Max-OT for Dummies

[hepennypacker52]

This is a 'sneak preview' I guess. I'm doing a big article line for Bodybuilding.com, a "for Dummies" guide to about 12 different types of training. HST for Dummies is already up on here and has been for a while, and Max-OT is probably the next most (or more) popular routine, so I'm just going to post this one as well. Please do not post saying "you just took all of this out of the Max-OT handbook!". Of course I did, this is a "for Dummies" guide, and it's not my training method/idea. Enjoy.

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Max-OT for Dummies

Max-OT (Maximum - Overload Training) is one of the most popular routines out there, and it can give great gains in strength and size. This article will put in simple and short terms what exactly Max-OT is, what the training looks like, and what to expect from it. I've seen both beginners and experienced lifters gain well on Max-OT splits, so don't doubt it.

Who Should Use Max-OT?

Anybody who is looking for a nice blend of strength and size, while keeping gym time short should do Max-OT. Max-OT also works very well for beginning lifters, but is not specific to just beginners, there are plenty of very big and very strong fellows that use the Max-OT way of training. Max-OT is also great if you are a person who complains that they can't workout because they "have no time." Max-OT would work perfect for you, because the workouts only last 30-40 minutes. Regardless, you still shouldn't have the mind-set that you have "no time" to workout, anyone can make time if they are dedicated enough.


The Principles of Max-OT

We'll start by listing the principles of Max-OT, as directly stated from the Max-OT Handbook :

1. Each workout should last 30-40 minutes.
2. Train only 1-2 muscle groups per workout.
3. Do 6 to 9 total heavy sets per muscle group.
4. Do 4 to 6 reps per set.
5. Rest 2-3 minutes between sets.
6. Train each muscle group once every 5-7 days.
7. Take a 1 week break from training every 8 to 10 weeks.

The steps above are quite simple. The theory behind Max-OT is that you must constantly overload the muscle, and it will keep growing. You will be using the rep range of 4-6, and will be training to positive failure each set. Your goal each week is to keep increasing the weight, while maintaining the same intensity and form. The workouts are short and to the point, but will blast your muscles into new growth. As long as you follow each of the principles, you will be training the Max-OT way correctly, and will reap the benefits of it. To give you a little further understanding, I'll break it down a little bit more.

1. Each workout should last 30-40 minutes.

Your goal for each workout is to get into the gym, blast your muscles with overloading weights, and get out. We all know that muscle isn't actually built in the gym, it's built during recovery out of the gym, so it's time to put that idea into use. Each workout should be short and sweet, but you need to put forth 100% for that 30-40 minutes, no wimping out because you're "tired".

2. Train only 1-2 muscle groups per workout.

This step goes hand-in-hand with step one. You don't want to spend 2 hours in the gym blasting every body part, you want to keep the workouts short and intense. Only train1-2 muscle groups per workout, and following the other steps, your workout will be simple and effective.

3. Do 6 to 9 total heavy sets per muscle group.

Again, we are going for overload here, not volume. You want to blast your muscles with a few sets, going to complete concentric failure. Keeping the volume low and intense will ensure optimum release of growth factors, so you're not going for fatigue here.

4. Do 4 to 6 reps per set.

This is one of the main things that defines Max-OT. You'll be using 4-6 reps on almost all exercises, there are a few that are trained using higher reps, but for the most part it's all 4-6. You should hit failure during this range. The weight should be heavy enough to stay under 6 reps if you go to failure, but not heavy where you will only be able to do 1-3 reps.

5. Rest 2-3 minutes between sets.

With the intensity level you're training at, you're going to need the 2-3 minutes of rest in between each set. You need to let your muscles rest and energize them fully for the next set in which you will blast them to failure again.

6. Train each muscle group once every 5-7 days.

After each session, your muscles are going to be totally damaged. You need to give them plenty of time to rest and grow back bigger and stronger, so that next time you workout you won't damage them again. Well the next workout you have, you'll be increasing the weights and will damage them again. Your muscles are going to need at least 5-7 days of rest after each intense workout.

7. Take a 1 week break from training every 8 to 10 weeks.

This should be done with every training program, it is not specific to just Max-OT. As you keep lifting hard, eventually your body isn't going to be able to handle the constant training, and you'll start to over train, which actually can make you lose muscle. Now losing muscle is the last thing you want, so you need to give your muscles a break. After 8 to 10 weeks of solid training, take a week of from lifting, and try to enjoy it (although some of you I know will hate not lifting for a week). After that week of rest, you'll be able to start lifting heavy again and make some fresh gains.

How to Warm Up for Max-OT Sets

Warming up the Max-OT way is the most efficient way to prepare yourself for a brutally heavy set. Many people warm up wrong, and this affects their sets, even if they may not notice it. When warming up, most people spend too many sets with too much weight. This fatigues the muscle too early, and it will not be able to work to it's maximum capacity. You also are asking for injury when you start a warm up with a heavy weight, it's not a warm up then. When you warm up, you should just simply warm up. A warm up is meant to increase blood flow to that muscle, and prepare it for the heavy weights that you'll be using. You should not be tired or feel fatigued at all from any of your warm up sets. Below is an example of how to warm up for a bench press of 285lbs for 4-6 reps :

135 x 12 (warm up)
135 x 10 (warm up)
185 x 6 (warm up)
225 x 3 (weight acclimation)
255 x 1 (weight acclimation)
285 x 4-6 (work sets)


Max-OT Approved Exercises

With Max-OT training, you're going to be overloading your muscles as much as possible. You don't do this with isolation movements, you do it with compound movements. Compound movements will allow you to use the heaviest weight possible. Below are lists of approved Max-OT exercises. If an exercise is not on the list, then it probably doesn't overload the muscle as much as any of the other exercises on the list.

Approved Legs Exercises

Squat
Leg Press
Lunges
Stiff Leg Deadlift
Leg Curl
Leg Extension


Approved Chest Exercises

Barbell Bench Press
Barbell Incline Bench Press
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Decline Barbell Bench Press
Dips


Approved Biceps Exercises

Straight Bar Curls
EZ Bar Curls
Alternate Dumbbell Curls
Cable Curls


Approved Upper Back Exercises

Pull-ups
Pull Downs to the Front
Close-Grip V Bar Pull Downs
Seated Cable Row
Barbell Row
T-Bar Row
One Arm Dumbbell Row


Approved Lower Back Exercises

Deadlift
Good Morning
Weighted Hyper-extension


Approved Triceps Exercises

Skull Crushers
Cable Press Downs
Close Grip Bench Press
Seated Triceps Extension
Behind the Back Cable Press Down
Behind the Back Dumbbell Press Down


Approved Deltoid Exercises

Military Press
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Dumbbell Side Laterals
Dumbbell Bent Over Laterals
Dumbbell Front Raise


Approved Traps Exercises

Barbell Upright Rows
Barbell Shrugs


Approved Calf Exercises

Standing Calf Raise
Seated Calf Raise
45 Degree Calf Press
Hack Machine Calf Raise


Approved Forearms Exercises

Wrist Curls
Reverse Wrist Curls
Standing Dumbbell Wrist Curls


Approved Abdominal Exercises

Lying Leg Raise
Vertical Knee Raise
Crunch
Cable Crunch

[hepennypacker52]

What Does a Max-OT Split Look Like?

So now you know the principles of the program, how to properly warm up, and what exercises to be used. Now it's time to take a look at what the actual training looks like, and it's nothing complicated. It's fully customizable for you to set up based on your schedule. Just make sure that you hit every body part, and that you abide to the 7 principles. In case you still aren't sure on what you should be doing, I'll lay out a few splits from the Max-OT Handbook.


Routine A


Monday - Legs and Calves

Squat - 3x4-6
45 Degree Leg Press - 2x4-6
Stiff Leg Deadlift - 2x6

Standing Calf Raise - 3x6-8


Tuesday - Chest and Forearms

Incline Bench Press - 3x4-6
Barbell Bench Press - 3x4-6
Decline Bench Press - 1x4-6

Barbell Wrist Curls - 3x8-10
Reverse Wrist Curls - 3x6-8


Wednesday - Back and Traps

Bent Over Barbell Row - 2x4-6
Close Grip V-Bar Pull Down - 2x4-6
Pull-ups - 2x4-6
Cable Row - 1x4-6

Deadlift - 2x4-6
Barbell Shrug - 1x4-6


Thursday - Shoulders and Triceps

Dumbbell Press - 3x4-6
Military Press - 2x4-6
Dumbbell Side Laterals - 2x4-6

Lying Skull Crushers - 2x4-6
Triceps Press Downs - 2x4-6
Seated Overhead Triceps Extension - 1x4-6


Friday - Biceps and Abs

Straight Bar Curl - 2x4-6
Standing Dumbbell Curl - 2x4-6
EZ Bar Curl - 1x4-6

Leg Raise (Weighted) - 2x12-15
Cable Crunch - 2x8-10


Routine B (Jeff Willet's Max-OT Split)


Monday - Chest and Triceps

Flat Barbell Bench Press - 2x4-6
Incline Barbell Bench Press - 2x4-6
Incline Dumbbell Press - 1x4-6

1 Arm Overhead Dumbbell Press 1x4-6
Dumbbell Kickback - 1x4-6
Cable Press Down - 1x4-6
Lying Skull Crusher - 1x4-6


Tuesday - Legs

Leg Extension (just for warm up) - 2x10
Squat - 3x4-6
Leg Press - 2x4-6
Lunges - 2x4-6
Stiff Leg Deadlifts - 2x4-6


Wednesday - Back and Biceps

Pull-ups - *x50 (as many sets as it takes to get to 50 reps)
Barbell Row - 1x4-6
Pull Downs - 1x4-6
Low Pulley Row (V Bar) - 1x4-6
Low Pulley Row (straight bar) - 1x4-6

Alternating Dumbbell Curl - 1x4-6
Straight Bar Curl - 1x4-6


Thursday - Shoulders, Traps, and Neck

Military Press - 2x4-6
Dumbbell Side Laterals - 2x4-6
Dumbbell Bent Laterals - 2x4-6
Shrugs - 2x4-6
Low Pulley Row - 2x4-6

Neck Flexion - 2x6-8
Neck Side Flexion - 2x6-8
Neck Extension - 2x6-8


Friday - Calves, Abs, and Forearms

Seated Calf Raise - 2x4-6
Standing Calf Raise - 2x4-6
45 Degree Calf Press - 2x4-6

Leg Raise - 2x20
Crunch - 2x20
Side Crunch - 2x20

Wrist Curl - 2x4-6
Reverse Wrist Curl - 2x4-6


Routine C


Monday - Legs and Calves

Squat - 3x4-6
Leg Press - 2x4-6
Stiff Leg Deadlift - 2x6

Standing Calf Raise - 2x6-8
45 Degree Calf Press - 2x6-8


Tuesday - Arms and Abs

Straight Bar Curl - 2x4-6
Alternate Dumbbell Curl - 2x4-6
Cable Curl - 1x6

Lying Skull Crushers - 2x4-6
Cable Press Down - 2x6
Dumbbell Kick-back - 1x6

Wrist Curl - 2x6-8
Dumbbell Wrist Curl - 1x6-8

Leg Raise - 2x12-15
Crunch - 2x8-10
Cable Crunch - 1x8-10


Wednesday - Shoulders and Traps

Military Press - 3x4-6
Dumbbell Press - 2x4-6
Dumbbell Side Laterals - 2x6-8

Barbell Shrugs - 2x4-6
Upright Rows - 2x4-6


Thursday - Back

Cable Pull Downs - 3x4-6
Seated Cable Row - 3x4-6
Barbell Bent Row - 2x4-6

Good Morning - 2x4-6
Hyper-extension (Weighted) - 2x4-6


Friday - Chest

Barbell Bench Press - 3x4-6
Barbell Incline Bench Press - 3x4-6
Weighted Dips - 2x4-6

The Pros Use Max-OT

Just to prove that Max-OT isn't just for beginners, here are two bodybuilders and Max-OT advocates, Skip Lacour and Jeff Willet.

 

Wrap Up

Max-OT is a tough, solid training program that will be useful whether you're bulking or cutting. Stick to the training, eat right, ensure a good amount of sleep, and Max-OT will take you places that you've never been before.

[hepennypacker52]

Bump.

[roguephoenix]

so basically i'm training the chest group, for example, only once a week? is that enough? especially for abs?

[Hoffman]

Do 6 to 9 total heavy sets per muscle group.


So its not 6 sets per exersise? lol boy did i screw up i was doing 4-6 reps for 6 sets

so for squats i only should do about 4 sets ? then leg press 3 and leg extion 2?

[mickey mouse]

Do 6 to 9 total heavy sets per muscle group.


So its not 6 sets per exersise? lol boy did i screw up i was doing 4-6 reps for 6 sets

so for squats i only should do about 4 sets ? then leg press 3 and leg extion 2?

the stuff is so well explained on the site i don't see how you could screw up

[okdude]

The dummies guide is a great idea

I think it will be clearer if the warm up and weight acclimation parts are added in to the routine.

[yeahimnick]

..So its not 6 sets per exersise? lol boy did i screw up i was doing 4-6 reps for 6 sets...

I know a friend who does this, he just does 6 sets of usually 5 reps. For example on a bicep training day, he'll do DB curls & hammer curls for 6 sets of 5 reps. It seems to me that he's overtraining, but what do you guys think?

[Hoffman]

all i know i did that with legs 4 days ago
and they are still soar as heck lol

[clpggp]

Sticky please!

[ravadongon]

Nice, what are the other for dummies articles are you doing penny?

[hepennypacker52]

Nice, what are the other for dummies articles are you doing penny?

Hmm I'll try to remember off the top of my head...

-Max-OT
-HST
-GVT
-TP-PT
-HIT
-DFHT
-Hardgainer (Abbreviated) Training
-WSB
-Russian Training
-Bulgarian Training

[hepennypacker52]

Bump.

[hepennypacker52]

Heh, this sure isn't getting as much publicity as HST for Dummies.

You can ask any questions you have about the program, I'll try to answer them, and I'm sure the Max-OT'ers on here would be happy to help.

[Bcrichsolo]

1st question...do you move up in weight for different sets. for example, say i do 3 sets of flat bench starting @ 225 for 5 reps. Do my next sets use 225 or more?
2nd question...for max-OT cardio, what time of day is best for this. I've heard right when you wake up or right after you lift.

thanks

[hepennypacker52]

1st question...do you move up in weight for different sets. for example, say i do 3 sets of flat bench starting @ 225 for 5 reps. Do my next sets use 225 or more?
2nd question...for max-OT cardio, what time of day is best for this. I've heard right when you wake up or right after you lift.

thanks

1) If you can increase the weight, do it. You're training to failure.

2) I'm not too sure, but don't do fasted cardio (in the morning) unless it's low intensity.

[LucianoTKO]

Ahh so *this* is what I've been doing! I haven't known the name of the workout program I've been on for the past few weeks, but now I do.

Since I started (early April), I've experience large increases in strength but not in size. Just my two cents.

-Mike

[gonzo719]

2) I'm not too sure, but don't do fasted cardio (in the morning) unless it's low intensity.

why are you only supposed to do low intensity cardio on an empty stomach - what are negatives of doing high intensity on an empty stomach?

[hepennypacker52]

what are negatives of doing high intensity on an empty stomach?

Tons of muscle loss.

[hepennypacker52]

Bump.

[adoniscomplex]

according to the 165 pg max ot pfp file you are supposed to do cardio 8 hours before or after your lifting no closer

[geoffsherman]

He:

Good article. I thought I would add a couple of thoughts to this based on my experience with Max-OT, I have been using it for 8 months.

(1) Add Spider Curls to the Biceps area. Hands down, the best exercise for stimulating bicep development, IMHO.
(2) Exercises should be changed out every 4-6 weeks
(3) This program should not be used for beginners. I know the site says it should, but I would never have my clients who are just starting out use this. The idea behind doing compound exercises is exactly what beginners need. However, going that heavy when you are just startig out is a recipe for disaster.
(4) Leg press machine calf raise. Good for folks like myself who have gyms with no seated or standing machines. I know, don't ask

Looking forward to learning more about some of these routines. I am switching things up and starting WS4SB tonight

[p0fell0w]

bump

[highpower1111]

He:
(2) Exercises should be changed out every 4-6 weeks
I am switching things up and starting WS4SB tonight

Yea i think you should definitely add that people should switch up exercises every 4 weeks.

Are you doing a log for your WS4SB program?

[chickeneater]

good thread



dont forget the: "Want Results Yesterday" attitude



and the week off is the hardest part due to the gains being so good.

[chopsky]

I see that HST advocates the whole 'frequency' training bit. i.e. training each muscle group 3 times a week instead of once. Max-OT however I see only trains each group once a week. How does one argue that one is more beneficial than the other?

Thanks

[MeowChow]

Why no chin-ups for biceps?

[hepennypacker52]

ttt

[B.b. in stress!]

what would happen if i change my routine to 6-8 reps instead of 4-6? i really haven't seen development in my chest area when doing max-ot. would switching up these reps ellicit more growth?

[Darkmind]

For Max-OT to make size gains within the 4-6 rep range area, you have to be advanced, otherwise you'd be making mostly strength gains. So for beginner's-intermediates, it's a good strength routine to get you more dense.