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LEGAL STUFF © 2015 & Beyond, Critical Bench, Inc. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright www.CriticalBench.com This publication is fully copyrighted and does not come with giveaway or resale rights. You may not sell or redistribute this report. It is reserved solely for paying customers of CriticalBench.com. Copyright and illegal distribution violations will be prosecuted. This document has been watermarked with a digital GPS identification tag.

NOTICE The information presented is not intended for the treatment or prevention of disease, nor a substitute for medical treatment, nor as an alternative to medical advice. This publication is presented for information purposes, to increase the public knowledge of developments in the field of strength and conditioning. The program outlined herein should not be adopted without a consultation with your health professional. Use of the information provided is at the sole choice and risk of the reader. You must get your physician’s approval before beginning this or any other exercise program. Use of the information provided is at the sole choice and risk of the reader. You must get your physician’s approval before beginning this or any other exercise program.

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TaBle of Contents Preface: Chris Wilson

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Preface: Mike Westerdal

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Compound Versus Isolation Lifts

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How to Perform the 3 BIG Lifts

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Man Making Hormones

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Anabolic versus Catabolic State

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Workout Parameters & Hormonal Response

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Enter AfterGrowth

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FAQs for Anabolic AfterGrowth

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Equipment FAQs

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Anabolic AfterGrowth Workout Overview

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Anabolic AfterGrowth Week 1 — 8 Workout Charts

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Find Your One Rep Max (Maximum Lift Reference Table)

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Weight Training Chart (Weight Lifting Max Percentage Chart)

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PReface BY CHRis Wilson I was under the illusion that I was still strong. I had fallen victim to the training I was implementing for a majority of my dedicated clients. Focusing my time and energy on balance, conditioning and core strength led me down a path to weakness. I’m not saying that having a strong, flat six pack is a bad goal or that standing on one leg while doing side raises is not beneficial. It just should not have been the ONLY thing I was doing. I had abandoned all the compound lifts that made me semi-beastly in my early to mid-twenties. I wasn’t benching big weight, squats were done for reps (and sometimes using stability balls) and traditional deadlifts weren’t even on the menu. Yeah, I know…simply pathetic for a veteran personal trainer and gym manager. This certainly led to me suffering an injury to my manhood (aka scrotum) that kept me from lifting heavy for a long time. Let me explain. After speaking with my friend and Criticalbench.com founder, Mike Westerdal, I had decided to begin preparing for a powerlifting competition. During this time

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Mike was benching in the 600s and lifting small cars as a warm up so needless to say, I was quickly motivated to be strong again. After a few years of not training intensely, I was trying out some sumo deadlifting. At first, I was electrified since I hadn’t pushed super hard in a while and pulling the 300+ lbs. off the floor felt awesome. And then it happened…just after I wrapped up for the day. I felt some searing pain in my groin and after getting checked out, I found out from the Urologist that I had a vericocele. A vericocele is basically a varicose vein in your balls. I had severely irritated it with all of the pressure from lifting heavy, something I had not done in several years. And I’m quite sure my sub-standard form and technique (super rusty) was to blame on top of an overall weakness in my body. Not doing the traditional compound lifts had cost me BIG TIME. Instead of pursuing a competition, I was back to light weight and functional exercise. UGHHH-get me a barf bag. I was so irritated at myself!!! Luckily, over a period of years, I was able to recover enough to get back to training with the compound lifts I so badly missed. I got all of my lifts back in the 300 lb. rep range and felt a flood of confidence along with some well-earned muscle gains. I thought I was lifting smart for a period of years but all I was doing was maintaining muscle tone and deceiving myself. Then I began working for Critical Bench in early 2013 and was now frequently around some muscle building monsters. These relationships only helped strengthen my direction and now the deadlift is by far my favorite exercise in the gym. The weight I strained my gonads with was now, “LIGHT WEIGHT BABY!” I www.criticalbench.com

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now spend most of my time benching, pulling plates and squatting anything and everything from barbells to DBs and even kettlebells! I’m thankful for the opportunity to work with Mike Westerdal and have this workout published in what we believe is the strongest, most complete program we’ve ever produced. Stay Strong, Chris Wilson CPT, HSC, RKC

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PReface BY MiKe WesteRDal Congratulations on making a commitment to yourself and taking the first step on this journey. From the bottom of my heart, I wish I had this information a lot earlier. Growing up as the skinniest kid in the neighborhood with immigrant parents from Sweden I sure got a lot of practice being in fist fights. It turns out that running away or not fighting back only makes it worse. Middle school…..well middle school just sucked. There was no doubt I had to start lifting weights. Adding some muscle for me wasn’t about meeting girls, it was about getting bigger so the bullies would go after an easier target. It all started in my parent’s basement on one of those cheap Weider benches. When you first start out you get results from almost anything you do. I was getting bigger and stronger, just not as fast as I wanted to. Man, if I would have known what I know now, I have no doubt I could have been the biggest baddest kid in school. But I digress. Luckily my family moved to CT when I was in high school which is where I met Chris Wilson aka Coach Chris. Back then he was just the outside linebacker on our football team. As teammates we both loved lifting weights. I probably loved training as much as I loved playing football.

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Mike Westerdal #39 and Chris Wilson #52 By my senior year of high school I got up to 185 lbs at 6 feet tall. I wasn’t huge and I wasn’t skinny. I had made some progress. I trained six days a week and trained every muscle group multiple times a week. I was doing way more than I needed to be doing. I had no idea what I was doing wrong until my sophomore year of college. As a walk-on for the football team at Central CT State I had to gain some serious weight and strength to even have a chance of competing. Lucky for me the captain of the team helped me out in the weight room. I really didn’t’ think he knew what he was talking about, but I listened. His name was and still is Jerry Harney and he was the starting middle linebacker. He demanded and made sure that I stopped doing all these unnecessary lifts and told me to start doing triples on all the big lifts. I can’t even explain how much all my lifts shot up! www.criticalbench.com

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My bench went from 315 to 365 in one semester! I went from 190 lbs to 215 lbs of muscle in the same time period. I switched positions from safety to linebacker and won a starting position by Junior year. By my Senior year, I was one of the strongest guys on the team. By that time I could bench over 400, squat over 500 and I weighed 230lbs. It is no coincidence my friend. As I got stronger in my big lifts I put on size, power and muscle weight. How do you get stronger? Lift heavy weights on big compound exercises. Remember, heavy just has to be heavy for you, it’s all relative. Why am I telling you this? It’s not to brag, I’m actually a very humble guy and kind of shy. If I had known this information when I was younger, I could have saved myself a lot of heartache and really achieved my goals so much faster. That’s exactly why I’m so excited for you to start the Anabolic AfterGrowth program. With my competitive powerlifting experience and Coach Chris’ 15-years of one-onone training experience we know how to get guys the fastest results in a realistic way. In two words, it’s about “Hormones & Efficiency”. You’ll see what I mean in the upcoming chapters.

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Without drugs, without working out 5-days a week, without spending more than an hour in the gym, and without having to do 5-exercises per body part and without having to compete or spend lots of money on equipment. The program seems simple and it is. Don’t let the simplicity fool you. You will be required to bust your butt in the gym when you are there, but you are NOT required to let it take over your life. Do what needs to be done and reap the rewards without all the BS. It has everything you need and nothing you don’t. This is your shortcut to getting as strong as you want and adding that muscle mass that has been eluding you. I can’t wait to hear about your results. Keep training hard, Mike Westerdal Founder, CriticalBench.com

MIKE’S BENCH PRESS PERSONAL RECORDS 630 lbs equipped bench press in competition 452 lbs raw bench press 405 lbs for 5-reps 315 lbs for 15-reps

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CompounD VeRsus Isolation Lifts If you want to get big and pack on lots of lean, strong muscle mass, then you need to know some basics about how muscles grow and get bigger. I see a lot of guys start hitting the gym and throwing around weights and using the machines with high hopes of getting big, only to watch the disappointment growing in their eyes with each passing week of no progress. For a lot of these guys—beginners and long-time lifters alike—the problem stems from the fact that they don’t understand the how and why of muscle growth. Here is an overview of what you need to know if you’re serious about putting on some real manly muscle. First, when you lift weights at the gym, there are two types of movements you perform—either compound movements or isolation movements. Compound exercises are movements that use multiple joints at the same time. When you are performing compound exercises, you are using multiple muscle groups at the same time. Some of the bestknown compound exercises include the bench press, the squat and the deadlift. For example, the squat recruits leg, back and core muscles, along with the knees, ankles, hips and even shoulders. Compound movements also require mental focus to maintain balance and coordinate proper mechanics. In contrast, isolation exercises are those that www.criticalbench.com

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only recruit one muscle and a single joint when performing the movement. Examples of isolation exercises include machine biceps curls and triceps extensions. And unlike compound movements, isolation exercises don’t require the same degree of mental focus or balance that compound movements do. Now let’s look at why this is important. Much to the surprise of most guys, the process of building muscle actually doesn’t take place at the gym. Instead, muscle cell growth takes place while the body is at rest and while we’re happily snoozing away in dreamland. The process through which muscle cells get bigger and stronger is actually a response to the ‘stress’ of lifting weights. When you lift a weight, it stresses or challenges the body’s muscle fibers. The body reacts by improving the muscle—by making it stronger or bigger—so the next time it’s challenged by the same weight lifting movement, the stress will be less. So this repair process actually takes place when we’re recovering, not in the gym. And if you want your muscles to grow bigger and stronger, you need to increasingly make it more difficult for them to perform the movements. In other words, you need to gradually increase the stress you’re placing on the muscles by lifting weights. This is what’s known as progressive overload. By making the muscles work harder over time, you force them to get bigger and stronger in order to be up to the challenge of the next workout. You can stress the muscles by increasing the amount of weight you are lifting or by reducing the rest periods between sets. Hormones that are released by the body’s endocrine system drive actual muscle growth. These hormones include testosterone and other growth hormones. Lifting heavy weights puts the body’s systems on high alert, evoking a strong hormonal response. And herein is what drives the pituitary gland to produce more growth hormone. The key to maximizing the hormonal response is to lift heavy weights utilizing compound movements that simultaneously recruit multiple muscle groups. www.criticalbench.com

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Isolation exercises (and exercises performed on machines) do not provoke the same strong hormonal response. In order to really stimulate the body to produce more muscle-building testosterone and other growth hormones, you need more compound (or complex) movements that shock the endocrine system into action. This is a critical piece of knowledge—if you want to explode your body’s natural production of testosterone, your training routine must focus on compound movements, not isolation, such as those you do on gym machines. Compound movements are heavier, more intense lifts that drive hormonal responses that lead to big gains in muscle mass and strength. Isolation exercises lack the intensity and muscle response and just can’t get the job done. So when you are planning your strength training routine, think compound exercises. Some of the best compound movements to make part of your routine include squats, deadlifts, bench presses, rows, chin-ups, dips, lunges and military presses. These multi-muscle group, multi-joint movements place your muscles under the greatest amount of stress, forcing your body’s metabolic system to increase testosterone and growth hormone production, meaning bigger, stronger, muscles for you. So there you have it—you’ve now got a vital piece of musclebuilding knowledge in your possession, so get lifting!

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How to PeRfoRm tHe 3 Big Lifts Barbell Squat:

A. BAR POSITIONING - This is the placement of the bar on the shoulder area before coming out of the squat rack. A lifter who has long legs should consider placing the bar “low” on the shoulders. This area is defined as where the deltoids join the traps. The advantage of the position: it gives the lifter the best leverage and power for coming out of the bottom position of the squat movement. A lifter who has short legs or even average, for that matter, can position the bar just about anywhere on the shoulder region with equal advantage. B. HAND SPACING - Place your hands on the bar wherever it is most comfortable for the flexibility that the lifter has in his shoulder joints. Sometimes it is helpful to push up “HARD” against the bar throughout the squat movement. I have found this to help quite a bit. Take 2-3 deep breaths and hold the last breath before lifting the bar out of the rack and supporting it. The lungs can’t take maximum air into the chest and ribcage when it has to support a maximum weight, on the shoulders like a squat or even in the bench press when the barbell is taken out of the rack at arms locked www.criticalbench.com

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out. So always do it before a lift off. Now that the weight is secure and comfortable, step out of the rack with a minimum of energy. This means know exactly before you begin the squat that the exact position out of the rack will only require two steps. Additional HAND SPACING Tips - NEVER CHANGE THIS ONCE YOU HAVE GOT SET. There are some lifters who will come out of the squat rack with one type of hand spacing on the bar and then prior to the decent, will again move their hand positioning. This is a dangerous procedure to follow because of the tremendous force the heavy barbell is already demanding upon the spine and muscles of the back. Any additional shift of the hands after you have come out of the rack could CHANGE the position of the powerful supporting lat muscles into a non-supporting leverage of weakness, thus causing an injury of some type to the muscles of the back and the surrounding area of the rib cage. Now consider: C. FOOT SPACING - If you have large thighs and small hips, consider placing your feet 12-14 inches apart from heel to heel. If you have large hips and glutes, 16-20 inches might be the best way to go. The wider the stance you take from the initial 12- to 14-inch position, the more you should turn your feet outward (30-45 degrees). This action rotates the hips more directly under the bar for added power. The lifter with large hips and gluteus would do better with a wider foot spacing, move the feet out only 2” a week. In this way you will avoid muscle and joint strains that you would probably experience if you tried an extreme spacing at one time. If you view your squatting posture from the side, you would notice that the bar is not only directly over the hips but is in fact lined up with the instep or middle of the foot. www.criticalbench.com

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This is important to maintain because the bar will be following a perpendicular path during descent and ascent. However, if your ankles are somewhat inflexible (your heels will begin to come up off the floor), you might not be able to hold this rather rigid posture. The bar will then become misaligned over the toes rather than the instep, with the hips drifting up and to the rear, which in turn puts a tremendous amount of additional stress on the back and hips. The solution to this problem is two-fold. First, you can do your squats on your toes with your back against a door jamb post, or any stationary object that will allow you to slide your back up and down it. This exercise will stress the quads almost exclusively, with very little pressure on the back. Your calves will also receive some benefit from being up on your toes. Second, purchase a pair of high-top weightlifting shoes with an elevated 1 ½ inch tapered heel to support your ankles. You are now ready to begin. D. SQUAT DESCENT - Your head position should be such that you are looking 3 or 4 feet ahead. In a sense you will be looking down. Now, using a controlled and moderate speed (to avoid injury and conserve squatting energy) squat till you break the parallel barrier. This correct position will take practice. With the aid of a spotter and a mirror this soon will become a natural instinct. Parallel or Bottoming Out - When the low or parallel position is achieved literally EXPLODE OUT of this position with all your muscle contractile force and muscular reflex from your adrenalin flow. Be careful not to lift the hips too fast or you will lose the weight forward.

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E. STICKING POINT - This is the point where the bar seems to momentarily pause. Now it is time to lift your head up and back. The position achieved will be such that your head is literally laying back on your traps. Now try and pull your hips forward. This is called lifting in the center of gravity. F. SQUATTING ASCENT - Do not lift the hips too fast when coming out of your sticking point, or you will lose the weight forward. In fact, make a conscious effort to pull or thrust your hips forward under the bar. G. LOCKOUT - Using your buttocks and hips and staying tight, never relaxing, begin exhaling air and complete the movement.

ACCESSORY TIPS ON THE SQUAT: • For added comfort in training, use a material labeled ARMAFLEX over the bar. This material can be purchased at most plumbing and electrical stores or online with a quick search. • Use a neoprene waist belt or traditional weight belt when you get heavy. This keeps the lower back area warmed up and supported for the heavy training in the program (3 reps or less). 10 ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE TIPS FOR THE SQUAT: 1. Never allow the upper torso to lean forward, as this places too much stress on the back and abdominals. 2. Do not allow the back to bow to where the chest is collapsed.

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3. At your particular sticking point, it is sometimes helpful to look up toward the ceiling. Some lifters’ knees turn or bow in toward each other, usually when the inner thighs muscles are stronger than the outer thighs. This can place a lot of stress on the surrounding knee joint and lead to injury. Follow the squatting procedures outlined and do some strength-building exercises for the outer muscles to develop an improved strength balance between the outer and inner muscles. 4. Two-thirds of the way through your ascent, release the air from your lungs. The positive contraction process should take you approximately 2-3 seconds. Now, at the lockout position, contract your thighs and buttocks isometrically for 1-2 seconds before getting ready to begin another rep. 5. If you have any doubts as to the proper ascent versus descent technique, simply follow the exact descent procedure in reverse. Consider making a video of your precision squatting technique during the ascent portion only and then watch the film in slow motion (if possible) with pauses to thoroughly check out your ascent technique. 6. To help eliminate severe erector soreness, ARCH your back when squatting. 7. As mentioned previously in this manual, lifting shoes or boots with a high heel will aid your squatting balance. Be sure to use a shoe or boot with a 1 1/2” tapered heel for this purpose. This will enable you to lean into the squat more. 8. If you find that your upright squatting stability is still lacking you may need to perform some additional work on the stabilizer muscles, the abs and lats.

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9. With regard to the above comment, you might find it helpful to use the wide part of your lifting belt in front, at least till you have strengthened the above muscle groups to their maximum. 10. Some lifters don’t know the best foot placement to take for squatting. Here is some very helpful advice. Go hang at arm’s length from a pull-up bar and then look down at your legs and feet. How they are positioned while hanging is probably the stance to take to start with and then experiment from there.

Barbell Bench Press: A. BODY ALIGNMENT - Lie back on the bench. Make sure that the back is in full contact with the bench and that the feet are planted firmly on the floor. B. CHOOSE YOUR GRIP - THUMBLESS GRIP - We STRONGLY urge you to NOT use this grip method. This style of pressing can be very unsafe. The danger of this method is that it is very easy for the bar to roll out of the hands while pressing the weight. Plus, you are unable to grip the bar tightly reducing your “connection” to the bar. The Safest Method is to use the Thumbs Around the Bar Grip. C. LEVERAGE - The spacing a lifter will use can vary from 22” from the maximum of 32” from inside the hands depending on the arm length, www.criticalbench.com

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chest size and the problem of driving the barbell off the chest. The man with a deep chest, strong delts and short arms will generally want to use as wide a grip as possible. Most generally this individual won’t experience any difficulty driving the weight off the chest. The average lifter will perform with a 28” to 30” grip. Whichever type of lifter you are and you experience difficulty driving the weight off the chest, use a very narrow grip of 28” or even less. Overall a medium hand spacing seems best. D. TEAM WORK AND THE HANDOFF - This is where much lifting energy can be lost or saved. Like I said in when talking about the squat. Take 2-3 deep breaths and hold the last one prior to the lift off. When lifting the barbell off the rack and to lockout position (before beginning the actual bench press descent) work with a training partner if you can who will apply a coordinated effort with you in acquiring a smooth lift off. Having one partner lift on the center of the bar is usually better than one spotter on each end of the bar, especially with sets of 3 reps or less. Even with spotters who are experienced, there always seems to be an uneven lift off. If you don’t’ have the opportunity to use spotters with whom you are familiar be sure to give explicit instructions to any new spotters. E. BARBELL DESCENT - Begin unlocking your arms and lower the barbell at a MEDIUM SPEED. Use a controlled even movement. If you try and lower the bar SLOWLY you will lose much energy that could be used for that push part the sticking point. If you lower the barbell FAST you may injure a muscle or as the rules state (get called for bouncing).

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F. THE EXPLOSIVE DRIVE OFF THE CHEST - Now as the bar touches the ‘lowest’ part of chest (pec) area, begin to channel the strength of every muscle fiber, of the lats triceps and delts, into blasting the weight off the chest. At this point it is very necessary to make sure that the muscles involved in pressing (triceps-delts-pecs) are not relaxed at this bottom position. They should be flexed and tense. Now, after you have achieved the EXPLOSIVE PRESS, pull your elbows in near the sides of your ribcage and continue with an applied steady EFFORT (look at the bar while doing this) to lockout. This will help to eliminate oscillation - which is the vibration of the plates catching up to a springy bar. It is important to expel all the air from your lungs about two-thirds of the way toward completing the lockout. ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE TIPS FOR THE BENCH PRESS: • Seventy-five percent of bench press strength is in the TRICEPS. The “BEST” assistance movement for this area is the Lying French Press (a.k.a. Skull Crushers). Keep the elbows high and lower to the nose or forehead. • If you have a problem of an arm lag in your movement, try moving your hand spacing one or two inches to the right or left. Example: If your right arm lags, move your right hand to the right. This will put more resistance on the stronger left arm. Reverse the procedure if you have left arm lag. • Sometimes it helps to apply a heating rub to the arms, delta, and pecs. The best rubs that I have found to date are Biofreeze, Tiger Balm and Icy Hot. Be sure that your hands are clean from this substance before you bench or the bar may slip out of your hands.

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Barbell Dead Lift: A. GRIP - Your hand spacing should be 2 inches outside of your ankle, with this being determined by your established foot placement. You never want to extend your arms out very far from the sides of the body, for that not only will create a leverage weakness in the grip but will also force you to bend over further and to pull the bar farther off the floor. With your hands chalked (recommended), start bending at the hips and knees and grasp the bar with a vise-like mixed or alternating grip (one hand the palm is down while the opposite is palm up). The bar should ride as near the base or beyond the index fingers (fleshy part of the palms) as possible, and you should wrap your thumb over the index finger as far as possible. Get your grip set by making sure that the wrist in the overhand grip is directly over the bar. On the underhand grip, extend and flex the wrist back so that it is momentarily behind the bar; then, when you get ready to pull the bar, rotate the wrist so that it is directly over the bar. This bit of wrist action will tighten the skin in the palm of the hand and will give you that added bit of gripping power you need to complete your rep(s), without having to worry about the bar literally hanging off the tips of your fingers.

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Another alternative is to use a hook grip, with the thumbs around the bar but the index and middle fingers wrapped tightly around the top of the thumbs. It is a very good idea to change your grip from workout to workout, reversing the procedure at the next workout. This practice alone will balance out any strength and body torque imbalances that may result from using one style for months or even years on end. One lifter I know didn’t bother to change his style for years, and one day this practice caught up with him in the form of an injury to his left adductor and right adductor muscles in his thighs. The increased torque that results from using the mixed overhand and underhand grip can almost turn your body sideways in corkscrew fashion at the completion of a near max and beyond deadlift. Using a double overhand grip may eliminate the excess torque but it might also decrease your deadlift by 100 pounds or more. Here is a more detailed description and solution for torque issues: The torque experienced from the overhand and underhand method is magnified by improper hand spacing. Apparently the middle line of pull or force occurs between the joints of the index and middle fingers on each hand. Everything being equal, your measured grip from the center of the bar is not really centered at all. The line of pull or force of the underhand is approximately 2 inches farther away from the center of the bar than the pulling line of force on the overhand. When the bar is off center, the force or pull on the underhand grip begins to transfer, causing the body to drift up and out. This can cause you to lose your grip and even tear a biceps muscle in the process. The solution is to place your hands far enough apart to compensate for any transfer of force that might occur. www.criticalbench.com

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B. FOOT SPACING – Take a stance that is parallel with the center of the bar. Normally a shoulder width spacing is about right. You can also experiment with an outside and or narrower than shoulder width as a way to find the best foot spacing. Also consider the advice I gave for the foot spacing in the squat earlier in this manual. C. BODY POSITION - Your legs should be bent so that you are in a quartersquat position though this will vary, depending on the height of the bar from the floor. Since the Olympic barbell with 45-pound plates is most common, I will base body position on that. The hips should be down but slightly higher than the knees. This critical bit of positioning alone will give the buttocks a more direct advantage in helping the powerful quad muscles get the weight moving off the floor. The back should be slightly arched with the lats and spinae erector muscles tensed, and the shoulders squared (but not pulled back) and slightly ahead of the knees. The chest is well in front of the bar. The arms should be completely straight and serve in the capacity as hooks throughout each repetition. The position of your head is critical; it should be at approximately 45 degrees between straight ahead and straight up. When the shins are slightly touching the bar, the barbell should be directly over the center of the foot (this area of balance has been determined to be between the heel www.criticalbench.com

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bone and the ball of the foot and the first joint of the big toe) so that the repetition or lift can be done through the center of the legs. If the weight is positioned out in front of the toes, the back will become rounded and hump, which in turn will cause the hip to rise too high. This faulty practice will double the pressure on the spine and put excess and undue pressure on the spinae erectors. D. TECHNICAL PULL - Take three deep breaths, holding the last one. Begin with a powerful leg drive, remembering that the legs do not straighten completely until the shoulders and traps are locked back at the completion of the lift. This action will keep the hips from coming up faster than they should. If you lift the hips too fast, you are apt to lose the lift at the sticking point around the knee area. Be sure that the bar is lightly touching the shins and thighs during the appropriate aspect of the pull, being careful not to slide or hitch the weight at any point of the lift. As the bar begins to approach the knee area, you may notice a slowing down of the bar as the deadlift is being pulled away from your leg and buttocks strength. at this point you must put your body into high gear by tilting your head completely back so that you are looking up at the ceiling and at the same time bring (push) your hips as close to the bar as possible, and forward to get in line with the shoulders, which have remained in a fixed vertical path in front of the bar throughout the lift. E. LOCKOUT - At this point the knees and hips finally lock out, and you lock your shoulders back (this is where the front delts pass the front part of the hips) and align them with the torso as if you are in a natural upright posture. Expel all the air from your lungs about two-thirds of the way toward completing the lockout of the deadlift. Lower the barbell to the floor in the reverse manner in www.criticalbench.com

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which you lifted it. Low heeled shoes seem best for the deadlift. One then should consider having two pair for the meet, since the squat requires the opposite type. If you have trouble with the initial pull off the floor, try a narrower than shoulder width foot spacing. This will achieve the explosive pull off the floor. ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE TIPS FOR THE DEADLIFT: • Wide Grip Training Tip - Load 2 heavy D.B.’s (100 to 150 lbs. apiece) and walk around with the D.B.’s until you can’t hold them any longer. Do this for at least 3 attempts. When you can do this for about one to two minutes for each of the 3 attempts, add some more weight. • Another method for developing that “EXPLOSIVE” pull off the platform is to perform your deadlift while you are standing on a 6” high wooden platform or one that will allow the bar to touch the top of your feet (insteps). • Consider shaving your thighs and/or legs to reduce nagging friction. This will allow the bar to ride up the shins and thighs SMOOTHLY.

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Man MaKing HoRmones There are several key hormones in the male body that work very hard at helping us make and maintain muscle mass. Without going too far down the rabbit hole and naming them all we will single out the 3 most commonly referred to when speaking about anabolic hormones and men’s desire to get bigger and stronger. 1.) Testosterone is what makes men, men. Without testosterone coursing through our veins, we would never grow facial hair, have energy or be TEN TIMES stronger than women. It is the undisputed KING of all male hormones and it is the bus driving all of the other muscle building hormones throughout the body. It also helps with men’s ultra-competitive spirit, our desire for power and even our risk-taking behavior. Not only does testosterone provide men with rawer, natural strength than women, it helps to increase muscle mass while also helping in the fat burning process. Of course, all of these processes are woven together since they affect each other directly and happen simultaneously in the body. Since men are capable of moving heavier loads and supporting more muscle mass, they also have less need for body fat which is more necessary for women and childbirth. Some fat is essential to support life but in the last half century,

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fat percentages have soared for men while we’ve also seen dramatic declines in testosterone levels at younger and younger ages. This trend can be seriously slowed by implementing the Anabolic AfterGrowth workout. Studies indicate that high intensity training with minimal rest periods not only builds muscle faster and strengthens bones, it helps to regulate your natural T levels and slow the aging process. Remember, a decrease in energy combined with increased body fat isn’t always just due to a lack of exercise and a poor diet but of dropping testosterone levels as we get older. This is why knowing your T levels becomes even more important as we age. As a man, you must do everything possible to maintain the highest levels of testosterone through vigorous exercise, plenty of quality sleep and a well-designed nutrition plan. 2.) Another vital compound in the male body is Growth Hormone or (GH). It has gotten a bad rap in recent years because of its illegal use in professional sports. However, on the contrary, our body’s pituitary gland continues to release this essential hormone into our blood stream well after puberty. This occurs primarily at two times throughout the day: Post workout for about 3060 minutes (but only when you train intensely with multi-joint exercises) but even more importantly while we’re getting our Zzzzzz’s. This is precisely why getting enough quality sleep on top of kicking your own ass at the gym is critical to your muscle and strength building potential.

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3.) Insulin-like growth factor 1 or (IGF-1) is another key ingredient to your body’s natural ability to GROW those muscles. It acts as a mediator or facilitator if you will. The science here can get real tricky to understand so think of IGF-1 as a catalyst or ignitor. Without it, our growth hormone wouldn’t be able to do its job effectively. GH travels from the pituitary gland to the liver where IGF-1 is produced. IGF-1 is made in response to the Growth Hormone that’s released. The two link up and go to work helping your muscles to grow and other connective tissues like ligaments and tendons to get stronger. When we are young, growing and active, all of these hormones are hard at work helping to make us bigger, stronger and faster. Obviously, as we age, the production of these muscle building hormones begins to slow in our body once we’ve reached a particular size (usually peaking in your early 20s). This is precisely why doing high intensity strength training is vital since it can TURN ON these anabolic hormones and keep them flowing like a steady stream versus a slow drip. References http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12797841 http://jdmoyer.com/2011/08/02/four-simple-ways-to-increase-growth-hormone-burnfat-build-muscle/ http://www.scrawnytobrawny.com/hack-your-hormones http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/inmag35.htm http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/01/14/testosterone-benefits/

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AnaBolic VeRsus CataBolic State The aim of strength building and weight lifting is to drive our bodies into an anabolic state, which is a state of constructive metabolism. Specifically, this refers to the synthesis in living organisms of more complex substances from simpler ones. In other words, an anabolic state is when the body is building up. When the body is in an anabolic state, the body’s muscles and tissues are obtaining energy for growth and maintenance. Your body can only build muscle when it is in an anabolic state. The opposite of an anabolic state is the catabolic state. When your body is in a catabolic state, metabolic processes are releasing energy and breaking them down into smaller units. Whether or not our bodies are in an anabolic state or a catabolic state is determined by a number of different factors that trigger hormonal responses that stimulate either growth (anabolic state) or breakdown (catabolic state). The release of these anabolic- and catabolicinfluencing hormones is influenced by factors such as diet, activity level, weight training, sleep, rest, stress levels and others. As such, this gives us a certain level of control over our own hormonal systems, which ultimately means that we are the ones who www.criticalbench.com

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determine whether our bodies are in an anabolic state or a catabolic state. Let’s take a look at how you can keep your body in an anabolic state of muscle growth. Anabolic hormones drive growth and catabolic hormones drive breakdown. Examples of anabolic hormones include testosterone and growth hormone (GH). And since we know we can influence our body’s metabolic processes that drive the release of both anabolic and catabolic hormones, we know we can guide their activities relating to driving muscle growth and gains in strength. The bottom line is this—if you want to get bigger muscles faster, you must push your metabolic systems to keep the body in a growth driving anabolic state, not a breakdown catabolic state. In an anabolic state, your hormones are directing your muscles to get bigger and stronger. In a catabolic state, the opposite is taking place. Muscle tissues and proteins are broken down and converted to energy. While both anabolic and catabolic states are necessary, you of course, want to optimize anabolic processes and minimize catabolic processes. And the best part is that you can influence the degree to which your body is in either an anabolic or catabolic state. Let’s look at an example of identical twin brothers, both of whom are into strength training to build lean muscle mass. Both brothers have a healthy diet, get plenty of sleep and essentially follow similar training routines but they do not train together. But yet despite these similarities, one brother is bigger and more muscular than the other. Why is that? The answer is simple—only one of the two brothers has learned how to maximize his body’s anabolic processes, while minimizing its catabolic processes. In other words, his body spends more time in a state of growth than his brother’s body. Now we’ll help you understand the differences that make one brother bigger and more muscular than the other. First, while both brothers may be eating healthy, the more muscular brother’s diet includes more foods that drive muscle growth such as lean proteins, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. He’s also taking the proper www.criticalbench.com

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supplements that stimulate his endocrine system to release anabolic hormones to drive muscle growth. And in terms of lifestyle, in comparison to his twin, the more muscular brother gets more sleep and overall, has less stress in his life. But the biggest difference between him and his brother is his training routine. While both brothers mostly follow the same training routines, the bigger, more muscular brother trains with a higher degree of intensity than the smaller brother. He’s optimizing his anabolic processes and minimizing his catabolic processes by lifting heavier weights and putting a greater emphasis on compound exercises that simultaneously recruit multiple muscle groups and push the metabolic system to release a flood of muscle building anabolic hormones. In contrast, the smaller, less muscular brother doesn’t always push himself as hard as he knows he can. He is aware of this and often makes up for it by sometimes hitting the gym twice in one day or working out seven days a week. His diet is healthy, but not as anabolic-focused as his brother’s diet. He also doesn’t get as much sleep as his brother because he spends more time out drinking with his friends. His life is also more stressful than his brother’s and he spends a lot of time worrying about things. Looking at the example of the twins, you can see the differences that make one brother bigger and more muscular than the other. The more muscular twin is doing everything he can to optimize his anabolic processes and minimize the catabolic ones, while the other twin is not. The less muscular twin sometimes over-trains, is not eating as healthy as his brother, he’s not sleeping as much, is drinking more and leads a more stressful life. Consequently, his body spends more time in a catabolic state of breakdown, than his bigger, more muscular twin. If you want to pack on lean muscle mass, you need to follow the example of the bigger, more muscular twin, not the other one. www.criticalbench.com

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WoRKout PaRameteRs & HoRmonal Response The Anabolic AfterGrowth workout was specifically designed to FLOOD your body with muscle building ingredients that will allow you to gain more strength and mass FASTER! Study after study indicates that doing mostly compound lifts in your training helps you gain muscle mass much faster than isolation exercises. By now, this statement should not shock you. Training more muscle at once is far more demanding and does a better job of releasing testosterone as well as the potent Growth Hormone (GH) and Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) we so desperately need for noticeable size and strength gains. On top of that, many of the studies reveal that shorter, more intense sessions unleash a greater amount of anabolic hormones. Of course, you must be smart when doing more complex lifts that you are recovered enough to safely lift the weight but by minimizing those rest intervals, you can trigger a superior hormonal response. It’s also been cited many times that the ideal workout period is approximately 45 minutes in length. To have optimal output in the gym, you can’t expect to perform at your best forever. This is why these workouts are designed to last between 30-45 minutes.

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The Anabolic AfterGrowth workout has you doing ONLY compound movements. The primary lifts are done using heavier loads at lower rep ranges to make you stronger very quickly. The secondary compound lifts are done at moderate rep ranges to help with muscle size and the pump. We purposely trimmed the fat to give you ONLY what you need to get the best possible results. Most muscle mass and strength gains are going to come from working in the 7095% of your 1RM range. Since a ton of science backs that up, this program will focus on that range for most of your workouts. Just be sure to keep a watchful eye on rest times to maximize your efforts and hormonal reaction while you’re performing at the highest level possible. In conjunction with that amazing approach, we’ve also added a bonus day every other week to give you even more mass gains! By implementing an ultra-high rep day for the Bench and Squat, you can expect to totally confuse and excite your muscles. So WHY the High REP Workouts? Believe it or not, the body likes (and requires) variety. Having a diverse list of complex lifts is super important but so is playing with the loads you’re using and the reps you’re working with. One study actually showed that the back squat and leg press when done for 25 reps had tremendous impact on the release of Growth Hormone, greater than the 10 rep sets. It’s been understood for years that some amount of volume training in your routine yields massive muscle gains.

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This also points to variability and your body’s ability to adapt to physical stress. You must continue to challenge your body and keep the muscles from “getting comfortable” with what you’re doing in the gym. It makes sense then that old school and modern day bodybuilders have implemented this form of volume training into their routines for years. This high rep training overwhelms their bodies and floods the muscles with blood giving them a mega-pump that goes beyond doing normal sets of 8-10 reps, helping with muscle size and hormonal response. Science now clearly indicates that the hormonal response is absolutely triggered by increasing intensity and giving your body repetition variety. Rise & Shine for Anabolism Here’s one last notable tip about getting your body to be more anabolic: AM workouts Since it’s been proven that our testosterone levels are highest around 8-9am, we can only conclude that slowly throughout the day, those levels drop off slowly and we become more catabolic. There are some minor spikes in our levels every 4 hours or so but nothing big enough to make a major difference. A compelling study in the UK found that doing an intense workout in the morning (3 rep sets of bench and squat) led to improved afternoon performance testing and higher testosterone levels. Those that did sprints or nothing at all in the morning did not show a measurable increase in their afternoon T production or performance when compared to the heavy lifters. www.criticalbench.com

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Our recommendation is to attempt to do most of your training in the AM hours to allow your body to be anabolic as much as possible. Some catabolism is necessary to allow for muscle growth but too much breakdown can halt and sometimes hurt our mission to gain muscle mass. This also helps you to wind down better towards the end of the day making falling asleep easier. Since proper rest and a restful night sleep is essential for maximizing muscle gains, we are highly recommending this approach. We understand this may not always be possible but give it your best effort during this 60 day program. Don’t be a Hamster on the Wheel Wanna know the BEST part of this workout? No cardio That’s right. Take a break from boring treadmills, bikes and elliptical machines. This type of training is to promote muscle mass and serious strength gains and spending time huffing and puffing on motorized equipment is not part of the equation. The goal is to build muscle, not burn calories and lose fat (that will happen anyway). Losing fat just so happens to be a very nice side effect of gaining more muscle mass. Certainly feel free to warm-up before your workouts for 5-10 minutes but typical cardiovascular training is not recommended for the next 60 days. All of the latest science was considered when creating these workouts. The workout charts for each week were specifically designed to address all of these hormonal responses in the body making this the most complete strength and mass building program we’ve EVER created. www.criticalbench.com

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EnteR AfteRGRowtH Your goal should be to keep your body in an anabolic or growth state as much as possible and minimize the amount of time your body is breaking down or catabolic. By manipulating your workout parameters you can create the AfterGrowth Effect where your body’s muscle building hormones don’t dip too low so that you can stay anabolic. You’ve heard of the afterburn effect right? When you do short 30-minute interval training sessions you can boost your metabolism to continue burning fat for 24-hours. The AfterGrowth Effect works in a similar way but for building muscle. When you put all of the pieces together that are shared in this well designed workout program, you can keep your body in an anabolic state for up to 20-hours. It’s no accident then that the guy benching, squatting and deadlifting every week will get bigger and stronger much faster than the guy hitting the leg extension, leg curl and pec deck machines. It all comes down to stimulating the most muscles at once, releasing a barrage

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of anabolic hormones and doing it with a high level of intensity to promote real, lasting growth. It’s all about stress and rest. Push the body safely to its limits and rest it so that the muscles can recover, grow and do a better job the next time they are pushed. This point is imperative in the muscle building process but often knowingly overlooked with overtraining. This concept, known as Progressive Overload, is done most effectively utilizing the compound lifts in this workout. The more complex the lift, the greater the demand on the musculoskeletal system forcing the body to get bigger and stronger extremely fast. You’ve read enough…you are READY to go! Prepare yourself for the NEXT LEVEL in muscle building and strength. It’s time to TURN ON your anabolic hormones like never before and create the barbaric muscle growth and strength you used to think was impossible. You NOW know better. It’s time to experience the AfterGrowth Effect!

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FAQs foR AnaBolic AfteRGRowtH What if I can’t train in the mornings? With this program, it’s preferred to help boost anabolic activity during the afternoon but workouts later in the day. However, regardless of when you train, you’re going to gain strength and size as long as you stick to the plan of doing all compound lifts with intensity (% of 1RM). Do I need to take supplements for this program to work? No, but they can help performance (output) and strength potential. Supplements such as branched-chain amino acids, whey protein powder (shakes), glutamine and creatine can help any guy in search of increased muscle mass and strength. Pre-workout supplements like capsules or drinks can also help to improve alertness and energy for your workouts producing a better result. A solid nutrition plan is the most important element in the effort to gain muscle and overall strength along with quality sleeping habits but the above mentioned supplements can assist you. There are other supplements that help performance and energy that were not mentioned. Do some research and remember to always use good judgement and follow the instructions on the labels. What if I have bad knees and can’t do heavy squats? Bad knees certainly don’t make squats easy. Our advice is to get good at doing squats with lower weights, try variations with DBs and possibly invest in knee wraps for support. If your knees just can’t handle full reps, try doing just quarter www.criticalbench.com

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or half reps do challenge the muscles without pushing the knee joint too hard. What if I have to change the schedule and train on different days? That’s fine. The workout charts were designed to allow for precisely the right amount of rest between days for the muscles to recover, repair and grow. If you have to switch things around a bit, that won’t stop progress, you may just have more soreness by having workouts too close together. What happens if I don’t get the REPS I’m supposed to get? No worries. If you should have gotten 5 and only got 4, keep the weight the same and you will get it the next workout. Every workout is a unique challenge. Some days you will feel better than others. Use the charts provided to see what weights you should be using based on your current 1RM and go from there. Don’t worry about falling 1 rep short. If you need to lower the weight a bit early on, no problem. You WILL get stronger each week and will be adding more weight over the 8 weeks. Do I need to have a spotter for every workout? No, but of course having a spotter is always great for safety and motivation. Know your limits and stick to the plan. When you’re starting this workout, you’re using weight that doesn’t require a spotter. As you gain strength and size towards the end, having someone to help would be a nice option if available. Be smart and know what you’re capable of every set. I’m a beginner lifter, is this too advanced for me? No. This program is simply based on your CURRENT 1 rep max effort lift. Whether that’s 135 lbs. or 405 lbs. Doing compound lifts is where all www.criticalbench.com

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lifters should begin to build strong bones, ligaments, tendons and overall muscular strength. This is a foundational program designed to help beginners, intermediates or even the most advanced lifters out there. I’m an advanced lifter, will I still benefit from this program? Absolutely yes! Regardless of your background or current strength level, this workout will yield real results. All variables have been considered to create the most complete program in our database. Competing powerlifters to first time lifters will see benefits by committing to this 8 week workout method. I like to train for 90 min to 2 hours with longer rest periods, do I need to cut my workout time down to see gains? Part of the anabolic response is due to the limited rest intervals this workout calls for. Demanding the body to work harder in shorter periods of time helps to release more muscle building hormones. Even if you love to hang in the gym for 2 hour workouts, still challenge yourself to this 45 minute workout schedule. Use the remaining hour and fifteen minutes hanging at the protein counter with some friends telling them how much you like your new workout ☺ I like to do a few hours of cardio each week, do I need to cut that out? Cardio isn’t necessary during this 8 week period. If your goal is size and strength, cardio will not help you right now. If you must do it, save it for the end and try to keep it to 30 minutes or less per session to avoid burning muscle tissue for energy.

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I have a bad back and deadlifts can sometimes make it sore, is there an alternative? First option would be to use lighter loads and really dedicate your time to practicing the proper technique. The deadlift also has several variations. If you want to try using sumo stance or even consider bringing your stance way in (inside shoulder width), that may help your back issues. Other options would be to substitute with DBs, deadlift from a box so the weights are raised off the floor decreasing your ROM or even go with Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs) which stresses the hamstrings more than the back but still hits all the muscles. Lastly, invest in a weight lifting belt which can help support the lumbar spine. If your hip hinge is on point, you’re recruiting so many muscles in the posterior chain and not solely stressing the lower back. I really want to try this but I have no idea how to properly do a deadlift or squat with good form? No problem. Use the follow along videos provided to help you learn proper form. Spend some time watching others in your gym who obviously have past experience with powerlifting or even find a trainer to assess your form. The squat and deadlift are essential and must be performed properly to move heavy loads safely. Be sure you are comfortable with your technique before increasing the weights. I workout at home and only have dumbbells, can I still do this program? Yes. It’s not ideal since going as heavy as you need to may not be possible with DBs but you can still give yourself a killer workout. Having access to a barbell set up is recommended for this workout. Even if you have to visit a gym once or twice per week to get some barbell lifting in with the heavier (higher % of 1RM) weights. www.criticalbench.com

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I prefer to train in the evenings, does that hurt my chances for gains? No it doesn’t. You will still provide the stimulus to the muscles with intensity. You won’t reap the rewards of boosting your hormonal response in the afternoon but strength and size gains will still come. Lifting late in the day may also make going to sleep at a reasonable hour harder since you’re a bit more “wired” after an intense workout but be sure to get in good calories and get the quality sleep you need to GROW. Since I’m older, is it even possible to noticeably increase my anabolic hormones? 100% YES. The amazing thing about being a man, is that we are always producing testosterone and other muscle building hormones even as we age. It just dips over the course of time but packing on REAL size and strength is ALWAYS possible with the right program (this one), consistency and the intense desire to make gains. Men in their late 60s and even into their 70s can still positively impact their muscle building hormones. It’s NEVER too late to get bigger, stronger and manlier! What if my shoulders hurt whenever I do presses of any kind (overhead, flat, incline)? The good news is many of the lifts are not going to cause you shoulder discomfort. In many cases, sore or painful shoulders are a result of doing presses with less than perfect form under heavy loads or repetitive motions done over a period of years. This workout is not to be used for therapy or treatment of sore/painful shoulders. Ideally, you are capable of doing presses with at least moderate loads for reps. Assess your form using the demonstration videos linked to each exercise. Modify the pressing movements if you must so that www.criticalbench.com

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you may still benefit from the other compound lifts that will still demand the body to release an arsenal of anabolic hormones and add strength and size to your frame.

Equipment FAQs: Should You Wear A Weight Lifting Belt? When you are squatting or deadlifting less than 5-reps I recommend wearing a weight lifting belt for support. Other than that, don’t wear one. By using your body’s own support system, you engage your core muscles strengthening your mid-section. Basically I want you to “Build Your Own Belt” by using your core. When you’re lifting heavy weights (less than 5-reps) put the belt on. What About Wrist Wraps? When you’re bench pressing less than 5-reps, feel free to use them for support and stabilization. Other than that, don’t wear them, because they are stopping your wrists from getting stronger. Can I Use Straps When Deadlifting? No, I don’t recommend it. You want strong hands and a strong grip don’t you? You really don’t want to rely on them. Your grip will get stronger and you’ll be glad you didn’t use straps to assist you.

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Do I Need Special Equipment to do this Workout? The most important consideration is the gym where you train. You need access to barbells, dumbbells, a power rack, plenty of plates, flat bench, pull-up/dip station and an adjustable bench which is available in most gyms anywhere. Should I Chalk my Hands for All the Lifts? Chalk is a big help on deadlifts so you can grip the bar better and your hands won’t slip. It doesn’t do much for squats and bench press. p.s. Nothing is required to do this workout except you and the weights but having some of the above gear does make you capable of bigger numbers.

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AnaBolic AfteRGRowtH WoRKout CHaRts week

Mon

WoRKout OVeRView WeeKs 1 - 4

Tues

1

off Barbell (BB) Back Squat, Dumbbell (DB) Split Squat & Bb Lunge

2

BB Back Squat, DB Split Squat & BB Lunge

3

BB Bench off Press, OH BB Press & Incline DB Press

4

BB Bench Press, OH BB Press & Incline DB Press

Wed

BB Bench Press, Overhead (OH) BB Press & Incline DB Press

BB Bench off Press, OH BB Press & Incline DB Press

fri

Sat

Sun

off

BB Deadlift, OFF Bent Over BB Row & Neutral Grip Pull-Up

OFF

BB Deadlift, Bent Over BB Row & Neutral Grip Pull-Up

OFF *25 REP DAY 50% of 1RM BB Back Squat & BB Bench Press 3 Sets for EACH

OFF

OFF BB Back Squat, DB Split Squat & BB Lunge

OFF

OFF *25 REP DAY 50% of 1RM BB Front Squat & BB Incline Bench Press 3 Sets for EACH

OFF

BB Deadlift, off Bent Over BB Row & Neutral Grip Pull-Up

off BB Back Squat, DB Split Squat & BB Lunge

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Thurs

BB Deadlift, Bent Over BB Row & Neutral Grip Pull-Up

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Workout KEYS: • The Primary Exercise has sets of 5 reps while the Secondary Exercise has sets of 8-12 reps • 1-3 Minute Rest Periods between Sets for Primary Exercises • Only 1 Minute Rest Periods between Sets for the 2 Additional Compound Exercises *Every other week, you will add a 4th workout day featuring a Bench Press & Squat exercise performing 25 rep sets. As stated in the book, the 25 reps per set training has scientifically shown to have significant impact on anabolic activity. Special Notes: • Pay close attention to the percentages next to each exercise every week. As you gain strength, the percentages will increase to keep you challenged. Remember, these percentages are based on your original 1RM using the chart provided. You will continue to get stronger every week over the 8 week period. You can measure your progress with your 1RM using the chart. You don’t want to max out too often since it’s extremely demanding on your body. • We have purposely given you a % range for each exercise every week. Do you very best to stay in that range. If you don’t hit the required rep range, keep the same weight for the next workout until you can get in that range.

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AnaBolic AfteRGRowtH WoRKout CHaRts week 5

6

Mon

BB Back Squat, DB Front Squat & DB Jump Squat BB Back Squat, DB Front Squat & DB Jump Squat

WoRKout OVeRView WeeKs 5 - 8

Tues

OFF

Wed

BB Bench OFF Press, OH DB Press & Dips

8

BB Bench Press, OH DB Press & Dips

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Sat

Sun

OFF

OFF *25 REP DAY 55% of 1RM BB Back Squat & BB Bench Press 3 Sets for EACH

OFF

OFF BB Back Squat, DB Front Squat & DB Jump Squat OFF BB Deadlift, *25 REP DB Row & DAY 55% of 1RM Wide Grip BB Front Pull-Up Squat & BB Incline Bench Press 3 Sets for EACH

OFF

BB Deadlift, DB Row & Wide Grip Pull-Up

BB Deadlift, OFF DB Row & Wide Grip Pull-Up

OFF BB Back Squat, DB Front Squat & DB Jump Squat

fri

BB Deadlift, OFF DB Row & Wide Grip Pull-Up

BB Bench OFF Press, OH DB Press & Dips

BB Bench OFF Press, OH DB Press & Dips

7

Thurs

OFF

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Workout KEYS: • The Primary Exercise has sets of 3 reps while the Secondary Exercise still has sets of 8-12 reps • 1-3 Minute Rest Periods between Sets for Primary Exercises • Only 1 Minute Rest Periods between Sets for the 2 Additional Compound Exercises *Every other week, you will continue to add a 4th workout day featuring a Bench Press & Squat exercise performing 25 rep sets. As stated in the book, the 25 reps per set training has scientifically shown to have significant impact on anabolic activity.

Special Notes: • Pay close attention to the percentages next to each exercise every week. As you gain strength, the percentages will increase to keep you challenged. Remember, these percentages are based on your original 1RM using the chart provided. You will continue to get stronger every week over the 8 week period. You can measure your progress with your 1RM using the chart. You don’t want to max out too often since it’s extremely demanding on your body. • We have purposely given you a % range for each exercise every week. Do you very best to stay in that range. If you don’t hit the required rep range, keep the same weight for the next workout until you can get in that range.

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WEEK 1 Exercise

MONDAY — Squat & Leg Day

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

Barbell (BB) Back Squat - 80-85% of 1RM (5 reps) Dumbbell (DB) Split Squat - 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps) BB Lunge - 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

TUESDAY — rest WEDNESDAY — Bench Press & Shoulder Day

Exercise

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 2

SET 3

BB Bench Press – 80-85% of 1RM (5 reps) Overhead (OH) BB Press – 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Incline DB Press – 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

Exercise

THURSday — rest FRIDAY — Deadlift & Back Day SET 1

BB Deadlift – 80-85% of 1RM (5 reps) Bent-Over BB Row – 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Neutral Grip Pull-Up – 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

Saturday & SUNDAY — makeup/rest day

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WEEK 2 MONDAY — Squat & Leg Day Exercise

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

BB Back Squat – 80-85% of 1RM (5 reps) DB Split Squat - 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps) BB Lunge - 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

TUESDAY — Bench Press & Shoulder Day

Exercise

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

BB Bench Press - 80-85% of 1RM (5 reps) OH BB Press - 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Incline DB Press - 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

WEDNESDAY — rest THURSDAY — Deadlift & Back Day Exercise

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

BB Deadlift - 80-85% of 1RM (5 reps) Bent-Over BB Row - 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Neutral Grip Pull-Up - 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Exercise

FRIDAY — 25 REP DAY

BB Back Squat – 50% of 1RM (25 reps per set) BB Bench Press – 50% of 1RM (25 reps per set)

Saturday & SUNDAY — makeup/rest day

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WEEK 3 MONDAY — Bench Press & Shoulder Day Exercise

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

BB Bench Press - 80-85% of 1RM (5 reps) OH BB Press - 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Incline DB Press - 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

TUESDAY — rest WEDNESDAY — Deadlift & Back Day Exercise

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 2

SET 3

BB Deadlift - 80-85% of 1RM (5 reps) Bent-Over BB Row - 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Neutral Grip Pull-Up - 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

THURSday — rest FRIDAY — Squat & Leg Day Exercise

SET 1

BB Back Squat - 80-85% of 1RM (5 reps) DB Split Squat - 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps) BB Lunge - 65-70% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

Saturday & SUNDAY — makeup/rest day

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WEEK 4 MONDAY — Bench Press & Shoulder Day

Exercise

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 2

SET 3

BB Bench Press – 85-90% of 1RM (5 reps) OH BB Press – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Incline DB Press – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

TUESDAY — Squat & Leg Day Exercise

SET 1

BB Back Squat – 85-90% of 1RM (5 reps) DB Split Squat – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps) BB Lunge – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

Exercise

WEDNESDAY — rest THURSDAY — Deadlift & Back Day SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

BB Deadlift – 85-90% of 1RM (5 reps) Bent-Over BB Row – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Neutral Grip Pull-Up – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

FRIDAY — 25 REP DAY Exercise

BB Front Squat - 50% of 1RM (25 reps per set) BB Incline Bench Press - 50% of 1RM (25 reps per set)

Saturday & SUNDAY — makeup/rest day

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WEEK 5 Exercise

MONDAY — Squat & Leg Day

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

BB Back Squat – 85-90% of 1RM (3 reps) DB Split Squat – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps) BB Lunge – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

TUESDAY — rest WEDNESDAY — Bench Press & Shoulder Day

Exercise

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 2

SET 3

BB Bench Press – 85-90% of 1RM (3 reps) OH BB Press – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Incline DB Press – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

Exercise

THURSday — rest FRIDAY — Deadlift & Back Day SET 1

BB Deadlift – 85-90% of 1RM (3 reps) Bent-Over BB Row – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Neutral Grip Pull-Up – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

Saturday & SUNDAY — makeup/rest day

www.criticalbench.com

54

WEEK 6 MONDAY — Squat & Leg Day Exercise

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

BB Back Squat – 85-90% of 1RM (3 reps) DB Front Squat – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps) DB Jump Squat – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

TUESDAY — Bench Press & Shoulder Day

Exercise

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

BB Bench Press – 85-90% of 1RM (3 reps) OH DB Press – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Dips – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

Exercise

WEDNESDAY — rest THURSDAY — Deadlift & Back Day SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

BB Deadlift – 85-90% of 1RM (3 reps) DB Row – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Wide Grip Pull-Up – 70-75% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Exercise

FRIDAY — 25 REP DAY

BB Back Squat - 55% of 1RM (25 reps per set) BB Bench Press - 55% of 1RM (25 reps per set)

Saturday & SUNDAY — makeup/rest day

www.criticalbench.com

55

WEEK 7 MONDAY — Bench Press & Shoulder Day Exercise

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

BB Bench Press – 90-95% of 1RM (3 reps) OH DB Press – 75-80% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Dips – 75-80% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

TUESDAY — rest WEDNESDAY — Deadlift & Back Day Exercise

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 2

SET 3

BB Deadlift – 90-95% of 1RM (3 reps) DB Row – 75-80% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Wide Grip Pull-Up – 75-80% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

THURSday — rest FRIDAY — Squat & Leg Day Exercise

SET 1

BB Back Squat – 90-95% of 1RM (3 reps) DB Front Squat – 75-80% of 1RM (8-12 reps) DB Jump Squat – 75-80% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

Saturday & SUNDAY — makeup/rest day

www.criticalbench.com

56

WEEK 8 MONDAY — Bench Press & Shoulder Day Exercise

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 2

SET 3

BB Bench Press – 90-95% of 1RM (3 reps) OH DB Press – 75-80% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Dips – 75-80% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Exercise

TUESDAY — Squat & Leg Day SET 1

BB Back Squat – 90-95% of 1RM (3 reps) DB Front Squat – 75-80% of 1RM (8-12 reps) DB Jump Squat – 75-80% of 1RM (8-12 reps)

Exercise

WEDNESDAY — rest THURSDAY — Deadlift & Back Day SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

BB Deadlift – 90-95% of 1RM (3 reps) DB Row – 75-80% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Wide Grip Pull-Up – 75-80% of 1RM (8-12 reps) Exercise

FRIDAY — 25 REP DAY

BB Front Squat - 55% of 1RM (25 reps per set) BB Incline Bench Press - 55% of 1RM (25 reps per set)

Saturday & SUNDAY — makeup/rest day

www.criticalbench.com

57

FinD YouR One Rep MaX Maximum Lift Reference Table The following is a chart that can be used to determine your projected maximum without performing a 1 repetition max. Some athletes “get psyched” for a maximum lift, while others get psyched out by the number 300,350, or 400. But as a rule, the chart gives a good indication of what an athlete is capable of for a single lift. Example: The first column all the way to the left is the weight that you are using. So let’s say you use 135 lbs. If you can bench 135 lbs for 8 reps than your estimated one rep max is 167 lbs. So just slide your finger across the page and line it up with the number of times you can lift the weight. Yes you can use this chart for other lifts such as the squat as well.

135 145 155 165 175 185 195 205 215 225 235 245 255 265 275 285

2 143 154 164 175 186 196 207 217 228 239 249 260 270 281 292 302

3 147 158 169 180 191 202 213 223 234 245 256 267 278 289 300 311

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4 151 162 174 185 196 207 218 230 241 252 263 274 286 297 308 319

5 156 167 183 190 201 213 224 236 247 259 270 282 293 305 316 328

6 159 171 188 195 207 218 230 242 254 266 277 289 301 313 325 336

7 163 175 192 200 212 224 236 248 260 272 284 296 308 321 333 345

8 167 180 197 205 217 229 242 254 267 279 291 304 316 329 341 353

9 171 184 202 210 222 235 248 260 273 286 298 311 324 337 349 362

10 176 189 207 215 228 241 254 267 280 293 306 319 332 345 358 371 58

295 305 315 325 335 345 355 365 375 385 395 405 415 425 435 445 455 460 465 470 475 480 485 490 495 500 505 510 515 520 525 530 535 540

313 323 334 345 355 366 376 387 398 408 419 429 440 450 461 471 482 476 481 486 492 497 502 507 512 518 523 528 533 538 543 549 554 559

322 332 343 354 365 376 387 398 409 420 431 441 452 463 474 485 496 497 502 508 513 518 524 529 535 540 545 551 556 562 567 572 578 583

www.criticalbench.com

330 342 353 364 375 386 398 409 420 431 442 454 465 476 487 498 510 513 518 524 530 535 541 546 552 558 563 569 574 580 585 591 597 602

339 351 362 373 385 397 408 420 431 443 454 466 477 489 500 511 523 529 535 541 546 552 558 564 569 575 581 587 592 598 604 610 615 621

348 360 372 384 395 407 419 431 443 454 466 478 490 501 513 525 537 543 549 555 561 566 572 578 584 590 596 602 608 614 620 625 631 637

357 369 381 393 405 417 430 442 454 466 478 490 502 514 526 538 550 561 567 573 580 586 592 598 604 610 616 622 628 634 641 647 653 659

366 378 391 403 415 428 440 453 465 477 490 502 514 527 539 551 564 577 584 590 596 602 609 615 621 628 634 640 646 653 659 665 671 678

374 387 400 413 425 438 451 464 476 489 502 514 527 540 552 565 577 593 600 606 613 619 626 632 639 645 651 658 664 671 677 684 690 697

384 397 410 423 436 449 462 478 488 501 514 527 539 552 565 578 591 610 616 623 629 636 643 649 656 663 669 676 682 689 696 702 709 716

59

545 550 555 560 565 570 575 580 585 590 595 600 605 610 615 620 625 630 635 640 645 650 655 660 665 670 675 680 685 690 695 700 705 710

564 569 574 580 585 590 595 600 605 611 616 621 626 631 637 642 647 652 657 662 668 673 678 683 688 693 699 704 709 714 719 725 730 735

589 594 599 605 610 616 621 626 632 637 643 648 653 659 664 670 675 680 686 691 697 702 707 713 718 724 729 734 740 745 751 756 761 767

www.criticalbench.com

608 613 619 624 630 636 641 647 652 658 663 669 675 680 686 691 697 702 708 714 719 725 730 736 741 747 753 758 764 769 775 781 786 792

627 633 638 644 650 656 661 667 673 679 684 690 696 702 707 713 719 725 730 736 742 748 753 759 765 771 776 782 788 794 799 805 811 817

643 649 655 661 667 673 679 684 690 696 702 708 714 720 726 732 738 743 749 755 761 767 773 779 785 791 797 802 808 814 820 826 832 838

665 671 677 683 689 695 702 708 714 720 726 732 738 744 750 756 763 769 775 781 787 793 799 805 811 817 824 830 836 842 848 854 860 866

684 690 697 703 709 715 722 728 734 740 747 753 759 766 772 778 784 791 797 803 809 816 822 828 835 841 847 853 860 866 872 879 885 891

703 710 716 722 729 735 742 748 755 761 768 774 780 787 793 800 806 813 819 826 832 839 845 851 858 864 871 877 884 890 897 903 909 916

722 729 735 742 749 755 762 769 775 782 788 795 802 808 815 822 828 835 841 848 855 861 868 875 881 888 894 901 908 914 921 928 934 941

60

715 720 725 730 735 740 745 750

740 745 750 756 761 766 771 776

772 778 783 788 794 799 805 810

www.criticalbench.com

797 803 808 814 820 825 831 836

822 828 834 840 845 851 857 863

844 850 856 861 867 873 879 885

872 878 885 891 897 903 909 915

897 904 910 916 922 929 935 941

922 929 935 942 948 955 961 968

947 954 961 967 974 981 987 994

61

WeigHt TRaining CHaRt Weight Lifting Max Percentage Chart This chart is self explanatory. Some weight training workouts tell you to perform repetitions based on a percentage of your one rep max. The first thing you’ll need to know if your one rep max. To find this you can either max out at the gym or use our one rep max calculator (at the bottom of the page). Your max is simply the most weight that you can lift for one repetition. For example lets say your max is 150 lbs. The workout you are following tells you to do three sets of eight reps using 65% of your one rep max. Instead of pulling out your calculator prior to each set, you can use this chart. Simply look up 150 pounds in the left hand column that is labeled 100% - 1RM. 1RM means; 1 rep max. Now just slide your finger over until it lines up with 65% and you’ll see that you should be using 97 lbs for each set. The chart starts with 895 lbs. and goes down to 100 lbs. 100%

95%

.92.5%

90% .87.5% 85% .82.5% 80% .77.5% 75% .72.5% 70% .67.5% 65% .62.5% 60% .57.5% 55% .52.5% 50%

1RM

2RM

3RM

4RM

5RM

6RM

7RM

8RM

9RM 10RM 11RM 12RM 13RM 14RM 15RM 16RM 17RM 18RM 19RM 20RM

895

850

827

805

783

760

738

716

693

671

648

626

604

581

559

537

514

492

469

447

890

845

823

801

778

756

734

712

689

667

645

623

600

578

556

534

511

489

467

445

885

840

818

796

774

752

730

708

685

663

641

619

597

575

553

531

508

486

464

442

880

836

814

792

770

748

726

704

682

660

638

616

594

572

550

528

506

484

462

440

875

831

809

787

765

743

721

700

678

656

634

612

590

568

546

525

503

481

459

437

870

826

804

783

761

739

717

696

674

652

630

609

587

565

543

522

500

478

456

435

865

821

800

778

756

735

713

692

670

648

627

605

583

562

540

519

497

475

454

432

860

817

795

774

752

731

709

688

666

645

623

602

580

559

537

516

494

473

451

430

855

812

790

769

748

726

705

684

662

641

619

598

577

555

534

513

491

470

448

427

850

807

786

765

743

722

701

680

658

637

616

595

573

552

531

510

488

467

446

425

845

802

781

760

739

718

697

676

654

633

612

591

570

549

528

507

485

464

443

422

840

798

777

756

735

714

693

672

651

630

609

588

567

546

525

504

483

462

441

420

www.criticalbench.com

62

100% 95% .92.5% 90% .87.5% 85% .82.5% 80% .77.5% 75% .72.5% 70% .67.5% 65% .62.5% 60% .57.5% 55% .52.5% 50% 1RM

2RM

3RM

4RM

5RM

6RM

7RM

8RM

9RM 10RM 11RM 12RM 13RM 14RM 15RM 16RM 17RM 18RM 19RM 20RM

835

793

772

751

730

709

688

668

647

626

605

584

563

542

521

501

480

459

438

417

830

788

767

747

726

705

684

664

643

622

601

581

560

539

518

498

477

456

435

415

825

783

763

742

721

701

680

660

639

618

598

577

556

536

515

495

474

453

433

412

820

779

758

738

717

697

676

656

635

615

594

574

553

533

512

492

471

451

430

410

815

774

753

733

713

692

672

652

631

611

590

570

550

529

509

489

468

448

427

407

810

769

749

729

708

688

668

648

627

607

587

567

546

526

506

486

465

445

425

405

805

764

744

724

704

684

664

644

623

603

583

563

543

523

503

483

462

442

422

402

800

760

740

720

700

680

660

640

620

600

580

560

540

520

500

480

460

440

420

400

795

755

735

715

695

675

655

636

616

596

576

556

536

516

496

477

457

437

417

397

790

750

730

711

691

671

651

632

612

592

572

553

533

513

493

474

454

434

414

395

785

745

726

706

686

667

647

628

608

588

569

549

529

510

490

471

451

431

412

392

780

741

721

702

682

663

643

624

604

585

565

546

526

507

487

468

448

429

409

390

775

736

716

697

678

658

639

620

600

581

561

542

523

503

484

465

445

426

406

387

770

731

712

693

673

654

635

616

596

577

558

539

519

500

481

462

442

423

404

385

765

726

707

688

669

650

631

612

592

573

554

535

516

497

478

459

439

420

401

382

760

722

703

684

665

646

627

608

589

570

551

532

513

494

475

456

437

418

399

380

755

717

698

679

660

641

622

604

585

566

547

528

509

490

471

453

434

415

396

377

750

712

693

675

656

637

618

600

581

562

543

525

506

487

468

450

431

412

393

375

745

707

689

670

651

633

614

596

577

558

540

521

502

484

465

447

428

409

391

372

740

703

684

666

647

629

610

592

573

555

536

518

499

481

462

444

425

407

388

370

735

698

679

661

643

624

606

588

569

551

532

514

496

477

459

441

422

404

385

367

730

693

675

657

638

620

602

584

565

547

529

511

492

474

456

438

419

401

383

365

725

688

670

652

634

616

598

580

561

543

525

507

489

471

453

435

416

398

380

362

720

684

666

648

630

612

594

576

558

540

522

504

486

468

450

432

414

396

378

360

715

679

661

643

625

607

589

572

554

536

518

500

482

464

446

429

411

393

375

357

710

674

656

639

621

603

585

568

550

532

514

497

479

461

443

426

408

390

372

355

705

669

652

634

616

599

581

564

546

528

511

493

475

458

440

423

405

387

370

352

700

665

647

630

612

595

577

560

542

525

507

490

472

455

437

420

402

385

367

350

695

660

642

625

608

590

573

556

538

521

503

486

469

451

434

417

399

382

364

347

690

655

638

621

603

586

569

552

534

517

500

483

465

448

431

414

396

379

362

345

685

650

633

616

599

582

565

548

530

513

496

479

462

445

428

411

393

376

359

342

680

646

629

612

595

578

561

544

527

510

493

476

459

442

425

408

391

374

357

340

675

641

624

607

590

573

556

540

523

506

489

472

455

438

421

405

388

371

354

337

670

636

619

603

586

569

552

536

519

502

485

469

452

435

418

402

385

368

351

335

665

631

615

598

581

565

548

532

515

498

482

465

448

432

415

399

382

365

349

332

660

627

610

594

577

561

544

528

511

495

478

462

445

429

412

396

379

363

346

330

655

622

605

589

573

556

540

524

507

491

474

458

442

425

409

393

376

360

343

327

www.criticalbench.com

63

100% 95% .92.5% 90% .87.5% 85% .82.5% 80% .77.5% 75% .72.5% 70% .67.5% 65% .62.5% 60% .57.5% 55% .52.5% 50% 1RM

2RM

3RM

4RM

5RM

6RM

7RM

8RM

9RM 10RM 11RM 12RM 13RM 14RM 15RM 16RM 17RM 18RM 19RM 20RM

650

617

601

585

568

552

536

520

503

487

471

455

438

422

406

390

373

357

341

325

645

612

596

580

564

548

532

516

499

483

467

451

435

419

403

387

370

354

338

322

640

608

592

576

560

544

528

512

496

480

464

448

432

416

400

384

368

352

336

320

635

603

587

571

555

539

523

508

492

476

460

444

428

412

396

381

365

349

333

317

630

598

582

567

551

535

519

504

488

472

456

441

425

409

393

378

362

346

330

315

625

593

578

562

546

531

515

500

484

468

453

437

421

406

390

375

359

343

328

312

620

589

573

558

542

527

511

496

480

465

449

434

418

403

387

372

356

341

325

310

615

584

568

553

538

522

507

492

476

461

445

430

415

399

384

369

353

338

322

307

610

579

564

549

533

518

503

488

472

457

442

427

411

396

381

366

350

335

320

305

605

574

559

544

529

514

499

484

468

453

438

423

408

393

378

363

347

332

317

302

600

570

555

540

525

510

495

480

465

450

435

420

405

390

375

360

345

330

315

300

595

565

550

535

520

505

490

476

461

446

431

416

401

386

371

357

342

327

312

297

590

560

545

531

516

501

486

472

457

442

427

413

398

383

368

354

339

324

309

295

585

555

541

526

511

497

482

468

453

438

424

409

394

380

365

351

336

321

307

292

580

551

536

522

507

493

478

464

449

435

420

406

391

377

362

348

333

319

304

290

575

546

531

517

503

488

474

460

445

431

416

402

388

373

359

345

330

316

301

287

570

541

527

513

498

484

470

456

441

427

413

399

384

370

356

342

327

313

299

285

565

536

522

508

494

480

466

452

437

423

409

395

381

367

353

339

324

310

296

282

560

532

518

504

490

476

462

448

434

420

406

392

378

364

350

336

322

308

294

280

555

527

513

499

485

471

457

444

430

416

402

388

374

360

346

333

319

305

291

277

550

522

508

495

481

467

453

440

426

412

398

385

371

357

343

330

316

302

288

275

545

517

504

490

476

463

449

436

422

408

395

381

367

354

340

327

313

299

286

272

540

513

499

486

472

459

445

432

418

405

391

378

364

351

337

324

310

297

283

270

535

508

494

481

468

454

441

428

414

401

387

374

361

347

334

321

307

294

280

267

530

503

490

477

463

450

437

424

410

397

384

371

357

344

331

318

304

291

278

265

525

498

485

472

459

446

433

420

406

393

380

367

354

341

328

315

301

288

275

262

520

494

481

468

455

442

429

416

403

390

377

364

351

338

325

312

299

286

273

260

515

489

476

463

450

437

424

412

399

386

373

360

347

334

321

309

296

283

270

257

510

484

471

459

446

443

420

408

395

382

369

357

344

331

318

306

293

280

267

255

505

479

467

454

441

429

416

404

391

378

366

353

340

328

315

303

290

277

265

252

500

475

462

450

437

425

412

400

387

375

362

350

337

325

312

300

287

275

262

250

495

470

457

445

433

420

408

396

383

371

358

346

334

321

309

297

284

272

259

247

490

465

453

441

428

416

404

392

379

367

355

343

330

318

306

294

281

269

257

245

485

460

448

436

424

412

400

388

375

363

351

339

327

315

303

291

278

266

254

242

480

456

444

432

420

408

396

384

372

360

348

336

324

312

300

288

276

264

252

240

475

451

439

427

415

403

391

380

368

356

344

332

320

308

296

285

273

261

249

237

470

446

434

423

411

399

387

376

364

352

340

329

317

305

293

282

270

258

246

235

www.criticalbench.com

64

100% 95% .92.5% 90% .87.5% 85% .82.5% 80% .77.5% 75% .72.5% 70% .67.5% 65% .62.5% 60% .57.5% 55% .52.5% 50% 1RM

2RM

3RM

4RM

5RM

6RM

7RM

8RM

9RM 10RM 11RM 12RM 13RM 14RM 15RM 16RM 17RM 18RM 19RM 20RM

465

441

430

418

406

395

383

372

360

348

337

325

313

302

290

279

267

255

244

232

460

437

425

414

402

391

379

368

356

345

333

322

310

299

287

276

264

253

241

230

455

432

420

409

398

386

375

364

352

341

329

318

307

295

284

273

261

250

238

227

450

427

416

405

393

382

371

360

348

337

326

315

303

292

281

270

258

247

236

225

445

422

411

400

389

378

367

356

344

333

322

311

300

289

278

267

255

244

233

222

440

418

407

396

385

374

363

352

341

330

319

308

297

286

275

264

253

242

231

220

435

413

402

391

380

369

358

348

337

326

315

304

293

282

271

261

250

239

228

217

430

408

397

387

376

365

354

344

333

322

311

301

290

279

268

258

247

236

255

215

425

403

393

382

371

361

350

340

329

318

308

297

286

276

265

255

244

233

223

212

420

399

388

378

367

357

346

336

325

315

304

294

283

273

262

252

241

231

220

210

415

394

383

373

363

352

342

332

321

311

300

290

280

269

259

249

238

228

217

207

410

389

379

369

358

348

338

328

317

307

297

287

276

266

256

246

235

225

215

205

405

384

374

364

354

344

334

324

313

303

293

283

273

263

253

243

232

222

212

202

400

380

370

360

350

340

330

320

310

300

290

280

270

260

250

240

230

220

210

200

395

375

365

355

345

335

325

315

306

296

286

276

266

256

246

237

227

217

207

197

390

370

360

350

341

331

321

312

302

292

282

273

263

253

243

234

224

214

204

195

385

365

356

346

336

327

317

308

298

288

279

269

259

250

240

231

221

211

202

192

380

361

351

342

332

323

313

304

294

285

275

266

256

247

237

228

218

209

199

190

375

356

346

337

328

318

309

300

290

281

271

262

253

243

234

225

215

206

196

187

370

351

342

333

323

314

305

296

286

277

268

259

249

240

231

222

212

203

194

185

346

346

337

328

319

310

301

292

282

273

264

255

246

237

228

219

209

200

191

182

360

342

333

324

315

306

297

288

279

270

261

252

243

234

225

216

207

198

189

180

355

337

328

319

310

301

292

284

275

266

257

248

239

230

221

231

204

195

186

177

350

332

323

315

306

297

288

280

271

262

253

245

236

227

218

210

201

192

183

175

345

327

319

310

301

293

284

276

267

258

250

241

232

224

215

207

198

189

181

172

340

323

314

306

297

289

280

272

263

255

246

238

229

221

212

204

195

187

178

170

335

318

309

301

293

284

276

268

259

251

242

234

226

217

209

201

192

184

175

167

330

313

305

297

288

280

272

264

255

247

239

231

222

214

206

198

189

181

173

165

325

308

300

292

284

276

268

260

251

243

235

227

219

211

203

195

186

178

170

162

320

304

296

288

280

272

264

256

248

240

232

224

216

208

200

192

184

176

168

160

315

299

291

283

275

267

259

525

244

236

228

220

212

204

196

189

181

173

165

157

310

294

286

279

271

263

255

248

240

232

224

217

209

201

193

186

178

170

162

155

305

289

282

274

266

259

251

244

236

228

221

213

205

198

190

183

175

167

160

152

300

285

277

270

262

255

247

240

232

225

217

210

202

195

187

180

172

165

157

150

275

261

254

247

240

233

226

220

213

206

199

192

185

178

171

165

158

151

144

137

270

265

249

243

236

229

222

216

209

202

195

189

182

175

168

162

155

148

141

135

265

251

245

238

231

225

218

212

205

198

192

185

178

172

165

159

152

145

139

132

www.criticalbench.com

65

100% 95% .92.5% 90% .87.5% 85% .82.5% 80% .77.5% 75% .72.5% 70% .67.5% 65% .62.5% 60% .57.5% 55% .52.5% 50% 1RM

2RM

3RM

4RM

5RM

6RM

7RM

8RM

9RM 10RM 11RM 12RM 13RM 14RM 15RM 16RM 17RM 18RM 19RM 20RM

260

247

240

234

227

221

214

208

201

195

188

182

175

169

162

156

149

143

136

130

255

242

235

229

223

216

210

204

197

191

184

178

172

165

159

153

146

140

133

127

250

237

231

225

218

212

206

200

193

187

181

175

168

162

156

150

143

137

131

125

245

232

226

220

214

208

202

196

189

183

177

171

165

159

153

147

140

134

128

122

240

228

222

216

210

204

198

192

186

180

174

168

162

156

150

144

138

132

126

120

235

223

217

211

205

199

193

188

182

176

170

164

158

152

146

141

135

129

123

117

230

218

212

207

201

195

189

184

178

172

166

161

155

149

143

138

132

126

120

115

225

213

208

202

196

191

185

180

174

168

163

157

151

146

140

135

129

123

118

112

220

209

203

195

192

187

181

176

170

165

159

154

148

143

137

132

126

121

115

110

215

204

198

193

188

182

177

172

166

161

155

150

145

139

134

129

123

118

112

107

210

199

194

189

183

178

173

168

162

157

152

147

141

136

131

126

120

115

110

105

205

194

189

184

179

174

169

164

158

153

148

143

138

133

128

123

117

112

107

102

200

190

185

180

175

170

165

160

155

150

145

140

135

130

125

120

115

110

105

100

195

185

180

175

170

165

160

156

151

146

1410

136

131

126

121

117

112

107

102

97

190

180

175

171

166

161

156

152

147

142

137

133

128

124

118

114

109

104

99

95

185

175

171

166

161

157

152

148

143

138

134

129

124

120

115

111

106

101

97

92

180

171

166

162

157

153

148

144

139

135

130

126

121

117

112

108

103

99

94

90

175

166

161

157

153

148

144

140

135

131

126

122

118

113

109

105

100

96

91

87

170

161

157

153

148

144

140

136

131

127

123

119

114

110

106

102

97

93

89

85

165

156

152

148

144

140

136

132

127

123

119

115

111

107

103

99

94

90

86

82

160

152

148

144

140

136

132

128

124

120

116

112

108

104

100

96

92

88

84

80

155

147

143

139

135

131

127

124

120

116

112

108

104

100

96

93

89

85

81

77

150

142

138

135

131

127

123

120

116

112

108

105

101

97

93

90

86

82

78

75

145

137

134

130

126

123

119

116

112

108

105

101

97

94

90

87

83

79

76

72

140

133

129

126

122

119

115

112

108

105

101

98

94

91

87

84

80

77

73

70

135

128

124

121

118

114

111

108

104

101

97

94

91

87

84

81

77

74

70

67

130

123

120

117

113

110

107

104

100

97

94

91

87

84

81

78

74

71

68

65

125

118

115

112

19

106

103

100

96

93

90

87

84

81

78

75

71

68

65

62

120

114

111

108

105

102

99

96

93

90

87

84

81

78

75

72

69

66

63

60

115

109

106

103

100

97

94

92

89

86

83

80

77

74

71

69

66

63

60

57

110

104

101

99

96

93

90

88

85

82

79

77

74

71

68

66

63

60

57

55

105

99

97

94

91

89

86

84

81

78

76

73

70

68

65

63

60

57

55

52

100

95

92

90

87

85

82

80

77

75

72

70

67

65

62

60

57

55

52

50

www.criticalbench.com

66

Thank you for devoting 8 weeks of your time, sweat and intensity! Now that you’re even more jacked, it’s time to move on to a more advanced program designed to take your BENCH to the Next Level. Our Critical Bench Program 2.0 is waiting for you......

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www.criticalbench.com

67

“Got Questions???” Check out our Live Q and A session on Facebook... Live Strength and Power Half Hour Mon-Fri 12:30-1pm EST with Coach Chris

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www.criticalbench.com

68

For More Strength & Health Tips

To The Critical Bench YouTube Channel Free www.youtube.com/criticalbench www.criticalbench.com

69