The Mass Volume/Variation Program

High-Volume Workout Variation for Continuous Hypertrophy Gains

     The more advanced a bodybuilder gets, the more variation that he needs.  The late strength coach Charles Poliquin believed that a bodybuilder should make a change to his training at every 4th workout.  He thought that 3 workouts was about the limit for doing the exact same session.  This doesn’t mean to overhaul your training completely at every 4th workout.  It means making a couple to a few changes, while keeping the workout template the same.  I think this is pretty good advice.  Some highly advanced bodybuilders might need to make a minor change at every workout session and some bodybuilders, even advanced ones, might do well with a slightly less frequent change.  Overall, however, I think the advice is fairly sound.

     One mistake that I think some modern bodybuilders make is doing too much variety in a single session.  For example, in a chest workout, they might do some bench presses for heavy triples, doubles, or singles.  Then follow that up with another exercise for sets in the 6-8 rep range before finishing off the session with an isolation exercise for high-rep sets in the 12-20 rep range.  I think all of those rep ranges are fine, by the way.  They just shouldn’t be done together in the same session.  A better method would be to do a workout, or several workouts, utilizing low reps.  Another session with mid-range reps (6-8).  And then a 3rd workout using reps higher than 10.

     The training program here takes both of the above recommendations and shows how to apply it into a cohesive system of training.  This program is primarily geared towards bodybuilders or lifters seeking hypertrophy above all else.  It does include low reps, however.  Another thing that Poliquin believed was that bodybuilders don’t do enough low-repetition training and workouts.

     This routine will use a 3-way split.  I’m going to demonstrate how it works with an “agonist/antagonist” split, but it also works for templates such as push/pull/legs.  But more on that a little later.  You will use a fairly high-volume system that rotates between 3 different methods.  I’ve titled it “Mass Volume Variation Training” because it’s aimed at building mass, it’s a high-volume program, and its cornerstone is planned variation.

     I will outline the 3 different workouts first.  After that, I’ll explain how to correctly implement them based on your individual body type and level of training experience.  I will also discuss how this method of training should just be one of your training phases.  I will present how it should be included in what I propose, which is a tri-phasic system of hypertrophy training.  But let’s look at this volume-variation method first.

Routine #1: Low-Rep Training (First 3 Workouts)

Workout 1: Chest and Back

1. Bench presses: 5x5,5,3,3,1.  After a couple to a few warm-up sets, load the bar with approximately 90% of your 5-rep max.  Do a set of 5 reps with that weight.  Add weight, rest a couple of minutes, and do another set of 5 reps with about 95% of your 5-rep max.  Add weight again, rest, and do a triple.  Again, add weight, rest, and do one more (heavier) triple.  Add even more weight, rest, and finish with a heavy near-max single.

2. Incline dumbbell bench presses: 5x5.  After resting a couple of minutes, do 5 straight sets of 5 reps.  Select a weight where you know (or highly suspect) that you can manage 5 reps for at least 3 sets.  You should struggle to get 5 reps on the last couple of sets.  If you do manage to get 5 sets of 5, add weight at the next session.

3. One-arm dumbbell rows: 5x5,5,3,3,1 (each arm).  Follow the same method as the bench presses.

4. Wide-grip weighted chins: 5x5.  Follow the same method as the incline dumbbell benches.

Workout 2: Legs

1. Squats: 5x5,5,3,3,1.  Follow the same method as the bench presses and rows from workout 1.

2. Front squats: 5x5.  Same 5x5 method from workout 1.

3. Romanian deadlifts: 5x5.  Same as the front squats.

4. Standing calf raises. 5x5.  This will be a good change of pace for your calves, since most lifters train calves with much higher repetitions.  Use the same method as the other 5x5 lifts.

Workout 3: Shoulders and Arms

1. Military presses: 5x5,5,3,3,1

2. Seated dumbbell presses: 5x5

3. Barbell curls: 5x5,5,3,3,1

4. Alternate dumbbell curls: 5x5 (each arm)

5. Close-grip weighed dips: 5x5,5,3,3,1

6. Skull crushers: 5x5

Routine #2: Mid-Rep Training (the Next 3 Workouts)

Workout 1: Chest and Back

1. Incline barbell bench presses: 4x6-8.  After warmups, load the bar with around 90% of your 8-rep max.  Now, do 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps with that weight.  If you get 8 reps on all sets, add weight at the next session.  Use this template for all movements in this training phase.

2. Flat dumbbell bench presses: 4x6-8

3. Wide-grip barbell rows: 4x6-8

4. Seated cable rows: 4x6-8

Workout 2: Legs

1. Squats: 4x6-8

2. Hack squats: 4x6-8.  Do these on the hack squat machine or using the old-fashioned barbell version.

3. Deficit stiff-legged deadlifts: 4x6-8.  Do these while standing on a block for a deeper stretch.

4. Standing calf raises: 4x6-8

Workout 3: Shoulders and Arms

1. Seated behind-the-neck presses: 4x6-8

2. Standing one-arm dumbbell presses: 4x6-8 (each arm)

3. Seated alternate dumbbell curls: 4x6-8 (each arm)

4. Cable curls: 4x6-8

5. Standing dumbbell overhead extensions: 4x6-8

6. Barbell skull crushers/pullovers combination: 4x6-8

Routine #3: High-Rep Training (Final 3 Workouts)

Workout 1: Chest and Back

1. Incline dumbbell flyes: 3x10-12.  After warmups, use a weight on each work set where you have a rep or two “in the tank” when you’re finished on each set.  This means, if necessary, drop down in weight on any of the proceeding sets.  Use this same method on all movements in this phase even if the reps are different.

2. Flat dumbbell flyes: 3x10-12

3. Cable crossovers: 3x16-18

4. Wide-grip lat pulldowns: 3x10-12

5. T-bar rows: 3x10-12

6. Bent-over dumbbell lateral raises: 3x16-18.  Do these by keeping the dumbbells in line with your mid-back/lats during each rep.  This is not a shoulder movement.

Workout 2: Legs

1. Leg extensions: 3x10-12

2. Leg presses: 3x10-12

3. Sissy squats: 3x10-20.  The repetition discrepancy is based on your individual strength on this movement.  Hold a plate on your chest for added resistance if you can easily get 3x20 with your bodyweight.

4. Lying leg curls: 3x10-12

5. Standing one-leg curls: 3x10-12 (each leg)

6. Seated calf raises: 3x20-30

7. Donkey calf raises: 3x20-30.  If you have access to a machine for these, use that.  If you only have your training partner, that’s fine, as well—you may have to drop the repetitions down in that case.

Workout 3: Shoulders and Arms

1. Standing dumbbell side lateral raises: 3x10-12

2. Seated dumbbell lateral raises: 3x10-12

3. Barbell front raises: 3x10-12

4. Preacher curls: 3x10-12

5. Incline dumbbell curls: 3x10-12

6. Concentration curls: 3x10-12 (each arm)

7. Lying dumbbell triceps extensions: 3x10-12

8. Rope pushdowns: 3x10-12

9. Bench dips: 3x16-20

Tips

• Train on a 3-on, 1-off schedule but feel free to throw in an extra rest day whenever you feel as if you need it.  You might elect to rotate between a 3-on, 1-off schedule and a 3-on, 2-off one, as well.

• If you prefer a different split, keep the exercises, sets, and reps the same for each routine, but simply choose a different split.  You might use the aforementioned push/pull/legs, but you might also use something such as chest and arms/legs/back and shoulders or chest and quads/back and shoulders/hamstrings, arms, calves, or any other 3-way split.

• You could also use a 2-way split, training upper body at one session and lower body at the other using a 1-on, 1-off schedule.  Keep the exercises, sets, and reps the same.  Of course, you’ll have to be able to handle the higher volume at each session, but the workout frequency per muscle would end up being the same.

• If you want to use different lifts for each muscle group, or even different sets/reps, just make sure that they fit in the same but different category.  So, a compound movement needs to only be swapped for another compound lift, an isolation exercise for another isolation movement, or a correspondingly set/rep scheme.  For example, you might opt for a 5x5,4,3,2,1 set/rep combo during the first phase of training.  For more examples, check out the preceding link.

Training Phases

     Even with the variety naturally built within this training program, lifters should—at least occasionally—use a couple of different training systems throughout the year.  I think, for most lifters, the best option involves three distinct phases:

1. A high-volume/moderate frequency program such as this one, or something highly similar.

2. A 3-days-per-week, full-body training program.  Look at the training programs of the old-school, silver-era bodybuilders who used full-body workouts.  That’s exactly the kind of program that I have in mind.  I have several here on the blog that would work well, such as George Turner’s Full-Body Blast workout routine.  You can also look over on the sidebar, and search through the “Classic Bodybuilders Articles and Essays” page.  You can also use a Bill Starr-style heavy-light-medium program.

3. A high-set, low-rep training program that utilizes, on average, between 8 to 10 sets of 3-5 reps per lift/muscle.  It’s a good idea, as well (though this isn’t a necessity), that you follow a “full-body split” while training in this manner.  A good example would be the 3x10x3 Method.

4. OPTIONAL:  This isn’t absolutely necessary, but I think a lot of lifters would make good gains with an ultra high-frequency training program such as my 30-Rep Program or any other “easy strength” style of training.  For some lifters, especially if they think they are “hardgainers” because nothing else that they have tried has worked well for them, this might be the one training program that will produce results.

     A strength athlete—or anyone after strength above all else—would need some different training phases than the above, and, in fact, might need to never do a training program such as the one outlined here.  For anyone else, whether you consider yourself a hardcore bodybuilder or you just want to look good with your shirt off, try this program and implement all of my advice herein.  You, and your muscles, will be glad that you did.

As always, if you have any comments or questions, leave them in the "comments" section below or send me an email for private discussion.

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