The Texas Extreme Powerbuilding Program

JoshStrength

Functional Training, Powerlifting, Bodybuilding
Coach
Josh Bryant

Get the best of bodybuilding & powerlifting to develop size, symmetry, & strength. Over a decade ago, I co-authored with the legendary, Brian Dobson, the iconic, best-selling, Metroflex Gym Powerbuilding Basics.

The powerbuilding principles have stood the test of time.

Over time, I have refined the powerbuilding approach by logging thousands of hours in the trenches with average Joes & top-level pros.

Arnold started off as a powerlifter & Franco Columbu successfully competed in the world's strongest man. The most muscular men of all-time have trained using a hybrid methodology universally before the arrival of extreme drugs like HGH, insulin & whatever the hell else is lurking around today.

Far too many in the iron game believe you have to either train like a bodybuilder or a powerlifter. There is no "or". Maximizing development requires you train like a bodybuilder AND a powerlifter & being a powerlifter with no weak link requires you to train like a bodybuilder!

Hence, the name of the game is powerbuilding!

I have the perfect plan for you that carefully balances high reps, low reps, fast reps, slow reps, compound movement, peak contraction ones, free weights & machines!

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Train Like The Best
Powerbuilding built Ronnie Coleman, the greatest bodybuilder of all time, who has set a muscularity standard no one today is close to matching! Coleman trained with low reps and heavy weight like a powerlifter, including an 800-pound squat for a single and the same weight for a double in the deadlift. Additionally, Coleman executed extremely high reps on a variety of exercises.
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Put a Little Old Back In The New School
Doug Young, served as Arnold's mass-building consultant. Young, a powerbuilder, included high volume sets and reps like a bodybuilder. Arnold started off as a powerlifter but the most muscular men of all time have trained using a hybrid methodology universally before the arrival of extreme drugs like HGH, insulin and whatever the hell else is lurking around today.
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Train Core Lifts
Big movements produce big results! Core lifts must form the core of your training program, even if pure aesthetics is your goal. These movements build the most muscle mass and produce the highest levels of inter & intra muscle coordination, and increase High Threshold Motor Unit (HTMU) recruitment, which have the highest potential for growth while naturally spiking your anabolic hormones!
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Varying Rep Ranges
The reason strong bodybuilders have a dense look is myogenic tone, which refers to a state of partial muscle activation. It means even while resting your nervous system is keeping some tension in the muscle, theoretically maintaining a state of readiness; if a situation arose, necessitating instantaneous force production. This lends to a dense, grainy look when dieted down!
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Isolation Exercises
Isolation exercises play a non-negotiable role. Core movements are more functional and natural but to "super naturally" develop certain muscles, you have to overload them with principles of isolation. You'll find that in this Powerbuilding program.
Features
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Programming 5 days per week
5 days of Powerbuilding training each week for 5 weeks of progression followed by a reload in the 6th week.
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Exercise Video Guidance
Instructional videos for each movement in the program so you know exactly what I'm looking for.
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Detailed, expert instruction
Get so much more than just the sets & reps. You'll find detailed instructions on reset time, tempo, re-ranges, everything I need from you.
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Delivered through TrainHeroic
I've partnered with my guys at TrainHeroic to deliver this program through an app that gives you the best tech in training.
Equipment
Required
Barbell + Plates // Pull-Up Bar // Bench // Cable Machine // Dumbbells // Sled
Recommended
Conventional Gym
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Sample Week
Week 1 of 6-week program
Sunday
Week 1 Day 1

A

Bench Press

1 x 2

B

Pull-Up

1 x MAX

C

Machine Incline Bench Press

2 x MAX

D1

Decline DB Bench Press

1 x 8

D2

Standing Band Fly

1 x 8

D3

Push-Up

1 x 8

E

Decline DB Tricep Extension

1 x 5

Monday
Week 1 Day 2

A

High Bar Back Squat

1 x 5

B

Barbell Lunge

4 x 8

C

Leg Extension

50, 40, 30, 20

D

Lat Pulldown

8 x 8

E

Backward Sled Drag

4 x 50

F

Single Leg RDL

3 x 4

Tuesday
Week 1 Day 3

A

One Arm Cable Row

1 x 4

B

Neutral Grip Lat Pulldowns

1 x 5

C

Cobra Lat Pulldowns

3 x 12

D

Gironda Perfect Curls

4 x 6

E

Crossbody Hammer Curls

1 x 5

F

Standing Weighted Crunches

4 x 15

Wednesday
Week 1 Day 4

A

Cable Lateral Raise

1 x 5

B

Facedown Incline Rear Delt Swings

3 x 30

C1

Dips

3 x 10

C2

1 and 1/4 Tricep Extension

3 x 10

D

Triceps Pushdowns

1 x 100

E

Sled Lateral Raise

1 x MAX

Thursday
Week 1 Day 5

A

Snatch Grip Rack Pulls Knee Level

3 x 12

B

Gittleson Shrug

3 x 12

C1

Overload Seated Row

4 x 6

C2

Neutral Grip Pull Ups

4 x 6

D

One-Arm Lat Pulldown

1 x 5

E

Sled Curls

1 x MAX

Coach
coach-avatar Josh Bryant

Josh Bryant has held world records in powerlifting and won the Strongest Man in America title in 2005. Referred to as the “trainer of superstars," Josh works with some of the world’s strongest and most muscular athletes at Metroflex Gym in Arlington, Texas.

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Get the Perfect Plan

We've carefully balanced high reps, low reps, fast reps, slow reps, compound movements, peak contraction ones, free weights and machines in the ultimate powerbuilding program!

Get The Texas Extreme Powerbuilding Program
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FAQs
Who is this program for?
This program is for intermediate and advance lifters. An intermediate lifter is someone who has six months to a year of consistent, intelligent training. An advanced lifter is someone who has two years or more of consistent, intelligent training.
What is RPE?
RPE is the acronym for rate of perceived exertion and is a way to self-regulate intensity. The following is the RPE scale used for the program. REMEMBER that RPEs are not emotional or a challenge, they are a pragmatic way to modulate intensity to the day’s strength levels. RPE is a measuring tool.
More on RPE...
4 Light weight for active recovery or mobility 5 Warm-up weight 6 Too light to have a significant training effect 7 Could have performed an additional three to five reps at the end of the set
And a little more on RPE...
8 Could have performed two to three additional reps at the end of a set 9 Could have performed one additional rep at the of a set, maybe two 10 At a max, no additional reps could be performed at the end of the set
The Texas Extreme Powerbuilding Program