Dusty Hanshaw Workout Routine | The Ultimate Guide!

Are you curious about the Dusty Hanshaw workout routine?

Do you wonder how Dusty trains to build size and strength?

Then you’ve come to the right place.

In this comprehensive guide, I will show you how to use the Dusty Hanshaw training program to take your physique to the next level!

Introduction

Part 1: Dusty Hanshaw And The DC Training 2-Way Split
Part 2: Dusty Hanshaw And The DC Training 3-Way Split
Part 3: Dusty Hanshaw And The DC Training 5-Way Split

Dusty Hanshaw is an IFBB professional bodybuilder. He is famous for his massive physique, and of course, for his high-intensity training style.

Here is Dusty demonstrating a rest-pause set on the incline bench press:

Talk about an intense set!

So how does he organize his workouts?

Dusty Hanshaw has used many training programs during his bodybuilding career. However, he is best known for training with Dante Trudel’s DC Training program.

Dusty is a unique case study because he has used all three of the DC Training splits over the course of his career: the 2-way split, the 3-way split and the 5-way split.

Dusty Hanshaw started his DC Training journey with the 2-way split in the year 2007.

The DC Training 2-way split is a modified upper body / lower body split performed three days per week. Dante says that 90% of DC Trainees should use the 2-way split because it is the fastest way for most bodybuilders to build muscle.

In the year 2008 Dante Trudel told Dusty Hanshaw to switch to the 3-way split. The DC Training 3-way split is a 4 days per week push / pull / legs split.

Dante uses the 3-way split and special “widowmaker exercises” to help extremely advanced bodybuilders bring up their lagging body parts.

Dusty used the 3-way split to bring up his lagging back and arms so that he could be more competitive as a national level bodybuilder.

After several years Dante Trudel instructed Dusty Hanshaw to switch over to the 5-way split. The DC Training 5-way split is a traditional bodybuilding-style split where you train each muscle group once per week.

Dusty used the 5-way split to continue building muscle mass as an elite-level bodybuilder while continuing to bring up his lagging muscle groups.

In the year 2014 Dusty Hanshaw turned his Vision into Reality by winning the NPC North American Championships and earning his IFBB pro-card. Dusty is proof of what you can accomplish with a dream and an unbreakable desire to succeed.

If you are an advanced bodybuilder then this guide will give you the entire DC Training gameplan for how to go from an “average Joe” bodybuilder to an IFBB pro.

I hope that Dusty Hanshaw’s DC Training journey inspires you to pursue your goals as hard as Dusty pursued his. Now let’s get down to business…

Part 1: Dusty Hanshaw And The DC Training 2-Way Split

Dante Trudel starts every DC Trainee on the 2-way split and Dusty Hanshaw was no exception.

The DC Training 2-way split is a modified upper body / lower body split where you train three days per week. Dusty Hanshaw trained his entire upper body day minus his biceps on his first training day and his entire lower body plus his biceps on his second training day.

The 2-way split is designed to add muscle mass to your entire body as fast as possible and rapidly boost your strength levels on key exercises. Here is how Dusty Hanshaw’s workouts were organized on the 2-way split:

The DC Training Upper Body Workout

Exercise #1: Chest, 1 rest-pause set —–> extreme stretch
Exercise #2: Shoulders, 1 rest-pause set —–> extreme stretch
Exercise #3: Triceps, 1 rest-pause set —–> extreme stretch
Exercise #4: Back Width, 1 rest-pause set ——> extreme stretch
Exercise #5: Back Thickness, 1-2 straight sets

DC Training Lower Body Template

Exercise #1: Biceps, 1 rest-pause set —–> extreme stretch
Exercise #2: Forearms, 1 straight set
Exercise #3: Calves, 1 straight set
Exercise #4: Hamstrings, 1 rest-pause set OR 1-2 straight sets
Exercise #5: Quadriceps, 2 straight sets ——> quad / hamstring extreme stretches

For each muscle group Dusty performed 1 rest-pause set or 1-2 straight sets to failure. Dusty also performed an “extreme stretch” for many muscle groups like chest and back width immediately after he trained them.

Don’t worry, I will explain how Dusty performed his rest-pause sets and extreme stretches in more detail below.

Dusty was training 3 days per week when he first started using DC Training. Here is what his weekly training schedule looked like:

Week 1

Monday: Upper Body
Wednesday: Lower Body
Friday: Upper Body

Week 2

Monday: Lower Body
Wednesday: Upper Body
Friday: Lower Body

Dusty was training each muscle group 3 times in 2 weeks or about once every 4-5 days. This is one of the big advantages of the DC Training 2-way split: it lets you train muscle groups more frequently so that you can build muscle tissue as fast as possible.

Dusty’s Rest-Pause Sets

With the 2-way split Dusty performed 1 exercise per muscle group per workout. For most muscle groups he performed 1 all-out rest-pause set. Dusty’s rest-pause sets were really 3 seperate sets performed to failure with 20-30 seconds rest in between each attempt.

For example Dusty might get 8-10 reps on the first attempt, 3-5 reps on the second attempt and 1-3 reps on the 3rd attempt for a total of 12-18 reps rest-paused.

Here is Dusty Hanshaw giving a perfect demonstration of a rest-pause set on the hammer strength overhead press:

Dusty Hanshaw loves rest-pause sets because they are one of the best ways for a bodybuilder to get stronger. Dusty knows that if he is building strength over time in the 8-20 rep range then he is also building strength.

I don’t know about you but I’ve never seen someone with small legs squat 400 pounds for 20 reps or deadlift 600 pounds for 10 reps!

Rest-pause sets cause a lot of muscle soreness and really fatigue your central nervous system so Dusty only performs one rest-pause set per exercise. That is all he needs to rapidly build size and strength.

For some exercises on the 2-way split Dusty performs 1 or 2 straight sets instead of a rest-pause set. For back thickness Dusty performed 2 straight sets. Performing a rest-pause set on something like deadlifts is just too risky.

For example Dusty might perform a heavy set of 6-9 reps and a lighter set of 9-12 reps on the deadlift. For forearms Dusty performed 1 straight set of 8-12 reps. For calves Dusty performed 1 straight set of 7-10 reps. His “secret” was he paused for 5-10 seconds in the bottom position of every rep. Finally for quads Dusty performed 1 straight set of 4-8 reps and then a “widowmaker” set.

The widowmaker set for quads is basically a 20-rep breathing squat. Your goal is to perform 20 reps with your 10 rep max.

First you perform 10 reps in a row with your 10-rep max. Then you lock out your legs and rest just long enough so you can bust out another 1-3 reps. You keep repeating this process until you have performed 20 total reps.

Dante Trudel calls this a widowmaker set because it feels like you are trying to turn your wife into a widow! Yes – the widowmaker set for quads is THAT hard! Dusty didn’t care though – he was too busy building tree trunk thighs to worry about a little leg day pain.

Dusty’s Extreme Stretches

Dusty performed an “extreme stretch” immediately after training most muscle groups. An extreme stretch is a deep loaded stretch that you perform with extra weight. Dusty says your goal is to hold this stretch for 60-90 seconds to open up the muscle and stretch out the fascia tissue.

Here is Dusty Hanshaw performing an extreme chest stretch:

Dusty believes that these extreme stretches were absolutely critical for his success as a bodybuilder.

Here are some of Dusty’s extreme stretch training videos for every body part. Check it out:

Extreme Stretch: Chest
Extreme Stretch: Shoulders
Extreme Stretch: Triceps
Extreme Stretch: Back
Extreme Stretch: Biceps
Extreme Stretch: Hamstrings
Extreme Stretch: Quadriceps

Dusty’s Complete 2-Way Split Training Program

Dusty Hanshaw used the DC Training 2-way split for 6-9 months before moving onto the more advanced 3-way split. The truth is Dante Trudel never revealed Dusty’s exact 2-way split training program.

No one knows for sure which exercises he used when he first started using the DC Training program. Here is a sample 2-way split training program that I wrote for my article “DC Training: The Ultimate Guide!”

These may not be the exact exercises that Dusty used when he first started using DC Training. However, it should give you a good idea of how to set up your own 2-way split training program. Check it out:

DC Training Upper Body Workout #1

Exercise #1: 30 degree incline DB press, 1 x 20-30 RP**
Exercise #2: Hammer strength overhead press, 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #3: Dead stop skull crushers, 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #4: Rack chins, 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #5: T-bar row, 2 x (8-10, 10-12)

**Performed as a rest-pause set.

Here are some sample training videos for this workout: exercise A1, exercise B1, exercise C1, exercise D1, exercise E1.

DC Training Lower Body Workout #1

Exercise #1: 45 degree incline DB curl (supinated grip)
Exercise #2: Cable 1-arm reverse curl, 1 x 12-20
Exercise #3: Leg press calf raise, 1 x 7-10
Exercise #4: Kneeling unilateral leg curl (feet plantar flexed / pointing straight), 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #5: Back squat (medium stance / heels flat), 2 x (4-8, 20****)

**Performed as a rest-pause set.

****Performed as a DC-style widowmaker set for quads.

Here are some sample training videos for this workout: exercise A1, exercise B1, exercise C1, exercise D1, exercise E1.

DC Training Upper Body Workout #2

Exercise #1: Hammer strength flat press, 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #2: Seated barbell military press, 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #3: V-bar dips (upright torso), 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #4: Cable pull down (wide / pronated grip), 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #5: Barbell dead stop row, 2 x (8-10, 10-12)

**Performed as a rest-pause set.

Here are some sample training videos for this workout: exercise A1, exercise B1, exercise C1, exercise D1, exercise E1.

DC Training Lower Body Workout #2

Exercise #1: Preacher ez-bar curl (close / supinated grip), 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #2: Standing bilateral DB curl (hammer grip), 1 x 12-20
Exercise #3: Standing machine calf raise, 1 x 7-10
Exercise #4: Sumo leg press, 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #5: Leg Press, 2 x (6-10, 20****)

**Performed as a rest-pause set.

****Performed as a DC-style widowmaker set for quads.

Here are some sample training videos for this workout: exercise A1, exercise B1, exercise C1, exercise D1, exercise E1.

DC Training Upper Body Workout #3

Exercise #1: Smith machine 30 degree incline press, 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #2: Seated DB overhead press, 1 x 20-30 RP**
Exercise #3: Smith machine close grip bench press, 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #4: Hammer strength bilateral pull down (supinated grip), 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #5: Conventional deadlift, 2 x (5-7, 8-10)

**Performed as a rest-pause set.

Here are some sample training videos for this workout: exercise A1, exercise B1, exercise C1, exercise D1, exercise E1.

DC Training Lower Body Workout #3

Exercise #1: DB concentration curl, 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #2: Preacher ez-bar curl (wide / pronated grip), 1 x 12-20
Exercise #3: Machine hack squat calf raise, 1 x 7-10
Exercise #4: Bilateral lying leg curl (Poliquin method*** / feet pointing in), 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #5: Machine hack squat (medium stance), 2 x (4-8, 20****)

**Performed as a rest-pause set.

**Dorsiflex your ankles (point your toes towards your shins) on the concentric range and plantar flex your ankles (point your toes away from your shins) on the eccentric range. See the video below for more details.

****Performed as a DC-style widowmaker set for quads.

Here are some sample training videos for this workout: exercise A1, exercise B1, exercise C1, exercise D1, exercise E1.

If you want to give DC Training a shot then I highly recommend you give the above training routine a shot. I am confident you will be happy with the results!

Part 2: Dusty Hanshaw And The DC Training 3-Way Split

After 6-9 months on the DC Training program Dusty Hanshaw switched to the more advanced 3-way split. The 3-way split is a 4 days per week push / pull / legs split that advanced DC Trainees use to bring up their lagging body parts.

Dusty’s back and arms were lagging behind the rest of his body and he needed to bring these muscle groups up to be more competitive against other national level bodybuilders.

Here is what a push / pull / legs split looks like:

Push Day: Chest / Shoulders / Triceps
Pull Day: Back / Biceps
Legs Day: Quads / Hamstrings / Calves

The push / pull / legs split is one of the most popular bodybuilding training splits. It reduces overlap between muscle groups which helps you to recover and grow from your workouts. For example you never have to worry about your triceps being sore and impacting your chest workout because you train them on the same day.

The 4 day push / pull / legs split is unique because you train different muscle groups on different days each week. For example:

Week 1

Monday: Pull
Wednesday: Push
Friday: Legs
Saturday: Pull

Week 2

Monday: Push
Wednesday: Legs
Friday: Pull
Saturday: Push

Week 3

Monday: Legs
Wednesday: Pull
Friday: Push
Saturday: Legs

Dusty loved the 3-way split because his workouts are much shorter and he has room to perform more volume for weaker muscle groups. As an added bonus he still gets the chance to train muscle groups about once every 5 days so he can still rapidly increase his overall strength.

The big disadvantage of the 3-way split is that you have an extra workout each week which can hurt your recovery and slow down your progress if you are not careful.

Here is how Dante Trudel recommends his bodybuilders organize their workouts when they first start using the 3-way split:

Pull Day

Exercise #1: Back width, 1 rest-pause set —–> extreme stretch
Exercise #2: Back thickness, 1-2 straight sets
Exercise #3: Biceps, 1 rest-pause set —–> extreme stretch
Exercise #4: Forearms, 1 straight set

Push Day

Exercise #1: Chest, 1 rest-pause set —–> extreme stretch
Exercise #2: Shoulders, 1 rest-pause set —–> extreme stretch
Exercise #3: Triceps, 1 rest-pause set —–> extreme stretch

Legs Day

Exercise #1: Calves, 1 straight set
Exercise #2: Hamstrings, 1 rest-pause set
Exercise #3: Quads, 2 straight sets ——> quads / hamstrings extreme stretches

As you can see you are still performing 1 rest-pause set or 1-2 straight sets per exercise. Remember, DC Training is all about lower volume / higher frequency workouts so you can get stronger and build muscle mass as fast as possible.

I mentioned earlier that Dusty Hanshaw switched from the 2-way split to the 3-way split to bring up his lagging muscle groups.

Dusty’s back and arms were lagging behind the rest of his body and holding back his physique. Dusty started performing an extra exercise called a “widowmaker exercise” for each of these muscle groups.

Here is what Dusty’s training looked like for his weaker body parts on the 3-way split:

Step #1: Rest-Pause Exercise
Step #2: Widowmaker Exercise
Step #3: Extreme Stretch

According to Dante Trudel the widowmaker exercise is a key exercise that you use to bring up your weaker body parts. You perform this key exercise every single workout for that muscle group.

So Dusty had his 3 rest-pause exercises that he rotated through each workout and he had his widowmaker exercise that he performed every workout.

Dante Trudel says that the widowmaker exercise has three main criteria:

Factor #1: It puts your muscle into a deep loaded stretch
Factor #2: It puts you into a “power groove” position where you can grind out reps
Factor #3: You can be progressive over time on this exercise

For example Dusty used the hammer strength dip machine as his key widowmaker exercise for his triceps. Hammer strength dips meet all three criteria: the loaded stretch, the power groove position and progression over time.

Dusty started out performing the widowmaker exercise for 30 reps. His goal was to take small weight jumps almost every workout so that his reps dropped from 30 to 25, 20, 15 and finally 10 over months and months of time.

Here is what Dusty’s progression on hammer strength dips looked like:

Workout #1: 180 lbs x 30 reps
Workout #2: 190 lbs x 30 reps
Workout #3: 200 lbs x 29 reps
Workout #4: 210 lbs x 28 reps
Workout #5: 220 lbs x 26 reps
Workout #6: 220 lbs x 27 reps
Workout #7: 230 lbs x 25 reps
Workout #8: 240 lbs x 24 reps
Workout #9: 240 lbs x 26 reps
Workout #10: 250 lbs x 25 reps
Workout #11: 260 lbs x 25 reps
Workout #12: 270 lbs x 24 reps
Workout #13: 270 lbs x 26 reps
Workout #14: 280 lbs x 24 reps
Workout #15: 290 lbs x 23 reps

Note: these are just sample training weights. Dusty’s actual working weights were likely much higher than this!

Dusty occasionally had workouts where he used the same weight and tried to get more reps. However, the primary goal was to keep bumping the weight up and let his reps fall down over several months.

Now you should have a very good understanding of how Dusty used the 3-way split to bring up his weaker body parts.

Let’s put it all together by looking at his actual 3-way split workouts. Here is a basic template for each of Dusty’s 3-way split training days:

Dusty’s 3-Way Split Pull Day

Exercise #1: Back width, 1 rest-pause set
Exercise #2: Back width, 1 widowmaker set —–> extreme stretch
Exercise #3: Back thickness, 1-2 straight sets
Exercise #4: Biceps, 1 rest-pause set
Exercise #5: Forearms, 1 straight set
Exercise #6: Biceps, 1 widowmaker set —–> extreme stretch

Dusty’s 3-Way Split Push Day

Exercise #1: Chest, 1 rest-pause set —–> extreme stretch
Exercise #2: Shoulders, 1 rest-pause set —–> extreme stretch
Exercise #3: Triceps, 1 rest-pause set
Exercise #4: Triceps, 1 widowmaker set —–> extreme stretch

Dusty’s 3-Way Split Leg Day

Exercise #1: Calves: 1 straight set
Exercise #2: Hamstrings: 1 rest-pause set
Exercise #3: Quads: 2 straight sets ——> quads / hamstrings extreme stretches

I hope all of this makes sense.

Now I am going to give you the exact 3-way split DC Training program that Dusty Hanshaw used to bring up his lagging back and arms and to prepare for his national level bodybuilding contests in 2008.

All of the credit for this program goes to Dusty’s coach Dante Trudel. Dante posted this program on the “intense muscle” bodybuilding forum many years ago. Check it out:

Dusty Hanshaw’s Pull Workout #1

Exercise #1: Rack chins, 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #2: Dante rows, 1 x 10-30****
Exercise #3: Barbell bent-over row, 2 x (10-13, 7-9)
Exercise #4: Standing alternating DB curl (supinating grip), 1 x 11-20 RP**
Exercise #5: Reverse grip 1-arm cable curls, 1 x 12-20
Exercise #6: Preacher ez-bar curl (close / supinated grip), 1 x 10-30****