What is this strength training program’s goal?

• Progressive Overload – You continually increase in weight and/or repetitions to stimulate the muscles to strengthen and grow
• Hypertrophy – Focused on the 8 to 12 reps range, we are looking to maximize muscle growth for long-term health
• Maximum Efficiency – Get the most gains, in the least amount of time, without injury
• Functional Strength – Aesthetics are a bonus, but functional strength is extremely useful in life. Moving, yardwork, swinging your kids around, splitting wood, etc.
• No Drugs – Everywhere you look on social media these days you see killer physiques and it’s hard to tell who used drugs to get there. Here’s a great example:

What experience do I have?

I spent a few decades researching strength training and applying the principles learned to develop the most efficient program. Here’s a video of me doing some weighted pullups and a few pictures to show what I was able to build with a workout program like the ones below.

How does it work?

What is a rep? A repetition is a single execution of the movement. This could be a single bicep curl or push up.

What is a set? A set is a group of repetitions. 3 sets of 10 means you are going to do 10 repetitions, take a rest, then do 10 repetitions, take a rest, then do 10 repetitions. 

The first 4 to 6 weeks are focused on building the strength training habit and making it as easy as possible. Simultaneously, you want to lift weight that is light enough to avoid injury or debilitating soreness, but enough to promote connective tissue, bone, and neurological adaptations. You’ll target 3 sets of 10 reptitions.

Once your body is ready, we’ll move into the hypertrophy phase and target 8 to 12 reps for each exercise with one set. The exercises will expand, but the sets will decrease.

Has it been 3 or more months since you regularly strength trained?

Start here.

You’re going to focus on one compound exercise per day to get your body used to lifting. Your progressive overload will be slow to keep you from hurting yourself. It will take two to three workouts to dial in the weight for each exercise.

3 Sets of 10 Reps for each exercise

Start light enough you’re 100% certain you can complete all the repetitions. Next week increase the weight.

• Day 1 | Chest: Chest Press. 
• Day 2 | Legs: Deadlift. If you can’t do the bar, start with dumbbells.
• Day 3 | Shoulders: Shoulder Press. 
• Day 4 | Core: Planks. Rather than reps, choose a time you can plank for 3 sets of.
• Day 5 | Back: Seated rows.  
• Optional: Day 6 | Grip: Hang from a bar

I’ve Been Training for at Least 4 Weeks

Sleep

Nutrition

Cardio

Coming soon!