# Paul Kelso strength Routine



## Mr T (Apr 4, 2003)

I was reading about a routine devised by Paul Kelso, it is very basic and not everyone's taste.

It woulld be the ideal routine however if you were comming up to a powerlifting comp.

I also believe this could benefit beginners if the weights were initially lighter, with view to building them up and creating a solid foundation for a future of training with weights.

Twice a week:

do several warmup sets before each movement

squat 3x4-6

bench 3x4-6

deadlift 3x4-6

do this for 8 weeks max

the simplicity of this appeals to me and it shows how abbreviated a routine can be whilst still being highly productive. This is tried and tested.

after you could return to whichever routine you wish, then use this whenever you feel you power in the big moves needs a boost.

AL

Thanks Big Al Muscletalk


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2003)

That is what I see many people doing int he gym at my school. I am not a big fan of it because I feel when you start training you should atleast do an exercise for every muscle group so you dont have any muscle group out or propotioned with the others.

ex. This all split between 2 days with a day or two rest in

between.....

Squats-legs, bench-chest, curls-bi's, close grip bench-tri's,

Deadlifts-back, military presses-delts, shrugs-traps,

hammer curls-forearms


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

I totally agree with the strength portion of this. That would make you strong and maybe give you some achy joints but great basic movements. I want to add that this is probably for power lifting as they do bench, squats and dead lifts and add all together and get a total. This is your score. But this kindof lifting can be incorperated in any exercise that you want to gain strength in, like clean and jerks or even calves for that matter. Just my two cents worth. But, I would be willing to admit that you would not be overtraining on this routine and get some serious strength, not to mention raised blood level test due to the squats and deads. Right on Mr. T!


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

I also agree, with strength comes size. The strongest guys in the world do those basic lifts. Bench hits the chest, front delts and tries. The scquats expand the rib cage on younger guys and really is an over all body work out. Dead lifts do hit back, traps and actually hit the bicepts. If you think I am wrong then how is it that guys tear their bicepts doing dead lifts. I think Tom Platts did if I am not mistaken.

Some say you should switch up every 5 workouts.


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## robin_3_16 (Aug 27, 2003)

when u mean this routine do you mean just do those excercises only?

or incorperate it with other excercises?

if only these, would that not be undertraining?


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

No I dont think that would be undertraining. Dont forget the original post said to do it twice a week. I think because you train heavy you stimulate the muscle to grow. I think if you did more you would be overtraining. Have you ever read about Mike Mentzer. He believed that you warm up the muscle and hit it hard one set to failure then go to the next excercise and do the same. I think he only did 6 to 9 sets per body part. You have to let your muscles repair to grow. You ever notice if you hit the bench real hard your inclines might be down? When you are young you can train harder, or on the gear of course. When you are older you have to be smarter about training. Dont forget this is just a change in your routine. Try it for about a month or maybe even two. What do you have to loose. I think most everybody overtrains. I believe that every workout you should eather notice a strength increase or one more rep or a better pump or you might be doing somthing wrong. If your not you are in need of a change of routine. I know it sounds unrealistic if you have been training for a long time, but I think I am making my point.

First of all how old are you and what are you doing as far as training?


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## robin_3_16 (Aug 27, 2003)

i am 18

and i train monday chest

wednesday arms

friday shoulders

i normally do about 1 and a half hours of excercise must overtrain then?

what kind of dead;ifts do you recommend? like straight back or straight leg?

i normally train like that every week


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

This might be kinda fun for ya. It is a push, pull routine. So on monday do Chest shoulders and tries one day. Then do Back and bies on thursday. Saturday do legs by themselves. The key is to keep your body quessing. Change works the best. My routine right now is monday chest, tuesday back, wednesday off, thursday shoulders, friday bies, saturday tries. I dont do legs only cause I do alot of cardio that hammers my legs. I used to squat and I would do 135 for 10, 225 for 8, saving myself, then 315 for 18 reps and that was it for legs. Once a week. I like to stay around 8 reps, but if I do that on legs I have to go heavier and my legs are kinda big naturaly. I only train 20 minutes a day for 5 days. That is only one hour and 40 minutes a week. Not counting my cardio. I am 5'8" 190 lbs and just did 100 pound dumbell incline for 6 reps. One week I do bench first the next week I do incline first. One day bar, next time dumbell. I am a firm believer in changing the routine. Wouldnt it be nice to be strong in every lift!

Or going back to the original post

Monday bench, squats, deadlifts. Thurday do it again. I know you will feel like your not getting a good workout but this hits your whole body. Also I was told that if you scquat first then bench it will make your bench go up. I just think it spikes your natural growth hormone. I tried it and it did seem to work.


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## Paul Kelso (Mar 9, 2004)

Hello: This is Paul Kelso. My first time here, so hope I don't make any posting errors or hit a wrong button.

The routine "Mr T" refers to, squat, BP, DL for 3 x 4-6 is one of many I presented in the - Powerlifting Basics: Texas-Style - book. It was used by a woman lifter training on her own with no spotters and therefore within her limits.

I did NOT recommend the program for most people. Training on your own without spotters is dumb, unless you have a power rack available to you. Deadlifting twice a week may put too much stress on the lower back, and I normally recommend once a week with the DL

The woman was involved with cheerleading at the same time.

This type of program could be used as 'T' said, with a warmup set first, and without training to failure. Plus some ab work.

There are much better ways to prepare for a competition, but 8 weeks with this program, handled sanely and progressively, would benefit many as a strength builder and precursor to a pre-competition cycle.


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## Mr T (Apr 4, 2003)

hi mate, good to see u posting here, hope all is well and u can stick around


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## robdog (Dec 2, 2003)

welcome to the board paul


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

Yea wecome Paul


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## robin_3_16 (Aug 27, 2003)

hey paul!


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

Here is a little bio on Paul Kelso.

http://sfuk.tripod.com/interviews_02/paul_kelso.html

I thought that name was familiar. Hey Paul it is an honor for you to visit our board. 

I have a quick question for you. I like to train heavy. I do very few sets but heavy and intense. Between 8-10 reps. Here is the question.

How many sets per bodypart do you recomend and how many times a week. General answer, it dosn't have to be lengthy. I kinda liked the way Mike Menzer trained. Oh and I am clean no juice and 44 years old. Thanks in advance. This is awsome. Once again welcome to the board Paul


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## Paul Kelso (Mar 9, 2004)

Winger: give me an idea of what it is you are trying to accomplish. Or, at what stage in your training are you? Looking for overall growth - training for pretty - or power - or both?

body parts no more than twice a week, generally. Depends on answers to above. -pk


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

> Originally posted by Paul Kelso
> 
> *Winger: give me an idea of what it is you are trying to accomplish. Or, at what stage in your training are you? Looking for overall growth - training for pretty - or power - or both? *
> 
> ...


Bigger and stronger, but would rather add muscle more. I have been training for 25 years.


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## verve (Sep 10, 2003)

oh come on, as if this guy is really paul kelso.look up gullible in the dictionary and you'll see a pic of yourselves.anyway must go now,coz i 4got to mention,my names ronnie coleman, so i've gotta go prepare for the olympia...


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Personally with the exception of use of gear or a guy that recouperates fast I would only hit each body part once a week.

I noticed I did not get stronger in any of my lifts doing them more than once a week.

But that is just me. Some guys can and some guys cant, I cant.

The only other time I saw decent results was then I split up the groups to something like this:

All done with high intensity 8-12 reps

Monday: Bench and bent over rows.

Tuesday: Leg curls and side lateral raises.

Wednesday: Inclines, pulldowns.

Thursday: arms supersetting biceps and triceps

Friday: Military press, traps

Sat: Quads

Was fresh for each group I could put out alot of energy as each group had only one exercise that day. No pre-fetiguing so the strength was up in all my lifts.


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

Yea I know what you mean. That worked for me also. You arent doing any more sets per body part but are working out the muscle twice a week.


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## Paul Kelso (Mar 9, 2004)

winger: despite Mr vervefan's doubts, it is I.

As I got older, I found I could continue to gain both mass and strength by doing LESS work. I have never been a fan of the bodybuilding methods now popular - such as multi-splits or twice a day stuff. In fact, I was a weightlifter originally, and have not been in a bodybuilding contest since I was 20, 47 years ago. Got into powerlifting when I was 40 or so.

20 sets or less per body, not per bodypart, became my credo.

Simplify. The chapter beginning p 26 of my "Texas-Style" book recommends the following:

Squat - BP - highpulls 4x8 or 5x5, plus a few sets each of curls and calves. 18-20 sets total.

On a second day: Overhead presses - deadlift or stiffleg DL - rows or pullups. and a few sets each of flat bench db press and calves. 18-20 sets total.

a third optional day: try front squats or trap bar lifts, close grip bench or dips, incline "Kelso" shrugs, and a few curls and calves.

Do waist work at home on off days.

Two work outs a week - or three in two weeks, if you need extra recovery. I did the above for several years in my fifties. Gained ten lean pounds, lost some blubber, regained some strength.

as this is a bodybuilding site, I am not really qualified to advise on proportion and symetry, getting fined down etc. One of my "Laws" is that there is little sense in doing refining exercises until you have some mass to refine. I get a little bemused watching underdeveloped young guys trying to do a champion's polishing routine.

I'm at - [email protected] .


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

> Originally posted by Paul Kelso
> 
> *winger: despite Mr vervefan's doubts, it is I. *
> 
> ...


Kudo's Paul. The last comment I totally agree with. Basic compound exercises. With the exciption of injury these should be done first and foremost.

How do you refine the undeveloped? 

I am Wingers Identical Twin Brother. We are very much the same. With the exception of squats I do mostly compound exercises. Not really a body builder and not a power lifter and not a pretty boy. We are both 44 yrs old. Squats bother my knees quite a bit.

If I had one question for you what would you do in place of Squats?

Or would you just go light in the squat?

Tried the front squat but kindof injured my collar bone doing that. Hey please dont laugh. That did happen.

Hey Thanks for joining the board and welcome. I pretty much feel that you are over qualified to give advice.


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

Paul, I never doubted you as being you. But the reason why I was so vague was because I wanted you to prove yourself, for me and the forum. I think training has not changed ever. Train heavy, fewer sets, and let the body rebuild. You have to ask yourself why are the biggest guys comming from powerlifting back grounds. If you are not getting stronger in your workouts then you are eather overtraining, or not getting enough rest. Paul I am so glad you wound up on this forum.  The guys here are not abrasive and they all want to learn. Just like me. Spill your brains out and we will all benifit.


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## Paul Kelso (Mar 9, 2004)

Thanks, guys. As for the squat question, maybe changing your stance or a different height heel would relieve the knees. On front squats (I love them) are you holding the bar in clean position or across the front delts and holding the bar by bringing your hands back to the middle? Substitutes I like are trap bar lifts or hip belt lifts. Hack machines kill my knees and leg presses don't seem very effective for me personally.


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Yah, Paul. The bar sat on my front delts with my hands kindof crossed in the center of the bar. I think the bar might have been sitting on the collar bone a little bit.

Trap bar and hip belt bar lifts sound good. I think the reason the front squats felt so good is the angle of the weight. It forces you to stand more in an upright posture. Hey, you cant lean fwd while doing front squats.

They took alot of pressure off the knees doing the fronts.

I guess I could try the clean (hands) position.

Thanks


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## robin_3_16 (Aug 27, 2003)

so you are saying, i am sorry mate for the how to grow question i didn't understand your answer

its great your on the board

and i was wondeirng if you could post an example routine you would recommend

i can see you have above but i couldn't quite split it up,

could you possibly do it again

great you are on here mate!


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

Paul could you give us a routine to get stronger and bigger? I have posted many and they seem to fall on deaf ears. You are the man and you could back it up if you wanted to. Make it basic. Or not..............................


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## verve (Sep 10, 2003)

sorry paul, just seemed unlikely that he day someone posted a post about paul kelso that paul kelso himself would join.hope u understand,no offense intended


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## Paul Kelso (Mar 9, 2004)

Vervefan: actually, I got an email from a fellow alerting me that my name came here, so I took a look.

Winger: well, those workouts I posted up above should do the trick. Do the first one day and the second the next. A-B-A-B etc. Sometimes try the third group (front squat etc) and I'd add bent arm pullovers or the pullover machine to that mix. Reps 4 x 8 or 5 x 5. Do a warmup set or two and then get after it the others sets.


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## robdog (Dec 2, 2003)

good advice mate


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## drago78 (Oct 1, 2007)

Paul Kelso posted on this site!!!

A shame he didn't stay .


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

Paul Kelso said:


> Vervefan:  actually, I got an email from a fellow alerting me that my name came here, so I took a look.
> 
> Winger: well, those workouts I posted up above should do the trick. Do the first one day and the second the next. A-B-A-B etc. Sometimes try the third group (front squat etc) and I'd add bent arm pullovers or the pullover machine to that mix. Reps 4 x 8 or 5 x 5. Do a warmup set or two and then get after it the others sets.


Paul, you are the man with a 10 times multiplier! :thumbup1:



drago78 said:


> Paul Kelso posted on this site!!!
> 
> A shame he didn't stay .


You bumping this might help...he he he...lol


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## drago78 (Oct 1, 2007)

Hopefully it will


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## Troy McClure (Mar 30, 2006)

drago78 said:


> Hopefully it will


ditto.

Im still amazed that Paul Kelso "shrug" posted on this board.

bring back Kelso


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