Max-OT

I’ve seen a few questions on Max-OT training and would like to know more can someone please explain all details of this training style or point me to an article about this thanks.

The basic concept is doing 4-6 reps per exercise concentrating on big muscle exercises (squat, bench, military press, straight bar cursl etc.) and doing 6-8 sets per body part. Once you get past 6 reps you move up in weight. The theory behind the training is that the only way to build muscle is to overload the muscle with heavier weight. Skip Lacour says he trains this way.

Basically, as cjack has already described, you’re training in the 4-6 rep range, each bodypart once a week, recommended training Monday thru Friday with weekends off, taking 2-3 minute rest intervals, only 6-9 sets per bodypart, training only one to two bodyparts per session, keeping sessions between 30-40 minutes and 5-7 days rest between training the same bodypart. Obviously I know a little about the program…that’s because I ran into it last spring. I used it for several weeks (probably about 8 or 9). I made pretty decent progress, but I can now attribute that to the fact that I had never trained in that rep range. I found Mr. Delia’s ideas very intriguing. Most of all though, I think the fact that the idea behind the program is to train with ultimate “intensity,” both mental and physical focus that is. As intensity isn’t necessarily defined as the Bodybuilding Mags would like to indicate. Intensity is more truly the percentage of one’s RM rather than mental focus and physical exertion.

Anyway, I don’t think that Max-OT is the only way to train as suggested by the author. But I do think the volume and intensity suggested can nicely fit into anyone’s bodybuilding career (I am actually in a phase that is similar to this right now). Of course, like any other program, it’s only as good as it takes your body to adapt to it. Check it out and good luck. Feel free to post any questions. I do suggest pairing antagonist bodyparts as Coach Poliquin suggests in his Maximal Weights or at least taking 3-4 minutes rest between heavy sets.

Cjack and Timbo thanks for taking the time to answer my question just have a few more on your answers. it was recommended 6-9 sets per body part, would you use different exercise or stay with the same exercise all the way through or change each session, ie chest: bench press 6-9 sets or use bench press and incline for 4 sets each? next time train chest use dumbell bench press and flys. also any tempo best used for 6rep max? thanks

field…no prob, big dawg. Anything to help a fellow T-Dawg. Anyway, the 6-9 sets can be split up between any amount of exercises (heck use 9 if you want) according to the creator of the program. However, Coach Poliquin and strength coaches in general point out that there’s an inverse relationship between sets and reps. Meaning that the lower the number of reps, the higher the number of sets. In Poliquin’s Principles (also in the wave loading programs and Maximal weights programs outlined on this site) usually about 5 sets per exercise are recommended when training for relative strength–less than or equal to 5 reps per set. To give you some insight, I’ve recently adopted a similar set and rep protocol in my training. As an example, I might train chest and biceps together. I will do a set of bench press for 4-6 reps, rest 2 minutes, do a set of barbell curls for 4-6 reps, rest 2 minutes, then go back to bench press. I would repeat this for 5 sets apiece. I would do 9 to 10 sets for each bodypart, using only two exercises. I’m not saying this is the right way to do it, but I’m just experimenting. I don’t mean to confuse you, just give you some options.


As far as tempo, I would use a three to four second eccentric, maybe a one second pause, then lift the weight explosively but under control. So a tempo prescription might look like 311 or 401. Just experiment, but definitely lift with the intent to be explosive, you’ll activate the IIb fibers that only get stimulated with heavy loads. Hope this helps, my man. Post anymore questions and/or progress reports, buddy.

Timbo, topman thanks for help youve cleared up a few matters for me now i can stop being so anal about this and do some lifting! cheers.