Being called back to the office after COVID has good and bad points. The bad thing is that I have to get up earlier, drive to work, and waste gas, for a few examples. The good is I get to go back to the office gym. Before COVID, we were 3 to 5 strong in the gym, working out and doing the same lifting routine. We did anything from Boulder Shoulder, Armageddon, to Muscle Media’s put 50 pounds on your bench. At that time, we all focused on big lifts and trying to lift four plates aside. Some of us got up to 4 plates and hovered between 385 to 415 on the bench. Lifting that much makes you feel good; however, I hated lifting so heavy. It’s great when you are done, but I look for excuses not to lift when starting. Not to mention how bad it is on your shoulders lifting that much weight. I’ve had surgery on both shoulders, and lifting that much was very hard on the shoulders. Also, I was not cut. I put on size and lean muscle mass, but I looked bulky.
Since getting called back into the office, I want to parlay that by ensuring I used the gym and returned after it. I thought about how I tried to lift this time and what I wanted to achieve. I remember discussing my workouts with a good friend and trainer, Ron, about how I was benching 385 and what our group was doing. We discussed lifting less and with more reps. At the time, I thought that if I did that, my bench would go down, which would not be good. Now, fast forward to the beginning of 2024, as I sat and thought about lifting that much 2-4 years ago and getting back into the gym now. At this point, what can or should I change?
As I ponder whether to bulk back up or lean, I remember my wife talking about how Ron made her class do 1300 reps in one workout. She will tell you she thought of the 100s for me. However, I do not remember her talking about 100s, just how many reps they did, so if she did, I am stealing this from her and Ron. I picked the following reps and sets based on another workout that uses what they called feeders. Feeders were lightweight workouts that you were supposed to do on off days. I incorporated feeders into my routine to maximize my rep count on some of my lifts. I can tell you from when I started doing 100s and intermittent fasting. People have noticed how cut I am getting. The beauty of this is that you don’t have to lift heavy weights; it takes the same amount of time at the gym. Start light and work your way up. I get the same satisfaction now as when lifting close to 400 pounds. There’s something about saying you just did 500 reps of chest.
When we bench, we do 100s, but it’s a little different from the rest of the exercises. A flat bench is very demanding, so using higher weights at the bench takes up most of the workout session. The rest of the lifts are the same number of sets and reps unless I feel like it is a heavy or light workout day. Nonetheless, we are still doing 100 reps for every set.
My 100’s routine usually involves the upper body only; however, you can incorporate core and leg exercises. I lift my upper body three times a week. When you are doing 100s, you tend to work out all upper body parts indirectly, and depending on some exercises, you also work out your core.
Monday’s are usually ICD (International Chest Day). The next day, we will either do shoulders/back or arms; on the last workout day, we will work whatever was not worked out on the 3rd workout. Again, you can incorporate legs and core whenever possible.
For the bench, we complete either one of two different workouts. The main workout is as follows:
Start with a weight you know you can do 20 reps with; the first set must always be 20 reps. If you are successful at 20 reps, then the next week, jump up 10 pounds. After the set of 20, you can (with the same amount of weight) complete the 100 reps. The heavier you go, the more sets you will need. We started at 135 pounds and reached 215 before we could not complete 20 at 225. So, we dropped down 5 pounds and will work at 210 until we can complete 20 on the first set.
If you choose to go up by 10 pounds at a time, then when you stall (cannot complete 20 reps the first set), go down 5 pounds until you can reach 20 reps on the first set, then for 100 reps total. When this is done, the workout is over. This will get heavy and will get you 100 heavy reps.
The alternate workout or lighter workout hits all or most of your chest. I usually pick five exercises and make sure I get at least 500 reps. For the first exercise, I typically use a wide grip bench with lightweight (the first set is usually with weight; I can complete 50 reps in the first set.) I will start with a weight under 135 for 50 reps (start with the bar and then add weight), and then after your first set of 50 reps, complete the following sets to equal 100:
1 set of 15
1 set of 15
1 set 10
1 set of 10
When you do the lighter-day chest workout, these sets should include more weight as you complete them.
Don’t get too crazy with this; you will have 400 more reps to complete the workout.
The rest of the exercises can vary, but 90 % of the time, I follow the below:
The first sets are feeder sets and a total of 50 reps. Please make sure these sets are light but weigh enough to feel the last 10 to 15 reps. You should strain a little on the previous 10 to 15 reps.
Set 1 is 30 reps with a comfortable weight.
Set 2 is 20 reps with the same or slightly higher weight.
The next 50 reps depend on how heavy a weight I choose but are usually the following sets.
1 set of 15
1 set of 15
1 set 10
1 set of 10
Sometimes, if I am doing a light workout or need to speed it up, I will combine the last two sets and knock out a set of 20.
Try to superset all your exercises except for regular bench day since that would be your only exercise.
I will complete two exercises simultaneously, alternating them. If I do a heavier workout, I will start one exercise, get my feeders done (50 reps/ 2 sets), and then start on the next exercise.
When I think about this workout, I think about farmers and ranchers who work the farms and ranches throwing bails, hay, or straw, whatever is needed, and the repetition day after day. Some are light repetition days, and others are much heavier, but the repetition works.
It has worked for me.