Three sets of eight, then front squats with lighter weight. Lunges with dumbbells, each step deliberate as a dancer’s. Leg curls for hamstrings—lying, not seated—to avoid lower back involvement.
Leg extensions first, to pre-exhaust. Four sets of fifteen, feet pointed slightly inward for teardrop sweep. Then squats—but high-bar, upright torso, never below parallel. “Depth is a trap,” he warned. “Go deep, and the hips take over. Stay shallow, and the quads scream.” frank zane routine
Pull-ups first. Wide overhand grip. He used no straps—forearms had to earn their keep. Four sets to failure, which was usually ten or eleven reps. Then T-bar rows, chest supported on a pad, pulling into his navel. “Squeeze the shoulder blades together,” he’d mutter. “Now hold it—one, two.” Three sets of eight, then front squats with lighter weight
Years later, at the 1977 Mr. Olympia, he stood next to Lou Ferrigno—sixty pounds heavier—and won not by out-massing, but by out-sculpting. The judges saw it: a human anatomy chart carved from alabaster. No veins bulging for shock. No distended gut. Just proportion, line, and the quiet power of a routine that treated lifting like meditation. Leg extensions first, to pre-exhaust
Biceps: standing barbell curls with an EZ bar, but only the top half of the movement. “The bottom stretch is useless if you lose tension,” he’d say. Then seated incline dumbburgh curls, each arm isolated, wrist supinated hard at the top. Hammer curls for brachialis.
Close-grip bench presses: three sets of eight, elbows tight. Then overhead rope extensions, leaning forward slightly to keep tension on the long head. Finally, reverse-grip pushdowns—palms up—for the outer head.
No heavy lifting on weekends. Just stretching, visualization, and a single set of pull-ups before bed—to keep the back wide while sleeping.