Doug Hepburn Strength Routines

[[S]alvatore]

Here's some routines from the late, great and uber strong Doug Hepburn. He lifted in an era where AAS was not as prominent, even though he still probably had some minor assistance. He was born with a deformity to his right foot (club foot) and a vision distortion known as cross-eyes. He excelled despite these short comings.

Best lifts:

Clean and press - 381 lbs
Snatch - 300 lbs
Clean and jerk - 383 lbs
World record press of 371 1/4 pounds at the 1953 world championships
Squat: 760 pounds
Wide-Grip Bench Press: 580 pounds (touch and go)
Right-hand military press: 175 pounds

In addition, Hepburn claimed the following best lifts in his biography:

Press off the Rack: 450 pounds
Push Press off the Rack: 500 pounds
One-Arm Military Press: 200, and 37 reps with 120 pounds
Two-Hand STRICT Barbell Curl: 260 pounds
Bench Press: 580 pounds
Squat: 800 pounds
Deadlift: 800 pounds
Crucifix: 110-pound dumbbells in each hand
One-Arm Side Hold-Out: 120 pounds
One-Arm Side Press: 250 pounds

I've bolded the lifts that are just mind boggling to me.


http://davidgentle.com/sandow/hepburn/Hepburns Law/untitled.jpg

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/si...icles/articles/doug_hepburn_powerbuilding.jpg

http://www.davedraper.com/site images/doug-hepburn.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/11/Doug_Hepburn.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jsqhLLd64fk/TsxqIRf0prI/AAAAAAAAD6k/ZLk8SRdZeVA/s1600/doug.jpg

 

[[S]alvatore]

"A" Singles Routine

- Pick a weight that is 85-90%% of your 1RM
- Monday & Thursday Bench & Overhead Press
- Tuesday & Friday Squats & Deadlifts
- Rest 1-5 minutes between sets depending on how you feel

Rep & set scheme in your first workout is as follows:

Bench 85-90% x 1,1,1,1 (4x1)
Overhead Press 85-90% x 1,1,1,1 (4x1)

Rep & set scheme progression

Session:
1 - 4x1
2 - 5x1
3 - 6x1
4 - 7x1
5 - 8x1
6 - 9x1
7 - 10x1

Increase weight by 5-10lbs+ on all lifts and start again at 4x1. It has a sort of mini deload built in, as your weights have increased, but your volume has been cut in half.

 

[[S]alvatore]

"B" Powerbuilding Routine:

- Pick a weight that is 80% of your 1RM for the strength portion
- Pick a weight 60% of your 1RM for the hypertrophy/pump portion
- Monday & Thursday Squat & Bench
- Tuesday & Friday Deadlifts & Overhead Barbell Press
- 2 minute rest between sets

Rep & set scheme in your first workout is as follows:

8x2 for strength portion of workout
3x6 for volume/hypertrophy portion


So the first Monday workout would look like this:

Squat 80% x 2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2 (8x2)
Bench 80% x 2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2 (8x2)

Rest 5 minutes

Drop weight by 20% and do the following:

Squat 60% x 6,6,6 (3x6)
Bench 60% x 6,6,6 (3x6)

Now with each session, your goal is to add 1 rep to 1 set of each exercise:

Session number:
1 - 8x2 & 3x6
2 - 7x2 + 1x3 & 2x6 +1x7
3 - 6x2 + 2x3 & 1x6 + 2x7
4 - 5x2 + 3x3 & 3x7
5 - 4x2 + 4x3 & 2x7 + 1x8
6 - 3x2 + 5x3 & 1x7 + 2x8
7 - 2x2 + 6x3 & 3x8 *Increase weights
8 - 1x2 + 7x3 & 3x6
9 - 8x3 *Increase & 2x6 + 1x7

Once you have worked up to 8x3 and 3x8, increase the weight by 5-10lbs (possibly more on Deadlifts). Then start the cycle again with 8x2 & 3x6.

No fluff exercises, just the basics, and hard work. You may not feel like you're getting stronger, but it is possible to add 55kg/120 lbs to each of your lifts in a year, not bad progress.

Monday & Thursday
Squat 8x2 @ 80%
Bench 8x2 @ 80%
Squat 3x6 @ 60%
Bench 3x6 @ 60%

Tuesday & Friday
Deadlift 8x2 @ 80%
Overhead Press 8x2 @ 80%
Deadlift 3x6 @ 60%
Overhead Press 3x6 @ 60%

 

[[S]alvatore]

"C" Routine

- Pick a weight that is 80-85% 1 RM
- Monday & Thursday Bench, barbell curl & overhead press
- Tuesday & Friday Squat, bent over row & deadlift
- You will be progressing from 5x3 to 5x5

Session:
1 - 5x3
2 - 4x3 & 1x4
3 - 3x3 & 2x4
4 - 2x3 & 3x4
5 - 1x3 & 4x4
6 - 5x4
7 - 4x4 & 1x5
8 - 3x4 & 2x5
9 - 2x4 & 3x5
10 - 1x4 & 4x5
11 - 5x5 *Increase weight

These are not routines for people with programming A.D.D. You need patience to see the fruit of your labour.

It's recommended to start on the A routine, then move onto the B routine when you stall (which should be anywhere from 3months to a year) and when you stall on the B routine, switch to the C routine.