Most of you should know by know the type of training we recommend at Biohazard...

Most of you should know by know the type of training we recommend at Biohazard. If you don’t – ask or get the video! The Biohazard method will get results and fast but as with any method of training your body will adapt to it and will need a change of some sort to keep you from going stale.

Training with the type of intensity required on the usual programmes we normally give to our coaching clients can only be sustained for a few weeks. When you start to feel over-trained switch to another type of training for 2-3 weeks before going back to the Biohazard method. You can still push yourself but because your body is not accustomed to the programme and/or exercises over-training is unlikely to occur. Not only are you giving yourself a break but your muscles are receiving a new stimulus that should keep the gains coming.

There is no absolute ‘best’ way to train, each programme has its own merits and if you work hard enough each will deliver results. Just as there is no right or wrong programme there are no right or wrong exercises, it is how you perform them that counts.

You could have one person who has ‘scientifically’ worked out every detail of their programme but is lazy when it comes to the gym and another who trains haphazardly but pushes him or her-self to the limit. Which one will make the most progress? That’s right – the one who trains with ‘balls’! So what I am saying is from time to time don’t be afraid to alter your training programme. Try supersets, strength training, low reps, high reps, rest-pause, etc, etc. "Use your imagination, you will keep the gains coming and stop yourself getting bored. The only two rules to stick to are:

1. Keep the number of sets per body-part on the low side.
2. Train your bollocks off!

After 2-3 weeks go back to the usual training style with renewed enthusiasm!

The sequel!

In my previous article on training variety I spoke about the need for change but didn’t give you any example plans to follow. So here they are and are more or less what I would be doing at any given time.

Biohazard Method:
Day1. Chest and Front Delts-
Set 1. Incline dumbell flyes. 1 high rep set of 40 reps to total failure.
Set 2. Incline dumbell flyes. Heavy drop set. Starting with 6-8 reps and getting at least 6 reps on each drop. Normally 2-3 drops are performed.
Set 3. Decline dumbell press. 1 heavy straight set of 6-8 reps.
Set 4. Decline dumbell press. 1 heavy drop set as with flyes.
Set 5. Cable front-raise. 1 heavy drop set as previously.

Day 2. Back, Traps and Rear Delts†.
Set 1. Dumbell pullovers. 1 high rep set of 40 .
Set 2. Dumbell pullovers. 1 drop set.
Set 3. Hammer pull-down machine. 1 heavy straight set.
Set 4. Hammer pull-down machine. 1 drop set.
Set 5. Bent-over barbell row. 1 drop set.
Set 6. Shrugs. 1 heavy straight set.
Set 7. Shrugs. 1 drop set.
Set 8. Bent-over dumbell laterals. 1 drop set.

Day 3. Off

Day 4. Side delts and arms-
Set 1. Side laterals. 1 high rep set of 40 .
Set 2. Side laterals. 1 drop set.
Set 3. Machine shoulder-press. 1 heavy straight set.
Set 4. Machine shoulder-press. 1 drop set.
Set 5. Cable curl. 1 high rep set of 30 .
Set 6. Cable curl. 1 drop set.
Set 7. Tricep pushdown. 1 high rep set of 30 .
Set 8. Tricep pushdown. 1 drop set.

Day 5. Legs-
Set 1. Leg extensions. 1 high rep set of 40 .
Set 2. Leg extensions. 1 drop set.
Set 3. Leg press. 1 drop set.
Set 4. Seated leg curl. 1 high rep set of 40 .
Set 5. Seated leg curl. 1 drop set.
Set 6. Stiff leg deadlift. 1 heavy set.
Set 7. Standing calf raise. 1 set of 10-12 reps. No rest and straight to a block for 12 reps of raises with a double bounce at the bottom. No rest and straight to the floor for 25 reps done very quickly. No rest and do it all again with reduced weight on the standing calf raise. No rest and do it all one more time.

Days 6 & 7. Rest.

So this would be a good example of the Biohazard method and would be the mainstay of your normal training. So what would you do for the 2-3 weeks of variety? I’ll give you a couple of examples. Normal heavy-duty training:

Stick to the same split as above but on each exercise do 1 heavy straight set and 1 drop set. This time do all your compound exercises first, followed by the isolation movements.

Strength Training:

Day 1. Chest shoulders and Triceps.
Exercise 1. Bench press. 5 sets of 5 reps.
Exercise 2. Flyes. 3 sets of 10 reps.
Exercise 3. Military press. 5 sets of 5 reps.
Exercise 4. Side laterals. 3 sets of 10 reps.
Exercise 5. Lying tricep extensions. 5 sets of 8 reps.

Day 2. Rest "Day 3. Back and Biceps.
Exercise 1. Deadlifts. 5 sets of 5 reps.
Exercise 2. Chins. 3 sets of 10 reps.
Exercise 3. Barbell curl. 5 sets of 8 reps.

Day 4. Rest.

Day 5. Legs.
Exercise 1. Squats. 5 sets of 5 reps.
Exercise 2. Leg extension. 3 sets of 10 reps.
Exercise 3. Leg curl. 3 sets of 8 reps.
Exercise 4. Standing calf raise. 5 sets of 8 reps.

Days 6 & 7. Rest.

Sometimes for the 2-3 weeks change I might try something different every session. For example here is a leg workout I did yesterday:

Leg press. Fairly heavy for a set of 25 reps to failure. Rest for 10†.15 seconds and do more reps. Keep going like this until 100 reps have been completed. (yes 100!). You might only be doing 2-3 reps on each rest pause by the end.
Die. Only for 5-10 minutes.
Hack squats superseted with leg extensions. 3 supersets of 10-15 reps each exercise.
By now I could hardly walk so hamstrings was difficult. I climbed onto the seated leg curl and did a heavy set of 12 reps and dropped the weight 5 times doing 4-5 reps on each drop. This was more than enough because my hamstrings were already worked from the previous torture.
Next? Calves on the leg press. This was done the same as leg press for quads. 20-25 reps to failure then rest pausing until 100 reps have been completed.