1
“Supercharge Your Strength”
By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman. Copyright ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.andyboltonstrength.com
2
“Supersize Your Strength”
The Ultimate 16 Week Training Program - Designed To Help
You Build Your Best Squat, Bench Press And Deadlift Ever…
If you want to be BIGGER, STRONGER and FASTER – this is exactly what you need
By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman
“Supercharge Your Strength”
By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman. Copyright ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.andyboltonstrength.com
3
Copyright Notice: For Those Thinking Of Misusing This Book
This book is copyright 2012 with all rights reserved. It is illegal to copy,
distribute, or create derivative works from this book in whole or in part or to
contribute to the copying, distribution, or creating of derivative works of this
book.
If you attempt to copy, steal, or distribute all or any part of my book without
permission, I will have my solicitor contact you and make you wish you’d never
bothered.
By purchasing this book, you agree to the following: You understand that the
information contained in this book is an opinion, and it should be used for
personal entertainment purposes only. You are responsible for your own
behaviour, and none of this book is to be considered legal or personal advice.
You must abide by these rules. I have employees who spend a lot of time
searching the Internet for people who violate my copyrights.
Now that we’re finished with this notice, let’s get into “Supersize Your
Strength”.
“Supercharge Your Strength”
By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman. Copyright ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.andyboltonstrength.com
4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………Page 5
Chapter 1: Why The Squat, Bench Press And Deadlift?.……………………..Page 7
Chapter 2: An Overview Of The “Supersize Your Strength” Training
Program…………………………………………………............................................Page 9
Chapter 3: How To Warm-Up……………………………………………………………Page 14
Chapter 4: The “Supersize Your Strength” Training Program…………….Page 34
Chapter 5: The Exercises –Explained…………………………………………………Page 39
Chapter 6: The Only Acceptable Tweaks To This Program………………….Page 65
Chapter 7: How To Increase Your Gains…………………………………………….Page 67
Chapter 8: What To Do When You’ve Finished The Program……………..Page 82
“Supercharge Your Strength”
By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman. Copyright ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.andyboltonstrength.com
5
Introduction
Hey, it’s Andy Bolton here and I’d like to start off by saying congratulations for
getting yourself a copy of my “Supersize Your Strength” 16 week training
program.
I wrote this training program to help you get stronger and if you follow it as it’s
laid out – that’s exactly what you can expect… To get STRONGER.
A lot stronger.
These days there are a million and one ways to train and you and I can find
many of them by searching the internet. The trouble is – most lifters are
changing programs more often than they change they underwear and this kind
of inconsistency leads to nothing but mediocrity.
The truth is that the bodybuilding magazines sold us all a massive lie when they
said that we need constant change in order to progress. Sure, some change is
required – but consistency is way more important.
If you look at most of the really strong guys out there, there’s one thing they all
have in common… consistency.
The Westside guys train the Westside way.
The Sheiko guys train the Sheiko way.
The John Broz guys train that way.
And the best lifters stick to one system and learn it inside out. They do not
change from one system to another on a 4 weekly basis (as the bodybuilding
magazines would have you do).
What you will find in the “Supersize Your Strength” training program is 16
weeks of training that will get you stronger. How do I know it will get you
stronger?
Simple – it’s the same way I’ve trained, my training partners have trained and
the way I train my clients. Sure, I’ve tweaked things over time but the
principles remain the same.
“Supercharge Your Strength”
By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman. Copyright ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.andyboltonstrength.com
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To give you an idea of the results this kind of training have produced, take a
look at this:
I’ve squatted 1214lbs, benched 755lbs and deadlifted 1008lbs to date (and
there’s more to come in the future).
At one point I was training with 7 guys who all deadlifted over 300kg and not
one of them weighed over 110kg. Needless to say, they all followed my
system.
Another of my training partners, Brian Reynolds - benched 235kg RAW at
110kg bodyweight on his way to winning the IPF Worlds as a junior.
I think you get the idea… if you want a totally results driven, completely proven
system to build your squat, bench and deadlift (and help you pack on serious
muscular size) – you are in the right place.
If you know me well, you’ll know that I like to be efficient with my words… I
don’t say more than necessary to get the point across. So whilst I could write
another 20 pages telling you about the success stories lifters have had whilst
using my training system – I won’t.
Instead, I’ll get straight into explaining the system to you so that you can get to
the gym and start the training program as soon as possible…
“Supercharge Your Strength”
By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman. Copyright ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.andyboltonstrength.com
7
Chapter 1: Why The Squat, Bench Press And Deadlift?
There are many exercises you can use to get strong, but this program focuses
heavily on the squat, bench press and deadlift.
Sure, there’s some assistance work in there – but you’ll exert 70 to 80% of your
effort on ‘the big 3’.
The BIG 3 are of course the three official powerlifts. So if you are a competitive
powerlifter, you’ll already know why the “Supersize Your Strength” training
program is based on the squat, bench press and deadlift.
But what if you are a guy who just wants to get stronger?
You might be wondering why I didn’t write a program based around the
Olympic Lifts, the Military Press, Pull Ups And Rows.
Well, there’s a very good reason for it…
The short answer is because there are no three better exercises to build
absolute strength from head to toe.
The longer answer is as follows…
The Olympic lifts are awesome. Of that there is no doubt. But when it comes to
building absolute strength they are not as good as the powerlifts.
Consider the fact that the best Clean and Jerk in the world is a little over 250kg
and the best squatters can shift 550kg’s and more. There is no comparison –
for maximum strength, the powerlifts rule.
The Olympic lifts also have the drawback of being very hard to learn from a
technical perspective. Sure, the squat, bench press and deadlift have some
technical aspects that require serious practice to perfect, but nothing
compared to the Olympic lifts.
Indeed, without a good coach, trying to learn the Olympic lifts can be a very
tough thing to do, if not impossible for most average lifters.
Moving on – the military press is a great movement, but when it comes to
training the primary pressing muscles of the upper body (pecs, deltoids and
“Supercharge Your Strength”
By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman. Copyright ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.andyboltonstrength.com
8
triceps) the military press limits the weight that can be used compared to the
bench press. Therefore, for maximum strength – the bench press remains king
of the upper body exercises.
Moving onto rows and pull-ups.
These are great movements to build a strong back, but are they really a
substitute for the deadlift?
I think not.
They are simply great assistance exercises.
When it comes to building absolute strength from head to toe there is no
better movement than the deadlift because it’s relatively easy to learn, can be
performed without any fancy apparatus, trains the grip hard (unlike all the
other movements mentioned so far) and allows considerable poundage’s to be
moved.
The squat, bench press and deadlift are the best movements for building
absolute strength. Period.
And that is why they form the foundation of the “Supersize Your Strength”
training program…
“Supercharge Your Strength”
By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman. Copyright ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.andyboltonstrength.com
9
Chapter 2: An Overview Of The “Supersize Your Strength”
Training Program
The “Supersize Your Strength” training program is designed primarily to get
you significantly stronger in the 16 weeks it lasts.
With that said, make no mistake about it – this training program will also make
you faster, build your power and help you to add muscle mass (providing you
eat enough calories).
The program demands that you train 4 days a week, preferably on Monday,
Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. However, do not worry if you can’t
commit to those exact days.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday will work too – as will a 3 day split if
absolutely necessary (more on this in Chapter 7: The Only Acceptable Tweaks
To This Program).
The “Supersize Your Strength” training program is designed to be followed
exactly as it is written.
In effect, I’m giving you a ‘blueprint for strength’.
I’m showing you how to get from where you are now, to being a lot stronger
16 weeks from now.
Don’t mess this up by changing exercises, missing/adding workouts and
generally taking my recipe for strength and mixing it with 1001 other systems.
If one chef gives you a recipe for Apple Pie and you follow it, except for the fact
that you replace the apples with pears and the white sugar with honey and the
white flour with brown – you are not really following his original recipe
anymore.
I think you get the point.
I’ve written you this program so that you don’t have to worry about the most
difficult area of getting stronger – training program design. Seriously, I’ve lost
“Supercharge Your Strength”
By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman. Copyright ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.andyboltonstrength.com
10
count of the amount of decent lifters who could have been GREAT, if only
they’d known how to write themselves a half decent training program.
When you are following the “Supersize Your Strength” program – you don’t
have to worry about training program design… I’ve done it for you.
All you have to do is get to the gym and bust your ass.
Whatever you do – follow it as it’s written.
You may think some workouts are too easy and you may think some are too
hard, but resist the temptation to change it (because you’ll more than likely
screw it up). Everything I’ve written is there for a reason.
Remember: I have the trophies and titles and testimonials to back up
everything I’m saying.
So although I can’t be there training with you – unless you come to live in
Leeds, England and join my powerlifting team (by invitation only by the way)…
what you are reading here is the very next best thing.
I’ve written it – you execute it.
You won’t be sorry with the results.
That’s a promise.
In fact, I’d love to hear your success story so feel free to drop me an email at
this address (once you’ve completed the program):
andy@andyboltonstrength.com
Let’s now take a look at a few of the specific points about this program…
On Powerlifting Equipment
This training program is designed to be completed RAW.
Raw means no equipment, or belt only, or belt and knee sleeves on your
squats or belt and knee wraps on your squats.
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If you wear Bench Shirts, Squats Briefs and Suits and Deadlifts Suits – this
program is not for you (don’t worry though – I’ll be writing an equipped
training program in the near future).
On Lifting Style
I’ve always been an explosive guy.
At 17 stones bodyweight I could run 100metres in 11 seconds flat.
Louie Simmons once watched me warm up and said I was the most explosive
squatter he’d ever seen.
I’ve squatted 500lbs for 20 reps RAW and made the 20th rep faster than the
first.
I can deadlift 260kg faster than most decent lifters can pull 60kg.
Sometimes I feel so explosive when I do speed work on the deadlift and feel
like I could throw 260kg over my head.
I think you get my point.
I was born with my fair share of fast twitch muscle fibres and I’ve always
trained with speed in mind.
In sports – speed kills.
Boxing, football, motor racing, powerlifting.
Whatever.
Speed is where the party is at.
And whilst you may never be as fast as I am, I want you to lift in the following
way on all of the movements in this program…
- Controlled on the eccentric motion and as explosive as possible on the
concentric motion
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In other words – take the bar down under control and then blast it back to
lockout as fast as you possibly can (just remember to keep your form at all
times).
In my opinion, working on your explosive power (by lifting as I have just
described) is a BIG KEY to getting stronger. Indeed, speed can help you blast
through sticking points as if they weren’t there.
On percentages
The squat, bench press and deadlift training in “Supersize Your Strength” is
based on percentages.
To work a given percentage of your 1 rep max (1RM), multiply your 1RM by the
percentage, with ‘0.’ in front of it.
For example…
To work out 72.5% of 150kg, you’d do this:
150kg x 0.725
To work out 90% of 200kg, you’d do this:
200kg x 0.9
To work out 45% of 60kg, you’d do this:
60kg x 0.45
Do you follow?
Sorry for throwing this in here. You probably already knew it. But if I didn’t
include it I can guarantee I’ll get several emails a week from lifters whose
maths is not there strong point.
On Assistance Exercises
The assistance exercises are there to assist your main lifts. They’ll give balance
to your physique and help you prevent injury.
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On all assistance exercises leave at least a rep in the tank. So if it says 10 reps x
3 sets, choose a weight you could probably do for 11 or 12 reps.
On this program, you should never miss a rep on assistance exercises (nor on
the BIG 3 for that matter).
Also, if it says do 10 sets x 3 reps – you can do all three sets on one weight or
you can vary the weight from set to set. I prefer the second option but either
will work, as long as the weight is challenging.
For instance, if the program calls for Low Pulley Cable Rows for 10 x 3, you
could warm up and then do 50kg x 10 x 3 or 40kg x 10, 50kg x 10, 60kg x 10.
Either works, no big deal.
Just make sure that you push the weights up on a weekly basis.
“Supercharge Your Strength”
By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman. Copyright ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.andyboltonstrength.com
14
Chapter 3: How To Warm-Up
I’ll be the first to admit that the warm-up is not the most exciting part of a
training session – but it is very important.
A good warm-up will increase your productivity in the workout and reduce
your risk of injury.
So just do it, no matter how boring you find it.
There’s a specific warm-up for the Bench Press training session and upper body
assistance day and a different warm-up for the Squat and deadlift training
session and the lower body assistance day (Photographs of all warm-up
exercises follow in the next section).
Bench Press training session/Upper Body assistance training session warm-up
5 minutes low intensity, steady paced cardio. For this part of the warm up you
can walk, jog, row, bike, drag a sled or do any other exercise that you can do at
a low intensity, non-stop for 5 minutes
Hip Flexor Stretch: 20 seconds/side
Swing Arms Overhead: 10 reps
Swing Arms Across Body: 10 reps
Arm Circles Forwards/Backwards: 12 reps each way
Scapular Wall Slide: 12 reps
Very Light Push Downs (use a band if possible): 20 reps
Very Light DB Flies: 20 reps
Very Light DB Lateral Raises: 20 reps
Very Light Band Pull Aparts (or incline bench DB Rows): 20 reps
Glute Bridge: 12 reps
Quad Mobilization: 10 reps/side
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Inner Thigh Mobilization: 8 reps/side
Squat and Deadlift training session/Lower Body assistance training session
warm-up
5 minutes low intensity, steady paced cardio. For this part of the warm up you
can walk, jog, row, bike, drag a sled or do any other exercise that you can do at
a low intensity, non-stop for 5 minutes
Face The Wall Squat: 12 reps
Glute Bridge: 12 reps
Wall Ankle Mobilization: 8 reps/side
Quad Mobilization: 12 reps/side
Inner Thigh Mobilization: 8 reps/side
Front To Back Leg Swings: 8 reps/side
Side To Side Leg Swings: 8 reps/side
Arm Circles Forwards/Backwards: 12 reps each way
Scapular Wall Slide: 12 reps
Very Light Hamstring Curls: 20 reps
Very Light Pull Down Abs: 20 reps
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Photographs Of Warm-Up Exercises
Hip Flexor Stretch
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Swing Arms Overhead
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Swing Arms Across Body
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Arm Circles Forwards/Backwards
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Scapular Wall Slide
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Very Light Push Downs (use a band if possible)
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Very Light DB Flies
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Very Light DB Lateral Raises
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Very Light Band Pull Aparts (or incline bench DB Rows)
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Glute Bridge
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Quad Mobilization
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Inner Thigh Mobilization
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Face The Wall Squat
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Wall Ankle Mobilization
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Front To Back Leg Swings
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Side To Side Leg Swings
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Very Light Hamstring Curls
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Very Light Pull Down Abs
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Chapter 4: The “Supersize Your Strength” 16 Week Training
Program
The training program is split into four, 4 week blocks (as you’ll see on the
following pages).
All you need to do is work out your percentages (for the squat, bench press
and deadlift training) and then follow the prescribed reps and sets.
Remember to follow the program as it is laid out. Don’t be tempted to switch
exercises or add and remove sets.
Everything is there for a reason.
Below each 4 week block of training there are some “important notes”. Pay
attention to those carefully because they’ll help you to maximise your results.
Good luck and let me know how you get on!..
“Supercharge Your Strength”
By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman. Copyright ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.andyboltonstrength.com
35
The “Supersize Your Strength” 16 Week Training Program: Weeks 1 to 4
Important Notes For This Phase (Weeks 1 to 4):
On the Bench Press you should use your strongest/competition grip. (For most people this is ‘pinky
on the ring’ when Bench Pressing RAW).
You may replace Rope Tricep Pushdowns with a different attachment choice (if your gym doesn’t
have a rope).
Perform all of your Squats and Deadlifts BELTLESS in this phase.
If you don’t have a V-Bar Grip for the Low Cable Rows and Pulldowns, you may use a different grip
(try to find one similar).
If you don’t have a Seated Calf Raise machine, you can do a similar movement with a DB held on top
of your knee.
Rest Periods between sets of Bench Presses, Squats and Deadlifts should be 120 to 180 seconds.
Rest periods between all sets of assistance exercises should be 60 seconds.
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36
The “Supersize Your Strength” 16 Week Training Program: Weeks 5 to 8
Important Notes For This Phase (Weeks 5 to 8):
On the Bench Press you should use your strongest/competition grip. (For most people this is ‘pinky
on the ring’ when Bench Pressing RAW).
You may replace Rope Tricep Pushdowns with a different grip choice (if your gym doesn’t have a
rope).
Perform your Squats on weeks 5, 6 and 7 BELTLESS, but use a belt on week 8.
Perform your Deadlifts From Blocks on weeks 5, 6, and 7 BELTLESS, but use a belt on week 8.
Perform all Deadlifts from the floor WITH A BELT.
If you don’t have a Seated Calf Raise machine, you can do a similar movement with a DB held on top
of your knee.
Rest Periods between sets of Bench Presses, Squats and Deadlifts should be 150 to 180 seconds.
Rest periods between all sets of assistance exercises should be 60 to 90 seconds.
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37
The “Supersize Your Strength” 16 Week Training Program: Weeks 9 to 12
Important Notes For This Phase (Weeks 9 to 12):
On the Bench Press you should use your strongest/competition grip. (For most people this is ‘pinky
on the ring’ when Bench Pressing RAW).
You may replace Board Press with Floor Presses or Reverse Band Presses if you don’t have boards.
‘Close Grip’ means having your index fingers an inch from the smooth part of the bar.
You may replace Rope Tricep Pushdowns with a different grip choice (if your gym doesn’t have a
rope).
Perform all of your working sets of Squats and Deadlifts in this phase WITH A BELT (but do not wear
a belt on your warm up sets). NOTE: The lighter percentages on the squats are SPEED sets and
should be done after the heavier sets.
If you don’t have a Seated Calf Raise machine, you can do a similar movement with a DB held on top
of your knee.
Rest Periods between sets of Bench Presses, Squats and Deadlifts should be 180 seconds. However,
if you feel like you need longer to recover – take longer.
Rest periods between all sets of assistance exercises should be 60 to 90 seconds.
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38
The “Supersize Your Strength” 16 Week Training Program: Weeks 13 to 16
Important Notes For This Phase (Weeks 13 to 16):
On the Bench Press you should use your strongest/competition grip. (For most people this is ‘pinky
on the ring’ when Bench Pressing RAW).
You may replace Board Press with Floor Presses or Reverse Band Presses if you don’t have boards.
‘Medium Grip’ means having your hands a thumbs length from the smooth part of the bar.
You may replace Rope Tricep Pushdowns with a different grip choice (if your gym doesn’t have a
rope).
Perform all of your working sets of Squats and Deadlifts in this phase WITH A BELT (but do not wear
a belt on your warm up sets).
If you don’t have a Seated Calf Raise machine, you can do a similar movement with a DB held on top
of your knee.
Rest Periods between sets of Bench Presses, Squats and Deadlifts should be 180 to 300 seconds.
However, if you feel you need longer to recover – take longer.
Rest periods between all sets of assistance exercises should be 60 to 90 seconds.
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By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman. Copyright ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.andyboltonstrength.com
39
Chapter 5: The Exercises – Explained
In this chapter you’ll find pictures of all the exercises in the “Supersize Your
Strength” training program and explanations of how to perform them
correctly.
Good technique is very important if you want to gain as much strength as
possible and minimize injury risk – so please read this chapter carefully.
Let’s get straight into it…
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The Bench Press
Why it’s in the program
The Bench Press is the king of upper body pressing exercises and strengthens
the pecs, triceps and deltoids.
Set-up
Your feet should be set as wide as possible to create a stable base. Your glutes
must be tight. Your upper back must also be tight, with your shoulders pulled
back and down. Grip the bar with your strongest grip.
NOTE: do not go wider than a ‘pinky on the ring grip’ for the raw bench press
as this can lead to chest and shoulder problems.
Execution
Take a deep breath of air into your belly and un-rack the bar until it is directly
over your nipple line/lower chest. Now lower the bar under control and touch
your nipple line/lower chest. Next, tense your glutes and fists as hard as
possible and blast the bar to lockout. Be sure to push the bar in a straight line.
*** For more information on Bench Press technique mastery, check out my
book Explode Your Bench.
Bench Press: Start/Finish Position
Bench Press: Mid-Point
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41
Flat DB Press
Why it’s in the program
The Flat DB Press is a great assistance movement for the Bench Press and a
superb exercise for adding muscular size to the upper body pressing muscles.
Set-up
Your feet should be set as wide as possible to create a stable base. Your glutes
must be tight. Your upper back must also be tight, with your shoulders pulled
back and down. Hold the DB’s with a pronated grip (palms facing your feet).
Execution
Take a deep breath of air into your belly and lower the DB’s under control until
they touch your nipple line/lower chest. Then tense your glutes and fists as
hard as possible and drive the DB’s back to lockout.
Flat DB Press: Start/Finish
Flat DB Press: Mid-Point
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42
Seated DB Press: Neutral Grip
Why it’s in the program
The Seated DB Press is a good assistance movement for the Bench Press
because it builds the shoulders and triceps.
Set-up
Set your feet wide to create a stable base. Your glutes must be tight. Pull your
shoulder back and down. Hold the DB’s with a neutral grip (palms facing each
other) at shoulder height.
Execution
Take a deep breath of air into your belly and drive the DB’s to lockout, directly
over your head. Do not press them forwards. Control them back down to the
starting position and repeat for reps.
Do not allow your hips to shift forward on the bench and your lower back to
hyperextend. If you do this, you are turning the movement into an Incline
Press.
Seated DB Press: Start/Finish
Seated DB Press: Mid-Point
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43
Tricep Pushdowns
Why it’s in the program
The Tricep Pushdowns are in the program to keep your elbows healthy. Do not
do them heavy. Instead, simply use them to pump the triceps after performing
your pressing exercises.
Set-up
Stand facing a cable stack and grip the attachment. Then assume an athletic
posture (knees slightly bent, lower back arched and head neutral).
Execution
Imagine a rod running through your body connecting your elbows together.
Then extend your arms until they are straight, hold for a second and return to
the start position. The only movement during this exercise should be at the
elbows.
Pushdowns: Start/Finish
Pushdowns: Mid-Point
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The Squat
Why it’s in the program
The Squat has long been considered the best exercise in the weight room by
bodybuilders and athletes alike. It strengthens predominately the glutes,
hamstrings, lower back and quadriceps.
Set-up
The bar should be positioned on your upper back, somewhere around the
height of your rear delts. Your shoulders should be pulled down and back,
forcing you to get your upper back tight. Your abs should be braced and your
belly filled with air.
Execution
With your abs and lats as tight as possible and your belly still full of air, push
your knees out and sit back. Descend until the crease of your hip is slightly
below the top of your knee. Once you are ‘in the hole’, drive the bar back to
lockout. Remember to look straight ahead or slightly upwards the whole time.
*** For more information on Squat technique mastery, check out my book
Explode Your Squat.
Squat: Start/Finish
Squat: Mid-Point
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The Deadlift
Why it’s in the program
The Deadlift, much like the squat, is a great developer of strength in the glutes,
hamstrings, lower back and quadriceps. However, it also significantly
challenges the upper back and grip.
NOTE: When the “Supersize Your Strength” training program says ‘Deadlift’,
you should use your strongest style (Conventional or Sumo).
Set-up (Conventional)
Take a hip width stance, with the bar no more than two inches from your shins.
Grip the bar just outside your shins using a mixed grip (one hand pronated and
one supinated). Now force your chest out and allow your hips to drop only
enough to get your lower back arched.
Your arms must be totally straight and your upper back and shoulders relaxed.
Execution
Take a deep breath of air into your belly and drive the bar off the floor,
keeping your abs and lats extremely tight. The bar must stay close to your body
at all times and once it clears your knees you can then powerfully drive your
hips through until you are stood up straight.
Do not lean back/hyperextend at lockout.
*** For more information on Deadlift technique mastery, check out my book
Explode Your Deadlift.
NOTE: Pictures of the Deadlift are on the next page…
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Deadlift: Start/Finish
Deadlift: Mid-Point
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The Deadlift From Blocks
Why it’s in the program
The Deadlift from blocks is a great developer of strength in the glutes,
hamstrings, lower back and quadriceps. It also significantly challenges the
upper back and grip.
In the “Supersize Your Strength” training program all deadlifts from blocks are
to be performed conventional style (regardless of whether you perform your
deadlifts from the floor conventional or sumo).
Set-up
Use wooden blocks, rubber mats or power rack pins to set the plates 3 to 5
inches off the floor in the starting position.
Then take a hip width stance, with the bar touching your shins. Grip the bar
just outside your shins using a mixed grip (one hand pronated and one
supinated). Now force your chest out and allow your hips to drop only enough
to get your lower back arched.
Your arms must be totally straight and your upper back and shoulders relaxed.
Execution
Take a deep breath of air into your belly and drive the bar off the blocks/mats
or pins, keeping your abs and lats extremely tight. The bar must stay close to
your body at all times and once it clears your knees you can then powerfully
drive your hips through until you are stood up straight.
Do not lean back/hyperextend at lockout.
NOTE: Pictures of the The Deadlift from Blocks are on the next page…
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The Deadlift from Blocks: Start/Finish
The Deadlift from Blocks: Mid-Point
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Leg Press
Why it’s in the program
The Leg Press is a machine based exercise that will strengthen and add size to
your glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps (without stressing the lower back).
Set-up
Sit on the machine and place your feet in a comfortable position on the foot
pad. Use a stance width similar to your squat stance width and keep your toes
pointing straight ahead or turned slightly outwards.
Execution
Use the handles to pull yourself down into the Leg Press seat and keep your
abs braced throughout. Both these points will keep your lower back safe whilst
performing the movement.
Then lower the weight down as far as you can (whilst keeping your glutes on
the seat) and then drive the foot pad back to lockout.
Leg Press: Start/Finish
Leg Press: Mid-Point
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Double Over-Hand Shrugs
Why it’s in the program
This movement will strengthen your grip and traps. Do not use straps.
Set-up
Stand up straight with the bar in your hands. Your arms should be locked out
and hanging straight down from your shoulders. Force your chest out and
shoulders back and down. Brace your abs.
Execution
Keeping your arms straight, ‘shrug’ your shoulders up as high as you can. Do
not lean forwards or backwards. Hold for a second at the top and return to the
start position.
Shrug: Start/Finish
Shrug: Mid-Point
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Low Cable Row
Why it’s in the program
This movement will strengthen your lats and upper back, as well as your rear
delts, biceps and grip.
Set-up
Sit with your torso perpendicular to the floor. Your chest should be out and
your shoulders pulled back and down. Keep the abs braced and squeeze the
bar as hard as you can.
Execution
Keeping your torso still, row your hands into your body. When the bar touches
your stomach, think “chest out” and hold for one second. Then return to the
start position and repeat for reps.
Low Cable Row: Start/Finish
Low Cable Row: Mid-Point
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DB Curls
Why it’s in the program
This movement will strengthen your biceps.
Set-up
Stand tall with a DB in each hand. Your chest should be forced out, shoulders
pulled back and down, abs braced and glutes tight.
Execution
Moving only at the elbows, curl the DB’s up as high as you can. Hold for one
second at the top and return to the starting position.
DB Curls:
Start/Finish
DB Curls: Mid-Point
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Toe Press
Why it’s in the program
The Toe Press strengthens the calves.
Set-up
Set up with the ends of your feet on the bottom of the foot plate on the leg
press machine.
Execution
Perform a calf raise through a full range of motion. Your legs should stay
straight throughout.
Toe Press: Start/Finish
Toe Press: Mid-Point
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Seated Calf Raise
Why it’s in the program
The Seated Calf Raise strengthens the calves.
Set-up
Sit on the calf raise machine with the ends of your feet on the pads. Use a hip
width stance and point your toes straight ahead.
Execution
Moving only at the lower leg, raise the knee pad as high as you can. Hold for
one second and return to the start position.
Seated Calf-Raise: Start/Finish
Seated Calf-Raise: Mid-Point
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Lying Leg Curls
Why it’s in the program
This movement strengthens and builds the hamstrings.
Set-up
Adjust the foot pad so that it is resting on the backs of your ankles in the start
position. Tense your abs and grip the handles.
Execution
Using a moderate tempo, raise the foot pad up until it touches your glutes.
Then return to the start position and repeat for reps. This is the only
movement where I don’t advocate an explosive concentric motion.
Lying Leg Curls: Start/Finish
Lying Leg Curls: Mid-Point
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RKC Plank
Why it’s in the program
This movement strengthens the core and teaches total body tension.
Set-up
Lay face on the floor. Then raise yourself up so that only your forearms and
toes are in contact with the floor.
Your elbows should be directly until your shoulders and your body should be in
a straight line (do not allow the hips to sag or to rise too high).
Execution
Brace your abs and then tense your glutes and quads. Then squeeze your fists
and biceps as hard as you can. Now try to drive your elbows down towards
your feet and your toes up towards your elbows. You will not actually move,
but the tension will be unreal. You will probably shake a lot. Do not worry
about that – just hold for the required time.
The RKC Plank
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DB Side Bends
Why it’s in the program
This movement strengthens the core and obliques.
Set-up
Stand up straight with a DB in your left hand. Your fists should be tight and
your glutes tensed.
Execution
Slowly lower the DB down towards your left foot, until you feel a stretch in
your right side. When you feel the stretch, contract your right glute and
obliques to fire you back to the start position. Repeat for reps and switch sides.
NOTE: Do not allow your spine to twist.
DB Side Bends: Start/Finish
DB Side Bends: Mid-Point
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Incline DB Press
Why it’s in the program
The Incline DB Press is a great assistance movement for the Bench Press and a
superb exercise for adding muscular size to the upper body pressing muscles.
Set-up
Use an incline bench set between 30 and 45 degrees. Your feet should be set
as wide as possible to create a stable base. Your glutes must be tight. Your
upper back must also be tight, with your shoulders pulled back and down. Hold
the DB’s with a pronated grip (palms facing away from your face).
Execution
Take a deep breath of air into your belly and lower the DB’s under control until
they touch your nipple line/lower chest. Then tense your glutes and fists as
hard as possible and drive the DB’s back to lockout.
Incline DB Press: Start/Finish
Incline DB Press: Mid-Point
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Hammer Strength Row
Why it’s in the program
Hammer Strength Rows will strengthen your lats and upper back, as well as
your rear delts, biceps and grip.
Set-up
Adjust the seat height so that when your row the handles into your body, your
hands are around your lower chest line.
Sit tall, with your chest out and abs braced and feet set as wide as you can.
Execution
Row the handles in as far as you can. At the top think “Chest out, shoulders
back and down”, hold for one second and return to the start position.
Note: If your gym doesn’t have a Hammer Strength Row machine, use any
other machine that is similar. If your gym doesn’t have any machine that is
similar, replace the movement with DB Rows.
Hammer Strength Row: Start/Finish
Hammer Strength Row: Mid-Point
*Interesting Fact: I have gone as heavy as 180kg PER ARM on this movement, for reps!
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One Arm DB Row
Why it’s in the program
This movement will strengthen your lats and upper back, as well as your rear
delts, biceps and grip.
Set-up
Set up with your left hand and left knee on a bench and your right leg on the
floor. Most of your weight should be on your right leg. Now take the DB in your
right hand.
Execution
Keeping your lower back arched and abs tight, row the DB into your right hip
and then return to the start position. Repeat and reps and do the same on your
left side.
One Arm DB Row: Start/Finish
One Arm DB Row: Mid-Point
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V-Bar Pulldowns
Why it’s in the program
This movement will strengthen your lats and upper back, as well as your rear
delts, biceps and grip.
Set-up
Take hold of the v-bar attachment and sit down with your knees secured under
the pad. Your arms should be straight and your torso lent back slightly.
Execution
Keeping your lower back arched and your abs tight, pull the v-bar attachment
down until it touches your chest. When it touches your chest, force your chest
out and your shoulders back and down. Then return to the start position.
V-bar Pulldowns: Start/Finish
V-bar Pulldowns: Mid-Point
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Wide Grip Pulldowns
Why it’s in the program
This movement will strengthen your lats and upper back, as well as your rear
delts, biceps and grip.
Set-up
Take hold of the bar with a wide grip (just outside shoulder width and sit down
with your knees secured under the pad. Your arms should be straight and your
torso lent back slightly.
Execution
Keeping your lower back arched and your abs tight, pull the bar down until it
touches your chest. When it touches your chest, force your chest out and your
shoulders back and down. Then return to the start position.
Wide Grip Pulldowns: Start/Finish
Wide Grip Pulldowns: Mid-Point
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2 Board Bench Press
Why it’s in the program
Board Presses strengthen the pressing muscles of the upper body and get you
used to handling heavier loads.
Set-up
Note: A 2 board should be 3 or 4 inches thick.
Set up the same way you would for the Bench Press, but with the board on
your chest.
Close Grip means having your index fingers an inch from the smooth part of
the bar.
Medium Grip means having your hands a thumbs length from the smooth part
of the bar.
Execution
Perform this movement as you would the Bench Press, the only difference
being that the range of motion will be reduced by the addition of the boards.
2 Board Bench Press: Start/Finish
2 Board Bench Press Mid-Point
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Military Press
Why it’s in the program
The Military Press strengthens the shoulders and triceps – both essential for a
strong Bench Press.
Set-up
Start with the bar touching your upper chest, using a close or medium grip.
Execution
Lean your head back slightly (to allow the bar to clear your chin) and drive the
bar overhead. As the bar clears the top of your head, drive your head forwards
so that you finish each rep with the bar locked out directly above your head.
Military Press: Start/Finish
Military Press: Mid-Point
*Note: The Military Press can be performed standing or seated
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Chapter 6: The Only Acceptable Tweaks To This Program
As I’ve said before, the closer you stick to this program exactly as it is laid out –
the better the results you will get.
However, there are some acceptable tweaks that you can make to the
“Supersize your Strength” training program.
This section will deal with those tweaks.
On The Days You Train
The program is designed as a 4 day split – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and
Saturday.
However, you could train Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Or Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Whatever you do, I would not train on more than two consecutive days.
If you can only train 3 days a week – combine the two assistance days. Do not
change the main Bench Press and Squat/Deadlift days.
On Cardio
The program includes 20 minutes cardio each week on the Lower Body
Assistance Day.
However, you can add in more cardio if you like. Just keep in mind that if
strength is your goal, too much cardio will become a problem.
If you do decide to add cardio in, I’d add it on your ‘rest’ days and keep it to 20
to 30 minutes of low to medium intensity work.
Exercise Selection
Do not even think about substituting exercises unless it is absolutely necessary.
And by ‘absolutely necessary’ I mean because your gym doesn’t have the
equipment.
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You may only substitute assistance exercises and not Bench Presses, Squats
and Deadlifts.
For example, if you do not have boards for Board Pressing – you may do Floor
Presses or Reverse Band Bench Presses instead.
If you do not have a Hammer Strength Machine Row you may substitute any
other similar machine row or DB Rows.
But keep any exercise substitutions to a minimum and always substitute with
as close an exercise as possible to the one that is written in the program.
As you can see – I do not suggest many tweaks to the “Supersize Your
Strength” training program. It’s been written as it is for a reason – aim to keep
it that way as much as you possibly can, only making tweaks if absolutely
necessary.
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Chapter 7: How To Increase Your Gains
What if there were ways to greatly increase the gains you got from the
“Supersize Your Strength” training program?
The good news is that there are and in this section you’ll find out exactly what
these techniques are. They relate to Pre, During and Post-Workout Nutrition
and Recovery Methods.
Pre, During and Post-Workout Nutrition (Peri-workout nutrition)
Peri-workout nutrition refers to what you drink before, during and after
training. Sometimes you will see it called your ‘pre-workout shake’, ‘duringworkout shake’ and ‘post-workout shake’.
Whatever you call it; it is very important and can significantly increase the
gains you make from your strength training.
If you implement what you are going to discover in this section, you will gain
the following benefits:
- Decreased break down of muscle during your workouts
- Improved recovery in-between workouts
- Increased muscle mass
- Increased strength
- Decreased body-fat
Sounds pretty good, right?
So let’s take a look at what you should be putting in your pre, during and postworkout shakes and exactly when you should be drinking them.
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Pre-Workout Shake:
- Drink this 30 to 60 minutes before you begin training
- This Shake needs to be a combination of amino acids and carbohydrates
The amino acids will prevent your body from breaking down your muscle tissue
when you train and the carbohydrates will provide you with the fuel that you
need to get through your training session.
If you ever feel ‘flat’ during training or low on strength, you are probably
lacking carbs.
As far as quantities of amino acids go, I would advise you to go by the label on
the product you choose to buy. I personally prefer a powered amino acid
product that can be mixed with water in a shaker. However, there are plenty of
capsule amino acid products on the market as well. I dislike the capsules
because it is a pain in the neck to consume 20 to 30 of them pre-workout (and
more during workout).
Powder or capsule, the choice is yours. What I would advise (and this goes for
all supplements and not just your choice of amino acids) is that you buy the
best quality that you can. Look for reputable companies and try to avoid
supplements that contain a host of artificial sweeteners and preservatives; the
more natural the product the better.
Regarding carbohydrates, 30 to 60 grams is a good starting point for most
lifters in their pre-workout shake. If you train early in the morning and your
pre-workout shake is your first “meal” of the day, then you will need to be on
the higher end of the carb scale.
However, if you train in the evenings and have already eaten several times
during the day before you consume your pre-workout shake; you may find that
30 grams of carbs is plenty.
Play around with the quantities and work out what is optimal for you. If you
start gaining body-fat, reduce the amount of carbs you are consuming.
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To re-cap:
Drink your pre-workout shake 30 to 60 minutes before you train. This shake
should be a mixture of amino acids and carbs, mixed in 400 to 500ml of water.
During-workout shake:
Your during workout shake is to be consumed whilst you train. Sip it
throughout your training session.
This shake can be very similar to your pre-workout shake (a mixture of amino
acids and carbs). However, you may find that you do not need the carbs in this
shake. If you train late in the day that is certainly likely to be the case, but if
you train early in the morning and/or you are trying to gain muscle; then you
may find that 30 grams of carbs in your during-workout shake is exactly what
you need.
Again, play around with quantities until you find what works for you. Do not be
afraid to experiment. As long as you are getting good quality amino acids and
carbs you will be fine (and doing better than 99% of lifters and athletes.).
If this information is feeling overwhelming or confusing then I understand
where you are coming from. I used to feel the same way about peri-workout
nutrition.
It is ok to feel some apprehension when trying something new. However, it is
not ok to drink nothing during your workout or rely only on water. I have
looked beyond Powerlifting and Strength Sports to find the recommendations
that I am sharing with you in this book because I wanted to find out what the
very best athletes in the highest profile sports are doing. The reason for this is
because these guys have the most money and will have people doing the most
research for them.
Not drinking anything whilst training is pure stupidity. If you do not drink
anything whilst you train, then it is likely that you will end up dehydrated. And
it is impossible to perform at your best if this ends up being the case.
Drinking just water whilst training is okay (and better than nothing) but it is still
nowhere near optimal.
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The bottom line is that amino acids are essential whilst you train and you may
or may not need some carbs as well.
Have fun with it and look forward to training harder and seeing faster gains
than ever before.
Post-Workout Shake:
This is arguably the most important of the three shakes that will make up your
peri-workout nutrition.
The training process is actually catabolic, meaning that as you lift weights you
actually break down your muscles and cause them some damage. Therefore, it
is critical that you feed those muscles immediately after you have trained; so
that they repair and grow stronger (as opposed to break down and get
weaker).
Here is how your post-workout shake should look:
- To be consumed within 60 minutes of you finishing your training session
- 30 grams of Protein (Whey Protein will do just fine)
- 60 to 100 grams of Carbs
- 5 grams of Creatine (optional)
30 grams of protein seems to be a good amount for most lifters to put in their
post-workout shake. Bigger guys might need a bit more, but the body can only
handle so much at once.
The amount of carbs you put in your post-workout shake will depend on the
following things:
- Your bodyweight (the bigger you are, the more you carbs you probably
need)
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- Your current bodyweight goals (if you are trying to add muscle, then you
should have more carbs post-workout than if you are simply maintaining
your current size)
- How hard the training session was (the harder and more intensely you
trained, the more carbs you should have post-workout)
As with your pre and during workout shakes, you will have to experiment in
order to find out what the optimal quantities are for your post-workout shake.
When experimenting, start on the low side with the carbs and increase them if
required.
Finally, if for some reason you are cutting body-fat; do not make the mistake of
going low-carb (or no-carb) post-workout. If you are reducing your carbs to
help lost body-fat, the last place you want to remove them is from your postworkout shake. Carbs post-workout are essential, no matter what your current
goal, fat loss included.
Here’s a re-cap for this section on peri-workout nutrition:
- Getting your peri-workout nutrition right can literally explode your gains
in the gym
- Your pre-workout shake comes 30 to 60 minutes before your training
session and is a mixture of amino acids, carbs and 500ml of water
- Your during-workout shake is to be sipped throughout your training
session and is made up of amino acids (and carbs if required)
- Your post-workout shake is comprised of 30 grams of protein and 60 to
100grams of carbs
- You will need to experiment with quantities (particularly of carbs) in
order to find your perfect peri-workout stack
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- Whatever supplements you buy, get the best quality you can afford,
avoiding supplements that are loaded with a ton of artificial colourings,
sweeteners and preservatives
So now that you know what to drink before, during and after training to
supercharge your gains, let’s take a look at the best recovery methods you can
use to further increase your gains and speed up your progress…
Recovery Methods
Sleep
Sleep is the most underrated recovery method. Most lifters never think about
it and very often abuse it. By abuse it I mean they don’t do enough of it and
they do it at the wrong times.
There have been times during my career when progress has stopped. And like
many lifters, the first thing I looked to change was my training program;
thinking that a new exercise or set/rep protocol would re-ignite my strength
gains.
The reality was very often that I was not sleeping enough, nor well enough.
Once I sorted this; BOOM. The strength gains came again.
Do not underestimate the power of good quality sleep.
If you develop a good sleeping pattern that you stick to consistently, you will
be rewarded with greater gains from your training sessions. Since it costs you
nothing to do and is vital for not only your strength, but also your health; this
‘Secret Weapon’ seems like a no-brainer.
In other words, you simply have to develop optimal sleeping patterns.
Let me define what I consider optimal sleep to be:
- You go to bed and fall asleep within a few minutes
- You sleep all the way through until the morning, without getting up
during the night
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- You go to bed between 10pm and Midnight
- You wake up before 7am
If it takes you more than a few minutes to get to sleep on a regular basis, you
sleep is not optimal. Likewise, if you have to get up in the middle of the night;
your sleep is not optimal.
If you go to bed after midnight, your sleep is not optimal. And if you get up
later than 7am, your sleep is not optimal.
I have come to these conclusions after plenty of research and by taking careful
note of my own sleep patterns.
Many young lifters go to bed far too late.
If you are young and like to party on a Saturday night and go to bed at 3 or
4am; be aware that you are robbing yourself of some quality sleep during that
time. Sleeping the next day until the early hours of the afternoon cannot make
up for that lost sleep.
You will sleep best and reap the most rewards from your sleep when you go to
bed and get up at the same time every day.
Now don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that you should never go out and
party or that you should never have a late night. But you must understand that
everything you do in life has an outcome and consequences and the outcome
of a late night is not good for your sleep, which in turn is not good for your
recovery; which in turn is lousy for your training.
A late night once a week is probably okay and you will get away with it better,
the younger you are. However, if late nights become something that you do
three or four times a week; or you become one of those people who goes to
bed at 3am every day, you must understand that such behaviour can only have
a negative effect on your health, recovery and strength training.
With all that said, here are some easy to use guidelines for achieving optimal
sleep:
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- Have your last solid meal at least 2 hours before bed
- Avoid watching violent films and/or listening to really ‘heavy’ music
within an hour of bed
- Get off your computer and do not use your mobile phone within an hour
of going to bed
- Take a warm bath or shower close to bed time to help you relax
- Do some static stretching after the bath or shower to further help you
relax
- Make sure your bedroom is dark and cool
- Buy the best quality mattress that you can afford
- Lay on your side or back (laying on your front in lousy for your lower
back)
- Keep your mobile phone well away from you when you sleep (or better
still, turn it off)
The bottom line is that sleep is not an exciting subject. But if you ever go
through a period of your life when you really struggle to sleep, you will
understand that a lack of sleep is a very serious thing.
Missing an hours sleep here and there and going to bed an hour later than
optimal every night may not seem like a big deal, but that lack of sleep adds up
over the course of a year and you will not even notice it because you will just
get slowly used to being less than optimal.
That is not good.
So make your choice. Going to bed at the same time every night and aiming for
perfect sleep may not seem very exciting, but the results may amaze you. Your
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progress in the gym will improve because you will be recovering from your
training sessions much better.
Furthermore, when you sleep well every day you will perform better in every
area of your life. You’ll be more relaxed and positive about everything that you
do. And that can only be a good thing.
Sleep Rules! Make sure you do it well and get your 7 to 8 hours in,
uninterrupted; every night.
Sports Massage
Many lifters are in pain. It is a sad fact, but it is true. Some have shoulders that
ache, some have dodgy knees and some have torn pecs. Now to some extent,
aches and pains come with the territory.
If you lift heavy week in and week out, for years on end; some aches and pains
(and the odd injury) are inevitable. However, I believe that many injuries that
lifters sustain could be avoided if they paid attention to many things that they
mostly ignore or are simply not aware of.
One of those things is sports massage.
Whatever your current situation, it could be better if you get some regular
sports massage. Sports massage can keep your muscles free of knots and
adhesions and should be part of your recovery and pre-hab protocol.
A total body massage once a month is good, once every two weeks is better
and once a week is absolutely dynamite. Heck, the Bulgarian Weightlifters who
trained under Ivan Abadjiev (and were the most successful of all time) used to
regularly get massage in between every workout.
And they trained multiple times a day!
So massage is definitely not just for well-to-do housewives who spend their
husband’s money all day long. Massage is an outstanding tool for every
strength athlete, you and I included.
The bottom line with massage is that the more frequently you have it, the
better it is and you must get your massage from a decent therapist. There are a
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ton of lousy masseuses out there who don’t know a tricep from a bicep, so use
your judgement when deciding who to take your massage from.
If possible, seek out a masseuse who works with elite athletes in sports that
pay their athletes big money because these guys will usually have to be good
at what they do in order to keep getting paid. (And they very often do not
charge much more than a regular masseuse with much lower profile clients).
Finally, you should think about the timing of your massages. If you want to use
massage for recovery purposes, having it within 12 hours of finishing your
training session is the best option.
For example, if you train your Bench Press and upper body on a Monday
evening (like I do); massage first thing on a Tuesday morning is great.
You should also note how you perform when you train after a massage. Some
lifters find that a massage within 24 hours of a training session causes them to
have a great session and drop into deep Squats with way less warming up
required than usual.
However, other lifters often get a little sore from deep sports massage and
prefer to have it done well away from a heavy training session. The only way
you will know how you will respond is to start getting regular massage and pay
attention to how you feel in the gym afterwards.
Whatever you do, if your budget allows it; get some sports massage.
Swim Recovery
If you want to virtually eliminate all muscular soreness, no matter how hard
you train – combine swim recovery with the information I have already shared
with you on Peri-Workout nutrition and that will become your reality.
I am being deadly serious about this.
Correct Peri-Workout Nutrition and swim recovery virtually eliminate all
soreness that results from strength training. It is also a great way to relax your
mind (as well as your body) after a hard session in the gym. This is especially
important if it was a training session where you got psychologically wound up
before a big lift.
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Swimming is also great because it puts very little stress on your joints, unlike
many other types of physical activity that stress your cardiovascular system
(running can pound your knees and ankles, cycling can be hard on your lower
back etc).
Many lifters like to be sore after a workout, as they see it as a sign that they
trained hard. I couldn’t disagree more with this way of thinking. Being sore is
uncomfortable and is definitely one pain I prefer not to have in my life.
Always measure your progress by how much stronger you are getting. After-all,
strength training is meant to build strength (not muscular soreness).
I first became aware of swim recovery because I heard about it from a top
strength and conditioning coach in the United Kingdom, called Phil Richards.
Phil said he was not quite sure why swim recovery worked, but he just said it
did and he was right.
Here is what you do:
Get in the swimming pool immediately after your strength training session or
as close to finishing it as possible. Then all you do is walk a length of the pool
and then swim a length of the pool. Do this for 15 to 30 minutes and you are
done.
Simple and highly effective.
You can use any stroke you like for the swimming, but you must alternate
every length swum with a length of just walking.
As you use swim recovery please remember that you are not trying to become
an Olympic level swimmer. Therefore, it should be done at a very light intensity
– walk through the water slowly and swim at a leisurely pace.
Now obviously not everyone has a swimming pool close at hand after they
finish training. However, if you are unfortunate enough to have to do your
strength training at a commercial gym (you know the type, with a 1000 mirrors
and dance music and nobody training hard) you may have just found one
advantage to that facility because it may well have a swimming pool (unlike
any hard-core gym I know of).
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If that is the case and your gym does have a swimming pool; get in it straight
after your strength training sessions and prepare to speed up your recovery in
a way that you didn’t think possible.
Good Nutrition
Good nutrition is a secret weapon that many lifters and athletes do not take
advantage of as much as they should. Whether it is a lack of knowledge or pure
laziness, it is inexcusable either way.
Good nutrition is essential for not only your strength training success, but also
your health.
I did not always pay attention to what I ate, and I ended up feeling pretty
lousy. Once I cleaned up my diet and starting eating properly, not only did I
feel much better; I trained harder and recovered faster too.
So if you want to train harder, recover faster, improve your health and your
general state of well-being, read the following and use the ideas that you feel
will help you.
- Get hydrated. You should drink at least 2 litres of clean water a day
(peri-workout nutrition not included). Clean water definitely means
avoiding tap water (no matter where you live) and going for bottled
water. Glass bottled is better than plastic
- Add a powdered greens product to your water. One example is called
Mega Greens (do a Google search and check it out). Whilst powdered
greens are not as good as vegetables in their fresh state, they are a great
addition to your diet. As far as dosages go, just go by the label on the
product you buy
- Eat organic wherever possible. We live in times where we have the best
kind of food available and the worst. To ensure you are eating the best
food – that which contains the most vitamins, minerals and enzymes and
the least harmful chemicals; you have to eat organic when you can. Yes
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it costs more, but this is your health we are talking about. And if your
health goes, you have nothing. Remember that
- Eat lots of the right kinds of fats. When buying fats you must ensure that
they are not rancid. Buy high quality and look for dark glass bottles. Here
are some great choices of fats: Fish Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Coconut
Oil, Hemp Oil, Avocado Oil, Walnut Oil, Nuts and Seeds, Fatty Fish such
as Salmon (Wild Alaskan is a good variety to go for)
- When buying meat, quality is super important. For example, go for grass
fed beef, organic free-range chicken etc.
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially vegetables. In the United
Kingdom, the government recommends eating 5 portions of Fruits and
Vegetables a day. Try increasing that to 10 or more and see how much
better you feel. Also be aware that even though your Doctor tells you
that Pasteurized Orange juice or Apple juice in a carton has the same
effect on your body as a fresh orange or apple – it does not. Eat your 10
plus portions of fruits and vegetables raw, lightly steamed, juiced or in
blended smoothies.
Also, try to eat a wide variety of colours in your diet, for example; in a
week eat green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes (orange), green and
red peppers, blueberries, bananas and so on.
- Add carbohydrates where you need them. On top of healthy fats, red
meat, poultry, fish, fruit and vegetables – you will probably need to add
some carbohydrates to your nutritional plan if you are training hard (and
I assume you are doing that because you wouldn’t be reading this).
Choose your carbs wisely – say ‘yes’ to brown rice and Couscous and no
to white bread, bagels, white pasta and all other refined, processed junk
that has very little nutritional value
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I encourage you to do your own research on nutrition. It will help your training,
health, testosterone levels, libido, skin, hair, nails, mood and a myriad of other
things. Eating well has a thousand benefits and no down sides.
Before we move on to the next section, let’s just take a quick look at some
common food groups that citizens of Western Nations gorge themselves on
and that are responsible for poor health and performance. I am not saying that
you should never eat these foods, but you should severely limit their
consumption.
If you eat 3 main meals a day and a couple of snacks, that is 21 meals a week
and 14 snacks. Or 35 feedings in all. Try to allow no more than 1 or 2 or those
feedings to include the following foods:
- Alcohol
- Sweet foods like chocolate, crisps, donuts, cakes and muffins
- Fast food (this is a total health disaster. All ‘burger and chips for $5 type
places fall into this category)
- White Sugar and Table Salt (use Raw Honey and Celtic Sea Salt or Pink
Himalayan Rock Salt instead)
- Any food that is heavily processed and un-natural (tinned, bottled and
other packaged foods tend to fall into this category)
Contrast Showers
This is a secret weapon that you should definitely add to your tool-box of
recovery methods. It will cost you nothing to do it, in terms of time or money
so it is pretty cool from that perspective.
Even cooler is the fact that it really helps you recover from heavy strength
training sessions.
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The interesting thing about this is that every scientific strength training
textbook I have read gives different recommendations for exactly how to do
them. However, they are all in a similar ball park.
So here are some guidelines for using contrast showers:
- Have a contrast shower 6 to 12 hours after a heavy strength training
session (still shower straight after your session as well)
- Do one minute hot, followed by 30 seconds cold. The hot water should
be as hot as you can stand and the cold water should be as cold as you
can stand
Please be careful with the hot water and use your common sense. It is better
to err on the side of caution the first time you try it.
1 minute hot, 30 seconds cold, repeat 4 to 8 times. That’s all there is too it.
Start using contrast showers and you will recover faster from your strength
training sessions.
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Chapter 8: What To Do When You’ve Finished The Program
Once you have finished the “Supersize Your Strength” 16 week training
program, you will probably be wondering:
“What should I do next?”
And that’s a great question.
Here’s what I recommend:
- Take a de-load week where you get out of the gym and either rest or do
some physical activities you don’t normally do (this will allow your mind
and body to recover)
After a week to de-load, rest and recover – you have a few options.
You could run the program again. Just be sure to work out your numbers again
– this time based on your new one rep maxes.
You could try something new – there are tonnes of programs out there.
You might feel like you are at a level where you are now the best person to
write your own training programmes and you may sit down and write your
next 12 to 16 week training program yourself.
You may like to work with me on a 1-to-1 basis where I write your training
program for you. To learn more about his, drop me an email at
andy@andyboltonstrength.com
Whatever you do, remember that consistency is king. Once you’ve finished this
program, if you follow these rules – you’ll be ahead of 99% of guys hitting the
gym:
- Focus on the basics. If you want to build absolute strength... the squat,
bench press and deadlift rule
- Add some assistance exercises into your program to help build the main
lifts, improve your muscle mass and prevent injury
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- Take occasional de-load weeks when you need them
- Rest 180 seconds or more between heavy sets of squats, bench presses
and deadlifts
- Keep rest periods shorter (60 to 90 seconds) on assistance exercises
- Utilize as many ways as possible to speed up your progress (periworkout nutrition and recovery methods)
- Understand that adding cardiovascular work to your program is okay,
but may start to hurt your strength gains if you do too much
That’s all for now.
Good luck, GET STRONG and I’ll talk to you soon,
Andy Bolton
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“Supercharge Your Strength”
By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman. Copyright ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.andyboltonstrength.com