The Best Muscle-Building Workouts You've (Probably) Never Tried

Forgotten or Never-Used Workouts for Muscle Size and Strength

Several of the workouts below are just the sort that Bronze Era lifters, such as George Hackenschmidt, used to great success.

     I've written a few articles or essays similar to this one in the past.  Years ago—as in the '90s—I wrote an article for IronMan magazine called "X-Factors" which was about workouts that were never used by mainstream bodybuilders, rarer even than sightings of Bigfoot or other pseudo-scientific, supposedly-existing cryptids.  And about ten years ago, I wrote an article here on the blog entitled "The Best Leg Workout You've Never Tried."  I doubt many people have still ever tried it.  (Hint: it involved bottom-position squats, deficit sumo deadlifts, and sled drags—combined together, which is brutally hard, so, yep, it probably still is the best leg workout you've never done.)

     Which brings us around to this essay.  Collected here are a few different mass and power workouts that—chances are—you've never tried.  A couple of them have just fallen out of favor, or were never used by mainstream bodybuilders.  Also, a couple of them I'm sort of surprised that bodybuilders and lifters haven't tried them.   With everything that I see floating around YouTube these days, you'd think someone would have dragged one or two of these out of the basement of bodybuilding obscurity.  But that doesn't seem to be the case, which is the reason you get to now read about them here.  And one of the workouts I can almost guarantee that you've never tried because, well, I created the workout, and I'm pretty sure I haven't written about it before.  Which doesn't mean that someone somewhere else didn't "discover" the same workout.  People across the globe, who have never meant one another, sometimes come up with the same ideas, and then go out and implement the same ideas.  So there's always a chance that I could be wrong on this account.  In fact, I think it would be unlikely that someone, somewhere, and at some time hasn't come up with this workout idea.  After all, there are only so many things you can do with a barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell, or your bodyweight.

     So that I don't end up rambling incessantly about something or other that annoys me in the workouts that are prevalent in today's lifting cum bodybuilding world (I can feel my skin flushing right now with utter despair due to the fact that people still listen to the absolutely God-awful '90s advice of Mike Mentzer, for instance), let's head right to these workouts.  Besides, there's no time for rambling—and no use, really, in rambling—about bad workouts when we have plenty of great workouts to discuss...

Alternates

     I believe, in the '90s (young kids, this was before the internet, where the only way to get information was to actually purchase bodybuilding magazines each month), the only two people who wrote about this style of training were myself and Greg Zulak.  I know that Zulak wrote about them first, and he may have even coined the term "alternates" in an article by the same name in MuscleMag International.  I then wrote about them a couple of times in the pages of IronMan, although as part of articles on different mass-building workouts, and not just as an article on alternates alone.  Let me add, too, while I'm thinking about it, and because I think honesty is always the best policy, that I doubt I ever wrote anything that was truly original.  I may have taken other ideas and (I think) made them better, but that doesn't mean that I came up with the idea.  Case in point is alternates, so let it be noted that these were the "brainchild" of Zulak, although even he, I doubt, truly came up with them, as he probably got the idea from watching some of the top bodybuilders of the '70s, '80s, and '90s train, but since most bodybuilders, especially pro bodybuilders (no offense) aren't good writers, it was left to Zulak to convey this information to the bodybuilding world.

     Alternates are performed in a very similar manner to antagonistic supersets—in fact, it's a good thing I didn't come up with the name for alternates, as I would have probably called them something such as "antagonistic really-slow, not-super-at-all sets" or something else equally as bad.  With alternates, unlike with conventional antagonist supersets, you don't rush back and forth between sets of antagonistic muscle groups, instead you rest a couple of minutes between sets to allow for maximum recuperation.

     These can be done for any kind of split.  They work equally as well with full-body workouts as they do with 3, 4, or 5-way splits.  The only split that they (quite obviously) can't be done with are one-bodypart-per-day routines, as they do require that you train antagonistic muscle groups together in the same workout.

     To give you an idea of how these work, if you are training chest and back together, you would start off with a set of bench presses.  After a couple of minutes (more or less depending on your goals and body-type), you would do a set of chins, and then go back-and-forth in this manner until all your sets were complete.  If you are doing multiple exercises, then you would continue in this manner until all exercises are finished.  Here's a sample chest and back workout to give you an idea of what we're talking about:

Bench presses—4x6-8 reps

Chins—4x max reps

Weighted dips—4x6-8 reps

Bent-over barbell rows—4x6-8 reps

Cable crossovers—2x12-15 reps

Cross-bench pullovers—2x12-15 reps

     If you are doing full-body workouts (my preference), your program might look like this:

Bench presses—5x5

Chins—5x5

Push presses—3x5

Dumbbell shrugs—3x5

Barbell curls—5x5

Skull crushers—5x5

Front squats—4x8

Romanian deadlifts—4x8

Calf work and abdominal work of your choice can be added at the end of the session.

     If you opt for the full-body workout, then perform the routine 2 or 3-days-per-week.  As I've written elsewhere, I think one of the best methods you can use is to alternate between weeks of 3-workouts-per-week with weeks of 2-workouts-per-week.

     Now that we have (briefly) discussed the least obscure of the workout routines presented here, let's move on to the others.

Odd-Lift Training: The Beauty of Bags, Barrels, and Other (Slight) Oddities

     I've written quite a bit about the benefits of "odd-lift" training and loaded carries—it's one of the hallmarks of what I often call the "Big 4."  But this kind of training can—and at some point in your lifting career should—be done by itself, as a solitary program independent of barbell and dumbbell training.

     If you look back at the so-called (at least recently) "Bronze Era" of bodybuilding, strength training, and physique development—from the late 19th century into the 1930s—you will find that this was one of the forgotten secrets of that era.  Men like Herman Goerner, George Hackenschmidt, and Thomas Inch didn't just train with heavy barbells and dumbbells, but included plenty of sandbag and barrel lifting—barrel lifting being the most widely-used—in addition to free weights.

     As mentioned, a lot of lifters—well, maybe not a lot, but more than in recent memory—use this as part of their workout routine.  But there are times when you should do complete workouts solely comprising these "odd" lifts.

     If you don't have a keg or some duffle bags lying around your house, or something like, you know, a spare tractor-trailer tire, then the easiest thing is to go out and buy a couple of duffle bags that you can fill with sand or rocks.  It doesn't have to be a bag solely intended for strength sports, although I admit to owning a sandbag from IronMind Enterprises—the same as what is used in the World's Strongest Man competition.  The beauty of the IronMind bag is its durability, and the fact that it can be loaded with a s**t-ton of weight.  But more expensive bags such as theirs is NOT a necessity, simply a nice luxury.

     Once you have a few sandbags in your possession—I think three is ideal so that you can fill them with varying weights ranging from 50 to 150 pounds, and you don't have to constantly add or remove weight from just one bag during your session—try something such as the following workout.  This is a full-body session; perform it 2 to 3-days-per-week.

Sandbag squats—3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.  Pick up a sandbag with a "bear hug."  In that bear hug position, perform sets somewhere in the 5 to 8 rep range.  Make sure these are heavy enough so that the last set or two are extremely difficult to get all the reps.

Sandbag clean and presses—3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

Sandbag deadlifts—3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

Sandbag curls—3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.  For these, you will have to really grip the bag hard, attempting to get a fistful of sand or rocks in each hand.  This will work the living hell out of your grip, your forearms, and your biceps.

Sandbag carries—2 to 3 sets for distance.

     After a few weeks on this program, you can substitute or add in the same exercises using kegs or barrels.  Also, if you have access to them, you can add in some tire flips, different versions of sled dragging, or some farmer's walks using thick-handled bars.  Train this way for a year or two and you'll be the strongest dude (or chick) in your city.  And that's probably not an exaggeration.

The "Add-One" Workout

     Here's the workout where I point out that I actually have come up with something original, or at least original enough that I know I didn't get the idea from someone else.  As I said, it could be—and very likely there is somewhere—someone that does a workout just like this.

     For a little bit, I tried to come up with a better name than "Add-One Training," but for now it will have to suffice.

     This program combines full-body training with a sort of pseudo circuit training program.  (I write "pseudo" because you want to take enough rest between exercises.)  It's also great for prioritizing weak points if you have some experience under your belt (and by "experience" I mean that you already have some strength and muscle mass; if you don't, then you could have worked out for twenty years and STILL not be truly experienced, only a sad example of modern workout "methodology").

     If you're new to training, or have been using a full-body workout for a few months, and now you want something a little different, then do the first workout program, as it prioritizes squats, heavy pulls, and loaded carries—essentials to get really big and strong.  After I lay out the "basics" here, I'll discuss how to change it so that you can prioritize weak points.

The "Basic" Program

     Before you begin with all of the "work" sets, start off by doing some light squats, a light pressing movement (or two), and then a light pulling movement.  Once you are sufficiently warmed up, you can begin the program outright.

     Start with the barbell back squat.  Do one "work" set of 5 to 7 reps.  Rest a few minutes, do another set of squats, and then do a set of dumbbell or barbell deadlifts.  Only choose the dumbbell variety, if you have heavy enough dumbbells.  Do a set of 5 to 7 reps on the deadlifts.

     Now go back to the squats, and do another set of 5 to 7 reps.  Follow this up with another set of deadlifts for 5 to 7 reps.  Once you finish with the deadlifts, pick up some heavy dumbbells or a sandbag, and do a set of farmer's walks.

     Do you see where we're going with this?  Once you finish the farmer's walks, return to the squats.  Do a set of squats, followed by a set of deadlifts, followed by the farmer's walks.  Now, add a pressing movement, preferably a standing one, so pick either barbell overhead presses or one-arm dumbbell overheads.  Do a set of, you guessed it, 5 to 7 reps.

     Back to the squats.  Do the squats, followed by the deads, followed by the farmer's walks, followed by the overhead presses, and now add a set of chins for, yet again, 5 to 7 reps.

     Repeat squats, deads, farmer's walks, overheads, and chins.  And now add your final exercise for the day, the barbell curl for 5 to 7 reps.

     As you get more advanced, over the coming weeks, you can add more exercises.  For instance, if you were pretty advanced, I would add some flat bench presses and some power cleans to the end of the session.

     As is, our basic program, looks like this:

Opening Exercise

Squats (1st set)

Complex #1

Squats (2nd set)

Deadlifts (1st set)

Complex #2

Squats (3rd set)

Deadlifts (2nd set)

Farmer's walks (1st set)

Complex #3

Squats (4th set)

Deadlifts (3rd set)

Farmer's walks (2nd set)

Overhead presses (1st set)

Complex #4

Squats (5th set)

Deadlifts (4th set)

Farmer's walks (3rd set)

Overhead presses (2nd set)

Chins (1st set)

Complex #5

Squats (6th set)

Deadlifts (5th set)

Farmer's walks (4th set)

Overhead presses (3rd set)

Chins (2nd set)

Barbell curls (1st set)

     As I said, this isn't circuit training.  Take you time between each set.  You should feel strong throughout the workout.  As the workout progresses, you're taking more and more time between sets of squats, for instance, just because of the "add-one" nature of a new exercise for each cycle.

     If you're advanced, then, by all means, begin your workout session with your lagging or weak bodypart.  If your arms are your "weak link" then, by all means, start off with a set of curls first, then proceed with whatever bodypart—or exercise for those of you solely interested in strength—needs more attention.

The 30-Rep Program
     The program that follows keeps the inherent qualities of  Dan John’s "40-Day Program" that I love: the moderate volume, the high frequency of training, performing a few core, basic lifts.  (And if you're not familiar with the 40-Day Program, I've written about it elsewhere on the blog, or just do a search for it, and one of his article from either his website or from "T-Nation" should pop up.)  But it adds in two elements that allow you to perform the program as long as you feel like doing it: exercise variety and breaks.
     With all of that being said, here is the “gist” of this program:
     1. Pick 8 to 10 exercises that you want to get strong on—they should all be “bang for your buck” exercises. These are the only lifts you will do throughout the course of the program. My suggested list of exercises are the following:

Squats
Bench presses
Standing overhead presses
Deadlifts
Power cleans
Snatches
Barbell curls
Deficit deadlifts
Front squats
Dumbbell rows
     2. At every single workout, pick three of these exercises to train. For each exercise, you will only do a total of 10 reps. You can do 2 sets of 5, 5 sets of 2, 3 sets of 3 (yes, I realize it’s not 10 reps, but close enough), or 3 sets of 2, 3, and 5 reps. This will work out to a total of 30 reps per workout for your core lifts.
     3. As a goal, train at least 5 days per week. And always train at least 2 days in a row before taking a day off. After a few weeks on the program, if you need 2 or 3 days off consecutively, then by all means, take the break.
     4. Slowly increase the amount of weight you do at each workout. This should not be a “forced” thing. As Dan John says in his 40-Day Program, you should go heavy “naturally.”
     5. Perform more squats, overhead work, snatches, and power cleans throughout the program than flat bench presses, deadlifts, barbell curls, or rows. The former movements are all “built” for frequent training.
     6. When you are finished with the 3 exercises for the day, then add one “odd lift” movement as a finisher. Sandbag carries, sled drags, farmer’s walks are three excellent choices, for instance. None of these exercises should be done “all out.” Slowly build up on the amount of work you do on your odd lifts as you do on the barbell movements.
     And, finally, as recommended in the 40-Day Program, do not get “psyched up” for any of the lifts. “Simply do each lift without any emotion or excitement and strive for perfect technique.”
     Since I can already predict the number of emails I’ll be receiving, asking me to “lay out” the program in more simplistic terms, here’s a sample week of training to help you understand:
Day One:

Squats: 2 sets of 5 reps
Bench presses: 2 sets of 5 reps
Deadlifts: 3 sets of 3 reps
Sandbag carries
Day Two:

Front squats: 2 sets of 5 reps
Overhead presses: 3 sets of 5, 3, and 2 reps
Barbell curls: 2 sets of 5 reps
Farmer’s walks
Day Three: off
Day Four:

Squats: 3 sets of 3 reps
Power cleans: 5 sets of 2 reps
Overhead presses: 2 sets of 5 reps
Sled drags
Day Five:

Front squats: 3 sets of 5, 3, and 2 reps
Snatches: 5 sets of 2 reps
Dumbbell rows: 2 sets of 5 reps
Sandbag carries
Day Six:

Squats: 2 sets of 5 reps
Bench Presses: 2 sets of 5 reps
Power cleans: 3 sets of 3 reps
Farmer’s walks
Day Seven: Off

In Conclusion

     There you go; some slightly "off-the-wall" programs (at least, compared to what you typically see or read about) that can probably do more for your physique, and your strength, than most of the more "common" routines that are available.

     As always, if anyone has questions or comments, please email me or leave them in the comments section below.  If you want something more personal, or simply don't want others to read your questions, I think it's best to email.

     Until next time, good luck and good training!