THE NO FAIL
WORKOUT SYSTEM
Complete Physique
Transformation Program
By Sean Nalewanyj
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should consult a physician first. The information presented herein is not meant to
treat or prevent any disease or to provide the reader with medical advice. If you are
looking for specific medical advice then you should obtain this information from a
licensed health-care practitioner.
This publication is intended for informational use only. Sean Nalewanyj and
www.SeanNal.com will not assume any liability or be held responsible for any form of
injury, personal loss or illness caused by the utilization of this information. The
individual results obtained from the use of this program will vary from person to
person and we make no guarantee as to the degree of results that you will personally
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INTRODUCTION
The No-Fail Workout System is an intelligently structured, step-by-step training plan designed
to take you to your ultimate physique goals in the most effective and efficient way possible.
Here’s how to get started…
First, make sure to read through the Workout Guidelines.
This section will give an overview of exactly how each individual workout should be
performed.
Next, make your way through the step-by-step No-Fail Workout Plan.
This section is broken down into 3 individual training phases based on your experience level
and outlines which days you should train on, the exact exercises, sets and reps to perform,
along with a list of notes for each workout that provide additional information.
Finally, read through the No-Fail Cardio Guidelines.
Depending on your individual goals, some specific cardio guidelines will be outlined for you
that can be used alongside your weight training routine.
Let’s get started...
N0-FAIL WORKOUT GUIDELINES
Before you get started, make sure to read over these important workout guidelines first...
1) Before you begin any of the assigned workouts, you need to have a proper understanding
of how each exercise is performed in order to maximize muscle stimulation and reduce the
chances for injury. Each exercise in the plan is clickable and will take you to the Video
Exercise Database providing a full motion video, written description and list of important
form cues for that particular lift.
2) If you’re a beginning lifter who is relatively new to weight training, make sure to start off
on the cautious side by selecting lighter weights in order to get a feel for each exercise first.
Once you have the correct technique nailed down, you can then begin gradually increasing
the weights. After a few weeks you should be settled into things and will have found the
appropriate weights for yourself in order to land in the proper rep ranges at the proper
intensity level.
3) Each workout will begin with a brief warm up routine to prepare your body for the work
ahead, improve joint mobility/lubrication and reduce the risk for injury. Each workout will
specify the appropriate warm up sequence to perform, and you’ll find a breakdown of each
sequence at the end of this PDF.
4) Aim to perform each set in your workout about 1 rep short of muscular failure. This means
that you should continue your set until the point where, if you were to give an all-out 100%
effort, you would only be able to complete 1 more rep using proper form.
The last rep of each set should be quite challenging, but overly-slow “grinder” reps that
you’re just barely able to squeeze out should be avoided. Again, you’ll get a better handle on
this after a few weeks of training if you’re a complete beginner.
5) Always write down your workouts in detail by recording the exact weight lifted and the
number of reps executed for every exercise throughout the session. The next time you enter
the gym to perform that same workout, you should be placing 100% of your focus on
improving upon your previous performance by adding slightly more weight (typically around
5-10 pounds on bigger compound lifts and 2.5-5 pounds on smaller isolation lifts), or
performing more reps with the same weight.
The basic approach should be to train for additional reps until you’re able to hit the upper
end of the given rep range for an exercise, at which point you can increase the weight on the
following workout.
6) After you have completed a given set, you should only perform your next set when you feel
that you are fully recovered both physically and mentally and can perform that set with
maximum strength and focus.
There is no concrete rest interval in between sets, as it will vary from exercise to exercise. As
a general guideline though, you should typically be resting around 1.5-3 minutes in between
sets, with more rest being required the more demanding the exercise is. For example, a set of
squats may require 3 full minutes of rest while a cable curl may only require 1.5 minutes.
7) Your workouts can last as long as you need them to in order to complete all of the assigned
work, as long as your overall training intensity, energy and focus has not significantly
declined. In most cases this will land you in a range of about 60-90 minutes per session.
8) On the positive portion of each repetition, lift the weight as fast as you can while still
maintaining proper form. On the negative portion of the repetition, lower the weight under
control in 2-3 seconds.
9) Make sure to place equal focus and intensity on all muscle groups. You should not be
favoring certain muscles over others, but instead should focus on developing your entire
physique as equally as possible. Only when you become more advanced and have built up a
significant amount of muscle and strength should muscle prioritization come into play in
order to bring up potentially lagging muscle groups.
10) Muscle pump, muscle burn and muscle soreness are not indicators of a successful
workout. The success of your workout should only be gauged by how well you execute the
principle of intensity (training about 1 rep short of muscular failure) and progression (adding
more weight to each exercise over time). As long as you’re accomplishing these two things
and are following the workouts as outlined, you are on the right track.
11) Injury prevention should always be treated as a primary concern. Keep your joints and
connective tissues healthy by following the warm up routines given, lifting within your own
limits, monitoring your intensity levels, using proper form at all times and avoiding
overtraining by sticking to the workouts as outlined.
12) After 8-10 continuous weeks of training, take 1 full week off from the gym. This will allow
your body and joints to fully recuperate and will prevent overtraining. You may still perform
cardio on your week off.
Okay, let’s dive into the actual concrete workout plan…
THE N0-FAIL WORKOUT PLAN
There are 3 individual training plans included that have been broken down into separate
phases…
PHASE 1: If you’re a complete beginner, or someone who does have gym experience but with
minimal results achieved so far, this is where you’ll want to begin. This phase utilizes a full
body training approach performed 3x per week and should be followed for roughly the first
6-12 months of training.
PHASE 2: If you’ve completed Phase 1 or already do have a modest amount of training
experience under your belt (around 6-12 months) with decent initial “newbie gains” to show
for it, you can move on to Phase 2. This phase uses an upper body/lower body training split
done 3-4x per week and should also be followed for roughly another 6-12 months.
PHASE 3: If you’ve completed both Phase 1 and 2, or if you’re starting this program having
already trained properly and consistently for around 1-2 years, Phase 3 will be next. This
phase uses a Legs/Push/Pull training split performed 4-5x per week, and for those whose
primary goal centers around building muscle or losing fat, this style of training can essentially
be used indefinitely until or unless you want to switch things up for variety.
Important Note
Before moving on, keep in mind that when it all comes down to it, any of these 3 structures
will still be effective regardless of your individual training experience.
As long as a given training plan hits each muscle group at least once per week using the
proper exercises, intensity and with ongoing progression in weight/reps, it will ultimately
produce significant gains in muscle size and strength over the long term.
For example, a complete beginner could still train using a Phase 3 legs/push/pull structure
and see great progress, and even an advanced lifter could achieve noteworthy results using a
full body Phase 1 style.
All of these training styles work, however, the No Fail Workout System has been specifically
structured in order to optimize progress and to help you achieve the fastest results possible
based on your individual situation.
If you do want to jump forward or back to a different phase based on personal preference or
because it fits better into your schedule or lifestyle, that’s ultimately okay. However, if you
want to fully maximize your results then start with the particular phase that lines up with
your current experience level and then progress from there.
Of course, if you have any questions or need help with any of this, just shoot me an email and
I’ll be happy to help.
PHASE 1 TRAINING PLAN
FULL BODY ROUTINE
PHASE 1 OVERVIEW
This training phase is intended for beginning lifters who are just starting out, or for those who
do have previous gym experience but have seen minimal results up to this point due to
improper workout structure.
This phase utilizes a full body routine that will be performed 3 days per week.
You’ll have 2 separate workouts (workout A and workout B) and will simply rotate through
them on any 3 non-consecutive days of the week.
That means for week #1 you’ll perform workout A/B/A, on week #2 you’ll perform workout
B/A/B, and then repeat the cycle.
Any 3 days of the week are fine as long as there is at least 1 day of rest inserted in between
each session. For example, Monday/Wednesday/Friday, Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday etc.
The full body training style is used in order to help you maximize your initial “newbie gains”
by training each individual muscle 3 times per week and building up an overall strength
foundation.
In the beginning phases of training you’ll be able to recovery fairly quickly in between
workouts since you’ll be lifting relatively lighter weights, and you’ll want to take advantage of
that by utilizing a higher frequency approach.
The more often you can hit a particular muscle and fully recover, the faster you’ll progress.
This approach will be the fastest way for you to build your initial base of muscle and
strength, and I’d recommend following this phase for your first 6-12 months of training
before moving onto Phase 2.
WORKOUT A
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Barbell Squat
3
5-7
Overhand Pull Up
3
5-7
Flat Dumbbell Press
3
5-7
Romanian Dumbbell Deadlift
3
8 - 10
Face Pulls
3
8 - 10
Rope Pushdown
3
8 - 10
Kneeling Rope Crunch
3
8 - 10
Notes:
- Start the workout off with Warm Up Sequence A followed by 3 weight acclimation warm up
sets for barbell squats (7 reps at 50% of your working weight, 3 reps at 70% and 1 rep at
100%). Perform this same warmup sequence prior to your overhand pull ups (using an
assisted pull up machine or lat pulldown) and your flat dumbbell presses.
- If you aren’t currently able to perform overhand pull ups in proper form for at least 4 full
reps, start out with Neutral-Grip Chin Ups or Underhand Chin Ups instead as you should be
stronger on those variations. If those are not possible for you either, then perform Assisted
Pull Ups and gradually progress until you’re able to perform them on your own. Finally, if you
don’t have an assisted pull up machine available, go with a regular Overhand Lat Pulldown.
- If you don’t have a cable machine or rope attachment for face pulls, perform the exercise
using resistance bands or replace it with a Reverse Machine Fly. If you don’t have a fly
machine available, perform a Bent Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise instead.
- If you don’t have a cable machine available for rope pushdowns, perform a One-Arm
Overhead Dumbbell Extension instead (3 sets per arm).
- If you don’t have a cable machine available to perform rope crunches, replace it with a
Decline Crunch. If you don’t have a decline bench available, then perform a Floor Crunch
instead.
WORKOUT B
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Barbell Squat
3
5-7
Incline Dumbbell Press
3
5-7
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
3 per arm
5-7
Lying Leg Curl
3
5-7
Standing Cable Lateral Raise
3 per arm
8 - 10
Incline Dumbbell Curl
3
8 - 10
Smith Machine Calf Raise
3
8 - 10
Notes:
- Start the workout off with Warm Up Sequence A followed by 3 weight acclimation warm up
sets for barbell squats (7 reps at 50% of your working weight, 3 reps at 70% and 1 rep at
100%). Perform this same warmup sequence prior to your incline dumbbell presses and
one-arm dumbbell rows.
- If you find that your lower back feels overly fatigued from squatting 3 times per week,
replace the squats with a 45 Degree Leg Press for this particular workout at 8-10 reps per set.
A Seated Leg Press is also an acceptable choice if you find that variation more comfortable.
- If you don’t have access to a leg curl machine, perform Glute-Ham Raises instead. If you
aren’t able to effectively replicate any of those glute-ham raise variations, simply perform a
Romanian Dumbbell Deadlift instead.
- If you don’t have a cable machine available for standing cable lateral raises, perform Seated
Dumbbell Lateral Raises instead.
- If you don’t have access to a Smith machine, perform a Leg Press Calf Raise instead. If you
don’t have a leg press available, go with a One-Legged Dumbbell Calf Raise for 3 sets on each
leg.
PHASE 2 TRAINING PLAN
UPPER/LOWER ROUTINE
PHASE 2 OVERVIEW
Now that you’ve built up a good initial base of muscle and strength by utilizing the basic full
body training approach in Phase 1, it’s time to advance things a bit further.
In Phase 2, you’ll be splitting your body up into “upper body” and “lower body” days (with
2 different workouts for each) and training each muscle group twice per week.
Since you’ll now be lifting heavier weights and will have developed a stronger “mind-muscle”
connection, we want to reduce the frequency slightly and allow for a bit more recovery time
in between sessions.
In addition, we’ll also be fine-tuning things further by adding in a wider variety of exercises to
optimize the development of each individual muscle group.
You’ll have 4 separate workouts that you’ll be performing (A1, B1, A2, B2) and will rotate
through them either 3 or 4 days per week.
Every person tolerates weight training a bit differently and has varying levels of recovery
potential, so whether you implement this plan 3 days per week or 4 days per week depends
on your individual situation.
Your lifestyle outside of the gym also plays a role. If you’re reasonably physically active
throughout the day (for example, let’s say you work a physically demanding job or play sports
in addition to your gym sessions), a lower training frequency would likely be more suitable,
and vice versa.
My overall recommendation is to start off with 3 sessions per week, increasing to 4 per week
if you find that you’re easily able to recover in between workouts and that you have the
physical/mental energy for an additional session per week.
All things equal, whichever frequency allows you to gain strength at the fastest rate will
also be the plan that builds muscle at the fastest rate, so experiment and see for yourself
which one works best for you.
When it comes to the 3 day per week structure, simply select any 3 non-consecutive days of
the week and rotate through the 4 workouts from day to day. For example,
Monday/Wednesday/Friday, Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday etc.
Week #1 would consist of workouts A1/B1/A2, Week #2 would be B2/A1/B1, Week #3 would
be A2/B2/A1 etc.
If you opt to train 4 days per week, I’d recommend using one of the following two layouts…
Day 1: Workout A1
Day 2: Workout B1
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Workout A2
Day 5: Workout B2
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest
Or
Day 1: Workout A1
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Workout B1
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Workout A2
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Workout B2
Phase 2 should be followed for another 6-12 months of training before moving onto Phase
3.
WORKOUT A1 – UPPER BODY
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Overhand Pull Up
3
5-7
Flat Dumbbell Press
3
5-7
Seated Cable Row
3
5-7
Lying Incline Cable Fly
3
8 - 10
Bent Over Dumbbell Shrug
3
8 - 10
Standing Cable Lateral Raise
3 per arm
8 - 10
Supinating Dumbbell Curl
3
5 - 7 per arm
One-Arm Overhead Cable Extension
3 per arm
8 - 10
Notes:
- Start the workout off with Warm Up Sequence B followed by 3 warm up sets for overhand
pull ups using an assisted pull up machine or lat pulldown (7 reps at 50% of your working
weight, 3 reps at 70% and 1 rep at 100%). Perform this same warm up sequence for your flat
dumbbell presses as well.
- If you aren’t currently able to perform overhand pull ups in proper form for at least 4 full
reps, start out with Neutral-Grip Chin Ups or Underhand Chin Ups instead as you should be
stronger on those variations. If those are not possible for you either, then perform Assisted
Pull Ups and gradually progress until you’re able to perform them on your own. Finally, if you
don’t have an assisted pull up machine available, go with a regular Overhand Lat Pulldown.
- You should ideally perform the seated row using a straight-bar attachment and a shoulder
width grip, but a v-bar attachment is also acceptable. If you don’t have access to a seated
cable row machine, any type of horizontal Machine Row is ultimately fine. If you have no
access to machines, go with either a Dumbbell Seal Row, or if you can’t get the proper setup
in place for that, go with an Incline Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row.
- If you don’t have access to a cable machine for lying incline flys, or if it isn’t practical for you
to move a bench in between the cable stand at your gym, replace this exercise with an Incline
Dumbbell Fly.
- If you don’t have a cable machine available for standing cable lateral raises, perform Seated
Dumbbell Lateral Raises instead.
- If you don’t have a cable machine available for the one-arm overhead cable extension
exercise, perform a One-Arm Overhead Dumbbell Extension.
WORKOUT B1 – LOWER BODY / ABS
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Barbell Squat
3
5-7
45 Degree Leg Press
3
8 - 10
Lying Leg Curl
3
5-7
Romanian Dumbbell Deadlift
3
8 - 10
Smith Machine Calf Raise
5
5-7
Kneeling Rope Crunch
3
8 - 10
Notes:
- Start the workout off with Warm Up Sequence C followed by 3 warm up sets for barbell
squats (7 reps at 50% of your working weight, 3 reps at 70% and 1 rep at 100%).
- If it feels more comfortable on your lower back, a Seated Leg Press can be used in place of
the 45 degree leg press.
- If you don’t have access to a lying leg curl machine, any other leg curl variation is fine, such
as a Seated Leg Curl or Standing Leg Curl. If you don’t have any of these machines available,
perform a Glute-Ham Raise instead for 8-10 reps. Click here for a variety of different ways
that a glute-ham raise can be performed without machines.
- If you don’t have access to a Smith machine, perform a Leg Press Calf Raise instead. If you
don’t have a leg press available, go with a One-Legged Dumbbell Calf Raise for 5 sets on each
leg.
- If you don’t have a cable machine available to perform rope crunches, replace it with a
Decline Crunch. If you don’t have a decline bench available, then perform a Floor Crunch
instead.
WORKOUT A2 – UPPER BODY
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Incline Dumbbell Press
3
5-7
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
3 per arm
5-7
Standing Decline Cable Fly
3
8 - 10
Lat Pull-In
3
8 - 10
Face Pulls
3
8 - 10
Standing Cable Lateral Raise
3 per arm
8 - 10
Standing One-Arm Cable Curl
3 per arm
8 - 10
Rope Pushdown
3
5-7
Notes:
- Start the workout off with Warm Up Sequence B followed by 3 warm up sets for incline
dumbbell presses (7 reps at 50% of your working weight, 3 reps at 70% and 1 rep at 100%).
Perform this same warm up sequence for your one-arm dumbbell rows as well.
- If you don’t have cables to perform the standing decline cable fly, replace them with a Decline
Dumbbell Fly. If you don’t have a decline bench available, perform a Flat Dumbbell Fly.
- If you don’t have access to a cable machine for Lat Pull-Ins, replace the exercise with a Neutral
Grip Chin Up or Underhand Chin Up.
- If you don’t have a cable machine or rope attachment for face pulls, perform the exercise using
resistance bands or replace it with a Reverse Machine Fly. If you don’t have a fly machine
available, perform a Bent Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise instead.
- If you don’t have a cable machine available for standing cable lateral raises, perform Seated
Dumbbell Lateral Raises instead.
- If you don’t have a cable machine for the standing one-arm cable curl, replace it with a
Barbell Curl.
- If you’re unable to perform rope pushdowns, replace them with a Decline Dumbbell Skull
Crusher. If you don’t have a decline bench available then perform a regular Flat Dumbbell
Skull Crusher.
WORKOUT B2 – LOWER BODY / ABS
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Barbell Squat
3
5-7
Walking Dumbbell Lunge
3
5 - 7 per leg
Seated Leg Curl
3
8 - 10
Romanian Dumbbell Deadlift
3
8 - 10
Smith Machine Calf Raise
5
5-7
Straight Plank
3
30 - 60 sec
Notes:
- Start the workout off with Warm Up Sequence C followed by 3 warm up sets for barbell
squats (7 reps at 50% of your working weight, 3 reps at 70% and 1 rep at 100%).
- Again, any leg curling variation is ultimately fine, and if you don’t have a leg curl machine
available then perform Glute-Ham Raises instead.
- If you don’t have access to a Smith machine, perform a Leg Press Calf Raise instead. If you
don’t have a leg press available, go with a One-Legged Dumbbell Calf Raise for 5 sets on each
leg.
- When you’re able to hold a regular straight plank for a full 60 seconds with perfect form,
graduate to a Swiss Ball Plank. When you can hold the Swiss ball plank for 60 seconds,
graduate to Stir-The-Pot for 8-15 reps. If you can perform 8-15 reps of stir-the-pot, superset
the exercise with a swiss ball plank immediately after each set.
PHASE 3 TRAINING PLAN
LEGS/PUSH/PULL ROUTINE
PHASE 3 OVERVIEW
By this point you’ll have a good degree of training experience under your belt and will have
achieved some very impressive results from your Phase 1 and Phase 2 workouts assuming
you’ve executed them as outlined and have combined them with a proper nutrition plan. It’s
now time to advance things further by moving into Phase 3.
In this phase you’ll be utilizing a “legs/push/pull” split that involves 3 separate workouts:
Workout A: Legs
Workout B: Chest/Shoulders/Triceps/Abs
Workout C: Back/Biceps
You’ll perform 4-5 total workouts per week, rotating through A, B and C.
The first workout trains your lower body, the second trains all of your upper body pushing
muscles, while the third trains all of your upper body pulling muscles.
This splits your body up into systems of related muscle groups that work together on their
respective movements, allowing you to train each individual muscle with a reasonably high
volume and frequency while still fully recovering in between sessions.
The total volume per muscle and the exercise variation for each workout will be further
expanded in comparison to previous phases, letting you really hone in on each specific area
and fully optimizing your gains.
As I discussed in Phase 2, every person will recover a bit more quickly or slowly from weight
training depending on a variety of factors (such as genetics, how physical their job is, other
activities they perform outside the gym etc.), and this will influence whether 4 workouts per
week or 5 workouts per week will be better suited to you.
My recommendation is to start off on the lower frequency of 4 workouts per week, and then
increase to 5 if you find that you’re recovering just fine and are willing to include the
additional weekly session to see if it speeds up your progress. 5 workouts per week may also
not be practical for some people, in which case sticking with 4 is fine.
Once again, if your goal is to fully maximize your gains then you should be using whichever
structure allows you to see the fastest gains in strength from workout to workout without
feeling overly fatigued or burned out.
For the 4 day per week split, here’s how I’d recommend laying it out…
Day 1: Workout
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Workout
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Workout
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Workout
For the 5 day per week split, this is what I recommend…
Day 1: Workout
Day 2: Workout
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Workout
Day 5: Workout
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Workout
A final option is to train using an interval-based structure rather than on set days of the week.
In this case I’d recommend a “2 on, 1 off” approach. This simply means that you’ll train two
days in a row, take one day off, and then repeat. This will average out to roughly 4 ½
workouts per week.
Side Note: Although I do recommend employing this training phase 4-5 days per week for the
best results, training 3 days per week is still an option if you’d prefer. You’ll still achieve
ongoing progress this way, but it most likely won’t be at the same speed as what you’d
achieve with a slightly higher frequency.
If you’re aware of this and would still like to go with 3 days per week due to time constraints
or just personal preference, then simply select any 3 days of the week to perform workouts
A/B/C on, such as Mon/Wed/Fri or Tues/Thurs/Sat. Another option is to just train every other
day, as this averages out to 3.5 workouts per week.
Phase 3 can essentially be used indefinitely and is an effective style of training even for
highly advanced lifters. If you want to change things up later on (such as adding in different
exercises for variety) then feel free to do so, but you should be able to make continued
gains on this routine for a very long period of time before needing to change anything out
of necessity.
WORKOUT A – LEGS
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Barbell Squat
3
5-7
45 Degree Leg Press
2
8 - 10
Leg Extension
2
12 - 15
Lying Leg Curl
3
5-7
Romanian Dumbbell Deadlift
2
8 - 10
Seated Leg Curl
2
12 - 15
Smith Machine Calf Raise
5
5-7
Notes:
- Start the workout off with Warm Up Sequence C followed by 3 warm up sets for barbell
squats (7 reps at 50% of your working weight, 3 reps at 70% and 1 rep at 100%).
- If it feels more comfortable on your lower back, a Seated Leg Press can be used in place of
the 45 degree leg press.
- If you don’t have access to a leg extension machine, perform Bulgarian Split Squats instead.
- If you don’t have access to leg curl machines, re-structure the hamstring training portion of
the workout to 3 sets of a Glute-Ham Raise for 8-10 reps (click here for a variety of different
ways that a glute-ham raise can be performed without machines) followed by 3 sets of
Romanian Dumbbell Deadlifts.
- If you don’t have access to a Smith machine, perform a Leg Press Calf Raise instead. If you
don’t have a leg press available, go with a One-Legged Dumbbell Calf Raise for 3 sets on each
leg.
WORKOUT B – CHEST/SHOULDERS/TRICEPS/ABS
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Flat Dumbbell Press
3
5-7
Incline Dumbbell Press
2
5-7
Standing Decline Cable Fly
2
8 - 10
Standing Cable Lateral Raise
4 per arm
8 - 10
Rope Pushdown
3
5-7
One-Arm Overhead Cable Extension
2 per arm
8 - 10
Kneeling Rope Crunch
3
8 - 10
Straight Plank
2
30 - 60s
Notes:
- Start the workout off with Warm Up Sequence B followed by 3 warm up sets for the flat
dumbbell press (8 reps at 50% of your working weight, 3 reps at 70% and 1 rep at 100%).
- If you don’t have cables to perform the standing decline cable fly, replace them with a Decline
Dumbbell Fly. If you don’t have a decline bench then perform Flat Dumbbell Flys.
- If you don’t have a cable machine available for standing cable lateral raises, perform Seated
Dumbbell Lateral Raises instead.
- If you’re unable to perform rope pushdowns, replace them with a Decline Dumbbell Skull
Crusher. If you don’t have a decline bench available then perform regular Flat Dumbbell Skull
Crushers.
- If you’re unable to perform one-arm overhead cable extensions, replace them with a
One-Arm Overhead Dumbbell Extension.
- If you don’t have a cable machine available to perform rope crunches, replace it with a
Decline Crunch. If you don’t have a decline bench available, then perform a Floor Crunch
instead.
- When you’re able to hold a regular straight plank for a full 60 seconds with perfect form,
graduate to a Swiss Ball Plank. When you can hold the Swiss ball plank for 60 seconds,
graduate to Stir-The-Pot for 8-15 reps. If you can perform 8-15 reps of stir-the-pot, superset
the exercise with a swiss ball plank immediately after each set.
WORKOUT C – BACK/BICEPS
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Overhand Pull Up
3
5-7
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
3 per arm
5-7
Lat Pull-In
2
8 - 10
Face Pulls
3
8 - 10
Bent Over Dumbbell Shrug
3
8 - 10
Standing One-Arm Cable Curl
3 per arm
8 - 10
Supinating Dumbbell Curl
2
5 - 7 per arm
Notes:
- Start the workout off with Warm Up Sequence B followed by 3 warm up sets for overhand
pull ups using an assisted pull up machine or lat pulldown (7 reps at 50% of your working
weight, 3 reps at 70% and 1 rep at 100%).
- If you aren’t currently able to perform overhand pull ups in proper form for at least 4 full
reps, start out with Neutral-Grip Chin Ups or Underhand Chin Ups instead as you should be
stronger on those variations. If those are not possible for you either, then perform Assisted
Pull Ups and gradually progress until you’re able to perform them on your own. Finally, if you
don’t have an assisted pull up machine available, go with a regular Overhand Lat Pulldown.
- If you don’t have access to a cable machine for Lat Pull-Ins, replace the exercise with a Neutral
Grip Chin Up or Underhand Chin Up.
- If you don’t have a cable machine or rope attachment for face pulls, perform the exercise using
resistance bands or replace it with a Reverse Machine Fly. If you don’t have a fly machine
available, perform a Bent Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise instead.
- If you don’t have a cable machine for the standing one-arm cable curl, replace it with a
Barbell Curl.
N0-FAIL CARDIO GUIDELINES
Although cardio is not a mandatory requirement for losing fat or reducing fat gains during a
bulk, I still recommend that everyone include some cardio in their plan in order to optimize
their overall results and general health.
Aside from the basic calorie-burning effect of cardio, it also has the added benefits of
improving metabolic conditioning, optimizing nutrient partitioning and even working as a
form of active recovery in between weight training sessions
Here are the general cardio guidelines I’d recommend following…
 If you’re currently bulking and aiming to maximize muscle growth, perform 2 cardio
sessions per week. You can either perform 2 H.I.I.T sessions, or 1 H.I.I.T session and 1
moderate aerobic session.
 If you’re currently cutting and aiming to maximize fat loss while minimizing muscle
loss, go with 3 cardio sessions per week as your starting point. You can either perform
1 H.I.I.T session and 2 moderate aerobic sessions, or 2 moderate aerobic sessions and
1 H.I.I.T session. Additional cardio can be optionally included later on if your fat loss
stalls and you’d prefer to burn more calories by increasing your activity level as
opposed to reducing your calorie intake.
 For the full details behind the two different forms of cardio (H.I.I.T and moderate
aerobic) and how to properly structure them, make sure to read through the “Efficient
Fat Burning Cardio” chapter of the main e-book.
 Aim to space your cardio sessions at least 8 hours away from your weight training
workouts to maximize recovery. This could mean performing cardio in the morning and
weights at night, weights in morning and cardio at night, or separating them onto
different days altogether. If your schedule does not permit any of these options or if
you just want to be as time-efficient as possible, perform your cardio immediately
after your weight training workouts. Never perform cardio immediately pre-workout.
 Always focus on making steady progression by increasing the workload for every
successive cardio session that you perform. You can accomplish this in the following
ways:
- Increase the resistance on the machine.
- Increase the distance that you travel at a given resistance.
- Decrease the resting time in between intervals.
- Decrease the work period of an interval and raise the intensity as a result.
- Increase the work period of an interval at the same intensity.
- Perform a greater number of total intervals.
 If you are highly active outside of the gym (for example, you work a physical job or
have physically demanding hobbies, such as playing sports), traditional cardio itself
may not be necessary. Cardio is ultimately a tool for burning calories and improving
cardiovascular health, but if you’re performing other activities that already accomplish
this, traditional “gym cardio” likely won’t be needed and could even be counterproductive. If you require some help determining how much cardio you should be
performing (if any), feel free to send me a coaching email for some assistance.
WARM UP ROUTINES & EXERCISES
Below you’ll find the complete list of warm up routines with instructions for each exercise on
the pages that follow.
Sequence A (Full Body)
1) Cat-Cow Stretch x 10-12
2) Bent-Knee Iron Cross x 10-12 per side
3) Leg Swings x 10-12 per side/direction
4) Knee Circles x 10-12 per side
5) Thoracic Spine Foam Roll x 10-12
6) Scapular Wall Slides x 12-15
7) Face Pulls x 10-12
8) External Rotations x 10-12
Sequence B (Upper Body)
1) Thoracic Spine Foam Roll x 10-12
2) Scapular Wall Slides x 12-15
3) Shoulder "Dislocations" x 10-12
4) Face Pulls x 10-12
5) Reverse Fly x 10-12
6) External Rotations x 10-12
Sequence C (Lower Body)
1) Cat-Cow Stretch x 10-12
2) Bent-Knee Iron Cross x 10-12 per side
3) Leg Swings x 10-12 per side/direction
4) Knee Circles x 10-12 per side
5) Hip Flexor Stretch x 30-45 seconds per side
6) Lying Piriformis Stretch x 30-45 seconds per side
Thoracic Spine Foam Roll
Wrap your arms around the opposite sides of your upper body in order to separate your
scapula, and with your hips elevated and head in a neutral position, slowly roll up and down
the center of your upper back.
Make sure to keep your muscles nice and relaxed here rather than tensing up.
After that, tilt your body to the left and perform the same movement along the left side of
your upper back as well as the right side.
Scapular Wall Slides
Stand with your head, upper back and butt pressed firmly against a wall.
With your shoulders depressed and scapula retracted, place your upper arms and forearms
against the wall at about a 90 degree angle.
From there, press your arms overhead until you feel a good contraction in your upper back,
and lower them back down as far as you comfortably can.
Face Pulls
Place a rope attachment at upper chest height and hold onto it with a neutral hammer grip.
Keep your chest up, shoulders back and retract your scapula, and then pull the rope back
towards your face while at the same time imagining that you’re trying to pull the rope apart.
Think of it as though you were hitting a back double bicep pose on each rep, while making
sure to keep your head stationary, and focus on squeezing your rear delts and upper back on
each rep.
Cat-Cow Stretch
Kneel on all fours with your lower back neutral, knees directly underneath your hips and
hands directly underneath your shoulders.
Inhale to start, and then drop your belly toward the floor and arch your lower back while
curling your head upward and shifting your gaze toward the ceiling.
Pause briefly, and then reverse the motion by exhaling, rounding your spine and curling your
head downward while shifting your gaze toward your belly.
Bent-Knee Iron Cross
Lay flat on your back with your arms extended straight out to either side.
Raise your legs up off the ground with your thighs perpendicular to the floor and knees at a
90 degree angle.
From there, simply drop your knees to one side while at the same time dropping your head in
the opposite direction, and then reverse the motion by dropping your knees and head the
other way.
Leg Swings
Stand facing against a wall or any other object you can place your hands on for support.
Put all your weight on one foot and pick the other leg up off the ground. Now, simply swing
that leg from side to side as far as you comfortably can in each direction while keeping your
core tight.
Once you’ve completed a set from side to side, turn your body in the other direction and
perform the same swinging motion, except this time going from front to back.
Repeat on the other leg.
Shoulder "Dislocations"
These can be done using either a resistance band or a broomstick.
Grab it with an overhand grip and start with the stick in front of your body touching your
stomach. Then, while keeping your arms straight, rotate it back in a circular motion all the
way behind your head and down to your lower back.
Your grip can be placed narrower or wider depending on your individual shoulder flexibility
and limb length, so just find the distance that is most comfortable for you and that allows for
a good stretch without any pain.
Reverse Fly
Standing in between a cable stand, use each arm to grip the cable on the opposite side with
an underhand grip and without using any attachments.
With the cables at shoulder height, perform a reverse fly motion until your upper arms are in
line with the sides of your body, focusing on driving the cables back using the muscles of your
mid-back as well as your rear delts.
External Rotations
Place the cable pulley at elbow height and grip a single-hand attachment with your elbow at a
90 degree angle.
Position your elbow against your side with your forearm across your stomach, and then pull
the cable attachment away from your body as far as is comfortable by externally rotating
your shoulder.
Knee Circles
Kneel on all fours with your knees directly beneath your hips and hands directly beneath your
shoulders.
With your arms straight and belly button pulled in, pull your heel up to your butt and begin
“drawing circles” in the air with your knee. The idea here is to make the largest circles as
possible with your knee without allowing the position of your upper body to change.
Once you’ve completed a set in one direction, reverse the motion by doing them in the
opposite direction. Repeat on the other leg.
Hip Flexor Stretch
Kneel facing away from a flat bench and place one foot up on the bench, lunging forward with
the other.
Flex the glute of the leg on the bench and then slowly lean your body upright and backward
until you feel a good stretch in your hip flexor.
The specific angle that you place your leg at and how forward you lunge forward will depend
on your individual flexibility.
Hold the stretch for 30-45 seconds and then repeat on the other leg.
Lying Piriformis Stretch
Lay on your back with both knees bent at roughly 90 degree angles and bring your ankle over
top of the opposite thigh.
Raise your foot off the ground until your lower legs are roughly parallel to the floor and grip
the underside of your thigh with your hands, drawing your knee toward your chest.
Keep your ankle flexed in order to take pressure off of your knee joint, and make sure your
head and neck are relaxed on the ground. Hold for 30-45 seconds and repeat on the other
side.