A

 

body is a very individual thing, and 

getting in shape can also seem 

like a very individual thing.  From a 

person’s body type (mesomorph, ectomorph 

and endomorph) to habits, overall 

knowledge of fitness, motivation and eating 

habits, finding a program that would get just 

about anyone into good shape may seem 

impossible, and even daunting – or at least I 

thought so until I looked at the research.

And that’s where I began, because as 

you know when you get up every morning, 

you aren’t going to float away for lack of 

gravity – and that gravity is a constant in 

your life – we know that there are certain 

inalienable workout principles that work, no 

matter who uses them.

Still, you might ask how someone with 

30 pounds of fat to lose could engage in the 

same kind of workout program as someone 

who has 5 pounds to lose – especially if that 

person is trying to pack on muscular mass 

too?  

Believe it or not, it’s not as hard as you 

think, because the cornerstone of a good 

physique is a higher muscle-to-fat ratio, and 

the principles to getting there are the same, 

no matter what the goal or who the person 

is. 

Whether your goal is to shed the body 

fat that you have carried around for too 

long as an inactive, busy adult or to pack 

on 25 pounds of muscle mass to begin a 

competitive fitness or bodybuilding career, 

there are certain things that work. 

RESISTANCE 

TRAINING

 

ROUTINE

How Training Works

•

Train intensely, three times per week, hitting your “high-point” with an attempt to better 

lifts you’ve done previously. 

•

In between weight training days, you’ll focus on “high-intensity interval

training” (HIIT) style aerobic and cardiovascular threshold training.

•

Alternate training the major muscles of upper and lower body: Day 1 Chest; Day 2 

Legs; Day 3 Back on separate days. Fill each day with remainder of ancillary body 

parts (arms, shoulders, abs, calves).

•

You’ll only be performing two exercises for each muscle group of the body – a

compound and a finishing movement.

•

You’ll perform five sets total per exercise, starting with a set of 12 reps, then 

increasing the weight and doing 5 reps, adding more weight progressively through the 

middle three sets, then reducing weight for the final set.     

•

Immediately after finishing sets in your compound movement, you’ll perform a

single set to failure using a finishing exercise.

•

When working a muscle group in the compound movement, you’ll rest just 60 seconds 

between sets. You’ll attempt to do the final two sets with no rest in between, then take 

two minutes’ rest, and do your finishing move to failure.

•

Take five minutes before moving on to your next muscle group.

•

Go into the gym knowing what you’ll be doing, focus, and then record lifts. 

6  PRIMAL MUSCLE  TRAINING GUIDE