3 Fool-Proof Ways to Pack on Muscle

Use these power-training principles to add size and strength

At a small community college in Malibu, Robert Dos Remedios is working miracles. Over the last 10 years, he's molded dozens of JUCO "lumps of clay" into prized Division I and even professional athletes. In fact, how he does this in less than a year with no money is the basis of his book, Men's Health Power Training. His principles can work for you, but you'll need an open mind, a willingness to recast your fitness goals, and, of course, the guts to withstand some torture. Ready for a taste? Check out the three power principles that Dos Remedios bases his program on.

1. Strive for strength, not size
Like most men, you want a mighty chest, big biceps, and washboard abs. But instead of training like a bodybuilder and relying on single-joint exercises designed to isolate specific muscles, start training like an athlete, says Dos Remedios. You'll finally build the body you want as you also improve your performance, minimize injury, burn fat, and feel more motivated. Dos Remedios points out that his most-impressive looking athletes aren't doing hundreds of crunches, curls, and seated calf raises. They're focusing on big lifts like squats, deadlifts, and presses. That's what you should do, too, he says.

2. Embrace progressive overload
Progressive overload means spending more time in your "discomfort zone." "All those people you see on the treadmills watching TV? Do you think they're really out of their comfort zones?" asks Dos Remedios. After all, that's when you really start to see results. "It's the most basic of all strength-training principles," Dos Remedios says, "but it's the one people understand least. The human body is amazing. The more work you do, the more you will be capable of doing over time."

More time in your discomfort zone actually equals less time in the gym. This is why Dos Remedios usually trains for just 35 to 45 minutes a day, and why his athletes are in the gym for only 30 to 40 minutes two or three times a week. Go really hard, and you won't be able to go really long. This is one of the key tenets in Men's Health Power Training.

3. Train explosively
To Dos Remedios, it's not enough to just lift a weight. He wants you to explode with it—that is, raise it as fast as you can while still retaining control. This is also known as speed-strength conditioning, and it has great influence on power, endurance, and metabolism. Be forewarned: This training style will gas you like never before. Olympic barbell and powerlifting exercises, such as squats, clean and jerks, and snatches, are the best moves for explosiveness. Here are some alternatives.

Body-weight squat jumps: Stand with your hands behind your head, squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor, and jump as high as possible. Rest 3 to 5 seconds and repeat 10 to 12 times.

Dumbbell squat press: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells at your shoulders. In one continuous movement, squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Stand while driving the weights overhead. Lower back to the squat position and repeat for 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.