Training Template by Lift Run Bang

This Program is Based on the Key Foundations of Weight Training.

( Lift Run Bang Training Template) Written By Trevor Kouritzin

Chemical Engineer, Human Nutrition MSc. Candidate

Coach Paul Carter

Lift-Run-Bang.com

Instagram.com/LiftRunBang

         This is my spin on Coach Paul Carter’s Lift Run Bang (LRB) Training program. I consider the LRB training template one of the best hypertrophy templates every developed.  I really like the principles of the program but I feel that the program doesn’t contain the proper delineation between training modalities for different types of physique display.

        For example, physique athletes, bodybuilders, and powerlifters all want more muscle but physique competitors need to approach training in a vastly different way than bodybuilders and powerlifters.

        A physique competitor needs to make his primary focus keeping his waist tight and his physique aesthetic whereas a powerlifter doesn’t care what his physique looks like as long as his strength is increasing.

          This program gives you the best of everything. I took the LRB training template and tweaked it for the goals of a men’s physique athlete. If you have the physique goals of a male cover model, this is the program you need.

• Base your training around the big basic lifts: squats, deadlifts, overhead pressing, etc.
• Have a progression plan.
• Do some form conditioning.
• Believe in what you are doing.

       But also tailored specifically for a men’s physique athlete with daily ab training, daily calf training, and programmed accessory work to make sure the physique stays balanced and aesthetic.

The Lift Run Bang Recipe: 

• A heavy Light System - Where you lift heavy for one workout and then lift for reps the next. You always hear people argue whether progressive overload or blood volume training is the best stimulus for muscle hypertrophy. That would kind of like asking which organ is more important; your liver or your heart? You would be dead without either. The LRB template focuses on both progressive overload and blood volume training so you get the best of everything.
• Push / Pull / Legs – I have found this to be the most productive workout split for intermediate and advanced lifters. The push/pull/legs split allows you to train each muscle group twice per week, which maximizes muscle protein synthesis, but still allows for enough recovery time between workouts so you don’t overtrain.
• Daily Ab Training – By training abs daily, you will be constantly depleting the muscles of glycogen which promotes localized fat loss. New research shows that sport specific training promotes localized fat loss by increasing blood flow to the area. Take the example of a carpenter who is using his forearms on a daily basis. Have you ever seen a carpenter who doesn’t have super vascular and jacked forearms? I haven’t. Daily ab training is something I have been experimenting with on my clients and I can tell you anecdotally that it really does work.
• Daily Calf Training – Similar to above, calves are an extremely stubborn muscle group. Trying to get your calf muscles to grow is almost the equivalent of trying to get your jaw muscles to grow. If you haven’t been blessed with genetically good calves, the only effective method I have found to get them to start growing is training them every day with high repetitions.

Heavy Days:

• The heavy days are for strength progression and progressive overload. That means HEAVY weight and low reps. Each workout you should be trying to add weight to the bar or getting an extra rep with the same weight used in the previous session.
• Rest between sets will be 2-3 minutes. The heavy days are all about moving as much weight as possible.
• Train with an external focus on the heavy days. Focus on lifting the weight from A to B rather than the mind-muscle connection.

Light Days:

• The light days are for hypertrophy and strengthening the tendons.  That means HIGH reps and forcing a lot of blood into the muscle. You are not trying to kill yourself on the light days. You are trying to strengthen the supportive area by forcing a lot of blood through those joints, tendons, and musculature.  Reps are in the 15-30 range.
• Rest between sets is minimal on the light days. The goal is to achieve the greatest muscle pump possible to stretch the fascia of muscle cells to stimulate muscle growth.
• Train with an internal focus on the light days. Focus on the mind-muscle contraction and mindfully contracting muscles to move the weight from A to B.

Must Read: How to Choose the Right Weights When Training

Conditioning:

So what is the Lift Run Bang method for getting into good condition? Easy. Steady-state cardio and interval training. It's currently the rave to overcomplicate conditioning with things like the sled and prowler. I personally think it’s unnecessary.

Why?  Because getting into shape is free.  You walk outside for your steady-state and run outside for your interval training.

Steady State:

       I recommend steady state first thing in the morning before eating.  Sometimes I have to do it in the afternoons or later in the evening because of my schedule but I find that doing it in the morning seems to make me feel "good" for the rest of the day. I also would argue that it has a greater effect on fat loss.

        Now I know that the literature shows that timing your cardio has no effect on weight loss. However, the literature also clearly shows that cardio increases muscle insulin sensitivity and improves blood glucose management.

        My opinion is that doing a cardio first thing in the morning before eating will promote better blood glucose management throughout the day and improve body composition better than doing cardio later in the day.

 If you can't get it done in the morning that's fine.  Just get it in 3-5 times a week.

        What I generally do is have some black coffee and then head out for a 25-45 minutes fast-paced walk.  I recommend doing this 3-5 times a week.  Steady-state is great for recovery, and improving blood pressure, heart, and joint health. Walking is also great for the mind and overall stress relief.

Interval Training:

      I like hill running and 30-40 yard sprints at about 60-70% speed for interval work.  I generally do a short warm-up, perform the intervals, a quick cool down, and then some ab work.

   Generally, I do hard conditioning twice a week. One day I will do 30-40 yard sprints.  The other day I will run the hills. I recommend 10-12 intervals per session.

Must Read: Why Bodybuilders Should Do HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)

Training Template:

At the end of every workout:

• Daily ab swelling – 100 lying leg raises and 100 bodyweight crunches
• Daily calf swelling – 100 standing calf raises

Day #1 - Pressing (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps) – Heavy:

Overhead Work - Barbell Variation - Pick One

Standing Press / Seated Press / Press Behind Neck / Push Press - 3 sets of 5 @ same weight

Bench Press – 7 sets @ 5,4,3,2,1,1,1

Assistance Work for shoulders - Pick one
Upright Rows / Db Cleans / Hang Pulls - 5 sets of 8-10

Assistance Work for Triceps - Pick one
Pushdowns / Overhead Extensions / Bench Dips - 5 sets of 15-20

Day #2 - Legs – Heavy:

Squats – 7 sets @ 5,4,3,2,1,1,1

Hacks / Machine Squats - 4 sets @ 6-10

Leg Press - 4 sets @ 10+

Single-Leg Work - 1-legged leg press / 1-legged squats / lunges (any kind) - 4 sets @ 10-20

Standing calf raises/ leg press calf raises - 4 sets @ 10-20

Day #3 - Back - Hamstrings - Biceps - LIGHT:

Pick one - Romanian Stiff Legs / Cleans (hang or power) / Dynamic Romanian Shrugs - 3 sets @ 5 (use the same weight for each set)

Dynamic Romanian Shrugs are when you do a Romanian deadlift, then explode upwards onto the toes into a shrug.

 - Lat Pulldowns / Cable Rows / Hammer Row or Machine Rows / Db Rows  - 5 sets @ 12-20

 - Hyperextensions / Glute Ham Raises / Leg Curls (seated, 1 legged, lying, etc) - 4 sets @ 15-20

 - Machine or Db Curls - 3 sets @ 10-15 to a top set

Day #4 - Interval Training and Abs:

5-10 minute warm up walking at a moderate pace.

10 sprints (or treadmill sprints). Pick a destination 30-40 yards away. Sprint as fast as you can to the destination. Walk back. Repeat 10 times. If doing treadmill sprints, walk for 1 minute, Sprint all out for 30 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

Must Read: The Benefits of Warm Up Exercises Before Workout

After the 10 intervals do 5-10 minutes of walking at a moderate pace for a cool down.

Next up is the ab circuit:

3 rounds of tri-set #1 – machine crunch @ 20 reps / cable wood chop @ 10 reps per side / hanging leg raise @ 10

Three rounds of tri-set #2 – weighted plank @ 1 minute / Side oblique v-ups @ 10 reps per side / decline bench lying leg raise @ 20

3 rounds of tri-set #3 – decline bench weighted crunch X 15 / landmine 180s @ 10 per side / barbell ab roll out @ 10 reps

Day #5 - Pressing - Light:

Pick One - Seated Db Press / Standing Db Press / Machine Press - 3 sets @ 12-20 reps

Pick One - Incline Press / Decline Press / Machine Press - 2-3 sets @ 12-20 reps

Shoulder - Side or Bent Laterals - 5-6 sets @ 15-20

Tricep - Pullovers or Pushdowns - 5-6 [email protected] 15-20

Day #6 - Legs Light:

Front Squats / Pause Squats – 7 sets @ 5,4,3,2,1,1,1

Leg Extension - 4-5 sets @ 20-30

Adductor/Abductor machine superset - 4-5 sets @ 15-20

1-Legged Movement - Lunges / Speed Skater Squats / 1-Legged Squats - 4 sets @ 20

Seated calf raises- 4 sets @ 20-30

Day #7 - Back HEAVY:

Deadlifts/ From Floor / Blocks / Rack / Elevated / Stiff Legged / Banded – 7 sets @ 5,4,3,2,1,1,1

Pick One - T-Bars / Weighted Chins / Barbell Rows - 5x6-8 to a top set

Good Mornings - 3-4 sets @ 5 (moderate weight) OR...
Leg Curls - 4 sets of 20-30

Some form of a bicep curl - 4-5 sets @ 10-20

Day #8 - Interval Training and Abs:

5-10 minute warm-up walking at a moderate pace.

10 hill sprints (or treadmill sprints on an incline). If doing hill sprints, sprint up the hill and then walk down the hill. Repeat 10 times. If doing treadmill sprints, set the treadmill to 10% incline. Walk for 1 minute, Sprint all out for 30 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

After the 10 intervals do 5-10 minutes of walking at a moderate pace for a cool down.

Next Up is The Ab Circuit:

        A. 3 round of tri-set #1 – TRX knee tuck-ins @ 20 / kneeling cable crunch @ 20 reps / land mine 180s @ 10 per side

     B. 3 rounds of tri-set #2 – Hanging leg raises @ 10 reps / weighted decline bench crunch @ 15 reps / side plank with leg raises @ 15 reps

      C. 3 rounds of tri-set #3 – Barbell ab rollout @ 10 reps/decline bench lying leg raise @ 20 reps / 4-way front to back, side to side medicine ball twists @ 20 reps

Thanks to: Coach Paul Carter and Trevor for such a wonderful article.