First figure out 1 rep max for each of the ‘big lifts’ (squat, bench, deadlift). Spend a whole gym session for each lift. Your "working weight" for each of the following progressions will be ~80% of that.
- Train ~three days a week (A, B, and C days)
- Usually start with ~6 min warm up. I like to do 500 m on the row machine.
- Day A: Squat, accessory leg (quads, calves), accessory arms (biceps, triceps)
- Day B: Bench, acessory chest, acessory back
- Day C: Deadlift, acessory rear/upper lower body (hamstrings, glutes), acessory shoulders
- If you got gas left in the tank end the day with an ab workout (50-100 of something)
- Acessory workouts are ~4 sets of usually a machine or dumbbell exercise at whatever weight you can do 8-12 repetitions per set. I try to do at least 1-2 different exercises per day for each acessory group.
(sets) X (repetitions)
Bench progression:
- Week 1: 5 X 3
- Week 2: 5 X 4
- Week 3: 5 X 5
- Week 4: 5 X ~6 (if you get the first set, you've mastered the weight)
Squat, deadlift progression:
- Week 1: 3 X 3
- Week 2: 3 X 4
- Week 3: 4 X 3
- Week 4: 4 X 4
- Week 5: 5 X 3
- Week 6: 5 X 4
- Week 7: 5 X 5 (attempt 6 for each set)
At the end of each progression increase the weight by ~3-5%
For example: Today I did 3X3 deadlift at 285 lb, shoulder presses, weighted good mornings, reverse hyperextension, deltoid raises, and leg lifts for abs. Next week on Friday I’ll do 3X4 deadlift and some other mixture of accessory exercises. Figuring out how you prefer to use a mixture of machines, free weight, and body weight exercises for the anciliary workouts is part of the fun.