). As long as you eat foods that stay in the macro range that we calculated for you,
you will continue to progress!
If you have any additional questions on macros, please feel free to email us! We didn’t want to make this
section too long in order to minimize any confusion. However, we did want to put it in here so that you
understand the basis of how we created your meal guides and why we have also provided you with a set
of macros for you to follow.
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BENEFITS OF THE FOOD YOU'RE EATING
Asparagus: Great natural diuretic which makes it perfect for flushing out water weight,
high in vitamins A, C, E, and K
Avocado: Contains potassium, and fiber, and is great for heart health due to its
monounsaturated fatty acid
Bananas: High fiber, eases digestion, high source of potassium.
Bell peppers: Contains vitamin C, B6, folate, antioxidants, and helps support night vision
Berries: Loaded with antioxidants, fiber, and anti-cancer properties
Black beans: High protein and fiber content as well as other vitamins and minerals
Chicken: Lean meat loaded with protein, selenium, and free radical-fighting antioxidants
Coconut oil: High in healthy saturated fats that can help burn fat. May also reduce risk of heart
disease thanks to it raising your good HDL cholesterol
Eggs: Great source of protein, full of vitamin B2, D, B6, B12, zinc, iron, and copper
Nuts: Rich in iron, magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids (great for brain health), calcium,
and antioxidants
Onion: Contains folic acid which helps the body create new healthy cells and detoxify your
liver
Protein powder: Helps support lean muscle mass, a fast metabolism, important for healthy hair,
skin, and nails
Whole wheat/Ezekiel/Gluten Free bread:

High in nutrients and fiber. Helps lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and obesity,
supports a healthy digestion
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GROCERY LIST
Produce: Complex Carbs:
• Apple • Whole wheat, Gluten free, or Ezekiel Bread
• Berries • Rice (brown, white, or jasmine)
• Spinach • Oats
• Lettuce • Quinoa
• Bell peppers • Sweet potato
• Onion
• Asparagus Healthy Fats:
• Avocado • Nut butter of choice
• Mixed nuts
Protein: • Coconut oil
• Protein powder • Avocado
• Egg whites
• Egg Other:
• Chicken • Unsweetened Almond Milk
• Turkey • Bolthouse Farms salad dressing
• Black beans • Salsa
• 0% Greek yogurt • Cinnamon
• Coconut Aminos
• Marinara Sauce
CONDIMENT Feel free to top your salads, veggies, etc. with any of these
savory condiments! We really love using Bolthouse Farms
OPTIONS salad dressing (you will usually find it in the produce section
of almost any grocery store). They have a large variety of
flavors! Another great dressing option is mixing together 2
Savory Tbs mustard with Braggs liquid aminos or coconut aminos
• Mustard and a few drops of liquid stevia. You can put this on almost
• Sugar-free ketchup anything (ex. salad, veggies, meat, eggs, etc.) to really make
• Liquid Aminos your dish more flavorful with almost no added calories!
• Coconut Aminos
• Bolthouse Farms I love using the sweet condiments on my breakfast or dessert
salad dressing meals such as protein pancakes, protein brownies, oatmeal,
or really any sweet meal I have that day! Don’t go overboard
Sweet of course, but definitely feel free to use them to add a little
• Liquid stevia drops flare to your desserts! And DON’T forget sprinkles! I love
• Sugar-free syrup (try to adding rainbow sprinkles on almost everything! I put some
keep this to a minimum) in my breakfast shake, on my yogurt, on my pancakes -
• Agave really anything sweet! They are low in calories and just
• Rainbow sprinkles make everything so much more fun.
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DRINKING OPTIONS
• Unsweetened almond milk Please try to drink AT LEAST half your body weight in ounces of
• Tea water per day (but we definitely would recommend more since
you will be working out and sweating out some of your water).
• Sparkling water
Other than water, the drinks listed above are a few other options
• Kombucha we would recommend.
• Zero calorie sports drinks
(try to limit) Arctic Ice and La Croix sparkling waters are great soda subsitutes
or something to drink when you’re craving something sweet or
need something to hold you over before your next meal. Tea is
also a great option as not only will it fill you up but also it has
MANY health benefits due to its probiotics and metabolism-
boosting properties. I personally drink tea at least twice a day
(I love chai tea, green tea, chamomile, cinnamon, and Yogi Vanilla
spice). If you are going to get iced tea, look out for sweet tea and
try to stick to the unsweetened variety (I love Steaz tea from
Sprouts or Bristol Farms).
SUPPLEMENTS
We want to start off by saying you don’t NEED any • Greens powders (Brand Recommendation
supplements what so ever! Supplements are just Barleans Greens or Amazing Grass)
that – a supplement to a healthy diet. If you follow
the meal guide you will be getting the proper • MusclePharm Branched Chain Amino Acids
amount of micronutrients and macronutrients to
sustain a healthy lifestyle, but below are a few • Protein Powder – this isn’t really a
supplements we recommend if you feel you want supplement but is actually more of a “food”
to add them to your routine! but figured we would include it here as well.
• MusclePharm Multi V • MusclePharm Combat Protein Powder
• MusclePharm Fish Oil • MusclePharm 100% Whey
• Probiotics (Brand Recommendation: • MusclePharm 100% Isolate

Garden of Life or Ortho Biotic)
• MusclePharm Organic Plant-Based Protein
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PHASE 1 - FOUNDATION - SAMPLE MEAL GUIDE

YOUR CUSTOMIZED MACROS: 400C 90F 200P
MEAL 1 – Oatmeal (132C 21F 42P)

• 2 cup oats
• Mix in 1 scoop protein powder and 1 Tbs chia seeds
• Top with 1 Tbs nut butter and 1 cup fruit
MEAL 2 – Ground Turkey and Sweet Potato (55C 22F 26P)

• 4 oz ground turkey
• 8 oz baked sweet potato + 1 Tbs coconut oil
• 2 cups veggies of choice
MEAL 3 – Chicken Sandwich (76C 7F 56P)

• 2 slices whole wheat or Ezekiel bread
• 8 oz chicken
• 2 cups veggies of choice/spinach/lettuce
• 2 Tbs. hummus
• 1 side apple
MEAL 4 – Chicken Stir Fry (110C 28F 59P)

• In a pan sauté 2 cups stir fry vegetables and 8 oz chicken
• Pour over 1 ½ cup brown rice
• Top with 1/4 cup peanuts and liquid aminos
MEAL 5 – Chocolate Fudge Brownie (8C 9F 25P)

• In a microwavable bowl or mug, combine 1 scoop protein powder, 1 Tbs dark cocoa powder,
¼ tsp baking powder, 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• Microwave 30 secs – 1 minute
• Top with ½ Tbs nut butter of choice and 1 sliced banana
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PHASE 2 - GAINES - SAMPLE MEAL GUIDE

MEAL 1 – Egg Scramble + Toast (48C 19F 41P)

• 5 egg whites + 1 egg
• 1 cup veggies of choice
• 1 Tsp coconut oil
• 2 slices whole grain bread
MEAL 2 – Chicken Quinoa Salad (48C 10F 46P)

• 6 oz chicken
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 2 Tbs Bolthouse Farms dressing
MEAL 3 – Turkey Rice Bowl (122C 15F 40P)

• Cook 2 cup rice
• Top with 6oz ground turkey + 1 cup veggies of choice
• Combine 1 Tbs Coconut aminos with ½ Tbs mustard and 4 drops of stevia to make a
“healthified” Asian-style dressing. Drizzle on top of rice bowl.
MEAL 4 – Taco Lettuce Cups/Taco Salad (42C 23F 38P)

• 2 corn tortillas
Top with:
• 6 oz chicken
• ¼ cup black beans (or other beans of choice)
• ¼ cup salsa
• 1 avocado
• Shredded lettuce
• Diced onion
• Chopped bell peppers
MEAL 5 – Protein Pancake (38C 16F 37P)

• Mash ½ banana, mix in 1 egg white, 1 scoop protein powder, and 1 tsp cinnamon.
Cook on a pan like you would any pancake! Top with 1½ Tbs nut butter and 1 cup
of berries.
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PHASE 3 - CUT - SAMPLE MEAL GUIDE

MEAL 1 – Protein Shake (35C 13F 32P)

In a blender combine-
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 scoop protein
• 1 banana
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 Tbs nut butter
MEAL 2 – Veggie Marinara Pasta (56C 9F 29P)

• 4 oz ground turkey
• ¾ cup whole wheat pasta
• ½ cup marinara sauce
MEAL 3 – Chicken Salad (14C 15F 47P)

• 7 oz chicken
• 1/8 cup mixed nuts
• 3 cups lettuce
• 2 Tbs Bolthouse Farms Dressing
MEAL 4 – Chicken, Rice, and Veggies (62C 6F 48P)

• 7 oz chicken
• 2/3 cup brown rice
• 2 cups veggies of choice
MEAL 5 – Greek Yogurt (25C 9F 34P)

• In a bowl combine 2/3 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt and 2/3 scoop protein powder
• Top with 1 Tbs. nut butter and 1 cup fruit
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HEALTHY FOODS LIST: DIETARY OPTIONS
PROTEIN FAT CARBS SUPPLEMENTS
• EGGS • EGGS • OATMEAL • WHEY PROTEIN

ISOLATE
• EGG WHITES • OLIVE OIL • RICE CAKES
• PLANT PROTEIN
• CHICKEN • AVOCADO OIL • QUINOA
• PRE-WORKOUT
• FISH • COCONUT OIL • BERRIES
• BCAAs
• TURKEY • FISH OIL • BANANA
• LOW FAT OR NON FAT • NUTS • MELON

COTTAGE CHEESE
• NUT BUTTER • POTATOES
• SKIM MILK (SWEET OR REGULAR)
• SALMON
• NUT BUTTER • ORANGES
• AVOCADO
• GRASS FED LEAN BEEF • BLACK BEANS
• BEEF
• LEAFY GREENS
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FOOD SWAPS
Thanks to macro tracking, you are able Carbs:
to swap out foods you may not like for • 4oz sweet potato ~ ½ cup cooked
something you do like without going off brown rice ~ ½ cup whole wheat pasta
track! [See “Macros” section for details • 1/3 cup oats ~ 1 slice of whole wheat bread
on tracking macros]. Here, we wanted • 2 corn tortillas ~ 1 slice of whole wheat bread
to provide you with some easy swaps in Protein:
case you want to change up your meals • 4oz chicken ~ 4oz tilapia
throughout the week. • 4oz turkey ~ 4oz salmon
• 1 scoop protein powder ~ 4 egg whites
Fat:
• ½ avocado ~ 1Tbs nut butter
• 1Tbs coconut oil ~ 1Tbs extra virgin olive oil
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. This is a lot of food! Am I supposed to eat everything even if I’m feeling full?
Try to eat what you can. We calculated your calories and created your meals based off of what
you should be eating to lose weight. However, if you’re feeling too full, definitely don’t force
yourself to finish everything.
2. Shoot!! I went off my plan and ate something bad! What should I do?
First of all, don’t think of any food as “bad”. Food is meant to be enjoyed and shouldn’t be
labeled as anything negative. Sure, some foods are more nutrient dense than others (such as
fruits and vegetables), but that doesn’t mean cookies shouldn’t be enjoyed every once and a
while too! That being said, if you ate something you weren’t “supposed to”, don’t stress! Just
hop back onto your plan with your next meal! Many times when people go “off track” they
throw in the towel and feel like they ruined all of their progress. This is NOT TRUE! However,
if you have that mentality and just go back to a poor diet and no exercise, then that will happen.
Instead, just enjoy the food you ate and get back to your normal healthy routine as soon as
you can!
3. Can I put spices on my food?
YES! While some of the recipes don’t tell you exactly what spices to use, feel free to use
anything to spice up your meals and make it more enjoyable for your specific taste buds!
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4. I’m eating healthy and exercising but I don’t notice any changes in my body, what am I doing
wrong?
Absolutely NOTHING! It takes a bit of time to notice physical changes in your body, but DON’T
give up! If you stop because you feel discouraged, you’ll only put yourself further away from
your goals. Also, don’t always focus on just the physical changes. Do you have more energy?
Are you getting stronger? Is your endurance increasing? Is your mood getting better? Being
healthy provides far more benefits than just physical ones so try to focus on other changes as
well! Just keep following your plan and I promise the changes will come!
5. Oh no! The scale went UP this week! Did I gain fat?
NO! If you’re following your plan, you most definitely did not gain fat. The scale can fluctuate for
many reasons. Some reasons why your weight may increase are –
• You weighed yourself later in the day than usual - I recommend weighing
yourself first thing in the morning on an empty stomach
• You ate a bigger meal the night before - although the meal may have been on
your plan, some foods (such as huge salads) have more volume then other
meals which means it may make the scale weight higher the next morning,
but that is not fat! It will go away once your body fully digests it.
• You had your treat meal the night before – when you go out to eat and have a
meal that isn’t quite as healthy for you, they are usually packed with a lot more
sodium. This causes you to hold onto water weight. While this is not fat, this
water weight may make you feel a bit “softer” and cause you to gain some
temporary weight that will soon go away.
• You are stressed or haven’t been sleeping well – If your stress levels are high,
your cortisol will increase. Cortisol is your “stress” hormone and will cause you
to hold onto water weight. Again, this isn’t fat, but make sure you do things
such as yoga, self care, and get PLENTY of sleep in order to make sure your
cortisol levels come back down.
• You didn’t drink enough water yesterday – You need to really make sure you
drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of water every day! I personally
drink more than a gallon a day. If you don’t drink enough water, you body will
actually hold on to the water it does have inside and cause the scale to rise.
However, if you drink enough water, it will flush that excess water away and
your weight will go back to normal.
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6. What time should I eat my meals?
The majority of you will have 5 meals a day. This may seem like a lot of food and you might
not be used to having to fit 5 different meals in one day, so meal timing might be tricky at
first. Realistically, you should eat when you’re hungry. For us, this is what our eating schedule
usually looks like:
• 8AM – Meal 1
• 11AM – Meal 2
• 2 PM – Meal 3
• 5 PM – Meal 4
• 7:30PM – Meal 5
Again, this is just what we like to do, but do what works for you and your schedule! Also, if you
are unable to eat 5 times a day, then feel free to combine some of your meals! For example,
you can combine meals 1 and 2 or meals 2 and 3 and just have one larger meal instead! This
way you’ll be eating only 4 meals a day. That’s totally fine! You want this meal plan to work for
your lifestyle so make any adjustments you may need.
7. What can I eat for my treat meal?
Every Saturday you get to have a treat meal. Again, this is one treat MEAL, not a full out treat
DAY! This means, that you will swap out one of your meals for something that isn’t on your
plan. Use this time to go out with family or friends and really enjoy yourself! For example,
instead of Meal 5, you may want to get frozen yogurt or instead of Meal 1 you might decide to
go out to brunch with your friends. Whatever you decide, enjoy it, but remember your goals!
Also, if your family wants to get dinner on a different day during the week, feel free to swap
that Saturday treat meal with that family meal and just stay on your plan Saturday instead.
8. There are 3 days of meals on my plan, what day am I supposed to follow?
We gave you 3 different days so you have options! Usually with meal guides you are only given
1 day to follow for the entirety of the plan. However, we didn’t want you to get bored, so we
created 3 different versions using your same macros. This means that you can follow any day
you want! For example if you like the meals on Day 1 the best, then feel free to eat those meals
every day if you want! Or if you like a variety you can rotate through the days and eat Day 1 one
day, then Day 2 the next, then Day 3 the next and keep rotating like that. Whatever works for
you! All three days are created with the same set macros that we calculated for you, so you
have freedom of what days you want to follow and how you want to follow them! Side note-
after your 2nd check in you will be getting a new meal plan to follow for the last 2 weeks.
That meal plan will be a bit stricter and will only be one day of meals for you to follow to really
get you into the best shape for your final check in!
MUSCLEPHARM.COM 25
9. I really don’t like a certain meal on my meal plan, do I have to eat it?
Nope! Following macros means that you can swap out foods you don’t like with foods that have
a similar macro profile (like we mentioned above in the Macro section). For example, say you
have ½ cup of oatmeal on your meal plan. The macros for this are 27C 3F 5P. Maybe you’re not
a huge fan of oatmeal and want to trade it out for something else. You can easily exchange this
½ cup of oats for a banana with ½ Tbs peanut butter! The macros for this are 29C 4F and 3P
which is almost identical to the oatmeal! As we mentioned earlier, we like to use My Fitness Pal
to track our food and find swaps! We give you your macros so that you don’t get tired of food
and feel restricted. If there are foods on your meal plan that you truly don’t enjoy, play around
with other food options and see what else you can eat instead! If you want any help with finding
food substitutes, you can feel free to email us and we will definitely help you out 
10. Always remember why you started.
Throughout these next 4 weeks you are going to experience highs and lows. Becoming
healthier isn’t always easy. There are going to be times that make you want to give up and
revert back to poor habits. Don’t do this! Think of why you started and remember that the
benefits of living a healthy lifestyle far outweigh any temporary challenges that you may be
facing. You CAN do this, and 4 weeks from now you will be thanking yourself that you did!
MUSCLEPHARM.COM 26
SHOW US
YOUR RESULTS!
USE THE HASHTAG
#MPNEWYEARNEWYOU
TO BE FEATURED ON OUR
INSTAGRAM PAGE!
JOHN GAINES 12-WEEK 4400 VANOWEN ST.
MASS BUILDING PROGRAM BURBANK, CA 91505

MUSCLEPHARM.COM

John Gaines 12-Week Mass Building Program

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John Gaines 12-Week Mass Building Program

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JOHN GAINES–

MASS BUILDING PROGRAM 12

02 | PHASE 2 - THE GAINS WORKOUT PLAN 6

03 | PHASE 3 - THE CUT WORKOUT PLAN 9

04 | 12 WEEK MASS BUILDING NUTRITIONAL GUIDE 14

05 | PHASE 1 - THE FOUNDATION SAMPLE MEAL GUIDE 19

06 | PHASE 2 - THE GAINS SAMPLE MEAL GUIDE 20

07 | PHASE 3 - THE CUT SAMPLE MEAL GUIDE 21

JOHN GAINES 12-WEEK 4400 VANOWEN ST.

MASS BUILDING PROGRAM BURBANK, CA 91505

MASS BUILDING TRAINING PROGRAM

PHASE 1 – During the foundation phase (weeks 1-4) of this program

This phase focuses on a lower rep range (5-8 reps per

WEEKS 1 - 4 VOLUME WEIGHT REST

MONDAY: FULL BODY SQUAT 5x5

BARBELL BENCH 5x5

DUMBBELL BULGARIAN 3x8

LEG EXTENSIONS 5x8

ABS - ELEVATED CRUNCHES,

WEDNESDAY: FULL BODY DEADLIFT 5x5

INCLINE BENCH 5x5

REVERSE GRIP BENT

HAMSTRING CURLS 3x8

LAT PULLDOWNS 3x8

REVERSE FLY'S 3x8

UPRIGHT ROWS 3x8

EZ BAR CURLS 3x8

HAMMER CURLS 3x8

ABS - BICYCLES, DOUBLE

FRIDAY: FULL BODY LEGPRESS 5x5

DB INCLINE FLY'S 3x8

ABS - SIDE PLANK, 10 each side

WEEKS 5 - 8 VOLUME WEIGHT REST

MONDAY: LOWER SQUATS 5 x 10 - 12

BARBELL REVERSE 3x8

DB GOBLET SQUATS 3x8

LEG EXTENSIONS 4x8

TUESDAY: UPPER PULL PULL-UPS 5 x 5 - 10

SINGLE ARM BENT 3x8

LAT PULL DOWN

LAT PULL DOWN

FACE PULLS 3x8

ZOTTMAN CURLS 3x8

THURSDAY: LOWER KB SWINGS 5 x 10

SUMO DEADLIFT 3x8

FRIDAY: UPPER PUSH BARBELL INCLINE 3x8

BARBELL PUSH PRESS 3x8

DB BENCH PRESS 3x8

DB CHEST FLY 3x8

SKULL CRUSHERS 3x8

CABLE KICK BACKS 3x8

PHASE 3 - THE CUT

WEEKS 9 - 12 VOLUME WEIGHT REST

DB INCLINE PRESS, 4x6

TUESDAY: LEG / SHOULDERS SQUATS 4 x 10

WEDNESDAY: ARMS / ABS PULL-UPS 4 x 5 - 10

CABLE ROPE CURLS 3 x 10

FRIDAY: LOWER TRISET 2 3 Rounds

STEP UPS 10 each leg

BOX JUMPS 10 reps

A - KETTLEBELL RDL 10 reps

A - JUMP LUNGE 10 each leg