The goals of this program are several. We want to induce muscle growth in order to get bigger, increase overall strength to enhance performance, and stimulate muscle creation; the creation of additional, new muscle fibers that we can then make bigger and stronger.There are no specific day one, two, three, etc. guidelines here; simply do the nine workouts in rotation and take a day off to rest when you need to. You should aim to complete the nine workouts in no more than two weeks. Count three of these nine workout microcycles together as a mesocycle, and work your percentages in the core lifts up each time you repeat the microcycle.
We’ll get to sets reps percentages rest periods etc. in just a bit. The general guidelines are very simple however. If you do a given core exercise at the weight you’ve calculated to be correct, and you get all the sets and all the reps, the next time you do that workout, you need to add a small increment of weight. Stay at the new weight until you again get all the sets and all the reps, and then increase yet again. Don’t worry about establishing new one rep max lifts: just keep concentrating on getting stronger. Do cardio on the days you do NOT lift, and perhaps also on the days you’re not concentrating on legs. A word of caution; this is a strength and growth program, so if you intend to run long distances or set new 40 records or new quarter mile times or in any way achieve max effort running, you’re wasting your time, for you will not get bigger running at 100% of your capability.
The exercise in blue for each major muscle group workout is the supplemental exercise for that muscle group. That gets done every day, just like the core movement. After the supplemental exercise, the auxiliary movements are listed, and those may vary from workout to workout. Where you see {{OR}} on your workout, that means that there are two or more sets of exercises for that particular muscle group. DO NOT DO THEM ALL ON ONE DAY. Rotate through those groups of exercises. This is a nod at the school of thought that says change of exercise and angle of effort makes a difference, as well as an attempt to keep you from getting bored. ‘Superset’ means two exercises done back to back as one set with no rest between. ‘Giant set’ means three or more exercises done back to back as one set with no rest between. Make certain you do the warmup sets; you’ll have to set your own weight guidelines here. Assistance work rep ranges vary; do what’s suggested for the first two cycles, and then start doing what works for you, always with an eye to adding more weight, more reps, more sets, etc. It is in the supplemental and auxiliary work that you will see the greatest benefit in raising volume; the core lifts remain at the recommended percentages, while the ‘ancillary’ work sees more reps, more sets, more total weight lifted, and therefore the greatest volume increases.
GROWTH
The ‘growth’ workouts are designed to force your body to create new muscle fibers. On those days, for that specific major muscle group, your sets in the core lift will be for twelve reps each, with the final set going to failure. Your rest periods are relatively short, no longer than a minute. The work sets start at 55% for the squat, then 60%, then 65%, then recalculate your max and start over. The bench starts at 50%, then 58%, then 61%, recalculate your max and start over. The deadlift start at 60% then goes to 64%, then 68%, then recalculate and start over. For assistance work, the sets have more reps and are a bit lighter as well, working in the eight to twelve rep range.
STRENGTH
The ‘strength’ workouts are designed to force your body to get stronger. On those days, for that specific major muscle group, your sets will be in the one to three rep range. Your rest periods are long, up to five minutes between sets, and your final set should be a single for maximum effort. If you can get two or three, do so… then raise the weight for the next strength workout for that specific major muscle group. After the warmup sets, you’ll see five to six sets of triples, doubles, and singles aiming for that last max effort single. Please don’t misunderstand; EVERY strength workout leads to a new maximum lift attempt; there are no percentages here. If you get stuck along the way, that’s all right, simply don’t raise the weight next time through, and begin increasing your reps to three per set. Don’t worry about increasing the max effort once you’ve gotten stuck until all of your sets are at three reps. here, for a maximum lift of 405, your work sets should be approximately 325, 345, 365, 385, and 405. If you get all that, go up one more time by either ten or twenty pounds, and then raise all the sets appropriately in growth, speed, and strength the next time through, as the growth and speed workouts are based on your maximum lifts. Work at going a little heavier in your assistance work, and cut the reps in each set a bit, looking at the four to six rep range; we’re trying to get stronger here, and we only do that by lifting heavier.
SPEED
The ‘speed’ workouts are designed to teach your body to get that first rep… over and over…. On those days, for that specific major muscle group, your work sets in the core lift will be for two or three reps for LOTS of sets, with no going to failure here. The objective is to get the two or three reps as rapidly as possible, with no breakdown in form. Your percentages are 55-65% for bench, 50-60% for squat, and 50-60% for deadlift, in a wave progression format, so for bench, your first speed workout is 55%, your second is 60%, and your third is 65%. By that point you should have a new max bench, and you recalculate your percentages. Do the same thing for squat and deadlift. Your rest periods are short, for a maximum of one minute between sets. It is important to make sure that you don’t rest too long here, as fighting through the lactic acid buildup helps force the body to produce more growth hormone. If you get all sets and all reps, as always, raise the weight of the core lift for the next speed workout for that specific major muscle group. If you get stuck along the way, that’s again all right, simply don’t raise the weight next time through until you can do all the sets and reps. Again, assistance work has more reps and is a bit lighter here, looking at the eight to twelve rep range.
THE WORKOUT
Every leg workout has squats as the core lift. If you have access to Manta Rays, cambered bars, oversize bars, bands, and/or chains, feel free to use them. If not, good old fashioned full squats work fine. You’ll find front squats, reverse squats, box squats, etc., throughout this workout schedule, and where you see any of those variations, especially box squats… do box squats. Box squats are performed to below parallel, and you must ensure that you do them properly. {{The proper performance of the box squat is another article entirely, and will follow this one.}} We use good mornings as the supplemental movement for every leg workout, and for most back workouts; these are critical to back and leg development and strength. The sets and reps may vary from workout to workout, but this exercise is crucial to your success on this program. A lot of trainers don’t espouse leg extensions and leg curls; if you have a glute/ham machine, use it instead of leg curls, and if you’re not going to do leg extensions, then replace leg extensions with kneeling body raises.
You’ll also see that most non leg workouts also contain a squat/lunge section. In the process of performing this routine, I felt that when I took a rest day, it often became too long between squat workouts, so I added some. Essentially, if I perform a leg day, then take a day off, when I come back, I’ll do the chest workout and the squat/lunge routine as well. Then I won’t do one on back day, because squats are right around the corner the next day. I don’t do squats two days in a row, but I don’t let five days go by between squat workouts either.
I have shoulder workouts paired with legs, so that the nine workout rotation includes three shoulder workouts. Keep in mind that shoulders get a lot of work anyway, so if your shoulders are telling you they’re tired, let them rest… simply note that you performed less than you expected, so that your next time through, you’re not expecting miracles out of your shoulders.
On chest and triceps day, you don’t see a lot of triceps specific movements. The reason for that is pretty simple. Like shoulders, triceps get a lot of work in most chest movements. Once you’ve done the recommended workouts for three rotations, if you really feel that you need more triceps work, add an exercise or two and see how it goes. I include lat work on chest day, as the lats are such huge supporting muscles for the chest that they simply need to be worked as an antagonistic movement when the chest is warm and worked as well.
Back workouts include biceps. This makes sense as both muscle groups involve pulling motions, and the heavy back work is supported by arm strength. There are lots of lat pulls and rows here as well. The back strength increases I have seen with My athletes since adding good mornings and lat work are phenomenal, and I won’t fail to continue to use them in My routines. I really believe that forearms in general routines get enough work without specializing them. In strength and power routines, however, the amount of work the back gets in deadlift movements is dependent on grip strength, which in turn is determined by forearm power. So, do your forearm work.
In the Notes and Comments columns, make certain that you critique your workouts; it’s the only way you’re going to remember six months from now what was hard when you started, and it’s a great way to keep track of actual progress even when the weight lifted may not change. Also note when you don’t get all the sets or reps; if missing reps becomes a pattern for any specific exercise, you need to find out why; am I trying to lift too much, am I doing this exercise too late in my routine, did I need a rest day before working out again, or is there some other reason, injury or otherwise, that I can’t do all the reps for this exercise?
Do not do more exercises than are listed; do not do more sets than are listed; do not do more reps than are listed for the first three rotations of this program.. If you can get the entire exercise set rep weight scheme as you have calculated it, add weight the next time through. For supplemental and auxiliary work, don’t sweat adding weight every time. Concentrate on getting all the sets and all the reps. If the time comes that it truly feels easy, THEN go up a small amount. We’re not really interested in how much you can curl; we’re interested in making sure the biceps can support the grip that hold the bar with the 600 pound weight that the back is capable of deadlifting. We don’t care about how much you leg curl; we’re interested in making sure the hamstrings can support the quads that are capable of squatting 700 pounds. We don’t care how much you French press; we’re interested in making sure the triceps can support the pecs when you bench that 400 pounds.
And that’s it. Very, very few of us are actually advanced lifters, and almost all of us want a routine that tells us exactly what to do. As you get more comfortable with what your own body tells you, feel free to start changing things up to suit yourself. If I know that there are four or five days coming up that I simply won’t be able to lift, I work out three or four or five days in a row, because I know I have an extended recovery period coming up. If I start to feel like something in this routine isn’t working for Me, I change it. I DON’T change My routine every three or four workouts, or even every three or four weeks. With nine different workouts, your body isn’t really going to get a chance to get bored or adapted; I’ve been building and performing this routine for six months now, and I still get muscle soreness and improvement every single time I go to the weight room.
THE WORKOUTS
DYNAMIC STRENGTH TRAINING
GROWTH – LEGS
Exercise: Set/Rep: Notes: Comments:
Growth – Legs:
Squats: 1 x 5 x warmup one minute
1 x 5 x warmup rest periods
1 x 5 x warmup
{55% of 1RM} 3 x 12 x last set to failure
Good Mornings: 3 x 8 x
{{THEN}} Leg Extensions: 4 x 12 x superset 1
Leg Curls: 4 x 12 x superset 1
{{OR}} Lunges: 2 x 12 x superset 1 work to three sets of 10
Reverse Squats: 3 x 12 x superset 1
Shoulders:
Military Press: 1 x 5 x warmup
3 x 8 x
Shrugs: 2 x 8 x
Side/Rear Raises: 2 x 12 x
Seated Dumbbell Press: 2 x 12 x
Biceps:
Dumbbell Curls: 3 x 8 x
DYNAMIC STRENGTH TRAINING
STRENGTH – LEGS
Exercise: Set/Rep: Notes: Comments:
Strength-Legs:
Squats: 3 x 5 x warmup five minute
1 x 3 x warmup rest periods
1 x 3 x warmup
1 x 1 x
1 x 1 x
1 x 1 x
1 x 1 x
1 x 1 x
1 x 1 x
Box Stiff Deadlift: 3 x 4 x work to three sets of 8
Leg Extensions: 3 x 8 x superset 1
Leg Curls: 3 x 8 x superset 1
{{OR}} Front Squats: 3 x 6 x superset 1
Lunges: 3 x 6 x superset 1 work to three sets of 8
Shoulders:
Front/Side Raises: 3 x 6 x giant set 1
Shrugs: 3 x 6 x giant set 1
Military Press: 3 x 6 x giant set 1
{{OR}} Seated Dumbbell Press: 3 x 6 x giant set 1
Side/Rear Raises: 3 x 6 x giant set 1
Shrugs: 3 x 6 x giant set 1
Back:
Back Raises: 3 x 10 x superset 2
Good Mornings: 3 x 6 x superset 2
Abdominals:
crunches 5 x 8
crossovers 5 x 8
DYNAMIC STRENGTH TRAINING
SPEED – LEGS
Exercise: Set/Rep: Notes: Comments:
Speed – Legs:
Squats: 1 x 5 x warmup three minute
1 x 3 x warmup rest periods
1 x 3 x warmup
{50% of 1RM} 10 x 2 x
Good Mornings: 3 x 6 x build to eight reps
Back Raises: 3 x 6 x for all supplemental
Lunges: 3 x 7 x and auxiliary work
Shoulders:
Military Press: 3 x 6 x superset 1 build to eight reps
Shrugs: 3 x 6 x superset 1 for all supplemental
Side/Rear Raises: 3 x 6 x giant set 1 and auxiliary work
Seated DB Press: 3 x 6 x giant set 1
Hammer Curls: 3 x 6 x giant set 1
Abdominals:
crunches 5 x 8
crossovers 5 x 8
DYNAMIC STRENGTH TRAINING
GROWTH – BACK
Exercise: Set/Rep: Notes: Comments:
Growth – Back:
Deadlift: 1 x 5 x warmup one minute
1 x 5 x warmup rest periods
1 x 5 x warmup
{60% of 1RM} 3 x 12 x last set to failure
Good Mornings: 3 x 6 x do two of these
Back Raises: 3 x 6 x these three every
Power Cleans: 3 x 6 x exercises workout
{{THEN}} Low Rows: 3 x 8 x giant set 1
Pull Ups 3 x Failure x BW giant set 1
High Pulls: 3 x 8 x giant set 1
{{OR}} High Rows: 3 x 8 x giant set 1
Lat Pulldowns: 3 x 8 x giant set 1
Power Cleans: 3 x 8 x giant set 1
{{OR}} Chest Supported Rows: 3 x 8 x giant set 1
Upright Rows: 3 x 8 x giant set 1
Chin Ups: 3 x Failure x BW giant set 1
Biceps: Close Grip EZ Bar: 3 x 8 x giant set 2 squeeze
Dumbbell Curls: 3 x 8 x giant set 2 biceps
Hammer Curls: 3 x 8 x giant set 2 hard!!
{{OR}} Wide Grip EZ Bar: 3 x 8 x giant set 2
Incline Dumbbell Curls: 3 x 8 x giant set 2
Biceps Pulldowns: 3 x 8 x giant set 2
Forearms: Wrist Curls: 2 x 8 x superset 1
Reverse Wrist Curls: 2 x 8 x superset 1
{{OR}} Reverse Curls: 2 x 8 x superset 1
Wrist Roller: 2 x 8 x superset 1
Abdominals:
crunches 3 x 10
crossovers 3 x 10
Legs:
Squats: 1 x 5 x warmup
1 x 3 x warmup
1 x 3 x warmup
1 x 3 x warmup
3 x 3 x
Lunges: 3 x 7 x
DYNAMIC STRENGTH TRAINING
STRENGTH – BACK
Exercise: Set/Rep: Notes: Comments:
Strength – Back:
Deadlift: 3 x 5 x warmup five minute
1 x 3 x warmup rest periods
1 x 3 x warmup
1 x 3 x
1 x 3 x
1 x 3 x
1 x 3 x
1 x 3 x
Good Mornings: 2 x 5 x heavy
Hi Rows: 3 x 4 x superset 1 work to three sets of 8
Lo Rows: 3 x 4 x superset 1
Biceps:
Bicep Pulldowns: 2 x 4 x superset 2
Dumbbell Curls: 2 x 4 x superset 2
EZ Bar Close Grip: 2 x 4 x superset 3
Hammer Curls: 2 x 4 x superset 3
Triceps:
close grip bench: 3 x 8 x
Legs:
Squats: 1 x 5 x
1 x 3 x
1 x 3 x
1 x 3 x
4 x 4 x
Lunges: 3 x 8 x
DYNAMIC STRENGTH TRAINING
SPEED – BACK
Exercise: Set/Rep: Notes: Comments:
Speed – Back:
Platform Deadlift: 1 x 5 x warmup three minute
1 x 5 x warmup rest periods
1 x 5 x warmup
Platform Deadlift: 5 x 3 x conventional
{50% of 1RM} 5 x 3 x sumo
{{THEN}} High Rows: 3 x 8 x build to eight reps
Good Mornings: 2 x 8 x giant set 1 for all supplemental
Power Cleans: 2 x 8 x giant set 1 and auxiliary work
Shrugs: 2 x 8 x giant set 1
{{OR}} High Pulls: 3 x 8 x
Good Mornings: 2 x 8 x giant set 1
Low Rows: 2 x 8 x giant set 1
Shrugs: 2 x 8 x giant set 1
{{OR}} Power Cleans: 3 x 8 x
Good Mornings: 2 x 8 x giant set 1
Back Raises: 2 x 8 x giant set 1
High Pulls: 2 x 8 x giant set 1
{{OR}} Power Cleans: 3 x 8 x
Good Mornings: 2 x 8 x giant set 1
Back Raises: 2 x 8 x giant set 1
High Pulls: 2 x 8 x giant set 1
{{OR}} Hang Cleans: 3 x 8 x
Good Mornings: 2 x 8 x
Inverted Flies: 2 x 8 x
Chest Supported Rows: 2 x 8 x
Biceps: Close Grip EZ Bar: 3 x 6 x superset 2
squeeze Dumbbell Curls: 3 x 6 x superset 2
biceps Wide Grip EZ Bar: 3 x 6 x superset 3
hard!! Hammer Curls: 3 x 6 x superset 3
Forearms: Wrist Curls: 2 x 12 x superset 4
Reverse Wrist Curls: 2 x 12 x superset 4
{{OR}} Reverse Curls: 2 x 12 x superset 4
Wrist Roller: 2 x BW x superset 4
DYNAMIC STRENGTH TRAINING
GROWTH – CHEST
Exercise: Set/Rep: Notes: Comments:
Growth-Chest:
Bench Press: 1 x 5 x warmup one minute
1 x 5 x warmup rest periods
1 x 5 x warmup
{50% of 1RM} 3 x 12 x last set to failure
Incline Bench: 3 x 8 x
Wide Grip: 2 x 8 x superset 1
Flies: 2 x 8 x superset 1
{{OR}} Pullovers: 2 x 8 x superset 1
Floor Press: 3 x 8 x superset 1
Decline Bench: 3 x 8 x superset 1
Triceps:
J.M. Press 3 x 3 x heavy work up to sets of five
Close Grip: 2 x 12 x superset 2 squeeze
Behind the Neck: 2 x 12 x superset 2 triceps
{{OR}} French Press: 2 x 12 x superset 2 hard!!
Kick Backs: 2 x 12 x superset 2
{{OR}} Dips: 2 x 12 x BW superset 2
Pressdowns: 2 x 12 x BW superset 2
Lats: Bentover Rows: 2 x 12 x superset 3
DB Rows: 2 x 12 x superset 3
Biceps:
Incline Curls: 3 x 8 x
Legs:
Squats: 1 x 5 x warmup
1 x 3 x warmup
1 x 3 x warmup
1 x 3 x
4 x 3 x
Lunges: 2 x 8 x
DYNAMIC STRENGTH TRAINING
STRENGTH – CHEST
Exercise: Set/Rep: Notes: Comments:
Strength – Chest:
Bench Press: 3 x 5 x warmup five minute
1 x 2 x warmup rest periods
1 x 2 x warmup
1 x 2 x warmup
1 x 3 x
1 x 3 x
1 x 1 x
1 x 1 x
1 x 1 x
1 x 1 x
Pin Press: 3 x 4 x heavy work to eight reps: then add weight
Wide Grip: 2 x 6 x
Flies: 2 x 6 x
Triceps:
French Press: 3 x 6 x superset 1
Dips: 3 x 6 x BW superset 1
{{OR}} Lying DB Extensions: 3 x 6 x superset 1
BTN: 3 x 6 x superset 1
{{OR}} French Press: 3 x 6 x superset 1
Kickbacks: 3 x 6 x superset 1
Lats:
Bentover Rows: 3 x 6 x superset 2
Dumbbell Rows: 3 x 6 x superset 2
{{OR}} Pulldowns: 3 x 6 x superset 2
Upright Rows: 3 x 6 x superset 2
DYNAMIC STRENGTH TRAINING
SPEED – CHEST
Exercise: Set/Rep: Notes: Comments:
Speed – Chest:
Bench Press: 3 x 5 x warmup ninety second
1 x 2 x warmup rest periods
1 x 2 x warmup
{55% of 1RM} 3 x 3 x close
{55% of 1RM} 4 x 3 x standard
{55% of 1RM} 3 x 3 x wide
Decline Bench: 3 x 8 x build to eight reps
Pin Press: 3 x 6 x for all supplemental
Pullovers: 3 x 8 x and auxiliary work
Triceps:
J.M. Press 3 x 3 x heavy work up to sets of five
French Press: 3 x 8 x superset 1 thirty second rest
Kickbacks: 3 x 8 x superset 1 periods between
{{OR}} Close Grip Incline: 3 x 8 x superset 1 supersets
Behind the Neck: 3 x 8 x superset 1
{{OR}} Dips: 3 x 8 x BW superset 1
Lying DB Extensions: 3 x 8 x superset 1
Legs:
Squats: 1 x 5 x warmup
1 x 3 x warmup
1 x 3 x warmup
1 x 3 x
2 x 3 x
Lunges: 3 x 6 x
