X-traordinaryWorkouts.

com Presents

WORKOUT

by Eric Broser
 The Power, Rep Range, Shock Workout was written to help
you achieve a muscular physique with sensible bodybuilding
strategies. Weight training and dieting can be demanding
activities, however, so it is highly recommended that you
consult your physician and have a physical examination prior to
beginning. Proceed with the suggested exercises and routines
at your own risk.

Photography by Michael Neveux

Cover model: Eric Broser

Copyright © 2009 by Homebody Productions

All rights reserved.

The material in this document may not be reproduced in whole

or in part in any manner or form without prior written consent
from the publisher.

Homebody Productions, P.O. Box 2800, Ventura, CA 93002

www.X-traordinaryWorkouts.com
More workout programs in e-book format

PRRSTraining.com
Eric Broser's P/RR/S Web site

2 Power / Rep Range / Shock

 CONTENTS
Introduction...........................................................4

Chapter 1—Grow Without Plateau.......................6

Chapter 2—Power Week

High-Threshold Fiber Activation.. .10

Chapter 3—Rep Range Week

Mix It Up for More Mass.................12

Chapter 4—Shock Week

Jump-Start New Growth.................14

Chapter 5—The Complete Power/

Rep Range/Shock Program...........16

Chapter 6—Kyle Harris'

P/RR/S Success...............................30

Chapter 7—P/RR/S Q&A.....................................40

 INTRODUCTION
I developed the Power/Rep Range/Shock mass-building
method after lifting weights for more than a dozen years.
In those 12-plus years of training I went from a 125-pound
weakling who could barely bench-press a 45-pound bar to
a 225-pound title-winning bodybuilder who could bench-
press more than 400 pounds—all without the aid of drugs.

Although I had done nicely, adding about 100 pounds to

my frame, I still wanted more, but I wasn’t getting it. I’d hit
a wall. That forced me to examine everything I was doing in
order to come up with a new plan of attack.

Over the course of several months I developed a program

that had me gaining again, and before I knew it, I was up to
250 pounds and feeling stronger than ever! I called it Power/
Rep Range/Shock.

I discovered that overtraining is the biggest mistake most

bodybuilders make. It’s probably robbing people of more
precious muscle than anything else (I believe I could have
made my 100-pound gain in less than half the time if I'd had
P/RR/S in my early years!).

Our recovery abilities aren’t infinite. Many people still feel

that more is better, and that’s just not the case. You’re in the
gym to stimulate your body’s anabolic machinery, setting
in motion the processes necessary to induce your body to
add more muscle tissue. That takes proper high-intensity
training, not large volume and duration. If you can’t tackle a
large muscle group in eight to 10 sets and a smaller muscle
in six or seven, you’re doing something wrong.
 My favorite way to explain it is this: Every time we work
out, it’s like digging a large hole. That hole represents a loss
in muscle. When we’re not in the gym, we need to recover
through rest and precise nutrition and supplementation.
Recovery enables us to fill the hole with dirt. If filling the hole
is all we do, we remain in homeostasis, which means taking
one step back and one step forward—no new muscle. As
bodybuilders, however, our goal is overcompensation, which
is like filling the hole and piling more dirt, or muscle, on top.

If you overtrain and outrun your recovery ability, you will at

best remain the same, or in some cases, regress. If you work
just hard enough to stimulate the growth process so that
you can recover successfully, with some extra physiological
energy left over, your body will then have the ability to
construct new muscle tissue—you grow fast.

Another huge mistake that many trainees make is to do the

same things in the gym for months, even years, on end—the
same exercises, sets, reps, tempos, bodypart splits, training
techniques and so on. That’s an almost certain route to
failure, as the body is too smart for that and will begin to
provide diminishing returns.

P/RR/S fixes those two major

problems so your physique keeps
getting bigger and better. In this e-book
you'll get the latest, greatest version
(see live-action demonstrations on the
P/RR/S DVD).

So, are you ready to grow? Let’s go!

—Eric Broser
 CHAPTER 1
Grow Without Plateau
Let's take a little trip down memory lane. Remember
back when you first started training, when new muscle
and more power came almost every week? When the
main goal at every training session was simply to add
more weight to the bar and get it from point A to B in any
way possible?

When every
night you’d hop
on the scale after
the last meal of the
night—when you’d
be at your heaviest
for the day, of
course—and be
thrilled to see that
you weighed half a
pound more than
the night before?
When all you had to
do to gain muscle
was to eat more,
train more, sleep
more? Then—
abracadabra,
alacazam, presto—
there was more of
you.
 Ah, those were good times, weren’t they? But as all
intermediate and advanced bodybuilders know, all good
things come to an end. After about a year of training,
gains begin to slow down, weights don’t climb quite as
easily, and the scale doesn’t budge as it once did. Despite
your best efforts in the gym, pounding away on the same
exercises for the same range of reps on the same days,
nothing seems to be happening anymore. What’s the
deal?

The first thing you must understand is that muscles

are not just lumps of tissue. They’re extremely complex
structures that, like onions, have many layers that you
must peel before you reach the core. So, without turning
this into a class in anatomy and physiology, let’s take a
quick and basic look inside these molehills we all wish to
turn into mountains—our muscles.

Muscle is composed of bundles of fibers. In general

there are three distinct fiber types found in skeletal
muscle. These include type 1, also known as slow-twitch,
or red, fibers; types 2A and 2B, also known collectively as
fast-twitch, or white, fibers.

Type 1 fibers are pure slow twitch and have the

highest level of endurance. They’re most active in slow
movements and long-term aerobic activities and take a
long time to fatigue.

Next come the type 2A and the type 2B fibers, which

are the fastest and least endurance oriented in the
 group. They’re most
active in quick-burst, or
power, activities. They’re
powered entirely through
the anaerobic—meaning
without oxygen—system
and contract nearly twice
as fast as slow-twitch
fibers, but they fatigue
much more rapidly. It’s
important to remember that
within our muscles there
are also “intermediate”
fiber types that show both high oxidative and fast-
twitch characteristics.

As you contract a muscle, the fiber types are all

recruited, one at a time, in a specific order. The smallest,
or lowest-threshold, fibers, the type 1s, are recruited first.
As the speed or force of contraction is increased, you
sequentially recruit the intermediate fibers, then the type
2A and 2B fibers. It may take more than 90 percent of a
maximum contraction to recruit the type 2B fibers.

Most muscles contain almost an even split of these

basic slow (type 1) and fast (type 2) fibers, although there
are some genetic variations. Some people are born to run
marathons (slow-twitch dominant), while others are born
to run sprints (fast-twitch dominant—and very lucky if they
get into bodybuilding).

Although the type 2 fibers have the greatest potential for

hypertrophy, it’s imperative that we regularly train all of our
muscle fibers to achieve maximum muscle size. Why limit
ourselves to maximizing the potential of only a portion of
our fibers? Doesn’t it make sense to target every last fiber
in each muscle?

Enhanced muscle size also occurs by way of increases

in mitochondrial enzymes, increases in stored ATP and
phosphocreatine, increases in stored glycogen and
triglyceride and the laying down of additional capillary
beds.

So how do you go about successfully working all of your

muscle fibers while stimulating all of the other pathways
associated with maximum muscle hypertrophy? Variation!
After you’ve laid a foundation in your first couple of years
of lifting, you need to vary your training.

Too many misguided trainees use the same exercises,

in the same order, with the same rep tempo, rest between
sets, training techniques and rep ranges day after day,
week after week and month after month. The human body
is an incredibly adaptable machine and will quickly cease
to respond to stimuli that it’s exposed to time and again.

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting
a different result is just plain craziness.

How do you achieve optimal variation? The answer lies

in P/RR/S, a method of cycling workouts over three weeks,
with a different protocol each week. Let's start with Power.
 CHAPTER 2
Power Week:
High-Threshold Fiber Activation

The goal during this week is to make a direct attack on

the type 2A and 2B muscle fibers, with an emphasis on the
2Bs. Those are the higher-threshold fibers, and the way we
get at them is with heavy weights.

You will use weights that allow four to six reps before
you hit failure. How you perform your reps is of great
importance: Use an eccentric, or negative, contraction of
about four seconds followed immediately by an explosive
concentric, or positive, contraction.
 Even though you’ll be attempting to explode with the
weight during the positive portion of the rep, it won’t
move very quickly at all due to the heavy load you’re
lifting.

Rest between sets is also very important. Since you

want to be able to lift as heavy as possible during this
power-building week, you should rest about three to four
minutes between sets in order to fully regenerate ATP and
creatine phosphate stores in the muscle cells.

You will focus on basic or compound exercises, like

bench presses, squats, deadlifts, military presses and
bent-over rows. You won’t get a tremendous pump, but
your muscles will feel as if they’ve been smashed with
a wrecking ball. Here’s an example of a typical power
workout for chest:

Rep goal: 4-6

Rest between sets: 4-5 minutes
Lifting tempo: 4/0/X
Exercises: Mostly compound

Bench presses, 4 x 4-6

Incline dumbbell presses, 3 x 4-6
Weighted dips, 2-3 x 4-6
 CHAPTER 3
Rep Range Week: Mix It Up for More

The goal here is to show no mercy to the intermediary

fiber types that lie along the continuum between type 1
and type 2 muscle. You accomplish that by using three
distinct rep ranges on three separate exercises for each
bodypart.

You do the first exercise to failure in the seven-to-nine-

rep range, the second to failure in the 10-to-12-rep range
and the final exercise to failure in the 13-to-15-rep range.

You also
change your
rep tempo.
The eccentric
and concentric
portions of
each rep
should take you
two seconds
each, and you
should hold the
midpoint, such
as the top of a
leg extension,
for one full
second.
 You will use both compound and isolation exercises,
with free weights, machines and cables all being fair
game. One particularly effective approach is to choose a
free-weight compound movement for seven to nine reps,
a free-weight isolation movement for the 10 to 12 reps
and a machine or cable movement for 13 to 15 reps.

Rest two to three minutes between sets. You can expect

a tremendous pump and some deep muscle soreness in
the days that follow—but we love that kind of pain, don’t
we? Here’s an example of a typical rep-range workout for
shoulders:

Rep goal: 7-9, 10-12, 13-15

Rest between sets: 2-3 minutes
Lifting tempo: 2/1/2/1
Exercises: Compound, isolation, machine or cable

Military presses, 4 x 7-9

Seated laterals, 3 x 10-12
Reverse pec deck flyes, 2 x 13-15
 CHAPTER 4
Shock Week: Jump-Start New Growth

In my opinion, this week is the most intense and

excruciating. It separates the men from the boys, the
freaks from the fakes. The goal is the utter annihilation of
every fiber, from slow-twitch right to the fast-twitch type
2As. You’ll force your body to release growth hormone like
water from a collapsed dam.

Each grueling session contains two different types

of supersets and a punishing drop set for each major
bodypart. The first superset is preexhaust style: Do an
isolation movement first, followed immediately by a
compound movement.

The second
superset is
postactivation, which
was made famous
by IRON MAN author
Michael Gündill.
In postactivation
supersets you do
the compound
movement first,
followed by an
isolation movement.
Each superset
provides a unique stimulus for your muscles and your
nervous system. Once you’ve completed your supersets,
you finish with a drop set, two sets back to back with a
weight reduction.

Reps for each exercise will be in the eight-to-10

range, and the tempo will be rhythmic: one second up
and one second down, no rest (as long as you can
handle it) at the top or bottom. In other words, do your
reps in a pistonlike fashion.

Rest long enough between sets to catch your breath

fully, as well as to prepare your mind for the next
onslaught. Use free weights, cables and machines.
Warning: Be prepared when you enter the gym during
Shock week because every workout will leave you
breathing like a steam engine and with a burn that will
reach your very core. Fun! Here's a triceps shocker:

Rep goal: 8-10 (drop set is 8-10, drop, 6-8)

Rest between sets: cardiovascular and mental recovery
Lifting tempo: 1/0/1
Exercises: Compound, isolation, machine or cable

SUPERSET
Rope pushdowns, 2 x 8-10
Lying extension, 2 x 8-10
SUPERSET
Close-grip
bench presses, 2 x 8-10
Undergrip pushdowns, 2 x 8-10
One-arm overhead dumbbell
extensions (drop), 1 x 8-10(6-8)
 CHAPTER 5
The Complete Power/ Rep Range/Sh

Now that you've got a grasp of the concepts, it's time

to give you the entire program. Remember, after you
complete the three-week Power/Rep Range/Shock cycle,
return to the beginning, Power week, and repeat.

Do your best to increase the weights you lift and/or

the reps you achieve. After three cycles (nine weeks)
take off one full week from the gym before returning to
the program. After your break you might want to switch
up some or all of the exercises that you used in the
preceding cycle.

Here's the bodypart split I recommend, training each

bodypart once every seven days:

Monday: Chest, Biceps, Forearms, Abdominals

Tuesday: Quads, Hamstrings, Calves
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Lats, Lower Back, Abdominals
Friday: Shoulders, Traps, Triceps, Calves
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off
 The Power/Rep Range/Shock Workout
Monday, POWER Workout 1: Chest, Biceps, Forearms, Abs

Exercise, cadence, sets x reps Poundage

Bench presses**, 3/0/X, 3 x 4-6

Smith incline presses, 3/0/X, 3 x 4-6
Flat-bench flyes*, 3/0/X, 2 x 4-6
Barbell curls**, 3/0/X, 2 x 4-6
Preacher curls, 3/0/X, 2 x 4-6
Alternate dumbbell
curls, 2/0/X, 2 x 4-6
Barbell wrist curls, 2/0/X, 2 x 4-6
Barbell reverse curls, 3/0/X, 2 x 4-6
Weighted incline situps, 3/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Weighted hanging
straight-leg raises, 2/0/1, 1 x 8-10

Asterisks mean one (*) or two (**) warmup sets. If you do one, use about 70 percent of
your work weight, 8 reps; if two use 50 percent and 80 percent, 12 and 8 reps.

Rest about three to four minutes between and after sets.

Note: Ab work is 8-10 reps, as going too heavy can cause injury.
 The Power/Rep Range/Shock Workout
Tuesday, POWER Workout 2: Quads, Hamstrings, Calves

Exercise, cadence, sets x reps Poundage

Squats**, 3/0/X, 4 x 4-6

Leg presses, 3/0/X, 3 x 4-6
Smith-machine
lunges, 3/0/X, 2 x 4-6
Lying leg curls, 3/0/X, 2 x 4-6
Stiff-legged deadlifts, 3/0/1, 3 x 4-6
One-leg leg curls, 3/0/X, 2 x 4-6
Leg press calf raises, 2/1/X, 3 x 4-6
Seated calf raises, 2/1/X, 2 x 4-6

Asterisks mean one (*) or two (**) warmup sets. If you do one, use about 70 percent of
your work weight, 8 reps; if two use 50 percent and 80 percent, 12 and 8 reps.

Rest about three to four minutes between and after sets.

18 Power / Rep Range / Shock

 The Power/Rep Range/Shock Workout
Thursday, POWER Workout 3: Lats, Lower Back, Abs

Exercise, cadence, sets x reps Poundage

Wide-grip chins**, 3/0/X, 3 x 4-6

Undergrip bent-over
rows, 2/0/X, 3 x 4-6
Close-grip seated
cable rows, 2/0/X, 2 x 4-6
One-arm dumbbell
rows, 2/0/X, 2 x 4-6

Partial deadlifts, 2/1/X, 4 x 4-6

Weighted crunches on floor, 3/0/1, 2 x 8-10

Weighted hanging bent-knee
leg raises, 2/0/1, 2 x 8-10

Asterisks mean one (*) or two (**) warmup sets. If you do one, use about 70 percent of
your work weight, 8 reps; if two use 50 percent and 80 percent, 12 and 8 reps.

Rest about three to four minutes between and after sets.

Note: Ab work is 8-10 reps, as going too heavy can cause injury.
 The Power/Rep Range/Shock Workout
Friday, POWER Workout 4: Delts, Traps, Triceps, Calves

Exercise, sets x reps Poundage

Military presses**, 3/0/X, 3 x 4-6

Wide-grip barbell

upright rows, 2/0/X, 2 x 4-6

Bent-over lateral raises, 2/0/X, 2 x 4-6
Barbell shrugs**, 2/0/X, 2 x 4-6

Dumbbell shrugs, 2/0/X, 2 x 4-6

Close-grip bench presses**, 3/0/X, 2 x 4-6
Lying extensions, 3/0/X, 2 x 4-6
Overhead dumbbell
extensions*, 3/0/X, 2 x 4-6
Standing calf raises, 2/1/X, 3 x 4-6
Seated calf raises, 2/1/X, 2 x 4-6

Asterisks mean one (*) or two (**) warmup sets. If you do one, use about 70 percent of
your work weight, 8 reps; if two use 50 percent and 80 percent, 12 and 8 reps.

Rest about three to four minutes between and after sets.

 The Power/Rep Range/Shock Workout
Monday, REP RANGE Workout 1: Chest, Forearms, Abs

Exercise, cadence, sets x reps Poundage

DB incline presses**, 2/1/2, 3 x 7-9

Smith-machine bench press

to neck, 2/1/2, 3 x 10-12

Cable crossovers, 2/1/2/1, 2 x 13-15
Incline DB curls**, 2/1/2, 2 x 7-9
Low-cable curls, 2/1/2/1, 2 x 10-12
Concentration curls, 2/1/2/1, 2 x 13-15
Barbell reverse wrist
curls, 2/0/1/1, 1 x 7-9, 1 x 10-12
Behind-the-back barbell

wrist curls, 1/0/1/1, 1 x 10-12, 1 x 13-15

Cable crunches, 2/0/2/1, 2 x 7-9
Lying straight-leg raises, 2/1/0, 2 x 10-12
Lying side crunches, 2/0/1/1, 13-15 (each side)

Asterisks mean one (*) or two (**) warmup sets. If you do one, use about 70 percent of
your work weight, 8 reps; if two use 50 percent and 80 percent, 12 and 8 reps.

Rest about two to three minutes between and after sets.

 The Power/Rep Range/Shock Workout
Tuesday, REP RANGE Workout 2: Quads, Hams, Calves

Exercise, cadence, sets x reps Poundage

Hack squats**, 2/1/2, 4 x 7-9

Leg extensions, 2/0/2/1, 3 x 10-12

Walking lunges, 2/0/2, 2 x 13-15 (per leg)
Seated leg curls, 2/0/2/1, 2 x 7-9
Sitff-legged deadlifts, 2/1/2, 3 x 10-12
One-leg lying leg curls, 2/1/2/1, 2 x 13-15
Standing calf raises, 2/1/2/1, 1 x 7-9, 2 x 10-12
Seated calf raises, 2/1/2/1, 2 x 13-15

Asterisks mean one (*) or two (**) warmup sets. If you do one, use about 70 percent of
your work weight, 8 reps; if two use 50 percent and 80 percent, 12 and 8 reps.

Rest about two to three minutes between and after sets.

 The Power/Rep Range/Shock Workout
Thursday, REP RANGE Workout 3: Lats, Lower Back, Abs

Exercise, cadence, sets x reps Poundage

Wide-grip T-bar rows, 2/1/2, 4 x 7-9

Undergrip pulldowns, 2/1/2/1, 3 x 10-12
One-arm seated cable
rows, 2/1/2/1, 3 x 13-15 (per side)
Partial deadlifts
(in rack), 2/1/1, 1 x 7-9, 1 x 10-12
Back extensions, 2/1/2/1, 2 x 13-15
Weighted incline situps, 2/0/2/1, 2 x 7-9
Supported straight-leg raises, 2/1/0, 2 x 10-12
Cable side crunches, 2/0/1/1, 1 x 13-15 (each side)

Asterisks mean one (*) or two (**) warmup sets. If you do one, use about 70 percent of
your work weight, 8 reps; if two use 50 percent and 80 percent, 12 and 8 reps.

Rest about two to three minutes between and after sets.

Power / Rep Range / Shock Workout 23

 The Power/Rep Range/Shock Workout
Friday, REP RANGE Workout 4: Delts, Traps, Triceps, Calves

Exercise, cadence, sets x reps Poundage

Seated DB presses**, 2/1/2, 3 x 7-9

Lateral raises, 2/0/2, 2 x 10-12
One-arm cable bent-over
laterals, 2/0/2/1, 2 x 13-15 (per side)
Dumbbell shrugs, 2/1/2/1, 1 x 7-9, 1 x 10-12
Behind-the-back

shrugs, 2/0/2/1, 1 x 10-12, 1 x 13-15

Weighted dips**, 2/0/2, 2 x 7-9
Rope pushdowns, 2/0/2/1, 2 x 10-12
One-arm overhead

DB extensions, 2/0/2/1, 2 x 13-15

Leg press calf raises, 2/1/2/1, 1 x 7-9, 2 x 10-12
One-leg seated

calf raises, 2/1/2/1, 2 x 13-15 (per side)

Asterisks mean one (*) or two (**) warmup sets. If you do one, use about 70 percent of
your work weight, 8 reps; if two use 50 percent and 80 percent, 12 and 8 reps.

Rest about two to three minutes between and after sets.

 The Power/Rep Range/Shock Workout
Monday, SHOCK, Workout 1: Chest, Biceps, Forearms, Abs
Exercise, cadence, sets x reps Poundage
Superset
Incline flyes*, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Bench presses, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Superset
Smith incline presses*, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
DB pullovers, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Pec deck flyes (drop set), 1/0/1, 1 x 10-12(6-
8) Superset
Incline DB curls*, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Preacher curls, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Superset
Overhead cable curls, 1/0/1, 1 x 8-10
Barbell curls, 1/0/1, 1 x 8-10
Concentration curls
(drop set), 1/0/1, 1 x 10-12(6-8)
Superset
Wrist curls, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Rope hammer curls, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Barbell reverse wrist curls
(drop set), 1/0/1, 1 x 10-12(6-8)
Superset
Lying straight-leg raises, 1/0/1, 2 x 10-12
Incline situps, 1/0/1, 2 x 10-12
Twisting cable crunches
(drop set), 1/0/1, 1 x 8-10(6-8)

Asterisks mean one (*) or two (**) warmup sets. If you do one, use about 70 percent of
your work weight, 8 reps; if two use 50 percent and 80 percent, 12 and 8 reps.

Rest until your cardiovascular system feels rested and ready for another set; no rest
between exercises in a superset, only after the two exercises.

Drop set is two sets back to back with a weight reduction.

 The Power/Rep Range/Shock Workout
Tuesday, SHOCK, Workout 2: Quads, Hams, Calves
Exercise, cadence, sets x reps Poundage
Superset
Leg extensions*, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Squats, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Superset
Leg presses*, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Leg extensions, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Smith lunges (drop set), 1/0/1, 1 x 10-12(6-8)
Superset
Seated leg curls*, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Stiff-legged deadlifts, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Standing one-leg leg curls
(drop set), 1/0/1, 2 x 10-12(4-6)
Superset
Leg press calf raises, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Standing calf raises, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Seated calf raises
(drop set), 1/0/1, 1 x 10-12(6-8)

Asterisks mean one (*) or two (**) warmup sets. If you do one, use about 70 percent of
your work weight, 8 reps; if two use 50 percent and 80 percent, 12 and 8 reps.

Rest until your cardiovascular system feels rested and ready for another set; no rest
between exercises in a superset, only after the two exercises.

Drop set is two sets back to back with a weight reduction.

 The Power/Rep Range/Shock Workout
Thursday, SHOCK, Workout 3: Lats, Lower Back, Abs
Exercise, cadence, sets x reps Poundage
Superset
Straight-arm pulldowns*, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Wide-grip bent-over rows, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Superset
Close-grip T-bar rows*, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Undergrip pulldowns, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Medium parallel-grip seated
cable rows (drop set), 1/0/1, 1 x 10-12(6-8)
Superset
Back extensions*, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Deadlifts**, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Good mornings
(drop set), 1/0/1, 2 x 10-12(6-8)
Superset
Supported straight-leg raises, 1/0/1, 2 x 10-12
Swiss ball crunches, 1/0/1, 2 x 10-12
Lying side crunches
(drop set), 1/0/1, 1 x 10-12(6-8)

Asterisks mean one (*) or two (**) warmup sets. If you do one, use about 70 percent of
your work weight, 8 reps; if two use 50 percent and 80 percent, 12 and 8 reps.

Rest until your cardiovascular system feels rested and ready for another set; no rest
between exercises in a superset, only after the two exercises.

Drop set is two sets back to back with a weight reduction.

 The Power/Rep Range/Shock Workout
Friday, SHOCK, Workout 4: Delts, Traps, Triceps, Calves
Exercise, cadence, sets x reps Poundage
Superset
Seated bent-over laterals*, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-
10 Arnold DB presses, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Superset
Wide-grip upright rows*, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Lateral raises, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
DB front raises (drop set), 1/0/1, 1 x 10-12(6-8)
Superset
Seated DB shrugs*, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Close-grip cable upright rows*, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Barbell shrugs
(drop set), 1/0/1, 1 x 10-12(6-8)
Superset
V-bar pushdowns, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Bench dips, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Superset
Incline EZ-bar overhead extensions, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Undergrip pushdowns, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Lying DB extensions
(drop set), 1/0/1, 1 x 10-12(6-8)
Superset
Leg press calf raises, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
Seated calf raises, 1/0/1, 2 x 8-10
One-leg DB calf raises
(drop set), 1/0/1, 1 x 10-12(6-8) (per side)

Asterisks mean one (*) or two (**) warmup sets. If you do one, use about 70 percent of
your work weight, 8 reps; if two use 50 percent and 80 percent, 12 and 8 reps.

Rest until your cardiovascular system feels rested and ready for another set; no rest
between exercises in a superset, only after the two exercises.

Drop set is two sets back to back with a weight reduction.

 Lifting Cadence
Cadence, or the tempo of the lift, is designated as
negative stroke/stretch/positive stroke. Often there is a
/contraction added as well. Here are a few examples:

3/0/X cadence means lower in three seonds, no

hold at stretch, explosive lift.

2/1/2/1 cadence means lower in two seconds,

hold at stretch for one second, lift in two
seconds, hold at contraction for one second.

2/0/2/1 cadence means lower in two seconds, no

hold at stretch, lift in two seconds, hold at
contraction for one second.

1/0/1 cadence means lower in one second, no

hold at stretch, lift in one second.

Power / Rep Range / Shock Workout 29

 CHAPTER 6
Kyle Harris’
P/RR/S Success
Back around 2001 when I first created the Power/
Rep Range/Shock training program, I did so without
the thought of anyone using it aside from myself, and
my training partners. However, when I saw just how
well it worked, I slowly began to implement the system
with my personal-training clients as well. Later on, as
bodybuilding/fitness discussion boards became more
popular, I decided to post about my program, hoping that
perhaps some other people might find it beneficial.

Soon after, P/RR/S was literally “blowing up” all over

the Web and I was receiving dozens of e-mails about it
every day. It was then that I realized that something pretty
special was happening, so I decided to write an article
about the system, and to my surprise it was published just
weeks later.

Today, P/RR/S has grown to worldwide popularity, and

one of my greatest P/RR/S success stories is with a man
named Kyle Harris, who started out as just a client, but
has grown into one of my closest friends. His dedication
and passion for my training system has not only made
him a true expert in the protocol, but also brought him
from struggling amateur bodybuilder to one of the hottest
natural pros in the sport.

Recently I chose Kyle to travel with me to California to

shoot the first ever P/RR/S training DVD. Once shooting
was complete, I decided to sit down with Kyle and talk to
him about his P/RR/S journey.

EB: Kyle, tell everyone how old you are, where

you’re from and how you got into bodybuilding.

KH: I’m 28 years old. I was raised in Green Springs,

Ohio, and I now live in Clyde, Ohio. They’re neighboring
towns and are both very rural.

As a child I was awestruck by cartoon characters and

super heroes like He-Man, Superman and Rocky. Then
I remember seeing Lee Haney’s TV show on ESPN and
reading an article about Flex Wheeler way back in like
1992. I always knew I wanted to look that powerful and
athletic.

Then, in high school, I was an athlete and started lifting

weights. I was
actually very
strong for my
size. I didn’t have
much guidance
at that time, so
I floated around
with no real
goal; however, in
college, where I
played baseball,
I realized through
proper training
and nutrition
that I could not
only increase
my performance
on the field, but
also change
my physique.
Dreaming of
becoming a
professional
baseball player,
and also always
being a bit on the
heavy side,
that really
excited me.

After
college I
continued
to play
baseball for
a couple
of years,
and when
I realized
I would
never fulfill
my dream
of being a
big leaguer,
I needed
something
to feed my
competitive
desires.
I had
begun following pro bodybuilding in college when I
was researching training and nutrition and thought it
might be something I’d enjoy because of the discipline
involved.

Because of that, I attended a few shows and met some

wonderful people. One of those people is a good friend
of both of ours, Troy Johnson. Troy basically looked me in
the face the first day I met him and said, “You are going
 to compete, and
I’ll help you.”
And the switch
from baseball to
bodybuilding was
made.

EB: Yeah, Troy

is a great guy
and an NGA pro
bodybuilder
himself who
also has
used P/RR/S
successfully.
What was
your early
training like?
How did you
structure your
program
initially?

KH: When I made the shift to bodybuilding, my training

was typical volume training. I’d train every single day,
doing 16 to 20 sets and sometimes as high as 25 or 30 for
my back. There were times I’d train for a month straight
without taking a day off.

My philosophy was that no one would outwork me. I

look back and realize how much I overtrained, but I also
look back on those times and I’m grateful because I
learned so much about training the body and myself.
 EB: I think all of us train a little too much when
we start out, not only out of ignorance, but also
sheer enthusiasm. I definitely also look back at
my early training years as sort of a “golden age.”
So, when and how did you discover P/RR/S?

KH: After my first bodybuilding show a friend of mine

brought a bodybuilding magazine to the gym I worked at
part time. It had an article on Power/Rep Range/Shock.
This friend was my training partner. He was so excited
about the article and urged me to read it. I think that was
in the winter or spring of 2005. Around that same time I
was just discovering the bodybuilding boards and forums.
Little did I know I had been reading and interacting with
the inventor of P/RR/S! Once I put two and two together, I
started to do more research on the program.

EB: So you read the article on P/RR/S and

decided to pursue it further. What drew you to the
program? What was intriguing about it?

KH: I earned my degree in health and physical

education and was working toward a Masters Degree
in kineisiology and exercise physiology. From my
background and knowledge of the body and what I had
learned about training, the program’s principles just made
sense in relation to how the body works and responds to
exercise stimulus.

On top of that, the constant changes and variety keep

workouts fresh and exciting. I really liked the adaptability
of the program as well. Also, I had been training using
many of the P/RR/S principles already—just using them all
in the same workouts.

For instance, I’d often start training using heavy weights

and low reps, then move onto an exercise or two that
worked on hypertrophy principles in the eight-to-15 rep
range, and finish with a superset or drop set. Later I’d
learn that this was actually an advanced P/RR/S protocol
call the “hybrid week.” But, I’d never thought of breaking
these principles down into distinct weeks in order to
decrease the body’s adaptability processes toward
training.

EB: Did you notice positive changes to your

physique relatively quickly with P/RR/S?

KH: I noticed changes immediately! After my first show

I realized I had no legs. Years of catching and speed
training did not result in muscle for some reason. Knowing
that I wanted to compete within the next six months, I
implemented P/RR/S training right after reading about it
for my leg workouts.

While dieting, I made vast improvements in my leg

development and separation. Granted, I had a long way
to go, but I went from having no legs, to having legs good
enough to place third in the middleweights in the NPC
Michigan State Natural Championships against a very
tough lineup.

Not only did my legs improve, but also my back was

drastically starting to take on a whole new level of shape,
width and density.

EB: Yes, I remember how quickly you

progressed once I starting designing your
workouts. Now, each week in P/RR/S is quite
different. Do you truly feel each week affects
your muscles in a unique way? Can you
describe the difference?

KH: Yes, without a doubt. During Power week my

muscles feel as if they have been beaten into submission.
You definitely tow that fine line between stimulation and
annihilation. By concentrating on the eccentric phase
of the lift, I can almost feel my muscle fibers tearing in a
positive way. You can rest assured that done right, Power
week will result in some crazy DOMS! It’s great because
you can really get aggressive—that animalistic instinct
starts to come out.

Rep Range week is totally different. I get crazy pumps

during Rep Range week and the challenge comes from
really developing that mind-to-muscle connection and
feeling the muscle work through all parts of the
movement from eccentric to concentric and stretch to
peak contraction. After I’m done with a Rep Range
workout, I’m typically completely wiped out—but full,
vascular and pumped to the gills!

Then comes Shock week. There is no better way to

describe it than shocking! I absolutely love shock week. I
think it takes a special type of intensity to really hammer
the muscles and to stomach the advanced techniques.
The way you feel during and after tells you that your body
can’t help but grow from the stimulus. And again, the
pumps, the fullness during a Shock workout—insane!

EB: Wow, I love your descriptions! Well, you’ve

put P/RR/S to the test and know it works for you
and so many others, but you also have a good
understanding of the science. Do you feel that
the principles involved are scientifically sound?

KH: 150 percent yes! The body is such an amazing

piece of machinery. The way we can adapt and grow and
withstand stress and pressure—it’s fascinating. However,
because of this adaptability, and nature’s homeostatic
ways, it can be hard to build muscle. Unless you’re a
genetic freak, you have to unlock all the gates to the
muscle-building kingdom. P/RR/S provides the keys to
unlock all of these gates.

There are numerous ways to initiate and stimulate

muscle growth. Your program completely accounts for all
these different muscle-building avenues from hormone
release, fiber-type activation, metabolic stimulation,
satellite cell proliferation—yes, I mean hyperplasia—and
neural overload.

Power week really attacks the central nervous system

and helps to increase strength and power. The different
rep ranges in Rep Range week create a different time
under tension that results in unique fiber-type activation
and hits all type I and II fibers. Furthermore, rep tempo
is going to affect the body in a whole different manner
all together. Rest intervals and exercise selection have a
major impact on the release of anabolic hormones like
testosterone, GH and IGF-1, so during Shock week we’re
creating a brand new metabolic reaction to create new
muscle.

P/RR/S is the only all-inclusive, science-laden system I

have found. In fact, it’s mind blowing that it’s designed so
well that it addresses each and every scientific method to
build muscle.
 CHAPTER 7
P/RR/S Q&A
Q: I've been using a standard two-way split,
training four days a week, but I've stopped
growing. Why? Will Power/Rep Range/Shock get
my muscle size moving forward again?

A: One-dimensional training programs eventually lead to

diminishing returns and finally stagnation. With P/RR/S the
idea is to keep the body from ever completely adapting
to your training so that it is instead forced to keep up with
the constantly progressive and novel demands that you
continue to place upon it—and by keep up, I mean that
the body will greatly and consistently increase the size of
its muscles in order to survive.

You must remember that

the muscles become larger
through pathways other than
simple hypertrophy of type 2
muscle fibers. The principle
behind P/RR/S training is
to induce hypertrophy in
all muscle fibers along the
continuum, from the fastest
of the fast to the slowest of
the slow. That helps ensure
complete development.

In addition, by using
training techniques such
as superheavy training,
medium- and high-rep
training, stretch overload,
supersets, drop sets,
lifting tempo changes,
rest-period changes, stage
reps, 1 1/2 reps, X Reps
and so on, all in controlled
cycles, you successfully
induce myriad
physiological adaptations,
all of which contribute to
your getting bigger.

I’m speaking of things like increases in mitochondrial

enzymes, increases in stored ATP, creatine, glycogen
and triglycerides, as well as the laying down of additional
capillary beds—perhaps even hyperplasia, or fiber
splitting.

Each of the different training weeks in the P/RR/S

program will also affect the release of all of the body’s
various anabolic hormones, like testosterone, GH and IGF-
1, giving you the ability to take advantage of the unique
properties of each. So yes, I think P/RR/S is just what you
need to get growing again.

Q: I'm gaining a lot of strength with P/RR/S,

but not much size so far. From what I've read, I
think it could be from a lack of stimulation to the
endurance components of the muscle fibers, like
mitochondrial and capillary bed development.
 Is there
anything you
recommend
for us
hardgainer
types who
don’t respond
well to low-
rep Power
sets?

A: While I
find that most
trainees respond
extremely well
to the basic
P/RR/S layout,
there are those
who need some
minor variation
of the program
to realize their
full potential. It’s
easiest for me
to troubleshoot
a problem when I’m working one-on-one with a client, but
let me give you some examples of how I might vary the
routine for someone not gaining muscle as fast as I’d like.

One solution is to increase the volume slightly on Power

week so that you have the opportunity to exhaust more
muscle fibers. Normally, I recommend about eight to 10
sets for large bodyparts and five to seven for smaller ones.
But for hardgainers I sometimes find that 10 to 12 and
eight to 10 sets, respectively, work better.

Another way I’ve found to increase size gains for some

individuals is to increase the frequency of Rep Range and/
or Shock week so that the structure is P/RR/RR/S or P/
RR/S/RR, for example.

I’ve also seen the opposite of your predicament: Some

trainees make more rapid gains in size by using more
Power-week work rather than Rep Range or Shock. They
simply respond best to low-rep training due to a unique
fiber makeup and/or the ability to fire off a tremendous
number of motor units with each rep. Drug-free
bodybuilder and Team Universe champ Skip La Cour falls
into that category. He generally trains in the range of four
to six reps to failure just about every week—and nobody
could argue with his results.

In addition, there are many well-known strength coaches

who feel that the more years one has been consistently
training, the fewer reps per set it takes for him or her to
stimulate hypertrophy.

Q: I'm a big fan of D.C. training, Dante’s multirep

rest/pause [three sets done with the same weight
and a 20-second rest after each.] Does that fall
into Power, Rep Range or Shock?

A: Dante is a friend of mine and someone I have the

highest respect for, both as a training theorist and as a
person. His D.C. method has helped thousands of people
gain new size and strength, and it’s a program that many
people switch back and forth from, along with my own P/
RR/S training.

As for his specific multirep rest/pause technique, it’s

something that can often fit in quite nicely during the
Shock week of P/RR/S.

Q: Should I use forced reps, and if so, where—

Power, Rep Range or Shock?

A: I don't recommend using forced reps at every

workout, but they work well during Power week. I don't
use them often in my own training, but that's because I
often train alone. If I had a training partner, I’d perhaps use
forced reps a bit more often.

Quite honestly though, I’m at a point now where I’ve

learned to focus so intensely on every rep that by the time
I reach positive failure, I believe I have fired off just about
every available muscle fiber. After consistent use of P/RR/
S, you'll get to that point as well.

Q: I lift at home with very limited equipment.

I train my whole body three days per week and
cycle my exercises every eight to 10 weeks. I’ve
always lifted to failure in the range of about 10
reps, but I’m ready for something different. I
discovered Power/Rep Range/Shock training and
want to give it a try. How can I incorporate P/RR/S
into the following routine: squats, dumbbell bench
presses, lat pulldowns, military presses, hammer
curls and straight-bar
pushdowns?

A: Just so you know,

many trainees have
successfully used P/RR/S
with limited programs
such as yours. If you’re
willing to put the effort,
intensity and dedication
into even a simple
program, you can get
excellent results.

Here’s how you can

take the exercises you listed and transform them into a P/
RR/S routine:

Week 1: Power
Squats, 4 x 4-6
Dumbbell bench presses, 4 x 4-6
Lat pulldowns, 4 x 4-6
Military presses, 4 x 4-6
Hammer curls, 3 x 4-6
Straight-bar pushdowns, 3 x 4-6
Tempo: 4/0/X
Rest: 3-4 minutes after each set

Week 2: Rep Range

Squats, 1 x 16-20, 1 x 13-15, 1 x 10-12, 1 x 7-9
DB bench presses,
1 x 16-20, 1 x 13-15, 1 x 10-12, 1 x 7-9
Lat pulldowns, 1 x 16-20, 1 x 13-15, 1 x 10-12, 1 x 7-9
Military presses, 1 x 16-20, 1 x 13-15, 1 x 10-12, 1 x 7-9
Hammer curls, 1 x 13-15, 1 x 10-12, 1 x 7-9
Straight-bar pushdowns, 1 x 13-15, 1 x 10-12, 1 x 7-9
Tempo: 2/1/2/1
Rest: 2-3
minutes

Week 3: Shock
Squats (drop set), 3 x 8-10(4-6)
Dumbbell bench presses (drop set), 3 x 8-10(4-6)
Lat pulldowns (drop set), 3 x 8-10(4-6)
Military presses (drop set), 3 x 8-10(4-
6) Hammer curls (drop set), 2 x 8-10(4-
6) Straight-bar pushdowns, 2 x 8-10(4-
6)
Tempo: 1/0/1/0
Rest: 1-2
minutes
End-of- set X-Rep partials work well on Shock- week workouts.

Note: More advanced

lifters can use other Shock
techniques in place of or in
addition to drop sets, including
X Reps, 1 1/2 reps, eccentric
pauses, concentric pauses,
stretch/pause, eccentric
emphasis, 5/5/5 reps and
more.

Q. I’m extremely
ectomorphic. My goal is
to gain as much bulk as
possible, but I don’t want to get too fat. I weigh
about 155 and wish to get to 185 in the next year.
Should I be doing cardio along with my weight
training?

A. I was in a very similar situation when I first started,

although I was even skinnier, if you can believe that. I
weighed a paltry 125 pounds when I first wrapped my
hands around a barbell. In other words, I feel your pain.

I’d have to say no, you shouldn’t do any cardio at this

time. As you’re an ectomorph struggling to add muscle
and bodyweight, the last thing you want to do is burn
more calories and increase your already racing metabolism
through cardio. You want every calorie you eat to be
pointed toward muscle repair and growth, even if you store
a little bodyfat along the way.

The best way to avoid adding too much adipose tissue

while gaining size is to make sure that you eat a relatively
clean high-calorie diet. Try to get the bulk of your calories
from steak, eggs, milk, chicken, fatty fish, protein
powders, rice, pasta, potatoes, whole-grain breads, fruits
and vegetables. While the occasional pizza, ice cream
and pancakes won’t hurt you, make foods like that the
exception and not the rule.

Another point about cardio and the ectomorph is that,

in my experience, those with your body type tend to have
more limited recovery ability than most—not so much in
regard to individual muscles as systemic recovery. That
means overtraining is more of a concern than with other
body types. Thus cardio on top of weight training is not
a good idea for us naturally skinny types (at least in the
early bulking stages), as too much exercise will make too
great an inroad into our recovery ability, which will all but
bring muscle gains to a screeching halt.

My advice is to train hard and heavy no more than four

days per week with Power/Rep Range/Shock, eat at least
six clean, high-calorie meals per day
and sleep seven to nine hours every
night. That’s your simple yet reliable
equation for muscle growth.

Note: Eric Broser is available for

online training, individual P/RR/
S training program design and
contest-prep coaching. Please visit
www.prrstraining.com for more
information. Email Eric at
[email protected].
 See Live-Action
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