Bill Kazmaier Training Routine
Bill Kazmaier Training Routine. Bill Kazmaier is one of the strongest men to have ever walked the planet. He lifted in a primitive era – I say that facetiously – before triple ply this and uber ply that. Some speculate that if Kaz would have trained using modern gear, he may have hit a three lift total of 3,100+. This may or may not be true, but it sure is fun to speculate.
Now, let’s get down to the point of this article. Bill Kazmaier’s training philosophy and routine.
Powerbuilding. Bill Kazmaier may have been the first true powerbuilder. He trained heavy, working the three main lifts with all assistance work twice a week. Yes, you read that correctly. The Kaz used an animalistic high intensity, high volume workout routine. He hit the deadlift, squat and bench twice a week.
Heavy/Light. Bill Kazmaier used a heavy/light approach to training. His first bench press workout of the week was heavy, and his second was light. Bill alternated heavy/light workouts on squat and deadlift days. But the volume remained on all training days, and the workouts were always long and grueling.
Eating. To say that Bill Kazmaier ate big is an understatement. And as the years pass, I’m sure the stories of his eating will grow like tall tales. It is currently said that Bill could swig down an entire gallon of milk in one sitting, and easily destroy a buffet.
Pre-meet Training. As the Kaz approached a meet, he would cycle down on reps. First Bill would use an 8 rep scheme, then cycle down to five reps, and finally heavy triples.
Bill Kazmaier Routine.
Monday
Bench (heavy) warm up, then 4 sets x 10 reps
Wide Grip Bench 3 sets x 10 reps
Narrow Grip Bench 3 sets x 10 reps
Front Delt Raise 4 sets x 8 reps
Dumbell Seated Press 4 sets x 10 reps
Side Delt Raise 4 sets x 10 reps
Lying Tricep Push (after 2 warm up sets) 6 sets x 10 reps
Tricep Push Down 4 sets x 10 reps
Tuesday
Squat (heavy) warm up, then 4 sets x 10 reps
Deadlift (light) warm up, then 3 sets x 10 reps
Shrugs 2 sets x 15-40 reps, 1 set x 10-20 reps
Seated Hammer Curls 4 sets x 12 reps
Standing Curl 4 sets x 10 reps
Close Grip Chin Ups 3 sets x max on each set
Seated Row 4 sets x 10 reps
Leg Extensions 3 sets x 10 reps
Leg Curl 3 sets x 10 reps
Calf Raise 3 sets x 15-25 reps
Thursday
Bench (light) warm up, then 3 sets x 10 reps
Wide Grip Bench 3 sets x 10 reps
Narrow Grip Bench 3 sets x 10 reps
Dumbell Seated Press (heavy) warm up, then 4 sets x 8 reps
Front Delt Raise 4 sets x 10 reps
Tennis Backhand Cable Extensions 4 sets x 10 reps
Prone Tricep Extension 4 sets x 10 reps
Saturday
Deadlift (heavy) warm up, then 4 sets x 8 reps
Squat (light) warm up, then 4 sets x10 reps
Shrugs (heavy) 4 sets x 10-15 reps
Seated Hammer Curl 4 sets x 8 reps
Concentration Curl 4 sets x 12 reps
One Arm Row – 3 positions 3 sets x 10 reps
Wide Grip Pull (down to chest) 4 sets x 10 reps
Leg Extensions 3 sets x 10 reps
Leg Curl 3 sets x 10 reps
Calf Raise 3 sets x 15-25 reps
(Ab Work When Possible)
Bill Kazmaier 10 Week Bench Press Routine. Bill used this routine to set a world bench press record.
Week 1:
Light Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 410/3/15. Narrow and wide bench presses, 350/3/10. Dumbbell presses, 100/3/10. Front raises, 75/3/10. Lateral raises, 75/3/10. Modified triceps presses, 300/4/15. Decline triceps presses, 335/3/15.
Heavy Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 435/3/15 (wow). Narrow and wide bench presses, 375/3/10. Assistance work same as my light day.
Week 2:
Light Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 420/3/15. Narrow and wide bench presses, 360/3/10. Deltoid work same as week one. Modified triceps presses, 310/4/15. Decline triceps presses, 345/3/15.
Heavy Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 455/3/10. Narrow and wide bench presses, 385/3/10. Assistance work same as my light day.
Week 3:
Light Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 430/3/12. Narrow and wide bench presses, 400/3/10. Dumbbell presses, 100/3/10. Front raises, 75/3/10. Lateral raises, 75/3/10. Modified triceps presses, 320/4/15. Decline presses, 355/4/10.
Heavy Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 480/3/8. Narrow and wide bench presses, 400/3/10. Assistance work same as my light day.
Week 4:
Light Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 440/3/12. Narrow and wide bench presses, 380/3/10. Dumbbell presses, Front and Lateral raises, same as week 3. Modified triceps presses, 330/4/15. Decline triceps presses, 365/4/10.
Heavy Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 500/3/8. Narrow and wide bench presses, 410/3/10. Assistance work same as my light day.
Week 5:
Light Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 450/3/10. Narrow and wide bench presses, 390/3/10. Dumbbell presses, 110/3/10. Front and Lateral raises, 85/3/10. Modified triceps presses, 340/3/15. Decline triceps presses, 375/4/10.
Heavy Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 495/10, 525/5/5. Narrow and wide bench presses, 420/3/10. Assistance work same as my light day.
Week 6:
Light Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 460/3/10. Narrow and wide bench presses, 400/3/10. Dumbbell presses, Front and Lateral raises, same as week 5. Modified triceps presses, 350/4/15, Decline triceps presses, 350/4/10.
Heavy Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 495/8, 545/4/5. Narrow and wide bench presses, 430/3/10. Assistance work same as my light day.
Week 7:
Light Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 470/3/8. Narrow and wide bench presses, 410/3/10. Dumbbell presses, 120/3/10. Front & Lateral Raises, 85/3/10. Modified triceps presses, 370/5/10. Decline triceps presses, 395/4/10.
Heavy Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 495/8, 540/5, 570/3/5. Narrow and wide bench presses, 440/3/10. Assistance work same as my light day.
Week 8:
Light Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 480/3/8. Narrow and wide bench presses, 420/3/10. Dumbbell presses, Front and Lateral raises, same as week 7. Modified triceps presses, 380/5/10. Decline triceps presses, 405/4/10.
Heavy Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 495/8, 570/5, 590/3/3. Narrow and wide bench presses, 450/3/10. Assistance work same as my light day.
Week 9:
Light Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 490/3/6. Narrow and wide bench presses, 430/3/8. Dumbbell presses, 130/3/10, Front and Lateral raises, 95/3/10. Modified triceps presses, 390/5/10, Decline triceps presses, 415/4/8.
Heavy Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 495/8, 570/5, 610/2/3. Narrow and wide bench presses, 465/3/10. Assistance work same as my light day.
Week 10:
Light Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 500/3/6. Narrow and wide bench presses, 440/3/8. Dumbbell presses, Front and Lateral Raises, same as week 9. Modified triceps presses, 400/5/10. Decline triceps presses, 425/4/8.
Heavy Day: Regular bench presses, 225/10, 315/10, 405/10, 495/8, 550/5, 590/5, 635/3. Narrow and wide bench presses, 475/3/10. Assistance work same as my light day.
bill was the best for 10 yeears 1980 1990 . too bad he tore his pec . he had a lowbodyfat to for a strongman
This routine is actually quite similar to Louie Simmon’s conjugate method out at Westside Barbell. You know, the place where their guys squat up to 1100 pounds. I don’t know why people think this program is fake, especially since Louie got his idea from the Soviets who trained back in the 50′s.
This looks like a routine he did…
when meeting Kaz several years ago I asked him about his training and he mentioned the high amount of volume and high reps. He was a genetic freak and his recovery ability was phenomenal.
People now are so worried about overtraining and all that they forget that our bodies can withstand a tremendous amount of punishment… given that we work up to it.
I have to agree with the first poster, this doesn’t seem like a viable routine, ecspecially from the 70′s.
A you don’t need to do a bunch of high rep assistance work to “look muscular” with his genetics he would have looked full and huge on a typical powerlifting routine.
Second this has him training like a bodybuilder. While anerobic endurance would have been important, he’s working so far under his 1 rep max % it’s laughable considering the numbers he put up and the weight he was required to move as a strongman champion.
That bench workout? No way. Not even in 1975.
This routine is nonsense. There’s no way Kazmaier trained like this. No chance in hell. This is a bodybuilding routine. He didn’t train like this at all. He either lied to whoever acquired this information, or the author or this article made it up. Either way, totally 100% bogus.
Yes, because powerlifters and strength athletes NEVER use assistance work over 5 reps, and Bill CERTAINLY didn’t look muscular.
/Sarcasm.
what % of max for light and heavy day?
I am using this workout right now, and you would not believe the difference it makes.
This is an awesome Article!
[...] Anyway, this defence of power-building made me think of two things. Firstly, I thought of that article about the great Bill Kazmaier, where one of his typical routines is outlined and the sheer volume and the (relatively) high reps [...]