Following in Gregg Avedons Footsteps - Build Phase

Description

Gregg Avedon is one Men's Health top cover models of all time. His site, www.greggavedon.com 'gave' a run down of his workouts as well as nutrition intake, modeling advice and even personal advice if I recall correctly - all for free. I say gave because the site is currently being enhanced and all of his old posts are not currently accessible. From a post I found on another site dated in early 2007 and modified to match as close as possible the names of the exercises on here is as follows: *start post* *note-anything with a '*' to the left and right of it, I added* Monday & Thursday - Chest/Shoulders/Triceps Tuesday & Friday - Legs/Back/Biceps CHEST 4x Bench Press - Barbell, Flat, Wide Grip 4x Bench Press - Dumbbells, Inclined Bench 3x Fly's - Dumbbell, Inclined Bench SHOULDERS 4x Shoulder Press - Barbell, Standing 4x Upright Rows - Barbell *(Primarily works Traps, Shoulders is worked secondarily)* 3x Reverse Flyes *(Originally Stratum Flyes - Front/Side/Rear, but I have no idea what they are)* TRICEPS 4x Bench Press - Barbell, Flat, Close Grip *(No video on here for close grip so hold a barbell in the middle with your hands about 4 inches apart)* 4x Dips, Weighted *(If you don't have a weight belt, just hold a dumbbell between your feet or ankles)* 2-3x Skull Crushers *(Originally Tricep Isolation, but there's many forms of it)* LEGS 4x Squats - Barbell 4x Lunges - Dumbbell 3x Leg Press BACK 4x Bent Over Dumbbell Row *(Originally Bent Over Barbell Row, but no video on here)* 4x Lat Pulldowns -Wide-Grip *(Originally Lat Pulldowns, so use normal grip if you prefer) 3x T-Bar Row BICEPS 4x Barbell Curl - Standing 3x Dumbbell Curl - Seated 2-3x Concentration Curls *end post* When it comes to the amount of weight to use, I start with light/moderate weight because I personally am a fan of the pyramid style which is when you increase the weight you're using every set and depending on how hard you're working, decreasing the number of reps, usually by 2 for each additional set. A combined total of 5-60lbs for both arms and 20-90lbs for both legs, respectively, for the set in the exercise I'm doing. If my added weight is too little or too much, by all means, change it. My rep goals are 10 for arms and 12 for legs for the 1st set and decrease by 2 for each additional set. You'll see what I mean in the workout. Pyramid style, to me, is great for building body mass and for increasing the amount of weight that you want to be able to pump which is why I'm calling this the Build Phase. Once I get to the size and weight that I regularly want to pump, I'll switch to doing normal lifting(keeping the same weight and the same number of reps for all of the sets) to maintain it. Either I will or someone else on here will eventually create a Maintain Phase. Try pyramid or regular and see what works best for you. As far as the increase in lbs that I have posted in the sets. Look at it as starting with your desired beginning weight for the 1st set and add whatever the amount is posted for each additional set. No matter what the exercise is, look at the recommended weight as the TOTAL amount to add to the ORIGINAL weight in your 1st set. Meaning, if the 2nd set says 10lbs, then that's adding 5lbs to each dumbbell, 5lbs for each side of a barbell, 10lbs to or a weight belt or a dumbbell for dips, 5lbs to each side of the leg press(I go by 45's,) 10lbs to a T-Bar Row, and 10lbs to a cable pulley. If the 3rd set says 20lbs then you're adding a TOTAL of 20lbs to the ORIGINAL weight in your 1st set. If the pulleys weight goes only by 10's then either find the add on 5lb weight or do the same number of reps as the one before with the same amount of weight. Side notes: *I do 30 at least 1 set of dips straight every time I enter a gym, even if it's just to do yoga which averages twice a week, so do what you can do and build up to the amount of reps I have posted and then start adding weight *If your gym does not have a T-Bar Row, then try propping the end of a 45lb barbell in a corner, facing away from the corner, using a V-grip to pull up on. Feedback is always welcome. Good luck! P.S. I'm no expert, just an on again/off again 12+ year gym rat about to turn 30. Adjust the weight accordingly. Also, I've tried to be as detailed as possible so even the absolute beginners should grasp what I'm saying. *start post* *note-anything with a '*' to the left and right of it, I added* Monday & Thursday - Chest/Shoulders/Triceps Tuesday & Friday - Legs/Back/Biceps CHEST 4x Bench Press - Barbell, Flat, Wide Grip 4x Bench Press - Dumbbells, Inclined Bench 3x Fly's - Dumbbell, Inclined Bench SHOULDERS 4x Shoulder Press - Barbell, Standing 4x Upright Rows - Barbell *(Primarily works Traps, Shoulders is worked secondarily)* 3x Reverse Flyes *(Originally Stratum Flyes - Front/Side/Rear, but I have no idea what they are)* TRICEPS 4x Bench Press - Barbell, Flat, Close Grip *(No video on here for close grip so hold a barbell in the middle with your hands about 4 inches apart)* 4x Dips, Weighted *(If you don't have a weight belt, just hold a dumbbell between your feet or ankles)* 2-3x Skull Crushers *(Originally Tricep Isolation, but there's many forms of it)* LEGS 4x Squats - Barbell 4x Lunges - Dumbbell 3x Leg Press BACK 4x Bent Over Dumbbell Row *(Originally Bent Over Barbell Row, but no video on here)* 4x Lat Pulldowns -Wide-Grip *(Originally Lat Pulldowns, so use normal grip if you prefer) 3x T-Bar Row BICEPS 4x Barbell Curl - Standing 3x Dumbbell Curl - Seated 2-3x Concentration Curls *end post* When it comes to the amount of weight to use, I start with light/moderate weight because I personally am a fan of the pyramid style which is when you increase the weight you're using every set and depending on how hard you're working, decreasing the number of reps, usually by 2 for each additional set. A combined total of 5-60lbs for both arms and 20-90lbs for both legs, respectively, for the set in the exercise I'm doing. If my added weight is too little or too much, by all means, change it. My rep goals are 10 for arms and 12 for legs for the 1st set and decrease by 2 for each additional set. You'll see what I mean in the workout. Pyramid style, to me, is great for building body mass and for increasing the amount of weight that you want to be able to pump which is why I'm calling this the Build Phase. Once I get to the size and weight that I regularly want to pump, I'll switch to doing normal lifting(keeping the same weight and the same number of reps for all of the sets) to maintain it. Either I will or someone else on here will eventually create a Maintain Phase. Try pyramid or regular and see what works best for you. As far as the increase in lbs that I have posted in the sets. Look at it as starting with your desired beginning weight for the 1st set and add whatever the amount is posted for each additional set. No matter what the exercise is, look at the recommended weight as the TOTAL amount to add to the ORIGINAL weight in your 1st set. Meaning, if the 2nd set says 10lbs, then that's adding 5lbs to each dumbbell, 5lbs for each side of a barbell, 10lbs to or a weight belt or a dumbbell for dips, 5lbs to each side of the leg press(I go by 45's,) 10lbs to a T-Bar Row, and 10lbs to a cable pulley. If the 3rd set says 20lbs then you're adding a TOTAL of 20lbs to the ORIGINAL weight in your 1st set. If the pulleys weight goes only by 10's then either find the add on 5lb weight or do the same number of reps as the one before with the same amount of weight. Side notes: *I do 30 at least 1 set of dips straight every time I enter a gym so do what you can do and build up to the amount of reps I have posted and then start adding weight *If your gym does not have a T-Bar Row, then try propping the end of a 45lb barbell in a corner, facing away from the corner, using a V-grip to pull up on. Feedback is always welcome. Good luck! P.S. I'm no expert, just an on again/off again 12+ year gym rat about to turn 30. Adjust the weight accordingly. Also, I've tried to be as detailed as possible so even the absolute beginners should grasp what I'm saying.

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