Surge Program Number of Exercises

Dr. Darden, after reading some of the routines the surge challenge participants…they are performing about 18 to 20 exercises…however, in most of your books you say to perform no more than 12 exercises

this is a big difference, can you elaborate on this

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Can you list the exercises?

Or even better - can we buy the program? @Ellington_Darden @Tim_Patterson

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If you review the “surge challenge logs” by various participants you will see all the exercises performed on specific days

Most of the Surge exercises are layered or stacked together. And you are not going to failure. In effect, the 18-20 become something closer to 12.

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Can you explain the difference between layered/stacked together and pre-exhaustion

On a side note, just purchased the surge workout fuel…lemon drop…its delicious

This seems to have the full program:

https://forums.t-nation.com/t/new-muscle-pump-plan/278280/16

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Thanks for this, Al! I am thinking about how to adapt the Surge Challenge program to a full body version. What are your thoughts on this @Ellington_Darden? Only one pump set?

The entire Surge Challenge program is full body. Whatever you think you’re missing can be easily plugged into a block.

Sorry, I meant a full body version each workout. This as an adaptation to only two workouts a week. Please do comment on this.

@average_al, have you figured out “flutter”?

Doing what you want will take some time. I need to test the workouts with four of my trainees at least twice – and I can’t get to that until September at the earliest.

You’ve been applying the proper training guidelines for several years. What would you recommend?

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This is my A workout and is working well for me (performed every Saturday). It covers the major muscle groups. I have a B workout that includes thighs, biceps, triceps and calves (which I will do either on a Tues or a Weds) but I haven’t trained using that workout yet.

Block 1 - Legs

Method Exercise Reps Rest
Pump Pendulum Squat 8 10
Pump Pendulum Squat 8 10
Pump Pendulum Squat 8 60
Stimulate Leg Curl 10 60
Flutter Leg Curl 20 Sec. 60

Block 2 - Lats

Method Exercise Reps Rest
Pump Seated Row 8 10
Pump Seated Row 8 10
Pump Seated Row 8 60
Stimulate Pullover 10 60
Flutter Pullover 20 Sec. 60

Block 3 - Shoulders

Method Exercise Reps Rest
Pump Overhead Bar Hang 40 Sec. 10
Pump Press 10 10
Pump Press 10 60
Stimulate Lateral Raise 10 60
Flutter Lateral Raise 20 Sec. 60

Block 4 - Chest

Method Exercise Reps Rest
Pump Incline Press 10 10
Pump Incline Press 10 10
Pump Incline Press 10 60
Stimulate Dumbbell Fly 10 60
Flutter Dumbbell Fly 20 Sec. 60
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Block 1 - Thighs

Method Exercise Reps Rest
Pump Leg Extension 10 10
Pump Leg Extension 10 10
Pump Leg Extension 10 60
Stimulate Leg Press 10 10
Stimulate Leg Curl 8 60
Flutter Leg Curl 20 Sec. 60

Block 2 - Calves

Method Exercise Reps Rest
Pump Calf Raise 12 10
Pump Calf Raise 12 10
Pump Calf Raise 12 60
Stimulate Calf Raise 12 60
Flutter Calf Raise 20 Sec. 60

Block 3 - Triceps

Method Exercise Reps Rest
Pump Tricep Pushdown 10 10
Pump Tricep Pushdown 10 10
Pump Tricep Pushdown 10 60
Stimulate Tricep Dmb Extension 8 10
Stimulate Tricep Dmb Extension 8 60
Flutter Tricep Dmb Extension 20 Sec. 60

Block 4 - Biceps

Method Exercise Reps Rest
Pump Curl (narrow grip) 8 10
Pump Curl (medium grip) 8 10
Pump Curl (wide grip) 8 60
Stimulate Zottman Curl 10 0
Stimulate Hammer Curl 10 0
Stimulate Dumbbell Curl 10 60
Flutter Dumbbell Curl 20 Sec. 60
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To this point in time my only engagement with the surge program has been to read the posted guidelines, and follow other people’s logs. I haven’t tried any of the techniques for myself, so I am not sure how to respond to your question.

I don’t think full body routines are really feasible given the structure of the blocks, which focus on individual muscle groups. That body part specialization seems better suited to a split routine.

I suppose you could cook up a full body routine using compound only exercises, and utilize the layered approach for each. But that gets pretty far away from what Dr Darden has put down on paper.

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I totally respect your opinion - and agree with you and @average_al! Making the Surge Challenge (SC) into a full body workout routine is not an easy task. I have given it some thought, though - as I would really like to try a (for me) working version (meaning not only the full body workout, but also homebased for the time being). Anything is possible, but a compromise is necessary here.

When you decrease frequency, you need to add volume to the workouts - as intensity in any given muscle block already is at its peak. But, in respect of workout length and physical ability/recovery, you can’t do every muscle block as written.

My idea is an A and B workout (alike @Jeff60 ) approach inspired by Arnold Schwartzeneggers “Golden Six” routine, where both A and B workouts feature lats, chest, shoulders. A workout is legs and B workout is thighs. A workout is biceps and B workout is triceps - maybe biceps/triceps will be done in 30-10-30 only? Calves is done both workouts with flutters only - but an extended 20 rep flutter in five stages (from a previous Darden routine Tip: Flutter Your Way To Bigger Calves). I will pass on the forearms. Obviously bigger muscles followed by smaller. Excercises inspired by the original program (or as in my case, heavily tweaked with body weight excercises, adjustable dumbbells and resistance bands - how about sissy squats for stimulus?).

Personally I would do a farmers walk for warmup, but alternatively abs as suggested in the SC. I intend to workout once every 3rd day to respect the anabolic window.

Please criticise or suggest better options.

I don’t think you really need full body workouts. Even if I train using established HIT approaches I will often only train legs, calves, back, chest and shoulders (including traps and neck) in one workout. More than that is overkill. A second workout - completed 5 to 7 days later may be shoulders, biceps, triceps, hip girdle and abs. My Surge workouts follow this same sort of pattern. I don’t do the same workout every time I train and rarely even train in the order of biggest muscle group first to smallest last. Covering all the bases is important - but not all the time, every workout. Variety is also important.

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Good points, Jeff!

What I like with full body workouts is that the frequency solves itself, even if you’re only able to excercise twice weekly like me. When in doubt, I lower the intensity (not to failure, obviously) and vary the excercises for a different stimulus. Also, by training legs every workout you train tolerance, metcon and apply the indirect effect for added benefits.

You can surely train lats, chest and shoulders every workout - but unless the rest periods between those workouts are spread out you may find yourself stimulating something but then not being able to recover between workouts.

PS: I disagree that when you decrease frequency you need to add volume. My frequency and volume choices come from age, experience (mistakes) and amount of time I am willing to spend in the gym. My most minimal workouts have been about 5 or 6 exercises (typically one set of each exercise) once a week. NB: This is NOT one set to failure. I may do a couple of leg exercises, one for chest, two for back etc

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