Men's Fitness Online

Reps: switching your mindset can bring on big muscle gains.

A great physique can be yours without spending hours in the gym. Want proof? The 7-4-7 method harnesses all the power you can muster by structuring your sets perfectly with the weight you’re using. The result? The body you always wanted without moving into your local gym. You can thank us later.

747 Reps Method: How it works

A 7-4-7 exercise starts with seven reps using a moderate weight. Without rest, increase the load (and sometimes tweak the exercise slightly) and knock out another four reps. Finish by lightening the load and completing another seven reps. At 18 total rep per set, as opposed to the 8-10 you’re probably used to, you’re getting enough volume to tax your muscles and force your body to call in reinforcements (by laying down new muscle tissue). Increasing the intensity mid-set means you recruit more muscle fibres in a wider range. This dual approach is a rarity in muscle-gain plans and it makes 7-4-7 the right combination to unlock growth.

Directions

FREQUENCY:

Do each workout (Day 1, 2 and 3) once a week.

TIME NEEDED:

40 minutes.

HOW TO DO IT:

• Choose a weight with which you can do no more than eight, but do only seven. Immediately add weight to do only four (and fail at four). Then, reduce the load to something less than you used when you began with seven reps. Complete another seven reps. That’s one set.
• Hybrid exercises (such as the overhead press/push/press and front squat/back squat/jump squat) are done the same way, but the grip and bar position change.
• Exercises that are paired (marked “A” and “B”) are done in alternating fashion. Complete all sets for one pair before going on.

Click here for a downloadable PDF of The 747 Method Workout