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Pulverize Plateaus With a High Volume Attack

Shock your muscles and break out of your rut with this loaded workout.

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  • 4 weeks

  • 34

  • Yes

High Volume Attack Workout
High Volume Attack Workout

The most dominant trend in fitness is to pare everything down. Make it simple. Less is more. At least that’s the case most of the time. But what happens to the guy who never pushes himself beyond the brink? The guy who stays within the confines of a program that never drives him past a workload he thought he was capable of? Oftentimes, he’ll stagnate and cease to make progress.

We understand the need to focus on the big lifts to get the most bang for your buck. We’ve dedicated plenty of space to that concept over the years, and there is no shortage of programs if you’re trying to get in and out of the gym quickly.

But if those short, concise programs have been your bread and butter for years—and you’ve plateaued—you might find Bill Sienerth’s high-volume bodybuilding program to be just what the doctor ordered to stimulate new growth.

Sienerth, a fitness model shown in the photos here and owner of a GNC store, used the program he outlines here to sculpt an enviable, finely detailed physique. By using pre-exhaust sets and dropsets, he ensures that no muscle fiber will
be left behind. Most exercises are also accompanied by a suggested rep range rather than a specific rep count. This variability makes each workout unique and allows you to choose the most appropriate weight based on how you feel that day.

Are you ready to check your ego at the door for the next four weeks? If you can manage that, a bigger and better body is around the corner.

Routine

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Abs & Cardio

Abs are done every day. Perform the following exercises as a circuit, resting 30-60 sec between rounds. Do 30 minutes of steady-state cardio every day of the program. We like hitting the heavy bag.

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 2 of 34

Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise

Equipment
Bench
Sets
1
Reps
25-30
Rest
--

Day 1 - Chest

Change number of reps with each set as indicated.

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 5 of 34

Incline Dumbbell Flye

Equipment
Bench, Dumbbells
Sets
4
Reps
15–20, 12-15, 8-12, 8-15
Rest
--
Do 2 light pre-exhaust sets first, with a rep range of 25–50.
Exercise 9 of 34

Cable Crossover

Equipment
Adjustable Cable Machine, D-Handle Attachment
Sets
3
Reps
15–20, 12-15, 8-12
Rest
--
Mid cable. Do 2 light pre-exhaust sets first, with a rep range of 15–25.
Exercise 10 of 34

Cable Crossover

Equipment
Adjustable Cable Machine, D-Handle Attachment
Sets
3
Reps
15–20, 12-15, 8-12
Rest
--
How to
Low cable. Do 2 light pre-exhaust sets first, with a rep range of 15–25.

Day 2 - Legs

Change number of reps with each set as indicated.

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 13 of 34

Leg Curl

Equipment
Sets
--
Reps
40-50, 25-50, 20, 12-15, 6-12, 40-50
Rest
--
How to
Use dropsets as needed to reach the total in the last set.
Exercise 14 of 34

Leg Press

Equipment
Sets
--
Reps
20, 12, 12, 8, 20
Rest
--

Day 3 - Back

Change number of reps with each set as indicated.

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 17 of 34

Straight-Arm Pulldown

Equipment
Adjustable Cable Machine, Lat Pulldown Bar, Straight Bar Attachment
Sets
4
Reps
25-50, 20-25, 15-20, 10-15
Rest
--
Exercise 19 of 34

Bent-Over Barbell Row

Equipment
Sets
5
Reps
25-50, 20-25, 15-20, 10-15, 8-15
Rest
--
How to
Add two drops after the last set, each totaling 20 reps.
Exercise 20 of 34

Machine Row

Equipment
Sets
4
Reps
25-50, 15-20, 10-15, 8-15
Rest
--
How to
Add two drops after the last set, each totaling 20 reps.
Exercise 21 of 34

Close-Grip Lat Pulldown

Equipment
Adjustable Cable Machine, Bench, Straight Bar Attachment
Sets
4
Reps
25-50, 15-20, 10-15, 8-15
Rest
--
Add two drops after the last set, each totaling 20 reps.

Day 4 - Shoulders

Change number of reps with each set as indicated.

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 22 of 34

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
1
Reps
30
Rest
--
With 5 to 10-pound dumbbells, do one continuous set of the following exercises.
Exercise 29 of 34

Dumbbell Shrug

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
5
Reps
20-50, 20-25, 15-20, 8-12, 8-12
Rest
--
At the end of the last two sets, add one dropset of an additional 20 reps.

Day 5 - Arms

Change number of reps with each set as indicated.

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 30 of 34

Cable Pressdown

Equipment
Adjustable Cable Machine, V-Handle Attachment
Sets
4
Reps
30-50, 12-15, 10-12, 10-12
Rest
--
Superset with next move.
Exercise 31 of 34

Cable Biceps Curl

Equipment
Adjustable Cable Machine, Straight Bar Attachment
Sets
4
Reps
30-50, 12-15, 10-12, 10-12
Rest
--
Exercise 32 of 34

Skull Crusher

Equipment
Barbell
Sets
4
Reps
15-20, 12-15, 10-12, 8-10
Rest
--
How to
Superset with next move.
Exercise 33 of 34

Hammer Curl

Equipment
Sets
4
Reps
15-20, 12-15, 10-12, 8-10
Rest
--
Exercise 34 of 34

Machine Triceps Extension

Equipment
Sets
4
Reps
15-20, 12-15, 10-12, 8-10
Rest
--
Superset with next move.
Exercise 35 of 34

Machine Biceps Curl

Equipment
Sets
4
Reps
15-20, 12-15, 10-12, 8-10
Rest
--
Exercise 37 of 34

Reverse Triceps Pushdown

Equipment
Sets
5
Reps
15-20
Rest
--
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