The Most Intense Split I've Ever Planned -- 3-Split + Endurance / Strength Split

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About two weeks ago, I started the most intense workout I've ever done on a regular basis. It's a three-split, but not the way I normally do it. I have trouble doing six-day workouts when all the days are heavy, so I've put three high-rep days in there in addition to the three low-rep days. Since my workouts are short, I need to break the heavy days into two different workouts for each body part.

Wow. That's too confusing. Look at this table instead of reading the vomit I'm spewing:

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Body Part(s)	Chest / Shoulders / Triceps	Legs	Back / Biceps	Chest / Shoulders / Triceps	Legs	Back / Biceps
Style	Strength	Endurance / circuit	Strength	Endurance / circuit	Strength	Endurance / circuit
Volume	~200 reps	~500 reps	~200 reps	~500 reps	~200 reps	~500 reps
Number of Exercises	8	8	8	8	8	8
Sets per Exercise	3	4	3	4	3	4
Reps and Weights per Set	10 (15RM), 8 (10RM), Failure (6RM)	15 (20RM)	10 (15RM), 8 (10RM), Failure (6RM)	15 (20RM)	10 (15RM), 8 (10RM), Failure (6RM)	15 (20RM)
Time	1 hr +	40 mins	1 hr +	40 mins	1 hr +	40 mins
Post-workout Cardio	20 mins HIIT	40 mins heartrate	20 mins HIIT	140 mins heartrate)	20 mins HIIT	40 mins heartrate
Example Exercises	Week 1: BB bench press, BB inclined press, weighted dips, BB shoulder press, Butterflies, skull-crushers, tricep kickbacks, tricep pushdowns. Week 2: DB bench press, DB inclined press, weighted dips, DB shoulder press, cable flyes, tricep bench press, tricep dip machine, rope pushdowns.	Available machines on a circuit	Week 1: Overhand BB rows, wide pull-ups, inverted rows, supinated pull-downs, reverse flyes, EZ-bar curls, DB hammer curls, Preacher curls Week 2: underhand BB rows, pull-ups, lat pull-downs, upright rows, shrugs, reverse EZ-bar curls, DB curls, cable curls.	Available machines on a circuit or dumbbells (to reduce time between sets.	Week 1: BB squats, hack squat machine (normal stance), hack squat machine(sumo stance), hack squat machine (close stance), step ups, calf raises, leg extensions, leg curls. Week 2: leg press (normal stance), leg press (sumo stance), leg press (close stance), deadlifts, stiff-legged deadlifts, calf raises, leg extensions, leg curls.	Available machines on a circuit or dumbbells (to reduce time between sets.
Details	The first week, concentrate on barbell lifts. The second week, do dips and dumbbell lifts. Take 1-2 mins rest between sets. You should be sore for two days after this workout.	Take as little rest as possible between sets. Rest one minute between circuits while you drink water. You should be as close to throwing up as possible while still being able to perform.	Take 1-2 mins rest between sets. You should be sore for two days after this workout.	Take as little rest as possible between sets. Rest one minute between circuits while you drink water. You should be as close to throwing up as possible while still being able to perform.	The first week, concentrate on various squats. The second week, do deadlifts and leg presses. Take 1-2 mins rest between sets. You should be sore for two days after this workout.	Take as little rest as possible between sets. Rest one minute between circuits while you drink water. You should be as close to throwing up as possible while still being able to perform.

6RM = six-rep maximum (first week is historical; the other weeks are calculated)
10RM = eight-rep maximum
15RM = fifteen-rep maximum
20RM = 20-rep maximum

This routine keeps your muscles guessing! You have 15, 10, 8 , and six reps. You have endurance weights until you puke, and then you turn around and lift to failure with a relatively heavy weight. My body is screaming at me, and my stomach is, too. I want to eat all the time. Controlling it is hard, but you can see the body changes in just the first two weeks. Eight weeks should be enough for this program, or I'll probably over-train.

For strength days, the last set is to failure based on a calculated 6-rep max (6rm), and the weight and reps are used to calculate the lifts for next time. Don't be afraid to use 2 and 5 lb. weights to get as close as possible to the calculated 6RM weight. If you complete six reps, you'll stay on the same weight the next time. If you complete more reps, the weight will increase the next time.

For endurance days, the goal is as little rest as possible. Be smart. Order your exercises so that you don't use the same basic muscle two exercises in a row. These workouts will totally blow your triceps and biceps to shreds. I prefer to use dumbbells and cable when I can, but the Nautilus machines are good, too.

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