12 Programs to Follow

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12 Programs to Followby Tim Henriques|08/22/12

Hopping onto a random strength-training program you found online can

be fun. t!s generally not ad"ised# but if you ha"en!t made appreciable

progress in ages or find your moti"ation to be $aning# $hat ha"e you got

to lose%

&ometimes doing something completely out of left field can be 'ust $hat

you need to re-ignite a d$indling passion for bending bars and brea(ing

)*!s.

&till# there!s a big dra$bac( + as much as it may sto(e your fire# that cool

program $asn!t made $ith you in mind. ,or a program to be truly

made for you# you ha"e to ma(e it yourself.
https://www.t-nation.com/training/12-programs-to-followhttps://www.t-nation.com/all-articles/authors/tim-henriqueshttps://www.t-nation.com/all-articles/authors/tim-henriqueshttps://www.t-nation.com/training/12-programs-to-follow


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reating a $or(out program can be eciting + lo"e the feeling of hope

and optimism that comes $ith putting a ne$ program to paper + but it

can be daunting as $ell# especially to the uninitiated. Ho$e"er# it doesn!t

ha"e to be difficult.

hen setting up your program# the first thing you must do is figure out

your primary fitness goal. ost of you reading probably (no$ that

already + you!re reading T ation# right% + though you!d be surprised

ho$ many seasoned lifters lose sight of this.

The second thing is to pic( a $ee(ly routine to follo$# and that!s the point

of this article. !ll present 12 separate routines + you 'ust need to pic( one

and then flesh out the details as you see fit.

This $ay you get the best of both $orlds an eercise routine that you

(no$ $or(s# combined $ith an indi"iduali3ed program set up for you# by

you.

Path #1:Total Body Routine

define a total body routine as a routine that includes an upper body

pushing eercise# an upper body pulling eercise# and a compound leg

eercise all in one $or(out.

*ecommended ,requency1-4 times per $ee(5 2-6 times per $ee( is

most common

7utline 1-2 eercises per main muscle group# -10 eercises in the

$or(out

9ay 1Total :ody


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9ay 2Total :ody

9ay 6Total :ody

&trengthsTypically used for beginners# fat loss# and general health and

fitness. 9oesn!t require insane intensity to produce results5 allo$s for a

specific lift to be practiced frequently. &houldn!t ma(e one super-sore.

;imitationsot typically used to build maimum muscle si3e and muscle

$or( capacity

times per $ee(.

Path #2:Upper/Lower Routine


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The upper body is trained one day5 the lo$er body trained another. ?bs#

core# and lo$er bac( can go on either day# although being paired $ith

the lo$er body is most common.

*ecommended ,requency2- times per $ee(


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7utline 2-6 eercises per muscle group# @-10 eercises per day

9ay 1)ush


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&imilar to )ath D6 but no$ the legs ha"e their o$n day.

,requency6 times per $ee(


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&trengthsEasy to use supersets5 small upper body muscles recei"e

stimulus 2 times per $ee(5 may promote reco"ery5 tends to pro"ide the

feeling of a !pump! $hich# according to ?rnold# feels pretty good.

;imitations7nly training each ma'or area once a $ee( may not be an

optimal stimulus5 li(ely to produce soreness if training is intense.

Path #:"hei$o Routines

att cBorry $rote a good summary of &hei(o routines for T

ationhere. Their main purpose is to promote strength $ithout addingtoo much muscle mass# allo$ing lifters to stay in the same $eight class.

https://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/sheiko_shakes_up_powerliftinghttps://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/sheiko_shakes_up_powerlifting


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7utline

9ay 1&quat mo"ement# :ench mo"ement# 2-6 assistance

9ay 29eadlift mo"ement# :ench mo"ement# 2-6 assistance

9ay 6&quat mo"ement# :ench o"ement# 2-6 assistance

ote &ometimes a squat# bench# or deadlift is repeated in the same day

as an assistance eercise.

&trengths)romotes neuromuscular coordination through repeated

practice of the big mo"ements5 big mo"ements are trained e"ery

session.

;imitationsor(outs can be boring5 easy to o"er-train if training is too

intense5 not ideal if lifter epresses compensations during the mo"ement

or is dealing $ith a chronic in'ury.

Path #%:2 &ompound '(er)ises per wor$out

This $or(out is "ery simple + pic( any 2 compound eercises and train

them in a $or(out. i and match the eercises as you see fit.

,requency2- times per $ee(# 2-4 is most common

7utline

9ay 12 compound eercises



&trengthsBoes $ell $ith autoregulation training5 promotes reco"ery5

focuses on Fbang for the buc(F eercises5 time efficient.


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;imitations)rogramming can be hapha3ard5 $ea( points may de"elop5

certain areas may be undertrained5 might not pro"ide no"ice lifters $ith

enough direction.

Path #*:2+2 ,or$out

This $or(out is 'ust li(e the 2 compound eercises described abo"e#

ecept 2 assistance eercises are added into the $or(out. i and

match eercises as you see fit.

,requency2- times per $ee(# 2-4 is most common

7utline

9ay 12 compound eercises > 2 assistance


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&trengthsBoes $ell $ith autoregulation training5 can help address $ea(

points5 can promote reco"ery5 reasonably time efficient.

;imitations)rogramming can be hapha3ard5 certain areas may be

undertrained5 might not pro"ide no"ice lifters $ith enough direction.

ote Gim endler!s @/6/1 )rogramis similar to this# although he

pro"ides more guidance on ho$ the program should be set up and $hen

to perform certain eercises.

Paths -.12:n)e a ,ee$ "plits
https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/531-how-to-build-pure-strengthhttps://www.t-nation.com/workouts/531-how-to-build-pure-strength


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The follo$ing 4 )aths are similar but not identical. They generally consist

of 4 $or(outs per $ee(# but each area of the body is only trained once a

$ee(.

These $or(outs are typically associated $ith traditional bodybuilding

routines. !ll gi"e the general frequency# outline# strengths# and limitations

of these programs first# and then outline the specific routines# $ith notes

to follo$.



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ote )romotes full reco"ery. Ho$e"er# synergistic muscle may be fried

by the time you get to it.

)ath D10;arge and &mall &ynergistic uscles &eparated

9ay 1hest and :iceps

9ay 2;egs and ;o$er :ac(

9ay 6:ac( and ?bs

9ay 4&houlders and Triceps

ote &maller muscles are fresh $hen you train them and ultimately

recei"e stimulus t$ice per $ee(.

)ath D11&eparating ;egs and ;o$er :ac(

9ay 1;egs and ?bs

9ay 2hest and :iceps


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Traps can be paired $ith either bac( or $ith shoulders# your choice. This

goes for any of the routines.

0et Training

Eercise program design can be complicated but it shouldn!t be li(e

trying to do calculus in antonese. The pre"ious12 templates are time-

tested routines that thousands of lifters ha"e used for decades. )ic(

$hiche"er one floats your boat and then personali3e it by filling in all the

details to ma(e it your o$n.

:ut abo"e all else# belie"e in it# and follo$ it for at least a fe$ months.

?fter that# reassess# t$ea(# or perhaps mo"e on to a ne$ program + and

start the $hole process again.

&ee% There!s hope for the unapologetic program hoppers after all. ?s

long as you don!t forget about progressi"e o"erload# the results $ill

come.

12 Programs to Follow

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