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Steve Michalik Workout
What was Steve Michalik's workout routine?
Steve Michalik used to be a competitive bodybuilder in the 1970's and made a huge impact on the bodybuilding world. Steve made a big impact wherever he went not only because of his incredible discipline and drive but also his ability to focus completely on the intensity of his workouts and going way past the point of failure.
Steve believes in working each area thoroughly with as heavy weights as he can handle. In order to do this he splits his routine into two parts. He trains his legs and back the first day and his chest, shoulders, and arms on the next day. Calves and abdominals are worked at every training session. Steve trains two days in a row and then rests the third day.
He continues this pattern of two on and one off right through the weekends. Steve always begins each exercise with a light weight and works up to his heaviest weight. He usually does between l6 and 10 repetitions except for calves and abdominals.
He includes several exercises for each part and does 4 to 6 sets of each. After Steve has reached his top weight in a given exercise, he does something that is rather unusual. He does not put the weight down but has his training partners remove weights from the bar and he continues to do as many reps as he can.
This procedure is repeated three times with a 15-20 per cent reduction in weight each time. Thus, Steve's last set of each exercise is really four sets in one by training this way, he is able to work the muscle so thoroughly that, as Steve says, "It just has to respond."
The workout listed below is something that Steve did on a regular basis but as mentioned above he would always change the workout in order to avoid getting stale or reaching a plateau.
First Day:
LEGS - (Note: Steve does not use the extended set on the last set of his leg exercises. He does use it for all other parts.)
a. Leg Presses - four sets - 450 lbs. to 800 lbs. - super-setted with:
b. Leg Curls (leg curl table is place on and incline by putting blocks under one end) - constant weight maintained or all sets - 125 lbs. - 15 repetitions.
c. Hack Squats - four sets - 150 lbs. to 325 lbs. - super-setted with
d. Leg Extensions - constant weight of 225 lbs. - ten repetitions.
e. Full Squats - four sets - 205 lbs. to 405 lbs.
BACK -
a. Long Pulley Cable Rowing - seated - six sets - 150 lbs. to 200 lbs.
b. Bent-over Rowing - four sets - 150 lbs. to 245 lbs.
c. Seated Lat Pull-downs - six sets - 150 lbs. to 275 lbs.
d. Bent-legged Dead Lifts - four sets - 205 lbs. to 400 lbs.
Second Day:
CHEST -
a. Barbell Pullover - constant weight - 75 lbs. four sets of 15 repetitions for rib-box stretch.
b. Bench Press - six sets - 205 lbs. to 405 .bs.
c. Decline press - six sets - 20t lbs. to 345 lbs.
d. Incline Press - six sets - 150 lbs. to 300 lbs.
SHOULDERS -
a. Seated Press (on machine) - five sets - 150 lbs. to 205 lbs.
b. Seated Behind the Neck Press (on machine) - 5 set5s - 125 lbs. to 175 lbs.
c. Lateral raises (dumbbells) - 4 sets - 25 lbs. to 45 lbs.
d. Shrugs - 4 sets - 205 lbs. to 300 lbs.
TRICEPS -
a. Lying Triceps Curl on Flat Bench - 6 sets - 110 lbs. to 200 lbs.
b. Seated Triceps Curl - 6 sets - 100 to 150 lbs.
c. Decline Triceps Curl - 6 sets - 100 to 150 lbs.
BICEPS -
a. Preacher Curl - one arm - 4 sets - 50 to 75 lbs.
b. Incline Curl (on half-moon bench) - 4 sets - 65 to 85 lbs.
c. Standing Curl - 6 sets - constant weight - 120 lbs. super-setted with-
d. Preacher Curl - constant weight - 110 lbs.
Every Workout Day -
Calves - 15 sets of about 20 reps - 150 to 250 lbs. (done either on calf or leg-press machines)
Abdominals - Steve uses and adjustable abdominal board. Beginning with it at the top rung, he does from 50 to 75 repetitions. Then he immediately lowers the board to the next rung and does another 50 to 75 repetitions and then lowers it once more and repeats with 50 to 75 repetitions. This constitutes one set!
He completes his abdominal work by super-setting hanging leg raises and side-bends with light dumbbell. He does about four super-sets of 15 - 20 repetitions. One additional note on Steve's training is that he does every repetition strictly and concentrates on getting a full contraction and a full extension in each move.
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