I research a lot of training programs and when I come across something that looks promising, I use myself as a guinea pig to make sure that it is worth doing before sharing it with my clients and readers. Recently, I hit some plateaus in my own training and decided to try a program called EDT (Escalating Density Training) by top strength coach Charles Staley.

     Here is how EDT works. Take two antagonistic muscles for each workout such as the quads and hamstrings. For example, lets use squats and stiff-legged deadlifts to illustrate. Go back and forth between squats and stiff-legged deadlifts for as many sets as you can in a designated time period such as twenty minutes. Charles refers to this twenty-minute period as a "PR Zone." Choose a training load that you can complete ten times with solid form and do multiple sets of three to five for as many sets as possible in each "PR Zone." While training to failure should be avoided, feel free to take your final sets to the limit in order to achieve as many reps as possible. Just do not compromise form to do so. Keep the rest breaks short in between each set and only rest as long as you need. I recommend that you use a stopwatch to stay on track. Make sure to take advantage of a training journal and record the number of total reps that you complete for each exercise after each "PR Zone." For example, if you completed forty total reps on squats with 315lbs, your goal at the next squat workout is to achieve a minimum of forty-one reps. As long as you are doing more reps at each workout, you will make progress and increase strength and size.
Here is an example of an EDT program that I tried recently with kettlebells:

Day 1: Upper Body

PR Zone 1 (20 Minutes)

Military Presses with two 72lb kettlebells

Renegade Rows with two 72lb kettlebells

Five minute break

PR Zone 2 (15 Minutes)

Alternating Presses with two 72lb kettlebells

Alternating Rows with two 72lb kettlebells

Two minute break

Core Work

2x5 (two sets of five) of Windmills with an 88lb kettlebell

Day 2: Lower Body

PR Zone 1 (Twenty Minutes)

Front Squats with two 72lb bells

One arm snatches with an 88lb kettlebells

Five minute break

PR Zone 2 (Fifteen Minutes)

Overhead Squats with a 72lb bell

Double Swings with two 72lb kettlebells

     I took a day off in between each workout. For example, I would do workout one on Monday, take Tuesday off, and then do workout two on Wednesday. Then I would repeat workout one on Friday. Prior to doing EDT, my personal best on kettlebell military presses with two 72lb kettlebells was six reps. After only two weeks of EDT, I nailed nine reps with perfect form. On front squats, my previous best was ten reps with two 72lb kettlebells. After two weeks on EDT, I nailed fifteen reps and felt like I could have done much more. In addition, here is what one of my clients had to say about the EDT program that I designed for him after only one week: "I just had to write and tell you that the program is kicking ass for me. I tried to get a two-arm military press with the 72's two weeks ago and could barely get one rep. Today I got twelve sets of triples and probably could have gotten four or five for the first few, which I'll try next week."
     In addition to being a very effective program, EDT is also really enjoyable and it is probably a lot different than any program that you have tried. Give it a shot for four weeks and let me know what happens. Also, if you find that two "PR Zones" is too much volume for you, just try one "PR Zone" or take some extra days off between workouts.

For more information on Charles Staley and EDT, visit www.myodynamics.com

Mike Mahler is a strength coach and a certified kettlebell instructor based in Santa Monica, California. Mike has been a strength athlete for over ten years and designs strength training programs for trainees all around the world. Mike has a regular training column in Fightscene magazine (www.fightscene.tv). Mike is also available for strength training workshops worldwide. For more information and rates, visit Mike's site at www.mikemahler.com or e-mail Mike at . Be sure to check out Mike's new Aggressive Strength Training website.