Old School
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The basic idea of this size and strength building program is to perform a set of 5 reps with half your 10 rep max.
Then you get a brief rest (just enough to change the weights) and peform another set of 5 reps with 75% of your 10 rep max.
This is followed by another brief rest to change the weights and you perform a third set of 5 reps with 100% of your 10 rep max.
After this series of three sets, you rest for three minutes and then repeat the series. You'll repeat the series of three sets for 4 to 6 cycles in this unique weight lifting system.
In order to stay consistent from set to set and workout to workout, I take exactly one minute of rest between the three sets in the series. This leaves me just enough time to change the weights without rushing.
DeLorme's weight lifting system has you busting your chops every workout. With the higher volume than I usually recommend, I've instituted a twist on the program that I learned about from Pavel Tsatsouline.
You'll be working out three days per week utilizing the light, medium, heavy approach that strength coaches like Bill Starr recommend. So you'll only be going balls to the wall once per week. Once you're knee deep in this routine, you won't want to do it anymore often than that.
Forget those high tech and conoluted weight training routines with a gazillion different exercises, most of which you've probably never even heard of. We'll be using only two exercises. That's right, just two; the bench press and the deadlift (Side note: As I've mentioned before, I personally prefer the decline bench press. It's safer on your shoulders and rotator cuff and shortens the range of motion so it focuses more on your chest, as opposed to your triceps).
For the deadlift, return the weight to the floor, pause a second, and start the next rep. The same holds true for the bench press. Pause on the chest for a second (but don't relax, stay tight).
Like Pavel, I recommend that you perform the bench press before the deadlift in this weight lifting system. Performing the bench press first will not adversely affect the deadlift nearly as much as the other way around.
If you haven't been doing much in the way of volume in your current weight lifting system, you'll want to break into this routine with the following two week introductory cycle (continued below).
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Here's the 2 week introductory program for the DeLorme weight lifting system:
Week 1
Monday
50 percent of your 10RM x 5 reps
75 percent of your 10RM x 5 reps
Repeat this series three times. Between sets, rest only long enough to change the weights (I use 1 minute to stay consistent). Between series, rest three minutes. This hold true throughout the program.
Wednesday
50 percent of your 10RM x 5 reps
75 percent of your 10RM x 5 reps
Repeat this series four times.
Friday
50 percent of your 10RM x 5 reps
75 percent of your 10RM x 5 reps
Repeat this series five times.
Week 2
Monday
50 percent of your 10RM x 5 reps
75 percent of your 10RM x 5 reps
100 percent of your 10RM x 5 reps
Repeat this series twice
Wednesday
50 percent of your 10RM x 5 reps
75 percent of your 10RM x 5 reps
Repeat this series seven times
Friday
50 percent of your 10RM x 5 reps
75 percent of your 10RM x 5 reps
Repeat this series five times
Remember, between sets, rest only long enough to change the weights (I use 1 minute to stay consistent). Between series, rest three minutes. This hold true throughout the DeLorme weight lifting system.
Now it's time to ramp up the muscle building and strength training. When using a bodybuilding routine like this, you're better off starting with a conservative estimate of your 10 rep max so you can build momentum in the early stages of the program.
Let's say you use 150 pounds for your 10 rep max in the bench press. On Monday, you will do 75 pounds x 5 reps, 115 pounds by 5 reps, and 150 pounds by 5 reps. Do this for as many series as you can (most likely between four and six series). Stop when you can barely make 150 pounds by 5 reps. Remember, etween sets, rest only long enough to change the weights (I use 1 minute to stay consistent). Between series, rest three minutes. This hold true throughout the program.
If you complete four series, you'll use only do 50% of your 10 rep max on Wednesday for four series (you perform the same number of series that you completed on Monday.
On Friday, you'll do the following:
50 percent of your 10RM x 5 reps
75 percent of your 10RM x 5 reps
Repeat this series the same number as on Monday (in this case four).
Now, when you can complete at least five series on Monday, you will then add 5 pounds to every set. Using the example above, your weights would become 80, 120, and 155. This holds true for every workout. So on Wednesday, it would now be 5 sets of 5 with 80 pounds and on Friday, it would be 80 x 5 followed by 120 x 5 for five series.
For the deadlift, everything is the same except that you increase the weights by 10 pounds instead of 5, unless your 10 rep deadlift weight is less than 100 pounds (then only increase by 5 pounds like the bench press).
The whole weight lifting system lasts 8 weeks (2 for the introductory program and then 6 hard weeks of ball busting, muscle building, strength gaining training.
If you've been going all out with low volume, high intensity weight training, this short term change could do wonders for building muscle and strength and refreshing your motivation and mental game. Give this weight lifting system a solid try. Go for it!
