Hany Rambod invented the FST-7 Training Program to help advanced bodybuilders take their physique to the next level. Today it is one of the most popular bodybuilding training programs in the world.

Hany Rambod uses many different training splits with his world-class athletes. However, one of his favorite splits is the classic 5-day bro split!

Introduction

• Part 1: FST-7 Chest Workouts
• Part 2: FST-7 Back Workouts
• Part 3: FST-7 Shoulder Workouts
• Part 4: FST-7 Leg Workouts
• Part 5: FST-7 Arm Workouts

In this comprehensive guide I will teach you how to transform your physique using Hany Rambod’s favorite FST-7 training split.

Hany Rambod is the creator of the world-famous FST-7 Training Program. His system is designed to help advanced bodybuilders break through training plateaus and build muscle while avoiding injuries.

Hany Rambod says that his program combines the best aspects of high-volume training and high-intensity training into one revolutionary training program. Check it out:

“FST-7 stands for fascia stretch training. The 7 is the amount of sets that you do at the end. The expansion of the fascia is what is going to trigger the growth.

So when we go in there and trigger the ultimate pump, you’re going to get really good round muscle bellies with maximum separation.”

Hany Rambod uses many different training splits with his clients. However, one of his all-time favorites is the classic 5-day bodybuilding bro split where you train each muscle group on a separate training day. For example:

The FST-7 5-Day Training Split

• Day 1: Chest
• Day 2: Back
• Day 3: Off
• Day 4: Shoulders
• Day 5: Legs
• Day 6: Arms
• Day 7: Off

Hany Rambod likes the 5-day bro split because you can train each muscle group on its own day with plenty of volume and intensity.

Hany says that when you get to an advanced level, you need to really attack each muscle group with several exercises per workout.

Hany sometimes uses a different version of the bro-split with his clients to help bring up weaker body parts. For example, Hany is a big fan of the following split for bringing up lagging arms:

The FST-7 Lagging Arms Training Split

• Day 1: Arms
• Day 2: Legs
• Day 3: Off
• Day 4: Chest and triceps
• Day 5: Back and calves
• Day 6: Shoulders and biceps
• Day 7: Off

Hany Rambod uses different training techniques for every muscle group. However, his goal is always the same: he wants to stimulate as much muscle growth as possible while staying healthy and avoiding injuries.

This is very similar to the approach that John Meadows uses with his Mountain Dog Training program.

Now let’s take a closer look at how Hany Rambod designs his FST-7 bro-split workouts…

Part 1: FST-7 Chest Workouts

Hany Rambod likes to train his chest on the first day of his training split.

Hany says that most people get poor results from the classic mass-building exercises like the bench press and the incline bench press. Instead, he thinks bodybuilders should focus on more joint-friendly exercises like dumbbell presses, machine presses, dips and various isolation exercises.

Hany Rambod usually has his clients perform 4-6 exercises per workout. This is a lot of volume but he thinks it is absolutely essential for stimulating growth as an advanced athlete.

Here is a simple FST-7 chest workout that you can try. Check it out:

FST-7 Chest Workout #1

• Exercise #1: Flat machine press, 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #2: Incline machine press, 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #3: 30 degree incline DB fly, 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #4: 30 degree incline DB hex press, 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #5: Cable crossover, 7 sets of 10-15 reps, 45 seconds rest

Here is the training video:

This is a perfect example of how Hany Rambod likes to organize his chest workouts. For this workout Hany performs 5 different chest exercises: 3 compound pressing movements and 2 isolation exercises.

As usual Hany sticks to machines and isolation exercises over heavy barbell exercises like the bench press or the incline bench press. He says that these exercises are better for getting a maximal stretch and contraction on every rep.

Finally Hany finishes the workout with 7 sets of cable crossovers. This is the FST-7 technique where you perform 7 sets with very short rest periods.

Hany says technique builds a huge pump in your chest and helps you to stretch out your fascia tissue, thus making room for more growth. Sometimes Hany Rambod likes to perform the FST-7 sets at the start of his workout, rather than at the end.

He calls this technique “FST-7 preload” because you are pre-exhausting your chest before moving onto your heavy loading sets.

Here is an FST-7 preload workout that you can try. Check it out:

FST-7 Chest Workout #2

• Exercise #1: Cable fly, 7 sets of 10-15 reps, 45 seconds rest
• Exercise #2: Cable press, 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #3: Push ups, 2 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #4: 30 degree incline DB press, 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #5: 30 degree incline DB fly, 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #6: 30 degree incline hex press, 2 sets of 8-12 reps

Here is the training video:

Talk about an intense workout!

For this workout Hany Rambod instructs his client to pre-exhaust his chest with the cable fly exercise. On the last 3 sets he actually supersets the cable flys with cable chest presses.

Supersets are a great high-intensity technique which prolongs the time under tension of your set and helps to stimulate more growth. After the preload exercise he moves onto different “pumping and squeezing” chest exercises like push ups, incline dumbbell presses and incline dumbbell flies.

In between sets Hany has his client perform chest poses to make his chest work even harder.

“We’re getting in posing time under tension in between sets. I want to make sure he’s squeezing all the muscles around the chest, not just the chest.

We want traps, shoulders, everything to get plenty of blood flow into the chest.”

If you are looking for a great routine to shock your chest into growth, then you have to try one of these FST-7 chest workouts.

Part 2: FST-7 Back Workouts

Hany Rambod says that most people don’t know how to train their upper back properly.

He says getting stronger every week and hitting personal records is fine if you are a powerlifter. However, if you are a bodybuilder and your goal is to build a massive upper back then you need to focus more on getting strong muscular contractions on every rep.

Hany Rambod usually trains the upper back with 4-6 different exercises. He thinks you need to use a wide variety of pulldown and rowing exercises for optimal results.

Of course he also likes to throw in some FST-7 sets at the end of the workout to stretch out his upper back fascia tissue. Here is a simple FST-7 back workout that you can try. Check it out:

FST-7 Back Workout #1

• Exercise #1: Lat pulldown (medium / supinated grip), 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #2: Lat pulldown (narrow / neutral grip), 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #3: Bent over ez-bar row (wide / supinated grip), 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #4: Seated cable row (v-handle), 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #5: Straight arm cable pullover, 7 sets of 10-15 rep, 45 seconds rest

Here is the training video:

This is a perfect example of how Hany Rambod likes to organize his FST-7 back workouts. For this workout he performs 4 heavy loading exercises, followed by the one FST-7 exercise to really pump up his lats.

Here is Hany talking about the goal for the workout:

“We’re going to start with 4 base exercises and our 5th exercise is a FST-7 set. FST stands for fascia stretch training and the 7 stands for the pump sets we’re going to do at the end of the workout.

The first 4 exercises are designed to build strength and power and the 5th exercise is designed to give the muscle the full, pumped up look.”

During the workout Hany Rambod really focuses on getting maximal contractions in the upper back – especially the lats. Hany says that most people have underdeveloped lower lats. He thinks the best way to target the lower lats is to use underhand grip rows and pulldowns.

Here is Hany Rambod talking about one of his favorite upper back exercises, the supinated grip row:

“Everyone asks me why do I like to do the reverse grip rows so much? I like to do both but most people end up having a weaker lower lat than an upper lat. So I like to emphasize the lower lat by using the reverse grip.”

Here is another FST-7 back workout that you can try. Check it out:

FST-7 Back Workout #2

• Exercise #1: Machine pulldown (narrow / neutral grip), 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps**
• Exercise #2: Barbell bent over row (supinated grip), 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #3: Seated cable row (v-handle), 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #4: Lat pulldown (medium / supinated grip), 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #5: Lat pulldown (wide / overhand grip), 7 sets of 10-15 reps, 45 seconds rest

**Train to failure, then perform several partial reps in the stretched position

Here is the training video:

This is another perfect example of how Hany Rambod likes to organize his upper back workouts. For this workout Hany performs 4 heavy loading exercises, followed by his favorite FST-7 technique on lat pulldowns.

During the workout Hany talks about the importance of really feeling your lats contract hard on every rep. Check it out:

“Back is a finesse body part. You want to be able to manipulate your back into growing. You’re not going to just throw a bunch of weight on the bar.

That’s great for PRs and everything, but for actually growing your back, especially your lower lats, you have to feel the muscle working.”

This is great advance. Most people don’t realize that for maximal lat development, you want to flare your lats outwards during your sets, almost as if you are performing a front lat pose.

Part 3: FST-7 Shoulder Workouts

If you thought Hany Rambod’s chest and back workouts were tough, then wait until you see his shoulder workouts!

Hany says that the shoulders are a unique muscle group. He thinks they require more training volume than any other muscle group to grow. In fact, he often has his advanced bodybuilders like Jay Cutler perform 7 different shoulder exercises in a single workout! 

“Some people think that high volume comes with only back or legs. When you do shoulders, high volume is high volume.

We’re pushing a lot of blood and we’re doing a lot of different angles. Not only are we doing 1 type of lateral movement, sometimes we’re doing 2 or even 3 different lateral raises.”

Hany Rambod often performs 1-2 compound pressing exercises and 4-5 shoulder isolation exercises in a single workout. Of course, he also likes to use his FST-7 sets at the beginning or end of his workouts.

Here is one of Jay Cutler’s advanced FST-7 workouts that you can try. Check it out:

FST-7 Shoulder Workout #1

• Exercise #1: Seated DB overhead press, 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Exercise #2: Standing DB lateral raise, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Exercise #3: Behind the back cable lateral raise, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Exercise #4: 30 degree prone DB “Y” raise, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Exercise #5: Bent over DB lateral raise, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Exercise #6: Reverse pec dec, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Exercise #7: Hammer strength military press, 7 sets of 10-12 reps, 30-45 seconds rest

Here is the training video:

Talk about an intense shoulder workout! Jay Cutler performs 7 exercises for his shoulders, including 2 compound pressing exercises and 5 shoulder isolation exercises. Hany Rambod says that most bodybuilders should stick to isolation exercises for their FST-7 sets. However, for more advanced bodybuilders like Jay Cutler he sometimes likes to use overhead pressing movements. Here is his reasoning:

“FST-7 for beginners and intermediates, we use lateral raises to isolate the lateral head of the delts. With Jay we’re trying to build more thickness and base strength so we’re using more compound movements.

Compound movements are not good for beginners because your ancillary muscles will kick in. But with advanced bodybuilders you can use a compound movement for 7 sets of 8-12 reps to really blow up your delts.”

Hany Rambod also likes to use the FST-7 pre-load strategy with advanced bodybuilders. This is where he performs his 7 FST sets at the start of the workout, rather than at the end. Here is an FST-7 preload shoulder workout that you can try. Check it out:

FST-7 Shoulder Workout #2

• Exercise #1: Machine lateral raise, 7 sets of 10-15 reps, 30 seconds rest
• Exercise #2: Machine overhead press, 4 sets of 7-15 reps
• Exercise #3: Seated DB overhead press, 4 sets of 7-15 reps
• Exercise #4: One-arm standing DB front raise, 4 sets of 7-15 reps
• Exercise #5: Bent over rear delt DB fly, 4 sets of 7-15 reps

Here is the training video:

Here is Hany Rambod describing this preload strategy:

“We’re going to start with an FST-7 pre-load. We’re going to do working sets, 7 sets, 30-45 seconds of rest in between each set and doing 10-15 reps. We’re going to push hard and really push that pre-pump.

What do you do with a pre-pump? You’re trying to take that pump when you go to your compound movements when you have a better mind-muscle connection.”

This high-volume workout might be too much for some bodybuilders to recover from. However, if you respond well to high-volume workouts then it may be just what you need to blow up your shoulders.

Part 4: FST-7 Leg Workouts

Hany Rambod has some controversial opinions on leg training. He says that most bodybuilders train way too heavy on exercises like squats, leg presses and hack squats.

These are all great exercises. However, he feels most bodybuilders would get better results if they pre-exhausted their quads with leg extensions first in their routines. This was a favorite strategy of many legendary bodybuilders including Dorian Yates and Branch Warren.

Here is a perfect example of how Hany Rambod likes to organize his leg workouts. Check it out:

FST-7 Leg Workout #1

• Exercise #1: Leg extensions, 7 sets of 8-12 reps, 45 seconds rest
• Exercise #2: Vertical leg press, 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Exercise #3: Back squat, 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #4: Walking barbell lunge, 3 sets of 20-30 reps
• Exercise #5: DB stiff-legged deadlift, 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #6: Lying leg curl, 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #7: Seated leg curl, 4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Exercise #8: Kneeling leg curl, 4 sets of 8-12 reps

Here is the training video:

Talk about an intense leg workout! As usual Hany pre-exhausts his legs with leg extensions.

Hany says that pre-exhausting your quads with leg extensions does several things: it pumps your quads full of blood, it improves your mind-muscle connection to this muscle group and it limits the amount of weight you can use on exercises like squats and leg presses. T

hat way you get better muscle stimulation while limiting the stress on your lower back, hips and knees.

“The key to leg extensions is to make sure you don’t go too heavy and to try to get the full range of motion. That means going all the way down without the weight touching.

I usually advise about 80% of the range of motion because as you go up you put pressure on the patella.”

For this workout Hany actually uses the pre-load technique on leg extensions. In other words he performs 7 sets of this exercise with only 45 seconds rest in between sets.

Here is Hany talking about the benefits of this technique:

“You can either do straight sets or pre-load. In the past with beginners and some intermediates we would do FST-7 at the end. For more advanced users we will use leg extensions as a pre-load for FST-7.

You will actually do 7 sets of leg extensions and what that will do is increase blood flow to your quads so you have a better mind-muscle connection as you go to other compound exercises.”

Most of the time Hany Rambod likes to train his quads and hamstrings together on the same training day. However, with some athletes he actually likes to train them on separate training days.

Here is what one of Hany’s FST-7 quad workouts might look like:

FST-7 Leg Workout #2

• Exercise #1: Single leg leg extension, 4 sets of 10-15 reps
• Exercise #2: 45 degree leg press, 4 sets of 10-15 reps
• Exercise #3: Belt squat, 4 sets of 10-15 reps
• Exercise #4: Vertical leg press, 4 sets of 10-15 reps
• Exercise #5: Machine hip thrust, 4 sets of 10-15 reps
• Exercise #6: Machine hip abduction, 4 sets of 10-15 reps

Here is the training video:

As usual Hany tells his client to pre-exhaust his legs with leg extensions. For this workout he actually performs leg extensions with one leg at a time. This is a variation that the bodybuilding guru Stan Efferding also really likes.

After the leg extensions he moves onto some of his other favorite leg exercises including 45 degree leg presses, belt squats and vertical leg presses.

“First set of vertical leg presses, it’s not about all-out weight because this is super light. It’s about just trying to sit your hips and get your range of motion right.

Because you’re going from a completely different exercise to a new vertical movement. And with all the blood coming into your quad, it’s going to accentuate your pump even further when you go right side up.”

Finally he finished his workout with some sets for his glutes and adductors. This was one of the few FST-7 workouts where Hany Rambod does not perform any fascia stretch training.

Part 5: FST-7 Arm Workouts

Hany Rambod has some controversial opinions when it comes to training arms. He says that the amount of weight you lift on most major exercises is almost irrelevant.

It doesn’t matter how much weight you are lifting – what matters is how much tension you put on the target muscle.

Hany Rambod tells his clients to focus on getting hard contractions and a deep stretch on every rep. He also uses plenty of novel exercises and different high-intensity techniques to stimulate even more growth.

Here is a typical FST-7 arm workout that you can try. Check it out:

FST-7 Arm Workout #1

• Exercise #1: Standing ez-bar curl (wide / supinated grip), 7 sets of 10-12 reps**, 30 seconds rest
• Exercise #2: Supine cable curl (wide / supinated grip), 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Exercise #3: 30 degree spider ez-bar curl (narrow / supinated grip), 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Exercise #4: Cable rope pushdowns, 4 sets of 10-12 reps****
• Exercise #5: Smith machine bench press (shoulder-width grip), 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Exercise #6: Bench dips, 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Exercise #7: Overhead rope cable extensions (high pulley), 7 sets of 10-12 reps, 30 seconds rest

**Perform 10-12 regular reps, then perform 3 reps with extra manual resistance on the lowering phase, the perform 5 partial reps in the bottom position of the exercise

****Train to failure, then perform several partial reps in the stretched position

Here is the training video:

Talk about an intense arm workout!

For this workout Hany Rambod uses a number of different high-intensity techniques. He uses the FST-7 preload strategy for the first biceps exercises.

However, he doesn’t stop there: he also throws in some accentuated eccentric reps and partial reps in the stretched position to increase the intensity of the exercise.

“We’re going to start with a preload exercise which is actually doing FST-7 in the beginning of the body part so therefore we’re forcing blood into the muscle that is going to be targeted in the rest of the workout.”

Hany Rambod uses a similar strategy for his triceps exercises. For example, on the first exercise he trains to failure and then performs several partial reps out of the stretched position. Then he moves onto other mass-building triceps exercises like close grip bench presses and dips.

Hany says that training your triceps is all about getting a strong contraction and stretch on every rep – the amount of weight you lift is only secondary.

“It doesn’t matter how much weight you lift. Your body doesn’t realize if you’re lifting 100 pounds or 200 pounds.

It’s how much resistance you feel. Because of the fact it’s just a matter of how your muscles perceive the resistance.”

Gere is another FST-7 arm workout that you can try. Check it out:

FST-7 Arm Workout #2

• Exercise #1: Bench press (shoulder-width grip), 4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Exercise #2: Overhead dumbbell extension, 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Exercise #3: Cable pushdowns (reverse grip), 4 sets of 10-12 reps**
• Exercise #4: Overhead cable extension (high pulley), 7 sets of 10 reps****, 30 seconds rest
• Exercise #5: Standing cable face curl, 7 sets of 10-15 reps, 30 seconds rest
• Exercise #6: One-arm standing DB curl, 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps
• Exercise #7: 30 degree DB spider curl (supinated grip), 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps

**Perform 10-12 reps, then immediately perform 5 partial reps in the stretched position

****Perform 10 reps, then immediately perform diamond pushups to failure, then rest 30 seconds and repeat

Here is the training video:

For this workout Hany Rambod uses the FST-7 preload technique for his biceps and the regular FST-7 technique for his triceps. As usual Hany incorporates plenty of high-intensity techniques for his arms including supersets and partial reps.

Here is Hany Rambod describing the workout:

“FST-7 is designed to not only make you rounder and fuller, but also give you more of that graininess because you are still building a stronger muscle.

Because you are using both aspects of volumization as well as high-intensity training – it incorporates the two.”

If you are an advanced bodybuilder then these high-intensity arm workouts are definitely worth giving a shot.

Conclusion

The FST-7 Training Program is one of the most popular bodybuilding programs in the world. It incorporates high-volume and high-intensity training principles into one brutal training system.

Hany Rambod says that the 5-day bodybuilding bro split is the way to go for advanced bodybuilders who want to use the FST-7 training system. The bro split lets you train each muscle group on its own training day, which is ideal if you want to perform 4-6 exercises for each body part.

If you aren’t satisfied with your results then you may want to give Hany Rambod’s FST-7 Training Program a shot. It may be just what you need to take your training to the next level.

“When your vision is powerful enough, everything else falls into place. Vision is a purpose, and when your purpose is clear, so are your life choices. 

Vision creates faith and faith creates willpower. With faith, there is no anxiety, no doubt – just absolute confidence.”

Thank you for reading and I wish you the best of luck on your strength training journey!