THE MEAT 

OF IT ALL

Workouts are not an endurance sport, but 

rather, resistance training is a peak-intensity 

sport that should really always be based on 

the overload principle for maximum growth 

and change. Our muscles grow from those 

one or two sets when we attempt to lift more 

than we did in prior workouts, not from lifting 

the same weight as yesterday. 

So, when you lift, the idea is to 

warm up with a low weight using higher 

reps (between 12 and 15), then move 

immediately to a “working set” where you 

raise the weight right away, and either make 

that your one big set where you try to best 

yourself, or do two work sets where the first 

is heavy and the second is an attempt to lift 

more than the last. 

I personally like to use a “pyramid” 

sequence where you start with a compound 

exercise using lower weight and higher 

reps, then immediately move to three work 

sets where weight is high and repetitions 

are low, and finish with a copy of the first 

set – effectively raising the repetitions and 

lowering the amount of weight used once 

again.

I then recommend doing a single set of a 

“finishing exercise” to failure. You can either 

do this by using a drop set, where you start 

with a heavy weight, and progressively drop 

to a lower weight until failure. You can also 

create a condition of “total failure” with a 

single set of heavy weight, lifted until failure. 

I should mention, “failure” means a few 

things: It means you are physically unable to 

continue, keeping good form is impossible, 

and that your body’s ability to withstand 

both pain and fatigue is at its absolute limit 

because lactic acid has set in to the point of 

immobility. 

Nautilus founder Arthur Jones is often 

credited with popularizing the one-set-to-

failure concept because he believed that 

lifters should work to a point of momentary 

failure, using one set per exercise/per 

session, rather than using muscle-and-mind-

numbing multiple sets where mediocrity (in 

both weight and effort) was allowed to dwell. 

In part, I agree with this and will have 

you doing one big set to failure on your final 

exercise. However, I don’t agree that one 

set would have been ample, as additional 

workout principles, such as intensity and 

periodization, are also important. 

Why This Workout 

Program Works:

I know humans are inherently curious 

beings, and don’t come by blind faith very 

easily. So we know you want to know why 

this will work before seeing for yourself.

I mean, you don't exactly need to know 

a thing about electricity to turn on a light 

in a room and have it work for you. But in 

the interest of disclosure, I’ll give you a few 

reasons why:

First, this workout is effective because, 

with the exception of one day per week 

where you’ll have total rest, you’ll either be 

training or doing cardio. Workouts are brief, 

intense and progressive, and use the “high-

point” technique: Meaning, you can either 

choose to work out long or work out hard. 

I favor the "hard" stuff, and suggest you try 

for a personal best in each body part section 

where reps are low and weight is high.

Intensity must be present in a workout for 

it to produce results. “Extrinsic” intensity 

(magnitude of the external load) is objec-

tive – 300 pounds is always 300 pounds. 

“Intrinsic” intensity (magnitude of effort 

applied to load) is subjective – such as 

when you determine you have gone to fail-

ure and we must take your word on that.

PRO TIP:

TRAINING GUIDE  

PRIMAL MUSCLE  7