A no nonsense 3 day per week program that will have you gaining muscle and strength quickly. It focuses on compound and bodyweight exercises.
Workout Summary
| Main Goal: | Build Muscle |
| Workout Type: | Full Body |
| Training Level: | Beginner |
| Days Per Week: | 3 |
| Equipment Required: | Barbell, Bodyweight, Dumbbells |
| Target Gender: | Male & Female |
| Author: | Steve Shaw |
Workout Description
This workout was created by Glwanabe and Steve Shaw from the Muscle & Strength forum.
This program uses a limited number of compound exercises with a set rep schedule designed for strength increases. You will work the programmed moves in the order in which they are listed. This is a fullbody template worked three days a week, on a Heavy, Light, Medium schedule (HLM). There are 5 moves in this basic program. Other versions of this program will be introduced with slight changes, but the core of the program, Pull, Squat, Press will remain. The program will require a period of conditioning before you will be able to work it to full intensity.
Pull, Squat, Press
The cornerstone of the Real Results system is the use of Pull, Squat, Press. Each training will start off with a pulling movement (such as deadlifts), a squat movement and a press movement. Do NOT change the order of these lifts. Also, do not exchange any of these exercises with machine movements or other inferior lifts.
Real Results Pull, Squat, Press Workout
Perform this workout 3 days per week: Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
| Real Results Pull, Squat, Press Workout | ||
|---|---|---|
| HLM | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Deadlift - Olympic Style | HLM * | |
| Squat - High Bar Olympic Style | HLM * | |
| Incline Bench Press | HLM * | |
| Dumbbell Row | 4 | 6 |
| Dips | 5 | Bodyweight |
The major obstacle that most people will face is going to be the amount of pulling movements you will be performing during the week. Unless you have spent any serous amount of time learning Olympic lifts, this aspect is going to be your steepest learning curve.
Most other programs that involve any serious amount of deadlifting won’t have you pulling with the volume that this program will. This is an aspect that is central to the effectiveness of building your posterior chainstrength. Before you become concerned that frequent deadlifting might be too much, take into account the relative intensity of each deadlift workout. The numbers may seem low, but don’t be fooled by this. You’re going to be worked hard.
The Weekly Schedule
As the title of this workout suggests the main moves are a pull, squat, and press. Those three movements will be worked on an identical set/rep schedule throughout the week. The deadlifts will be worked at a lower overall percent of max (1RM) than the other two. Even so, you will need time to work into the volume.
Mondays, heavy day schedule - 1×5, 1×5, 1×3, 4×3.
Deadlifts will be pulled at 45, 50, 60, 65 percent of your estimated max. It is better to start out too light rather than too heavy. Don’t let your ego get the better of you and pull too heavy of a weight.
Squats and pressing will be done at 50, 60, 70, 80 percent of estimated max. Again, it is better to start out too light rather than too heavy.
Wednesday and Fridays set rep schedule is the same except for the last set of 4×3. This last set is the workset of each day. Wednesday is a light day so this last set will be a 2×3 scheme.
Friday is a medium day, and it will be worked as a 3×3 scheme.
HLM Set/Rep Scheme Example
- Monday - 1×5 1×5 1×3 4×3
- Wednesday - 1×5 1×5 1×3 2×3*
- Friday - 1×5 1×5 1×3 3×3*
*On Wednesday and Friday it is not important to finish the final set if you are unable too. The heavy day work on Monday is the important day, and you will need to finish all of your work sets.
The Two Additional Exercises
These are run straight across the week with no real changes to their scheme.
- Dumbbell rows – 4×6
- Dips – 5x bodyweight
Performance Considerations
For the three main moves it would be a good idea to start out below 80 percent for the top worksets, allowing yourself a few weeks to build into the program. The compound effect of pulling and squatting together will be a new experience for all but a few.
Consider working your top sets at the same weight as your third set when starting out. This will have you work at 60 percent for deadlifts, and 70 percent for squatting and pressing. I would also advise that you not add weight to the pulling section for at least a few weeks. Also, do not add weight aggressively to the pulling section when you do. 5lbs at a time will be plenty of weight to add. If you do add more than take this into account for your squat worksets. They will be harder to perform. Just allow for this and realize that one affects the other.
Once you are established in the program you will be able to add weight a bit faster for a while. Remember, the compound impact of the two lower body exercises means that small weight increases on one move will affect the other directly.
I would run the squat cycle initially for about 8 weeks. After that I would run cycles of about 6 weeks. In order to keep balance to your body, swap between back and front squats on a regular basis. This will also allow for a period of slightly lighter overall loading. When you swap between front and back squats drop your top sets down in overall percent and allow yourself some lighter loads to work with, build up over the cycle to a new higher top workset than the last time.
You don’t need to hit a new 1 rep PR (personal record) every 6 weeks. Instead, try for a new top workset better than the one you had 6 weeks ago. By working smart and managing your intensity you should be able to utilize this program for a long time. There will be additions and articles on various aspects of performing this program in the near future.