Professional Documents
Culture Documents
279390018-HFT2 Chad Waterbury
279390018-HFT2 Chad Waterbury
HFT
HFT 2
HFT
High
Frequency
Training
CHAD WATERBURY
All forms of exercise pose some inherent risks. The author advises readers to take full
repsonsibility for their safety and know their limits. Before practicing the exercises in this
book, be sure that your equipment is well maintained, and do not take risks beyond your
level of experience, aptitude, training, and fitness. The exercise and dietary programs in this
book are not intended as a substitute for any exercise routine or dietary regimen that may
have been prescribed by your doctor. As with all exericse and dietary programs, you should
get your doctor’s approval before beginning.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography, recording, or any
other information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the author.
INTRODUCTION:
WHY I WROTE HFT2 v
Ben Bruno
Dr. Mark Cheng
Bret Contreras
Eric Cressey
Jason Ferruggia
Dr. Craig Liebenson
Prof. Stuart McGill
Lou Schuler
Pavel Tsatsouline
It was always my intention to write HFT2, but I never expected it to be like the
version you’re reading today. Let me rephrase that: I never expected HFT2 to be
so drastically different than its precursor.
When the original came out, I thought: Cool, in a year or two I can update some
exercises, add a decent amount of new text, and then I’m good to go with the
second version. Easy money, right?
I wish.
HFT2 ended up being a massive undertaking. The original HFT was a big
success, and because of that, I received tons of feedback and testimonials. Not
all of it was positive, mind you, because a handful of people tried to do too
much, too soon or they didn’t take care of their soft tissue (big mistake)! But the
vast majority of the feedback I received was excellent.
So over the last year and a half I’ve been constantly tweaking HFT parameters
with my clients while assimilating the feedback I received each week. That
combination led to the system you have today. There have been so many
improvements in the way I approach frequent training that I would be doing a
disservice to you and myself if I didn’t redesign the whole damn system.
If you haven’t read the original HFT, I recommend you do so. It’s included in
your download. Finally, I sincerely thank you for the support, and what you’re
about to learn will pack on new muscle.
“Science is the act of observing the world around you,” is a piece of wisdom
I’ve never forgotten in my quest to help people build bigger, stronger bodies.
That mantra was made by one of my professors in graduate school, and I feel
indebted to him for it.
I’m certainly not knocking higher education. I’ve had my fair share – with more
to come – and I also had the student loan payments to prove it. I’ll admit that
my graduate school training probably helped me become a better researcher and
conversationalist (about science), but it didn’t help me figure out a way to get a
stubborn muscle group to grow.
My point parallels what Matt Damon’s character said to his Harvard nemesis
in Good Will Hunting, “You dropped $150,000 on a fucking education you
could’ve gotten for $1.50 in late charges at the public library.”
The impetus for my current approach to building muscle came in 2001 when
I went with a buddy to see the Cirque du Soleil show, Mystere, in Vegas. I
had been training professionally since 1996, and even though I had a steady
stream of reliable clients, I didn’t feel my ability to quickly add muscle to their
stubborn body parts was as effective as it could’ve been.
As I watched the Alexis brothers perform their strength routine, I was blown
away. Not only did they possess two of the best physiques I’d seen, but I also
couldn’t get over the fact that they were performing their incredible feats of
full-body strength 10 times per week! I didn’t care if they were using all the
pharmaceuticals that Tijuana had to offer, what they were doing defied all the
strength and conditioning “laws” I had learned in books and magazines.
The results, across the board, were favorable since they all got bigger faster than
before. But the Alexis brothers had planted a powerful seed in my brain. I was
determined to figure out how frequently someone with average genetics could
train a muscle group, and how that would affect his or her muscle growth.
After about a year of experimenting with HFT, I started to feel like I was
spinning my wheels since I didn’t have any definitive parameters on how to
approach different muscle groups. The approach that worked for the biceps
usually didn’t work for the quadriceps. Or what worked for the pectorals often
didn’t work for the glutes.
Around this time I started graduate school at the University of Arizona. It was
during my first semester when one of my neurophysiology professors made the
statement that changed everything for me: “Science is the act of observing the
world around you.”
That was my “Aha!” moment. Thanks to that statement, I finally figured out a
logical way to approach the problem of stubborn muscle growth: I would think
about athletes.
A sport is about performance - it doesn’t matter how big any specific muscle
group is in pursuit of that performance. I doubt any person took up ballet to
build bigger calves, yet they all have impressive development in spite of their
malnourished nutritional program.
Let’s say I wanted to figure out a way to get my client’s biceps to grow faster.
One logical approach would be to interview professional bodybuilders that have
huge guns and ask them what they did. But there are two primary problems with
that line of thinking.
Don’t get me wrong: bodybuilders are extremely hard workers and I have the
utmost respect for their dedication. But the fact is this: in almost all cases a
professional bodybuilder with huge calves, biceps or whatever else probably
didn’t do anything special to get them that way.
Second, many pro bodybuilders have been candid regarding how they train.
Some of the most muscular guys of all time, such as Dorian Yates, trained his
muscles once or twice a week for just a few high-intensity sets to failure. I
experimented with that approach for years with myself and my clients. It didn’t
work. And I’ll bet it didn’t work for you either.
Instead, I look at the athletes that have proportionally large muscle groups, and
then I try to figure out what they’re doing that the rest of us aren’t doing.
Now this is where things can get tricky. I’ll use cyclists as my first example.
Cyclists have impressively muscular thighs, we all know that. So if a guy with
chicken legs comes to me and wants to build bigger quads, I’ll think about the
athletes that have proportionally large quadriceps. Of course, cyclists come to
mind.
However, most competitive cyclists pedal for 15 or more hours per week. I can’t
tell my clients to start riding a bike for that much time. It’s too impractical. But
the relationship between cycling and big thighs tells me that the quadriceps will
grow with high-rep sets.
Now, let’s say a dude with puny biceps wants to build them as fast as possible
and he’ll do anything I say, regardless of how long it takes. If I use the cyclist’s
approach - train the muscle group for 15 hours per week - I’ll have him join a
rowing team. But rowers don’t have proportionally large biceps.
Hyperbole aside, you get my point: more work doesn’t always work.
Which athletes have the best biceps on the planet? The Olympic gymnasts who
do the rings event. Every single one of them has exceptional biceps. They got
them by performing brief, intense isometric holds from the rings on a frequent
basis.
In essence, this is what led to my early failures with frequent training. What
worked for one muscle group wouldn’t necessarily work for another. I certainly
wish I could outline one set of parameters that will build any muscle group, but
I can’t.
That’s why in the targeted HFT2 plans I explain why my parameters for
building each muscle group are designed a certain way. I took what I observed
from athletes that have proportionally large muscle groups and arranged the
parameters in a way that’s as simple and realistic as possible for anyone with
limited time and equipment.
The mechanisms that stimulate protein synthesis for muscle growth, and all
the physiology involved, are still a mystery. Resistance training is obviously
a trigger for hypertrophy, so it makes perfect, irrefutable sense that training
more frequently can lead to faster muscle gains. And I’m not alone with that
sentiment.
Bret Contreras (aka, The Glute Guy) is probably the fastest rising star I’ve seen
in my career - and for good reason. He’s a guy with an endless drive to learn
the science and practice of strength training, and like many, he failed to initially
appreciate the power of high frequency training:
And it is a lot easier - and safer - to 40 reps of the same exercise in the
morning session and 60 in the evening than 100 at once. In addition,
having recovered, you will be able to train at a higher intensity as it takes
longer to clear the by-products of muscle metabolism than most athletes
realize.
Second, every time you repeat a perfect lift you make yourself stronger
through motor learning and neurological mechanisms. The skill practice
aspect is obvious to most, but “skill” goes beyond inter-muscular
coordination. You are literally making the muscles more responsive to
command by “greasing the groove” (synaptic faciliation and myelination).
Arnold’s insights for muscle development still stand as some of the most
valuable wisdom that exists. Sure, he has incredible genetics, but steroid use
in his days were a fraction of what bodybuilder’s use today. So that makes
his approach to hypertrophy even more valuable, because it was tougher for
bodybuilders to build massive amounts of muscle back then.
...my left arm used to be slightly smaller than my right arm. I noticed that
whenever I was asked to show my biceps, I would automatically flex my
right arm. So I consciously made an effort to flex my left arm as much or
more than my right, to work on that weak point instead of trying to ignore
it, and eventually I was able to make my left biceps the equal of my right.
Think about that: Arnold equalled his biceps size by merely flexing his smaller
arm more often. Now, I don’t want to put too much emphasis on that point
because it’s possible that he might have done extra work for his left biceps in
the gym as well. But he didn’t mention it.
The reason I didn’t catch that subtle point when I wrote the original HFT is
because I hadn’t worked with EMG very much. However, last fall I spent
five months under the tutelage of Chris Powers, Ph.D., at his Movement
Performance Institute in Los Angeles where he hooked me up to his EMG
electrodes and let me perform all sorts of crazy moves and exercises.
I was shocked at how much motor unit recruitment I could achieve by simply
squeezing a muscle without any weight in hand. Oftentimes it was just as high
as when I performed a maximal contraction with heavy weights or a strong
resistance band.
And this brings me to an essential point about HFT2: it’s not necessary to add
more training hours to your current program in order to reap the benefits of high
frequency training. You don’t need to go the gym more often and overly stress
your joints by adding sets of heavy barbell exercises.
The extra workouts you need to trigger growth can sometimes be as simple as
performing an isometric exercise using nothing by your body weight.
The way you’ll perform each set will differ from one workout to the next in the
HFT2 plans. In the original HFT, all reps where performed in a normal fashion:
through a full range of motion. However, in this updated system I use three
different approaches:
The neuroscience research shows that 10 seconds is basically the longest you
can continuously recruit the largest motor units due to their limited energy
supply. That’s why all sets in the original HFT were kept within that time.
Nevertheless, some muscle groups will grow faster if the sets are even longer.
I’m referring specifically here to the: calves, quadriceps, pectorals and deltoids.
The simplest solution is to prescribe more reps per set for those muscle groups.
But there’s a problem: it’s difficult to recruit the largest motor units (the ones
with the greatest growth potential) at the beginning of a set with a load that’s
light enough to lift 20 times. And this is where isometrics come in.
An intense isometric contraction (squeeze, as I call it) can generate the highest
level of muscle tension, and that’s why scientists usually test your max strength
isometrically in a lab. This high-tension squeeze is one of the best ways to
immediately recruit the largest motor units and increase the neural drive
between your brain and muscle.
When I worked with Chris Powers, Ph.D, last fall at his performance institute
he explained his research on glute activation. In essence, he found that firing the
glutes isometrically increased the neural connection between the brain and the
muscle better than normal full range-of-motion contractions do.
If you’ve experimented with isometrics in the past, you probably did what most
guys do: hold the last rep of a set for as long as possible. But that’s the least
effective time to do an isometric because the largest motor units have already
fatigued and dropped out from the reps that preceded it. You need to hit those
motor units hard, right from the start when they can actually jump into play.
That’s why each 5-1 iso-squeeze set goes like this (I’ll use the push-up as an
example, and you’ll start in the top position with the arms straight):
Why not perform the iso-squeeze for 10 seconds first since the largest motor
units can fire for that long? Because it creates too much fatigue. I experimented
with that approach and it turned out to be a lesson in futility.
Yes, you need to recruit the largest motor units at the beginning of the set, but I
don’t want to make them drop out. That’s why the first squeeze is half as long
as the biggest motor units are capable of firing. You’ve got to leave some gas
The best part of the 5-1 iso-squeeze is also the reason why it became many of
my clients favorite HFT approach: you often only need one or two sets.
The goal is to stimulate a muscle more often; it’s not about annihilating it. If you
perform the 5-1 iso-squeeze with plenty of effort you’ve created the stimulus
to trigger new muscle growth. However, the 5-1 approach doesn’t work equally
well for all muscle groups (sometimes 3-1 without 10-second rest periods is
better), and that brings me to the second way you’ll perform sets in HFT2...
Iso-Squeeze
I’ll admit that I missed the boat on isometrics since they’ve turned out to be one
of the most beneficial ways to train more frequently. First, they’re less stressful
to the joints than full range reps. Second, you don’t need many sets to trigger
growth since you can generate significant levels of muscle tension.
Why not just call it an isometric instead of an iso-squeeze? Because the mental
effort to not only hold the static contraction but also squeeze the muscle will
develop much higher levels of tension. Again, I experienced this many times in
the fall when I worked with the latest EMG devices.
I call it an iso-squeeze to remind you that just holding static isn’t enough - you
must squeeze the muscle to its highest possible tension. Bodybuilders have
extolled the virtues of the squeeze for eons, and they were right to do so.
Full ROM reps, of course, will be part of this system. Do each rep with a quick
tempo, squeeze the peak contraction, lower under control and you’re good to go.
The instructions will cover any variation on that general theme.
The lifting form I often see in gyms around the country or Internet can be
appalling. Since more people than ever are lifting weights these days, it’s no
surprise that corrective exercises have become so popular and in-demand:
people need them.
However, the best corrective exercise is to just train with better form. I’ve lost
count how many new clients have told me they couldn’t perform a deadlift or
lunge without pain. When I adjust their technique and cue them correctly, nine
times out of ten the pain immediately goes away.
Since you’ll be training various movements more often, it’s absolutely essential
that you do every exercise with perfect form. The videos in this program will
guide you, so pay close attention and mimic the form exactly as you see it.
Move as slowly as you need to move in order to keep your form in check.
Most of us have soft tissue or joint limitations and we don’t even realize it
because the dysfunction hasn’t reached a tipping point where it tells the brain
there’s a problem. If there’s no pain signal coming from the brain to a specific
area of the body, we assume everything is fine. But sometimes it’s not.
The good news is that once you build up your tolerance to frequent training
you’ll virtually never be sore and the joints will have adapted to the demand
- assuming you did each exercise with precision form. A few years ago I was
doing over 100 pull-ups each day for months straight and I was never sore.
But I spent sufficient time building up my tolerance to that volume, and that
brings me to the third rule of HFT2...
Rule #3: Start with less than you think you need
Here’s something I’ve learned over the years: when it comes to exercise, people
overestimate their ability to adapt in the short-term and underestimate it in the
long-term. One of the biggest problems people have with frequent training is
they try to do too much too soon.
If you were pasty white and wanted to get a tan as fast as possible you wouldn’t
lie in the Phoenix sun for five hours. Yet that’s how motivated hard-gainers
often approach exercise.
The human body prefers short, frequent stimuli whether you’re getting a tan
or practicing the guitar. Your body is an extremely malleable machine that
can adapt to any demand that’s placed on it - provided that stimulus doesn’t
overwhelm its capacity.
I’ll cover all the guidelines that I’ve learned over the last 14 years to help you
succeed with frequent training. But it would be reckless and egotistical if I
said that my initial training parameters are ideal for everyone. If the training
parameters that follow are too much for you to handle at first, reduce the volume
or intensity as low as necessary and work up to my initial guidelines.
You’ll never regret starting off with less than you think you need!
You will be directed to a private YouTube link on my page where the video has
been uploaded. When you click on any video for the first time it’s likely you’ll
receive a pop-up window with a “Security Warning” that looks like this:
Simply check the “Remember my action for this site” box and then press
“Allow.” This will allow you to watch the videos without the security warning
each time.
The structure of the Targeted Training plans for any body part is straightforward.
You will target that muscle group six times per week with a morning and
evening mini-workout three days per week, evenly spaced (e.g., M/W/F or Tue/
Thur/Sat). If you work the graveyard shift, or have an odd daily schedule, just
make sure the two workouts are at least six hours apart and you’ll be fine.
The Targeted Training workouts take only 5-10 minutes, and virtually none of
them require equipment beyond what you probably already have. I definitely
took a minimalist approach with this section because it works best that way.
How long should you follow a Targeted Training plan? That’s up to you. Stick
with it for as long as it takes to get the level of development you’re after. Some
people will reach their goal in a month, while others will need 10 weeks. The
workouts are so brief that it won’t be a burden to keep them in your weekly
routine.
In the original HFT I got quite a few emails from guys that felt the inverted row
variations weren’t challenging enough. The solution was simple: hold the peak
contraction (chest close to rings/bar) phase for more time. I don’t know many
guys that can do 10 inverted rows using only their body weight if they squeeze
the peak contraction of each rep maximally for five full seconds.
Video Instruction
Probably the biggest selling point of HFT2, besides the all-new training
parameters, boils down to the instructional videos. These videos are important
to watch and review because they contain all the essential information you need
to know. You might also notice that I’m a guy who doesn’t give a million cues. I
learned about the minimalist approach to cueing from working next to Dr. Craig
Liebenson over the last few years. Over-cueing can be almost as worthless as
saying nothing at all. So watch and study the videos carefully.
Most often, as long as you move slowly at first, and concentrate on the muscles
you’re targeting while maintaining a neutral spine, you’ll be in good shape.
It’s worth mentioning here that the people who didn’t do well with the original
HFT were also the ones that didn’t take care of their soft tissue and joints. That’s
why I made it a point to have an instructional videos of the bare minimum
you’ll need.
There was no guesswork with the exercises I chose for this section. They’ve all
been battle-tested with my clients. Most importantly, these exercises follow the
rule of any HFT plan: it must stress the muscle more than the joint(s) it crosses.
If you’re currently following another training program and want to add in the
Targeted Training, just choose which body part you want to build and add the
plan into your current training program. Remove all other isolation training for
that body part from your current program.
Finally, try to slowly increase your training loads over time because it’s the most
effective progression. When you start one of these programs, use training loads
that are lighter than you think you can handle. You don’t want to train too heavy
since you’ll be working those joints more often. Always start with less than you
think you need and keep the intensity of each set low at first.
Before you tackle any of the HFT2 plans for the upper body, it’s essential
that you first do a quick check to ensure that your shoulders and T-spine
are functioning as they should.
Shoulder/T-Spine Assessment
click image for video page
The pec minor and anterior shoulder often hold excess tension
and this can cause restrictions that will hinder your optimal shoulder
mechanics. This soft tissue drill will help free up your most
restricted spots.
Parameters: one minute on each pec, at least once a day.
Dr. Mark Cheng is one of the smartest guys I know when it comes
to correcting dysfunction. I learned about this neural reset from the
sphinx position after I tweaked my shoulder. It’s an outstanding
exercise that should be part of your daily plan.
Which athletes have the best biceps? Gymnasts who do the rings.
There’s no other athlete that’s even close.
How did they do it? With brief, intense contractions, often isometrically.
If high reps grew the biceps, collegiate rowers would have the biggest
guns on the planet. You must train all hand positions (overhand,
underhand, and hammer grip) to get them to grow.
PLAN OF ATTACK
Parameters for each session: 2 sets of the 3-1 Iso-Squeeze
Countdown (ISC) twice in a day. Rest 2 minutes between sets.
How to make it harder: elevate your heels on a box or bench.
How to make it easier: place the bar or rings higher.
Floor Maltese
click image for video page
(Note: this is an advanced exercise that may not be right for you. If
so, substitute the One-Arm Hang guidelines shown on next page.)
The following tables outline 6 workouts per week. Do 2 workouts (a.m. and p.m.)
on M/W/F or Tue/Thur/Sat.
PLAN OF ATTACK
Parameters for each session: 2 sets of the 5-1 Iso-Squeeze
Countdown (ISC) without 10-second rest intervals twice in a day
Rest 2 minutes between sets.
Crucifix
click image for video page
Lateral 100
click image for video page
Parameters for each session: one set of 100 reps twice in a day.
Rest when you need it at first, but work up to 100 straight reps.
How to make it harder: more load.
The following tables outline 6 workouts per week. Do 2 workouts (a.m. and p.m.)
on M/W/F or Tue/Thur/Sat.
Which athletes have the best triceps? Powerlifters and gymnasts that do
the pommel horse.
PLAN OF ATTACK
One-Arm Push-Up
click image for video page
Parameters for each session: 3 sets of 5 reps twice in a day.
Rest 2 minutes between sets (no rest between arms).
Judo Push-Up
click image for video page
Here’s how the 3-1 ISC works for this or any exercise:
Start with one rep that squeezes into the peak contraction, hold for 3s
Then do 3 reps and squeeze peak contraction of rep 3 for 2s
Next do two reps and squeeze peak contraction of rep 2 for 1s
Finish with one hard rep
Headstand Push-Up
click image for video page
(Note: if you don’t feel comfortable kicking your legs up, refer to
the Headstand Walk-Up technique on the next page.)
If neither the headstand push-up variations work for you, this is the
day when you can perform a traditional triceps strength exercise
such as a lying triceps extension with dumbbells. 3x5, twice in a
day.
The following tables outline 6 workouts per week. Do 2 workouts (a.m. and p.m.)
on M/W/F or Tue/Thur/Sat.
Which athletes have the biggest pecs? Besides gymnasts that do the
rings, that’s a tough question to answer. However, the pecs respond well
to long-duration sets, much like the quadriceps.
PLAN OF ATTACK
Dip
click image for video page
Push-Up Variations
click image for video page
How to do it: from the position shown above, attempt to pull your
hands together as intensely as possible.
The following tables outline 6 workouts per week. Do 2 workouts (a.m. and p.m.)
on M/W/F or Tue/Thur/Sat.
Which athletes have the biggest lats? Gymnasts that do the rings earn
the top spot (as they usually do on this list). Swimmers have exceptional
development but their approach is impractical, unless you feel like
swimming for 4 hours every day.
How did they do it? Rings gymnasts combine brief, intense contractions
from the pull-up, along with isometric holds on the rings.
PLAN OF ATTACK
Slide-Out or Fall-Out
The Slide-Out is performed with sliders, but you could also use an
ab-wheel. If you prefer, do the version from low rings (Fall-Out
that’s shown after the Slide-Out).
The parameters are the same whether you choose the Slide-Out or
the Fall-Out from rings. You’ll do the 3-1 Iso-Squeeze Countdown
(ISC) and Iso-Squeeze (IS) methods each week as outlined below:
Slide-Out
click image for video page
The following tables outline 6 workouts per week. Do 2 workouts (a.m. and p.m.)
on M/W/F or Tue/Thur/Sat.
How did they do it? Frequent bouts of intense muscle activity that recruit
the high-thresold (largest) motor units. If high-rep training built the glutes,
joggers would all have great development. The glutes thrive on frequent
training because they can take a lot of abuse.
PLAN OF ATTACK
Monster Walk
click image for video page
The following tables outline 6 workouts per week. Do 2 workouts (a.m. and p.m.)
on M/W/F or Tue/Thur/Sat.
Which athletes have the best calves? Ballet dancers, sand volleyball
players, and soccer athletes.
PLAN OF ATTACK
Ball foot roll: 1 minute on for each foot, at least once a day.
Anterior Calf Foam roll: 1 minute on each leg, at least once a day.
The calf and ankle take a ton of abuse each day, and frequent
training can exacerbate any dysfunction you might not be aware of.
It’s essential to do these drills each day, as often as possible.
Single-Leg Hop
click image for video page
The following tables outline 6 workouts per week. Do 2 workouts (a.m. and p.m.)
on M/W/F or Tue/Thur/Sat.
PLAN OF ATTACK
This foam roll drill must be performed very slowly without holding
any tension in the quads. Work to the edge of the most sensitive
spots, then do the techniques in the video to release it.
Reverse Lunge
click image for video page
Single-Leg Squat
click image for video page
If this exercise causes pain, you can do a step-up from the highest
possible box for the same parameters listed above.
If this exercise causes pain you can follow the same parameters
listed above for the bottom portion of a reverse lunge (knee slightly
off the ground).
The following tables outline 6 workouts per week. Do 2 workouts (a.m. and p.m.)
on M/W/F or Tue/Thur/Sat.
How did they do it? The hamstrings are packed with large motor units
that grow when the stimulus is brief and intense, or heavy. Sprinters and
powerlifters hit those big muscle fibers each time they train.
PLAN OF ATTACK
Single-Leg Deadlift
click image for video page
Swing
click image for video page
Nordic Hamstring
click image for video page
You could replace this exercise with the glute-ham raise if you have
the machine available.
The following tables outline 6 workouts per week. Do 2 workouts (a.m. and p.m.)
on M/W/F or Tue/Thur/Sat.
Which athletes have the best abs? The ones with the best diets.
How did they do it? See above. However, having a strong midsection is
essential for peak performance (and it certainly won’t hurt how you look
on the beach).
PLAN OF ATTACK
Parameters: 3 sets of the longest leg lift you can hold, each side.
Rest 90 seconds between sets (no rest between right and left).
How to make it easier: don’t lift the top leg, at first. Once you get
stronger you’ll be able to lift the top leg.
How to make it easier: decrease the height you lift your legs.
The hanging leg raise can be performed from rings or a pull-up bar.
The following tables outline 6 workouts per week. Do 2 workouts (a.m. and p.m.)
on M/W/F or Tue/Thur/Sat.
This system includes two full-body, 12-week training programs: Version 1 (V.1)
and Version 2 (V.2). Here’s an explanation of each:
Even though there aren’t videos for the exercises in this phase, you all know
what they are since they’re comprised of basic, compound lifts. You can do the
Targeted workouts at the beginning or end of the full-body workout, 6 hours
later or before, or on an off day.
Full-Body V.2: in this intense, 12-week program you’ll be doing the exercises
and training methods outlined in the Targeted Training plans. This program is
killer, so don’t add any Targeted plans to it. The V.2 program is ideal for the
guys that need to add the most mass across the entire body without regard for
any specific muscle group.
When should you perform the Targeted Training workout? You have a few
options:
It’s ideal if you add only one Targeted Training plan into the V.1 system. I know
some of you with plenty of energy and drive will want to add two or more.
However, that’s tough to pull off. So for the first 3-4 weeks of the V.1 system,
stick to just one Targeted Training plan. After that time if you feel your energy
and recovery can withstand an additional body part specialization, go ahead and
add it in. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I know none of us like to do prep work, but it’s great insurance against strain
and injury, if you know what to do. So I’ll outline two different strategies: the
first is ideal for anyone with beat up joints, and the second is the bare minimum
you need. The full-body workouts in this program are tough, so don’t face them
unprepared.
It’s worth noting here that the above sequence only takes about 10-12
minutes. Considering how valuable those drills are for performance and injury
prevention, I hope you’ll make time for them. They’re only necessary before the
full-body workouts.
However, if you’re short on time or don’t have any nagging injuries that hinder
your workouts, the following sequence will get you ready to train in minimal
time.
Finally, all workouts are in a circuit format. You’ll do one set of each exercise
before repeating the circuit. This allows you to repeat each exercise with more
strength since the rest period before repeating a specific move is sufficient.
Don’t rest between the right and left side for single-limb exercises.
Explanation of Training Log: The tables read vertically and contain a place to write the
actual load and reps you used for each set (7 sets or circuits below). Sometimes you’ll miss
a rep or need to decrease/increase the load, so it’s important to keep track of those changes.
The other advantage of these tables is that it doesn’t require you to figure out the
progression plan. Everything is worked into the tables. You just have to print the page, do
the workouts, and keep track of your load and reps.
WORKOUT 1 (Monday): Start with a weight that’s a 6-rep max and do 3 reps per set, 7 rounds.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with overhand grip for 3 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 3 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Step-Up or Lunge for 3 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 7 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 2 (Tuesday): Start with a weight that’s a 14-rep max and do 12 reps per set.
Exercise 1 One-Arm Row (palm facing back) for 12 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Curl to Overhead Press with DBs or KBs for 12 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Romanian Deadlift or Swing with wide stance for 12 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 7 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 3 (Thursday): Start with a weight that’s a 8-rep max and do 6 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Chin-Up from Rings or Pulldown with underhand grip for 6 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 6 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Bulgarian Split Squat or Split Squat for 6 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 7 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 1 (Monday): Start with a weight that’s a 6-rep max and do 3 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with overhand grip for 3 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 3 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Step-Up or Lunge for 3 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 7 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 2 (Tuesday): Start with a weight that’s a 14-rep max and do 12 reps per set.
Exercise 1 One-Arm Row (palm facing back) for 12 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Curl to Overhead Press with DBs or KBs for 12 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Romanian Deadlift or Swing with wide stance for 12 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 7 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 3 (Thursday): Start with a weight that’s a 8-rep max and do 6 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Chin-Up from Rings or Pulldown with underhand grip for 6 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 6 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Bulgarian Split Squat or Split Squat for 6 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 7 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 1 (Monday): Start with a weight that’s a 6-rep max and do 3 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with overhand grip for 3 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 3 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 3 Step-Up or Lunge for 3 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 7 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 2 (Tuesday): Start with a weight that’s a 14-rep max and do 12 reps per set.
Exercise 1 One-Arm Row (palm facing back) for 12 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 2 Curl to Overhead Press with DBs or KBs for 12 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 3 Romanian Deadlift or Swing with wide stance for 12 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 7 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 3 (Thursday): Start with a weight that’s a 8-rep max and do 6 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Chin-Up from Rings or Pulldown with underhand grip for 6 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 6 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 3 Bulgarian Split Squat or Split Squat for 6 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 7 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 1 (Monday): Start with a weight that’s a 7-rep max and do 4 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with overhand grip for 4 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 4 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Step-Up or Lunge for 4 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 2 (Tuesday): Start with a weight that’s a 12-rep max and do 10 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with hammer grip for 10 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 10 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Romanian Deadlift or Swing for 10 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 3 (Thursday): Start with a weight that’s a 9-rep max and do 7 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Chin-Up from rings or Pulldown with hammer grip for 7 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 7 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Bulgarian Split Squat or Split Squat for 7 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 1 (Monday): Start with a weight that’s a 7-rep max and do 4 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with overhand grip for 4 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 4 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Step-Up or Lunge for 4 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 2 (Tuesday): Start with a weight that’s a 12-rep max and do 10 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with hammer grip for 10 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 10 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Romanian Deadlift or Swing for 10 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 3 (Thursday): Start with a weight that’s a 9-rep max and do 7 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Chin-Up from rings or Pulldown with hammer grip for 7 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 7 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Bulgarian Split Squat or Split Squat for 7 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 1 (Monday): Start with a weight that’s a 7-rep max and do 4 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with overhand grip for 4 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 4 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 3 Step-Up or Lunge for 4 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 2 (Tuesday): Start with a weight that’s a 12-rep max and do 10 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with hammer grip for 10 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 10 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 3 Romanian Deadlift or Swing for 10 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 3 (Thursday): Start with a weight that’s a 9-rep max and do 7 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Chin-Up from rings or Pulldown with hammer grip for 7 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 7 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 3 Bulgarian Split Squat or Split Squat for 7 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
This is a deload week to help with neural and joint recovery. Lower the intensity of all sets
down to 7 on a scale of 1-10.
WORKOUT 1 (Monday): Start with a weight that’s a 9 or 10-rep max and do 4 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with overhand grip for 4 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 4 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Step-Up or Lunge for 4 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
This is a deload week to help with neural and joint recovery. Lower the intensity of all sets
down to 7 on a scale of 1-10.
WORKOUT 2 (Tuesday): Start with a weight that’s a 15-rep max and do 10 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with hammer grip for 10 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 10 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Romanian Deadlift or Swing for 10 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
This is a deload week to help with neural and joint recovery. Lower the intensity of all sets
down to 7 on a scale of 1-10.
WORKOUT 3 (Thursday): Start with a weight that’s a 12-rep max and do 7 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Chin-Up from rings or Pulldown with hammer grip for 7 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 7 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Bulgarian Split Squat or Split Squat for 7 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
This is a deload week to help with neural and joint recovery. Lower the intensity of all sets
down to 7 on a scale of 1-10.
WORKOUT 4 (Saturday): Ramp (increase) the load of each set and end with a level 7 rating.
Exercise 1 Renegade Row or Standing One-Arm Cable Row for 2 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Push Press with DBs or KBs for 2 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Deadlift or Front Squat for 2 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 1 (Monday): Start with a weight that’s a 6-rep max and do 3 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with hammer grip for 3 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 3 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Step-Up or Lunge for 3 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 2 (Tuesday): Start with a weight that’s a 14-rep max and do 12 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with hammer grip for 12 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 12 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Romanian Deadlift or Swing for 12 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 3 (Thursday): Start with a weight that’s a 8-rep max and do 6 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Chin-Up from rings or Pulldown with hammer grip for 6 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 6 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Bulgarian Split Squat or Split Squat for 6 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 4 (Saturday): Start with 2 reps for first 4 sets, then do 1 rep for last 4 sets. Ramp up.
Exercise 1 Renegade Row or Standing One-Arm Cable Row for 2-1 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Push Press with DBs or KBs for 2-1 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Deadlift or Front Squat for 2-1 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 1 (Monday): Start with a weight that’s a 7-rep max and do 4 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with overhand grip for 4 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 4 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Step-Up or Lunge for 4 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 2 (Tuesday): Start with a weight that’s a 12-rep max and do 10 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with hammer grip for 10 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 10 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Romanian Deadlift or Swing for 10 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 3 (Thursday): Start with a weight that’s a 9-rep max and do 7 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Chin-Up from rings or Pulldown with hammer grip for 7 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 7 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Exercise 3 Bulgarian Split Squat or Split Squat for 7 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 45 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 1 (Monday): Start with a weight that’s a 6-rep max and do 3 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with hammer grip for 3 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 3 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 3 Step-Up or Lunge for 3 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 2 (Tuesday): Start with a weight that’s a 14-rep max and do 12 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with hammer grip for 12 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 2 Curl to Overhead Press with KBs or DBs for 12 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 3 Romanian Deadlift or Swing for 12 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 3 (Thursday): Start with a weight that’s a 8-rep max and do 6 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Chin-Up from rings or Pulldown with hammer grip for 6 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 6 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 3 Bulgarian Split Squat or Split Squat for 6 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 4 (Saturday): Start with 2 reps for first 4 sets, then do 1 rep for last 4 sets. Ramp up.
Exercise 1 Renegade Row or Standing One-Arm Cable Row for 2-1 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 2 Push Press with DBs or KBs for 2-1 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 3 Deadlift or Front Squat for 2-1 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 1 (Monday): Start with a weight that’s a 10-rep max and do 8 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with hammer grip for 8 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 8 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 3 Step-Up or Lunge for 8 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 4 (Saturday): Start with 3 reps for first 4 sets, then do 2 reps for last 4 sets. Ramp up.
Exercise 1 Renegade Row or Standing One-Arm Cable Row for 3-2 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 2 Push Press with DBs or KBs for 3-2 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 3 Deadlift or Front Squat for 3-2 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 1 (Monday): Start with a weight that’s a 6-rep max and do 3 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Wide-Grip Pull-up or Pulldown with hammer grip for 3 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 3 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 3 Step-Up or Lunge for 3 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 3 (Thursday): Start with a weight that’s a 8-rep max and do 6 reps per set.
Exercise 1 Chin-Up from rings or Pulldown with hammer grip for 6 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 2 Dip or Floor Press or Standing Cable Chest Press for 6 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 3 Bulgarian Split Squat or Split Squat for 6 reps, each leg
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
WORKOUT 4 (Saturday): Start with 2 reps for first 4 sets, then do 1 rep for last 4 sets. Ramp up.
Exercise 1 Renegade Row or Standing One-Arm Cable Row for 2-1 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 2 Push Press with DBs or KBs for 2-1 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Exercise 3 Deadlift or Front Squat for 2-1 reps
Load/
Reps
Rest 30 seconds
Repeat Exercise 1/Rest/Exercise 2/Rest/Exercise 3/Rest Circuit for 8 Rounds
Notes:
You’re not required to perform the exact exercises listed in the program. Some
guys, for example, thrive with the back squat. If you’re one of them, you can do
it on the days that call for a front squat or deadlift.
What matters is that you follow the full-body structure of each workout. You’ll
notice that each session has a compound exercise for the upper-body push and
pull, along with a “lower” body exercise such as the lunge, squat or deadlift.
Any variation on that theme will work.
One example:
OVERVIEW OF V.2
The same basic principles apply to V.2 as they did for V.1. This plan is set up
on a Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday schedule as just a sample. Rearrange
the start day however you want but do your best to adhere to 2-on, 1-off, 1-on,
1-off, 1-on, 1-off schedule. The progressions are built into the training tables so
there’s no guesswork on your part.
The training logs in this section probably look unlike anything you’ve ever seen
before. They can be a bit menacing at first, until you understand what you’re
looking at. I’ll use Workout 2 of Week 1 as an example (first column filled in):
Workout 2 (Tuesday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 3-1 reps BW
Rest 45s ISC -
Judo Push-up 3-1 reps BW
Rest 45s ISC -
Swing 15 reps 32 Kg
Rest 45s Full ROM 15
Hanging Leg Raise 5 slow reps BW
Rest 45s, repeat circuit Full ROM 5
Confusing, right? It’s actually pretty simple. The above log is nothing more than
a Inverted Row/Judo Push-up/Swing/Hanging Leg Raise circuit with 45 seconds
of rest between each exercise for 5 rounds (circuits), indicated by 5 columns.
For the Inverted Row your training method is the 3-1 Iso-Squeeze Countdown.
So you’ll do a 3-second squeeze followed by 3 reps. Then you’ll rest 10 seconds
and do a 2-second squeeze followed by 2 reps. Rest 10 seconds and do a one-
second squeeze followed by one rep. That’s one set. You’ll rest for 45 seconds
and move to the Judo Push-up.
Write the load and actual reps (you might miss one) or hold time in the spaces
to the right. Finally, read the Method section carefully because not all exercises
stay within the 3-1 or 5-1 ISC. There are many progressions in the plan.
Workout 2 (Tuesday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 3-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
Judo Push-up 3-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
Swing 15 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Hanging Leg Raise 5 slow reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 4 (Saturday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-Up Narrow Grip 5 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
One-Arm Push-Up 5 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Goblet Squat 15 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Stir the Pot 5 slow reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 1 (Monday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-Up Wide Grip 5 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Headstand Push-Up 5 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Reverse Lunge 5 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Single-Leg Calf Raise 5-1 reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit ISC
Notes:
Workout 2 (Tuesday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 3-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
Judo Push-up 3-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
Swing 15 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Hanging Leg Raise 5 slow reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 3 (Thursday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Slide-Out or Fall-Out 3-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
Push-Up 10s
Rest 45s IS
Single-Leg Deadlift 5 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Single-Leg Hop 10 reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit -
Notes:
Workout 4 (Saturday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-Up Narrow Grip 5 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
One-Arm Push-Up 5 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Goblet Squat 15 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Stir the Pot 5 slow reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 1 (Monday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-Up Wide Grip 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Headstand Push-Up 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Reverse Lunge 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Single-Leg Calf Raise 5-1 reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit ISC
Notes:
Workout 2 (Tuesday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 3-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
Judo Push-up 3-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
Swing 15 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Hanging Leg Raise 5 slow reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 3 (Thursday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Slide-Out or Fall-Out 3-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
Push-Up 10s
Rest 30s IS
Single-Leg Deadlift 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Single-Leg Hop 10 reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit -
Notes:
Workout 4 (Saturday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-Up Narrow Grip 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
One-Arm Push-Up 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Goblet Squat 15 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Stir the Pot 5 slow reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 1 (Monday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-Up Wide Grip 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Headstand Push-Up 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Reverse Lunge 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Single-Leg Calf Raise 5-1 reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit ISC
Notes:
Workout 2 (Tuesday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 3-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
Judo Push-up 3-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
Swing 15 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Hanging Leg Raise 5 slow reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 3 (Thursday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Slide-Out or Fall-Out 3-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
Push-Up 10s
Rest 30s IS
Single-Leg Deadlift 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Single-Leg Hop 10 reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit -
Notes:
Workout 4 (Saturday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-Up Narrow Grip 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
One-Arm Push-Up 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Goblet Squat 15 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Stir the Pot 5 slow reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 1 (Monday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Slide-Out or Fall-Out 5s
Rest 45s IS
Dip or Slide Push-Up 8 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Hip Thrust 5-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
DNS Calf Squeeze 10s
Rest 45s, repeat circuit IS
Notes:
Workout 2 (Tuesday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 4-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
Headstand Push-up 8 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Single-Leg Squat 15 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Hanging Leg Raise 6 slow reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 3 (Thursday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-Up Narrow Grip 8 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Dip or Slide Push-Up 8 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Reverse Lunge 8 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Single-Leg Calf Raise 5-1 reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit ISC
Notes:
Workout 4 (Saturday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 4-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
One-Arm Push-Up 6 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Swing 20 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Side-Plank with Leg Lift max.
Rest 45s, repeat circuit hold time
Notes:
Workout 1 (Monday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Slide-Out or Fall-Out 5s
Rest 30s IS
Dip or Slide Push-Up 8 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Hip Thrust 5-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
DNS Calf Squeeze 10s
Rest 30s, repeat circuit IS
Notes:
Workout 2 (Tuesday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 4-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
Headstand Push-up 8 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Single-Leg Squat 15 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Hanging Leg Raise 6 slow reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 3 (Thursday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-Up Narrow Grip 8 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Dip or Slide Push-Up 8 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Reverse Lunge 8 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Single-Leg Calf Raise 5-1 reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit ISC
Notes:
Workout 4 (Saturday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 4-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
One-Arm Push-Up 6 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Swing 20 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Side-Plank with Leg Lift max.
Rest 30s, repeat circuit hold time
Notes:
This is a deload week to help with neural and joint recovery. Lower the intensity of all sets
down to 7 on a scale of 1-10.
Workout 1 (Monday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-Up Wide Grip 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Headstand Push-Up 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Reverse Lunge 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Single-Leg Calf Raise 5-1 reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit ISC
Notes:
This is a deload week to help with neural and joint recovery. Lower the intensity of all sets
down to 7 on a scale of 1-10.
Workout 2 (Tuesday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 3-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
Judo Push-up 3-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
Swing 15 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Hanging Leg Raise 5 slow reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
This is a deload week to help with neural and joint recovery. Lower the intensity of all sets
down to 7 on a scale of 1-10.
Workout 3 (Thursday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Slide-Out or Fall-Out 3-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
Push-Up 10s
Rest 30s IS
Single-Leg Deadlift 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Single-Leg Hop 10 reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit -
Notes:
This is a deload week to help with neural and joint recovery. Lower the intensity of all sets
down to 7 on a scale of 1-10.
Workout 4 (Saturday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-Up Narrow Grip 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
One-Arm Push-Up 5 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Goblet Squat 15 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Stir the Pot 5 slow reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 1 (Monday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Slide-Out or Fall-Out 5s
Rest 45s IS
Dip or Slide Push-Up 8 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Hip Thrust 5-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
DNS Calf Squeeze 10s
Rest 45s, repeat circuit IS
Notes:
Workout 2 (Tuesday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 4-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
Headstand Push-up 8 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Single-Leg Squat 15 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Hanging Leg Raise 6 slow reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 3 (Thursday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-Up Narrow Grip 8 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Dip or Slide Push-Up 8 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Reverse Lunge 8 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Single-Leg Calf Raise 5-1 reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit ISC
Notes:
Workout 4 (Saturday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 4-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
One-Arm Push-Up 6 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Swing 20 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Side-Plank with Leg Lift max.
Rest 45s, repeat circuit hold time
Notes:
Workout 1 (Monday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Floor Maltese 5s
Rest 30s IS
Dip or Slide Push-Up 8 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Hip Thrust 5-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
DNS Calf Squeeze 10s
Rest 30s, repeat circuit IS
Notes:
Workout 2 (Tuesday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 4-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
Headstand Push-up 8 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Single-Leg Squat 15 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Hanging Leg Raise 6 slow reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 3 (Thursday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-Up Narrow Grip 8 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Dip or Slide Push-Up 8 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Reverse Lunge 8 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Single-Leg Calf Raise 5-1 reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit ISC
Notes:
Workout 4 (Saturday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 4-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
One-Arm Push-Up 6 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Swing 20 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Side-Plank with Leg Lift max.
Rest 30s, repeat circuit hold time
Notes:
Workout 1 (Monday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-up Narrow Grip 6 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Headstand Push-Up 10 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Nordic Hamstring 3 reps
Rest 45s negative
Single-Leg Hop 17 reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 2 (Tuesday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 5-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
Dip or Slide Push-up 8 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Goblet Squat 20 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Stir the Pot 8 slow reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 3 (Thursday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Floor Maltese 5s
Rest 45s IS
Push-Up 6-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
Single-Leg Squat 5-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
Single-Leg Calf Raise 7-1 reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit ISC
Notes:
Workout 4 (Saturday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Slide-Out or Fall-Out 4-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
Headstand Push-Up 10 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Swing 25 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Side-Plank with Leg Lift max.
Rest 45s, repeat circuit hold time
Notes:
Workout 1 (Monday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-up Narrow Grip 6 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Headstand Push-Up 10 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Nordic Hamstring 3 reps
Rest 45s negative
Single-Leg Hop 17 reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 2 (Tuesday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 5-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
Dip or Slide Push-up 8 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Goblet Squat 20 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Stir the Pot 8 slow reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 3 (Thursday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Floor Maltese 5s
Rest 45s IS
Push-Up 6-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
Single-Leg Squat 5-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
Single-Leg Calf Raise 7-1 reps
Rest 45s, repeat circuit ISC
Notes:
Workout 4 (Saturday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Slide-Out or Fall-Out 4-1 reps
Rest 45s ISC
Headstand Push-Up 10 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Swing 25 reps
Rest 45s Full ROM
Side-Plank with Leg Lift max.
Rest 45s, repeat circuit hold time
Notes:
Workout 1 (Monday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Pull-up Narrow Grip 6 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Headstand Push-Up 10 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Nordic Hamstring 3 reps
Rest 30s negative
Single-Leg Hop 17 reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 2 (Tuesday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Inverted Row 5-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
Dip or Slide Push-up 8 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Goblet Squat 20 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Stir the Pot 8 slow reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit Full ROM
Notes:
Workout 3 (Thursday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Floor Maltese 5s
Rest 30s IS
Push-Up 6-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
Single-Leg Squat 5-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
Single-Leg Calf Raise 7-1 reps
Rest 30s, repeat circuit ISC
Notes:
Workout 4 (Saturday)
Load
Exercise Method Actual Reps or Time
Slide-Out or Fall-Out 4-1 reps
Rest 30s ISC
Headstand Push-Up 10 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Swing 25 reps
Rest 30s Full ROM
Side-Plank with Leg Lift max.
Rest 30s, repeat circuit hold time
Notes:
The next four pages list all of the links and videos if it’s easier for you to have
them in one place (just click on the name):
TRAINING TOOLS
Gymnasts rings
Fat Gripz
ASSESSMENTS/CORRECTIVES
Shoulder/T-spine
Foot/Shin roll
Ankle inversion/circles
Half-kneeling
BICEPS
Inverted row
BICEPS (cont.)
Floor maltese
One-arm hang
DELTOIDS
Crucifix
Lateral 100
TRICEPS
One-arm push-up
Judo push-up
Headstand push-up
PECTORALS
Dip
Push-up variations
LATS
Slide-out
GLUTES
Hip hinge
Hip thrust
Monster walk
CALVES
Single-leg hop
QUADS
Reverse lunge
Single-leg squat
Single-leg squat IS
HAMSTRINGS
Single-leg deadift
Swing
Nordic hamstring
ABS