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Double-Eight StrengthBuilding Program

Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D., Rita La Rosa Loud, B.S.,Sheryl Rosa, B.S.

Until almost 1950, weight training was considered an undesirable anddangerous physical activity, especially for athletes. Although a smallnumber of weight lifters and body builders exercised with barbells anddumbbells, this type of training was not accepted by physicians,physical education teachers or coaches.

In the late 1940’s, Dr. Thomas DeLorme and his Boston team oforthopedic surgeons were experiencing difficulties rehabilitating WorldWar II veterans, so they tried a radically new medical approach. Theydeveloped and implemented a strength building program that provedhighly successful for their seriously injured patients.

Known as the DeLorme-Watkins protocol, this strength trainingprogram consisted of three progressive exercise sets based on theparticipant’s 10-repetition maximum (10 RM) weightload. Let’s saythat the heaviest resistance you can bench press is 100 lbs. Your firstset requires 10 repetitions with 50 percent of your 10RM weightload,namely 50 pounds. This is a low-effort exercise bout that serves as afirst-level warm-up. After resting for two minutes, your second setrequires 10 repetitions with 75 percent of your 10RM weightload,namely 75 pounds. This is a moderate-effort exercise bout that servesas a second-level warm-up. After resting for two minutes, your finalset requires as many repetitions as possible with your 10RMweightload, namely 100 pounds. This is a high-effort exercise boutthat provides a strength-building stimulus for the contributing musclegroups.

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Although quite conservative and time-consuming, the DeLorme-Watkins protocol has proved to be as effective (or more so) than anyother strength training system that we have researched with youth oradults. It was the industry standard for more than 20 years, anddeservedly so.

In 1970, Arthur Jones invented Nautilus cam-driven weightstackmachines and established a recommended strength training protocol tobe used with his equipment. Jones, fully aware of the excellent resultsattained with the DeLorme-Watkins program, decided to eliminate thetwo progressive warm-up sets and perform only the high-effort set formore time-efficient training. He also chose to use an eight to 12repetition range rather than the 10 to 15 repetition range, therebyworking with relatively heavier weightloads.

Using Jones’ one set of eight to 12 repetitions training protocol, mostexercisers could complete a 12-station circuit of Nautilus machineswithin 25 minutes. As effective as it was time-efficient, Jones’ single-set strength training program has been the best-known exerciseprotocol for the past 35 years.

Regardless of the training protocol utilized, most participantseventually encounter a strength plateau. To facilitate further progress,many exercisers engage high-intensity strength training techniques,such as breakdown repetitions, assisted repetitions, slow-speedrepetitions or pre-exhaustion sets. We have conducted numerousstudies on these high-intensity exercise procedures, and found each tobe productive for overcoming strength plateaus and achieving furthermuscle development.

Double-Eight Exercise Program

We recently experimented with a new strength training protocol thathas proved even more effective for gaining strength and addingmuscle. Called the Double-Eight Program, this protocol is a relativelytime-efficient combination of the DeLorme-Watkins method and theJones system. It has been exceptionally well-received by ourparticipants, and the results have exceeded those of our other high-intensity training studies.

The Double-Eight Program is based on the subject’s eight-repetitionmaximum (8RM) weightload, which is typically completed withapproximately 80 percent of maximum weightload. Each exerciserepetition is performed in about six seconds (two seconds lifting phase

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and four seconds lowering phase), through a relatively full range ofjoint movement.

Set One

We begin with eight repetitions at 50 percent of the 8RM weightload,similar to the DeLorme-Watkins protocol. Although this is a relativelylight warm-up set, it activates the neuromuscular system inpreparation for a relatively heavy follow-up set. Due to the low effortrequired for the first set, we rest only 60 seconds before doing oursecond set.

Set Two

Our second set is performed with the 8RM weightload, and we performas many repetitions as possible. Our subjects almost always completemore repetitions with their 8RM weightload when they first perform apreparatory set with 50 percent of their 8RM weightload. Like Jones,we have eliminated the second warm-up set with 75 percent of the8RM weightload. Consequently, the time requirement for the lightexercise set (50 seconds), recovery period (60 seconds), and heavyexercise set (50 to 60 seconds) is less than three minutes. As wetypically do eight multi-muscle exercises per workout, the totaltraining time (including a minute recovery between exercises) is abouta half-hour.

Progression

To enhance performance improvement, we increase the 8RMweightload whenever nine repetitions can be completed in good form.To emphasize gradual progression, we generally add only 2.5 to 5.0pounds of resistance to the previous weightload. In many cases, ourparticipants increase their exercise weightloads every training session.

Frequency

Although brief, the Double-Eight Program is so physically demandingthat we do only two workouts per week (typically Mondays andFridays). This provides ample time for muscle recovery andremodeling, and reduces the risk of overtraining.

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Exercises

We prefer a push-pull routine, pairing opposing muscle groups onsuccessive exercises. Our standard eight-exercise program ispresented in Table 1. As you will note, these are all multi-jointexercises that involve several major muscle groups.

Results

Our first two groups of Double-Eight Program participants trained twicea week for a period of eight weeks. As shown in Table 2, this programproduced excellent results in the areas of body composition,weightstack exercises and bodyweight exercises. On average, the 23subjects increased their lean (muscle) weight by about three pounds,decreased their fat weight by almost three pounds, increased their legpress weightloads by about 40 percent, increased their chest pressweightloads by about 30 percent, improved their chin-up performanceby almost three repetitions, and improved their bar-dip performanceby six repetitions. As an indication of their consistent progression, youwill note that the participants increased their leg press weightloads by80 pounds in 16 training sessions (twice a week for eight weeks),averaging five pounds more resistance every workout.

Summary and Application

The Double-Eight Program is a basic and brief strength trainingprotocol that features a low-effort preparatory set with 50 percent ofthe 8RM weightload, followed by a high-effort stimulus set with the8RM weightload. We recommend a 60-second recovery periodbetween the successive sets, as well as between the differentexercises. We have had excellent results with this structured andsupervised 30-minute high-intensity training program. Ourparticipants’ favorable response to the Double-Eight Program may berelated to the following factors:

l. Limited number of exercises, each of which involve severalmajormuscle groups.

2. Alternating sequence of pushing and pulling exercises.3. Neuromuscular facilitation of the prime-mover muscles

resultingfrom the preparatory, low-effort exercise set.

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4. Focus on one high-effort set of each exercise.

5. One-one-one training sessions encouraging instructors.

If you are currently encountering a strength plateau, give the Double-Eight Program a try for the next few weeks. Like us, you may findthat this simple modification of the DeLorme-Watkins and Jonestraining protocols provides a productive stimulus for further strengthdevelopment.

Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D., CSCS, is fitness research director at theSouth Shore YMCA in Quincy, MA and author of 20 books on strengthtraining.

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Table 1. Strength Training Programs for Advanced Exercisers

Strength Exercise Major Muscle Groups Set One Set Two

Leg Press Quadriceps, hamstrings,gluteus maximus

8 reps.with 50 percent8RM weightload

8 reps.with 8 RM weightload

Chest Press Pectoralis major, anteriordeltoids, triceps



Pulldown Latissimus dorsi, posteriordeltoids, biceps



Incline Press Pectoralis major, anteriordeltoids, triceps



Seated Row Latissimus dorsi, posteriordeltoids, biceps



Shoulder Press Deltoids, upper trapezius,triceps



Chin-Up Latissimus dorsi, posteriordeltoids, biceps

8 easy repswith assistance

8 hard reps.with or withoutassistance

Bar-dip Pectoralis major, anteriordeltoids, triceps

8 easy reps withassistance

8 hard reps.with or withoutassistance

Table 2. Results of Strength Training Program with Advanced Exercisers

Fitness Component Beginning Ending Change

Lean Weight 126.4 lbs. 129.8 lbs. +3.4 lbs*

Fat Weight 32.9 lbs. 30.4 lbs. -2.5 lbs.*

Leg Press 209.0 lbs. 289.0 lbs. +80.0 lbs.*

Chest Press 93.1 lbs. 120.0 lbs. +26.9 lbs.*

Chin-Ups 4.4 reps 7.2 reps +2.8 reps*

Bar-Dips 7.5 reps 13.5 reps +6.0 reps*

* statistically significant change (p < .05)

(23 participants)

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