Dante Trudel's DoggCrapp (DC) Training: The Low-Volume, High-Intensity System Explained

Dante Trudel's name isn't heard as much these days, but he's one of the most popular bodybuilding coaches in the 90s and 00s. With the rise in interest towards HIT Training and minimalistic training, his name is starting to come back in mainstream circles. And it should.

Dante Trudel's style of training is known as DoggCrapp and is one of the more unique methods of building muscle. It's more in line with the HIT Training of Dorian Yates and Mike Mentzer, as it emphasizes low volume and very high intensity.

However, it also has several unique methods that look more similar to traditional bodybuilding. This is DoggCrapp Training.

Who Is Dante Trudel?

Dante Trudel is one of the most popular non-competing bodybuilders in the industry who rose to notoriety during the 1990s.

Specifically, he became famous for his training style, which was known as DoggCrapp Training. DoggCrapp training is similar to various HIT methodologies at the time, as it went against traditional bodybuilding methods of high volume (Schoenfeld et. al, 2017)

Interestingly, Dante Trudel, not being a professional bodybuilder, actually gives more credence to his style of lifting.

Other lifters with similar styles, such as Mike Mentzer and Dorian Yates, were elite-level bodybuilders; Dorian Yates was 6X Mr. Olympia! This means their achievements gave legitimacy to their programs.

Trudel didn't have this; all he had were his clients and their results. And their results spoke volumes.

What Is DoggCrapp Training?

Dante Trudel's DoggCrapp (DC) Training is often lumped into HIT training due to its emphasis on low volume and high intensity. However, it does differ in some aspects;

• Uses a higher training frequency, hitting a muscle twice a week. This is in line with traditional bodybuilding (Schoenfeld et. al, 2016)
• While other forms of HIT use rest-pause sets as an option, it's the primary set intensifier in DC training. 
• Uses a form of periodization or deloads known as "blasting and cruising."

One last important concept is that DC Training is an extremely progression-driven hypertrophy training program. Every week, you must increase the load or reps. If you stall on an exercise for two sessions, you swap out with another exercise.

Does Research Support DoggCrapp?

Not really.

We're not saying it doesn't work, but it definitely operates outside of bodybuilding norms.

While his training volume is very low, research supports the idea that they don't need 10-20 sets to build muscle (Pelland et al., 2025). However, most low-volume research still suggests hitting a muscle with 4 weekly working sets. DoggCrapp is operating right around that level of not less.

In addition, a main claim of HIT Training is that it works because of training to failure. However, research suggests that proximal failure produces the same results as true failure (Martikainen et al., 2025).

One important caveat concerning training to failure is that most studies simply train to failure. However, like most HIT Training, DoggCrapp has you train past failure with rest-pause sets.

The point being that if you're looking for an "evidence-based" program, this probably won't be for you.

How To Use DoggCrapp Training?

There are several key variables that make up DoggCrapp Training. 

1. Rest-Pause As the Primary Set Structure

DC's signature element is the rest-pause set:

• 10-12  reps to failure
• 15 deep breaths
• 2–4 more reps
• 15 breaths
• 1–3 more reps
• Slow, controlled negative

With rest-pause, you can generate more reps with maximal tension. This is partly to explain how this may work so well. 

2. High Frequency With Rotating Exercises

Unlike Mentzer or Yates, DC trains each muscle more than once a week (3 times every 2 weeks) using rotating exercise selections.

In addition, each muscle uses three exercises it rotates through each session. This allows;

• High frequency 
• Mitigates excessive joint stress 
• Reduces stagnation or boredom
• Utilizes exercise variation for fuller muscle growth (actually shown by science!) (Antonio, 2000)

3. Extreme Loaded Stretching

DC includes "extreme" 60–90-second weighted stretches for each muscle immediately post-set. 

Trudel believed this would;

• Expand fascia
• Improve nutrient delivery
• Increased growth signals.

Regardless of the mechanisms, his stretching was known for being crazy painful!

4. Heavy Emphasis On Progressive Overload

Progression is everything. If an exercise stalls for several rotations, it's replaced. This creates built-in periodization and prevents stagnation.

5. Blast and Cruise Cycles

DC is run using a form of periodization called "Blast and Cruise". These cycles essentially work as hard training and deload weeks.

• Blast: 6–12 weeks pushing rest-pause intensity aggressively.
• Cruise:1–2 weeks with reduced intensity to prevent overuse and systemic burnout.

Writing A DoggCrapp Program

DoggCrapp Training is simple but needs some brief explanation to get started.

DC training has a total of 6 different workouts that are rotated through. 

• "A" Workouts: Chest, shoulders, triceps, back.
• "B" Workouts: Biceps, forearms, quads, hamstrings, calves.
• "1, 2, 3" Workouts: Each number includes a different exercise for that muscle
• 6 Sessions Labeled: A1, B1, A2, B2, A3, B3

Therefore, weekly training looked like this;

• Week 1: A1, B1, A2
• Week 2: B2, A3, B3
• Week 3: A1, B1, A2

As mentioned above, you use 3 exercises for each movement pattern that you cycle through. 

Example DoggCrapp Training Plan

Here's how it all looks when it comes together. Each muscle group has 3 exercises, which you do one per session. For example,

• Chest – Incline bench press, Decline dumbbell press, Wide grip (Smith Machine).
• A1- Incline bench press
• A2- Decline dumbbell press
• A3- Wide grip (Smith Machine)

Workout A

• Chest – Incline bench press, Decline dumbbell press, Wide grip (Smith Machine).
• Shoulders – Military press, Seated Smith Machine press, Dumbbell press
• Triceps – Tricep dips, Close grip barbell bench press, Reverse grip smith machine press 
• Back width – Pull-up, chin-up, lat pulldown.
• Back Thickness – Snatch-grip rack pull, T-Bar row, 2" Deadlift

Workout B

• Biceps – Barbell curls, dumbbell alternating curl, cable curl.
• Forearms – Farmer Carry, hammer curl, reverse EZ grip cable curls 
• Calves – Seated calf raises, Donkey press, standing calf raises,
• Hamstrings – Leg curl, Romanian deadlift, Glute-ham raise. 
• Quads – Back squat, Belt squat, Leg press

DC Training uses a range of reps. In general;

• Squats, Deadlifts- 6-12 (Optional widow maker set of 20 reps for squats and leg press)
• Back, Chest, Shoulders, Arms- 10-15 (Except back rows, he used heavier loads with 5-8reps)
• Leg Isolations- 15-20

Dante Trudel's DoggCrapp (DC) Training: Final Say

Dante Trudel's DC Training is interesting in its design and has a lot of unique variables. 

1. What makes it stand out from other HIT training systems is the exercise variation. This could theoretically allow for a greater frequency while also optimizing muscle growth. 
2. It is low volume, maybe hitting each muscle with 3-4 sets a week when counting fractional sets (when the muscle is used but not the target) 
3. Its emphasis on rest-pause could make up for the lower volume. Not only does it ensure intensity, but it increases total volume; 1 set + rest-pause = 1.5-2.0 sets
4. It's short and simple, which is attractive for many people.

All in all, if you're interested in minimal styles of training, DC Training would definitely be worth trying.

References

1. Antonio, J. (2000). Nonuniform response of skeletal muscle to heavy resistance training: Can bodybuilders induce regional muscle hypertrophy? Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 14(1), 102–113. https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/abstract/2000/02000/Nonuniform_Response_of_Skeletal_Muscle_to_Heavy.18.aspx/
2. Pelland, J. C., Remmert, J. F., Robinson, Z. P., Hinson, S. R., & Zourdos, M. C. (2025). The resistance-training dose response: Meta-regressions exploring the effects of weekly volume and frequency on muscle hypertrophy and strength gains. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.). Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-025-02344-w
3. Martikainen, O., Niiranen, H., Rytkönen, T., et al. (2025). Influence of varying proximity-to-failure on muscular adaptations and repetitions-in-reserve estimation accuracy in resistance-trained individuals. Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42978-025-00338-8
4. Schoenfeld, B. J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2016). Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 46(11), 1689–1697. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8 
5. Schoenfeld, B. J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2017). Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences, 35(11), 1073–1082. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2016.1210197