Top5workouts10_5

BuiltFit.com Uncovers: The Top 5 Workout Routines

By Thomas Calkins Fitness Coach and Owner/Founder of BuiltFit.com


Disclaimer and Copyright

This information contain herein is intended for informational use only. Thomas Calkins and Builtfit.com will not assume any liability or be held responsible for any form of injury, personal loss or illness caused by the utilization of this information.

It is always advised to consult your doctor before starting any new workout or training routine. Results will vary from person to person and there is no guarantee for any specific results to be made.

This ebook or any content contained within is not to be sold or copied.

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Table of Contents The Top 5 Workout Routines

Bill Star 5x5 Workout ............................................................................................................................................ 5

Bill Star 5x5 ‐ How It Works........................................................................................................................................... 6

What You’ll Need to Get Started ................................................................................................................................... 6

Program Basics .................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Bill Star 5x5 Step‐By‐Step ............................................................................................................................................... 8

The program in a nutshell ............................................................................................................................................... 9

Bill Star 5x5 Example Week by Week......................................................................................................................13

FAQs .......................................................................................................................................................................................15

Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength .......................................................................................................16

How It Works......................................................................................................................................................................16

What You’ll Need to Get Started .................................................................................................................................17

Program Basics ..................................................................................................................................................................17

Starting Strength Step‐By‐Step ...................................................................................................................................19

Overall 2 Week Overview..............................................................................................................................................20

Example Starting Strength Workout.........................................................................................................................21

Accessory Lifts ...................................................................................................................................................................22

FAQs .......................................................................................................................................................................................22

HST Workout .................................................................................................................................................................24

How It Works......................................................................................................................................................................25

What You’ll Need to Get Started .................................................................................................................................25

Program Basics ..................................................................................................................................................................26

Hypertrophy Specific Training Step‐By‐Step ........................................................................................................27

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HST Example Workout ...................................................................................................................................................29

FAQS .......................................................................................................................................................................................30


erman Volume Training................................................................................................................................31 G

How It Works/Program Basics ...................................................................................................................................31

What You’ll Need To Get Started ................................................................................................................................32

German Volume Training Step‐By‐Step ..................................................................................................................33

Example GVT Workout 6 weeks .................................................................................................................................35

MaxOT .................................................................................................................................................................................37

How It Works......................................................................................................................................................................37

What You’ll Need To Get Started ................................................................................................................................38

Program Basics ..................................................................................................................................................................38

Max‐OT Step by Step........................................................................................................................................................40

FAQs .......................................................................................................................................................................................42

Taking it to the Next Level .............................................................................................................................43

What is the Epic Warrior Diet all about?.................................................................................................................43

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Bill Star 5x5 Workout Bill Star 5x5 (Madcow 5x5) (Intermediate Linear 5x5 )

Let’s dive right into the Bill Star 5x5 workout routine in which the foundation of the workout is 5‐rep sets.

Why ditch 25‐rep bench presses, pyramiding and supersets for something so simple? Because it works! The Bill Star 5x5 plan sets its crosshairs on one thing and one thing only: progress. Progress is the dirty little word that nary a bodybuilder talks about but is the foundation of muscle growth. To grow muscle you need to lift more than you did last time. Nuff’said.

That’s why the Bill Star 5x5 workout routine delivers. During the program you’ll be keeping close track of how much weight you put up during 5‐rep sets (known as your 5‐rep max). Instead of patting yourself on the back about how much you were able to lift that day you’ll try to top your effort the next time you set foot in the gym...and the time after that...and the time after that. If you stick with it you’ll find yourself putting up erculean amounts of weight ‐ with the muscles to show for it. H

To grow muscle you need to lift more than you did last time

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Bill Star 5x5 How It Works

The technical term for what the Bill Star 5x5 accomplishes is called progressive overload and it’s a concept that’s an exercise scientist’s wet dream. While there is and always will be a hot debate about sets, reps and rest between sets, no one is arguing about whether progressive overload works. It does.

Essentially, progressive overload is working your body harder than the time before. Then (and only then) does your body respond with what you want: growth! If you’ve ever found yourself sagged with stagnated gains, it’s probably because you were doing the same ol’ thing. The Bill Star 5x5 program eliminates the possibility of

. stagnation because you’ll be progressing every single time you set foot in the gym

There’s a saying in the bodybuilding word that goes something along the lines of, ”it’s not how much you can lift, it’s how much you look like you can lift.” Well with the Bill Star 5x5 program you’ll look like you can lift a planet...and actually be able to do it.

What You’ll Need to Get Started

A Gym or Weight Set You’ll need heavy weights to actually hit your 5‐rep max. Make sure your gym has a heavy bar, squat rack and a bench press (at least). It’s possible to do this at home with a free weight set, power rack, and flat bench.

Basic Fitness Level Transitioning from couch potato to 5‐rep all‐star isn’t the wisest idea. Make sure you’re comfortable with strength training and are physically fit before attempting this program.

Pen and Paper You’ll need this to keep track of what you accomplish. Relying on memory is not advised for this program because progressing every single workout is so, so


important. A written record of your progress is also a killer motivator to see how far you’ve come.

A Healthy Diet Be prepared from Day‐1 to eat healthy. This means boatloads of quality protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Your muscles won’t grow or get stronger unless you eat enough protein or calories. Remember, you need to FEED your muscles for you to GROW. Calories are especially important because of how rapidly your body responds to progressive overload. Skimping on nutrition will only limit your results with the Bill Star 5x5 program.

Program Basics

You’ll be hitting the gym three times per week Contrary to what you’ve heard, more is not necessarily better. As long as you’re consistently hitting new weight targets you don’t need to be concerned about how many times or how many hours you spend in the gym. The thrice‐weekly workouts is the ideal balance between consistent stimulation and resting for growth.

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You’ll be doing three exercises per session For those of you keen on tricep kickbacks and other isolation exercises, the Bill Star 5x5 will be a rapid departure for you. The three exercises in the program vary, but they have one thing in common: they work multiple muscle groups at one time.


Studies show that compound exercises promote more muscle growth than isolation exercises. These are known as “core lifts” because they should form the core of your workouts.

You’ll Increase Your Weight by 2.5% Per Week Every time you hit the gym you’ll be exceeding last week’s effort by 2.5%. There are some nuances here which are best seen in example form in the table below. Just keep in mind that 2.5% may not seem like a lot, but like interest, compounds over time. Be prepared to work.

Studies show that compound exercises promote more muscle growth than isolation exercises.

Bill Star 5x5 StepByStep

Warning: Although this is in simple, step‐by‐step format, this can get confusing at times. If you’re lost, refer to the 'Full Example 5x5 Week' which makes everything rystal clear. c

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The program in a nutshell

Exercise Sets / Reps Info Monday

Squats 5x5 Ramp up to your top set of 5 (should be previous Fridays final set of 3) Bench Press 5x5 Ramp up to your top set of 5 (should be previous Fridays final set of 3) Rows 5x5 Ramp up to your top set of 5 (should be previous Fridays final set of 3)

Assitance Lifts - 2 sets Hypers and 4 sets Situps

Wednesday Squats 4x5 First 3 sets are the same as Monday's. 4th set just repeat the 3rd. Deadlift 4x5 Ramp weight up to top 5 rep Overhead Press 4x5 Ramp weight up to top 5 rep

Assitance Lifts - 3 sets Situps

Friday

Squats 4x5, 1x3, 1x8 First 4 sets are the same as Monday's. Thirst set is 3 reps of 2.5% above your last set of 5. The final set is the weight from the 3rd set for 8 reps

Bench Press 4x5, 1x3, 1x8 First 4 sets are the same as Monday's. Thirst set is 3 reps of 2.5% above your last set of 5. The final set is the weight from the 3rd set for 8 reps

Rows 4x5, 1x3, 1x8 First 4 sets are the same as Monday's. Thirst set is 3 reps of 2.5% above your last set of 5. The final set is the weight from the 3rd set for 8 reps

Assistance: 3 sets of weighted dips (5-8 reps), 3 sets of barbell curls and 3 sets of triceps extensions (8 reps)

Step 1: Test Your 5Rep Max The only way to know your 5‐rep max is to try it out at the gym. So get in there and see how much you can lift (until but not beyond failure with proper form) for 5 full, clean reps for squats, deadlifts, rows, overhead press and bench press. Jot this down as this will be the foundation of your run with the program.

Step 2 Rest for 3‐4 days to make sure you’ve recovered from ‘test day.’

Step 3 Calculate your top set of 5 for weeks 1‐3. Your aim is that your top set on Monday of week is your current 5 rep max. So you need to estimate weeks 1‐3 weights based


on your 5 rep max. A general rule is to subtract 2.5% of your 5 rep max for the previous week. So for week 3 it would be your 5 RM (5 Rep Max) ‐ 2.5% 5RM. Week 2 would be 2.5% less than that and so on.

Example: say your max is 300. So here is weeks 1‐4 last set on Monday: lets

Week 1: 275 Week 2: 285 Week 3: 290 Week 4: 300 (5 RM)

Step 4: Start Program ay 1 Start your first day with 3 exercises for 5 sets and 5 reps each. You will be doing squats, bench press, and rows.

D

Here is an example of what your Day 1 (Monday) should look like:

Exercise Sets and Reps Comments

Squats 5x5 Work up to your top set

Bench Press 5x5 Work up to your top set

Rows 5x5 Work up to your top set

Assistance Lifts - 2 sets Hypers and 4 sets Situps

Important Note: progress gradually to your 5‐rep max for the final, 5th set. Avoid this common mistake that often burns people out early on. For example, if you 5‐rep max for the squat is 100 lbs., you’re lifts for the squat would look something like this non week 4. A good idea is 12% to subtract week from by 12% each week.

Set 1: 60lbs. Set 2: 70lbs. Set 3: 80lbs. Set 4: 90lbs. Set 5: 100lbs.

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Step 4 Skip the next day (rest and recovery time)

Step 5: Start Program Day 2 (Wednesday) On day 2 you do squats plus deadlifts and overhead press. Like usual, build up to your top 5‐rep weight for deadlift and overhead press. You will do 4 sets instead of 5 sets like on Monday. You do not hit your max weight for squats on this day: consider it an ‘active rest day.’

Here is an example of what your Day 2 (Wednesday) should look like:


Squats 4x5 First 3 sets are the same as Day 1. 4th set just repeat the 3rd.

Deadlift 4x5 Work up to your top set

Overhead Press 4x5 Work up to your top set

Assistance Lifts - 3 sets Situps

Step 6 Skip the next day (rest and recovery time)

Step 7: This is Day 3 workout (Friday) TODAY is where you push your body to the new 2.5 % maximum weight for the SAME exercises that you did on Day 1. Start with 4 sets of 5 reps using the same weight you used for the first 4 sets on Day 1. Then, 1 set of 3 that’s 2.5% higher than your max weight (5th set) on Day 1. Finish off for 1 set of 8 reps using your weight rom set 3. f

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Here is an example of what your Day 3 should look like:


Squats 4x5, 1x3, 1x8 First 4 sets=same as Day 1. Then 1 set 2.5%x 5th set on Day 1. Then 8 reps of 3rd set from Day 3.

Bench Press 4x5, 1x3, 1x8 First 4 sets=same as Day 1. Then 1 set 2.5%x 5th set on Day 1. Then 8 reps of 3rd set from Day 3.

Row 4x5, 1x3, 1x8 First 4 sets=same as Day 1. Then 1 set 2.5%x 5th set on Day 1. Then 8 reps of 3rd set from Day 3.

Aessistance: 3 sets of weighted dips (5-8 reps), 3 sets of barbell curls and 3 sets of triceps xtensions (8 reps)

Step 8 Rest for 2 days (Saturday and Sunday).

Step 9 Day 4 ‐ The following Monday. Repeat Day 1’s exercises with new weight max from Day 3’s 3‐rep set.

Here is an example of what your Day 4 (Monday of the next week) should look

like:


Squats 5x5 Work up to heavy 5th set: use weight from Day 3’s (Previous Friday) 3-rep set.

Bench Press 5x5 Work up to heavy 5th set: use weight from Day 3’s (Previous Friday) 3-rep set.

ow 5x5 Work up to heavy 5th set: use weight from Day 3’s (Previous Friday) 3-rep set.

R

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Bill Star 5x5 Example Week by Week

See spr t on next page. This assumes a 5‐rep max weight of: eadshee

Squat: 300 lbs Bench: 200 lbs. Row: 150 lbs. Deadlift: 320 lbs. Military Press: 110 lbs

Each week after the third, you will increase the weight by 2.5%. Round up or down to get the real weight you will lift.

For this example we used 12% between ramping weights. So if the top 5 set is 300, 4 other sets weights. we decreased this weight be 12% and so on to get the

Notice the 5 rep max weights in yellow ‐ on week 4.

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Day Exercise Reps Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 5 167 171 175 180 184 189 194 199 204 5 189 194 199 204 210 215 220 226 231 5 215 221 227 232 238 244 250 256 263 5 245 251 257 264 271 277 284 291 299

Squat

5 278 285 293 300 308 315 323 331 339 5 111 114 117 120 123 126 129 132 136 5 126 130 133 136 140 143 147 150 154 5 144 147 151 155 159 163 167 171 175 5 163 167 172 176 180 185 190 194 199

Bench

5 185 190 195 200 205 210 215 221 226 5 83 86 88 90 92 95 97 99 102 5 95 97 100 102 105 107 110 113 116 5 108 110 113 116 119 122 125 128 131 5 122 125 129 132 135 139 142 146 149

Row

5 139 143 146 150 154 158 162 166 170

Monday

Assistance Lifts - 2 sets Hypers and 4 sets Situps 5 167 171 175 180 184 189 194 199 204 5 189 194 199 204 210 215 220 226 231 5 215 221 227 232 238 244 250 256 263

Squat

5 215 221 227 232 238 244 250 256 263 5 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 5 79 81 83 85 87 89 92 94 96 5 90 92 94 97 99 102 104 107 110

Overhead Press

5 102 105 107 110 113 116 118 121 124 5 202 207 213 218 224 229 235 241 247 5 230 236 242 248 254 260 267 274 280 5 261 268 275 282 289 296 303 311 319

Deadlift

5 297 304 312 320 328 336 345 353 362

Wednesday

Assistance Lifts - 3 sets Situps 5 167 171 175 180 184 189 194 199 204 5 189 194 199 204 210 215 220 226 231 5 215 221 227 232 238 244 250 256 263 5 245 251 257 264 271 277 284 291 299 3 285 292 300 308 315 323 331 339 348

Squat

8 215 221 227 232 238 244 250 256 263 5 111 114 117 120 123 126 129 132 136 5 126 130 133 136 140 143 147 150 154 5 144 147 151 155 159 163 167 171 175 5 163 167 172 176 180 185 190 194 199 3 190 195 200 205 210 215 221 226 232

Bench

8 144 147 151 155 159 163 167 171 175 5 83 86 88 90 92 95 97 99 102 5 95 97 100 102 105 107 110 113 116 5 108 110 113 116 119 122 125 128 131 5 122 125 129 132 135 139 142 146 149 3 143 146 150 154 158 162 166 170 174

Row

8 108 110 113 116 119 122 125 128 131

Friday

Assistance: 3 sets of weighted dips (5-8 reps), 3 sets of barbell curls and 3 sets of triceps extensions (8 reps)

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FAQs for Bill Star 5x5 Routine

Q: Do I need to warm up? A: Yes, although not as much as other workouts. Sets 1‐4 help warm you up before the “big lift” of sets 4 or 5 (depending on the day). You should do 5‐10 minutes of light cardio before starting set 1.

Q: What about rep speed? A: No need to go super slow. However, you should always be in control of the weight. Only you know whether you’re going to fast or using momentum to lift.

Q: How long should I rest between sets? A: At least 2 minutes. 2‐3 minutes is ideal for helping your muscles recover between sets. Remember: you’re not trying to “feel the burn” you’re trying to lift heavy weights. Even after the first set, wait at least 90 seconds.

Q: I’m stuck and can’t lift anymore, what should I do? A: As with any program there’s a point of diminishing returns with the 5x5 program. Think about it: you can’t increase your weight by 2.5% increments or else you’d hit (literally) thousands of pounds. If you get stuck on a certain top set, repeat it for the next week. If you keep getting stuck reset your weights with your new 5 rep max and start over. Also, make sure that you’re eating enough to promote new muscle tissue development.

Q: Can I tweak the program? A: It’s a free country, but I’d highly advise against it. This is a tried‐and‐true program that works. Any changes you make (no matter how minor) will simply detract from your results.

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Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength Starting Strength Workout

If you’re looking to get “back to basics” or just a beginner with your training, then look no further than Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength workout. Starting Strength is a straightforward, no‐nonsense workout plan that aims to do one thing one thing only: grow like a weed and increase strength!

The program is designed by one of the most well‐respected men in the fitness industry, Mark Rippetoe. His book, “Starting Strength: Introduction to Barbell Training” has sold tens of thousands of copies. Like Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding “Starting Strength” is a biblical tome that covers every facet of weight training, including proper exercise form, diet and mental motivation.

Despite his expertise in the field, Rippetoe doesn’t propose that you do any sort of fancy exercises or hyper‐advanced workouts designed by elite exercise scientists. Instead, Rippetoe preaches the value of fundamentals. In fact, the name of his program is very fitting. By starting with strength, you’ll end up with muscle. And with Starting Strength you’ll have plenty of both to go around.

How It Works

Forget complicated split routines: Starting Strength simply asks you to perform just two workouts three days per week with a day off between workouts. For example, if workout A was on Monday, you’d do workout B on Wednesday and workout A again on Friday. Then you’d take Saturday and Sunday off start all over again on Monday. It’s that simple.

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Beginner Fitness Even total newbies can hit the ground running with Starting Strength (making it more accessible than many other fitness programs). However, you should be able to at least take a walk around the block lest you get a heart attack on day 1.

Knowledge of Form Because the volume of sets is so low you NEED to be able to do every set like a pro. We will discuss the ins and outs of form for each exercise later (as everyone has a different opinion of the “right” way to lift something). If you haven’t lifted more than a fork to your mouth before, it’s highly recommended that you make an appointment with a personal trainer to get the lowdown on proper form.

A Gym Compound exercises which require barbells

mean, “don’t try this at home.” Unless, of course, you happen to have a bench press and squat rack in your garage.

Recording Device You’ll progressively add weight to your lifts. Fancy way: iPod App. Cheap way: pen and paper.

Program Basics

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Two Workouts Total There’s no wiggle room here. The two workouts hit every single muscle group harder than A‐Rod hits a fastball. Two workouts more than cover your needs and that’s why there isn’t 3 or 4 (or 7 of them).


Day Off You need to be a bit Zen to succeed with Starting Strength. The day off between workouts is a massively important part of the program. Because of the intense strain compound, multi‐joint exercises put on your nervous system, the day off is a must. So don’t try to be Superman and lift everyday.

5 Exercises Repeat after me: squat, deadlifts, rows, bench press, standing overhead press. These are the 5 exercises you’ll be doing every week. Boring? Maybe. Effective? Definitely. These 5 exercises promote the most hypertrophy (muscle growth) and the most release of all‐important growth hormone.

5 Reps to Failure 5 reps is the sweet spot for muscle growth and strength. You’ll need to determine your 1‐rep or 5‐rep max before you begin Starting Strength. There’s no pyramiding: all your sets with be at the same weight. Intially you will start out with a weight 5‐15% below your 5 rep max.

Optional “Assistance” Exercises For the folks that need to go above and beyond, you can optionally toss in two sets of dips or pull‐ups after your workout.

Progressive Overload You’ll be upping your weight by approximately 2% each workout (depending on how your body responds).

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Starting Strength StepByStep

Step 1 Determine your 5‐rep max. From there decrease it by 5‐15% and use that as your week 1 starting weight.

Step 2 Monday ‐ Start workout A.

Here is Workout A:


Squats 3x5 5-reps all 3 sets with same weight

Bench Press 3x5 5-reps all 3 sets with same weight

Deadlift 1x5 5-reps with same weight

Step 3 Tuesday ‐ Rest day

Step 4 Wednesday ‐ Start workout B.

Here is Workout B:


Squats 3x5 5-reps all 3 sets with same weight

Standing Overhead Press 3x5 5-reps all 3 sets with same weight

Barbell Rows 3x5 5-reps all 3 sets with same weight

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Step 5 Thursday ‐ Rest Day

Step 6 Friday ‐ Repeat Workout A.

Step 7 Rest Saturday and Sunday and do Workout B on Monday with a 2% increase in weights.

Overall 2 Week Overview

Week 1 Monday: Workout A Wednesday: Workout B Friday: Workout A

Week 2 Monday: Workout B Wednesday: Workout A Friday: Workout B

Note: You can also do it Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday or Wednesday, Friday, unday. You must rest one day in between workouts. S

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Example Starting Strength Workout

Note: This assumes a 5rep max weight of: Squat: 200 lbs. Bench: 175 lbs. Overhead Press: 115 lbs. Deadlift: 250 lbs. Power Clean: 125 lbs.

Week 1 Sets Reps Weight Monday Workout A Squats 3 5 170 Bench Press 3 5 150 Deadlift 1 5 210 Dips 2 10 Wednesday Workout B Squats 3 5 Standing Overhead Press 3 5 100 Power Cleans 3 5 105 Pullups 2 10 Friday Workout A Squats 3 5 170 Bench Press 3 5 150 Deadlift 1 5 210 Dips 2 10 Week 2 Sets Reps Weight Monday Workout B Squats 3 5 175 Standing Overhead Press 3 5 105 Power Cleans 3 5 110 Pullups 2 10 Wednesday Workout A Squats 3 5 175 Bench Press 3 5 155 Deadlift 1 5 215 Dips 2 10 Friday Workout B Squats 3 5 175 Standing Overhead Press 3 5 105 Power Cleans 3 5 110 Pullups 2 10

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Accessory Lifts

You are welcome to add some accessory lifts to both workouts. A good recommendation is 1‐2 exercises with 2‐3 sets each. Pullups, dips, rows, or arm exercises are good ideas.

FAQs Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength

How should I deal with form? Form is extremely important for Starting Strength. Because you’ll only be performing three sets per exercise, they’ll have to be near‐perfect every single time.

Here’s the lowdown on each Barbell Squat: These are Olympic style squats, not sissy squats or half squats. Ideally, your bum should touch your calves or go at least parrell to the floor If you can’t do this, use less weight and/or work on your hamstring and hip flexibility.

Start with the barbell resting on your upper back (trapezius muscle). Step forward once with each leg, barbell resting on your back. Toes should be pointing straight or slightly out at shoulder’s width. Starting with your hips bend back like you’re going to sit on a chair. With core strong, bend down until your butt hits your calves (or nearly does). Exhaling, come up to an almost‐straight back.

Bench Press: Lie with your back flat with feet placed firmly on the floor. Place your hands on the bar at or slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Slowly bend your arms until the barbell hovers right above your nipples. Then press back up until arms are straight (but not locked at the elbows).

Deadlift: Form is crucial here as doing deadlifts the wrong way is a recipe for disaster for your lower back.

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Start with the barbell flat on the floor. Bend down “behind” the bar and clench the barbell firmly with alternating grip. At this point your butt should be right above the floor. Pressing with your heels, unfold yourself from the bottom up (legs to back to upper body) until you’re standing straight. Pause and reverse the fold until the barbell touches the ground in a controlled fashion.

Power Cleans: Load the desired weight on a barbell. Stand behind the bar, bend at the knees and hips and grasp the bar with an overhand, shoulder‐width grip. Keeping the back flat, and head looking straight ahead, forcefully and explosively lift the bar from the floor, keeping it close to the body. As the bar reaches the lower chest level (the knees should be straight, the back upright, and the feet extended up onto the toes) quickly bend the knees, while still pulling upward, to drop under the bar. At this point the wrists break under the bar to “catch” it at the front of the shoulders. Straighten the legs to a fully standing position. Then break the wrists over and lower the weight back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Overhead Press (standing): Rest a barbell on squat rack pegs. With slightly bent knees, take the barbell off the rack and bring the barbell to upper neck or chin level. Use your shoulders to lift the weight above your head.

What if I want to workout more often? There’s no need. These three workouts more than cover nearly every muscle in your body (squats alone recruits about 80% of your body’s muscles).

Warmup sets? Do 2‐3 warm‐up sets before each exercise, less than 50% your max.

How long should I work out for? Even with warm‐up sets and an assistance exercise you should be in and out of the ym in about 40 minutes. A little more or less is fine. g

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HST Workout (Hypertrophy Specific Training)

After you learn about Hypertrophy Specific‐Training you’ll wonder why any other workout exists. (By the way, the word “hypertrophy” simply means “growth”, as in growth of your pecs). If you’re interested in building new muscle mass (why would you be reading this if you weren’t?) then you’ll go bananas over HST. HST is simply designed to build as much muscle mass possible in the fastest time frame possible. No “functional strength” and no “muscle defining” here: a program that simply promotes rapid growth of muscle mass.

HST: a program that simply promotes rapid growth of muscle mass

What makes people really excited about HST is that it takes advantage of a little known breakthrough in the science of hypertrophy known as Relative Progressive Load. Everyone knows that lifting more weight stimulates muscle growth – and doing the same weight week in and week out becomes ineffective as your muscles respond. But what happens when you smash your head against your personal bench ceiling, as in “even with a gun to my head I couldn’t possible lift another ounce.”

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What then? Throw in the towel and celebrate your muscular peak? That, or you can simply try HST and tap into Relative Progressive Load. Contrary to popular belief your muscles actually grow in response to the relative and absolute changes in weight. Most people zero‐in on the absolute changes (more weight) and completely ignore the relative (changes in weight). Counterintuitive as it may seem, by lifting less weight than your max, then cranking it back up to an 11, you can grow without adding any more plates to the bar. Crazy, right? Welcome to HST.

Even better, it has more variety than many other workout routines. Many of the other step‐by‐step programs force you to do nothing but squats and deadlifts and day out. It might work, but many people find it hard to stick to because it’s about as exciting at watching grass grow.

How It Works

Like any program worth its salt, HST gradually adds more and more weight to your exercises. But the “twist” in HST is that you won’t always be gunning for more and more weight. I fact, you’ll be working in more of a results by volume approach. It’s known as the Frequency Principle and it simply means that you need to work your muscle often or else it will “un‐adapt” between workout bouts.

HST works in 2‐week “blocks” of different rep ranges: 15, 10 and 5 reps. You’ll be hitting your max for each one of these rep ranges, but only once in the 2‐week program.


Weight Set You don’t necessarily need a full gym during the first 2‐weeks as you’ll be in a light 15‐rep range. Depending on your strength level, you may be able to get away with resistance bands or an at‐home weight set for weeks 2‐4. Just to cover your bases (and due to the large range of exercises involved), a legit gym is recommended.

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8Weeks It’s crucial that you take this program for its entire 8‐week duration. If you’re going on vacation in 6‐weeks, don’t start this program.

Pen and Paper As you’ll see, the reps and weight are straightforward and you may be able to keep them in your head. But because you’re doing 8‐10 exercises as part of this program it’s not a bad idea to record you’re weights, sets etc.

Intermediate Fitness This program is like getting on an 8‐week runaway train with no brakes. Newbies will likely find the sheer volume and effort involved too much for their scrawny frames. Try a simple split routine for two‐months or so just to get to the point where you can last 8‐week straight of muscular assault.

Program Basics

4 Rep “Blocks” Your 8‐weeks are split into 4, 2‐week blocks. First block is 15‐reps, second block is 10‐reps and the 3rd and 4th are 5‐reps.

Three Sessions Per Week You’ll be working out on alternating days (ie. Monday, Wednesday, Friday).

Increase in Weight Every Workout Increase, but not beyond your max. Over the 2‐week block you’ll be working towards your rep‐max on the final session of the block. This means most of the time you’ll be working below your maximum.

Cardio Light cardio is built into HST. On two or three of your off‐days you’ll be doing light cardio, such as uphill treadmill walking, jogging or yoga.

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13 Sets Per Exercise Yes, only 1‐3. 1 set is plenty if you’re working hard with picture‐perfect form. You’ll be doing either 1‐3 sets per exercise and it varies per HST workout. Some people prefer 1 set of 15, 2 sets of 10, and 3 sets of 5.

810 Exercises These hit all of your major muscle groups.

Some of the exercises are:

• Squats • Pull‐Up • Shoulder Press • icep Extensions Lying Tr• ft Deadli• Rows • Barbell Curls • Bench Press • dlift Stiff Legged Dea• ll Shrugs Barbe• Dips

The important part is to pick 8‐10 exercises that will work your entire body. Do not just do all arm exercises. 5‐6 of them will most likely be compound.

Hypertrophy Specific Training StepByStep

Step 1 Determine you 8 exercises. See our example for recommended exercises. Hit the gym for three alternating days to determine your 15, 10 and 5‐rep max for each of the exercise. One day for 15‐rep maxes, one for 10‐reps and another for 5‐reps. Record these are this will form the foundation of the program.

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Step 2 Take at least a week off from training. You need to be fully rested before starting HST or else you may suffer from overtraining. Also, this taps into Strategic Deconditioning, which simply makes you a bit out of shape so that you’ll grow even more when you do start lifting again.

Step 3 Weeks 1‐2 ‐ (15‐reps), doing all 8‐10 exercises at each session (3 total sessions per week on alternating days). Day 1 will have you well below your max and you add 2‐5% (or 5‐10 lbs) to your weight at each session. You will workout Monday, Wednesday, and Friday doing 15 reps for each set.

Step 4 Weeks 3‐4 ‐ start block 2, which will be the same exercises but for 10‐reps instead of 15. Like before, you’ll start low and work your way to your 10‐rep maxes on each exercise on your final workout of the block. You will workout Monday, Wednesday, and Friday doing 10 reps for each set.

Step 5 Weeks 5‐6 ‐ After a day off, start block 3, which will be the same exercises but for 5‐reps instead of 10.

Step 6 Weeks 7‐8 ‐ You can continue to lift at your 5 rep maxes using the same exercises.

Step 7 Take 9‐14 days off from training.

Step 8 Start a new program or begin a new 6‐week HST bout, skipping the 15‐rep block.

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HST Example Workout

Week 2 Monday Wednesday Friday Sets Reps Weight Sets Reps Weight Sets Reps Weight Squats 2 15 150 2 15 155 2 15 160 Deadlifts 2 15 200 2 15 205 2 15 210 Standing Press 2 15 70 2 15 75 2 15 75 Rows 2 15 70 2 15 75 2 15 75 Incline Press 2 15 125 1 15 130 2 15 135 Barbell Curls 2 15 40 2 15 40 2 15 45 Tricep Extensions 2 15 40 2 15 40 2 15 45 Shrugs 2 15 125 1 15 130 2 15 135

Week 4 Week 3 Week 4 Friday Sets Reps Weight Sets Reps Weight Sets Reps Weight Squats 2 10 175 2 10 180 2 15 190 Deadlifts 2 10 230 2 10 235 2 15 240 Standing Press 2 10 90 2 10 95 2 15 100 Rows 2 10 90 2 10 95 2 15 100 Incline Press 2 10 145 2 10 150 2 15 155 Barbell Curls 2 10 55 2 10 60 2 15 60 Tricep Extensions 2 10 55 2 10 60 2 15 60 Shrugs 2 10 145 2 10 150 2 15 155

Week 6 Week 5 Week 6 Friday Sets Reps Weight Sets Reps Weight Sets Reps Weight Squats 2 5 205 2 5 210 2 15 220 Deadlifts 2 5 260 2 5 265 2 15 275 Standing Press 2 5 120 2 5 125 2 15 130 Rows 2 5 120 2 5 125 2 15 130 Incline Press 2 5 165 2 5 170 2 15 175 Barbell Curls 2 5 70 2 5 75 2 15 80 Tricep Extensions 2 5 70 2 5 75 2 15 80 Shrugs 2 5 165 2 5 170 2 15 175

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FAQS HST Workout

I’m used to going allout at each workout. I didn’t even break a sweat on day 1. Does this really work? Yes, it does. Remember: trying to constantly beat your last record has a number of disadvantages: diminishing returns, overtraining and an hitting an eventual wall. The first few sessions of each block are to Strategically Decondition your body so you’ll grow more from the same amount of weight in the later sessions. Be patient and let you growth be your guide.

Do I need to warmup? Definitely! You don’t need to warm up for each exercise but you should do some light cardio, pushups and other warm‐up exercises to make your muscles warm and resistant to injury.

What about rest betwDepends on the block.

15‐rep block: 1:00‐1:30 10‐rep block: 1:30‐2:00 5‐rep block: 2:30‐3:30

een sets?

How much should I increase between sessions? There’s no hard and fast rule on this: It depends on the exercise and how you’re responding to the workout. The example block above adds in ~5lbs. increments for illustration purposes. However, you may want to up the weight more for compound exercises (like squats) then more isolation stuff (like tricep extensions).

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German Volume Training GVT Workout Routine

Germans are famous for one thing: efficiency. Whether it’s their Über efficient language or factories churning out Europe’s best cars, Germans have getting something down in the shortest period possible down to a science. Fortunately, the former head of the German Weightlifting Olympic, Rolf Feser, team adopted German efficiency to the muscle building realm.

German Volume Training (GVT) cranks up the volume (pun intended) on your workouts. Instead of hitting your muscles meekly a few times per week you’ll be hitting them with incredible 10‐set onslaughts. In response to this surprise attack your body has no choice but to ask your hard‐working muscles to grow, grow and grow some more!

GVT is NOT for the faint of heart. You’ll be sweating, panting and groaning like you’re in bed with a trio of Victoria Secret lingerie models. But if you can stand the heat than you’ll find a dumbfoundedly‐straightforward program that’s like fertilizer for your garden of muscles.

How It Works/Program Basics

GVT is also commonly known as “10‐Sets Training” because you’ll be doing 10‐sets of a single exercise per session, using the same amount of weight.

10sets These are 10 consecutive sets of the same exercise in the same session. For example, on chest day you’ll be doing 10 sets of bench presses.

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Compound Exercises You’ll want to hit as many muscles as possible as you’re only doing one exercise per body part. This means squats, barbell bench press, military press, deadlifts and rows.

Same Weight You use the same weight on set 1 as in set 10. As you may expect, you won’t be working to the max on set 1 (but definitely will be on set 10!).

60to 90 Second Rest Periods: This short rest time makes sure your muscles don’t get a break during the 10‐sets.

3Phases You’ll be working through 3 discrete phases, to make sure your body doesn’t adapt.

What You’ll Need To Get Started

Stopwatch Strict rest periods are a must. You’re not trying to beat any sort of weight record on each set: it’s all about volume. 60‐seconds means 60‐seconds.

Intensity You’ll need a certain level of mental toughness to succeed at GVT. If you’re used to cake‐walking though the gym, then sets 7‐10 of GVT may have you crying for your mommy. You need to get amped before you start if you want to complete the program.

Training Partner A training partner is highly recommended for motivation and to watch your form during the later sets where it becomes very tempting to cheat.

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Gym You need a real‐deal set of weights as this program uses ONLY compound exercises, such as deadlifts and squats.


Workout Log Not just to keep track of your weight, but for motivation as the weight increases during each session.

German Volume Training StepByStep

Step 1 Split and group your major muscle groups (chest, abs, back, legs, arms and shoulders) into three workouts. Then, schedule them so that you do one workout three times per week, hitting two muscle groups per session.

For example:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Chest + Back

Off Legs + Abs Off Arms +

Shoulders Off Off

Step 2 Calculate how much weight you should lift at each exercise. You can use your 1‐rep max to estimate this (if you don’t know you’re 1‐rep max take the first week to determine this or get your 20 rep max). Aim for a weight you could lift for 20 reps to failure (because the later sets will be more difficult, you don’t want to do your 10‐rep set early on or you’ll fizz out later). Aim for about 60% of your 1‐rep max to estimate your 20‐rep max.

Step 3 Perform workout #1 ‐ Monday.

Example of how your workout will look is here (assuming the above week’s

schedule is used): Chest and Back

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Exercise Sets Reps

Bench Press 10 10

Pullups 10 10

Optional: 6 sets of “supplementary” exercises, 1012 reps each.

If you choose to do this (many do), here is how the above workout will look:

Exercise Sets Reps

Bench Press 10 10

Pullups 10 10

Dumbbell Flys 3 10-12

Dumbbel Rows 3 10-12

Step 4 Continue with your split routine for 6 weeks.

Step 5 On week 7, It is recommended that you start a recovery routine. Perhaps take a rest or deload for a few weeks.

Step 6 If you want to continue GVT after a few weeks of rest and deloading, try it with different exercises or added weight.

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Example GVT Workout 6 weeks

Note: Use the same weight on each set. For your 10 rep set this will be your 20 rep max weight. Rest 60 seconds between sets.

Weeks 1-6, Mondays - Chest and Back Exercise Sets Reps Bench Press 10 10 Pullups 10 10 Dumbbell Flys 3 10-12 Dumbbell Rows 3 10-12 Weeks 1-6, Wednesdays - Legs and Abs Exercise Sets Reps Squats 10 10 Leg Curls 10 10 Leg Raises 3 10-12 Calf Raises 3 10-12 Weeks 1-6, Fridays - Arms and Shoulders Exercise Sets Reps Military Press 10 10 Hammer Curls 10 10 Lateral Raises 3 10-12 Tricep Pulldowns 3 10-12

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FAQS

German Volume Training Workout

What about form? As with any program, form is key. However, the first thing you’ll want to sacrifice is form when you hit sets 8, 9 and 10. One of the best ways to maintain proper form is to simply slow down. Go for a 4‐count on the way down and a 1‐2 on the way up.

I couldn’t do 10 sets at the same weight. What should I do? This most often happens when you use a weight that’s simply too heavy. Remember, if you’re gunning for 10‐reps you should be able to go 20‐reps on set 1 (even though you stop at 10). Or if you’re doing 6 reps you should be able to do 12‐reps with that weight on set‐1.

My muscles are really sore, did I do something wrong? Heck no! You did something right! GVT is unlike anything else out there. It’s perfectly normal for your muscles to be in a shock and awe phase as you start out.

With all those set, do I need to warm up? You should do 5‐10 minutes of light cardio before you begin. After that, warming up is optional. Remember: you’re starting off at your 20‐rep max, which isn’t much total weight. Plus, you need to save as much energy as you can for the 10‐sets of madness that follows.

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MaxOT MAX OT Workout Program

What happens when one of the world’s biggest supplement companies develops a workout plan to help them push supplements...and it works so well that people don’t even NEED the supplements anymore? That’s the bizarre history of the Max‐OT program: one of the most controversial and revered muscle‐building plans on the net.

Max‐OT started as marketing ploy from the supplement maker AST. As people tried it (and noticed the incredible results) word spread life wildfire about the program. No word on how Max‐OT boosted AST’s bottom line, but there’s little question that Max‐OT will boost the bottom line you care about most: your muscles.

Max‐OT is a rapid departure – both in approach and results ‐‐ from most workout routines you’ll read about in your typical glossy muscle mags. Yes, you’ll be lifting weights. Yes, you’ll follow some sort of split routine. But the similarities end there. Max‐OT taps into exercise science fundamentals to create a simply plan that knocks the socks off of most others.

How It Works

Max‐OT is the living, breathing epitome of the expression, “go heavy or go home.” The most reps you’ll be doing per set is a mere 6 and you’ll go as low as 4 during certain exercises. This load on your working muscles is ideal for hypertrophy, or muscle growth. The original Max‐OT program has boatloads about nutrition, but it’s mostly centered on why you need to buy AST supplements (although many people

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cite this conflict of interest as a reason Max‐OT doesn’t work, don’t let this stop you from trying this phenomenally effective program).

What You’ll Need To Get Started

IntermediateAdvanced Fitness Max‐OT is not for newbies. Firstly, you’ll be lifting heavy each and every set. Bad form with heavy weight compounds the chance of injury significantly. Also, you’ll be lifting to failure every time you set foot in the gym. Most rookies aren’t physically able to succumb to the demands of failure so often and simply burn out. Have at least 6‐months of regular lifting under your belt before stepping into the Max‐OT cockpit.

Stacked Gym You need access to heavy dumbbells, heavy bar, a squat rack and a bench to participate in the Max‐OT party.

Pen + Paper One of the fundamentals of Max‐OT is that you’re increasing weight or reps (and failing) every session. Unless you have a photographic memory you’ll need something to jot down this info for later reference.

Clock or Watch Time if of the essence with Max‐OT. A watch makes sure that you’re out of the gym within 45‐minutes (more on that later).

Program Basics

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46 Reps Research shows that 4‐6 reps is the sweet spot for building mass and strength. Go below this and you look like a flabby World’s Strongest Man competitor. Above this, and your muscles become resistant to growth and you look like a Step Aerobics instructor.


710 Sets per Session For most split routines, this means only 4‐5 total sets per muscle group. Because you’re going heavy and hard on every set, more sets will only limit your gains.

Failure No lollygagging through sets here. Every single set should be at or near absolute muscle failure (where you can’t lift the weight without sacrificing form).

3545 Minutes Workouts are purposefully short. This is for two reasons: A) 10 sets per workout session only takes so much time...even if you dilly dally it shouldn’t take much longer than 40 minutes to get finished and B) Your body starts to break down muscle mass if you creep too fat past 45 minutes.

23 Minute Rest This may be more than you’re used to. With only 4‐5 sets per muscle group to go around, you’ll need to be rested to hit them as hard as you can.

8Week Cycles After 8‐weeks of Max‐OT your body will be screaming for a rest. Use the week to rest body and mind.

Progression There are a million ways to maintain progressive overload, but the easiest and most effective is to start at 4 reps, progress to 6 and then add weight.

For example if on day 1 you can bench press 180 lbs. for 4 reps on day 2 you’d lift 180 lbs. for 5 reps, then 6 reps. Once you can do that, add 5‐10% to the weight and start at 4 reps again. Rinse and repeat.

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MaxOT Step by Step

Step 1 Design your split routine by muscle group, remembering to only hit 1‐2 muscle groups per session. You can workout up to 5‐times per week as long as you take 1‐2 days off per week.

Here is an example of an ideal MaxOT split:

Day 1: Chest and Triceps

Day 2: Back , Biceps

Day 3: Legs, Abs

Day 4: Shoulders, and Traps

For exercises, lean heavily on multi‐joint compound exercises (such as squats) with a sprinkling in of isolations stuff (like seated calf raises).

Here is an example of an ideal MaxOT split with exercises, reps and sets:

Day 1: Chest and Triceps

Exercise Sets + Reps

Bench Press 2 x 4

Weighted Dips 2 x 4

Incline Bench 1x6

Skull Crushers 2x4

Close-Grip Bench 2x5

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Day 2: Back and Biceps


Pull-Ups 3 x 6

Barbell Rows 2 x 4

Hammer Curls 2x4

Barbell Curls 2x6

Day 3: Legs, Abs


Squats 3 x 4

Stiff Legged Deadlift 2 x 4

Leg Press 1x6

Weighted Crunches 3x8-10 (you can go higher-reps with abs)

Kneeling Crunches (with cable) 2x8-10 (you can go higher-reps with abs)

Day 4: Shoulders, Traps


Military Press 2 x 5

Barbell Shrugs 3 x 4

Lateral Raises 2x4

Seated DB Press 2x6

Step 2 Start the 8‐week Max‐OT program.

Step 3 After 8‐weeks, take 1‐week off and begin again.

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FAQs Max OT Workout

I keep going over my 45 minute time window, what do I do? It depends. If it’s 2‐3 minutes then don’t sweat it. Otherwise, the first place to look is your routine. Are you limiting sets to 5‐6 per muscle group? It could be rest periods as well. A timer can make sure you don’t exceed your 2‐3 minute rest time.

Can I change up the exercises? Absolutely. Just be sure not to replace compound exercises with less‐effective isolation. That means squats, Romanian deadlifts and bench presses should be done every week. But you can tweak these to mix things up (ie. changing barbell bench press to dumbbell for a week).

Is warming up important for MaxOT? It’s VERY important for Max‐OT. Lifting to your 4‐rep max right away is a surefire way to get hurt. You should do at least 2 warm‐up sets per exercise, building up to your target weight.

Do I need to take AST supplements for MaxOT to work? No way! In fact, Max‐OT has such a life of its own these days that many people have forgotten that it was originally made by AST.

However, your diet and supplementation IS important. Max‐OT builds mass, but only if you eat a clean diet. It’s especially important that you eat enough calories and protein to support your new muscle mass.

Is cardio part of MaxOT? Yes! Interval training 1‐2 times per week is ideal as it promotes the most amount of fat loss and the least amount of muscle mass loss.

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Taking it to the Next Level Let’s Talk Nutrition

Would you like to maximize your results of any of these workout routines? Many people often are lost when it comes to nutrition for building muscle or increasing strength. You could be busting your butt in the gym and not maximizing your ability to build muscle. Why limit your gains because of lack of quality nutrition? Luckily there is a solution for you – The Epic Warrior Diet.

Thomas Calkins has recently put together a groundbreaking and revolutionary new nutrition and fitness program, called The Epic Warrior Diet.

What is the Epic Warrior Diet all about?

Epic Warrior Diet Nutrition Manual The Nutrition Manual is packed with nutritional information whether you are looking to build muscle, lose fat, or just stay healthy. You will learn how much food you should eat, what types of food, when to eat, how often to eat. You will learn about carbohydrates, protein, fat, water consumption and how all these affect your body and muscle gains. You will also learn about meal

planning and the importance of tracking your diet.

Epic Warrior Diet Workout Guide The Epic Warrior Diet Workout Guide contains a full workout program and guide to help you build muscle and increase strength. Here are some of the highlights:3 and 4 Day Training Splits, Planning your Workout, Setting Goals, Importance of Compound Exercises ,Free Weights vs Machine Weights, Workout Progression, Rest Between Sets, Number of Sets and Reps, Proper

Breathing, Rest and Recovery, and much more...

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http://www.epicwarriordiet.com/


Also included are

• Muscle Building Supplements Guide

• • Epic Warrior Diet ‐ Meal Plans

oothies Recipes For a Perfect Body Ebook • uctions

25 Powerful Sm

• Exercise Guide with videos and instrWorkout Logs

• Sample Nutrition and Workout Log

You can read more about the Epic Warrior Diet Here

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http://www.epicwarriordiet.com

http://www.epicwarriordiet.com/

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Sources

Here are some of the sources used to help write this ebook. You can view these links for more information about each of the workouts.

Thomas Calkins is not taking any credit for creating any of these workout routines. This guide was created to summarize and provide instructions how to perform each one of these workouts.

1. http://stronglifts.com/madcow/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm

2. http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/weight‐training‐weight‐lifting/bill‐starrs‐5‐x‐5‐html#post4497774 program‐variation‐per‐madcow2‐thanx‐so‐here‐k‐up‐now‐375215‐2.

page=1 3. http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=712752&

4. http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224

813 5. http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=280

s.html 6. http://www.hypertrophy‐specific.com/hst_note

7. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/paul4.htm

8. http://www.simplyshredded.com/german‐volume‐training‐a‐new‐look‐at‐an‐old‐way‐to‐build‐mass‐strength.html

9. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/luis13.htm

m 10. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw41.ht

11. http://www.myweightlifting.com/max‐ot.html

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