muscle and strength 2, Muscle and Strength 2
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Muscle and Strength 2

ByEdward Lord
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Description

The 9-week Muscle and Strength 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, and build strength in the 3–5 rep range
  • Strengthen your core and primal movement patterns
  • Introduce you to the intensity technique of rest–pause training

The program consists of five workouts (A, B, C, D, and E). Workout A will train your back, biceps, and core; Workout B will train your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core; Workout C will train your legs and core; Workout D will train your upper body; and Workout E will train your lower body.

In weeks 1, 4, and 7, you will train in the 9–11 rep range (muscle); in weeks 2, 5, and 8, you will train in the 6–8 rep range (muscle); and in weeks 3, 6, and 9, you will train in the 3–5 rep range (strength).

Please read the Overview of men’s weight training programs before you start this program.

Note: This program is also available in my ebook.

Suitability

  • Lifters who have completed the Muscle and Strength 1 program
  • Anyone who has at least 12 months of consistent weight training experience

Instructions

  • Complete the workouts (A, B, C, D, and E) in the order provided
  • The recommend workout schedule is ABCXDEX (where ‘X’ represents a rest day). Try not to work out for five days in a row and have two days off
  • Complete the exercises in the order provided
  • During muscle weeks, rest for 30 to 90 seconds between sets and 1 to 2 minutes between exercises
  • During strength weeks, rest for 2 to 5 minutes between sets and 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 a weight that is heavy enough to make the reps 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, 4, and 7, take the last set of every exercise to failure, put down the weights, wait for 15 to 20 seconds, pick the weights back up, and continue until you hit failure again. This intensity technique is known as rest–pause training. Note that it is not safe to use it on some exercises, such as the barbell squat, unless you have a spotter. If you do not have a spotter, please do not use the technique
  • Don’t forget to warm up before, and stretch after, each workout
  • Once you have completed the Muscle and Strength 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 (Back, biceps, core)
ExerciseSets x Reps
Muscle weeksStrength weeks
*Weeks 1, 4, 7Weeks 2, 5, 8Weeks 3, 6, 9
Pull-up with dumbbell between feet3 x 9–113 x 6–83 x 3–5
Seated twisting cable row3 x 9–113 x 6–83 x 3–5
EZ bar curl2 x 9–112 x 6–82 x 3–5
EZ bar reverse curl2 x 9–112 x 6–82 x 3–5
Dumbbell lying external shoulder rotation2 x 15–202 x 15–202 x 10–15
Bicycle crunch3 x 20–253 x 25–303 x 30–35
Lying side hip raise2 x 20–252 x 25–302 x 30–35
*If possible, perform a rest pause for the last set of every exercise
Workout B (Chest, shoulders, triceps, core)
ExerciseSets x Reps
Muscle weeksStrength weeks
*Weeks 1, 4, 7Weeks 2, 5, 8Weeks 3, 6, 9
Barbell bench press3 x 9–113 x 6–83 x 3–5
Incline reverse-grip dumbbell bench press3 x 9–113 x 6–83 x 3–5
Barbell shoulder press3 x 9–113 x 6–83 x 3–5
Wide-grip barbell upright row2 x 9–112 x 6–82 x 3–5
Cable face pull3 x 9–113 x 6–83 x 6–8
Triceps dip with dumbbell between feet2 x 9–112 x 6–82 x 3–5
One-leg front plank2 x 60–90 s2 x 60–90 s2 x 90–120 s
*If possible, perform a rest pause for the last set of every exercise. s = seconds
Workout C (Legs and core)
ExerciseSets x Reps
Muscle weeksStrength weeks
*Weeks 1, 4, 7Weeks 2, 5, 8Weeks 3, 6, 9
Barbell squat3 x 9–113 x 6–83 x 3–5
Dumbbell side lunge (YT)2 x 9–112 x 6–82 x 3–5
Seated or lying leg curl3 x 9–113 x 6–83 x 3–5
Machine standing calf raise3 x 20–253 x 15–203 x 10–15
Machine seated calf raise2 x 20–252 x 15–202 x 10–15
Hanging leg and hip raise with dumbbell between feet3 x 9–113 x 6–83 x 6–8
Cable twist2 x 9–112 x 6–82 x 6–8
*If possible, perform a rest pause for the last set of every exercise
Workout D (Upper body)
ExerciseSets x Reps
Muscle weeksStrength weeks
*Weeks 1, 4, 7Weeks 2, 5, 8Weeks 3, 6, 9
Weighted inverted row3 x 9–113 x 6–83 x 3–5
One-arm lat pull-down2 x 9–112 x 6–82 x 3–5
Weighted push-up or
hammer-grip dumbbell bench press		3 x 9–113 x 6–83 x 3–5
Standing incline cable fly2 x 9–112 x 6–82 x 3–5
Reverse dumbbell fly3 x 9–113 x 6–83 x 3–5
Cable triceps kickback3 x 9–113 x 6–83 x 3–5
Incline dumbbell curl2 x 9–112 x 6–82 x 3–5
*If possible, perform a rest pause for the last set of every exercise
Workout E (Lower body)
ExerciseSets x Reps
Muscle weeksStrength weeks
*Weeks 1, 4, 7Weeks 2, 5, 8Weeks 3, 6, 9
Barbell deadlift3 x 9–113 x 6–83 x 3–5
Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat2 x 9–112 x 6–82 x 3–5
Barbell hip thrust2 x 9–112 x 6–82 x 3–5
Seated or lying leg curl2 x 9–112 x 6–82 x 3–5
Machine standing calf raise3 x 20–253 x 15–203 x 10–15
Wheel rollout3 x 10–153 x 15–203 x 15–20
Cable horizontal Pallof press2 x 9–112 x 6–82 x 6–8
*If possible, perform a rest pause for the last set of every exercise

Alternatives for the cable/machine exercises

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