Ryan Humiston delivers a straight-to-the-point approach to fitness. His workouts focus on pushing your limits with high reps, intense muscle isolation, and relentless volume. You take control of each session, targeting specific muscle groups and maximizing every rep.
Whether you have access to a fully equipped gym or just basic gear at home, you will adapt his methods to fit your setup while driving toward real gains.
Best Ryan Humiston Training Programs
1. 30-Day Gym Plan
| Program Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Focus | High-volume, body-part split |
| Duration | 30 days |
| Workout Frequency | 5 days per week |
| Equipment Needed | Full gym setup (machines, cables, free weights) |
| Intensity | High, with techniques like giant sets and century sets |
| Recommended For | Advanced lifters |
The 30-Day Gym Plan is designed to take your muscle-building efforts to the next level. It focuses on a traditional body-part split, where you train a different muscle group each day. You hit each muscle group with high volume, incorporating various advanced techniques that ensure muscle fatigue and growth.
Training Techniques Used
- Giant Sets: This technique involves performing four exercises back-to-back with minimal rest. Each exercise targets the same muscle group, pushing it to exhaustion. For example, on a chest day, you might do cable flyes, incline dumbbell presses, push-ups, and chest dips in a single giant set.
- Century Sets: Century sets involve completing 100 reps in one go. You can break it up into smaller sets (e.g., 10×10 reps) with minimal rest, but the goal is to push through all 100 reps. Century sets are typically used for isolation exercises like bicep curls or tricep pushdowns.
- Drop Sets: Drop sets involve performing a set to failure, then immediately reducing the weight and continuing the set without rest. This technique forces your muscles to work past the point of fatigue, leading to greater hypertrophy.
Weekly Structure
- Day 1: Arms (biceps and triceps)
- Day 2: Shoulders
- Day 3: Back and traps
- Day 4: Chest and abs
- Day 5: Legs
- Days 6 & 7: Rest
The plan focuses on one muscle group per session, allowing you to fully concentrate on exhausting that muscle with high reps, giant sets, and intensity techniques. Each workout can last up to an hour or more, depending on your ability to handle the volume.
Example of a Chest Workout
1. Warm-up
Light dumbbell presses and stretches.
Main Routine
1. Giant Set (3 rounds)
- Cable Flyes: 20 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Press: 20 reps
- Push-Ups: 20 reps
- Chest Dips: 20 reps
2. Century Set
- Machine Chest Press: 100 reps
3. Drop Set
- Decline Bench Press: Start heavy and reduce the weight twice until failure each time.
2. 30-Day Garage Style Routine
| Program Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Focus | High-volume, body-part split with minimal equipment |
| Duration | 30 days |
| Workout Frequency | 5 days per week |
| Equipment Needed | Adjustable bench, dumbbells (5-50 lbs) |
| Intensity | High, using bodyweight and free-weight exercises |
| Recommended For | Lifters with limited access to equipment |
The Garage Style Routine adapts Humiston’s intense training approach to those with limited equipment. The program requires only basic gear like dumbbells and a bench, making it perfect for home setups or even on-the-go training.
Training Techniques Used
- Bodyweight and Dumbbell Focus: Unlike the full gym program, the garage style routine relies heavily on exercises like push-ups, lunges, and dumbbell presses. Despite using minimal equipment, the intensity remains high by incorporating high reps and short rest intervals.
- High-Volume Isolation: Even with limited equipment, the program emphasizes isolating muscle groups. You’ll still perform giant sets and drop sets, but with exercises adapted to what you have available. For example, you might do a giant set of dumbbell presses, resistance band flyes, and push-ups.
Weekly Structure
- Day 1: Arms
- Day 2: Shoulders
- Day 3: Legs
- Day 4: Back and traps
- Day 5: Chest and abs
- Days 6 & 7: Rest
This split ensures you train each muscle group with high intensity while allowing adequate recovery between sessions.
Example of a Shoulder Workout
Warm-up
Arm circles, light dumbbell presses.
Main Routine
1. Giant Set (3 rounds)
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 20 reps
- Lateral Raises: 20 reps
- Front Raises: 20 reps
- Reverse Flyes: 20 reps
2. Drop Set
- Seated Dumbbell Press: Perform to failure, drop weight, continue to failure.
3. Century Set
- Resistance Band Lateral Raises: 100 reps
3. PPL Program
| Program Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Focus | Push-Pull-Legs split with high intensity |
| Duration | 30 days (6 days/week) or 60 days (3 days/week) |
| Workout Frequency | 3 to 6 days per week |
| Equipment Needed | Full gym or minimal equipment |
| Intensity | High, focused on compound and isolation exercises |
| Recommended For | Intermediate to advanced lifters |
The PPL Program is designed for those who want a structured yet flexible approach to training. The push-pull-legs split is a classic bodybuilding routine, but Humiston adds his own twist by focusing on specific techniques and high volume.
Training Techniques Used
- Focused Muscle Engagement: Each workout involves targeting specific muscle groups with exercises that maximize muscle engagement. You’ll do fewer exercises per session, but each one is designed to fully exhaust the targeted muscles.
- Flexible Scheduling: You can choose between training 3 days a week (ideal for beginners or those with time constraints) or 6 days a week for more advanced lifters. This flexibility makes it easier to fit the program into different lifestyles.
Weekly Structure – 6 Days
- Day 1: Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)
- Day 2: Pull (back, biceps)
- Day 3: Legs
- Day 4: Push
- Day 5: Pull
- Day 6: Legs
- Day 7: Rest
For the 3-day option, you train on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, giving yourself more time for recovery.
Example of a Leg Day Workout
Warm-up
Light squats, leg swings.
Main Routine
1. Compound Movement
- Barbell Squats: 4 sets of 12 reps
2. Isolation Giant Set
- Leg Extensions: 20 reps
- Hamstring Curls: 20 reps
- Calf Raises: 20 reps
3. Drop Set
- Lunges: Perform until failure, reduce weight, continue to failure.
Additional Tips
To achieve the best results following Ryan Humiston’s training philosophy, it’s important to keep a few additional tips in mind. These strategies can help you maximize your gains, maintain consistency, and push your body in the right direction, even if you have limited resources.
Use Minimal Equipment for Maximum Gains
You don’t need a gym full of machines to see real progress. Ryan’s programs are structured to make the most out of minimal setups. For example, a set of adjustable dumbbells and a resistance band can replace many traditional machines. Humiston’s 30-Day Garage Style Routine is a perfect example of this.
You’ll perform compound exercises like dumbbell presses, rows, and lunges, all tailored to fit within a small space. The focus remains on high volume, so even with limited weights, you push each set to near failure by using advanced techniques like drop sets and giant sets. For instance, a shoulder workout might involve:
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 4 sets of 15-20 reps
- Lateral Raises (with a resistance band): 3 sets of 20 reps
- Reverse Flyes: 3 sets of 20 reps
Focus on High Reps and Muscle Isolation
A core principle in Humiston’s programs is the use of high-rep sets to fully engage and fatigue muscle groups. The goal is to stress every muscle fiber and force growth through exhaustion. Isolation exercises, like bicep curls or tricep pushdowns, are paired with compound movements, keeping the intensity high throughout the session.
For example, a typical leg day might include:
- Barbell Squats: 4 sets of 12 reps
- Leg Extensions: 3 sets of 20 reps
- Hamstring Curls: 3 sets of 20 reps
- Drop Set Lunges: Continue until failure
Structure Your Diet for Muscle Growth
Training like Humiston is not just about lifting—it’s also about fueling your body correctly. Humiston’s approach to diet involves consuming 5-6 balanced meals a day, focusing on high protein intake (around 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight). Meals are strategically timed around workouts, ensuring that you have enough carbs to fuel your sessions and enough protein to aid recovery.
A sample day might look like this:
- Breakfast: Oatmeal with eggs and spinach
- Snack: Protein shake with almond butter
- Lunch: Grilled chicken breast with brown rice and broccoli
- Snack: Greek yogurt with berries
- Dinner: Baked salmon with quinoa and asparagus
- Evening Snack: Cottage cheese with a handful of almonds
Measure Progress and Stay Consistent
Tracking progress is crucial in Humiston’s programs. Whether it’s tracking your reps, weights, or even taking regular progress photos, staying consistent is the key. He suggests focusing on form and time under tension rather than just increasing weight. By regularly measuring your strength, muscle size, and overall fitness, you’ll know when to push harder or adjust your routine.
For example, you can track:
- Weekly strength improvements (e.g., going from 12 to 15 reps on the same weight)
- Visible changes in muscle size by taking photos every two weeks
- Measurements like arm, chest, and leg circumference to monitor growth
FAQs
Conclusion
Training like Ryan Humiston involves commitment, high intensity, and focusing on targeted muscle isolation. His routines cater to both gym-goers and those with limited equipment, all while pushing you to your limits with advanced techniques.
With proper nutrition, consistent effort, and strategic recovery, you can achieve noticeable muscle growth and strength gains.