Triple split training will induce serious size, but I must warn you, this is only for the serious path! You need at least 2 years of training experience (the more the merrier), plenty of time on your hands, and the discipline to not only complete your training sessions, but to incorporate proper restoration, nutrition, and sleep. The triple split method involves three workouts every training day. For best results, you should choose two opposing body parts or movement patterns and sequence them in the form of the A1-A2 agonist-antagonist. That means that once you finish the first set of the first exercise, you will move on to the first set of the second exercise and then go back and forth between the two exercises until all sets are completed. Aim for around 60 total reps per body part per training session for a total of about 200 reps for that part of the body during the day.
In this routine, you will notice that the first workout has a slower eccentric component but you rest more between sets; while the later sessions have slightly faster eccentric tempos with lower rest intervals.
The parameters look like this: 1st workout: 10 sets x 6 reps at 5-0-1-0 tempo, 90 second rest interval 2nd workout: 8 sets x 8 reps at 4-0-1- tempo 0, 75 second rest interval 3rd workout: 6 sets x 10 reps at 3-0-1-0 tempo, 60 second rest interval Okay, enough talking, let’s get down to business.
Day 1 (Workout 1) – Back and Chest
A1) Medium Grip Pull-Ups
A2) Low incline barbell press 10 sets x 6 reps at 5-0-1-0 tempo, 90 second rest interval
Day 1 (Workout 2) – Back and Chest
A1) Incline EZ Bar Row (Supinated)
A2) Lying Dumbbell Press (Neutral) 8 sets x 8 reps at 4-0-1-0 tempo, 75 second rest interval
Day 1 (Workout 3) – Back and Chest
A1) Seated Cable Row (Neutral)
A2) High incline cable flight (pronation) 6 sets x 10 reps at 3-0-1-0 tempo, 60 second rest interval
Day 2 (Training 1) – Quads & Hams
A1) Front squat
A2) Lying Leg Curl (Neutral Feet) 10 sets x 6 reps at 5-0-1-0 tempo, 90 second rest interval
Day 2 (Training 2) – Quads & Hams
A1) Back Squat (Heels Elevated)
A2) Romanian semi-rigid leg deadlift 8 sets x 8 reps at 4-0-1-0 tempo, 75 second rest interval
Day 2 (Training 3) – Quads & Hams
A1) Seated Leg Extension
A2) Good morning Russians 6 sets x 10 reps at 3-0-1-0 tempo, 60 second rest interval
Day 3 – rest
Day 4 (Workout 1) – Triceps and Biceps
A1) Close grip bench press
A2) Scott EZ-Bar Reverse Curls 10 sets x 6 reps at 5-0-1-0 tempo, 90 second rest interval
Day 4 (Workout 2) – Triceps and Biceps
A1) Parallel Bar Dives
A2) Incline Hammer Curls 8 sets x 8 reps at 4-0-1-0 tempo, 75 second rest interval
Day 4 (Workout 3) – Triceps and Biceps
A1) Standing pressdown with reverse grip
A2) Seated Dumbbell Curl 6 sets x 10 reps at 3-0-1-0 tempo, 60 second rest interval
Day 5 (Workout 1) – Abs and Calves
A1) Sicilian crunch
A2) Standing Calf Raise 10 sets x 6 reps at 5-0-1-0 tempo, 90 second rest interval
Day 5 (Workout 2) – Abs and Calves
A1) Crunch with high pulley twist
A2) Donkey Calf Raise 8 sets x 8 reps at 4-0-1-0 tempo, 75 second rest interval
Day 5 (Workout 3) – Abs and Calves
A1) Supine Cable Pull-Ins
A2) Seated Calf Raise 6 sets x 10 reps at 3-0-1-0 tempo, 60 second rest interval
Day 6 – rest
Repetition note: tempo refers to the speed of movement and is represented by a 4-digit number: eccentric contraction (negative) – isometric (pause between negative and positive) contraction – concentric contraction (positive) – isometric (pause between positive and negative) contraction. For example, a tempo of 5-0-1-0 means lowering the weight for a count of 5, no pause at the bottom, raising the weight for a count of 1, and not pausing before starting the next rep.
Try to take two naps between workouts, that is, one nap between workouts 1 and 2 and the second nap between workouts 2 and 3. A trick I learned from the Olympic strength coach, Charles Poliquin, which is particularly helpful during triple split routines is to use whey isolate with grape juice, maltodextrin, and corn flakes or rice chex in a blender immediately after training. You will be asleep (actually, you can consider it a mild coma) in 15-20 minutes. Awake; eat a solid meal; and train an hour later. It’s that easy! To be successful in this program, you must follow the instructions below:
- Eat a minimum of 7 meals a day every 2.5 hours.
- You should consume 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight and up to 15 grams of fish oil every day.
- Consume 3 shakes after training on training days, but none on non-training days; In other words, it is better to eat your food than to drink it.
- Take lots of branched chain amino acids before and during your workouts (at least 20 grams per workout).
- Also plan restoration (i.e. massages, stretching, electronic muscle stimulation, contrast showers, salt baths, etc.)
- Ideally, the first workout should take place three hours upon awakening and the second and third workouts should take place within a 4-6 hour window after the previous workout session.
- Do not do the second and third workouts every third cycle, so you will only train once a day in the third and sixth cycles of the routine.
- Do the first workout 6 times and then switch to another routine.
If double-division training can almost double the muscle glycogen content of a part of the body, can you imagine what triple-division training can do? After just a few workouts, the glycogen stores are depleted so much that the body overcompensates by loading the muscles with more glycogen than normal, leading to hypertrophy or enlargement, but here’s the key: you must allow it! supercompensation occurs! And how do you do it? It’s called restoration. If you can’t put aside a good month to dedicate to this routine, then don’t bother.
Trying to fit these workouts into a busy lifestyle will quickly lead to overtraining. It’s an ideal program for someone in their late teens or early twenties who still lives at home with mom and dad, has the summer off from school, and needs to gain some size. If you want to gain mass quickly then this routine will do the trick … but you’ll pay the piper! Expect to be extremely sore and tired all the time. It’s a month from hell, but if you follow the program exactly as described, you will be rewarded for your efforts. Good luck!
