Training Protocols For The Anabolic Diet!, By: Hugo Rivera
In my last article we discussed what I feel is the best way for a bodybuilder to implement a high fat (good fats)/high protein/low carb diet. This week I will discuss the training protocol that I used and what I would recommend these days in lieu of the more time consuming one.
Basically, I divided my training in two phases:
Phase 1 included 3 workouts a day and it lasted for two weeks (the last two weeks of November from that year). It consisted of dividing the body in two days and cycling the repetitions as follows:
Phase 1
Monday (13-15 reps)/Wednesday (10-12)/Saturday (8-10)
Day 1: Chest/Back/Arms
Morning Workout: Chest (30 minutes)
Incline Bench Press (12 sets) rest: 1 minute
Superset:
Bench Press (3 sets)
Chest Dips (3 sets)
Workout: Back (30 minutes)
Wide Grip Pullups to Front (12 sets) rest: 1 minute
Superset:
Chin ups (3 sets)
Bent Over Rows (3 sets) rest: 1 minute
Evening Workout: Arms (45 minutes)
Superset:
EZ Curls (12 sets)
Lying EZ Triceps Extensions (12 sets) rest: 1 minute
Superset:
Hammer Curls (3 sets)
Overhead Triceps Extensions (3 sets) rest: 1 minute
Tuesday (13-15 reps)/Thursday (10-12)/Sunday (8-10)
Day 2: Thighs/Hamstrings/Calves/Abs
Morning Workout: Thighs (30 minutes)
Squats (12 sets) rest: 1 minute
Superset:
Lunges (3 sets)
Leg Extensions (3 sets)
Workout: Hamstrings (30 minutes)
Lying Leg Curls (12 sets) rest: 1 minute
Superset:
Stiff Legged Deadlifts (3 sets)
Standing Leg Curls (3 sets) rest: 1 minute
Evening Workout: Shoulders/Calves/Abs (45-55 minutes)
Superset:
Behind The Neck Press (12 sets)
Standing Calf Raises (12 sets) rest: 1 minute
Giantset:
Leg Raises (3 sets)
Bent Over Laterals (3 sets)
Crunches (3 sets)
Calf Raises with Barbbell on the Back (3 sets) rest: 1 minute
The routine was brutal. Note that my rest day was Friday. On Saturday mornings I would start carb loading around (I would never miss that as I could not wait to splurge) and would do the first workout around . I rested on Fridays in order to take full advantage of the weekend carbs. Also note that high reps are performed on Monday and Tuesday in order to accelerate the depletion process and fall into ketosis faster.
Come Saturday and Sunday, we do low reps and more weight. Here is where the carbs came in handy.
After two weeks, I was making awesome gains but I got fed up of living at the gym. Therefore, I combined the morning and the workout by supersetting the bodyparts. However, in order to do this and still finish within 45 minutes, I had to cut the number of sets and reps.
Therefore, here is how the routine ended up looking like.
Phase 2
Monday (10-12 reps)/Wednesday (8-10)/Saturday(6-8)
Day 1: Chest/Back/Arms
Morning Workout: Chest/Back (45 minutes)
Superset:
Incline Bench Press (10 sets)
Wide Grip Pullups to Front (10sets) rest: 1 minute
Evening Workout: Arms (45 minutes)
Superset:
EZ Curls (10 sets)
Lying EZ Triceps Extensions (10 sets) rest: 1 minute
Tuesday (10-12 reps)/Thursday (8-10)/Sunday(6-8)
Day 2: Thighs/Hamstrings/Calves/Abs
Morning Workout: Thighs/Hamstrings (45 minutes)
Squats (10 sets)
Lying Leg Curls (10 sets) rest: 1 minute
Evening Workout: Shoulders/Calves/Abs (45 minutes)
Superset:
Behind The Neck Press (7 sets)
Standing Calf Raises (7 sets) rest: 1 minute
Giantset:
Leg Raises (3 sets)
Bent Over Laterals (3 sets)
Crunches (3 sets)
Calf Raises with Barbbell on the Back (3 sets) rest: 1 minute
The way that I incorporated the other exercises that I eliminated was by alternating them every workout. For instance, one day I would do ten sets of Incline Presses, then the next day ten sets of Chest Dips, etc..
As crazy as it sounds, both the routine and the diet were an utter success. Now that I take a look at it I also presume that part of my success was due to the fact that I overtrained for the first two weeks and then cut down on the volume for the next two (allowing my body to supercompensate and grow). If I would have continued with the pace of the first two weeks, perhaps I would not have made as much gains. Would I do such a routine these days.
Probably not, due to time constraints. I just have too many responsibilities to live at the gym. However, when my 6 week sabbatical vacation comes... who knows. Would it work the same? Maybe not as my body would probably remember. However, I do believe that I would still make some gains but not as dramatic as they were the first time.
So what would I recommend as a routine to go with such diet these days?
I would say a similar protocol to the one that Dave recommended in one of his weekly posts where you divide your body in three days, rest one, divide your body in two days and rest again. What I would do is this:
Monday: Would be a Cardio Day (25 minutes) with Abs.
Tuesday: I would do Legs.
Wednesday: Chest and Back.
Thurday: Shoulders and Arms.
Friday: Cardio Day (25 minutes) with Abs.
Saturday: Legs.
Sunday: Upper Body.
On the weekdays I would use high reps (13-15) and on the weekend (8-10). For the first two weeks I would ensure doing more sets than usual but not so many that you go over 1 hour. Ensure that you superset and that you use the 10 set method. For the next couple of weeks, lower the sets (just do ten per bodypart) and lower the reps (weekdays I would
Use 10-12 and on the weekend 6-8).
So there you have it. The best routine/diet that I have ever used. It's tough but it delivered the goods. I hope that if anyone out there is using a diet similar you find using a similar training strategy as useful as I did.
Take Care and Train Hard!
