The Superhero Bulking Program – Dual Pyramid Training
Take a second and look at the picture above…
Then ask yourself which physique is more desirable for you. Keep in mind that there is no right or wrong answer. Both levels of development represent a Kinobody, and where you currently are dictates where you should begin.
Now on the left, you have a slimmer Henry Cavill at a shredded 6% body fat with exceptional muscle definition. In this photo, Henry Cavill has the Warrior Physique. If you have any fat to lose, this is where you should begin.
On the right, you have a bulkier Henry Cavill at 8-9% body fat with incredible muscle development. Here, Henry Cavill has the Superhero physique.
Depending on your natural build you may be better suited for the Warrior Physique or the Superhero Physique.
Throughout my training, I have fluctuated between both levels of physical development. However, I have found that my body gravitates towards the superhero physique more-so due to my love for food and king size appetite.
In this post, I am going to discuss the muscle building program that I like to call the Superhero Bulking Program for the man wanting to build the superhero physique. This in itself requires a much greater emphasis on resistance training to boost muscle growth to superhero status.
In addition, the superhero physique will allow for a more liberal intake of carbohydrates compared to the warrior physique.
An Amazing Superhero Physique Immediately Grabs Your Attention!
I have been as low as 6% body fat and absolutely shredded! It was definitely cool for a while. My face was chiseled to the bone, veins were prominent all over and muscles were constantly in a state of definition.
That being said, this state of definition can be considered a little too extreme for some people’s taste. Since adding some serious muscle and a bit of fat I have noticed more attention from the fairer sex.
As well, guys seem to be considerably more apologetic for bumping into me at clubs and bars.
Lastly, I have felt the power of a heightened sex drive from giving myself permission to be a little heavier and thus consume more carbs. This is the power and advantage of utilizing a muscle-building program and striving for the superhero physique.
The Superhero Muscle Building Workout
The foundation of the Superhero Bulking Program has always been centered around building strength in the 4-8 rep range. Simply getting stronger at key exercises guarantees an increase in muscle size overtime. The 4-8 rep range will maximize overall muscle fiber recruitment while allowing for sufficient volume to stimulate growth.
*Your results may vary. Testimonials and examples used are exceptional results and are not intended to guarantee, promise, represent and/or assure that anyone will achieve the same or similar results.
This type of muscle-building program will account for about 75% of muscle growth. The best method for this type of growth is Reverse Pyramid Training. If you are after the Warrior Physique, this style of muscle building is all that is needed.
For the superhero physique, we need to exploit an additional training technique found in the Superhero Bulking Program. One that will allow us to carry an additional 5-10 lbs of ‘pretty muscle’ from increased glycogen storage in the muscles.
To bodybuilders, this is known as pump training or fatigue training.
The addition of pump training to a muscle-building program will give the muscles a fuller and more impressive shape. This is a necessity for acquiring the superhero body.
The best style of pump training is Standard Pyramid Training.
The combination of low volume strength training and higher volume pump training is the holy grail of adding rock hard muscle. Unfortunately, most people find one effective lifting technique and apply it all across the board to every exercise.
Consequently, muscle growth is drastically limited. We will overcome this limitation by incorporating both styles of lifting into one kick-ass superhero workout plan and program.
This Is The Best way to train for muscle gain
Reverse Pyramid Training is what is going to deliver 75% of your muscle gains. As well, RPT will build superhero strength like you would never believe. This style of lifting is best suited for compound movements with a large potential for strength gains.
The main goal of RPT is to allow you to lift heavier weights overtime within a specific rep range (4-8 reps).
The premise behind RPT is to perform your heaviest set first while you are completely fresh. This allows for optimal lifting performance and thus consistent strength and muscle gains.
For the subsequent sets, you will be reducing the weight by 10%. The reduction in weight after your heavy set is a key component of RPT. This will ensure that you don’t overstress your nervous system from heavy lifting.
Rest between sets should be long, 3-4 minutes. We are striving for maximum performance; not fatigue.
Lastly, each set should be pushed hard. Aim for as many reps as possible without failing on a rep.
This type of lifting triggers myofibrillar hypertrophy, which is an increase in the size of the actual contractual filaments of a muscle. Building muscle this way is a slow and steady process. It takes time and you won’t see results overnight.
The good news is that with this muscle-building workout, the muscle you build will be very stubborn. Once it’s gained it won’t want to leave you.
You can take a few weeks off lifting and you’ll hardly experience any muscle atrophy. Not to mention, you could cut your workout volume by 1/2 or 1/3 and maintain your muscle gains indefinitely.
Lastly, this type of muscle gain is very resilient during fat loss phases. As long as you lift heavy a couple times per week you will have no problem maintaining all of your ‘hard-earned muscle.’
This Is The Second best way to train for muscle gain
The other component of the Superhero Bulking Program is going to be standard pyramid training.
This will cover the other 25% of your muscle gains, will deliver one heck of a muscle pump, and will create a super glycogen compensation effect. You will be depleting a fair amount of muscle glycogen with this type of training.
As a result, your body will adapt by storing more glycogen in the muscles to better handle future training. This extra glycogen will make your muscles bigger and fuller.
As well, this type of lifting triggers sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. This is a type of muscle growth which leads to increased fluid in the muscles.
The good news is that this type of muscle growth comes rather quickly. A few weeks of this type of lifting and you should notice that your muscles have a bit more size.
The downfall is that this type of lifting doesn’t have any profound effect on strength or power.
As well, this type of muscle gain can be considered temporary. If you go on a two-week vacation and don’t workout you will gradually start to notice your muscles flattening out. Think of this type of training as the cherry on top of your overall workout routine.
It will give your muscles a more visually impressive look when stacked on a heavy lifting Reverse Pyramid Training routine.
With Standard Pyramid Training the goal is to really fatigue your muscles and maximize volume. For that reason rest between sets should be short, 30-60 seconds top.
You should also be performing several sets, 4-6 would be ideal. You want to be using the same weight for all sets with Standard Pyramid Training. Your first set should be around 12 reps. As fatigue sets in on your subsequent sets, you will be performing less and less reps.
For that reason, I recommend doing 12, 10, 8, 6 reps. To maximize total depletion and glycogen super-compensation you can add two more sets of 6 reps.
What About A Supplement Protocol For The Muscle Building Program?
I recommend using a creatine supplement if you are going for the superhero physique.
By supplementing with creatine you will easily be able to gain 5-7 lbs of lean mass and you’ll get a nice boost in strength and power.
I recommend taking about 5g of creatine monohydrate per day. On workout days take it after training.
Muscle Building Workout – Dual Pyramid Training
Chest & Triceps (Monday)
- Incline Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets – 5, 6, 8 reps (RPT)
- Flat Barbell Bench Press: 2 sets – 6, 8 reps (RPT)
- Incline DB Flyes or Cable Cross Overs: 6 sets – 12, 10, 8, 6, 6, 6 (Standard Pyramid)
- Skull Crushers: 3 sets – 6, 8, 10 reps (RPT)
- Rope Extensions: 6 sets – 12, 10, 8, 6, 6, 6 (Standard Pyramid)
Back & Biceps (Wednesday)
- Weighted Chin-ups*: 3 sets – 5, 6, 8 reps (RPT)
- Cable Rows: 6 sets – 12, 10, 8, 6, 6, 6 (Standard Pyramid)
- Bent Over Flyes: 3 sets x 8-12 reps (1-2 mins rest between sets)
- Incline DB Curls: 3 sets – 5, 6, 8 reps (RPT)
- Cable Rope Curls (hammer grip): 6 sets – 12, 10, 8, 6, 6, 6 (Standard Pyramid)
*Make sure you use an awesome weight belt that won’t get in the way of your training.
Shoulders & Legs (Friday or Saturday)
- Seated DB Shoulder Press: 3 sets – 5, 6, 8 reps (RPT)
- Hang Cleans or Sumo Deadlifts: 3 sets – 5, 6, 8 reps (RPT)
- Lateral Raises: 6 sets – 12, 10, 8, 6, 6, 6 (Standard Pyramid)
- Pistol squats or Bulgarian Split Squats: 3 sets x 6 reps (2 mins rest between sets)
- Standing Dumbbell One Leg Calf Raises: 3 sets – 12, 10, 8, 6
Workout Notes
RPT = Reverse Pyramid Training.
Your first set should be an all-out effort stopping one rep short of failure. For the following sets the weight should be reduced by 10% of total weight and reps should be increased by 1-2.
Rest between these sets should be long, 3-4 minutes.
Standard Pyramid you will be using the same weight for all sets.
Rest between sets will be very short, 30-60 seconds. This will cause cumulative fatigue which is why the reps pyramid down on each set. The last 3 sets you will be performing 6 reps with the same weight. If you are unable to perform 6 reps on your last two sets then rest a little longer.
You can customize this training to your current physique. If you don’t want to add too much size to your chest then you can just perform the heavy lifting and forgo the high volume standard pyramid.
For example, I do the high volume standard pyramid training on my shoulders, biceps, and triceps. Chest and back I just do reverse pyramid training.
This will allow you to build up your physique to the perfect proportions based on your genetics and current development.
Want A Complete Program To Reach Your Ideal Physique?
If you’re going for the Warrior Physique, I highly recommend checking out my best-selling program, The Warrior Shredding Program.
However, if you’re looking for a program to maximize muscle gains without adding fat and maintaining a low body fat, then I’d recommend my very popular program, the Superhero Bulking Program.
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These blog post are super helpful! Its crazy to me how you can fast for 8 hours a day and only train 3 times a week and have it work for you. With everyone saying different things, just stick to your guns and it will workout for you
Hey Greg great program by the way; i have always trained each muscle twice a week because my body responds better that way. Is there a way i can customize this program into a 4 day split hitting each muscle twice a week.
Can I switch out barbell with Dumbbells for benching ?
yes
Hey greg im 15 years old, i have been in mma and crossfit for a year,i dont know if im a beginner, would you recommend me the warrior program or is it okay to keep doing this one, im 5’2 and weight 110 lbs and i have a body fat percentage of 12%
Hey Greg I want to bulk up on a a good 6-8 pounds of muscle but I want to maintain a 6% body fat percentage do you reccomend the superhero bulking program, the Greek god, or the aggressive fat loss v2.
usually recommend Greek God Program.
Hey Greg,
Can I do this workout every other day for example Monday Wednesday Friday then Sunday Tuesday thursday etc or are those two days of rest really important after hitting all body parts?
I don’t recommend it because you’ll want to have two rest days after Workout C, so your shoulders are not sore going into Workout A.
Greg,
What if i do the bench press on a machine? And chin ups on a lat pull down with chin up grip.
Will I notice a real difference in strength if i use machines and apply your strategy on them compared to using it with your list of excersise?
Thank you for your reply in advance!!
Only use machines as secondary movements. Not as your primary heavy lifts.
I just recently bought Warrior Shredding program!! I love it, thanks Greg!
Awesome man!
Aren’t Bent Over Flyes a shoulder exercise? Or have I misunderstood the exercise?
Yep, I like to do rear delts with chest. Helps keep healthy shoulders and support good posture after a lot of chest work.
But the bent over flyes are being done on the back and bicep day, not the chest day.
Oh gotcha. Yeah sometimes i do them with chest, other times with back. Point is, i like to keep rear delts on a different workout than shoulders. It hits to back to a certain degree. But more importantly, this allows you to hit your shoulders more frequently (2x per week), leading to better shoulder development. And it in no way impairs recovery.
would you advise doing this in a caloric deficit.
Nope it’s a little much!
Hi
It is not dangerous to rvt on skullcrushers?? I mean if you do skullcrushers with rvt you should as you progress increased the weight right? doesnt that will present elbow pain??
Any tipa to proper form is that so..
Regards
No it’s not dangerous. Adding weight won’t cause elbow pain. Exercise proper form and take your time to progress.
eyy greg!
What would you say about switching the third chest exercise for dips?
You said on instagram that for the square pecs you need to do incline, flat and dips?
No you don’t need incline press, flat press and dips. That’s a lot of pressing in one workout, it would be incredibly taxing. Either do flat presses or dips, no need for both.
Hi Greg.
Whats the reason for hitting chest and triceps, and back and biceps on the same days instead of the usual chest biceps and back triceps. Ignorance talking as you see. Thank you
Because of the way I structured the workout – it has to be done this way. If you were to do biceps with chest on monday. Then your biceps would still be recovering when you hit chin ups on wednesday. This would make it a lot harder to progress on your chins.
Greg, I’m working out following your basic protocol: Mon Wed Fri, using heavy weights, doing 3 sets x 5, 7, 9 reps or so RPT plus a couple of rest pause exercises-15/5/5/5/5.
But being 49 years old, my old(er) joints are staying pretty sore from workout to workout. I can’t keep going at this pace. It’s actually kind painful. Should I go down to 2 workouts per week (2 day split), like Monday and Thursday, and keep the same weight, sets and reps scheme? Or would I get better strength and muscle development staying on the 3 day split, but going down to only 2 heavy RPT sets (6 – 8 reps) and rest pause sets of 12/5/5/5??
I know at 49 I can’t build that much muscle, but what do ya think?
Yeah I would just do 2 sets of RPT. Hit the higher reps. Set 1 6-8 and Set 2 – 8-10.
Rob, age is but a number. I’m 41 and just started this workout yesterday.
Well said!
Thanks,
You’re right. I know. I’m not saying I’m to old too train hard. I’ve always worked out, and cycled and ran, for a few years. I’m just realizing that the last 3 months of 3 sets of heavy RPT, thrice per week has taken a toll on my shoulder joints. I’m gonna scale back to 2 sets, but I ain’t stopping. Never!
Thanks again for sharing your ideas and experiences, and good luck with the launch of your
Superhero Bulling Program!
Joint juice, oseoflex may help lube them joints up.
hey greg this is a great program but at the end of this workout i dont feel tired at all , like the volume is i think low…i have a low bodyfat fully visible six pack abs but i would like to add a bit more muscle to my entire body… to look good with clothes on too..is this a good workout to add muscle fast or do you reccomend any tweak or some other program…best wishes man
The reason you don’t feel worn out is a good thing. It will make increasing the weights a lot more effortless and natural. It’s not about feeling exhausted, it’s about progression. When you leave the gym feeling like a million bucks, you’ll come back like 2 ;)
Is it ok to do seated dB press, with the Bench in 75 degree instead og 90, or Will it be more of a Chest than shoulder exercise?
Been stuck at Standing press for a while, and hope i Can use this exercise change to get through the plateau when i switch back to Standing bb.
Yeah 75 degrees should be okay.
Thanks man!
Also, what about the angle for incline bench press?
whats best, 45 or 30 ?
Anywhere in that range is fine.
Yo Greg!
How about abs in this program? What would you suggest?
And how long are these workouts(approximately)?
Thanks!
– Toad
Check out my abs workout articles. You can do abs 2x per week. The workouts should take 40-60 minutes.
Hello Greg, I’m Anthony, 35 yrs old from France. Just wanted to thank you for the Superhero routine you made available to all.
I made a bet (joke) back in January with a female colleague that I’d have the Man Of Steel physique by this summer. I did specify that height and hair were not included (I’m 5ft6 and Jason Statham-esque haircut…).
Have been following the program very consistently since beginning march this year, & have seen great improvement (although I could probably see even better results if I cut back on the french weekend meals – wine, beer, plenty of great food). What I like about this routine is that it doesn’t require a huge dieting effort, and I eat a pretty well balanced diet anyway. I also do Krav Maga twice a week (on Tuesdays & Thursdays, between the Superhero sessions) so I burn all the calories I take in at weekends…
I’m not at “Henry Cavill standard” physique yet, but I wanted to let you know that your program has helped me immensly by structuring my workouts (previously very infrequent and based on improvisation). As you recommend, I write down everything and it’s nice to see the progress.
A few questions: I start every session (Mon,Wed,Fri) with 5 mins of rowing, then 3 sets of abs (60 straight, 100 crossover, 100 side to side reaching for ankles), as a warm up, then go into your programme, and ALWAYS finish the session with 3 sets of standard pushups: usually 3×40 (on chest day) or 3×50 (3×60 when I’m feeling good).
Are the pushups overdoing it, adding a lot of effort for not much gain (muscle fatigue)? I can get through them, but the last 10 of each series are mostly on stubborn willpower alone…
Any other variations in terms of exercises, just to change things a little (but still working on similar muscles)?
Thanks again for your time, and the time you take to answer almost everyone who writes on here. And thanks for inspiring us all to push ourselves further in an intelligent and efficient manner!
Yeah the push ups and abs at the start of your workout are overkill. They’re not giving you anything at this point. I would stay tuned for my superhero course which is coming out soon. As well, I have written several other workout articles, check them out in the ‘start here’ section.
Hello again Greg, took your advice with the keeping at a steady 2500 cal a day, and I’ve stopped dropping weight too fast, you’re right I think it is a high metabolism I’ve got going. I continue to make great strength gains employing RPT and some standard pyramid, some days after a workout I throw on my polo shirt and can’t help but smile at the chest and sleeves getting snugger and the shape of my muscles. thank you for all your doing..
I have a few quick questions if you have time to answer, I’ve been doing standard pyramid Incline Fly’s with 35lb dumbbells, 12-10-8-6-6-6 at 30-60 sec rests, I’d like to increase but know I couldn’t match that or come close with 40lb dbells, is there any benefit or sense in doing Reverse Pyramid with Fly’s, Is there the same benefits in increases/ heavier weight with Fly’s, or is mostly about the movement? On same subject of weight increases, is it doing anymore for you to increase weight with Renegade rows? which by the way are working great! Another question I have is, I’m a big coffee drinker during the fasting period and have recently started training during the fast and it’s easier and more energizing than I thought..I know you recommend BCAA’s beforehand, Can you give an example /product of those to use? , I’m not a big energy drink guy but have drank this pre workout thing the last few weeks called “bang” because it has 0 calories and says it has BCAA’s, but I’m sure you know a better route. Last but not least is doing 5 min of Plank at home many times a week not a good idea, should it be limited to 2-3 times a week max like other muscle movements? Thank You Greg. All the best -Steven
Yeah you can do RPT Flyes. I’d suggest hitting higher reps – example: 8-10, 10-12 and 12-15.
WHen you get up to heavier weights you can go back to SPT. Yes you want to increase the weight on reneagde rows. I would get pure BCAA instead of a pre workout with BCAA. It’s really hard to find dude. Any BCAA powder will do. AMinocore is good.
Planks will do nothing for you at this point.
Hi! Im only 16 years old but i want to start with this program. Is this smart? Also, if I start, is the creatin supplement necessary. Can I do this without it?
You don’t need creatine, I don’t take it. But it can be helpful, that’s all.
Greg,
I’ve employed your techniques and advice and cut a solid 16-17 lbs of body fat in the last 3 1/2 months…
From 185 down to 168. (I’m 5’10”.)
Not quite a six pack, but a decent 4 pack.
Anyway we are going to the beach in one week.
My wife appreciates the leanness, but says I lost muscle in the chest and shoulders. And says I’m getting too skinny.
I’ve been doing heavy RPT for all the compound movements, plus some strategic rest pause and standard pyramid pumping exercises.
For my last week, would it make sense to do all exercises including the compound movements in the standard pyramid training, 12/10/8/6/6, short rest periods, to try to pump up and fill in the upper chest, shoulders and upper back, where my wife noticed the loss of mass?
And yes, since I’m happily married, I’m doing this for myself and to impress my wife.
Or would a week of this pump fatigue training give me the goofy puffy bodybuilder look?
Thanks
No don’t do all exercises in that format. If you want to maximize size do 1 movement RPT and one movement standard pyramid training for each muscle group you want to build rapidly.
Thanks for responding.
That’s what I’ll continue to do.
I worked out today, before you had a chance to respond and I could not get myself to start that light (12 reps) on incline press and bench supported row, anyway. I love lifting heavy (4 to 6 rep top set) too much.
Keep up the great site and I really enjoy listening to you and Christopher on the podcasts. I feel like I know you guys.
You are one strong dude!
One arm freaking chin-up!
Awesome!!!!
Thanks man! Keep it up.
Last question it may be dumb but what’s the best way to figure out maintenance calories and/or goal weight
If you’re moderately active maintenance is usually around 14-15 cals per pound of bodyweight.
Im really enamored with this workout. What would you recommend for nutrition if im dead set on this program/physique but still have fat to lose. Any info on calories and macros would be greatly appreciated. I really wish I would have found this site before I started visual impact
Check this out – https://kinobody.com/diet-and-nutrition/guide-to-cutting/
Can I exchange the cable rope curls hammer grip with dumbbell hammer curls. Im working out at home. What do you recommend I exchange rope extensions with at home.
Yes that’s fine!
Greg you should create a new program based around the superhero physique. I know you have the Greek god but the superhero physique looks better.
Funny enough, I already have. It will be released in two weeks :D
Hey Greg,
I noticed in most of your training programs you recomend (RPT) Is this type of traing better than the standard form of 3 stes x 5 reps for example for strength gains?
Am planing to purchase Greek god muscle building, does this program include maintenance training, as some of my muscle groups are big enough, so want to maintain strength without getting much bigger?
Regards Andrew
Yes RPT is definitely better, read my article on it – https://kinobody.com/workouts-and-exercises/reverse-pyramid-training/
Yah I talk about for maintenance training drop the number of sets down to only 2 for those specific exercises.
Hello again Greg, So happy, motivated and encouraged that I’ve been following all these methods, so many improvements in my physique and strength. Also started doing the fasting, and you’re so right about it’s benefits, and it’s easy for me because i can go without food as long as I choose to. A few more quick questions if you have time to answer.. I notice you never mention doing ‘decline bench press”, is that an unnecessary movement, should I not bother with it? And if I’m doing really well with “incline flyes” and seeing great results on that upper area, is there no reason for “flat bench flyes”? and lastly, I’ve been doing Reverse pyramid on dumbell bicep curls at sets of 5 – 6 – 8, but technically thats 10-12-16, based on one for each arm, which is what I’m doing, does that sound right? Thanks so much again Greg -Steven
Yes your biceps curls are right – one rep is both arms. There’s no need for decline bench pressing. Your lower chest will get enough work from flat pressing or heavy dips. I haven’t seen a need for flat flyes. That said, if you lack muscle in your lower chest, you can do them.
Hey Greg,
I’ve been doing your Greek God program (2 day split) for 4 months.now and i now want to start the superhero physique program which is a 3 day split, are you sure i should do a 3 day split now? Is hitting muscle groups once a week really enough? Thanks, Jeremy
Yes, it works! But there’s also some solid cross over. So your muscles will usually get hit hard once per week and indirectly again.
Oh okay, would you recommend me doing a Chest/Triceps (Monday), Back/Bicep (Wednesday), Shoulder/Legs (Friday)? Or what which split would you recommend?
And for how long should I train with this routine?
That works! You can do this routine for 12 weeks.
Okay thanks Greg!
After completing these 12 weeks, should I switch back to the greek god 2 day split?
Yes
Hey Greg, I have dine your MEGA level 1 and 2 for two months (one month each). Should I do one more month of MEGA II or should I hop to MEGA III. If you recommend me to hop on the new level, how long should I do it until i switch?? Thank you very much
You can do one month of each MEGA. So you should go to level 3 now.
Hey Greg,
I have a question. Recently I have started a new job and don’t have as much time in the gym as I:d like, however I would like to the volume of my workout. So my question:
For example, would you recommend, on the day I do Incline Bench, Shoulder press, Lat raises and skullcrushers to do Incline Bench, Shoulder Press, Weighted Dips and skullcrushers.
So instead of 2 key exercises per workout to do 3.
Just because I want to make the workouts more difficult, however without increasing the time.
Thanks man.
P.S which replacements you recommend would be great to know
You can try it. Although I’ve always found 3 intense pressing movements to be too mcuh to make solid strength gains.
Hello Greg, Have to thank you for all the info on your site, I stumbled upon it while I started to workout again, everything you advise seems to work out so well. I’m a straight man but I can honestly you have the perfect physique to strive for. I’m not getting any younger, at 44, I’m just under 5’7 and weighing in at about 146 without clothes, whats amazing is that only about 6 months ago, when not working out I was about 130 lbs, and now with another 15lbs I’m still wearing the same pant size. When I was in my 30’s i worked more toward the Brad Pitt Fight Club physique but seemed to notice that so lean was aging me even more. Anyway thanks for all the wisdom on your site, The only thing I struggle with is the calories/carbs/fats juggling, I see it takes tweaking.
One question if i can, What would you say to the idea of a few days, especially rest days, going the whole day with only protein shakes with low fat and low carbs? Thank You again -Steven
Thanks so much Steven! I wouldn’t recommend going the whole day without protein shakes? Have you tried that? It gets old really fast and you get really hungry. But if you enjoy doing it then it can be done. I’d just suggest having one large whole food meal each day.
Thank you for your reply Greg, much appreciated. And, yes I have done a day or two with only protein shakes in combination with raw eggs mixed with milk and a few almonds here and there, thinking they would be good for healthy fats. I did ok with it and didn’t get that hungry, but I’m one of those rare people who have to remind myself to eat! Thanks Again, Keep up the good work. -Steven
Hey Greg!
You’ve given us plenty of superhero routines to choose from (this one, greek god’s MEGA routine, greek god’s missing chapter 3 day splits and the blueprint’s superhero routine), so I’d just like to know which one(s) do you think is(are) best for muscle gains. I need to choose one to be my next routine! :)
Thanks!
THe MEGA from greek god is probably your best bet. I have a superhero bulking course coming out in the early summer so I’d stay tuned for that as well.
How does dual pyramid training work with Rest Pause Training? Can I substitute Rest Pause training for some of the said exercises in your rest pause article in this superhero physique workout?
Yes you can substitute rest pause training for standard pyramid training.
Are those 4 sets Standard Pyramid of Calf Raises good for stubborn calves?
Yes.
Hey Greg,
Do I do this workout after bulking with it to cut or too much volume?
Go with the warrior physique for cutting?
I wouldn’t do this workout while cutting. Better suited to more calories.
Hey Greg,
Which workout plan of yours would you recommend for someone like me who’s pretty tall and skinny and just trying to gain a lot of muscle? I’ve been doing your greek god plan and it’s been working great and have been seeing great gains. Saw this plan though and it looks tempting as well. What do you think? THanks
IF you’re continuing to make great gains with the greek god plan then I would encourage you to follow that. Only when you are looking for a new routine would i suggest switching it.
So what about hitting muscles two times per week? I want to do that accompanied with this but do you find that less effective?
It can be difficult to hit every muscle group twice per week. Definitely try this routine out, it works very well!
Hey Greg
Which exercises cause a wide waist?
I dont want a big waist.
Peace
Fat causes a wide waist. Get to a low body fat and you’ll be fine. I’d also cut out any type of side bends.
Could you talk about how to build muscle (to get the superhero build) with calisthenics?
I actually don’t like pure bodyweight exercising to build muscle. It’s fine to maintain or build up a decent muscle base but it’s not the best way to maximize muscle growth.
Hi Greg!
For how long do you recommend to do this training? Also, what about the abs?
Thanks!
You can do this workout for 2-3 months before changing it up
do you give classes at home?
Nope.
Hey Greg,
This is a great article. I would like to enquire whether I am able to incorporate Squats on leg days as an RPT even though I know for a fact that you’re not a fan of squatting.
Keith
Yes you can incorporate squats. They’re completely fine and highly beneficial. I just feel that if you’re doing them properly and getting very strong at them, eventually you’ll start to gain too much mass.
Thanks for the heads up.
Indeed I have to agree that squats really adds a lot of mass specifically on the lower body. My lower body takes up a larger proportion and it really looks weird because I have quite a small frame.
I will counteract that by dropping the amount of Volume as the intensity goes up and reduce the amount of “pump” training on the legs as well.
I use bodyweight exercises.
How do I build upper chest ( square pecs )?
I do dips and fingertip pushups for pushing day.
Don’t do fingertip push ups if you’re trying to strengthen your chest and triceps. That’s just stupid. You’re greatly limiting your strength. Do weighted push ups and feet elevated weighted push ups specifically.
This is like my routine, just instead of doing flat barbell bench press I do weighted dips. ^^ Overall very ‘clean’ information! :D
-Keep posting and I’ll keep reading.
What kind of exercise could i substitute Hang Cleans and Sumo Deadlifts? on shoulders & Legs day.
You can just skip them altogether or just do some back bridging instead to strengthen your lower back.
Hey Greg first off I love all the new stuff you’re doing with your site from the free reports to the overall look. It’s really impressive! Ok so is your Greek God program similar to this superhero layout? Lifting heavy 5 times a week is starting to wear my body out with the Adonis Index and also with my new job I just have a hard time making it to the gym at a reasonable time so shorter workouts would also be nice. Keep up the great work!
Yes there’s a few different program set ups in the greek god course. The mega workouts fall in line with the dual pyramid training philosophy for maximum muscle growth.
Hey Greg, I’ve been doing your superhero workout for a few months now and have seen amazing results! I’m stronger than I’ve ever been and look better too, all with a body fat of 12%. The only problem are my abs, the muscle is there, but unless I flex you can’t really notice. Don’t get me wrong, even without flexing they don’t look horrible, but not as tight as I feel they should be. Any advice? Are there ab tightening exercises I should try or should I cut more body fat?
Thanks, Derek
Yah you’ll basically just need to drop more body fat. That’s 100% what it comes down to. You’ll need to tighten up the diet for sure.
Hey greg, do you think I could do abs on tuesday and thursday(rest days)? or would it be to much core training?
Abs twice per week is definitely tolerable
hey greg,
i was wondering if i should take proteins during my rest days as well??
since i use dymatize iso 100 whey protein to be precise
and i usually take it thrice a day
once in the morning,before workout and before going to bed.
Am i supposed to take it during my rest days?(i workout 5 days a week)
if yes,then please tell me when:$
please reply:) thank you:)
You can if you want. THe only thing that matters is that you’re getting sufficient protein. If your protein needs are met then protein shakes aren’t even needed.
Hey Greg,
Just bought your Greek God program, and read through it in a matter of no time! I wanted to congratulate you, for creating such an amazing eBook, that really helped me understand the mistakes I was making so far! Keep it up, great work! That brings me to my question, which you probably do not get too often, since your program is based around the MEGA principle, but what if I really enjoy lifting, and would sometimes train more than 3 times a week? Since many natural bodybuilders also train a lot, and they still have crazy gains.
Just wanted to hear your thought on that, thanks a ton again!
Greetings from Germany!
If i’m a skinny guy and want to increase the overall size of my body should i go for the superhero workout or i should go with the warrior workout as i’m not a person with a great appetite?
I’d start with one of the workout routines focused on muscle gain. The warrior workout is more about maintaining muscle size while dieting. The superhero routine would work well.
Ty for your answer….One more thing, in the visual impact program there are 3 phases that focus on gaining mass or getting stronger while in the superhero routine the exercises for mass and strenght are done at the same time.Which is the better approach from your point of view?
I’ve always had better success combining them.
Thanks! BTW I think i spotted an error in your blueprint. In the superhero workout, in the chest and biceps day it says Monday, but it should be Friday I guess.
Thanks, gonna change it now on future downloads.
Hey Greg,
One question: in other posts (and workouts) you recommended training each muscle 2 times a week for optimal results (including in your hollywood physique routine and your kinowear routine). If this is supposed to be the best routine you’ve come up with, why is each muscle only trained once a week? Isn’t that going to hinder our results?
Thanks man, love your work
Basically both styles work. I’ve made great gains with both programs. I’d recommend trying both out for yourself to see what works better for you and what you prefer. You can definitely build a great physique hitting each muscle group hard once per week. Sometimes, for lagging parts, it helps to train in twice per week.
Thanks for the reply. By the way, I just read your blueprint, I think it’s great.
Which workout do you think is best for mass gains, this one or the superhero workout in your blueprint? They’re similar in some aspects but differ in other, I’d like to know which you think is best for muscle gains.
Thanks again!
Both will work quite well. You can do the blueprint one for 2 months then do this one for 2 months and see what works better for you.
That sounds like a good idea.
BTW, I’m about to go on a cutting phase and so I’d like to know which of all of your workouts (both from the site and the blueprint) do you recommend for someone looking to maintain muscle mass and possible gain some strenght while cutting.
Thanks!
Do the warrior routine workout from either the blueprint or from the site.
What exercise could i substitute Hang Cleans with?
You can substitute with deadlifts or sumo deads.
Greg,
Would you recommend this workout routine in combination with daily 16-18 IF while following your Kinobody Recomp Nutrition Plan?
Yep that can work well! I’d actually recommend not fasting beyond 16 hours on this type of routine. Use an 8-10 hour eating window per day. Unless you particularly enjoy longer fasts that is.
If you plateau on benching, should you switch to dips during a bulk?
Yeah that’s a good call!
so then remove skull crushers and incline bench for dips?
Just substitute one exercise for dips.
Super stoked to discover today that I was able to hang clean my shoulder press weight after all. I was worried that it would be too heavy, but after following your video on over head press and hang clean, I did an awesome RPT Overhead press workout.
This is quite good because the Dumbbells at Planet Fitness stop at 75lbs.
Thanks for your videos and advice.
hi Greg, I am currently 18% body fat and want to eventually get to a superhero physique, however I want to get to an amazing physique like christian bale in American physique first and then work my way up, is that a good idea or should I just go straight for the superhero physique. Im scared I may get fatter :( also I am skinny fat.
Thanks
Yep, definitely get lean first before focusing on building muscle.
should i keep my calorie intake at maintenance or how much should i drop my calorie intake?
You’ll want to eat under maintenance. I’d advise about 500 calories under maintenance per day or so.
also you say that the 5 top excersices r pull ups, incline bench, plank, bar dips, lat raise in the perfect male body article, but lat raise, planks and pull ups (instead chin ups r there) r not in teh warrior physique, Y?
Lateral raises are in the warrior routine. Abs wheel roll outs are more effective than planks. And chin ups I feel are a better movement than pull ups. That said, if you read the section on rotating exercises I recommend switching to pull ups when you stall on chin ups.
Hey Greg, I don’t have the ability to do barbell bench with my home setup, dumbbells only. Will that be just as effective?
Yes that can work fine. You’ll need to use a bigger rep range for each set before increasing the weight. Ex: set 1 – 4-6, set 2 – 6-8, set 3 – 8-10
Awesome, thanks!
Hi Greg. I actually use a rep scheme similar to this with my current heavy lifts (barbells, weighted chins & dips).
Set 1 – 5-6
Set 2 (decreased weight) – 7-8
Set 3 (decreased weight) – 9-10
I do this because I wanted to independently adjust the weight for each set when I reached the end of the rep range. I didn’t want to base my subsequent sets on my first set in case I couldn’t reach the given rep range. Sets 2 & 3 are still lower weight than set 1, but the gap has begun to close (<10%). Hope that makes sense…
What are your thoughts on this? I'm looking to build mass on a surplus.
Thanks!
Yep that can work.
Hey Greg,
What is the reasoning behind taking creating after training? (as opposed to before)
A recent study showed that creatine uptake is slightly better after training. With creatine it takes a while for it to saturate your muscles. So taking creatine before lifting won’t do anything. You need to be taking creatine consistently for several days for it to start to build up. Taking it after workouts may help increase the utilization. That said, as long as you’re taking creatine, regardless of time, you’ll be getting nearly all the benefits. Taking it after training might help with the extra 5%
Hi Greg,
first of all, thanks for the great website, it has been helping me a lot!
Some time ago I read an article here, in which you gave a link to a creatine-supplement that didn’t dissolve into somewhat useless parts, but I can’t find anymore. Could you give me the link to the article, or even better to the website of that company?
Greetings from Germany
Johannes
It’s called hypergain, worked quite well for me
do you do close grip chin ups? or just regular chin ups?
Regular
Are the incline DB curls alternating ? Or are both arms curls at the same time?
Alternating
Hey Greg, so I’m gonna be starting my reverse diet to bulk transition in December… And I’m torn between this workout and the bulking Hollywood style workouts. I’m in fairly decent condition, I’m 5’10” and I’ll be roughly 175 and 10-12% after the cut ends. Should I do the Hollywood routine or Superhero for my first bulk?
Really up to you! I personally prefer this workout but both work great.
Thanks Greg! Also one more question, when benching doing RPT is it okay to do a warm up set first?
Yes definitely! I recommend 5 reps at 60% of your work set weight, 3 reps at 80% and 1 rep at 90%
RPT or standard pyramid sets on dumbel curls and dips?
also squats?
RPT
RPT
Greg, what is your opinion on combining this kind of workout with some of more intense workouts like P90X. How would you recommend people could do this?
Way too demanding! I don’t recommend stacking this type of intense muscle building strength training with rigorous forms of resistance cardio similar to P90x. I encourage light to moderate activity on rest days like walking, skill training, sports, jogging, jump rope…
Oh yeah, I actually used to do INSANITY workout in the morning and heavy lifting later that day in gym 6 days a week. The plus side was that I could eat anything I wanted and still stay lean. But I must say that it was very hard. I only did it for about a month an a half as a pre-season conditioning.
How would you incorporate box jumps in this workout?
Do two sets at the start of your lowerbody workout.
is there another substitute workout for Hang Cleans?
You can do romanian deadlifts if you’d prefer.
To get this type of body are you suppose to do this workout during bulk and cut? Or are you suppose to bulk with this workout and cut with the warrior workout?
You can do this workout while bulking or eating at maintenance. Don’t do it while cutting.
Hello,i have a question about the strength and hypertrophy training.When i change my workout from hypertrophy training to strength training do i have to lower the number of exercises or keep them the same and only change the number of sets and reps?.Curently i am working out 5 days per week and my aim is to reach the superhero physique.
If you’re doing strength work then two exercises per muscle group is ideal, three at the absolute max.
When i say about strength workout i am talking about myofibular hypertrophy like your aproach but with the change that my plan has 6 weeks of myofibular hypertrophy and then another 6 weeks of sarcoplastic hypetrophy using a 5-day split.I want you to help me with telling me about the rest periods,reps, sets,number of exercises etc etc for both myofibular and sarcoplastic routine.
Myo – rest 3 minutes between sets and 2-3 sets for 5-8 reps is ideal. For sarco perform 3-4 exercises per muscle group, 4 sets and 8-12 reps with 1-2 minutes rest.
Hey Greg, I have been following 3 days and one off(hypertrophy chest, shoulder, tri, then back bi, legs) I take a day off ten 3 days strength. However I feel my gains have slowed down. I have been following this program since June. Should I switch to you superhero course and only workout 3 days a week to get bigger strength gains? Also will only working out 3 days compromise the appearance of my abs. Sorry for the question I’m just kind of skeptical working out only 3 days a week can make me jacked like you. Thanks for everything man.
Zach
Sent from my iPhone
Yes, switch to the superhero course and only lift 3x per week. You will make much better strength gains and then of course muscle gains. No, you won’t compromise your abs by only training 3x per week. Body fat comes down to nutrition.
Hello Greg,
I hope you’re doing well. I’ve currently been doing your Sliced and Shredded workout for about 5 weeks now. I wasn’t sure how long to keep continueing this workout. I’m 5’3, and I weigh about 108 lbs so I am pretty tiny. I’m looking to add a little bit of muscle size, while still being lean and cut. Soon I want to try doing the Warrior workout. Is it correct to still incorporate the HIIT and Steady State Cardio on my off days? Thank you so much for your help!
Hey Kristen! You can do the sliced and shredded workout for about 8-12 weeks before changing it up. As long as you’re making slow and steady progress then you can continue doing it. I wouldn’t do HIIT more than 2-3x per week. Don’t do more than 20 minutes of HIIT and you can follow that up with 20 minutes of low intensity.
Ok that sounds good! Thank you so much for your help! I’m really enjoying the Sliced and Shredded workout program!
Huge fan of your stuff Greg!
I was a rower, and I wonder how can I incorporate indoor Rower in this training
You can finish off with 5-10 minutes of rowing following 2 of the workouts.
Thanks man I definitely appreciate the feedback!
Huge fan of your stuff Greg especially this post and the Henry Cavill post. I wanted to find a happy medium between the two tht hit each muscle group twice a week without spending an hour 15 or so at the gym.
I wanted to ask if this is utterly counter productive or sound logic. Thanks for any help man!
(I forgo legs and just cardio them up)
3 days a week.
Superman Workout Day 1
Incline Bench 2 sets x 6-8 reps 3 sets x 8-10 reps (3 minutes rest between sets)
Machine Press
Weighted Dips 3 sets 8-10 reps (2 minutes rest between sets)
Incline Dumbbell 4 Sets SPT
Cable ext. 3 sets x 8-10 reps (1 minute rest between sets)
Lat raises 4 sets x 12, 10, 8, 6, and 1 set at 12-15 (30 sec rest between sets)
—-
Superman Workout Day 2
Weighted Pull ups 2 sets x 6-8 reps 3 sets x 8-10 reps (3 minutes rest between sets)
Low row SPT (12,10,8,6)
Cable Skull Crushers: 3 sets x 8-12 reps (2 minute rest between sets)
Push down
Incline DB Curls: 3 sets x 6-8 reps (2 minutes rest between sets)
Bicep Hammer Cables 5sets x SPT*
———
Superman Workout Day 3
Standing Barbell Press: 2 sets x 6-8 reps + 3 sets x 8-10 reps (2-3 mins rest between sets)
Press machine
Weighted Rear GripPull ups 3 sets 6-8 reps (2 minutes rest between sets)
Low row SPT (12,10,8,6)
Incline DB Bench: 4 sets – 12, 10, 8, 6 reps (30 seconds rest between sets)
Barbell curl 6-8 reps (2 minutes rest between sets)
One Arm Cable Lateral Raises: 5 sets – 12, 10, 8, 6 + 12-15 reps (30 seconds rest between sets)
The only way you will know for sure is if you give it a run through for a few weeks. As long as you’re able to progress in weight lifted or reps performed each week then you’re doing fantastic. However, I have found that the more fatigued I am from training the harder it is to make gains. Currently I do about 2 sets per movement and only about 4-5 exercises each workout. The muscle growth is slow but very consistent as I’m always hitting PR’s.
Hey Greg!
How are yah??
I was just looking for a bit of advice. I recently have found out that I have a hernia. So my doctor advised against heavy lifting, especially free weights. I have found that if I do lifts on my chest/shoulder/triceps day like incline press on a machine, it feels ok, as well as shoulder press machine. And then I have been doing lat raises (like ur recent video post weightx15 reps – 15 second pause and another 3-4 sets like that) followed by incline fly with the same rep scheme.
Im wondering if you have any advice as to using machine weights, and still trying to increase those core lifts? Im still looking to increase strength if possible. In fact, any advice regarding this would be very very much appreciated man!
thanks in advance!
John
Hey John,
I’d recommend using the same set, rep and progression strategy on machines as you would with free weights. You can still build strength on machines. Once you’re ready to get back on the free weights then do so.
would you say once per week training a muscle is too low of a frequency for optimal growth?
Nope. You’ll make gains hitting a muscle group once per week. It may not be as fast as hitting it 2x per week, but provided you’re getting stronger, the gains will be there. For a muscle building phase, not a bad idea to hit most muscle groups once per week and then pick 1-2 muscle groups you hit 2x per week.
Hi Greg,
I started doing this two weeks ago and it is a great work program. I enjoy it a lot and it seems to really target what matters. I just wanted to ask if the Rope Extensions for Day 1 (Chest & Triceps) overhead extensions or pull downs?
Thanks!
I finally my copy of your muscle building course, and it is superb. I’m using this program first as a starting point and then eventually customize using the building course as I see which muscle groups need more attention.
I also started using incremental weights as you suggested. I discovered a really cheap way to make DIY magnetic incremental weights. I’ll share it with you via email sometime.
Thanks again!
William
Thanks man!
I recommend rope pushdowns. Definitely shoot me an email at gregoryogallagher@gmail.com to share your DIY method. Am very curious.
Hi Greg, I think this workout would be perfect for me as I’m looking to build muscle size and strength. I currently play wing for my local rugby team. I wondered how it might be best to incorporate this workout with my rugby training.
I currently train with my team every tuesday & thursday evening with a game played on saturday.
I wondered which days would be best to go to the gym and workout? Should I go Mon, Weds, Fri or would you suggest something different as there is only 1 day of rest?
Thanks
Mark
Hi again Greg!
I have a quick question about RPT.
Lets say I’m doing Incline Barbell Bench Press 3 sets – 5, 6, 8 reps. So the 1st set will be 50lb for 5 reps, 2nd set will be 45lb for 6 reps, and the 3rd will be 40lb for 8 reps?
Also, what do you recommend for muscle imbalance (Biceps)?
Yes that’s the right idea.
If one side is stronger than the other I’d recommend using dumbbells.
Hi Greg!
This is amazing, like all your posts. I just wanted to ask when and how you would go about increasing weights with RPT and Standard Pyramid?
In Warrior Physique you said: “Increase the weight by 5 lbs when you can perform all sets for the maximum number of reps. So for incline barbell bench press you will increase the weight by 5 lbs for the next workout when you can do 3 sets of 6 reps. Try and add at-least 1 rep to 1 of your 3 sets each workout. So the first workout you might get 5, 4, 4. The next workout you’d try to get 5, 5, 4 and then 5, 5, 5. Once you build up to 6, 6 and 6 reps then you will add 5 lbs the next workout.”
It seems more straightforward as to when you would increase weight for Warrior Physique since you gave ranges instead of specific reps. Can you give similar instructions regarding increasing weights when doing RPT and Standard Pyramid?
Thanks a Bunch!!!
I’d recommend getting fractional plates. Increase the lift by 1-2.5 lbs total to the bar. If this does not appeal to you then I recommend using a rep range for each set. Ex: 4-6, 6-8, 8-10. When you can do the top end of the rep range for a set, increase the weight the following workout by 5 lbs.
Thanks!!! Using fractional weights is a great idea.
So if I use fractional weights, should I aim to add a little more weight each week?
Yes, exactly. You should be able to add 1-3 lbs total depending on the lift.
Greg, my weight is 190lbs. and want to get to 175. Not sure what my calorie intake should be. I am doing superhero workout 3x week and light cardio 3-4 times week. I am not very educated when it comes to diet! any help would be appreciated.
Thank you.
I’d suggest starting with around 12 calories per pound of bodyweight. Protein around 35-40%, fats around 25-30% and carbs around 35-40%.
Thanks G
Hey Greg,
I can’t decide which workout to choose…
Some workouts are 5 day split, some are 3 day split and some are 3 day full body.
Recently I did a body transformation where I was on a 5 day split and got down to 7% body fat @165 lbs 6′ tall. I looked really awesome especially when I had a pump going on. Now after moving to a new city and not working out as much, I have lost a few pounds and don’t have as much definition in my abs.
I want to get a big pump going again AND add some real strength and muscle for more permanent gains. Which program do you recommend? I need to keep my shoulders pumped too, especially nights I know I’ll be with a woman!!
Thanks,
Luke
I recommend 3 day splits! Way better long term strength and muscle gains. I would do this routine on this article! Lots of people have sent in awesome success stories from this workout.
Thanks, but why? What is the benefit compared to say, the hollywood muscle building routine where there is a light day and a heavy day for each muscle group. Is it because of my size?
Thanks for the quick reply!
There’s more than one way to skin a cat. Both will offer great results. Start with one, do it for at-least 3 months before changing anything. Then you can try the other routine.
Good Stuff! Is this workout good for someone over 40 and will the gains be the same?
Yes this works for someone over 40. You may not gain as fast as a 20 something but you will definitely make great progress.
Oh boy. First week with this workout and I F***ed up on the Chest/Tri Day.
I thought I’d continue using the same spread I did, when I did The Warrior workout (Workout A Back, Bicep, Legs, Workout B: Chest, Shoulder, Tri). But Oh was I wrong. I started with Chest and it felt great. RPT felt fantastic and I really felt the pump after the incline DB in SP.
And then when it was time for Shoulder Press I basicially couldn’t lift Shit.
So the thing is I’m planning on either doing all the SP at the end of the workout or doing it exactly as you wrote in this post.
Are you sure you’re doing the workout properly? Shoulder press is on Workout C not Workout A.
Hey Greg I notice this routine is only working body parts once a week but most of your other routines show twice a week, is one more effective than the other?
Also, can switching out exercises for different ones after stalling on one after several weeks get someone out a plateau?
Yah both options work! The main thing is that you’re getting stronger. For stubborn muscle groups it’s preferable to train the muscle group 2x per week. For everything else, once per week works well.
I was doing cable rows today, and My form was pretty solid. But I felt it in my biceps, not really in my back. How can I correct this?
Try pulling from your elbows. Pretend your forearms are amputated and focus on drawing your elbows back to your body.
Thanks mate, awesome article.
Just gone winter in Australia so going to get stuck into it and see how I am come summer time. Hopefully closer to Superhero status!
Question:
For chest I would normally do 4-5 warm up sets starting with a low weight and maybe 12 reps, up the weight, 10 reps……. etc but with this specific training, i think it would cause too much fatigue. So, on your heavy sets (being the first ones of the day) are you doing warm up sets for them?
Thanks.
Best way to warm up is to do 5 reps at 60% of your work set weight, 3 reps at 80% of your work set weight and 1 rep at 90% of your work set weight. So if you were building up to 200 lbs for 6 reps it would look like this.
120 lbs x 5, 160 lbs x 3, 180 lbs x 1.
Is it alright if i substitute flat bench with weighted dips?
Yes, that’s fine.
Is the last exercise in shoulders and legs, the one lef calf raises is Standard Pyramid?
Yah you can do those standard pyramid.
Can I use dual pyramid in conjuction with the “greek god”, on my lacking areas?
Yes.
Hey Greg currently finishing off my phase 2 visual impact , last week of it . Currently at 62 kgs 168 cms height body fat 12 percent. Wanted to ask you since i want to gain a bit more mass should i finish off the phase 3 or should i replace it with this workout or should i go back to phase 1 . And what weight should i target for my height for the superhero body. Thanks for your great posts as always.
If you are after more muscle mass you should try this workout. Target weight for superhero is hard to say. I would strive for maintaining a slim waist (45% of height) and adding strength and muscle mass continually. Get up to at-least 70kg.
Thanks for the insight will then go on to this phase for more muscle mass . Cheers
Hey Greg, i’m currently following the warrior training- protocol (along with the diet) which requires you to train lower volume. However my shoulders are really lacking and i’m thinking about using the standard pyramid (6 sets) on my medial and posterior delts, but wouldn’t it be counter active if i’m in a caloric deficit?
I actually always include standard pyrmaid lifting with lateral raises and rear delts. This is regardless of my goal, muscle gain, recomp or fat loss. Doing this type of high volume work on shoulders helps keep them well sized and proportionate. Well developed shoulders separates the good physiques from the fucking awesome ones. Doing high volume on laterals/rear delts won’t negatively impact recovery or strength gains on other movements. Shoulders were meant for this type of fatigue.
This post is fantastic. I’m currently 242 lbs. (basically, a fat ass) looking to get down to a “superhero” 210-215 OR that 8-9% body fat range (currently, I have no idea what I am, whatever Jabba the Hutt was that’s pretty much me now).
Question: I was planning on doing 3 days of steady state cardio and then 2-3 days of H-I-I-T, each about 25-30 minute sessions to burn off some body fat while hitting these hard sets (the steady-state follows the lifts, H-I-I-T on the off-days). What is your opinion on this? Am I falling into a false sense of thinking I can lose weight and get superhero-ish at the same time? I’m an endo-mesomorph, so I will always need to keep cardio in my regimen. I have a sedentary career (lawyer), so you figure too, that exacerbates the whole getting fat thing.
Last but not least, thanks for posting this Greg. I read around your website and saw your incredible results. Keep inspiring people man, you are doing a great job!
Thanks for the kind words Phillip!
Steady state after strength workouts is completely fine! I would limit this to 20-30 minutes as the workouts will already be burning a fair amount of calories. HIIT on rest days should be tolerable. Try and mix up the exercise machine and interval protocol to avoid getting burnt out. So maybe alternate either using the bike or the elliptical. Not sure if you’re comfortable on the treadmill yet but on the treadmill I prefer longer rests. So treadmill I like to use a 2 minute walk / 1 minute run.
The biggest thing is going to be changing the diet. You’ll need to get a feel for your calorie expenditure and drop the calories quite a bit. 2000-2400 calories per day should allow you to drop 2 lbs per week. Try this for now and eventually find the intake that allows you to drop fat without being overly difficult.
Can we make chest workout Friday. Shoulder workout Monday. Back Wednesday? Monday is way too busy for chest. Thanks
Yes, of course! That can work just as well.
Thank you for this workout. I’ve worked out all my life. When I was 30 I did my first bikini show. A few years later I signed up for my second show but did not do it because something was wrong with my and my body collapsed. I couldn’t function. I had chronic fatigue. It took the Dr a long time to figure out, hormone imbalance and epstein barr virus. I took 3 years off the gym to get better. Then got tendonitis in my left shoulder and calcium deposits. I started working out again in Jan. No strength and no muscle left. Lifting even 10lb db’s I was so sore I could hardly move. I did that for 1 month. Then I came across this site and this workout. I have consistently done this for 4 weeks. I cannot believe it. My strength is back 100%!!!! in only 4 weeks. In some areas I am stronger than before. Wow! Thank you!!! I am looking forward to seeing what I can achieve in another 4 weeks. Thank you! -Lydia
Hey Greg. Thanks for the great website. I wanted to get your opinion on how many protein shakes you should take. I have been taking one 24g whey protein shake both pre and post workout, and then taking one casein protein shake before bed. Is that overkill or the correct amount to gain mass? Thanks.
Awesome that’s what I was trying to wrap my brain around. That makes sense an I can still use equipment at the gym since they don’t have micro plates.
Thanks again man.
Quick question.
Working biceps and have seen crazy strength gains but I want to go add weight each time as suggested in the podcast, but I don’t necessarily know if I should jump 5 lbs per workout on bicep dumb bells, but I don’t have access to any in between (Planet Fitness)
Thanks man
There’s no way you will be able to increase by 5 lbs per dumbbell per workout. You should probably lift in a 5-8 rep range. When you can perform all sets for 8 reps then increase the weight and start back at 5-6 and build up to 8 reps again before increasing the weight.
I notice how this workout resembles you’re Super hero level 2 workout on the MUSCLE BUILDING COURSE ..was wondering whats you’re thoughts on both workout/splits
In my musclebuilding course there is a greater emphasis on upperbody with only a 2 day split. This means that you will be hitting your muscles with greater frequency. I have found this to lead to faster progress. With that said, you can try both workouts out to see which one your respond the best to.
Oh and btw, screw close grip bench! I’m never doing that shit AGAIN.
I like to use the thumb along the bar method for pushing movements, especially close grip. Allows you to maintain proper wrist alignment. If you wrap your thumb around the bar for close grip, it is very easy to hyperextend it back.
Hey Greg
So I just recently injured my wrist pretty bad. I was doing a heavy close grip bench press last month with a very narrow grip and I ended up hurting my wrist pretty bad. Over the months, I continued training and gradually, the pain got worse to the point where if my wrist go into a hyperextended push up position, it hurts bad.
I got Xrays done last week and they said I tore a pretty important ligament in my wrist and possibly fractured my scaphoid. They scheduled a MRI on April 2nd to see the extent of the damage to determine if I need surgery or not. So basically, im going to take a 4-6 week break from the gym untill I’m completely healed.
This really sucks because im right in the middle of bulking and im making great strength and muscle gains. I suppose I can still do squats and just eliminate upper body work for a while, but I rather just take a full body break to recoop. 4-6 weeks seems like forever. Its like a crackhead going cold-turkey for a month. Im so pissed.
So to get to the point: I need your advice.
What should I do for my diet? I was curious if I should just eat maintenece cals or 10% below?
Right now im at 13-15% BF, 34inch waist,200lbs@6’0. I started at 180 about 5 months ago( yea I dirty bulked, I know it goes against the kinobody philosophy, but MAN IT WAS WORTH IT!) I have like 15-20lbs fat at the moment. All I want to do is maintain my muscle. I understand some strength will be lost and I sadly accept that and I’ll get it back after a week or so back to lifting. I just care about the muscle I gained. I’m going to be pretty sedetary too, im taking time off work also. Once I start lifting again, I plan on going right back to my bulk and finish the 12 weeks and do a full cut closer to fall/ winter.
Also, should I stop taking Creatine and my Beta Alalnine? I was thinkning if I should do a complete wash out of these since I won’t be utilizing them.
Any feed back is greatly appreciated, I always value your opinions and advice.
Thanks man. Sorry for the wall of text.
I’d probably recommend eating pretty close to maintenance. Maintenance or 10-15% below. Anything you can do, will help maintain strength and muscle. Maybe 1-2 sprint sessions per week. If you can still do chin ups and rows then that would be good. Although, if it hurts your wrist then definitely don’t do it. You can continue taking creatine to maintain full saturation.
hey man i was just wondering if on the superhero workout, should i be increasing weight every week?
Also i noticed how you prefer to do a muscle group once every 4-5 days, should i not skip a day between these workouts since I have an extremely fast metabolism or wait the full week before doing the workout again? Thanks bro
That is true but at the same time, I prefer a lifting frequency of 3x/wk
So if you follow this routine you still want to rest one day after each workout. THe highest frequency I would go would be 3x/6 days. So you would alternate between lift day and rest day.
You want to increase the weight on a regular basis. Ideally you want to hit a personal record by performing more reps or lifting more weight.
Hey Greg,
I would like to start out by saying that your site is amazing, it has been a great help for getting in shape. For the past 6 months my brother and I have been doing your “bulking up Hollywood style” and “V abb” workouts and it has yielded great results. Recently however, we wanted to change things up and keep things fresh. I came across this article and I liked it because it gave me the opportunity to include low intensity cardio on the off days (Tuesday and Thursday) to maintain a healthy heart and I could still do the “V abb workout” on Monday and wednesday. My only concern however is that I’ve read on a number of sites that in order to maximize gains, I must work each muscle group twice a week, this workout only works them once, the addition of cardio also has me worried that I might also lose mass because of it. So my questions are, would adding a portion of your Bodyweight training (ex workout c-Full body on Saturday) be too much, and should I keep the cardio?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Keep up the great articles!
Thanks
Stephane
You can actually make pretty good gains on hitting each muscle only once per week. This strategy works better for intermediate/advanced lifters. As you get stronger and are lifting heavier weights you require more rest before hitting that muscle again. If you’re getting stronger on the workouts then you will be building muscle very well. So far the people that have been following this routine have reported very awesome muscle gains.
Cardio is fine as long as you are consuming enough calories. Many athletes develop highly muscular physiques despite training several hours per day. I don’t think there is any need to add a full body bodyweight workout on saturday. It might cut into recovery.
Hey Greg, I’m 5’10”, at about 203-205 lbs, and ultimately I would like to be around 185 lbs or so, and with a “Greek God/Superhero” physique. I did the BMR calculator you had on your recent DIY to cutting article. I believe it came back that i have about 25% body fat, and if i measured my waist correctly, i’m at about 40.5 inches, a size 36 in jeans. Ive been doing Phase 3 in VI for a little bit, and notice physical changes, but no significant drop in weight or body fat. After alot of reading, I think my slow progress is mainly because of my diet and lack of enough cardio, which i have since corrected and feel much better. My question is, should I be doing the Warrior Routine/Phase 3 in VI to cut weight first, and then work back up to Greek God/Superhero, or what do you recommend? I plan on making this a year around effort and progress, however i have a vacation in the middle of May and I would like to maximize the best i can in the next 2 months. Any recommendations? Thanks Greg, i truly appreciate how quick you reply and the knowledge you have given all of us.
Hey Antonio
I would definitely recommend cutting first. You can do the warrior routine or phase 3 in VI. Focus on that diet as that is what plays the biggest role in fat loss.
Hey Greg
I just wanted to say that I’m really starting to see the results in just doing heavy Incline BB and Wieghted Dips. I understand what you mean now about these exercises. I think these 2 exercises are by far the best compound movments for chest development. I woke up this morning and really starting to see the difference in my chest that I haven’t seen in 3 years of lifting..
I’ve been doing flat bench for years and even with strict form and lifting heavy ass weight for 2.5 years straight, trying different methods and meticulous calorie counting, Ive never seen proper chest development. I never understood why untill I looked at myself in the mirror and just really looked at the way my chest is structured.
Once I learned how to do dips properly: Leaning foward, chin tucked down, paired with heavy BB incline, my chest started to really pop in just 4 months of doing the Super Hero Protocol. Dips are such an incredible exercise and so under rated, I see no reason for flat bench anymore. Its like im the only person at my gym doing them, no one does it.
Sorry for the long text. I just wanted to say thanks man, you really opened my eyes and steered me away from the main stream gym mentality.
Jay
Hey Greg
Great article.. Is it possible to follow this workout if you are on a cut or is it too high volume if you are in a calorie deficit?
You can follow this workout while on a cut but I don’t necessarily recommend it. If you are cutting slowly, no more than a 20% deficit, then I think you may be okay. However, I’d prefer you go lower in volume on your cut and do this routine when you are higher in calories.
Concerning this workout, I was looking to use it to allow me to add about 10 pounds of weight, ideally muscle. This is my first true attempt at weight gain and I’m not a fan of ‘bulking’ as body builders tend to suggest. I was just wondering if in addition to a caloric surplus this would all me to do so. I’m a varsity athlete looking to build functional size and strength; do you have any recommendations for improving lower body strength and explosiveness? Appreciate the effort, looking forward to you having a more commanding youtube presence in the future.
Yes you can add 10 lbs of muscle with this workout and a proper diet. Gaining muscle takes time! It will take 4-5 months to add 10 lbs of muscle, maybe quicker if you accept some fat gain. For lowerbody squats, sumo deadlifts and bulgarian split squats are great. Also olympic lifts like power cleans and snatches are awesome!
hey greg i dont have a gym membership … do you think i can build shoulders with only handstand pushups… i also have a pair of dumbells so lateral rises are no problem…and what do you think about building upper chest more without barbells or heavy dumbells
You can get it done without a gym membership. However, you are limiting yourself and I think better gains are to be had with access to iron.
what split you found the best for muscle and strengh gains? hitting a body part once a week or every 4-5days? and is 1x a week per bodypart better for advanced trainers? thanks
I prefer hitting each body part once every 4-5 days. This is especially true for upper body. Abs you can do 3x per week.
Hey Greg.
I’m seriosly stuck at my pullups, i can do around 6-7 with good form but nothing more, and i’m not progressing at all.. Do you have any idea of how to aproach it? eventually a progressive pull-up scheme to work after or something?
Thanks!
Start adding weight. Start with 5 lbs or so and add 2.5 lbs each workout. Getting stronger at weighted pull ups is the easiest way to be able to do more bodyweight reps.
Do you do chin ups with palms facing you or facing each other? I’m going for back last development. Thanks.
I use both variations. I might do 2 months of hands facing me grip and 2 months of hands facing each other.
Hey Greg, Ive been doing this program for a few weeks and my Incline bench has been stuck at 185 for 5 reps, and my flat has been stuck at 205 for 6 reps and 185 for 8 reps. Any advice you could give to break through this plateau or should I just keep working at it?
Good question!
Option A) Get 1.25 lbs plates so you can increase the total weight by only 2.5 lbs.
Option B) You’re performing 3 sets per exercise. I’d recommend taking turns and only increasing one set by 5 lbs each workout. Start with your third set then second and then first.
Hey Greg.
Very inspiring article and website!
I’ve been stuck for a while now, at 79kg (174 pounds), and been looking for a new routine to try, so i’m considering your’s, since i’ve never try’ed anything like that (not pyramid, nor reverse). Im just alittle confused of your rep schemes.. You write:
5, 6, 8 reps (RPT) – are the 5 and 6 reps just warmup, and then i go all out for 8 reps? and drop 10% weight and go again for 6 reps? and then 4, 2, ? or have i got it wrong?
And when you then write:
12, 10, 8, 6, 6, 6 (Standard Pyramid) – then you’re actually just giving a heads up, that it IS standard pyramid, becuase 12, 10, 8, 6, 6, 6 are the whole rep scheme right?
Just want to make sure i got it right (:
– Thomas
I listed only work sets. 5 reps is your first work set (heaviest weight), 6 reps with 10% lighter and 8 reps is 10% lighter than 6 rep weight.
Yes 12,10,8… is the whole rep scheme. Same weight for each set and only 30-60 seconds rest between sets.
For cable rows for back do you use/recommend a V bar or a straight bar?
I find the ‘v bar’ to be more effective.
Hey Greg
I’m currently doing the super hero protocal for 10 weeks now with a mon/wed/fri days making great strength progress.
Thing is, I was thinking about changing it up and working out every other day. Kind of like how you mentioned it on youtube: Workout A rest B rest A rest, etc. It seems that I recover pretty quick and I feel that I can blast my chest twice a week or every 4 days.
I wanted to drop shoulder presses for a bit because my shoulders are decent
(for now) and I’d like to focus on my chest for a while. And since I’ll be doing pressing movments twice a week, my front delts get some work and I can just throw in some lateral raises on chest days to work the medial delts.
So I guess I’d like your thoughts on this and also, if I do chest 2 times per week, should I change the intensity/Volume per workout? Or just keep it heavy/RPT style on both days?
Any feed back is greatly appreicated Greg.
Thanks man.
Yah that sounds like a solid plan. I would definitely do RPT both days. You want to keep getting stronger. As well, since you’re not going to be doing shoulder pressing make sure to do a lot of lateral work for the shoulders. Lateral raises and upright rows are terrific.
Awesome thanks Greg.
Last thing I wanted to ask: Even though I prefer Barbell, I was thinking of incorporating dumbells for my second chest day. So it would look like this= workout A:Barbells Chest, B:Back and Legs, A:Dumbell Chest, and so on. Reason for this is just to change it a bit while still using the RPT format and gaining strength in both barbell and dumbells.
Would that be alright? Or just stick to Barbell both chest days?
Thanks
Good questions.
There is nothing inherently wrong with that set up. It may actually be beneficial. However, my experience tells me that better strength and muscle gains will be accrued from sticking to the same variation each workout. This is something you may need to figure out for yourself.
If you are making faster strength gains with incline barbell as the primary lift on both days then keep it that way. As trying to bring up both variations at the same time at any decent rate might be futile.
I’m 18 and in college, I play rugby so I’m trying to get big with a workout I can manage, but my long term goal is to be a Navy SEAL. So I’m also focusing on the calisthenic aspect of working out. What would you advise if I said that I’m doing this workout but at the end doing a workout of 50 pullups in sets of 7 and pyramid pushups?
I wouldn’t add a bunch of pull ups / push ups to the end of this workout. It may just cut in the way of recovery.
Your best bet would be to do ‘easy set’ of push ups and pull ups 3-4x per day. By easy set I mean doing about half the reps your capable of. So if you can do 50 push ups and 16 pull ups then you would do 25 push ups and 8 pull ups 3-4x per day. Spread these sets at-least an hour apart. The point is to get volume and practice in while avoiding fatigue entirely.
Thanks Greg I’ll do this. This sounds a lot healthier.
Greg, could I do abs and 15-20 mins brisk walk after this workout instead of on my rest days or will this do more harm then good? Thanks.
Yah that’s fine! Some people don’t like to stay in the gym for longer than an hour. It’s up to you. If you can handle the longer duration then go for it.
Straight up #1 source for Workout/Nutrition information and my favorite article so far!
Wonderful Job!
Agreed. This is the best website. You’re amazing Greg. I honestly unsubed all my Youtube fitness channels and just listen to Greg. I think the only guy I keep on Youtube now besides gog9 is Chefbuff.
Appreciate the support man!
Hi Greg,
Do you think it’s good idea to do this workout instead of phase 1 and 2 in the visual impact?
Thanks loads mate
Both options work! With this workout you are using higher and lower reps in the same workout. In visual impact you go through phases of different rep ranges and volume. You can eventually do both programs and see what works better for you.
is it okay if i do boxing for my cardio?
Yah that’s fine.
hey greg, my chest size is lacking a little bit would it be beneficial for my to add in another chest exercise, maybe dumbbell flys? or would 4 exercises be overkill?
Yes, 4 would be overkill. If chest is a weak point then you will need to get stronger. It’s as simple as that. When you can incline bench press 1.2x your bodyweight for 5 reps you will be pleasantly satisfied with your chest. If you do more than 3 exercises for a muscle group you will slow your rate of strength gain.
Alright cool thanks, and I also wanted to know if i could substitute weighted dips in for flat bench? I feel like the dips also work my tri’s and shoulders hard, thus creating a more masculine look
Yah, you can do weighted dips instead of flat bench. However that may be a little too much training on the triceps. If you choose to do weighted dips then I would only do one additional triceps movement. Either skull crushers or rope extensions.
Hey Greg
I recently picked up some creatine and I’ve been having some bloating issues with it. I’m going to stop taking it for a while to recover and perhaps try a different brand. I was just curious if creatine is needed to make progress in strength and mass gains while on this program?
First off, you don’t need creatine to make progress. I’ve been making solid strength and muscle gains for years without creatine. Creatine will just give you a small boost in strength and muscle once you are creatine loaded. You might want to try a micronized creatine or kre-alklyn. That might fix the bloating issues. Otherwise you can save the cash and continue training without creatine. It is definitely not needed but it can be helpful.
hey greg
im not satisfied with the chest muscle that i have right now so is it ok if i add more pump exercise on my chest this chest routine..
Thanks man
No, you don’t need more chest exercises. What you need is to build a stronger chest. Doing extra volume on chest will get in the way of making positive strength adaptations. When you can bench 1.4x your bodyweight for 5 reps and incline bench 1.2x your bodyweight then your chest will be big.
Hey Greg. Great site. I find your information extremely thorough and useful. Anyway, a question I have is that you really push incline press for chest work with flat bench coming secondary. If I do incline first my flat bench weight will suffer for sure. Is that going to be ok for building mass? I would think so as I’d be able to go heavier on incline. Is this mainly for aesthetic reasons?
I’m currently 5’11”, 173 with a 32.5 inch waist. I’m trying to add lean muscle and at the same time lean. I’m currently at about 14% BF. I want to get to 10% within the next 7-8 weeks. Do you think this is possible with a clean diet? I currently flat bench 225 for 4 reps and 205 for 6-8. my one rep max is 245.
Thanks for any advice you have.
Incline is a better overall exercise for chest development, functionality and shoulder health. Do incline first. Take 4-5 minutes rest after incline before bench and your strength shouldn’t drop off too much.
Dropping 4% body fat in 2 months is definitely do able. You’ll need to lose about 1 lbs per week mainly through dieting. Make sure you’re eating 500 calories under maintenace per day. For fat loss I like about 12 calories per pound of bodyweight if you’re fairly active. 10 cals per pound if you’re trying to lose fat very fast.
Greg,
What are your thoughts on using dextrose after workouts? If you are for it, what is the correct amount to take? I have seen all types of different info on this.
Thanks
I wouldn’t use dextrose post workout. As long as you are consuming a meal within 2 hours of finishing your workout then there is no need for post workout nutrition. Save the carbs for whole foods carbs like sweet potatoes, potatoes or rice.
Greg,
I have a question regarding progression using RPT. Right now im using a 4,6,8 rep range with 4reps as my top set,6 is my second set and 8 as my last set. I want to know is when should I up the weight? I was thinking uping the weight(5-10lbs) when I get my top set the 8 rep range. Then start at 4 reps again until I get that new added weight to 8 reps and so on. Is this right? Or should I up the weight sooner?
This is a flawed method. In my new program, Kinobody Muscle Building, I show you exactly the best way to go about doing this. Either independently load each set by 5 lbs or use 1.25 lbs plates and increase all sets by 2.5 lbs per workout.
Hey Greg, great site. I have one question, and maybe it doesn’t even really matter as long as you’re consistent, but I want to ask anyway. I discovered you through the KinoWear “Bulking up Hollywood Style” article, and that article basically says the same thing as this one about combining low rep, heavy weights, and long rests, with higher reps and shorter rests. The only difference is that the workout routine you posted there hits each major muscle group 2 times per week for a total of 4 workouts, whereas this one hits each body part once per week for 3 total workouts. Which one would you recommend for better, faster results? And I’m an ectomorph by the way, in case the answer depends on that at all.
Both routines can work. I’d suggest alternating between the two for 12 weeks each to see which provides superior results for you.
Greg I guess this workout would be for when you are using a maintenance or mass building caloric level diet. Can this be used with a restricted calorie diet? Thanks Ray
Yes you have the right idea! Stick to the lower volume stuff if you are dropping fat. You won’t be growing so better not to waste doing the high volume lifting.
Hey Greg,
When and what should we do for traps?
Many people don’t require any direct trap work. Traps you want to be careful not to overdevelop otherwise it looks very tacky and can even take away from shoulder width. That said, my favorite trap movement is hang cleans. Great exercise! Once you nail the form and begin to work up in weight you will build some serious traps quickly.
hey greg when will i start to see result from this training
Well you should be getting stronger each week but as far as visual difference – this will take 6-8 weeks.
Hi Greg,
Is there another website to order hypergain without having to sit through the video again? My husband and I are ready to renew our supply and the only link I can find is with the introductory video.
Thank you,
Roberta
https://gf979.infusionsoft.com/go/hypergaintsl/kinobody/
Hey Greg
I just want to know when will i start to see results
Thanks
Give it at-least 6 weeks.
Hey Greg can I replace the barbell incline and flat bench press with dumbells because i don’t have a spotter? If so, will i have to use a machine for the second incline exercise?
Finally, I cant get my form right for hang cleans. Would there be any alternate?
Well you don’t necessarily need a spotter, especially if you are stopping 1-2 reps before failure. Dumbbells are fine though and you can do dumbbells on both flat and incline. Do deadlifts instead of hangcleans or high pulls.
hey Greg.
when it comes to building muscle Im never sure if Iv got my diet quite right. I’m trying to eat 2880cals a day using the calculation 16x goal weight which is 180lbs like you suggested in the skyfall post. I’m following a similar workout to the superhero workout. how should I split the macros if im eating the cals each day. are the macros really important?
I’m trying to get at least 170g protein and 350 carbs. at the end of the day I try to make up any remainder calories with a fat source either cheese or nuts. will this approach work?
your advice would be much appreciated. thanks man
Yes you have the right idea.
1g protein per pound of goal bodyweight. 25-30% fat and the rest from carbs.
Greg,
If I’m looking to put on muscle with this workout and lose some fat at the same time, when do you recommend I do my cardio workouts? I.e. on the same day or off days and how many times a week? Finally what should I do for my cardio workout?
You can do 30-45 minutes of cardio on rest days at a medium pace.
Hey Greg,
How long is the rest you take between exercises for each of the three days?
Thanks,
Mike
For compound movements I take long rest, about 3-4 minutes. If you’re beginner or intermediate you may only need 2-3 minutes. For isolation exercises I usually only rest one minute.
Hi Greg, may I replace the skull crushers for weighted dips? Which of these do you think is better? And when I lift for strength, should I lift slow and perfectly or It doesn’t matter?
Thaaaaaanks!
I put skull crushers in instead of dips because there are already two compound pushing movements. A third one would be overkill. Therefore I used a triceps isolation movement. If you wish to perform dips you should substitute them with flat bench press and perform them weighted.
But do the flat bench press gives that sweep in the under pecs?
Yes it can help. Most people that lift already have good lower pecs and benefit most from upper.
Hey Greg,
Can we do this workout 3 times in 5 days like your skyfall workout? Also which of the two workout (this or the skyfall one) is better for gaining mass?
This will be better for building mass. I’d stick to 3 sessions per week with this. You’ll be impressed at how quick you build muscle. Doing it 3/week will lead to better recovery.
Hey Greg, what’s your take on using resistance bands to build muscle / definition?
Definitely not a staple in my training routines. Impossible to track progress, make small trackable increments in resistance and build up to a great deal of strength on basic movement patterns.
Hey Greg,
I am gonna start taking creatine in the next week and was wondering should I do the loading phase of taking in 20g/ 5 days and the have 5g/ a day. Or should I not do a loading phase?
Thanks, Josh.
No need for a loading phase. Just go with 5-10g per day.
Hey Greg,
This workout only requires a person to workout 3 days a week. Is that effective? Also can we workout more than 3 days if possible?
Thanks!
I actually prefer to lift 3x per week now. By doing so, strength gains tend to be much more consistent. This is because of better CNS recovery from everyday lifting. Try this program for one month and if you’re not happy with the gains then go back to 4-5x per week. But I am very confident you will be blown away by the results.
Ok and on the other 4 days of the week, do we just rest or is there other exercises or cardio we can do?
You can do abs, 30 minutes of cardio (moderate to low intensity) or a very light bodyweight circuit of push ups, chin ups and squats.
But wouldn’t cardio prevent mass gains? Also which workout do you recommend more for mass gains, this or your skyfall workout?
HAH! Of course not. If this was the case very few athletes would ever build muscle considering most train 8 hours a week.
This is more advanced and more geared towards maximum muscle gains.
Thanks for all your help Greg,
Final question, For abs can I do your V abs workout? If so after which of the two of the three sessions should I do it on? Also u said on my rest day I can do cardio of low to medium intensity. What do you mean by that ex. on a treadmill? Finally, can I swim on my rest days as well?
Do it on monday and wednesday. Yes you can swim on rest days. Just a light jog or incline walk
Ok should the light jog be in intervals or at the same speed?
You can do same speed or alternate light jog and walk.
Good day!
Great article Greg!
i have one question concerning diet. How do cheat days work? what do you prefer, a cheat day or a cheat meal? can i eat anything i crave for? example, cake, or ice cream or french fries or fried chicken or bacon etc.
thanks in advance!
Cheat days aren’t that effective. Too much damage can be done in one day. Either make is a single cheat meal preferably at dinner or limit your calorie intake on cheat days to no more than 18x calories per pound of bodyweight.
My gym does not have an incline barbell bench station….what would be a replacement for this exercise? Thanks
Neither does mine. I drag a bench into the power rack and do incline bench in the power rack. Problem solved. Otherwise you can do incline dumbbell bench press.
Hi Greg,
Do the caffeine affect the effects of kre-alkalyn? I’ve read something that says it does, but I’m not sure. I’m doing this workout and loving It, It’s amazing! Thank you! But I need to know something, Is there any big difference between military press and seated dumbell press? Because my gym does not have dumbells above 22kg and I have already reached this weight, so I was thinking about switching these exercises.
Thank you very much and happy holidays!
Caffeine and creatine is fine. Don’t worry.
Both are good exercises. I actually prefer standing barbell press because it doesn’t hurt my rotator cuff.
Thank you very much!
Oh and can I drink milk and eat yogurt with leangains? Or is it too fast at replenishing muscle glycogen for me to lose weight? I’m going for bodyrecomp, sorry I’m kind of paranoid about the little things :/
If you stick to the calories and macros then you will be fine.
Replacing hanging cleans with 1 set of deadlift for 5 reps won’t overbulk my legs right? I prefer just 1 set cause I’ve gotten nice strength gains with that amount.
Appreciate it man!
Yes, you should be fine.
Is the online IF calculator for your maintenance and macros any good?
What do you use for an accurate maintenance calorie reading?
Maintenance calories tends to be between 14-16 calories per pound of bodyweight. After tracking calories for a few weeks you should have a good idea of what maintenance is.
Been doing this workout for a month now and I’m making ALL KINDS OF GAINS…ALL KINDS
Greg,
I used this routine since you published it and absolutely loved it!! Incredible strength gains and I love the pump at the end of the workout, but it has driven my appetite out the roof. This is has made it very difficult to eat at a deficit and maintain ‘the warrior body.’ Since I’m leaning more toward the warrior physique right now, I’m going to focus on only RPT lifting with low volume and increase the cardio. Just wanted to say thanks for this workout!! It rocks!!
-Josh
Hey Josh!
Yah this workout should only be used if you’re lean bulking. If you’re still trying to cut then do 2-3 sets per exercise and cut back on the pump lifting.
hi Greg!
what is the difference between bcaa and creatine? if i can only buy one, which do you prefer?
thanks in advance!
BCAA are only needed if you are lifting in the fasted state. Creatine helps increase ATP stores and enhance strength and lean muscle.
hi greg!
great article! i have one question though. i have been taking creatines and bcaa for 4 months now and i had great gains, if i stop taking those, will i lose muscle and strength?
thanks!
If you stop taking creatine you won’t lose much size. Continue training and you should hold onto almost all of your muscle and gains. Eventually you can reach a bigger and stronger state if you continue training properly.
hi again greg!
i have another question. what is the difference between creatine and bcaa? what do you prefer?
thanks in advance!!
Without the creatine how long would it take to gain a bit of muscle?
4-6 weeks.
Hey Greg,
In some of your articles you say that you need to hit each muscle group twice a week for maximum gains , but in this routine its only once. What routine should i follow for muscle and strenght gains ? This or something like the Alan Ritchons routine ? Or can I modify this workout so that i hit each muscle group twice a week for example Mo – Chest,Tricep , Tue – Back,Bicep , Wed – Shoulders , Thu – Off and then again the same … But that would mean ,that i train 6 times a week ….or should i throw shoulders in to the chest, tricep day ,because i dont train legs i like them now as they are and i ride my bike to school and so on everyday(10km per day,for about 8 years now) so no need for me to train legs .I really like this workout ,keep up the good work !
Tommy
1x per week or 2x per week can both work. I actually prefer to lift only 3x per week though. Much better strength gains that way.
The best muscle frequency I find is once every four to five days. If you lift 3x per week thats a 2 day split. Ex: chest, shoulders, tri’s / back, bi’s, legs
hi greg!
what is more effective, creatine or protein shakes?
thanks!
Creatine. Protein shakes aren’t necessary if you are getting in sufficient protein everyday. Creatine actually has a profound effect on strength and power as shown in the research.
Do I bring the bar down to my nipple on incline bench press? And when doing lateral raises do I keep my arms at sides or in front of body before raising to sides? I hear different opinions on this all the time
Bring the bar higher on your chest for incline barbell. You need your forearms to be perpendicular with the ground. For lateral raises I bring them in front of my body at the bottom. Feel it way better that way.
I have gained lbs in the last few months and its mainly lean muscle very little fat gain but mu body weight movements arnt as strong e.g i could ban out 20 pullups easily now i struggle with 17 and my chinup has gone down i was doing 40kg added for reps now im barley making 3 reps , is this common when you gain some muscle ?
Best Regards
When you add weight bodyweight exercises may be a little bit more challenging. If you work on the bodyweight exercises consistently and don’t gain more than 0.5 lbs per week then you shouldn’t have any issues.
Hey Greg awesome article man. Two questions what workout would you suggest to get the warrior physique and when is your new muscle building program coming out cuz when it does im goin to buy it?
The warrior physique requires heavy lifting but much less volume. Therefore you could do 4-5 exercises per workout and only 2-3 sets per exercise. My program is coming out rather soon. Sometime before Christmas.
What about Hamstring exercises mate good mornings or deadlifts?
Dan
If you do bulgarian/pistols correctly you should be hitting your quads and hamstrings pretty hard. Hang cleans will also hit the hammies as well. If you want more hamstring/glute work then consider replacing hang cleans with deadlifts.
Do you put sugar in your preworkout coffee? Or do you just drink it simply black?
Also what coffee brand?
I drink my coffee completely black. No sugar or milk.
Coffee brand doesn’t matter.
Hello Greg! I am still following the workout and I am making gains. One question though. I don’t have much serious lifting experience, and everywhere I hear things like “focus on compound movements only, go for a 5×5 routines for now” etc. Do you think this program is suitable for people who are not experienced in lifting, like me?
Regards bro
This routine is pushing it for a beginner but you’ll definitely make great gains. The first few exercises of every workout are compound and then you supplement that with some isolation exercises. This is a very effective way to train whether you are advanced or beginner.
Do this work for so skinny guy who wants to bulk up with lean muscle mass? :)
Yes, provided that you eat enough to grow.
Hey greg has your oppinion/look changed over ”the get shredded and sliced workout” over the few years?
cause you learned new stuff and got better in many things, if so what would you change about the diet to make it ”perfect” again.
cheers
I’m certain that you will be more than pleased with the results. I don’t use or promote supplements unless they have a profound effect on training and body composition. Hypergain is one of the few that I have found to be effective. There is a 20% discount going on that’s monday and tuesday only. If you are going to purchase it then now is the time. This is for non auto ship orders only. My recommendation would be to pick up 3-4 bottles so you have a 3-4 month supply. The purchase code is CMT12 and here is the link – Hypergain
Hey Greg great post, i have never done any supplements except a whey protein shake, and want to look into hypergain more. But as i reseach it i cant find much about it that isnt given by the companies marketing. It seems to be claiming what every other supplement claims, 10-20 lb of lean muscle in 2 months, no down sides, testosterone boost. So my questions are how long have you been using it, do you think its worth the money, and can you give me any down side to taking it other than its cost? I just have a hard time believing any of these “miracle” products.
This stuff works dude. I would not promote it if that wasn’t the case. You should be able to add 5-10 lbs of solid lean mass in 6-8 weeks from taking it. Plus a very big increase in strength. I haven’t had any side effects with it. The only issue is that it has a very strong effect on sex drive. My sexual desire has literally doubled while using it. This may be good or bad depending on your situation.
Ya nothing on this website has steered me wrong before. You sold me on it ill test it out once this semester is over. Ive always been smaller/leaner 150 at 5′ 11” so if it really works ill record my transformation.
Hi Greg. What do you think about pre-exhausting the muscles before going into the workout proper here?
Stupidest thing you could probably do. Gaining muscle effectively requires you to get stronger and continually add weight to the bar. If you pre exhaust a muscle group then you will be weak as shit. Sure you might feel a great pump in the muscle but that will have zero effect on real muscle growth.
Hmm, food for thought there. Thanks, man.
Greg I would like to ask if is it okay training over 45 mins? They said that if you train over 45 minutes you release the cortisol in your body not the testosterone. Thanks! :)
Yes it is fine! The 45 minute training window is a myth taken out of context from the Olympic weight lifting team in Bulgaria. Basically the coach wanted to have complete control of his trainees so he would make them do several 45 minute sessions per day.
My workouts usually last 1 hour or longer. The first 45 minutes or so I spend lifting heavy and taking lots of rest. The last 30 minutes I’ll dedicate to lighter weights and shorter rest. Sometimes I’ll even do 15 minutes of stretching after. So basically my entire workout can last 60-90 minutes. If I’m tight for time then I will cut back and do 45 minutes only.
Hey Greg,
So with this dual pyramid workout, would I do all the RPT exercises first and the SP exercises after? Or should I just follow the workout above in the exact order?
Follow it in the order as shown. You’ll want to finish off all exercises for a muscle group before moving on to the next.
Hi Greg, I bought Kre-Alkalyn these days but I usually take 10 g of BCAA 10 – 15 mins before workout. So, when working out fasted, should I take Kre-Alkalyn 1 hour before workout and take BCAA 10 – 15 mins too? Thank you!
Yes, Exactly!
Hey Greg,
Great Article! I’m definitely a fan of the superhero physique and think the transformation Henry Cavill made for Man of Steel is quite impressive. I think that my body tends to gravitate towards that look after years of lifting for football but at the moment I have some body fat that need to lose before focusing on adding muscle. Would you recommend tweaking this workout in any way for fat loss or should I just perform it as is and make some changes to my diet. Also, is the 3 cardio/abs days you recommend on off days enough for fat loss or should I add some additional HIIT post lifting. Thanks!
James
No need to change the workout if fat loss is your focus. You can’t really train for fat loss. Working out is mostly to improve strength and muscle mass. Fat loss is a matter of diet and increasing daily movement (walking or cardio). I’d recommend making one of the cardio/abs workouts less intense. Simply go at a low intensity.
Is it ok if I dropset and superset all muscle groups which aren’t the big 3, back, shoulders, chest?
I recommend doing at-least one strength movement for each muscle group. For muscle groups you really want to bring up fast you can add a pump movement with a superset/drop set.
whats you’re thoughts on Fasting combining with this type of workout? Would it be okay to go into one of this workout in a fasted state?
Fasting can be incorporated with this workout routine! The ideal length would be 16-18 hours in duration with 2-3 large meals in a 6-8 hour window. Get plenty of carbs in the post workout meal. If you train in the afternoon then I would do one small pre workout meal in the early aft and two big post workout meals.
Hey Grey, I was wondering if you had a workout for something in between the warrior and superhero physique? The warrior body seems too hard to maintain, but the superhero body is a tad bit too bulky for me. Any advice?
Follow this program but drop the sets on the pump movements down to 4 instead of 6. Keep in mind that your not going to magically transform into the superhero physique. That takes a lot of work! Follow this routine and watch your body fat levels and diet and you’ll probably end up right where you want to be.
Would it be okay if i condensed this workout into 3 workouts per 4-5 days? I want to hit my muscle with higher frequency.
Follow it on a 5 day routine. If you have trouble making consistent strength gains then go back to the 7 day schedule.
thanks
Greg, I always really enjoy how you combine solid, scientific information that is immediately applicable with awesome pop culture references. Makes me want to read everything!
I also completely agree with your comment above on having a day to deviate from clean eating! I do the same, and have had better results than when I used to constantly stress about being 100% perfect – made me fall off MORE often.
These days it’s easy to maintain a shredded, lean physique (and I think I’m about 10 years older than you lol) following a few simple guidelines.
Thanks!
Betty Rocker
Thanks for the kind words Betty!
Exactly :)
There is no reason to become overly obsessive about being perfect. Then again you don’t want to adopt too relaxed of a mindset because that can lead to more liberal eating than acceptable. It can be difficult to find a balance to enjoying treats without over indulging. For most people limiting these treats to once per week does just that.
Greg, once again thanks for all the help. A couple of ?’s….would doing machine incline bench instead of barbell incline bench offer the same results? And when doing dumbbell incline bench, are you supposed to incline the bench to the 3rd or 4th position from the top? I realize this could be a confusing question but basically it is a question of how much incline you should make on the bench…thanks again!
For strength movements go with barbells. Machines are ideal for pump training. Go with a 30-45 degree angle.
Awesome article greg! i have a question concerning nutrition though. what are your thoughts of having cheat days? if u agree on having cheat days, what are the limits? can i eat like a slice of pecan pie or strawberry shortcake, and a scoop of ice cream on cheat days? pecan pie is my favorite dessert hahaha but i can get rid of it if it will destroy my abs. thanks!
Of course dude!
A slice of pecan pie and a scoop of icecream won’t have any detrimental effects on your abs. That sounds very reasonable assuming it is only a weekly occurrence. Start making a daily habit out of that and you might have a problem. Alternatively turn a slice of pecan pie into the entire pie and a 2 litres of icecream then you are going to cause some problems. Everything in moderation brotha!
yes! thank you so much greg! i can enjoy eating my favorite desserts once a week. by the way, i saw your elite bodyweight training on youtube. that was amazing! my jaw dropped when i saw that. really amazing.
Very useful plan, Greg! Just two things though.
Are you sure the exercises you listed for the shoulders are adequate? You don’t have anything that directly targets the rear delts, which is the area I’m really lagging in.
Same deal with the back workout. You don’t have an exercise that really hits the lower back. Wouldn’t adding deadlifts make the workout much more effective, since this is an exercise that is said no bodybuilder should do without since it adds serious strength and size, which is what this plan is after?
Thanks in advance! :)
There is plenty of shoulder work in this routine. I like to hit rear delts with back. That’s why I put bent over flyes on wednesday’s Back and Biceps workout.
Hang cleans will build lower back strength and explosive power. If you would prefer to do deadlifts then you can switch those movements. I prefer hang cleans for myself as deadlifts over bulk my thigh’s and butt.
Hey greg what do you think of Hrithik Roshan’s physique? Do you think it is attainable? For a 17 year old hitting the gym regularly to attain? Or do you think he is using drugs?
His physique appears to be natural. It may take 2-3 years to reach that level of development.
Good article!
How do I get the side of my chest to be more curvy instead of a bit droopy?
Get leaner and stronger.
Great article Greg, I’m definitely going to give this a try and probably use some of the diet aspects from your ‘get shredded’ workout.
I take it the high reps in the standard pyramid sets wont interfere with the strength gains from the RPT? Would you recommend training closer to failure on the standard pyramid sets?
Also, you’ve said in previous articles that muscle gains from high rep training are limited to a month or so (something i’ve experienced myself) so do you find that mixing them up with the low rep sets makes them more effective over a longer period of time?
cheers
High rep training will not effect strength gains from RPT. This is provided that you do RPT as the first component of your workout. As well, that you supply enough calories for adequate recovery and growth from training. Therefore I recommend eating around maintenance or higher while following this workout program. Aim to eat 400-600 calories over maintenance on lifting days and maintenance or slightly below on rest days.
Just want to make sure I have this right….when you say cut back on the sets in the isolation movements, do you mean the all the exercises throughout the program that have 6 sets? For example:
Monday– Incline DB press and Rope Extensions, 3 sets instead of 6, keep the rest the same?
Wednesday– Cable rows and Cable Rope curls, 3 sets instead of 6, keep the rest the same?
Friday– Lateral Raises, 3 sets instead of 6?
Also…should these 3 sets go 12,10,8? Thanks for all your help this is by far the most productive fitness blog on the web.
Yes, you have the right idea.
Thank you for sharing all of your knowledge and experiences with us all. You have created, without a doubt, the best resource on the web for health and fitness. Endless amount of fantastic articles, and this one is no exception – Another blinding article!
I just wanted to ask: I love the dip/weighted dip exercise and was wondering if I could incorporate it somewhere into this superhero workout. But where would be the best place to put it? I’m positive that it should be on monday’s workout, but should I just simply add the dips in? or replace one of the other moves on that day?
Cheers mate.
Thanks dude! Appreciate it.
Swap flat bench press for dips or skull crushers for dips. It’s up to you.
Great, thanks a lot for the swift response :)
Hey Greg!
I tried posting before, but i dont think it worked.. Anyways i wanted to thank you for everything, all the info has been very helpful! So my question is would this workout at only 3 times a week, hitting each muscle group once, be enough to bulk up and gain lean muscle mass? I am a hard gainer so muscle mass is pretty hard to gain. Also I bought a creatine product from GNC called “encharge” by Rivalus. Do you have any knowledge/thoughts on this product?
Thanks!
Nick L
hi greg!
great article! how many months should i perform this superhero workout to transform from a warrior physique to a superhero physique?
3-6 months depending on your current physical development.
Hi Greg! When I read the workout routine above I observed that for large muscles there’s a 2 RPT is to 1 Standard Pyramid Training ratio while for the small muscles 1:1. Why are the legs treated as if its a small muscle & vice-versa for the shoulders?
I opt for fairly low volume on legs. Many guys build up their legs too fast relative to their upperbody with even volume. I like to build lean, fit and hard legs. Not overly bulky legs. If you legs are very skinny then you can consider hitting deadlifts or squats instead of hang cleans.
Hello Greg, thanks for this workout. I have been following it for the past week and will continue to do so. I have just one question…I know it is a bit technical but.. : )
What amount of rest do you when you jump to next exercises and does the time for rest fluctuate when you jump from RPT to RPT exercise, from RPT to Standart pytramid exercise and vice versa?
Cheers man : )
No need to overcomplicated the minute details. Learn to look in yourself for the answer. You can take anywhere from 2-5 minutes between exercises. Judge according to how you feel. If you’re going to another RPT movement then take 3-5 if necessary. If you’re going to a pump movement (standard pyramid) then 2 minutes is more than enough. No need to stare at a clock. Listen and get in touch with your body.
Hi
I am currently finishing up phase 2 of visual impact however I would like to get more strength gains. Do you think I should proceed to phase 3 or do this workout instead? Thanks
You can do phase 3 and then this workout after. It’s up to you.
Hi Greg,
Solid-looking program here.
What about the ‘legs’ part? Only 1 exercise for overall development and 1 exercise for calves seems a bit light. I understand the Split-squats can be veeery tough when loaded properly but how about doing BOTH a bilateral AND unilateral exercise, before finishing with a calves exercise?
Cheers
If you feel that your legs are lacking in size then you can do a squat/deadlift plus bulgarian split squat and calves. For lots of people the legs tend to be naturally pretty well developed. Therefore I like to stick with less intense exercises with a fairly low volume. After years of training legs heavy and hard they tend to get too big easily.
Hey Greg!
Great article as always! Really like the specificity you incorporate into your work!
So, I’m coming to the last phase of my lean bulk here. I did a cut and got down to 148 lbs (6 ft tall btw) and a 28 inch waist (so according to online calculators, around 7% bodyfat) and have now gone up to 158 with a 31 inch waist, so I’m guessing around 12% bodyfat.
My new goal is this, hit a bit above 160, like 162/3 and then start training to meet the requirements for the Bar-Barbarians while dropping back down to the 28 inch waist and hopefully settling around 160 of pure muscle. Do you think the Superhero+creatine plan would be best?
My plan thus far is to do Superhero+Creatine for December/January, still of course in a caloric surplus, then go to mostly bodyweight training for February/ March with a slight deficit and do my requirement video for Bar-Barbarians in April.
Thoughts?
Hi Greg can i use this workout 4 days a week for example:monday-tuesday and thursday-friday??
monday(chest-shoulder-triceps) tuesday(biceps-back) and the other days the same thing
Yes, you can try that. I only would go for that frequency if you are on a lean bulk. You’re going to need surplus calories to recover and grow of such a demanding workload.
How would you suggest customizing this workout if you are looking more for the body of the superhero on the left picture above? Thanks for your help
That would be the warrior physique. You can cut back on the number of sets for the isolation movements. 3 sets maximum. You don’t need all the extra volume for the warrior physique.
This is one of your best articles by far. It’s given me a new perspective to take on my training. It makes me not feel so bad that I’m not breaking past my 9% body fat plateau easily. As you say, my body type might simply gravitate towards the “Superhero” look instead of the “Warrior” look.
In addition, your advice for obtaining the “Superhero” presents a great deal of originality in thought on what I will call the “natural” strength training movement represented by articles on Fitnessblackbook, Leangains, etc. A great deal of the prior work heavily promotes low-carb, Paleo eating as an ideal diet, cardio/fasting strategies to scorch away body fat, and strength training for myofibrillated muscle growth. I think a great deal of this came as an antithesis to traditional bodybuilding techniques that produced “puffy” and frankly unattractive physiques. The “superhero” protocol stays true to the “natural” strength training principles while providing a roadmap to a state of fitness that might be more easily maintained for us average post-college graduate guys who still like a reasonable amount of carbs, work out 4-5 times a week, drink in moderation, and still want to enjoy life outside of the gym. You should definitely expand on your thoughts in this article in the future writing.
Hey Mike!
Yah this article has been a pretty big hit! I think I will take the superhero and warrior physique further in regards to nutrition and cardio protocols and more.
Where is the LIKE button for Mike Ander’s comment here. :) :)
I was wondering if there was a way to do this twice a week. Or do you not this that would be a good idea?
3x per week works very well but 2x per week doesn’t have enough volume/frequency to make optimal gains. That’s not to say you won’t get results with 2x per week. It’s just that 3x per week will be much more effective.
hi Greg!
Awesome blog!! i am planning to add an ab routine 2x per week. can you please rank these 3 ab exercises. hanging leg raises, lying leg raises, and leg raises from dip bar + legs spread.
this is actually my ab routine:
tue:
plank for 2-3 mins
renegade rows 3-5 sets for 3 reps each
and either one of the 3 different leg raises
thu:
plank for 2-3 mins
renegade rows 3-5 sets for 3 reps each
and either one of the 3 different leg raises (but different from tuesday)
thanks!!!!
oh yeah, i have also read from rusty’s abs bluprint that a mix of high velocity and low velocity ab exercises will develop the best looking abs, so lying leg raises will be done fast with high reps, hanging leg raises will be done slowly with low reps(5 reps) and leg raises from dip bar + legs spread, i can do them either slowly or fast, high or low reps too.
thanks again!!
All those abs exercises are good. I recommend performing the hanging/dip bar leg raises first and the plank last. Hardest variation always first.
Greg! Good read, really. I do have one question though.
Whats your take on abs in this dual pyramid workout?
I usually train abs on leg days..
Mads
I like to do abs and cardio on non lifting days 3x per week.
For these workouts i’ll start with 20 minutes of cardio then do my abs workout then finish off with 10-15 minutes of cardio at the end.
Cardio depends on how I feel. I only aim to burn 400 calories total. Usually i’ll alternate low intensity/walking with running. I find this more enjoyable then steady state all the way.
For abs I like to start with hanging leg raises or leg raises on the dip bar. I usually aim for a total of 50 reps in 4-6 sets. Then i’ll perform abs roll outs for 2-3 sets or stability ball planks for 2-3 sets.
Thank you Greg, and best of luck to you!
Hey Greg.
Would it work to just do RPT for my workouts?
What kind of result would that get me?
RPT is great for building strength and muscle. You won’t reach your maximum size without including high volume pump lifting. I recommend including some high rep training for laterals to ensure good shoulder development. This is ideal for building the warrior physique.
hi greg!
may i ask what diet program of yours best compliments this superhero workout? thanks!
forgot to tell you that I’m lean and is in about 8% body fat. :)
I would recommend a diet that has you eating at maintenance or at a slight surplus. This routine isn’t ideal for a low calorie diet, you need the calories and carbs to grow.
Aim for 400 calories over maintenance on lift days and 300 calories below maintenance on rest/cardio days. This will give you a recomp effect – muscle building and fat loss. If you want pure muscle gain then eat around maintenance on rest days. Aim for 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, 25-30% fat and the rest from carbs. You can do intermittent fasting as long as you are able to get in the calories. I actually eat two meals per day in a 6 hour window.
I like to
Hi Greg,
As always a fantastic post, in fact this is the best one youve ever written in my opinion!!
Ive got a question for you. I am currently following full body simplistic workouts three times a week (well, sometimes only twice a week if im too tired as its quite full on). Here are my workouts:
workout a; Squats, Bench Press, Deadlifts
workout b: front squats, shoulder press, chins.
I alternate between the two workouts each time )i train fri, sun, tue
I lift heavy around 5-8 reps, 2 to 3 sets, except deadlifts where i do one all out very heavy set of 8 reps.
I am finding this workout to be very effective for me, but would like to add your ideas into it and add some standard pyramid training into the workouts too, How would you suggest i do this, would you suggest i add a further exercise after each compound lift, with a lighter weight doing the 12,10,8,6,6,6 protocol.
I dont wnt to over tax my body but i totally agree with your ideas. Or would you suggest I split my workouts into 3 smaller ones whilst adding the extra exercises.
I look forward to your thoughts and am really impressed with you and your site. You are amazing my friend.
Many thanks
Paul
I actually don’t really like your current routine. I think it’s way too lower-body dominant and doesn’t have nearly enough upperbody volume. But basically here is what I would do. Consider adding lateral raises and biceps curls to workout B. Laterals do standard pyramid style and biceps do 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps. I’d also add replace bench press with incline bench press and i’d add rope extensions and calf raises to workout A for standard pyramid style. So it would basically look like this:
workout a; Squats, Incline Bench, Deadlifts, rope extensions, calf raises
workout b: front squats, shoulder press, chins, lateral raises, biceps curls
Hey Greg.. Great article. Nice combination of both types of workouts. I don’t believe I have ever done reverse pyramid training or I just don’t remember doing it.
Currently starting a reverse pyramid training program. Looking forward to your new program.
Congratulations, this is another great article Greg!
I’ve read that alcohol interferes with the effect of Kre-Alkalyn. Is this true? I want to take Kre-Alkalyn, but there are a lot of parties in december, so It could be a waste of money. If I do the superhero workout should I still stick to Intermittent Fasting? And is there any problem to workout in fast (taking 10g of BCAA)? And the last: Do I need to take BCAA before training Abs + slow cardio in fast?
Sorry for the bad english and greetings from Brazil!
Thanks!
Alcohol interfering with kre-alkalyn or creatine is just a myth. Just make sure to drink plenty of water and you’ll be fine. If you’re going to be drinking everything night then I would hold off on the kre-alkalyn. If it’s only 1-2x per week then that’s perfectly fine and won’t have any detrimental effects.
Thank you Greg! And what about the other questions?
Yes! You can still do IF on this workout program. Just make sure to not be in a big calorie deficit. So you will have the luxury to eat big meals!
Also no need to take BCAA before cardio and abs. You can if you want but it’s really not necessary.
Wow! That’s great! Looking forward to getting my hands on it, Greg!
And thanks for the fast reply!
Hey Greg,
another great article!
I really like your workout programs and how you give away so much valuable information for free!
I need to ask you once again whether you are still planning on releasing an ebook specifically on gaining muscle, giving foolproof step by step instructions just as you did with the Kinobody shredding program for getting ripped.
I for my part would buy it immediately and I think many others reading your site would as well.
Thanks,
Daniel
Hey Daniel! My apologies. It’s taken a little longer than anticipated. I will have it completed and ready for sale sometime between the end of November and Christmas.
Could i substitute in a fly movement for chest? any other chest substitution exercises?
Thanks Greg
Sure. Replace the standard pyramid chest exercise for dumbbell flyes.
greg has deadlifts and squats any room in this program or would it ruing the hollywod look ?
Deadlifts and squats can be incorporated. You may not need them for more than 6 months to 2 years. Eventually you will hit your ideal leg size. I’d recommend replacing hang cleans for squats or deadlifts.
So would your Cardio Ab routine thrown in on Tuesdays be a goo fit if I need to burn of some more fat?
Definitely! Try and get some exercise on a daily basis. On non lifting days aim for 45-60 minutes of the exercise of your choice. Whether its going for a walk, cardio at the gym or playing sports. Just do it.
Hi Greg
Great post , I dieted down this summer and had more of the warrior body type body fat was around 5.5-7% i had veins everywhere and with my shirt off looked shredded but my face tends to get too drawn when my body fat goes under 8% and i looked skinny and kinda ill in clothes lol so for me i’m going to shoot for the more muscular look at 8.5% – 9% body fat ..
Was just wondering cumulative fatigue type training works great for quick gains 3-4 weeks , but do you think a bit more rest 60-90 seconds in the 8-12 rep range and increase the weight over time would be a better for long term muscle growth ?
Best Regards
Resting 60-90 seconds will still cause cumulative fatigue and trigger sarcoplasmic growth. Shorter rests will just fatigue you quicker.
Long term growth will be phenomenal as long as you include the heavy lifting (Reverse Pyramid) with the pump training. Both go together very well for maximum gains.
hi Greg!
great blog! just want to know if this superhero workout is more effective compared to “bulking up hollywood style” and “how to add muscle mass like a hollywood action star” even if the superhero workout only train 3x per week while bulking up hollywood style train 4x per week and how to add muscle mass like a hollywood star train 5x a week. i have also read from one of your blogs that training 5x per week will give better results than training 3-4x per week. may i also know how these 3 programs differ? i dont mind training 5x a week if that would give me the best results. i am really passionate in working out and will really set time to go to the gym. thank you!
Hey Ron!
I actually changed my approach to lifting a year or so ago. I prefer 3-4 lifting sessions per week. This offers the best longterm gains due to greater recovery and thus greater increases in strength.
Hey greg what is the best type of workout and diet to use for someone who has a decent amount of fat to lose?
This is a great diet for rapid fat loss – https://kinobody.com/2018/kinobody-fat-loss-diet/
I recommend strength training 3x per week and getting 45-60 minutes of exercise (whatever you enjoy) on the other days.
Greg,
Thought you may enjoy this article. I was actually directed to this site/article by a friend of mine who is going against all conventional fitness nutrition dogma with great results. Thought I’d share this with you and see what you thought. Very interesting to say the least.
http://mennohenselmans.com/bodybuilding-vs-aesthetics/
greg, looks like you already have the superhero physique. are you planning to add more muscle?
I’m not really looking to add much more muscle. Perhaps just refine my physique. Slowly increase definition and build up my calves, arms and delts.
Greg for guys that are trying to build this physique how many grams of carbs do you think they should aim for on workout days?
Depends. If you’re focusing purely on building muscle then you can go up to 2 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight. If you still need to get down to 10% body fat then keep the carbs around 1-1.25 grams per pound of bodyweight on lifting days.
Hi Greg,
great article as usual . Your Hollywood bulking 5x has really helped me last couple of months to build hard muscles even though i am an ecto i have seen sufficient gains. Well my question to you is what should i substitute hang cleans with since i had a lumbar surgery l4 and l5 region. I am pretty sure won’t be able to do it. And please can you also write an article for people with back injury to get awesome abs. I havent really found any related information to that topic. Thanks. anywhere .
Great to hear!
You can perform shrugs, deadlifts or upright rows instead of hang cleans. If you have a back injury stick to hanging leg raises and planks. These shouldn’t aggravate your back like traditional abs training.
Greg,
Just was wondering what prompted you to eer a little bit more towards building a bit more muscle as opposed to the “Hollywood”/Warrior physique? I know you have been a big advocate for that look recently and in the past?
Lately it appears that there are a lot of blogs that promote that really lean look, kind of like the Paleo Diet and even then most of them has that as the diet to accompany the program? You seem to be evolving in which I think is great! Most online coaches and gurus will swear by one way and are unwilling to allow room for change or new ideas.
I personally had began to miss some of the “pump” workouts and feeling and even begin to lose some LBM and “Bedroom Drive”,lol. I’m guessing eating low calorie/Paleo and restricting my carb intake in fear of regaining my fat weight has been my hangup. What needs to be remembered I guess is that when it comes to looking good your overall health and well being both physical and mental should be priority over having very low levels of bodyfat per se. What are your thoughts?
Both the warrior physique and superhero physique look awesome! It really depends on the individual which physique suits them better. I’ve been training for several years so the superhero physique is within my grasp. I love combining the strength training with the pump training. It makes the workouts much more fun! As well I like to have a little bit more leeway in my diet (it’s winter in Canada).
As well, if some people get too lean then their face can become too drawn in. Having a little bit of extra muscle isn’t a bad thing. That’s assuming you can fit into ‘normal clothes.’ Greg Plitt is a great example of someone with a superhero physique at 6’1 and 195 lbs. Earlier when he used to be 225 lbs and potentially on steroids he didn’t look great. He had way too much mass and it way beyond excessive.
I’m gonna work at achieving the superhero physique right now. Later, I may decide to slim down to the warrior style body, come spring and summer time. I like to mix it up and make things interesting. One advantage of the warrior physique is that bodyweight training becomes much more efficient. Being lighter helps so much.
Great!
Ill do that! Thanx for taking the time and for the quick response!
What about warm-up sets?
for the first exercise of a warm up set I recommend doing
60-70% of your work set for 5 reps
80-90% of your work set for 3 reps
do you think we can achieve muscle gains by training each muscle group once for week?
Yes, definitely! As long as progress is made in weight lifted/reps performed. Many people make great gains on once per week frequency.
Greg,
Nice post here. I had been following a mostly low carb diet for an extended time and have noticed slowly that some online fitness sites are slowly starting to recommend adding more carbs to promote healthy eating lifestyles.
Recently I have begun adding more carbs in my daily eating habits and have noticed some improvements in certain areas as well. As you stated here about the “SuperHero Workout” look, as when I had a bit more muscle the opposite sex seemed to be more interested, some have even recently stated after showing them a pic of me from 2yrs ago that I looked better and healthier when I had more mass/slighly higher bodyfat as opposed to being more lean???
The Warrior look is great no doubt, and has gotten a great promoted push in recent years, but maybe it’s time to reevaluate what look is best for certain individuals. Most of us here are not drug abusing bodybuilders and won’t get freakishly huge without those added synthetics. I think applying this approach for everyday people with lives outside the gym is ideal and can help us all look great year round without going to extremes. Keep up the good work!
Regards,
Sly
Great insight and thoughts Sly!
I completely agree.
Hi Greg!
Love this blog and the others. Im a Visual Impact trainee and did ALL 3 cycles. I was at 15% and got down to 10% body fat. Been doing all of Rustys Reports and added them to my workouts as I see fit. Love ur blogs and reports on training. Currently I’ve added to my workout your bodyweight/ weight lifting program. My question is, can I mix pyramids and bodyweight or should I do bodyweight on off days or just keep them seperated? I just dont want to stop bodyweight training, I think people should ALWAYS dominate their bodyweight in other to consider themselves “fit”. Let me know thanx!
You can fit bodyweight training into this workout routine as well. Don’t think of bodyweight training any different than weights. You can do pistol squats for legs and supplement upperbody training with one arm push ups and handstand pushups not to mention chin ups and muscle ups.
since this routine has you working out legs should you skip real intense HIIT to avoid over training your legs??
The leg training is pretty minimal so you should be fine to do 2 cardio/hiit sessions per week.
all of your blogs are awesome!!! i can’t decide which one to try on. Out of all your workout programs, what workout program would you recommend that would gain most lean muscle? is it the superhero workout, hollywood action star workout, sliced and shredded workout, bulking up holywood style, etc. sori for my bad english. thanks!
This one or the bulking up hollywood style routine. Whichever you choose, you should dedicate yourself to that routine for at-least 8 weeks. Program hopping leads to no gains.
Hey Greg,
Great article! Since this type of muscle gain can be considered temporary, what can I do to make it more permanent?
Keep working out ;)
As long as you train consistently it will be permanent muscle. For real lasting muscle focus on the heavy lifting with longer rests RPT style.
Hi Greg,
Is it no problem to train each muscle only once a week? I am now doing the below and I have a very nice increase of power yet not soo much of muscle.
I’m lean(7prct fat) and defined, my arms are not huge, but you can see every muscle in good proportion. I would like to keep the strenght but to gain a bit more volume. Should I stick with the below training or could I go for this superhero training?
Thx!
Jelle(from Belgium)
Workout A – Chest, Shoulders and Triceps
Bench Press: 3 x 4-6 reps (3 minutes rest)
Incline DB Press: 2 x 6-8 reps (3 minutes rest)
Lateral Raises: 2 x 10-12 (60 seconds rest)
Machine or Dumbbell Shrugs: 3 x 10-12 (60 seconds rest)
Rope Extensions: 2 x 10-12 (60 seconds rest)
Workout B – Legs, Back and Biceps
Squat: 3 x 4-6 reps (3 minutes rest)
Lat Pull Down: 3 x 8-12 reps (90 seconds rest)
Cable Rows: 3 x 10-12 (60 seconds rest
Barbell Curls: 3 x 8-10 (90 seconds rest)
Incline DB Curls: 2 x 10-12 (60 seconds rest)
Workout C – Shoulders, Tri’s and Chest
Seated DB Shoulder Press: 3 x 5-8 reps (3 minutes rest)
Close Grip Bench: 3 x 6-8 reps (3 minutes rest)
Barbell or Dumbbell Shrugs: 3 x 6-8 reps (3 minutes rest)
Wide Grip Dips: 3 x 8-12 reps (90 seconds rest)
Incline DB Flyes: 3 x 8-12 reps (60 seconds rest)
Workout D – Back, Bi’s and Legs
Weighted Chin ups: 3 x 4-6 reps (3 minutes rest)
Barbell Curls: 3 x 5-8 reps (3 minutes rest)
Leg Press or Squat: 3 x 12-15 reps (90 seconds rest)
Leg Curls: 3 x 8-12 reps (60 seconds rest)
Weighted Calf Raises: 3 x 12-20 reps (60 seconds rest)
That’s a very effective routine as well. You’re probably not eating enough to grow. Don’t go overboard but you should be gaining 0.5 lbs per week.
Hey Greg, is it okay to train every muscle part separately since I have the time?
I find it more effective to only strength train 3x per week. You get better nervous system recovery this way. You can also exploit higher calorie days on training days and lower calorie days on rest days.
I’m going to start working these into my routines. Thanks!
Hey Greg,
Just wanted to give thanks to you bro for keeping us posted with these awesome articles and postings…. Been following you for a while and I appreciate all the solid advice and info you share, as well as the encouragement and inspiration you give yo…. It really helped me achieve a lifestyle of fitness I had never been able to reach before… Much mahalos and aloha bro!!!
P.S.- awesome pics on Facebook and IG yo, hahaa…oh yeah, Happy Holidays to you and your family.
Thanks man! Glad you’re enjoying them.
Hey Greg ive been lifting since january using the Adonis Index and recently switched to VIMB Phase 1 for the past 4-5 weeks and doing it 5x per week, This was very high volume, and all of a sudden about a week and a half – two weeks ago my right elbow has really started hurting me. After researching i believe its tennis elbow so i took about a week off of lifting and then pain went down a little, so i started lifting lightly and slowly but the pain is back and seems it wont go away. Have you ever experienced this problem? I really want to start this super hero program, but am unsure on what to do about the elbow. P.S. I bought a tennis elbow brace.
You need to wait until the pain is 100% gone before starting up again. Also make sure to do 2-3 warm up sets. Use a slower tempo with your lifting as well.
The only thing is I was in the middle of trying to build as much muscle as i could and i dont want to lose all my gains that ive worked so hard for by not working out and waiting for it to be completely back to 100%. Do you think it’ll be like a week or are you thinking a while? So Got any tips so i dont lose all my gains or become fat? :P Thanks so much!
Well keep a close eye on your diet. You can still go to the gym, just do cardio. You shouldn’t lose much. Anything that you lose will come back in a couple of weeks.
Alright thanks man, its gunna be tough not being able to lift Haha do u think it will be a long time? Or are u thinking probably a week or so? Just trying to get an idea of time :/
It could be up to 3 weeks. Injuries suck! This is why it’s important to train smart and avoid injury. If something doesn’t feel right then it’s better to eir on the side of caution.
Hi Greg,
I liked your lean vacation report. Does the pyramid workout processes here apply for females as well? I am familiar with Venus Index workouts and Rusty’s Vacation Body Blueprint. I’ve done John Barban’s Fibonacci Pyramids and Progressive Venus Pyramids (I LOVE them!)
It looks like hypergain is mainly for males. For my age and height I take about 1/4 teaspoon of creatine (I’m petite). I like creatine and the unique process for hypergain looks intriguing, but I noticed some other ingredients and I’m curious what effect they have on females who take it. Do you know any females who take hypergain and if so would they just take one capsule a day? I like to keep my feminine physique :)
I’m looking forward to reading more material from you.
-Roberta
Women can and should definitely use reverse pyramid training! It is great at building strength and muscle tone.
I don’t know any females who take hypergain but all of the ingredients are safe and beneficial for women as well. If you are going to do hypergain I would recommend 1 pill on rest days and 2 pills on strength training days.
Thank you Greg, well then I will give it a try! :)
Okay Greg so I’ll be your first female guinea pig for the hypergain creatine. I bought enough to get the one bottle free. It will be interesting to see if there is any difference in my DXA scan next year. I’m actually not looking to get any bigger and I probably won’t at my age (I’m almost 52), but I like taking creatine because it makes me feel better for my workouts and I seem to recover faster which is a big deal at my age. I will stop taking if I grow facial hair or develop a deep voice (LOL just kidding, I don’t expect that to happen!)
Maybe my husband will take it too. I told him to take 3 if he starts it.
Do you recommend cycling off it for a couple of weeks every so often?
Thanks so much,
Roberta
Looking forward to hearing about your results. There is no need to cycle off of this creatine. For best results I’d recommend taking it as consistently as possible.
Oh that makes me really happy. I hate having to cycle off. :) I will keep you updated.
Thanks I was in need of another muscle building routine, currently i was doing a 5 day routine which involved going to failure every set and my body couldn’t handle that anymore. Being that this one is similar to the bulding muscle hollywood style and the bigger difference I see is that you work the muscle 2x a week, This is one is better and fitter for more advance traniees, than hollywood right?
2- the Daniel Craig Skyfall Workout is better for muscle mantaining than muscle building?
You can definitely build muscle with the Daniel Craig routine. This workout is better if you are shooting for even more muscle mass than daniel craig.
Awesome, thanks for the answer and the article
greg, this is great stuff!!!
I have a question about food.. what do you think about eggs?? how many of them would you eat per day when it comes to building muscle??
thanks a lot…
I feel that whole eggs are best combined with egg whites. 2 whole eggs for 1 cup of egg whites. This gives you a nice protein to fat ratio and still tastes great. It’s not a matter of what you eat. It’s more a matter of meeting your calories and protein intake. You can use many different foods to meet your needs. There is no specific amount of one particular food that you need.
Awesome article Greg. Been on RPT for roughly 10 months, and lost plenty of bodyfat while simultaneously gaining incredible amounts of strength, but the Superhero physique as you mentioned, literally COMMANDS respect, attention and desire. This is EXACTLY what i was looking for to “add-on” to the RPT that i’ve been doing. Much love (no homo) and keep it up mate!
Great article Gregory!
I have read (Adonis Index and Visual Impact), that “loading” creatine is not useful, instead it is better to take just 5 grams per day, but i was wonder, when to take it? ; before work out, post workout, later in the day or it doesn’t matter.
Regards,,
I don’t load. I simply take 3 pills of hypergain per day. This is equal to 10 grams of monohydrate. Loading is faster but more wasteful.
OHH i would liike to take and try the hypergain creatine but where I live i can’t get it. And what time in the day you take the pills?
I take it one hour before workouts on my lifting days and with my first meal on my non lifting days.
Hey Greg, great article. I have two questions, one regarding the article and one not. Firstly, what should the be the number of sets you carry out in the RPT training? Secondly, I have been seeing massive gains in mass and strength and I am in a bulking phase, about 3000-3500 calories per day. However, I have maintained my level of leanness, and gained size – but lost 6 pounds in a month. Could my high intensity workout be to blame? Thanks.
For RPT 2-3 work sets is all that is needed to trigger strength related gains in muscle size. If you gained muscle size and maintained leanness then there is no reason to change anything. Keep doing what you’re doing.
Great article Greg!
I consider you to be one of the pioneers in the field of mixed strength training/bodybuilding, and being able to maintain a lean physique without having to give up your social life.
Keep it up!
I am 150 and pretty lean. I got 4 pack that is nearly a six. i have been eating below maintenance and cutting for a while, now i am going to do this workout. I love the RPT and regular pyramids together.
What should I eat on maintenance days, and rest days. I workout 4 days a week and have 1-2 24-hour fasts a week on off days. I want to stay lean but build muscle and lose more fat.
Should I eat 2400 on work days, 700 on fast days and 1600 on rest days?
If you choose to do this workout then you should be eating around maintenance or at a 1000-2000 WEEKLY calorie surplus. Get rid of the 24 hour fast days. Eat 300-400 over on training days and at maintenance or 300-400 below on rest days.
Ok, as long as I can continue to lose more fat.
Hey Greg really love the article! Exactly the physique I am aiming for! So diet wise what is the best to go with? Can this workout be used with a caloric surplus and also with a defecit? (at seperate time periods)
Yah! For a recomp shoot for +400 on lift days and -300 on rest days.
For pure fat loss go with the kinobody fat loss diet -> https://kinobody.com/2018/kinobody-fat-loss-diet/
Awesome post, as usuall.
Ive been doing standard pyramid for a few months now since I got pain in my left wrist from heavy lifts :(
Just started a few days ago to lift heavy again and the pain came back, do u think RPT will be easier on my wrist? I really wanna build some hard muscles too…
(Sry for bad Eng.)
Keep up the good work!
It’s possible you’re lifting with excessively bent wrists. Try and keep the bar lower on your palm and keep a strong grip.
hey greg, awesome article. so with this amount of volume, a second day during the week on a desired body part- maybe arms or something- wouldn’t be necessary or you could still throw in a second day to focus on a desired area? also, i have always gotten heart palpatations when taking creatine. i wonder if the brand you recommend would do that… any thoughts on that?
You probably wouldn’t need an additional training day with this routine. Muscle growth should be pretty substantial on this routine. If you wish to add in an extra day then you would do it on saturday, assuming mon/wed/fri lifts. The muscle you want to give extra attention can be done wednesday and saturday. You may need to re arrange the routine to put your desired body part on wednesday so you can hit it again on saturday. Can’t say for sure if you will experience heart palpitations with this form of creatine.
Hey Greg,
Say you have 8 weeks to get in awesome shape. You have been working out for a month, eating clean but not as consistently as you had hoped. The 8 week mark is motivation to really get into it as well as the beach party on New Years Eve. How would you suggest to use this type of training if you would prefer the Warrior physique, keeping in mind that that type of training has slower results? Or do you suggest something completely different? Thanks for your time!
For a strength training routine for the warrior physique I would recommend this –> https://kinobody.com/2077/a-lesson-from-bruce-lee-simplicity-is-the-key-to-brilliance/
Diet is going to be a big factor if you are not as lean as you hope. Try the kinobody fat loss diet -> https://kinobody.com/2018/kinobody-fat-loss-diet/
Digging it. Another awesome post man.
Hey Greg,
Just wanted to know your take on Kre-Alkeline Creatine. Does Hypergain contain K-A?
Hypergain contains Kre-Alkalyn among other ingredients known to elevate testosterone and speed up recovery. I prefer K-A over monohydrate. It’s simpler, 3 pills per day instead of regular doses of monohydrate. I experience less bloat, greater definition and better strength gains. With that said, research shows that neither is superior to the other. My personal experiences say otherwise.
Hi Greg great post!
Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel body is an ispiration for me.
Now i’m 160 lbs 5.10 with 15 inch(flexed) arms and 40.5 inch chest.
I’m about 8/10 percent bodyfat and i want a body like that.
Now i’m using visual impact phase 1 but i have a question.
In the first phase Rusty tells to pyramid the weight (adding weight not using cumulative fatigue)
What’s the best method to increase mucle mass adding weight set to set or using the same weight??
Thanks
Sorry for my bad english i’m italian ;)
For pump training you want to train for cumulative fatigue. Therefore you won’t be able to increase the weight. You will need to stick with the same weight for all sets. The best method for adding muscle is to combine both types of training – heavy lifting (reverse pyramid) and pump training (standard pyramid) as explained in the article.
Hey Greg!
Thank you! Your work is amazing! Congratulations!
If i desire de Warrior Body, should i stay with the Hollywood Action Star method?
In the moment i just finishing the get lean phase, i drop from 87kg to 73kg with your method!
I feel good, I’m lean now, just 2 packs in my abs, but i’m pretty happy, my veins is showing off! My girlfriend loves it!
But now i’m feeling that i have to put some mass, with minimum fat.
So, what workout should i do?
Super Hero or Hollywood Action Star?
Can i use the Simple Diet Approach to Building Pure Muscle?
https://kinobody.com/145/a-simple-diet-approach-to-building-pure-muscle/
Thank You Very Much!
Sorry for my bad english.
A big hug from Brazil!
Yah! Give this workout a whirl, I’m sure you’ll love it.
I’d go 400 calories over maintenance on lift days and 300 calories under maintenance on rest days. This will give you a recomp effect – muscle gain and fat loss. If you just want muscle gain then you can eat around maintenance on rest days.
This is exactly what im doing now for the 2 months since I got off my cut. I even got a shrink wrap look since I cut to 7% body fat during this bulk. Incredible strength and size gains. Im just using Allmax Creatine and love it, but I’m definatly going to try Hypergain some day. This is by far the BEST way EVERYONE should work out.
Great Article, Greg! Your knowledge and advice is always on point and no bullshit.
Keep up the amazing work
Jay
Looks interesting. Are you doing anything on your off days? Cardio and such? Or are you completely giving your body a rest?
You can do 30-45 minutes of cardio and abs 2-3x per week on non lift days.
Great post! In my opinion I think the superhero physique is better because it is easier to maintain but the warrior physique is great for special events like vacations where you’re going to be shirtless. Like you said though they’re both impressive looks.
Good article again. Once I reach my desired level of body fat, I plan on using the shrink wrap effect type training but with higher carb intake to maximise my glycogen stores.
One way my reverse pyramid training differs to yours is going to absolute failure on the first set while on a cut, as I train a body part once per week.
However, I only train to failure as I have 7 days to recover. If i was training a body part more frequently I would avoid going to failure as recovery becomes very difficult as I noticed in my own training.
Looking forward to a nice 2 week diet break next week to normalise my hormones and also rest my back as that has been playing up on occasions. Keep em coming.
One of the reasons to not train to failure is because training to failure in your first set will mess up your second and third set so you won’t do as well. Training to failure on your first exercise will mess up all the rest of the exercises you do. I also only train each muscle once per week but I try not to go to failure.
That’s why I use reverse pyramid training. Weight goes down by 10-15% and I can do reps.
Failure training isn’t the devil the way people make it out to be. If you train every set to failure you will burn out pretty quickly, but one set all out isn’t going to ruin you.
The leangains crew can testify to this as many of them use Martin Berkhan’s reverse pyramid training for cutting.
You are right that a person who does every set to failure will be doing much more damage then just one set. I think it is good to change it up every so often just so your body doesn’t get too used to one way of lifting.