Routine 34 - Four Days a Week Strength Training
Monday/Thursday:
Full Squat - 8,8,4,4,1.
Regular Deadlift - 4 x 4
2 deep breaths between each rep.
Bench Press - 6,6,4,4,2,2,1,1.
Cheat Barbell Curl - 5 x 4 reps.
Preacher Curl - 5 x 8.
Seated of Lying Triceps Extension - 5 x 8.
EZ Bar Reverse Curl - 3 x 8.
Tuesday/Friday:
Heavy Bench Press Supports - 4 x 5-20 seconds.
Heavy Squat Supports - 4 x 5-20 seconds.
Heavy Quarter Squats - 3 x 10.
Press Behind Neck - 3 x 6.
Bentover Barbell Row - 2 x 8
Shrug - 2 x 8.
Routine 35 - Size/Shape/Muscularity
First Two Weeks
Monday/Thursday, Morning:
Regular Deadlift - 4 x 4
2 deep breaths between each rep.
Full Squat - 4 x 6 reps.
Bench Press - 6,6,4,4,2,2,1,1.
Barbell Shrugs - 4 x 8.
Monday/Thursday, Evening:
Cheat Barbell Curl - 4 x 4
superset with
Preacher Curl - 4 x 10.
Dip - 3 x 10.
Wide Grip Chins - 3 x 10.
Incline Situp - 3 x 20.
Leg Extension - 2 x 12.
Leg Curl - 2 x 12.
Tuesday/Friday, Morning:
Incline Barbell Press - 4 x 6
very wide grip, touch chest high.
Barbell Bent Arm Pullover - 3 x 8.
Flat Flye - 3 x 8.
Heavy Quarter Squat - 4 x 8.
Tuesday/Friday, Evening:
Seated One DB Triceps Extension - 4 x 8
superset with
Barbell Triceps Extension (seated or lying) - 4 x 8.
Standing Lateral Raise - 2 x 10
superset with
Standing DB Front Raise - 2 x 10.
EZ Bar Reverse Curl - 4 x 10.
Standing Calf Raise - 4 x 10
20 slow reps then 20 fast top burns.
Wednesday: Half mile jog.
Rest on weekends.
Second Two Weeks
Monday/Thursday:
Squat - 8,8,4,4,1,1.
Regular Deadlift - 4 x 4
2 breaths between each rep.
Bench Press - 6,6,4,4,2,2,1,1.
Heavy Bent Arm Barbell Pullover - 4 x 8.
Cheat Curl - 4 x 4
superset with
Seated DB Concentration Curl - 4 x 12.
Lying Triceps Extension - 6 x 4 reps
elbows high, touch forehead.
Tuesday/Friday:
Press Behind Neck - 2 x 15.
Shrug - 2 x 10.
Preacher Curl - 2 x 15.
Triceps Kickback or Extension - 2 x 10.
Dip - 2 x 10
Incline Situp - 2 x 20
Pulldown - 2 x 25.
Leg Extension - 2 x 15.
Wednesday: One mile jog.
Rest on weekends.
Routine 36 - Four Days a Week
Monday/Thursday:
Press Behind Neck - 4 x 2 reps
superset with
Barbell Front Raise - 4 x 10.
Bench Press - 4 x 1 rep
superset with
Barbell Straight Arm Pullover - 4 x 12.
Cheat Barbell Curl - 4 x 2 reps
superset with
Preacher Curl - 4 x 12.
Regular Deadlift - 4 x2 reps
superset with
Broomstick Front Bends - 4 x 12.
End-of-Bar Row - 4 x 2 reps
superset with
Pulldown - 4 x 15.
Tuesday/Friday
Lying Triceps Extension - 5 x 2 reps
superset with
Triceps Pushdown - 5 x 15.
Squat - 4 x 2 reps
superset with
Leg Extension - 4 x 15.
Standing Calf Raise - 4 x 2 reps
superset with
Bodyweight Calf Raise - 4 x 20.
Incline Situp - 3 x 20
Leg Extension - 2 x 12
Leg Curl 2 x 12
Routine 37 - Arm Growth Program
Monday/Thursday:
1) Cheat Barbell Curl. 8,8,4,4,2,2,1,1.
Begin with one or two light warmup sets. Take an Olympic bar and load it with a weight you can do 4 or 5 strict reps with. Curl it up, using a fast, explosive movement. Hold it at the top for a half-second, then lower slowly. As the set gets harder, use your body momentum to swing the bar up. Hold at the top as you did before, and lower slowly until 8 reps are completed. Rest for a full minute, then take the same weight and do 8 reps again, cheating for as many reps as necessary to complete the set. Add weight to the bar and do 2 sets of 4 reps. Do this twice more for 2 sets of 2 and 2 sets of 1. Really control the return movement on that final set!
2) Preacher Curl. 6 x 4 reps.
Use an EZ curl bar and take a wide grip. Use a weight that you can do 6 reps with, but only do 4. Add weight and do 4 more reps. Do this the third time, then take a little longer rest. Repeat this for 3 more sets using a narrow grip. To keep from hyperextending and possibly injuring your elbows, don't dome all the way down on these. Keep the tension at the bottom. As the reps get harder take a few breaths (rest pause) at the top of the movement.
3) Concentration Curl. 4 x 8.
Take a dumbbell of moderate weight and sit on the edge of the bench. With your legs apart, brace your upper arm against the inside of your thigh. Start with the arm that needs the most work. Leaning forward, curl the arm slowly all the way up while concentrating strongly on contracting the muscle hard. Lower slowly. Do 8 reps, then repeat with the other arm. Try to use the same weight for all 4 sets. You can use the non-working hand to give yourself forced reps on some sets. If it gets too heavy, use a lighter dumbbell for the final set or two.
4) Biceps Chins. 4 x 6 reps.
While chins aren't usually classified as a biceps builder, this version used along with this routine will bring out that peak. Space your hands about six inches apart on a chinning bar, palms facing toward you. Pull your body up and elbows back until your hands clear your chin. Hold for a half second, flexing the biceps hard, then lower slowly. Do 4 sets of 6 reps. Have a partner assist you by holding your feet if you can't do a full 6 reps on the final sets.
5) Barbell Wrist Curls (palms up). 4 x 25.
Sit on the edge of a bench holding a fairly light barbell palms up. Place your forearms on your thighs with your wrists parallel with your knees. Lower the bar toward the floor. Let the bar roll down to your fingertips. Clench it back in your hands, and curl your wrists as far forward as possible. Do 4 sets of 25 or as many reps as possible.
6) Reverse Curl. 4 x 8.
Take a shoulder width grip on a barbell of moderate poundage. Curl the bar to your chest. Do a set of 8 reps. Keep adding weight for each of 4 sets. If you reach a poundage you can't do a full 8 reps with, decrease the weight for the final sets.
Tuesday/Friday:
Warm up your triceps with some light dumbbell kickbacks, then . . .
1) Lying French Press. 8,8,6,4,2,2,1,1.
Lie face up on a bench. Take a narrow grip on an EZ curl bar and hold it overhead. Lower it to your forehead, keeping your elbows high. Straighten your arms to lockout. Start with a weight you can do about 10 reps with, but stop at 8, Either add weight or use the same poundage and do a second set of 8. This time, the final rep should be very hard. Add weight and do a set of 6, then a set of 4. Add still more weight for 2 sets of 2 and 2 sets of single reps. You may want a spotter to assist you on the final set. Always lower the weight slowly.
2) Dumbbell Triceps Press. 6 x 6.
Hold a single dumbbell in both of your hands. Raise it above your head. Keeping your elbows high and close to your head, lower the weight behind your head. Now bring it back up, locking your elbows. Increase the poundage with each set, doing 6 sets of 6 reps. You may have to go down in poundage for the final set or two if necessary.
3) Triceps Pushdown. 4 x 12.
Begin with a weight you can use for 12 reps. Keeping your back straight and your arms against your sides, raise the bar all the way up, then push down to lockout. Keep the cable in front of you and don't lean forward. Use the same weight for a second set of as many reps as possible, then decrease the weight and do 2 more sets of 12.
4) Weighted Dips. 8 x 4 reps.
This is different from a chest dip. Keep your body relatively straight, elbows back. With a dumbbell or plates fastened to your waist, lower all the way, then push back up to lock your arms at the top. Flex your triceps hard at the lockout. Do 8 sets of 4 slow, deliberate reps. As you add poundage over the 8 sets, increase the speed of movement on the way up (explosive positives).
