Solo Hellraiser Training (Solo HRT)

[ragingmuscle]

Solo Hell Raiser Training

Hell Raiser Training with Hellcentrics has become one of the most widely used bodybuilding partner training programs in the world. Why? Because it works.
But what if you’re a lone wolf? You fly solo. Don't need or even want a training partner because you do **** on your own time. I developed a highly effective Solo version of Hell Raiser Training just for you, so let’s shed some light on the other dark side of Hell Raiser Training…Solo HRT. Hellcentrics and Solo HRT are similar in that they both place special emphasis on the negative or eccentric portion of the lift. They also both use a working weight of 60-80% of your one rep max. The Solo program consists of performing 8 reps focusing on the positive or concentric portion using a weight that you can normally finish 8 reps without forcing it (for most it’s 60-80% 1RM). Those 8 reps are then followed by 6 reps that primarily focus on the eccentric or negative portion of the rep for a total of 14. Just like Hellcentrics you descend or ascend at the rate of a 5 count. There is no need for a partial rep, just a straight, slow decent or accent It's necessary to put the muscles through a couple extra negative reps to help empty the tank since there are no extreme forced reps involved.

So if you've been wanting to give Hell Raiser Training a test drive and don't have a training partner, now's your chance. Unlike Hellcentrics HRT, you can start right away and you don’t need to have a minimum of 2 years experience in the gym or a training partner. You can begin reaping the benefits of Hell Raiser Training today!

The stretching, rest, cardio, recovery, nutritional, supplementation and even the weekly training protocols are the same as those found in the main HRT program.

Hell Session I Shoulders, Biceps and Forearms

It’s important to hit the Anterior, Posterior as well as Middle Deltoids to round out your shoulder training. Training shoulders provides the opportunity to hit the hard to reach clavicular head of the pectoralis. Everyone’s physique is unique in many ways. When performing any exercise, especially shoulders, be sure to find the comfortable range of motion that best suites you. In HRT we do 3 different exercises for complete shoulder development with a fourth exercise added later in the week (You’ll see why this makes sense a little later on back day);

Shoulders

Our first exercise is Seated Front Press for the anterior and middle deltoids as well as hitting the clavicular head of the pectoralis which is the very top edge of the pecs. This movement also hits the traps a bit and even digs into the suprspinatus.

We’ll do a few warm up sets to get the blood flowing into the shoulders. Each warm up set will be progressively heavier.

Seated Front Press 2 x 8+6
2-3 minutes rest between sets

The second shoulder exercise is Dumbbell Side Lateral Raises for the middle deltoid primarily. However, the anterior and posterior deltoids have to step up to guide the movement with accuracy and direction. This movement also activates the suprspinatus deep in the shoulder.

We’ll do one warm up set and get right to it.

Dumbbell Side Lateral Raises 2 x 8+6
Couple minutes rest between sets

The third lift for shoulders is Barbell Front Raises which hit the anterior deltoid primarily and again hit the clavicular head of the pectoralis major and even the short head of the biceps brachii, which in this routine can begin to warm up the biceps for their turn to be tortured.

Shoulders are plenty warmed up so let’s get after it

Barbell Front Raises 2 x 8+6
Couple minutes rest between sets


That wraps up our shoulder training. Now it’s time to stretch them out.

The best time to stretch a muscle for size is within approximately 5 minutes of working it and while the muscle is fully pumped. Stretch each body part for 30 to 60 seconds. Hell Raiser Training combined with proper food and supplementation, fully saturates the muscle being trained with nutrient rich blood filling them up like balloons and forcing them against the fascia. By stretching while the muscles are inflated like this, you begin to create additional stress on the fascia which can cause it to stretch as well. When the fascia is stretched, this allows more room for the muscle to expand and increase in size.
With each stretch, you’re applying only a moderate amount of pressure. Applying too much pressure can result in muscle damage.

So for shoulders we will do a couple stretches

1. Set an Olympic bar at about squat height. Reach both arms out behind, up and over the bar placing the bar within the crooks of your elbows. Slowly bend your knees just enough to create the stretch while hipping out slightly.
2. Pull your arm across your chest while pushing it into your chest with your other arm. Alternate.

Biceps

Now let’s move into bicep training. We’re going to focus on 4 parts when it comes to our biceps; the long and short heads known as the Biceps Brachii, the Brachialis beneath the Biceps and finally the Brachioradialis. The two movements to follow are designed to not only maximize overall size and shape of the bicep but also to incorporate the all important brachioradialis of the upper forearm which creates a nice symmetrical transition between the upper arm and forearm.

Up first for biceps is Barbell Curls which work both the long and short heads as well as the brachialis which lies beneath the long and short head. This movement also warms up the brachioradialis which we will work harder in the next movement. It’s important to keep your grip on the bar at a medium, comfortable position. Not too narrow and not too wide. This grip keeps more equal pressure on both heads of the bicep.
Couple warm up sets progressively heavier before we get started

Barbell Curls 2 x 8 + 6
Couple minutes rest between sets

Second exercise for biceps is Barbell Reverse Curls. These engage the brachioradialis primarily and also hits the biceps brachii, the brachialis and additional forearm extensor muscles. This movement will help warm up the forearms for what’s to follow.

One warm up and let’s hit it.

Reverse Barbell Curls 2 x 8 + 6
Couple minutes rest between sets

Now let’s stretch out the biceps. Extend both hands straight out while inside a power rack with your arms touching the vertical supports of the power rack. Slowly move and lean forward to stretch out the biceps.


Forearms

Now let’s move right into some forearm work. Reverse Wrist Curls are the next logical movement anyways since the extensors are warmed up and ready to rock. When performed properly, reverse wrist curls work the majority if not all the forearm extensors.

We can get right into it since the reverse barbell curls already warmed up this area of the forearms.

Reverse Wrist Curls 2 x 8 + 6
Couple minutes rest between sets

Wrist Curls are going to finish our forearm work and leave them incredibly pumped.

They are already warmed up

Wrist Curls 2 x 8 + 6
Couple minutes rest between sets

Let’s stretch the forearms by setting an Olympic bar at the height of a barbell shrug, place your fingers towards you on the bar. Slowly lean forward and down while pushing your elbows forward.

That wraps up Hell Session I. Tomorrow we will **** up quads and hams. See you then.

Hell Session II Quads and Hams

Leg Press predominately will focus on the vastus medialis and by placing the feet at a wider stance, we can also incorporate some of the adductor along with the glutes.

Up to 5 warm up sets progressively heavier each set.

Leg Press (Wide Stance) 2 x 8 + 6
3-5 minutes rest between sets

Hack Squat will move us into the outer sweep of the quad by working the vastus lateralis primarily. Keep the feet low on the platform and about shoulder width apart so that the emphasis is on the quads and doesn’t incorporate as much of the glutes.

Only need one warm up set and it’s time to dig in

Hack Squats 2 x 8 + 6
3-5 minutes rest between sets

Leg Extensions will finish off the quads that by this time should be on fire if you’ve done the preceding movements properly. While each one of these movements hits all of the quad muscles and even incorporate the glutes and sometimes the hamstrings, the leg extensions are focusing primarily on the rectus femorus. The rectus femorus is the only quad muscle that ties into the hip instead of the femor as the other three do. By keeping your toes pointed straight, you apply even distribution across the quads with the majority of the tension and workload on the rectus femorus.

One warm up for the rectus femorus and lets go

Leg Extensions 2 x 8 + 6
Only a couple minutes rest between sets

Now that we are finished with quads, let’s stretch them out. There are a couple ways to do this. One is to take one large step forward with one leg, kneel on one knee, lean back while pushing your hip forward and leaning your upper body back and keep the back leg up on the toes. Alternate. Another way and one that I prefer is to set a safety bar about knee height, set the top of one foot on the bar and drop into the stretch.

Now let’s get some hamstring work in..

Stiff Leg Dead Lift will kick off our hamstring work as a hip flexion movement. This is a great hamstring/glute tie in movement. I like to do these with a slightly wider stance and I have no interest in stretching the hamstrings out by standing on something that allows further decent.

One warm up set

Stiff Leg Dead Lift 2 x 8 + 6
Couple minutes rest between sets

Seated Leg Curl will be our knee flexion movement to finish off the hamstrings. Unlike SLDL’s, these will take the ham/glute tie in completely out of the equation and focus on just the hams.

They are plenty warm so let’s go

Seated Leg Curl 2 x 8 + 6
Couple minutes rest between sets

Hams are done and time to stretch them out. Set a safety bar on a power rack at about mid thigh height, place the bottom of one foot up on the support bar and lean into the stretch focusing on your hamstring. Alternate.


A Break From The Heat

Take a day to recuperate. We are officially half way through a week of HRT and your still alive and kicking. Day three is a day of rest for your physique. As you are starting to see, there is a natural progression for these lifts. There is a logical order in which each lift falls into it’s own spot and lends itself in one way or another to the next lift. We are warming up and prepping one body part for the workload that is about to follow while. Let’s look at a couple of important aspects of recovery.

Sleep

Sleep is a critical factor when it comes to rebuilding muscle mass and prepping for the next training session. The bodybuilding physique needs between 7 to 9 hours of sleep. This is a critical time for the entire body to recover physically and mentally. It is also a key time when your body releases growth hormone and your test levels are elevated which helps with muscle growth and repair. Sleep also gives your mind a chance to fully recharge giving you the alertness that is needed for intense training sessions in the gym.

Cardio

The amount of cardio to be performed is dependent upon the athlete’s specific goals. But doing a minimum of 10-15 minutes of low intensity cardio on non-training days will help flush out toxins like lactic acid that can build up during the normal course of training.

Deep Tissue Massage

Getting a full body deep tissue massage a couple times a month helps reduce soreness by increasing blood flow. It also works out knots and scar tissue that are the result of muscle damage caused by training. Reducing these causes the muscle to be more flexible and move more freely which reduces the chances of injury.

Breaks over. Time to get back after it…..

[ragingmuscle]

Hell Session III Pecs and Tri’s

It’s important to hit all three regions of the chest…lower, mid and upper…so we will kick it off with Decline Press to set the lower pecs on fire and get them growing.

2-3 warm ups

Decline Press 2 x 8 + 6
About three minutes rest

Now lets hit the middle of the pecs with…

Flat Press

One warm up

Flat Press 2 x 8 + 6
Three minutes rest

Now lets move on to..

Incline Press which will finish off the pecs by hitting the upper region.

One warm up

Incline Press 2 x 8 + 6
Three minutes rest

Now that we are finished with chest, let’s stretch this **** out. Extend both hands straight out while inside a power rack with your arms touching the vertical supports of the power rack. Slowly move and lean forward to stretch out the pecs

Time to finish off Hell Session III

Skull Crushers to forehead will kick off our triceps routine by hitting the medial and lateral heads of the triceps

Two warm ups progressively heavier

Skull Crushers 2 x 8 + 6
Couple minutes rest between sets

Seated Dumbell Tricep Extensions will finish off the triceps by hitting the long head primarily.

One warm up

Seated Dumbbell Tricep Extensions 2 x 8 + 6
Couple minutes rest

Grab a medium weight dumbbell, sit on a chair, raise the dumbbell over your head, keep your elbows in tight, lower the weight into the stretch.


Hell Session IV Back, Traps, Rear Delts and Calves

We’ll start in on back with some Pull Downs. These work deep into the latissimus dorsi and the teres major and as the shoulder blades come together, we start digging into the rhomboids, middle and lower portions of the trapezius. And since our biceps and brachioradialis have had a few days to recover, they will be primed to handle a smaller portion of the load as they will be engaged as well.

Three warm up sets progressively heavier

Pull Downs 2 x 8 + 6
Three minutes rest between sets

Next up are Seated Rows which work the lats, teres major again and now we start engaging more of the rear delts, biceps to a lesser degree along with brachioradialis and as we pull the weight in, we engage the rhomboids and traps again.

One warm up and lets stop dickin around

Seated Rows 2 x 8 + 6
Three minutes rest

T Bar will finish off the back by hitting the lats, teres major, posterior delts a bit harder than the seated rows and rhomboids, traps and now we even engage the infraspinatus.

One warm up

T Bar 2 x 8 + 6
Three minutes rest

Let’s stretch out back now that we are finished hitting it directly. There are a few I think are best. 1. Strap onto a pull up bar and hang. 2. Add a small amount of weight to a chest supported T Bar and stretch out the middle back. 3.Slowly bend over with your knees slightly bent, interlock your hands behind your knees and slowly pull to stretch your lower back.

Now it’s on to traps

Barbell Shrugs are the only movement we are going to need to finish off the traps because we already hit them a couple times during our back work.

One warm up and let’s rock

2 x 8 + 6
Three minutes rest

Let’s stretch these bad boys out. Grab a medium weight dumbbell in each hand and allow them to hang by your side into the stretch. Then slowly lean your head to one side for 30 seconds and then to the other side for 30 seconds.

Now on to rear delts

One exercise will do the trick…Bent Lateral Raises which will also finish off the shoulders for the week. I put posterior delt work here since we have been working them indirectly throughout the workout and they are best primed for this today. At the top of the movement you’ll also engage the traps, rhomboids, teres minor and infraspinatus.

One warm up

2 x 8 + 6
Couple minutes rest between sets

Let’s finish up Hell Session IV with some calf work

We begin with Seated Calf Raises that hit the soleus which is the muscle underneath what we most commonly refer to as the calves (gastrocnemius medial and lateral).

Three warm up sets progressively heavier

2 x 8 + 6
Couple minutes rest between sets

Next up are Calf Extensions which can be done on a variety of machines. I prefer to do them on the leg press but others like donkey calf raise or standing calf raise machines. As long as the knees are only slightly bent, the majority of the workload will be placed on the calves themselves. Point your toes straight forward to hit both the lateral and medial portions of the calf.

One warm up

2 x 8 + 6
Couple minutes rest between sets

Time to stretch these bitches out now. Couple stretches here. Load a medium amount of weight on a seated calf machine and allow the weight to slowly descend into stretching mostly the soleus. The second stretch focuses more on all the calf muscles. Lean against the wall into a standing calf stretch one foot at a time

That's it. 2 days off and repeat. Enjoy!