Change is Good
Q: "Good day Sir James. I like the effect on my muscles brought on by the 10-8-6-15 workout program. I think my body’s getting more defined.
“My question is, after the original exercises, what are the next set of exercises to be done? I want to change the exercises but remain with the 10-8-6-15 program, as I have already used it for 2 months now. Do you think it’s okay, or should I shift to another workout program?”
Thank you very much!
Gian Carlo
My Answer: I would prefer you change programs and switch to the 5×5 program, but if you want to stay on pyramid program, then simply do the program with variations of the exercises. So for example, instead of bench press, do the incline bench press. Here’s a sample of exercise variations:
Front Squats
Incline Bench Press
Lat Bar Pulldown
Incline Lateral Raise
Incline Dumbbell Curls
Close-Grip Decline Bench Press
Q: “Hi James, it’s me again. I have been doing the pyramid workout for a bit now. I haven’t been doing the 10-8-6-15 the whole time. I have been doing it for a month or so now, but I have been changing it up from 10-8-6-8 to 10-8-6-6, which I am currently doing.
“I have been trying to go for about 3200 calories a day. I have gained some weight but not a lot. I look a bit more defined, but not a lot also. Also I have been switching up the exercises every two weeks or so but keep some core ones.
“My question is should I continue to do this till I put on some more weight? I went from 132 to 137, till I get to about 140 or so. Or should I change it now? I’m not sure about the 5×5, because I can’t find anything about it or what exercises to do. Should i try something like:
Monday - Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Biceps, Abs
Wednesday - Legs, Back, Abs
Friday- Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Biceps, Abs
Next Monday - Legs, Backs, Abs
-N. Ponte
My Answer: Yes, change the program. 5×5 is fine. It’s simple: just plug in the exercises you want to do for each body part. But if you want every detail spelled out for you, then just follow the 5×5 program I have outlined in the 3-5 Power Periodization Program
Q: “Hi James, I was reading up on some info you had about the three different body types, and how they should workout and eat. Well, I am an ectomorph, and I was wondering if you could give me a specific workout routine?
“I’m 16. My bicep muscle size is about 13.2 inches, and I want my muscles to get bigger quicker. Now what I normally do is workout the upper body one day and legs the next.
“I have some weights I use at home that are only 40 pounds all together, so the muscles I workout the most are my biceps, triceps and shoulders. What I do in my workout routine is pretty intense. It’s like this: using a 25 pound weight I do one set of 12 reps. Then without rest I do my triceps with the whole 40 pounds and do 1 set of 12 reps. Then without rest I use a 30 pound weight and do 7 bicep curls. Then without rest I do the same triceps exercise. Then without rest I use a 35 pound weight and do 4-5 curls and then the same triceps exercise.
“I try to repeat this 5 times and before all of this I do my shoulders which for them I use 24 pounds for each shoulder. My workout for shoulders include doing 17-15-13-12-10 reps of shoulder press. Then without rest after doing each set I pull the weights up to almost chin level, hold it for a second, then let it down. With this exerise my reps are 15-15-12-10-8.
“Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope you can e-mail me back a workout routine to help my muscles get bigger quicker with the weights that I have. I was also thinking of working out 3 days a week and resting 2 days inbetween my workout days.
“Well anyways so thanks again for reading this, and I hope you can send me a routine and more info on this stuff. Thanks!”
-Adam Pikramenos
My Answer- Adam, I’m not sending you a routine. People pay for that. But you really should consider buying some more equipment (barbell, weight, bench, etc.) if you want to get bigger: Setting up a Home Gym.
