Boom! Explosive Strength Gains. Mark Sherwood. For more information from the author visit:

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2 Boom! Explosive Strength Gains Mark Sherwood For more information from the author visit:

3 Copyright 2019 by Mark Sherwood Boom! Explosive Strength Gains By Mark Sherwood The author and publisher of the information in this book are not responsible in any manner for physical harm or damages that may occur in response to following the instructions presented in this material. As with any exercise program, a doctor s approval should be obtained before engaging in exercise.

4 Table Of Contents Introduction The Table of Exercises Chapter 1: Four Types Of Training Chapter 2: Points Of Emphasis Chapter 3: My Experience Chapter 4: Listen To Your Body Chapter 5: A Sample Boom Cycle Chapter 6: Things To Consider About The Author Additional Resources

5 Introduction Boom! is the third book out of a series of weight training books that include: 1. Phase Potentiation 2. Short Cycle Mastery 3. Boom! Each book in the series is based on four types of training including: 1. General Volume Training 2. High Intensity Sets 3. Speed Specific Volume Training 4. Heavy Load Intensity Training If you have already read Phase Potentiation, which is the first book of the series, you will find that there are really only three differences between the training plan in Phase Potentiation and Boom!. These differences are listed below: 1. The phases of the Boom Method are shorter with each phase being as short as one week and as long as two weeks. 2. High frequency training is included in phases 2 and 4 of the Boom Method. 3. The option of recovery weeks is included in the training schedule for the Boom Method. So why is the book called Boom? Because the Boom Method can be used as a form a shock training that is designed for explosive gains and accelerated progress rather than gradual gains. While accelerated gains are great, it is hard to maintain them forever, which means you may want to use the Boom Method occasionally instead of constantly. If you need an occasional shock method to add variety to your training, the specifics of the Boom Method will provide this. Just read the rest of this book and let the gains begin.

6 The Table of Exercises You will find that the workouts presented in this book often refer to choosing exercises from The Table Of Exercises. This table is shown below and is intended to help you select effective exercises for your workouts. Leg Exercises SQUATS DEADLIFTS Leg presses Front squats Goblet squats Hack squats Belt squats Calves Standing calf raises Bent over calf raises Seated calf raises Arm Exercises Biceps Any variation of barbell curls Any variation of dumbbell curls Triceps Triceps press downs Lying DB triceps extension Overhead triceps extensions Table of Exercises Chest Exercises BENCH PRESS DB bench press Incline press DB incline press Wide grip dips Decline press Deltoid (Shoulder) Exercises ]DB Lateral raises Overhead presses with dumbbells or a barbell Upright rows Back Exercises DEADLIFTS Bent over barbell rows Seated pulley rows Lat pulldowns Bent over dumbbell rows Hyperextensions Reverse Hypers Shrugs for traps Ab Exercises Curl ups Any ab machine exercise Reverse curl ups or leg raises There are weight training machines that are designed to imitate the same lifting motions and work the same muscle groups as many of the exercises listed above. This being the case, please feel free to use a machine version of the exercises listed. EXERCISES IN CAPS Any of the exercises in this table can be used for workouts in phases 1 and 2. The exercises listed in capital letters (including SQUATS, DEADLIFTS, AND BENCH PRESSES) should be used as mandatory exercises for workouts in phases 3 and 4. Any of the other exercises can also be used as assistance exercises for workouts in phases 3 and 4. If you have a favorite exercise that is not listed among the workouts in the table of exercises, go ahead and do the exercises you prefer. Make sure to apply the amount of weight, sets, and reps listed in the workout templates to the exercises you decide to choose.

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8 Chapter 1 Four Types Of Training The Boom Cycle presented in this book is based on four types of training including: 1. General Volume Training 2. High Intensity Sets 3. Speed Specific Volume Training 4. Heavy Load Intensity Training Each type of training will make up a training phase, and the phases should be performed in the order listed above. Phases one and three are both volume phases and will each last for one week. Phases two and four are both intensity phases and can range from one to two weeks depending on what you find works best. You can refer to the following chart to help you remember the length of each phase: Name of Each Phase General Volume Training High Intensity Sets Speed Specific Volume Training Heavy Load Intensity Training Length of Each Phase 1 week 1 to 2 weeks 1 week 1 to 2 weeks Since there are four types of training that form four phases, they need to be defined. The basic guidelines for each type of training are outlined as you proceed through the next two pages:

9 Phase 1: 1 Week General High Volume Training Phase 1 is general high volume training and lasts only one week. General High Volume Training should be done twice per week for each muscle group. Choose two to three exercises for each muscle group from the Table Of Workouts. Do 8 to 12 sets per muscle group Use 50% to 65% of your single rep max for each set. Do 6 to 10 reps per set as each set will be a half set. Half sets are performed by only pushing each set half way to failure (i.e. half of the maximum number of reps you can perform). If you can normally do 20 reps with 50% before reaching failure, you will cut the reps in half and only do 10 reps per set because you are doing a half set. Likewise, if you can normally do 12 reps with 65% before reaching failure, you will cut the reps in half and only do 6 reps per set because you are doing half sets. Half sets are not as taxing as full sets which allows you to do more sets and accumulate more training volume without overtraining. Rest 1 minute between sets of the same muscle group. Phase 2: 1 to 2 Weeks High Intensity Sets Train legs, chest, and back 4 to 6 times per week using full body workouts Choose one to two exercises for each muscle group including leg, chest, and back exercises from the Table of Exercises. Make the warm up sets for each muscle group easy. Limit yourself to three warm up sets per muscle group. After your warm up sets, do work sets as follows: Do 2 work sets for legs, 2 work sets for chest, and 2 work sets for back muscles. Set 1: Do 4 to 10 reps per set using 70% to 85% of your single rep max. The specific amount of reps will vary according to the percentage of your single rep max that you use. Set 2: Do 12 to 15 reps per set using 65% of your single rep max Push each work-set just a little short of failure. More will be explained about this in chapter 2. Rest three minutes between sets of the same muscle group. You may take shorter rests between sets when alternating between muscle groups, but you must wait three minutes before repeating a set for the same muscle group.

10 Phase 3: 1 Week Speed Specific Volume Training Choose bench presses, squats, and deadlifts for speed specific volume training Do 10 to 14 sets of 3 reps for each exercise. Lift with explosive speed and power when doing speed work for bench presses, squats and deadlifts, but do not sacrifice ideal lifting form when lifting fast. Include 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps for assistance exercises. See the schedule below for an example. Train each exercise twice per week across four workouts using a split routine such as: Monday and Thursday: Bench Press plus Assistance Exercises 14 sets of 3 reps for bench press. Use 50% on Monday and 60% on Thursday. Assistance Exercises: 3 sets of 10 reps for incline press, 3 sets of 10 reps for triceps and deltoids Tuesday: Squats plus Assistance Exercises 10 to 14 sets of 3 reps for squats. Use 50% of your single rep max. Assistance Exercises: 3 sets of 10 reps for belt squats or goblet squats, plus hyperextensions Friday: Deadlifts plus Assistance Exercises 10 to 14 sets of 3 reps for deadlifts. Use 60% of your single rep max. Assistance Exercises: 3 sets of 8 reps for belt squats or goblet squats, plus hyperextensions. Rest 45 seconds between sets of 3 reps and two minutes between sets of assistance work. Phase 4: 1 to 2 Weeks Heavy Load Intensity Training Only do two exercises per workout. One of the exercises should be bench presses, the other exercise should be either squats or deadlifts (don t do both squats and deadlifts during the same workout.) Train bench presses 4 to 6 times per week. Train squats 3 to 4 times per week, and deadlifts 1 to 2 times per week. Work your way up to a heavy single rep of 90% or more of your single rep max for each exercise (which includes squats, deadlifts, and bench presses). Do this using the following procedure: Do 1 set of 3 reps for each percentage including 50%, 60%, and 70% of your single rep max. Continue with 1 rep for each percentage including 75%, 80%, and 85% of your single rep max. Finish with 1 rep using 90% or more of your single rep max. Train within your ability to maintain ideal lifting form and a smooth nonstop lifting motion when you reach your heaviest weight. Do not use such heavy weight that you are forced to do slow strenuous grinder reps unless you want to save it for your very last heavy load intensity workout. If you feel like you need more training volume, add one set 8 to 10 reps to squats, bench presses and deadlifts. Do this set after reaching your heaviest single rep.

11 Chapter 2 Points Of Emphasis There are some important points that must be emphasized in order for the Boom Method to work. These points are addressed as you continue to read through the chapter Keep The Intensity At a Moderate Level During Phases 1 and 3 Make sure you don t get carried away with heavy weights and pushing to failure when doing phases 1 and 3 which consist of General Volume Training and Speed Specific Volume Training. The weight should remain within 50% to 65% of your single rep max for these phases. Please do not train to failure during phases 1 and 3; save the intensity for phases 2 and 4. High Intensity Does Not Mean Excessive Strain Phases 2 and 4 are phases in which intensity is emphasized. Please know that you can train with sufficient intensity without pushing to the point of excessive strain and slow grinder reps at the end of your sets, or when doing heavy single reps. Adjust The Intensity As Needed For Phase 2 When performing high intensity sets, I suggest that you continue to repeat reps of a set at least as long as you can maintain a steady even rep pace. You can go one rep beyond that point by stopping after you reach the initial rep in a set where rep speed clearly starts to slow down (which I refer to as the marker rep). You may push your sets to failure if you feel it delivers better results.

12 Adjust The Weight As Needed For Phase 4 When you reach your heaviest weight during a heavy load intensity workout, you should still be able to maintain ideal lifting form and a smooth nonstop lifting motion. Do not grind out a slow strenuous rep unless you want to save it for the last workout of the heavy load intensity training phase. High Frequency During Phases 2 and 4 Please note that the frequency is purposely very high during phases 2 and 4. Each muscle group or lift should be trained four to six times per week, although you should do deadlifts and squats on separate days. Keep It Short And Simple During Phases 2 and 4 In order for high frequency training to work, you must keep the workouts short and super simple during phases 2 and 4. You will only be doing a total of six work sets for your entire workout when doing the high intensity sets during phase 2. This includes two sets for chest, two sets for legs, and two sets for back. Don t do exercises designed to isolate arms and shoulders, just use basic compound exercises for legs, chest, and back. The fact that you are doing a short workout is what allows you to do high frequency training without overtraining. It should be even simpler during the heavy load intensity phase. You will only do two exercises per workout. This means that you will either work up to a heavy bench and a heavy squat, or you will work up to a heavy bench and a heavy deadlift, but you will do this at least four times per week. The fact that you are doing just a couple of exercises per workout along with the fact that you are using a low training volume for each workout is what allows you to do at least four to six workouts per week for the same muscle groups without overtraining. One to Two Weeks or Somewhere In Between Phases 2 and 4 should be done for one to two weeks or somewhere in between. Somewhere in between means a week and a third, or a week and a half, or a week and two thirds. The reason an exact amount of time is not used for these phases is because some lifters may only benefit from these phases for a week, while others may benefit from phases 2 and 4 for two weeks, and others will be somewhere in between. After you go through the Boom Cycle a few times, you will discover how long you benefit from doing phase 2 and phase 4. Perform each phase as long as it works, and no longer.

13 Chapter 3 My Experience The Boom Cycle is born out of my own experience. Through trial and error, I learned that if I did a week of volume training followed by a week or two of short simple workouts in combination with high frequency training, I would rapidly get stronger. I was stunned the first time I tried this as I had been experimenting with various training methods for over twenty years when I first hit upon what I now refer to as the Boom Method. It easily produced the fastest gains that I had ever experienced. My upper body strength improved by about 20 pounds, and my legs improved by about 30 pounds in a week and a half when I switched from General Volume Training to High Intensity Sets in combination with high frequency training. Did the Boom Method produce rapid gains forever? No, but it did work for a while, so I would recommend that you do it for a while as long as it keeps working. If you find that the Boom Method consistently delivers better results than any other type of training, then stick with it. Most lifters will do better by using it on an intermittent basis. There are different options you can use to cycle the Boom Method in and out of your training. The first option is to insert a week or two of recovery training into the cycle as often as needed. You may want to insert a recovery week after phase 2 and phase 4 because they are high intensity, high frequency phases. You may also want to complete a full Boom Cycle and insert one to two weeks of recovery training at the end of phase 4. An example of recovery training would be to train according to the following guidelines for a week or two: Do 5 sets of 5 reps for each exercise. Do Bench presses, squats, and seated cable rows. Use 60% to 70% of your single rep max. Workout two or three times per week. The recovery workout is just one example and can be adjusted to fit your recovery ability. A Word of Warning Just a word of warning, if you start the Boom Cycle in an over trained state, it won t work. Too much high volume training before you start the Boom Cycle will cancel the results. Likewise, if you are already over trained from too much high intensity training, or too much high frequency training, it will tend to cancel the results when starting into a Boom Cycle. While you must avoid starting the Boom Cycle in an over trained state, you must also be in good enough condition to jump into the high volume training that is required in phase 1. If you are a beginner, or you haven t trained in several weeks or more, you won t be able to recover from phase 1 by the time you switch to phase 2 and nothing will work. If you haven t done any weight training for a while, you need to engage in some consistent training for about six weeks before you start a Boom Cycle.

14 A second option is to use the workout schedule that you usually use and occasionally switch to the Boom Cycle for four to six weeks. For example, you could easily go through the 8 to 12 week cycle that is explained in the book, Phase Potentiation, and switch to one Boom Cycle for four to six weeks. A third option is to make a simple modification to the Boom Cycle so that it can be repeated on a regular basis without experiencing burnout. The main modification is to eliminate high frequency training from phases 2 and 4 and just do the workouts two to three times per week instead of four to six times per week. If you do this, you will basically be using the same four phases that were discussed in the book, Phase Potentiation, but the phases will only last one to two weeks for the Boom Cycle, instead of two to three weeks as is recommended in Phase Potentiation. The Boom Method May Not Be For Everyone I ll be honest and admit that when I discovered the Boom Cycle, I actually did the High Intensity Sets twice per day, five to six days per week. That s ten to twelve brief high intensity workouts per week for the same muscle groups. I hesitate to bring this up because it sounds somewhat absurd and I would have never believed it would work if I hadn t experienced it for myself. That being said, it is possible that some lifters may not respond very well to high frequency training, but what I do know is that it worked exceptionally well for me in the context of the Boom Cycle. High Frequency Training Since phases 2 and 4 consist of high frequency training, I want to stress a few things in regard to high frequency training. Remember, high frequency workouts must be very short and simple in order to avoid overtraining. If you have never engaged in high frequency training before, you may feel very sore and very weak in your second, third, and fourth workouts for the same muscle groups. However, if you stick with it, your body will adapt and your strength will come back, and hopefully it will rebound to an even greater level.

15 Chapter 4 Listen To Your Body No two people are alike. Training volume must be adjusted and optimized to fit your capacity. This is why a range of 8 to 12 sets is given for phase 1. If 12 sets turns out to be too much work, cut back to 10 or 8 sets. In contrast, if you start out doing 8 sets and it doesn t seem like enough work, increase to 10 or 12 sets. Find a number of sets that works. The same advice goes for the amount of training volume in phase 3. Intensity If the intensity you are using during phases 2 and 4 feels too low and seems to be unproductive, then increase the intensity all the way to failure if needed. On the other hand, if you are pushing yourself as hard as possible and the intensity is causing burnout because it seems too high, cut back until you find the right amount. Frequency You may find that there is an ideal frequency for the type of workouts that are done during phases 2 and 4, but you are the only one who can determine the ideal frequency for yourself. The ideal frequency may change and need to be decreased as you get stronger. This is because the workload will increase and the workouts will be more taxing and harder to recover from as you grow stronger and add more weight to your lifts. You may also find that high frequency training doesn t work as well if you continue to lift weights to the point where you are an older lifter. You must listen to your body and make adjustments as needed. If one phase wears you out, cut back on the sets or the intensity. If it doesn t seem like enough, increase the volume or intensity. Start with the guidelines that are listed for the Boom Method and make adjustments according to how your body feels and responds.

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17 Chapter 5 A Sample Boom Cycle In this chapter, a sample Boom Cycle will be set up that you can follow or modify according to your own needs, capacities, and preferences. The four phases of the cycle are shown on the next four pages.

18 Phase 1: General Volume Training 1 Week Follow the schedule below by doing all of the exercises listed for the sets, reps, and percentages listed. Monday 3 to 4 sets per exercise 10 reps per set Use 50% of your max Chest Exercises Bench Press Incline Press Decline Press Shoulder Exercises DB Overhead Press DB Side Lateral Raises Shrugs Triceps Exercises Triceps press downs Lying triceps ext. Overhead triceps ext. Ab Exercises 4 sets of 12 curl ups Tuesday 3 to 4 sets per exercise 10 reps per set Use 50% of your max Leg Exercises Squats Belt Squats Front Squats *Standing calf raises *Seated Calf Raises Back Exercises Seated Pulley Rows Lat Pulldowns Hyperextensions Biceps Exercises Barbell Curls Seated Incline Curls Alternate DB Curls Thursday 3 to 4 sets per exercise 8 reps per set Use 60% of your max Chest Exercises Bench Press Incline Press Decline Press Shoulder Exercises DB Overhead Press DB Side Lateral Raises Shrugs Triceps Exercises Triceps press downs Lying triceps ext. Overhead triceps ext. Ab Exercises 4 sets of 12 curl ups *Calf exercises are for bodybuilding and are optional for powerlifting. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets. Friday 3 to 4 sets per exercise 8 reps per set Use 60% of your max Leg Exercises Squats Belt Squats Front Squats *Standing calf raises *Seated Calf Raises Back Exercises Seated Pulley Rows Lat Pulldowns Hyperextensions Biceps Exercises Barbell Curls Seated Incline Curls Alternate DB Curls

19 Phase 2: High Intensity Sets 1 to 2 Weeks Do 2 sets of the following exercises in every workout Leg Exercise Squats Chest Exercise Bench Press Back Exercise Seated Pulley Rows Remember, phase 2 is high frequency training so you will be doing the exercises listed above 5 days in a row for at least one week, but no more than two weeks. Use the reps and percentages of your single rep max listed in the chart below for each set. Monday Set 1: 8 reps 75% Set 2: 12 reps 65% Tuesday Set 1: 6 reps 80% Set 2: 12 reps 65% Wednesday Set 1: 5 reps 85% Set 2: 12 Reps 65% Level of Intensity Thursday Set 1: 8 reps 75% Set 2: 12 reps 65% Friday Set 1: 5 reps 85% Set 2: 12 Reps 65% The percentages and reps are guidelines that will help you to approximate the right intensity, but I recommend that you push each set to your marker rep or all the way to failure if it works better. Rest Between Sets Rest at least three minutes between sets for the same muscle group. If you rotate from one exercise to another from set to set, you only need to rest a minute between sets for different muscle groups before coming back to the same muscle group three minutes later. You can use this method to speed up your workout.

20 Phase 3: Speed Specific Volume Training 1 Week Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday Bench press Squats Bench press Deadlifts 14 sets x 3 50% 14 sets x 3 50% 12 sets x 3 60% 12 sets x 3 60% DB Incline Press Hyperextensions Wide Grip Dips Reverse Hypers 3 sets x 10 reps 3 sets x 10 reps 3 sets x 8 reps 3 sets x 8 reps DB Lateral Raises Lat Pulldowns DB Lateral Raises Seated Pulley Rows 3 sets x 10 reps 3 sets x 10 reps 3 sets x 10 reps 3 sets x 8 reps Triceps Press downs Dumbbell Curls Lying Triceps Ext. Barbell Curls 3 sets x 10 reps 3 sets x 10 reps 3 sets x 10 reps 3 sets x 8 reps Curl ups for Abs Curl ups for Abs 4 sets of 12 reps 4 sets of 12 reps Perform your reps with explosive speed and power when doing bench, squats, and deadlifts. Rest 45 seconds between sets when doing speed sets for bench presses, squats, and deadlifts. Rest 2 minutes between sets for all other exercises. Push to your marker rep on assistance exercises when doing sets of 8 and 10 reps.

21 Phase 4: Heavy Load Intensity Training 1 to 2 Weeks High Frequency This is a high frequency phase. The workouts should be very short and very simple to facilitate recovery and prevent overtraining. Repeat the workouts on a frequent basis for a minimum of one week and if you feel you are still making progress, continue for part or all of a second week. Two Exercises Per Workout Do two exercises per workout consisting of either squats and bench presses, or deadlifts and bench presses. Use the sets, reps and percentages listed below for each exercise. Monday Squats Tuesday Deadlifts Wednesday Squats Thursday Squats Friday Deadlifts Bench Press Bench Press Bench Press Bench Press Bench Press Use the following sets, reps, and percentages for each of the exercises listed above. 1 x 3 50% 1 x 3 60% 1 x 3 70% 1 x 1 75% 1 x 1 80% 1 x 1 85% 1 x 1 90% or more Maintain Ideal Form Do your best to maintain ideal lifting form and a smooth nonstop lifting motion on all of your lifts including your heaviest single rep. Add weight whenever possible under the condition that you can maintain ideal lifting form. Optional Set of 10 Reps If you feel that your muscles are lacking stimulation because the workout volume is so low, you can add one set of 10 reps after your heaviest single using the same exercise you have been doing. Rest Between Sets Rest long enough to fully recover from set to set. You will probably only need 60 to 90 seconds of rest between warm up sets until you reach 85% of your single rep max, at which point you may need up to three minutes of rest between single reps.

22 Chapter 6 Things To Consider Remember that the Boom Cycle is not designed to be used ceaselessly unless you find that you can make consistent progress by using it on a regular basis. Also, please know that there is no single training cycle on earth that is perfect for every single lifter. All training programs must be modified as needed to fit within an individual s goals and capacities. As you go through the Boom Cycle, make notes on which phases worked the best and which parts need adjustments. Stick with the parts that work, and modify or eliminate the parts that don t work until your Boom Cycle works. My hope is that the information in this book will provide a valuable training resource and bring you a step closer to reaching your goals. I wish you much success and the best of training.

23 About The Author Mark Sherwood is a long-time fitness enthusiast who has pursued weight training and other fitness activities for over thirty years. His educational and professional background include a B.S. degree as an exercise specialist in physical education from the University of Wisconsin Madison, and positions as a fitness instructor and physical education teacher. One of Mark s passions is to distinguish between strength training concepts that are consistently effective as opposed to those that are effective for a short time period. Through his education, research, and personal trial and error, he has endeavored to gain the necessary knowledge to share effective training strategies with those who desire to maximize their training results. Mark resides with his family in Southern California. For more training resources from Mark, you can visit In addition, you can view more books on strength training that he has authored on the next page.

24 Additional Resources A Quick Guide To Strength Beginning Strength Training Bottom Up Loading Cluster Set Training Easy Progression With Mini Sets Force And Frequency Training Fusion 3: Book 1 Giant Pyramid Training High Frequency Strength Training High Volume 5 s Heavy Frequency Training Individualized Workouts For Hardgainers Intensity Ratios Marker Rep Training Never Miss A Lift Overcoming Strength Training Plateaus Phase Potentiation Quick Workouts For Quick Muscles Rest-Pause Training Short Cycle Mastery Strength Challenge 20/20 Strength Training Capacity Strength Training Thresholds Strength To The Max Strength To The Max And Beyond The 1 x 100 Challenge The High Frequency Training Pyramid

25 The Peak Strength Principle The Redistribution Principle : A Workout Plan For Building Size And Strength