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If you've stepped into a weight room, you more than likely have heard of the 21's method for biceps. If not, you may want to step out from that rock from where you've been living.

You know the 21's drill – grab an EZ-Curl bar, perform seven reps going halfway up, seven more halfway down, and then finish it with seven full reps. Well, I've got something even better for you to tackle.

Like everyone else in lifting history, I took part in this great shock method, but I also started applying it to other muscle groups beyond my biceps. At a certain point, though, my body got used to this method and this technique. Then it no longer had quite the same impact. From there, my "28 method" was born and it took 21s to an entirely different level.

If you're like me and you've found something missing when you do 21's, the "28 method" is certainly a step up and it's also might be precisely what you're looking for.

So, what exactly is the "28 method?"

Well, it's not complicated, but it just goes a step further than doing 21's. Like 21's, you do seven regular full reps with whatever weight you're using and whatever exercises you're performing.

The next step, though, is the most intense. With your muscles already fatigued, you do seven slow reps, slow in this case applies to both the eccentric and concentric part of the movement.

In your head, do a 5-count down and then another 5-count up, slowly lowering the weight then slowly moving the weight back up. Believe me, you will feel this. From here, you finish out this work with seven reps going halfway down with the movement, and another seven reps going halfway up – much like 21s.

So, it goes like this: Seven full reps, seven slow reps, seven reps at the top half of the movement and seven final reps at the bottom half of the movement, giving you 28 shirt-splitting reps.

Try three sets for each exercise and pick three exercises for a particular muscle group. Get ready for your muscles to scream in pain. With just two minutes of rest between sets and the intense workload of the "28 method," you will obviously use significantly less weight for the movement.

But don't worry, this method works.

Almost immediately, you will see an increase in muscle fullness and the pump will be out of this world. It might not be the backbone of your training program, but you won't find a much better change of pace than the "28 method." Use it often for a couple of weeks and results will follow.

Your tighter-fitting shirts will be proof of that.

SAMPLE WORKOUT:

Chest and Triceps

A workout using the "28 method" for your chest and triceps would look like this, but you can apply this method any muscle group

Flat barbell bench
Three sets – Two minutes rest between sets

• 7 regular reps
• 7 slow up and down reps
• 7 reps going halfway down (from lockout)
• 7 reps going halfway up (from chest)

Incline Dumbbell Press
Three sets – Two minutes rest between sets

• 7 regular reps
• 7 slow up and down reps
• 7 reps going halfway down (from lockout)
• 7 reps going halfway up (from chest)

Chest Fly machine
Three sets – Two minutes rest between sets

• 7 regular reps
• 7 slow back and forth reps
• 7 reps going halfway back
• 7 reps going halfway up

Skull crushers
Three sets – Two minutes rest between sets

• 7 regular reps
• 7 slow up and down reps
• 7 reps going halfway down (from lockout)
• 7 reps going halfway up (from head)

Dips
Three sets – Two minutes rest between sets

• 7 regular reps
• 7 slow up and down reps
• 7 reps going halfway down (from lockout)
• 7 reps going halfway up (from bottom of movement)