The progressive-volume approach is a six-week blast cycle followed by a one-week
deload/cruise week for a total of seven weeks. It looks like this:
Week 1 and 2 - 1 working set per exercise.
Week 3 and 4 - 2 working sets per exercise.
Week 5 and 6 - 3 working sets per exercise.
In Week 7, you will deload/cruise for one week, returning to one working set per
exercise. After this deload/cruise week, you will restart the six-week training cycle
with one working set per exercise. A deload or cruise week means you train light and
fast. You will do the same exercises but will not train to failure. Failure means that
every working set is an all-out effort until you cannot get another rep. While cruising,
you want to drop your weights to roughly 70% and leave a couple of reps in the tank
instead of going 100%. This will allow you to train but increase recovery during that
week so that you are stronger the following week when you return to 100% effort.
Training Schedule and Rotation
Workout 1
Chest/Back/Rear Delts/Traps
Workout 2
Delts (side and front)/Triceps/Biceps (if you have sore, inflamed, or irritated elbows,
do biceps before triceps)
Workout 3
Quads/Hams/Calves
Abs are to be trained at least once every three-day rotation and if abs are a weak
point (not due to body fat but from an underdeveloped musculature), do them twice
every three-day rotation.
The 3-day rotation looks like this:
Monday – Workout 1
Wednesday – Workout 2
Friday – Workout 3
Exercise Methodology and Ideology
Each muscle group will have an "opener" that is an isolation exercise. The focus of
this opening movement is not to push max weights but to get the muscle warm,
activation even from left to right, and get the muscle ready for the heavier compound
exercises to follow. Openers should be considered a "stretch-and-squeeze" exercise
that almost exaggerates the range of motion. This means that you are stretching as
much as is naturally possible and then contracting that muscle as much as possible
for each rep.
If using a lat-pulldown as an example, full stretch at the top with scapula protracted,
hesitation at the top, pull into a controlled and full contraction with the scapula
retracted, and hold that contraction. That is one rep. Openers are about controlled
movements through a full ROM. The weight is too heavy if you cannot perform all of
your reps in a set with full control, full stretch, and a squeeze.
Openers should be performed with meticulous form and in the rep ranges of 12-15,
with 15 being the goal. You do not go to failure on openers. You should be able to
get another couple of reps if someone was holding a gun to your head. A good rule
of thumb is to leave roughly two reps in the tank.
Because openers are the first exercise for each muscle group, there should be a few
lighter warm-up sets before the first working set. How many warm-up sets are
needed is an individual thing. I usually do about three warm-up sets, but someone
else may need one or two, while someone else may need four. The focus of warmup sets is simple: get blood into the muscle, increase the temperature of the muscle,
and work out the snaps, crackles, and pops. When those three things are done, you
are ready to get to work.
The Grow Stuff
Openers are important, but they are essentially just setting up the following exercises
to be more productive, efficient, optimal, and injury-free. The Grow Stuff (GS) refers
to the sets that follow the openers and are the progress-driving sets for that muscle
group. Notice I said "sets" instead of "exercises." I did this on purpose because I
believe that almost any exercise can be used for growth and progress. If done
correctly and with good form, dumbbell flyes can be incredibly productive and
beneficial for chest growth. I don't like to label one exercise better at producing more
growth than another. I would rather rely on mechanics and effort/intensity for
progress.
Most muscle groups will have at least two Grow Stuff exercises. These exercises
can (and likely will) be compound exercises, but it isn't a rule that they have to be
compound in nature. There are a lot of isolation exercises that are great for growth.
Again, my approach is more about how much stress you can apply to a muscle vs.
strictly training heavier and heavier over time.
Repetition ranges for Grow Stuff exercises are recommended to be in the range of
12-15 for the first exercise and then 10-12 for the second exercise and any exercises
that follow for that muscle group.
Total Volume For Each Muscle Group
Chest –
1 opener, 1 flat or decline GS, 1 incline GS, 1 flat or decline GS
Back –
1 opener, 2 row GS, 1 lat-pull GS (if your lats are weak, go with 2 lat GS movements
and 1 row GS movement)
Delts –
1 opener for side delts, 1 GS for side delts, 1 GS for front delts, 1 GS for rear delts
Triceps –
1 opener, 2 GS
Biceps –
1 opener, 2 GS
Quads – (Can open with extensions and quad-dominant press like hacks, pendulum,
etc.)
1 opener, 3 GS
Hams – (Can open with leg curls but can also use leg curls for GS)
1 opener, 1 GS
Calves –
3 GS
Abs –
1 opener, 2 GS
Traps –
1 GS
If pulling deads, deads will replace one of the row GS sets.
NOTE: I recommend NOT pulling deads and squatting in the same week. Rotate
deads one week and squats the next.
Always do deads as your last exercise for back.
Never pull deads to failure. Always leave reps in the tank.
List of Openers
Below is my list of Openers. There are many more, but I am listing the openers that I
prefer.
Chest –
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Cable Flyes
Pec Deck (preferably one that allows the elbows to come very close together
at the top of the movement)
Machine Flyes
Back –
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Standing Iso-Lateral Cable Lat Pulls (it's a combination of a row, and a Lat
Pull – much like the angle of the Hammer Strength Lat Pull)
The above Hammer Strength row can also be used as an opener
Assisted Chin Machine
Standing Cable Low Rows (essentially a cable t-bar row)
Delts –
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Cable Side Laterals (low cross cables)
Any seated or standing Side Lateral Machine
(You will not need an opener for rear or front delts, and always start delt workouts
with side delts)
Triceps –
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Any Cable Pressdown with different bar attachments
Seated Machine Skull Crusher
Biceps –
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Seated Iso-Lateral Curl Machine
Standing EZ Bar Cable Curls (standing away from the pulley)
Scott Curl with cable or barbell (NOT preacher curls, Scott Curls are different)
Hams –

Any Leg Curl variation
(NOTE: Leg curls can be used for Growth Stuff and for openers)
Quads –

Leg Extensions (ONLY if you can do them first without any discomfort in the
knee)

Hack Squats or Pendulum Squats (NOTE: These can be used as openers
AND Grow Stuff. Some people cannot do extensions first because the knees
hurt or there is discomfort.)
Calves –
There are no openers for calves. All calf movements are isolation movements and
are considered GS.
Abs –


Machine Crunch (where the feet are on a foot bar or under pads, and the
knees come up at the same time that the shoulders go down)
Standing or Kneeling Rope Crunch
REMINDER: There are no openers for calves, rear or front delts, traps, lower back.
Chest (Any of the below exercises can be performed on an incline, decline, or
flat) –
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Dumbbell Presses
Dumbbell Flyes
Hammer Strength Presses
Numerous other machine presses
Bench Press with different bars, including the American Cambered Bar from
elitefts (bench presses are better utilized as the last exercise for chest)
Back (Lat-Dominant) –
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Chins
Hammer Strength Lat-Pulldown Machines (or a different brand)
Cable Pulldown with different attachments
Dumbbell or Machine Pullovers (provided the machine allows for a full stretch)
Back (Row/Upper/Back Dominant) –
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Barbell Rows or Smith Rows (pulling with the angle if the Smith Machine is
angled)
Hammer Strength Row Machines (or other brands of row machines)
Standing Dumbbell Rows either one arm at a time or both at the same time
Dumbbell Rows lying on an incline bench
Long Pulley Rows with different attachments
Deads
Side Delts –
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Standing or Seated Dumbbell Side Laterals
Dumbbell Side Laterals Leaning into a High-Incline Bench
Smith PBN (the bar only goes as low as the base of the skull (eye level)
Dumbbell Upright Rows
Front Delts –
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Seated Overhead Dumbbell, barbell or smith press
Standing Push-Press with dumbbells, barbell, smith press, or machine
Hammer Strength or another machine overhead press
Rear Delts –
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Rear Machine Laterals
Bent-Over Dumbbell Laterals
Triceps –
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Dumbbell Extensions w/neutral grip on incline, flat, or decline
EZ Bar Extensions (skull crushers) inline, flat, or decline
High-Incline Overhead Extensions with one dumbbell in both hands (these
can be done leaning back against a preacher curl, as well)
Dips (assisted or machine dips are fine)
Biceps –
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Barbell, Dumbbell Curls seated or standing
Preacher Curl Machine or with barbell or EZ bar
Dumbbell Curls leaning into a High-Incline Bench
Barbell Drag Curls
Incline Dumbbell Curls (wide)
Hams –
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Lying or Seated Leg Curls
RDL
Quads –
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Barbell or Smith Squats
Barbell Front Squats or Smith Front Squats
Leg Presses
Hack Squats
Pendulum Squats
Lunges (walking, smith, dumbbells, etc.)
Bulgarian Split Squats

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Belt Squat (Pit Shark)
Seated Leg Press (fixed or iso-lateral machine)
V-Squats either facing in or facing out
Linear Hack Squat
Calves –
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Donkey Calf Raise Machine (best calf exercise ever)
Standing Calf Raises
Calf Raise on Leg Press Machine
Seated Calf Raise (for soleus)
Abs –
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Ab Crunch Machines
Hanging Leg Raises
Lying Leg Raises
Plank Crunch
Traps –

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Any variation of a typical or traditional Shrug (up and down ROM)
Shrugs leaning forward into a high-incline bench (up and back ROM)
Cable Shrugs standing away from the pulley (up and back ROM)
Opener – 12-15reps, light, full rom, good squeeze, contraction, and stretch, aiming
for the top end of the rep range (15)
Grow Stuff – 12-15reps first GS movement, then 10-12reps for every GS set after for
that muscle group.
Week 1 and 2 - 1 working sets per exercise
Week 3 and 4 – 2 working sets per exercise
Week 5 and 6 – 3 working sets per exercise
Week 7 Deload
Total Volume For Each Muscle Group
WORKOUT 1: CHEST/BACK/TRAPS
Chest –
1 opener – Incline Dumbbell Fly
1 flat or decline GS – Slight Decline Smith Press
1 incline GS – Incline Barbell Press
1 flat or decline GS – Flat Dumbbell Press
Back –
1 opener - Kneeling Iso-Lateral Cable Lat Pulls
2 row GS - Dumbbell Rows lying on an incline bench
- Standing Dumbbell Rows
1 lat-pull GS (if your lats are weak, go with 2 lat GS movements and 1 row GS
movement)
- TMJ Bar Pulldown
Rear Delts 1 GS for rear delts – Bent Over Dumbbell Laterals
Traps –
1 GS – Barbell Shrug
WORKOUT 2: DELTS (FRONT AND SIDE)/BICEPS/TRICEPS
Delts –
1 opener for side delts – Seated Side Laterals
1 GS for side delts – Dumbbell Upright Rows
1 GS for front delts – Seated Barbell Press
Triceps –
1 opener – Cable Pressdown
2 GS – Close Grip Smith Press
- Dumbbell Overhead Extension
Biceps –
1 opener – Cable Curls
2 GS - Dumbbell Curls leaning into a High-Incline Bench
- Ez Bar Curls
WORKOUT 3: QUADS/HAMS/CALVES/ABS
Quads – (Can open with extensions and quad-dominant press like hacks, pendulum,
etc.)
1 opener – Leg Extension
3 GS – Back Squats
- Leg Press
- Split Squats
Hams – (Can open with leg curls but can also use leg curls for GS)
1 opener – Seated Leg Curl
1 GS – Barbell Or Dumbbell RDL
Calves –
3 GS – Standing
- seated
- Leg Press
Abs –
1 opener, 2 GS