All serious lifters find themselves at a crossroads; they just graduated from Starting Strength or 5×5 and are looking for the next challenge. Often they seek to specialize, in hypertrophy, strength, powerlifting or even traditional weightlifting. But what if you didn’t want to be one thing, what if you wanted it all: strong and swole, is it even possible? Well that’s the goal of theSwole routine. It’s a hybrid program that aims to maximize strength and size gains . It borrows the most successful concepts from some of the most successful routines and puts them together to form a super-routine of sorts. Here you will find speed days, circuits, conjugate methods,and still some room for customization. Volume training is periodized with strength training to synergistic effect.

Just like the 5/3/1 program, reviewed in our recent article, TSR uses the concept of ‘waves.’ But that is where the similarities end. Waves in TSR are comprised of volume, speed and max days not weeks. So each training session you are focusing on a different capacity for a different muscle group. This means in a week you are at least having three different training sessions as well as getting stronger, faster, and bigger. This weekly structure helps facilitate recovery by avoiding pitfalls like ‘max week’ where you are facing full-body max-out. In addition, this program is intended for bulking, so trying to do it on a caloric deficitwill be detrimental. You need to eat at maintenance, or preferably at a surplus.

Here is a sample overview of the structure:

Week 1

• Day 1 : Speed Chest
• Day 2 : Volume Back
• Day 3 : Max Legs

Week 2

• Day 1 : Speed Back
• Day 2 : Volume Legs
• Day 3 : Max Chest

Week 3

• Day 1 : Speed Legs
• Day 2 : Volume Chest
• Day 3 : Max Back

Repeat (weeks 4-6)

Week 7

• Deload

The Split

TSR splits muscles into 3 groups. Chest/Shoulders/Triceps (i.e. press), Back/Traps/Biceps (pull) and Quad/Hamstrings/Glutes/Calves (legs). This setup is optimal as it allows for each muscle group to recover before the next training session. To further assist recovery, the program borrows from the conjugate method of rotating movements. This means each week you are training different movements than the week before. The advantage is constant progress and gains while at the same time avoiding specific movement overtraining and stagnation.

Each session consists of three core movements followed by supplemental exercises or a circuit. This allows for added volume while avoiding over-training. High repetition sets are included as another means to encourage hypertrophy and endurance. The aim is to maximize effect by activating all different muscle fibre types. For variation, the volume and length of the supplementary movements can be shortened or skipped on certain days.

Having covered the technical aspects of the program, the philosophy behind TSR is similar to that of Doggcrapp: make strength gains and you will get bigger. And since strength gains are quantifiable we can use them like a meter stick. So the first result to watch for with TSR is increased strength. That said, if you find your results stagnating, take stock of your diet and rest patterns, and if necessary, cut down on supplementary movements. The key to strength gains here lies in exercise rotation. You make small gains on a variety of movements that all add up creating a synergistic effect.

Each cycle lasts 6 weeks, or two rotations, so you’ll have maxed out on everything twice. You will then throw in a week of deloading, pick new movements and start over.

Strong.. yet swole

Approved Exercises

To get started,pick three exercises for each muscle group. For the main group you will pick one exercise for each day. For example, for max chest day, you might choose pin press. For speed chest, let’s say flat bench and hammer strength for volume. These will be the basis of your chest program for the next 6 weeks. The circuits at the end of each session remain the same, i.e. you will do the same legs circuit every legs day whether it is speed, max, or volume day; and the same push circuit every push day, regardless of what was emphasized. Again, if you are having trouble recovering, cut down on supplemental volume.

Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Note: Notation is always Reps X Sets, so 4 x 9 means 4 reps for 9 sets. The @ symbol signifies the percentage of max weight to use.

Chest:

Speed:
( 4 x 9 )
Flat Bench, Bands/Chains if you have them

Volume:

( 8 – 12 x 4 )
Incline Bench, Flat Bench, Dumbbell Press, Hammer Strength Machines

Max:

( Work up to 1 rep max, do 2 light warm up sets, and 3 warm up sets last one about 95% of your 1RM and then add 10lbs to your last max for the final set)

Flat Bench, Pin Press, Floor Press, Rack Bench

Shoulders:

( 6 – 8 x 4 )
Overhead Pin Press (varying heights), Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Push Press, Military Press

Triceps:

( 6 – 8 x 3-4 )
Close-grip Floor Press, Close-grip Pin Press, JM Press, Reverse-grip Close-grip Bench

Supplemental Circuit x 2 – 3

Side Raises x 20
Front Raises x 15
Tricep Pushdowns x 20
Reverse Flys x 12
Abs x 15-20
Hammer Curls x 12-15

Back, Traps, Biceps

Back:

Speed:
( 3 x 9 )
Deadlifts, chains and bands if available

Max:
( Work up to 1 rep max, do 2 light warm up sets, and 3 warm up sets last one about 95% of your 1RM and then add 20lbs to your last max for the final set)
Deadlifts

Volume:

( 8-12 x 4 )
Bent Over Rows, T-bar Rows, Dumbbell Rows
Second back movement:
( 6 – 8 x 4 )
Pull-ups, Hammer Strength Pull-downs, Assisted Pull-ups, Chin-ups

Third back movement:

( 8 – 12 x 3 )
Close-grip Cable Rows, Dumbbell Rows, Hammer Strength Rows
Supplemental SuperSet x 2 -3:
Barbell Curls x 10 @ 55%
Barbell Shrugs x 20 @ 40%
Dumbbell Curls x 15 @ 45%
Reverse Cable Curls x 10 @ 45%

Legs

Quads

Speed:

( 4 x 9 )

Back Squats, Box squats
Max:
( Work up to 1 rep max, do 2 light warm up sets, and 3 warm up sets last one about 95% of your 1RM and then add 20lbs to your last max for the final set)

Back Squats, Box Squats, Rack Squats
Volume:
( 8 x 4 )
AND
( 20 x 1)
Back Squats, Box Squats, Leg Press

Hamstrings

( 6 – 8 x 4 )

Good Mornings/ Stiff legged Deadlifts / Rack Pulls

Quads

( 8 – 12 x 4 )
Leg Press/Split Squats/Lunges

Supplementary Circuit 3 – 4:
Leg Extensions x 15 @ 40%
Leg Curl x 10 @ 45%
Calf Raise Circuit x 15 @ 40%
Decline Abs

Conclusion

The program may seem overwhelming at first, but its guaranteed to give you some ridiculous results. This program is seriously demanding so only do this if you are eating at maintenance or above, as overtraining can happen very easily. Also make sure to deload after every 6 weeks, that is do a week of light training or don’t train at all. If you have any questions, post them as comments or in the forums and I’ll happily answer them.

TSR: a new routine for muscle and strength gain is a post from: theSwole

Jim Wendler right at his eureka moment

In his book, Wendler, an elite powerlifter, remembers a time at the zenith of his career, when he could barely walk outside the gym, his health was failing, and despite stellar equipped lifts, his unequipped capabilities were desperately weak. To reclaim his life and strength, Wendler developed a plan: cut out all the excess and get back to basics.

5/3/1 is about simplicity. You do three (maybe four) workouts a week with the focus on the ‘big four’: squat, bench, deadlift and military press. Focus on these movements and size and strength will necessarily follow.

How does it all work?

The program is split up into cycles, each cycle consists of four waves. Each wave is made up of four workouts, one for each lift. In other words, if you train four times a week, you hit each exercise once per week.  Each wave focuses on a 5, 3, or 1 rep max, giving the program its name.  Each workout is based on three sets of the major movement followed by a variety of accessory work detailed below. Sets and reps remain the same for the main movements in each wave.  During the fourth, and final, week of the cycle, you return to a 5 rep scheme using submaximal weight.  This built-in deload week allows for recovery and recuperation, setting you up to come back stronger with each passing cycle.

Before starting the program, you will need to know your one rep max for each of the big four.  From there, calculate 90% and use that 90% figure as if it were your real max, i.e. to calculate the percentages below. The idea is to undershoot so as to get better quality work and avoid failure.

Here’s the basic structure:

Wave 1: 65%x5, 75%x5, 85%x5 or more
Wave 2: 70%x3, 80%x3, 90%x3 or more
Wave 3: 75%x5, 85%x3, 95%x1 or more
Wave 4: 40%x5, 50%x5, 60%x5

If you are still having trouble understanding the program see the sample routine below.

On the final set, Wendler also recommends going all out and attempting as many reps as possible (i.e. beyond 5/3/1). As he puts it “[the final set should be the one that] puts hair on your balls”. He does emphasize, however, that you should not attempt failure, as that would be detrimental to your efforts. You should never fail on a rep.

5/3/1, it no longer equals 1.66666666666666666666667.

The e-book

The Ego

If there is one point on which Wendler is adamant, it’s the ego; you must check your ego at the door and focus on the program. If the gameplan says you’re in for 3 reps with 275, don’t try to impress all your co-bros by attempting 325. The whole program is periodized such that you are riding bigger and bigger waves and constantly making progress. Jumping the gun in week one will set you back in week two, creating a domino effect. Over-exertion will only leave you spinning your wheels. This doesn’t mean you must trust the program blindly, but give it a chance to prove its worth.  Follow it for a couple of weeks and then make adjustments as necessary.

Just as you keep your ego in check during your gym sessions, keep your ego in check during the many months that you follow the 5/3/1 with regards to progress. 5/3/1 does not immediately seem like the fastest gainer out there, but it proves itself in the long haul, with consistent gains month after month. With this in mind, expect to gain no more than 10 pounds a month on the squat and deadlift, and 5 pounds on your bench and press. That may seem a bit of a bitter pill to swallow, but remember, these are very strong consistent gains. You should be able to increase your deadlift from 405 to 525 in a year, for a example, or your bench from 315 to 375.

After each cycle, add 10lbs to the previous 90% figure that you had been working with for squat or deadlift, and 5lbs to your 90% bench and military press. Calculate your working sets and start lifting.

Variations and Accessory Work

Although the program is simple it leaves some room for variety. You must pick one of the following variations to complement the basic plan outlined above. Simply doing the main movement is not enough, accessory work is also necessary.

Boring but Big

This is the method that most internet jockeys prefer! Upon finishing the basic three sets, repeat the main movement again at 50-60% of your max for 5 sets of 10. Obviously not the most interesting, but according to the man behind the words, this is the route to the biggest of gains. Following that, pound out 5 sets of 10 on any isolation move which would target the same area (eg. skullcrushers after bench or leg extensions post-squat).

Here are some examples:

You too can be a fat man someday!

Squat – 3 sets of 5 (or 3, or 1, depending on wave)
Squat – 5 sets of 10 at 50%
Leg curl – 5 sets of 10

Military Press – 3 sets of 3
Military Press – 5 sets of 10 at 50%
Chin-ups – 5 sets of 10 at bodyweight

Deadlift – 3 sets of  1
Deadlift – 5 sets of 10 at 55%
Hanging Leg Raise – 5 sets of 15

Bench – 3 sets of 3
Bench – 5 sets of 10 at 60%
Dumbbell Row – 5 sets of 10

These are just some examples, obviously rep count for the first 3 sets of the main movement would hinge on wave, but the idea is the same.

Anecdotal evidence seems to show that it does lead to great gains, at least, assuming you’ve got the stamina to finish.  You may think you’re the hardest ass that’s ever been under a bar, but prepare to be humbled as you strain and groan under weights that you’d probably be using as a warmup right now.  Make no mistake, Boring But Big is a serious gasser.  For those who are accustomed to never doing more than 5 reps per set, suddenly jumping up to 5 sets of 10 is going to put you in your place.  I bet you regret missing all that GPP work now!

The Triumvirate

If you don’t want to repeat the same main movement, as in Boring but Big, you can ditch that in favor of another accessory move. Choose whatever you want as long as it’s in the same muscle group.

Wendler doing dips

The Periodization Bible

This method gets its name from the eponymous article by Dave Tate. It goes into a bit of detail about microcycles (comprised of several training sessions) and mesocycles (1-4 months comprised of micro cycles), but for the purposes of this program, we won’t worry too much about that.

Basically, here Wendler borrows the Westside take on accessory work, i.e. basing your accessory work around the most frequently taxed muscles of the workout. Here’s how it might look:

DB = Dumbbell

The exercises between brackets are different exercises to choose from, pick a different one each week.

Military Press (5/3/1)

• Shoulders or Chest – 5 sets of 10-20 reps (DB bench, DB Incline, DB Military, Incline press, Dips, Pushups)
• Lats or Upper Back – 5 sets of 10-20 reps (DB rows, Bent Over Rows, Chins, T-bar Rows, Lat Pulldowns, Face Pulls, Shrugs)
• Triceps – 5 sets of 10-20 reps (Triceps Pushdowns or Triceps Extensions)

Deadlift (5/3/1)

• Hamstrings – 5 sets of 10-20 reps (Leg Curls, Glute-Ham Raise)
• Quads – 5 sets of 10-20 reps (Leg Press, Lunges, Hack Squats)
• Abs – 5 sets of 10-20 reps (Sit-ups, Hanging Leg Raises, Ab Wheel, DB Side Bend)

Bench Press (5/3/1)

• Shoulders or Chest – 5 sets of 10-20 reps (DB bench, DB Incline, DB Military, Incline press, Dips, Pushups)
• Lats or Upper Back – 5 sets of 10-20 reps (DB rows, Bent Over Rows, Chins, T-bar Rows, Lat Pulldowns, Face Pulls, Shrugs)
• Triceps – 5 sets of 10-20 reps (Triceps Pushdowns or Triceps Extensions)

Squat (5/3/1)

• Low Back – 5 sets of 10-20 reps (Reverse Hyper, Back Raise, Good Morning)
• Quads – 5 sets of 10-20 reps (Leg Press, Lunges, Hack Squats)
• Abs – 5 sets of 10-20 reps (Sit-ups, Hanging Leg Raises, Ab Wheel, DB Side Bend)

You can change exercises however you see fit; it won’t make or break the program. However, one thing to remember is that accessory work is intended to supplement and strengthen the main movement, not detract from it. If you’re continually increasing your weight on shoulder presses, but military press or bench is stalling, you should lower the accessory weight. Remember, focus must remain on the main movements, that’s where the gains come from.

Bodyweight

This option is as simple as it sounds; use bodyweight exercises to supplement the main lift. Wendler reccomends at least 75 reps per exercise, and at least 2 bodyweight exercises per training session. Note that you can use most of the same bodyweight exercises to supplement military press as bench. Same goes between deadlifts and squats. If you want, you can perform weighted bodyweight movements, such as weighted push-ups, bodyweight squats, hyperextensions, dips, one-legged squats, etc. This allows you to continue loading without needing to increase reps. Bands or chains may also be utilized.

A Final Word

5/3/1 is not just for powerlifters, and its not just a grown-up version of 5×5. It’s for anyone, with a little bit of experience under his (or her) belt, who wants a logical, simple, and consistent approach to lifting. It’s an effective way to increase not only your one-rep max, but all rep maxes, which lends itself to all-around strength in addition to top-end strength.
As a final note of caution, I would recommend this program only if you have at least 2 years of lifting experience, can squat or deadlift at least 1.5x bodyweight, and know your own body well. Preparedness is crucial, as this is not a program for beginners and those who are still trying to grasp basic form. It’s also essential to stick to the program for the long haul since the whole concept is the snowballing of small waves into a tsunami of brute strength.

Special thanks to Wendler disciple DeathyMcDeath for helping writing this article.

5/3/1: Jim Wendler’s theory of strength is a post from: theSwole

Bodyweight exercises have gotten a bad rap recently, maybe it’s because they are what you did before ‘graduating’ and never looked back on. The truth is that bodyweight movements have been used successfully for thousands of years and in our times many disciplines use them to improve strength and conditioning, from martial arts to gymnastics to the army. But if you stop reading here and think they are a substitute for weight training, think again.

So if weight training is supreme why do I need bodyweight movements? First off, everyone needs a form of cardio, unless you’re naturally 7.8% body fat. You want to do some cardio to get your body fat in check and unless you find 3 hour walking sessions FUN, you want to consider something a bit more intense. Another benefit is that unlike steady state cardio, metabolic work is short, intense and anabolic. It combines the best elements of cardio and weights. Instead of focusing on one of the two you are combining anaerobic and aerobic training by doing complexes, having short rest periods, and limiting workout sessions to 20-30 minutes.

Secondly, one thing weight training does not promote effectively is conditioning. Most weight training programs are biased towards anaerobic work, and rightly so, but this neglects aerobic fitness, which in turn can benefit the anaerobic workout. Conditioning is still very important even if you aren’t playing a sport or doing physical activity outside the gym. Just being better conditioned will allow you to train harder and longer. If you ever watched a long, drawn out MMA fight you already know why it’s important to be well-conditioned. While both fighters enter fresh and strong only the best conditioned will be able to maintain that strength and come out on top.

Bruce Lee: a product of bodyweight training

Furthermore, cardio will help with recovery both by accelerating delivery of nutrients to depleted muscles and by improving the ability of joints and tendons to tolerate and recuperate from stress. Unlike weighted movements which train the limbs on a set course, bodyweight movements are varied and at the same time offer enough low resistance to develop parts untouched by weights. Another benefit is that bodyweight movements allow for achievement of maximum ROM since there is no concern for “upping the weight.” All of this will help your mobility and flexibility as well as increase blood flow to the muscles, cutting down recovery time.

Back to Basics

Now if you know something already about metabolic work, you may be thinking, ok, where’s the link to the site selling sleds and sandbags? You won’t find any here, you don’t even need to go buy any equipment at all, save perhaps a jump rope. And that’s only if you fancy jumping rope. The great thing about these workouts is the true lack of equipment requirement, and for this reason you can do them just about anywhere, from hotel room, to dorm room, to public park. Before performing any of these complexes make sure to warm up sufficiently. You want to approach this as any other training session. The idea is to maximize work in minimal time, so set a goal of, say, 20 minutes and attempt to get the most sets in that time. You want to have a log book to record each session, and of course try to set new PRs every session. Form is also an issue. A bodyweight squat is still a squat and a doing push ups with flared out elbows is as detrimental as a likewise bench.

On another note, make sure to stay hydrated. Metabolic work is going to sweat you faster than wearing a sauna suit in a sauna, and dehydration is going to ruin your performance at best and lay you up with heat stroke at worst. In that spirit you want to start slow and build up to respectable times. You aren’t GI Jane having to go all out from Day One to earn the respect of the men. So what are the workouts?

Arnold's favorite exercise

Tabata

Named for the Japanese researcher who invented them, these cycles are short and deadly. They are designed to be the shortest route to fat loss and superior conditioning, and that is exactly what they are.

4 min: 20 sec on 10 sec off
choose one, or combo:

bodyweight squat
burpee
push-up
kettle-bell/plate swings
front squat
recumbent bike

Semantic note: This workout lasts only 4 minutes, and for a true TABATA, after 4 minutes you should be lying on the floor unable to get up dying type of exhausted. It’s ok to do a bit lighter version and stack the cycles, but that is not a true TABATA, just an interval on the 20:10 tempo.

Gymnasts train exclusively with bodyweight

Metabolic circuit

Go for 30 sec on, 30 sec off, with the following circuit:
Jumping Jacks
Burpees
Pushups
High Knees
Jumping Jacks
Bodyweight Squats

Track Sprints

Sprint 10-20 sec, walk slowly 1 min. Repeat 5-10 times.

A note about sprints: sprints are… sprints, you want to achieve maximum acceleration. They aren’t running quickly or jogging, but max effort sprints. You should not be able to sustain your sprint pace for more than 20 sec, nor this workout for more than 20 min.

Jump Rope

This is great especially if you have to be sedentary for long periods. You can jump rope throughout the day, eg. 600 jumps 2-3 times/day.

Fitting it all in

How often to train metabolic depends on your goals. Metabolic work, like lifting, requires recovery, so be sure to take rest days and include carbs in your post-work-out meal. Aim to incorporate these workouts 1-3 days/week, depending on your weight training schedule. And unless you like vomit, don’t even think about doing it on an empty stomach.

The Gymless Solution: Metabolic Work is a post from: theSwole

DoggCrapp training is designed with one goal in mind, maximum size. You won’t find anyone recommending it for an athlete and the reason for this is that DC sacrifices every other end in the name of SIZE. DC is an advanced bodybuilding routine; don’t undertake it unless you already have a solid foundation.

DC was created by a man named Dante, who is himself a testament to the efficacy of his training protocols. Unlike other keyboard coaches who sport an off-season 160lb physique, Dante pioneered his methods through his own transformation from a gaunt 136lbs to a monstrous 300lbs in a couple of years. Another thing that separates Dante from said pack is the directness of his teaching method. Unlike many coaches whose programs require you to fund their small-scale supplement factory, Dante emerged with no supplement giant backing him and no marketing campaign, save for word of mouth.

The First Circle

But DC is not just a training program, it’s an all encompassing approach, an attitude, a community that shares in the fanatical pursuit of mass. This obsession with muscle gain manifests as an obsession with strength and new PRs since according to DC, gains in strength translate directly to gains in muscle. For this reason, the log book is an invaluable part of the arsenal.

Big Ron started as Powerlifter

The pretext of DC is that muscle growth is signaled in the gym, but doesn’t really start until you’re back outside. That is to say, you grow when resting and eating, not when struggling with a weight or experiencing a pump. The idea, then, is to maximize cycles of training and rest, a stimulus for growth and a recovery period during which growth actually happens. To optimize frequency of both training and rest, DC reduces volume to one set per body part. This single set may not sound like much, but Dante has discovered all of the ways to make it hurt. And to the point, training every other day will yield more than 100 growth cycles per year, compared to ~50 with regular volume training.

The purpose of DC training is not simply “completing a workout” but doing so while making the sets as intense as possible. Thus, sets are brutal, a combination of torturous variations Dante has devised to maximize intensity. The extreme sets are followed by extreme stretching. Because the point of the workout is the single set, there is no space for cheating through neglected form, extreme spotter assistance or speedy negatives. Rather than doing 8 sets of mediocre muscle activation, you will perform one absolutely devastating anaerobic set that is proven to jump start the anabolic process.

David Henry: The DC Monster

The Concepts

Explosive positive, slow negative

Reps are to be performed with a controlled explosive positive and controlled negative. This is the cornerstone of the program. If you neglect the negatives, then you might as well stop reading here. Dante recommends a minimum 2-3 second negative on compound movements, for isolation slow it even more to 4-5 seconds. Negatives are key to developing strength and stretching the muscle to create growth.

Rest-Pause sets

(RP) are basically 3 sets condensed into one. Before doing these do a proper warm up to prepare for max effort exertion. First you pick a weight you can use for 6-7 or 10-12 reps, depending on your aim. You blast through the set and when you reach failure, the spotter assists you to once again raise the weight so that you can squeeze in one more negative. This, by the way is called a forced negative. Rack the weight and take 15 deep breaths. Then go in for a second set, same as the first: do as many reps as you can and the final, forced negative. Repeat the same for your last set and that’s it.

Extreme stretching

Blow a fresh balloon to its maximum size and deflate it. Stretch it out and blow it up again, and you will understand why Dante prescribes stretching. Muscle is surrounded by fascia which constricts the muscle fibre within. Extreme stretching loosens the squeeze from fascia, allowing the muscle inside to fill out. On top of that, stretching hastens recovery, which as you read is key in the muscle building process.
Perform each stretch for 60 seconds directly following the set. Exceptions include biceps, which should be stretched after forearms, and calves, for which the exercise itself provides sufficient stretching. You can find pictures of the stretches here.

Another hurdle in the path to SWOLE

Blasting and Cruising

Any decent program is going to include some sort of periodization. Thus according to DC, after approximately 8 weeks of “blasting” the heavy weights and chasing PRs, you’re going to do a week of “cruising” and let your body recover. Cruising entails light training, i.e. no extreme sets or stretches. You can also slack off from the massive eating during this period. A recovery period like this is essential for the long run, to ensure steady progress and avoid over-training. Those who are less advanced generally can go longer without a cruise, so be your own judge. If you feel great, go a couple more weeks, but if you’re getting beat take a week off, regroup and come back harder than ever.

Exercise Choice

Picking the right movements is critical because you have only one set of one exercise through which to achieve maximum stimulus of a muscle group. Unlike other training patterns, DC does not give you a host of auxiliary isolation movements to fall back on. For this reason, you need to choose a movement that maximizes both range of motion and weight moved, i.e. a compound movement like bench or bent over rows or squats. Pick 3 exercises per muscle group and perform one of these each session. For example, take incline bench, hammer strength flat and dumbbell flat. Because you are training on a 2 day split, first session you do incline, third session you do hammer strength, fifth session is dumbbell, seventh session is incline again, etc. Each time the cycle returns on a lift, you must score a personal best, or you are required to exchange that exercise for another. This rule prevents slacking, stagnating and overtraining. Progress is key.

Here’s a sample template you can use. Train every other day. Do not change the order of the exercises for each part or within the split. The only thing you can change is what exercises to do.

The Swole Template

A-

Chest 10-15 RP:

Incline bench, Hammer strength flat, Dumbbell flat

Shoulders 10-15 RP:

Overhead shoulder press, Dumbbell shoulder press, Hammer strength shoulder press

Tricep 15-20 RP:

Close grip bench, Skullcrushers, Reverse grip bench

Back width 15-20 RP:

Lat pull downs, Wide grip pull ups, Chin-ups

Back thickness 8-20 SS:

Deadlift, Bent-over row, T-bar row

B-

Biceps 10-15 RP:

Barbell curls, Preacher curls, Incline dumbbell curl

Forearms 15 SS:

Pinwheel curls, Reverse cable curls, Static holds

Calves*:

Calf machine, Calves with leg press, Calves in hack squat

Hamstrings 15-20SS:

Stiff-legged deadlifts, Leg curls, Good mornings

Quads 20SS:

Squats, Leg press, Hack squat

*Calves: Perform these by doing a 2 second positive and a 15 second negative for 12 reps.

Doggcrapp Training Dissected: Dante’s inferno is a post from: theSwole