Gain Mass, Get stronger, 'Secret' Workout Revealed

Sorry, I’m not on T-Nation much but I wanted to post this. I’m 37 years old, been lifting since on and off for 8 years.

There is an illusive program out there that costs more money than I think it needs to. I had great gains with it, but I was new to lifting so it’s no surprise. While I can’t print out workouts or pages, I certainly can outline the workout as a review. It’s designed to get you mass and strength, especially if you’re new and thin or skinny fat.

First, we know the deal, eat every 3 hours, eat lots, keep the complex carbs, good fats, and lots of lean protein, 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Keep carbs lower at night. Monitor your weight and FAT composition, very important so you know if you’re gaining fat unnecessarily and need to make calorie adjustments.

Monday (Chest/Shoulders)
Today, you’ll do bench, shoulder press, dips, and tricep pushdowns
Start with 5 minutes on a bike/treadmill/elliptical, just getting the heart rate up a bit.

Bench Press
2 warmup sets (8 reps, no failure, just light lifting) rest 1 minute between each set.
Heavy sets done with 1-0-3 type of thing, eccentric motion is emphasized. Good form is mandatory for heavy sets. Increase weight (to the smallest increment) when you surpass the defined reps.
Set 1 - 6-8 reps (to failure) 3-4 minutes rest
Set 2 - 4-6 reps (to failure) 3-4 minutes rest
Set 3 - 2-4 reps (to failure) 3-4 minutes rest
Set 4 - 1-2 reps (to failure) no rest
“Burnout” Immediately drop the wait down from the 1-2 set so that you can blast out 10-12 reps (no rest again)
“Superset” - Do DB Flies, immediately grab weight that allows you to do 8-12 flies… pound them out, feel the burn.
Rest 3-4 minutes

Shoulder Press
Ok, same 2 warmup sets and heavy set structure as above. The only difference is the superset is lateral raises. Rest 3-4 before continuing to dips.

Dips
Warmup… 4 sets of dips, as many as you can, but hoping to be less than 8. If you can do more than 8, add some weight. Don’t be surprised if you can hardly do 4 by the end. You’ve already blasted your chest and shoulders. The emphasis here is the triceps.
After your 4 sets, do a burn out of weight assisted dips (if you can). I typically drop my bodyweight by 50% (adding about 70 pounds assisted) and pound out as many as I can.

No rest from dips, immediately do 8-12 tricep pushdowns and get out of the gym.

You should feel pumped due to the volume and burnout/supersets. Drink some protein/dextrose asap and eat lots of carbs/protein within an hour. Spaghetti with meat sauce, etc…

Wednesday (Legs)
Same warmups and set structure as above.

Squats - Superset is machine leg extensions

Stiff-legged deadlifts - Superset, machine leg curls

Sitting Calf raises - start with light weight (8-12) and just add more and more weight until you can’t do one and then drop the weight back down to the starting weight. The sets are not numbered, you just keep dropping. I typically do 45 pound wheels as my increments. I start with 1 and typically get up to 5-6. Rest time is zero, you just keep adding and removing weight. Push your calves, they heal fast and can take more than you think they can.
Get out of the gym.

Friday (Back/Biceps)
Same warmups and set structure as above as described, just different supersets (shown below)

Pullups
5 sets, as many as you can do with 2-3 minute rest (just play that by ear)
If you have weight assisted, pound out 12+ reps as the final set.

Bent-over rows
Superset is machine lat pull (under handed). The sucky thing about the bent over rows is that your hamstrings are probably still sore from the leg workout from Wednesday. But, they get a good stretch!

DB curls - A little different set structure. Do your 2 warmup sets, then 6-8, rest, 4-6, rest, 2-4, no rest → immediately do burnout 8-12 reverse curly bar curls. rest, 1-2, no rest → immediately do burnout 8-12 reverse curly bar curls.
Get out of the gym. Your biceps will be toast.

Abs are typically done after each workout. But, you can do them whenever you want. Do whatever you enjoy.

Benefits - Time, this workout if timed with a stopwatch without socializing and posing in the mirror will get you out of the gym in an hour (and less for legs). Volume, you get the joy of feeling sore (like you accomplished something) for entire week and you’ll feel really pumped after workouts. Strength, expect to lift a lot heavier than you would with a 8-12 scheme. You WILL get stronger. Well rounded, your complex lifts and burnout sets give you both strength and pump. Flexibility, since you’re starting light and getting heavier, you’re giving your joints and stuff some time to warmup and your form should be well established by the heavy setts. If you’re a new bodybuilder (first year), you will get bigger if you do this and eat right.

Cons - Because you’re doing light to heavy sets, you’re not really hitting your 1 rep max in the final set. Volume, you will be sore as hell. It’s arguable that there is benefit to doing eccentric reps and “light to heavy” set schemes. This is enough volume that you’re walking around sore every day but by the next 7 days when you do the same routine, you’ll be fine. Injury, if you don’t start light and keep good form, you’re risking injury on the heavy sets. It’s arguable that going to failure is a benefit.

If you go into this new and don’t go easy, you will be unbelievably sore and very limited in flexibility, even injury which will set you back weeks. Nothing nice about not being able to straighten your arms after a premature bicep workout, or worse, a shoulder injury. Take your time, start with lighter weight and just get used to the volume. It’s worth it!

Anyway, feel free to guess what program it is. But, either way, it’s no mystery.