One of Doug Hepburn’s training routines – known as Program A Program A is known for its uncanny un canny ability to create cre ate consistent strength gains. If you stick with the program, it’s possible possible to add 120 pounds to any maor lift o!er the course of a single year. "ere’s how it works# $ou $ou perform each workout twice a week. %enerally, I recommend four total weekl y workouts for natural lifters& which is basically a simple split routine. 'ut we’ll get into program specifics later. All you need to know right now is that you will be performing each maor lift twice a week. (n the first training day, you will perform ) sets of 2 reps each, using appro*imately )0+ o f your one rep ma* or a weight you could knock out ) reps to failure with. -o, your workout for this lift would look like& 2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2 ow, for for each subse/uent workout, add a single rep to the scheme. his additional rep will be added to the last remaining 2rep set that you performed on your pre!ious workout. -o, your setrep scheme during your second workout would look like& 2,2,2,2,2,2,2,3 'asically, each week you will be replacing two of your 2rep sets with 3rep sets. 4hen you get to the point where you are a re performing all sets with 3 reps, add 10 pounds to the bar. "ere’s what an ) workout scheme would look like. Again, remember that this would be 5 weeks worth of training&
2,2,2,2,2,2,2,3
2,2,2,2,2,2,3,3
2,2,2,2,2,3,3,3
2,2,2,2,3,3,3,3
2,2,2,3,3,3,3,3
2,2,3,3,3,3,3,3
2,3,3,3,3,3,3,3
3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3
6ollowing the last workout, add 10 pounds to the bar and start o!er again with 2 rep sets. (!er time, or on some lifts, it may be difficult to mo!e up by 10 pound increments. 7o!ing up 8 pounds at a time is also a completely acceptable practice. his may seem like a slow, methodical training method that won’t produce results. 'ut think it through for a moment. If you add 10 pounds to the bar e!ery month, you will increase your s/uat, bench press and deadlift by 120 pounds each year. hat’s /uite a large ump. Imagine going from a 1)0 pound bench press ma* to a 300 pound ma* in only a year. his additional strength also forces your body to adap t, and add muscle. 9se :oug "epburn’s system along with a proper bulking ;or cutting< cycle, and you will gain muscle, andor lose fat.
Powerbuilding Routine ow that we ha!e an understanding of the "epburn )*2 to )*3 system, it’s time to lay out a full powerbuilding routine. (n each training day, you will perform two e*ercises using the )*2 pattern. =est 2 minutes between each set, and no longer. $ou don’t want this workout to turn into a marathon session. After you complete both )*2 e*ercises, rest 8 minutes. e*t, you will perform the same 2 e*ercises#this time for reps, and with 20+ lighter weight. Perform 3 sets of > reps. And on the ne*t workout day, increase one of the sets by one rep. ?ontinue the pattern of increasing reps, until you hit 3 sets of ) reps. hen, increase the weight on the bar by 10 pounds. he rep pattern will look like&
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Monday and Thursday
-/uats, ) sets * 2 reps ;2 minute rest between sets<
'ench Press, ) sets * 2 reps ;2 minute rest between sets<
rest 8 minutes
-/uats, 3 sets * > reps ;2 minute rest between sets<
'ench Press, 3 sets * > reps ;2 minute rest between sets<
Tuesday and riday
:eadlift, ) sets * 2 reps ;2 minute rest between sets<
-eated (!erhead 'arbell Press, ) sets * 2 reps ;2 minute rest between sets<
rest 8 minutes
:eadlift, 3 sets * > reps ;2 minute rest between sets<
-eated (!erhead 'arbell Press, 3 sets * > reps ;2 minute rest between sets<
Routine !otes It may take se!eral weeks to a month to adapt to this training style. hough the weights are relati!ely BlightC, you will still feel some muscle soreness from the !olume of hea!y compound mo!ements you are performing. =esist the urge to add any e*ercises to this powerbuilding routine. he goal is to get strong on basic lifts. his strength will also add muscle mass. here is no need to hit muscles from 1@ different angles. or is there a need to add in Bbeach work,C such as bicep curls or situps. he :oug "epburn powerbuilding routine is a Bslow grind.C $ou may not feel like you are making any progress. -tick with it. As I mentioned before, it will add 120 p ounds to each of the maor lifts in only a year’s time. If your goal is to add muscle as well as strength, eat at least 800 calories abo !e maintenance le!el on a daily basis. If your goal is to lose weight, try eating 800 calories below maintenance le!el. $ou may be surprised by the muscle you keep or gain on this program, e!en while cutting.
:oug "epburn used this routine effecti!ely to become one of the strongest, brawniest men on the planet.
