Vince Girondas 8 X 8 Workout. One of the reasons the name Vince Gironda is as popular as ever in bodybuilding articles is that the man had ideas that were truly revolutionary and way ahead of their time. Charles Poliquin wrote about German volume training and new workout templates such as FST 7 appeared on the scene, Vince was advocating the benefits of volume training for maximum hypertrophy. Vince was known for his unusual training methods. Carman Scan 1 Software Card Counter on this page. Some of his unique exercises included the bench press to the neck, the sternum chin up touching the chest to the bar, drag curls and sissy squats with what he called a Burlesque Bump. His training systems included 1. Of all Vinces techniques, the 8 sets of 8 program was his favorite for the advanced bodybuilder. I have a definite preference for the 8 X 8 system of sets and reps, wrote Vince. The Strength Dilemma. The problem with many hypertrophybased programs is that they leave out the strength component. You might get bigger as a result of the program. Poliquin Groups emphasis is providing quality education and giving you the tools you need to begin helping your clients right away. Poliquin Group Education. Low carb dieting is one of the most misunderstood concept in nutrition. I cover the pros and cons of this diet in order to help you make healthy choices. Charles Poliquin Hypertrophy Program For WomenCharles Poliquin Hypertrophy ProgramsI come back to this high intensity honest workout more often than any other for maximizing muscle fiber growth in the quickest possible time for the advanced bodybuilder. Vince called it the honest workout because of the pure muscle fiber size that can be achieved on it. Keep to 8 X 8 and your muscle fiber will plump out, giving you a solid mass of muscle density as a result, promised Vince. I was able to gain 1. To this day, I still use the 8 sets of 8 system whenever I need a shock program to bring up a lagging body part. Vince warned that this set and rep combination is not for beginners You have to build up to the stage where you can benefit from this extremely advanced form of training. I doubt if anyone with less than two years of training experience could benefit from this method. How it Works. It is not designed for strength development its purely for bodybuilding or cosmetic improvements. The short rest intervals stress the cardiovascular system to the point where calories are burned, the metabolism is stimulated, hormones are stirred up and fat is melted away. Heres how it works You will select three or four exercises per muscle group and perform 8 sets of 8 on each exercise. Yes thats 2. 4 to 3. You will work two or three muscle groups per session and rest only 1. Each workout will be completed in approximately 4. Although this apparently excessive volume might seem reminiscent of the Steve Michalik and John Defendis Intensity or Insanity style of training its NOT the same thing. These are not two or three hour marathon workouts. You are completing this routine in under an hour. The reason this doesnt constitute overtraining is because youre not exceeding the workout duration that begins having a negative effect on recovery and anabolic hormones. You are simply overloading the muscles by condensing more training into less time. Why it works More work in less time higher intensity and bigger muscles. Many people are under the impression that the only way to make a muscle larger is to increase the amount of weight you use. This is not true. Overload is an absolute requirement to build muscle, but the overload can come in more ways than one. Progressively adding weight may be one of the best ways to provide an overload, but its not the only way. Vince was all in favor of adding weight to the bar, provided good form was maintained, but he believed that performing more work in less time was a better method of overload. The Iron Gurus advice To acquire larger muscles you must increase the intensity of work done within a given time. This means minimum rest between sets. Push yourself. I feel workouts should be timed and you should constantly strive to shorten the time it takes to get through your routine. This is another form of progressive resistance, and is more important than raising your weights. This principle of overload explains why sprinters have bigger muscles than distance runners. Although its more work to run a mile than it is to run 1. Consequently, his muscles will become larger. Why Use 8 Sets Of 8 Instead Of Conventional Training The most popular method of training for advanced bodybuilders is to choose between two and four exercises per muscle group and perform three or four sets of 6 1. The rest intervals range from 6. So why bother with such an outrageous program as 8 sets of 8 The answer is because this type of honest, high volume, fast tempo training will be a complete shock to your body, especially in the beginning when you are unaccustomed to it. An advanced bodybuilder will adapt to any training program within a matter of months and often within just weeks. Once adaptation occurs, you must seek out new types of stress to coax your muscles into continued growth. Although Vince did not advocate over training in any way, shape or form, he did advocate using muscle confusion for stimulating gains, even if this meant, temporarily overtraining. Obviously, this program is not intended for constant use. Its a shock routine you can use for brief periods to kick start a new growth spurt when you need it most. After completing a cycle of 8 sets of 8, you can go back to more conventional methods. How long should you use 8 sets of 8As long as it keeps working. Another advantage of 8 sets of 8 is that it can be used to work around an injury. Heavy training with 5 6 rep maxes is impossible when youre babying a strain, pull or soft tissue injury. But you can do 8 sets of 8 because you get such an honest workout with a fraction of your usual weight. You can easily count each weight training session as a cardio workout. Fast metabolism types may not even need any other aerobic work while using 8 sets of 8. How much rest between sets Vince advocated a very businesslike approach towards tempo. He said that using the 8 sets of 8 format is not enough to ensure muscle gains. Whats more important is the speed with which you get through the program. Minimum rest between sets is a must, said the master. When Vince was training Mohamed Makkawy for the Olympia, he had Mohammed conditioned to the point of doing 8 sets in as little as 5 minutes or less. Your goal is to reduce your rest intervals to 3. Once your conditioning has adjusted to the demands, youll need just five to ten deep breaths between each set, then its on to the next set. If your tempo on each exercise is 2 0 2 0 2 second eccentric, no pauses and two second concentric, then each rep will take you four seconds. Eight reps per set means that each set will take you 3. With a 1. 5 2. 0 second rest interval, 2. Tempo. The proper tempo combined with the correct resistance is the key to the success of this program. Vince defined optimal tempo as the evenly spaced sets time wise without any distractions and complete concentration on when to pick up the next weight and do the next set. This means no magazine reading, no walking around the gym, no gossiping, no changing the CD in your Walkman, and no not even going to the bathroom. This program requires 1. If you get interrupted or distracted, you might as well pack up your gym bag and go home. Do not put the dumbbells down between sets. Rest them on your knees, but dont put them down or re rack them. Also, dont release the bar between sets rack it, but keep your hands on it. If youre using straps, dont unwrap them. Stay on the bench or machine until all 8 sets of 8 are completed. Take no rest between body parts. When you finish the last exercise for the first muscle group, move directly into the first exercise for the next muscle group. By the way, to follow these tempo guidelines means youll have to ditch your training partner. This program must be done alone. How much weight Using 1. Initially, there will be a large drop in your normal training poundages. Most people will need to reduce their normal 8 rep max by about 4.