This blog is based on an excerpt that I am taking from a short book that I am working on. The emphasis of the book is focused on a variation of an old school workout known as 8 sets of 8 reps. This blog post contains most of the book, but the remaining portion of the book will be released in the next blog.
Introduction
During the 1960s, a trainer by the name of Vince Gironda produced some of the top bodybuilders of that era. One of the training routines that he used for himself and for his students was eight sets of eight reps for each muscle group. This routine was popular in Vince’s day, and it is still popular today because of its effectiveness when applied correctly. Vince’s version of the routine is often considered the standard version. His version is very simple and straight forward:
Pick a muscle building exercise that you want to do for a specific muscle group and do it for eight sets of eight reps. As with any exercise you choose, the exercise will work better if you perform it with excellent form. This being the case, commit yourself to focus on perfect form instead of trying to lift a lot of weight.
Select a poundage that will make it challenging to do eight sets of eight reps with only 15 to 20 seconds of rest between sets. Be sure to use the same poundage for all eight sets and do not switch the amount of weight from set to set.
Once you have selected the exercise and the amount of weight you are going to use, perform eight sets of eight reps. If you want to see a good example of the standard version of 8 sets of 8 reps for biceps, refer to the following video:
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If your main objective is to build muscle, work each muscle group twice per week with eight sets of eight reps. If your main objective is to burn fat and maximize definition, you can train each muscle group three times per week.
If you do the workout correctly, you should be able to complete all eight sets of eight reps for an exercise in about five minutes, give or take a minute depending on your rep speed and the exercise you are performing.
My experience with eight sets of eight reps is that it shocks the muscles into growth within the context of short-term training, but quickly loses its effectiveness in the context of long-term training. This being the case, I confess that I am a person who likes to dabble with training methods to see if there are any variations that I respond to better than the standard version which is what happened when I tried what I refer to as the 3-3-2 variation. I especially prefer this variation in the context of long-term training.
The purpose of the rest of the book is to provide a variation of eight sets of eight reps that you can try to see if you like it better than the standard version. If the 3-3-2 variation works better than the standard version, keep doing the 3-3-2 variation. If the standard version works better, throw the 3-3-2 version away and do what works best. You may find that the best strategy is to alternate back and forth by doing the standard version for a few workouts, and then switching to the 3-3-2 variation for a few workouts. My only goal is to provide you with a variation of eight sets of eight reps that has worked for me with the hope that it may prove beneficial for you. The rest of this book will explain the 3-3-2 version of eight sets of eight reps.
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Chapter 1
The 3-3-2 Variation of 8 sets x 8 Reps
The 3-3-2 variation of eight sets of eight reps has a few things in common with the standard version. The factors that are common to both versions include:
Start by choosing one muscle building exercise for each muscle group that you want to work.
When training a muscle group, use the same exercise and the same poundage for all eight sets of eight reps.
The poundage selected should allow you to perform eight sets of eight reps. If you cannot complete eight reps for each set, the poundage you have selected is too heavy.
The 3-3-2 Variation
The 3-3-2 variation of eight sets of eight reps has a few differences from the standard version. The biggest difference is that the eight sets are organized into three different groups including:
A first group of three sets
A second group of three sets
A third group of two sets
15 to 20 Seconds Rest Between sets Within the Same Group
Any time you do a group of either three or two sets, the sets should be performed in rapid succession with only 15 to 20 seconds of rest between sets.
Rest 2 to 3 Minutes Between Each Group of Sets
After completing your first group of three sets, rest two to three minutes before doing your second group of three sets.
After completing your second group of three sets, you will rest another two to three minutes before doing the final group of sets, which only consists of two sets.
The bottom line is to rest 15 to 20 seconds between sets
within the same group, and rest two to three minutes between each group of
sets. You can see a set-by-set written version of the workout on the next page:
1st GROUP CONSISTS OF 3 SETS
Set 1: Do 8 reps
Rest 15 to 20 seconds
Set 2: Do 8 reps
Rest 15 to 20 seconds
Set 3: Do 8 reps
REST 2 to 3 MINUTES BETWEEN GROUP 1 AND GROUP 2
2nd GROUP CONSISTS OF 3 SETS:
Set 4: Do 8 reps
Rest 15 to 20 seconds
Set 5: Do 8 reps
Rest 15 to 20 seconds
Set 6: Do 8 reps
REST 2 to 3 MINUTES BETWEEN GROUP 2 AND GROUP 3
3rd GROUP CONSISTS OF 2 SETS:
Set 7: Do 8 reps
Rest 15 to 20 seconds
Set 8: Do 8 reps
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Eight sets of eight reps can be done in conjunction with any weight training exercise or resistance exercise that you want to use for your workouts. Having said that, I would not recommend eight sets of eight reps for barbell back squats or deadlifts, The reason for this is because the rapid pace between sets for squats or deadlifts is so demanding on your cardiovascular and respiratory systems that it will tend to interfere with your ability to produce strong muscular contractions. It may also wipe you out to the point where it becomes difficult to recover from the workout.
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Chapter 2
The Benefits Of Using More Weight
One of the reasons that I prefer the 3-3-2 method in conjunction with eight sets of eight reps is that it allows the use of more weight than the standard version. The standard version requires a rapid pace and short rest periods between sets for all eight sets. This is good for producing a pump and for creating muscular fatigue, but it doesn’t allow you to use very much weight for your exercises. If you try to use a substantial amount of weight for all eight sets, you will find it impossible to complete eight reps for every set.
Dividing the sets into three groups with three minutes of rest between each group of sets will allow you to recover your strength between each group of sets. This will allow you to use more weight than the standard version. You may find that by using more weight with the 3-3-2 variation, you are able to gain more strength and muscle size than when using the standard version.
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Chapter 3
The Pump
Some people may wonder why such a fast pace is used for the standard version of eight sets of eight reps; especially since the fast pace forces you to use light weights. Why not just do eight sets of eight reps using a slow pace with long rest periods between each set so that you can use heavy weight for all eight sets? While it is true that heavy weights can trigger muscle growth, there are other mechanisms that can trigger muscle growth. One such mechanism is the high degree of lactate based muscular fatigue that occurs when using a rapid training pace in conjunction with eight sets of eight reps.
When using the 3-3-2 variation, you move at a rapid pace from set to set within each group of sets. The rapid pace within the same group of three sets is what produces a pump. The rest between each group of sets is long enough to allow you to recover your strength to use heavier weights, but the rest is not so long that you lose your pump before doing the next group of three or two sets. In my own experience, the rapid build-up of fatigue that occurs within a fast-paced group of three sets of eight reps will trigger a good pump on a consistent basis. The rate of the development of fatigue occurs earlier with three sets of eight reps than eight sets of eight reps because the poundages that are used for three sets of eight reps are heavier. If you train correctly, you will probably have a pretty good pump after the first group of three sets. Ideally, you will stay pumped for the rest of the workout.
In my own experience with the standard version of eight sets of eight reps, I get a superior pump for the first two or three workouts, however, after a few workouts my ability to keep getting a good pump becomes inconsistent. I believe that one factor that causes this is that the fatigue is so high during the last few sets of the standard version that the muscles eventually suffer burn-out when eight sets of eight reps is used on a regular basis. The unwanted result is a decrease in the ability to get a good pump. In my own experience, the pump that you get from the 3-3-2 variation may not be quite as extreme as the pump that you initially get from the standard version, but it produces a pump on a more consistent basis over the long-term.
Notice that I refer to my own experience. Your experience may be different. For example, you may not experience a decrease in your ability to get a good pump when using the standard version of eight sets of eight reps on a regular basis. It may be that your experience with the standard version is that it gives you a great pump every time no matter how many times you repeat the workout. If you don’t experience burnout or a loss of the pump after doing the standard version a few times, then it only makes sense to keep doing it.
Even if you love the standard version of eight sets of eight reps, there is no harm in trying the 3-3-2 variation, however, after you try it, you should use the version that works best. If both versions work good, you can use them both by alternating between the two versions as often as you like.
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Chapter 4
Train With The Right Intensity
No matter what weight training routine you decide to use for your workouts, one of the keys to success is to train with the right amount of intensity. If the intensity is too low, the training will not stimulate any muscle growth or strength. If the intensity is too high, the eventual result will be overtraining and the inability to make progress due to inadequate recovery. The bottom line is that the amount of intensity must be right in order to maximize your results.
I believe the best intensity for long-term gains is to base your weight selection on the limit of your ability to maintain a steady even rep pace for every rep of every set. A second option is to select a weight that allows you to maintain a steady even rep pace for all but the last rep of the last set of each group of sets. More explanation is needed.
Imagine that you are performing barbell curls for eight sets of eight reps using the 3-3-2 variation. The workout starts with a group of three consecutive sets with just 15 to 20 seconds between sets. The amount of weight that you select for barbell curls should be the maximum weight that you can use within your ability to maintain a steady even rep pace for every rep of all three sets. This means that if you were to push yourself to do a ninth rep on your third set, you would be able to complete the ninth rep, but the accumulation of fatigue would force you to use a slower rep speed. This same degree of intensity should be your goal for the second group of three sets. Of course, your last group of sets consists of only two sets, but your goal should still be to reach the limit of your ability to perform eight reps on your last set of every group, including the third group of sets.
The ideal weight and intensity will allow you to perform every rep of every set using the same rep speed. At the same time, the ideal weight would force you to decrease to a slower rep speed if you were to push yourself to do more than eight reps on the final set of each group of sets. Strive to find the ideal amount of weight that produces the ideal amount of intensity.
If you select a weight that is too heavy, it will force you to decrease to a slower rep pace before you reach your eighth rep for one or more of the sets within a group of sets. If you happen to slow down on the very last rep of the last set within a group of sets, this is ok. Your goal would be to repeat enough workouts to gain the strength to do every rep without being forced to slow down on the last rep of your sets.
Adjust Rest Time For The Last Group of Sets If Necessary
You may need to adjust the rest time between sets for the last group of sets which consists of only two sets instead of three sets. Your goal for intensity is to reach the limit of reps you can perform using a steady even rep pace on the last rep of your second set. This may require that you adjust to a shorter rest time between your first and second set. If you don’t do this, you may find that you haven’t reached the limit of reps you can perform using a steady even rep pace. In this case, you would be able to do closer to ten or more reps using a steady even rep pace. You do have the option of adding extra reps to your last set if you have the ability to maintain a steady even rep pace when doing so. The option that I recommend is to stick with eight reps and simply decrease the rest time between your first and second set in order to reach your limit of even paced reps when you reach your eighth rep.
Don’t Reduce Rest Between Sets if it is not Necessary
It may be that you don’t need to reduce the rest between the first and second set when you reach the third group of sets. This would occur if you accumulate enough fatigue during the first and second group of sets to reduce your capacity for your last two sets. The fatigue would cause your limit of even paced reps to decrease to only two sets of even paced reps. In this case, you wouldn’t need to decrease the rest time between the first and second set.
The bottom line is that you can adjust the rest time between sets. The goal of this is to arrive at the right amount of intensity when you hit the last rep of the last set in a group of sets. One form of progression is to decrease the rest between sets as you gain strength. Ideally, you will be able to reduce the rest time between sets within the same group of sets as your strength and conditioning improves.
When to Add Weight to an Exercise
If you reach the point where you can maintain a steady even rep pace throughout every set with less than 15 seconds rest between sets, consider increasing the weight of the exercise by five pounds. Every time you add weight, the increase in weight will force you to increase the amount of rest between sets to over 15 seconds again. Keep repeating the cycle of improving enough to decrease your rest time between sets to 15 seconds or less, which signals another increase in weight.
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Chapter 5
Switching Between Muscle Groups
One of the great things about the standard version of eight sets of eight reps is that a muscle group can be trained in approximately five minutes. This allows you to do fast workouts that can be completed in a short amount of time. If you adjust to the 3-3-2 variation by adding three minutes of rest between groups of sets, the workout will definitely take longer to complete unless you train a second muscle group between the three-minute rest time for the first muscle group. Some examples will help to explain this.
Imagine that you have performed a group of three sets for your chest. You then have two to three minutes of rest before doing a second group of three sets for your chest. Instead of resting for three minutes without any exercise, use those three minutes to train your back muscles with a group of three sets. Of course, you should keep alternating a group of sets for chest with a group of sets for your back muscles until you have completed three groups of sets for both muscle groups. Likewise, you can alternate a group of sets for biceps with a group of sets for triceps. Keep alternating until you have completed three groups of sets for both biceps and triceps. Other good combinations are to alternate back and forth between your deltoid and calf muscles, and between your quadriceps and hamstring muscles.
You can switch back and forth between any combination of muscle groups that you prefer. In doing so, you will fill in the two to three-minute rest times with periods of exercise. This will result in quick workouts that can be completed in a short amount of time.
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Chapter 6
Exercise Schedules
When creating a workout schedule with eight sets of eight reps for each exercise, I generally recommend hitting each muscle group twice per week. It is possible to do full body workouts twice per week, but each workout will turn out to be very long. A better option for most people is to split your muscle groups into different workouts and hit each muscle group twice per week over the course of four to six workouts.
Full Body Workouts
Even though I don’t really recommend full body workouts for eight sets of eight reps, there may be some people who prefer full body workouts. For those who have this preference, an example of a full body workout schedule consisting of two workouts per week is presented below:
Mondays: Train each muscle group of your body with 8 sets of 8 reps
Fridays: Train each muscle group of your body with 8 sets of 8 reps
Possible exercise selection:
Bench Presses for chest
Lat pulldowns for back
Overhead presses with dumbbells for shoulders,
Standing dumbbell curls for biceps
Cable triceps press-downs for triceps
Hack squats for quadriceps
Leg curls for hamstrings
Seated calf raises for calves
Crunches for abs
The Two-way Split Routine
If you prefer a split routine, you will be splitting your muscle groups into different workouts that are performed on different days. For example, you can divide your muscle groups into upper body muscles that you work in one workout, and leg muscles plus abdominal muscles that would be worked in a separate workout. If you choose this type of split, it would take four workouts per week to hit each muscle group twice. A sample schedule of this is presented below:
Mondays: 8 sets of 8 reps for chest, back, deltoids, biceps and triceps
Tuesdays: 8 sets of 8 reps for quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and abs
Thursdays: 8 sets of 8 reps for chest, back, deltoids, biceps and triceps
Fridays: 8 sets of 8 reps for quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and abs
You can choose whatever exercises you prefer for each muscle group. The following is an example of exercises you can choose for the muscle groups that are to be worked on Mondays and Thursdays:
Incline barbell press for chest muscles
Seated pulley rows for back muscles
Upright rows for deltoids
Barbell curls for biceps
Lying triceps extensions for triceps
Example of exercises you can perform for the muscle groups that are to be worked on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Leg extensions for quadriceps
Leg curls for hamstrings
Standing Calf raises for calves
Crunches for abs
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The Three-way Split
Another option would be to split your muscle groups into three workouts. The first workout would consist of chest, back, and abdominal exercises. The second workout would consist of deltoids, biceps, and triceps exercises. The third workout would consist of quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf exercises. Each workout would be performed twice per week which will give you a total of six workouts per week. The following schedule would be an example of this:
Mondays: 8 sets of 8 reps for chest, back, and abdominal muscles
Example of exercise selection: Bench presses, lat pulldowns, crunches.
Tuesdays: 8 sets of 8 reps for deltoids, biceps and triceps muscles
Example of exercise selection: DB lateral raises, seated DB curls, Triceps press-downs
Wednesdays: 8 sets of 8 reps for quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves
Example of exercise selection: sissy squats, leg curls, standing calf raises
Thursdays: 8 sets of 8 reps for chest, back, and abdominal muscles
Example of exercise selection: Incline DB press, seated pulley rows, crunches
Fridays: 8 sets of 8 reps for deltoids, biceps and triceps muscles
Example of exercise selection: DB overhead press, seated incline curls, lying triceps extensions
Saturdays: 8 sets of 8 reps for quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves
Example of exercise selection: belt squats, hyperextensions, seated calf raises
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The Four-Way Split
Some of you may even prefer a four-way split in which you split your muscle groups into four different workouts as follows:
1st workout: 8 sets of 8 reps for chest and back muscles
Sample of exercise selection: DB bench press, seated pulley rows
2nd workout: 8 sets of 8 reps for deltoids and abdominal muscles
Sample of exercise selection: DB Lateral raises for delts and Curl ups for abs
3rd workout: 8 sets of 8 reps for quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves
Sample of exercise selection: Goblet squats, leg curls, standing calf raises
4th workout: 8 sets of 8 reps for biceps, and triceps
Sample of exercise selection: Spider curls for biceps, overhead triceps extensions
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Make Changes and Modifications According to Your Preference
The example schedules are simply samples and options of how you can organize your training. You may prefer to split your muscle groups into different combinations than the samples presented above. The bottom line is that you can design your workout schedule according to your own preference.
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Chapter 7
Exercises
Exercises should be selected according to your goals, equipment and the exercises that you are comfortable with. If you have already had the opportunity to try a lot of different exercises, use your experience to choose the ones that have worked best.
I want to remind you that I would not include heavy back squats or deadlifts into your workouts because those exercises will tend to wear you out if you do them for eight sets of eight reps. There are other leg exercises such as hack squats, sissy squats, belt squats, goblet squats, and leg extensions that are likely to be a better selection for eight sets of eight reps.
Perhaps you need some help with exercise selection. The following list contains some of the exercises I would recommend for eight sets of eight reps if your main objective is to build muscle:
Chest Exercises
Bench press with barbells or dumbbells
Incline press with barbells or dumbbells
Dips or decline press with barbells or dumbbells
Back Exercises
Lat pulldowns to the front
Seated pulley rows
T-bar rows
Deltoid Exercises
Dumbbell lateral raises to the side
Dumbbell overhead presses
Upright barbell rows
Biceps Exercises
Barbell curls
Seated dumbbell curls on an incline bench
Spider curls
Concentration curls
Triceps Exercises
Standing triceps-cable press-downs
Lying triceps extensions with dumbbells or a barbell
Overhead triceps extensions
Quadriceps Exercises
Note: If you are unfamiliar with these quadriceps exercises, please refer to the video demonstrations at the end of this blog.
Hack Squats
Sissy squats
Goblet squats
Leg extensions
Belt squats
Hamstring Exercises
Leg Curls
Hyperextensions
Calf Exercises
Standing Calf Raises
Seated Calf Raises
Donkey Calf Raises
Abdominal Exercises
Curl-ups
Reverse-Curl ups
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The rest of the book will appear in the next blog. God bless you with the best of training.
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Additional Resources
Sissy Squat Variations
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Goblet Squats
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Belt Squats
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Hack Squats
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