The 3 x 8 routine

When first starting a routine using 3 x 8 [3 sets of 8 reps], what is the rest time between sets? Is this one exercise per muscle group? Is it a full-body routine? How many days a week is it done?

Don Massi

Ron says…

The 3 x 8 (3 sets of 8 reps) protocol is used for all body parts except for calves, which need higher reps and sets (you can start calves at 3 x 10 or 3 x12, and then progressively work to 3 x 20 reps).

With this workout the whole body is done everyday, so you pick one exercise per body part (for example, neck press for chest, sissy squats for legs, etc.). It does not matter that much if you do this as a circuit (one set of each exercise done successively and then repeated until you have done each body part three times) or all sets at one time (finish all three sets for each body part before moving to the next exercise).

Each body part can be worked twice a week. Vince stressed the importance of a 72-hour recovery stage for each of the muscle groups.

When doing this routine it’s important to remember that Vince stressed intensity first and foremost. Remember, it is not how much work you do, but how much work you do in a given amount of time. Intensity is paramount and is more important than your set and rep scheme.

As for rest between sets, most beginners cannot start out resting only 15 seconds between sets, so Vince recommended 30 to 40 seconds between sets for them. Ideally, you work toward 15 seconds. Remember to hyperventilate between sets to oxygenate the muscles (hyperventilating is deep breathing through the mouth). Conduct the hyperventilating while counting between sets (30 seconds/30 breaths).

Please remember: You can’t do everything at once, you must build up in steps.

Vince's 15 x 4

I read that one of Vince’s routines called for 15 sets of 4 reps. Is this for one exercise per body part, and how much rest between sets?

Don Massi

Ron says…

The routine 15 sets of 4 reps (15 x 4) is done when you’ve experimented with routines like 3 x 8, 6 x 6, 8 x 8, 4 x 12 – it is used for "muscle confusion." It’s a routine that’s "down the road," and not a beginner’s routine. This is a full-body program where every body part is worked on one day, and, as the name indicates, you pick an exercise and do 15 sets of just 4 reps.

Doing this routine you don’t just change the exercise, you change the sets and reps significantly, too. That’s why it works. 8 x 8 is a great routine, but the body will adapt to it eventually, so you need routines like 15 x 4 from time to time to confuse the muscle to stimulate growth.

Never allow the muscle to become accustomed to anything – sets, reps, or exercises. If you do not use muscle confusion, the muscle will no longer respond and you will no longer have growth.

For 15 x 4, the same rest rules and intensity rules apply as for the other routines. The goal is to work toward 15-second rests between sets, and if you really want to increase the intensity, try 10 seconds between sets. That’s what I do, and that’s really intense.

One thing I would like to make sure everyone understands is that you don’t expect to do this overnight. You don’t expect a 70-year-old man to go and shovel a whole driveway full of snow if he hasn’t done it in 20 years. You can give him a heart attack. You must adapt to this type of exercise, and that’s why Vince called this "progressive resistance."