Lyle McDonald's Generic Bulking Routine (STICKY IT)

[Anthrax Invasion]

Lyle McDonald is the owner of www.bodyrecomposition.com - great website with lots of useful information. Some of us here are already familiar with those boards (proto...triple douche), but if you're not you may want to check it out.

Lyle's a no-bullshit guy. He'll cut straight to the point with things and definitely knows his shit. Don't believe me, then see for yourself.

I'm making this thread to add to the training methods sticky, since his bulking routine works very nicely, it's well-thought out, and it's a different style than HST or 5x5 (my other favorites).

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6324
Here's the original thread.

Mon: Lower
Squat: 3-4X6-8/3' (3-4 sets of 6-8 with a 3' rest)
SLDL or leg curl: 3-4X6-8/3'
Leg press: 2-3X10-12/2'
Another leg curl: 2-3X10-12/2'
Calf raise: 3-4X6-8/3'
Seated calf: 2-3X10-12/2'

Tue: Upper
Flat bench: 3-4X6-8/3'
Row: 3-4X6-8/3'
Incline bench or shoulder press: 2-3X10-12/2'
Pulldown/chin: 2-3X10-12/2'
Triceps: 1-2X12-15/1.5'
Biceps: 1-2X12-15/1.5'

For the thu/Fri workouts either rpeat the first two or make some slight exercise substitutions. Can do deadlift/leg press combo on Thu, switch incline/pulldown to first exercises on upper body day. A lot depends on volume tolerance, if the above is too much, go to 2-3X6-8 and 1-2X10-12

If that's unclear, I'll try to elaborate a bit.

You train Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday. Lower on Monday and Thursday, upper on Tuesday and Friday.

Basically, your volume is slightly higher than HST, but the frequency is less. It balances out to the same basic thing. It's more ideal for hypertrophy than something like the 5x5 routine due to the higher rep ranges and greater range of exercises (sarcoplasmic hypertrophy/increased glycogen storage).

I've done the routine myself, I liked it a lot. Ran two cycles.

On the second lower and upper days, you switch the lower-repped exercise for the higher-repped ones, so you train the exercises in varied ranges. This also helps you balance out your training. Do this further by putting pulling movements before pushing (you know who you are, always benching first) once in awhile too.

You run a two-week submax ramp at 80-85% then 90-95% of your current maxes for those ranges. Week three, you hit your current PRs, and try to set new ones for 4-6 weeks. So you run a 6-8 week cycle total. At this point, take a week off if you need it, or jump back into a new cycle (ramp again, with the new maxes).

If you want to switch rep ranges or exercises, so it after the first cycle ended, not during.

Here's a post by Lyle later in the thread:

Originally Posted by lylemcd
each cycle lasts 6-8 weeks (2 week submax runup + 4-6 weeks pushing the weights), you can repeat it

in subsequent cycles, you can switch exercises or rep ranges or both. don't switch antyhing within a given cycle.

I was thiking earlier today that a nice progression would be a cycle of

6-8+10-12 ('pure' hypertrophy)
5's + 8-10 (strength/hypertrophy)
3's+6-8 (strength emphasis)

then repeat.

Lyle

PURE HYPERTROPHY PHASE 3-4X6-8 + 2-3X10-12
STRENGTH/HYPERTROPHY PHASE 3-5X5 + 2-3X8-10 (this'll be a heavy training load)
STRENGTH EMPHASIS PHASE 3X3 + 2-3X6-8

The above are the sets you should be doing with the phases.

Hm...I may have missed something, but if anyone has questions, do ask.

Also - mods - sticky this.

 

[Cynical Simian]

Good stuff. I've bookmarked it to be added next time we revise the sticky; it's not really practical to PM the mods with piecemeal changes every time we find something new.

Of course, this problem (along with the problem of people posting inane threads without being banned or having them locked) would be fixed by making me training forum mod.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

I still say we make me a mod. We can call me Emperor Anthrax.

Come on, you all know it has a nice ring to it.

 

[xblitz44x]

I still say we make me a mod. We can call me Emperor Anthrax.

Come on, you all know it has a nice ring to it.

Or we could just shorten it to: Stalin

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

I'm German and Italian, so Hitler or Mussolini would fit better.

 

[Chambewy20]

I think "Dickhead" would suffice....

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

I think "Dickhead" would suffice....

My first act as overlord would be to have you gangraped by the C&C crew, 'cause I would obviously own them all.

 

[Chambewy20]

You mean you didn't bust out the old usual"cunt"?

You between your peanut butter and jelly sandwich and applesauce after skewl?

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

PB&J fucking rawks man, I dunno what you're thinkin' here.

Ever fuck a jar of applesauce?

 

[Chambewy20]

No, I like my applesauce cold, not loose, warm and runny but I like girls that way except for the loose part.

I was raised on PB&J so I agree with that one.

 

[Quadsweeps Sister]

Good stuff. I've bookmarked it to be added next time we revise the sticky; it's not really practical to PM the mods with piecemeal changes every time we find something new.

Of course, this problem (along with the problem of people posting inane threads without being banned or having them locked) would be fixed by making me training forum mod.

I'd put a vote in for you. Do you have to be plat first?

 

[redguru]

If you talk to Lyle ask him if he's still a monkey-fscker on misc.fitness.weights.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

Ask him yourself.

 

[redguru]

I used to bullshit on that newsgroup for a while. Lyle knows his shit and there were a few others that knew what they were talking about. Lyle for nutrition, bodyopus diet and other CKD's, Will Brink for supplements and thermogenics, Keith Hobman for powerlifting. Mistress Krista, of course.

 

[Cynical Simian]

I'd put a vote in for you. Do you have to be plat first?

Not sure. There's been a bit more of a discussion about the need for mods here, but so far no mods/admins have said anything (not counting stilleto's post about a different issue raised in the thread).

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

I used to bullshit on that newsgroup for a while. Lyle knows his shit and there were a few others that knew what they were talking about. Lyle for nutrition, bodyopus diet and other CKD's, Will Brink for supplements and thermogenics, Keith Hobman for powerlifting. Mistress Krista, of course.

Lyle's UD2.0 is far superior to BodyOpus. I'm running it now - great cutting regimen.

 

[nycgirl]

Lyle's UD2.0 is far superior to BodyOpus. I'm running it now - great cutting regimen.

I'm following advice he gave in an article posted on another board. So far, it has worked for me. I'm going to purchase his book on rapid weightloss.

I recommend his weekly newsletter.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

I'm following advice he gave in an article posted on another board. So far, it has worked for me. I'm going to purchase his book on rapid weightloss.

I recommend his weekly newsletter.

Already signed up to it.

The rapid fatloss book is a good read. Had a .pdf awhile ago, can't figure out what happened to it.

Why are you going that route though? Something like UD2.0 would be more appropriate if you've got no time frame in which you need to lose the weight. PSMFs fucking SUCK (did it for two weeks, I wanted to die).

 

[silver_shadow]

Already signed up to it.

The rapid fatloss book is a good read. Had a .pdf awhile ago, can't figure out what happened to it.

Why are you going that route though? Something like UD2.0 would be more appropriate if you've got no time frame in which you need to lose the weight. PSMFs fucking SUCK (did it for two weeks, I wanted to die).

can you provide a link to that UD2.0 thingy?

 

[xblitz44x]

can you provide a link to that UD2.0 thingy?

I'd also like to see that.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

http://ud2.lylemcdonald.com/

 

[xblitz44x]

Lord, $40. I'll have to stay fat for a few more months until I have money.

 

[nycgirl]

Already signed up to it.

The rapid fatloss book is a good read. Had a .pdf awhile ago, can't figure out what happened to it.

Why are you going that route though? Something like UD2.0 would be more appropriate if you've got no time frame in which you need to lose the weight. PSMFs fucking SUCK (did it for two weeks, I wanted to die).

I want to drop 10lbs really quick, that's why I'm interested in the book. I don't have much to lose.

I will look into the UD2.0

 

[c3bodybuilding]

LOL I can't believe someone remembered misc.fitness.weights. Mistress Krista was the Spatts of that place. Too bad Lyle got laughed out when someone posted his pics while he was supposedly following his own diets.

This routine is almost indenticle to one in Joe Weiders Ultimate Guide to Bodybuilding and Animals Dual Factor. Then again there really isn't anything new to discover in bbing.

 

[c3bodybuilding]

I want to drop 10lbs really quick, that's why I'm interested in the book. I don't have much to lose.

I will look into the UD2.0>>>

There is never a quick answer in weight loss. Remember hard work and sticking with it for the long run is how it works. But if you want good diet advice, I'd recommend PMing someone like Mr. X. He know's his stuff and is always helpful.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

Mr. X followed some pretty stupid ideas, last I remember.

 

[fortunatesun]

AI, you work out?





Nice routine. Covers a lot of ground in a simple package.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

AI, you work out?





Nice routine. Covers a lot of ground in a simple package.

Heavens NO! What gave you that idea?

 

[Sassy69]

Added to the Training Vault

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

Hooray, I did it.

 

[Protobuilder]

You, sir, are an idiot.

 

[Quadzilla8]

You, sir, are an idiot.

agreed