KONG: Savage Size in 12 Weeks
12-week program to build savage muscular size, designed with 3 blocks of 4 week chunks.
Professional strongman and powerlifter, YouTuber with 75K subs
Overview
KONG by Alex Bromley is a free 12-week program to build savage size, designed with 3 blocks of 4 week chunks. The three 4-week blocks are separated by exercise selection, exercise order, and set and rep progression.
The program is broken down into 3 phases:
Week 1-4: Volumizing
Week 5-8: Pyramids
Week 9-12: Reverse Pyramid
Learn more about the program below.
KONG is a 12-week program to build some serious size, designed with 3 blocks of 4 week chunks. The three 4-week blocks are separated by exercise selection, exercise order, and set and rep progression.
Week 1-4: Volumizing
5-day bodybuilding split that hits each body part twice a week. You'll be hitting weak points first, like triceps before delts and chest.
This is a volumizing phase, which starts off with just a few sets per exercise with high reps in week 1, but steadily increasing load over the next 3 weeks. By the end of week 4, you'll be conditioned for high volume training.
Week 5-8: Pyramids
Now you'll reap the benefits of the high volume work from the previous block by focusing on compound lifts first before accessories.
The compounds will be underload variations (like close grip bench and stiff leg deadlifts), which forces you to use less weight than the competition variation. The disadvantaged positions force you to train weaknesses in your compounds.
The set and rep scheme is in a pyramid, which also forces you to use less weight by prioritizing volume and endurance work. This is a nasty muscle building combination.
Week 9-12: Reverse Pyramid
Now that you're primed from the underload variations, in this block you'll move to overload variations, which prioritizes weight.
In this phase you'll be doing the reverse pyramid set and rep scheme, which means prioritizing heavy weights for your first set, then lower load with high reps in later sets.
By the end of this program, you'll look like you can scale the Empire State Building.
Who it's for
Reviews
I’ve really enjoyed Kong, especially the volume and overall structure. I came into it right after 70s Powerlifter, and I think I had already taxed my CNS pretty hard from the heavy, high-volume training. At 43, recovery is definitely becoming more important for me. My biggest issue is that I tend to push past the prescribed RPE 7–8, and with five days a week I sometimes train even when sleep and recovery aren’t there. Great program overall—I just need to get better at respecting the RPE, backing the weight down when needed, and letting recovery be part of the program.
I'm about 6 weeks in, I love this program. The volume has absolutely helped me blast through plateaus. Bromley is a bad ass program maker, and I'll be running Bullmastiff afterwards.
Good but they need to mix up excersis throughout the weeks
Going from doing low reps higher weight for majority of my time lifting to a month of volume has been more successful than any other plan I’ve tried and held me more accountable in form and reps.
Muscle engagement
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JM Press | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 2 | French Press | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 3 | V-Handle Tricep Pushdown (Cable) | 2 | 20 reps | @7 |
| 4 | Front Raise | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 5 | Upright Row (Barbell) | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 6 | Incline Bench Press (Barbell) | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 7 | Chest Press (Machine) | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 8 | Cable Crossover | 2 | 20 reps | @7 |
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamstring Curl | 2 | 20 reps | @7 |
| 2 | Romanian Deadlift (Barbell) | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 3 | Leg Press | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 4 | Walking Lunge (Dumbbell) | 2 | 12 reps | @7 |
| 5 | Leg Extension | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Behind-the-Neck Push Press | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 2 | One Arm Lateral Raise (Cable) | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 3 | Single Arm Row (Dumbbell) | 2 | 20 reps | @7 |
| 4 | Lat Pulldown | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 5 | Hammer Curl | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 6 | 21s (EZ Bar) | 2 | 21 reps | @7 |
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leg Extension | 2 | 20 reps | @7 |
| 2 | Squat (Barbell) | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 3 | Back Extension (Weighted) | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 4 | Single Leg Press | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 5 | Hamstring Curl | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bicep Curl (Barbell) | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 2 | Alternating Dumbbell Curl | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 3 | Concentration Curl | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 4 | Seated Row (Cable) | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 5 | High Row | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 6 | Dip (Weighted) | 2 | 15 reps | @7 |
| 7 | Tricep Rope Push Down (Cable) | 2 | 20 reps | @7 |
Weeks 2–12 are in the app
Download Boostcamp to follow the full program with auto-progression and built-in coaching notes.
The coach
How KONG: Savage Size in 12 Weeks works
KONG: Savage Size in 12 Weeks is a standard-length, 12-week, 5-day-per-week strength program written for intermediate lifters. Each session takes around 75 minutes to complete. It was created by Alex Bromley and is published on Boostcamp with full week-by-week structure built in.
The program runs as a 12-week block with the same training-day structure throughout. It's built around a full gym setup. Inside the Boostcamp app, working weights and targets auto-progress between sessions based on what you actually lifted, so you don't manage the math by hand.
KONG: Savage Size in 12 Weeks is best suited to lifters who already have 6–18 months of consistent training and know their working weights for the main lifts. Over 20,110 Boostcamp athletes have run it. It's fully free on Boostcamp. Every week is unlocked from day one on iOS and Android.
Common questions
Yes, KONG: Savage Size in 12 Weeks is completely free to follow on Boostcamp. There's no subscription or payment required. Download the app on iOS or Android, search for the program, and you can start your first workout immediately. All 12 weeks are fully unlocked.
This program is built around a full gym. Make sure you have consistent access before starting, since the progression model assumes you can perform the same movements week over week. If you're missing something, the Boostcamp app includes substitution suggestions inside each workout.
Each session typically takes around 75 minutes to complete. That estimate covers your working sets but doesn't account for warm-up or rest between sets, so budget a little extra time when you're first learning the movements. As you get familiar with the program, sessions tend to move faster.
KONG: Savage Size in 12 Weeks is structured around 5 training days per week, with rest days built in to allow for recovery. Consistent rest is as important as the training itself. Skipping rest days can stall your progress. The app lets you reschedule sessions if your week doesn't go to plan.
The program runs for 12 weeks. The structure is designed so that each week builds on the last, with weights, volume, or intensity progressively increasing as you go. Many athletes choose to repeat the program after finishing, either at a higher starting weight or with a different variation.
KONG: Savage Size in 12 Weeks is available inside the Boostcamp app, free on iOS and Android. Once you download the app, you can search for the program by name or find it on the coach's profile. The app tracks all your sets and weights automatically, so you always know exactly what to do next session.
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