One thing I'm always getting asked about these days is programs. "Shawn what program should i do?", "Shawn i want to get on a program but i don't know what one and i cant afford a coach". are only some of the many questions i get regarding programming. Myself i have always been a fan of just doing my own programming and learning as i go and i still to this day design my own but i understand to do that it takes quite a bit of experience lifting and getting to know your body so i can understand why some people just want to follow someone else's program. So with that said it brings me to the topic of todays blog. Today i am going to discuss 3 programs from Bodybuidling.com that you actually can benefit from and you will also learn a lot from these programs too so in the future you can start to do your own programming.
But first if your looking for a strength and hypertrophy balanced program make sure and check out SHDUPA!
Bodybuilding.com is an Excellent Source To Use
I will never forget my earlier years of training back in high school. It was before i even knew that programming was a thing and i would get all my info from there. I still remember back to the days of getting home from school sitting down on my computer printing off the workout of the day which would often time be something with triceps because i loved benching and training triceps almost every day LOL. I would then train and then afterward i would go eat dinner with the family then spend the rest of the night either gaming or on the Bodybuild.com Forums chatting it up with the rest of the fitness community. Very very fun times and It was a great starting point to use for learning the basics. I highly recommend you save so much of your time and check out bodybuilding.com when you have fitness questions and such as there is almost an article for everything over there. I don't agree with a lot of the nutrition crap they post on their as a lot of it is bro science unless it is wrote by Layne Norton or Jim Stoppani but the training and supplementation articles are worth looking at. The website has so many programs but today i am going to highlight my personal 3 favorites along with some runner ups that i got the most out off and also learned the most from them.
3 PROGRAMS I RECCOMEND
1. PH3 Trainer by Layne Norton
I'm sure this one was no surprise for you too see on this list. As i have wrote 3 different blogs about that program,
phase 2 and
(i recommend you check them out before jumping into the program). PH3 was probably my favorite program ever to run besides Layne Norton's PHAT, and if i can ever recover from this back injury/sciatica pain i would love to do it again. Ph3 is a 3 month (3 phase) program that uses the training system of Daily Undulating Periodization or DUP. Its goal is to get you strong and build muscle in 13 weeks and prepare you for a peaking block followed by a test or max day.
How Many Days A Week?
PH3 is a 5 day a week plan which is in my opinion the perfect number of days to train for a natural athlete for size and strength.
Whats The Split?
Monday - Squat, Bench, Deadlift (Light Day)
Tuesday - Upper Accessory
Wednesday - Squat, Bench (Medium Day), Lower Accessory
Thursday - Rest Day
Friday - Deadlift, Bench (Heavy Day), Upper Accessory
Saturday - Squats (Heavy Day), Lower Accessory
Sunday - Rest Day
(more PH3 split variations can be found in my other PH3 blogs)
How Long Are The Workouts?
Each training day lasts as long as you need it too. I reccomend resting as long as possible on compound movements so that could be anywhere from 3-8 or maybe even 10 minutes for real intense days. Each workout for me would roughly take 1:30 to 2:00 to complete (thats with warm up and cool down)
What You Will Learn
PH3 is a full blown learning course as well as fitness program. You will learn how to periodize your training in a DUP Template and you will also get a great understanding of percentages and building programs off your one rep max. Another thing you will learn is the RPE scale or Rate of Perceived Exertion Scale and how to modify your training to accommodate for how your feeling on any given day or week. Another thing you will learn is just how mentally tough you are. There are these things called AMRAP sets in PH3 where you will take you last set to failure every now and then and those sets will really show you what you are truly capable of.
How Would I Modify It?
Doing this program all the way through and then getting injured at the end defiantly showed me that this program has a way to be improved so this is what i would change if i ever did it again.
- I would Eliminate the AMRAPS (i have never had luck with them and i always seem to get injured when i train with them.
- I would drop some other compound back exercises that i was doing to allow my back more recovery.
- I would have focused on form more
- I would have reduced weight if it was not moving fast or at least a good speed. (i had way to many grindy reps)
- I would have played around with the split to not have myself deadlifting heavy the day right before squatting heavy
- I would have dropped squatting to only 2 days, 3 days was just too repetitive and i think it was one thing that helped lead me into a bad injury
With All That Said
This is a great program that i recommend you check out but only attempt this program if you have been lifting at least 5 years and doing the main lifts. Be prepared to work hard but also don't be like me and don't push yourself too hard because you will regret it when you can no longer lift big and really have no promise of ever returning.
2. Arnold's Blue Print To Mass
This one is a true Gem, i have never done the program all the way through but this program will really teach you how to go about your accessory work for your main lifts and you will then realize how Arnold got so big.
How Many Days A Week?
Arnold was always a fan of training 6 days a week so thats what this trainer is as well. 6 Days is a lot and for most people including myself prefer 5 days but you could probably modify that program to 5 days if you wanted too. Don't feel the need to train 6 days a week, just because something Arnold was a fan of does not mean you have too do it as well. I actually started seeing my best improvements in size and strength when i dropped from 6 to 5 days a week.
Whats The Split?
Monday - Chest & Back (Heavy)
Tuesday - Legs (Heavy)
Wednesday - Shoulders & Arms (Heavy)
Thursday - Chest & Back (hypertrophy)
Friday - Legs (Hypertrophy)
Saturday - Shoulders & Arms (Hypertrophy)
Sunday - Rest Day
How Long Are The Workouts?
Like i said i never did the full program but i tried several of the routines and these were long routines! Be ready to train the majority of the days for 1:45 minutes or more. This Program is packed with volume so you WILL WORK.
What You Will Learn
This program will teach you how to structure your splits in the future for the most efficient way to gain size and strength. You will also learn what high volume training really is and you will learn if you have what it takes to get past some of these sessions. Also i guarantee that once you do some of these routines that will will understand that steroids were only a part of the golden age of bodybuilding as this type of training is what it takes to be a champion.
How Would I Modify It?
Since i never did this program all the way through i can't really recommend what to modify but i would for sure;
- made sure i ate enough to fuel my training
- made sure and do plenty of mobility work to help stay healthy and not get injured
- i would really use the RPE scale to allow myself not to train so hard that i would hurt myself as this program has a ton of volume so intensity has to be monitored.
- i probably would drop some of the exercises to cut down some of the time on these routines.
- along with what i just said i might only do 3 or 4 working sets instead of the 5 working sets in the program.
With All That Said
This program looks like a great thing to jump into once you have been training for 2-3 years. This program will introduce you to high volume training and you will gain a new respect for the golden age of bodybuilding. Give this program a whirl and watch the gainz appear, thats if you work for them!
3. Craig Capurso's 30 Days Out
This one might be a surpise to see on the list. If you have followed me for some time you know for a fact i am not a fan of quick programs that promise results in 30 days or less. To get real results it takes years so im not highlighting this for the 30 days, im highlighting this program because this program will really throw you for some variety when you need to change it up. These rotuines are tough! I have been a fan of Craigs pretty much ever since i heard about him back in 2012 and i have still followed some of his training principles to this day. Heavy Volume Training or HVT is the training system this is designed around and as you will find out it is a fun way to train every now and then.
Whats The Split?
Monday - Chest and cardio
Tuesday - Back and cardio
Wednesday - Biceps, triceps, calves, and cardio
Thursday - Legs and cardio
Friday - Shoulders and cardio
Saturday - Biceps, triceps, calves, and cardio
Sunday - Rest
Now I'm not highlighting this really for the split either as i prefer and recommend that natural athletes train everything 2-3 times a week for the best muscle growth (high frequency) results but aside from the split its the training system that i want to highlight. Also no one on earth needs that much cardio.
How Long Are The Workouts?
These are fast pace and they really don’t take long at all, Most routines i was able to finish in 45 minutes. This is also due to the fact that rest time is timed in this program so it forces you to stay on plan.
What You Will Learn
The main reason i wanted to highlight this program is because Craigs designed this program using the system of HVT or heavy volume training and this is a training system that really is fun to throw in every now and then. I wouldn't personally recommend always training like this as they have shown in studies that DUP trumps pretty much any other training style when it comes to gaining muscle and strength but HVT is something you can throw in every now and then to mix things up or to keep things interesting or from getting stale.
How Would I Modify It?
I would modify this program a lot because the program itself is not the best but the training system was the point i wanted to get across, for start
- I would eliminate all that extra cardio crap
- I would change the split to;
Monday - Push Day
Tuesday -Pull Day
Wednesday - Leg Day
Thursday - Push Day
Friday - Pull Day
Saturday - Leg Day
Sunday - Rest Day
- I also might add some more rest time between sets to allow myself to perform better
With All That Said
Like i stated many times in this blog the program itself is not structured the best and the program is not really what im recommending but the training style is something to pay attention too. Use the Push Pull Legs split i put together for this program and eliminate the cardio and you would have yourself a solid training program or at least something that would allow some variety when you need it.
Runner Up Programs
So while i wanted to highlight 3 programs i also had a hard time choosing these 3 so i wanted to mention some runner ups that came real close to the 3 above.
- Steve Cooks Big Man On Campus
- Modern Physique: Steve Cook's 8-week Training Plan
- Jim Stoppani’s 12-week Shortcut To Size
Those are 3 more that you need to check out.
Conclusion
Alright guys so hopefully this guide was helpful to those of you looking for free programs to get you started on your fitness journey or some ideas that can help you further your programming knowledge. Something you should always remember guys is that you don't know it all and you will always benefit from trying more and more training systems and training with more diverse people. Don't be afraid to get outside your box and try some new things, who knows you might really enjoy it and further change you training knowledge for the better! I want to here from you guys! Have you done a Bodybuilding.com program or benefited from something they have taught you? I want you to tell me in the comments below! Thanks for reading guys and i hope you got something out of this blog, if you did then all i ask of you is that you click those share buttons to help this blog community grow. Thanks guys! See Ya All next week!
Stay Strong,
Shawn Fausey
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- Shawn Fausey is the Founder and CEO of Fausey's Fitness. With Over 6 years experience in Bodybuilding, Powerlifting and Nutrition. Shawn offers services of online fitness coaching, programing and consulting. Shawn is also a Graphic Designer and can be reached for graphic services on www.rev-graphics.com
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