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MASSIVE IRON

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Over the years I've helped many lifters start German Volume Training programs. Though GVT is a solid system, I enjoy tweaking things and providing alternatives for trainees who want to put on some muscle mass.

massive volume training

volume

muscle building

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Massive Volume Training MVT

Massive Volume Training

Massive MASS (Muscle and Strength System) is primarily a hypertrophy/muscle building training approach that focuses on a tight and controlled progressive overload approach. Nothing is wasted with MASS; every set counts and then some.

Many of you are familiar with the Rep Goal System, which was featured in my original book Massive Iron. Massive Mass bridges the gap between the Rep Goal System and many of my powerbuilding workouts, while mixing in a slight form of intensity periodization, to provide you with one of my best muscle building protocols yet.

mass

massive mass

hypertrophy

Upper lower

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Massive MASS Upper/Posterior Split

Massive Mass

body part

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Massive MASS Body Part Split

Massive MASS (Muscle and Strength System) is primarily a hypertrophy/muscle building training approach that focuses on a tight and controlled progressive overload approach. Nothing is wasted with MASS; every set counts and then some. Many of you are familiar with the Rep Goal System, which was featured in my original book Massive Iron. Massive Mass bridges the gap between the Rep Goal System and many of my powerbuilding workouts, while mixing in a slight form of intensity periodization, to provide you with one of my best muscle building protocols yet.

3-way

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Massive MASS 3-Way Body Part Split

Block 1

AB Split

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Massive MASS 3-Way A/B Split

The bulldog program is designed to make you as big and strong as possible.  It is called a powerbuilding workout because the goal is to give you the best of both worlds: a powerful physique with the strength to back it up.

The addition of muscle will help build strength; the pursuit of raw strength using a volume of reps will help you build muscle. Your main goal will be to get every bodypart from head to toe as strong as possible.

As you can see, this program is no nonsense. Not hundreds of different exercises, not filled with lots of clever movements, just simple hard work and concentrating on the big lifts.

Quad Sets
You will begin each workout with quad sets, which are simply heavy 4 reps sets. Just to be clear, we’re not talking about your Quadriceps. We mean four sets of four reps of squats on day one, bench on day two, and deadlifts on day three.

During your first workout, start with a weight that easily allows you to perform 4 sets x 4 reps. When your 4th rep feels comfortable and manageable, add 5 pounds to the bar the next time you perform it.

Don’t worry if you are unable to hit 4 reps on every set after adding weight. Try to improve the following week.

Deload Weeks
There are no planned deloads. If your body feels beat up, drop the weight used by 30% and take an easy week.

Progression of Weight
For non-quad exercises, use the same weight for each set of a given exercise. When you can perform all the reps as listed, add weight to that exercise.

Training Split
You will be training 3 days per week. Here is a sample split:

Monday – Squat Day
Wednesday – Bench Day
Friday – Deadlit Day

powerbuilding

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Bulldog 3 Day Powerbuilding Split

This is the Massive Iron version of the classic A/B split. You are given 4 workout variations, Upper A + Upper B, and Posterior A + Posterior B. Upper workouts will focus on chest, shoulders, and arms. Posterior workouts will train your  legs and back.  The Massive Iron Upper/Posterior is perfect for anyone beyond the pure novice stage that has a reasonable understanding of squat and deadlift form. THIS 8 WEEK BLOCK can be REPEATED INDEFINITLY.

Here is a sample setup. Make sure to take a rest day after UPPER days so the biceps can rest before performing POSTERIOR workouts with back work.

- Day 1 - Posterior A
- Day 2 - Upper A
- Day 3 - REST
- Day 4 - Posterior B
- Day 5 - Upper B
- Day 6 - Rest
- Day 7 - Rest

upper

posterior

commercial gym

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Massive Iron Upper/Posterior Split - Commercial Gym

8 weeks of solid muscle and strength building - REPEATABLE

8 Week Block

Home Gym

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Massive Iron Upper/Posterior Split - Home Gym

One of the most popular muscle building and powerbuilding workout system in the fitness industry.

You will challenge your body and experience quality results by working the body with heavy and intense power sets, volume muscle sets, and pump-inducing block sets. 

Power - A compound exercise that is performed for 4-6 reps per set.
Muscle - A compound of machine exercise that is performed for 8-12 reps per set.
Block - A rest-pause block set finisher that uses either an isolation or bodyweight exercise.

body part split

power muscle burn

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Power Muscle Block 4 Day Pro Split

One of the most popular muscle building and powerbuilding workout system in the fitness industry. You will challenge your body and experience quality results by working the body with heavy and intense power sets, volume muscle sets, and pump-inducing block sets. 

Power - A compound exercise that is performed for 4-6 reps per set. 
Muscle - A compound of machine exercise that is performed for 8-12 reps per set. 
Block - A rest-pause block set finisher that uses either an isolation or bodyweight exercise.

power muscle block

Muscle Building

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Power Muscle Block 4-Day Upper/Posterior Split

PPAL - Push, Pull, Arms, Legs.

The push, pull, legs split is a top choice. A high percentage of those that come to me for coaching are using the PPL. 

Last week a client asked if it was possible to add in an arm day. Anything is possible, so I spent a number of days considering the best way to do so. The obvious next step was to add in an arm day after the push, pull, legs cycle resulting in:

PPLA - Push, pull, legs, arms
This sounds nice and tidy on paper until you consider the logistics. While a PPLA works, a better way to structure things would be a PPAL:

PPAL - Push, pull, arms, legs
Here is the reason for this change.

Push day typically includes the chest, shoulders, and triceps. By removing triceps and moving them to an arm day, we can have a more intense pull day. But, in moving triceps to an arm day it’s better to have a built-in rest day after arms and before the next pull day. Therefore, a PPAL is a better pattern or structure.

With this structure in place, I was able to move a few pieces and parts around the board and create the following split:

Push - Shoulders, Chest and Abs
Pull - Back, Traps, and Rear Delts
Arms - Triceps, Biceps, and Light Chest/Shoulders
Legs - Quads, Hammies and Abs

push pull legs

arm day

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Massive Iron Push Pull Arms Legs Split

As many of you know 5x5 programs bore me. It’s not that I think they are ineffective; far from it. 5x5s are usually very derivative of one other, too minimalist, and they force every compound movement into an arbitrary 5x5 set and rep scheme.

With that said, I’ve made my share of 5x5 programs over the years. I’ve had my take and my say, but I remained unsatisfied. Each 5x5 I’ve constructed has left me wanting to do better; to make something more exciting.

Well, this is it.

I call this cycle “Ultimate” because I am damn happy with how it came out. I hope you enjoy it as well. It is a 28-day repeatable cycle that takes the bland and boring 5x5 program and smashes it into bits, leaving you with something a bit more engaging and enjoyable to work with.

Sure, it’s not really a pure 5x5 program. That’s the point, really. What good would come of me simply regurgitating another clone of Starting Strength, Stronglifts, or a Bill Starr 5x5? Quite honestly, if I see another program like this I might vomit. So here’s my entry - or competitor, if you will.

28 day

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Ultimate 28-Day Powerbuilding Cycle

The Massive Iron 5x5 can also be run as a 3-day or 4-day plan. Make sure to ALWAYS include a day of rest before deadlifts (Posterior B). You want your biceps rested before your pulling day.

5x5s - Use the same weight for each set. The last set is performed for as many quality reps as possible. Stop that set when you feel like your form wants to break down, or when you feel like you might fail on the next rep. When you are able to reach 7+ reps on the last rep, add five pounds the next time you perform this lift.

Squat and Bench 3x5s - Use the same weight from your previous 5x5 but only perform a 3x5. The last set is NOT performed for as many reps as possible.

Maximize Sets - The last set of a given exercise is performed “all-out.” Do as many safe and quality reps as you can. If you are able to perform two or more greater than the goal, add a small amount of weight to that exercise the next time you perform it.

Make sure to use the same weight for each set.

For example: Dumbbell bench press. Let’s say you are using 65 pound dumbbells. Perform sets with 65s. On the last set you do as many reps as you can. If you can reach 12 or more reps, use more weight next time.


AB split

upper posterior

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Massive Iron 5x5 Powerbuilding Program

This is a 16-week bench press-building training system for late beginner to intermediate lifters. It is comprised of 2 distinctly different, but important blocks:
Block 1 - 8 weeks of hypertrophy training. The goal during this time is to get your reps in, build more muscle and work on exercise form. You will also be pushing for progression of weight using sets of 5 reps and greater.
Block 2 - The 8-week block is a peaking cycle. You will gradually be transitioning your bench press to lower reps and heavier weight. The volume of assistance work will decrease over time. You will test your bench press max during the last week of this cycle.
It should be noted that this block system is not just for increasing your strength. It is a powerbuilding program, meant to maximize your size and strength.
Make sure to eat properly while using this program. It is not meant to be run while trying to cut fat. I recommend a surplus of 300-500 calories per day above maintenance levels, depending on current muscularity. You also should be eating at least 180 grams of protein per day.


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16 Week Bench Press Builder

Block 2

In a world of unique training splits here is a programming style you rarely hear about. In fact, it’s a split I forgot about until I was asked to address it during a recent YouTube live.

The torso-limbs split is fairly easy to program but it’s a workout that demands you pay attention to rest days. You DO NOT want to enter a torso day with fatigued triceps and biceps.

These programs are examples. Feel free to tinker with them.

Limbs - Legs and arms
Torso - Chest, back, shoulders

torso limbs

upper lower

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Massive Iron Torso Limbs A/B Split

Massive Crap is my version of DC Training or Doggcrapp Training. You’ll be working hard, pushing for progressive, and likely very sore. Do NOT underestimate this form of rest-pause training.

Massive Crap Training involves four distinct workouts:
Posterior A (Legs and Back)
Upper A (Chest, Shoulders, and Arms)
Posterior B (Legs and Back)
Upper B (Chest, Shoulders, and Arms)
You can train three to four days per week as follows:
Lift every other training day (3.5 days per week)
Lift three days per week 
Lift 2-on, 1-off
Lift four days per week
Whichever method you choose simply continue to rotate between workouts.


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Massive Crap