PROGRAM VARIATIONS
THE HYBRID
Hybrid is good for all experience levels. specifically people who want to just try out Full Body Workouts. You get an arm day, along with a classic upper/lower duo of sessions. One full body day is included. This split is also really good for intermediate or advanced trainees with strength minded goals, because it leaves room to fit in enough frequency for your compound lifts, along with enough rest to recover from them. Overall, this version is for people that want to get a little of everything. Newer lifters should set their volume on the lower side, intermediate and advanced lifters can use more volume.
THE HUNTER
The Hunter is great for intermediate or advanced lifter that enjoy the recovery benefits of full body training, along with the work capacity gains. This split works best for those with hypertrophy minded goals, as recovery will start to become encumbered for those that want to pursue increasing strength in BIG HEAVY compound lifts. This program WILL make you stronger, but in a general sense.
- Good for all experience levels, from beginners, novice, to advanced lifters
- 4 days per week, including an arm day, full body day, upper day, and lower day
- This variation is for people that want to get a little of everything
BEAST SLAYER FULL BODY PROGRAM
MUST READ Q&A
Tip 1:
Have a stopwatch on your phone. Set it for 60-90 minutes depending on what I outline for the day, after you’re done warming up, BOOM. Start the clock. I likely do more volume than the average trainee or individual watching this, as well as having to lift heavier weights, and these times that I prescribe are based on how long it took ME to do it. So if you’re newer, this will certainly be enough time for you to complete these sessions.
Some of these took a little longer at first for me, but that was because I get lost in editing clips and such for social media – that should sound familiar to my fellow content creators, but to those that aren’t you likely spend a lot of time between sets on your phone. Having that stopwatch helped me shave off anywhere between 30-40 minutes off my time spent in the gym!
Tip 2:
Gym bag essentials are:
Liquid Chalk
Versa Gripps or Lifting Straps
Lifting Belt
Intra Workout nutrition
Boostcamp App to log your training
Some water or a sports drink
Tip 3:
Pick variations that make sense for your space. There are a lot of supersets in all versions of this program. Don’t pick motions that would require you to walk clear across the gym. Take it from me, I’m not letting some dude hog two pieces of equipment that are clear across the gym, so think about the economy of your workouts. Maybe pick the dumbbell variation of something, because dumbbells are things that you can carry across the gym and have next to a machine.
Frequently Asked Questions/Comments:
Q1: What is a Double Progression/Dynamic Double Progression? How do I do it properly?
Double Progression and Dynamic Double Progression
Double Progression and Dynamic Double Progression are easy ways to map out progression and auto-regulate your training. (Auto-regulate meaning: make training appropriately challenging)
I like using this in a hypertrophy program, because unlike traditional strength training, we don’t have percentages to work with. Particularly for things like Calf Raises, Hamstring Curls, Hack Squats, and all traditional bodybuilding staples.
Double Progression
In basic Double Progression, you’re given a set and rep range.
For example, 3 sets of 8-12. Each week, you add reps until you’re at 3x12, then you add weight and do it all over again.
This type of progression undulates between volume and intensity, allowing you to typically train harder without a deload.
There are two ways to start off a double progression. You can do 3 sets of 8 (leaving a couple reps in the tank on your first set) and then each week, add reps until you get to 3x12. You can add reps to each set, or reps to one set at a time.
OR If you’re newer, you can do 12 reps on your first set (leaving a couple reps in the tank) and then fill out your reps on subsequent sets each week.
(This second approach is typically the approach I take for new exercises that I’m not sure of my performance on) I also recommend this for people who tend to UNDERSHOOT (go too easy)
When you add weight, add enough weight so that 8-9 reps would be challenging again (tl,dr; add like 5-10 lbs)
Then you follow the same progression scheme for the new weight you’ve selected
Dynamic Double Progression
Dynamic Double Progression is basically the same thing, except that each individual set progresses in weight on its own once you reach the top end of your rep range. For example, using 8-12 again:
Week 1: 3x8 @ 200
Week 2: 1x12 @ 200 (increase this set’s weight next week) 1x10 @200, 1x9 @ 200
Week 3: 1x8 @ 210, 1x12@ 200 (increase this set’s weight next time), 1x10 @200
So on, and so forth. This type of progression is better for heavier compound lifts in my opinion.
General Reminders:
The way that I like to coach double progression and dynamic double progression is like this:
That first week you try a new exercise, each set, other maybe than the last couple, should be a couple reps shy of failure. This lets you create momentum with your training. As opposed to if you go to failure on everything week 1, you’ll have a harder time (or an impossible time) progressing.
For subsequent weeks, more and more of your sets can be (and should be, in my opinion), close to, or at failure.
If you undershoot that first week, the way double progressions work, you’ll be using a challenging weight anyway with time.
Q2: When to Swap Movements
I say that we should keep our motions in rotation for as long as possible. It’s very easy to fall into the trap of constantly swapping exercises, and never make any real progress.
But if we keep our motions in for long enough to outlast noobie neurological adaptations, we can ensure that any progress that we make comes from actual hypertrophy, and not just neurological strength adaptations.
When you DO swap a movement, pick a variation that works the same muscles as the one that you were just doing, so the thread of progression can remain.
It’s important to take note of which variations work the best for us as well, so that you can swap back to them when the time comes.
Q3. Can I Add More Volume? Is this enough volume to grow?
This is a question that many lifters will have. Maybe you’re accustomed to doing more/less volume – this is why you’re given a range on Beast Slayer. As a rule of thumb: if you’re adding reps and weight, you’re doing enough volume to grow. If you’re not making progress, audit yourself FIRST:
Am I eating enough? (have I gained weight the past few months?)
Am I sleeping enough?
Am I drinking enough water?
Am I ensuring that I eat before training?
Am I properly following the progressions outlined (it is SUPER common for this to be the issue. Thoroughly read the section on double progressions if you’re not familiar)
Is my effort in the gym there?
Finally, is this variation just stale? (I have made progress with it for 6-8 weeks already)
If you take an honest audit of yourself, and you have zero areas of opportunity with your process, ADD ONE SET. Not two, not four, ONE SET. DO NOT add volume just because you feel like it. This is a great way to do entirely too much.
Q4. How do I track weighted calisthenics?
Combine your body weight with the weight that you add to your belt. The reason to track it this way, as opposed to just the weight added, is simple: your body weight, and thus the total weight you lift, will fluctuate. There is a HUGE difference between a 160 lb guy doing weighted calisthenics, and a 220 lb guy doing them, and this has to be accounted for.
Q5. What kind of form should I strive for?
I go by the rule of “how would I do this if Dr Mike Israetel was watching?” - I would use a controlled (but not overly slow) eccentric, and a pause when applicable.
That being said, do not get pedantic - just maintain +/- 10% of your rep quality at all times. Too much control leads to inferior stimulus typically (especially if you are not very strong yet, and can’t use a lot of weight). Too little control leads to the muscles not being stimulated well.
Q6. How and When To Deload?
I want you to deload when you feel that you need to. The program is designed in such a way, that the volume and intensity ebbs and flows automatically, but at some point, you will need an actual deload.
I recommend deloading ONLY the sessions that feel janky, and to reduce the loads by about 10% and do less sets. It won’t be very often that you need to make every session a deload or have a full deload week, but if you need to deload multiple sessions, this is fine as well.
Q7. How to Optimize for Powerlifting or 1 Rep Max Strength?
I’m a big fan of linear progression based on a percentage of your 1 rep max, combined with RPE for your main exercises. (Bench, Deadlift, Squat, whatever you want to train for strength, along with their variations)
I generally say, start around 60-70%, and do 3-5 sets, repping each set to about RPE 6-8 on average (no set until your max out should be to failure). Each week, increase your working weight by 2-4%. When the weights get to 80% or more, we include top singles once a week to practice heavy singles.
Here is how that generally looks:
Week 1: 4 Sets @ 63%, rep each set to RPE 6
Week 2: 4 Sets @ 66% rep each set to RPE 6-7
Week 3: 4 Sets @ 70% rep each set to RPE 7
Week 4: 4 Sets @ 73% rep each set to RPE 7
Week 5: 4 Sets @ 76% rep each set to RPE 7
Week 6: 1 Top single @ 83%, 3 sets @ 80%, rep to RPE 7 each set
Week 7: 1 Top single @ 85%, 3 sets @ 83%, rep to RPE 7-8 each set
Week 8: 1 Top single @ 88%, 3 sets @ 85%, rep to RPE 7-8 each set
Week 9: 1 Top single @ 90%, 3 sets @ 88%, rep to RPE 7-8 each set
Week 10: Work up to about 90-93%, and then based on feel go either a 5-10 lb pr, or a rep PR @ 100% based on your goals.
This is a simple, and predictable way to build strength. Strength is a SKILL, if leaving reps in the tank doesn’t sound appealing, great! That’s what we have accessory work for, and if you truly don’t want to do this at all, you may be a bodybuilder at heart my friend.
Q8. What is RPE? (Rate of Perceived Exertion)
RPE is a tool that I like using to allow the lifter to autoregulate (pace out) their training based on how they feel that day.
I like combining it with percentages to ensure we’re getting in adequate skill practice with our big compound lifts.
RPE SCALE
Definition
10 - Concentric Failure, you physically cannot do another rep after trying
9 - could have grinded out another rep.
8 - hard, but could have done two more reps
7 - fairly challenging, could have done 3 more reps
6 - feels like a warm up set, could have done 4 more reps, great for deloads or building volume at the beginning of a program