The strategy is simple – no tricks, no gimmicks, and no subtle ways to appear that you're making progress when you're really not.
This training cycle will not only reward you with renewed muscle growth and strength, but also increased work capacity and mental toughness.
I call it Stack-10. I'll start by outlining its unique benefits and then follow with some tips to help you get the most from this brutal 6-week cycle.
First, choose a lift or major muscle group that you want to blow up over the course of 6 workouts.
Although this progression strategy works best with multi-joint barbell lifts such as squats, bench presses, and overhead presses, it can also be applied to dumbbells, kettlebells, or other types of equipment.
Essentially, what we're using here is a "column" as opposed to a pyramid. Rather than reducing your reps with each new set, you'll instead use 10 reps for every single set you perform, save for the heaviest set, which will be too heavy to allow for 10 reps.
In the example below, I'll apply it to the barbell back squat for a lifter who has a current 1RM of about 405 pounds.
Here's how it works: Start with the empty bar for 10 reps, then 95 pounds for 10. Then 135 for 10, 185 for 10, 225 for 10, and so on, until you reach a weight that won't allow 10 reps. So for a 405 squatter, the opening workout might look like this:
Seven days later, your only goal is to run through those 7 sets again and get more reps than last time with the final 315 pound set. For example, 315 x 8.
Once you manage 315 for 10, your next workout will contain an eighth set with 365 pounds. The first time you add a new weight, don't expect to get more than a few reps with it.
Here's an example.
Set | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 45 x 10 | 45 x 10 | 45 x 10 | 45 x 10 | 45 x 10 | 45 x 10 |
2 | 95 x 10 | 95 x 10 | 95 x 10 | 95 x 10 | 95 x 10 | 95 x 10 |
3 | 135 x 10 | 135 x 10 | 135 x 10 | 135 x 10 | 135 x 10 | 135 x 10 |
4 | 185 x 10 | 185 x 10 | 185 x 10 | 185 x 10 | 185 x 10 | 185 x 10 |
5 | 225 x 10 | 225 x 10 | 225 x 10 | 225 x 10 | 225 x 10 | 225 x 10 |
6 | 275 x 10 | 275 x 10 | 275 x 10 | 275 x 10 | 275 x 10 | 275 x 10 |
7 | 315 x 6 | 315 x 8 | 315 x 10 | 315 x 10 | 315 x 10 | 315 x 10 |
8 | 365 x 3 | 365 x 5 | 365 x 6 |
In this example, the lifter achieved 10 reps on week 3. So in his next workout, a week later, he added an 8th set. Then his goal was to add reps to that 8th set in the following two weeks.
Note: Use the rest-pause method on the final set to hit more reps. In the squat, you'd "rest" after a rep while still holding the bar, crank out another rep, pause again for a few breaths, get another rep, etc.
Stack-10 does what any effective cycle does – it gets you bigger and stronger. It does, however, feature a few additional benefits:
Before you embark upon Stack-10, please read the following suggestions. They'll spell the difference between success and failure.
If you've got a stubborn lift that seems to defy your best efforts to improve it, use the Stack-10 method. If you work, so will the plan.
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