Chad Waterbury Perfect 10 Program

All,

I’m planning to stary the perfect 10 training program by Chad Waterbury next week.
I’ve recently finished a circuit training program.
I’ll be doing the perfect 10 program for my chest and biceps.

Needed some suggestions on what sort of a workout would you guys recommend that i do for the rest of my muscles (back, shoulders, legs and tris).

Here’s something that i’ve been looking at. Its a 4 day a week split program and is as follows.

Day 1 & 4:

SHOULDERS

Military Press
4 sets/pyramid weight

Upright Rows (use either a short bar or Olympic bar)
4 sets/pyramid weight

3-Angle Dumbbell Fly’s (front, lateral, rear)
3 sets/same weight

TRICEPS

Lying Down EZ-Bar Extensions
4 sets/pyramid weight

Cable Rope Pushdowns
4 sets/pyramid weight

Lying Dumbbell Extensions
3 sets/ascending weight

Day 2 & 5:

LEGS

Squats (using an Olympic barbell)
4 sets/pyramid weight

Leg Curls
4 sets/pyramid weight

Romanian Deadlifts (using an Olympic barbell)
3 sets/ascending weight

Lunges (using an Olympic barbell)
3 sets/same weight

Calf Raise Machine
4 sets/pyramid weight

BACK

Wide Lat Pull-downs
4 sets/pyramid weight

Bent Over Dumbbell Rows
4 sets/pyramid weight

T-Bar Rows
3 sets/ascending weight

Apart from this, ill obviously be doing my Chest and Bis workout as per the perfect 10 routine.
What do you guys think about the above routine?
I’m currently confused between the above workout or doing a fullbody training involving daily squats and deadlifts/lunges and isolated shoulder and tricep exercises.

Recommendations or alternate workouts will be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Love this program by Chad.

Hard to plan your other exercises without knowing what you plan to do for bi’s & pecs.

If you’re benching a lot for pecs you dont need much tricep or front delt work. If you’re using chins or rows for bi’s that will cover back and lats.

I would choose two muscles that fit in the same movement. Eg. Chest/tris.

Or two muscles easy to isolate eg. Bis/tris.

The program requires a different exercise for each workout per week. So ill probably list all the exercises available to me and chose a few.
Will surely be benching a lot - flat, incline and decline. Really need to work on my lower chest so will be doing some dips for sure too.

Also, i had a change of mind yesterday. I’m not thinking of doing the perfect 10 for my chest and back. This way ill be working on my bis and tris anyway.

Will throw in some isolation exercises for the arms.

TTF i believe ive read your post somewhere on this forum. Have you already completed this program?
Any recommendations?
I’m really looking to gain some size on my chest.

Weight - 172lbs
Height - 5’9"
Bodyfat - 17%

I’m going to make some assumptions based on my experiences on here:

If those stats above are correct, you are skinny fat. What you need is to actually follow a program with 110% intensity/effort instead of program hopping and just going through the motions with each exercise (instead of focussing on load progression). Stop doing a program and getting bored as soon as you don’t see an Arnold transformation.

You need to consistently follow a diet. You do not need a special program for that.

You do not need some magical program to bring up your chest, firstly, you need more over-all muscle mass (first priority in long term body-composition changes).

Secondly, as a skinny fat person you are probably the type who want to build muscle while at the same time burn fat? Which means that instead of eating for muscle growth, you diet/bulk now and then, while at the same time trying to do programs that burn fat. Two conflicting goals gets you nowhere.

Stop looking around for that magic bullet; put all your effort and hard work into one goal at a time and be consistent.

As for chest, the first thing you would look at with a lagging muscle group (if it really is lagging) is exercise selection. Second is HOW you execute the movement (tension on the target muscle). Third would likely be frequency/volume. Fourth would possibly be more exercises for the bodypart.

These are all usually constants in your “evolving” routine (unless advanced in which case things may change more often), they are not things that you just do for 12 weeks then move on. You do not suddenly need some specialisation program for something that was never right in the first place, least of all if other muscle groups need “bringing up” too (i.e. the whole body).

[quote]its_just_me wrote:
Weight - 172lbs
Height - 5’9"
Bodyfat - 17%

I’m going to make some assumptions based on my experiences on here:

If those stats above are correct, you are skinny fat. What you need is to actually follow a program with 110% intensity/effort instead of program hopping and just going through the motions with each exercise (instead of focussing on load progression). Stop doing a program and getting bored as soon as you don’t see an Arnold transformation.

You need to consistently follow a diet. You do not need a special program for that.

You do not need some magical program to bring up your chest, firstly, you need more over-all muscle mass (first priority in long term body-composition changes).

Secondly, as a skinny fat person you are probably the type who want to build muscle while at the same time burn fat? Which means that instead of eating for muscle growth, you diet/bulk now and then, while at the same time trying to do programs that burn fat. Two conflicting goals gets you nowhere.

Stop looking around for that magic bullet; put all your effort and hard work into one goal at a time and be consistent.

As for chest, the first thing you would look at with a lagging muscle group (if it really is lagging) is exercise selection. Second is HOW you execute the movement (tension on the target muscle). Third would likely be frequency/volume. Fourth would possibly be more exercises for the bodypart.

These are all usually constants in your “evolving” routine (unless advanced in which case things may change more often), they are not things that you just do for 12 weeks then move on. You do not suddenly need some specialisation program for something that was never right in the first place, least of all if other muscle groups need “bringing up” too (i.e. the whole body).[/quote]

Thanks for the feedback. I wouldnt really consider myself skinny fat. I have a skeletal muscle mass percentage of 37.7 and i’m decently well built. I’m really controlling my diet now.
Been working out for about an year now. and the developments do show. :slight_smile:
It is indeed my chest that is lagging behind the other muscle parts. Hence, the perfect 10 program.

Any changes in recommendations now?

[quote]zohaibhamid wrote:
Thanks for the feedback. I wouldnt really consider myself skinny fat. I have a skeletal muscle mass percentage of 37.7 and i’m decently well built. I’m really controlling my diet now.
Been working out for about an year now. and the developments do show. :slight_smile:
It is indeed my chest that is lagging behind the other muscle parts. Hence, the perfect 10 program.

Any changes in recommendations now?[/quote]

A picture would really help (says more than stats do).

Good to see you getting diet under control, keep it up and keep protein high (1.5g/lbs in bodyweight…which for you would be around 250g/day). Protein is one of the macro-nutrients that many struggle with, which is unfortunate since apart from being the body’s building blocks it’s the least likely to be turned into fat (when over-consuming).

What does your current routine look like (the one you’ve used the most)?

Like I said in the post above, you need to focus on one goal at a time. It’s like trying to change the tire on a car while at the same time fixing the engine and replacing the exhaust system…it isn’t going to happen…at least not efficiently/quickly.

So for yourself I’d recommend a little body re-composition (gentle fat loss via eating at around maintenance give or take a little) first before trying to bring up your chest. Obviously, I wouldn’t recommend something drastically different from the norm (like trying to juggle hitting bodyparts 3+ times per week), just a little more focus on the chest.

To make any bodypart grow, firstly it needs to get much stronger. In order to do that it needs adequate calories/protein. So as you can see, you cannot be eating like a rabbit if you want to bring bodyparts up. This is why I say get your bodyfat under control first, then focus on lagging bodyparts when you are eating to gain.

But then again, this is why a picture would be great because your 17% bodyfat could be way off and you could be more like 12-13%. 17% is at the higher end to be gaining at (eating enough).

I have done this program with very good results years ago and am repeating it again now for my bi’s.

I think your asking for trouble doing this program for back and chest. If you’re doing mostly benching &,rows for most of your workouts you are training pretty much every muscle in your upper body with p10.

I believe chad advises picking two small muscles or one bigger muscle group. You’re picking two big muscle groups. Bad plan!

Search for his quatro dynamo program. Thats full body and will give you an idea of high frequency training.

As for chest, before you start properly gaining, here’s some tips to start putting into practice:

  1. Frequency; you can train your chest twice/week (e.g. Mon and Fri/ Tue and Sat)

  2. Target muscle tension: don’t forget why you are doing an exercise. If you aren’t keeping tension on the pecs while benching, you’re wasting time/effort/recovery. No use adding 3+ exercises for pecs if you aren’t stimulating it with them properly. Take a slightly wider than shoulder width grip (helps put the pecs into the action more).

Control/slow the weight on the way down and really feel the stretch in the pecs (may need to lessen load the first few sessions to get proper focus). Do not relax the pecs, keep them tense at all times (visualise them in your mind working while pushing) If the shoulders take over at the bottom (does on many people), then stop the movement a little higher than chest (e.g. as soon as elbows get to 90 degrees or slightly less)

  1. Volume; basically, when you get that feeling in your chest where it’s fully pumped and kind of feeling “bruised”, that’s when to stop your sets. Another way is when reps drop off by 2-3 per set (e.g. set 1 = 8 reps, set 2 = 6 reps, set 3 = 5 reps…stop exercise). For me, this is between 2-4 sets per exercise (I do 2-3 for chest). If really intense (i.e. to positive failure) fewer sets are needed. Go by how your muscle feels. For reps, keep them to around 8 reps, give or take a rep (good middle ground rep range for chest I find).

Appreciate the response guys.

@its_just_me I’ve recently finished a 6 week circuit training program. controlled my diet and dropped my body fat %age from 18.6 to 17 in a month. Was fasting for Ramadhan too.
I was on the Waterbury high frequency workout late in the first quarter this year. it really did show its benefits until i got to the last week, where due to my heavy work schedules then, really exhausted me and i wasnt able to go through it. put me into a state of fatigue and i fell sick soon after.

couldnt work out for 3 weeks and hence lost some muscle. i switched to a more simpler program then, chest/bis on day 1, shoulder/legs on day 2 and back/tris on day 3. would usually superset between the different muscles. and since it was only a 3 day program. i managed to put in 5 workouts per week, hence, hitting each muscle more than once a week usually.
on my off days i did some basic Waterbury or cosgrove complexes for fat loss. (absolutely amazing!)

Came the start of august and i switched to my circuit training. which again involved hitting each muscle more than once per week. dropped about 2 kilos of fat in the process. Currently on my last week circuit training.

My diets pretty simple.
Breakfast - Oats and all-bran with skimmed milk and strawberries

Snack - a scoop(28g) of protein shake with a few almonds

Lunch - boiled spinach and broccoli with 200gms of grilled chicken

Evening snack - a scoop of proteins again(post workout usually) with a banana after workout for some carbs and i throw in a few almonds again

Dinner - Boiled green veggies again with grilled chicken or fish

What do you think?

Will surely follow your advices on the chest exercises. (i usually do feel bruised on my chest days)

@think tank fish - thanks for the response mate. I feel you’re right. I’ve left chad a pm here. Hope he replies soon. do you have his email address where i could get a quicker response?
Think i’ll go with the chest and bis and throw in a few compound exercises for the back and bis.

incase i do end up starting the perfect 10 routine next week for my chest and bis, what do you guys think about doing the strength-focused mesocycly program by Chad Waterbury for the other muscles?

That’s a pretty good diet actually (I’ve seen some terrible ones on here!).

You burned out either because the total volume was too high (every exercise), or because you didn’t “pull back”, or because you weren’t eating enough (or a combination of them all).

HFT takes plenty calories, so even though your diet may look good, if it’s too little for the work you’re putting in, you’ll crash and burn (or just get progressively weaker).

HFT is good in short bursts, not not long term. I believe Chad only recommends full body HFT once or twice a year. He’s more into just doing HFT for one or two muscle groups at a time.

Your basic training plan (3 way done 4-5x/week) was good too (pretty solid) and I’d stick to it if I were you. Main thing holding back growth of any bodypart is total daily calories and pushing for strength gains. The plan need not be complicated, just stimulate/progress, rest, eat enough and grow.

IMO, HFT is something a more advanced lifter would do when really at a sticking point. In the meantime, focus on the basics (good exercise and tension/good strength progression/enough bodyweight gains).

By all means, try it out, but don’t feel guilty if you feel it’s not for you, or just want to fall back on the basics.

Honestly, i wasnt following a great diet than. And hence, it wasnt just working well with my work (i’m an engineer, and spent most of my time in the yard those days, not anymore though - more of a management role these days). I’ve started this new diet recently that i mentioned in my previous post. Say about a week ago, had been fasting for a month for Ramadhan earlier - again couldnt manage my meals too well then, but did manage some decent fat loss in 4 weeks.

I did fancy my basic plan as well…but i thought i went too long with it. even though i was able to increase the volume, just felt it got too monotonous. And since ive finished my circuit training workout, i think i’ve really built up the endurance to be able to do a HFT, and maybe do it well!

I think i will give the Perfect 10 a shot and try and do in the best possible way.

Again, if im doing it for my chest and bis, what other workout would you recommend for the other muscle groups?

[quote]zohaibhamid wrote:
Again, if im doing it for my chest and bis, what other workout would you recommend for the other muscle groups?[/quote]

Just maintain their strength.

Maintenance doesn’t take much volume (probably around 12-15 total reps/exercise if doing 2-3 exercises/bodypart 1-2x/week).

If doing medium reps (e.g. 8-12), this would be about 1-2 sets/exercise, or if doing low reps (e.g. 4-6) it would be around 2-3 sets. Depends on your intensity too (if low, you’d add another set or two).

No need to increase load, just focus on maintaining it.

So yes, a strength focussed cycle would work well for maintaining other bodyparts (just don’t bust your balls aiming for new PR’s)

I’m curious to know if your bis are really lagging. Often people assume their bi’s are lagging because their arms are small but the tris make up so much more of your arm.

What about doing p10 for pressing? 10 different versions of benching.

I really think you’ll burn out doing bi’s and chest. Because you’ll actually be doing bi’s/tri’s and chest and front delt.

This program puts you right on the edge of overtraining and taking the idea and running with it likely wont end well.

I believe Chad says that in the article.

[quote]zohaibhamid wrote:
I did fancy my basic plan as well…but i thought i went too long with it. even though i was able to increase the volume, just felt it got too monotonous. [/quote]

Just a note on this part (a pet hate of mine! lol);

Are you training to get a result? Or for fun?

Because if it’s for fun, 9 times out of 10 you’ll be disappointed in your results.

Let progression be the fun part; lifting is not supposed to be exciting. It’s fulfilling, but not interesting.

Keep your volume/rep range moderate, eat enough and you’ll get strong and big (that’s the fun part). Likewise, eat less, do enough work and you’ll get leaner (that’s the fun part). I’d understand getting bored if all you were doing was getting a pump and hardly increasing the weights on the bar, but not if making good progress.

Basic, boring, consistent may not be “sexy”, but it works.

Nobody tidies the house/workplace and gives up because it’s boring and monotonous, you do it because it’s what needs to be done.

[quote]its_just_me wrote:

Just maintain their strength.

Maintenance doesn’t take much volume (probably around 12-15 total reps/exercise if doing 2-3 exercises/bodypart 1-2x/week).

If doing medium reps (e.g. 8-12), this would be about 1-2 sets/exercise, or if doing low reps (e.g. 4-6) it would be around 2-3 sets. Depends on your intensity too (if low, you’d add another set or two).

No need to increase load, just focus on maintaining it.

So yes, a strength focussed cycle would work well for maintaining other bodyparts (just don’t bust your balls aiming for new PR’s)[/quote]

Thanks a bunch mate. This sounds good with the P10.

@TTF : My arm is about 15. (No fat, pure muscle) Lol and i’d like to gain another inch on it. Don’t think it should be too strenuous doing the bis along with the chest. Will be doin’ a lotta presses for sure. Chest is my main target.
Also, ill try and not hit my delts and tris during my workout for the rest of the muscle groups and it’ll be more of maintenance than anything else.

[quote]its_just_me wrote:

[quote]zohaibhamid wrote:
I did fancy my basic plan as well…but i thought i went too long with it. even though i was able to increase the volume, just felt it got too monotonous. [/quote]

Just a note on this part (a pet hate of mine! lol);

Are you training to get a result? Or for fun?

Because if it’s for fun, 9 times out of 10 you’ll be disappointed in your results.

Let progression be the fun part; lifting is not supposed to be exciting. It’s fulfilling, but not interesting.

Keep your volume/rep range moderate, eat enough and you’ll get strong and big (that’s the fun part). Likewise, eat less, do enough work and you’ll get leaner (that’s the fun part). I’d understand getting bored if all you were doing was getting a pump and hardly increasing the weights on the bar, but not if making good progress.

Basic, boring, consistent may not be “sexy”, but it works.

Nobody tidies the house/workplace and gives up because it’s boring and monotonous, you do it because it’s what needs to be done.[/quote]

Absolutely training for a result mate. Workouts never been for fun.
Think i phrased that wrongly. Although i was able to increase the volumes on my workout to a certain extent, it stopped showing me changes and hence, i decided to switch. Also, because i was going to be fasting, a circuit training workout, maintaining my muscle mass and inducing fat loss seemed more appropriate, and it did indeed.

You’re welcome :slight_smile:

What sort of supplements would you guys recommend?
I’m currently on ON Gold standard whey protein (2 scoops/day 28g each) and a scoop of Jack3d pre workout.
Think a scoop of post workout glutamine(4g per scoop) as a muscle relaxer would help?

[quote]zohaibhamid wrote:
Although i was able to increase the volumes on my workout to a certain extent, it stopped showing me changes and hence, i decided to switch. Also, because i was going to be fasting, a circuit training workout, maintaining my muscle mass and inducing fat loss seemed more appropriate, and it did indeed.[/quote]

Yeah when calories are at maintenance or low, training volume needs to be low-moderate to accommodate.

Hence why large eating and plenty stimulus = large gains

For yourself, I’d keep to a moderate volume, and prioritise strength gains. So if you were to do 4 sets of an exercise, instead of wasting energy/recovery on that 3rd or 4th set, stick to 2-3 sets and add weight next time (save your energy/recovery for weight progression).

In other words, pump down the volume and increase the intensity.