Question: After reading your article on 3×3 workouts I have been doing a 3×3 (squats, chins, dips) and am liking it very much. How long would you do a 3×3 specific routine and then how long would you do 3×3 before going back to a traditional HIT routine?
Do you see 3×3 as a good type of routine to perform occasionally or more long term?
Answer: If you are performing 3×3 routines exclusively or frequently I recommend rotating exercises every workout or at least every other week, so that you can incorporate more variety of movement and more direct work for different muscle groups. You should alternate between upper body pushing and pulling movements in different planes and between pushing and pulling lower body movements.
I prefer pairing pushing and pulling movements in similar planes, such as presses and chin ups, or dips and rows. Due to the greater overlap in muscle involvement between horizontal and low rowing movements and deadlifts, when deadlifting I recommend vertical pulling movements. For example:
Routine A:
- Barbell Squat
- Weighted Dip
- Barbell Row
Routine B:
- Trap Bar Deadlift
- Barbell Press
- Weighted Chin Up
Although there is little variety within a single 3×3 routine, the routines can be varied quite a bit depending on the equipment available to you and your capabilities.
Whether you perform 3×3 routines occasionally or as the core of your program depends on your goals, the equipment available to you and the environment you train in. Conventional bodybuilding-oriented and 3×3 high intensity training routines are both effective for improving muscular strength and size and cardiovasular and metabolic conditioning. However, 3×3’s are more geared towards conditioning, while a well rounded bodybuilding routine will include some isolation work for smaller muscle groups, depending on the needs of the trainee.
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Drew, your articles about the 3×3 routines and conditioning are very good, but I have a question: most HIT advocates feel that multiple sets are counterproductive. I see the practical usefulness of multiple sets in the 3×3 routines but would you say that’s sort of a compromise and that it would be better to do nine different exercises (if it were possible to do them in rapid succession)? Or is there a conditioning benefit to repeating the exercises?
Thanks for your time
Ryan
Ryan,
The following quote from the first 3×3 article should answer your question:
“While a similar conditioning effect could be achieved performing one set of nine different exercises addressing the same muscle groups, the advantage of a 3×3 is that it allows shorter rest periods since the bars or machines only need to be set up once. In most gyms it can be difficult to move quickly between different exercises during peak hours. Most 3×3 routines can be performed with minimal equipment in a single spot, without waiting for equipment or people getting in your way even if the gym is packed.”
Right now I am more interested in the metabolic conditioning element of the 3×3 as opposed to HIT vs HVT (and in reality I probably fall somewhere in between). To me it is more about maintaining intensity in your workouts while not overtraining, but other than that I don’t mind repeating a set of an exercise in a workout – but not trying to start that debate here. I think I would actually prefer to do nine different exercises for the 3×3 but it is difficult for me already to get access to the equipment such that I don’t have to wait or start changing my sequence of exercises.
Taking the Q&A piece above, I worked some this weekend on a routine that I think I will try for 3 months or so and see how it goes, would like to share here in concept.
The first part of the 3×3 is taxing for me, but I know I could do a few more isolation exercise, particularly for body parts not hit fully in the 3×3. I plan to do each of the following 2 routines 1 time each week (probably a Mon/Thu deal):
1.) 3×3 (Squats, Dips, BB Row) and add 1 set (HIT style)of isolation exercises such as – leg curls, bb curl, crunches, seated calves, shrugs
2.) 3×3 (Deadlift, BB Press, Chins) and then HIT – leg ext, tri ext, back ext/raises, calf press
Thanks again for the feedback and discussion. For me, the best approach is taking what I see from sites like this, learning some things, then developing and applying to a workout for myself that gives benefit and keeps me and my body interested.
Drew, thanks for your response, I should have realized you already addressed the issue.
Scott, I agree that doing nine different exercises is completely impractical 99% of the time. I like your idea of doing doing some isolation exercises after the 3×3. I’ll try that when my conditioning improves, right now the 3×3 wipes me out too much to even consider doing more. For now, I’m going to replace every third workout with a HIT style isolation only routine, focusing on parts not hit directly in the 3×3, arms, abs, calves, etc, similar to what you’re doing but moving it all to separate workout. The conditioning benefits will be less but it’ll help with complete development and will add a nice bit of variety.
Thanks
Ryan
Hi Drew,
1. How often do you do the 3X3 routine?
2. Whare are your current goals? For example mine are two right now – get stronger and put on more muscle mass. I am 46 and weigh 172 lbs and am 5’10”.
Thanks!
Hameed
1. As of right now, I do them very rarely. More focused on strength/size, and get plenty of conditioning from the regular strength training workouts for my goals.
2. I am currently just focusing on getting stronger. General improvements in all other aspects of fitness will come with the strength. Training for strength and size are one in the same. If you want to get bigger, you have to focus on getting stronger. If you’re focusing on getting stronger, you will also get bigger over time (although the ratio varies considerably between individuals).
This seems like an interesting workout, and I like that it’s so brief since time is a factor for me. Have you seen people gain size and strength with a routine like the 3×3? My goal (and 99% of lifters I’m sure) is to lose some fat and gain LBM, and this routine seems like it might fit the bill.