Most people who train with weights can be divided into 2 categories: those looking to gain size, and those looking to gain strength. These are both great goals and very specific workout routines, exercises and sets. The type of training I almost never see in the gym is muscular endurance.
For most of us, our gym goals don’t lead to the Mr. Olympia stage or the power-lifting arena of the Olympic Games. Yet we ignore the most practical exercises. Clearing your driveway in 30 minutes doesn’t require 400 lb bench presses. It doesn’t take 21 inches of biceps to take your 3-year-old to the zoo all day. Most day-to-day activities require muscular endurance: the ability to move a moderate amount of weight for an extended period of time.
My first introduction to this type of set was through my Russian mixed martial arts coach. He used to tell me “What good is a 300-pound bench press if that’s all you can do? In a fight, you might have to chest-press your opponent for 10 minutes.” I’m paraphrasing here because he spoke broken English with a thick Russian accent, but he was right! I could move a large amount of weight for a few reps, but at ½ my max I was fatigued after about 20 reps. With about 8 weeks of specialized training I was lifting the same weight out of boredom after 60 reps. Then we moved onto the circuit of mega-sets, but that story for another time.
Mega Set Workout (6 to 8 week cycle)
day 1 chest
– 2 warm up sets
– 1 set bench press max weight for 5-6 reps
bench press and dumbbell fly
– 4 sets of 50 reps each (to start, use a weight of about 1/2 of your last 10 rep max). keep your rest under 2 minutes between sets
Day2 Cardio
day 3 back
– 2 warm up sets
– 1 set bent over row max weight for 5-6 reps
bent-over row and lat pull-down
– 4 sets of 50 reps each (to start, use a weight of about 1/2 of your last 10 rep max). keep your rest under 2 minutes between sets
Day 4 Cardio
day 5 legs
– 2 warm up sets
– 1 set squats max weight for 5-6 reps
Squat and Bent-Leg Dead Lifts
– 4 sets of 50 reps each (to start, use a weight of about 1/2 of your last 10 rep max). keep your rest under 2 minutes between sets
Day 6 Arms and Shoulders
– 2 exercises per body part, 4 sets, 8-12 reps per set
Day 7 Rest
Source by Martyn Carver
