Lyle McDonald's Generic Bulking Routine (STICKY IT)

[Anthrax Invasion]

Lyle McDonald is the owner of www.bodyrecomposition.com - great website with lots of useful information. Some of us here are already familiar with those boards (proto...triple douche), but if you're not you may want to check it out.

Lyle's a no-bullshit guy. He'll cut straight to the point with things and definitely knows his shit. Don't believe me, then see for yourself.

I'm making this thread to add to the training methods sticky, since his bulking routine works very nicely, it's well-thought out, and it's a different style than HST or 5x5 (my other favorites).

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6324
Here's the original thread.

Mon: Lower
Squat: 3-4X6-8/3' (3-4 sets of 6-8 with a 3' rest)
SLDL or leg curl: 3-4X6-8/3'
Leg press: 2-3X10-12/2'
Another leg curl: 2-3X10-12/2'
Calf raise: 3-4X6-8/3'
Seated calf: 2-3X10-12/2'

Tue: Upper
Flat bench: 3-4X6-8/3'
Row: 3-4X6-8/3'
Incline bench or shoulder press: 2-3X10-12/2'
Pulldown/chin: 2-3X10-12/2'
Triceps: 1-2X12-15/1.5'
Biceps: 1-2X12-15/1.5'

For the thu/Fri workouts either rpeat the first two or make some slight exercise substitutions. Can do deadlift/leg press combo on Thu, switch incline/pulldown to first exercises on upper body day. A lot depends on volume tolerance, if the above is too much, go to 2-3X6-8 and 1-2X10-12

If that's unclear, I'll try to elaborate a bit.

You train Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday. Lower on Monday and Thursday, upper on Tuesday and Friday.

Basically, your volume is slightly higher than HST, but the frequency is less. It balances out to the same basic thing. It's more ideal for hypertrophy than something like the 5x5 routine due to the higher rep ranges and greater range of exercises (sarcoplasmic hypertrophy/increased glycogen storage).

I've done the routine myself, I liked it a lot. Ran two cycles.

On the second lower and upper days, you switch the lower-repped exercise for the higher-repped ones, so you train the exercises in varied ranges. This also helps you balance out your training. Do this further by putting pulling movements before pushing (you know who you are, always benching first) once in awhile too.

You run a two-week submax ramp at 80-85% then 90-95% of your current maxes for those ranges. Week three, you hit your current PRs, and try to set new ones for 4-6 weeks. So you run a 6-8 week cycle total. At this point, take a week off if you need it, or jump back into a new cycle (ramp again, with the new maxes).

If you want to switch rep ranges or exercises, so it after the first cycle ended, not during.

Here's a post by Lyle later in the thread:

Originally Posted by lylemcd
each cycle lasts 6-8 weeks (2 week submax runup + 4-6 weeks pushing the weights), you can repeat it

in subsequent cycles, you can switch exercises or rep ranges or both. don't switch antyhing within a given cycle.

I was thiking earlier today that a nice progression would be a cycle of

6-8+10-12 ('pure' hypertrophy)
5's + 8-10 (strength/hypertrophy)
3's+6-8 (strength emphasis)

then repeat.

Lyle

PURE HYPERTROPHY PHASE 3-4X6-8 + 2-3X10-12
STRENGTH/HYPERTROPHY PHASE 3-5X5 + 2-3X8-10 (this'll be a heavy training load)
STRENGTH EMPHASIS PHASE 3X3 + 2-3X6-8

The above are the sets you should be doing with the phases.

Hm...I may have missed something, but if anyone has questions, do ask.

Also - mods - sticky this.

 

[Cynical Simian]

Good stuff. I've bookmarked it to be added next time we revise the sticky; it's not really practical to PM the mods with piecemeal changes every time we find something new.

Of course, this problem (along with the problem of people posting inane threads without being banned or having them locked) would be fixed by making me training forum mod.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

I still say we make me a mod. We can call me Emperor Anthrax.

Come on, you all know it has a nice ring to it.

 

[xblitz44x]

I still say we make me a mod. We can call me Emperor Anthrax.

Come on, you all know it has a nice ring to it.

Or we could just shorten it to: Stalin

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

I'm German and Italian, so Hitler or Mussolini would fit better.

 

[Chambewy20]

I think "Dickhead" would suffice....

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

I think "Dickhead" would suffice....

My first act as overlord would be to have you gangraped by the C&C crew, 'cause I would obviously own them all.

 

[Chambewy20]

You mean you didn't bust out the old usual"cunt"?

You between your peanut butter and jelly sandwich and applesauce after skewl?

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

PB&J fucking rawks man, I dunno what you're thinkin' here.

Ever fuck a jar of applesauce?

 

[Chambewy20]

No, I like my applesauce cold, not loose, warm and runny but I like girls that way except for the loose part.

I was raised on PB&J so I agree with that one.