Martin Berkhan's workout approach...

CM24

Go here if you don't know who he is. I was just reading a reddit AMA from one of his recent clients and found the training program described very interesting. This is the program used regardless of whether the client is bulking or cutting. The only thing prioritised is increasing the weights from session to session. All the sets are done RPT style. This means warming up to one maximal effort lift, taking 5 mins rest, then doing 1 more set at -10% of the first, and getting 1 extra rep. It's to be done Mon-Wed-Fri.

Back Day
Deads - 2x3-5
OHP - 2x6-8
Chins - 2x4-6
Back-supported rows - 2x6-8
Close Grip Chins - 1x6-10

Chest Day
BP - 2x6-8
Inc DB Bench - 2x6-8
Barbell Curls - 2x6-8
Tri Ext - 2x6-8

Leg Day
Squat/Leg Press - 2x6-8
Hamstring curl machine - 2x6-8
Leg extensions - 2x6-8
Calves (any exercise) - 1x12-16

There are no deloads to be done when you hit a plateau. Instead, Berkhan advocates taking an extra day or two of rest before the next session. He claims this type of program can take any client from intermediate to advanced level. For males, this means being able to deadlift 2.5x BW, Squat 2x BW, Bench 1.5x BW and BW OHP.

I'm tempted to give this program a go. I want to get as strong as possible, with the aesthetics to match. Has anyone tried using such a low-volume routine? Here's a link to the AMA if people are interested.

rocky

Questions on chest day
- can cable flies be included?
- hate Barbell curls, can DB curls be used instead?

amazingemmet

@rocky: Martins approach is to skip all the foo-foo exercises and just do the big compounds so in his paradigm no, but in reality they won't add or take away much.

kevpants

So he's advocating a Squat, Bench & Deadlift day with top set in the 3-8 rep range then drop a little weight but add a little i reps? How is this a program?

Is this just not called "training"?

Seriously, has everyone become so blinded by packaged training plans that it's not possible to train without it being one of the approved celebrity bundles?

This isn't going to transform anyone. If this transforms you I can only presume you were previously going to the gym and rolling the barbell up and down the gym floor using your forehead or something.

Maybe I'm doing him a dis-service and he's just pointing out how standard training should look and everyone's jumped on it as "Martin Berkhan's Program". I actually agree with the approach, I just disagree with anyone attempting to own it.

As anticipated the first questions when any new program arises won't be to explain the rationale they will be more...

I don't like any of those exercises and can't do squats because I have Locked In Syndrome can I replace the calf raises with pedaling a child's bicycle backwards up a hill and the squats with writing angry letters to the contestants on the X Factor?

rocky

well it's got a few specific things I wasn't doing for example:

- Reverse Pyramid; tried it before and didn't like it, I mostly use a normal pyramid;
- exactly 2 working sets for each big lift; first all out, second -10% weight, + 1 rep. NOT +2 reps, or -5% or anything else.

Also he has the leangains IF thingy with its own specifics; train fasted with 10g BCAA for example

Brian?

rocky wrote: »

Questions on chest day
- can cable flies be included?
- hate Barbell curls, can DB curls be used instead?

Why the attachment to cable flies?

rocky

Brian? wrote: »

Why the attachment to cable flies?

I see no fly movement in this programme, are they not targetting chest a bit differently to push motions? I only started doing them a month or so ago and enjoy them.

Brian?

rocky wrote: »

I see no fly movement in this programme, are they not targetting chest a bit differently to push motions? I only started doing them a month or so ago and enjoy them.

I wouldn't bother with them. There's better ways to spend your time. But if you want to add them in, I can't see it doing any harm.

Frank Bullitt

Im a little confused on this reverse pyramid idea, can anyone clarify a little? Interested in maybe giving this a go for a few weeks.

amazingemmet

Work up to a triple, wait 3 mins then drop the weight 10% then do another set of max reps repeat.

Hanley

We're doing a reverse pyramid in RF programming at the mo after some heavy 5s, triples or singles.

I call it the RevFit Method.

kevpants

Hanley wrote: »

We're doing a reverse pyramid in RF programming at the mo after some heavy 5s, triples or singles.

I call it the RevFit Method.

CM24

I wasn't suggesting this was anything revolutionary, I just wanted to hear what people's opinions were on a hypertrophy routine with such low volume. 2 work sets, once a week, per body part. This couldn't be any more different to say, GVT, which I'v seen recommended a lot around here recently. Also, do people think it's feasible that you could reach the aformentioned ''Advanced'' strength goals on such a basic routine? The program doesn't involve any periodic variation in terms of exercise selection, rep speed, intensity, volume etc.

The client in question claims this program got him to these lifts.
B.W-91KG
Deads - 220kg x 6
Bench-140 x 5

Using RPT even when Bulking
Are you lifting 2.5x your bodyweight in deads for 5 reps? 1.5x your
bodyweight in bench for 5 reps? 1x BW for OHP for 5 reps?
No? Then keep doing RPT. When you're on a bulk, you recover better.
This does not mean that you need more volume. It means that the
weights you do from week-to-week can go up faster.

He's basically saying that volume is a bad thing, even when bulking. On his site, Berkhan says that the only thing that matters (in terms of aesthetics) are your stats on certain key lifts. (his were deads,squats,bench,OHP, weighted chins). So volume isn't really a factor at all, according to him. I'm going to put my faith in him and just do the program as laid out, eat to get stronger and assume I'll get jacked, in spite of such low volume.

amazingemmet

Going form martins site it took him 4 years to add 20lbs to his deadlift, it was already ~600lb, numbers off the top of my head so might not be 100% but in terms of gaining strength I don't think its a winner for advanced lifting. For beginning lifters it would be fine just like every other program. If you look at martins clients, anyone who is jacked isn't using his program for weights just for diet.

kevpants

CM24 wrote: »

He's basically saying that volume is a bad thing, even when bulking. On his site, Berkhan says that the only thing that matters (in terms of aesthetics) are your stats on certain key lifts. (his were deads,squats,bench,OHP, weighted chins). So volume isn't really a factor at all, according to him. I'm going to put my faith in him and just do the program as laid out, eat to get stronger and assume I'll get jacked, in spite of such low volume.

He's saying volume is a bad thing because he advocates fasted training doesn't he? High volume fasted training would be suicidal so he has no choice but to run down volume or his entire scheme collapses. Saying volume is of no use for adding muscle is about the stupidest thing I've heard today, and I spoke to a customer service representative earlier!

CM24

amazingemmet wrote: »

If you look at martins clients, anyone who is jacked isn't using his program for weights just for diet.

He says in several places on his site that the RPT program is his go-to program with clients, even the experienced ones. It might be worth noting that no one trained more than two or three times per week. Most clients used a "reverse pyramid training"-routine.
For experienced trainers, I recommend the double progression model of reverse pyramid training. This is what built most of my physique and it's also by far the most common approach I use with clients.

Also, I'd imagine most people would be happy to manage a 272kg x 4 Deadlift, (completely free of equipment) in their lifetime, regardless of how long it took.

He's saying volume is a bad thing because he advocates fasted training doesn't he? High volume fasted training would be suicidal so he has no choice but to run down volume or his entire scheme collapses. Saying volume is of no use for adding muscle is about the stupidest thing I've heard today

He says his usual set up for clients involves one or two pre-workout meals (meat, veggies, small bit of starch). He's just got a reputation for fasted training cos he was one of the first to espouse it. Whether he uses it or not depends on their schedule. He actually has an article about higher volume training and his experiences with it, here He made gains but still prefers the low volume, high intensity approach.

Everyone always talks about his diet but I rarely see much talk about his training advice, which is pretty unorthodox as well. He had a full explanation for his unusual de-loading protocol too but all his old FB posts are gone now. Would have made for interesting discussion

amazingemmet

90% of Martin's clients are average pt clients but if you look at what he show's in his before and afters the ones who are jacked if read their bio's are all training differently then his program. The fat loss clients are all probably doing the RPT program or some variant.

I'm not trying to knock Martins deadlift, its an awesome lift. I'm just trying to point out that his rate of progress on it is quite slow and that maybe RPT training isn't the ideal program for him as an advanced lifter.

Basically in my thoughts his training methods rely on the retard strength side of training rather then looking at training as skill. Personally I prefer looking at lifting as a skill that needs to be practiced with more frequency for optimal performance. Neither side is right or wrong as both will work.

His deloading isn't unusual its just not in fashion right now but if you go back to the 60's-70's-80's and read what they recommend you'll see the exact same way of deloading, its just not called a "deload" . Where as the modern trend in deloading is looking at strength as a skill so in that frame you'll keep intensity high but just back off on the tonnage, ie practice the skill but just not over do it versus take a longer rest.

On the RPT note, Phil Hernon is a big fan of it but uses a higher frequency with his clients then Berkhan, You can find loads of info on Phil's style over at Professionalmuscle.com

rocky

I'm giving it a go anyway. I was doing a full body workout for the last few ... years and didn't see much change.

Back into deadlifts yesterday, 95x10, 85x11, and I'm in bits today. This http://exrx.net/Calculators/OneRepMax.html reckons my 1RM is 127kg, I somehow doubt it. I probably could get 110 x 3, which is what I'm planning for next back session...