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About
This is the collection of all the best tools to increase your athletic performance especially jumping higher.
There’s lots of exercises throughout the web from lots of training coaches that are the same, we didn’t favor nobody, we tried to find the best exercises for specific part of the body from anyone we can find that has good repution amongst athletic coaches.
Create a workout of this exercises and start doing them!
But if you don’t want to you can buy any workout you want for the lowest price possible of $0.99!
Also check out our supplements and equipment products which will support you on improving your athletic abilities.
Weighted Explosive Exercises
In the quest to become more powerful and athletic, many athletes may be thinking that if they perform explosive exercises with added load, that when they go back to performing similar or sport specific movements at bodyweight, they’ll be that much more explosive. This write up aims to serve as an introduction and reveal whether or not loaded explosive movements are necessary, and which types of athletes they are best suited for. I will focus my attention on exercises aimed a increasing the vertical jump and the sprint. For the vertical jump, examples of weighted exercises are: Olympic lifts, jump squats while holding dumbbells/ balancing a barbell on the back, or wearing a weighted vest. For sprinting, many athletes will use the aforementioned exercises, along with other methods such as sprinting with, or pushing, a weighted sled.
Vertical Jump
While Newton et al (1999) determined that weighted jump squat training has been shown to increase force output and rate of force production, it is no superior than unweighted plyometrics in terms of increasing vertical jump height. Vertical jump training via resistive band training has demonstrated limited improvement in vertical jump height compared to plyometric training (McClenton et al, 2008). Jumping with a resistance band means that you are slowly your body down at a time when you want to be speeding up!
Sprinting
On the other hand, resisted sprint training with a sled has been shown to increase an athletes sprint time over the acceleration phase, or initial 20 metres, of a sprint (Hrysomallis, 2012).
The Role of Acceleration
Why are towing & pushing sleds, along with the Olympic Lifts great for acceleration?? A short amortization (ground contract time) phase is one of the most important aspects of explosive movements such as jumping, and during the top speed phase of sprinting, however, a long amortization phase is critical for effective acceleration during the first 20 metres of a sprint, and during multi-directional sports. The reason why resisted training is so effective for training the acceleration phase of sprinting, is because this type of training increases the ground contact time and requires greater acceleration. This increased ground contact time is simulated while sprinting with resistance via a weighted sled, for example.
Weighted Vest
It is important to make note that when training for the vertical jump, training with a weighted vest, with an added load only 10-11% of the athletes bodyweight may be the most effective method. A study by Khlifa et al (2010) found that the ‘temporary hypergravity’ or ‘overspeed’ effect imposed by the weighted vest on plyometric exercises led to superior results compared to an unloaded plyometric program. This can be explained by the faster eccentric muscle action that will result from your body’s increased weight. Using a weighted vest compared to holding weights in the hands or on the shoulders also allows for greater safety, use of arm action, and use of more dynamic plyometric exercises for the experienced athlete.
How much weight?
When taking into consideration the force/velocity curve, it is important to select a load that will optimize power output. In Supertraining (Siff, 2004), the optimal load in which to perform weighted explosive training is listed at 25% of the maximal force an athlete is capable of producing. However, an effective training routine should also periodically include a variety of resistances across the force/velocity spectrum.
If you are training for an athletic movement that requires more acceleration and maximal strength (accelerating out of a cut, making a tackle, pushing a bobsled), then you should use explosive exercises with a greater load more often than movements that require short ground contact time. Movements that require more starting strength and a short ground contact time, such as jumping and top speed sprinting, should be trained with a greater involvement of explosive exercises utilizing a lighter load or no load at all.
In Summary:
-A high ‘in game’ vertical jump requires short ground contact time
-The first 20 metres of a sprint, or short burst sprints in multi-directional sports require high acceleration capabilities
-When training for the vertical jump, use lighter loads of approximately 25% or less of maximal strength capabilities more often than with heavier loads.
-When training for the vertical jump, resistance bands are LESS effective than both weighted and unweighted explosive exercises due to their increased ‘drag’ and negative effect on ground contact time.
-When training for acceleration (up to 20 metres) during track events and multi-directional sports, weighted sleds are effective. Resistance bands should also be avoided here.
-To make a well rounded athlete who is capable of demonstrating explosiveness in a variety of sport scenarios and body positions should perform explosive weighted movements with both light and heavy resistance, along with bodyweight exercises which stress reactive ability.
Ladder Agility Drills
Speed ladder drills are about quality and form rather than producing overload. The drills are not meant to leave you fatigued or breathless in the way that shuttle runs might, for example.
It is better to perform these drills at the start of a session after the warm up. Your muscles should be fresh to ensure good quality of movement. And because they will not leave you exhausted you can perform resistance or endurance training afterwards.
Important Tip: Print this page out and have it with you when you practise these ladder agility drills. It’s a good idea to have half a dozen dummy runs on each exercise before you begin to perform them at speed.
Here are some general guidelines for all the ladder agility drills below:
Medicine Ball Exercises
Improve explosive power with this full body med ball workout
Medicine ball training has been around since the ancient Greeks discovered health benefits from exercising with weighted balls. It is one of the oldest forms of strength and conditioning used to improve health, explosive power, and speed. Medicine balls are versatile, portable and a fad that lasted the test of time. Several styles and sizes exist – some are made of rubber or leather, some absorb load, and others bounce really high. But how can a weighted sphere be so simple, yet have the potential to be so functional?
ENTER EXPLOSIVE POWER TRAINING
Power, in relation to exercise and athletics, is the product of strength and speed or force and velocity. Therefore, the more powerful you are, the more force you can develop quickly. Research has shown us that the ability to generate maximal power typically results in enhanced athletic performance1. The medicine ball serves as an excellent tool that can be used to enhance your power output. The freedom of movement allows for endless variations of exercises that can be tailored to your needs and more importantly, it teaches the body to work as an integrated system, which is key for improving athleticism and sport performance.
THE SCIENCE
The ability to produce maximal power depends on many characteristics that go far beyond the scope of this article; however, your goals when training power should focus on movement coordination and efficiency with the ballistic intent to move the medicine ball as fast as humanly possible despite its weight. Force depends on your ability to recruit what are called high threshold motor units, which are muscle fibers that have the ability to contract very fast and explosively2. This ability is also known as neuromuscular efficiency and is enhanced with explosive medicine ball training.
THE MEDICINE BALL WORKOUT
This full body workout incorporates med ball training with traditional full body exercises. Focus on the quality and speed of execution rather than quantity. If your repetitions start to slow down, terminate the set. Warm up with this simple med ball routine: Perform 2 sets
- Med ball wall chest throws x 10
- Med ball wall overhead throws x 10
- Med ball lateral wall throws x 10/side
- Overhead med ball squats x 10
- Med ball hug single leg Romanian deadlifts x 10/side
- Med ball hug lateral lunges or Cossack squats x 10/side
Exercise Name | Sets x Reps | Rest |
| A1. Med ball Squat Jump Throw from bench | 5 x 5 | 60-sec |
| A2. 30-yard sprint | 5 x 1 | 2-min |
| B1. Pull Up (weighted if possible) | 3 x 5 | 60-sec |
| B2. Overhead Med ball slam | 3 x 8-10 | 2-min |
| C1. Pushup (weighted if possible) | 3 x 5-8 | 60-sec |
| C2. Explosive Supine Medicine Ball Chest Pass | 3 x 8-10 | 2-min |
| D1. Rotational Med ball throws | 3 x 8-10/side | 30-sec |
| D2. V-sit Med ball Chest Throws | 3 x 10-12 | 60-sec |
THE MEDICINE BALL EXERCISES
SQUAT JUMP THROW – FROM BENCH
Focus: To develop full body explosive power
How to: Stand on an exercise bench holding a medicine ball. Step off the bench, land on the floor and quickly jump up as fast and high as you can throwing the medicine ball in the air at the peak of your jump. Do not bother catching the ball, just let it fall. Grab the ball and complete all reps.
EXPLOSIVE MEDICINE BALL SLAM
Proper Plyometrics
Plyometrics work on hip explosiveness and leg drive, and can tremendously improve flexibility in the hamstrings and lower back. I am going to share a couple useful technique-oriented tips that you can use and share to make sure your athletes are performing plyometrics the correct way.Athletes of all levels can properly perform most plyos as long as you teach them correct form and the exercise is modified to their own ability level.
Box Jumps for Height
Many athletes will perform box jumps and try to jump atop the highest box possible. This is not safe and form will be compromised. A good rule of thumb is to pick a box in which the athlete can jump onto and get both feet completely onto the box. This ensures the athlete won’t miss the box and become injured.
The athlete should also be able to land in the same position from which they took off. Most athletes you see will land in an extremely deep squat. This means that the box is too high. This also translates to performance on the field. When will an athlete ever jump in competition and land in a full ranged deep squat? Almost never. The athlete will usually land in a half squat athletic position. This is what we are looking for when an athlete completes a box jump. For your more advanced athletes, single leg box jumps can be performed following the same protocol.
Vertical Jumps
Being able to jump vertically is extremely important in such sports as basketball, football, and volleyball. Many athletes I have worked with will ask me how they can increase their vertical jump. They ask, “Should I squat and power clean?” “Yes you should,” I say, and then ask, “But are you actually practicing your vertical jump?” In most cases, the answer was no.
The vertical jump involves a lot of technique. There are some easy corrections that can be applied to increase your vertical jump based on technique alone. Starting at the feet, we want them to be shoulder width to slightly less than shoulder width apart. As the athlete descends to begin the jump, make sure he or she is pushing the glutes back (similar to how you would when you perform a squat). This will enable the athlete to use maximum power from the glute and hamstring muscles, which will enable the highest jump. The arms should work simultaneously with the rest of the body on the ascension/descension.
As the athlete begins to jump we should focus on three key issues:
Verkhoshansky’s Depth Jumps
The Soviet Secret of Plyometrics
This jumping work eventually became known as plyometrics and the foundation of this field came from the research of Soviet researcher Dr. Yuri Verkhoshansky and his American friend and translator of his work, Dr. Michael Yessis. However, the field of plyometrics has changed considerably compared to Verkhoshansky’s original writings on depth jumps.
Dr. Verkhoshansky began his career in the 1950s as a track and field coach for many of the great Soviet teams. His athletes went on to attain greatness and to break world records. In the 1960s, Verkhoshsansky started publishing research on his methods. His research is methodical in how he varied conditions to find what led to the most effective outcomes (see diagram above showing one of his original experiments comparing depth jumps to other methods). Much of his work focused on the depth jump.
What is the Depth Jump?
The depth jump is performed when an athlete drops off a box, lands briefly absorbing the shock, and then immediately jumps as high as possible. The landing period (or amortization phase) is usually less than 0.2 seconds.
Verkhoshansky originally called this method shock training as the body was absorbing a great shock and then using it to increase the following vertical leap. Below is a video from Dr. Yessis showing the depth jump:
Mechanisms of Action
In the short term, the depth jump leads to a higher jump than a static high jump because the athlete is absorbing momentum and kinetic energy and using it on the subsequent jump. Dr. Fred Hatfield was known to jump up and quickly grab the bar, while performing deadlifts. He applied the same mechanism to absorb energy and transfer it into the bar.
This deadlift technique is probably not recommended as the landing and set up has to be completed very quickly. It is probably wise to spend a bit more time setting up for a deadlift.
The effects of depth jumps are not only short term as they lead to greater strength changes and more explosiveness. Verkhoshansky found that highly trained volleyball players undertaking a depth jump program gained 14% in their maximal strength.3
There are three reasons for the effects of the depth jumps:
- Greater CNS Stimulation: The shock of the depth jump leads to greater muscular excitation.
- Myotatic Reflex: As the muscle lengthens, the myotatic reflex (also called the Liddell-Sherrington reflex) causes the muscle to tighten and shorten. You can see Andy Bolton use this reflex as he attempts to deadlift. He does three hamstring stretches and on the third stretch he begins his lift.
- Neurogenic Effects: Simply put, neurogenic effects occur when the time between stretching the muscle and the subsequent shortening become quicker as the pre-motor cortex anticipates the shock. Over time, the firing rates increase in the myotatic reflex.
Dr. Verkhoshansky at work.
Requirements for Successful Depth Jump Training
Research indicates that dropping from around thirty inches leads to the greatest explosive strength and reactive abilities. Thus, a running back or a soccer player would benefit the most from these heights. Dropping from around 42 inches leads to the greatest maximal strength development. Dropping from higher heights are not recommended until an athlete can squat at least 1.5 times his or her bodyweight. The shock from the drop can be three to four times the person’s bodyweight.
The best strategy is to start around a person’s maximum vertical jump height. Depth jumps should never be done for high volume and should only be completed one to two times per week.Fewer than ten repetitions is a good standard as the jumps are taxing on the neurological system. These are a speed-strength tool and not an endurance tool.
Other Exercises With Similar Benefits to Depth Jump
A Periodization Approach to Vertical Jump Training
What is Periodization
If you do a rudimentary internet search of the term periodization you will find all sorts of lovely text book sounding definitions. However in plain English it is the act of planning your training out into distinct phases each with a separate short term goal (fat loss, strength, power, speed, etc). These individual phases are designed to build on the prior one to culminate in you reaching peak condition for what is commonly known as the competition phase.
How you split out the phases (duration, focus, exercise selection, intensity, training volume etc) will depend on a number of things including the physical requirements of your sport, the needs of the individual athlete, and the frequency and duration of the competition season.
For example Olympic lifters might cycle their training to peak once every four years (an Olympic cycle) whilst a pro basketballer has to focus on getting ready for a new season every year.
An Olympic weight lifter also has to focus on training for an event that essentially requires them to lift once in a matter of seconds. A NBA basketballer on the other hand needs to be able to compete over 48 minutes using a combination of speed, power, strength and endurance.
It is stating the very obvious to note that different sports have different training requirements and as such a periodized approach must be tailored to address those specific needs.
Why Does Periodization Work
Periodization works because it ensures you are always taking steps forwards towards an ultimate goal. In our case, we want to jump higher. So do we build our strength with heavy weights, or maybe we should we drop body fat to make ourselves light? Maybe we should concentrate on plyos to get quick and explosive?
Each of those three traits are important in developing a huge vertical jump, but each requires different sorts of training. The key is to identify which one you need to focus on first, then train for that. Once you have reached a certain level of proficiency, then you start training for the next requirement and so on.
Training this way is much better than a hotch-potched approach of weights one week, plyos another, maybe a bit of both in there somewhere.
By focusing your training on the attainment of one short term goal you will reach it much quicker. To illustrate you see people in gyms who say they want to lose fat and build muscle. Whilst this isn’t impossible, they are essentially two mutually exclusive goals. Burning fat and getting lean requires calories restriction, and cardio on top of weights. Building muscle on the other hand requires calorie surplus, little to no cardio, and plenty of heavy lifting. It is easy to see why aiming for these two things at the one time is doomed to fail.
If you just focus on building muscle you will get there much quicker by just lifting heavy and eating more. Once you have the muscle you can progress to the next goal of fat loss (the extra muscle will help with that too). In the long run, you will make more consistent, more rapid and much greater gains.
If we were to look at this from a vertical jump perspective we might start off with a reduction of body fat phase, then go to a strength phase, and then a more power/plyo based phase. It makes no sense to try and lose body fat whilst at the same time trying to build maximum strength. You just end up sending confusing signals to your body and limiting your improvement.
Downsides to Periodization
The type of periodization we discuss here is known as Western or linear periodization. The two most common criticisms of this type of approach are that in focusing on only one athletic trait at a time the others tend to deteriorate, and also, not all athletes have the available time to spend working through all the phases.
These are both valid arguments against a linear periodization approach. With regard to the loss of one athletic trait as you change phases, modern interpretations of periodization recognize the importance of certain traits and accordingly programs are designed to minimize any losses of these abilities by incorporating continued maintenance work during the other phases.
For example, an athlete trying to improve their vertical jump having high levels of strength is important as it is the base for their muscular power. Consequently even in the later phases of the program (transition and competition – see part 2 of this topic) they are advised to continue some heavy lifting in order to maintain the gains they made earlier.
The criticism of time constraints is also valid. To a certain extent this can also be mitigated by shortening the duration of the less directly beneficial phases to allow for more prioritizing of the important ones. For example, if you are already an experienced lifter with decent muscular size and aren’t carrying any serious injuries or imbalances, you probably do not need to spend too much time in either the adaptation or hypertrophy phases.
Who Should Use Periodization
This type of planned out training methodology isn’t necessarily for everyone but there are two groups of athletes we feel can benefit greatly from this kind of approach. These are people who are new to weight training, or who have the luxury of longer periods of time can benefit the most from taking a linear periodized approach.
For our money the main benefits that it provides are in the way it progresses from phase to phase.
This foundation will not only help you minimize injuries, but also helps you to learn the correct techniques of the various lifts, helps you set baselines from which you can improve, and also helps you progressively adapt to the ever increasing demands of the training.
For more advanced athletes, or those with time constraints there is another popular periodization technique known as the conjugate method. This system is preferred by the world class powerlifters at Westside Barbell and many Eastern European countries. This involves mixing and matching exercises, loads, rest, tempo etc in order to train more than one strength trait at a time whilst also avoiding burnout.
The 5 Phases of a Periodized Training program
According to famed athletic coach Dr Tudor Bompa in his book Periodization Training for Sports (2005), there are 5 major training phases a power based athlete such as a vertical jumper should work through in order to maximize their performance. These are:
1. Anatomical Adaptation
2. Hypertrophy
3. Maximum Strength
4. Conversion
5. Competitive and Transition
As was mentioned in part 1, and as we will show you further along in this article, each of those phases develops the building blocks on which you progress your training towards your ultimate goal (in our case an improved vertical jump).
So without further ado lets get into them in detail.
Phase 1: Anatomical Adaptation
For a vertical jumper the goal of this first phase of periodization is to prepare the athlete for the future demands of their more focused training. During this phase you would work on your flexibility and co-ordination, rectifying any muscle and strength imbalance concerns between agonist and antagonist muscle groups, aerobic and anaerobic work capacity, strengthening ligaments and tendons, and also in the treatment and recovery of any injuries the athlete currently has.
The idea is to expose the athlete to a wide variety of exercises in order to have them functioning efficiently. This often takes the form of circuit training or a series of full body workouts.
The length of this phase will depend on a variety of factors including how long you have to devote to your total program, your level of experience in strength training, the level of importance of strength in your sport or activity, and your starting levels of general fitness.
Phase 2: Hypertrophy
The Hypertrophy phase of periodization is as the names suggests designed to increase muscle size and strength. In theory bigger muscles are stronger muscles. The reality is that bigger muscles have the potential to be stronger muscles. This is what we are aiming for here. To build muscle so that you have greater potential to gain strength in the next phase.
The training in this phase consists of weights with loads of approximately 65-85% of your 1RM for 6-15 reps per set. Rest periods are generally shorter at around 60 – 90 seconds between sets.
Once again the duration of this phase will depend on the experience of the athlete and the importance of strength for the activity. For vertical jump training strength is obviously very important, but also must be tempered against building too much size as this can have a negative impact on your jumping ability.
Phase 3; Maximum Strength
Little-Known Ways to Jump Higher!
Unless you’re one of the few players that has a shot at getting drafted, you’re going to have three choices when it comes to training…
Either
1) find someone to train you for free,
2) foot the bill for your training yourself, or
3) you’re going to train yourself.
Cowboys’ Safety Gerald Sensabaugh set an NFL Combine record in 2005 for the vertical jump with a leap of 46 inches. (ICON Sports)
When you try out for teams, they’re probably going to test you in the combine drills (40 yard dash, 3-cone drill, etc.), so why not train to get better in them?
Today’s post is about the vertical jump test. Teams use the vertical jump to get a feel for your lower-body explosion and power.
Below, you’ll find information you can use to improve your performance in the vertical jump.
The gentleman in this video educates you on what your body goes through when you jump.
Then he explains the impact flexibility, stability, and dynamic stretching make on how high you jump.
He even gives examples of dynamic stretches you can use to warm up before you begin your training sessions. To do some of the exercises, you’ll need a foam roller, and these can cost about $40.00 or so.
Here’s part 2 of the series. Here, he introduces the importance of strength, and explains how improving the connection between your brain and your muscles can optimize your physical performance, and a lot more.
.
I like that this guy basically reinforced much of what the guy in the Shot Science videos above said in-regards to what’s actually happening in your body when you’re jumping.
He goes on to give you some exercises you can do to increase your vertical jump.
Side note: Is it just me, or does this guy sound like he’s about to burp every 10-to-15 seconds when he’s talking?
Now this is a promo video for Parisi training videos, but from just watching the short video, you can see examples of exercises you can do to improve your vertical.
If you pay close attention, you can pick up a few subtle tips how to jump in the vertical jump test, just by watching the demonstrations that are taking place during the video.
VERTICAL JUMP TEST TIPS
In Dirty Tricks for Higher Vertical, Joe DeFranco, premiere athletic trainer, gives you 5 “Dirty Tricks” that he says should help you jump higher in the vertical jump test.
The first of his “dirty tricks” is a suggestion that you do static stretches for your hip flexors before you test for the vertical jump.
He admits, like the gentleman in the first video above says, that dynamic stretches are best when you’re about to engage in stuff where you need to be explosive, but says that “static stretching your hip flexors before testing your vertical jump is the exception to the rule!”
He explains that static hip flexor stretches reduce the amount of friction in your hips, and that less friction in your hips allows you to jump higher.
Check out the article for yourself, and decide for yourself if it’s advice you want to take. What he says makes sense, though… at least to me.
Here’s a run-down of the rest of Mr. Parisi’s “dirty tricks…”
2. Strengthen your flexor hallucis longus
Dirty Tricks for Higher Vertical
Some people admire this; others get jealous and choose to ridicule my methods. Some of my methods are mainstream and other times I have to dig into my bag of “dirty tricks” to get the desired result. Training athletes for the vertical jump test is no exception. I get more questions each week regarding the vertical jump than any other training topic. Most athletes seem to be obsessed with their vertical jump. This is where I come in.
Below you’ll find some of my favorite coaching “tricks” that I guarantee will improve your vertical jump. These underground techniques have helped over 2-dozen of my athletes jump over 35″ on this popular athletic test. Some may call these techniques trickery; others may call them smart coaching. Call them what you want, they work!
++++++ DIRTY TRICK #1 +++++++
STATIC STRETCH THE HIP FLEXORS
BEFORE TESTING YOUR VERTICAL JUMP!
This dirty trick works so well it gives me chills! Well, not really but it’s damn effective.
Have you ever noticed that the day after you’ve performed a lot of jumping that your hip flexors were sore? I’ve personally pulled hip flexor muscles while testing my vertical jump. What I eventually figured out was that the rapid, full body extension that followed the rapid descent into the jump was tearing them up. After further analysis, one could conclude that if these muscles were getting torn up, that meant that they were probably resisting the height of the jump.
Hopefully we’re all well aware that static stretching isn’t recommended before any explosive activity. Static stretching your hip flexors before testing your vertical jump is the exception to the rule! You see, since the hip flexors aren’t prime movers in jumping and they tend to resist our jump, the goal is to weaken them and put them to “sleep” before jumping. Static stretching accomplishes these goals. Static stretching your hip flexors will create less friction during your jump. Less hip flexor friction during your jump equals higher vertical jump heights!
Below is one of my favorite hip flexor stretches, but go ahead and choose your favorite and perform 2 sets of 20-30 seconds on each side.
NOTE: The hip flexor stretch pictured below is a great stretch to perform before squatting as well. It will help you get deeper into your squats as well as prevent getting pulled forward during squatting. Give it a try!
+++++++ DIRTY TRICK #2 ++++++
STRENGTHEN YOUR FLEXOR HALLUCIS LONGUS!
The flexor hallucis longus is the least known of all the “jumping muscles.” Don’t get me wrong, this muscle isn’t going to improve your vertical jump as much as well-developed hamstrings, glutes, and spinal erectors; but this is an interesting muscle that can make a noticeable improvement in your jumping ability.
The flexor hallucis longus originates on the lower two-thirds of the fibula and inserts on the distal phalanx of the great toe. It plantar flexes the foot and also flexes the great toe. These muscle actions are an integral part of the vertical jump as well as sprinting. Getting this often-overlooked muscle stronger can be that added inch on your vertical jump that you thought was impossible.
The best way to train this muscle in the weight room is by performing single leg calf raises while holding a dumbell. (See pictures below.) When performing this exercise, try to keep most of your weight on the big toe of the working leg.
Crunching your toes in your sneakers/shoes while at work or school is another “economical” way of strengthening these muscles. Try 3-4 sets of 20 reps. No one will ever know!
Crunching a towel up in your toes while watching TV or working on the computer is another way to train these muscles without wasting any extra time.
++++++ DIRTY TRICK #3 ++++++
FOCUS ON RAPIDLY DESCENDING INTO YOUR JUMP!
Most athletes focus so much on the “jump” portion of jumping that they forget the importance of the descent of the jump. Through extensive research and observation, I’ve found that the speed of the descent is the most important factor in an athlete’s vertical jump height .
The bottom line is that the faster you can descend, the higher you will jump. Sir Isaac Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion supports this statement. It states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction . Knowing this, we can conclude that the faster we can descend into our jump, the faster we can take off. This translates into an explosive, jaw-dropping jump. Unfortunately, time and time again, I feel like I can go out to lunch and come back in the amount of time it takes an athlete to descend into his/her jump. If you want to jump through the roof, you must practice descending rapidly.
In order to perfect the descent, you must set up in the perfect position. Your vertical jump position should resemble that of an Olympic diver standing on a diving board. Your arms should be fully extended over your head, eyes looking upward to where you’ll be jumping, your back should be slightly arched and you should be standing on your toes. This position puts all of your muscles on stretch and sets you up for an explosive descent. Remember that an optimally stretched muscle can contract faster/harder.
Start the descent by throwing your arms down to your hips. As the arms fire downward, your head/neck will flex forward as your trunk and knees flex as well. In the bottom position, your hands should be slightly behind your hips, trunk flexed slightly forward and your knees bent at about 15-20 degrees. (Don’t get too caught up with the angle of your knees. Always remember that the angle of knee flexion is NOT as important as the speed in which you descend.) You are now ready to take off into a record-setting jump!
++++++ DIRTY TRICK #4 ++++++
PEAK FOR YOUR VERTICAL JUMP
BY PERFORMING 50-REP RHYTHM SQUATS!
Vertical Jump Bible Review
The author, Kelly Baggett, is a very well-known fitness coach who specializes in speed and agility training, with a strong emphasis on increasing an athlete’s vertical jump. He has spent many years perfecting his training methods, mostly by using himself as a guinea pig. I was pretty amazed when I read about how he went from a 23″ to 42″ vertical using his training methods. You can read more about this on the Vertical Jump Bible website.
I decided to try this program because I had used other programs that didn’t work (Air Alert, ehem), and the VJB is incredibly cheap compared to a lot of other programs. I think it’s down to $39 or something ridiculous like that. Anyway, I was actually a little overwhelmed by the amount of info this product had. The Vertical Jump Bible goes extremely in-depth when it comes to explaining all the little intricacies of the vertical jump.
Here is a sample of some of the things you’ll find in the Vertical Jump Bible:
Effective exercise methods based on proven results.
A program that can be customized to fit your needs, and how to determine what type of jumper you are.
10 qualities you need to focus on in order to improve your vertical jump.
How to determine what your weak points are and how to fix them.
6 different categories of plyometric exercises and how they should be implemented into your workouts.
An understanding of different jumping styles and how they apply to you.
Information about training aids (jumpsoles, weight vests, etc.)
Understanding your body structure and how to use it to your advantage.
Learn what your potential jumping ability is.
Effects of race on jumping ability.
Body composition, and how to limit fat gains while gaining muscle.
My Results With The Vertical Jump Bible
I was extremely pleased with the results I saw from this program. It helped me gain 4 inches in two months! This is something I had never thought possible. With so much hype on a lot of these vertical jump websites it’s kind of hard to believe the claims that they make. However, the Vertical Jump Bible really followed through with its promises.
The thing you have to remember is that you can’t just buy a program like this, try it for a few weeks, and then give up. You really have to dedicate yourself to it. If you think you have the motivation and determination to improve your vertical jump I would highly recommend this program. You can also check out some of the other programs mentioned on this site by going to this link if you don’t think the Vertical Jump Bible is for you.
Things That Could Be Improved
Overall, this program really impressed me. There were very few things that i didn’t like about it. However, a couple of things that could be improved are as follows. First, the exercise descriptions are kind of vague and sometimes hard to understand. But no worries, you’ve got this site! Second, there is no video that comes with the Vertical Jump Bible. I guess this isn’t really a problem…just a nice benefit to have. And third, there is a TON of information. This isn’t such a bad thing, I just think it might get a little overwhelming for some people. However, this problem is pretty easy to work around
Final Jump Bible Review Thoughts
Remember that it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to reach your goals. If one of your goals is to jump higher, and you think you’ve got the perseverance to do it, I would urge you to try this program. After all, it’s one of the cheapest and most effective ones out there. The VJB worked quite well for me and I’m sure it can do the same for you if you just stick with it!
Madcow’s 5×5 Method Review
With that said, it is time for us to begin reviewing more intermediate and advanced powerlifting programs. I suspect this is going one is going to be particularly popular; today we are focusing onMadcow’s 5×5 Routine also known as Bill Starr’s 5×5.
If you’d rather watch than read:
Madcow’s 5×5: Some Context
As always, I like to provide context for the programs that I discuss. Let’s talk about the origins of the Madcow program. First of all, “Madcow” is the username of a poster from the old EliteFitness forums. Using the Madcow2 pseudonym, he unwittingly released one of the most popular internet lifting routines of all time. Let’s look at how that transpired.
Madcow’s program is a modification of Bill Starr’s 5×5 program for football which is presented in the book The Strongest Shall Survive.
Starr’s original program only made use of three exercises: the squat, the bench, and the power clean. The program was incredibly simplistic and made use of ramping sets of 5. Starr was trying to accommodate the fact he often worked with 10, 20, or 30 athletes simultaneously.
Now, Madcow, being a member of the EliteFitness BODYBUILDING forums, came up with a modification of that original 5×5 program for… the purposes of bodybuilding. Madcow wanted to give natural trainees a legitimate alternative to what Jason Blaha calls the “pump and fluff” routines that were so popular in that time period. Basically, he was looking to provide a hardcore program for naturals who wanted to build strength and muscle without wasting their time on silly body part splits from muscle mags.
As such, you need to keep in mind that the entire Madcow’s program was designed for natural bodybuilders.
Texas Method Review
However, please do note that the new version of Practical Programming spends more than 100 pages discussing possible variations and alterations to the program for a variety of goals including: MMA, weightlifting, football, powerlifting, and a lot more. The book discusses how to progress, when to move to the next “Phase” of the Texas Method, how to incorporate dynamic effort and maximal effort protocols into the program, and so much more. If you’re planning to do this program, the bottom line is that Practical Programming 3rd Edition is mandatory reading. You absolutely will not get the best gains possible without reading through the intermediate program section of that book. If you’re interested in the Texas Method, I highly recommend that you snag a copy of Practical Programming.
If you’d rather watch than read:
The Texas Method: History and Background
As far as I can tell, Olympic Weightlifting Coach Glenn Pendlay was the first person to popularize the Texas Method on the internet. As the legend has it, Glenn, working out of Mark Rippetoe’s Wichita Falls Athletic Club, had his Olympic lifters squatting 5×5 on both Monday and Friday. After hearing one of his lifters moaning and complaining one hot Friday afternoon, he issued him a challenge: if you can squat a PR set of 5, you only have to do one set for the day. The lifter readily agreed, summoned the requisite psychic energy, smashed a PR, and helped give birth to the Texas Method. Instead of 5×5 on both days, the program now called for a PR set of 5 on Fridays.
Now while Pendlay may have initially popularized the program online, it was Mark Rippetoe who first brought it into legitimate publication in Practical Programming. Because of the enormous success and following of his novice program, Starting Strength, many trainees were inclined to also use the intermediate program he was recommending. From there, the Texas Method really took off.
This all said, it is important to keep in mind that the Texas Method was birthed, primarily, in the training of Olympic lifters and general strength athletes – Glenn and Rip’s primary clientele at the time. Like I said before, the program is more of a template, but the reality is that all versions of that template seem to include power cleans and an extremely high ratio of squat volume to deadlift volume. This is for two reasons: a) Rip buys into the idea that deadlifts are so hard to recover from that you shouldn’t perform them for volume and b) the program is not explicitly aimed at powerlifters who need to maximize their deadlift strength for competitive success.
The Texas Method Program
Unlike Madcow’s, the Texas Method is brutally simplistic.
Texas Method: Explanation
Without delving too much into the specific programming, the idea behind the Texas Method is that Monday serves as the “volume” stimulus (aka “Volume Day”), Wednesday is a lighter day which prevents detraining but allows for more recovery (aka “Recovery Day”), and by Friday you’re recovered and ready to smash a new PR (“Intensity Day”). Each week, you’re supposed to go through, and fully complete, a stress-recovery-adaptation cycle. You’re not supposed to accumulate fatigue on the Texas Method in the way that you do on Madcow’s. The program is intended to be run in the long term, week after week.
Texas Method: Progression Protocol
The progression on the Texas Method is incredibly simple. You simply add 5lbs to each Friday top set per week. Because the bench and press alternate, this works out to 2.5lbs/week on the upperbody exercises and 5lbs/week on the lower body movements.
Planning
The Texas Method is very easily adapted to a competitive schedule. In fact, if you wanted, you could compete with virtually no changes whatsoever. All you’d have to do is skip your Friday workout and then compete on Saturday. Remember, the entire idea behind this program is that you’re fully recovered and stronger by each Friday.
That said, because you never know when you might stall, and fatigue tends to accumulate even when it isn’t supposed to in theory, it is a good idea to take a light week before a meet.
Here’s what it would look like:
All you have to do is change volume day from 5×5 to 3×[email protected]~90% of whatever your last volume day was. For example, if you did 405x5x5 last week for volume day, and this week was meet week, you would do only 365x5x3 on volume day this time around.
This is going to allow any accumulated fatigue to mostly dissipate and you’ll receive a performance boost come game day at the meet.
Periodization
The Texas Method does not employ periodization in the sense that there are specific periods focusing on hypertrophy, technique, strength, the bench, the squat, or the deadlift. It doesn’t even vary volume from week to week. The program is a true, blue intermediate program.
Programming
The programming behind the Texas Method is devastatingly simple and effective. Unlike most advanced programs, which have you spending a few weeks accumulating volume, a few weeks recovering, and then a few weeks trying to set new PRs, the Texas Method squeezes the entire process inside of a single week. So, each training week is a full mesocycle and each training session represents a distinct microcycle: Monday – Volume Day; Wednesday – Recovery Day; and, Friday – Intensity day.
This variation in volume from workout to workout is literally perfect for the new intermediate trainee. It just isn’t necessary for them to introduce variations from week to week just yet. Eventually it will be, but not in the early stages of intermediate training. In my opinion, this makes the overall programmatic structure of the Texas Method about as good as it gets for that particular demographic.
Specificity
The biggest failing of the Texas Method is specificity. As we’ve covered elsewhere, in my opinion power cleans are a silly addition to a powerlifting program. In a sport where rate of force production basically doesn’t matter (you can lift as slow as you want so long as you complete the lift), doing three times more power clean volume than deadlift volume just doesn’t make sense. Additionally, the 1:1 overhead press to bench ratio is an incredibly bad idea for an aspiring powerlifter.
Beyond those issues, which are typical of all Rippetoe programs, we see that the program features 20 “pulling” reps per week (15 on the power clean and 5 on the deadlift), but features 40 squats per week. The actual squat to deadlift ratio, in terms of reps, is 8:1. This doesn’t make sense for a competitive powerlifter. The deadlift is too important to deprioritize like that.
Additionally, there is far more lower-body volume than upper-body volume – another issue common to Rippetoean programming. While the lower body receives 60 reps (90-105 if you include GHR), the upper-body receives only 45 reps. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, this is fairly backwards. Most people, if anything, need more upper-body volume than lower-body volume to achieve the same levels of fatigue in each respective area of the body. They certainly don’t need LESS upper-body work than lower-body work.
Now, I can already hear you guys saying that most of these issues are readily fixable: substitute power cleans for stiff-leg deadlift or deficit deadlifts, don’t alternate the press and bench, and reduce the squat volume a bit on volume day. Presto! The Texas Method is far improved. Okay true, but that is why I acknowledged this is more of a template than a program at the very beginning. If you want examples of these types of modifications, I highly recommend Practical Programming.
When I release the PowerliftingToWin Intermediate Program, it will be very clear that I drew upon the programmatic structure of the Texas Method to create the base.
Overload
The Texas Method employs basic progressive overload. You simply add 5lbs to your top set on Friday every single week. Given the overall structure of the program, and the fact it is aimed primarily at early intermediates, this is perfectly acceptable.
Fatigue Management
The biggest strength of the Texas Method, in my opinion, is in its fatigue management. As I’ve already outlined, the program condenses the more traditional “block periodization” approach into a single week. Rather than spending a few weeks each in “accumulation” (high volume), deload/transmutation (recovery), and intensification (go for PRs), on the Texas Method, this whole process occurs every single week. This is to accommodate the fact that an early intermediate trainee simply doesn’t need that much time to adapt to a new stimulus; they can still do it weekly.
The programmatic structure of the Texas Method allows for an optimal rate of progress for the early intermediate trainee. You are maximizing the amount of full stress-recovery-adaptation cycles that you go through in a given amount of training time.
Individual Differences
531 Manual Review
In these books, Wendler offers, quite literally, several dozen different versions of 5/3/1 that address a variety of goals from improving conditioning, getting faster and jumping higher, improving general strength, and, yes, setting PRs on the big three for powerlifting purposes.
Please understand that it would be virtually impossible to offer a comprehensive review of every single variation of 5/3/1 in a single review. Unless you guys want to read a 100,000 word article, or watch a four hour video, I’m going to have to stick to the basic, popular versions of 5/3/1 that are floating around the internet.
Whenever possible, as I am addressing the original 5/3/1 program, I am going to make notations about revisions Jim has made in the more current book Beyond 5/3/1. Keep in mind that the original 5/3/1 was published five years ago in 2009. Wendler has made substantial changes and, in my opinion, improvements to that original template. Nonetheless, most people still use the original variation and our review is going to center upon that particular version of 5/3/1.
That said, I’d strongly recommend that you consider picking up a copy of Beyond 5/3/1 if you’re interested in doing ANY variation of the program. The book contains Wendler’s latest and greatest ideas with regards to 5/3/1. If you’re not familiar with “First Set Last” or “Joker Sets”, your knowledge base on 5/3/1 is out of date. Without understanding of these concepts, which are discussed in Beyond 5/3/1, you’re not actually doing Wendler’s current program.
If you’d rather watch than read:
5/3/1 History and Context
As always, we’re going to start with a bit of context about the origins of the 5/3/1 program. Ironically, given its popularity in the powerlifting community, 5/3/1 was the program Jim Wendler invented when he decided to move away from the sport. That’s right; Jim Wendler invented 5/3/1 when he quit powerlifting.
In his own words, more or less, Wendler was tired of being a “fatass” who wasn’t good for anything other than waddling up to a monolift and squatting. He claims he was so out of shape that he actually lost his breath just walking around the block. As such, he wanted to come up with a program that took a more holistic approach to strength; he wanted to incorporate conditioning and mobility into his overall plan of attack.
Wendler decided to strip away the complexities of the Westside style of training that he had been using and he reverted to a simple percentage based program. In all likelihood, 5/3/1 was probably influenced by the Bigger, Stronger, Faster lifting program that Wendler was almost certainly exposed to as a youth football player. This program, designed with the competitive athlete in mind, served as a fantastic frame work for someone looking to improve their overall condition rather than focus explicitly on powerlifting performance.
To make my point explicitly clear, Wendler’s original program was specifically designed as an alternative to powerlifting training. 5/3/1 was never intended to be a powerlifting-centric, powerlifting-specific program. You must keep that in mind.
5/3/1: The Actual Program
Let’s take a look at the bones of 5/3/1.
As you can see, 5/3/1 is a program with a monthly mesocycle. There are four distinct microcylces: 3×5+ week, 3×3+ week, 5/3/1+ week, and a deload. The key notation to make is that the “+” sets mean you do as many reps as possible (AMRAP). You’re not supposed to go to failure on the AMRAP sets, but you are supposed to come within a rep or so of failure.
The entire program centers around the concept of the “training max”. Essentially, using a rep max calculator, you estimate your true one rep max. You then multiply this number by 90% in order to find your training max. Using this training max, all of your work set weights are calculated based on the percentages shown above.
If you don’t want to do all that math, you can have your 5/3/1 workouts calculated here.
5/3/1 Progression
At the end of each month, you increase your training max weight on the lower-body movements, the squat and the deadlift, by 10lbs; you increase your training max on the upper-body movements, the bench and the press, by 5lbs. From there, you repeat the exact same workouts that you did the month before with slightly heavier weights.
In addition to the monthly incremental increases, the program also allows for “rep maxes”. So, even if the weight increases are only monthly, you can still theoretically make progress from week to week by adding reps.
Planning
Although the original 5/3/1 program was never intended for powerlifters, Wendler has since addressed this issue in both 5/3/1 for Powerlifting and Beyond 5/3/1. In Beyond 5/3/1, Wendler offers an 11-12 week meet peaking cycle.
Here is what it looks like:
As you can see, the peaking plan is relatively simple and effective. In the first month, the lifter increases specificity by adding some heavy singles using his training max weight after he does his AMRAP sets. In month two, the lifter starts using his training max weight as the AMRAP set. In month three, you cut out all AMRAP sets and add an additional super heavy single.
During the last month, by eliminating the AMRAP sets, you allow for an extended “recovery” period where fatigue dissipates. By still including the ultra heavy single, you prevent detraining and encourage further acclimation to heavy weights. In Week 11, where even all the assistance is cut out, you ensure full recovery going into Meet Week.
Overall, this is a solid peaking option for the lifter who is using 5/3/1.
Periodization
In Beyond 5/3/1, Wendler offers 26-28 week training plans that include periodized focuses on hypertrophy, conditioning, and strength. However, the original 5/3/1 template is not what you would consider periodized.
Programming
Unlike the other programs we’ve looked at thus far, the 5/3/1 program does feature a monthly mesocycle with once monthly weight increases. In reality, this makes the program most suited for “advanced” intermediate athletes. Early intermediates can make progress much more quickly than once per month. And even though 5/3/1 allows for rep maxes, it is much harder to add one rep per week than it is to add ~2-5lbs/1-2kg per week.
One of the biggest criticisms of 5/3/1 is the lack of overall frequency for the powerlifts. You perform each lift only once per week. For the vast majority of trainees, this simply isn’t optimal in terms of technical development. You’re going to need more weekly exposures to the lift in order to master your technique. Now, there are a variety of 5/3/1 templates that function to increase frequency. For powerlifting purposes, where technique is paramount, I think it is necessary to choose one of them. You can find many such examples in Beyond 5/3/1.
In my opinion, getting your squat and bench frequency to at least twice per week is going to be the minimum acceptable level. I personally prefer to see benching happening at least three times a week and even twice weekly pulling, but many people do just fine with benching twice a week and pulling only once. If you’re going to do 5/3/1 for powerlifting, make sure to use a variation where the frequency is increased.
Specificity
In terms of specificity, I think you know what I’m going to say. The program isn’t specific enough because it wasn’t designed explicitly for powerlifting. The entire idea behind 5/3/1 was to move away from powerlifting centric training and focus on a more holistic approach to strength. The entire program is designed to allow for more conditioning, more overall recovery, and a better general sense of well-being. These goals and aims are well and good, but many run contradictory to maximizing powerlifting performance.
Like many other programs we’ve seen, the emphasis on the 1:1 bench to press ratio is just unnecessary and sub-optimal for powerlifters. The majority of the upperbody training needs to be focused on the bench press.
The biggest failing of 5/3/1, in terms of specificity, is in the percentages used by the program. Let’s do some math. If we’re taking 90% of our true max as the base for our program, and then take 85% of that number in Week One, 90% of that number in Week Two, and 95% of that number in Week Three, our “actual” percentages are: 76.5%, 81%, and 85.5%. In other words, for the vast majority of months that you spend doing 5/3/1, you spend exactly one week above 85% of your true max.
For a powerlifter, this is an absolutely sub-optimal approach. Now I’m not saying that you won’t get any stronger from working at lighter percentages, but I am saying that spending so little time in the powerlifter’s money range, 80-90%, is a recipe for sub-optimal progress. The lighter percentages, while great for long-term, sustained progress, completely bias the program towards hypertrophy and away from strength. It isn’t that uncommon for people to get 5-8 reps on their 5/3/1+ week which is supposed to be the “heavy” week.
Look, if you want to lift heavy stuff, you have to lift heavy stuff. It is really that simple. In fact, if we’re being honest, even Wendler has recognized that this was a weakness of his program for powerlifters. He addresses this weakness in 5/3/1 for Powerlifting through the following adjustment to the program:
As you can see, Weeks One and Two are switched. The AMRAP set is removed from the 3×5 week and heavy singles at your training max are added to Weeks 1 and 3. Now, this is a good start towards improving specificity. But let’s be honest here, do you really think doing a couple of singles, which still represents a relatively small amount of volume, is enough to override the fact that the vast majority of work that you do on the program is below 85%? Well, it isn’t.
In Beyond 5/3/1, Wendler further addresses this deficiency with the addition of Joker sets. With Joker sets, you can keep working up to heavier and heavier work sets after your AMRAP. For example, after you go for your rep max on 3×3+ Week, you can keep doing heavier triples. You are supposed to “listen to your body” and stop before you go to a weight where you would fail. In other words, you’re supposed to incorporate autoregulation, but you’re given no real guidelines as to how to actually do that. Beyond that oversight, the Joker sets do at least allow for you to get some work done in that 85%+ range. This is a key addition for all powerlifters. You can read more about Joker sets in Beyond 5/3/1.
Overload
5/3/1 employs a combination of basic progressive overload and attempting to add more reps. On the one hand, you increase your training max by a fixed linear increment every single month. This results in heavier poundages being used over time – also known as progressive overload. However, you also push yourself to new limits with the rep max sets. By going for new rep PRs, you introduce another element of progression. This unique combination is one of the more intelligent and useful aspects of 5/3/1 in my opinion.
Fatigue Management
While there are certainly programs out there that go way too far with how much volume and frequency they prescribe, the original 5/3/1 program actually goes too far in the opposite direction in my opinion. The original 5/3/1 contains too little overall volume and features unnecessarily frequent deloads.
In terms of volume, you’re only doing three work sets per week on each lift. The rest of the volume comes from assistance movements. Now, I can already hear many of you saying, “But I do the Boring But Big Template”! The Boring But Big 5/3/1 template features assistance work where you take 50% of your training max on one of the big movements and then perform 5 sets of 10 reps (5×10). This does, indeed, increase volume. For powerlifting purposes, how useful do you think doing 5×10 at less than 50% of your real training max is? It isn’t that useful at all. Remember, boring but big – the template is explicitly aimed at hypertrophy.
Even Wendler seems to agree with this idea. In Beyond 5/3/1, Wendler has introduced a new concept called “First Set Last” where you repeat your first work set of the day for another AMRAP set. Wendler now recommends this as a standard addition to the 5/3/1 program. I think that speaks for itself. Wendler himself has found that adding more volume to the original 5/3/1 program is a good idea. Even so, for powerlifting purposes, we’d like to see more of the volume come at 80-85%+ rather than doing additional sets at ~70-75%.
Similarly, deloading every fourth week means that you spend 25% of your training year not actually training. Unless you’re absolutely KILLING yourself in those three working weeks, deloading that frequently is completely unnecessary. And as we’ve already established that the original 5/3/1 program is light on volume if anything, the deloads are even more wasteful.
Again, Wendler seems to have come to this conclusion himself. In Beyond 5/3/1, he is now recommending that you do two full cycles before deloading. So, you now train for six straight weeks before deloading.
It looks like this:
As you can see, you simply run two 5/3/1 cycles before each deload. Training maxes are increased starting in Week 4 after your first full 5/3/1 cycle as per usual.
When combined with the Joker sets and “First Set Last” additions, this makes a ton of sense and dramatically improves the overall quality of the program. If you’re interested in 5/3/1, and you don’t consult Beyond 5/3/1 for ideas on how to improve your template, I just don’t personally believe you’re going to make the same level of gains that you otherwise would.
Individual Differences
Compared to the other programs we’ve looked at thus far, Wendler is extremely progressive in his use of autoregulation. In the original program, the AMRAP sets allow you to make progress at your own pace. The AMRAP sets allow you to take advantage of good days and bad days. On good days, you’ll smash some rep PRs. On bad days, you won’t. It doesn’t matter either way because, as long as you get the minimum reps, you haven’t “stalled”. You can live on to fight again the next week.
Wendler takes this even further with the idea of Joker sets. Joker sets are essentially the same thing as setting an “initial” in RTS. Rather than predetermining your top set of the day, you simply work up to a top set. Again, this allows the lifter to autoregulate their heaviest training loads of the day.
Now, the original 5/3/1 program doesn’t autoregulate volume beyond the AMRAP set, which is a major fault considering that it is an advanced intermediate program. However, in Beyond 5/3/1, Wendler does provide a few templates where “advanced” lifters are encouraged to autoregulate assistance volume and given a few ideas of how to go about it.
Again, compared to other programs, Wendler is well ahead of the curve here. However, unlikeTuchscherer’s Reactive Training Systems, Wendler hasn’t yet figured out how to systematize autoregulation so that anyone can use it. Throughout Beyond 5/3/1, he simply mentions that he cannot teach you to “listen to your body”. You have to “learn it on your own”. Tuchscherer’s system proves this isn’t necessarily true; you can be taught to listen to your body.
Nonetheless, you can’t criticize Wendler’s newest versions of 5/3/1 for ignoring individual differences. If anything, I haven’t yet come across a resource that addresses so many different and varied goals and demographics. In Beyond 5/3/1, you’re very likely to find a program that is specifically tailored to your level of advancement and goals. The only issue is that there are soooo many templates and variations that the entire thing is somewhat of a jumbled mess that you’re going to have to sort out for yourself.
Final Thoughts
Admittedly, I am not a fan of the original 5/3/1 program. I don’t think it contains enough frequency, enough volume, I don’t think it has you handling heavy enough weights often enough, I think it calls for deloads too frequently, and it just generally isn’t specific to powerlifting. However, with Beyond 5/3/1, Wendler does a good job of giving the lifter a variety of tools to address virtually all of these deficiencies.
The main criticisms that remain, at least for me, is that he doesn’t provide a way to systematize the autoregulation provided by Joker sets and the overall volume done on assistance work. If you want the ideal 5/3/1 program for powerlifting, you’re going to have to do a lot of thinking for yourself. You’ll have to bring together all of his principles and create something coherent.
Now, while I still don’t consider the following template optimal, because I prefer at least three upperbody sessions per week, and because the volume still isn’t autoregulated, I do want to give you guys a starting point for making a 5/3/1 for Powerlifting template. I would combine the new Beyond 5/3/1 method and the heavier Boring But Big Variations.
Here’s what it looks like:
Let’s note the key points here. First of all, you’re doing two cycles before every deload. This means you get in a solid six weeks of training before taking that off week. You’re also using joker sets which means your top sets of the day are going to be autoregulated and they’ll be much heavier than the original 5/3/1 top sets. This increases specificity to powerlifting.
Additionally, the 5+ week and 3+ week are swapped. This means you never have two heavy weeks in a row. In Weeks One and Three, you use the Boring But Big Variation where you do 5×3 at 90% of your training max. This allows for more volume at heavier weights and thus makes the program more specific to powerlifting. On the 3×5 Week, you don’t do AMRAPs and you use the 5×5 Boring But Big variation. This week serves as a break from heavy loads, a bit of periodization, and a great way to keep the volume high without resorting to the extremely light, and practically pointless, 5×10 Boring But Big Variation.
Again, I don’t think this is an optimal routine or necessarily 100% the best way to use for 5/3/1 for Powerlifting. I just wanted to give you all a starting point for designing a more specific 5/3/1 template if you are just really enamored with 5/3/1 for whatever reason.
Conclusion
Overall, 5/3/1 is a solid choice for those of you out there who can no longer make progress on the simpler intermediate programs such as the Texas Method. By making some of the modifications we’ve talked about in this article, you’ll be well on your way to a 5/3/1 variant that is more specific to powerlifting and thus more conducive to improving your maximal strength.
Moving Forward
Next up in the program cue is going to be Brandon Lilly’s The Cube Method. I am excited to take a deeper look into this one and analyze it for PowerliftingToWin.
If you’re seriously considering using 5/3/1, I honestly believe that you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t pick up a copy of Beyond 5/3/1. The material in Beyond 5/3/1 will help you to improve the original 5/3/1 program by leaps and bounds. Wendler’s current version is just so much better than the original! While I don’t consider Beyond 5/3/1 must read material for the average powerlifter, if 5/3/1 really appeals to you personally, you need to grab a copy and give it a read.
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Body For Life-Triceps Training
well-developed arm, they
tend to think of an enormous,
pumped-up bicep muscle. The truth is
that the triceps are actually the larger
and more complex muscle group. The
perfectly-proportioned arm consists of
two-thirds triceps and one-third biceps.
So, if you want your arms to look good
from any angle, keep in mind that it’s the
triceps that give the arms most of
their size.
To achieve this ideal size and proportion
yourself, you’ll need to shock the muscles
with focused, high-intensity exercise,
using variety and the maximum amount
of weight possible. Keep in mind,
however, that doing so doesn’t mean
you should load on an unreasonable
amount of weight and sacrifice form and
technique.
As with many other exercises, using
improper form when training the triceps
will shift the focus of the exercise onto a
different muscle group.
In many triceps exercises, for example,
being unaware of the direction of your
elbows will result in the transfer of the
work onto your shoulders. At this point,
your triceps are merely along for the ride.
So stay focused!
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command attention and
respect. Shoulders that show their shape
even underneath your clothes announce
to the world that you’re in top condition.
Wide, fully-developed shoulders help
create the coveted tapered physique, not
only emphasizing your upper body, but
also making your waist appear smaller
and your arms look bigger.
In training shoulders, variety is
important. The shoulder muscles, also
known as the deltoids or “delts,” are
comprised of three heads—the anterior
(front), the medial (middle) and the
posterior (rear). Since no one exercise
optimally works out the entire shoulder,
it’s best to attack the muscles from
three different angles. Correct body
positioning is especially important when
performing shoulder exercises, since a
slight error in position will take the
emphasis off the muscle you’re targeting.
Caution: Injuries are a frequent problem
with shoulder training. During the lifting
and the lowering, take it slowly and focus
on good form. The shoulders are used in
so many different exercises, and so many
sports and activities, that they are likely
candidates for a host of overuse injuries.
Body for Life-Chest Training
crowd. Or perhaps you’re that
distinguished person who stands
apart and catches peoples’ eyes. So much of
our physical presence has to do with how
we hold ourselves. And a prominent part of
how we hold ourselves is our chest.
A well-defined chest establishes a strong
“presence” and sends a message to the
world that we are confident and competent.
The pectoral muscles, or “pecs,” are an
important symbol of physical strength: A
powerful chest is something everyone
recognizes. For the exercises we chose to
help you develop a strong chest, we
followed the tried-and-true philosophy
that basics are best. Of course, some of
them, like the classic bench press, can
boost your ego as well as your muscle
mass. But remember, form is everything.
Without proper form, you may lift
more weight, but you won’t get the
results you desire. If you succumb to the
temptation of overloading the weight,
you’ll shift the focus away from your
chest and make yourself more susceptible
to injury. Your goal is to build your best
body—not set Olympic records.
Body for Life-Biceps Training
pulling and lifting movements you
perform constantly throughout
the day. But perhaps the most compelling
reason to train your biceps is the almost
immediate effect you see in the mirror. The
bicep muscles, when flexed, are the classic
symbol of a powerful physique.
The biceps are also the most visible muscle
to train. When you curl a weight, you
can easily watch yourself in the mirror
and see the biceps swell enormously
under the strain. We promise you’ll
enjoy training these muscles—and
showing them off.
It is important to remember to focus on
form and smooth, controlled movement.
Resist the temptation to use your body
weight for leverage when performing
curls. To create a growth-producing
burn, you have to isolate the biceps
by paying strict attention to form.
Variety is also key here. By performing
a variety of exercises, you’ll emphasize
different areas of the biceps, creating
a fuller, rounder shape. You’ll also
force your body to keep adapting to the
changing types of stress. This means
your biceps get bigger faster.
Body for Life-Back Training
train their backs because they
can’t really see the muscles
being worked. It’s an “out-of-sight,
out-of-mind” thing.
But the back is the key area you
can train to significantly change the
proportions of your entire body, so
people notice even when you’re fully
clothed. A well-developed back is at
least as visible under your clothes as
a strong chest, and definitely more
visible under most clothes than say, your
biceps. Strong lats (the large muscles of
the back or “latissimus dorsi”) help create
that classic V-shape; the wider your
back and shoulders, the smaller your
waist appears.
Another good reason to devote serious
attention to the muscles behind you is
that they greatly assist with developing
the muscles in front. Want maximum
results from squatting, curling or
pressing exercises? All of these require
a strong back. Back strength also
promotes proper body mechanics (and
prevents injury) as you bend, twist
and lift throughout the day.
With all this in mind, isn’t it time to
pay a little more attention to your back?
Body for Life-Abs Training
cornerstone of a well-built body.
Your abdominals are the center of
your body and, arguably, no other body
part better defines your overall condition.
So what’s the secret to getting great abs?
The answer, quite simply, is that there is
no secret. The only way to get great abs is
to follow a training program that
includes cardio, proper nutrition and
supplementation, in addition to weight
training. Of course, you have to train
your abs hard, with as much intensity as
any other body part.
For a number of people, the abdominal
muscles are covered by a layer of fat. And
no matter how many crunches they do,
they won’t see those powerful muscles
until that unhealthy roll around the
midsection is gone and their bodyfat
percentage reaches the single digits for
men or the low teens for women. Then,
and only then, will they uncover those
muscles that they have worked so hard
to build.
With all the fancy new gadgets and
gizmos that promise the abs of your
dreams, it can be confusing to figure
out the best way to train. The reality is
that it couldn’t be easier. A flat surface, a
bench, or a pull-up bar are all the
equipment you need.
Remember, to get the maximum
intensity from every workout, you
must focus on the contraction of
the abdominal muscles during each
repetition.
Mike Mentzer-Heavy Duty Nutrition
In the late 70s /early 80s it wasn’t uncommon to train 4 hours a day and consume 500 grams of protein a day (yes, I did follow this routine when I was 17…hey, I lived in rural Germany and there was no internet, so please forgive me). Unsatisfied with the gains of the average non-steroid assisted trainee, he became convinced that the majority of people were over trained and drastically shortened his and his clients’ workouts. In conjunction with Arthur Jones, he created his system of High Intensity Training or HIT. Basically, the trainee trained infrequently, 3-4 times every 2 weeks and did only one set beyond failure. He also added drop sets, negatives, partials etc.
There are many variations of heavy duty training. Dorian Yates, who is said to have been a heavy duty trainee, used in fact a much higher volume than Mike Mentzer ever prescribed.
McRobert Stuart Weight Training Technique Second Edition
a perfect nutritional plan, an ideal rest and sleep schedule,
and the most positive attitude in the world, but it will all be
largely if not totally wasted if you do not use good exercise
technique. In order of priority, exercise technique comes BEFORE
program design.
Over the years, hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions,
have been forced to give up weight training because of
pain and injuries caused by using faulty exercise form. But
apply what you learn from this book and you will be able to
train safely for a lifetime.
Though it may seem unbelievable, gyms are usually terrible
places for learning about good exercise form. You need to be
knowledgeable enough so that you can take full responsibility
for your training. That is where this book comes in.
Bodybuilding – Weightlifting Training Database Book
Isometric Neck Exercise – Front And Back
Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Neck
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: BodyOnly
Mechanics Type: Isolation
Tips: You can perform this exercise seated or standing. Place your head and neck in a neutral position. Place
both of your hands on the front side of your head and gently push for the required number of seconds on your
workout. Resist any movement of your head by “isometrically” contracting your neck muscles. Repeat with your
hands placed on the back side of your head. This is an excellent way to strengthen your neck muscles with
minimal risk of injury. Can also be done on the sides of your head.
Isometric Neck Exercise – Sides
Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Neck
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: BodyOnly
Mechanics Type: Isolation
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exerprint.php?R…e=&MainMuscle=Neck&Isolation=&Equip=&order=Name (1 of 5) [12/30/2004 1:23:45 AM]
Bodybuilding.com – Exercise Guides Database – Printable Page
Tips: You can perform this exercise seated or standing. Place your head and neck in a neutral position. Place
both your left hand on the on the left side of your head and gently push for the required number of seconds on
your workout. Resist any movement of your head by “isometrically” contracting your neck muscles. Repeat with
your right hand on the right side of your head. This is an excellent way to strengthen your neck muscles with
minimal risk of injury. Can also be done on the front and back of the head.
Lying Face Down Plate Neck Resistance
Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Neck
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Other
Mechanics Type: Isolation
Tips: Lie face down with shoulders about even with the end of a flat bench. Place a barbell plate on the back of
your head and hold it in place with your hands. Raise head up and back in a semicircular motion as far as
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exerprint.php?R…e=&MainMuscle=Neck&Isolation=&Equip=&order=Name (2 of 5) [12/30/2004 1:23:45 AM]
Bodybuilding.com – Exercise Guides Database – Printable Page
comfortable. Return to starting position.
Lying Face-Up Place Neck Resistance
Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Neck
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Other
Mechanics Type: Isolation
Tips: Lie on your back with your shoulders about even with the end of the bench. Place a flat barbell plate on
your forehead and hold in place with your hands. Raise your head in a semicircular motion as far as
comfortable. Return to starting position slowly.
Seated Head Harness Neck Resistance
Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Neck
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Other
Mechanics Type: Isolation
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exerprint.php?R…e=&MainMuscle=Neck&Isolation=&Equip=&order=Name (3 of 5) [12/30/2004 1:23:45 AM]
Bodybuilding.com – Exercise Guides Database – Printable Page
Tips: Place the desired weight on chain attached to the head harness. Sit on a flat bench with your feet firmly
on the floor. Lean forward slightly so the plate hangs free. Place your hands on your knees. Raise head up and
back in a semicircular motion as far as comfortable. Can be done standing as well.
Standing Head Harness Neck Resistance
Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Neck
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Other
Mechanics Type: Isolation
Tips: Place the desired weight on chain attached to the head harness. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder
width. Lean forward slightly so the plate hangs free. Place your hands on your knees. Raise head up and back
in a semicircular motion as far as comfortable. Can also be done seated.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exerprint.php?R…e=&MainMuscle=Neck&Isolation=&Equip=&order=Name (4 of 5) [12/30/2004 1:23:45 AM]
Bodybuilding.com – Exercise Guides Database – Printable Page
Traps Exercise Guides
Barbell Shrug
Exercise Data
Main Muscle Worked: Traps
Other Muscles Worked: None
Equipment: Barbell
Mechanics Type: Isolation
Tips: Hold a barbell with both hands in front of you with your hands a little wider than shoulder width apart.
Keep your feet at shoulder width. Stand straight up with the bar hanging at arms length. Droop shoulders down
as much as possible to start. Raise your shoulders up as far as you can go. You can also rotate your shoulders
as you go up, going in a semicircular motion from front to rear. Then slowly return to the starting position. Can
also be down with dumbbells.
ETC.
Thinking Big II by Skip La Cour
Compelling Journey!
I know what you want—and I’m committed to helping you get it!
I feel privileged to have this opportunity to share my thoughts, opinions, ideas,
mental strategies, and the lessons I have learned. It is my sincere desire that this
book will provide information and inspiration to get you closer to earning the
physique you ultimately want. Whether it’s by means of one of the exercises that
creates clarity and improves your training intensity or a personal challenge or
struggle I share that gives you the courage to try just one more time, I want to be
your coach and friend who helps you reach your bodybuilding goals.
Pete Sisco – Train Smart (Static Contraction – Power Factor)
Thanks for purchasing my new e-book, TRAIN SMART! It’s loaded with revolutionary,
proven knowledge and techniques that will allow you to quickly
and efficiently transform your body to whatever level of fitness and muscularity
you desire – from muscle toning and firming – to conditioning for a
sport—to adding 20, 30 or even 40 pounds of new, hard muscle to your
frame. All without drugs, without spending a fortune on nutritional supplements
and without wasting your time in the gym.
This e-book is concise. You probably already know that I co-authored
seven books and edited five other bodybuilding books for IRONMAN magazine.
Those books make a stack of paper about two feet high. But when
people ask me what to do in the gym to quickly add some muscle to their
bodies, they don’t want to read 1,000 pages. They just want the “core” of
my knowledge. That fact was the beginning of this project.
You see, a while ago, my 22-year-old nephew told me he was getting into
weightlifting and he wanted to know what I thought he should be doing in
the gym to maximize his results. He knew John and I wrote books on the
subject, performed research with trainees from 18 to 55 years of age,
measured their results every step of the way and synthesized them into full
workouts and specialization workouts. He knew all of that and more – BUT
HE DIDN’T WANT TO READ THAT MUCH ! – he just wanted his uncle to tell
him the core knowledge from all those books and all that research! The
best of the best, without any preamble, padding or self-serving B.S. about
how smart we were compared to others!
So, I gave it to him.
That made me realize I really could condense what I’d learned developing
Power Factor Training, Power Factor Specialization, Static Contraction
Training, new data, feedback from customers, experience from personal
consultations – everything! – into a relatively small book. And I could make
it available to anyone in the world via the Internet!
And that’s what you have right now. The best information garnered from
years of research and real world testing. I urge you to read every word
of it. The knowledge you need is in these pages – but it’s concise – I don’t
repeat the same things over and over. You can jump around all you
want. You can just pick a workout and get going. But when a question
comes up … you’ll find the answer in here.
BODY BUILDING SECRETS REVEALED
Ever since the fitness craze in the 1980’s, we have become a
nation increasingly aware of our health and physique. Millions of
dollars are spent every year in the quest for a perfect body. Gyms are
big business, personal trainers are making a tidy living helping people
stay fit, and body building supplements are at an all-time level of
performance.
In actuality, the sport of body building has been around for quite
some time. In the late 19th century, the man known as the “father of
bodybuilding”, Eugen Sandow was credited with inventing the sport by
inviting people to view his body in muscle display performances.
Sandow built a stage performance around displays of strength
and agility as well as showing off a “Grecian” physique which was
considered the ultimate body. He became so successful, he created
several businesses around his fame and was among the first people to
market body building products bearing his name. As he became more
popular, he was credited with the invention of the first exercise
equipment marketed to the masses.
Sandow was also credited with beginning the first body building
contest called “The Great Competition” held in London. This
competition was the basis for many others to follow including the Mr.
Olympia competition that remains the most popular body building
contest to date.
When World War II broke out, men in the country were inspired
to become bigger in their physique, stronger, and more aggressive in
their behavior. Training techniques were improved, nutrition was
focused on more than ever, and body building equipment evolved into
effective means for working muscles in ways never thought of before.
It was also around this time that many body building
organizations came into being including the Amateur Athletic Union
and the International Federation of Body Building. In 1970, body
building was taken to a new level when the film “Pumping Iron” was
released starring Austrian newcomer Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Through the years, body building has just grown in popularity
becoming almost an obsession for many people. Women have started
to take an interest in honing their bodies, and the sport has evolved
into a real competitive arena.
If you’ve always wanted to learn about how to build your body to
that “Grecian Ideal” envisioned by Eugen Sandow, there can be a lot
to learn. This book will guide you through some of the basics to get
you started. Of course, nothing will compare to actually getting to the
gym and lifting those weights, but you’ll need some information first.
That’s why we’re here. We want to reveal body building secrets
to YOU.
Bodybuilding Made Simple Addendum
Copyright © 2005
The following issues stem from various questions and comments directed towards me,
which I have not had time to integrate into my compendium.
Weightlifting stunts growth?
Weightlifting has proven to be safe for people of all ages and will not stunt your
growth– I started when I was 13ish. The one caveat is that you have to follow perfect
form. If, for example, you are bent over in half and learning forward while squatting
(very poor form), there is a chance you could fuse growth plates together, among other
problems. If you are uncertain about your form, ask a trainer at your gym for assistance.
Exercising releases testosterone and growth hormone?
In my compendium, I made reference to heavy core compound movements (e.g.,
squat, deadlift, etc..) and Olympic-style movements increasing testosterone and gH
(growth hormone) production. While these movements do cause this to occur, the effect
is minimal and only lasts for a minute period of time. I mention this because some people
are under the impression that your levels increase 8 to 10 fold after doing these
movements and that the effect lasts for hours on end – this simply is not the case.
So why did I mention this point in my compendium – simple – who does not want
to try and harness every ounce of testosterone production, no matter how miniscule the
quantity.
If you want serious testosterone release, sleep. This is when the largest quantities
are produced (and hence why your testosterone levels are the highest in the morning after
you wake up). If you want gH release, do some endurance training.
Bodybuilding Competition Guide By Brian D. Johnston
International Association of Resistance Trainers
The information provided in this manual refers to amateur based contests. Professional level competitions
have a somewhat different layout. Furthermore, competition procedures are routinely restructured for
higher efficiency and entertainment, and may not completely reflect what is found in this section. Contact
the governing body for complete competition details.
The Rock Hard Challenge (Month 3 Training)
program is based on a three-day split: pressing movements
on one day, pulling movements on another and leg exercises
on a third day. The big twist this time around is that
we’ve planned the program around a microcycle system,
where your routine changes week to week. Those changes
in training style, total training volume and intensity effectively
stack your gains one on top of the other. You won’t
hit a plateau at any time during the program (as long as you
rest on the planned recovery days), and you’ll be looking
and feeling your best in weeks!
There are no shortcuts when it comes to constructing a
fantastic physique; however, this innovative reorganization
of your training routine challenges your system to respond
quickly with positive adaptations. Take note: Each week
is a one-shot deal — you’ll never get another chance to
revisit the same combination of sets, reps, weight and exer-
cises at any time during the challenge — so make every
repetition count.
The Rock Hard Challenge (Month 2 Training)
program is based on a three-day split: pressing movements
on one day, pulling movements on another and leg exercises
on a third day. The big twist this time around is that
we’ve planned the program around a microcycle system,
where your routine changes week to week. Those changes
in training style, total training volume and intensity effectively
stack your gains one on top of the other. You won’t
hit a plateau at any time during the program (as long as you
rest on the planned recovery days), and you’ll be looking
and feeling your best in weeks!
There are no shortcuts when it comes to constructing a
fantastic physique; however, this innovative reorganization
of your training routine challenges your system to respond
quickly with positive adaptations. Take note: Each week
is a one-shot deal — you’ll never get another chance to
revisit the same combination of sets, reps, weight and exer-
cises at any time during the challenge — so make every
repetition count.
The Rock Hard Challenge (Month 1 Training)
program is based on a three-day split: pressing movements
on one day, pulling movements on another and leg exercises
on a third day. The big twist this time around is that
we’ve planned the program around a microcycle system,
where your routine changes week to week. Those changes
in training style, total training volume and intensity effectively
stack your gains one on top of the other. You won’t
hit a plateau at any time during the program (as long as you
rest on the planned recovery days), and you’ll be looking
and feeling your best in weeks!
There are no shortcuts when it comes to constructing a
fantastic physique; however, this innovative reorganization
of your training routine challenges your system to respond
quickly with positive adaptations. Take note: Each week
is a one-shot deal — you’ll never get another chance to
revisit the same combination of sets, reps, weight and exer-
cises at any time during the challenge — so make every
repetition count.
13 SECRET EXERCISES OF PHYSIQUE CHAMPIONS
by the shackles of just doing the regular so called core exercise
movements all the time; rather they are always experimenting,
looking for unusual or more efficient exercises to perform.
Do as the champion bodybuilders do by closely examining the
exercises you are currently performing and see if they are giving
you the results you desire.
Here are some of the little know secret exercises physique
champions use to keep their muscles big & defined. All of the
following exercises offer some new twists to the regular
exercises you may have been doing previously – which will
transform a dull, arduous, run-of-the-mill workout into an
exhilarating and inspiring, enjoyable and productive experience!
Enjoy!!!
The Personal Training System Bodybuilding.com
Congratulations, you have made it this far. This manual will teach you everything you
must do to have a great body. But remember, only you have the power to use the
information that you learn.
I was prompted to write this because I am surrounded by so many people that are
constantly seeking out weight loss information. I know exactly what needs to be done and
I want to show others.
It is impossible to know absolutely everything about fitness, and Im not saying I do. But,
I do know how to lose weight and the information contained in this manual will teach you
just that. Before you start this program remember these three things
Bodybuilding – Muscle and Fitness 101 Workouts UK Australian Edition Magazine Special Issue 2005
More Ways to Use 101 Workouts
CHAPTER 1: CHEST
10 Beginner Programme
12 15-Minute Routine
14 At-Home Training
16 Advanced Routine: Dexter Jackson
18 Advanced Routine: Omar Deckard
20 Advanced Routine: Nasser El Sonbaty
22 7 Specialised Routines
CHAPTER 2: DELTS
26 Beginner Programme
28 15-Minute Routine
30 At-Home Training
32 Advanced Routine: Günter Schlierkamp
34 Advanced Routine: Bob Cicherillo
36 Advanced Routine: Craig Titus
38 7 Specialised Routines
CHAPTER 3: BACK
42 Beginner Programme
44 15-Minute Routine
46 At-Home Training
48 Advanced Routine: Mike Dragna
50 Advanced Routine: Garrett Downing
52 Advanced Routine: Dorian Yates
54 7 Specialised Routines
CHAPTER 4: LEGS
58 Beginner Programme
60 15-Minute Routine
62 At-Home Training
64 Advanced Routine: Shawn Ray
66 Advanced Routine: Milos Sarcev
68 Advanced Routine: Jay Cutler
70 7 Specialised Routines
101 WORKOUTS CONTENTS
CHAPTER 5: BICEPS
74 Beginner Programme
76 15-Minute Routine
78 At-Home Training
80 Advanced Routine: Mike Matarazzo
82 Advanced Routine: Chris Cormier
84 Advanced Routine: Aaron Maddron
86 7 Specialised Routines
CHAPTER 6: TRICEPS
90 Beginner Programme
92 15-Minute Routine
94 At-Home Training
96 Advanced Routine: Lee Priest
98 Advanced Routine: Victor Konovalov
100 Advanced Routine: Darrem Charles
102 7 Specialised Routines
CHAPTER 7: ABDOMINALS
106 Beginner Programme
108 15-Minute Routine
110 At-Home Training
112 Advanced Routine: Stan McQuay
114 Advanced Routine: Mike Vrabel
116 Advanced Routine: Richard Jones
118 7 Specialised Routines
CHAPTER 8: UPPER BODY
122 Beginner Programme
124 Advanced Programme
126 20-Minute Routine
128 At-Home Training
130 Power & Strength Routine
CHAPTER 9: FULL BODY
132 Beginner Programme
134 Advanced Programme
138 20-Minute Routine
140 At-Home Training
142 Power & Strength Routine
Body Shaping Course
UNIVERSAL
BODYBUILDING’S
12 Week BODY SHAPING COURSE
Congratulations
on your desire to enter the fascinating world of Fitness, body shaping and bodybuilding!
We have just received your enrollment form, and we’re pleased you have chosen Universal
Bodybuilding as your personal trainer. We offer the most exclusive Body-shaping
program available. By taking the simple first step of enrollment you have embarked on the
path to improved body and health.
Just a note….
…to give you a few tips, so that you can expect the quality standards set by
Universal Bodybuilding.
Nothing can stop you from achieving your physical goals! Put your heart
and desire into your training and nothing can stop you from success. You
will improve! It is a scientific fact that the body responds to progressive
exercise and correct eating habits, it would be impossible not to improve
while following this unique course! Our thousands of satisfied students
prove the effectiveness of our famous course. We have yet to see one
person who follows this course not gain!
You have taken the most important step, enrolling with “Universal”! This
proved that you are a person who demands the most out of life, good
health and a beautiful body. Without good health you have nothing, with
good health you can accomplish almost anything you set out to do in this
world.
Stretching by Bob Anderson
This 20th Anniversary Revised Edition has helped people of all ages, sizes, and levels of fitness increase their flexibility and stay in shape.
Weight Training Guide
The information in building muscle 101 is geared towards the novice weight trainer but it can also be a nice refresher for those seasoned weight lifters and athletes.
The main goal of this web site is to give you quality information you need to put together a muscle building plan from start to finish. No gimmicks and no hype. If you are looking to build muscle and power, this website can be a great help.
With this web site you will find great weight lifting information and weight lifting tips to help you build muscle and get you started on your life long pursuit of health and fitness.
Here’s what you can expect from Building muscle 101:
! How to design and implement your weight lifting routine;
! How to build a complete nutritional plan;
! Weight lifting supplements;
! Fitness equipment reviews;
! Tasty body building recipes and menus;
! Weight lifting tips and techniques;
! Beginner weight lifting routines to the advanced;
! Specialized training routines;
! Figuring out your optimal nutritional needs;
! Full exercise illustrations and descriptions;
! And much, much more
Blast Your Bench 2
the “Blast Your Bench” program. Please read the contents of this program thoroughly. To
get the maximum benefit from this program you must strictly follow the exercise and diet
plan; please do not add your own variations to the program as this will slow your
progress. This program is based upon training and nutrition concepts that have been
proven to work. But it doesn’t mean that the program is easy! You are going to have to
work hard to reap the ultimate benefits. The “Blast Your Bench” program will
show how to achieve maximum growth, but there are no shortcuts or excuses.
“Blast Your Bench” is an awesome shock routine that will rapidly increase your bench
press strength. Gains of 30, 40, 50, and even as much as 60 pounds are not uncommon
with this 3 week training routine!
There is also a Special Bonus Report Included at the end of the program. This is a
modified version of the “Blast Your Bench” training system that will focus on increasing
your squatting strength.
In the program we will explain the training methods and techniques. You will learn
exactly step by step what you need to do in order to achieve maximum results. We will
cover proper nutrition and supplementation, ways to increase your natural anabolic
hormones, techniques to speed recovery, and much more!
So without any further delay, let’s get started!
Blast Your Bench 1
the “Blast Your Bench” program. Please read the contents of this program thoroughly. To
get the maximum benefit from this program you must strictly follow the exercise and diet
plan; please do not add your own variations to the program as this will slow your
progress. This program is based upon training and nutrition concepts that have been
proven to work. But it doesn’t mean that the program is easy! You are going to have to
work hard to reap the ultimate benefits. The “Blast Your Bench” program will
show how to achieve maximum growth, but there are no shortcuts or excuses.
“Blast Your Bench” is an awesome shock routine that will rapidly increase your bench
press strength. Gains of 30, 40, 50, and even as much as 60 pounds are not uncommon
with this 3 week training routine!
There is also a Special Bonus Report Included at the end of the program. This is a
modified version of the “Blast Your Bench” training system that will focus on increasing
your squatting strength.
In the program we will explain the training methods and techniques. You will learn
exactly step by step what you need to do in order to achieve maximum results. We will
cover proper nutrition and supplementation, ways to increase your natural anabolic
hormones, techniques to speed recovery, and much more!
So without any further delay, let’s get started!
Biogenetic 2004
Why I wrote this e-book?
I’ve been where you are right now!
You’ve got a burning desire to build a better body. I know this because you
bought this book.
You want to get it but there’s a lot of confusion out there. Every where you
look “experts” can’t seem to agree on anything. If someone could just give
you a roadmap to make your journey easier.
Let me tell you a story…
When I started working out about 14 years ago I tried everything you can
imagine. I was just getting into bodybuilding and didn’t know anything about
nutrition, weight training, or supplements. The first place I looked for this
information was the bodybuilding magazines at the local bookstore.
That was my first and biggest mistake!
I tried the routines, nutrition programs, and just about every supplement on
the market outlined in the bodybuilding magazines in the hope that it would
add muscle to my skinny body.
What I didn’t realize at the time was the bodybuilding magazines are more
interested in promoting their own interest than providing accurate
information.
When I realized this I began to look for other sources of bodybuilding
information. I wanted to find the secrets to getting huge! I read scientific
studies, books from famous strength coaches, Russian strength experts, and
everything I could get my hands on that revealed how to pack on more
muscle weight.
Biogenetic 2002
Why I wrote this e-book?
I’ve been where you are right now!
You’ve got a burning desire to build a better body. I know this because you
bought this book.
You want to get it but there’s a lot of confusion out there. Every where you
look “experts” can’t seem to agree on anything. If someone could just give
you a roadmap to make your journey easier.
Let me tell you a story…
When I started working out about 11 years ago I tried everything you can
imagine. I was just getting into bodybuilding and didn’t know anything about
nutrition, weight training, or supplements. The first place I looked for this
information was the bodybuilding magazines at the local bookstore.
That was my first and biggest mistake!
I tried the routines, nutrition programs, and just about every supplement on
the market outlined in the bodybuilding magazines in the hope that it would
add muscle to my skinny body.
What I didn’t realize at the time was the bodybuilding magazines are more
interested in promoting their own interest than providing accurate
information.
When I realized this I began to look for other sources of bodybuilding
information. I wanted to find the secrets to getting huge! I read scientific
studies, books from famous strength coaches, Russian strength experts, and
everything I could get my hands on that revealed how to pack on more
muscle weight.
Bill Phillips – Body for life
Hundreds of thousands of men and women who read his magazine for guidance and straightforward information about exercise, nutrition, and living with strength.
Elite professional athletes, among them John Elway, Karl Malone, Mike Piazza, and Terrell Davis ?ho have turned to Phillips for clear–cut information to enhance their energy and performance.
People once plagued by obesity, alcoholism, and life–threatening ailments who accepted a personal challenge from Bill Phillips and, with his help, have regained control of their bodies and their lives.
When you begin to apply the information in this book, you will be provingto yourself that astounding changes are within your grasp too. And, you will discover Body –for–LIFE is much more than a book about physical fitness ?t’s a gateway to a new and better life, a life of rewarding and fulfilling moments, perhaps more spectacular than you’ve ever dared to dream before.
Within 12 weeks, you too are going to know ?ot believe, but know : that the transformation you’ve created with your body is merely an example of the power you have to transform everything else in your world.
Before And After Photo Fraud
=&1=& If you watch the news, you can surely appreciate this when you hear about all the DRUG SCANDALS in the Olympics, baseball, cycling and other pro sports today. Turns out, many of our “heroes” were “on the juice!”
=&2=& about how many fitness models and before-after “success stories” got their artificial bodies by gulping fistfuls of steroids, hormones and fat-burning drugs, and then had the audacity to claim it was some miracle supplement that gave them their six pack abs! Meanwhile, the supplement companies were paying for their fraudulent endorsements. (Phonies!) But in the end, the liars and cheaters got BUSTED, and the truth has been uncovered.
Fat Burning Secrets
Background
Tom Venuto is a bodybuilder, gym owner, freelance writer, success coach and author of “Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle” (BFFM): Fat Burning Secrets of the World’s Best Bodybuilders and Fitness Models. Tom has written over 150 articles and has been featured in IRONMAN magazine, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Muscle-Zine, Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise. Tom’s inspiring and informative articles on bodybuilding, weight loss and motivation are featured regularly on dozens of websites worldwide.
Beyond Bodybuilding
As you’ll quickly discover in =&0=&, a close adherence to =&4=& is the true recipe for =&5=&. What are these key principles? You’ll find them all in this bodybuilding book.
The already highly skilled amongst you will find a treasure trove of new strategies for elevating your game. After all, give a consummate professional the correct adjustments at the correct time and they can surge forward in their gains… give a championship caliber team the right coaching tips and they can win it all…
For the regular bodybuilder or strength athlete, Pavel gives you the ultimate road map for progress and success. You’ll be fired up all over again, as you experience one great breakthrough after another… with your new understanding of the =&6=&.
Armed with the new knowledge Pavel gives you, you’ll find yourself with the power-body of a wild animal — but the mindset of a skilled strength-scientist.
Better Arms Muscle Fitness – Pumped Arms
IF TRAINING YOUR BICEPS after back or your triceps after chest has left your arms only mildly pumped, it is time to ditch those disappointing results.
Start by shifting the larger bodypart you typically train beforehand to another day, then pair your bias and trias together using supersets and tri-sets in one intense session. Exercise scientists identify the 8-12 rep range as best for musclebuilding.
Start on the lower end with heavier weights when you are fresh, progress to lighter weights for sets of 10 reps on the second pair of exercises, then finish up with 12-rep sets. We also make the switch between exercises easy; you all use the same equipment for each move within the superset or tri-set.
For more experienced lifters, we suggest a number of techniques to amp up the intensity such as drop sets, negatives and self-spotting forced reps. If results like that don’t get you pumped for your next training session, nothing will.
BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES & TIPS
required. Muscles were not really built to be slow although it may be useful in activities such
as arm wrestling.
• Speed can, however, increase power, like force. Speed and force/tension/strength both make
up power.
• Regularly tensing up your muscles deliberately can soon make your muscles even more toned,
as the nervous system becomes programmed and starts doing it for you. You should however
try to pick up some heavy sometimes, as your body has to become accustomed and you need
to develop a skill for doing the actual thing.
• Another way to exert power is to tense all your other muscles to get more power from just
something as small as your grip – this is called “hyper irradiation”.
• Strength training and endurance training are both important.
• Aim to exercise at least 3 times a week, with at least 30min sessions.
• About an hour or two before exercising, eat complex-carbohydrate foods like pasta, rice, bread,
fruits or vegetables.
• Drink water during exercise. During longer workouts, consider drinking a sports drink, with
no more than 10% carbohydrate.
• After working out, you should have a small meal immediately like Weetabix, bananas or
beans, full of proteins and carbohydrate. About an hour later, have some complexcarbohydrate
foods like pasta, bread, potatoes, rice, vegetables, meat, fish or eggs.
• Go to bed hungry for more growth hormones to be released.
The Beginners Guide To Bodybuilding
That’s why this training program is all about progression. Sure, the first few weeks are pretty elementary (to let your body acclimate to the new stress without risking injury), but within a month the program will reach an intermediate level, and by the end it will be what you can consider advanced.
Barbell Squat
Preparation
From a rack with barbell upper chest height,
position bar high on back of shoulders and grasp
barbell to sides. Dismount bar from rack and stand
with shoulder width stance.
Execution
Descend until thighs are just past parallel to floor.
Extend knees and hips until legs are straight.
Return and repeat.
Barbell Front Squat
Preparation
From a rack with barbell upper chest height,
position bar on front of the shoulders. Cross arms
and place hands on top of barbell with upper arms
parallel to floor. Dismount bar from rack.
Execution
Descend until thighs are just past parallel. Extend
knees and hips until legs are straight. Return and
repeat.
Comments
Keep head forward, back straight and
Barbell Deadlift
Preparation
With feet flat beneath bar, squat down and grasp
bar with a shoulder width or slightly wider over
hand or mixed grip.
Execution
Lift bar by extending hips and knees to full
extension. Pull shoulders back at top of lift if
rounded. Return and repeat.
Barbell Bent-over Row
Preparation
From a rack with barbell upper chest height,
position bar high on back of shoulders and grasp
barbell to sides. Dismount bar from rack and stand
with shoulder width stance.
Execution
Descend until thighs are just past parallel to floor.
Extend knees and hips until legs are straight.
Return and repeat.
Arnold Special – Guide
His workouts lasted hours, with a seemingly endless number of exercises and sets. It was the epitome of high-volume training, a style of working out criticized by most training experts today as not allowing adequate muscle recovery. But there was a method to Arnold’s madness. In the following slides, you’ll see— body part by body part—the actual workouts the Austrian Oak performed while in the prime of his career, when he was the undisputed king of bodybuilding.
ARNOLD’S COMPETITIVE BODYBUILDING STATS
Born: July 30, 1947, in Graz, Austria
Height: 6’1½”
Arms: 22″
Chest: 57″
Waist: 34″
Thighs: 28½”
Calves: 20″
Off-Season Weight: Around 250 lbs
Competition Weight: 225–235 lbs
ARNOLD’S DOUBLE SPLIT ROUTINE
Days 1, 3, 5
AM: Chest, Back
PM: Legs, Calves, Abs
Days 2, 4, 6
AM: Shoulders, Triceps, Biceps
PM: Calves, Abs
Day 7
Rest
Arnold Special – Leg,Beck and Abs
ARNOLD’S AB WORKOUT
Arnold’s approach to ab training was fairly simple. He had a few favorite moves that he did for fairly high reps. Then again, when you think how hard he trained his core with his thrice-weekly leg and back workouts, you’d figure he probably didn’t even need to train his abs at all.
Arnold was one of the few big men in the history of professional bodybuilding to sport a 34-inch waist in competition shape. His midsection served to accentuate the massiveness of his upper torso while enhancing the aesthetic appeal. While not as ripped to shreds as those displayed today, Arnold’s deeply etched six-pack was noteworthy for the exaggerated taper it added to his physique. This was aided, of course, by his wide shoulders and broad back. To refine his midsection, Arnold would focus on high reps, aiming to hit nothing fewer than 25 per set, and often going for 10 minutes continuously on some movements.
Arnold Special – Delts and Arms
It was previously called the =&1=& (plural =&2=&) and the name is still used by some anatomists. It is called so because it is in the shape of the Greek capital letter delta (Δ). It is also known as the =&3=&, particularly in other animals such as the domestic cat. Deltoid is also further shortened in slang as “=&4=&“.
A study of 30 shoulders revealed an average mass of 191.9 grams (6.77 oz) (range 84 grams (3.0 oz)–366 grams (12.9 oz)) in humans.
Arnold Special – Motivation and Chest
”The mind always fails first, not the body. The secret is to make your mind work for you, not against you”
Arnold’s chrest training
Arnold pecs were truly impressive, even as teenager. It was always one of his strong body parts. Arnold prioritized chest training; he did it first in his training when fatigue levels were low so he could train it with maximum intensity.
CrossFit Journal April 2008
Phil Savage, “Hand Rips: Causes, Treatments, and Prevention” – As a gymnastics coach, Savage knows the importance of maintaining the health and integrity of the skin on the hands to allow sustained training, But he also sees plenty of torn calluses and skin rips, which are part of the territory for any physical exercise that uses the hands intensively–including high-volume kipping pull-ups and ring work as well as kettlebell and barbell training, to name a few. Here he presents an illustrated practical guide to callus maintenance and rip prevention and treatment that we can all use.
Chris Spealler, “Wrestling Set-Ups, Takedowns, and Finishes”
Amino Acids and Proteins for the Athlete
effects of protein and amino acids on athletic
performance, health, disease, and longevity
Strength and Conditioning Interrogations
This book is not intended for the treatment or prevention of disease, nor as a
substitute for medical treatment. Programs outlined herein should not be adopted
without consultation with your health professional. Use of the programs herein is
at the sole choice and risk of the reader. The author is neither responsible, nor
liable for any harm or injury resulting from this program or the use of the
exercises described herein.
All about Doggcrapp and DC Training
Welcome. This is an UNOFFICIAL beginner’s guide to the advanced bodybuilding routine known as DC training, created by Doggcrapp, taught by Doggcrapp and In-Human. If you want to talk to DC and IH, go to http://www.intensemuscle.com. DC offers a personal training program for only the most dedicated bodybuilders who wish to become the world’s greatest.
This is for advanced lifters ONLY! If you do not yet have at least two years of lifting under your belt, you can still apply principles of DC training here and there. Read this if you are a beginning lifter (note: this is good reading for both beginning and advanced lifters).
Here are the chapters of DC Training:
Chapter 1: Dogg Pound Training
Chapter 2: Cycles For Pennies Continues
Chapter 3: List of approved exercises for DC
Chapter 4: Extreme Stretching
Chapter 5: Random Thoughts by Dogg
Appendix A: Unofficial exercise rep ranges and summary of DC training
Appendix B: Fav Dante quotes from Jim Paul
Appendix C: Quotes from In-Human by Future
A Review of Agility
Agility is an important component
of many sports but has not been extensively
researched. The various
components that contribute to agility
performance are discussed and
training guidelines are provided.
There appears to be limited transfer
to agility performance from straight
sprint training as well as from general
strength training. The principle of
training specificity is emphasized to
achieve maximum transfer to onfield
performance.
A Guide to Healthy Living – Your Route to Weight Loss
Healthy living is something we all aspire to ascertain, in a world where everything is
achievable.
However, with life being full of distinct pressures, we are constantly bombarded with
scare-mongering stories, whether it’s the size zero phenomenon or the obesity
epidemic.
In reality, healthy living and reaching a healthy
weight are determined by different factors for each
and every person.
Our expert advice is here to provide you with the
ability to achieve and maintain a healthy and life
enhancing weight.
You must always remember that:
• Good health is linked to a good diet. There is endless advice available to you
about the best foods and weightloss systems around, but sometimes it is hard to
know what to do for the best. This guide is here to help you.
• Trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle by keeping fit is necessary to help boost
your energy levels, as well as your metabolism. Just by boosting your daily
activities as part of your routine, will ensure that you can reap these rewards.
• Worldwide, there are increasing numbers of people using alternative medicines
to help them reach their healthy living aspirations. These are used to help
alleviate illnesses or symptoms, which will help encourage a healthier lifestyle
and your wellbeing on the whole.
Men’s Health – Total body workbook
Frequency: Do these exercises as part of a total-body
weight workout three times a week.
Rest: 1 minute between exercises
Progress: Increase weights each week, shooting for increases
of 21⁄2 to 5 pounds at a time.
How long: Follow this program for your first 4 to 8 weeks
of exercise, or your first few weeks after returning from a
break. When you stop making strength gains, you’re ready
for the Advanced Beginner program.
ADVANCED BEGINNER
Frequency: Do these exercises as part of a total-body
weight workout three times a week.
Technique: Increase weights by 21⁄2 to 5 pounds for
each set.
Rest: 2 minutes between sets
Progress: Start each week using your heaviest weight
from the week before.
Variety: After 3 or 4 weeks, go back to the Beginner
exercises, but use the guidelines above.
How long: When your strength and muscle size stop
improving, or when you have the time and energy to
do more exercises, move to the next level.
INTERMEDIATE
Frequency: Do these exercises as part of a split routine.
Divide your workout into two sets of exercises—see “Key
Info” below—and perform each workout twice a week.
Technique: Start each exercise with the heaviest weight
you can use for eight to 10 repetitions—no fewer, and
not many more. Drop the weight slightly for subsequent
sets if you need to.
Rest: 2 minutes between sets
Progress: Increase weights each week by 21⁄2 to
5 pounds.
Variety: After 3 weeks, rotate exercises. Mix in some from
both Beginner programs and from the Advanced program.
In any workout, avoid doing both biceps exercises
or both triceps exercises fromthe same angle and with
the same apparatus. For example, if a standing barbell
curl is your first biceps exercise, do a preacher curl or
incline curl with dumbbells for your second.
How long: Train like this for as long as you’re satisfied
with the results. If you have the time and ambition to
work even harder, move up to the Advanced program.
By the time you’re an intermediate lifter, you’ll need to split your workout into two parts, doing each twice a week.
There are dozens of different ways to divide up your exercises, but Pearson says to follow this rule: Always work your
triceps on the same day you do chest and shoulder presses. If you do these exercises on separate days, you end up
working your triceps hard four times a week. “This is one reason many lifters don’t make gains in their bench presses,”
Pearson says. “Their triceps are simply tired all the time.”
PREACHER CURL WITH EZ BAR (BICEPS)
Sets: 3 Repetitions: 8–10
“SKULL CRUSHER” TRICEPS EXTENSION
Sets: 3 Repetitions: 10–12
KEY INFO
ADVANCED
Frequency: Perform these exercises as part of a split
routine twice a week.
Technique: Start each exercise with the heaviest weight
you can use for the required repetitions. Drop the weight
slightly for subsequent sets if you need to.
Rest: 2 minutes between sets
Progress: Add 2 1⁄2 to 5 pounds of weight a week.
Variety: Shift exercises after 3 weeks; include some from
the other programs if you want. Do each exercise from a
different angle and with different equipment.
How long: Three to 4 weeks at a time, two or three times
a year. If you do it year-round, you’ll burn out.
Building A Better Athlete
Build a Better Athlete is now offered in continuing education credits for NSCA and ACE.
Ed Coan – Core Manual for Strength Training [Version 2.0]
who are either just getting started, just getting back into strength training, or if
you have been doing it for a long time and are hitting a plateau. It’s an easy
introduction before we get into the bigger goal setting and routines to get your
body where you want it. The key is building a solid foundation.
Justin Lascek – The Texas Method Advanced
that so many fine people are willing to learn. I’d like to thank Jacob Cloud and Steven Collegio for
helping me through the grueling process of creating this book. Jacob’s copy editing skills and Steven’s
regular graphic design make me look better than I actually am. Thank you to my close friends – Shawn,
Chris, Brent, Mike and AC – who have shared the love of training and allowed me to learn all that I have.
Thank you to all of the mentors and role models in the realm of fitness and strength and conditioning; I
am honored to know such men like Lon Kilgore and Michael Hartman. Thank you to all of the friends
who I have met along the way in this quest of 70’s Big; you are all too numerous to recount but no less
important. Lastly, thank you to the 70’s Big readers; you guys make this whole thing fun, even if you’re
annoying as hell.
This book assumes a healthy, drug-free trainee with at least halfway decent mobility, technique, and
recovery capabilities. Individuals with existing pathology – anatomical, neuroendocrine, or otherwise,
will receive and adapt to stress differently. Results may vary for trainees and lifters who are lazy and do
not implement good mobility, nutrition, and recovery habits. Because these factors determine the
success of a program, it is hereby assumed that the factors are adequately addressed by the reader.
Serious trainees will benefit from a quality coach to verify that their technique is adequate for the
execution of this program. Most of all, this book assumes a trainee with a training history that would
prepare them adequately for the intermediate programs within.
James Steel – Bas’ Barbell Club
regarding programming and what works and what doesn’t. So what is the best training
program for strength, for hypertrophy, for explosiveness, for getting ripped (it’s diet), for
getting to your goals. Well, all training programs work, some more than others, some a
lot, more then others. Analysis paralysis. That’s what is all too common today in
training. With all of the programs out there, the trainees don’t have any idea which
programs that they should choose, which one they should stick to and make their
program. Hopefully I have helped you with this issue.
In my experience, and I have been lifting weights since 1979, volume training
simply works best. In addition, percentage training works best. People are scared to
death of both volume and intensity for some reason. Listen, who has actually gotten big
and strong by just performing one set? Nobody. Mentzer? More then 2 sets.
Karwoski? Yup, one all out set, but to get to his top set he performed many “warm-up”
sets that made his volume and total tonnage high. For him to get to 900×3, he would go
245×5, 355×5, 425×3, 515×3, 605×3, 675×2, 765×1-2, 855×1, 900×3 (for example). Now
that’s some volume! Percentage training is simply a way of keeping tabs on your
progress, and to ensure that you are moving along like you should. It takes the “going
by feel” and guesswork out of the equation. And yes, Prilepin figured it out long ago—
what sets and reps should be done in each percentage range, the low end and the high
end, so it gives you a guideline when you want to maintain (ugh) or overreach.
Prilepin’s Chart, Sheiko, all of those guys are smart and hit the modulation of volume
and intensity right on the money.
So what I am presenting you with are some programs that will get you big and
strong. Period. I wanted you to have options. Is your week slammed with work and
kids, but you have some time on the weekend? There is a weekend only workout for
you. Want to train 4 days a week? Got it for you. How about squatting everyday?
Yup. It’s done for you. I put a couple bodybuilding programs in because it’s a great
change of pace. Bodybuilding is also fun because you “chase the pump” as Arnold or
Vince Gironde once said, meaning that the feeling of your muscles exploding and filling
with blood is so great that you want to do more and more to force more blood into them,
Bas’ Barbell Club, LLC 4″
and it gives your joints a break from heavy workouts. Some of the workouts are hard
(“Ultimate Survivor”) but they all work. JUST STICK TO IT, and it will work. Pick one,
finish it, then start the next one. You’ll be glad you did!
There are no exercise pictures or descriptions in here. To me, that is like putting
recipes at the end of a diet book: a waste of space. There are plenty of books that
already do that for you. I’m going to assume that you know how to perform the lifts. If
you are not confident in your form, read Starting Strength by Rippetoe or buy
Purposefully Primitive; find an individual with proficient knowledge of correct technique
to help guide you, or search YouTube for the basics regarding the lifts. Our YouTube
channel—manster74—has the basic lifts done with the form that we recommend.
Now, let’s train—here is what you need to do in order to be successful:
Decide what you want
Phen375 Review
WARNING!!! If you are searching for THE MAGIC PILL that will solve all your PROBLEMS overnight, THIS IS NOT FOR YOU. This Review Helped Over 98,000 Readers!
For every person who succeeds it seems like there are two who come up a little short, and often that is because of unrealistic expectations and miracle drugs that aren’t as magical as they might at first seem to be.
Not every diet pill or supplement is created equally, but Phen375 might be one of the best options so far and a very good reason to give it another try.
In this review I want to approach this pill from every angle to really get a look at what it does, how it pulls that off, and of course what sort of expectations you should have when you use it. We’ll also talk about side effects and pricing so that you can get a complete picture of the product before you decide to give it a shot.
What Is This Product Called Phen375 All About?
This is one of those diet pills that should be classified as an extreme option, and the first thing you have to know is that it’s not the perfect solution for absolutely everyone.
As a very potent and powerful product it should only be used by those who need help shedding pounds, but have not been able to find success with regular diet and exercise.
If you are one of those people then something like this can seem like a beacon of hope. It can also be a good short-term fat burner for people looking to get into top shape quickly, but generally speaking, those people already know who they are. I would only use it in this way if I was confident in my own understanding of these types of products.
Technically speaking, this might be the most potent product of its type which is available without a prescription in the United States (This might not be valid for EU countries). However, that you are going to get a lot of power for your money here.
BTW, have you seen the video testimonials for this product???
Click on The Image ABOVE to Discover Video Testimonials from Satisfied Users! Some Stories Are Really Interesting!
You have to make sure that everything is safe and legal, and this one has all of the bases covered so you should not feel apprehensive about trying it. It’s made from high quality ingredients in an FDA Pharmaceutical Registered Lab in the United States.
How Does It Work? Is It a Scam?
Garcinia Cambogia Review
What You Need To Know
What’s Inside This Guide
- 1 What is Garcinia Cambogia?
- 2 How is Garcinia Cambogia linked to weight loss?
- 2.1 About Garcinia Cambogia and its clinical studies
- 2.2 Is It Trusted And Safe To Use?
3 Who Is Garcinia Cambogia For?
4 My Favorite Garcinia Supplement?
5 Taking Garcinia Cambogia
6 The million dollar question: Does Garcinia Cambogia work?- 6.1 What’s great about Garcinia Cambogia?
- 6.2 Anything not so great?
- 6.3 What others are saying about Garcinia Cambogia?
7 My opinion: A summary review of Garcinia Cambogia
Thanks for reading my full review of Garcinia Cambogia, also known as Garcinia Cambogia Extract (GCE). If you’re reading this, then you can’t have failed to notice the HUGE buzz around Garcinia Cambogia that’s been happening over the last few years.
What’s all the fuss about? Well, this fruit rind extract has been touted as a revolutionary way to lose fat, tone up and suppress those cravings all in one natural supplement. With virtually no side effects, not like the awful buzz of too much caffeine or the nauseous feeling that many appetite suppressants can bring, this supplement was featured on the Dr Oz show, where his team of dedicated professionals explained just how this new pill could help the body to use its excess fat stores AND block the ability to build new fat reserves whilst reducing the stress level cortisone.
So if you’re like me, and hold your excess weight around your middle, this could be the perfect solution. But, the reviews out there have been mixed with some people seeing good results and others seeing very little indeed. Could it be that this secret ingredient is nothing more than a marketing ploy, or are we being cheated by unscrupulous companies while we chase our dreams of a tighter, more toned body? I thought I’d check out GCE from my favorite store and see whether this really is a miracle weight loss supplement.
What is Garcinia Cambogia?
Before we get to the supplement, dosage, side effects and so on, I thought I’d include a little information about the source of the supplement. Garcinia Cambogia Extract is taken from the rind of the malaban tamarind fruit, a fruit native to South East Asia and India. It has been used medicinally and in food preparation in its native home for centuries, because it has been said to boast the following properties:
- Souring agent, used in traditional Indian or South East Asian hot and sour curries[1]
- Used for bowel problems and rheumatism[2]
- Contains HCA (Hydroxycitric Acid) which has been under the spotlight for weight loss
- Food preservative, coloring agent and curing agent
- Used as a carmative to prevent or expel excess gas formed in the GI tract[3]
How is Garcinia Cambogia linked to weight loss?
Garcinia Cambogia is said to boost weight loss in two different ways. Firstly, it blocks the enzyme in the liver that is responsible for the default function of converting sugar and carbs to fat. So instead of the fat cells getting plumper, GCE ‘plugs’ the fat cells and directs any sugar and carbs to the energy stores to be burnt off. The body is processing less fat and is under less stress, so less cortisol (the belly fat-creating hormone) is produced. The second way that it works is by sending signals to the brain that release more serotonin, our happy hormone, and this happiness stops us craving stress foods like sugar, carbs and salty foods and could have a positive impact on appetite suppression. For more information about how Garcinia Cambogia works, please visit my review of the Dr Oz show.
About Garcinia Cambogia and its clinical studies
Several clinical studies have been undertaken to assess the efficacy of Garcinia Cambogia. At the moment the research is a little patchy and generally the medical community recommends more testing. I’ve written a longer article focused on Garcinia Cambogia research and clinical trials, but have included a summary right here for you:
- In a four week trial[4], 150 obese subjects saw a significant, dose-dependent decrease in weight, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and an improvement in good cholesterol
- In an eight week trial[5], 40 subjects saw an increase in weight loss against the placebo group
- In a 12 week trial[6] with a reduced calorie diet, the group lost nearly three times as much weight as the placebo group
- In a 4 week trial[7] with a reduced calorie diet, 89 mildly overweight women saw an increase in weight loss against the placebo group, but noted no discernible change to appetite
- In an eight week trial[8] with a low fat diet and at least 64oz water consumption per day, 54 overweight subjects lost an average of 11.2lb per person
- In an eight week trial[9] with a low fat diet and moderate (three times per week) exercise, 60 obese subjects saw a greater weight loss and reduction of appetite than the placebo group
- In a 16 week trial[10] with a low fat diet and moderate exercise, all 39 subjects saw a reduction in belly fat and gained none of it when given a placebo for four weeks
Go to any medical site and they will be the first to say that the supplement and ingredients such as HCA need a ton more research. It’s the same with any new herbal supplement I guess. But the research that’s taken place to date is certainly encouraging.
Is It Trusted And Safe To Use?
Genuine Garcinia Cambogia has been noted to have been ‘well tolerated’ for up to 12 weeks in human trials. Whilst this is a little vague, it means that there are generally few adverse reactions. Be sure to read the ‘who should take Garcinia Cambogia’ section below, for a list of who should avoid the supplement.
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Bauer Nutrition Product Reviews
Bauer Nutrition is a trustworthy and reputable company that commercializes premium quality supplements. The mission of Bauer Nutrition is to assist people in their weight loss goals and their sports-related missions through a variety of high-quality, healthy supplements that were especially designed by experienced nutrition experts, health consultants and fitness professionals. In other words, Bauer Nutrition involves a lot of team work and research.
The company is geared toward healthy living, good nutrition and a balanced diet. Here you can find advanced supplements and formulations that will help you lose weight and maintain a steady weight over the years, get all the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function and gain muscle mass.
In this Bauer Nutrition review you will find out more about these supplements, how can they help you and why buy from this manufacturer.
What Are The Benefits Of Buying The Bauer Nutrition Supplements?
The most notable benefit of buying nutrition supplements from here is that all the products come with a 60-day money back guarantee, which means that you can safely invest in these products at no risk on your behalf. Besides this, the supplements are shipped worldwide, therefore you can have them at your door within several working days.
Bauer Nutrition takes pride in manufacturing supplements only by using high-quality, potent ingredients that are known to be efficient.
This, coupled with the professional nutrition advice that you will get from the specialists here will surely help you reach your goals in terms of weight loss or improved muscle mass. If you have any questions, the call center is open on a 24/7 hour basis to answer all your questions related to your product!
A Closer Look At The Supplements
The company uses cutting edge formulations that will help you achieve your goals in several different fields: improved metabolism and digestion, improved skin complexion, appetite control, improved energy levels, body toning and definition as well as muscle gain.
As the nutrition experts claim, there is no magic pill that will help you achieve your goals over the night – however, a high-quality supplement coupled with regular physical exercises, a good and healthy lifestyle along with proper hydration will surely help you get there.
Weight Loss Supplements
If you are interested in weight loss products, then you should know that Bauer Nutrition offers no less than 20 different supplements and shakes that will help you reach a normal weight.
Some of the most popular products that you can find here include the Capsiplex 5HTP, the Detox Pure (a natural weight loss supplement), LAB 360 AM and PM, The African Mango (a supplement containing African Mango extract, which is known for its weight loss properties), the popular Green Coffee Bean Extract, Unique Hoodia, Raspberry Ketone, Garcinia Cambogia, the 7-Day Diet Shake (a delicious chocolate-flavored or raspberry-flavored weight loss shake), the Pure Acai Berry or the Proactol Plus Fat Binder.
On the other hand, you can also opt for combined ingredients, as here you can also find the Pure Acai Berry combined with Green Tea, or the Raspberry Ketone combined with Green Coffee extract.
Sports Nutrition Supplements
No matter if you are an athlete or just a sports enthusiast who wants to get a well-defined body and to live a healthier life, the Bauer Nutrition supplements will surely come in handy.
You can opt for the Body Fuel Amino Blast for body shredding, you can get the Body Fuel High Grade Whey Protein for bodybuilding purposes, the SYNC Testosterone supplement for men, Body Fuel Tribulus, Body Fuel Quattro 90, Body Fuel Nitro Oxide Extreme, Creatine Powder or the Body Fuel Max Performance Fuel. All these supplements are designed to assist your muscle gain efforts.
Health And Beauty Supplements
Last, but not least, this supplement manufacturer also offers a collection of health and beauty supplements for those who want to feel good and to look good at the same time.
The Multivits
No Iron vitamins for the body, Vitamin C Chews (500 mg or 1000mg with slow release), Vitamin E supplements, Zinc supplements (15 mg), BodyFuel Skin Care, Detox Pure, HarVokse Hair Growth, Glucosamine Sulphate, A-Z MultiVits & Minerals, MSM Powder 300 mg, Vitamin B Complex 250 mg, Bioxin Volume Lift and Skin Tag Removal, the Eye Secrets Lash Growth Accelerator, Slendex Anti-Cellulite Cream and many others.
Proactol XS
Proactol XS is a powerful and safe medically certified fat binder designed to treat obesity levels. Proactol XS is a medically certified fat binder that will allow you to bind up to 800 times it’s own weight of the fat in the food you eat making it indigestible. This means your body will stop absorbing less calories & fat and you can concentrate on really losing weight.
Capsiplex Fat Burner
Evolution Slimming Review
Evolution Slimming – The Safe and Natural Way to Lose Weight and Become Slimmer with Youthful Look
PhenQ Reviews
Among various health issues, over weight is among top five health issues across the world. It has extensively affected the emotional well-being of the youngsters of this century. It is simply dampening their spirit to shine forth in the competitive world. As a result, they love to choose the path to trim their waist size as soon as possible and they see nothing at every dawn but just how to get their body to shrink. There are multiple weight loss products available in the market and most of them are just a big loss of money for them. To save you from those harmful chemicals and loss of money, I want to share one superbly effective solution. That is PhenQ. This product had helped me in a big way and your interest in reading this whole post will let you know more about its functioning, my experience and other vital factors about this superbly effective solution for overweight issue.
What Is PhenQ?
In many formulas, our experts had noticed one deficiency and that is related to their effect only on weight loss. Well, if one pill is just focusing on fat shedding than success rate will be really less. You need a pill that can work all the way to boost your overall health and that’s what you won’t find in most accessible weight loss supplements. Get the extreme power of numerous fat loss supplements in single pill by using PhenQ. It is an advance slimming formula with many weight loss advantages to make you slim in a period of few weeks. Get that sort of sexy body you have always desired for. This one is a high quality equation formulated in the United States in GMP Certified facilities with minding all the necessary parameters for FDA approval. This elite formulation for weight loss gives you accumulated benefits of multiple fat controlling supplements in a single pill. There will be sixty pills inside the bottle of this weight loss supplement. This effective supplement is really easy to use on daily basis. This weight loss supplement comes with giant multi-buy savings too. Its maker company is also offering money back guarantee with free worldwide shipping.
What Sorts Of Benefits Will I Get If I Use PhenQ?
* Daily dose will burn stored fat to reveal your veiled slim body
* PhenQ formula will suppress appetite to reduce calories and cut your emotional eating habits
* All natural ingredients will control natural fat production to offer slim waist
* Taking its pills on regular basis will improve your energy level as well keep you in happy mood
What Are Valuable Ingredients In PhenQ?
Capsimax Powder – This effectual mix of capsicum, caffeine, niacin and piperine, results in form of the fat dissolving ability of Capsimax Powder. Capsimax Powder is renowned as a powerful fat blaster because of the effectual blend of piperine, capsicum, caffeine and niacin. With sturdy thermogenic properties, it can slim down its daily user. Several research studies strongly confirmed that capsicum alone comes with several weight-loss advantages.
Calcium Carbonate – We all are familiar about the importance of calcium for human bones, but this substance is also effective for maintaining weight too as calcium encourages cells to stock up less quantity of fat.
α-Lacys Reset – Several clinical studies have proven that α-Lacys Reset works superbly to reduce body weight and gives a remarkable boost to muscle mass. Its inclusion in PhenQ formula makes this weight loss pill far better than others.
L-Carnitine Furmarate – It helps in conversion of fat stores into energy and because of this you’ll never combat the tiredness which can often caused minding eating habits!
Chromium Picolinate – Whenever you have food, the inclusive sugar in that food gets absorbed in blood and passed to cells for the conversion into energy. Chromium helps curb sugar cravings and offers better level of energy to you.
Caffeine – As one stimulant, its capability to amplify alertness and decrease fatigue level are pretty much known to all of us. Caffeine can also make you experience not as much of hungry.
Nopal – It is with more fiber and amino acids quantity. It gives better control on your hunger. Nopal can also provide you with better energy for your day to day work.
Does This PhenQ Have Any Side Effects?
As I told you earlier that this supplement’s pills are having multiple benefits which one might get only by mixing various weight loss formulas. PhenQ has made loosing fat really simple process for everyone. This mix of superbly effective ingredients comes with an FDA approval which is quite sufficient to tell that your weight loss is secure. Have no fear and ditch other diet pills, go for this weight loss formula only. I have also tried it and found not a single side effect from its use.
How Does PhenQ Work For You?
Developed using advanced science and trademarked formula, PhenQ accelerates metabolism in your body and also boosts thermo-genesis procedure. This will be enabling you to burn good amount of fat and achieve desired body shape. Let me tell you, metabolism is simply the rate at which body burns calories in a day. By daily dose of this supplement, it gets better and better on daily basis. A better metabolism also means raise in body’s energy production. Your body burns more calories in a day and this directly improves your overall health along with remarkable weight loss. This formulation comes with mood enhancer substances too. Its daily use will work over your appetite to suppress it. This sort of dieting may cause high temper. Thus, there is bad mood maintenance also available for your healthy and happy life.
How Should One Use PhenQ?
Take one pill with breakfast and another one with lunch. Read the given prescription by the maker of PhenQ and follow it religiously. Do not go beyond the recommended daily dosage.
Precautions While Using This PhenQ
Russian Training Method
For years, the countries of Russia and others from the former Soviet Republic have dominated international powerlifting and Olympic lifting competitions. And for years, there has also been an aura of mystique surrounding the methods they use to produce such phenomenal athletes, not to mention a lot of misconceptions about those methods.
In this article, I’m going to clear up those misconceptions by laying out the methods they utilize, plus I’m going to outline a couple of routines based on these methods. In fact, I think many lifters (including bodybuilders) in the Western world would achieve better results by incorporating these routines at least part of the year. (These routines are also excellent for any MMA fighters that might reading this, as these workouts build a lot of strength and power—functional muscle mass, not just bulk.)
Without further ado, let’s get down to the Russian principles that could make you a bigger, stronger athlete than you had previously thought was possible.
Method #1—Synaptic Facilitation. This is what the Russians base a large part of their training around. Some western coaches have called it “greasing the groove.” Synaptic facilitation refers to the body’s ability to improve strength on an exercise by performing the movement more frequently. As one Russian axiom goes: “If you want to bench more, you have to bench more.” In other words, the more you bench press, the better and stronger you will get at it. Frequent performance of lifts, in essence, teaches your body to do the lift more efficiently, thus making you stronger.
Method #2—Train More Than One Lift At Each Session. I believe one of the worst mistakes a lot of American lifters make is to perform only one lift (and the assistance exercises associated with that lift) at each session. It’s not uncommon to find American lifters squatting at one session, bench pressing at the next, and deadlifting at the third. The lifters who do this mistakenly believe that this will lead to improved recovery and, therefore, more strength on the lifts.
The problem with this type of training is two-fold. One, you never get in very good shape by performing only one lift per session. Two, you never allow your body to increase its rate of recovery by training so infrequently. Sure, you’re sore and tired when you first attempt to increase your workload so dramatically, but your body will adapt. And when it does, you will be a bigger, stronger bodybuilder, powerlifter, strength athlete, or MMA fighter.
Every time the Russian powerlifters train, they do some type of deadlifting or squatting with some type of bench press work. Doing this consistently makes a powerlifting contest an absolute breeze. If you will train so that your workout sessions are harder, more demanding than any contest you enter, you can be sure to dominate.
Method #3—Train Smaller Muscle Groups More Frequently And With More Volume. Another mistake many American bodybuilders make is to train their larger muscle groups with more volume than their smaller muscles. But a lot of Russian and Eastern-bloc lifters believe that the smaller the muscle, the more volume it can handle. This is the reason they train the muscles that are used in the bench press more frequently than their squats or deadlifts. While many Russians train their squats and deadlifts two to three times a week, many of them also train their bench press up to eight times per week.
Method #4—Perform A Limited Number Of Exercises At Each Workout. One method that Russians use (and one that goes against what is currently used by many Western lifters) is to rarely do more than bench, squat, or deadlift at each session. Sure, they do some slight variations of the exercises—like deadlifts off boxes or deadlifts in the rack, incline bench presses or close-grip bench presses—but they do little else in they way of assistance exercises. About the only assistance work they do are good mornings, dumbbell presses, or some type of abdominal exercise.
Method #5—Keep the Reps Low No Matter the Amount of Weight Being Lifted. Rarely will you see Russian lifters using high reps, especially on their core lifts. Most Russian programs are based around keeping reps between one and five on the three major lifts (or the two Olympic lifts). Lifters who keep their reps this low, even on warm-up sets, are able to recover from their workouts quicker. This allows the lifter to make better use of frequent workouts and synaptic facilitation.
Method #6—As You Increase Weight, Decrease Reps and Increase Sets. Most pyramid schemes used in the West involve increasing weight and decreasing reps on each subsequent set. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with this, as long as it’s performed properly. A lot of bodybuilders, however, make two major mistakes. First, they start out using reps that are too high. And, second, they decrease the number of sets that are used as the weights get heavier. Here’s what a typical set/rep scheme on the bench press looks like for the majority of bodybuilders:
135lbsx15repsx2sets
175lbsx12repsx1set
200lbsx10repsx1set
225lbsx8repsx1set
240lbsx6repsx1set
Now, let’s take a look at what a pyramid scheme on the bench press for Russian lifters might look like:
135lbsx5repsx1set
175lbsx5repsx2sets
225lbsx3repsx2sets
265lbsx3repsx3sets
295lbsx1repx5sets
The Russian scheme works better because it allows the lifter to warm-up properly plus reserve strength for the heavier sets. Also, it allows more sets to be performed which helps synaptic facilitation and allows the lifter to recover quicker.
The Routines
Now that we’ve looked at the major principles the Russians use in their training, it’s time to design a couple of programs based on these methods. What follows are two workouts—a beginning and advanced—which are very close to the routines used by the majority of Russian powerlifters. The first program is a three-days-a-week regimen. The second is a four-days-a-week program.
Routine #1
Day One
Bulgarian Training Method
As the programming series heads towards its finale, it is time to take a look at the Bulgarian Method for Powerlifting. To construct this review, I have consulted multiple works, but my primary influences were John Broz, Matthew Perryman, and Damien Pezzutti. In fact, much of the science behind recovery, overtraining, and its relation to the Bulgarian Method comes directly from Matthew Perryman’s Book: Squat Every Day.
I have to say, without a doubt, this is the single best resource that I have ever encountered for information on overtraining, recovery, and the neuroscience behind lifting weights. If you have a scientific mind, and you aren’t bothered by the fact that the books contains no real “program” to follow, I highly, highly recommend picking up a copy of Squat Every Day. This was one of the single most enlightening books I’ve ever had the chance to go through. I’d go as far as to say that Perryman successfully changed and influenced several long-held beliefs that I personally had regarding anxiety, arousal, and training stress. Again, I highly recommend the book.
Now, it must be said, right here, up front, at the beginning, that there isn’t a single powerlifter out there who truly uses the Bulgarian Method. If my reviews of Smolov and Sheiko are any indication, a lot of you are going to be upset by what I have to say about the Bulgarian Method. You must keep context in mind. Many of the criticisms I am going to levy here are not applicable to Ivan Abadjiev’s original system for weightlifters. Let me repeat that for emphasis: many of the criticisms I am going to levy here are not applicable to Abadjiev’s original system for weightlifters.
Our focus here is going to be upon the popular adaptations of the system created by powerlifters. In particular, we’re going to take a deeper look at what Matthew Perryman has to say about this system because, well, he is the only one who went to the trouble of writing a 200 page book on the subject.
Without further ado, let’s sink our teeth into the Bulgarian Method.
If you’d rather watch than read:
The Bulgarian Method: History, Background and Context
For those who don’t know, the Bulgarian Method rose to fame thanks to the success of Ivan Abadjiev’s Bulgarian weightlifting team. Despite a poor economic situation and a population not much larger than the state of New York, Adadjiev’s team produced multiple medal winners at the games.
Now, Abadjiev’s system gained notoriety because of the way he treated his weightlifters; he treated them like professional athletes. In other words, these guys trained, quite literally, eight hours a day almost every single day of the week. They’d perform an exercise, take a 30 minute break to smoke, eat or nap, and then they’d move on to the next exercise.
Who knows if the rumor is true, but according to Jim Moser, American weightlifter and weightlifting coach, Abadjiev got his idea for training all day, every day by watching the Harlem Globetrotters. He was amazed that they could run up and down the court all day long performing their various feats, wake up the next morning, and do it all over again despite constant travel. He figured if basketball players could do it, why couldn’t his weightlifters? Again, who knows if it is true, but it is a fun story nonetheless.
Again, and I really want to reiterate this point, there isn’t a single powerlifter out there, that I know of, who has the resources to be training like a professional athlete. There aren’t powerlifters out there training eight hours a day. So, really, no powerlifter is doing the true Bulgarian method.
Additionally, unlike American powerlifting which is often haphazard and recruits talent from a wide variety of pools well after the youth stages, Bulgarian athletes were much more like Sheiko’s athletes. A lot of people don’t understand that, in these Eastern bloc countries, children are put through harsh general physical preparation (GPP) in their PE programs for years. They begin specializing in certain sports before they’re done in grade school. By the time a Russian Sheiko lifter is competing in the IPF as a Junior, he has likely been training with Sheiko for 5-10 years.
With the Bulgarian weightlifting team, far more economic funding was put behind the program than is accessible to a guy like Sheiko. This is because there are gold medals available in weightlifting. Winning gold medals brings honor and prestige to a country.
So, just imagine an entire “feeder” system, not all that different to what Americans have for baseball or football, and what Europeans have for soccer, and you’ll have an accurate representation of the athletes who were coming into the Bulgarian team to do the Bulgarian method. These athletes went through a highly selective process and they had already been building their work capacity, volume tolerance, and GPP for more than a decade.
How many of you can say you come from a similar background? That’s what I thought.
The bottom line, in my opinion, is that most people who consider “sexy” foreign methods like Sheiko, Smolov, or the Bulgarian Method purposefully forget that the athletes who use these programs come from an entirely different physical background than they do. It isn’t to say these programs won’t work for anyone else, but it is to say that you probably aren’t a part of the intended demographic.
Explaining The Bulgarian Method for Powerlifting
As I said before, we can’t review the actual Bulgarian Method because there probably isn’t a powerlifter alive who is actually doing the real Bulgarian Method. If someone knows of a powerlifter who trains eight hours a day, please let me know. In all seriousness, I’d love to see what their training looks like.
That said, what we can take a look at is the basic gist of what guys like Matthew Perryman have to say about how to apply the Bulgarian “principles” to powerlifting.
For those who are completely unfamiliar with the method, the contents will probably shock you. The original Bulgarian Method calls for maxing out every single training session with a few caveats.
You are to employ a “daily max” that involves no assistive gear, no loud music, no stimulants and no psyching-up. This “daily max” is a weight that you can hit that day with zero grinding. The lifts, if not fast, must be smooth. Using Tuchscherer’s RPE scale, you shouldn’t be surpassing RPE 9.5 (maybe one rep left in the tank). The point here is to minimize the psychological and neurological stress of each workout as much as possible. In Squat Every Day, Perryman makes a compelling argument that, in many cases, the psychological stress of a workout contributes as much, if not more, to recovery debt than the actual workload of the physical activity itself.
After the daily max is set, the lifter takes off 15-30kg (~10%) and knocks out “two to three” doubles or triples – this advice is echoed from John Broz. However, you can employ autoregulation for these back-offs. Perryman suggests a 15-20 minute time limit a la Tuchscherer’s RTS. You do as many back-offs as you can, in that 15-20 minutes, without grinding any reps or making yourself nervous about whether or not you can do the next set. In other words, you stop at RPE 9. This is basic autoregulation.
It is important to note that Perryman includes other options in his book. This is just the primary back-off method discussed.
The main template Perryman offers is quite simple. You have two options:
Option A)
1) Squat
2) Press
3) Upperbody Pull
Option B)
1) Lowerbody Pull
2) Press
3) Upperbody Pull
Back squats are the mainstay, but front squats are also encouraged for “lighter days”. Perryman also suggests that you may incorporate box squats, SSB squats, or other variations from time to time if they keep you happy and productive. Keep in mind that that original Bulgarian Method used only a handful exercises: back squat, front squat, clean&jerk, snatch, heavy Olympic pulls, and power variants of the Olympic lifts. It isn’t quite with the spirit of the original program to make heavy use of variations.
For presses, Perryman suggests benching, overhead pressing, incline and push press.
For pulling, you might deadlift, do power cleans/snatches, or other variations such as deficits or block pulls. For upperbody pulls, you’re looking at things such as chin-ups and DB Rows. The upperbody pull is not meant to be taken to a max in the same manner as the other two movements. The upperbody pull is more there for shoulder health, balance, structural integrity, and all that jazz.
Perryman suggests pulling heavy once or twice a week. Echoing John Broz again, the advice is given to treat most of these pulling sessions as “speed” sessions where you do 6-10 singles or doubles with 70-80% of your contest max (not daily max). The goal, like all other workouts on the Bulgarian Method, is to have the reps be stress free, fast, and smooth.
Additionally, Perryman himself often would dedicate one workout to a heavy deadlift triple. On these days, you work up to a smooth triple and just call it a day. The theory here is that deadlifts are simply harder to recover from than squats and other pressing variants.
The “Dark Times”
It is critical to mention that, should you begin this program, you’re going to feel like complete and utter shit. This is especially true if you jump straight into a 5-7 times per week regime. You must keep showing up and lifting anyways. John Broz calls these the “dark times”.
Theoretically, and anecdotally according to lifters who have used this method, you must first go through a period of adaptation. You’ll never feel “100% recovered” as you had in the past, but you will learn to differentiate between feeling tired or beat-up and legitimate overtraining. The name of the game with the Bulgarian Method is: Squat Every Day – no matter how you feel!
Now, Abadjiev had his lifters working into these frequencies over time and Perryman tends to recommend something similar. He offers an introductory template where you begin this type of training on a thrice weekly schedule. When lifters would stall, Abadjiev would add another training day to their schedule in the form of a light day / speed work session. This isn’t Westside speed work but rather easy doubles in the 70-80% range. Over time, as lifters would plateau, these speed sessions would graduate to normal daily max sessions. Through time, lifters were built-up to the point where they were basically training all day, every day.
This said, both Perryman and Abadjiev used “unloading” weeks. This is not your traditional deload where you show up and basically do nothing. You’re limiting the weights you handle to about 80% of your best and the total volume gets cut in half. Maintain your frequent squatting habits. Abadjiev had his lifters “unload” every fourth week or so. As a newer Bulgarian user, Perryman suggests you might want to increase that number to every two or three weeks.
An Example Bulgarian Style Program for Powerlifting
As you can see, the Bulgarian Method “for powerlifting” is less of a specific method than it is a collection of principles that you need to apply for yourself. Here is an oversimplified, over-summarized version of those principles:
1) Work up to a daily max on the back squat and bench press
2) Do a couple of back-off sets using doubles or triples
3) Do not grind reps or use “psyche-up” techniques
4) Try to deadlift once or twice a week – primarily focusing on speed work
5) Show up and squat even when you feel like shit
6) Take light weeks every 2-4 weeks – cut volume in half, don’t lift above 80%
Finally, let’s take a look at hypothetical example of the Bulgarian Method adapted from Perryman’s ideas:
As you can see, in our hypothetical Bulgarian template, you’re squatting five times a week, pressing of some sort six times a week, and deadlifting twice. One of the deadlift sessions is a speed session and the heavier session is on Saturday right before your day off. Every three weeks, an unloading week is performed. I’ve included a minimum of variations, but they are present. You’ll notice two front squat days, two close-grip bench press days, and a push press day. The upperback work is also rotated.
Planning: Peaking on the Bulgarian Method
ACSM’s Resources for Clinical Exercise Physiology 2nd Edition
This Second Edition is designed to provide a resource for exercise clinicians working with patients suffering from a wide variety of chronic diseases and disabilities beyond cardiovascular and pulmonary disease, including orthopedic, neurologic, metabolic, musculoskeletal, neoplastic, and immunodeficiency conditions. Following the authors’ expert advice and illustrative case studies, readers will learn how to work with these often underserved populations by providing them with exercise evaluation, prescription, supervision, education, and outcome evaluation. Each chapter, dedicated to a specific disease or disorder, gives a solid understanding of epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and medical and surgical treatments.
A companion Website will offer the fully searchable text and interactive quizzes.
ACSM’s Introduction to Exercise Science
Now in striking full color, this Second Edition reflects the most current trends and theories in the field and is enhanced by dynamic new videos that showcase different careers in exercise science. Demonstrating how exercise science principles are applied in real world settings, the book covers all the core disciplines of exercise science, including biomechanics, exercise physiology, sports psychology, motor control and learning, nutrition, and sports injury.
An ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) publication, this book reflects the standards for quality and excellence set by the leading exercise science organization in the world.
ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing & Prescription 8th edition
The single most internationally read and referenced text in sports medicine, exercise science, and health and fitness, this manual succinctly summarizes recommended procedures for exercise testing and exercise prescription in healthy and diseased individuals. This gold-standard text is a convenient, one-stop resource for the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that must be mastered by candidates for all ACSM certifications. Written by international experts in numerous fields, the Eighth Edition is fully compatible with newly released physical activity guidelines from the United States Department of Health and Human Services and state-of-the-art, research-based recommendations.
A companion Website for instructors will offer a test generator, an image bank, PowerPoint slides, and a WebCT/BlackBoard-ready course cartridge. A student Website will offer the fully searchable text.
ACSM’s Exercise is Medicine. A Clinician’s Guide to Exercise Prescription
Vertical Jump Bible
I was actually a little overwhelmed by the amount of info this product had. The Vertical Jump Bible goes extremely in-depth when it comes to explaining all the little intricacies of the vertical jump.
Here is a sample of some of the things you’ll find in the Vertical Jump Bible:
SPORTLAB
Plyometrics
Ankle Hops for Speed and Quickness
Biomenchanics and Kinesiology of Exercise
Do you need respiratory muscle strengthening
Relationships between strength and technique
Should you train like an Olympian
The knee drive is for speed and power
Faster 40 In 4 Days
Chris Barnard is a strength and conditioning coach at Strength Camp, a hardcoreathlete training facility in St. Petersburg, Florida, as
well as owner of Total Xplosive Training and Gridiron Domination, digital training programs dedicated to maximizing overall athleticism that he developed while in transition from recovering from surgery into playing Division 1 football. He is earned his degree in Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology at the University of Miami, where he initially went to play football before becoming ineligible. He has worked with athletes at all levels and from many different sports to produce the highest level of performance in each. He currently resides between St Petersburg, Florida and continues to pursuit breakthroughs in athletic performance as he aspires to return back to the playing field as well as producing elite athletes through coaching.
Total Xplosive Training
Introduction
“Everyone has the will to win, but not everyone has the will to PREPARE to win.”
Bear Bryant
Welcome to Total Xplosive Training, I want to commend you for taking steps in improving your
performance and allowing yourself to pursue your true goals. I want to first say I believe this
system should not take place of your sport specific practice. It should be a compliment to
perfecting and honing in on your skills that are applied to your sport, such as hitting, shooting,
tackling, punching, etc.
All of these should be specifically targeted and practiced as its own; however this regimen will
amplify these skills and enable you to perform them faster, harder, and more efficiently. I
created the program as a straightforward answer to your previous disposition, which is why it is
complete with training the entire body plus recovery. With that being said it is essential that
you follow all components as they are intricately placed in specific order for you to reach
maximum results.
I have created this for you to follow with the bare necessities you find in any gym with no
machines. There is some equipment needed but nothing you couldn’t make or find around.
Following this system may be best completed if you have a partner as dedicated as yourself.
My best wishes I send to you on your path to becoming an elite athlete.
531 Manual
The 5/3/1 philosophy is more important than the sets and reps. Whenever I feel like I’m getting
sidetracked or want to try something different, I revisit these rules to make sure I’m doing things
the right way. Even if you decide this program isn’t for you, these basic tenets have stood the
test of time. Take these things to heart, and you’ll be greatly rewarded.
Emphasize Big, Multi-Joint Movements
This really isn’t any secret. Beginners have been told to do this for years, and advanced lifters
swear by these movements. Multi-joint lifts are lifts that involve more than one muscle – i.e., not
an isolation exercise like leg extensions – and allow you to build the most muscle. These lifts
are the most efficient for building muscle and strength. Examples are the squat, deadlift, bench
press and power clean.
Start Too Light
My coaches emphasized this to me when I was in high school, but unfortunately, I didn’t listen.
Hopefully you will. Starting too light allows for more time for you to progress forward. It’s easy
for anyone – beginner or advanced – to want to get ahead of themselves. Your lifts will go up for
a few months, but then they’ll stall – and stall, and stall some more. Lifters get frustrated and
don’t understand that the way around this is to prolong the time it takes to get to the goal. You
have to keep inching forward. This is a very hard pill to swallow for most lifters. They want to
start heavy, and they want to start now. This is nothing more than ego, and nothing will destroy
a lifter faster, or for longer, than ego.
531 2nd edition ebook
The 5/3/1 philosophy is more important than the sets and reps. Whenever I feel like I’m getting
sidetracked or want to try something different, I revisit these rules to make sure I’m doing things
the right way. Even if you decide this program isn’t for you, these basic tenets have stood the
test of time. Take these things to heart, and you’ll be greatly rewarded.
Emphasize Big, Multi-Joint Movements
This really isn’t any secret. Beginners have been told to do this for years, and advanced lifters
swear by these movements. Multi-joint lifts are lifts that involve more than one muscle – i.e., not
an isolation exercise like leg extensions – and allow you to build the most muscle. These lifts
are the most efficient for building muscle and strength. Examples are the squat, deadlift, bench
press and power clean.
Start Too Light
My coaches emphasized this to me when I was in high school, but unfortunately, I didn’t listen.
Hopefully you will. Starting too light allows for more time for you to progress forward. It’s easy
for anyone – beginner or advanced – to want to get ahead of themselves. Your lifts will go up for
a few months, but then they’ll stall – and stall, and stall some more. Lifters get frustrated and
don’t understand that the way around this is to prolong the time it takes to get to the goal. You
have to keep inching forward. This is a very hard pill to swallow for most lifters. They want to
start heavy, and they want to start now. This is nothing more than ego, and nothing will destroy
a lifter faster, or for longer, than ego.
7 days to a higher vertical
vertical in 7 days. As your new coach my sole purpose of this manual is to deliver a
higher vertical immediately. I will do this by showing you a few tips and methods that
have helped my athletes Iʼve trained at various levels of competition.
Iʼm not going to give you guys some long-winded scientific explanations. To be honest I
want to make this to give you guys no brainer methods to getting a higher vertical. You
see as I was training myself to get a higher vertical jump I applied a few basic principles
that have instantly added inches within a week.
This by no means is an end all be all type program. I have produced this because after
working with many athletes I discovered a couple cool tips you need to be aware of.
To build long term explosive power you need to train 2 aspects of your posterior chain,
Absolute Strength and Rate of Force Development. If your goal is to get overall
explosive you will want to check out a complete training program like Total Xplosive
Training, a carefully devised program I made for any power athletes. However for the
purposes of getting the most bang for your buck in a week I created this just for you.
Follow these simple methods and then see how much you can increase in as little as 7
days.
Jumphigher
A comprehensive approach to adding instant inches to your vertical
Is it really possible to improve your vertical instantly?
Short answer … yes, if it weren’t possible to effectively implement the
following methods and to yield results, I’d be writing about something else
that was effective!
Short term improvements will be based on your ability to use the strength and
speed you already have efficiently, rather than building new speed and
strength which takes time.
Moreover, I have received hundreds of testimonials on these techniques
alone, as well as garnering the interest and attention of some of the world’s
greatest athletes, magazines, and sporting organization.
Beasthoops
RULES OF THE GAME
We aren’t bodybuilders…
We aren’t powerlifters…
We aren’t strongmen…
…And we definitely aren’t pretty-boy fitness models.
We are ballers.
ot only do we need size and strength, we need function to run circles around everyone else on the court. We need to not only look bad-ace, but to BE bad-ace. (hahaha)
So there are specific rules of the game we need to follow, to make sure that we continue to train like athletes as opposed to bodybuilders or nancy-boy cover models.
There are specific lifts that are better for us than for others, and there are specific training strategies that are better for us than for others.
Air Alert III
VERTICAL JUMP PROGRAM
Introduction
For the past 11 years TMT Sports has sold the most popular jump training program on the
market, Air Alert II: The Complete Vertical Jump Program – Revised. Although Air Alert
II has become a favorite around the world, we have worked to improve it. The Air Alert
III upgrade is the improved Air Alert. We changed the number of sets and reps, and, most
importantly, we changed the number of days per week that the program will be
completed which will help with overall muscle recovery and strength development. We
also added one new exercise, Squat Hops™ to greatly benefit your vertical. Any topic
that you see on the Air Alert III upgrade MUST BE READ and followed as written.
When you see a word “CHANGE” beside of a heading, this means that a change has been
made from Air Alert II to Air Alert III.
Supertraining – 6th Expanded Version
In sport training literature, the terms “Depth Jump” and “Drop Jump” are usually understood as synonyms and both of them are used to name the same exercise: a jump executed by droping from a height with vertical rebound. It is well known that this exercise was invented by Verkhoshansky at the end of the 1950’s for Track & Field jumpers and sprinters, and was also successfully used in many other Olympic sports. These coaches recognized it as the most powerful training means for increasing explosive strength.
Near the end of the 1960’s, this “secret weapon” of Soviet athletes became known in the United States under the name Depth Jump thanks to the English translation of some of Verkhoshansky’s articles (M.Yessis, 1968, 1969). In 1978, Fred Wilt, who was a pen friend of Verkhoshansky sense from the 60s, presented the Depth Jump as one of the exercises, which were termed as Plyometrics
Jump manual
What is The Jump Manual
Jump manual is an exclusive vertical leap training program designed specifically to help you jump higher. It’s a full coaching package that will teach you how to systematically increase your vertical explosion and will guide you through the course of action step by step to improving your vertical leap.
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