Blog Entry 7
This is part seven of a series of articles that explain The 4 x 10 Workout. The 4 x 10 Workout consists of four sets of ten reps for each muscle group, however, the workout is performed four different ways in four different phases. Each phase consists of a different structure in term of how the exercises are organized and ordered throughout the workout. The final phase will be discussed in this article and consists of what I refer to as giant-set circuits. The rest of this article picks up with chapter 11 and explains how to construct and perform a workout consisting of giant-set circuits. You may find it helpful to read the information in the preceding articles that lead up to this article. The information in the preceding articles can be found by clicking on the following link:
From Giants To Pyramids: The 4 x 10 Workout
Chapter 11
Giant-Set Circuits
Giant-Set Circuits make up the fourth phase of 4 x 10 training and make up the final 4 x 10 workout. The giant-sets consist of four different exercises for four different muscle groups. This is different than the giant-set workouts that are performed for phase one in which each muscle group is trained with four consecutive exercises for the same muscle group.
Of the four phases of training, giant-set circuits allow the most rest between sets for the same muscle group. The added rest between sets for the same muscle group will allow your muscles to fully regain strength before training them with another set. The result is that you will be able to use more weight for this phase than you used in phases one, two, or three. This will create an unfamiliar stress to your muscles which will challenge them to grow bigger and stronger.
The giant-set circuit workout is divided into two parts:
Part one of the workout consists of training your chest, back, quadriceps and hamstring muscles.
Part two of the workout consists of training your deltoids, calves, biceps, and triceps muscles.
Steps for Planning Part 1 of The Workout
In order to plan a giant-set circuit for part one of the workout, use the following steps:
Step 1:
Identify the four different muscle groups you will be training for part one which will include
Chest muscles
Back muscles
Quadriceps muscles
Hamstring muscles
Step 2:
Choose an exercise for each muscle group. For example:
Bench press for chest muscles
Lat Pulldowns for back muscles
Squats for quadriceps
Curls for hamstrings
Step 3:
Perform one set of ten reps for each exercise and each muscle group. When you have completed one set for each muscle group, you have completed one giant-set circuit. An example of one circuit is listed below:
Bench press for chest muscles: Do 1 set x 10 reps
Lat Pulldowns for back muscles: Do 1 set x 10 reps
Squats for quadriceps: Do 1 set x 10 reps
Curls for hamstrings: Do 1 set x 10 reps
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Step 4:
Keep repeating the giant-set circuit for chest, back, quadriceps, and hamstrings, until you have performed it four times.
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When you have completed four giant-set circuits for chest, back, quadriceps, and hamstrings, you have completed the first half of the workout.
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Part 2 of the Workout
The second half of the workout consists of the same procedure for a different group of four muscle groups which include:
Deltoid muscles
Calf muscles
Biceps muscles
Triceps muscles
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An example of how to perform the second half of the workout explained below:
Overhead D.B. Press for deltoids: Do 1 set x 10 reps
Standing Calf Raises for calves: Do 1 set x 10 reps
Seated D.B. Curl for biceps: Do 1 set x 10 reps
Triceps Press-downs for triceps: Do 1 set x 10 reps
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When you have performed one set of ten reps for each exercise, you have completed one giant-set circuit for deltoids, calves, biceps, and triceps.
Keep repeating giant-set circuits for deltoids, calves, biceps, and triceps until you have performed a total of four giant-set circuits. When you finish this, you will have completed part two along with the entire workout.
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How to Pyramid Your Poundages
It is very important that you use the correct amount of effort and weight for each giant-set circuit. You will actually be pyramiding your poundages from one circuit to the next until you reach your heaviest weight on the third circuit. You will then use the same amount of weight for the fourth circuit that you used for the third circuit. This was explained in chapter five, but it deserves review and is explained again below as it pertains to the giant-set circuits discussed in this chapter.
1st Giant-Set Circuit
When pyramiding the poundages of your circuits, the poundages of your first circuit should be 50% to 60% of the poundages that you will use for your heaviest circuits, which will be the third and fourth circuits.
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2nd Giant-Set Circuit
The poundages for your second circuit should be performed with about 75% to 80% of the weight that you will use for your heaviest circuits, which will be the third and fourth circuits.
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3rd and 4th Giant-Set Circuit
The poundages for your third and fourth sets are your heaviest sets and you will use the same poundages for both circuits.
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Determining The Right Amount of Effort
The amount of weight that you select for your final two giant-set circuits (i.e. circuits three and four) should be the maximum weight that you can lift while maintaining the ability to use a steady even rep pace for all ten reps. This means if you were to push yourself to do an eleventh rep, your rep speed would slow down due to the fatigue accumulated from the first ten reps. If you find that you can do an eleventh or twelfth rep while maintaining a steady even rep pace, increase the weight enough so that you can only do ten reps using a steady even rep pace. On the other hand, if you can only do eight or nine reps using a steady even rep pace, decrease the weight enough to perform ten reps using a steady even rep pace.
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Next Blog
This blog entry along with the first six blog entries regarding The 4 x 10 Workout conclude the explanation of how to perform the four phases of The 4 x 10 Workout. The next one or two blog entries will deal with how long each phase should last, and will explain how to know when to increase your poundages. Until then, may God bless you with the best of training.