Workout System BOOK 2 - Poliquin Group PDF

Weightlifting Action Photos: Bruce Klemens
Cover Image: Doug Young

Copyright © 2018, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC. All rights reserved
First Edition, 2018
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Warning: Before beginning any exercise program, consult with your physician to ensure that you are
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any of the information contained herein.
WORKOUT SYSTEMS
INTRODUCTION 1
1. Boyer Coe’s Work Capacity Workout 2
2. German Volume Training 7
3. German Volume Training, Advanced 11
4. Lou Ferrigno’s “Incredible Hulk” Workout 21
5. Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty 29
6. Nautilus Training 34
7. Nautilus Leg Workout 40
8. The 100 Reps Method 44
9. Post Exhaustion Training 48
10. Pre-Exhaustion Training 52
12. 10/8/6 Training Method 61
13. Train Twice a Day 64
14. 20-Rep Squats 67
Vince Gironda’s 8x8 71
Glossary 77
INTRODUCTION
The workouts presented in this book are among the most effective for
improving muscle mass. Some are more effective for improving strength, but
they do so at the expense of developing maximal muscle mass.a
As a general guideline, these are the loading parameters for developing
muscle mass:
Intensity: 60-82%
Repetitions: 6-20 RM
Sets: 3-6
Rest Intervals: 2-4 minutes
Concentric Tempo: 1-10 seconds
Eccentric Tempo: 4-10 seconds
Total Set Duration: 20-70 seconds
From this starting point, creative sports scientists; strength coaches, personal
trainers, and athletes have developed systems that apply these guidelines.
This book represents a sampling of such programs, selected because they
have stood the test of time by consistently producing success.
Chapter 1
Russia weightlifter David Rigert broke 68 world records and possessed tremendous upper body
strength. He could military press 374 pounds, bench press 463 pounds (with legs raised), and
standing Olympic press 436 pounds at a bodyweight of 198 pounds.
1. Boyer Coe’s Work Capacity Workout

SUMMARY: Boyer Coe won the Teen Mr. America, Mr. America and Mr. Universe; he also placed
fourth on three occasions in the Mr. Olympia.
Coe designed a workout program called “work capacity training” for increasing both your hypertrophy
levels and your strength endurance.Boyer Coe’s Work Capacity Workout
Coe began lifting in 1960 at age 14, and by age 17 he could bench press 420
pounds – quite an accomplishment when you consider that he did it without
the benefit of any of the special supportive gear used by today’s powerlifters.
Two years later Coe won the Mr. Louisiana title and then went on to win the
Teen Mr. America, Mr. America and Mr. Universe; he also placed fourth on
three occasions in the Mr. Olympia. In 1994, in his mid 40s, Coe returned to
the stage after a 10-year hiatus – in amazing shape – and took third at the
Masters Mr. Olympia, defeating former Mr. Olympia Chris Dickerson. And
the secret to Coe’s success?
“At the most basic level, there are no real secrets, although it’s only human
nature for young bodybuilders to think that there are,” says Coe. “You must
work hard and apply 100 percent effort 100 percent of the time. Hard work is
something that 99 percent of the people in the world shy away from. If
something proves to be the least bit difficult to achieve, they immediately
give up. The man or woman who doesn’t give up, who goes on despite
something being difficult to achieve, always comes out on top.”
At 5’7” and a ripped 215 pounds, Coe was known for his amazing biceps,
which seemed to be composed of several mounds of small biceps stacked
upon each other. He was always in shape – you only have to look at the
history of his photos to see he was a master of peaking at the right time. And
for any of you older readers seeking inspiration to keep in shape, check out
the photos when Coe was at his prime and compare them to how he looked at
the 1994 Masters Mr. Olympia. Coe knew exactly what it took to get in top
shape and stay that way.
Although Coe says there are no secrets in bodybuilding, one of the reasons he
was so successful is that he always had an open mind – he was known as a
“thinking bodybuilder.” Coe was able to set aside his ego and experiment
with new training methods to bring his conditioning to higher levels. Case in
point: Coe’s work with Arthur Jones, founder of the Nautilus and MedX
corporations.
In the ’70s and early ’80s, Jones was known for surrounding himself with the
best bodybuilders of his era. In 1982 Coe went to work for Jones and was
personally trained by him. Although Casey Viator and the Mentzer brothers
apparently thrived on this type of training, it wasn’t right for Coe. Coe found
that after eight months of training under Jones’ supervision, he had made no
gains in muscle size; what’s more, after that experiment Coe changed his
workouts and quickly added 20 pounds of muscle.
Coe believed that he had less genetic potential than Casey Viator or Sergio
Oliva, two other top bodybuilders whom Jones trained – Coe joked that
Viator had only to look at weights to grow! As such, Coe felt that to compete
at the highest levels he had to train smart and outwork his competition – he
says that he could push himself to the limit and that he seldom missed a
workout.
Coe designed the following workout program for increasing both your
hypertrophy levels and your strength endurance. It’s called “work capacity
training” and involves using descending loads in the following manner:
1. Warm up until you get to a weight at which you will struggle to
complete a 12-repetition maximum.
2. Perform 12 strict reps with that weight.
3. Rest only 60 seconds, during which you decrease the weight by 2.5 to 10
pounds, depending on your strength level and the nature of the exercise.
4. Perform as many STRICT reps as possible with the new weight.
5. Rest only 60 seconds, during which you decrease the weight by 5 to 10
pounds, depending on your strength level.
6. Do as many STRICT reps as possible with the new weight.
7. Rest only 60 seconds and decrease the weight by 5 to 10 pounds,
depending on your strength level.
8. Perform as many STRICT reps as possible with the new weight.
At this point, you will move on the next exercise using the same workout
protocol. A total of three exercises are performed per bodypart.
Here is a sample of a workout capacity training program for the shoulders:
A. Seated Barbell Military Press, 4 x 8-12, 3010, rest 60 seconds
B. Low-Pulley-Rope Upright Row, 4 x 8-12, 2010, rest 60 seconds
C. Seated Lateral Raise, 4 x 8-12, 3010, rest 60 seconds
Because the B and C exercises in this workout use many of the same muscles
as the first exercise, you may only need one warm-up set for these exercises.
Here is how the workout could progress, step by step. Note how after the first
set of each exercise, the weights are adjusted according to strength level and
fatigue.
A. Seated Barbell Military Press
1. Warm up 2. 145 x 12
3. Rest 60 seconds 4. 140 x 10
9. Rest 60 seconds
B. Low-Pulley-Rope Upright Row
1. Warm-up 2. 115 x 12
9. Rest 60 seconds
C. Seated Lateral Raise
1. Warm-up 2. 35 x 12
3. Rest 60 seconds 4. 32.5 x 12
7. Rest 60 seconds 8. 27.5 x 8
DONE!
Coe’s successful career spanning more than three decades will ensure that he
is remembered as one of the legends of bodybuilding. An ambassador for the
sport, Coe speaks frequently to groups about its lifelong benefits. Boyer Coe
is a role model for all that is right about bodybuilding.
Chapter 2
In 1976 East Germany’s Gerd Bonk clean and jerked 556 pounds, making him the first to lift over
250 kilos (550 pounds). Bonk began as a track and field athlete, setting the East German youth
record in the shot put with a result of 58.46 feet (17.82 meters).
2. German Volume Training

SUMMARY: German Volume Training (GVT) was introduced to the bodybuilding community over
two decades ago. GVT is a variation of a high-volume method developed by US bodybuilding guru
Vince Gironda. One of the major differences between GVT and Gironda’s method is that GVT contains
more rest time between sets, which in turn enables you to use more weight and thus pack on more
muscle mass.
German Volume Training

German Volume Training (GVT) was introduced to the bodybuilding
community over two decades ago. The exact origin of GVT is a subject of
extensive debate in the bodybuilding community, but its roots are believed to
be in German powerlifting; women’s bodybuilding pioneer Bev Francis is
said to have used such a workout. Others believe GVT is a variation of a
high-volume method developed by US bodybuilding guru Vince Gironda.
One of the major differences between GVT and Gironda’s method is that
GVT contains more rest time between sets, which in turn enables you to use
more weight and thus pack on more muscle mass.
Regardless of GVT’s origin, if you are willing to work hard and follow the
training protocols exactly as prescribed, you’ll find that GVT is one of the
fastest ways to pack on a lot of muscle in a short period of time.
Motor units are nerves that cause a specific group of muscle fibers to
contract. GVT targets a group of motor units and subjects them to a high
volume of repeated efforts, specifically 10 sets of 10 reps of one exercise.
The body adapts by increasing the size of those targeted fibers.
With this training protocol, your goal for each exercise is to complete 10 sets
of 10 reps with the same weight for each exercise. This means you cannot use
a weight that allows you to complete only 10 reps for your first set, because
fatigue will not allow you to perform 10 reps for the remaining sets. A good
approach is to start with a weight that you could lift for 20 repetitions, or
about 60 percent of your best single. Thus, if you can bench press 200 pounds
for 1 rep, you would use 120 pounds for this exercise.
After your first workout, a good goal is to try to increase the weight by about
2.5 percent for each workout, as follows:
Workout 1: 120 x 10 x 10
Workout 2: 125 x 10 x 10
Workout 3: 130 x 10 x 10
Workout 4: 135 x 10 x 10
Workout 5: 140 x 10 x 10
Workout 6: 145 x 10 x 10
We all have our off days, and occasionally you may not be able to complete
10 repetitions in a workout – that’s to be expected. However, the weight
should be light enough that on most days you will be able to complete 100
repetitions.
In the following GVT workout you will perform each training session a total
of six times – at least two days’ rest is needed between workouts. Although
you may perform additional work, limit the number of GVT exercises to just
two, as this method can easily result in overtraining.
Chest and Back
A1. Incline Dumbbell Press, 10 x 10, 4010, rest 75 seconds
A2. Chin-Up, Neutral Grip, 10 x 10, 4010, rest 75 seconds
B1. Flat Dumbbell Press, 3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 60 seconds
B2. Bent-Over Single-Arm Dumbbell Row, 3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 60
seconds
Legs
A1. Back Squat, Heels Elevated, 10 x 10, 4010, rest 75 seconds
A2. Lying Leg Curl, 10 x 10, 4010, rest 75 seconds
B1. Dumbbell Semi-Stiff-Leg Deadlift, 3 x 10-12, 3020, rest 60 seconds
B2. Standing Calf Raise, 3 x 10-12, 2012, rest 60 seconds
Arms
A1. EZ-bar Reverse Scott Curl, 10 x 10, 4010, rest 75 seconds
A2. Dips, 10 x 10, 4010, rest 75 seconds
B1. Incline Dumbbell Curl, 3 x 12-15, 3010, rest 60 seconds
B2. EZ Bar Lying Triceps Extension, 3 x 10-12, 3110, rest 60 seconds
Besides being a physically challenging workout, GVT requires such a high
volume of work that it is mentally taxing. This is why you should take a long
break after a GVT cycle – a sound approach would be to only perform it
twice a year.
Although GVT does not produce a high level of growth hormone release, it is
not as effective in the short term for reducing body fat compared to some
other programs, such as the German Body Comp program. However because
GVT is a superior method of increasing muscle mass, it will more effectively
raise your metabolism (the rate at which you burn calories). For every pound
of lean tissue gained on GVT, there is often a loss of an equal amount of fat
weight – this is especially true for women.
Chapter 3
The 1984 Olympic champion in the 220-pound bodyweight class, West Germany’s Rolf Milser
broke the world record in the clean and jerk in the 181-pound bodyweight class with 457 pounds and
in the 198-pound bodyweight class with a best of 490 pounds.
3. German Volume Training, Advanced

SUMMARY: The most common question about German Volume Training is how it might be adapted
for an advanced trainee–someone with a good 5-years training experience. This chapter will answer that
question, presenting a variation where the goal is to complete 10 sets of 5 reps with the same weight for
each exercise rather than 10 reps.
German Volume Training, Advanced

When German Volume Training was introduced in Muscle Media 2000
magazine, it was the most popular article they had ever published. Since then,
it has been reprinted, translated, copied, attacked, “modified” or “improved,”
pirated, you name it. Why? Because it works; because it works very well.
The most common question about German Volume Training is how it might
be adapted for an advanced trainee–someone with a good 5-years training
experience. Before getting into that, let’s recap the most important points
regarding German Volume training:
1. You do ten sets of a single “most bang for your buck” exercise.
2. You strive to do a pre-determined number of reps on each set, i.e. ten sets
of ten reps.
3. You preferably alternate with the antagonist “most bang for your buck”
exercise.
4. You only increase the weight once all ten sets are completed with the pre-
determined starting weight. The load used is submaximal, you do not try to
reach failure on all sets, but only the last three should be hard. Basically you
get the training effect from the law of repeated efforts.
A typical workout might look like this:
A. Bench press (the goal is to do 10 sets of 10 with 200 pounds):
Set 1: 10 reps Set 2: 10 reps
B. Barbell Row (the goal is to do 10 sets of 10 with 200 pounds):
Once you were able to do complete 10 sets of 10 reps, you would increase
the weight by 2 1/2 to 5%.
A lot of people claim to have improved the German Volume Training, but
failed miserably because they did not understand the physiology behind it.
Let’s say that German Volume Training is the best apple pie recipe. One
author might say you should use bananas instead of apples for an apple pie.
And he would argue that the crust ruins it, and that it should instead be made
into a loaf, or a mousse, or whatever. Unfortunately, it is not apple pie
anymore.
For example, performing 5 sets of 2 exercises done to failure does not equal
the training effect of 10 sets of a single exercise using a load that causes
fatigue on the later sets. The volume-intensity equations are completely
different for the two different training systems.
Goals and Guidelines for the Advanced Trainee
Training Frequency: Because this is such a demanding program, it will take
you longer to recover. As such, work each body part every 5 days, but only
performing the same exercise every 10 days. The routine outlined at the end
of this chapter will make things clearer.
The exercises done in the two different workouts for the same body part
should be similar, yet different enough to tap into a different motor unit pool.
Reps: For the advanced trainee, doing more than 5 reps is a waste of time, as
the average intensity will be too low. The reps should vary for each one of
the six workouts (German Volume Training, like any other training, is only
effective for so long). Reps are the loading parameter to which one adapts the
quickest. Therefore, for an advanced trainee, one should apply a 6-9%
increase in load with each successive rep reduction as outlined in the example
below. In other words, each week, you’ll do fewer reps per set, but increase
the weight.
Workout 1
The goal of the Advanced German Volume Training method is to complete
10 sets of 5 reps with the same weight for each exercise. You want to begin
with a weight you could lift for 10 reps to failure (10RM), if you had to push
it. For most people, on most exercises, that would represent 75% of their 1
R.M. load. Therefore, if you can bench press 300 pounds for one rep, you
would use 225 pounds for this exercise.
So your workout may look like this:
Set 1: 225 x 5 Set 2: 225 x 5
Set 3: 225 x 5 Set 4: 225 x 5
Set 5: 225 x 5 Set 6: 225 x 5
Set 7: 225 x 4 Set 8: 225 x 4
Set 9: 225 x 3 Set 10: 225 x 3
When using this—or for that matter, any program—you should keep a
detailed journal of the exact sets/reps, load, and rest intervals performed, and
only count the repetitions completed in strict form. Additional tips will
follow after the description of the remaining workouts.
Workout 2
Increase the weight by 6-7% and strive to do 10 sets of 4 reps with that
weight. So workout 2 would look like this:
Set 1: 235 x 4 Set 2: 235 x 4
Set 3: 235 x 4 Set 4: 235 x 4
Set 5: 235 x 4 Set 6: 235 x 4
Set 7: 235 x 4 Set 8: 235 x 4
Set 9: 235 x 4 Set 10: 235 x 4
NOTE: It is not uncommon on the second workout to be able to complete all sets of 4, as your work
capacity will have improved from the first GVT workout.
Workout 3
Increase weight of Workout 1 by 8-9% and strive to do 10 sets of 3 reps with
that weight. Yes, you are reading it correctly—8-9%, not 6-7%.
So Workout 3 might look like this:
Set 1 255 x 3 Set 2 255 x 3
Set 3 255 x 3 Set 4 255 x 3
Set 5 255 x 3 Set 6 255 x 3
Set 7 255 x 3 Set 8 255 x 3
Set 9 255 x 3 Set 10 255 x 3
NOTE: During sets 6-7-8, you want to quit, but stick with it as sets 9 and 10 will be the easiest.
Workout 4
Use the weights you used in Workout 2 and go for 10 sets of 5, which you
should do easily.
Workout 5
Use the weights in workout 3 and go for 10 sets of 4, which again you should
do easily.
Workout 6
By now you should be able to do 10 sets of 3 at 275 pounds - no problem.
Rest Intervals: When trainees start with this method, they often question its
value during the first several sets simply because the weight will not feel
heavy. However, there is minimal rest between sets (about 90 seconds when
performed in sequence and 90-120 seconds when performed as a superset),
which gives you a process of cumulative fatigue. Because of the importance
of the rest intervals, you should use a stopwatch or a watch equipped with
one to keep the rest intervals constant. This is very important, as it becomes
tempting to lengthen the rest time as you fatigue.
Tempo: For long range movements such as squats, dips, and chins, use a
40X0 tempo; this means you would lower the weight in four seconds and
immediately change direction and lift explosively for the concentric portion.
For movements such as curls and triceps extensions, use a 30X0 tempo.
Advanced trainees, because of their enhanced neurological efficiency, should
only use explosive concentric tempos.
Number of Exercises: One, and only one, exercise per body part should be
performed. Therefore, select exercises that recruit a lot of muscle mass.
Triceps kickbacks and leg extensions are definitely out—squats and bench
presses are definitely in. For supplementary work for individual body parts
(such as triceps and biceps), you can do 3 sets of 6-8 reps.
Overload Mechanism: Once you are able to do 10 sets of x reps with constant
rest intervals, increase the weight on the bar by the percentage outlined in the
article and repeat the process. Refrain from using forced reps, negatives, or
burns, as the volume of the work will take care of the hypertrophy. Expect to
have some deep muscle soreness without having to resort to set prolongation
techniques.
Following are some sample routines:
Day 1: Chest and Back
A1. Incline Barbell Press, 10 x 5, 40X0, rest 100 seconds
A2. Lean-away Chin-up, 10 x 5, 40X0, rest 100 seconds
B1. Parallel Bar Dips, 3 x 6-8, 40X0, rest 90 seconds
B2. One-Arm Arc Dumbbell Row 3 sets of 6-8, 40X0,
rest 90 seconds
Day 2: Legs
A1. Back Squat, 10 x 5, 40X0, rest 100 seconds
A2. Lying Leg Curl, feet pointing away from the body, 10 x 5, 40X0, rest
100 seconds
B1. Dumbbell Lunge, 3 x 6-8, 30X0, rest 90 seconds
B2. Romanian Deadlift, 3 x 6-8, 40X0, rest 90 seconds
Day 3: Off
Day 4: Arms
A1. Incline Off-Set Dumbbell Curl, 10 x 5, 30X0, rest 100 seconds
A2. Close Grip Bench Press, 10 x 5, 30X0, rest 100 seconds
B1. Thick Bar Reverse Curl, 3 x 6-8, 30X0, rest 90 seconds
B2. Seated EZ Bar French Press, 3 x 6-8, 30X0, rest 90 seconds
Day 5: Off
Day 6: Chest and Back
A1. 30-degree Incline Barbell Press, 10 x 5, 40X0, rest 100 seconds
A2. Close Parallel Grip Chin-up, 10 x 5, 40X0, rest 100 seconds
B1. Flat Dumbbell Press, 3 x 6-8, 40X0, rest 90 seconds
B2. One-Arm Elbowing Row, 3 x 6-8, 30X0, rest 90 seconds
Day 7: Legs
A1. Heels Elevated Front Squat, 10 x 5, 40X0, rest 100 seconds
A2. Lying Leg Curl, Feet Inward, 10 x 5, 30X0, rest 100 seconds
B1. Farmer’s Walk, 3 x 50 yards, rest 90 seconds
B2. Glute-Ham Raise, 3 x 6-8 on a 40X0, rest 90 seconds
Day 8: Off
Day 9: Arms
A1. Seated Zottmann Curls, 10 x 5, 30X0, rest 100 seconds
A2. Low Decline, Close-Grip Bench Press, 10 x 5, 30X0, rest 100 seconds
B1. Scott Bench Close-Grip Reverse Curl, 3 x 6-8, 30X0, rest 90 seconds
B2. Low Pulley French Press, 3 x 6-8, 30X0, rest 90 seconds
Day 10: Off
Day 11: Do the Day 1 routine using Workout 2 pattern
Continue for 55 days, making the rep adjustments as outlined.
As you can see, there is no direct work for many of the smaller muscle
groups -- just straight, hard, rewarding work.
For those of you, who have access to bands or bungie cords, please feel free
to add them to the squatting and pressing exercises for increased overload.
They are not a must, so don’t think you are missing out if do not have access
to them. The program will still have impressive anabolic properties without
them.
It will take you 60 days to go through the cycle, but men could gain as much
as 8-10 lbs. of lean tissue by the end of those two months. It is not a program
for the faint of heart, but it is a very rewarding program (in size and strength)
if one has the motivation to complete it.
Chapter 4
One of closest humans to match the muscle mass of the Incredible Hulk was Belgium’s Serge
Reding, the first to snatch 400 pounds. He reportedly could front squat 880 pounds for five reps and
perform repeated jumps a foot off the ground while holding 286 pounds!
4. Lou Ferrigno’s “Incredible Hulk” Workout

SUMMARY: Lou Ferrigno won two Mr. Universe titles and was considered Arnold’s greatest
challenge in bodybuilding. He was a 6’5” mountain of muscle who reportedly weighed 325 pounds in
the off-season and sported 22.5-inch arms. One of the characteristics of Ferrigno’s training was high
volume – as many as 80 sets in a single workout! -- and as such is not appropriate for those with little
training experience.
Lou Ferrigno’s “Incredible Hulk” Workout

Lou Ferrigno won two Mr. Universe titles and was considered Arnold’s
greatest challenge in bodybuilding. He was a 6’5” mountain of muscle who
reportedly weighed 325 pounds in the off-season and sported 22.5-inch arms.
Although he couldn’t dethrone the Austrian Oak, Ferrigno was able to use his
physique as a gateway to many movie and television roles, including his
long-running portrayal of “The Incredible Hulk.”
Ferrigno was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1951. A series of ear infections
caused him to lose the majority of his hearing; his hearing problem affected
his speech and resulted in him becoming introverted and bullied. There is a
flip side to this coin, as the bullying motivated him to succeed as an athlete
and as an entertainer. “I got picked on,” says Ferrigno. “I was fascinated with
power, and then I decided to take that direction because I knew that would
make me feel good about myself.”
Considered a genetic marvel, Ferrigno won his first bodybuilding com-
petition in 1971. He quickly got the attention of bodybuilding entrepreneur
Joe Weider and frequently appeared in his magazines, along with many other
publications. He faced Arnold twice in the 1974 and 1975 Mr. Olympia
competitions, earning the runner up spot to Arnold in the heavyweight
division in 1974. The 1975 event, where Ferrigno placed third in the
heavyweight division (behind Arnold and Serge Nubret of France), was
featured as part of the documentary “Pumping Iron.”
In “Pumping Iron” it was portrayed that Ferrigno’s father was extremely
supportive of his son’s career and helped guide his training – not quite.
Ferrigno said the documentary was scripted. “I wouldn’t have competed at all
but for the fact that, for the time being, I still had to live at home, and Dad
viewed both the contest and particularly the film as tremendous publicity
vehicles for himself. He saw Pumping Iron as his opportunity to be a ‘movie
star’ and saw me as his vehicle to accomplish this. We were shown together
in the film, whereas in real life we never trained together at all. He was
depicted in the film as being compassionate and caring about my career,
whereas in real life he never gave it a second thought.”
Ferrigno returned to the Olympia stage in 1992 and 1993, placing 10th in the
second event and coming in at what many consider the best shape of his life.
His last competition was the 1994 Masters Mr. Olympia, where he placed
second. Now past 60 years of age, Lou still packs on a lot of muscle and is
frequently seen at pop culture conventions to meet and share his stories with
fans.
As for how Ferrigno trained to become the Hulk, consider that many of the
workouts of champion bodybuilders were a product of the creative minds of
ghostwriters -- so often some of the workouts programs attributed to these
champions were never performed. However, the following workout has been
reprinted in numerous muscle magazines over the years, and it follows the
training principles he has spoken about in many interviews.
One of the characteristics of Ferrigno’s training was high volume – as many
as 80 sets in a single workout! -- and as such is not appropriate for those with
little training experience. He says he didn’t use many supersets, although he
often alternated between agonist and antagonist muscle groups, and took at
least two minutes between sets – thus, his workouts often lasted as long as
three hours! He would work each major muscle group twice a week; here is
an outline of a weekly schedule:
Monday: Chest and Back
Tuesday: Shoulders and Arms
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Chest and Back
Friday: Shoulders and Arms
Saturday: Legs
Sunday: Rest
Ferrigno would perform 2-3 sets as a warm-up, then finish the remaining sets
with the same weight. If he did not complete the lower end of his training
goal for reps during the working sets (such as 6 reps of a set of 6-8 reps), he
would reduce the weight by up to 10 percent in his next workout. He
performed a lot of exercises in his workout, and for variety he would slightly
reduce the volume of work on the second workout for a specific body part or
change the order of the exercises. Here are the details:
Monday (Day 1) - Chest and Back:
5 sets of 6-8 reps in the following exercises:
Flat Barbell Bench Press
Incline Barbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Pullover
Chest Flye
T-Bar Row
Dips
Deadlift
Bent Row
Chin-ups (weighted)
Pull-ups (weighted)
Tuesday (Day 2) - Shoulders and Arms
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps in the following exercises:
Military Press
Dumbbell Overhead Press
Bench Press
Front Dumbbell Raise
Side Dumbbell Raise
Barbell Curl
Scott Press
Dumbbell Curl
Concentration Curl
Cable Pulldown
Cable Pushdown
Incline Dumbbell Curl
Standing French Press
Skull Crushers
Wednesday (Day 3) - Legs
5 sets of 10 reps in the following exercises:
Leg Curl
Leg Extension
Leg Press
Squat
Hack Squat
Thursday (Day 4) - Chest and Back
5 sets of 6-8 reps in the following exercises:
Chest Flys
T-Bar Row
Dips
Deadlift
Chin-ups
Pull-ups
Friday (Day 5) - Shoulders and Arms
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps in the following exercises:
Barbell Curl
Scott Press
Dumbbell Curl
Cable Pushdown
Cable Pulldown
Standing French Press
Incline Dumbbell Curl
Concentration Curl
Saturday (Day 6) - Legs
5 sets of 10 reps in the following exercises:
Leg Curl
Squat
Leg Extension
Hack Squat
Leg Press
Sunday (Day 7) - Rest Day
Hard training has taken its toll on Ferrigno as he had both hips and knees
surgically replaced. He admitted to using steroids “under a doctor’s care,” but
says he is now against their use and believes they should be banned from
competitive bodybuilding. Ferrigno looks good for his age and still trains
hard, but his workouts only last for one hour and his rest intervals are shorter.
And thanks to advances in medicine, in 2012 Ferrigno underwent a surgical
procedure that successfully restored his hearing.
Although the workout presented here is impractical for most people, and the
volume of training can only be handled by the most advanced athletes, it
shows how hard Ferrigno was willing to work to become a champion. This
work ethic, combined with superior genetics, enabled Lou Ferrigno to
succeed in his careers as an athlete and as an entertainer.
REFERENCES
“Lou Ferrigno’s Guide to Personal Power, Bodybuilding, and Fitness.” Contemporary Books,
November 1996.
https://louferrigno.com/pages/awards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g05jEYwmq8E
Chapter 5
As a child, Marv Phillips fell from a tree and reportedly tore his right arm completely from his body.
Surgeons used 287 internal stitches and 167 external stitches to sew his arm back. A 1974 national
champion in powerlifting and broke the world record in the squat seven times, with a best of 848
pounds in the 242-pound bodyweight class.
5. Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty

SUMMARY: IFBB pro Mike Mentzer believed that working to failure is essential to get the greatest
muscle-building results from training. Another point Mentzer stressed was that only one set for each
major muscle group is needed to achieve maximal results.
Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty

IFBB pro Mike Mentzer was one of the most successful bodybuilders of his
time (1951-2001). The legacy he left to those in the Iron Game is his
controversial workout program, Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty™.
Mentzer starting pumping iron at the age of 12 at a bodyweight of 95 pounds.
By age 15 he weighed 165 pounds and could bench press 370 pounds. At the
age of 18 he started competing in bodybuilding, and two years later in 1969
he competed in his first physique competition.
In 1976 Mentzer won the Mr. America contest, and in 1978 he won the Mr.
Universe contest, becoming the only competitor to earn a perfect score of
300. In 1979 at the Mr. Olympia Mentzer earned another perfect score of 300
in winning the heavyweight division, but was defeated in the overall
competition by lightweight winner Frank Zane. Mentzer retired from
competition the following year after placing fifth in the Mr. Olympia,
claiming the event was rigged.
In 1971, while competing in the Mr. America competition, Mentzer met the
winner of that competition, 19-year-old phenom Casey Viator. “Not only was
Casey the youngest man, at 19 years of age, to win the coveted title, he was
also being favorably compared to Arnold (who was in York that day to check
out the upstart). What made Casey even more interesting was the type of
training he was doing. While Arnold, Franco, Dave Draper et al. were
training up to five hours a day, Casey was training less than three hours a
week!” said Mentzer in his book Heavy Duty.
Through Viator, Mentzer met Nautilus founder Arthur Jones, who was
training Viator at the time. Jones impressed upon Mentzer that, for optimal
results, workouts must be brutally hard and brief and infrequent. Said
Mentzer of his first conversation with Jones, “So awe-inspiring was his fiery
oratory that the leaden fumes of my somnambulistic stupor evaporated in
short order. For well over an hour, I listened in rapt attention as Jones
explained to me, in the most scrupulously objective language imaginable, the
cause-and-effect relationship between intense exercise and muscular growth;
and why, in light of the fact that the body’s ability to tolerate such demanding
exercise is limited, high-intensity training had to be brief and infrequent.”
In the 1980s Jones changed his focus from bodybuilding and general fitness
training to developing special machines, called MedX, he marketed to the
health care industry to train the neck and lower back. Mentzer stayed with
physique/figure transformation, and tried to improve upon Jones’ ideas.
Mentzer soon became a popular writer for many publications, eventually
became the editor of his own magazine, and wrote several books.
Mentzer believed that working to failure is essential to get the greatest
muscle-building results from training. In High-Intensity Training the Mike
Mentzer Way, Mentzer wrote, “Carrying a set to a point where you are forced
to utilize 100 percent of your momentary ability is the single most important
factor in increasing size and strength.” As such, he used several methods,
such as forced reps, to achieve maximum muscular failure.
Another point Mentzer stressed was that only one set for each major muscle
group is needed to achieve maximal results. He believed that additional work
is counterproductive. For example, in his book, Heavy Duty II: Mind and
Body, Mentzer wrote, “It only takes one set to failure to trigger the growth
mechanism into motion. Any exercise carried on beyond what is required to
stimulate growth is over-training, your worst enemy.” Although his early
writings suggest training three times a week, Mentzer later said that some
individuals may need more rest time between workouts, perhaps by training
only once every five to seven days.
Here is one of Mentzer’s earlier workouts (one set to failure for each
exercise, about 6-9 reps):
Day 1 (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
A1. Dumbbell Flyes
A2. Incline Press
B1. Dumbbell Lateral Raise
B2. Bent-Over Lateral Raise
C1. Lying Triceps Extension
C2. Dips
Day 2 (Lats, Traps, Lower Back, Biceps)
A1. Pullovers
A2. Close-Grip, Palms-Up Pulldowns
B. Bent-Over Barbell Row
Day 3 (Legs, Abs)
A1. Leg Extension
A2. Leg Press
B. Leg Curl
C. Standing Calf Raise
D. Sit-Ups
Heavy-duty workouts such as this one by Mentzer can yield impressive
results for some individuals, but such training continues to be highly debated.
As for taking five to seven days of rest between workouts, as Mentzer
advocated later in his career, the benefits are less clear. According to
Ellington Darden, former director of research at Nautilus and author of many
books about Arthur Jones’ training, Mentzer’s method of training is
performed too infrequently for maximum results. On the other hand, such a
program might be a good break for those who are using especially high
volume in their training. It’s been said that “fatigue masks fitness,” which
may explain why many individuals experience impressive results when they
first try Heavy Duty workouts.
Mike Mentzer was a colorful personality who influenced the way many
bodybuilders and general fitness individuals trained. Many have claimed
exceptional results using Mentzer’s Heavy Duty system, while others have
complained of poor results. Whether you agree with his point of view or not,
Mentzer’s training methods are still discussed and practiced within the Iron
Game community.
References:
Mentzer M. Heavy Duty (revised). Redondo Beach, California: Mentzer-Sharkey Enterprises, 1993.
Mentzer M. Heavy Duty II: Mind and Body. Redondo Beach, California: Mentzer-Sharkey
Enterprises, 1996.
Mentzer M. Muscles in Minutes. Redondo Beach, California: Mentzer-Sharkey Enterprises, 2002.
Mentzer M, Little J. High-Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way. Chicago: Contemporary
Books, 2003.
Olympic lifters often have tremendous development of the back muscles, especially in the trapezius
and erector spinae. Shown are Derrik Crass (insert), an Olympian from the US; and Antonio
Pisarenko, a world champion and world record holder from Russia.
6. Nautilus Training
SUMMARY: Arthur Jones developed two of the most successful lines of resistance training equipment
in the world, Nautilus and MedX. One of the key tenants of Arthur Jones’ training philosophy was that
developing the highest levels of strength and muscular size did not require a large investment in time.
Nautilus Training
One of the key tenants of Arthur Jones’ training philosophy was that
developing the highest levels of strength and muscular size did not require a
large investment in time. Famous bodybuilders who benefited from Jones’s
training concepts include Mike and Ray Mentzer, Casey Viator, and Mr.
Olympias Dorian Yates and Sergio Oliva. The Mentzer brothers, Viator,
Oliva, and Jones are deceased, but Jones’s training system still lives on
through his extensive writings on the subject.
Before getting into the details of how Jones designed workouts, consider that
he recommend a two-week break-in period before beginning his training
system. He believed that with a beginner, muscle soreness can get
progressively worst after training, even up to the fourth day after training. To
get around this, the first week would involve training every day for five
consecutive days using the following program:
A. Back Squat, 1 x 20
B. One-Leg Calf Raise (1 set for each leg), 1 x 20
C. Standing Barbell Press, 1 x 10
D. Chin-up, 1 x 10
E. Parallel Bar Dips, 1 x 10
F. Standing Barbell Curl, 1 x 10
G. Stiff-Leg Barbell Deadlift, 1 x 15
All these exercises are performed before reaching a state of muscular failure.
As for the tempo of each exercise, Jones emphasized controlling the eccentric
portion of an exercise – in fact, he wrote extensively about “negative-only”
training and developed a line of exercise machines that would make such
training more practical.
During the second week, the trainee works out only three days a week with at
least one day of rest between training sessions.
The workout looks like this:
A. Back Squat, 1 x 20
B. One-Leg Calf Raise (1 set for each leg), 1 x 20
C1. Standing Barbell Press, 2 x 10
C2. Chin-up, 2 x 10
D1. Parallel Bar Dips, 2 x 10
D2. Standing Barbell Curl, 2 x 10
G. Stiff-Leg Barbell Deadlift, 1 x 15
The exercises are also performed just short of muscular failure. However, for
exercises C and D, the second set should use approximately 10 percent more
weight than the first set.
After the second week, the trainee is ready for a regular workout in which
you would take each set to failure. He says you should seldom perform more
than two sets of an exercise, and never more than three. That being said, he
also believed that the shell-shaped cam pulley system on his Nautilus
machines provided a resistance curve that better matched the strength curve
of a muscle. With the muscles working harder as a result, many of the
workouts he wrote about using his machines often only used one set of each
exercise.
Here are some of Jones’s original guidelines about program design:
1. Only train three times a week.
2. Always attempt to make progress on every set of every exercise.
3. Pay attention to the form of exercises.
4. Perform the hardest exercise first and perform them in the hardest way
possible.
5. Continue a set until additional movements are not possible.
6. If you complete you guide number of reps, or more, increase the weight
for your next workout.
Regarding the differences in how a beginner and advanced trainer should
workout, Jones believed that advanced trainees didn’t need to work longer
than a beginner, but harder. One way he said advanced trainees could do this
was by the use of pre-exhaustion, a training method created in 1968 by
Robert Kennedy.
With pre-exhaustion, a muscle is first fatigued by a single-joint exercise, and
then further exhausted by performing a multi-joint exercise involving the
same muscle group and additional muscle groups.
You could perform leg extensions followed by squats, biceps curls followed
by chin-ups, or lateral raises followed by behind-the-neck presses.
Another way Jones would increase the difficulty of a workout was by
including negative-only exercises. One bodybuilder who Jones trained who
included a lot of negative-only exercise in his workouts was Casey Viator.
Under Jones’s guidance, Viator won the 1971 AAU Mr. America contest as a
teenager, becoming the youngest person ever to do so. Here is one of the
workouts Jones’s had Viator perform in 1973 in a strength training study he
called, “The Colorado Experiment.”
A. Bent-Arm Pullover with EZ Curl Bar, 1 x 7-10
B. Bent-Over Barbell Row, 1 x 7-10
C. Overhead Press with Barbell, 1 x 7-10
D. Chin-Up, 1 x 7-10
E. Bench Press with Barbell, Negative Only, 1 x 6-8
F. Dips, 1 x 7-10
G. Biceps Curl with Barbell, Negative Only, 1 x 6-8
H. Overhead Triceps Extension with Dumbbell, 1 x 7-10
I. Behind-Neck Pull-up, Negative Only, 1 x 6-8
J. Overhead Triceps Extension with Dumbbell, 1 x 7-10
K. Back Squat, 1 x 7-10
L. Leg Extension, Negative Only, 1 x 6-8
The preponderance of research suggests that Jones’s training protocols do not
have sufficient volume to achieve the greatest levels of strength and muscular
develop. However, often individuals who are overtrained can make excellent
progress using Jones’s training methods as the volume of training is
extremely low while the muscular effort involved is very high. And because
of their limited ability to recover from resistance training sessions, beginners
can often make excellent progress using the Nautilus Training System.
Almost all of Jones’s work is available online for free for those who wish to
know more about the Nautilus Training System. Jones was a brilliant
storyteller, and his articles and books are filled with many of his entertaining
stories, along with many valuable ideas that may enhance the effectiveness of
your workouts.
Chapter 6
Yurik Vardanyan was the 1980 Olympic Champion in the 181-pound bodyweight class, a 7-time
world champion, and broke a total of 41 world records in three bodyweight classes. Weighing less
that 200 pounds, his best lifts include a 418-pound snatch and a 502-pound clean and jerk. His son
Norik competed in the 2008 Olympics and broke American records in the snatch several times.
7. Nautilus Leg Workout

SUMMARY: One of the most famous leg workouts for muscle building was the one developed by
Nautilus Founder Arthur Jones that used a training method called pre-exhaustion. With this method of
training you fatigue a muscle with a single-joint exercise and then work it even harder by immediately
performing a multi-joint exercise involving the same muscle group and additional muscle
groups.Nautilus Leg Workout
Nautilus Leg Workout

As with many popular workout systems, there is often an elite athlete
promoting it. This workout was associated with bodybuilder Casey Viator,
considered one of the most genetically-gifted physique competitors of his era.
Viator shocked the bodybuilding world by winning the 1971 AAU Mr.
America contest as a teenager, becoming the youngest person ever to do so.
Viator won the Mr. America title weighing 218 pounds with an upper arm
that stretched the tape at 19 15/16 inches. He was also as strong as he looked
-- he could squat with over 500 pounds, for reps, and perform standing
barbell curls with 225 pounds, for reps. Viator took an extended absence
from physique competition after his Mr. America victory but came back in
1982 to place third in the Mr. Olympia competition, defeating Samir
Bannout, who would win the title the following year, and the popular Tom
Platz.
Jones, who trained Viator for the 1971 competition, often used pre-
exhaustion. With this method of training, developed in 1968 by Robert
Kennedy, you fatigue a muscle with a single-joint exercise and then work it
even harder by immediately performing a multi-joint exercise involving the
same muscle group and additional muscle groups. For your arms, you could
perform a rope pressdowns followed by dips to trash the triceps, and perform
preacher curls followed by a lat pulldown to trash the biceps.
For leg training, Jones took the pre-exhaustion method a step further by
having Viator performing a single isolation exercise between two multi-joint
exercises. Such methods enabled Viator to gain 20 pounds of solid muscle in
10 months, a remarkable accomplishment for an already heavily-muscled
athlete. Such improvement helped spark interest in Jones’s other training
methods and his revolutionary exercise machines.
After a warm-up, Jones would have trainees pre-exhaust their quads with a
set of leg presses for 20-30 reps and leg extensions for about 20 reps, before
performing squats for about 10-15 reps – with no rest between each set!
(Casey said in one interview that he would also perform this series by adding
a set of leg curls for 14-20 reps after the squat.) The result of such fatigue
was that when it came time to squat, often the weight would be half of what
that individual could normally use.
One bodybuilder who took on Jones’s challenge was Sergio Oliva, a three-
time Mr. Olympia winner who had clean and jerked 360 pounds (and who
Jones said had flexed upper arms that exceeded the height of his head!). In
his first workout, Oliva did 17 reps with 460 pounds on the leg press, 16 reps
with 200 pounds in the leg extension, but couldn’t manage a single rep in the
squat with 400 pounds. In his second workout, however, after pre-exhausting
his legs in the same manner, he was able to squat 400 pounds for four reps.
According to Jones, in one workout Viator performed 20 reps on the leg press
with 750 pounds, followed immediately by 20 reps with 225 pounds in the
leg extension, followed immediately by 13 full squats with 502 pounds!
Bodybuilding journalist John Balik said he witnessed one of Viator’s
workouts where after the heavy leg extensions and leg presses, Viator did 505
pounds in the squat with 20 reps!
Jones believed that using such pre-exhaustion methods enabled the trainee to
target the quads harder than they could otherwise. However, research
suggests otherwise. In a study published in the May 2003 issue of the Journal
of Strength and Conditioning Research, researchers found that when
supersetting leg presses with leg extensions, activation of the rectus femoris
and vastus lateralis quadriceps muscles (as measured by EMG analysis) was
significantly greater when the leg presses were performed first. They also
found that less weight was used in the leg press exercise with pre-exhaustion,
suggesting that it would be an inferior method to develop strength. “Our
findings do not support the popular belief of weight trainers that performing
pre-exhaustion exercise is more effective to enhance muscle activity
compared with regular weight training,” concluded the researchers.
It’s true that Jones did have Viator perform a compound exercise (leg press)
before an isolation exercise (leg extension), but the leg extension was
followed by a squat. While Jones’s method certainly will produce results, and
Viator’s results were certainly remarkable, a modern twist on this method
would be to perform these three exercises using the following sequence:
squat, leg press, leg extension. Although Viator claimed to use Jones’s leg
workout as often as three times a week, with the heavier weights used in the
squat and considering the recovery ability of the average trainee, it would
probably be best to limit this type of workout to twice a week, or even once
every five days.
Casey Viator died in 2013 at age 62, and Arthur Jones died in 2007 at age 80.
But their pioneering efforts to challenge conventional thinking on resistance
training have made a lasting impact on millions of people who wanted to
transform their physiques. Something to consider on your next leg day!
References:
http://muscleandbrawn.com/casey-viators-training-routine/
http://www.arthurjonesexercise.com/Bulletin1/Bulletin1.html
Chapter 7
Innocent Upkon is a weightlifter from the United States who earned a pro card for bodybuilding.
Lifting in the 187-pound bodyweight class, Upkon snatched 341 pounds, clean and jerked 451
pounds, and represented the US in international competitions.
8. The 100 Reps Method

SUMMARY: The 100 Reps method increases work capacity by training the lactic-capacity energy
system. In terms of physiological adaptations, you will experience much-improved vascularization and
enormous increases in glycogen stores. It’s a great system to perform every three weeks or so for only
one workout.
The 100 Reps Method

The 100 Reps Method increases work capacity by training the lactic-capacity
energy system. In terms of physiological adaptations, you will experience
much-improved vascularization and enormous increases in glycogen stores.
It’s a great system to perform every three weeks or so for only one workout.
In this method, trainees are paired in a competitive setting and are instructed
to perform 100 cumulative repetitions with a specific weight in as few sets as
possible. Select a resistance that you can perform for 20RM.
For example, bodybuilders Al and Bernie will do curls, Al with 100 pounds
and Bernie with 90 pounds. Al performs a 20-rep set with 100 pounds.
Immediately, Bernie performs as many repetitions as he can with 90 pounds.
As soon as Bernie is finished, Al performs a set of maximum repetitions with
his weight – let’s say 17 repetitions. Now Bernie must match or surpass the
number of repetitions that Al did with his weight. Bernie, having watched all
the Rocky movies, performs 18 repetitions for a total of 38 (20+18)
repetitions.
Al is trailing at 37 cumulative reps and performs another set of maximum
repetitions right after Bernie completes his 18RM set. The bodybuilder
should rest only during the completion of their training partner’s set. Once
the two partners perform a total of 100 cumulative repetitions, they are
finished with that exercise for that workout. At first, as many as 10 sets may
be required to complete the 100 repetitions.
Once they can each perform 100 repetitions within 4 sets, they will upgrade
the resistance by 5-7 percent. If you try this method, rather than waiting until
a training partner completes their reps, you could also alternate the curls with
a triceps exercise to provide a form of active rest.
Here is a sample workout using the 100 Reps method. This gives you a total
of 400 reps of work in a single workout!
A. Standing Curl, EZ Bar, Wide-Grip
B. Incline Dumbbell Triceps Extension
C. Dumbbell Curl, 30-Degree Incline
D. Rope Pressdown
The 100-Rep Method is a great type of workout in which your body
intelligence warns you that going heavy would be a waste of time.
Chapter 8
Paul Woods was the 1974 world powerlifting champion in the 198-pound bodyweight class. Note
the thick weight plates used. Now, narrower plates are usually used to handle the tremendous
weights hoisted by today’s lifters.
9. Post Exhaustion Training

SUMMARY: A post-exhaustion workout is a great plateau buster. As the name suggests, this is a type
of superset in which you first perform a compound exercise followed by an isolation movement. With
the post-exhaustion method, you get the maximum strength training effect from the compound
movement and can further fatigue a single muscle with an isolation movement.
Post Exhaustion Training

A post-exhaustion workout is a great plateau buster. As the name suggests,
this is a type of superset in which you first perform a compound exercise
followed by an isolation exercise that targets a muscle you want to
emphasize. In fact, research suggests that this method of training may be
superior to Robert Kennedy’s popular pre-exhaustion method.
then further exhausted by performing a multijoint exercise involving the
same muscle group and additional muscle groups. Examples include
performing a biceps curl followed by a chin-up, or a dumbbell lateral raise
followed by a military press.
The goal of pre-exhaustion was to produce a higher level of fatigue in the
targeted muscles, but research has revealed its limitations. In a study
published in the May 2003 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning
Research, researchers looked at the effects of performing a knee extension
exercise (isolation exercise) followed immediately by a leg press exercise
(compound movement). Seventeen heavy male subjects were used in the
study, which involved having the subjects perform a pre-exhaustion superset
and the leg press exercise by itself. Ten repetitions were performed for each
exercise.
Using EMG analysis, the researchers found that the activation of two
quadriceps muscles, the rectus femoris and the vastus lateralis, was
significantly less when the subjects used the pre-exhausted method. They also
found that when using the pre-exhaustion method, the subjects performed
fewer repetitions with the leg press, suggesting that this is an inferior method
for developing strength. The authors concluded, “Our findings do not support
the popular belief of weight trainers that performing pre-exhaustion exercise
is more effective in order to enhance muscle activity compared with regular
weight training.”
The key is that you have to select an exercise that recruits a lot of motor
units, such as a chin-up or a squat, followed by a superior isolation exercise,
such as a Scott curl or a split squat lunge. You would not have as much
success with this workout with easier movements such as a triceps kickback
or a cable fly. Here is an example of how a post-exhaustion protocol can be
applied to arm training:
A1. Close-Grip Chin-up, 4 x 4-6, 4010, rest 10 seconds
A2. Low Incline Dumbbell Curl, 4 x 6-8, 5010, rest 180 seconds
B1. Parallel Bar Dips, 4 x 4-6, 3210, rest 10 seconds
B2. Overhead Rope Extension, 4 x 8-10, 3110, rest 180 seconds
On the first workout of this routine, it’s normal to experience a significant
strength loss every successive superset. For example, during the first set you
may be able to complete 6 chins with an additional 50 pounds and curl 8 reps
with 45-pound dumbbells. By the fourth set, however, you may only squeeze
out 4 reps with your bodyweight in the chin-up and curl a pair of 35-pound
dumbbells. As you go through this routine, your strength-endurance should
skyrocket and you will be able to handle heavy weights for every set. You
will also see your arm size increase appreciably. Here is a sample post-
exhaustion routine for the brachialis:
A1. Narrow-Grip Pronated Pull-up, 4 x 4-6, 4010, rest 10 seconds
A2. Standing Reverse Curl, 4 x 6-8, 3210, rest 180 seconds
B1. Close Semisupinated Pull-up, 4 x 4-6, 4010, rest 10 seconds
B2. Seated Zottmann Dumbbell Curl: 4 x 6-8, 3210, rest 180 seconds
If your results from training have slowed or stagnated, or if you’re looking
for ways to shock specific muscles into greater growth, give post-exhaustion
method a try.
Chapter 9
Sultan Rakhamanov, 1980 Olympic champion in the superheavy class, was one of the most
physically-impressive lifters of his time. He broke the world record in the snatch twice, with a best
result of 443 pounds in 1981. He was also known for his tremendous grip strength and his ability in
arm wrestling.
10. Pre-Exhaustion Training

SUMMARY: Pre-exhaustion is a training method that was introduced to the bodybuilding world in
1968 by Robert Kennedy in Iron Man magazine. With pre-exhaustion, a muscle is first fatigued by a
single-joint exercise, and then further exhausted by performing a multi-joint exercise involving the
same muscle group and additional muscle groups.
Pre-Exhaustion Training
Pre-exhaustion is a training method that was introduced to the bodybuilding
world in 1968 by Robert Kennedy in Iron Man magazine. To this day, it
stands as one of the most popular ways to pump your muscles into new
growth.
then further exhausted by performing a multi-joint exercise involving the
same muscle group and additional muscle groups. You could perform biceps
curls followed by chin-ups, or lateral raises followed by behind-the-neck
presses.
Jones liked the pre-exhaustion method so much that he even designed several
machines that combined two exercises into one to minimize the amount of
rest time between sets. For example, he built a leg extension machine that
was combined with a leg press machine, and a lateral raise machine that was
combined with an overhead press machine. Possibly because these machines
were much more expensive than single-station units and because fewer gym
members could use them at one time, these units are no longer being
produced.
For Jones took pre-exhaustion to the extreme, such as by performing two
isolation exercises before the compound exercise, it’s best to start with just
one pre-exhaustion exercise. For example, you could pre-exhaust the long
head of the triceps with the lying triceps EZ bar extension, and immediately
follow it with a multijoint exercise that involves all the heads of the triceps,
such as parallel bar dips or close-grip bench presses with chains. For the
brachialis, you could perform a pre-exhaustion superset by combining
standing EZ bar reverse curls with incline hammer dumbbell curls.
For improving strength in multi-joint exercises post-exhaustion, research
published in the May 2003 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning
Research suggests that post exhaustion is superior to pre-exhaustion. With
post exhaustion, you perform a compound exercise followed by an isolation
exercise for a muscle group you want to emphasize. So if maximal strength is
your primary goal, then you should use pre-exhaustion training sparingly.
You probably won’t achieve the superhuman results of Mr. America Casey
Viator, but pre-exhaustion training can provide a shock to your system that
will help you achieve your goals faster.
Chapter 10
Yanko Rusev is a Bulgarian weightlifter who won five world championships and the 1980
Olympics. He broke 25 world records, five in the snatch and 13 in the clean and jerk. Rusev was
best known for his ability in the clean and jerk, where he had a best of 429 pounds at a bodyweight
of 148 pounds and 460 pounds at a bodyweight of 165 pounds.
11. Superslow
SUMMARY: In the 80s, a workout system called SuperSlow was introduced to the mainstream fitness
community by Ken Hutchins. The core of the program was to perform each rep of every exercise in
about 20 seconds, lifting the weight in 10 seconds and lowering it in 10 seconds.Superslow
In the 80s, a workout system called SuperSlow™ was introduced to the

mainstream fitness community by Ken Hutchins. The core of the program
was to perform each rep of every exercise in about 20 seconds, lifting the
weight in 10 seconds and lowering it in 10 seconds. Proponents claimed that
such slow tempo training was not only safer than conventional training but
superior for increasing strength and muscle mass. Let’s look at the history of
this type of training so you can decide.
The benefits of performing an exercise with a slow tempo was discussed in
Strength and Health magazine in 1962 in an article written by its publisher
Bob Hoffman. The article was called, “MC-MM…Muscle Contraction with
Measured Movement.” Hoffman said slow tempo movements had been used
by the weightlifters of the York Barbell Club, a weightlifting team that had
many of its athletes win international competitions and break world records.
Hoffman also said Jim Councilman, a world-class swimming coach, endorsed
this type of training for swimmers.
In the 70s, Nautilus founder Arthur Jones began promoting the benefits of
slow tempo training in his many writings, and went so far as to say that if
someone tells you to move fast during the performance of an exercise you
should “…smile and walk away because you are talking to a fool.” In his
early articles and books Jones would recommend a lifting speed that would
translate into two seconds lifting and four seconds lowering. Here is how
Jones addressed the tempo of an exercise in his book, Nautilus Bulletin #2:
“The first three or four repetitions in each set of every exercise should be
performed at a speed well below the maximum speed that would be possible
at that point -- but starting with the fourth or fifth repetition, the speed of
movement should be as fast as possible without jerking or body swing; the
remainder of the repetitions in each set should be performed at maximum-
possible speed -- but the “actual speed” will be quite slow if the weight is as
heavy as it should be, and the speed during the last one or two repetitions in
each set will be extremely slow.”
In this book, and especially in future publications, Jones stressed that the
eccentric portion was the most important part of training for developing
strength and muscle mass. In one style of training which he called “negative
accentuated” that primarily required the use of exercise machines, Jones
would have you lower the resistance in 8 seconds with a weight heavier than
you could lift by concentric contraction alone. For someone who could lift
200 pounds for 10 reps on a bench press machine, he would have you
perform a negative accentuated set using 140 pounds (70 percent). Said
Jones:
“Lift the weight in a normal fashion, but a bit more slowly than is probably
done now... using both arms during the lifting (positive) part of the exercise.
Then lower it slowly back down while using only one arm. Do not remove
the nonworking hand from its grip, leave it in place but do not use it... permit
one arm to do all the negative work by itself. Lower it slowly, taking
approximately 8 seconds for the negative part of the exercise. Then lift it
back to the top position with both arms again, using both arms equally for the
lifting part of the movement. The lifting movement should be done
considerably faster than the lower part... it should only take about two
seconds for the lifting part.”
Hutchins was a follower of Jones’ training methods, and in fact at one time
was employed by Nautilus and involved in their seminars on exercise. In the
80s Hutchins supervised a slow-training exercise program used in a Nautilus-
sponsored Osteoporosis study performed at the University of Florida Medical
School. Encouraged by the results, Hutchins authored many articles on the
subject and wrote SuperSlow: the Ultimate Exercise Protocol, which was the
textbook used in the SuperSlow Zone personal training franchise. Other
authors have written books on the subject of slow tempo training under the
titles of “Slow Burn” and “Power of 10.”
Wayne Westcott, a sports scientist who worked for the YMCA, conducted
two well-known studies on slow tempo training on untrained individuals
involving a total of 65 men and 82 women. The studies lasted 10 weeks and
were divided into two training groups. The traditional training group used a
2-second concentric contraction and a 4-second eccentric contraction, and the
slow tempo group used a 4-second eccentric and a 10-second concentric
contraction. Westcott reported that the slow tempo group had a 50 percent
greater increase in strength than the traditional training group. Later studies
by other researchers, however, had difference results.
In a 10-week study published in 2001 in the Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research, subjects used either a traditional tempo prescription
or a slow tempo one using a 10-second concentric contraction and a 5-second
eccentric contraction. The traditional training group increased their average
strength by 39 percent and the slow tempo group by only 15 percent. The
researchers concluded that the resistance used to perform the slow tempo
training was too light to stress the muscle significantly. That said, a study
published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in 2006 that looked at three
different tempo prescriptions concluded that slow tempo training could be an
effective workout protocol for beginners. They also said that because slow
tempo training did not generate large forces, it could be valuable in the
rehabilitation from orthopedic injuries.
The bottom line is that slow tempo training, such as SuperSlow, has value,
especially for beginners and those with certain orthopedic issues. It may also
simply serve as a nice break from conventional training. In any case, slow
tempo training methods may be a potentially important tool in your exercise
toolbox.
References:
Hoffman, B. MC-MM…Muscle Contraction with Measured Movement. Strength and Health, March
1962
Hutchins, K. SuperSlow: The Ultimate Exercise Protocol, 2nd Edition. 1992
Jones A. Nautilus bulletin #2. DeLand, FL: Nautilus Sports/Medical Industries, 1971.
Keeler, L. K., Finkelstein, L. H., Miller, W., & Fernhall, B. (2001). Early-phase adaptations of
traditional-speed vs. superslow resistance training on strength and aerobic capacity in sedentary
individuals. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 15(3), 309-314.
Smith, D, Bruce-Low, S. Strength Training Methods and the Work of Arthur Jones. Journal of
Exercise Physiology, 2004 Dec: 7(6)
Westcott WL, Winett RA, Anderson ES, Wojcik JR, Loud RL, Cleggett E, Glover S. Effects of
regular and slow speed resistance training on muscle strength. Journal of Sports Medicine and
Physical Fitness. 2001 Jun: 41(2):154-8
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Don Reinhoudt is the only powerlifting to win the International Powerlifting Federation superheavy
division four times in a row, and held all four world records (squat, bench press, deadlift, and total)
at the same time.
12. 10/8/6 Training Method

SUMMARY: The 10/8/6 Method involves performing three sets of progressively heavier weights and
lower reps. The 10/8/6 Training Method is especially motivating for beginners because the fewer reps
on the second and third sets enable much heavier weights to be used – in effect, it gives the user the
illusion of getting stronger throughout the workout.
10/8/6 Training Method

It’s often difficult to determine the origins of a weight training system, and
the 10/8/6 Training Method is no exception.
In 1982, Vince Gironda published a book about a similar system called
10/8/6/15. The program involves performing three sets of progressively
heavier weights and lower reps (10/8/6), followed by a lighter “pump” set
with 15 reps. The major difference between Gironda’s program and the 10-8-
6 Training Method is that a fourth set is not performed.
One proponent of the 10/8/6 program was Bob Perata, owner of Bob’s
Athletic Club in Fremont, California. Bob’s Athletic Club was one of those
basic, primarily free-weight gyms of the past where bodybuilders,
weightlifters, and the general population trained together. The most notable
member of the gym was Ed Corney, who challenged Franco Columbu for the
1975 Mr. Olympic lightweight title. Corney appeared on the cover of Charles
Gains’ book Pumping Iron as well as on the poster for the movie.
The 10/8/6 Training Method, which Perata used as early as 1972, is based on
your best result in an exercise for 6 reps (6RM). It consists of performing a
light set (about 50 percent of your 6RM) for 10 reps, followed by a medium
set (about 75 percent of your 6RM), followed by a many reps as possible with
a maximum weight (100 percent of 6RM). If you complete all six reps on that
third set, or more, you increase the weight for the next workout. If you only
do 5 reps or less, use the same weights for the next workout.
The 10/8/6 Training Method is especially motivating for beginners because
the fewer reps on the second and third sets enable much heavier weights to be
used – in effect, it gives the user the illusion of getting stronger throughout
the workout. This is a training protocol designed for a beginner, and as such
three sets are enough to make excellent progress in increasing both strength
and muscle mass.
Often, a trainee at Bob’s club would use this program for a month and then
would move on to another program for variety – sometimes the client would
simply add another set, doing permutations such as 12/10/8/6 if they wanted
more muscle mass, and 10/8/6/4 if they wanted more strength. This rep/set
scheme is not appropriate for all exercises, especially the Olympic lifts
(snatch and clean and jerk) and most of their assistance exercises due to the
technical nature of these exercises.
The 10/8/6 Training Method is extremely flexibility as it can be used with
station training (i.e., performing all the sets of one exercise before moving on
to another), supersets, and even tri-sets. Here is a sample workout for a
beginner using the 10/8/6 Training Method that uses both station training and
supersets:
A. Back Squat, (10,8,6), 4011, rest 240 seconds
B1. Barbell Military Press, (10,8,6), 4010, rest 120 seconds
B2. Bent-Over Dumbbell Row, (10,8,6), 3010, rest 120 seconds
C1. Dumbbell Bench Press, Incline, (10,8,6), 3010, rest 120 seconds
C2. Lat Pulldown, (10,8,6), 3010, rest 120 seconds
D1. Triceps Pressdown, Rope, (10,8,6), 3010, rest 120 seconds
D2. Standing Barbell Curl, 3010, (10,8,6), rest 120 seconds
The 10/8/6 Training Method is not the single best workout program because
such a program doesn’t exist. But most individuals, especially beginners, will
enjoy this simple approach to training and can make progress on it for quite
some time. Sure, there are many other ways to train, but the 10/8/6 system is
a good place to start.
Sporting 22-inch arms, Phil Grippaldi competed in three Olympic Games (1968, 1972, and 1976).
His best lifts include a 386-pound Olympic press, 341-pound snatch, and a 451-pound clean and jerk
in the 198-pound bodyweight class. The Olympic press was dropped from competition in 1972, so
Grippaldi’s best is the all-time record.
13. Train Twice a Day

SUMMARY: Most elite Olympic medalists train in multiple sessions a day. One workout plan that
works well with twice-a-day training is to organize the training into three 5-day cycles.
Train Twice a Day

One workout plan that works well with twice-a-day training is to organize the
training into three 5-day cycles. In the first two cycles you train twice a day,
and on the third cycle you unload with a cycle of cutting back to once-a-day
training – because it’s normal to lose some lean muscle mass as you begin
this type of training.
Most elite Olympic medalists train in multiple sessions a day. Although
twice-a-day training offers many benefits, you need to be patient with it, as it
can take up to six months to fully adapt to this type of training – although
especially motivated athletes may be able to do it in three months. Increase
your training volume gradually, such as starting with two 20-minute
workouts a day.
One workout plan that works well with twice-a-day training is to organize the
training into three 5-day cycles. In the first two cycles you train twice a day,
and on the third cycle you unload with a cycle of cutting back to once-a-day
training – because it’s normal to lose some lean muscle mass as you begin
this type of training.
Studies conducted on American and Finnish weightlifters who trained twice a
day for short periods found that testosterone production can be temporarily
depressed when they start this type of training. However, the testosterone will
shoot right back up during an unloading cycle such as the one suggested.
Here’s a tip: Start twice-a-day training on a Saturday so you can nap during
the first two days of the cycle, which will help you adapt to the training.
Here is a sample periodized program for the torso muscles that uses varied
frequency:
Sample Program, Torso
Weeks 1-2 (twice a week, twice a day):
Monday-Thursday AM
A1. Close-Parallel-Grip Chin-Up, 5 x 6-8, 3010, rest 120 seconds
A2. Incline Dumbbell Press, 5 x 6-8, 3010, rest 120 seconds
B1. Seated Cable Rowing to Neck, 3 x 8-10, 2012, rest 100 seconds
B2. Unrolling Incline Flye, 3 x 8-10, 2110, rest 100 seconds
Monday-Thursday PM
A1. Cambered Bar Press, 4 x 8-10, 3110, 90 seconds
A2. One-Arm Cable Row, 4 x 8-10, 3011, 90 seconds
B1. Incline Cable Flye, 3 x 10-12, 3010, 75 seconds
B2. Hammer Lat Pulldown, 3 x 6-8, 3013, 75 seconds
Week 3 (twice a week, once a day):
Monday-Thursday AM
A1. Close-Parallel-Grip Chin-up, 3 x 6-8, 3010, rest 120 seconds
A2. Incline Dumbbell Press, 3 x 6-8, 3010, rest 120 seconds
B1. Seated Cable Rowing to Neck, 2 x 8-10, 2012, rest 100 seconds
B2. Unrolling Incline Flye, 2 x 8-10, 2110, rest 100 seconds
One final piece of advice with training twice a day is to be patient. Yes, you
will get very tired, but you will get stronger. Most individuals will quit this
type of training because they don’t have what it takes to mentally overcome
the initial fatigue bouts – but stick with it! If you quit prematurely, you are
missing a great opportunity to achieve new levels of mass and strength..
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Jon Cole set world records in the squat, deadlift, and total. He competed in the Olympic Trials in
weightlifting, the World’s Strongest Man competition (placing 6th), set a national high school record
in the discus.
14. 20-Rep Squats

SUMMARY: Although there are several variations of the 20-Rep Squat Workout, the most popular
variations focused on performing one set of squats, three times a week on non-consecutive days, for
six weeks. The kicker is that the squats are performed for 20 reps, all out.
20-Rep Squats
What if there was a workout that involved only performing one set of one
exercise, but promised incredible gains in strength and muscle mass? This is
the premise of the 20-Rep Squat Workout.
The origins of this workout date back to the 1930’s in the writings of Mark
H. Berry, editor of Strength magazine. Berry was a weightlifter who believed
that the fastest way to add strength and muscle mass was to perform heavy
squats and consume a high-calorie diet that included drinking a gallon of
milk a day. A few years later Joseph Curtis Hise wrote to Berry about the
progress he was making performing squats for 20 reps, claiming to have
gained 29 pounds of muscle in just one month.
Among the most popular writers in the Iron Game who helped popularized
this type of training system were Ironman magazine founder Peary Rader and
Strength and Health magazine writer John McCallum. In 1989 Milo
magazine publisher Randall J. Strossen wrote a book called Super Squats that
detailed the history of high-rep squats.
Although there are several variations of the 20-Rep Squat Workout, the most
popular variations focused on performing one set of squats, three times a
week on non-consecutive days, for six weeks. The kicker is that the squats
are performed for 20 reps, all out. Here is how McCallum described that set:
“You’re gonna do one set of twenty reps. And it’s gotta be the hardest work
you’ve ever done. You gotta be absolutely annihilated when you’re finished.
If you can even think of a second set, then you’re loafing. All the muscle
you’ll ever build depends on how hard you work this one set of squats.”
McCallum’s version, which he wrote about in 1968, was set up like this:
Behind-the-Neck Press, 3x12
Squat, 1x20
Pullover, 1x20
Bench Press, 3x12
Bent-over Row, 3x15
Stiff-Leg Deadlift, 1x15
Pullover, 1x20
In many of these workouts it was recommended that during each squat you
take three deep breaths between each rep. The proponents of this system
claim that the deep breathing helps expand the ribcage, but the proven benefit
is that the additional time between reps provides more rest time between reps,
enabling you to use more weight in the exercise and thus recruit more higher-
threshold motor units. In fact, you can often perform this exercise with a
weight you could use for a 10-repetition maximum (1RM).
Another unique aspect of the 20-rep squat workouts was the use of a light set
of straight-arm pullovers performed immediately after the squats. The belief
is that the heavy breathing from the squats combined with the stretching
effect of the pullovers would lengthen the cartilage that connects the long ribs
to the sternum (costal cartilage), thus expanding the rib cage. Although this
chest expansion theory has not been proven in scientific studies, proponents
of using pullovers in this manner included Arnold Schwarzenegger and
popular bodybuilding writers Don Ross and Ellington Darden.
One issue with the 20-Rep Squat Workout is that it is not as effective for
building absolute strength because the intensity level (i.e., how much weight
lifted in relationship to your 1RM) is relatively low. This compromise was
dramatically demonstrated when Tom Platz and Fred “Dr. Squat” Hatfield
faced off in a squat competition in 1993 at a fitness expo in Germany.
Platz finished third in the 1981 Mr. Olympia and Hatfield had squatted 1,014
pounds, which when he did it was the highest result in competition in any
weight class. The competition started with each man attempting a 1-rep max;
Platz did 775 pounds and Hatfield did 865. However, when the weight was
reduced to 505 pounds, Platz completed 23 reps to Hatfield’s best of 12 reps.
Yes, a 775-pound squat is a remarkable lift for a bodybuilder, but this
example does show that the ability to perform high reps may not translate
into low reps as well as you might believe.
Another drawback of the 20-Rep Squat program is that, although brief, it is
hard to stay motivated to do it for six weeks. One reason is every time you
train you are supposed to try to use more weight or perform more reps (if you
could not complete all 20 reps in a workout). Critics of the system believe
that training only twice a week may be more productive for long-term gains,
and others believe that you will reach a point of diminishing returns long
before the six weeks are over, especially if you are an advanced trainee.
If your goal is to pack on a lot of muscle mass quickly and you’re interested
in challenging yourself with a legendary Iron Game workout, give a 20-Rep
Squat Workout a try.
Chapter 15
James Williams was the first to bench press 661 pounds (300 kilos) in competition and attempted
700 pounds. He placed 2nd in the AAU World Powerlifting Championships twice (1971-72), and
when he weighed 340 pounds could dunk a basketball. His best official lifts included a 865-pound
squat, a 675-pound bench press, a 725-pound deadlift, and a 2240-pound total. In training he had
squatted 900 and bench pressed 720.
Vince Gironda’s 8x8

Vince “The Iron Guru” Gironda was a pioneer in bodybuilding and personal training, and one of his
most popular workouts was the 8 x 8 Training System. Referred to as an “honest” workout, the 8x8
Training System was an especially challenging system that promised to melt fat fast and add slabs of
muscle.
Vince Gironda’s 8x8
Vince Gironda was a pioneer in bodybuilding and personal training, and one
of his most popular workouts was the 8 x 8 Training System. Referred to as
an “honest” workout, the 8x8 Training System was an especially challenging
system that promised to melt fat fast and add slabs of muscle.
Gironda was a bodybuilding coach whose success stories included Larry
Scott, who in 1965 won the first Mr. Olympia and defended his title the
following year, and Mohamed Makkawy, who placed second twice in the
Olympia. Gironda also garnered a reputation as being a “Trainer to the Stars”
because of his work with Hollywood celebrities, including Clint Eastwood,
Cher, Denzel Washington, Kurt Russell, Burt Reynolds, Carl Weathers,
Michael Landon, James Garner and Erik Estrada. Gironda’s gym, Vince’s
Gym located on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City, was a popular gym that
attracted many of the top bodybuilders of the ’60s and ’70s, such as Arnold
Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno.
In what he referred to as an “honest workout,” Gironda believed in the value
of periods of high-volume training to achieve maximum muscle growth
quickly, especially in lagging body parts, and to reduce bodyfat. One of his
favorite workouts in this regard was what he referred to as the “8x8 system.”
This type of workout is similar to the German Volume Training in that it
involves focusing on a low number of exercises, with a high number of sets
and reps, so that an entire workout could be finished in an hour or less – in
fact, most of his workouts were designed to be performed in one hour or less.
To work all the major muscle groups and enable them to recover from these
difficult training sessions, you would work each bodypart only twice a week
and allow at least 72 hours’ rest between workouts. A typical split for this
workout might look like this:
Monday and Thursday: Chest, Back, Shoulders
Tuesday and Friday: Biceps, Triceps, Forearms
Wednesday and Saturday: Legs, Calves
Each exercise is performed for 8 sets of 8 reps of each exercise (with the
exception of calves, which are performed for sets of 20). When first
performing this workout, take 60 seconds rest between each exercise, the
gradually reduce the rest time to 15-30 seconds between sets. When this can
be accomplished, increase the weight of the exercise.
A general guideline is to start with about 50-60 percent of what you can lift
for one repetition (1RM) in each exercise. The following is one of Gironda’s
published workouts using the 8x8 system:
Day 1 - Chest
Decline Low Cable Crossover
(touch hands at waistline) 8 x 8
Bench Press to Neck 8 x 8
Incline Dumbbell Press
(palms facing each other) 8 x 8
Wide Grip V-Bar Dips 8 x 8
Biceps
Drag Curl 8 x 8
Preacher Curl
(top of bench at low pec line) 8 x 8
Incline Dumbbell Curl 8 x 8
Forearms
Zottman Curl 8 x 8
Barbell Wrist Curl 8 x 8
Day 2 - Shoulders
Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise Seated 8 x 8
Wide Grip Upright Row 8 x 8
Front-to-Back Barbell Shoulder Press 8 x 8
Dumbbell Bent-over Rear
Deltoid Lateral Raise 8 x 8
Triceps
Kneeling Rope Extension 8 x 8
Lying Triceps Extension 8 x 8
2 Dumbbell Triceps Kickback 8 x 8
Day 3 - Back
Sternum Chin-up 8 x 8
High Bench Two Dumbbell Row 8 x 8
Low Cable Row 18” High Pulley 8 x 8
Medium-Grip Lat Pulldown to Chest 8 x 8
Abs
Double Crunch
(pull in knees and elbows together) 8 x 8
Weighted Crunch 8 x 8
Lying Bent-knee Leg Raise 8 x 8
Day 4 - Quads
Front Squat 8 x 8
Hack Machine Squat 8 x 8
Sissy Squat 8 x 8
Leg Extension 8 x 8
Hamstrings
Supine Leg Curl 8 x 8
Seated leg Curl Machine 8 x 8
Calves Standing Calf Raise 8 x 20
Seated Calf Raise 8 x 20
To make progress in weight training, Gironda advocated avoiding what he
called physical and mental “energy leaks.” “Physical leaks” included
smoking, drinking, skipping meals, missing sleep, and refined sugar. “Mental
leaks” included displaying emotional qualities that upset tranquility, such as
hate, anxiety and ego.
Gironda did not believe in using aerobic exercise for getting lean, unlike
many bodybuilders who have endorsed it as necessary to get lean, and didn’t
consider aerobic training mandatory for women. He believed, and rightly so,
that weight training was superior for losing bodyfat and that aerobic training
could compromise muscle mass gains. And as for his special approach for
training women, Gironda thought that nothing was better or faster for shaping
the female figure than weight training.
There are many other good ideas Gironda promoted, including not working
the abs every day, frequently changing your workout, specializing on areas
that lagged behind others, the value of supplements, and the importance of
concentration during training and the willingness to experiment with new
ideas.
Regarding nutrition, which he wrote about frequently, Gironda emphasized
the importance of breakfast and was one of the first to promote lower-
carbohydrate diets. He also had no problem about including fat in diets,
which ran contrary to what the aerobic industry was promoting. Instead of
three small meals, he would recommend six small meals to stimulate
metabolism. Also, while the nation’s medical experts were leaning towards
low-fat/high-carbohydrate diets, Gironda was promoting low-carb diets and
wasn’t concerned with eliminating fat.
Vince Gironda was an innovative trainer, and if you track down his books
and original articles, you’ll find numerous training pearls that will help you
(and your athletes, if you are a coach or trainer) achieve your goals.
Glossary
Abajiev, Ivan: weightlifting coach who introduced a high volume training approach that enabled the
Bulgarians to become a world power in the sport
Bonk, Gerd: first weightlifter to clean and jerk 556 pounds, making him the first to lift over 250 kilos
(550 pounds). Bonk began as a track and field athlete, setting the East German youth record in the shot
put with a best of 58.46 feet (17.82 meters).
Coe, Boyer: bodybuilder who won the Teen Mr. America, Mr. America, and Mr. Universe; he also
placed fourth on three occasions in the Mr. Olympia. Known for his longevity in the sport.
Cole, Jon: one of the most versatile athletes in the Iron Game. In powerlifting he set world records in
the squat, deadlift, and total – he was the first to squat 900 pounds and total 2200 pounds (raw, with
only knee wraps). He competed in the Olympic Trials in weightlifting, the World’s Strongest Man
competition (placing 6th), set a national high school record in the discus, and broke Arizona state
records in the shot put and discus.
Crass, Derrick: a weightlifter and Olympian from the US.
Darden, Ellington: a former director of research for Nautilus and author of many books about Nautilus
founder Arthur Jones’ training.
Ferrigno, Lou: bodybuilder won two Mr. Universe titles and was considered Arnold’s greatest
challenge in bodybuilding. Ferrigno was able to use his physique as a gateway to many movie and
television roles, including his long-running portrayal of “The Incredible Hulk.”
German Volume Training: a variation of a high-volume training developed by US bodybuilding guru
Vince Gironda. One of the major differences between GVT and Gironda’s method is that GVT contains
more rest time between sets.
Gironda, Vince: a bodybuilding coach whose success stories included Larry Scott, who in 1965 won
the first Mr. Olympia and defended his title the following year, and Mohamed Makkawy, who placed
second twice in the Olympia. Gironda also garnered a reputation as being a “Trainer to the Stars”
because of his work with Hollywood celebrities, including Clint Eastwood, Cher, Denzel Washington,
Kurt Russell, Burt Reynolds, Carl Weathers, Michael Landon, James Garner and Erik Estrada.
Gironda’s gym, Vince’s Gym located on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City, was a popular gym that
attracted many of the top bodybuilders of the ’60s and ’70s, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou
Ferrigno.
Grippaldi, Phil: sporting 22-inch arms, Phil Grippaldi competed in three Olympic Games (1968, 1972,
and 1976). His best lifts include a 386-pound Olympic press, 341-pound snatch, and a 451-pound clean
and jerk in the 198-pound bodyweight class.
Hoffman, Bob: the publisher of Strength and Health magazine and president of the York Barbell Club,
which was the premier weightlifting team in the US for many decades.
Jones, Arthur: founder of the Nautilus, Inc. and Medx, Inc. exercise equipment companies. One of the
key tenants of Arthur Jones’ training philosophy was that developing the highest levels of strength and
muscular size did not require a large investment in time, especially when using his machines. Famous
bodybuilders who benefited from Jones’s training concepts include Mike and Ray Mentzer, Casey
Viator, and Mr. Olympias Dorian Yates and Sergio Oliva.
Jones, Gary: a resistance training equipment designer who inherited some of his father’s brilliance by
creating Hammer Strength Systems, the most successful plate-loaded equipment line in the world.
Kennedy, Robert: publisher of MuscleMag magazine who created the pre-exhaustion principle of
training.
Mentzer, Mike: an IFBB pro was one of the most successful bodybuilders of his time (1951-2001). The
legacy he left to those in the Iron Game is his controversial workout program, Mike Mentzer’s Heavy
Duty™. Mentzer believed that working to failure is essential to get the greatest muscle-building results
from training. Another point Mentzer stressed was that only one set for each major muscle group was
needed to achieve maximal results.
Milser, Rolf: weightlifter from West Germany who won the 1984 Olympic champion in the 220-pound
bodyweight class. He broke the world record in the clean and jerk in the 181-pound bodyweight class
with a best of 457 pounds and in the 198-pound bodyweight class with a best of 490 pounds.
Olivia, Sergio: a three-time Mr. Olympia winner who had clean and jerked 360 pounds and had flexed
upper arms that exceeded the height of his head.
One-Hundred Reps Method: a training method that increases work capacity by training the lactic-
capacity energy system. The method involves performing 100 cumulative repetitions with a specific
weight in as few sets as
possible.
Phillips, Marv: as a child, Phillips fell from a tree and reportedly tore his right arm completely from his
body. Surgeons used 287 internal stitches and 167 external stitches to reattach his arm. Phillips was a
1974 national champion in powerlifting and broke the world record in the squat seven times, with a best
of 848 pounds in the 242-pound bodyweight class.
Pisarenko, Antonio: a world champion weightlifter and world record holder from Russia. He broke the
absolute world record in the clean and jerk and, unlike many super heavyweight lifters of his time, had
a relatively small waist and low bodyfat.
Platz, Tom: finished third in the 1981 Mr. Olympia and Hatfield had squatted 1,014 pounds, which
when he did it was the highest result in competition in any weight class.
Post-Exhaustion: a type of superset in which you first perform a compound exercise followed by an
isolation movement. With the post-exhaustion method, the trainee gets the maximum strength training
effect from the compound movement and can further fatigue a single muscle with an isolation
movement.
Pre-Exhaustion: a training method in which a muscle is first fatigued by a single-joint exercise, and
then further exhausted by performing a multi-joint exercise involving the same muscle group and
additional muscle groups.
Rader, Peary: the founder of Ironman magazine, one of the most popular bodybuilding magazines for
over a half-century.
Rakhamanov, Sultan: 1980 Olympic weightlifting champion in the super heavyweight bodyweight
class, was one of the most physically-impressive lifters of his time. He broke the world record in the
snatch twice, with a best result of 443 pounds in 1981. He was also known for his tremendous grip
strength and his ability in arm wrestling.
Reding, Serge: a Belgium weightlifter who was the first to snatch 400 pounds. Sports scientist Dr. Mel
Siff said Reding could front squat 880 pounds for five reps and perform repeated jumps a foot off the
ground while holding 286 pounds! Reding carried over 300 pounds of solid muscle on his 5’8” frame,
and reportedly possessed 26” calves.
Reinhoudt, Don: the only powerlifting to win the super heavyweight division in the International
Powerlifting Federation four times in a row; held all four world records (squat, bench press, deadlift,
and total) at the same time. Reinhoudt is the only lifter to squat 900 pounds, bench press 600 pounds,
and deadlift 900 pounds raw (i.e., without gear such as a supersuit). In 1979 he won the World’s
Strongest Man competition, having placed second the previous year to US weightlifter Bruce Wilhelm.
Rigert, David: weightlifter with a bodybuilder’s physique who won the Olympic Games in 1976 and
broke 68 world records. One of the most popular weightlifters of his time.
Rusev, Yanko: a Bulgarian weightlifter who won five world championships and won the 1980
Olympics in the 67.5-kilo class. He broke 25 world records, five in the snatch, and 13 in the clean and
jerk. Rusev was best known for his ability in the clean and jerk, where he had best of 429 pounds at a
bodyweight of 148 pounds and 460 pounds at a bodyweight of 165 pounds.
SuperSlow™: a workout system was introduced to the mainstream fitness community by Ken
Hutchins. The core of the program was to perform each rep of every exercise in about 20 seconds,
lifting the weight in 10 seconds and lowering it in 10 seconds.
Ten/Eight/Six (10/8/6) Method: involves performing three sets of progressively heavier weights and
lower reps. The 10/8/6 Training Method is especially motivating for beginners because the fewer reps
on the second and third sets enable much heavier weights to be used – in effect, it gives the user the
illusion of getting stronger throughout the workout.
Ten/Eight/Six/Fifteen (10/8/6/15): a workout program developed by Vince Gironda that involves
performing three sets of progressively heavier weights and lower reps (10/8/6), followed by a lighter
“pump” set with 15 reps.
Twenty-Rep (20-rep) Squat Workout: a bodybuilding/strength workout that emphasizes high-repetition
squats. Although there are several variations of the 20-Rep Squat Workout, the most popular variations
focused on performing one set of squats, three times a week on non-consecutive days, for six weeks.
The key is that the squats are performed for 20 reps, all out.
Upkon, Innocent: a weightlifter from the United States who earned a pro card for bodybuilding. Lifting
in the 187-pound bodyweight class, Upkon snatched 341 pounds, clean and jerked 451 pounds, and
represented the US in international competitions.
Vardanyan, Yurik: the 1980 Olympic weightlifting champion in the 181-pound bodyweight class. He
was a 7-time world champion, and broke a total of 41 world records in three bodyweight classes.
Weighing less that 200 pounds, his best lifts include a 418-pound snatch and a 502-pound clean and
jerk. His son Norik competed in the 2008 Olympics and broke American records in the snatch several
times.
Viator, Casey: won 1971 AAU Mr. America contest as a teenager, becoming the youngest person ever
to do so. He was considered one of the most genetically-gifted physique competitors of his era. Author
Junes trained Viator for the Mr. America and worked for him.
Westcott, Wayne: a sports scientist who worked for the YMCA and conducted two well-known studies
on slow tempo training on untrained individuals involving a total of 65 men and 82 women. Westcott
reported that the slow tempo group had a 50 percent greater increase in strength than the traditional
training group. Later studies by other researchers, however, reported difference results.
Williams, James: the first to bench press 661 pounds (300 kilos) in competition and attempt 700
pounds. He placed 2nd in the AAU World Powerlifting Championships twice (1971-72), and when he
weighed 340 pounds could dunk a basketball. His best official lifts included an 865-pound squat, a 675-
pound bench press, a 725-pound deadlift, and a 2240-pound total. In training he had squatted 900 and
bench pressed 720.
Woods, Paul: 1974 world powerlifting champion in the 198-pound bodyweight class.

Workout System BOOK 2 - Poliquin Group PDF

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Weightlifting Action Photos: Bruce Klemens

Cover Image: Doug Young

1. Boyer Coe’s Work Capacity Workout

2. German Volume Training

German Volume Training

3. German Volume Training, Advanced

German Volume Training, Advanced

4. Lou Ferrigno’s “Incredible Hulk” Workout

Lou Ferrigno’s “Incredible Hulk” Workout

5. Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty

Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty

7. Nautilus Leg Workout

Nautilus Leg Workout

8. The 100 Reps Method

The 100 Reps Method

9. Post Exhaustion Training

Post Exhaustion Training

10. Pre-Exhaustion Training

In the 80s, a workout system called SuperSlow™ was introduced to the

12. 10/8/6 Training Method

10/8/6 Training Method

13. Train Twice a Day

Train Twice a Day

14. 20-Rep Squats

Vince Gironda’s 8x8

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