Alex:

Hi Lev,
Name: Alex
Current goal: Grow additional 3-5 kg muscles mass.
Long-run goal: Keep this mass and work on power only + aerobics.
Sex: Male
Age: 30
Weight: 68
Height: 171
How long I am training: About 1 year, usually 2 times a week. Each time I do mostly weight training, sometimes I do aerobic training separately, once a week (in this case I do 3 times a week). Bench press – 55kg x 8-10 reps, squat – 75 x 8-10 reps. I am familiar with deadlifts, but actually I prefer not to do it at this point. After each training I drink proteins shake (gainer).
No health limitations.
Way of life: Can spend 2-3 times a week, 1-1.5 hours training each time. My work is computers, completely static. Sleeping hours – 7.
I would be glad to get any recommendations/suggested program from you
Training info:
At the moment, when I do twice a week weights trainings, I do it as follows:

Session 1
Back (3 exercises, 3 sets each – first is warming up)
Shoulders (2 exercises, 3 sets each – first is warming up)
Triceps (2 exercises, 2 sets each)

Session2

Chest (3 exercices, 3 sets each – first is warming up)
Legs (3 exercices, 3 sets each – first is warming up)
Biceps (2 exercices, 2 sets each)
Abdomen – between exercises, 2 sets total X 20-25
I started with this program few months ago, before that I was doing complete cycle of all muscles training in the same day. In this period it was 1 exercise per group of muscles X 2 sets (+ 1 warming up).

Me:

Good morning,

The attached xls file contains a short cycle (10 week plan).
It might be treated as a power cycle.
Using your working weights and training weight estimation tables I've estimated approximate 1RM (repetitions maximum - the max weight for 1 rep). This is the table in the upper left corner.

Note: the 10 week plan’s weights are all formulas, changing 1RM weights will update the 10 week plan (therefore the numbers in 10 week plan may be rounded, for instance: 59->60).

Since you told 2-3 times a week and 3 is my favorite number :) (in this case it was also easier to plan for three times a week) I've planned for three weekly sessions (each about 35-60 min, depending on the week).

The logic is rather simple. Three main exercises were chosen. Squat, bench press and upper pulley (a.k.a. as lateral pull-downs an exercise where you sit and pull weight down, you can choose wide or narrow grip, but in any case pull the weight to your chest and not back). Upper pulley can be changed to bent rows or pull-ups (in pull-ups the calculations are more complex since your weight should be added to the working weight for right calculations and if your weight changes an update is required. Also if you choose pull-ups then make them to the chest and not back).
Each exercise is done twice a week. Once in a growing cycle (the weight increases from one workout to the next) and once with steady weight. The steady cycle is intended to keep “fuel” (Creatine, glycogen ...) inside the muscle at high level. The growing cycle has two parts: first weeks micro injuries are caused and in the later weeks when number of repetitions drops micro injuries aren't caused (giving time for super compensation). By using low reps sets we prepare our muscle for future weights (strengthening bones, ligaments, organ Golgi ...) and train MNS (Main Nervous System).

Nothing should be added to the workout routine except what's written (two exercises each workout). These exercises cover all main muscles in your body. Any add-ons will only harm you advance.

Rest duration between sets is limited only by your free time. Judging by your parameters I don't think that you'll need more than 5 min in the toughest workouts.
If you have any question/comment please let me know.

I forgot to mention warm up sets. All the mentioned sets are working sets. Additional warm up sets should be added. More about warm up sets can be found at first routine - third note.

Alex:

Hi,
Thanks a lot for this program! It’s worth trying it.
I would like to ask you for few clarifications:

1. While doing squats, should I use weight belt? There are different opinions about it among trainers.
2. I understand that these exercises cover main muscles, but my question is how efficient it would be for biceps growth, if I don’t practice any biceps exercises? Actually I don’t see major biceps growth during last year of my training anyway. What impact would it be if I add curls to this program?
3. Regarding rest periods, I know that blood sugar levels drop dramatically after about 30 minutes of high intensity training. Do you agree that such kind of training should last approximately 30 min (excluding warming up and aerobics)?
4. What's you position about protein intake after training? All researches support it.

Me:

Hi,

1. Good question. I’ve added Training accessories: belt chapter. It should answer questions of this type. Specifically to this program: wear belt only when you have to. A reasonable approach might be: during first 7 weeks don't wear belt and in the last 3 weeks (when you're near you max weights) wear it.
2. Biceps is only one of 6 group muscles that are responsible for elbow flexing, but for some reason the most popular (this is just to note that I'll use the term elbow/arm flexes and not biceps). When you train you back (using lat-pull downs) arm flexing muscles are trained as well. You should understand that adding curls won't make a significant change, but adding 20kg in lat-pull downs will. A common reference point that was tested by many (including me) is the 130kg limit. When you reach ~130kg 1RM in bench press and about ~135kg 1RM in pull downs than your arm perimeter will be around 40 cm. Therefore I wouldn't advice adding anything (including exercises for elbow flexes), it will only slow your progress.
3. No. The 30 min. number is a very specific one. This number is probably taken out of a specific test. Test that was made on specific people at a period of time (the same people after adjusted training might reach low sugar levels in blood only after 40 min). Test in which the authors defined what is high intensity. These are very populist articles, but what is considered low sugar level? What is high intensity? (For instance: do you know that food manufactures [at least in USA] when writing fat free mean that fat percentage is below 5% and not 0%). Therefore I wouldn't put a hard limit. It's true that long (hour +) workouts aren't recommended by many. You should keep in mind that sugar level is only one tiny parameter of the whole picture (and long workouts are successfully used by many). Therefore I don't see a problem if you have a workout with one hour duration. Additionally in this cycle you might do a set every 5 min and 10 sets will take you at least 50 min, this is without the warm up sets. Is this training considered high intensity? It depends on how you define high intensity.
4. Nutrition:Q&A section was added. It holds you question with the answer.

P.S.: please let me know how it goes. If you're having troubles (for example: sickness, to heavy working weights selected...) during the cycle. And of course I'm interested in the bottom line (how it went/thoughts/suggestions ...).

Alex:

First of all, I would like to thank you once again for a very detailed and professional explanation. I will start this program next week and will definitely update you about the progress and any obstacles. It will probably take more than 10 weeks to complete it, as sometimes I can only train twice a week and I have one week trip abroad in the middle.
I have one more question regarding squat. I’m a bit worried about injuries, as this exercise is quite dangerous when the weight grows. I used to have some minor low back issues in the past, but I don’t have it during last 2-3 years. That’s why I don’t want to do deadlifts either – as I have a good example of friend of mine who frayed his vertebras after some period of heavy weight deadlifting. Can you possibly suggest any substitute for squat, or should I do it with no hesitation?
As for the protein intake, your suggestion can be tested only when my 5lb jar will be over :)

Me:

Hmmm, twice a week. Do you know how many weeks will be twice a week? If you expect only several of those (weeks when you train twice a week) than we can do the following (of course you need to know beforehand how many times this week you'll be able to train):

if you train three times a week than you do (according to plan)
day #1 increasing squat + steady bench press
day #2 increasing bench press + steady lat-pull downs
day #3 increasing lat-pull downs + steady squat

if you train two times a week than
day #1 increasing squat + steady bench press + steady lat-pull downs
day #2 increasing bench press + increasing lat-pull downs + steady squat

Upon returning from abroad, repeat the last executed week once more, i.e. if you finished week number 6 and went abroad. When you return, make week 6 once again and then continue as planned. Thus this cycle should take you 12 weeks (10 weeks the cycle + 1 week abroad + 1 week redoing the last week before going abroad).
You should do it without hesitation. Always do good warm up (general [such as 10 min mid intensity aerobics] and special [warm up sets]) and make squats with good technique. Probably your friends’ deadlift technique wasn't too good and that what caused the injury. Many people do heavy deadlifts without any problems. However, if during execution of any exercise you start feeling any inconvenience that you aren't supposed to feel (ligaments, joints ...) that you should stop immediately. After analyzing, either another try is made or you change the exercise. Squats can be replaced by leg presses but: a. leg presses less efficient b. many of leg press machines are poorly made and have higher probability to cause an injury (of course its true when talking about higher weights).
Start with squats and we'll see how it’s going. Changing an exercise in the middle of the cycle is rather problematic and in most cases you'll need to restart the cycle from the beginning.

Alex:

Well, unfortunately based on my way of life, I can’t set constant 3 days a week for training and can’t predict the number of trainings in advance. Therefore I thought that I can follow your program as a sequence, meaning that I do the trainings according to your table one by one, not weekly based. Does it make any difference? Anyway, I can do it according to your last suggestion also.
If I do three times a week training, what should the intervals in between? Is one day going to be enough?
Till now I was doing squats using smith machine, which probably allowed me to do it with higher weights comparing to free weight, without fixed bar position. I will start doing it according to the book and see how it goes.

Me:

Yes, there is a difference. Dividing into weeks controls resting times (for more info you can consult: Brief introduction into training theory). Start with 3 times a week. If at the end of a week you made only 2 workouts than the next week finish the third workout of the previous week and switch to the two times a week plan ...

If it's three times a week than between training intervals will probably be: one day, one day and two days. Enough for what? For super compensation of damaged structures, of course not. For super compensation of glycogen, most probably. For more info please refer to: approximate rest duration by function.asp. In the bottom line, yes. You should be able to continue, and not only to continue but advance as well with these trainings.

Smith machine. When was the last time you did real squats? If it's less than several month than decrease the weight per 1RM by 10% (of course it will update all workout weights in squat). If it's half year or more (including never) than before starting this cycle you'll need at least 3 weeks (if you never done free squats than 4-5 weeks are preferable) of "preparing fundamentals". During those weeks you can continue with you previous program and in the end of each workout add several (3-5) sets of squats. The purpose of these sets is to learn the correct technique therefore the working weight should be easy for you and not low reps sets (i.e. 10-20 repetitions in each set). If you skip "preparing fundamentals" weeks than there is a pretty good chance you'll injure yourself.

If the abroad trip is near than work on technique till the trip and start the cycle afterwards.

Alex:

Following your last answer, I am going to work on the right squat technique for the next few weeks (according to the technique described in the link you sent me). I was doing it for last 2 months with smith machine only, and now I better understand how it works.
Yes, it would be the best. My trip is due in three weeks, so I will be able to start the program after I come back.