The best method for building muscle? There’s more than one way to make good things happen. Based on 20 years in the iron game, here’s how Evan Centopani works out for muscle mass and strength. You’ll use a 12-week schedule that is split into three parts.
Your trainer: IFBB Pro Evan Centopani
The first leg is designed to help you build strength. When people ask whether reps or heavy weight is more important, my answer is both; do heavy weight for higher reps. The more strength you can build, the more weight you can carry into a higher rep range and build new muscle.
Squatting 405lb for four reps won’t help you build a load of mass. However, squat 405lb for 15-20 and your legs will take on new dimensions. That’s goal of the second portion of the schedule: maximum weight for higher reps. This part will have you gaining some noticeable size.
The final leg of the routine is designed to help you bring out condition while continuing to gain. For condition, you need to train like a demon. People rely too heavily on diet and cardio for conditioning and forget that hard and heavy training is the single most effective tool we have when it comes to getting in shape.
Get some and then get some more, leaving you to finish stronger and more muscular. That is, if you have the guts to hit the wall and then bust straight through it.
Get the full Animal Iron Intelligence muscle-building plan at Bodybuilding.com.
The Evan Centopani Workout For Size and Strength
Photo credit to Animal and Bodybuilding.com
Weeks 1-4: Strength
Monday: Legs
Barbell squat: Two warm-up sets @ 15, 20 reps followed by four working sets @ 6-8 reps.
Leg press: Two warm-up sets @ 15, 20 reps followed by four working sets @ 8-10 reps.
Deadlifts: Two warm-up sets @ 10, 15 reps followed by three working sets @ 6-8 reps.
Glute ham raises: Three work sets @ 8-10 reps.
Wednesday: Chest
Flat barbell bench press: Two warm-up sets @ 10, 15 reps followed by five working sets @ 6-8 reps.
Incline dumbbell press: Three working sets @ 6-10 reps.
Friday: Back
Bent over barbell rows: Two warm-up sets @ 15, 20 reps followed by five working sets @ 6-10 reps.
Deadlifts: Two warm-up sets @ 8-10 reps followed by five working sets @ 6-10 reps.
Weeks 5-8: Size
Tuesday: Legs
Barbell squat: Two warm-up sets @ 15, 20 reps followed by three working sets @ 12-15 reps.
Leg press: Two warm-upsets@15,20reps followed by three working set s@15-20 reps.
Hack squats: One warm-upset @10reps followed by three working sets @10-12reps. Lying hamstring curls–Three sets@15-20reps.
Glute ham raises: Three sets@10-15reps.
Deadlifts: One warm-upset @10 reps followed by two working sets @15-20 reps.
Wednesday: Back and Biceps
Bent over barbell rows: Two warm-up sets @ 15-20 reps followed by three sets @ 10-12 reps.
Pull-ups/Assisted pull-ups: Three working sets @ 8-12 reps.
Deadlifts: Two warm-up sets @ 8-10 reps followed by three working sets @ 10-12 reps.
Dumbbell preacher curl: One warm-up set @ 20 reps followed by four working sets @ 8-12 reps.
Standing barbell curl: Four sets @ 8-12 reps.
Friday: Chest and triceps
Flat barbell bench: Two warm-up sets @ 8-10 reps followed by four working sets @ 10-12 reps.
Incline dumbbell press: Four working sets @10-12reps.
Flat dumbbell fly: One warm-up @15reps followed by four working sets@10-12reps.
Rope extensions: One warm-up set @ 20 reps followed by four working sets @ 12-15 reps.
Bodyweight dips: Four working sets of maximum reps.
Saturday: Shouders and abs
Barbell shoulder press: Two warm-up sets @ 15-20 reps followed by four sets @ 8-10 reps.
Dumbbell side lateral raises: Four working sets @ 8-10 reps.
Bent over dumbbell lateral raises: Four working sets @ 8-10 reps.
Hanging leg raises: Three sets to failure.
Lying leg raised crunches: Three sets to failure.
Ab wheel: Three sets to failure.
Weeks 9-12: Conditioning
Monday: Shoulders and triceps
Barbell shoulder press: One warm-up set @ 15 reps followed by three working sets @ 8-12 rep superset with standing dumbbell presses @ 6-8 reps.
Dumbbell side laterals: Two working sets @ 10-12 reps superset with plate steering wheels
@ 15-20 reps (twists = 10 reps per side).
Reverse pec fly: Two working sets @ 10-15 reps superset with bent over dumbbell laterals
@ 10-12 reps.
Rope extensions: Two working sets @ 10-15 rep superset with barbell skullcrushers @ 10-12 reps.
Wide grip cable pushdowns: Two working sets @ 8-10 reps superset with bodyweight extensions to failure.
Tuesday: Quads
Barbell squats: Two warm-ups sets @ 10-15 reps followed by two working sets @ 10-12 rep superset with sissy squats @ 10-15 reps.
Leg press: Two warm-up sets @ 10-15 reps followed by two working sets @ 15-20 rep superset with leg extensions @ 10-12 reps.
Walking dumbbell lunges: Two working sets @ 16-20 steps (8-10 reps per leg).
Thursday: Back
Narrow grip cable rows: Three working sets @ 10-15 reps superset with deadlifts @ 8-10 reps.
Bent over barbell rows: Two working sets (each set is a double drop set) @ 8-12 reps.
Cable pullovers: Three working sets @ 15-20 reps superset with assisted pull-ups @ 6-10 reps.
Dumbbell rows: One working set (one set + two drop sets with the same weight each drop), maximum reps each time (select weight that you will fail at 15 reps on first set). Must immediately go from side to side with no rest.
Friday: Chest, biceps and abs
Flat barbell bench press: Two warm-up sets @ 10-15 reps followed by four working sets @ 8-12 reps. Last set is a double drop set.
Incline barbell press: Three working sets @ 8-10 reps.
Incline dumbbell press: Three working sets @ 8-10 reps superset with flyes @ 8-10 reps.
Cable crossover flyes: Two working sets @ 10-12 reps superset with dips to failure.
Dumbbell preacher curls: Two working sets @ 8-12 reps (each set is a double drop using the same weight).
Barbell curls: Two working sets @ 8-12 reps superset with hand held plate curls @ 8-10 reps.
Saturday: Hams and calves
Standing single leg curl: Two working sets @ 8-20 reps (each is a double drop set performed with the same weight. No rest is taken; as soon as one leg is pushed to failure, the other goes).
Glute ham raises: Two working sets @ 10-14 reps superset with lying leg curls @ 10-12 reps.
High rep deadlifts: Two working sets @ 20-24 reps on the first set and then the same weight on the second set to failure (usually around 15 reps).
Standing single leg bodyweight calf raises: Max reps on one foot then switch to other foot and the back again, alternating back and forth until only capable of 6-8 reps.
Seated calf raises: Three working sets @ 15-20 reps.
Standing calf raises: Three working sets @ 10-15 reps superset with bodyweight standing calf raises (two feet at the same time as opposed to single leg) to failure.
The Evan Centopani Diet
This diet was constructed for Evan Centopani by former IFBB Pro Dave Palumbo for Evan’s early contests. All credit for this diet goes to him. Do remember that this is a contest prep diet and the off-season would require more carbohydrates and calories to fuel your workouts and achieve optimal muscle growth.
Meal 1: 6 whole eggs
Meal 2: 8oz chicken, 1/3 cup macadamia nuts
Meal 3: 50g Iso whey, 2 tbsp peanut butter
Meal 4: 8oz chicken, 1/3 cup macadamia nuts
Meal 5: 8 oz steak, 2 cups broccoli, 2 tbsp olive oil
Meal 6: 50g Iso whey, 2 tbsp peanut butter
Using this diet in conjunction with Evan Centopani’s workout will take you to the next level of ‘beastmode’ if you can outlast the 12 weeks it takes to complete this program. Get out there and GROW.
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