T-Nation.com | More New Techniques You've Never Tried

If you do 2-3-5-10 for a total of five sets, you'll have done a total of 100 reps, and your shoulders will be finished for a few days. The upside of this training is that there's very little nervous energy or stress going through the system when you train with this method, unlike 10x10 when you need a force of will to drive through a full workout.

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I've found this ideal for all pressing workouts. If you can handle ten pull-ups without too much strain, try it with this, too. Rowing for 100 reps seems risky to me, unless you can maintain quality positions and do quality reps. Please don't try this with any weight or exercise that you're not going to control.

Having warned you, I find that I can use this rep scheme over three workout sessions. It's a great way to build up a lagging lift or upper body issue. Try this simple week-long plan.

Workout One

Back squat or front squat 2x5
Deadlift 2x5
Military press variation 3x2-3-5-10
Pull-up 2xMax reps
Any ab exercise

Workout Two

Back squat or front squat 2x5
Deadlift 2x5
Military press variation 5x2-3-5-10
Pull-up 2xMax reps
A different ab exercise

Workout Three

Back squat or front squat 2x5
Deadlift 2x5
Military press variation 2x2-3-5-10
Pull-up 2xMax reps
Another different ab exercise

Note how simple the three workouts are, because we're trying to stick with the rules of experimenting. After this sample week, do what you'd consider a "normal" workout and test to see if you're pressing things with more ease.

If you like this little variation, try to slowly add an additional 2-3-5-10 exercise into your training. Pleasedon't go crazy and do 100 reps of five exercises on the first day. That's the kind of thing that idiots like me do. You don't want to do that, okay?

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Let's review my recent workout. With two 53-pound kettlebells, clean the bells once and press them overhead two times. Lower to the floor and rest for a few seconds. Clean the bells once again and press them three times overhead. Rest. On the next "set," press them five times, then briefly rest again. Finally, clean the bells and press them 10 times.

That's twenty repetitions, and not a bad workout by itself. I find myself squeezing hard on reps eight, nine and ten, but nothing's too terrible. I put the bells down, rested a while longer, and then started again at two.

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