10 x 3 overview

[iron addict]

Here is an overview of the way my 10 x 3 routines are USUALLY laid out. I am not going to give it all away and go into set percentage, and performance or intensity cycling or any of the finer details, but it will give many of you curious guys a starting point on which to make mistakes or improverments


Day one Legs/back/posterior consists of a:
Horizontal or vertical lat movement done for 5 x 5, 10 x 3, 4 x 6, or 2 x 8-10
Isolation Bicep lift (humoring everyone) for 1-6 sets of 5-12 reps (one rep range picked
A squat/deadlift variation for 10 x 3, 8 x 3 (I like 8 sets for squat and deads) or a low (1-3) rep set
An posterior chain movement that has less CNS and metabolic fatigue than a heavy bar lift. Examples are reverse hypers, glute/ham raises, pull-trus
Calf work if desired

Rest

Day Two:
Chest/shoulders/tri
A bench press variation for either 10 x 3, or a 1-3 rep max-effort lift
If low reps are done, a repetition bench assistance exercise is used for 5 x 5, 4 x 6, or 3 x 10
An isolation or compound tricep lift
A delt lift, usually an isolation, but presses are done also
HEAVY Abs

Rest

Day three Legs/back/posterior consists of a DIFFERENT SET OF LIFTS THAN DAY ONE FOR THE SAME MUSCLES than day one

Differences on this day may include some non-bar squat leg work such as leg presses, hack squats, or possibly using the bar and doing front squats. Only 2-4 sets of these for 6-15 (one rep range only).
Horizontal or vertical lat movement done for 5 x 5, 10 x 3, 4 x 6, or 2 x 8-10
Isolation Bicep lift (humoring everyone) for 1-6 sets of 5-12 reps (one rep range picked
A squat/deadlift variation for 10 x 3, 8 x 3 (I like 8 sets for squat and deads) or a low (1-3) rep set
An posterior chain movement that has less CNS and metabolic fatigue than a heavy bar lift. Examples are reverse hypers, glute/ham raises, pull-trus
Calf work if desired

Rest, either take off two days and start with day four on monday (how I usually lay it out) or take a day off and continue.

Day four Chest/shoulders/tri consists of a DIFFERENT SET OF LIFTS THAN DAY ONE FOR THE SAME MUSCLES than day two:

Differences are a bit of limited weak point training ( example, flys done for chest) or a few higher rep sets of a different compound lift in addition to the major lifts.

A bench press variation for either 10 x 3, or a 1-3 rep max-effort lift
If low reps are done, a repetition bench assistance exercise is used for 5 x 5, 4 x 6, or 3 x 10
An isolation or compound tricep lift
A delt lift, usually an isolation, but presses are done also
HEAVY Abs

I also have some frequency abbreviated versions for the recovery challenged, but almost everyone is doing well on this version.


Iron Addict

[ShortMick]

Looks great!

How long does each session typically take to complete?

[iron addict]

An hour to an hour an fifteen minutes. The 10 x 3's are done with 60-90 seconds rest for upper body and 2 minutes for lower body moves so it goes fast.

BTW, the 10 x 3's are done with 80-85% of a 1 rep max weight.

IA

[ShortMick]

I've read through it 3 times now, and each time I like it more.

[iron addict]

Since the % of max is so high we are targeting the fast twitch muscle.

Since the weight is not maximal, we can work as hard as possible with a relatively heavy weight while keeping bar speed high as possible with a high percentile weight.

While the weight is heavy, it is not maximal, and realatively high tonnage workload is handled without excessive CNS fatigue.

And did I mention the tonnage is HIGH? Take a 500 lb squatter and have him do one absolutely maximal 3 rep max squat. He might make 470 x 3 = 1410 lbs and will likely not be inclined to do another set.

Now have him do 80% of his one rep max for 3 reps which is 400 lbs, have him move the bar as fast as possible to maximize force production, and even with good bar speed, its not that monumental of an effort to do 8 sets of three reps (I use 8 instead of 10 sets for the big lower body core lifts)0 but the tonnage is way different.
400 x 3 =1200 x 8=9600 lbs. Tonnage surely isn't everything, but high tonnage coupled with high threashold motor unit recruitment that can be recovered from sure goes a long way to making a bigger stronger trainee.

IA

[ShortMick]

I feel that the total weight moved plays a very significant role, even if it's submaximal. And 80% to 85% is certainly heavy enough to create strength and size gains.

For a lifter prioritizing strength above all else, I suspect 90% should be reached routinely, and I see you've made allowances for that in the template.

I'm considering taking a few months to follow a different routine after Vegas (unless the stars all align and I qualify for the semi's in October). This looks appealing.

[iron addict]

It would likely be a decent short term change of pace to break the monotony and stimulate some new strength and size gains, but.......if you change any long term programming other than the normal tweaks you would be making you are fucking NUTS.

Mick, YOU TOTALLED ELITE!! I'd be doing more of the training that got me there

IA

[ShortMick]

Originally Posted by iron addict

It would likely be a decent short term change of pace to break the monotony and stimulate some new strength and size gains, but.......if you change any long term programming other than the normal tweaks you would be making you are fucking NUTS.

Mick, YOU TOTALLED ELITE!! I'd be doing more of the training that got me there

IA

LOL, I hear you man. Really I'm looking at doing something short term that would provide a break (mostly mental) from doing basically the same thing week in and week out, month after month. You can rest assured that what I've been doing for the past 18 months is going to be the foundation of my training for the foreseeable future.

[Hoops]

Day three Legs/back/posterior consists of a DIFFERENT SET OF LIFTS THAN DAY ONE FOR THE SAME MUSCLES than day one

Ok so lets say day one is something like this.

Pull ups 2x10
bis what ever
8x3 squat
pull-trus 3x10

Now day 3

Leg press 3x8
supinated pull ups 2x10
bis
box Squat 1x3
hypers 3x10

I'm mostly interested in if I understand what you mean with the differing lifts for same muscle groups. For example I wouldn't do 8x3 on deads then do a 1x3 dead lift for workout 3, or would that still be considered same muscle groups? Then with the back work, it would be horizontal both days or vertical both days then you'd rotate in a few weeks with both of the lifts changing. Then also each work you'd have one of your squat/dead sessions with the higher sets (8 or 10) and then one of them in the low rep/set range.

I really like how this is essentially a 2 day a week routine at heart so added rest can be easily placed in it without essentially not working certain parts or messing up how your rotating it.

[iron addict]

I mean the lifts are totally different than the previous WO for the same muscles.

One of the leg/posterior chain days is squats and the other usually deads but not always so.

It is NOT a 2 day a week routine. It is done 2 days a week meaning every muscle is hit once every 5 days, but some guys are also hitting everything 2 x a week.

IA