3 Day Concurrent Program
A simple, effective program for Strength & Mass
Concurrent training is the act of training multiple physical qualities at the same time.
It leverages the adaptability of the human body, by forcing it to respond to different type of training.
I originally wrote a version of this program for myself, to accomplish the following goals.
Time efficient
Promote muscle growth
Increase eccentric strength
Maintain/improve cardiovascular fitness
A few notes
- I have found that low volume/high intensity type programs impact my ability to maintain a high fitness level. This concurrent approach may not be optimal for developing a specific physical quality (strength etc..), but it is great for developing multiple physical qualities simultaneously.
- Higher fitness levels allow you to recover faster, and reduce sympathetic nervous system activity because daily life and activities are not as impactful on the body. You can do more without negative impact. This is the primary reason why I am an advocate of dedicated GPP training.
Many folks don’t want to spend 4 weeks on long duration isometrics, and I get it. I also feel that way at times, but then I remember how effective it can be. Regardless, this program scratches the itch for more ‘normal’ training - get bigger, stronger and fit.
Program Breakdown
Day 1 - Muscle
Total body
Moderate volume, moderate to high intensity
Increasing the intensity can help you overcome the need for high volumes when working to build muscle
8-12 rep range
Day 2 - Strength/Muscle
Total body
Low volume, high intensity
Eccentrics - slow lowering of the weight, with speed emphasis on the way up
Day 3 - Fitness
Total body
High volume, low to moderate intensity
The weight will be lighter, but that doesn’t mean its easy
A version of the 1x20 method - If you haven’t read this post, it will help you understand this training day.
This day requires more machine, but can easily substitute exercises to make this garage gym worthy.
I prefer machines for high rep sets and even high intensity sets. Machines make it easier to push to true failure as technique is not as much of an issue.
Conditioning
I add a 1-3 conditioning sessions per week (what gets done varies from week to week). Typically on a rower - but you could use any method you like for these. It’s more about the time and training different aspects of fitness not how you do it. Stick to the times and you’ll be set.
In conditioning, time is everything. The bodies energy systems all work together, at all times, but the duration of the activity determines which pathway will take over energy production.
If you want to match this up with training days, here’s how I would do it:
Day 1 - Intervals 30-60 seconds
Rest time - keep quality high
Double your working time and rest for at least that long between reps
Day 2 - Less than 25 seconds. Rest = 2 or 3x working time
Day 3 - Aerobic intervals - Work for 3-5 minutes, with 30-45 seconds rest between reps. Total time = 20-35 minutes
The orange section
These exercises are optional. Primarily arm work, just to add a little extra volume to biceps, triceps, traps, and rear delts.
New Program Components
Reps in Reserve
This program includes intensity prescription using Reps in Reserve (RIR) and my personal favorite, percentage based.
I program RIR with a rep range. In this case 8-12 where you stop 1-3 reps before technical failure.
You will select a weight you can lift 8-12 times that will get you close to failure.
From above - 1x10-12 is 1 set of 10-12 reps where you stop 1-3 reps before technical failure.
Important distinction is technical, not muscular failure. Stop when your form breaks down, not when you get tired. Bad form leads to injury - It may not be today, tomorrow, or next week, but eventually it will catch up to you.