However, the overwhelming majority of men and women (Yes, women can do pull-ups.) can’t even do ONE. If you would like to dramatically improve your upper body strength, here is the program I used to double my pull-up totals in only five weeks.

Major Charles Lewis Armstrong, USMC, used this routine to prepare himself for an attempt to set a world record for pull-ups. The Armstrong pull-up program consists of two workouts per day, five days a week. Before you faint at the thought of violating the “laws” of fitness that restrict exercise to 3 days a week every other day, remember that the amount of recovery time needed from exercise varies with the type, volume, and intensity. The military typically uses a Monday through Friday training schedule for calisthenics.

Monday: Do five maximum effort sets. Rest 90 seconds between each set. Make sure that each set is a maximum effort set, but don’t concern yourself with numbers. You will probably increase the numbers in the last two sets before you see much improvement in the first three.

Tuesday: Pyramid Day. Start the pyramid with one repetition, the next set has two repetitions, the next has three. Rest 10 seconds for each repetition in the previous set. Continue adding reps to each set until you miss a set. That means, if your last set was five, and your next set should be six, but you could only do four, you missed a set. Then finish your workout with one more set at a maximum effort.

Wednesday: Do three “training sets” of overhand pull-ups, three sets of underhand pull-ups, and three sets of overhand pull-ups where the back of your neck touches the bar. Rest 60 seconds between sets. A training set is determined by your current level of strength. If you are advanced, it might be 5 or 6. The goal of the workout is to do the same number of repetitions per set, so start off conservatively. If you can only do one, use one. You must complete nine training sets for this workout.

Thursday: Do the maximum number of training sets that you can. Use the same number of repetitions that you used in your Wednesday sets. Rest 60 seconds between each set. Do training sets until you miss a set.

Friday: Repeat the day that you found to be the hardest in the previous four days. This may vary from week to week.

Most people who stick with this program are able to double their pull-ups in 4-6 weeks. In addition to pull-ups, Major Armstrong did three maximum effort sets of push-ups every morning, and then did his pull-up routine 3-4 hours later. That workout schedule is probably not convenient for most people, but it doesn’t have to be followed exactly. Just be sure to do the pull-up routine separately from the push-ups. Though I don’t recommend it, you could also skip the push-ups unless you’re training for a fitness test which includes push-ups.

Unless you are facing a make-or-break fitness test, I personally wouldn’t follow this program longer than 6-8 weeks even if you haven’t reached your ultimate goal number. Change to a different exercise routine, while maintaining your pull-up gains by doing 5 sets of 50% of your max, five days a week, or doing your max reps at least twice a week. In other words, if you want to maintain the ability to do 20 pull-ups, do 5 sets of 10, five days a week, or do a set of 20 at least twice a week. After 1-2 months, you should be able to go back to the Armstrong pull-up program at about the same place you left off and push on to the next level.

These muscles are the largest in the body, when diet is low in protein as it so often is with elderly people, the body “leaches” amino acids from the big muscle masses and turns them into glucose to be used as energy.

The legs and butt still “run” the body butt in a different way! These muscle shrink away and after a while older men have trouble getting up from a seated position.

Squatting is the best way to keep size in the thighs and buttocks and should be done on a regular basis. Full squatting is best but if you have lower back or knee aches you might consider using the leg press machine. I have an Upright Incline leg press in my gym and it is terrific to work the thighs with just enough butt and lower back stimulation. I place my feet in the middle of the platform and I go as deep as possible into the negative on each rep for two to three sets of 10 to 12 reps on squats and leg presses.

DAY ONE

Chest
(4 sets each @ 12-12-10-10 reps)

Flat Presses – Decline or Incline - Pec Deck – Chest Dips
(or = alternate each week – Decline/Cross Overs, Incline/Cross Ups)

Biceps
(3 sets each @ 12-12-10 reps)

Dumbbell Curls - Barbell Curls - Reverse Curls

Calves
(4 sets each @ 12-12-10-10 reps)

Standing Raises – Seated Raises

Abdominals
(4 sets each @ max reps)

Upper – Lower

DAY TWO

Back
(4 sets each @ 12-12-10-10 reps)

Upper Rows – Pull-ups / Pull-downs – Lower Rows

Triceps
(3 sets each @ 12-12-10 reps)

Close-Grip Bench - Skull Crushers - Tricep Dips

Traps
(4 sets each @ 12-12-10-10 reps)

Shrugs
(choose 2 forms of Shrugs)

Obliques
(4 sets @ max reps)

DAY THREE

Shoulders
(4 sets each @ 12-12-10-10 reps)

Military Presses – Side Laterals – Front Laterals

Legs
(4 sets each @ 12-12-10-10 reps)

Leg Presses/Lunges – Leg Extensions – Leg Curls

Abdominals
(4 sets each @ max reps)

Upper – Lower

Even though you can choose which days to go to the gym, it is recommended to leave at least one day of rest between each workout.

Here is the suggested combination for your easy 3-day workout routine.

• Day 1 – Chest, back, abdominal muscles, and cardiovascular exercises (30 minutes)
• Day 2 – Day off
• Day 3 – Shoulders, legs, abdominal muscles, and cardiovascular exercises (30 minutes)
• Day 4 – Day off
• Day 5 - Biceps, triceps, abdominal muscles, and cardiovascular exercises (30 minutes)
• Day 6 - Day off
• Day 7 – Day off

Advising you on which specific exercises to perform isn’t necessary because everybody has access to different training equipment and they have their preferred exercises for each muscle group. Instead, focus on what muscle groups to combine when exercising and how to efficiently distribute your 3-day workout routine.

Keep in mind that the entire workout shouldn’t take more than an hour and a half, including the cardiovascular training. In order to work each muscle group adequately in such a short time, you’ll have to carry out 3 sets of 3 different exercises  and 8-12 reps for each set.

3-day splits are great for someone who is newer to weight training, but to the more experienced lifter who knows his recovery and body much better will benefit more from a 5-day split. 5-day splits allow one day a week to fully break down the muscle tissue with complete intensity than having a full week to recover.

Who Would Benefit The Most By Using This Type Of Training?   The Least?

More advanced bodybuilders would benefit from this type of training. Their body’s are accustomed to weight training and this allows them to work one muscle group to the fullest creating awesome growth.

Someone who would not benefit from this type of training are people new to weight lifting and people who do not have a lot of time. This workout is more intense and requires a longer recovery period. Someone who is new to lifting may not be ready for it and risks overtraining. Also, someone who doesn’t have a lot of time cannot spend five days at the gym a week so may have to opt for a three day split.

You often hear that 3-5 days per week in the gym will help you achieve any of your goals. Well, with time on your hands and goals to achieve it’s time for a 5-day split.

What is the best 5-day workout split?

Are 5-day splits better for training muscles once per week or twice?

Are 5-day splits more or less effective than 3-day splits?

Who would benefit the most by using this type of training? The least?

Show off your knowledge to the world!

Five day splits are among one of the most common splits used among bodybuilders these days. Not only does it allow for proper recovery in each muscle group, it allows the trainee to work at a much higher intensity since each muscle group is only trained once a week.

1st Workout

A typical split would be like this:

 
• Day 1: Legs/Abs
• Day 2: Chest
• Day 3: Back/Abs*
• Day 4: Rest
• Day 5: Shoulder/Abs*
• Day 6: Arms
• Day 7: Rest

 *Additional abdominal training days are optional.
Note: The reasons for prescribing those muscle groups in that order are as follow: For most trainees, training the lower body is probably the most taxing for their bodies. Therefore it is crucial to train it first in the beginning of each week to ensure that the workout is done while the body is still fresh.Instead of training five days in a row, it is also beneficial to rest in between training days to allow the Central Nervous System to get proper recovery. This is especially important for new trainees because their bodies are not primed to be able to work at a high intensity five days in a row yet.Lastly, it’s more optimal to space shoulder and arm days as far as possible from chest day to allow the joints and triceps to recover properly.For each day, trainees should use 4-5 exercises with two main exercises and 2-3 accessory exercises.

2nd Workout

The other option to consider is a 5-day workout split that has been found to be great in terms of recovery/strength/size.  Try spreading your back and leg day apart as much as youcan so you can have complete recovery for both exercises.

 
• Day 1: Chest/abs
• Day 2: Back
• Day 3: Off
• Day 4: Shoulders/abs
• Day 5: Legs
• Day 6: Arms/abs
• Day 7: Off 

On every lift the sets are 3-4. On power movements (Squat, Deadlift, Heavy Presses that hit the slow twitch muscle group), I keep the reps low and usually do 4×6, 3×8, or 10,8,6. Every other lift vary the sets from 12,10,8 to 3×12 to 3×8. I like to total around 12-15 total sets per body part.

It is key to switch up the rep scheme to keep your body guessing and to avoid plateaus and over training.

3rd Workout

A third and very good option to consider would be hitting the starting the week with Back exercises. Why?  Starting with the Back on Monday will give your Triceps and extra day to rest and recover before exercising your Chest. This exercise routine takes into consideration the Triceps are being involved in all bench pressing motions.

• Day 1: Back/Abs
• Day 2: Chest
• Day 3: Legs/Abs
• Day 4: Rest
• Day 5: Shoulders/Abs
• Day 6: Arms*
• Day 7: Off 

*SuperSet the Arms the first 6 sets

Take 1 or 2 days rest between workouts based on your recovery ability. Beginners should take 2 days rest and on their 1st week of training, perform 2 sets instead of 3 sets – on week #2 go to 3 sets per exercise. Increase the weight used whenever possible, but never at the expense of good form. Rest between sets should be in the 3 to 5 minute range.

Stay on this program for 6 weeks then move on to a different program to prevent staleness. Individual progress is always based on several factors: individual genetics, adequate rest, stress levels in other aspects of your life (work & family), and proper nutrition. Some of these factors can be controlled while others obviously cannot.

Try to get at least 8 hours sleep per night. Aim to eliminate other sources of stress. Nutrition can spell success or failure – it is far too complex a subject to go into at this point, especially if your goals are bodybuilding, but try to consume 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day (example – a 200 pound man needs at least 300 grams of protein per day).

Here is the workout program:

However, the bench press is NOT a great exercise for everyone. Let me explain:

Some people get really great results from the bench press. (Usually, guys with shorter arms do well with the bench press.)

But other people don’t see satisfying results from the bench press. For some guys (usually guys with longer arms), the bench press becomes more of a front-shoulder workout.

While about 99% of all guys focus exclusively on the bench press, many people will actually see results from…

AN “OLD-SCHOOL” CHEST EXERCISE

Before the bench press got so popular, many old-time bodybuilders built incredibly upper body strength with just one exercise.

The heavy weighted parallel bar dip.

WHY IS THE DIP SUCH AN EFFECTIVE CHEST EXERCISE?

First, it gives you a tremendous stretch at the bottom of the exercise and stretching the muscle like that can increase growth by about 10%.

Second, when you do dips you are moving your body up and down while your hands remain fixed. Why does this matter? Well, scientists have shown that the most effective exercises are the ones that involve moving your body up and down while your hands or feet remain still.

When you bench press, your body remains stationary and your hands move up and down. But when dipping, your hands remain fixed and your body moves up and down.

This forces you to concentrate more on balancing the weight of your body and therefore activates more muscle which results in more muscle growth.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Start dips with your bodyweight only. When you get 12-15 reps, start increasing the resistance by tying some weight around your waist. Increase the weight slowly. Train hard and you can easily build up to the point where you are doing dips with 100 pounds tied to your waist.

When you can do that, you will have a rock-hard chest.

Train Smart, Train Hard, Go Full Force
Sam Martin
Full ForceTraining

Why?

Well, it’s probably because every guy wants bigger arms.

But here’s the kicker:

The bicep muscle is only responsible for about 1/3 of the size of your arm.

The triceps muscle (on the back of your arm) is responsible for 2/3 of your total arms size.

So if you want bigger arms, the smartest thing to do is to…

Grow Your Triceps!

How do you do that?

Simple. You focus on a couple key triceps exercises and you train hard and get strong.

In my experience, the triceps muscles respond best to heavy exercises that allow you to use a lot of weight.

So forget about dumbbell kickbacks or cable extensions.

Here’s a proven exercise for building sleeve stretching triceps:

*****The Close-Grip Bench Press*****

This exercise is done just like the normal bench press but you move your hands closer together. Your hands should be about 6-12 inches apart. A good way to figure out how close to put your hands is to start with your hands shoulder width apart and keep moving them closer and closer.

At some point, when you move them too close, it will hurt your wrists. When you find that point, just move your hands about an inch apart and you will have the perfect close grip.

Also, on the regular bench press your elbows will be away from your body when pressing. But with the close-grip bench press you want to keep your elbows tight against the side of your body. This puts more emphasis on the triceps.

So if you want bigger “guns”, stop doing so many curls and start doing more close grip bench presses.

Train Smart, Train Hard, Go Full Force
Sam Martin
Full Force Training

Is it possible?

How about the old fashioned push-up!

Yes, in some ways pushups are even more effective than a bench press. A pushup is referred to as a closed-chain exercise, meaning you move your body through space, instead of using a bar.

In order to make all that happen, you need to engage your core muscles to stabilize your torso. This means you use about 75% of your own body weight during each rep, while targeting your chest, shoulders, triceps, and your core.
This movement works a lot more muscles than you would by bench press alone.

Pushups also can be done in many creative ways!!

• Vary the distance your hands are apart
  • The wider the hand position – outer chest
  • The closer the hand position – inner chest
• Do pushups in an incline or decline position
  • Use a bench – incline or decline position
  • Use a stability ball – more stabilization required
• Vary Technique of Pushup
  • Use one arm
  • Clap between reps
  • Use round dumbbells to force you to stabilize
• Advanced Techniques
  • Incline Pushup on using stability ball – full body weight and balance
  • Decline Pushup with feet on stability ball
  • Decline Pushup with feet on stability ball, hands holding dumbbells

So if you don’t have weights don’t fret….. Your own body weight with a little creativity will develop the chest you have always wanted.. Toned, Tight and Defined..

Train Smart, Train Hard, Go Full Force
Sam Martin
Full Force Training