Michael Wittig is an ISSA trainer, IPE natural pro 3x champ and author of several books (wittigworks.com) @wittigworks

 

Think of building muscle as you would the building of the perfect pizza – there’s more than one way to do it. The process boils down to stressing muscle fibers and there are multiple ways to bring the kind of self inflicted pain that yields rewards. One method of tearing down muscle is with extremely high volume. The ‘5-10-15 System’ method of training is all about very high volume because it uses a systematic assault on your muscle fibers using strategic rep ranges. Most muscle groups get bombed with 20 sets per workout. With that, these workouts can take a little longer to complete, lasting  60-90 minutes, so keep your rest periods tight and stay focused. Try a week of training this way and you’ll be back for more with the sheer gains in size that’ll you’ll reap over the ensuing weeks.

 

The break of the split

Monday: Legs (quad focus)

Tuesday: Back and biceps

Wednesday: Chest and triceps

Thursday: Legs (calf and hamstring focus)

Friday: Delts and back

Saturday: Abs and HIIT

Sunday: Rest

 

Nutrition:

  1. Eat in a nutrient-dense calorie surplus to build muscle with protein ranging from 1.0 to 1.5 grams per pound of body weight.
  2. Drink plenty of fluids while working out. Stay fully hydrated.
  3. Take advantage of your hard work and have a fast-digesting whey protein shake immediately after lifting. Then try to eat a quality meal 45-60 minutes afterwards. Extra supplement considerations when building muscle would include creatine and glutamine.

 

Warming Up and Rest Periods:

  1. Take 5-10 minutes to warm up before hitting the weights. This gets the body physical prepared for more intense exercise.
  2. Do as many warm-up sets before the 5 x 5s as necessary. Make sure your joints are ready to go before lifting extremely heavy.
  3. Rest periods should vary based on the rep ranges. When doing the 5 x 5s take up to two minutes and even longer if necessary. Unless indicated, keep other rest periods around 90 seconds.

 

Monday: Legs (quad focus)

  1. Leg Press: Warm up, then 5 sets of 5 reps.

(Note: Do as many warm-up sets as necessary. Use knee sleeves or wraps if needed.)

  1. Squats: 5 sets of 10 reps.
  2. Leg extension: 5 sets of 15 reps (only 30 sec rest periods).
  3. Hack squats: 5 sets of 15, 10, 10, 5, 5, reps.

 

Superset 5: Do these two exercises back-to-back for one set. Do 5 sets total.

5a. Lying leg curls: 5 sets of 15 reps.

5b. Standing calf raises: 5 sets of 5 reps

(Note: Do a 5 second contraction hold at the top, 5 sec negative, and 2 sec bottom stretch on every rep.)

 

Tuesday: Back and biceps

  1. Bent over barbell row: Warm up, then 5 sets of 5 reps.
  2. Wide grip chins: 5 sets of 10 reps.

(Note: Do pull-downs if necessary).

  1. Straight arm pull-downs: 5 sets of 15 reps (only 30 sec rest periods).
  2. Seated row: 5 sets of 15, 10, 10, 5, 5, reps.
  3. Barbell curls: 5 sets 5 reps.
  4. Standing dumbbell curls: 5 sets of 10 reps.
  5. Cable high curls: 5 sets of 15 reps (only 30 sec rest periods).

 

Wednesday: Chest and triceps

  1. Machine incline press: Warm up, then 5 sets of 5 reps.

(Note: Plate loaded Hammer Strength type machine would be preferred.)

  1. Flat bench press: 5 sets of 10 reps.
  2. Cable high pulley fly: 5 sets of 15 reps (only 30 sec rest periods).
  3. Incline DB fly: 5 sets of 15, 10, 10, 5, 5, reps.

 

Superset 5: Do these two exercises back-to-back for one set. Do 5 sets total.

5a. Incline DB extension: 5 sets of 10 reps.

(Note: Use a bench with a slight incline to perform lying extensions.)

5b. Overhead dumbbell extension: 5 sets of 5 reps.

 

Superset 6: Do these two exercises back-to-back for one set. Do 5 sets total.

6a. Overhead cable extension: 5 sets of 15 reps.

(Note: Perform these extending overhead horizontally.)

6b. V Handle push-downs: 5 sets of 15, 10, 10, 5, 5 reps.

(Note: Your triceps will be fried by this point. Have your elbows slightly in front of you, but fixed. Use a little momentum if necessary to complete final reps.)

 

Thursday: Legs in Reverse (Calves and hamstring focus)

 

  1. Calf press: Warm up, then 5 sets of 5 reps.

(Note: Do a 5 second top pause, 5 sec negatives, and 2 sec bottom stretch. )

  1. Hack machine calf raises: 5 sets of 10 reps.
  2. Seated calf raise: 5 sets of 15 reps (only 30 sec rest periods).
  3. Standing calf raise: 5 sets of 5, 5, 10, 10, 15 reps.
  4. Sumo deadlifts: Warm up, then 5 sets of 5 reps.
  5. Standing leg curl: 5 sets of 10 reps each side.

(Note: Hammer stretch uni-lateral curl machine.)

  1. Lying leg curl: 5 sets of 15, 10, 10, 5, 5 reps.
  2. Single leg hip raise: 5 sets of 15 reps each side.

 

Friday: Delts and Back

  1. Seated cumbbell press: Warm up, then 5 sets of 5 reps.
  2. Military barbell press: 5 sets of 10 reps.
  3. Side lateral raises: 5 sets of 15 reps (30 sec rest periods).

Superset 4: Do these two exercises back-to-back for one set. Do 5 sets total.

4a. Cable race pulls: 5 sets of 15, 10, 10, 5, 5, reps.

4b. Cable front raise: 5 sets of 15, 10, 10, 5, 5, reps.

  1. Wide pull-ups: 5 sets to failure.

(Note: Do 5 sec top pauses, 5 sec negatives, and 2 sec bottom stretch.)

  1. Wide mid-range pull-ups: 5 sets to failure.

(Note: These are partial reps right in the mid-range of motion.)

 

Saturday: Abs and HIIT Cardio

Superset 1: Do these two exercises back to back for one set. Do 5 sets total.

1a. Dumbbell crunch: 5 sets of 15 reps.

1b. Dumbbell V-up: 5 sets of 15 reps.

 

Superset 2. Do these two exercises back-to-back for one set. Do 5 sets total.

2a. Dumbbell tuck and reverse crunch: 5 sets of 15 reps.

2b. Dumbbell Russian twist: 5 sets of 15 reps each side.

 

Superset 3. Do these two exercises back-to-back for one set. Do 5 sets total.

3a. Stretch plank dumbbell transfer: 3 sets of 15 transfers each side.

(Note: Get into up plank position with your hands further forward than directly below the shoulders. Slowly transfer a dumbbell from one side of the body to the other.)

3b. Dumbbell side plank hip dip: 5 sets of 15 reps each side.

(Note: Get into a side plank position and hold a dumbbell on top of the upward facing hip. Slowly dip your hip down towards the ground then drive it back up so your body is straight.)

 

HIIT: Do 5 total rounds resting 30 seconds between rounds.

  1. Dumbbell swing: 5 sets of 25 reps.

(Note: Do these just like a kettlebell swing.)