Recently I’ve been using variations of a training system called Power, Rep Range, Shock (aka P/RR/S) which was created by natural bodybuilder, fitness model, author and trainer, Eric Broser. Before going further I want to thank Eric for giving me permission to write about his excellent training system!
I have actually known about P/RR/S for several years via a variety of interviews and articles. However, more recently I decided to purchase Eric’s Power, Rep Range, Shock DVD so I could see the subtleties of his system in action. I then took the basic principles of P/RR/S and put together several different variations on the system, which I have been currently using with great success!
First I will give an overview of the basic P/RR/S system and then explain my first variation on it (I will discuss my other variations in future articles).
Overview of P/RR/S:
At the heart of P/RR/S is a three-week/three-phase training cycle. Week 1 is POWER, week 2 is REP-RANGE, and week 3 is SHOCK.
Each phase utilizes different rep ranges and tempo parameters. Additionally, the Shock phase incorporates a variety of intensity techniques. The underlying idea behind P/RR/S is that cycling through these phases allows one to hit the widest possible range of muscle fibers (slow, intermediate, and fast twitch) as well as helping to avoid training plateaus.
The combination of these three different training strategies provides elements of muscular tension, metabolic stress, and muscle damage which are the three primary mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy. These mechanisms were outlined by Dr. Brad Schoenfeld in his ground-breaking research paper, ‘The Mechanisms of Muscle Hypertrophy and their application to Resistance Training’ (JSCR Oct 2010).
POWER Week exercises are performed in the 4-6 rep range, with a tempo of 3/0/X (3 sec eccentric/0 sec hold/X-explosive concentric).
REP RANGE Week uses a variety of rep ranges (7-9, 10-12. 13-15), each taken to failure, using a different exercise within each rep range. Tempo is 2/0/2.
SHOCK week uses different intensity techniques (some of which I covered in previous articles here on Rx Muscle). These are pre-exhaust (an isolation movement immediately followed by a compound movement), post-activation (a compound movement immediately followed by an isolation movement), and drop sets (or a ‘double drop set’). The rep range is 8-10 to failure for all exercises (the double drop sets are an additional 4-6 reps to failure each). Tempo is 1/0/1 (described as a ‘piston-like’ continuous movement).
Eric’s general recommendation is to run three full cycles of P/RR/S, take a week off and then repeat. Of course each time you repeat you can change the exercises to create a lot of variation in the programming.
My Modification on P/RR/S:
Rather than designating each week to Power, Rep Range, or Shock exclusively, my initial P/RR/S phase workouts mixed the different approaches, to varying degrees for different body parts and within each workout.
Here’s an outline of the basic programming structure:
Week 1:
Workout #1: Back-Power / Chest-Rep Range
Workout #2: Legs-Shock
Workout #3: Bis-Power/Tris-Rep Range/Delts-Shock
Week 2:
Workout #4: Chest-Power/Back-Shock
Workout #5: Legs-Power
Workout #6: Delts-Power / Bis-Rep Range/Tris-Shock
Week 3:
Workout #7: Chest-Shock/Back-Rep Range
Workout #8: Legs-Rep Range
Workout #9: Tris-Power/Delts-Rep Range/Bis-Shock
Then start the complete cycle again.
The above approach hits every type of P/RR/S workout for every body part (Note: abs are not listed, but I typically add them on legs day as well as other days). I want to point out that whenever Power type training is being done in the same workout with one or more of the other approaches it is ALWAYS placed first due to the heavier loads being used. This helps from both a performance and safety standpoint!
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