In the old days, Hepburn used to run both the power phase and the pump phase in … The programs you’ll tend to find from Doug talk of doing a ‘power’ routine followed by a ‘pump’ routine. If during your first workout you could only perform an average of 2 reps per set with the primary weight, the weight is too heavy as you should be able to complete at least a total of 14 reps. To get you back on track, for your next workout back off to 190 pounds and start the cycle again. Supersets were not performed in Park’s system so that you could focus on putting the maximum effort into each set. Doug was old school strong. Many years later Starr said he used 5x5 for his workout because the available research at the time suggested that the optimal range of reps to build strength was between 4-6. It’s still a great workout, but to get the most out of this classic program may require a few modern twists. Doug Hepburn laid out the rules for a program that will develop tremendous size, strength, and power. For a bodybuilder it’s great to be big, but it’s better to be big and strong! One of the most popular workouts during the past half-century is Reg Park’s 5x5 System. 75 percent of 1RM, then each subsequent workout adding another set of 1 until you are doing 8 sets, and adding weight when you can hit all 5x5? But don't forget one of the most important points that Hepburn made in his book: Have a life outside of training. The ‘power’ routine would have you start out with a weight that you could handle for five singles. http://superstrengthtraining.com/strength-and-bulk-training-reg-park. The basic goal of Park’s workout is to perform two progressively heavier sets of 5 reps of an exercise, then three sets of 5 reps using the same weight. Each workout, you’… Doug Hepburn had built himself to world championship standards but remained largely unknown until Charles A. Smith, the prolific weight lifting writer for Weider mags, took a hand in the proceedings.

That’s 18 reps, so stay with that weight for your next workout but try to add at least another rep to each set. In Park’s original workouts, he would use 5x5 for these core exercises but use much higher reps for isolation exercises such as calf raises and triceps extensions.

When you can complete all three sets with the heavier weights, increase the weight on all five sets by 5-10 pounds. Below there are essentially 2 programs, each with a power phase and a pump phase. Getting into the details of Park’s workout, although you can use this set/rep protocol with any exercise, it is usually reserved for core exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. Each workout, you’d add one more single until you hit eight reps. Another variant attributed to him starts out with 8×2 (eight doubles) – just like the singles, these should not be maximal sets. Consider too that the first man to bench press 500 pounds was Canadian weightlifter Doug Hepburn. Park’s first major bodybuilding competition was the Mr. Britain in 1946, where he placed forth, winning the title in 1949. Park believed that one of the benefits of using a 5x5 protocol in a weight training exercise is that it could develop tremendous strength. Park won the overall title in the amateur NABBA Mr. Universe in 1951, and the pro divisions in 1958 and 1965. The problem with this system is that when an individual reaches a higher level of strength, more warm-up sets are needed. Park recommended performing a 5x5 workout 3 times a week. He won a weightlifting gold medal at the 1953 World Championships.

Anybody has experience with Doug Hepburn type of training? He was also as big as a tank. Now put 200 pounds on the bar and try to complete five sets, resting 3-5 minutes between sets. He was the first man to bench press 500lbs and was also squatting and deadlifting 800lbs.

Let’s see how this program can be used for the bench press. © 2020 Poliquin Inc. All rights reserved. "-Old Guy at the Olympics . http://startingstrength.com/articles/olympic_press_starr.pdf, Why & How To Use Thick Bar Training for Peak Performance. Hey all. One my biggest influences is an old-school strength athlete named Doug Hepburn. Do the workouts and do them well, but afterwards, get your mind off training. Let’s assume your best result in this lift is 200 pounds for 5 reps. Warm-up with four sets using these weights: 45, 95, 135, and 185. If you fall short, use 200 pounds again for your next workout. -Theodore Roosevelt "All Greeks know what is right, but only the Spartans do it. He’s a Canadian lifter from the 1950s (go Canada) who won a gold medal in Olympic lifting and was lifting big weights on the powerlifts (powerlifting competitions didn’t exist yet). Heavy, yes, but not grinders. These weren’t meant to be all-out maxes; heavy, yes, but not ass-kicking grinders. Reg Park’s contributions to the Iron Game were considerable and his achievements as an athlete were remarkable.

Doug Hepburn was a Canadian strongman. This is reflected in his programs, which focus entirely on compound strength movements and do not explicitly recommend any direct accessory work. Is anyone familiar with the old Doug Hepburn routine where you do 3 sets of 1 w. approx. He was the first natural lifter to bench press 500 pounds, and he could squat 600 pounds for reps at the age of 54. If you were to increase the volume of training with the variation described here, you would probably be better off only using it twice a week (with at least two days rest between workouts), depending on the exercise. For Park this was certainly true, as he was the first bodybuilder to bench press 500 pounds. Further, at the higher levels of strength, more volume (total reps) of maximum weights is often required to make optimal progress. Very few professional athletes have stayed at the top of their game for nearly three decades, which is why there has been considerable interest in how Park trained. If you get all 25 reps, then increase the primary weight to 205 pounds. Doug recognized Charlie as his coach in the years prior to winning the World Championships and acknowledged the part Smith had played in assisting him. Now let’s say you completed the following reps for each set with 200 pounds: 5,4,3,3,3. For these reasons you should consider trying some variation of the 5x5 method if you want to pack on slabs of quality muscle. Not to be confused with the version developed by strength coach Bill Starr that has proven to be especially effective for football players, Park’s workout is designed to develop a physique that is as strong as it looks. Poliquin talked about it in an old Q and A. He placed second to Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1970 by just ½ point, and again placed second in 1973! (rep progression over many weeks before adding weight) OriginalCritter Total Posts: 774: 02-26-11 05:32 PM - Post# 678046 Only for about a week "Courtesy is as much a mark of a gentleman as courage." Doug Hepburn has become synonymous with brute force and sheer simplicity. Follow the Hepburn plan for a few months and let me know what happens. There have been many variations of the 5x5 training system, but the source can be found in Reg Park’s book, Park played Hercules on the big screen in five movies, his first being.

But, Doug wasn’t just strong. Hepburn outweighed Park by 60 pounds and accomplished this milestone lift just 10 days before Park matched him.