The 12/10/8 System
Other Routines:
Beginner
The 12-10-8 system
Intermediate
Advanced
Mass Routine
routine for getting past a sticking point
The 12/10/8 system is one of the best methods for beginner and intermediate levels of bodybuilding, and it's a good routine to fall back on if your not getting the results you want. It provides an easy and accurate way to track your progress and you can see the results from workout to workout.
This is usually done by training the whole body in one workout, but may also be used on a split routine and can be modified by adding more sets, higher or lower reps etc. IE: "12-10-8-6" or "10-8-6".
The idea is to pick a basic exercise for each body part and choose a weight which enables you to get (roughly) 12 reps on the first set, 10 on the second and 8 on the third. The next workout you try to increase the number of reps on the second and third set until you can achieve three sets of 12. When you reach this point you increase the weight and start over with 12/10/8.
It really helps to write down the weights and reps for each workout so you can look back and see what you have to beat. You can also clearly see your progress every workout.
