ARNOLD’S METHODS:
Arnold used a number of different methods to this template of workouts. He also added some new twists to help shock your body even more and open yourself up to more growth. The key to utilizing these methods is subbing them in at the proper time.
Arnold had a similar set-up and split for years, but when he needed a boost or when he needed to jump start some muscle growth, he would sub in one or two of these methods. This keeps things fresh, gives a great pump, keep you motivated and intense in the gym while yielding some new gains as well.
1-10 METHOD
After a warm-up set or two, find a weight you’re only able to get 1 rep. After you perform that 1 rep, take just enough weight off to perform 2 reps. From there, do the same for 3 reps and 4 reps, going all the way up to 10 reps. This is brutal because you take no rest in between sets. The only rest you get is when you’re unloading the weights. This was a very effective way to vary things, and it’s a total shocker to the muscle.
STRIPPING METHOD/SHOCKING PRINCIPLE
Immediately after your final work set, take some weight off and get 5-10 reps.
Then with no rest keep repeating, reducing your weight until you’re down to the bar, repping that for 20 reps
MAX EFFORT
Pick 1 exercise and see what you can do for a 1-rep max. To get there, work up to the weight with the following rep pyramid, taking ample rest between each set: 20, 15, 10, 8, 5, 3, 1, 1, 1 (max)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER BLUEPRINT:
GUIDE TO MASS PHASE ONE OVERVIEW
Use this as a quick reference to the Arnold Schwarzenegger Blueprint Guide to Mass. Cross the workout off as you complete them and track your own progress.
Phase one: workout
| MON | TUE | WED | THUR | FRI | SAT | SUN | |
| WEEK ONE | Chest, Back and Abs | Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps, Forearms, Abs | Legs, Calves, Abs | Chest, Back and Abs | Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps, Forearms, Abs | Legs, Calves, Abs | Rest Day |
| WEEK TWO | Chest, Back and Abs | Should ers, Biceps, Triceps, Forearms, Abs | Lower Back, Calves, Abs | Chest, Back and Abs | Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps, Forearms, Abs | Legs, Calves, Abs | Rest Day |
| WEEK THREE | Chest, Back and Abs | Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps, Forearms, Abs | Lower Back, Calves, Abs | Chest, Back and Abs | Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps, Forearms, Abs | Legs, Calves, Abs | Rest Day |
| WEEK FOUR | Chest, Back and Abs | Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps, Forearms, Abs | Lower Back, Calves, Abs | Chest, Back and Abs | Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps, Forearms, Abs | Legs, Calves, Abs | Rest Day |
Phase one: DIET & SUPPLEMENTS
| MEAL 1 | PRE-WORKOUT | POSTWORKOUT | MEAL 2 | MEAL 3 | MEAL 4 | MEAL 5 | BEDTIME | |
| MEAL | Eggs, Bacon, Bread (See Diet Plan) | Meat, Veggies or salad, Almonds, Sweet Potatoes | Meat, Veggies or Salad, Brown Rice | Cottage Cheese, Almonds | ||||
| SUPPLEMENT | Iron Pack | Iron Pump | Iron Cre3 & Iron Mass with Milk | Iron Mass with Milk | Iron Dream |
Exercises and workouts
PHASE 1:
MON / THURS
CHEST
EXERCISE
- FLAT BARBELL BENCH PRESS
- INCLINE BARBELL BENCH PRESS
- SUPERSET DUMBBELL FLYES
W/ DUMBBELL PULLOVER
| REP RANGES | INCLINE BARBELL |
| WEEK 1: 30, 12, 10, 8, 6 | Low Angle Incline |
| WEEK 2: 30, 8, 6, 4, 2 After Completing required reps in Week 2 on Flat Barbell Bench Press, use the Stripping Method/Shocking Principle | Medium Angle Incline |
| WEEK 3: 30, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 | High Angle Incline |
| WEEK 4: Max out on either incline or flat then 20, 15, 12 on the others | Low Angle Incline |
DUMBBELL FLYES: Arnold was a big believer in expanding the chest with this exercise. Be sure to watch the Arnold Blueprint Video and see the angle Arnold uses.
MON / THURS
BACK
EXERCISE
- WIDE GRIP CHIN UPS
- SUPERSET 2 OF THE FOLLOWING:
BENT-OVER ROWS
DUMBBELL ROWS
T-BAR ROWS
| REP RANGES |
| WIDE GRIP CHIN UPS: 4 Sets to Failure |
| BENT OVER ROWS: |
| WEEK 1: 30, 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| WEEK 2: 30, 8, 6, 4, 2 |
| WEEK 3: 30, 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| WEEK 4: 20, 15, 12 |
| DEADLIFTS: 10, 6, 4 OR 5, 5, 5, OR 12, 10, 8 |
MON / THURS
ABS
EXERCISE
| REP RANGES | |
| 1 LEG RAISES | 5 Sets of 25 Reps |
PHASE 1:
TUE / FRI
SHOULDERS
TUE EXERCISE
- CLEAN & PRESS
- SUPERSET: DUMBBELL PRESS W/ FULL FRONTAL RAISE
- SUPERSET: LATERAL RAISES W/ UPRIGHT ROWS
FRI EXERCISE
- ARNOLD PRESS
- SUPERSET: BEHIND-THE-NECK PRESS W/ FULL FRONTAL RAISE
- SUPERSET: *REAR DELT FLYES W/ UPRIGHT ROWS
| REP RANGES |
| CLEAN & PRESS/ARNOLD PRESS: 5 sets of 5 reps |
| WEEK 1: 30, 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| WEEK 2: 30, 8, 6, 4, 2 |
| WEEK 3: 30, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 |
| WEEK 4: Max out on ONE major exercise then 20, 15, 12, 10 on the ot |
TUE / FRI
ARMS | BICEPS
EXERCISE
- BARBELL CURLS
- SUPERSET: SEATED INCLINE TWO-ARM DUMBBELL CURLS W/ CONCENTRATION CURL
| REP RANGES |
| WEEK 1: 30, 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| WEEK 2: 30, 8, 6, 4, 2 |
| WEEK 3: 30, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 |
| WEEK 4: Max out on ONE major exercise then 20, 15, 12, 10 on the others |
| BARBELL CURLS: Week 2 and 3: 1-10 Method |
TUE / FRI
ARMS | TRICEPS
TUE EXERCISE
- CLOSE-GRIP BENCH PRESS
- SUPERSET: BARBELL SKULL-CRUSHERS W/ ONE-ARM OVERHEAD DUMBBELL EXTENSION
FRI EXERCISE
- CLOSE-GRIP BENCH PRESS
- SUPERSET: TRICEP PUSHDOWN W/ ONE- ARM OVERHEAD DUMBBELL EXTENSION
| REP RANGES |
| WEEK 1: 30, 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| WEEK 2: 30, 8, 6, 4, 2 |
| WEEK 3: 30, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 |
| WEEK 4: Max out on ONE major exercise then 20, 15, 12, 10 on the others |
MON / THURS
ARMS | FOREARMS
EXERCISE
SUPERSET: WRIST CURLS W/REVERSE WRIST CURLS
| REP RANGES |
| WEEK 1: 30, 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| WEEK 2: 30, 8, 6, 4, 2 |
| WEEK 3: 30, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 |
| WEEK 4: Max out on ONE major exercise then 20, 15, 12, 10 on the others |
MON / THURS
ABS
EXERCISE
*DECLINE 3/4 SIT-UPS
*OPTIONAL: REPLACE WITH ROMAN CHAIRS
| REP RANGES |
| 5 Sets of 25 Reps |
WED / SAT
LEGS
WED EXERCISE
- SQUATS
- STRAIGHT-LEG DEADLIFTS
- GOOD MORNINGS (DO ONCE A WEEK)
- LUNGES
- SUPERSET: LEG EXTENSION W/LEG CURLS
SAT EXERCISE
- FRONT SQUATS
- DEADLIFTS
- GOOD MORNINGS (DO ONCE A WEEK)
- LUNGES
- SUPERSET: LEG EXTENSION W/LEG CURLS
| REP RANGES |
| ARNOLD STAYED WITH 5 SETS OF 8-12 REPS with each of these major exercises, so we will stay in these rep ranges. When it came to squats, arnold had great intensity. He would take a max effort on squats every so often as long as he felt good. Judge how you’re feeling and if things are going well, push to a max effort and max 1-Rep squat. |
| 5 Sets of 8-12 Reps for Each Exercise |
| DEADLIFTS: CHOSE : 10, 6, 4; 5, 5, 5 or 12, 10, 8 |
| GOOD MORNINGS: Only do once a week, choose a day |
| During week 4, choose one day to try a 1-Rep Max |
WED / SAT
LEGS | CALVES
SUPERSET: STANDING W/ SEATED CALF RAISES
| REP RANGES |
| 5 Sets of 8-12 Reps |
WED / SAT
ABS
EXERCISE
KNEELING CABLE CRUNCH
| REP RANGES |
| 4 Sets of 25 Reps |
ARNOLD BLUEPRINT TO MASS:DIET & SUPPLEMENTATION
This is a blueprint to mass, so this section is all about getting a mass amount of quality foods and supplements in you to ensure quality growth.
YOU’LL BE PUTTING IN SOME SERIOUS WORK IN THE GYM, SO A QUALITY DIET AND SUPPLEMENTATION PLAN IS PARAMOUNT TO PUTTING ON THE SIZE.
Without either one, you’re not going to grow, which means proper diet and supplementation and just as important as the weights your throwing around in the gym.
The diet and supplement plan is set up to give you a great deal of healthy protein, carbs and fats to grow and recover at an impressive rate. If you’re gaining mass then you want to produce some raw size, and you want it to be quality size, too. It’s not about just slamming buffets, ice cream and pizza at every meal to gain weight. You’ll put on the pounds, but not the kind you want. We’re after quality mass, which means you’ll be eating quality foods and plenty of it. It’s a lot of food, but the end game is some serious quality mass.
For every pound of bodyweight, Arnold recommended 1 gram of protein.
This diet and supplementation program also gives you some great reassurance that you’re on the right path to quality size. It’s a diet and supplementation program that has been tested and already yielded some great results.
We didn’t just want to throw something out there and hope it sticks. That’s never been our style and it will never be. WE MADE SURE THIS WAS A PROGRAM THAT PRODUCED IMPRESSIVE RESULTS.
We tinkered, we adjusted and we kept working, but what we ended up with was a diet and supplementation plan that has Arnold’s backing and that will bring some outstanding results. When you couple it with a proven training plan, the sky is the limit for your progress.
We’re giving you quality food with the correct supplements, along with another critical element, nutrient timing. This ensures your body is getting everything it needs at the times it needs it to build some serious muscle and mass.
Without a doubt, this is a championship formula that will take your body to the next level.
*Due to the amount of volume in the training plant, we believe the average person needs more carbohydrates via out doctors.