Hepburn Solution for Strength and Power

A Classic Strongman's Training Program
by Mike Mahler

In my last article,
we learned what the legendary weightlifter Doug Hepburn thought
about training. Now let's take a look at some of his favorite
training programs and put that info into
action.
Hepburn obviously wasn't concerned with marketing or
advertising when he named his two most effective programs. The
first plan we're going to cover is the "A Program." The second
program is — yes, you guessed it — the "B Program."
Don't let the titles fool you. Whatever they're lacking in
inspiration, they make up for in building impressive size and
strength.


Whether it's program titles or picking up chicks, Hepburn
preferred to keep things simple.


Hepburn's "A Program"
Hepburn had incredible results with this training program
and said it worked just as well for others. He claimed the "A
Program" would add 120 pounds to any compound exercise in one year,
and would add 60 pounds to any isolation exercise. Hepburn said you
could see continuous progress for one year, and in many cases, two
years or more.
The workouts in this plan contain two parts. First, the
trainee starts with a power routine for developing maximum strength
in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This is followed by a "pump
routine" for developing maximum size and
endurance.


Power training plus pump training for max strength and
size.
Hepburn said you should always do the power phase first,
which makes perfect sense. Heavy weights and low reps stimulate the
central nervous system (CNS) and get you primed for the higher rep
sets later in the workout. The opposite, however, doesn't have the
same effect.
The workout is designed to first get the beneficial CNS
stimulation, and then finish off with higher reps to pump some
blood into the worked bodyparts, which builds muscle and
facilitates recovery.
The "A Program" requires a great deal of patience and
discipline. Not discipline to train in a hyper-intense manner, but
discipline to restrain yourself and not train intensely.
The program is well-planned, and the gradual, progressive volume
ensures that overtraining is avoided.
Some of the workouts might feel unproductive, in terms of
how you feel afterwards, but remember that the goal of the workout
isn't to induce fatigue and soreness. The goal is to induce
strength and power, which doesn't come about by running yourself
into the ground. Make sure you follow the program to the letter,
and avoid the natural inclination to modify things and make the
program harder.

Power Phase
Choose a weight you can lift eight times and do 8 sets of 2
in the first workout. Rest two to three minutes between each set.
The weight will feel light... and that's the
point.
You have to practice each lift to get better, but I don't
mean practicing with poor form. Execute every rep with perfect form, which shouldn't be difficult if you're using your true
eight-rep max and taking adequate breaks between each
set.


If necessary, have someone watch your form to prevent
cheating.
At the next workout, keep the weight the same, but increase
the overall reps by doing 7x2 and 1x3. At the third workout, do 6x2
and 2x3. Keep adjusting, to add an additional set of three, until
you get up to a full workout of 8x3. At this point, add 10 pounds
for large muscle groups, and five pounds for small muscle groups,
and go back to 8x2.

Pump Phase
After the power phase of the workout, take a five minute
break, then do the pump phase. Reduce the training poundage by 20%
and do 3x6. In the next workout, do 2x6 and 1x7. The workout after
that would be 1x6 and 2x7. Continue adjusting the volume in the
following workouts until you're up to 3x8. At that point, add five
pounds, and start over at 3x6.


Hepburn's "B Program"
Similar to the "A Program," Hepburn claimed the "B Program"
would produce progressive results for at least a year, or in some
cases, two to three years. Hepburn also said that you'll never feel
like you're struggling on the program.
That's a good thing for trainees interested in actual
results. It's probably not what stimulus-addicted trainees want to
hear, but that's just too bad... you'll have to deal with it if you
want to reach your goals.
Considering how the program is laid out, you really can't
reach an overtrained state, unless you do too many exercises,
choose a starting weight that's too heavy, or deliberately avoid
food and sleep.
The "B Program" is more of a pure strength and power
program, with a focus on singles. Hepburn believed that single rep
training led to the fastest strength gains. Like the "A Program,"
this plan also uses two styles of training in each
workout.
Follow the program to the letter, and don't add any of your
own modifications. Hepburn knew more about productive strength
training than you do, so don't over-analyze the
program.


Don't let your training partner sweet-talk you into adding
concentration curls.

Power Phase
After doing two warm-up sets, choose a weight you can handle
for three reps, and do 5x1. Rest three to five minutes between
each set. At the next workout, do 6x1. If you can't complete all
six reps, you either started too heavy, or you aren't taking long
enough breaks. The goal is to work up to 8x1 over several
workouts.
When you reach 8x1, add five to ten pounds, drop back to
5x1, and repeat the process. This manner of progression
automatically cycles the intensity to avoid overtraining. As the
workout's intensity goes up, the volume decreases to induce
adaptation.

Pump Phase
After the power phase of the workout, take a ten to fifteen
minute break, and then do the pump routine. Take a weight you can
comfortably lift for eight reps, and do 6x3, resting just one
minute between each set. At the second workout, do 5x3 and 1x4. The
third workout would be 4x3 and 2x4. Once you've worked up to 6x5,
increase five to ten pounds, and return to 6x3.
If you find the training to be too much to handle, and you
aren't making progress, Hepburn's recommendation was to cut out the
power routine, and do only the pump routine of each
program for two to three weeks. Alternatively, you could start the
power phase with 3x1 at the first workout, to give yourself more
time to work up to 8x1.

Workout Schedule
The basic schedule recommendations are the same for both the
A and B programs. These workouts are an example of the "A
Program."


Training Twice per Week
If you can only train two times a week, train on Monday and
Thursday. Use the military press, bent-over row, and squat on
Monday. On Thursday, do the bench press, weighted pull-up, and
deadlift.


Monday

A1) Barbell military press 8x2

A2) Barbell bent-over row 8x2

Rest 90 seconds between each set of A1 and A2. Go back and
forth between the sets until all the sets are completed. Rest two minutes, and then continue.

B1) Squat 8x2

B2) Double dumbbell or kettlebell swing 8x2


Rest 90 seconds between each set of B1 and B2. Go back and
forth between the sets until all the sets are completed. Take a full five minute break, and then do the Pump
Phase.

A1) Barbell military press 3x6

A2) Barbell bent-over row 3x6

Rest one minute between each set of A1 and A2. Go back and
forth between the sets until all the sets are completed. Rest two minutes, and then continue.

B1) Squat 3x6

B2) Double dumbbell or kettlebell swing
3x6

Rest one minute between each set of B1 and B2. Go back and
forth between the sets until all the sets are
completed.