FREE Successful Bodybuilding Program (Alpha)

Introduction

This is the second program I’ve released designed for bodybuilding and putting on muscle, the first one was ‘Delta Bodybuilding’ 12 Week routine. I have also released by own Hazell Muscle Building Program which is now available for download.

This program is a five day a week training and follows the below split focusing on one muscle group each training session. You train all muscle groups once a week, however, each session includes up to seven exercises to blast each muscle group.

Program Training Split

DAY	MUSCLE GROUP
Monday	Chest
Tuesday	Back
Thursday	Shoulder
Friday	Leg
Saturday	Arms

Rep Scheme and Volume

This program uses range of rep schemes that are generally tailored to the exercise and muscle group. This is a high volume training program compared to my Delta Bodybuilding Program. With exception to the Bench Press most sessions are high volume ranging from 176 to 399 reps per muscle group. The exercise selection is based on hitting all areas in the muscle groups.

Leg Day and Arm Day are the highest volume because on Leg day you will perform a maximum of 399 reps and six exercises. Arm day you you perform a maximum of 342 reps and six exercises. Chest and Shoulder days are slightly lower volume but higher intensity (heavier weight) and back day is moderate intensity and volume.

Chest Day Routine Explained

EXERCISES	SETS	REPS	VOLUME
Flat Bench Dumbbell Fly	2	12-15	30
Incline Dumbbell Press	3	8-12	36
Weighted Chest Dips	3	10-20	60
Bench Press (high volume, low weight)	1	12-15	15
Bench Press (med volume, med weight)	1	8-10	10
Bench Press (low volume, high weight)	1	3-5	5
High to Low Cable Fly	3	15	20
TOTAL VOLUME			186

Chest day is more intensity focused rather than volume which you can see in the total volume row: 176 reps overall. The first exercise is the ‘Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes’, make sure the dumbbells don’t go below parallels with the back of the bench. Use lighter weight and focus on getting that concentric stretch and putting the muscles under tension. The Incline Dumbbell Press will stress the upper chest, focus each rep to work your upper chest, don’t rush the reps or use too heavy weight.

‘Weighted Chest Dips’ should be performed to isolate the chest not Tricep, I see this all the time! People use the dips to train chest but are actually isolating the Tricep. Below is a tutorial which will clear up any confusion between Tricep and Chest focused dips. Make sure you get the dip depth just right – too low and you seriously risk injury, too high and your just doing quarter cheat reps!

The Bench Press training should be done with the barbell (not smith machine), you perform three sets each time reducing volume and increasing intensity. This is designed to create mass and size and other exercises focus on the width and complete definition of the chest muscle group. Incline pressing for the upper chest, low to high flyes for the lower chest, and dumbbell flyes for the mid chest.

The Bench Press routine consists of three sets, you perform all three using the barbell and on a flat bench. Not on the smith machine, not with the dumbbells nor with any other flat bench press machine in the gym. It’s a strength exercise but also helps to create mass in the chest, you start with high volume – low intensity, then medium volume – medium intensity then finish with a heavy top set with low volume. The first two sets act as a warm-up potentiating you for the top third heavy set.

The final exercise is the ‘High to Low Cable Fly’ that isolates the lower section of your chest. I’ve stated three sets, however, if you wish to you can add another set for more volume. This IS NOT a heavy weight exercise, the focus is more volume and pumping the muscle and making sure each rep isolates the lower section of the chest.

Back Day Routine Explained

BACK EXERCISES	SETS	REPS	TOTAL VOLUME
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown (SS1)	3	10-15	45
Low Cable Pulley Rows (SS1)	3	10-15	45
Hammer Smith Machine Row	3	10-15	45
Face Pulls or Chest Supported Wide Grip T-Bar Row	3	10-15	45
Deadlift	4	5	20
Straight Arm Lat Pushdowns	3	12	36
Barbell Shrugs	3	10	30
			266

Back day is less volume focused and more intensity focused, you can see your performing lower reps per set compared to chest, leg and arm day. The deadlift is optional if you are unable to deadlift due to injuries or mobility, however, if you can its worth doing because it helps to create mass in the mid-lower back. SS1 means “Superset with exercise one” which means you have to perform the Low Cable Pulley Rows straight after Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns then rest.

The ‘Hammer Smith Row’ is also referred to as the ‘Low Row Machine’. This is focusing on the lower section of the Lat’s, something you should be including in your back training. You have the option of ‘Face Pulls’ or a ‘Wide Grip T-Bar Rows’ that target the rhomboids and traps. If you choose ‘Face Pulls’ watch the below Tutorial video to make sure you are doing it correctly! MOST DON’T!

Straight Arm Pushdowns are again targeting the Lats, perform slow and controlled and squeeze at the top of the movement to engage the Lats. You should be able to feel the Lat’s stretching during the eccentric movement. The Rack Pulls can be performed using the barbell off the rack or using the smith machine, but avoid the dumbbell or trap bar, I tend to find they isolate the deltoids more.

Shoulder Day Routine Explained

SHOULDER EXERCISES	SETS	REPS	TOTAL VOLUME
Seated Behind the Neck Press	6	6-12	72
Seated Dumbbell Press (DS AMRAP)	4	8-12	48
Dumbbell Front Raises (3DS AMRAP)	3	8-12	36
Dumbbell Side Lateral (3DS AMRAP)	3	10-12	36
Rear Delt Fly	4	10-12	48
TOTAL VOLUME			240

The shoulder day similar to chest day is less volume (I’m not including the dropsets in this equation) but more intensity focused, this is the second pressing session you perform during your training week. Which is part of the reason why the volume is not as high as back, arm and leg day.

The number of reps per set is lower on average than other training days, however, you perform high volume for the Behind the Neck Press and Dumbbell Press. The final three exercises are deltoid isolation exercises, they require less volume and intensity. HOWEVER, make sure the reps are controlled focusing on executing the concentric and eccentric part of the lift to perfection – really stress the Delts and feel that lactic acid burn. Choose lighter weight and you could even throw in some ‘Time Under Tension’ during the eccentric part of the movement.

‘Seated Behind the Neck Press’ should be moderate intensity, the weight shouldn’t be too heavy. This is a fantastic exercise commonly skipped in bodybuilding, it’s provides a complete Delt workout, your traps, triceps and serratus anterior. If you have not done this exercise before be careful, you can seriously injure yourself if not performed properly, select lighter weight and focus on higher reps.

The ‘Seated Dumbbell Press’ is similar to the first exercise, however the exercise is not performed behind the neck and therefore I feel it is more anterior deltoid focused and lateral. You can up the weight for this one!! It states ‘DS AMRAP’ which stands for ‘Drop set for as many reps as possible’. This means on your fourth and final set straight away perform another set with a lighter weight (normally 2.5-5kg or 5-10lbs) for maximum reps till you reach failure.

For the dumbbell ‘Side Lateral Raises’ and ‘Dumbbell Front Raises’ you perform three ‘Drop sets’ for ‘As Many Reps As Possible’. This is a commonly used training principle for the lateral-middle and front deltoids because intensity will not create muscle growth. Stressing the muscles with higher volume implementing training principles such as; ‘time under tension’, ‘dropsets’, ‘false negatives’ etc. are far more effective than heavy weight.

You finish with ‘Rear Delt Fly’s’ which you can do with the machine performing reverse flyes with the PEC DEC or dumbbells whereby you perform bent over dumbbell flyes. Below is a good tutorial video to help you perform the rear Delt flyes with PROPER TECHNQUIE!

Leg Day Routine Explained

LEG EXERCISES	SETS	REPS	TOTAL VOLUME
Squat	5	8-14	70
Leg Press	4	10-12	48
Leg Extension	4	10-12	48
Stiff Leg Deadlifts	4	10-12	48
Lying Leg Curls	4	12-15	60
Standing Smith Machine Calf Press	5	25	125
Seated Calve Raises	4	12	48
TOTAL VOLUME			399

The leg day routine is ‘textbook leg day’, you are performing high sets and a moderate number of reps with exception to calve raises. You can see in the total volume column that it is high volume overall mainly for the squats (78 reps) and calve raises (125 reps).

When squatting I would advise squatting with the barbell, however, if due to injuries or maybe no racks available you can use the Hack Squat or Smith Machine. My advise for the squat is to do the following: 1×14/1×12/1×10/1×8 working up to a heavy top set of eight reps. If you think Squatting with the barbell isn’t as effective in developing leg muscle then watch Tom Platz below (Quadzilla).

The ‘Leg Press’ is a tricky one, the placements of your feet on the leg press determines which muscle in the leg is isolated (quads, calves, glutes, or hamstrings). My advise is to take a neutral foot placement, hip width stance, and position your feet in the middle section of the leg press plate. If you want to find out more information about the leg press and foot positioning watch the below video.

When performing ‘Leg Extensions’ focus on squeezing your quads at the top of the rep, don’t swing or rush your reps or loose the tension at any point during the set!! The foot positioning during the leg extension actually effects which section of the quads you isolate: inner, outer, upper or lower quad – to learn more watch the below video.

The Stiff Legged Deadlift is a great compound style exercise, it blasts your hamstrings and glutes. However, you could replace this with the Romanian Deadlift if you are a seasoned weightlifter and know the difference and prefer the Romanian Deadlift. If you don’t know the difference you can watch the below video.

The Lying Leg Curl is a fantastic hamstring isolation exercise, make sure you don’t rush the reps or swing. Controlled reps, I like to focus on the eccentric stretch movement during the lift.

The Standing Calve Raises are high volume sets, however, don’t rush the reps and take a slight pause at the top when you fully engage the calve muscles. Don’t ego lift, use moderate weight! The Seated Calve Raise is less volume and you can step up the intensity (weight) but make sure you pause each rep and fully contract the calve muscles. Don’t rush the reps and bounce up and down off the platform. IT DOES NOTHING!

Arm Day Routine Explained

ARM EXERCISES	SETS	REPS	TOTAL VOLUME
Barbell Curls	4	8-12	48
Preacher Curls	4	8-12	48
Concentration Curls	4	8-12	48
French Press	5	6-12	60
Cable Rope Extensions	4	8-12	48
Lying Dumbbell Extensions	6	12-15	90
TOTAL VOLUME			342

In this program you train arms just once a week, however, that one session is high volume and high intensity! I am a strong believer in assigning just one session per week to bicep and Tricep and focus on destroying the muscles, rather than splitting the workout into two sessions like we see in most “Bro Splits”. You perform a total of 342 reps and just six exercises.

This arm workout includes three bicep and three tricep exercises, you will perform anywhere from eight to fifteen reps and four to six sets. There isn’t too much to comment on here, this is a very straight forward arm workout.

I use the EZ Barbell for the Barbell and Preacher Curls and the French Press. I do so because it has an ergonomic grip, better bar balance when loaded with weight, and get a greater muscle activation than a straight bar.

When performing the Cable Rope Extensions I advise performing is like the below video, you get a better tricep activation and less strain on your elbow joints.

I hope all the above helps and I wish you good luck with the program, Johnny Hazell

Excel Spreadsheet

Donation

If you enjoy this program It would be very much appreciated if you could donate a small amount. Johnny does all this for FREE and because he enjoys helping others, especially those just starting out weightlifting.

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