Timeless Strength Training: Vince Gironda’s 8X8
Go old school
It's no secret that I’m a big admirer of the classic bodybuilding and powerlifting routines, along with the training methodologies prevalent in the 1960s and 1970s. Athletes from that era, such as Chuck Sipes, Josh Grimek, Franco Columbu, Ed Coan, or Larry Scott, showcased not only lean, robust, and athletic physiques but also remarkable feats of strength. These men appeared as strong as they truly were, all while juggling full-time jobs and hitting the gym in the evenings after a day of manual labor—an approach that sets them apart from many of today's strength athletes. What is their secret of enormous strength and lean athletic physiques? Brutal commitment, extremely simple and effective training routines and enormous commitment.
Who was Vince Gironda
Vince was a personal trainer, bodybuilder, author, and one of the official iron gurus who shaped strength sports and bodybuilding as we know them today—or as we used to know them before Instagram influencers and poseurs took over. Vince was a staunch advocate of supplementing, low-carbohydrate, and high-cholesterol diets, along with significant egg and red meat consumption. He claimed that the high consumption of pasteurized eggs (20-30 per day) is equivalent to taking anabolic steroids when it comes to building muscle. Observing his clients, it's challenging to dispute Vince's claims to genius. He trained a series of well-known bodybuilders, including Frank Zane, Don Howorth, Lou Ferrigno, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Moreover, Hollywood executives recruited Gironda to ensure their leading men and women maintained a lean physique on film. Vince's list of actors and singers reads like a who's who of famous personalities. From the 1950s until the closure of his gym in the early '90s, Vince oversaw the transformations of Clint Eastwood, Denzel Washington, James Garner, Brian Keith, Tommy Chong, among others. His fame extended beyond the bodybuilding arena into the wider world.
Vince Gironda 8X8
Vince style of training can be characterized as high intensity and high-density training, basically meaning you lift weight of high intensities (as heavy as possible), with high volume and minimal rest period. Something rarely seen in modern gyms. Vince's training routine involved performing 6 to 7 exercises per session. For each exercise, he executed 8 sets of 8 repetitions with only a 30-second rest between sets. Vince selected a weight that challenged him for a heavy 10 reps (10RM). If he couldn't maintain 8 repetitions per set, he reduced the weight. Conversely, if he completed all 8 sets with 8 repetitions (64 reps in total), he increased the weight in the next session. This high-intensity and progressive approach was a hallmark of Vince's training methodology.
How we utilize Vince’s 8X8 at HPTC
The Vince Gironda 8x8 is one of HPTC's favorite methods, applicable in both metabolic (fat loss) and hypertrophy (muscle building) phases to enhance body composition. The 8x8 technique proves to be a valuable tool for improving body composition, especially for slightly advanced trainees. These individuals should possess sufficient work capacity to tolerate high training volume and ample strength to handle loads heavy enough to stimulate an adequate training response. For these reasons, we don't recommend the 8x8 method for novice lifters or individuals with low levels of strength.
Sample 8X8 routines
Chest and back workout for slightly advanced client
A. Supinated chin up with medium grip, 8X8, 3012 tempo, 30s rest
B. Low incline barbell bench press, 8X8, 4010 tempo, 30s rest
C. Seated cable row with wide pronated grip, 8X8, 3012 tempo, 30s rest
D. Dumbbell press on high incline bench, 8X8, 4010 tempo, 30s rest
E. Dumbbell hammer curls, 8x8, 4010 tempo, 30s rest
F. Seated lateral raise, 8x8, 4010 tempo, 30s rest
Chest and back workout for advanced client
A. Wide pronated pull ups, 8x8, 3012 tempo, 30s rest
B. Low incline barbell press with chains, 8x8, 4010 tempo, 30s rest
C. Neutral grip chin ups, 8x8, 3012 tempo, 30s rest
D. Dips, 8x8, 4010 tempo, 30s rest
E. Pronated biceps curls with straight bar, 8x8, 4010 tempo, 30s rest
F. Barbell shrugs, 8x8, 4010 tempo, 30s rest
Good luck!
