Dear All,
I recently came across the book “Perpetual Strength” by Paul McIlroy, which advocates for a weekly undiluted high-repetition training (30-50 reps) with submaximal weights.
A key concept in the book is “comfort zone expansion,” which involves gradually increasing workout difficulty without training to failure. This allows for prolonged periods of progress while avoiding significant plateaus.
To my disappointment, the book does not provide specific bodybuilding workout plans. After conducting an online search, I was unable to find a workout plan that precisely matches Paul’s approach. The closest methods I found were those of Vince Gironda and Charles Poliquin.
Although I’m not an expert, I’ve developed a workout plan that attempts to interpret the book’s principles for bodybuilding. I’d appreciate your evaluation of this plan. The plan may not be the simplest or most effective, but it’s something I’d like to try. I’ve omitted certain details, such as warm-ups, stretches, active recovery days, aerobic workouts (running), and the exact order of exercises, so please disregard these shortcomings for now.
Beginner Bodybuilding Workout Protocol
Experience level: Beginner
Duration: 39+ weeks
Periodization: WUP
Meet prep program: No
Program specialization: Bodybuilding orientated
Uses RIR: yes
Uses 1RM (repetition max) Percentage(%): Yes
Training Frequency: 3 times per week on nonconsecutive days.
Style: submaximal, never to failure
Structure: Hybrid. Circuit training with giant sets for as many execises as possible (to save time). Individual lifts when giant or super sets aren’t viable.
WEIGHT LOADS
Determine 1RM:
- Test Your 5RM: Identify your five-repetition maximum (5RM) for each exercise.
- Calculate Your 1RM: Use your 5RM to find your one-repetition maximum (1RM) for each exercise. The 1RM consistently refers to the original repetition maximum in this plan in every phase.
Avoid repeating 1RM tests for as long as possible. Do not test your maximum repetitions for minimum repetitions for at least 12 weeks, but preferably longer. 36 weeks.
Determine Weight Increment Units.
Increment units are defined as follows:
- Upper Body Exercises: 1 unit = 2.5 % of the 50 % 1RM load
- Lower Body Exercises:1 unit = 5 % of the 50 % 1RM load.
The weight assigned to each increment unit remains constant throughout all phases.
The program requires microplates.
Preload protocol for absolute beginners:
Phase 1 first three weeks start with two training session per week. Than increase the frequency to three sessions per week and continue the phase without regressing the weight loads.
PHASES:
Each phase last max 39 training sessions.In terms of time, if divided by 3 workouts per week than minimum ~13 weeks but it will take more.
Phases 2 and 3 follow the repetition and incremental loading schemes established in Phase 1.
Phase 1: Starts at 50% of 1RM, plus increments
Phase 2: Starts at 55% of 1RM, plus increments
Phase 3: Starts at 60% of 1RM, plus increments
First‑session exception: No increment is added to the very first session of each new phase.
Auto-Regression Triggers:
If you feel too tired or struggle for two consecutive sessions:
- Temporarily reduce weight by 5% or even 10%
Progress in reality is adaptive, not strictly linear.
When to switch to the next phase for a specific exercise?
Either finish each training session of the phase or if it becomes too hard to execute without failure or if the lifting technique is deteriorating, despite temporarly reducing the training frequency to two sessions per week and repeating the last week workouts with the same weights.
The program has a built-in deloading scheme by regressing when starting phases. The relative load increments to actual strength will decrease over time, which helps to maintain safe long-term training while minimizing plateaus.
DESCRIPTION OF REPETITION AND WEIGHT INCREMENT SCHEMES:
RIR: 1-2 reps in reserve to prevent failure.
Small muscle groups:
Giant sets of 4 grouped exercises in a circuit-like fashion moving from one to another with no rest between exercises. Once all 4 exercises are complete, rest 15-30 seconds, then repeat the 4 exercises for two more rounds.
Use backfilling for circuits.
Lifting tempo: 2-3 secs per lift.
Phase 1: Week 1
Training Session 1: 3 sets of 16 reps at 50% of your 1RM (One time, new phase starting first session exception: no increments on this occation).
Training Session 2: 3 sets of 13 reps at 50% of your 1RM, with a +1 unit increment once the rep total is achieved.
Training Session 3: 3 sets of 10 reps at 50% of your 1RM, with a +2 units increment once the rep total is achieved.
Big muscles, and compound lifts:
Load incremens algorithm is the same as for small muscle groups.
Based on “Extending The 30’s Method for Strength and Size”
(Chad Waterbury 25 reps method and adopted to this protocol)
Step 1:
Perform one set as fast as possible (???) until once the speed slows down or you reach the first set rep target.
Step 2:
Rest
Step 3:
Repeat Step #1 until you’ve reached target rep total.
Phase 1: Week 1
Within a week:
Training Session 1
50 reps the first set at 10 reps resting 60 seconds between sets
Starting weight load: 50% of your 1RM (One time, new phase starting first session exception: no increments on this occation).
Training Session 2
40 reps the first set at 8 reps resting 45 seconds between sets
Starting weight load: 50% of your 1RM, with a +1 unit increment once the rep total is achieved.
Training Session 3
30 reps the first set at 6 reps resting 45 seconds between sets.
Starting weight load: 50% of your 1RM, with a +2 units increment once the rep total is achieved.
Following Weeks:
- Repetition Schemes: Maintain the same structure established in Week 1. (Backfilling and the modified Chad Waterbury’s 25 rep method)
- Load increase: Increase the load by 1 unit for each exercise in each sessions of the week. However, only if the rep total is archived during the previous training with the same target rep. It will be likely incresed most often than not as a beginner and progress will slow down later.
The load increase is too much if the total number of reps falls short of the target total by more than five reps. (The reasoning behind this rule is: Safety. It’s not the same to lift 20 kg as it is to lift 120 kg. The increment will differ greatly, too.)
About lifting speed:
Beginners:
-Concentric Phase: Lift fast!
- Eccentric Phase: Control the lowering part (1-2 seconds).
Don’t think about tempo.
Trained lifters:
Chad Waterbury’s:
-Stretch-Shortening Cycle (SSC) Training
-Dissipation of SSC Effect
-Resting the Load
See the article: Lift Fast, Get Big by Chad Waterbury December 6, 2004
in the refferences.
WEEKLY TRAINING SCHEDULE:
Training Session 1: Full Body
Recovery Day
Training Session 2: Full Body
Recovery Day
Training Session 3: Full Body
Recovery Day
Recovery Day
RECOMMENDED EXCERCISES:
First‑time trainees (no prior experience):
Phases 1 and 2:
Same as in the All Pro Simple Beginner Full body Routine Program Spreadsheet exercises by tr3pid:
Split: 1-split (Do full body in each session)
Frequency: Beginners without training experience: 3 times a week on non-consecutive days
Reduce the frequency to twice per week towards the latter stages of the cycle when the loads are higher and more challenging for promote to recovery.
Upper body: (split for calculations only)
- Bench Press
- Bent Row
- Overhead Press
- Upright Row
Lower body: (split for calculations only)
- Squat
- Calf Raises
- SLDL (Straight Leg Deadlift)
Phase 3:
Arnold’s Golden Six 2020 Modification Full body by Aleksi Hentilä (not for beginners)
In case of new excercises start at phase 1.
Workout Details:
Split: 1-split (Do full body in each session)
Frequency: 3 times a week on non-consecutive days
Upper Body (split for calculations only)
- Bench Press (Barbell)
- Barbell Military Press
- Bent‑over Rear Lateral Raise
- Pull‑ups (or Lat Pulldowns if you can’t do ≥5 reps)
- Bent‑over Barbell Row
- Barbell Bicep Curl
- Barbell Reverse‑Grip Curl
- Lying French Press (Skull‑crusher) – triceps (primary)
Lower Body (split for calculations only)
- Barbell Squat
- Straight‑Leg Deadlift
Core
- Various abdominal exercises (crunches, twisting crunches, hanging leg raises, ab roller, cable crunches)
Note:
-The author says that calves are only trained indirectly.
-The original text is written in Finnish; it was carefully translated to avoid errors.
Backfilling HowTo (adjusted to this program)
Basic Strategy: Perform three working sets of an exercise (e.g., pull-ups) without failure. Initially, repetitions will likely decrease with each set due to fatigue.
- Backfilling: in subsequent workouts, maintain the number of repetitions target in the first set and “backfill” the other two sets to match. For example, if the first set is 16, 14, and 10 reps, aim for 16, 15, and then 11 reps in the following sessions.
- Ratchet Up: Once all three sets are equal, increase weight and repeat the process. This creates a gradual and sustainable progression.
More explanation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j39Q3nD8DrA
Chad Waterbury 25 rep method and its extension:
Lift Fast, Get Big by Chad Waterbury
Tips:
-Use an excel table (office365, zoho, goffice etc.) to keep track of progress and calculate the weight loads.
For body weight exercises use weight vest or chain with plates or their progression variations.
Use giant sets altering between non competiting muscle groups for circuits with minimal rest to save time. Remember to Charles Poliquin’s circuits as an example.