Smith Primal Routine

This is a pretty simple upper/lower split (used Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday) that my dad had me use during my freshman year of high school. It's for a lifter that has the goal of gaining strength and muscle. It is intense and a bit advanced for someone that's a freshman and has no lifting experience but it did get my squat up to 250 lbs while only weighing 120 lbs.  So if you feel up to it, go ahead and give it a try. Remember that ultimately you must use a routine that works best for you and works at your pace.

*I am not a trainer and have no formal training. Only years of experience. You must listen to your body and do what works best for you.

Forced Reps: This program utilizes "forced reps". Which means if you can't reach your goal rep on working sets, you then use a spotter to help you get enough reps until you are able to reach your goal reps. This being said, you MUST use a training partner/spotter for this program.

Training Level: This program is best for intermediate to advanced lifters. Not best for a novice or a beginning lifter.

Warm-up Sets: Perform two warm-up sets. Warm-up however you feel is best. But I recommend your first warm-up set be done at 50-60% of your working weight. And your second warm-up set be performed at 75-80% of your working weight.

Working Sets: These are the sets where you'll actually be working. You'll perform three for every lift (two for "light" days). Your first set will be your heaviest trying to reach you rep goal. Your second set will be the same but with five less pounds than your first set. Decrease five pounds again for your third set.

Progression: The goal for any routine is to progress. Whether that is in reps or weight, it doesn't matter. You WILL NOT get bigger, more muscular, or stronger, unless you progressing in some sort of way. For this program the progression scheme is as follows: After you are done warming up, if you reach your rep goal on your first set without any help from a spotter you will go up five pounds the next time you perform the exercise the next week.

Rest Periods: Rest periods between sets should be around 1 minute. But if you feel up to it, start before then. If you feel like you need more time to recover then take more time. But do not exceed 2 minutes. (When working with a training partner it's best to start your next set right after they are done with theirs.)

*Light Days: When I was working this routine, my father and I performed the same exercises we did on Monday and Tuesday on Thursday and Friday, but we didn't focus on progressing so much. Monday and Tuesday are the most important days. You will work hardest on these.

*Ab Work: An article on Ab Work will be coming soon. But until then perform any sort of ab work you'd like. But you must understand that performing 1,000 crunches or any other kind of ab exercise will not reveal your abs or give you a six pack. Working out your abs will will only make them bigger or stronger. In order to reveal your abs you must focus on your diet. Only by doing so and loosing fat will you get that greatly desired six pack.

Weekly Layout

Monday
Bench Press 3x8
Incline Bench Press 3x8
Dumbbell Flyes 3x10

Seated Behind The Neck Press 3x8

Dumbbell Lateral Raises 3x12

Bent Over Dumbbell Flye 3x12
Seated Dumbbell Tricep Extension 3x10

Ab Work

Tuesday
Squats 3x8
Romanian Deadlift 3x8
Leg Extensions 3x15

Pull-ups 3xMax

Barbell Rows 3x8

To The Side Incline Curls 3x12
Standing Calf Raise 3x15
Ab Work

Thursday
Bench Press 2-3x8
Incline Bench Press 2-3x8
Cable Crossovers 3x15

Seated Dumbbell Press 3x8

Lateral Raises 3x12

Bent Over Flyes 3x12
Cable Tricep Extensions 3x12
Ab Work

Friday
Squats 2-3x8
Leg Press 3x12
Leg Curls 3x15

Pull-ups 3xMax

Seated Cable Rows 3x12

Seated Calf Raise 3x15

Standing Dumbbell Curls 3x12
Ab Work