The Best Muscle-Building Program Ever

What follows is a program that I've been working on for quite some time.

I call it EF-4/4.

EF stands for the name of this site, Emergent Fitness, and 4/4 stands for the 4 main lifts that this program revolves around and the 4 weeks it takes to complete one of this program's cycles.

I can honestly say that the program that follows will work. It will make you stronger! It will make you bigger! It will make you (insert whatever)!

Keep in mind though, this program will not work if you just read about it here and fail to apply it.

Be aware that this program is not for beginners. If you have less than 12 months of experience in the gym having used an intelligently designed beginner routine, then this program is not for you.

By the way, I'm not responsible if you follow my advice and get hurt. It's your personal decision to follow my advice, and it's your personal responsibility to ensure that you're physically fit enough to follow this program. Don't do anything unless you feel you have thoughtfully considered the potential consequences. Also, be sure to contact your doctor before you perform anything like the program below.

The Program in a Nutshell

I derived inspiration for this program from my desire to meld the periodized progression of Wendler's 5/3/1 with the logic and intuitive sensibility of reverse pyramid training (RPT).

Like 5/3/1, this program involves 4 week cycles ("waves" as Wendler refers to them) with core progressive emphasis placed on the bench press, standing press, squat, and deadlift. These four lifts are the "money-makers," so to speak, therefore, they comprise the backbone of this program.

Unlike 5/3/1, this program uses an RPT progression, rather than the sort of pyramiding progression that Wendler's program utilizes.

Important Things to Know

Training Max (TM) = 90% of your estimated 1 rep max.

Estimated 1 Rep Max (e1RM) = Your calculated 1 rep max, which is based upon your maximal performance using a sub-maximal weight. Your e1RM equals [(weighted lifted) x (max reps performed) x (0.0333)] + weighted lifted. I recommend testing your e1RM for bench press, standing press, squat, and deadlift before you begin doing this routine.

(+) = Get as many reps with good form (DO NOT COMPROMISE FORM) as possible beyond the number of reps prescribed. This concept is crucial in making this program work.

All percentages are based on your TM.

Warming Up

Before you dive straight into your first work set for bench press, standing press, squat, or deadlift, it is critically important to perform warm-up sets, which play an important role in warming up your muscles and preparing your nervous system for what is about to come.

Your warm-up sets will be as follows for the main lifts each week:

• Week 1: 1 x 5 x 40%TM; 1 x 5 x 50%TM; 1 x 3 x 65%TM; 1 x 1 x 75%TM
• Week 2: 1 x 5 x 45%TM; 1 x 5 x 55%TM; 1 x 3 x 70%TM; 1 x 1 x 80%TM
• Week 3: 1 x 5 x 50%TM; 1 x 5 x 60%TM; 1 x 3 x 80%TM; 1 x 1 x 85%TM

Top Set/Progressive Set

After you've completed your warm-up sets, next comes the top set (or the progressive set). This is the most important set of the day. Your performance here will be the measuring stick by which you gauge your progress over the long haul for bench press, standing press, squat, and deadlift. Be sure to take these sets to the point of concentric failure, but once you've reached this point, go no farther. If you have to compromise form to force out a rep, then said rep does not count.

Here's how these sets pan out for each week:

• Week 1: 1 x 5(+) x 85%TM
• Week 2: 1 x 3(+) x 90%TM
• Week 3: 1 x 1(+) x 95%TM

Back-off Sets

These are to be done after the top set. The purpose of back-off sets is to get in extra volume and to compound the effort exerted during the top set. 

These are performed by lowering the weight that you used for your (+) set by 10%, and by doing the number of reps that you were able to get for your (+) set plus an additional rep. For example, if you were able to get 10 reps on your 5(+) set during week 1, you would do 11 reps with 10% less weight for your back-off set.

Never, under any circumstances, get more than 1 additional rep on the back-off set. The key to success with this program is (1) to go all out on the progressive set and (2) to hold back on the back-off set.

Here's what they look like:

• Week 1: 1 x [reps from 5(+) set + 1 more] x 75%TM
• Week 2: 1 x [reps from 3(+) set + 1 more] x 80%TM
• Week 3: 1 x [reps from 1(+) set + 1 more] x 85%TM

Volume Sets: Week 4

You may have noticed by now that the above information regarding progressive sets and back-off sets is devoid of any information regarding week 4 of the EF-4/4 cycle. Week 4 is significantly different from weeks 1-3, and thus it warrants that we give it its own separate section.

During week 4, emphasis is put on doing a greater amount of volume, as opposed to intensity, with your main lifts. 

Here are the warm-up sets for week 4

• 1 x 5 x 40%TM; 1 x 5 x 50%TM; 1 x 3 x 65%TM

And here are your work sets:

• 5 x 5 x 75%TM

Rest Between Sets

Size follows strength. For this reason, the primary goal of this program is to get you stronger, and getting stronger requires that you can give each and every set and rep that you perform your all. Therefore, it is crucial that you have sufficiently recovered between sets (including between your progressive set and  your back-off set) so as to ensure that you are fresh and uninhibited by fatigue with regards to your main lifts. This is not to say that all fatigue is bad--in fact, compounding metabolic fatigue (otherwise known as a "pump") can serve as a means for further stimulating muscular growth once myofibrilar damage has occured--however, getting stronger must take first priority. 

Strength, therefore, should be your primary objective for your main lifts.

Rest periods between sets for main lifts:

• Warm-up Sets, Weeks 1-4: 1-1.5 minutes
• Progressive Sets, Weeks 1-3: 2-3 minutes
• Volume Sets Week 4: 1-1.5 minutes (strength is not as important during this week as is your ability to get the prescribed volume of work done)

Deloading (To be done after 2 full cycles)

Deloading is crucial in ensuring long-term progression. Don't neglect doing a deload out of a misplaced sense of pride. Just do it!

This is what the deload week looks like:

• Warm-up: 1 x 5 x 40%TM; 1 x 5 x 50%TM
• Deload Sets: 3 x 5 x 60%TM

Progression

After each four week cycle, add 5 lbs. to your TM for bench press and standing press, and add 10 lbs. to your TM for squat and deadlift.

This progression may seem simple, and perhaps even restrictive for those who may be able to progress at a quicker pace, but practiced temperance and reservation is a virtue to be prized if long-term success is your goal.

Scheduling & Frequency

There is no universally ideal training frequency; there is only the particularly ideal training frequency for you. However, most people will do well training 3-4 days per week with each of the four main lifts having its own assigned workout.

A four day per week program could look like this: 

• Sunday = off
• Monday = Workout A (Bench Press)
• Tuesday = Workout B (Squat)
• Wednesday = off
• Thursday = Workout C (Standing Press)
• Friday = Workout D (Deadlift)
• Saturday = off

A three day per week program could look like this:

• Sunday = off
• Monday = Workout A (Bench Press)
• Tuesday = off
• Wednesday = Workout B (Squat)
• Thursday = off
• Friday = Workout C (Standing Press)
• Saturday = off
• Sunday = off
• Monday = Workout D (Deadlift)
• etc.

Obviously if you use the three day per week schedule, the "weeks" for this program will not represent true calendar weeks.

The Individual Workouts

Each workout, as already discussed, has as its focus one of the four main lifts (Bench Press, Standing Press, Squat, or Deadlift); however, each workout will also include accessory work for the purpose of addressing weak spots, either in your strength or in your physique, that the main lift for that day may have hit insufficiently. Though accessory work is to take second seat to the main lift, accessories are not to be neglected.

Workout A

• Bench Press: EF-4/4 Progression
• Accessories
• A Compound Push: 5 x 6-10
• A Compound Pull: 5 x 6-10
• A Bicep Exercise: 3 x 8-12
• A Tricep Exercise: 3 x 8-12

Workout B

• Squat: EF-4/4 Progression
• Accessories
• A Compound Leg Exercise: 5 x 6-10
• An Abs Exercise: 3 x 8-12
• A Calves Exercise: 3 x 8-12

Workout C

• Standing Press: EF-4/4 Progression
• Accessories
• A Compound Push: 5 x 6-10
• A Compound Pull: 5 x 6-10
• A Medial Delt Exercise: 3 x 8-12
• A Posterior Delt Exercise: 3 x 8-12

Workout D

• Deadlift: EF-4/4 Progression
• Accessories
• A Compound Leg Exercise: 5 x 6-10
• An Abs Exercise: 3 x 8-12
• A Calves Exercise: 3 x 8-12

Accessory Exercises

Use a weight that allows you to perform reps within the rep range prescribed for each accessory type. So long as you can do reps (with good form!) within the given rep range for a particular type of accessory, add 5-10 lbs. to the exercise at the next workout. If you cannot perform the minimum number of reps, lower the weight. 

DO NOT go to failure. Get some good work done, push yourself, but leave no less than 1-2 reps in the tank for each set. If you feel the need to go to failure, do so for no more than 1 set per accessory movement.

Rest 1-1.5 minutes between sets.

I recommend sticking with a particular set of accessory exercises for at least 4-8 weeks before you decide to change them out for new ones.

DO NOT do an accessory compound push or an accessory compound leg exercise during week 4. Because of the extra volume being done with the main lifts during this week, any extra pushing or leg volume to be had from accessories would be unnecessary.

DO NOT do accessories during your deload week.

List of Accessories from which to Choose

• Compound Pushes
• DB Incline Bench Press
• DB Flat Bench Press
• Close-Grip Bench Press
• Seated or Standing DB Shoulder Press
• Arnold Press
• Dips
• Push-ups
• Compound Pulls
• One-Arm DB Rows
• T-Bar Rows
• Bent-over Barbell Rows
• DB Chest Supported Rows
• Cable Rows
• Lateral Pull-downs
• Chin-ups/Pull-ups
• Close-Grip Chin-ups
• Inverted Rows
• Compound Leg Exercises
• Front Squats
• Hack Squats
• Leg Press
• Romanian Deadlift
• Glute-ham Raise
• Straight Leg Deadlift
• Bicep Exercises
• BB Curls
• EZ-Bar Curls
• DB Curls
• Hammer Curls
• Cable Curls
• Tricep Exercises
• EZ-Bar Skull Crusher
• Lying DB Tricep Extension
• Seated DB Tricep Press
• Rope-Grip Cable Push-down
• Overhead Rope-Grip Cable Extension
• Abs Exercises
• Kneeling Cable Crunch
• Kneeling Twisting Cable Crunch
• Captain's Chair Leg Raise
• Decline Bench Sit-up
• Side Bends
• Calf Exercises
• Any Standing Calf Raise
• Any Seated Calf Raise
• Any Machine Calf Press
• Medial Delt Exercises
• BB Upright Row
• DB Upright Row
• DB Lateral Delt Raise
• Rear Delt Exercises
• Rear Delt Row
• Seated DB Rear Delt Raise
• Standing DB Rear Delt Raise

Closing Comments

Though I've entitled this post "The Best Muscle-Building Program Ever," don't believe for a second that a "best" muscle-building program actually exists. This program is one method among many. Nevertheless, it is a program that will work. 

All you need to do is apply the methods outlined above. Don't over-analyze. Just do.