Bodybuilding.com - Pumping Iron - Iraq Edition Part III: The Workouts.

24/7 Customer Service 1-877-991-3411
Contact Us
Need Help?
View Cart

Pumping Iron - Iraq Edition Part III: The Workouts.

With limited resources and time it became an ordeal to make workout programs that would thoroughly hit each muscle group. Here is what the team came up with. Read on and try them out, if you dare!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

With limited resources and time, it became something of an ordeal to construct workout programs that would thoroughly hit each muscle group. In the end, here is what the team came up with. Now some may argue that these workouts use an excessive number of sets and may be construed as overtraining. This is absolute nonsense, given the team's sheer results in mass and power.

Click Image To Enlarge.
Results Speak For Themselves.

Justin Cole's Massive Back Workout:

Be warned, this workout is not for the meek! It is a brutal combination of heavy weight and supersets. Focus is placed on form and control.

Pull-ups - As many sets as it took to get to 50 (Warm-up)
Deadlifts - 5 sets of 6-8 reps
Heavy Lat Pulldowns - 3 sets of 8-10 reps
*Superset with
Heavy Low Cable Rows - 3 sets of 6-8 reps
T-Bar Rows - 3 sets of 6-8 reps
*Superset with
Single-Arm Dumbbell Rows - 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Seated Machine Pulls (Wide Grip) Slow repetitions

*This is our final burn-out for the upper back - 3 sets to burn-out

print Click Here For A Printable Log Of Justin Cole's Massive Back Workout.

Click Image To Enlarge.
Pull-ups.

James Mace's Stronghold Shoulder Workout:

Note: This workout uses extremely heavy weights. Be sure you thoroughly warm up your arms and shoulder joints before attempting this workout to avoid injury.

Standing Military Press - 4 sets of 4-6 reps
Seated Arnold Press - 4 sets of 6-8 reps
Alternating Dumbbell Raise (front) - 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Dumbbell Lateral Raise - 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Bent-Over Lateral Raise (leaning over at approximately a 30-degree angle) - 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Barbell Shrug - 3 sets of 4-6 reps (holding the final rep on each set to failure)

print Click Here For A Printable Log Of James Mace's Stronghold Shoulder Workout.

Click Image To Enlarge.
Seated Press.

Legs Of Power Workout:

Huge emphasis must be placed concerning proper form on legs routines. This is particularly true concerning Squats and Leg Presses. It is critical that the legs remain in alignment and that one goes deep enough. Deep enough is when the backs of the legs are parallel to the floor, the legs forming a 45-degree angle. The legs act like a giant spring, reaching their maximum potential at this angle. Any less puts horrible strain on the knees.

Squats - 2 Warm-up sets of 8-10 reps, followed by 4 working sets of 4-6 reps
Front Squats - 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Stiff-Leg Deadlifts - 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Straight-Leg Calf Press (Incline Sled) - 5 sets of 6-8 reps
Seated Calf Raise - 5 sets of 6-8 reps
Leg Presses (Incline Sled) - 3 sets to burn-out (optional)

print Click Here For A Printable Log Of Legs Of Power Workout.

Don LaMott's Big Chest Workout:

A lot of sets and a lot of weight go into this one. It is best to work into this one gradually, upping the sets and weight as weeks go by.

Bench Press - 2 warm-up sets, 1 "break-in" set (usually about 80% of your work sets), followed by 4 working sets of 4-6 reps
Incline Bench - 4 sets of 4-6 reps
Decline Bench - 3 sets of 4-6 reps (pause at the bottom)
Flyes (alternate between doing them on the incline and flat bench) - 3 sets of 6-8 reps

Burn-out Lift (optional) - Choose from a variety of exercises and do 3 sets to burn-out. Options include Pull-Over, Push-Up, Lightweight Bench Press, and Cable Cross-Over.

print Click Here For A Printable Log Of Don LaMott's Big Chest Workout.

Click Image To Enlarge.
Bench Press.

Strong Arm Workout:

Though biceps and triceps get hit on most other upper-body lifts, it is still important that they get their own day. Also, one cannot forget about forearms, regarded by many to be among the most under-worked muscle groups.

Standing French Curls (wavy bar/EZ bar or dumbbell) - 3 sets of 4-6 reps
Cable Pressdown - 3 sets of 4-6 reps
Skull Crusher - 3 sets of 4-6 reps
Dumbbell Kickbacks - 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Standing Barbell Curl (straight or wavy bar) - 3 sets of 4-6 reps
Arnold Curls - 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Preacher Curls (wavy bar or dumbbell) - 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Lightweight Dumbbell Kickbacks (twist and hold at end of each rep) - 3 sets to burn-out
*Superset with
Straight Bar Curls (lightweight) - 3 sets to burnout