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8 X 3 Routine
General
Advanced
Barbell
Plan Details
The 8 X 3 Routine routine is a 27 day workout plan. It is an advanced level plan to achieve general fitness goals.
For steroid-free lifters high volume training done on a regular basis will usually directly affect and raise your cortisol levels (a catabolic hormone that will reduce your bodies protein synthesis), something that you definitely do not want if your plan is to put more muscle on your frame. When doing many sets with low reps lifters have seen phenomenal strength gains as well as size gains. High set low rep training works because it targets Type IIB fibers, which have the greatest potential for strength/power and muscle mass. Here's how you do it: Do eight sets of three reps for each exercise. Don't train to failure. You should be able to do more reps then 3 reps, especially in the earlier sets, but always stop at 3. Lower the weight under control, but lift it faster while still using good lifting form. Only rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets. When starting with high set low rep training you should be careful to not select weights that are too heavy and rather select a weight that you could easily do three reps with, after a warm-up. When you can do all 8 sets of 3 reps then the weight it is too light and you need to increase it.
Routine detail
Day 1
Upper Body Thurs
Est. 60 min
6 exercises
Barbell Bench Press
2 Sets x 10 Reps
Barbell Bench Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Bent-Over Row
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Curl
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Cable Shoulder Extension
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Day 2
Legs Fri
Est. 51 min
5 exercises
Barbell Squat
2 Sets x 10 Reps
Barbell Squat
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Machine Leg Curl (Prone)
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Seated Calf Raise
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Weighted Crunch
3 Sets x 15 Reps
Day 3
Cardio Sat
Est. 62 min
1 exercise
Recumbent Bike
1 Set
Day 4
Upper Body Sun
Est. 40 min
4 exercises
Barbell Incline Bench Press
2 Sets x 10 Reps
Barbell Incline Bench Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Pull-Up
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Day 5
Legs Mon
Est. 46 min
4 exercises
Barbell Squat
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Smith Machine Standing Calf Raise
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Hanging Leg Raise
3 Sets x 15 Reps
Day 6
Cardio Wed
Est. 62 min
1 exercise
Recumbent Bike
1 Set
Day 7
Upper Body Thur
Est. 62 min
6 exercises
Barbell Bench Press
2 Sets x 10 Reps
Barbell Bench Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
T Bar Row
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Preacher Curl Machine
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Cable Shoulder Extension
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Day 8
Legs Fri
Est. 44 min
4 exercises
Barbell Squat
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Machine Leg Curl (Prone)
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Seated Calf Raise
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Cable Kneeling Crunch (Rope)
3 Sets x 25 Reps
Day 9
Cardio Sat
Est. 79 min
5 exercises
Elliptical Training
1 Set
Cable Kneeling Crunch (Rope)
3 Sets x 10 Reps
Weighted Side Bend
3 Sets x 10 Reps
Barbell Seated Twist
3 Sets x 10 Reps
Stability Ball Crunch
2 Sets x 10 Reps
Day 10
Upper Body Sun
Est. 58 min
5 exercises
Barbell Incline Bench Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Pull-Up
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Dumbbell Seated Bicep Curl
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Tricep Extension (Supine)
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Day 11
Legs Mon
Est. 41 min
4 exercises
Barbell Squat
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Smith Machine Standing Calf Raise
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Hanging Leg Raise
3 Sets x 15 Reps
Day 12
Cardio Wed
Est. 22 min
1 exercise
Recumbent Bike
1 Set
Day 13
Upper Body Thursday
Est. 62 min
6 exercises
Barbell Bench Press
2 Sets x 10 Reps
Barbell Bench Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Bent-Over Row
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Preacher Curl Machine
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Cable Shoulder Extension
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Day 14
Legs Fri
Est. 44 min
4 exercises
Barbell Squat
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Machine Leg Curl (Prone)
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Seated Calf Raise
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Cable Kneeling Crunch (Rope)
3 Sets x 25 Reps
Day 15
Cardio Sat
Est. 64 min
8 exercises
Stomach Vacuum
1 Set
Spell Caster
4 Sets x 10 Reps
Stomach Vacuum
1 Set
Cable Crunch Kneeling Rotation
4 Sets x 10 Reps
Stomach Vacuum
1 Set
Bench Leg Raise (Supine)
4 Sets x 10 Reps
Stomach Vacuum
1 Set
Elliptical Training
1 Set
Day 16
Upper Body Sun
Est. 58 min
5 exercises
Barbell Incline Bench Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Pull-Up
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
EZ Bar Curl
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Bench Press (Close Grip)
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Day 17
Legs Mon
Est. 42 min
4 exercises
Barbell Squat
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Smith Machine Standing Calf Raise
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Hanging Leg Raise
3 Sets x 15 Reps
Day 18
Cardio Wed
Est. 62 min
1 exercise
Recumbent Bike
1 Set
Day 19
Upper Body Thur
Est. 58 min
5 exercises
Barbell Bench Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Bent-Over Row
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Preacher Curl Machine
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Tricep Extension (Supine)
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Day 20
Legs Fri
Est. 44 min
4 exercises
Barbell Squat
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Machine Leg Curl (Prone)
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Seated Calf Raise
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Cable Kneeling Crunch (Rope)
3 Sets x 25 Reps
Day 21
Cardio Sat
Est. 64 min
8 exercises
Stomach Vacuum
1 Set
Spell Caster
4 Sets x 10 Reps
Stomach Vacuum
1 Set
Cable Crunch Kneeling Rotation
4 Sets x 10 Reps
Stomach Vacuum
1 Set
Bench Leg Raise (Supine)
4 Sets x 10 Reps
Stomach Vacuum
1 Set
Elliptical Training
1 Set
Day 22
Upper Body Sun
Est. 58 min
5 exercises
Barbell Incline Bench Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Pull-Up
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Dumbbell Seated Bicep Curl
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Cable Shoulder Extension
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Day 23
Legs Mon
Est. 43 min
4 exercises
Barbell Squat
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Smith Machine Standing Calf Raise
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Hanging Leg Raise
4 Sets x 15 Reps
Day 24
Cardio Wednesday
Est. 62 min
1 exercise
Recumbent Bike
1 Set
Day 25
Upper Body Thursday
Est. 58 min
5 exercises
Barbell Bench Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
T Bar Row
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Preacher Curl Machine
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Tricep Extension (Supine)
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Day 26
Legs Friday
Est. 44 min
4 exercises
Barbell Squat
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Machine Leg Curl (Prone)
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Barbell Seated Calf Raise
8 Sets x 3 Reps
Cable Judo Flip
3 Sets x 15 Reps
Day 27
Cardio Saturday
Est. 71 min
8 exercises
Stomach Vacuum
1 Set
Spell Caster
4 Sets x 15 Reps
Stomach Vacuum
1 Set
Cable Crunch Kneeling Rotation
4 Sets x 15 Reps
Stomach Vacuum
4 Sets
Bench Leg Raise (Supine)
4 Sets x 15 Reps
Stomach Vacuum
1 Set
Elliptical Training
1 Set
