b. Shrugs
. As explained in Chapter , upper-back shrugs have sufficient value to war-
rant their inclusion in your regular training. To include an upper-back shrug
without it adding much to the total load of your training, and to minimize if
not eliminate any warming up, shrug after your final set of deadlifts. Just one
or two work set(s) of the shrug will do the job. e incline shrug is the best
all-purpose upper-back shrug.FRAMEWORK
Super-abbreviated program
. e first four frameworks are already abbreviated relative to conventional
training. But even these abbreviated programs can themselves be abbrevi-
ated. is is done primarily by dropping all the accessory exercises. And
even the major exercises can be pruned back. Pruning back in this way does
not mean you must neglect big areas of musculature. It is possible to work
all the body’s major musculature with just a few exercises, so long as only the
very best exercises are selected. A single routine of just three exercises—e.g.,
Trap Bar deadlift, parallel bar dip, and pullup—covers all the major mus-
culature of the body. Rid yourself of the notion that a lot of exercises are
needed to build a big and strong body.. But why use super-abbreviated programs? Because they can be even more
productive than “regular” abbreviated programs for producing gains in mus-
cular mass.. Note that a super-abbreviated routine is at the core of every abbreviated
training program. All other abbreviated routines are in essence super-abbre-
viated routines together with a few additional exercises.. ere are several powerful applications for ultra-abbreviated routines,
including:a. For extending the gaining lifetime of a routine. Once a routine has run
dry of gains, drop everything but the absolute essentials, perhaps add
more rest days, and then you may get additional weeks of gains from
and otherwise finished routine.
b. For extreme hard gainers, an ultra-abbreviated routine may be the only
way to go, right from day one. Later programs may use more rounded
abbreviated routines, once a substantial foundation has been built.