This is a MAX-OT style routine (copied pasted from my thread), which is how I train now (actually doing this exact routine). Took a cue from Jeff Rodriguez and slightly broadened the rep range to 4-8 and progress seems a bit better. Personally, training like this I progress faster than training any other way that I’ve tried.
All sets layed out in this style of workout are to failure. People like to say “omg so many heavy sets to failure, that’s gonna cause burnout and overtraining!” Usually though, those people arent willing to eat 1.8-2g of protein per pound of bodyweight, which I think is pretty much a foolproof way to ensure gains if you’re training hard.
Another note is that once you warm up a muscle group and start your work set on your first exercise, you don’t ramp up again for your subsequent exercises. However, it’s a good idea to do what’s called an acclimation set sometimes before starting the next exercise for that muscle group if it’s an exercise where there’s a good amount of stabilization required and it’s a slightly different movement pattern than the first exercise. Acclimation sets, I believe, are 1-2 sets of 1-2 reps each to get used to the new movement pattern before starting your heavy sets. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you when to use these.
As far as progression. I’d say when you can get a set of an exercise for 7 or 8 reps, move up an increment in weight, then next workout you will start your first set with that new weight and when you can get that for 7 or 8 you’ll move up and so on. From my experience, when I/workout partners/clients are too aggressive with weight selection it tends to slow down progress.
On to the routine.
Monday - Chest/Tris
Incline dumbbell Press - 2x4-8
Flat Barbell Press - 2x4-8 (1xacc)
Dips - 2x4-8 (2xacc)
Pushdowns - 2x4-8
French Press - 2x4-8 (1 10 rep set just to make sure elbows are ready)
Tuesday - Back/Bis
Barbell Rows - 3x4-8
Neutral grip Pulldowns - 2x4-8
Medium Grip pulldowns - 1x4-8
Seated Rows - 2x4-8
Pinwheels - 2x4-8
Alternating Dumb curls - 2x4-8
Wednesday - Legs (slow negatives!)
Lying Leg Curls - 2x4-8
RDL’s - 2x4-8 (warmup again)
Cybex Leg Press - 2x4-8 (warmup)
Leg Press - 2x4-8 (1xacc)
Hack Squat - 2x4-8 (1xacc)
Thursday - Shoulders
Seated OH Barbell Press (ass slid forward so it’s more like a super high incline press) - 2x4-6
Seated Dumbbell Press - 2x4-8
Cable Laterals - 3x6-8
Dumbbell Laterals - 1x6-8
Rear Delt raises on inlcine bench - 3x12-15
Friday - Traps/Calves/Abs/Forearms
Shrugs - 3x4-8
Standing calf raises - 3x4-8
Seated calf raises - 3x4-8
Cable Crunches - 2x10-15
Weighted Leg Raises - 3x10-15
Reverse wrist curls - 2x8-10
Behind Back wrist curls - 2x8-10
Sample workout: Chest/tri’s
Inc Dumb- warmup(20x25’s x2, 10x40’s, 8x55’s, 6x70’s), acclimation(2x90’s), 7x110’s, 5x115’s
Flat Bar- 2x225, 8x245, 5x265
Dips- 2x45, 1x90, 8x110, 4x125
Pushdowns- 8x120, 6x130
French- 10x80, 8x100, 5x110
