Has anyone tried Max-OT with a 3-day schedule?

[Need-2-B-Pimpin]

I read the Max-OT book and searched and read some good stuff about it here, but does anyone know if it can in anyway be adaped into a three-day program? I have high school (and in about a week, tons of homework), work 20 hours a week, and do tae kwon do twice a week. 3 gym days each week is difficult enough for me to squeeze in, 5 would be an impossibility.

Hence, has anyone tried putting Max-OT into three days? It would kill the 30-40 minute idea and so on, but I can't make 5 days a week. Any suggestions?

 

[Lifeforce]

I use the 4-6 rep range for the three day workouts. Every session in the gym I am to last an hour. I follow the warm up ruotine, the different rest system but I don't eat 67 % protein of my daily caloric intake. 500 g protein is waay to much and waay to expensive for me.

The workout I do, with some modification at the gym.

Day 1 legs

3 set Squat
2 set stiff deads
3 set calve raise
2 set leg press
2 set leg curl (optional, depend on time I have left)
3 set shrugs
Either abs or forearm workout

19 max-ot sets.

Day 3 chest, shoulders triceps

3 set bench
2 set incline bench
2 set dips
2 set skull crushers
2 set close grip bench
3 set military press
2 set upright rows
1 set arnold presses
sometimes do ab or forearm

17 max ot sets

Day 5 back, biceps

3 set deadlifts
3 set biceps curl
1 set dumbell curl
(about to add 2-3 set hammer curls)
2-3 set Bent over row
2-3 set lat pulldown
abs or forearm

17-20 max ot-sets

This works for me, it is a great motivation to keep the visits in the gym as short as possible.

 

[Need-2-B-Pimpin]

How are your gains with what you're doing? This is my schedule right now:

Monday Legs

Squats (3 sets)
Leg press (3 sets)
Leg extension (2 sets)
Leg curl (3 sets)
Stiff leg deadlift (2 sets)-Haven't done this yet, will try tomorrow.
Standing calf raise (3 sets)
Seated calf raise (2 sets)
A few abs things.

Wednesday Back/biceps

Deadlift (3 sets)
Pullups (3 sets)
Barbell row (3 sets)
Dumbell row (2 sets)
Dumbell Shrugs (3 sets)
Barbell curl (3 sets)
Dumbell incline curl (3 sets)
Hammer curl (2 sets)
Wrist Curls and Behind the Back wrist curls

Friday Chest/shoulders/triceps

Bench press (3 sets)
Incline dumbell press (3 sets)
flies/raises things superset
Military press (3 sets)
Seated Side laterals (2sets)
Seated Rear laterals (2 sets)
Lying tricep extension/skullcrusher (3 sets)
Close grip bench press (3 sets)

I usually am able to do 8-9 reps with the weight I start at, so I'm guessing that I start too light.

 

[Heizen]

8-9 reps is fine. I usually use 8 reps for my sets. Unless you specificly chose not to do 8, I usually do that for everything. Only some exercises like the squat, power clean, or bench will I ever go lower then that.

The first set should be *kind of* easy depending on the weight you are using, and if you have just moved up on weight or are just about to.

The second should be slightly hard, alot harder towards the end.

The third set you should be stressing on. If it still feels easy around the 2nd set, either the beginning or end, you need to move up weight. ESPECIALLY if it is still easy in any sense on the third set.

 

[true|hockey]

8-9 reps is fine. I usually use 8 reps for my sets. Unless you specificly chose not to do 8, I usually do that for everything. Only some exercises like the squat, power clean, or bench will I ever go lower then that.

Agree, I do a weekly change with my key workouts ( squats, bench, clean, deads, snaches etc). They are as follows

5 sets of 5
5 4 3 2 1
3 sets of 3
10 8 6

I would never go above 5 deads, so I substitute for something else on 10 8 6 week. Every other excersise is 12 10 8 6.

 

[Need-2-B-Pimpin]

Sounds good...come to think of it, what am I doing differently from max-OT right now besides the days?

Oh! One thing about Max-OT-it always stresses that "overload" builds muscle, not fatigue or shock etc, but I don't remember seeing overload clearly defined or explained in the ebook. Can anyone clarify that?

 

[NRM]

In the beginning of the ebook there are his main principles that you should follow no matter what. 5 days is great, it works, it hits, and it's good. But as long as you follow the main principles, you'll still be ahead of the game. Stick to 4-6, it's one of the greatest things you'll ever do. Positive failure, all that. If you do it carefully, you can probably put it into a 3 day split.

But as the ebook says, the problem with working with weights that even if you do it wrong, you'll get results. The ebook is only for maximum results. You'll still get results no matter what you do, so don't make it so strict on yourself. Follow good guidelines, eat a clean diet, you'll be set. Good luck.

 

[Lifeforce]

My gains are fine... the increase in strenght is uncanny, I increased my bench with 10 kg, 22 lbs in one workout... my bicep curl exploded from 25 kg 55 lbs, to 32.5 kg, 70lbssince I started using it... I gain quicker in all exercises and my weight has gone up too.

Warm up set should be easy, all other set should be 4-6 no matter what, except for calves, forearms and abs. No in between sets... try going heavier n2bp.

The workouts you do, can you manage them in an hour, seems like you cut yourself short with rest. I figure a complete set including rest take about 4 minutes... you do over 20 sets in most... tha'ts 80 minutes... and that's not including warm up.

I'm about to drop close grip bench presses and add another set to the dips... why haven't you got any dips? They are addicting!

Why are you supersetting?

 

[Heizen]

Dips are fun. I just moved up to 3 sets of 8 with 20lbs of weight They work just about everything up top if you do it right.

 

[Need-2-B-Pimpin]

I'm super setting since I'm trying something I found on bb.com. I don't usually do warmup sets though I do a brief warmup at the beginning of the workout on a scrolling climbing wall.

My workouts usually end up being about an hour long. I think I'll try cutting the CG bench and hittin the dips, especially after doing some research on saturday I figured out why my CG bench has been so ineffective, I was doin' it all wrong.

And whoo workout schedule shift...damn job!

 

[Lifeforce]

Hey great... dips are wonderful..

i have tried super setting and my muscle became too fatiqued to lift at maximum intesnity, that's why I don't do them anymore. I asked why you did it because MAX OT clearly states that stuff like that should be avoided.