Workout Summary
- Main GoalBuild Muscle
- Workout TypeSplit
- Training LevelBeginner
- Program Duration20 weeks
- Days Per Week4
- Time Per Workout45-60 minutes
- Equipment RequiredBarbell, Bodyweight, Dumbbells, EZ Bar, Machines, Other
- Target Gender Male
- Recommended Supps
- Workout PDF Download Workout
Workout Description
This is a complete 20 week muscle building program from MusclePharm. Each phase is run as a 4 week block, and the 20 week cycle may be repeated after it is done. The phases are:
- Phase 1 - No wasted time here. A crazy start to an intense program. This phase will build a solid base for even the hardest of hardgainers.
- Phase 2 - Vastly different from your first 4 weeks of training, this phase was designed to push even more growth. The focus will be on using old-school pyramid type training.
- Phase 3 - This is a brutal phase. By using tri-sets you will focus on muscle fullness and roundness.
- Phase 4 - In this phase the volume is turned way up. It functions more as a cutting phase.
- Phase 5 - During this phase you will return to the basics of bodybuilding and pack on more quality muscle mass.
Get Swole - Phase 1
Get Swole Phase One doesn’t waste any time getting into some intense work. It originated to set up a foundation of my craziness in the gym for my clients, giving them a solid base from which to build.
I superset almost everything with a rep count around 12 and really focus on upping and improving the person’s GPP (gross physical preparedness) so they could handle any workout I threw at them in the later phases.
The phase certainly includes a greater type of volume than most are used to, and there’s an initial shock when introducing a plan this intense. That’s why I included a quality food plan and, just as importantly, a high-level recovery schedule to let everyone grow.
If done properly, this phase will build quality muscle. Whether you’re a hardgainer or just need to tighten up, this phase – and the Get Swole plan as a whole – will make your body change almost immediately. This is a proven blueprint to get rolling so all you have to do is jump in.
It’s all laid out for you, so don’t over think it. Just get to work and enjoy the ride.
Phase 1 - Diet Plan
- 7 am - Wake up. 3 whole eggs, 1/4 cup oatmeal, 1 cup of fruit.
- 10 am - 2 Scoops of Combat Powder plus 2 oz. heavy whipping cream.
- 1 pm - Meat: 8 oz., carbohydrate: 1/2 cup. Ex. 8 oz. of tuna and 1/2 cup of brown rice.
- 4 pm - 2 Scoops of Combat Powder plus 2 oz. heavy whipping cream.
- 7 pm - Meat: 8 oz., carbohydrate: 2 cups, vegetables: 2 cups. Ex. 8 oz. of tuna, 2 cups of brown rice, 2 cups of broccoli.
- 10 pm - 2 Scoops of Combat Powder plus 2 oz. heavy whipping cream.
Phase 1 - Supplementation Plan
- 7 am - RE-CON®: 1/2 scoop, take with 8-12 oz. of water. ARMOR-V™: 6 capsules, take with 8-12 oz. of water.
- Pre-workout - ASSAULT® 1 scoop with 8-12 oz. of water 20-30 minutes before workout.
- Post-workout - RE-CON® 1/2 scoop with 8-12 oz. of water immediately after workout. BCAA 3:1:2™ - 6 capsules with 8-12 oz. of water immediately after workout. CREATINE 3 scoops with 8-12 oz. of water immediately after workout.
- 10 pm - Z-CORE PM™: 1 capsule.
Recovery days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday).
- 1/2 scoop of RE-CON® with 8-12 oz. of water upon waking up.
- Take ARMOR-V™ with breakfast.
- 1/2 scoop of RE-CON® with 8-12 oz. of water at lunch.
- BCAA 3:1:2™ and ZMA MAX™ prior to bed.
* This will help you maintain your intensity in training come Monday
Phase 1 - Workout
- Monday - Chest and Back
- Tuesday - Legs and Abs
- Wednesday - Arms
- Thursday - Shoulders and Abs
Monday - Chest and Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Wide Grip Pull Ups | 5 | Failure |
| Bench Press | 5 | 12 |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 5 | 12 |
| Seated Cable Row | 5 | 12 |
| Dumbbell Pullover | 6 | 12 |
Tuesday - Legs and Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 12 |
| Leg Press | 6 | 12 |
| Stiff Leg Deadlift | 5 | 12 |
| Leg Curl | 5 | 12 |
| Barbell Lunge | 5 | 12 |
| Weighted Calf Raise | 5 | 12 |
| Ab Wheel | 50 |
Wednesday - Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Arnold Barbell Cheat Curls | 6 | 8 |
| Incline French Press | 6 | 8 |
| Incline Dumbbell Curl | 5 | 4 reps, 5 Sec Twist, Then 4 More Reps |
| Straight Bar Cable Extension | 1 | 20 x 1, 20 x 1/4 Rep |
| Bench Dip | 5 | Failure |
| Machine Preacher Curl | 5 | 30 |
Thursday - Shoulders and Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Military Press | 5 | 12 |
| Upright Row | 5 | 12 |
| Lateral Raise | 5 | 12 |
| Full Frontals | 5 | 12 |
| Ab Wheel | 100 |
Get Swole - Phase 2
Get Swole Phase 2 was designed to push even more growth, leaning on an old school pyramid-type workout to get it done.
It’s vastly different than Phase 1, which relied more on supersets in the 12-rep range, and that’s why it works.
Phase 1 laid the foundation and Phase 2 gives you the opportunity to push hard with some heavy weight. You’ll use pyramid sets, and it’s up to you to challenge yourself for each specified rep on each specified set.
If it says “20,15,12,10 reps” for a particular movement, you should barely be able to get each rep. That’s how hard you have to push, but the results will be apparent. You’ll see new growth and you’ll quickly know the effort is worth it.
You’re setting the body up to grow with a new stimulus, in addition to a solid diet, recovery and supplementation.
With this type of training in Phase 2, you’re tearing down and building new muscle, putting you on track for even more growth.
Phase 2 - Diet Plan
- 7 am - Option 1) 3 whole eggs, 1/4 cup oatmeal and 1 cup of fruit. Option 2) 2 egg whites, 1 cup of fruit, 1/4 cup of yogurt. Option 3) 2 strips of organic turkey bacon, 1 cup of fruit, 1/4 cup of yogurt.
- 10 am - 2 Scoops of Combat Powder plus 2 oz. heavy whipping cream.
- 1 pm - Meat: 8 oz., carbohydrate: 1/2 cup. Ex. 8 oz. of tuna and 1/2 cup of brown rice.
- 4 pm - 2 Scoops of Combat Powder plus 2 oz. heavy whipping cream, 1 cup of fruit.
- 7 pm - Meat: 8 oz., carbohydrate: 2 cups, vegetables: 2 cups. Ex. 8 oz. of tuna, 2 cups of brown rice, 2 cups of broccoli.
- 10 pm - 2 Scoops of Combat Powder plus 2 oz. heavy whipping cream, 1 cup of fruit.
Phase 2 - Supplementation Plan
- 7 am - RE-CON®: 1/2 scoop, take with 8-12 oz. of water. ARMOR-V™: 6 capsules, take with 8-12 oz. of water.
- Pre-workout - ASSAULT® 1 scoop with 8-12 oz. of water 20-30 minutes before workout.
- Post-workout - RE-CON® 1/2 scoop with 8-12 oz. of water immediately after workout. BCAA 3:1:2™ - 6 capsules with 8-12 oz. of water immediately after workout. CREATINE 3 scoops with 8-12 oz. of water immediately after workout.
- 10 pm - Z-CORE PM™: 1 capsule.
Recovery days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday).
- 1/2 scoop of RE-CON® with 8-12 oz. of water upon waking up.
- Take ARMOR-V™ with breakfast.
- 1/2 scoop of RE-CON® with 8-12 oz. of water at lunch.
- BCAA 3:1:2™ and ZMA MAX™ prior to bed.
* This will help you maintain your intensity in training come Monday
Phase 2 - Workout
- Monday - Chest and Back
- Tuesday - Legs
- Wednesday - Arms
- Thursday - Shoulders and Abs
- Friday, Saturday and Sunday - Cardio
Cardio
20-30 minutes of cardio, apply to whatever equipment is available. (ex. stair stepper, jump rope, treadmill etc.) Alternate 1 minute intense then 1 minute steady.
Monday - Chest and Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Chin Up | 4 | Failure |
| Incline Bench Press | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| Seated Cable Row | 5 | 12, 10, 8, 8, 8 |
| Bench Press | 5 | 5 |
| Wide Grip Lat Pull Down | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| Dumbbell Flye w/4 count stretch at the bottom | 5 | 5 |
Tuesday - Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 20, 15, 12, 10, 8 |
| Leg Press | 5 | 20, 15, 12, 10, 8 |
| Leg Extension | 4 | 25, 20, 15, 10 |
| Leg Curl | 5 | 20, 15, 10, 5, 5 |
| Calf Raise | 4 | 25, 20, 25, 20 |
Wednesday - Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Scott Preacher Curls (superset) | 3 | 5 Full, Then 5 Half Rep |
| Machine Curls (superset) | 3 | 30 |
| Close Grip Bench Press | 5 | 5 |
| Rope Tricep Extensions | 4 | Alternate 4 x 20 Full, 4 x 20 Half Rep |
| Bench Dips | 5 | Failure |
| Cable Tricep Extentions | 4 | Alternate 4 x 20 Full, 4 x 20 Half Rep |
Thursday - Shoulders and Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Military Press | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| Overhead Dumbbell Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
| Lateral Raise | 4 | 20, 15, 12, 10 |
| Full Frontals | 5 | 5 |
| Barbell Shrug | 5 | 5 |
| Ab Wheel Rollouts | 100 |
Get Swole - Phase 3
In short, Get Swole Phase 3 is brutal. It’s known as the Tri-Set Phase and there is nothing easy about this phase. We’re working on muscle fullness and roundness in this phase, and the nonstop tri-sets and huge volume allows that to happen.
You’ll put your body through some tremendously intense workouts, once again raising your GPP (gross physical preparedness). It gets your ready for the upcoming Phase 4, and you’ll see some strong results in the process.
Coming off the heavy pyramid workouts in Phase 2, your body will certainly be shocked for what’s in store in Phase 3.
But that’s exactly what we want and the pumps and muscle fullness you’ll feel will be awesome. The key is keeping your rest periods low and your intensity high, setting a brutal pace in the gym.
Once again, we’ll have a serious recovery schedule set for this phase, giving your muscles everything they need to recover while you’re still shedding body fat. Put in the work in this brutal phase and you’ll be impressed with how your body will change.
Phase 3 - Diet Plan
- 7 am - Wake up. Option 1) 4 whole eggs and 2 slices of organic turkey bacon. Option 2) 2 whole eggs, 2 slices of organic turkey bacon and 1 cup of fruit. Option 3) 2 whole eggs and 1 cup of carbs.
- 10 am - 2 Scoops of Combat Powder plus 2 oz. heavy whipping cream.
- 1 pm - Meat: 8 oz., carbohydrate: 1/2 cup. Ex. 8 oz. of tuna and 1/2 cup of brown rice. 2 Scoops of Combat Powder plus 2 oz. heavy whipping cream.
- 4 pm - 2 Scoops of Combat Powder plus 2 oz. heavy whipping cream.
- 7 pm - Meat: 8 oz., carbohydrate: 2 cups, vegetables: 2 cups. Ex. 8 oz. of tuna, 2 cups of brown rice, 2 cups of broccoli.
- 10 pm - 2 Scoops of Combat Powder plus 2 oz. heavy whipping cream. 1 cup of fruit.
Phase 3 - Supplementation Plan
- 7 am - RE-CON®: 1/2 scoop, take with 8-12 oz. of water. ARMOR-V™: 6 capsules, take with 8-12 oz. of water.
- Pre-workout - ASSAULT® 1 scoop with 8-12 oz. of water 20-30 minutes before workout.
- Post-workout - RE-CON® 1/2 scoop with 8-12 oz. of water immediately after workout. BCAA 3:1:2™ - 6 capsules with 8-12 oz. of water immediately after workout. CREATINE 3 scoops with 8-12 oz. of water immediately after workout.
- 10 pm - Z-CORE PM™: 1 capsule.
Recovery days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday).
- 1/2 scoop of RE-CON® with 8-12 oz. of water upon waking up.
- Take ARMOR-V™ with breakfast.
- 1/2 scoop of RE-CON® with 8-12 oz. of water at lunch.
- BCAA 3:1:2™ and ZMA MAX™ prior to bed.
* This will help you maintain your intensity in training come Monday
Phase 3 - Workout
- Monday - Chest and Back
- Tuesday - Legs and Abs
- Wednesday - Arms
- Thursday - Shoulders and Abs
- Friday, Saturday and Sunday - Cardio
Cardio
20-30 minutes of cardio, apply to whatever equipment is available. (ex. stair stepper, jump rope, treadmill etc.). Alternate 1 minute intense then 1 minute steady.
Monday - Chest and Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Bench Press (triset #1) | 4 | 12 |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press (triset #1) | 4 | 12 |
| Dumbbell Flye (triset #1) | 4 | 15 |
| Bench Press (triset #2) | 4 | 12 |
| Cable Crossover (triset #2) | 4 | 15 |
| Dumbbell Flye (triset #2) | 4 | 12 |
| Wide Grip Pull Ups (triset #3) | 4 | 15 |
| Dumbbell Pullover (triset #3) | 4 | 15 |
| Seated Cable Rows (triset #3) | 4 | 15 |
| Lat Pull Down (triset #4) | 4 | 15 |
| T-Bar Row (triset #4) | 4 | 15 |
| Stiff Arm Cable Crossover (triset #4) | 4 | 15 |
Tuesday - Legs and Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat (triset #1) | 3 | 15 |
| Leg Press (triset #1) | 3 | 15 |
| Leg Extension (triset #1) | 3 | 15 |
| Stiff Leg Deadlift (triset #2) | 3 | 15 |
| Leg Curl (triset #2) | 3 | 15 |
| Walking Lunges (triset #2) | 1 | 10 minutes |
Wednesday - Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| EZ Bar Preacher Curl (triset #1) | 4 | 15 |
| Forehead Curl (triset #1) | 4 | 15 |
| Hammer Curl (triset #1) | 4 | 15 |
| 3 Way Skullcrushers (triset #2) | 1 | 20 to Nose, 20 to Forehead, 20 Behind Head |
| Close Grip Preacher Bench (triset #2) | 1 | 100 |
| Cable Tricep Extensions (triset #2) | 1 | 100 |
Thursday - Shoulders and Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Arnold Press | 4 | 20 |
| Overhead Dumbbell Press (triset #1) | 4 | 20 |
| Lateral Raise (triset #1) | 4 | 20 |
| Front Dumbbell Raise (triset #1) | 4 | 20 |
| Barbell Shrug | 4 | 20 |
| Ab Wheel Rollouts | 1 | 100 |
Get Swole - Phase 4
Get Swole Phase 4 is a bit different then the first three phases. I made it more of a cutting phase and turned the volume way up, making it closely mirror my daily workouts.
For the past 12 weeks, we have been putting on some serious sizes and those changes are probably apparent. With this phase, I wanted to make sure we could lose a little more body fat to really round things out and make this old school style workouts really shine. In phase four, I put two workouts for each muscle group, excluding shoulders, which get taxed plenty with all of the high volume chest and back work.
The timing for this phase is ideal and it comes at the perfect time because, from here, we transition to the basement phase to finish off the Get Swole plan.
Phase 4 - Diet Plan
- 6:30 am - Wake up.
- 7 am - 5 egg whites, 1/2 cup of carbs, 1/2 cup of fruit.
- 10 am - 1 cup of 1% cottage cheese.
- 1 pm - Meat: 8 oz., vegetables: 2 cups: cook in olive oil.
- 4 pm - 1 cup almonds or 1 serving avocado.
- 7 pm - Meat: 8 oz., vegetables: 2 cups: cook in olive oil.
- 10 pm - 2 Scoops of Combat Powder.
Off days on Sundays are truly an off day. Stay on top of your supplement regimen, however, instead of 5 meals, go to 3 meals. Stay away from fried foods, fructose corn syrup and processed carbohydrates, but don’t stay away from carbohydrates completely. Trust in the plan and your body will adjust within the first couple weekends.
Phase 4 - Supplementation Plan
- 6:30 am - BCAA 3:1:2™: 6-8 capsules, take with 8-12 oz. of water. SHRED MATRIX®: 2-3 capsules, take with 8-12 oz. of water.
- 7 am - ARMOR-V™: 3 capsules, take with 8-12 oz. of water.
- 12:30 pm - SHRED MATRIX®: 2-3 capsules, take with 8-12 oz. of water.
- 1 pm - ARMOR-V™: 3 capsules, take with 8-12 oz. of water.
- Pre-workout - ASSAULT® 1 scoop with 8-12 oz. of water 20-30 minutes before workout.
- Post-workout - RE-CON® 1/2 scoop with 8-12 oz. of water immediately after workout. BCAA 3:1:2™ - 6 capsules with 8-12 oz. of water immediately after workout. CREATINE 3 scoops with 8-12 oz. of water immediately after workout.
- 10 pm - Z-CORE PM™: 1 capsule. RE-CON®: 1/2 scoop, take with 8-12 oz. of water.
Phase 4 - Workout
- Monday - Chest and Back - 2 workouts
- Tuesday - Arms - 2 workouts
- Wednesday - Legs - 2 workouts
- Thursday - Chest and Back - 2 workouts
- Friday - Arms - 2 workouts
- Saturday - Legs - 2 workouts
Monday - Chest and Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Workout #1 | ||
| Wide Grip Pull Up (superset #1) | 5 | 15 |
| Bench Press (superset #1) | 5 | 15 |
| Chin Up (superset #2) | 5 | 15 |
| Incline Bench Press (superset #2) | 5 | 15 |
| Dumbbell Flye (superset #3) | 4 | 15 |
| Chest Dip (superset #3) | 4 | 12 |
| Alternate: Dumbbell Pullover, Cable Crossover, Hammer Strength Chest Press | 3-5 | 15 |
| Choose One: Weighted Crunch, Ab Wheel Rollouts, Cable Crunch | 100 | |
| Workout #2 | ||
| Bench Press (superset #1) | 5 | 12 |
| T-Bar Row (superset #1) | 5 | 12 |
| Incline Bench Press (superset #2) | 5 | 12 |
| Chin Ups (superset #2) | 5 | 12 |
| Dumbbell Pullover (superset #3) | 5 | 12 |
| Cable Crossover (superset #3) | 5 | 20 |
| Choose One: Weighted Crunch, Ab Wheel Rollouts, Cable Crunch | 100 |
Tuesday - Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Workout #1 | ||
| Barbell Curl (superset #1) | 5 | 15 |
| Bench Dips (superset #1) | 5 | 12 |
| Incline Dumbbell Curl (superset #2) | 5 | 8 reps, 5 count twist then 4 more |
| Bench Dips (superset #2) | 5 | 30 |
| Preacher Curl (superset #3) | 5 | 12 |
| Cable Tricep Extension (superset #3) | 5 | 20 |
| Forearm Curl | 3 | 20 |
| Choose One: Weighted Crunch, Ab Wheel Rollouts, Cable Crunch | 100 | |
| Workout #2 | ||
| Arm Gauntlet: set up 7-8 arm exercises and do 15 reps for biceps and 20 reps for triceps for 5 sets. | ||
| Cable Tricep Extension | 20 | |
| Tricep Band Pressdown | 20 | |
| Barbell Curl | 15 | |
| Preacher Curl | 15 | |
| Skullcrusher | 20 | |
| Bench Dip | 20-30 | |
| Incline Dumbbell Curl | 8, twist 5 count, then 4 more | |
| Choose One: Weighted Crunch, Ab Wheel Rollouts, Cable Crunch | 100 |
Wednesday - Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Workout #1 | ||
| Squat | 12 | 12 |
| Leg Extension | 10 | 12 |
| Leg Curl | 10 | 10 |
| Seated Calf Raise | 5 | 12 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 5 | 12 |
| Choose One: Weighted Crunch, Ab Wheel Rollouts, Cable Crunch | 100 | |
| Workout #2 | ||
| Heavy Deep Squat | 8 | 8 |
| Leg Press | 4 | 20 |
| Leg Extension (superset #1) | 4 | 15 |
| Leg Curl (superset #1) | 4 | 15 |
| Seated Calf Raise (superset #2) | 5 | 15 |
| Standing Calf Raise (superset #2) | 5 | 15 |
| Choose One: Weighted Crunch, Ab Wheel Rollouts, Cable Crunch | 100 |
Thursday - Chest and Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Workout #1 | ||
| Pull Up (superset #1) | 5 | 15 |
| Bench Press (superset #1) | 5 | 12 |
| For bench and incline bench use a 3 count down and up | ||
| Chin Up (superset #2) | 5 | 12 |
| Incline Bench Press (superset #2) | 5 | 12 |
| Dumbbell Flye (triset) | 4 | 15 |
| Chest Dip (triset) | 4 | 12 |
| Pick One (triset): Dumbbell Pullover, Cable Crossover, Hammer Strength Bench Press | 3-5 | 15 |
| Choose One: Weighted Crunch, Ab Wheel Rollouts, Cable Crunch | 100 | |
| Workout #2 | ||
| Bench Press (superset #1) | 5 | 12 |
| T-Bar Row (superset #1) | 5 | 12 |
| Incline Bench Press (superset #2) | 5 | 12 |
| Weighted Chin Up (superset #2) | 5 | 12 |
| Dumbbell Pullover (superset #3) | 5 | 12 |
| Cable Crossover (superset #3) | 5 | 20 |
| Choose One: Weighted Crunch, Ab Wheel Rollouts, Cable Crunch | 100 |
Friday - Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Workout #1 | ||
| Barbell Curl (superset #1) | 5 | 15 |
| Bench Dip (superset #1) | 5 | 12 |
| Incline Dumbbell Curls (superset #2) | 5 | 8 reps, 5 count twist then 4 more |
| Bench Dips (superset #2) | 5 | 30 |
| Preacher Curl (superset #3) | 5 | 12 |
| Cable Tricep Extension (superset #3) | 5 | 20 |
| Forearm Curls | 3 | 20 |
| Choose One: Weighted Crunch, Ab Wheel Rollouts, Cable Crunch | 100 | |
| Workout #2 | ||
| Arm Gauntlet: set up 7-8 arm exercises and do 15 reps for biceps and 20 reps for triceps for 5 sets. | ||
| Cable Tricep Extension | 20 | |
| Tricep Band Pressdown | 20 | |
| Barbell Curls | 15 | |
| Preacher Curls | 15 | |
| Skullcrushers | 20 | |
| Bench Dips | 20-30 | |
| Incline Dumbbell Curls | 8, twist 5 count, then 4 more | |
| Choose One: Weighted Crunch, Ab Wheel Rollouts, Cable Crunch | 100 |
Saturday - Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Workout #1 | ||
| Squat | 12 | 12 |
| Leg Extension | 10 | 12 |
| Leg Curl | 10 | 10 |
| Seated Calf Raise | 5 | 12 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 5 | 12 |
| Choose One: Weighted Crunch, Ab Wheel Rollouts, Cable Crunch | 100 | |
| Workout #2 | ||
| Heavy Deep Squat | 8 | 8 |
| Leg Press | 4 | 20 |
| Leg Extension (superset #1) | 4 | 15 |
| Leg Curl (superset #1) | 4 | 15 |
| Seated Calf Raise (superset #2) | 5 | 15 |
| Standing Calf Raise (superset #2) | 5 | 15 |
| Choose One: Weighted Crunch, Ab Wheel Rollouts, Cable Crunch | 100 |
Get Swole - Phase 5: The Garage/Basement Phase
Get Swole Phase 5 is designed to put on more quality mass – and a great deal of it – by returning to the basics of bodybuilding. This phase is all about the barbell and compound full-range movements and you’ll be impressed with the work you can get done in this phase.
These workouts take you back to the blue-collar, no excuses routines that have been performed for years in basements and garage gyms. I incorporate my own unique twists at the end of these workouts to increase blood flow and muscle pumps, leaving you supremely satisfied each time you’re done.
Begin each exercise by completing a few warm-up sets until arriving at a solid weight that’s suitable for completing 5 sets of 5 heavy reps. The key is making sure the weight is challenging enough so that it is very difficult to get that fifth rep on the fifth and final set.
Once you complete all five sets, decrease the weight and then perform the 28 method on the same core movement.
It’s the perfect mix of high and low reps and your body will thank you. Throwing the traditional heavy weight with some high volume will freak out the nervous system – in a good way – and increase blood flow to the muscle, leading to an absolutely sick pump – and plenty of more impressive results.
Phase 5 - Diet Plan
- 7 am - Wake up. 3 whole eggs, 1/4 cup oatmeal, 1 cup of fruit.
- 10 am - 2 Scoops of Combat Powder plus 2 oz. heavy whipping cream.
- 1 pm - Meat: 8 oz., carbohydrate: 1/2 cup. Ex. 8 oz. of tuna and 1/2 cup of brown rice.
- 4 pm - 2 Scoops of Combat Powder plus 2 oz. heavy whipping cream.
- 7 pm - Meat: 8 oz., carbohydrate: 2 cups, vegetables: 2 cups. Ex. 8 oz. of tuna, 2 cups of brown rice, 2 cups of broccoli.
- 10 pm - 2 Scoops of Combat Powder plus 2 oz. heavy whipping cream.
Phase 5 - Supplementation Plan
- 7 am - RE-CON®: 1/2 scoop, take with 8-12 oz. of water. ARMOR-V™: 6 capsules, take with 8-12 oz. of water.
- Pre-workout - ASSAULT® 1 scoop with 8-12 oz. of water 20-30 minutes before workout.
- Post-workout - RE-CON® 1/2 scoop with 8-12 oz. of water immediately after workout. BCAA 3:1:2™ - 6 capsules with 8-12 oz. of water immediately after workout. CREATINE 3 scoops with 8-12 oz. of water immediately after workout.
- 10 pm - Z-CORE PM™: 1 capsule.
Recovery days (Saturday and Sunday).
- 1/2 scoop of RE-CON® with 8-12 oz. of water upon waking up.
- Take ARMOR-V™ with breakfast.
- 1/2 scoop of RE-CON® with 8-12 oz. of water at lunch.
- BCAA 3:1:2™ and ZMA MAX™ prior to bed.
* This will help you maintain your intensity in training come Monday
Phase 5 - Workout
- Monday - Chest, Triceps and Abs
- Tuesday - Back, Biceps and Abs
- Wednesday - Legs
- Thursday - Shoulders
- Friday - Abs and Cardio
Whats the 28 Method?
Seven full reps, seven extremely slow reps, seven reps at the top half of the movement, and then seven final reps at the bottom half of the movement, giving you 28 total reps.
Monday - Chest, Triceps and Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Incline Bench Press | 5 | 5 |
| 1 | 28 Method | |
| Bench Press | 5 | 5 |
| 1 | 28 Method | |
| Dumbbell Flye (4 second stretch) | 5 | 5 |
| 1 | 28 method | |
| Push Ups | 1 | 100 |
| Incline Bench Skullcrushers | 5 | 15 |
| Bench Dips | 5 | 20 |
| Barbell Rollouts | 1 | 25 |
| Cable Crunches | 1 | 25 |
| Weighted Crunches | 1 | 25 |
Tuesday - Back, Biceps and Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| T-Bar or Bent Over Rows | 5 | 5 |
| 1 | 28 Method | |
| Weighted Wide Grip Pull Up | 5 | 8 |
| Lat Pull Down | 1 | 28 Method |
| Seated Cable Row | 5 | 5 |
| 1 | 28 Method | |
| Arnold Barbell Cheat Curl | 5 | 5 |
| Barbell Curl | 1 | 28 Method |
| Dave Draper Forehead Curl | 5 | 5 |
| Barbell Curl | 1 | 28 Method |
| Hanging Knee Raise | 5 | 15 |
| Toes To Bar | 5 | 15 |
Wednesday - Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 5 |
| Sissy Squat | 1 | 28 |
| Deadlift | 5 | 5 |
| Back Extensions | 1 | 28 |
| Leg Extensions | 5 | 8 |
| 1 | 28 Method | |
| Leg Curls | 5 | 8 |
| 1 | 28 Method | |
| Weighted Calf Raise | 4 | 30, 20, 10, 5 |
| Decline Sit Up | 4 | 25-50 |
| Hanging Knee Raise | 3 | 25-50 |
| Cable Crunch | 4 | 12 |
| Stick Twists | 3 | 50 |
Thursday - Shoulders
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Military Press | 5 | 5 |
| 1 | 28 Method | |
| Barbell Shrug | 5 | 5 |
| 1 | 28 Method | |
| Bent Over Dumbbell Reverse Flyes | 5 | 8-12 |
| 1 | 28 Method | |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 5 | 5 |
| 1 | 28 Method | |
| Front Dumbbell Raise | 5 | 5 |
| 1 | 28 Method | |
| Full Lateral Raise | 1 | 100 |
| Weighted Crunch | 4 | 25 |
Friday - Abs and Cardio
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Jump Rope | 1 | 2 Minutes |
| Double Unders | 1 | 50 |
| Jump Rope | 1 | 2 Minutes |
| Double Unders | 1 | 40 |
| Jump Rope | 1 | 2 Minutes |
| Double Unders | 1 | 30 |
| Jump Rope | 1 | 2 Minutes |
| Double Unders | 1 | 20 |
| Decline Sit Ups | 4 | 25-50 |
| Hanging Knee Raise | 3 | 25-50 |
| Cable Crunch | 4 | 12 |
| Stick Twists | 3 | 50 |
170 Comments
Hello as shown in this article that it is for beginners. Advanced body builders can use this workout?
Thanku
They can, Khodor. If an M&S article says it is for beginners, then it means that the target audience are people new to fitness. Everyone can take this one on if they like, regardless of their level of experience.
Hello why in phase 4 no shoulders workouts?
Khodor, Cory answers this in the article when describing Phase 4.
"In phase four, I put two workouts for each muscle group, excluding shoulders, which get taxed plenty with all of the high volume chest and back work."
With my protein drinks throughout the day is it mandatory to use heavy cream or can I sub water?
Hello, TJ! You can use water if you like. Milk could be another option if you want to add calories.
For the dieting portion of the program and your cups of carbs. Is this measured before cooking or after cooking? I've found 2 cups of raw white rice is equal to around 5-6 cups cooked. Which means your phase 1 dinner would be 5-6 cups of rice 2 cups of vegetables and 8 oz protein? or if its cooked cups then it would be as described 2 cups carb, 2 cups vegetables, 8 oz protein? Thank you
Do all measurements for food cooked, Zenan. Great question. Thanks for that!
Phase 4 questions:
It looks we’re doing ab workouts every day, 6 days a week correct?
For Monday Chest & Back, after 6 exercises
it says Alternate, 3-5 sets 15 reps.
Does that mean just choose 1 of the listed
exercises as the 7th exercise on Mondays?
For the Arm Gauntlet, on Tuesdays & Friday - Workout #2s,
is Cory saying pick a bicep & tricep exercise in addition
to the 7 arm exercises listed below the Arm Gauntlet?
Or is it saying the Arm Gauntlet is simply doing
the exercises listed below it?
(Cable tricep extension,
tricep band press down, barbell curl, preacher curl,
skullcrusher, bench dip, incline dumbbell curl)
Hey Trevor.
Yes, one ab exercise each day, six days a week.
Yes, choose one exercise as the seventh.
On the arm gauntlet, do the exercises listed only.
Hope this helps.
How many calories would you say each day's lifts burn? I'm on Phase 2 as of tomorrow, and am overweight so I'm looking to cut as I build muscle. I love this program Cory, 4 weeks of going to the gym 4 days a week, my triceps are a lot more developed. But, I need to cut additional fat and would like an idea of how many calories you think each day burns so I can adjust my meals accordingly doing IF (and eating proteins and carbs post workouts during my feeding window).
Hi, Trevor. There is really no way to determine the calorie expenditure in general. Every person's body, experience, age, and training level play a role in that. The best bet would be to wear a tracker to help you figure that out for yourself. Sorry we can't offer a more specific answer, but hopefully the suggestion helps.
Have a question on Phase 2 arm day. For tricep cable and tricep rope, it says 4 sets, but under reps it's says to alternate 4 × 20 full reps and 4 × 20 half reps. So are you supposed to do 4 sets or 8 sets of each exercise?
When it comes to cardio in phase two, how many days of the rest days should we perform cardio? the whole 3 days or one or two?
Hey Khaled - you'll do cardio all 3 days
In phase 4 is it 2 a day workouts or pick 1 of the workouts for that day? Is the arm gauntlet just 1 set or 5 sets as stated in the notes? Also what size man are all the meal plans based off of?
Hey Zach - you'll pick one of the workouts for that day. For the arm gauntlet, it's 5 sets.
Can you give me a supplement time 4 a 3:00 am wake up and a 4:30am work out. 8 am bed time.
There’s a preacher curl bench but no machine and it calls for a super set on both.
If your gym doesn’t have a preacher curl machine what can I do for my super set in phase 2 with the preacher curl.
Hey Adam - you can do preacher curls on an incline bench
Hi, in phase 2 Arms day, the original Get Swole plan consisted of 4 exercise for Biceps in a Giant Set fashion and 4 exercise for Triceps. Here in this plan the arms day consists of two exercises for Biceps as a super set then 4 exercise for Triceps?
Can u clarify?
I have a question, do you do each phase for 4 weeks or you go to the next phase and after your done with each phase you go back to phase one?
Hey Mario - you'll do each phase for 4 weeks. The phases should be done in order.
Why does is it say take 6 capsules of armor v? I been using 2 as recommended. Is 6 safe?
Phase 3 - Day 1 - Final tri-set. Looking for guidance. I can’t find that exercise - stiff arm cable cross over. Seems like a Chest exercise, which would seem inappropriate for a back focused tri-set. Any suggestions?
Hey Al - the stiff arm cable cross over should be straight arm pushdown: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/straight-arm-lat-pull-down.html
I don’t understand the powder and whipping cream is it supposed to be like a pudding shot?
I need help determining what weight I should lift for each excercise on this programme and how to calculate it based on my weight at any given time and other things I need to take into consideration
Hey Christopher - the weight you choose for each exercise should be one that you can move safely and with correct form for the given number of reps.
Is working a muscle 1 day per week any efficient?
Hey Darrick - here's an article that will better answer that question: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-frequently-should-you-exe...
I will be finishing week 1 today. I really enjoy this so far as it is tough. I have a couple of questions...
1. What should the rest time between sets be? I have been doing 90 seconds...is that too much?
2. Is Phase 1 supposed to be performed as supersets? If so, would I go from...example; wide-grip pull-ups straight to bench press, then straight to the next exercise and so on (after completing each exercise's sets of course)?
Thanks in advance
Mark
Hey Mark
60-90 seconds is perfect for your rest times. For the sets, they'll be performed as individual exercises, one at a time. Supersets are noted in the workouts as you progress through the phases.
Phase 3, Wednesday’s.. what exactly is a close grip preacher bench?
Preacher curl with hands close together...narrow grip
Is wk.1 day 3 only 1 set of tri extensions? Did old version some years back and I think it was also 5 sets...just wondering if anyone can answer.
Hi, is there a suggested rest interval between sets for each phase? Thank you,
Hi, i am doing this workout for the past one month. I can clearly see visible changes. I am doing all the workouts properly and as prescribed. My question is, will i get six pack abs after the end of this program, after phase 5?
I'm in week 3 and this is really good. Glad i got out of my week in week out monday to friday; chest, back, legs, shoulders, arms/core workout which hasn't changed in a long time. quick question.. in phase 4 is that the option of two workouts or are we talking twice in a day?
Hello sir suggest me which phase is better for me right now i am 17 days out from my competition nd my cateogary is men phsycis soo tell me sir which phase is better for getting fuller rounder muscle too give my best on stage
A lot of the phase descriptions refer to supersets or trisets but looking at the exercises, they're not grouped in any way to indicate which lifts should be combined. How should they be combined?
Completed 5 days of this and I’m now getting admitted to the hospital for rhabdo.
I weight 190lbs, is the diet mentioned suitable for me to add some size??
This workout program works great for me and the overload really tears my muscles up. The only issue I see is time per workout is not anywhere near 1 hour. For example, if you take 1 min rests between sets on the first workout on phase 1 you'll have rested over 30min. Just hard to fit in a 1.5 hr workout every day.
Hi Clark,
The duration is simply a guesstimate. Total workout times will vary.
Thank you for your feedback!
Clark, i have the original Get Swole plan. The phase 1 exercises are all supposed to be super-sets, with no rest in between; eg. on back and chest day, wide grip pull ups and flat bench are a superset. Then seated cable rows and incline bench are a superset, etc. Hope this helps.
The "Get Swole" programme is working great for me. There are a lot of bad reviews about it and despite all of them, I believe this programme shocks my body each month. Still, there are some problems that really annoys me (and I guess others too). There are some mistyped words in the file.
Phase 3 -> Chest and Back -> "Stiff arm cable crossover" should be "stiff arm pushdown"
Phase 3 -> Arms -> "Close grip preacher curl" should be "close grip bench press"
I am still working with this programme and in case I find more problems, I'll post them here.
Hope you correct these :)
Thanks that really helps and makes more sense!
I’m a 5’7” female weighing 145 pounds. Should I be switching up any portions for the food plan?