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Article List “So You Want To Hit a PR?” – This article outlines how to prepare to reach new levels of performance in training or competition. “Creating an Effective Strongman Routine” – Discusses how to set up a training routine that includes strongman event work. The article includes four example templates. “Strongman Training for Maximum Hypertrophy” – Article on how to implement strongman training into your program to optimize muscle gain. “Utilizing Gym Complexes for Power & Conditioning“ – Article about utilizing ‘complexes’ to improve strength and conditioning. “Getting Started – Beginner Weight Training” – Article with some basics on how to set up your training along with example routines. So You Want To Hit a PR? You know that feeling when you walk into the gym and everything just seems to  fall into place? The weights that you have attempted countless times in the past feel like a warm-up, and personal records (PRs) are set and eclipsed with ease! The PR is an integralcomponent to your short and long term success in the gym.  PRs allow you to measure progress, configure goals, and serve as a tremendous motivator.  When you hit a PR it literally creates a feeling of euphoria. A PR need not be defined as your 1 repetition maximum.  It can be anything from running a mile in under six minutes, to finally hitting that 225 lbs x 10 bench press, to completing 50 chin-ups in only 4 sets. Setting a PR is not just a matter of getting lucky or “having a good day” – there are 5 main factors that you can control to help drive peak performance: Diet Consuming the right nutrients can be crucial to your success. Days Leading up to PR – Increased protein intake becomes a focus.  Most trainees find it easiest to ramp-up their protein intake via the use of supplements.  My personal choice is which consists of a unique blend of 3 fractions of whey, casein, and egg proteins.  A generalized surplus of calories is also important. From my experience, the window ofopportunity for dietary manipulation begins 3-4 days out from the PR attempt. The Day of the PR Attempt – On this day it is crucial to take in a surplus of total calories with an emphasis on carbohydrates and fats for energy. Do not eat unusual foods that may upset your stomach. Pre-Workout Meal – Instead of a meal with regular foods, I recommend a high calorie shake (I use ) be consumed 2-3 hours prior to the attempt.  Depending on how I feel and the nature of the attempt, I may have a simple carbohydrate source such as dextrose or fruit after the shake in the intervening time prior to the attempt.  Some trainees like to use a pre-workout supplement containing stimulants to get “up” for the attempt.  This is fine so long as care is taken to make sure the supplement does not interfere with your warm-ups, focus, or your stomach (common problems noted with the use of many pre-workout supplements).  I recommend a banana, a couple of spoons of honey, and 200 mg of caffeine as an effectivepre-workout “stack”. Sleep Sleep is integral to optimal physical performance. You must be well rested prior to PR attempts.  Eight hours of sleep per night is the generally accepted benchmark, but some people may require more depending on factors such as total physical activity (ex: if they have a physically demanding job) and stress. Central Nervous System If your PR attempt is going to involve heavy loads, you want to have your central nervous system (CNS) “primed” for the event via proper training in the preceding weeks. Heavy resistance training is a tremendous stressor to the CNS and one must take care to both allow for adequate recovery time, and to train as heavy as possible as often as possible.  This balancing act can be tricky, but the protocol listed below is one that has worked very well for me: Week 1: Heavy (75-85%) Week 2: Light (65-75%) Week 3: Maximal Effort (95-105%) Week 4: De-load (50%) The above load schedule does not detail set and rep recommendations.  Forclarity, below you will see specific loads (based upon a previous best of 275 lbs x 3 reps), sets, and reps: Week 1: 245 lbs x 3 sets of 3 Week 2: 210 lbs x 3 sets of 5 Week 3: 210 lbs x 3, 245 lbs x 3, 285 lbs x 3 (PR) Week 4: 155 lbs x 3 sets of 10 Warm-up Immediately prior to the PR attempt, a proper warm-up is crucial.  Care must be taken to gradually warm-up the musculature and then move on to heavier loads which will do the same for the CNS. The use of relatively heavy loads during this process must be tempered with the fact that one does not wish to fatigue the body such that the PR attempt is compromised, rather a gradual increase in loads used which both stimulate and do not overly fatigue is ideal.  Isolation movements can also be incorporated to prime specific muscles which are to be used in a compound exercise PR attempt. The following sample warm-up is based upon a PR attempt of 300 lbs in the bench press: Generalized Warm-up: 5 minutes walking on elliptical trainer at lowresistance. Light Stretching & Dynamic Warm-Up: 2-3 minutes of upper body stretches, arm swings, shoulder mobility, etc. Isolated warm-up for involved muscle groups: Pushups – Body weight x 2 sets of 10 reps Triceps Pushdown – 50 lbs x 15 reps Movement Specific Warm-up & Work Sets: (using Bench Press as an example) Empty Bar (45 lbs) x 10 x 2 sets 95 lbs x 10 135 lbs x 7 185 lbs x 5 225 lbs x 2 255 lbs x 2 ** 275 lbs x 1 300 lbs x 1- PR! Attempt 305-315 lbs assuming clean lift @ 300 lbs. **This is the first “work set” where you should add chalk, put on wrist wraps, flip hat backwards, or do whatever else you plan to do on your max attempt. Note: Some athletes may utilize neoprene sleeves and or anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen for problem areas like elbows or knees.  Please discuss any medications or injuries with your doctor prior to moving forward in your routine. Mental The mental aspect is a major factor in setting PRs.  You simply cannot optimally harness your physicalabilities without the capacity to 100% focus on the task at hand.  Heightened mental focus and physical arousal are keys to setting PRs.  While there is individual variance in how to best achieve the requisite state, there are certain methods that work for nearly everyone: You must attempt to block all distractions from your mind.  A sound technique involves taking a few moments prior to the PR attempt to close your eyes and mentally rehearse the lift.  Visualize yourself successfully completing the PR.  Try to see, smell, and feel all that you will during the actual attempt.  In short, make the mental attempts as realistic as possible. Build up your adrenaline prior to the big attempt. For some people this means getting angry or “fired up” while for others it is just a calm focus of energy. Stay in control and do not expend any valuable energy with anything unnecessary. Wrapping things up It is generally recommended that you go for heavy PRs (using loads greater than 80% of yourcurrent 1 repetition maximum) no more than once per month.  With that said; remember that PRs can take nearly any form and need not be 1-3 repetition lifts.  These other types of PRs can be attempted with greater frequency. As you can see, PRs are a must for any dedicated trainee.  Follow the guidelines set forth in this article and you will be well on your way to your personal physical goals. Now, go break down your barriers and set some new personal records! Creating An Effective Strongman Routine An in-depth look at how to design a custom Strongman Training routine to achieve your goals The sport of strongman competition has grown tremendously in the last few years. This growth in popularity has sparked increased interest in the training techniques and routines of strongman competitors. The purpose of this article is to introduce the reader to strongman training with respect to the basics of building a routine. It will assume the reader is somewhat familiar with strength training ingeneral and the specific exercises mentioned. Future articles will cover the “how to” of performing strongman specific movements (such a tire flipping and stones) and other nuances of the sport. A simple Google search on strongman will provide a tremendous amount of training information. Making sense of all of that information and using it to put together an effective routine can be tricky business. Many individuals, excited by the prospect of newfound training techniques and exercises will create routines that quickly lead to overtraining due to excessive volume and loads. The following information will help you to avoid that pratfall. Let’s start with a few basic guidelines: Use your heaviest working sets in the gym to focus on the lifts that will have the highest carryover: power cleans, deadlifts, front squats, push jerks etc. Begin with a low volume, low intensity warm-up and then work your way to a max effort (ME) set in one of the above key exercises. After that, focus onsupersets and a mix of compound and isolation movements to improve your conditioning and muscular endurance. Only squat or deadlift once per week. **If you are a powerlifter and looking to compete in both sports then you can do one ME and one dynamic effort (DE) day each week. For example, perform your ME work on Wednesday and DE work on Friday with events on Sunday. Low intensity cardio is the only kind of cardio that you should be doing when using traditional equipment (stair-stepper, stationary bike etc.). Higher intensity work should be reserved for plyometrics and sled dragging since they will have a more direct carryover and should not compromise, but rather can enhance your resistance training via the concepts of active recovery and improved muscular conditioning. Limit yourself to 3 days per week of resistance training with barbells or machines, 2-3 days cardio, and 1 events day. If you are just starting out, you should alternate your events days with both ÒheavyÓ andÒspeed/techniqueÓ focused workouts. Brute strength is important for strongman, but technique plays a nearly equal factor. If you are not feeling prepared for a good training session on any given day, cut out your heavy compound exercises and take it easy. Strongman training is very taxing on the central nervous system (CNS) and a recovery day can be much more productive than a heavy day when applied at the appropriate times. Now, let’s take the above information and create some specific routines. Keep in mind that variety is important and even small things like a change in the range of motion, speed of movement, or rep ranges can provide the conjugate variety needed to avoid overtraining of the CNS. Example Routine A (someone looking to get the most out of events day) Monday: incline / standing push jerk / log press, triceps & delts assistance work Tuesday: active recovery day – sled drag, swimming, etc. Wednesday: deadlift / front squat / cleans, leg assistance exercises (machines)Thursday: chins, calves, abs, cardio Friday: rest Saturday: events day (tire, yoke, farmers, stones, etc.) Sunday: rest Example Routine B (focus on pressing strength) Monday: speed / technique pressing day – OHP, chins, rows, cardio Tuesday: rest Wednesday: ME squat / deadlift / cleans, leg assistance work Thursday: rest Friday: heavy pressing day – OHP, triceps assistance work Saturday: events (moving events only) Sunday: rest Example Routine C (powerlifter / strongman): Monday: back & cardio (chins, rows, low intensity cardio / abs) Tuesday: bench work (bench, triceps) Wednesday: rest Thursday: squats (squats, glute-hamstring raises/rev hyper) Friday: rest / active recovery* Saturday: rest / active recovery* Sunday: events training (4 events, usually including a deadlift variation) *Pick either Friday or Saturday to do some type of cardio / active recovery depending on how taxing the squat workout was. This can include sled drags, walking, low intensity sports, or swimming. ExampleRoutine D (bodybuilding / strongman) Monday: chest / back – incline press, chins, machines or dumbbell supersets through rest of workout Tuesday: rest Wednesday: legs – deadlift or squat, machine supersets and drop sets to finish Thursday: arms – biceps, triceps, delts (hammer curl, close grip, strict pressing then supersets using mostly free weights followed by machines to fatigue) Friday: cardio – low intensity, active recovery Saturday: events – this is where you will do all heavy training. Gym lifts should not be ME, but rather a 5×5 or 3×3 on your core movement followed by bodybuilding training Sunday: rest One of the above programs should suit your individual goals. Choose one and give it your all! Train hard, train smart and you will soon reach your strongman goals and perhaps one day even join the ranks of professional strongman. Strongman Training for Maximum Hypertrophy It’s obvious that strongman training is a great way to build mass, but this type of training is notcommonly leveraged by bodybuilders or athletes looking for maximum hypertrophy. In fact, few programs exist that provide a comprehensive solution for those who are seeking a combination of aesthetic, power, volume, and speed work. The program described in this article is designed to be a highly effective protocol for athletes, strongmen, and bodybuilders alike. First, let’s take a look at the components of an effective hypertrophy program: volume, compound movements, good technique, overload, and recovery. We all know that strongman movements can build power, but they can also yield great muscle-building gains when utilized properly. Each strongman movement calls on multiple muscle groups and many of these exercises can be performed with minimal equipment.  Most competitive strongmen do very little hypertrophy work, yet they have muscular physiques due to the complexity and difficulty of event training. One of the primary differences between strongman training and standard trainingsplits is the way that the programs are structured. Not only do strongman training sessions require more recovery time between workouts, but the athlete also needs to be fully recovered going into the event training day. The typical protocol for a strongman workout includes 3-5 events (exercises) of 1-2 sets each, and it is not uncommon use 5-15 minute rest periods between sets. This means that a workout may consist of less than 10 sets but may range from 90-180 minutes in duration. How does all of this apply to hypertrophy? We can go back to the beginning of this article for the answer: compound movements, overload, volume, and recovery. Strongman training is characterized by high intensity/high volume and is very demanding. However,  adding long rest periods and cycling intensity easily allows for proper recovery. Adding in strongman workouts is a great shock principle for the experienced athlete/bodybuilder and novice lifter alike. Here are some of the most common strongmanexercises: Giant Tire Flip – Take a large heavy equipment tire and flip it end over end. Farmers Walk – Carry one implement in each hand for a given distance or time. Log, Axle, Keg, or Dumbbell Clean & Press – Take a weight from the ground to overhead. Vehicle, Chain, or Sled Pulling (harness, drag, arm-over-arm) – Move an object by pulling/pushing for a specific distance or time. Yoke Walk – Carry a weight across your back for a designated time or distance. Sandbag, Keg, or Stone Loading and Carrying – Pick an object up and put it on a platform or carry for a designated time / distance. Deadlift Variations and Medleys – Grab a weight and stand up with it. Analysis of some of the strongman movements shows that many of them incorporate movements that are similar to common gym exercises. This list includes: Military press, incline press, push press Partial squat, front squat Deadlift, SLDL, bent-over row, shrug, power clean, rack pull Calf raises, high intensity cardio Imagine theamount of muscle activation, hormone release, and overload that this type of training provides! When done once per week, these workouts can spark incredible mass gains. Here is an example of how to work strongman training into a hypertrophy/mass program: PHASE 1 Week 1: Monday – Chest / Triceps / Shoulders Tuesday – Lower Body / Squat Focus (Front or Back), Deadlift Accessory (SLDL or Deficit) Wednesday – Rest Thursday – Back / Biceps Friday – Rest Saturday – *Strongman (Volume) Sunday – Rest Week 2: Monday – Chest / Triceps / Shoulders Tuesday – Lower Body / Deadlift Focus (Rack Pull, Standard), Squat Accessory (Front, Box) Wednesday – Rest Thursday – Back / Biceps Friday – Rest Saturday – **Strongman (Speed) Sunday – Rest Week 3 Monday – Chest / Back Tuesday – Lower Body / Speed – Power Cleans, Jump Squats, Power or Hang Snatch Wednesday – Rest Thursday – Biceps / Triceps / Shoulders Friday – Rest Saturday – ***Strongman (Power) Sunday – Rest Week 4 Monday – Chest / Triceps /Shoulders Tuesday – Lower Body / Squat Focus (Front or Back), Deadlift Accessory (SLDL or Deficit) Wednesday – Rest Thursday – Back / Biceps Friday – Rest Saturday – *Strongman (Volume) Sunday – Rest PHASE 2 Repeat training sessions from weeks one, two, and three. Week 5 = Week 1 Workout Week 6 = Week 2 Workout Week 7 = Week 3 Workout Week 8 (DELOAD) Active recovery activities can be performed such as stretching, walking, swimming, or cycling. Make sure to get plenty of rest and consume an ample amount of protein. *Strongman Volume Workout: Distances of 100-200 feet, 2-3 sets per event (65-75%) / 4-5 events **Strongman Speed Workout: Distances of 50-80 feet, 3 sets per event (60%) / 4-5 events ***Strongman Power Workout: Distances of 30-50 feet, 1 set per event (90%+) / 4 events This program can be repeated continuously by starting back at the beginning following the ‘Deload’ week. A Word on Progression As with any program, the goal is to make progressive increases from week to week byincreasing volume, weight, reps, or decreasing the time in which the workout is completed. One effective way to make progress is a dual-progression program alternating between volume objectives and power objectives from week to week and constantly aiming to break previous PRs. For example, an athlete with a 350 lb 1RM incline press might do 225-250 lbs for max reps one week (aiming for 15+) and then try to improve his 3 RM the following week (315+ lbs). This approach will provide further balance of strength, hypertrophy, and conditioning, which is a theme of this program. You may notice above, I’ve talked about Speed, Volume and Power workouts. I have outlined a typical training session for each below: Strongman ‘Speed’ Workout Overhead Press: Log clean and press (clean each rep) – (2) sets of   7-10 reps at 70%. Moving Events: Tire Flip – (2) sets of 50’ with moderate tire for speed. Yoke / Farmers Medley (superset) – (2) sets at 75%, 60’ each for speed. Static Event: Atlas Stones –(2) sets of stone over bar for reps, 60-90 seconds @ 75% Conditioning Work: Sled Drags – (2) sets of 80 feet with moderate weight for speed. Strongman ‘Volume’ Workout Overhead Press: Log clean and press (clean once) – (3) sets of   10 reps at 65%. Moving Events: Farmers – (3) sets of 100’ with moderate weight. Yoke/Tire Medley (superset) – (2) sets at 80’. Static Event: Atlas Stones – (3) sets of 5 stone series. Conditioning Work: Harness Sled Drags – (1) sets of long range sled drag (500+ feet each) Strongman ‘Power’ Workout Overhead Press: Log clean and press (clean each) – (2) sets of 2 reps at 85-90%. Moving Events: Yoke – (3) sets of 35-50’ with increasingly heavy weights. Drops are ok, just finish the course. Farmers / Tire Medley (superset) – (2) sets, one light and one max effort; 50’ each way. Static Event: Atlas Stones – (5) singles with heavy stone. Conditioning Work: Tire Drags – (2) sets of 50 feet, heavy. In summary, this is a long-term and comprehensive strength / size/ conditioning program that will yield consistent gains in all physique and performance aspects! Utilizing Gym Complexes for Power & Conditioning by Tom Mutaffis: Competitive Strongman It is a common dilemma for most people who weight train; they want to build strength, but at the same time want to be fit and athletic. Unfortunately, many of the currently popular training protocols neglect overall balance in favor of a singular objective such as strength, hypertrophy, or aerobic capacity. The program described herein can provide outstanding strength gains while also maintaining, or improving your level of GPP (general physical preparedness – i.e. conditioning). The total time under tension and volume will also enhance muscular hypertrophy. Enhanced hypertrophy along with the total workload prescribed will increase caloric expenditure which can improve body composition. In a nutshell, this program addresses all of the points most trainees are concerned with and does so in a veryefficient fashion. The Basic Principals: – Complete a thorough warm-up prior to beginning your first complex. – Complexes are defined as multiple exercises performed consecutively (“linked”) with no rest between them (you move as quickly as possible from one exercise to the next). – The entire volume of the training sessions will be 5-10 sets. – Adjust your rest between complexes based on goals: Longer rest (3-5 minutes) for strength Medium rest (2-3 minutes) for conventional athletes Shorter rest (1-1.5 minutes) for bodybuilding / body composition – The training split is broken down into 2-3 muscle groups per day. – Advanced trainees can do between 3-5 linked movements per complex; beginner and intermediate trainees should do 2-3 linked movements per complex. – As a general rule, start with compound exercises and follow with isolation movements. – The total workout should be completed in 1 hour or less. The Training Split: Monday: Upper Body Tuesday: Lower Body Wednesday: Upper BodyAccessory Thursday: Rest Friday: Upper Body Saturday & Sunday: Rest / Active Lifestyle Example Exercise Selections: Beginner / Intermediate Lower Body: Front Squat / Back Squat Lower Body: Stiff Leg Deadlift / Conventional Deadlift Upper Body: Incline Dumbell Press / Decline Dumbell Flyes Upper Body: Wide Grip Chins / Close Grip Pulldown / One-Arm DB Rows Upper Body Accessory: Barbell Curls / Preacher Machine Curls / Hammer Curls Upper Body Accessory: Weighted Dips / Rope Pushdown Intermediate / Advanced: Lower Body: Deficit Deadlift / Standard Deadlift / Rack Pull Lower Body: Olympic Squat / Box Squat / Hack Squat Lower Body: Power Clean / Front Squat Upper Body: Incline Dumbell Press / Pendlay Rows / Push Press / Chins Upper Body: Incline Barbell Press / High Pulls (Wide Grip Upright Rows) Upper Body: Flat Bench Dumbell Press / Barbell Rows / Pec Deck / Pulldowns Upper Body Accessory: Close Grip Bench Press / Overhead Dumbell Extension / Pushdown Upper Body Accessory: AlternatingDumbell Curls / Preacher Curls / Concentration Curls Upper Body Accessory: Skull Crushers / EZ Bar Curls / Seated DB Curls / Close Grip Pushups Advanced lifters will be working opposing muscle groups with longer sets. The resultant time under tension can exceed 5 minutes thus requiring most individuals “work up” to the requisite level of training intensity. One of the really fun things about this type of training is that you can do different workouts each week. There is a lot of variation and opportunity to set new personal records (PRs). You can adjust the program to address lagging body parts, or to focus on building strength in a specific movement. This can be done by training the movement or body part earlier in the week, increasing volume, or prioritizing them to be the initial movement in each complex. The program can be adapted to many training styles including periodization and Westside. Application: Trainee X is a high school football player looking to increase his benchpress, squat, and to add body weight while also improving conditioning. Below are examples of upper and lower body complex workouts he might follow: —————————————————————- Upper Body Day: Complex 1 – Flat Bench Press (90% x 3 reps) / Chins or Pulldowns (BW x 10) / Incline Complex 2 – Weighted Dips (Sets of 5) / Seated Low Pulley Row (Sets of 8-10) / Chest Press Machine (Sets of 10-15) – Complete this complex for 2 sets with 3-5 minutes of rest. ** Accessory Work – Decline Bench or Board Press for 1-2 sets of 10, Hammer Strength Back Machine for 2 sets of 8-10 reps. Minimal Rest. —————————————————————- Lower Body Day: Complex 1 – Back Squat (85% x 5) / Trap Bar Deadlift (Sets of 5) / Dumbell Stiff Leg Deadlift (Sets of 10) – Complete 3 rounds of this complex. Complex 2 – Box Squat (Sets of 3) / Leg Extension (sets of 12) / Leg Curl (sets of 8-10) ** Accessory Work – Football Squat or Hack Squat (2 sets of 10), Leg Press (2 sets of 15-20) These workouts should be completed in less thanan hour. You are able to work with heavy weights but still have enough volume to increase hypertrophy and conditioning. ** Accessory work is optional. This program is flexible and you can always drop a complex in favor of accessory work if needed. ——————————————————–——– Resources: Here is a video that demonstrates how to perform this type of training:  —————————————————————————————————————- Getting Started – Beginner Weight Training   Regardless of your goals most people start weight training for a couple of reasons. 1. They want to look like they work out (muscle gain, weight gain, weight loss, etc.) 2. They want to improve performance – athletics, strength, overall energy, etc. Lately I have noticed that when individuals post on social media or online forums about beginning a weight training program the advice that is being distributed tends to favor training methods that may not be well-suited or necessary for a new trainee. I have written this article to help address the questionof “how should I go about working out?” and to perhaps give experienced individuals who are distributing advice a different perspective. Let’s first establish a few parameters for what constitutes an ‘effective’ program: The program must be enjoyable – If you do not like the training program then chances are that you are not going to stick with it, or will not approach with the enthusiasm and intensity needed to make progress. . The program must align with your goals – Doing a program that calls for a lot of heavy low volume weight training for someone with weight loss goals would not make much sense, just like doing a program that does not include any direct arm training for someone looking to build bigger arms does not make sense. . The program must align with your capabilities – If you do not know how to perform certain exercises or you cannot physically train for more than 20-30 minutes then you need to find or create a program that suits your current abilities. . The program mustinclude some variation – You will stall quickly if you do the same thing for every time that you go to the gym, so it is important to have variation in your training. . Your training should evolve over time – As you become more advanced you should look to change the program to continue to challenge you with new exercises, increased volume, increased intensity, new training splits, etc. So how does this differ from what you typically see recommended? What I have noticed is that a lot of people recommend programs with a limited number of compound barbell and dumbbell exercises and in some cases higher frequency (training a muscle group 2X/week as opposed to 1X/week). You know how I started out training? I did a lot of Smith Machine Bench Press, machines, isolation movements, and I followed a simple body part split (training a different muscle group or muscle groups each day). Did I make great progress when I first started? Absolutely! The thing is that ‘everything’ works when you firststart training. You need to stick with movements that you are comfortable with and have a program that aligns with your goals so that you train with passion. Do I think that someone training only on the smith machine will ever have world class strength or muscular development? Absolutely not, but there is nothing wrong with starting there. I would compare a lot of the advice that I see to recommending to a child who is trying to learn how to ride a bicycle that they hop on a high powered motorcycle instead. The person has no idea how to even balance and you are asking them to do something that is potentially dangerous and will definitely not be fun for them. What I recommend is to just find a way to get in to the gym and do something that you enjoy and then focus on progress from there. Here are some basic principles that you can apply: Train to failure – You should be lifting weights to the point where you can no longer perform another rep with good form. *Unless you are following aspecific protocol with moderated rest periods where overall volume is the challenge (German Volume Training, etc.). . Moderate your rest periods – If you rest 30 seconds between sets that may not be enough time to recover, and if you rest 10 minutes that is likely much too long. Track your rest periods and then work to find what works best for you to optimize your workouts. . Listen to your body – You are not going to feel like Superman / Wonder Woman each time that you go in to the gym. If you have a day when things feel ‘off’ then it may be time to ease up a little bit and perhaps just do some light training or even take a couple of days off from the gym. Remember that any sort of training is better than not training or getting injured. . Recovery is important – Make sure that you are properly fueling your body with adequate nutrition and sleep, and that you are not training the same muscle groups on consecutive days. To make this a complete article I will include some exampletraining splits to help you to get started. Please note that the options below do not include much cardiovascular work as I wanted to leave the option open depending on the individual’s goals. All of these programs can be coupled with up to six days/week of additional ‘cardio’ training if you would like. Weeks 1-2 -> ‘Primer’ / Machines Only: Monday: Pressing – Chest / Shoulders / Triceps – Chest Press | 5 Sets of 8-10 reps – Triceps Extension or Triceps Pushdown | 3 Sets of 10-15 reps – Shoulder Press | 3 Sets of 6-10 reps – Chest Fly | 3 Sets of 8-12 reps – Triceps Dip Machine or Assisted Dips | 3 Sets of 8-12 reps – Shoulder Raises | 3 Sets of 10-15 reps Tuesday: Accessory – Abs / Stretching / Cardio Wednesday: Pulling – Back/ Biceps – Lat Pull-down |5 Sets of 8-10 reps – Low Pulley Row | 5 Sets of 6-12 reps – Curl Machine | 4 Sets of 8-10 reps – Cable Pulley Curls | 3 Sets of 6-12 reps – Low Back Machine | 2 Sets of 10-15 reps Thursday: Legs – Leg Press Machine | 4 Sets of 10-15reps – Leg Extensions | 4 Sets of 8-10 reps – Leg Curls | 4 Sets of 8-10 reps – Squat Machine or Hack Squat | 3 Sets of 10-15 reps – Calf Raises | 4 Sets of 10-15 reps Friday: Rest OR Accessory – Abs / Cardio / Stretching *Note: If you feel comfortable with some free weight movements then feel free to swap them in or add them in addition to these exercises. Week 3 & Beyond: Option 1: Three Days of Weight Training per Week Monday: Pulling (Back/Biceps) – Chins or Wide Grip Pull-downs (4 sets) – One-Arm Dumbbell Rows or One-Arm Low Pulley Rows (4 sets) – Close Grip V-Bar Pull-downs (2 sets) – Barbell Curls or EZ Bar Curls (4 sets) – Hammer Curls (2 sets) – Preacher Curls or Concentration Curls (2 sets) Tuesday or Wednesday: Pushing (Chest/Shoulders/Triceps) – Flat Dumbbell Bench Press (3 Sets) – Incline Barbell Bench Press (3 sets) – Dips or Assisted Dips or Dip Machine (2 sets) – Seated Dumbbell Military Press or Military Press Machine (3 sets) – Overhead Dumbbell Extension or TricepsExtension Machine (2 sets) – Side Laterals (2 sets) – Pushdowns (2 sets) – Cable Crossover / Pec Deck (2 set) Thursday or Friday: Lower Body (Legs) – Squats or Leg Press (4 sets) – Strait Leg Deadlifts or Leg Curls (3 sets) – Walking Lunges (2 sets) – Leg Extension (2 Sets) – Calf Raises (4 sets) Option 2: Four Days of Weight Training per Week Monday: Back – Chins / Assisted Chins / Wide Grip Pull-Downs (4 Sets) – One-Arm Dumbbell Row or Low Pulley Row (4 Sets) – Underhand Pull-Down or Hammer Strength Pull Down (3 Sets) – T-Bar Rows or Wide Grip Low Pulley Rows with Pull-down Handle (3 Sets) Tuesday: Chest – Flat Dumbbell Bench or Barbell Bench or Bench Machine (4 Sets) – Incline Bench Press or Incline Machine (3 Sets) – Decline Dumbbell or Barbell Bench or Bench Machine (3 Sets) – Cable Crossovers or Chest Fly Machine (3 Sets) – Push-Up’s (2 sets, first one is a warm-up and the second to failure) Wednesday: Cardio / Stretching Thursday: Legs – Squats or Leg Press (4 Sets) – Standingor Walking Lunges (3 Sets) – Stiff Leg Deadlift or One-Leg Leg Curl: (3 Sets) – Leg Extension & Leg Curl Super-Set (3 Sets) – Calf Raises (4 Sets) Friday: Arms & Shoulders – Seated DB Military Press or Military Press Machine (3 Sets) – Dips or Assisted Dips or Dip Machine (3 Sets) – Barbell or EZ Bar Curls (3 Sets) – Overhead DB Extension or Cable Extension or Machine (2 Sets) – Lateral Raise & Front Raise Super-Set or Side Raise Drop Set (3 Sets) – Pushdowns Drop Set (2 Sets) – Preacher Curls or Machine Curls, Superset with Hammer Curls (3 Sets) *Note: A ‘drop-set’ is where you work with a weight until you reach or come close to failure and then lower the weight and continue the set without resting. You can drop 1-3 times and then rest, counting each cluster of sets as one set. A ‘super-set’ is where you perform two exercises in succession without resting between them. Option 3: Five Days of Weight Training per Week Monday: Chest – Flat Dumbbell Bench or Barbell Bench or Bench Machine(4 Sets) – Incline Bench Press or Incline Machine (3 Sets) – Decline Dumbbell or Barbell Bench or Bench Machine (3 Sets) – Cable Crossovers or Chest Fly Machine (3 Sets) – Push-Up’s (2 sets, first one is a warm-up and the second to failure) Tuesday: Back – Chins / Assisted Chins / Wide Grip Pull-Downs (4 Sets) – One-Arm Dumbbell Row or Low Pulley Row (4 Sets) – Underhand Pull-Down or Hammer Strength Pull Down (3 Sets) – T-Bar Rows or Wide Grip Low Pulley Rows with Pull-down Handle (3 Sets) Wednesday: Shoulders – Seated DB Military Press or Military Press Machine (4 Sets) – Lateral Raises, drop-sets (3 Sets) – Upright Rows (2 Sets) – Front Raises (2 Sets) – Rear Delt Fly or Reverse Pec Deck or Face Pulls (3 Sets) Thursday: Legs – Squats or Leg Press (4 Sets) – Standing or Walking Lunges (3 Sets) – Stiff Leg Deadlift or One-Leg Leg Curl: (3 Sets) – Leg Extension & Leg Curl Super-Set (3 Sets) – Calf Raises (4 Sets) Friday: Arms – Dips or Assisted Dips or Dip Machine (3 Sets) – Barbell orEZ Bar Curls (3 Sets) – Close Grip Bench Press or Close Grip Press Machine (3 Sets) – Hammer Curls (2 Sets) – Pushdowns, drop-sets (3 Sets) – Alternating DB Curls (2 Sets) – Overhead DB Extension or Triceps Extension Machine (2 Sets) – Preacher Curl or Machine Curls OR Concentration Curls (2 Sets) As you can recall from earlier in the article none of these routines are set in stone. If there is an exercise that you do not like then you can drop or replace it as a beginner. I would encourage you to continue to research and try new exercises as you progress – eventually favoring a balanced routine including heavy compound movements for overall strength/size and higher repetition isolation movements for hypertrophy and conditioning. Remember – intensity, alignment with your goals, having fun, and staying consistent are the keys to success! Like this: Like Loading...

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