Tri-Phase Training Thread- Post all questions and comments here

This thread is dedicated to my Tri-Phase Training book, which can be downloaded for free here:

[URL="http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/docs/2007/triphasetraining.pdf"]Tri-Phase Training PDF[/URL]

Triphase Training is a 3-phase workout program designed to add overall mass to your body. Each phase is three weeks long and targets a specific training variable. In addition, Triphase Training contains workouts created specifically to bring up lagging muscle groups, which are to be used after completing the 9-week Triphase Program.

The workout routines in this book are based on data from scientific literature as well as anecdotal feedback and results. These routines have not only been validated by science, but they have also been notarized by myself and many of my clients who have added quality mass to their bodies and made their former "weak points" into one of their most bragged about body parts.

As bodybuilders and physique enthusiasts, we strive to create a symmetrical, proportional physique. During the quest of building such a physique, it is common to have muscles that are lagging in development compared to the rest of the body.

Awesome Sticky!!!

Great program

Hey Derek, I have a question. Just entered phase 2 and I am doing each workout per day, and am adding abs on to the lower body b and lower body a workouts. This leaves me with 3 days off / week which I"m really not used to, so I am doing HIIT on one of those days and am thinking of swimming on the other. Your program doesn't specify any recommendations for cardio, so I really wasn't sure. Thanks!

[QUOTE=SiberianX37;62855461]Hey Derek, I have a question. Just entered phase 2 and I am doing each workout per day, and am adding abs on to the lower body b and lower body a workouts. This leaves me with 3 days off / week which I"m really not used to, so I am doing HIIT on one of those days and am thinking of swimming on the other. Your program doesn't specify any recommendations for cardio, so I really wasn't sure. Thanks![/QUOTE]

I will add this to the revision, but I recommend either 20-30 minutes of low-intensity cardio done either pre or post weight training or 30 minutes of low-intensity cardio/15-20 minutes HIIT done on off days.

i'm starting phase 2 now and so far this workout has been going great and i've seen good gains already!

[QUOTE=Beast;62858681]I will add this to the revision, but I recommend either 20-30 minutes of low-intensity cardio done either pre or post weight training or 30 minutes of low-intensity cardio/15-20 minutes HIIT done on off days.[/QUOTE]

Should you ever take a day COMPLETELY off, i.e., no weights or cardio? Or should some sort of activity be incorporated, 7-days a week?

[QUOTE=WhiteCollarBoy;65256313]Should you ever take a day COMPLETELY off, i.e., no weights or cardio? Or should some sort of activity be incorporated, 7-days a week?[/QUOTE]

I would have 1 TOTAL REST DAY.

I plan on starting Tri-Phase Training next week. I made a few changes in each phase.

For phase 1, I added rear delt flyes on back/traps day. I also added forearm wrist curls on arms/calves day.

For phase 2, I just rearranged/changed a few exercises here and there. Same layout though.

For phase 3, I changed a couple of exercises and rearranged the order bodyparts are trained on each of the 3 days. For instance, workout 1 starts with legs, workout 2 starts with back, workout 3 starts with chest. Basically the whole arrangement of bodyparts is totally different on each of the 3 days.

I hope all this is okay, and that I didn't mess anything up!

Now for the question I came on to ask..

Derek, what do you recommend doing for abs on this program? I am going to be using this program while cutting, and would like to incorporate some abs in each phase. Which exercises, how many sets/reps do you recommend for each phase, and when?

Thanks!

There's something else that I forgot to ask in the last post..

I will be in town for the next 3 weeks so I can do phase 1 in that time. For the 4th week, I will be going out for a week at the lake and won't be able to workout during that week. So I can resume with phase 2 during the 5th week instead of the 4th week.

Is this okay? Or would it be better if I postpone starting triphase training until a time where I have 9 weeks where I can workout every week?

[QUOTE=Carlito99;66153953]I plan on starting Tri-Phase Training next week. I made a few changes in each phase.

For phase 1, I added rear delt flyes on back/traps day. I also added forearm wrist curls on arms/calves day.

For phase 2, I just rearranged/changed a few exercises here and there. Same layout though.

For phase 3, I changed a couple of exercises and rearranged the order bodyparts are trained on each of the 3 days. For instance, workout 1 starts with legs, workout 2 starts with back, workout 3 starts with chest. Basically the whole arrangement of bodyparts is totally different on each of the 3 days.

I hope all this is okay, and that I didn't mess anything up!

Now for the question I came on to ask..

Derek, what do you recommend doing for abs on this program? I am going to be using this program while cutting, and would like to incorporate some abs in each phase. Which exercises, how many sets/reps do you recommend for each phase, and when?

Thanks![/QUOTE]

I would train abs 2X a week. Something like:
Incline Crunches 3 X 8-12
Leg Raises 3 X 8-12
Hyperextension 3 X 8-12

Derek,

Thanks for providing a copy of your Tri Phase Training! Please forgive the length of my post. :)

In particular I like the singular focus upon progression (volume, intensity or frequency).

Ok, here are the questions:
1. On your specialized chest hypertrophy workout you said, "All sets are stopped one rep shy of failure." Does this apply to all sets for the entire program?

2. Regarding the Specialized Arm Hypertrophy Workout:
After examining the workout (chapter 5) and seeing the specialized routine schedule (chapter 10), are the specialized workouts to incorporated within the principals of the larger program (volume, intensity and frequency) OR are they a seperate entity from the Tri Phase Training program?

3. Regarding phase 1, you stated, "Once you can complete 10 reps with a given weight you should increase the weight for the next set."
Which bench press scenario is correct:
A) 3 sets of 225 lbs 8 reps each set. When 3 sets of 10 reps is accomplished, weight is added.
B) 1st set 225 lbs for 10 reps, 2nd set 225 for 8 reps, 3rd set 225 lbs for 6 reps. Weight is ONLY added to the set that achieves 10 reps. This means that my next workout will be 230x6+ reps, 225x8+ and 225x6+.

4. Regarding phase 2, would you recommend using a powerlifting chart to calculate weights for week 1, 2 and 3?

Please forgive me for probably overanalyzing things. ;)

[QUOTE=spiderduncan;66728133]Derek,

Thanks for providing a copy of your Tri Phase Training! Please forgive the length of my post. :)

In particular I like the singular focus upon progression (volume, intensity or frequency).

Ok, here are the questions:
1. On your specialized chest hypertrophy workout you said, "All sets are stopped one rep shy of failure." Does this apply to all sets for the entire program?

[b]Just chest since you will be working it twice a week, so it will need more recovery time. Limiting the stress to the nervous will decrease your needed recovery time.[/b]

2. Regarding the Specialized Arm Hypertrophy Workout:
After examining the workout (chapter 5) and seeing the specialized routine schedule (chapter 10), are the specialized workouts to incorporated within the principals of the larger program (volume, intensity and frequency) OR are they a seperate entity from the Tri Phase Training program?

[b]These are separate from the Tri-Phase Program.[/b]

3. Regarding phase 1, you stated, "Once you can complete 10 reps with a given weight you should increase the weight for the next set."
Which bench press scenario is correct:
A) 3 sets of 225 lbs 8 reps each set. When 3 sets of 10 reps is accomplished, weight is added.
B) 1st set 225 lbs for 10 reps, 2nd set 225 for 8 reps, 3rd set 225 lbs for 6 reps. Weight is ONLY added to the set that achieves 10 reps. This means that my next workout will be 230x6+ reps, 225x8+ and 225x6+.

[/b] As soon as you can get 10 reps with a weight up it. So if you get 10 reps on Bench Press with 225 up it to 235 for the next set.

4. Regarding phase 2, would you recommend using a powerlifting chart to calculate weights for week 1, 2 and 3?

[b]That would be an option.[/b]

Please forgive me for probably overanalyzing things. ;)[/QUOTE]

My answers are [b]bolded[/b] above.

I am going to start this program on monday. I was wandering about phase 1, when it has the exersices listed
Ex. Chest+Shoulders- Am I supposed to do 3 sets of bench press then move to the next exersice or do a set of bench press, then a set of incline,...etc. Then return to Bench press for a second set?

thanks

[QUOTE=kknecht1;68428523]I am going to start this program on monday. I was wandering about phase 1, when it has the exersices listed
Ex. Chest+Shoulders- Am I supposed to do 3 sets of bench press then move to the next exersice or do a set of bench press, then a set of incline,...etc. Then return to Bench press for a second set?

thanks[/QUOTE]

Do all the sets for a given exercise before going on to the next exercise.

[QUOTE=Beast;66304173]I would train abs 2X a week. Something like:
Incline Crunches 3 X 8-12
Leg Raises 3 X 8-12
Hyperextension 3 X 8-12[/QUOTE]

Sorry if I've got the wrong idea but aren't hyperextensions primarily for the hams, glutes and lower back?

[QUOTE=Beast;66800093]My answers are [b]bolded[/b] above.[/QUOTE]

Hei,

Kinda a silly question but I noticed you "bolded" some of the text in the above. How do you do that and post it on this forum? I don't see any option to bold any text when I'm typing up a tread or post.

Is there an exercise you can do instead of bb rows? I just don't feel them good at all and I have been trying to do various different things to make it feel better but I still can't do enough weight to feel it right and wind up going so light that I feel like I am wasting my time.

[QUOTE=steve_boutcher;68442883]Sorry if I've got the wrong idea but aren't hyperextensions primarily for the hams, glutes and lower back?[/QUOTE]

They work the core muscles. Both the abs abs and lower back should be worked.

[QUOTE=vitaminboys;68767563]Is there an exercise you can do instead of bb rows? I just don't feel them good at all and I have been trying to do various different things to make it feel better but I still can't do enough weight to feel it right and wind up going so light that I feel like I am wasting my time.[/QUOTE]

T-Bar rows would be good. You like those?

[QUOTE=steve_boutcher;68443803]Hei,

Kinda a silly question but I noticed you "bolded" some of the text in the above. How do you do that and post it on this forum? I don't see any option to bold any text when I'm typing up a tread or post.[/QUOTE]

[ b ] then after the text you want bolded [ / b ] (but take out the spaces).

[QUOTE=Beast;68868583]T-Bar rows would be good. You like those?[/QUOTE]

Yeah I actually love those and have missed them a lot since doing bb rows. Thanks a lot!

Has everyone who has done this program seen good results?

Derek what are the main differences in this program and an ordinary hypertrophy program, where i would do 3 phases of 3 weeks, 1st phase 15 reps, 2nd 10 reps and 3rd 5 reps etc. Were in these phases i work towards lifitng my 15rep max on the last workout.

Do you pyramid up or down with this program? Or do you simply warm up, and then pick a weight that will allow you to stay within the rep range and then adjust up or down from there?

[QUOTE=WhiteCollarBoy;71171263]Do you pyramid up or down with this program? Or do you simply warm up, and then pick a weight that will allow you to stay within the rep range and then adjust up or down from there?[/QUOTE]

bump, also

? Week 1 = 315 for 3 X 6
? Week 2 = 335 for 3 X 4
? Week 3 = 355 for 3 X 2

for example, im doing week 2, i just warmup and pick a weight that allows me to do 4 reps..

EG: I deadlift 500. Warmup sets, 200x10, 300x5, 400x3, and then 3 working sets of 500x4.

and then week 3, ill increase to 550x2 etc?

For Phase 2 you want to warm up to a weight that will let you get all 3 sets with the targeted reps. So that may be 315 X 6, 6, 6 then next week 335 X 4, 4, 4 then next week 355 X 2, 2, 2.

Beast,

I am on my 2nd week of Phase 1 and have a few Questions.

1. how many sets should I do to warmup (If there should be warm-up sets)?

2. For Pull-ups I can get 6 reps for 1 maybe 2 sets. Once I get below 6 reps for pull-ups, should I do pulldowns for the remaining sets?

3. Should I only up the weight once I can complete 10 reps? Or will it be fine If I stay close to 6 reps?

thanks

Hey all,

Was wondering what the recommended amount of time one should lift in the gym is according to the tri-phase system?

I've always kept sessions in the 45-60 minute range before I started with the tri-phase system.

The problem is on the last phase of week one the program calls for 5 sets of everything and this extended the session time to 75-85mins and I really felt that I couldn't give as good effort due to my energy levels rapidly dropping.

I not one to just blindly follow any program and it's in my nature to ask questions, I hope someone can clear this up for me... looking forward to phase 2 starting Monday :)

Derek -

How would you go about warm-ups on week three of Phase III? Since the rep range is relatively high, can you go straight into your working sets, or should you warm up with a lighter set first? I'm not used to skipping a light warm-up, but if I were to do one for every exercise it seems like the workout would take way longer.

Thanks!

-C10

Is it possible for Phase 1 to be changed to the Chest Specialization? It looks similar, and the reps/sets would be the same I'd just be doing this:

Mon Chest
Tues Back/Traps
Wed Off
Thurs Chest
Fri Legs
Sat Shoulders/Arms
Sun Off