AST Sports Science | 1-25-99 Tip of The Week | MAX-OT "Non-Routine"

The MAX-OT "Non-Routine" - Routine

By Paul Delia

This is One of the Most Powerful Muscle Building Concepts That's
Virtually Guaranteed to Keep Your Intensity Levels High and Allow You
To Maintain Maximum Muscle Growth Month After Month

I'm about to clue you in on one of the most powerful training concepts in the MAX-OT arsenal of training science - The MAX-OT "Non-Routine" - Routine.

Yeah, I know, what the hell is that? The MAX-OT "Non-Routine" routine is a unique approach to each workout that continually keeps your muscles in a state of confusion and striving for adaptation. They never get used to a workout because each workout for the same muscle group is always different.

Let me tell you how I incorporate The MAX-OT "Non-Routine" in my training. It's pretty simple and very easy to implement, yet adds a powerful dimension to muscle growth.

I train one body part per day. (MAX-OT) Sometimes two such as biceps and triceps. Each workout I obviously know what muscle group I'm going to train, but what I don't know are what exercises I'm going do. I know the rep scheme - 4 to 6 of course - but I don't know the actual exercises until literally right before I do them.

This bit of uncertainty adds for tremendous creativity and variety in my training. The end results are unbelievable!

Let's set up a couple of example MAX-OT "Non-Routine" training days.

Monday

You ever notice how everyone seems to train chest on Mondays? You know what that tells me? Don't train chest on Mondays! Okay, so I'm gonna train legs. I know that much. Only when I get to the gym do I decide I will squat first. I must confess that generally I like starting my workout with what I know is the most result-producing movement. This way I am able to generate maximum physical and mental intensity on the most effective movement. You don't get any more result-producing than squats. Makes sense huh?

I squat MAX-OT style. Here's an outline.

Squats

First set: 135. I do about 15 reps. Sometimes 2 sets here. It depends on how I feel.

Second set: 225. 6 to 10 reps.

Third set: 315 for 4 reps.

Fourth set: 405 for 1 rep. I bang this one out like it's 135. Very explosive!

Understand these are all warm-up sets. Notice how I warm-up and acclimate my body to heavier weight. I warm-up. I do not wear myself out. Very important!

Fifth set: I will go to 495 and pound out 4 to 6 reps.

Sixth set: I will do 495 for another 4 to 6 reps.

With the mental and physical intensity so high for these two sets, my quads and hamstrings are blasted!

So what's next? Up to this point I haven't even thought about it. By NOT thinking about the next exercise, this allows me to focus 100% on each movement in order to reap the maximum muscle tissue stimulating effect. There are no "look-ahead" distractions.

Leg Press

I decide on 2 sets of heavy leg presses. I'm warmed up so I immediately go to my heavy weight. I pound out 2 sets for 5 reps each.

Now what's next. Don't know! Let's see, quads are pretty hammered. Ahh!

Lunges

One set of lunges. This will hit my quads, hamstrings and glutes. I do 1 set with 225 for 6 reps. I make sure I use maximum explosive power up and back from the bottom of the lunge. This is the key to doing a lunge correctly for building muscle.

Okay, my legs are pretty fried now and I've only done 5 sets! Just 5 sets!

Stiff Leg Deadlifts

Stiff leg dead lifts! The best hamstring movement there is. I do 2 sets here with 275 concentrating heavily on the stretch in the movement.

Now I figure one more exercise will make this a very productive leg workout. I think a set of very heavy leg curls will cap it off.

Leg Curls

One set of heavy leg curls and I'm outta here! I slam out one heavy set. I use smooth and deliberate movement making sure I contract my hamstrings at the top of the exercise and get a full stretch at the bottom. Now my legs are fully worked. Total fiber stimulation.

Summary

Just 8 total sets excluding the initial warm-ups! Total training took just a little more than 30 minutes. My legs are now primed for growth. Just feed 'em some VP2 and Ny-Tro PRO-40 and I'm packin' on muscle.

The MAX-OT "Non-Routine" routine adds a unique element to your training that almost guarantees continual growth. It eliminates the inevitable downward spiral of training intensity that always occurs when you follow the same training pattern week in and week out.

You see, when you have a set training routine planned out for each day you tend to pace yourself through your workout. This is almost a subconscious thing. You know you have to do lunges after squats so you lower your intensity a bit on squats without even realizing it. This isn't good. You want to employ all-out intensity on every exercise and every set.

By not really knowing what exercises you will be doing you tend to keep your intensity levels maxed at all times. You are never "saving your strength" for later exercises.

The MAX-OT "Non-Routine" routine also keeps things interesting. You never get bored or into a training rut.You hardly ever do the same routine twice. This keeps your muscles in a constant state of confusion. They are constantly adapting to new stimuli. This keeps your muscles growing. And that's what you want.

I strongly urge you to employ this powerful muscle building technique. It will add a new spark of intensity to your training that will lead to faster muscle growth!