Most people who train with weights can be divided into 2 categories: those who want to gain size and those who want to gain strength. Both are great goals and have very specific training routines, exercises, and sets. The type of training I hardly ever see in the gym is muscular endurance.

For most of us, our goals in the gym don’t lead to the Mr. Olympia stage or the Olympic Games Weightlifting Stadium. However, we tend to ignore the more practical exercises. Shoveling the driveway for 30 minutes doesn’t require a 400-pound bench press. Taking your 3-year-old around the zoo all day doesn’t require 21-inch biceps. What most daily activities require is muscular endurance – the ability to move an average amount of weight for an extended period of time.

My first introduction to this type of set was through my Russian mixed martial arts coach. He used to say to me, “What’s the use of a 300-pound bench press if you can only do one? In a fight, you may have to push your opponent with your chest to release him for 10 minutes.” I’m paraphrasing here because he spoke broken English with a heavy Russian accent, but he was right! I could move a great deal of weight for a few reps, but at half my max I would get fatigued after about 20 reps. With about 8 weeks of specialized training, I was putting on the same weight out of boredom after 60 reps. Then we move on to the mega-set circuits, but that’s a story for another time.

Mega Set Training (6-8 week cycle)

Day 1 Chest

– 2 warm-up series

– 1 set of maximum bench press weight for 5-6 reps

Bench Press and Dumbbell Fly

– 4 sets of 50 reps each (to start, use about half the weight of your 10 reps max). Keep your rest to less than 2 minutes between sets

Day2 Cardio

Day 3 Back

– 2 warm-up series

– 1 set of maximum weight of Bent Over Rows for 5-6 reps

Bent rows and side pull-downs

– 4 sets of 50 reps each (to start, use about half the weight of your 10 reps max). Keep your rest to less than 2 minutes between sets

Day 4 Cardio

Day 5 Legs

– 2 warm-up series

– 1 set of max weight squats for 5-6 reps

Squat and Bent Leg Dead Raises

– 4 sets of 50 reps each (to start, use about half the weight of your 10 reps max). Keep your rest to less than 2 minutes between sets

Day 6 Arms and shoulders

– 2 exercises per body part, 4 sets, 8-12 reps per set

Day 7 Rest