Muscle 2
Description
The 8-week Muscle 2 weight training program is designed to:
- Train all of your major muscle groups
- Build muscle in the 9–11 and 6–8 rep ranges
- Strengthen your core and primal movement patterns
- Introduce you to rep range alternation (undulating periodization)
- Introduce you to the intensity technique of training to failure
The program consists of two upper–lower splits, which means that there are four workouts (A, B, C, and D). Workouts A and C will train your upper body; workouts B and D will train your lower body.
In weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7, you will train in the 9–11 rep range; in weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8, you will train in the 6–8 rep range.
To understand why you will be alternating rep ranges, please read the Overview of men’s weight training programs.
Note: This program is also available in my ebook.
Suitability
- Lifters who have completed the Muscle 1 program
- Anyone who has at least 6 months of consistent weight training experience
Instructions
- Complete all four workouts (A, B, C, and D) in the order provided
- The recommend workout schedule is ABXCDXX (where ‘X’ represents a rest day). Try not to work out for four days in a row and have three days off
- Complete the exercises in the order provided
- Perform all of the sets for each exercise before moving on to the sets of the next exercise
- Rest for 30 to 90 seconds between sets
- Rest for 1 to 2 minutes between exercises
- Try to master the proper form of each exercise, including proper breathing technique. Also, try to develop a mental connection with your muscles and the movement patterns
- If you get bored of an exercise, see the Overview of men’s weight training programs for alternatives
- If training at home in the absence of cable machines and other specialized equipment, see below the exercise tables for exercise alternatives
- Always use an amount of weight that will make hitting the rep range challenging
- Whenever you have to increase the weight, add a maximum of 5 lb (or 2.5 kg) to upper-body exercises or 10 lb (or 5 kg) to lower-body exercises
- In weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7, take the last set of every exercise to failure — that is, keep doing reps until you can’t do another rep in good form. This is an intensity technique known as training to failure. Note that for some exercises, such as the barbell squat, you will not be able to safely train to failure unless you have a training partner or spotter ready, in which case do not train to failure
- Don’t forget to warm up before, and stretch after, each workout
- Once you have completed the Muscle 2 program, you must take a deload week. Only then can you move on to the next program, or redo the same program
| Workout A (Upper body) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | |
| *Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7 | Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8 | |
| Medium-grip lat pull-down | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| T-bar row | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Dumbbell bench press | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Seated dumbbell overhead press | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Cable face pull | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Triceps dip with a dumbbell between your feet | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Dumbbell cross-body hammer curl | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| *If possible, take the last set of every exercise to failure | ||
| Workout B (Lower body) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | |
| *Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7 | Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8 | |
| Barbell sumo squat | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Barbell one-leg hip thrust | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Seated or lying leg curl | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Standing dumbbell one-leg calf raise | 3 x 20–25 | 3 x 15–20 |
| Lying side hip raise | 2 x 20–25 | 2 x 25–30 |
| Bicycle crunch | 3 x 20–25 | 3 x 25–30 |
| One-leg front plank | 2 x 60–90 s | 2 x 60–90 s |
| *If possible, take the last set of every exercise to failure. s = seconds | ||
| Workout C (Upper body) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | |
| *Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7 | Week 2, 4, 6, 8 | |
| Seated twisting cable row | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Barbell bench press | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Incline reverse-grip dumbbell bench press | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Dumbbell lateral raise | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Reverse dumbbell fly | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Decline EZ bar skull crusher | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Incline dumbbell curl | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| *If possible, take the last set of every exercise to failure | ||
| Workout D (Lower body) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | |
| *Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7 | Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8 | |
| Barbell Romanian deadlift | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Seated or lying leg curl | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Machine seated calf raise | 3 x 20–25 | 3 x 15–20 |
| Cable wood chop | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Weighted captain’s chair leg and hip raise | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Wheel rollout | 2 x 10–15 | 2 x 15–20 |
| *If possible, take the last set of every exercise to failure | ||
Alternatives for the cable/machine exercises
- Medium-grip lat pull-down — Medium-grip band lat pull-down (YT) or medium-grip pull-up
- T-bar row — Bent-over dumbbell row, bent-over barbell row, or seated band row (YT)
- Cable face pull — Band face pull (YT) or dumbbell face pull (YT)
- Triceps dip — Weighted bench dip (YT)
- Seated or lying leg curl — Inverse leg curl, one-leg stability ball leg curl (YT), or band leg curl (YT)
- Seated twisting cable row — Seated twisting band row (YT) or dumbbell twisting row (YT)
- Machine seated calf raise — Barbell seated calf raise (YT)
- Cable wood chop — Band wood chop (YT) or weighted Russian twist
- Weight captain’s chair leg and hip raise — Hanging leg and hip raise with dumbbell between feet or lying band leg and hip raise (YT)
- Wheel rollout — Ab walkout (YT) or inch worm (YT)
