SFS STRENGTH
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
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SET FOR SET, LLC always recommends that you consult with your physician or professional medical care provider before
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Program Details
13 WEEKS
1 Intro Week, 12 Weeks of Training
3, 4, and 5 Day Per Week Options
Program Goals:
Get Stronger In Every Major Compound Lift
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Expected Strength Gains:
•Novice: 15-20% Gain in Strength
•Intermediate: 5-10% Gain in Strength
•Advanced: Hit New PRs
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Garett Reid is a fitness expert by all measures. He first set foot in the gym in
the 90s and has been working professionally as a strength coach for the last
12+ years. During that time, he brought his experience and skills all around the
world as a true international trainer, working abroad as a fitness consultant for
8 years. He now currently resides in Florida, where he was born and raised.
Garett’s motto is “The barbell will get you strong regardless of who you are or
where you come from.” In his training, you can see this as he stays true to his
roots. Garett’s style of training focuses on using classic barbell training and
then adding bits and pieces of other training modalities such as calisthenics,
bodybuilding, and Strongman. Needless to say, it works, and he has clients
from nations all around the world to back it up.
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Concerning his accolades, he has earned:
• Master in Exercise Science
• NSCA CSCS
• CISSN
• Executive Council Member of NSCA Strongman SIG
• Published author in NSCA COACH
• And a bunch of other cool shit
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Your Strength Coach
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1. Introduction
9. The Program (3, 4, 5 Day Options)
2. What To Expect From The Program
10. How To Run The Program
3. Terminology
11. Lifting Gear
4. Checklist
12. Diet & Nutrition
5. Strength Training 101
13. Supplementation
6. Basic Anatomy And Biomechanics
14. Food Timing & Recovery
7. Movement Patterns
15. FAQ
8. Exercises
16. What To Do After This Program
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Table of Contents
We’re assuming you’re tired of the games and ready to start lifting some real weight. If so, you made a good
decision in getting this program as it’s designed with one goal in mind, put more plates on the bar.
We want to be very clear that for this strength program to work, you need to take your training seriously and
keep your head down in the gym. Don’t get distracted by what this dude is doing or looking at that girl’s
dumbbells. This doesn’t mean you can’t talk to anyone or have fun, but it does mean to take your training
and lifts seriously. You’re going to be using maximal weights, which require maximal focus. However, if you
follow this plan and get your nutrition and recovery in check, we can guarantee you’ll be lifting more weight
after 13 weeks (1 intro week and 12 weeks of training).
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This program is a general strength program created so you can improve your numbers on every major
compound lift. We recommend this program for trainees who have at least a year of legitimate training.
Because this is a strength program, you will be using maximal weight which means you need to have
developed some strength and what we call “gym maturity.” Gym maturity simply refers to being familiar with
the gym, proper gym etiquette, and most major lifts. More importantly, it refers to having good selfawareness and knowing when you need to rest if a movement doesn’t feel right.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Introduction
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1. We’ll start with what you can actual expect to gain from this program.
2. Then, we’ll cover some terminology you need to know to make communicating easier. This isn’t to show off how smart
we are, nor do we use “gargantuan” words when there’s a simpler word to use, like “big” (get it?).
3. Next, we want to teach you about what “strength” training is on a physiological level. We firmly believe that
understanding why you’re doing what you’re doing makes a huge impact on enjoyability and adherence. While this will be
a brief overview, it will still be enough for you to realize that strength specific training is different from hypertrophy training.
4. Once you understand the basics of strength training, we want to give you an overview of the program and the exercises
within it. We’ll also explain why the program is set up the way it is.
5. Finally, we’re going to lay out the actual program.
6. But you’re not done yet. We will then explain to you how we are going to carry out the program. This will include how to
find your starting weights as well as a more in-depth explanation of progressive overload (loading) and rep schemes.
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7. The last piece of the puzzle will go over nutrition and supplementation for optimal results.
8. We’ll end with some other useful tips as well as guidance for the future.
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Yes, it will be thorough but easy to understand.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Steps of the Program
The best place to start is to talk about realistic goals; what
type of progress you can expect to see after running this
13-week program. This is going to largely depend on two
variables:
• How long you have been training.
• How many times you have followed a true strength
training program.
When we talk about training, we mean following a real
training program regardless if it’s a specific strength
program or not.
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Basically, any structured program that utilizes progressive
overload is going to bring some strength gains when you
first start training.
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However, following a true strength training program will
bring more strength gains than if you have only followed a
bodybuilding program, thus making more strength gains
harder.
With these two factors in mind, below are some real
gains you can expect to see in all your main lifts:
• Deadlift
• Back Squat
• Bench Press
• Military Press
• Bent-Over Row
• Chin-up
• Dip
While this is a strength program, we will give you
numbers for both strength improvements and
muscle mass. People often confuse these two as
being one and the same, which they are not. For
example, a study had new trainees complete a
20-24 week resistance training program. While the
participants saw a 21% increase in strength, there
was only a 5% increase in muscle mass¹. We will
talk about this more below, so for now, let’s get into
the numbers.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
What To Expect From This Program
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NOVICE (6 MONTHS - 1 YEAR)
INTERMEDIATE (1-2 YEARS)
ADVANCED (2 YEARS+)
While we suggest you have at least a
year of training under your belt, you
could run this if you have a solid 6
months of training. The reason we
require this as a minimum is because
you will be training with very heavy loads
and you need to have a minimum
amount of experience with the lifts.
Intermediate lifters are the group who
have been training for at least a year
using a progressive overload program.
For this group, PRs aren’t unheard of,
but they don’t happen all the time; you
have to work for it. Good thing is this
program makes you work.
The last group are the ones who
celebrate every PR because they don’t
come often. For someone in this group,
simply hitting a new PR after 3 months
will be awesome. That’s what you are
going to attempt with this program.
As a novice, your beginner gains will
have subsided, but you are still able to
add weight to the bar relatively easily. If
you were on a linear program, you’d
likely be able to add 2-5lbs on the bar
every week.
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For the novice, you can expect to see a
15-20% gain in strength in 3 months and
4-5lbs of muscle.
This group can expect to see a 5-10%
increase in strength over 3 months
following this program.
For muscle mass, expect to put on
2-3bs in 3 months.
For muscle gain, this group is looking
at anywhere between 1.5lb-2lbs over 3
months.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Expected Strength Improvements
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, you’re going to need to be familiar with some terms. While we’re keeping the jargon
to a minimum, there are some specific terms you need to be aware of:
Absolute Strength: The maximal amount of weight you can lift
regardless of your weight.
Drop Set: After your main set, you strip a certain % off the bar
and perform a set with a lighter weight right away.
ATP: Adenosine Triphosphate. A high-energy phosphate is the
“energy currency” of your body. ATP is required to initiate every
single muscle contraction making it vital for basic function, let
alone weight lifting. In fact, when you hear of “metabolic
systems,” their primary purpose is to resynthesize ATP.
Eccentric Contraction: A muscle contraction when your muscle
gets shorter. The “going down” portion of an exercise, or the
lengthening of a muscle under tension.
Concentric Contraction: A muscle contraction when your
muscles pull on each other. The “going up” portion of an
exercise, or the shortening of a muscle under tension.
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Core: We just want to clarify that the “core” does not mean
“abs”. In strength and conditioning, core refers to your abs,
obliques and lower back as well. And more specifically, when
we say “core,” we are referring to the ability of these muscles
to stabilize the spine.
EMOM: Every Minute On The Minute. A rep scheme where you
perform an assigned number of reps every minute. For
example, a 5X5 EMOM. Start a clock and perform 5 reps. Then
at 1:00, you perform 5 reps. At 2:00, perform 5 more. And so
on and so on.
Isometric Contraction: A muscle contraction when your muscle
stays the same length and keeps your joint at the same angle.
Ladder Set: A group of sets where you increase weight for
each set.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Terminology
Maximal Intent: Refers to executing the concentric portion
of a lift with as much force as possible or fast as possible.
Periodization: A method of program design that varies the
volume and intensity of an exercise.
Progressive Overload: The process of gradually increasing
the intensity of an exercise in order to elicit adaptations.
Relative Strength: How strong you are compared to your
body weight. For example, if you are 200lbs and have a
300lb squat, your relative squat strength is 1.5X BW
(bodyweight).
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RPE: RPE stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion and is a
form of monitoring intensity through self-regulation. We will
use a scale of 1-10 - RPE10 refers to 100% max effort, as
in you can’t perform another rep. And RPE1 refers to an
intensity where you could do it all day.
Valsalva Maneuver: The Valsalva maneuver is forcefully
exhaling against a closed glottis (throat). This is used by
many strength athletes as a way to increase intraabdominal
pressure and increase core stability.
Warmup Set: Warm up sets, aka ramp up sets, are
performed for an exercise with the sole intent of warming
up. They do not count towards your total volume.
Wave Set: A series of sets in blocks that overlap each
other. For example, the first wave uses 1,2,3. Then the next
wave uses 2,3,4. Then the final wave uses 3,4,5.
Working Sets: Sets that are performed after your warm-up
sets do count towards your total volume.
%RM: The abbreviation refers to the percentage of your 1rep max. For example, if we say 5X5@80%, this means to
perform an exercise of 5 reps for 5 sets using 80% of your
1RM max.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Terminology (continued)
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In order to see how successful you are with this program, you’re going to
compare the improvements in some of your lifts. Therefore, before you
start this program, it would be great if you knew (and wrote down) your
current 1RM. After your 12 weeks of training, you’ll be able to compare it
to a new 1RM.
You’ll see these again below when we go over the main movements and
basic biomechanics. In fact, this entire program is built to make these
movements stronger as they train every muscle and every major
movement pattern. If these become stronger, everything else becomes
stronger.
Track Your Strength Gains In The Following Movements:
The reason the movements will be tested differently (1RM, est 1RM, max
reps) is because not all are suitable to test a 1RM, specifically the bent
over row. Other than the deadlift, pulling exercises, in general, are
difficult to test a 1RM safely as it’s too easy for your form to fail or
execute properly with heavy loads.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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1RM Back Squat
1RM Deadlift
1RM Bench Press
1RM Military Press
Estimate 1RM Bent Over Row
# Of Unbroken Chin Ups
# Of Unbroken Dips
You will focus on these lifts because they will test your strength in almost
every movement pattern. Being so, it will give you a thorough picture of
how strong you really are and identify any weak spots. For example, your
bench may be strong, but what about your squat?
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It can be too easy to start focusing on your good lifts because it’s not fun
doing things you suck at. However, keeping track of all your lifts and
writing them down will force you to acknowledge any weaknesses. And
this goes farther than having bragging rights. Weaknesses can identify
muscular imbalances or other issues that need to be addressed to
maintain a healthy body.
For example, on the bench press, you just need to push until you
lockout, which is very obvious. While your elbows could flare, it’s easy to
maintain good form and most errors (picking feet off the ground) won’t
result in major injury. Compare that to the bent over row where you’re
leaned over with a ton of stress on your back. It’s easy to curl your back
or use body movement to help, even if you try not to. Therefore, you’re
going to use a 1RM estimator for certain exercises rather than actually
testing your 1RM.
For chin-ups and dips, these are more useful for testing relative strength
which is better at indicating fitness. For example, who do you think is
more fit and has better body composition:
• A guy who can bench 350lbs but can’t do a pull-up.
• A guy who can bench 280lbs and can do 15 unbroken pull-up.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Checklist
Body Measurements
Before And After Photos
Strength Standards
For body measurements, all you
really need to worry about is your
weight. This is important so that
you are able to measure your gain
in relative strength as well as
absolute strength.
In addition, we want you to take
photos as well. This is 100% for you
so that you can see how your body
adapts and changes. When taking
before and after photos, it’s best to
take the shot in the same spot under
the same lighting conditions as well
as the same time of day, ideally in
the AM.
The last part is we want you to check
out the Strength Standards. This is a
large database of 1RM lifts from girls
and guys around the world that lets
you see where you fit in. While
ultimately you want to improve on
your own lifts, it’s always fun to have
some healthy competition. It can help
motivate us to move up in ranking but
can also keep our egos in check (one
of the best training practices is to
train with people stronger than you).
• Weigh Yourself
Below are the shots you would want
to take:
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• Front (relaxed)
• Back (relaxed)
• Side (relaxed)
• Front Double Bicep
• Back Lat Spread
Therefore, see where you are now and
then see how you compare to other
lifters after the 12 weeks.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Checklist (continued)
PDF
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
STRENGTH TRAINING 101
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There’s a common misunderstanding in the fitness
world which mistakenly believes that strength and big
muscles, and even endurance, are all one and the
same. They’re not. Muscle hypertrophy, the fancy
name for muscle growth, is a distinctly different
physiological adaptation than muscle strength. While
the two are definitely related, training for one doesn’t
necessarily mean you’ll get the other. If they were, a
powerlifting meet would merely consist of the judges
measuring the size of the muscles. Well, there’s more
to it than that, but you get the point.
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The necessity of specifically training for muscle
strength or muscle hypertrophy only grows in
importance the longer you train and advance in your
lifting career. While at first you could get bigger and
gain strength simultaneously, you will inevitably hit a
spot where you must choose one goal and emphasize
that.
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What is Strength Training?
Muscle growth occurs by actual architectural
changes to the muscle. In other words, the
muscle is actually growing in size by the
addition of various components.
Strength training is concerned with taking
the muscle you already have and teaching it
to work better.
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While the two adaptations happen separately
from one another, there is a relationship. This
exists as a muscle with a greater surface
area has the potential to be a stronger
muscle - if you train it correctly (emphasis on
potential).
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
What’s The Difference Between
Muscle Hypertrophy & Muscle Strength?
To understand how a muscle can be “taught” to work better, you need to have a basic understanding of a muscle’s anatomy.
What we refer to as a muscle is actually composed of up to thousands of separate muscle fibers. These muscle fibers are all held
tightly together so that they are able to work in unison when needed.
You’ve likely heard of Type I and Type II muscle fibers which refer to their size and function. Type I muscle fibers (aka slow twitch
muscle fibers) are thinner in diameter and are highly fatigue resistant yet unable to generate significant amounts of force. Type II
muscle fibers (aka fast twitch muscle fibers) are thicker in diameter and are highly fatigable yet able to produce large amounts of
force.
It’s always one or the other in this world, am I right? Anyways, there’s actually an entire spectrum of sizes ranging from very small
to very thick, and sports researchers are still discovering the possibility of new fibers.
These muscle fibers are then grouped together and controlled by different motor units, which will fire to activate the muscle.
Basically, when the motor unit fires, the muscle will contract. There are two things to know:
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• Different motor units in different muscles will control a different amount of muscle fibers.
• Only muscle fibers of the same type are grouped together and controlled by the same motor unit.
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When the body performs an action, the brain will send a signal to fire the smallest motor unit first. If this is not enough force, it will
recruit the next smallest muscle fiber. This continues until enough motor units are recruited to apply sufficient force in a process
known as Henneman’s size principle. Obviously, this all takes place in a split second, but it’s what allows us to control the amount
of force we use when performing actions. So…how do we make that stronger?
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Understanding How Muscles Work
As mentioned, muscle strength occurs when you teach the existing muscle to work better together, which results in greater force production. This occurs
by improving what’s called your neuromuscular system, which we briefly spoke about above with the motor units. The neuromuscular system is a highly
complex system that relays information from your brain to your muscles and tells the body what to do. While this system is highly capable of doing insane
physical feats, you have to teach it to do so! The good thing is that it’s really not that hard once you have a better understanding of the neuromuscular
system. Below are a few of the mechanisms by which a muscle can become stronger.
Increased Firing Rate
Improved Recruitment Of Motor Units.
As mentioned above, muscle fibers are controlled by various
motor units which must fire in order to produce force. In order
for a muscle to produce more force, it must fire quicker. Chronic
strength training will eventually teach your body to fire quicker
resulting in greater force.
Above, we mentioned how your body will recruit more and more motor units to
produce more and more force. However, the recruitment process always starts
at the very bottom. What we can do with strength training is teach the muscle
to skip the smaller motor units upon activation and go straight for the big boys.
This means that your body can immediately start using the stronger muscle
fibers, which results in greater force production.
While there are other adaptations, these are the primary changes that occur
resulting in greater strength. Interestingly, studies have shown that this occurs
best when using loads of equal or greater than 85%². And this is why it’s
important to train heavy! At least if you want to get strong.
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As you see, the focus is much different when training for muscle growth and
training for strength. This is the reason you will also rest much longer in
between sets during strength training. You want your muscle to be as fresh as
possible so that you are able to perform your next set with maximal intensity.
Again, the best way to think about strength training is you are teaching your
muscles how to generate force.
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What Makes Muscles Stronger?
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
ANATOMY &
BIOMECHANICS
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While you don't need to know all 600+ muscles in the body, you should have some general knowledge of your muscle
groups. Again, education can have a massive impact on your training success, so we want to provide you with a quick
reference that goes over the major muscles as well as some simple biomechanics.
Upper Body Pushing
Muscles
Upper Body Pulling
Muscles
Core Muscles
Lower Body Muscles
Pectorals
Latissimus Dorsi
Rectus Abdominis
Glutes
Deltoids
Trapezius
Transverse Abdominis
Hamstrings
Erector Spinae
External & Internal
Obliques
Quadriceps
Triceps
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Rhomboids
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Biceps
Gastrocnemius &
Soleus ( Calves )
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Muscle Groups
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Upper Body Pushing Muscles
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The pectoral muscles are two large fan-shaped muscles that sit on
either side of the chest, running from the sternum and converging
towards the arm. Further, each of these muscles on the left and right
sides of the body has two heads:
• The Sternocostal Head: The sternal head, also known as the
"lower chest," makes up about ¾ of the entire pectoral muscle.
Its origin is located down the entire sternum and runs towards its
insertion at the humerus.
• The Clavicular Head: The clavicular head, also known as the
"upper chest," is a smaller mass of muscle that resembles more
of a triangle sitting on top of the sternal head. Its originates at the
clavicle bone and then inserts at the same point on the humerus
as the sternal head.
Their primary function include:
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• Horizontal Shoulder Adduction: Bringing the shoulder inward
across the body like a hug. Chest flys are a great example of
horizontal shoulder adduction.
• Arm Extension & Flexion: Bringing the arm up in front of you
(clavicular head) and pulling the arm down in front (sternal head).
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Pectorals
The deltoids are large triangular-shaped muscles
made up of three heads, the anterior (aka front),
middle (aka lateral), and posterior (aka rear)
deltoids.
Each head of the deltoid insert on the upper
humerus (upper arm bone) and originate from the
clavicle and scapula.
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• Anterior Deltoid is primarily involved in horizontal
pushing exercise and horizontal shoulder
adduction.
• Medial Deltoid is primarily involved in shoulder
abduction or moving the arm out to the side of
the body.
• Posterior Deltoid is involved in vertical pulling
and horizontal pulling exercises.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Deltoids (Shoulders)
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The tricep muscle sits on the posterior of the
upper arm and is composed of three muscle
heads. Together, the main function of these three
heads is the extension of the elbow joint.
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• The long head is the longest head and actually
crosses the elbow joint, and the shoulder joint,
meaning the triceps muscle is actually biarticular. In addition to aiding in elbow extension,
the long head also aids in shoulder extension.
• The medial head sits in the middle and is the
smallest of the three heads. It's made up of a
higher percentage of Type I muscle fibers, so its
primary job is movements that require minimal
amounts of force and endurance.
• The lateral Head sits on the outside of the arm
and is the strongest of the three heads.
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Triceps
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Upper Body Pulling Muscles
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The latissimus dorsi is the largest and widest muscle in the upper
body.
They have various origins along the spine (T7 all the way down to the
L5 vertebrae), thoracolumbar fascia, and lower part of the scapula.
They are then inserted into the humerus (upper arm bone)
underneath the bicep.
The main functions of the lats are:
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• Adduction: Lowering your arm toward your body from the side (i.e.
wide grip pull ups)
• Horizontal Abduction: Moving your arms out to the side (i.e. rows)
• Extension: Lowering your arm straight down from a raised position
(i.e. lat pushdowns or swimming)
• Internal Rotation: Bringing your arm towards the midline of your
body (i.e. arm wrestling)
• It’s a super strong muscle that facilitates movements of the arm
when your torso is fixed and vice versa.
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The lats also assists in keeping your scapula against your thorax
during upper arm movements, as well as other stability roles for your
spine. The lats are basically the primary muscle for the majority of
upper body pulling exercises.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Latissimus Dorsi (Lats)
The trapezius muscle has three functional parts (or groups of fibers) which are
referred to as the upper, middle and lower traps. Together, they support the arms,
stabilize and move the scapular (elevate, depress, rotate, and retract), and stabilize
and move the spine/neck. In other words, the trapezius is a postural muscle and a
movement muscle that helps you move your neck and head, shrug and steady
your shoulders, and move and twist your arms.
• Upper Trap: The upper trap fibers originate at the top of the spine and back of
the head and they proceed downward and laterally inserting into the posterior
side of the collar bone near the shoulder joint. The main functions of the upper
trap are to elevate your scapular, which elevates and brings up your shoulder
girdle, and to extend, tilt and rotate (and protect) your neck, which allows you to
move your head.
• Middle Trap: The middle trap fibers originate at the first, second, and third
thoracic vertebrae just below the neck and they proceed laterally to the spine of
the scapula near the shoulder joint. The main function of the middle trap are to
bring the shoulder blades toward the spine (scapula retraction) and stabilize the
shoulder for certain arm movements. It’s role is very important for all-around
posture and stability doing horizontal pushing and pulling movements.
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• Lower Trap: The lower trap fibers originate at the remaining thoracic vertebrae
(T4-T12) and proceed upward and laterally converging near the scapular. The
main function of the lower trap is to move the shoulder blades downward
(scapular depression), which is the opposite action of the upper trap.
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The different regions of the traps also work together for certain movements. Some
movements involve all three parts of the traps. Moreover, the traps work in tandem
with other muscles groups, such as the rhomboids and lats.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Trapezius
The erector spinae is actually a series of 3 major muscles that
work to manipulate the spine. This group of muscles sits on either
side of the spine and travels up and down its entirety from the
sacrum and hips to the base of the skull.
• Iliocostalis: The iliocostalis sits lateral (outside) to the
longissimus and flexes the spinal column to its side. It also
extends the spinal column.
• Longissimus: The longissimus sits in between the iliocostalis
and spinalis and is the longest of the three erector spines
muscles. It flexes the neck and head as well as extends the
spinal column.
• Spinalis: The spinalis is closest to the spine of all three. It
flexes the neck and head as well as extends the spinal column.
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Strengthening these muscles is of extreme importance for a
healthy spine and posture. The erector spinae is heavily involved
in almost every exercise that requires bracing and a "strong
core," especially pulling exercises.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Erector Spinae
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The rhomboids are made up of two muscles, the rhomboid minor
and the larger rhomboid major. Together, they create a rhomboid
shape, hence their name.
You have a pair of rhomboids, one on each side of your uppermiddle back. The rhomboid major is located directly below your
rhomboid minor, and it is thin and flat and twice as wide. The
rhomboid minor is, however, slightly thicker than the rhomboid
major.
Both sets of rhomboids connect your spine (cervical and thoracic
vertebrae) to the medial borders of your shoulder blades (scapulas)
at a diagonal angle.
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Rhomboids are a superficial muscle, meaning they are close to the
surface of the skin. However, they lie deep to the trapezius of the
upper back and they are dwarfed by the almighty latissimus dorsi
(lats) on the sides. So, it’s almost impossible to see the rhomboids
unless you are looking at a well-defined individual with low body fat.
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While the rhomboids aren't really a "mirror muscle", they are
extremely vital to your back as a whole, with their primary function
being scapula (shoulder blade) control.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Rhomboids (Major & Minor)
The biceps are a large two-headed (bi) muscle that sits on the
upper arm. These two heads are separated into the long head
and short head, which are determined by their origin.
• The short head originates from the coracoid process of the
scapula.
• The long head originates from the supraglenoid tubercle of the
scapula, meaning it crosses the shoulder joint.
The two heads run down the arm and merge together in the midregion to form one large muscle mass yet remain distinct from
one another. In other words, the muscle fibers are never shared.
This one muscle mass runs down past the elbow and inserts the
forearm's radial tuberosity and bicipital aponeurosis.
The biceps functions include:
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• Flexion of the elbow while supinated and pronated.
• Supinator of the forearm.
• Forward flexion of the shoulder (this explains why people will
bring their elbows forward during curls as their shoulders!).
• Stabilization of the shoulder during carries (i.e., holding a bag).
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Biceps
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Core Muscles
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The rectus abdominis is a long muscle that extends from the bottom
of your sternum to the bottom of your pelvis. It is actually a paired
muscle that is divided into two halves (left and right) by a band of
connective tissue called the linea alba.
This is the abdomen muscle that is responsible for creating that
“pack” look. Whether it’s a 4 pack, 6 pack, or an 8 pack, it is still the
same muscle.
The rectus abdominis sits center stage in the abdominal region. It
runs vertically down your stomach and is divided by a connective
tissue called the linea alba. The outer edges of the rectus abdominis
is the linea semilunaris that separates the obliques from the abs.
The last component that makes up and defines the rectus abdominis
are the horizontal tendinous intersections. The number of these
tendinous intersections will determine how many abs you can
potentially develop.
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The main function of the rectus abdominis is flexion and antiextension of the trunk but it also helps with stabilization and
maintaining the proper pelvis tilt.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Rectus Abdominis
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The transverse abdominis is a deep layer of muscles behind the
rectus abdominis along the walls of the abdomen. These muscles
support and hold organs in place, as well as help to stabilize the
spine. Movement of any limbs is almost impossible without these
foundational muscles.
Transverse abdominis muscle gets its name from the direction of its
muscle fibers, as they are laid out in a horizontal fashion in the
abdominal region. These flat muscles have more than one origin,
arising from the front two-thirds of the iliac crest and lateral third of
the inguinal ligament and iliac fascia, thoracolumbar fascia and
finally the inner surface of the lower six costal cartilage of the lower
six ribs.
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The transverse abdominis is an essential muscle in the core that
provides stabilization to the spine and pelvis so that movement of
the limbs is possible by supporting the torso thus maintaining
abdominal wall tension. This muscle also protects internal organs
and holds them in place. Sometimes mentioned as the “corset
muscle” the transverse abdominis supports our body’s core by
wrapping around our sides. Transverse rotation is a part of daily life
as we twist and turn constantly a strong and healthy transverse
abdominis is paramount.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Transverse Abdominis
There are two sets of obliques, with one set lying beneath the other. We're
pretty sure you could guess which one is which, but the internal obliques
sit superficial to the external obliques. That being said, when we speak of
training the "obliques," we generally refer to the external obliques as
that's what we see.
Still, these two sets of muscles always work in unison together. In other
words, there aren't "external" oblique exercises, nor are the "internal"
oblique exercises. As mentioned, your internal and external obliques will
work in unison but in the opposite manner. For example, your left internal
oblique and right external oblique will fire together to create the same
movement.
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That being said, these two sets of muscles run down the entire sides of
the lower torso and actually wrap around the sides of the body. The
insertion and origin of the external and internal obliques will be opposite
since they work in conjunction with the opposing side. For example, the
external oblique origin is located on the ribs (anterior side of the body). In
contrast, its insertion is located on various spots in the spine (posterior
side of the body). However, the internal oblique origin is located further
posterior, and its insertion is located farther anteriorly.
The main function of the obliques is core rotation, anti-rotation, lateral
flexion, anti-lateral flexion, overall core stability, and they also assist the
rectus abdominis in flexion of the spine.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
External & Internal Obliques
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Lower Body Muscles
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The glutes are a group of three superficial hip muscles
posterior to the pelvis. Together, they form the most
powerful muscle in the body. Their primary function is hip
extension.
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• Gluteus maximus: The gluteus maximus originates on
the posterior of the sacrum and coccyx (lower lumbar
spine), the gluteal surface of the ilium, and inserts high
on the femur. The primary function of the glute max is hip
extension and hyper-extension.
• Gluteus medius: The gluteus medius originates on the
gluteal surface of the ilium (pelvis) and inserts on the
anterior aspect of the greater trochanter of the femur.
The gluteus medius is deep to the gluteus maximus, and
its main functions are hip abduction and stabilizing the
hip joint.
• Gluteus minimus: The gluteus minimus also originates on
the gluteal surface of the ilium and originates on the
anterior greater trochanter of the femur. It stabilizes the
hip joint and is abduction and internal rotation of the leg.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Gluteal Muscles
The hamstring is a muscle group made up of three major muscles on
the posterior side of the legs. Each of these muscles connects the hip
to the knee and controls knee flexion and hip extension.
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• The Semimembranosus: The semimembranosus is a flat, broad
muscle that rests under the semitendinosus. It originates at the
bottom of the pelvis and runs down the backside of the leg, and
inserts into the inner tibia at the knee joint. Its primary function is
flexion of the knee. It also helps to rotate the leg inward when the
knee is semi-flexed and rotate the leg outward when the hips are
extended.
• The Semitendinosus: The Semitendinosus manages to cover up a
great deal of the Semimembranosus. It also is the dead center of the
biceps femoris. It originates at the bottom of the pelvis and inserts
into a place on the tibia just below the semimembranosus. Its
primary function is knee flexion and jip extension. It also works with
a muscle called the popliteus muscle (located at the pit of the knee)
to rotate the leg internally.
• Biceps femoris: The biceps femoris has two heads, the long head,
and the short head. The long head originates at the bottom of the
pelvis, and the short head originates from a groove on the side of
the femur (upper leg bone). Both heads converge and insert into the
head of the fibula (the outer side lower leg bone). Its primary
function is knee flexion and rotation, while only the long head is
involved with hip extension.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Hamstrings
The quadriceps consists of four different muscle heads.
Collectively, they lay on the upper thigh on top of the femur
bone. The main function of the quadriceps is to extend the knee
and they are actually the primary leg extender. These four
muscles also aid in flexion of the hips, such as bringing the leg
upwards, which is seen during sprinting.
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• Vastus lateralis muscle: The vastus lateralis is the largest and
most powerful muscle that makes up the quadricep. It sits on
the outside of the leg and comes together inward towards the
knee. This is the muscle that appears as a lump on the outside
of the leg across from the "teardrop."
• Rectus femoris muscle: The rectus femoris is a large muscle
that lays in the middle of the upper thigh between the vastus
lateralis and vastus medialis. In addition to extending the leg, it
is also involved in the flexion of the hip.
• Vastus medialis: The vastus medialis sits medially on the thigh
or toward the middle. Its main job is to help extend the knee
and aid in tracking the patella.
• Vastus intermedius muscle: The vastus intermedius lays
underneath the rectus femoris on the upper two-thirds of the
thigh. It is the deepest muscle that comprises the quadriceps
and the hardest to stretch.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Quadriceps
The gastrocnemius is a two-headed superficial
muscle located on the back of the lower leg. Its two
heads are the medial head and lateral head. The
lateral head starts at the lateral condyle (a rounded
bulge at the end of some bones) of the femur, while
the medial head begins at the medial condyle of the
femur.
The soleus also sits next to the calf on the lateral
side of the leg. It then runs to the back and under
the two gastrocnemius muscles, where they all
merge into the Achilles tendon.
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Together, these muscles work together to control
plantar flexion and ankle dorsiflexion - when you
point your toes down and up.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Gastrocnemius & Soleus (Calves)
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
MOVEMENT PATTERNS
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When we examine the body, we find that
there are several major movement patterns it
can perform.
This will be important because later, we will
discuss how these major movement patterns
will be involved in your major lifts.
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You see, there is more to proper strength
training than lifting things up and putting
them down (but that's a major part, too), and
part of it is getting strong with movements
your body performs naturally.
Horizontal Pushing
Vertical Pushing
Horizontal Pulling
Vertical Pulling
Squat
Hip-Hinge
Lunge
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Major Movement Patterns
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Horizontal pushing is going to take place along
the sagittal plane and involves your arms
pushing out in front of your body. Some
examples of exercises that involve horizontal
pushing are:
• Barbell Bench Press
• Incline Barbell Bench Press
• Dumbbell Chest Press
• Incline Dumbbell Chest Press
• Floor Press
These movements are going to train:
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• Chest (Pectorals)
• Triceps
• Deltoids (Primarily the anterior deltoids)
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Horizontal Pushing
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Vertical pushing will take place along the
frontal plane and involve your overhead
pressing movements. Some examples of
exercise include:
• Military Press
• Seated Barbell Press
• Seated Dumbbell Press
• Standing Dumbbell Press
• Push Press
• Z-Press
These movement are going to train:
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• Deltoids
• Triceps
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Vertical Pushing
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Horizontal pulling takes place along the sagittal
plane and involves pulling a load toward the
body. Some examples of exercises that consist
of horizontal pulling are:
• Barbell Bent Over Row
• T-Bar Row
• Single Arm Dumbbell Row
• Seated Row
These movement are going to train:
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• Latissimus Dorsi (lats)
• Trapezius (traps)
• Rhomboids
• Biceps
• Deltoids (Posterior)
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Horizontal Pulling
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Vertical pulling takes place along the frontal
plane and involves pulling an overhead object
close to the body. Some examples of
exercises that consist of vertical pulling are:
• Chin-up
• Pull-up
• Lat Pulldown
These movements are going to train:
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• Latissimus Dorsi (lats)
• Trapezius (traps)
• Rhomboids
• Biceps
• Deltoids (Posterior)
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Vertical Pulling
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The squat takes place along the sagittal plane
and involves flexion of the knees and hips.
Squats will train every muscle in the lower
body but are significantly more focused on
the anterior part of the body. Examples of
squat movements include:
• Back Squat
• Front Squat
• Box Squat
The primary muscles involved in squats are:
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• Quadriceps
• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Calf
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Squat
The hip-hinge takes place along the sagittal plane and involves
minimal flexion of the knees, with the primary action occurring at the
hips. The hip-hinge is significantly more posterior-focused.
Examples of hip-hinge movements are:
• Deadlift
• Romanian Deadlift
• Good Morning
• Hip Thrust
The primary muscles involved in hip-hinge movements are:
• Hamstrings
• Glutes
• Quadriceps
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*Most people have a problem understanding the difference between
the hip-hinge and squat. The easiest difference is in the knees. With
a hip-hinge, the knees will stay stationary while the hips push back.
Also, depth of the glutes doesn't really matter per se. With a squat,
the knees will move forward to allow the glutes to travel down. For a
good squat, the top of the thighs should be parallel to the ground.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Hip-Hinge
The lunge is a unilateral movement and takes place along
the sagittal plane. A lunge-type movement is performed
when one leg is stepped out in front of the other.
However, we also include stationary movements with offset legs. Movements include:
• Walking Lunge
• Stationary Lunge
• Reverse Lunge
• Split Squat
• Bulgarian Split Squat
The lunge will train the following muscles in the lower
body (with emphasis on the glutes and quadriceps):
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• Glutes
• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Calves
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Lunge
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
EXERCISES
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We're going to assume that since you bought this program, as well as assume you have read every word so far, you
know this program is all about strength.
For this program, we're going to track your strength by monitoring your progress on several main movements. These
movements are going to be what you are trying to increase and are your main priority. As far as all the other
movements, their goal is to make these main movements better. This does not mean they're not important, though;
it just means that we're not too worried too much about how much they increase.
Let us give you an example. Let's say your deadlift goes up to 15lbs one week, but your Romanian deadlift stays the
same. Some may think that they didn't improve when in fact, you did. First, your posterior muscles as a whole were
still able to move a heavier total load than it was the week prior. Even though you performed the same weight on the
Romanian deadlift, you added weight to the deadlift. At the same time, this also tells us that you were strong enough
to perform the same amount of reps on the Romanian deadlift even though they had more fatigue.
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The point is that if these lifts get stronger, everything else will get stronger. You'll also notice that these are based on
the primary movement patterns we spoke about above. The first five exercises will measure your absolute strength,
while the last two will measure your relative strength. We believe it's important to measure both of these to keep us
in check. Further, unless you are training specifically for a strength sport, you should aim to also maintain good
relative strength as this can measure your overall athleticism and fitness.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Primary Exercises
Bench Press
Military Press
Back Squat
Deadlift
Bent Over Row
The bench press is your
The military press is
The back squat will be
The deadlift will be your
The bent-over row is
primary exercise to
going to be your
your primary squatting
primary hip-hinge
going to be your primary
measure your horizontal
primary vertical
exercise. It uses every
exercise. It, too, will
horizontal pulling
pushing strength. It
pushing exercise. It
muscle in your lower
train every muscle in the
exercise. These
utilizes your pectoral
utilizes your deltoids,
body but will put
lower body but
movements measure
tricep, and upper
emphasis on the
emphasizes the
your pulling power and
back to push an
quadriceps and glutes.
posterior muscles
train your entire back
object above the
It also puts a large
known as the posterior
along with your core.
head. The core is
stress on the core.
chain. This includes
The bent-over row
also heavily involved
your erector spinae,
specifically places
in stabilization.
glutes, and hamstrings.
stress on the lower
This "chain" actually
back. The one caveat
runs up the entire back
with this exercise is you
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as the upper back
will not be doing 1 rep
muscles are heavily
max lifts like the other
involved with
four exercises.
©
stabilization.
muscles, anterior
deltoids, and triceps to
push a load away from
the body.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Absolute Strength Exercises
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There are also two other exercises we want to pay attention to that will measure your strength with relative
strength. Relative strength is how strong you are compared to your body weight and generally indicates
athleticism and body composition. These two exercises are:
Chin Ups
Dips
Chin-ups are your primary vertical pulling exercise. While you
Dips are dips, and they're awesome for building a solid chest and
very well could choose pull-ups as well, we like chin-ups as for
triceps. While this movement isn't necessarily a "main" movement in
strength workouts as they are going to use more muscle mass,
this program, it is an important indicator of relative strength.
primarily because the biceps will get more activation. Plus, you
can perform a bigger load.
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To be clear, all of the other exercises are still important, but their main purpose is to help make these main lifts
stronger. Take the RDL and deadlift example again. Studies show that the RDL elicits more muscle activation in
the glutes and hamstrings, which is vital for improving the deadlift. Therefore, the RDL is used to increase the
strength of the hamstrings so that you can deadlift more.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Relative Strength Exercises
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
EXERCISE CATEGORIZATION
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As you go over this section, feel free to take a quick peek at the program to
familiarize yourself with it so that you are more clear on what we are talking about.
When you look at your program, you’re going to notice different letter exercises.
This is because, for the strength workout, the weekly weights will progress
differently. The letters and corresponding exercises are as follows:
• “A” & “A1” Exercises - Primary Exercises
• “B” Exercises - Secondary Exercises
• “C” Exercises - Accessory/Isolation
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We will be addressing each exercise category separately and what their purpose
is as well as a brief overview of how their rep schemes will be set up for
progressive overload.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Exercise Categorization
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One of the hallmarks of a successful program is using progressive overload. In order to really appreciate the role progressive overload plays in
training, you need to realize that your body doesn’t want muscle; it needs muscle. Think about it. If your body wants muscle, why do you have to
go to the gym? And why is the internet saturated with articles on “How to build muscle?” Further, why do you lose muscle when you stop going
to the gym?
You see, progressive overload is a simple concept that recognizes our body will adapt to the environment it’s in. If you sit down all day, it adapts
to that. In fact, one of the problems astronauts face when they go to space is muscle loss as they’re in a zero-gravity environment.
However, remember we said the body needs muscle as it will grow if you give it a reason. Therefore, the best way to think about progressive
overload is that it’s an artificial environment that we create to give your body a reason to grow muscle; the reason is lifting weight. Still, lifting
weight isn’t enough because once your body adapts that weight, it doesn’t have a reason to grow more or get stronger.
Therefore, progressive overload is a lifting principle that states in order for the body to continue to grow stronger, you must continually and
gradually increase the stress placed upon the musculoskeletal and nervous system. Basically, this just means adding weight to the bar if you
want to get stronger. Well, actually, there are a few ways to implement progressive overload:
1. Add weight to the bar
2. Increase reps
3. Increase sets
4. Decrease rest time
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We are going to primarily be using methods 1 and 2 for this program. However, for your “A” exercises, you will be using a different rep range
every week. Therefore, you won’t necessarily be adding weight to the bar each week. Instead, you will be increasing the weight for the assigned
rep range once every four weeks. There will be a very clear explanation of all this in the How To Run This Program section.
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Still, keep this in mind as you can manipulate the principle of progressive overload to help break through plateaus.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Progressive Overload
RPE is a method of self-regulation to determine how many
reps to perform or how much weight to use. It’s an effective
method that allows trainees to choose what they are going
to lift rather than being stuck with an absolute number. The
main function of RPE is allowing a lifter to account for any
type of fatigue that may or may not be present. In a
nutshell, RPE lets a lifter lift harder when they’re feeling
good yet also allows them to back off on sluggish days.
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The way we will use RPE is on a scale of 1-10. On this
scale, “1” means you can do it all day, and “10” means
maximal effort. Your B exercises will be using an RPE7-8.
This would have you perform an exercise until you hit about
70-80% effort. The best way to describe an RPE7-8 would
be an intensity that is hard, but you could maintain the
effort for a few more reps.
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For this program, you will primarily be using RPE8-9 for
your “B” and “C” exercises meaning you’ll be bringing them
closer to failure.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
You’ll notice that there are actually “A” and “A1” exercises. A1’s are going to be your
primary exercises but will use a different rep and load scheme. Therefore, the “A” and
“A1” designation are merely to keep things organized so that you can visually see what’s
going on.
At the end of the day, you want both A and A1 exercise numbers to go up. If you do that,
you’ve succeeded, and you’re getting stronger.
As for B and C exercises, this doesn’t mean you don’t need to train hard on these lifts; it
just means that their primary purpose is to make your “A” exercises stronger.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
“A” and “A1” Exercises (Primary Lifts)
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Your “A” exercises are going to use a modified
5/3/1 style periodization which will run in 4week cycles using waves. Instead of 5/3/1, it
will run in a 3/5/1 scheme. We will go over this
in-depth further below, but essentially you will
change your rep scheme every week.
For each rep scheme, you are going to use
what are known as ladders. This means that
you will start with a lighter weight and then add
weight to every set. We are going to use
arbitrary numbers for Week 1-4 on the right, so
you can see what we mean.
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You’re going to use a 3:00 rest for your A
exercises. While this may seem a lot for some
sets, we want every rep to be as clean and
crisp as possible. Treat every rep like it's a 1RM
attempt.
Week 1: 3X3
• 1st set 20lbs
• 2nd set 25lbs
• 3rd set 30 lbs
Week 2: 3X5 + 1 Drop Set AMRAP
• 1st set 10lbs
• 2nd set 15lbs
• 3rd set 20 lbs
• 4th set 10lbs AMRAP
Week 3: 5X1
(The last set you will perform 2 reps if you
can)
Week 4: 5x5 @ 50% 1RM EMOM
(Emphasis On Speed And Force
Production)
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
“A” Exercises (general info)
After your first four weeks, you’ll start a new cycle or wave. On these ladders, you will start with a weight
from the middle of the 1st ladder from the first cycle (aka wave). You will then continue this for the third
block. We will again use the arbitrary numbers for Week 1, so you can see what this looks like for the three
3x3 sessions:
Week 1: 3x3 (1st Wave)
• 1st set 20lbs
• 2nd set 25lbs
• 3rd 30lbs
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Week 5: 3x3 (2nd Wave)
• 1st set 25lbs
• 2nd set 30lbs
• 3rd set 35lbs
Week 9: 3x3 (3rd Wave)
• 1st set 30lbs
• 2nd set 35lbs
• 3rd set 40lbs
As you see, these blocks act as waves as they start small but gradually get bigger and then leave. The next
wave comes and starts slow, then builds up, and then leaves. These work awesome to gradually expose
your body to a heavier weight and then let it recover. Remember, long-term strength is a slow process, and
waves tend to work great for most people.
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This will be explained in more detail during the programming section, so if you are confused how it works
now, don’t worry, it’ll all be made clear.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
“A” Exercises (waves)
The A1 exercises will use a straight 3X5 rep scheme for each session. This means you will use the same
weight.
Week 1: 3X5
Week 2: 3X5
Week 3: 3X5
Week 4: 5X5 @ 50%1RM EMOM (Emphasis On Speed And Force Production)
However, it will still use the wave pattern principle, except these waves will happen within each block (4
weeks of training).
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Block 1:
Week 1: 3x5 @ 40lbs
Week 2: 3x5 @ 45lbs
Week 3: 3x5 @ 50lbs
Week 4: 5X5 @
50%1RM EMOM
(Emphasis On Speed
And Force Production)
Block 2:
Week 5: 3x5 @ 45lbs (the weight from
week 2)
Week 6: 3x5 @ 50lbs
Week 7: 3x5 @ 55lbs
Week 8: 5X5 @ 50%1RM EMOM
(Emphasis On Speed And Force
Production)
Block 3:
Week 9: 3x5 @ 50lbs
Week 10: 3x5 @ 55lbs
Week 11: 3x5 @ 60lbs
Week 12: 5X5 @ 50%1RM EMOM
(Emphasis On Speed And Force
Production)
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For A1 exercises, you’ll use between a 2:00-3:00 rest depending on how you feel. However, we want every rep to be as
clean and crisp as possible so don’t shorten the rest if it will degrade the quality of the rep.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
“A1” Exercises (waves)
Your “B” exercises are still going to consist of compound movements but will act as assistant lifts to
your “A” exercises. Because you are going hard on your “A” exercises, you may find that your
performance on these varies a bit from week to week. First, realize that it’s ok if you don’t move up in
weight every week on these.
That being said, we definitely want you to work hard but also we want to inform you about this so you
don’t think you’re failing or doing something wrong. This simply means that you can adjust your
workload depending on how you’re feeling after your “A” and “A1” exercises, which is why
you’ll use RPE as your main indicator, and with that you’ll progress with a mixture of adding weight and
adding reps (i.e. when you reach the max reps, add weight, then drop the reps and the process
continues).
Again, you may feel very different after your 3X3 session then your 5x1 session. Therefore, you would
adjust your “B” exercises to account for this.
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While this will allow you some flexibility, this is not a license to be lazy. You still need to push yourself at
the prescribed RPE. Further, over time, there should be a general trend of improvement.
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You’re going to use a 2:00 minute rest period between sets.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
“B” Exercises (general info)
The last group of exercises are your “C” exercises. These are primarily your isolation exercises
and are here mainly to help strengthen your joints and muscles for injury prevention as well as
some general hypertrophy work.
Again, you will use RPE as well as the addition of weight and reps.
You’ll use a 1:30 rest period between sets.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
“C” Exercises (general info)
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
EXERCISE LIBRARY
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We’re now going to go through what exercises you will be performing. You may or may not use all of
these, depending on what day split you’re going to use. Further, we are going to list the muscles each
exercise will train. The exercises will be listed in the order of their contribution.
Below each exercise, we’ll list the implement(s) you can perform the movement with. Some exercises
will have two or three options if you are unable to use the first. However, unless mentioned in the
explanation (i.e. you can use any implement), we strongly prefer you to use the first option.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Exercise Library
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Back Squat
Bench Press
Deadlift
Military Press
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
“A” Exercise Library
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Muscles Worked:
• Glutes, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Calf, Core
Equipment:
• Barbell
The back squat needs no introduction and is going to be your primary lower body
exercise. It’s one of your primary movements and is going to target your
quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. The primary difference between a squat and a
deadlift, besides load position, is the knees will see more forward travel to allow
greater knee flexion.
How To:
1. The barbell will start in a squat rack. It should be positioned slightly lower than
shoulder height. With that, you won’t need to dangerously go up on your tiptoes
to unrack it.
2. From the rack, place your upper back underneath the bar, directly in the middle
of it. The bar should rest on your rear shoulder muscle and upper trap.
3. Your knees will be slightly bent, so stand straight up to unrack the barbell. Then
take two steps back.
4. Position your feet so they are around shoulder-width apart and toes pointing
slightly outward.
5. Your spine will be in a neutral position. Brace your core and retract your shoulder
blades to keep your chest up and spine strong. Your head should be facing
straight forward, don’t drop your chin.
6. From there, sit back and down while keeping your spine straight.
7. Stop when your hips are just below your knee level. Your knees should be in line
with your toes.
8. Drive your body up until your hips are fully erect.
Be Sure Too..
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• Be sure to have the barbell centered on your back.
• Use a hand grip that’s as close as possible but comfortable with the shoulders.
This will make it easier to keep a tight upper back.
• If you need to take a wide grip, think about pulling your elbows down and in to
help tighten the back (but don’t actually pull down on the bar).
• As you drive your body up, pretend you’re spreading your feet from the ground.
This will keep your knees from caving in (or at least mitigate it).
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Back Squat
The bench press is perhaps the most popular exercise there is and is going to
be your primary upper body pushing exercise. The primary muscle groups
trained will be the pectorals, anterior deltoids, and triceps.
Muscles Worked:
• Chest, Triceps, Anterior Deltoids
Equipment:
• Barbell
How To:
1. Set a barbell on a bench press.
2. Lay down on the bench with your head under the barbell with your eyes
directly under the barbell.
3. Plant both feet in the ground and have your butt and back firmly planted on
the bench. It’s ok for your lower back to have a little arch.
4. Grab the barbel with an overhand grip. Be sure to space your hands evenly
by using the lines on the barbell.
5. Retract your scapula by pulling up on the barbell and planting your upper
back firmly into the bench pad.
6. Brace your body and unrack the barbell and bring it over your upper chest.
7. Bring the barbell down on a slight arch so that it comes down on your nipple.
8. Be sure to keep your elbows tucked at about a 45-degree angle. Everyone
will be different, so adjust as necessary.
9. Once the bar touches your nipple, push the barbell back up explosively.
Push until lockout.
10.Repeat as necessary, then re-rack the barbell.
Be Sure To…
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• Keep elbows tucked throughout the movement.
• Bring the barbell down to the nipples.
• Keep in mind the bar will actually travel on a bit of an arch as it will start
above your shoulders and then come down to the nipple. Therefore when
pressing up, you’re pushing up and back on a slight arch.
• Don’t let your butt come off the bench or legs come off the ground.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Bench Press
The deadlift is going to be your other primary lower body exercise focusing on your
posterior muscles; the hamstrings, glutes, and erector spinae. However, in reality, it
works just about every muscle in your body, especially your upper back.
Muscles Worked:
• Glutes, Hamstrings, Erector Spinae, Quadriceps,
Upper Back, Grip
Equipment:
• Barbell
How To:
1. Stand close to the bar so that it is over midfoot with a stance between hip and
shoulder-width apart.
2. There is some variance allowed with how far your feet are apart, so as long as they
stay within this range.
3. Point toes slightly outward.
4. Grab the bar on the outside of your legs. Use either a double overhand or mixed
grip.
5. Stay tight as you lower your hips down and back. Pay attention to your body
mechanics, and you will see as your hips go down, your shoulders move back.
6. When your arms are straight vertically, stop.
7. Your shins should be vertical.
8. Make sure your back is straight, and all muscles are tight.
9. Pull the tension out of the bar. DO NOT jerk the bar off the ground.
10.Now, pull the bar up to your leg, keeping it in contact with your body the whole way.
Be Sure To…
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Best way to find foot placement is to jump. Where you land is a good place to start.
Keep in mind that no two people will look alike on their initial set-up due to
differences in their limb length.
The key cues for the set-up include:
Barbell at shins
Shoulders slightly in front of the bar (arms vertical)
Sit back and get everything tight
Butt will be above the knees
Before pulling, get the slack out the bar (Pull the bar tight before performing the lift)
Drive your feet down to activate the quads
Instead of thinking about pulling the bar up, think about pushing the ground down
OR prying the bar from the floor.
Hips and shoulders rise together, don’t let hips rise first
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Deadlift
Overhead pressing is a lost art that was overtaken by the bench press years ago. Unfortunately,
many people don’t train it enough, if at all, due to it being such a challenging movement.
However, we can promise if you put in the work on your overhead pressing, you’ll see
improvements in your other lifts as well. The primary muscles trained are the shoulders, upper
back (traps), triceps, and core.
Muscles Worked:
• Deltoids, Triceps, Upper Back, Core
Equipment:
• Barbell
How To:
1. Prep a rack with a barbell. Have the barbell set at a height close to your upper chest. You want
to place the barbell so it’s low enough to unrack it without getting on your tippy-toes but high
enough, so you don’t need to squat it off.
2. Grab the barbell evenly with a pronated grip. Your hands should be placed just outside
shoulder-width apart. Your thumbs should actually touch the outside of your shoulder.
3. Place your body under the barbell so that it may sit on your upper chest. Your elbows should
be thrust so that they sit in front of the barbell. This will create a shelf with your delts where
the barbell will also rest.
4. The barbell will have three points of body contact; the upper chest/clavicle and on top of both
delts.
5. Unrack the barbell and take one or two steps back; no need to move ten steps back.
6. Get ready to press by bracing your core and squeezing your glutes.
7. Using minimal movement, press the bar up while keeping the elbows under the barbell.
8. The barbell should pass by very close to your face. You will likely need to pull your head back
as the barbell passes.
9. Once the barbell moves above your head, allow your head to come back forward.
10. Continue extending your arms all the way. The barbell should end directly over your head with
your arms completely vertical. Your head should be looking forward.
11. Let the barbell down slowly in the same manner.
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Proper hand spacing will have the hands just outside shoulder width apart. Hands should be
touching the side of the shoulders. Arms vertical under the bar.
Push the elbows under the bar to make a “lump” with anterior delts. The bar will rest on these
“lumps” caused by the delts and the middle of the upper chest, near the clavicle.
Don’t hold the barbell in between reps, let the barbell rest on the upper chest and delts.
Keep elbows under, or even slightly in front of the barbell. Don’t let them fall behind.
Squeeze the glutes and core before pushing to create a strong foundation to push from.
Attempt to keep wrists straight during the execution. There may be some slight bend towards
the top with heavier weight.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Military Press
Bent Over Row
Chin Up
Floor Press
Front Squat
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Farmer’s Carry
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
“A1” Exercise Library
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Muscles Worked:
• Lats, Traps, Erector Spinae, Rhomboids, Biceps
Equipment:
• Barbell
Along with the chin-up, the bent over row is going to be one of your
primary back exercises. Again, the only reason it’s labeled as a “A1”
exercise is that doing heavy singles with it isn’t appropriate. That being
said, it’s an awesome exercise to train your entire back; even your
erector spinae will get an awesome isometric contraction.
How To:
1. Put a loaded barbell on the floor stand with your feet slightly more
than hip-width apart with your ankles underneath the barbell.
2. Hip hinge down to the barbell and take a firm grip of the barbell with a
shoulder-width grip. Use an overhand grip.
3. Lift up to knee level with back straight and torso bent at 45 degrees
with your chest up and shoulders down.
4. Keeping your scapula retracted, pull the barbell up between your navel
and sternum.
5. Pause for a second and slowly lower the barbell back down and reset
and repeat.
Be Sure To…
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• Try to get your body as parallel to the floor as possible.
• Focus on driving your elbows to the ceiling, not pulling the barbell up
(this can cause too much bicep activation).
• Keep your elbows close to the body as you pull.
• Think about pulling your back and in a sweeping motion.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Bent Over Row
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Muscles Worked:
• Lats, Traps, Biceps, Teres Major, Core
Equipment:
• Chin Up Bar
Chin-Ups are the ultimate back exercise, regardless if it’s a bodyweight
exercise or not. Again, this will definitely be a primary exercise, but it’s
just not appropriate to perform with heavy singles. The reason we like
chin-ups over pull-ups is because you’re going to use more muscle mass
as well as get in some bicep work.
How To:
1. Grab the bar with both hands about shoulder-width apart and your
palms facing you (supinated grip).
2. From a dead hang, retract your shoulder blades and lean back slightly.
3. Pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar. Think about pulling
your elbows down to the ground.
4. Your elbows should be fully bent (like they would be if you did a bicep
curl).
5. Pause for a second at peak contraction and squeeze your shoulder
blades down and in.
6. In a controlled manner, slowly lower yourself all the way back down
until your arms are completely straight.
Be Sure To…
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• If you need to use a band you may.
• If you need to add weight, use a weight belt with plates or get creative
with dumbbells.
• Let your arms fully extend on each rep.
• Pull your head above the bar on top of the rep.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Chin Up
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Muscles Worked:
• Triceps, Chest, Anterior Deltoids
Equipment:
• Barbell
The floor press is a strength-specific movement that is almost exclusively
used in the strength world. Therefore, if you haven’t done it, you’re going
to now. It’s basically a bench press that’s performed on the floor yet only
involves the top half of the movement.
When you come down, the floor will block the arm from completing the
full range of motion. As a result, the floor press heavily relies on the
triceps for lockout strength.
How To:
1. Set up a rack so that the j-hooks are low. It may take a bit of
experimenting to find the right height.
2. Lay on the ground with your legs up or straight out.
3. Unrack the barbell and bring it down, keeping your elbows tucked.
4. Come down until the back of your arms touch the floor. They should
be at a 45-degree angle.
5. Lift the load by extending your arms.
Be Sure To…
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• Keep elbows tucked!
• Come down until back of arm is completely on the ground.
• Power up.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Floor Press
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Muscles Worked:
• Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings, Core
Equipment:
• Barbell
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The front squat is an awesome squat exercise that is overlooked too often. That’s probably due
to the higher levels of mobility required to perform it, but we don’t think that’s a good excuse to
not do it. Especially because you’ll see massive improvements in your lifting and overall
performance once you become efficient. The front squat will place you in a more upright
position which places a greater emphasis on your core strength. Further, as there’s less hip
flexion, it’s a much more quad-dominant exercise.
How To:
1. Set a barbell on a rack so that it sits around the upper chest. The barbell will sit higher on
the torso than the back squat, so don’t assume it’s the same height when prepping the rack.
2. Place your hands on the barbell so that they are just outside shoulder-width apart. Be aware
that you are not gripping the bar tight.
3. Place your body under the barbell and drive your elbows up in front of you. Your hands
should rotate around the bar so that the palm is facing up. Also, your front deltoids
(shoulder) will make a “hump.”
4. The barbell will rest behind the hump made by your deltoids as well as just above your
clavicle. Your hands will be outside the shoulders.
5. Depending on your wrist mobility, you can keep 3 or 4 fingers under the bar. Remember,
your hands are not gripping the bar. They are only there to add stabilization.
6. Unrack the barbell and take one step backward.
7. Sit back and let your body descend while keeping your shoulders in their original position
over the foot. Just like other squats, the bar path should be straight vertical.
8. This will require you to keep a very upright torso.
9. Continue down while focusing on keeping your elbows up. Descend until the top of your
thigh hits parallel.
10. Drive your body up through the heels of your feet.
11. It’s important to keep your elbows up for the whole movement. As you ascend, also think
about driving your elbows up.
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As you come, focus on driving the elbows up as they will keep the torso from dropping.
Remember you are not gripping the bar. The bar rests on the delts and upper chest with the
hands helping to stabilize.
If you can use 4 fingers that is ideal but 3 works well too. If you can only use 2, work on
wrist mobility and use a bodybuilder/crossover grip instead (elbows up with right hand
reaching to left shoulder and left hand to right).
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Front Squat
Farmer carries will follow their own rep scheme which will be
explained below but will still follow a 3:00 rest interval.
Muscles Worked:
• Lower Body, Grip, Core
Equipment:
• Farmer’s Carry Bars, Dumbbell, Kettlebells, Trap
Bar
Farmer carries are the most basic exercise there is. However, they
will train literally every muscle in your body, targeting the upper
back, core, and grip.
They can be used for total body strength or even anaerobic
conditioning.
How To:
1. Bend down and grab your implements.
2. Attempt to stay in as much of a deadlift position as possible.
3. Pick up the weight in a deadlift fashion.
4. ALWAYS use good form when lifting your weight.
5. Stand up tall and walk with a comfortable gait.
6. Concentrate on keeping a tight core, keeping your shoulders
pulled back, and your head up and looking forward.
Be sure to…
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• Keep your head up.
• Don’t slouch forward. Keep your torso erect.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Farmer’s Carry
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Barbell Front Shrugs
Single Arm Dumbbell Row
Box Squats
Hip Thrusts
Bulgarian Split Squats
Romanian Deadlifts
Close Grip Bench Press
Seated Cable Back Row
Dips
Walking Lunges
Z-Press
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
“B” Exercise Library
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Muscles Worked:
• Traps, Upper Back
Equipment:
• Barbell (can use dumbbells if needed)
Shrugs for the traps. A very simple movement that will strengthen
your traps, scapular muscles and protect your neck. Plus, they’ll
make you look yoked.
We like the barbell front shrug as it will allow a little greater range of
motion, which is definitely a plus as it has a very small ROM.
How To:
1. You can deadlift off the ground, but ideally, you can set up a low
rack to rest the barbell.
2. Load the barbell with the desired weight
3. Grab the barbell with a double overhand grip slightly wider than
shoulder-width apart.
4. Allow your shoulders to come forward and drop.
5. Retract your scapula and perform a shrugging motion. Try to
bring your shoulders to your ears.
Be Sure To…
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• Allow your shoulders to come forward as far as possible.
• Use a weight that allows you to shrug your shoulders high.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Barbell Front Shrug
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Muscles Worked:
• Glutes, Quadriceps, Hamstrings
Equipment:
• Barbell/Safety Squat Bar & Box - If you don’t have access to a
box, you can use a bench. If you do, sit down to it by straddling it.
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You will want to find a box that allows you to squat just below parallel, similar to a standard
squat for general purposes. Again, you can perform “high box squats” to overload (see
below) but squatting in parallel is the primary method to assist your squat.
How To:
1. Set the box so that it’s several inches behind your feet at the point you’ll be when you
perform the movement. DON’T set the box up based on the rack’s position!
2. When the box is ready, unrack the barbell and position yourself in the same spot as when
preparing the box.
3. Now sit back slowly all the way down until you sit on the box. This movement will really
teach you the concept of “pushing the hips back” as you now are attempting to hit a
physical object.
4. Be sure to sit down, so your entire butt is on the seat. You are going to want to fully relax
and allow all of your weight to sit on the box so you can’t have half a cheek chilling on
the box. Full cheek and then some!
5. As mentioned, come down all the way until you can fully relax on the box. This is not a
tap-n-go movement, nor is the box simply a cue (but it can do that too, check out the
benefits below!). You want to fully relax your muscles for a second or two.
6. Place your heels into the ground, and you can use a mild rock to help initiate the upward
phase. Come up by driving your heels into the ground and pulling them towards you. This
will activate your hamstrings and glutes to pull you up.
7. To get even greater activation in the hamstrings, place your feet at a location where there
is greater than 90-degree flexion in the knees. In other words, your shins should be
pointing towards your body. This will effectively require you to flex your knee in order to
come up, which is done by your hamstrings!
8. Drive up all the way to full extension and repeat for the number of prescribed reps.
9. Beware that box squats are slow movements, considerably slower than normal squats.
The eccentric is slower, followed by a pause, making the entire movement longer. Point
being…DO NOT RUSH!!!
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Set the box so it’s at or slightly below parallel, if possible. If not, higher boxes can be
used. Or, a weight plate can be placed on top of a shorter box.
Come down and fully rest on the box, no tap n go.
Drive the heels into the ground to pull up.
Moderate momentum is ok to get off the box but back should remain straight.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Box Squat
Muscles Worked:
• Glutes, Quadriceps, Hamstrings
Equipment:
• Dumbbells
The Bulgarian split squat is an intense quadriceps exercise. It’s basically a split
squat that’s performed with the rear leg elevated. Doing this basically takes the rear
leg out of the equation, which basically causes the front leg to lift the majority of the
body’s weight. This is best performed with dumbbells and word to the wise, go light
to start.
How To:
1.Set up a long bench and place a set of dumbbells next to one side.
2.Stand on the side of the bench, looking away from it.
3.Place your back foot up on the bench with the top of your foot on the bench.
4.Be sure that the edge of the bench sits about halfway up the front of your foot.
This allows movement in your ankle as it will need to bend as your body
descends.
5.Your other foot should be located one giant step away. Sorry for not being more
specific, but you’ll need to play around to find the right spot as everyone’s body is
different, and benches are different heights.
6.Your knee should be able to stay above your foot throughout the whole exercise.
Most people will place their foot too far back which forces their knee to travel
forward. Therefore, mess around until you find the right spot.
7.Pick up your dumbbells and hold them to the side of your body.
8.Descend by traveling straight down. As you descend, be sure to keep an erect
torso the whole movement. Most people will tend to lean forward.
9.Once you travel down as far as possible, drive your body up by pushing your foot
into the ground.
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Movement should be straight down.
The top of foot should be laying on the bench.
DON’T push the knee forward.
DO keep the shin straight.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Bulgarian Split Squat
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Muscles Worked:
• Triceps, Chest, Anterior Deltoid
Equipment:
• Barbell
The close-grip bench makes a little modification to the bench press
to turn it into an even more intense tricep workout. Since your
elbows will be tucked in more, they will have a greater range of
motion. At the same time, the pectorals will be even less involved
meaning the triceps will have to compensate.
How To:
1. Set yourself up as you would for a flat bench press.
2. Set your hands set less than shoulder-width, but this is
adjustable according to your shoulder and elbow health.s
3. Tuck your elbows and your elbows into the body.
4. Unrack the bar and stabilize it over your chest.
5. Pull the elbows inwards as the bar descends to the chest.
6. Just before you touch the chest, press up until lockout and give
your triceps a good squeeze.
7. Repeat for appropriate reps.
Be Sure To…
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• Don’t place the hands too narrow. They should be slightly
narrower than shoulder width apart. The arms should only have
a slight angle inwards.
• The elbows do not need to be tucked all the way to the body.
• The bar can touch a bit lower (1-2”) on the chest (below the
nipple).
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Close Grip Bench Press
Dips are the ultimate bodyweight pushing exercise. They are the pullups for the pushing muscles.
Muscles Worked:
• Triceps, Chest, Anterior Deltoid
Equipment:
• Barbell
While many would say the push-up, we’d simply ask, “what’s harder?
Pushing some of your body weight or pushing all of your body
weight?”
Dips are one of the best ways to build the chest and triceps.
How To:
1. Grab both grips with your hands, palms facing each other, wrists in
line with your forearms, and arms straight.
2. Start the dip by lowering your body until your upper arms are
parallel with the floor.
3. Push through the palms to return to starting position.
4. Repeat for desired reps.
Be Sure To…
• Keep the forearms vertical and allow the body to come forward.
• Keep the elbows tucked back. Don’t let them flare out.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Dip
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The dumbbell row is a unilateral row meaning you’re only going to row
with one arm at a time. To be clear, this means you perform the
prescribed number of reps with one side and then you switch sides.
Muscles Worked:
• Lats, Traps, Rhomboids, Rear Delts
Equipment:
• Dumbbell
Also, rep schemes refer to both arms. For example, if you’re supposed to
do 3x8, you will do 3 sets per arm.
How To:
1. Face a horizontal weight bench with a dumbbell in front of your feet.
2. Place one hand on the bench for support.
3. Bend down and pick up the dumbbell.
4. Place the leg whose hand is on the bench in front of the dumbbell leg.
5. Bend down and make a flat back as low as you are able to.
6. Keep a slight arch in your back and retract your scapula to pull your
shoulder blade back.
7. Maintaining an even torso, pull the dumbbell up until it comes to waist
level.
8. Keep your arm and elbow close to the body when pulling up.
Be Sure To…
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• Focus on driving the elbows to the sky, not the dumbbell
• Walk at a normal pace. Definitely do not try to run. We’re going for
time so max distance isn’t a huge factor. Just move at a natural pace.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Single Arm Dumbbell Row
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Muscles Worked:
• Glutes, Hamstrings
Equipment:
• Barbell
The hip thrust is the single most effective exercise to train the glutes. Really.
This has been shown in study after study and is the favorite glute exercise by
top strength and conditioning coaches. The glutes are the most powerful
muscle in the human body, but ironically, many “best” glute exercises on social
media are done with little bands. To be clear, nothing wrong with those, and
many of them are legit. However, the hip thrust stands out as it’s an isolation
movement that allows you to use a heavy load to really challenge the strength
of the glutes.
How To:
1. Place a bench on the ground. Make sure it’s padded!
2. Sit with your back against the pad and your knees bent out in front of you.
3. Before you use a barbell, perform a hip thrust with just your body weight to
check foot placement. At the top of the motion, where your hips are
extended, and your torso is parallel to the ground, your shins should be
vertical with your knees directly above your feet.
4. Come down and now place a loaded barbell in the crease of your hips. You
may want to use a yoga mat to wrap around the bar to soften the bar.
5. Drive your feet into the ground and thrust your hips up until full extension.
You can use your hands to help stabilize the load.
6. Focus on driving your knees out during the entire movement.
Be Sure To…
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• Let your hips come down until your glutes almost touch the ground. Many
will complete a short ROM.
• Really focus on driving your heels into the ground.
• Pull your hips up until they’re completely extended. Your body should be
straight.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Hip Thrust
The Romanian deadlift is going to target the hamstrings and glutes to a greater degree
than the conventional deadlift as there’s less knee flexion. This will allow you to really
load the posterior muscles during the eccentric portion of the exercise. Being so, as
you go down, we really want you to go slow and concentrate on building tension.
Muscles Worked:
• Glutes, Hamstrings
Equipment:
• Barbell, Dumbbells
To begin the movement, you can lift it from the ground in the same manner as a
deadlift, or you can set up J-hooks or bars to load the bar off the ground. If possible,
we prefer loading the barbell off the ground as it saves energy.
How To:
1. Approach the barbell, placing feet just slightly wider than the shoulders.
2. Grip the barbell using a pronated grip about shoulder-width apart. Deadlift the
barbell off the ground.
3. The exercise starts from the erect position.
4. Keep the knees soft and engage the core. Push the hips back and allow the weight
to travel close to the body, along the thighs, and down close to the shins.
5. Be sure to keep your scapula retracted this whole time.
6. As you descend, tension should be felt within the glutes and hamstrings, especially
as the barbell reaches the level of the kneecaps. DO NOT bend the knees to relieve
tension!!!!
7. Maintain your form and allow the bar to travel down past your knees.
8. Your max depth will be dependent on your mobility and flexibility. Once you feel
your form about to break, you will stop. Again, do not bend your knees to allow
further depth, as this defeats the point.
9. Lift the load back up by driving your feet into the ground and pulling your hips
through.
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Be Sure To…
•
•
•
©
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•
Be sure to use minimal knee flexion.
Concentrate on building tension in the hamstrings.
Remember there’s no specific depth to hit. You will go down until your form
breaks.
Come up by concentrating on pulling the hips forward.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Romanian Deadlift
Muscles Worked:
• Lats, Traps, Rhomboids, Rear Deltoids
Equipment:
• Cable Machine (with a variety of attachments)
One of the few machines that we rely on and use as a staple in
workouts. The seated back row requires you to have access to a
seated cable pulley which the vast majority of gyms have. It’s an
awesome movement to allow you to place a lot of volume on the back
while taking off stress from the lower back. As far as what attachment,
we are going to allow you some freedom and use multiple
attachments; wide, narrow, neutral grip, all of them; even use a rope
attachment once in a while. The reason being is this is an accessory
to support your other lifts, so using multiple attachments is the best
way to ensure rounded support.
How To:
1. Choose your attachment
2. Sit down on the seat with your feet on the foot placement
3. Maintain a slight bend in your knees
4. Lean forward and grab your attachment and pull back. Maintain an
erect torso the whole time.
5. Keep your scapula pulled back and concentrate on driving your
elbows back.
6. Pull the attachment to your chest.
7. Let the attachment back slow and under control.
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Be Sure To…
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• Focus on pulling your elbows back to the wall.
• Try to maintain a straight back. You can slightly lean back in
needed.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Seated Back Row
Muscles Worked:
• Glutes, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Calves
Equipment:
• Dumbbells, Kettlebells
Walking lunges are the perfect unison of strength, movement, and
balance. Seemingly simple, these will definitely show if you have
weaknesses in your balance and core. Start light but aim to increase
the weight.
How To:
1. Use two dumbbells for implements (Barbells are needlessly
complicated and dangerous)
2. Start with your feet together
3. Take one large step out, keeping toes pointed straight.
4. Bend your knees to lower your body down until your forward thigh
is parallel with the ground.
5. Your forward shin should be vertical and your back thigh should be
vertical. You may need to play around with no weight to get the
correct distance
6. Push up and bring your back leg to your forward leg. Take another
step alternating feet.
Be Sure To…
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• Maintain an erect torso the whole time.
• When you come down during the lunge, be sure your body comes
straight down.
• Pay attention to your forward shin being vertical.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Walking Lunges
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Muscles Worked:
• Deltoids, Triceps, Core
Equipment:
• Barbell, Dumbbells
The Z-Press is an overhead pressing movement that’s performed sitting down
on the ground with your legs out in front. Within the strength world, much credit
is given to it for helping a multitude of lifters break through plateaus in their
overhead pressing. This is likely due to the fact the Z-Press requires very high
levels of mobility in the shoulders and thoracic spine but also demands
advanced core strength. These are vital to overhead pressing, especially core
stability, as this will give you a more solid foundation to press from.
How To:
1. Set up a rack with J-hooks low to the ground. It will help to just go ahead
and sit down to identify a good height.
2. Load the barbell with an appropriate weight. Again, we strongly recommend
just using a barbell on your first go.
3. Sit down under the barbell with your legs extended out in front, spread apart.
Your chest should be in a position where you can slightly lean forward to
unrack the barbell.
4. Unrack the barbell and then perform the overhead press exactly like any
other press. Remember to keep your elbows under the bar.
5. As you press up, you’ll want to lean back, so be sure to brace your core.
Extend all the way to the top.
6. Try your best to keep your legs fully extended and planted on the floor. This
will take a bit of practice.
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Be Sure To…
COPYRIGHT 2022
• Keep legs out in front and spread
• Can use a bit wider grip if necessary for mobility
• Keep your back straight when performing the movement. We strongly
suggest starting with lighter weight to begin.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Z-Press
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Arm Curls
Leg Curls
Barbell Rollouts
Leg Extensions
Calf Raise
Cable Upright Rows
Face Pull
Skull Crushers
GHD or Reverse Hypers
Straight Arm Lat Pulldown
Lateral Raises
Triceps Pushdown
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
“C” Exercise Library
COPYRIGHT 2015
Muscles Worked:
• Biceps
Equipment:
• Can use a variety of equipment (Cable, EZ-Curl,
Dumbbells, etc.
The most common exercise there is; the arm curl. Other than creating
big biceps for aesthetics, in the strength world it's good to have
strong biceps for injury prevention.
We’re going to allow you to use a variety of attachments as this is the
best option as you can hit the bicep from every angle. Therefore, be
sure to use attachments that allow an underhand grip, neutral grip,
and overhand grip. Other than that, the basic instructions are the
same.
How To:
1. Use a neutral stance and maintain soft knees
2. Pick up the implement and bring your elbows to the side of your
torso.
3. Curl the load up by flexing your elbow and bringing the implement
towards your upper arm.
4. Flex the elbow as far as you can.
5. Let the load down slowly and under control.
Be Sure To…
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• DON’T SWING!!!! While minimal body movement is fine, you do not
need to be swinging excessively.
• Keep your elbows pinned to your side.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Arm Curl
COPYRIGHT 2022
Muscles Worked:
• Core
Equipment:
• Barbell (although you can also use an ab roller if you
must).
The barbell roll out is arguably the best core exercise you can do. And
it will be the only core-centric exercise in this entire program (although
many other exercises will help strengthen your core via anti-flexion,
anti-lateral flexion, and even anti-rotation). The barbell roll out focuses
on spinal flexion and anti-extension, and it has a larger range of
motion, so it is a big bang for your buck kind of core exercise.
How To:
1. Load a barbell with 5-10kg plates.
2. Get on your knees with the barbell in front of you.
3. Grab the bar with an overhand grip, shoulder-width apart.
4. Now slowly roll the bar forward.
5. Roll the bar as far forward as you can. Ideally, your shoulders will be
near your ears, with your body almost parallel with the floor.
6. Pause in the extended position, then roll the barbell inward by
flexing your abs and bringing your hips back. When the barbell is
about in line with your head/shoulders, that is one rep.
7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Ideally you will want to progress to being able to perform a barbell
rollout from your feet.
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Be Sure Too…
• Keep your hips straight! Don’t allow them to sink.
• If you need, you can widen your grip for shoulder mobility.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Barbell Roll Out
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Muscles Worked:
• Calves (Gastrocnemius, Soleus)
You can use either a standing or seated calf machine. Other
than the setup, the important part of the movement at your
calf is virtually the same. If you have access to both, use
both.
Equipment:
• Calf Raise Machine
How To:
1. Choose an appropriate weight and set up your machine
so that you are able to lift off with a calf raise. However, be
sure you choose a lower setting so that you don’t need to
do a full calf raise at the end.
2. Grab the handle
3. Unrack the load and first let the loaded sink by allowing
your heels to drop.
4. Come up on your toes as high as you can go.
5. Hold for about two seconds at the top to give your calves
more time under tension.
Be Sure To…
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• Use a weight that allows a full range of motion.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Calf Raise
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Muscles Worked:
• Rear Deltoids, Upper Back
Equipment:
• Cable Machine w/ Rope Attachment
One of the top exercises for overall shoulder health and mobility as
well as scapular strengthening. We love face pulls, and if there’s an
exercise that people need to do more of, it’s these. That being said,
there is one little caveat to remember in terms of form.
How To:
1. Set up a cable pulley with a rope attachment and place it, so it’s
slightly above head level.
2. Stand back and use both hands to grab the rope with thumbs
facing towards you (pinkies pointing down the rope).
3. Let the pulley fully extend your arms and raise them.
4. Keeping your elbows raised, pull the rope towards your face.
5. Important! When pulling back, attempt to have your “hands beat
your elbows.” This will require your shoulder to rotate so your
hands are raised. At the end of the movement, your arms should
be in a position that looks similar to posing.
Be Sure To…
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• Keep your elbows high!
• Again, concentrate on rotating your hands up! Not how far back
you can get your elbows!
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Face Pull
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Muscles Worked:
• Glutes, Hamstrings, Erector Spinae
Equipment:
• GHD or Reverse Hyper Machine
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The GHD and Reverse Hyper can be interchanged as they’re both awesome
exercises to train the posterior muscles. Keep in mind that the GHD is much more
hamstring dominant due to the flexion of the knee, while the reverse hyper is much
more glute dominant.
GHD:
1. Set up the GHD so that your feet can be anchored in the foot holders with your
knees located towards the bottom of the hip pad.
2. Start the exercise with your knees bent and torso vertical, and arms across your
body. Location is not too important, but they should not be holding onto the
machine.
3. Let the body come down by extending your knee. You will end when your body
is erect and parallel to the ground.
4. Pull your body up by flexing your knees.
Reverse Hyper:
1. Set the back of your ankles to the pads (or belt) on the lever, which is near the
ground and lie your upper body face down on the platform of the hyperextension
machine (you may have to step up or jump up, then wiggle your upper body into
a comfortable and correct position). Hold onto the handles securely. Your body
should form a 90-degree angle at the hips.
2. With straight legs and an engaged core, use your hips and hamstrings to raise
your legs up behind you to above hip level. You should feel a strong contraction
in your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back, but not pain in your low back. Only
go to what is comfortable.
3. Hold the hyperextension position, and then lower your legs back down with
control.
4. Repeat for reps.
Be Sure To…
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• Don’t hyperextend your back. You only need to extend until your torso is
straight.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
GHD or Reverse Hypers
Muscles Worked:
• Medial Deltoids
Equipment:
• Cable Machine w/ Sitrrup Handle, Dumbbells
Lateral raises are a simple yet effective exercise to train medial
delts specifically but also the traps and upper back. You can
perform these with dumbbells, but we prefer using a cable pulley
if possible. The general form will be the same, but the cable
pulley not only allows a more consistent force it will also provide
resistance across the body.
How To:
1. Set up a pulley with a single handle attachment and place it at
the lowest setting
2. Stand with the cable on the opposite side of the arm lifting.
3. Pick up the handle and allow it to pull your arm across the
body. Be sure the cable path runs straight in front of your
body.
4. Keeping your knees slightly bent, pull the cable in a
“sweeping” motion out to your side
5. Continue pulling, keeping a slight bend in your elbow until your
elbow and hand reach shoulder level.
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Be Sure To…
• Focus on keeping your elbow above your hand.
• Bring the arm up so that it’s parallel with the ground.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Lateral Raise
COPYRIGHT 2022
Leg curls are a basic isolation exercise to hit the hamstring.
It’s going to train them using knee flexion.
Muscles Worked:
• Hamstrings
Equipment:
• Leg Curl Machine
How To:
1. Set up the machine properly.
2. Adjust the back pad so you are properly lined up with the
thigh pad.
3. With your back tight against the back pad, the thigh pad
should be just behind the knee.
4. The ankle pad should then above the ankle.
5. Grab the handles to keep your butt and back firm against
the pads.
6. Push your heels down to flex your knees. Bring them as fast
as you can and then let it up slowly.
Be Sure To…
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• Keep the pad off your knee. This can cause too much
pressure.
• Concentrate on pulling your heels up.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Leg Curl
COPYRIGHT 2022
Muscles Worked:
• Quadriceps
Equipment:
• Leg Extension Machine
Leg extensions are going to be used to isolate the quadriceps
with some specific knee extension. Very simple exercise to help
strengthen the quadriceps and knee joint.
How To:
1. Take the time to set up the machine correctly.
2. Set the backrest to a position where your back will be firmly
against the back pad with your knee just hanging off.
3. Next, set the ankle pad so that it sits above your ankle.
4. Hold the handles and keep your body planted the entire
movement by holding your butt to the floor and back firmly
against the pad.
5. Lift the weight by extending your knees until they are fully
extended.
6. Slowly let the weight back down.
Be Sure To…
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• DO NOT perform these quickly!
• DO NOT use excessively heavy loads!
• Do not place the pad on your knee.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Leg Extensions
COPYRIGHT 2022
Muscles Worked:
• Deltoids, Traps
Equipment:
• Cable Machine (Straight Bar or Rope Attachment)
Upright right rows are going to work your delts and entire
upper back. You can use a straight bar or rope. The good
thing with a rope is it allows more freedom of movement in
the shoulder to prevent any type of discomfort.
How To:
1. Attach a rope or straight bar attachment to a pulley
system and place it on the lowest setting.
2. Grab the handle with your thumbs facing down
3. Pull your elbows up to shoulder level. Going farther
drastically increases the chance of shoulder impingement.
4. Concentrate on the placement of the elbows NOT the
attachment.
5. Always keep the elbows above the hands
Be Sure To…
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• Concentrate on pulling your hands apart at the top to
involve more shoulder activation.
• Don’t pull excessively high.
• The wider your grip, the easier it is on your shoulder joint.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Cable Upright Row
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Muscles Worked:
• Triceps
Equipment:
• EZ-Bar, Straight Bar, Dumbbells
Skull crushers are a classic tricep exercise for some serious mass
and strength. Because you’re laying down, you don’t need to rely
on any type of core strength and can concentrate on the
movement. Feel free to use either a bar (straight or EZ) or
dumbbells.
How To:
1. Lie down, with the hands supporting the dumbbells in a benchpressing position (you can use a neutral grip or standard
overhand grip).
2. Set up as you would for a bench press - back, hips, and hands
set.
3. Lower the dumbbell towards your forehead or slightly behind
your head.
4. Keep your elbows pointing up or even slightly behind you.
5. Feel the stretch on the triceps and lats and extend your elbow to
the lockout position.
6. Reset and repeat for reps.
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Be Sure To…
• Try to keep your upper arm as vertical as possible.
• Really focus on keeping your elbows still when extending your
arms.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Skull Crushers
COPYRIGHT 2022
Muscles Worked:
• Lats, Triceps
Equipment:
• Cable Machine w/ Straight Bar or Rope Attachment
You’re going to use a cable pulley machine and a straight bar to
perform what looks to be a freestyle stroke, but with both hands
moving simultaneously. We love this as it’s a great lat exercise and
will teach you how to engage the lats for performing the deadlift.
How To:
1. Set up a cable pulley at a setting a a couple feet above your
head.
2. Grab the handle with a double overhand grip and stand back
from the machine at least a body height distance.
3. Lean over at the waist and let the bar raise your arms, so they’re
fully extended above.
4. Brace the core and pull your arms down in a sweeping motion
keeping your arms erect. Your elbows can have minimal bend.
5. Pull all the way until the bar hits your thigh. Pause and let your
arms back up.
Be Sure To…
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• Really focus on trying to get your body as parallel to the ground
as possible. This is why you don’t want the cable set too high.
• When you pull down, think about making a sweeping motion.
Plus, try to make this motion as big as possible.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Straight Arm Lat Pulldown
COPYRIGHT 2022
The triceps pushdown is a tricep isolation movement that
puts all of the focus on extending the elbow joint.
Muscles Worked:
• Triceps
Equipment:
• Cable Pulley w/ V-Handle, Straight Bar, Rope
Attachment
How To:
1. Grab the attachment.
2. Stand back from the cable pulley while keeping a slight
bend in your knees and keeping your elbows close to the
torso.
3. Keeping your shoulders pulled back, extend the elbow by
pushing your hands down towards the thigh.
4. Be sure to keep your elbows stationary for the entire
movement.
Be Sure To…
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• Keep your elbows pinned on your body the whole
movement
• Fully extend the elbow!
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Triceps Pushdown
COPYRIGHT 2022
For all rack exercises, please take the time to set up the barbell
correctly at the right height. Regardless of what exercise it is, you
want the barbell to be at a height that follows two guidelines:
1. The barbell should be low enough so that you can unrack it
without needing to get on your tippy-toes.
2. It should also be high enough so that you don’t need to squat
anymore than a few inches.
After unracking the barbell, ONLY TAKE 2 STEPS BACK! It’s not
uncommon to see new lifters unrack the barbell and then take 10
steps back. You only need to clear the J-hooks, that’s it. Anything
further than this is wasting energy and increasing the chance of
injury.
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This is very important when using near-maximal loads as you don’t
want to waste any energy. This is why they have monolifts that will
move the J-hooks for you and allow you to stay in the same position.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Rack Set Up
COPYRIGHT 2022
When lifting, it’s vital to utilize proper breathing. This is especially true for heavy lifting as to
how you breathe can affect the stability of your core. As we go through this section, we would
greatly suggest you practice along with it.
Generally speaking, the recommendation for breathing is to inhale during the eccentric portion
of the lift and expel air during the concentric portion. For example, on the bench press, after
you unrack the barbell, you’ll let the weight come down to your chest. During this portion,
you’re going to inhale deeply. Most people find it best to inhale through their mouth and nose
together.
Once the bar touches your chest, you’ll then start pressing the barbell up. At this time, you’re
going to exhale the air. During this portion, most people find it best to exhale out their mouths.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Proper Breathing & Tempo For Lifting
COPYRIGHT 2015
When using heavy weight, things get a little more complicated. In order to lift optimally, you will likely need to learn how to
perform what’s called that Valsalva maneuver. The Valsalva maneuver is when a person forcefully exhales against a closed glottis
or throat. This is naturally done when we go poo or if someone was to hit us in the stomach.
For lifting heavyweight, this is important as the Valsalva maneuver increases intra abdominal pressure. Doing so helps to stabilize
the core and increase its stability. Think about filling up a blowup bed. At first, the bed is flimsy and has no form. However, after
feeling it up with air, its structure is filled out and can support a body. This is basically what the Valsalva maneuver does.
Most people confuse the Valsalva maneuver with “holding your breath .”It’s not. This is how to perform it correctly while lifting.
• During the eccentric portion, you are going to inhale deep into the belly
• At the bottom, you are going to close your throat and forcefully exhale
• Also, think about forming a tight core
• Perform the lift
• As soon as you get past the hardest part of the lift, exhale.
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There is a chance of blackout (we’re sure you’ve seen plenty of videos), so do become familiar with this sensation. Also, hold the
Valsalva maneuver for a minimal amount of time. There’s no need to hold your breath during the entire movement. Still, you do
this naturally (or a version) whenever you lift heavy, so it is a natural method.
COPYRIGHT 2015
If you don’t like the Valsalva maneuver, you can perform a quasi variation. Basically, you do the same thing, but instead of fully
closing your throat, you just exhale slightly. A good way to think about it is to breathe 25% out for the first half of the movement
and 75% in the second half.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Breathing While Lifting Heavy Weights
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Tempo While Lifting Heavy Weights
We’re not going to worry too much about tempo for this
program. Generally speaking, the tempo is used more in the
hypertrophy world to create time under tension. In the
strength world, this isn’t going to make a massive difference.
Also, on the concentric, you don’t really have much choice
as to how fast you push.
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That being said, on the eccentric portion, you do want to
move slow and controlled. The reason being is that physics
still exists in the weight room. Force equals mass multiplied
by acceleration. Therefore, when you allow a load to drop
quickly, its total force is actually dramatically increased.
When you’re using heavy weight, that’s not good. Allow the
weight to move down slowly and control it so that you can
power the load back up.
COPYRIGHT 2015
Most people will need a good 3 seconds to allow a heavy
weight to descend safely.
Pause at Bottom
Pause at Top
3-0-X-1
Eccentric
As Fast as Possible
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Alternative Exercise Options
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COPYRIGHT 2015
In the following pages we’re going to list alternative exercises for those who have injuries or
mobility issues that prevent them from performing an exercise safely. To be clear, these are not
options for a different exercise because you don’t like the original. The purpose of this program is
to get stronger on the primary lifts so only use the alternatives if it is a must.
Also, if your mobility issues are treatable, we fully expect you to work on this as you train as well.
Ignoring your problems will only make them worse. Any serious lifter has had to swallow that pill at
least once in their lifting career.
The rep schemes will be the same for their respective exercise category (A, A1, B, C exercises)
unless otherwise noted.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Alternative Exercises
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Alternatives For Deadlifts
Alternatives For Barbell Flat Bench Press
Rack Pull/Elevated Deadlift
Dumbbell Chest Press:
The elevated deadlift is a great choice to use instead
of a conventional deadlift if you have issues getting
low enough safely. For this, you just need to elevate
the barbell. There are two ways to do this;
• Use blocks or even other plates to set the
loaded plates on, which will raise the bar up.
This option is more similar to the deadlift but can
be a bit harder to set up.
• The second option is performing rack pulls. In a
rack, set the safety bars so that you can set the
barbell on top, thus raising the barbell off the
ground. Because the weights aren’t on the
ground, there will be no bend in the bar, which
can make it more difficult.
You can simply use dumbbells for bench pressing.
However, this will cause an issue with your
programming as it is very difficult to perform heavy
dumbbell presses, even if you do have a spotter. If you
do need to use dumbbells, you will use the rep scheme
of “A1” exercises instead.
Incline Bench Press: If you have shoulder issues, you
may find that putting the bench at a slight incline helps
a lot. If so, you can use this as an alternative too.
Alternatives For Barbell Military Press
Shoulder Dumbbell Press
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For any of the shoulder pressing movements, you can
simply swap out the barbell for dumbbells. Since the
dumbbells are not fixed, you have significantly more
freedom with your biomechanics. Generally, allowing
your elbows to come forward more will greatly relieve
tension in the elbow. If you have elbow issues, using a
neutral grip can greatly mitigate any discomfort.
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If you do need to use dumbbells, you will use the rep
scheme of the “A1” exercises instead.
Alternative For Back Squats
Safety Squat Bar (SSB)
The safety squat bar (SSB) is an awesome piece of
equipment that will solve a multitude of issues with
mobility. Further, it can replace both the back squat and
front squat. Due to its design, the bar will sit higher in
your neck, but the weight will actually hang lower and
can even be moved forward closer to your center of
gravity. This allows a more upright torso and takes
strain off your back. Further, because the handles
protrude outwards in front of the body, there is minimal
stress on the shoulders.
Trap Bar Squat
If you needed, you could also perform trap bar deadlifts
but allow your knee to travel forward during the setup.
This will create biomechanics more similar to the squat
than deadlift.
Both methods are acceptable. However, keep in
mind that the bar should be at least a few inches
below the knee. Other than that, these are
performed exactly like deadlifts.
Trap Bar Deadlift
We love trap bar deadlifts, and they make a great
alternative for deadlifts. In order to maximize the
posterior chain, be sure you don’t let your knees
travel forward by keeping your shins parallel.
Remember, this is an alternative to the deadlift, so
we want to maximize the use of the hamstrings and
glutes.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
“A” Alternative Exercises
Alternative Exercises For Dips
Alternative Exercises For Front Squats
Alternative Exercises For Bent Over Row
Tricep Pressdown:
Hack Squat (Machine):
Bench Row Or Seal Row:
The tricep pressdown is a machine that replicates dips
while sitting down. While you won’t get the same core
activation as performing dips on [parallel bars, it’s still a
pretty effective method if you need.
The hack squat is an amazing machine-based leg
workout to target the quads, making it a great choice as
an alternative to the front squat.
Remember that you can use dumbbells if needed as
mentioned in the exercise explanation. However, if you
have an issue with the lower back, a bench row can
help a lot and offer support. A bench row or seal row
is simply when you lay face down on a bench and do
a row.
Decline Bench Press:
The decline bench press does a pretty good job at
replicating the movement of a dip as the barbell is
pushed downwards along the body. Therefore, it can
make a decent alternative to the dip if needed.
Alternative Exercises For Chin Up
Lat Pull-Down:
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If you absolutely have to, you can use the lat pull-down.
However, the only reason this would be acceptable is if
you can’t do a chin up and there are no bands or ways
to assist the lift. Reason being is that the chin-up uses
significantly more stabilizer muscles and the core is
highly engaged. None of this happens with the lat pulldown. But if you need to, it could suffice.
Safety Squat Bar (SSB):
The safety squat bar (SSB) can also be used to perform
front squats. To do this, you’ll lift the handles, so they
rest on the shoulders and then wrap your hands
underneath the bar.
If this is too cumbersome to set up, you can also opt
for using dumbbells instead. This tends to work best
by setting the bench on a slight incline.
Leg Press:
To replicate the front squat on the leg press, you will
want to place your feet slightly narrower. Also, place
your feet in a slightly lower position to allow more knee
flexion. This will cause significantly greater activation in
the quadriceps.
Alternative Exercises For Floor Press
Bench Pin Press:
The flat bench pin press simulates the same range of
motion as the floor press. Essentially, you’ll set up
your safety bars or pins within the rack so that the bar
can only lower to a few inches above your chest. This
takes out the lowest portion of the range of motion,
leaving you with a similar range of motion as if you
were on the floor.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
“A1” Alternative Exercises
B Exercise Alternatives:
Close-Grip Bench --> Narrow Push-Ups
Hip Thrust --> Cable Pull Through
Romanian Deadlift --> RDL w/ dumbbells
Walking Lunges --> Reverse Lunges (Stationary or
Walking)
Z-Press --> Seated Dumbbell Press
C Exercise Alternatives:
Arm Curl --> Preacher Curl
Barbell Rollouts --> Stability Ball Rollout or Stability
Ball Crunch
Calf Raise Machine --> Smith Machine Standing Calf
Raise or Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise
Face Pull --> Reverse Fly
GHD or Reverse Hyper --> Good Morning
Leg Curl --> Nordic Ham Curl
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Leg Extensions --> Sissy Squats
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
“B” & “C” Alternative Exercises
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
THE PROGRAM
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3 Day Program
4 Day Program
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5 Day Program
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Warm Up
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
The Warm Ups
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One of the most crucial parts of a successful workout is getting in a proper warm-up. Unfortunately, too many lifters
don’t fully understand the importance of a warm-up and either half-ass it or skip it altogether. So we want to first
give an explanation of why we warm-up and then how to warm up.
A warm-up can really be broken down into two functions. Warm-up the muscle and activate the muscle.
Even though it’s in the name, we often overlook the main focus of a warm-up is to literally warm-up our internal
temperature. When our muscles are warm, they become significantly more pliable and what we would describe as
“loose” with normal nomenclature. Doing so greatly improves our mobility and flexibility allowing us to move through
a larger range of motion with a decreased chance of injury.
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The second main function of a warm-up is to activate or prime our muscles for performance. The best way to explain
this is to think about when you just wake up in the morning. At first, your muscles are a bit “tight,” and you feel a
little bit “weak” or maybe even wobbly right when you get out of bed. However, once you start walking around some,
your muscles “wake up,” and movement feels easy. Or, think about if you go into a gym and immediately go to the
bench press and throw on 85% of your 1RM. It’s going to feel extremely hard if you can even do it all. However, after
you perform some warm-up sets, one rep is going to feel easy. This is your muscles being activated.
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With that being said, a proper warm-up can both decrease the risk of injury and studies show it can actually increase
your performance (in fact, many argue that increasing your performance is its main purpose)³.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Warm Up
We’re going to run through what a proper warm-up will look like. But first, don’t make a massive deal about this. If you prefer
another “warm-up” movement, then, by all means, do it.
1. 5-10 mins General Warm-Up: Start with a general warm-up which is literally just warming up your internal temperature.
This is also a good time to just “get in the mood.” This includes some type of light cardio. We recommend an Air Assault
style bike as you can push and pull with both your legs and arms. You should be good to go in 5 mins but if you need the 10,
take them.
2. 5-10 Dynamic Warm-Up: The dynamic warm-up is going to compose movements that replicate the motions you’re going
to be doing that day. In other words, you won’t make lunges on your bench press day. We love using bands for this section
as they’re great for placing a little resistance on the muscles while being quick to change.
3. Specific Warm-Up: This is simply performing warm-up sets for the moment you are performing. ALWAYS perform 2 sets
of 5-10 with an empty bar before every A movement. Just do it.
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*A little trick we play on ourselves when having a “lazy day” is to just “go warm-up for a little, that’s it”. Once our heart rate
picks up and blood starts flowing, we’re always in the mood. And if not, it may be an indicator you need some more
recovery.
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As far as what exercises to do, we’ll give you a good list for the upper body and lower body. We will generally just run
through these like a long circuit. It may seem like a lot but remember, part of the dynamic warm-up is also to maintain or
elevate your heart rate. Therefore, you’re going to move through these quickly.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Warm Up (continued)
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Chest Opener Stretch
1 x 10 reps
Banded Rotational Pass
1 x 10 reps
Banded Spinal Roll
1 x 5 reps
Pull Apart
1x 10 reps
Banded Pull Down
1x 5 reps
Banded Face Pull
1 x 10-15 reps
Banded Staggered Stance Row
1 x 10-15 reps
Banded Shoulder Press
1 x 15-20 reps
Banded Dips
1 x 5-10 reps
Banded Push Ups
1 x 5-10 reps
©
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Upper Body Dynamic Warm Up
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Chest Opener Stretch
1 x 10 reps
Banded Rotational Pass
1 x 10 reps
Banded Spinal Roll
1 x 5 reps
Banded Hip Thrust
1x 10 reps
Banded Good Morning
1x 10 reps
Banded Isometric Squat Hold
1 x 20 seconds
Banded Staggered Stance Row
1 x 10 reps
Banded Sumo Deadlift
1 x 10 reps
Banded Overhead Squat
1 x 5-10 reps
Split Squat
1 x 5 reps/each leg
©
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Lower Body Dynamic Warm Up
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Again, this is an example of what we generally like to do, but this is not the only routine that
exists. Remember to do this warm-up back-to-back-to-back-to…You are not resting and
talking on the phone in between. If you do it right, your internal body temp and heart rate will
both be raised and ready to go.
One of the things we love is when we see clients do a proper warm-up and see instant gains
in strength. Seriously. Warm-ups aren't bullshit and can seriously improve your lifts instantly.
Once you see the improvements, you'll WANT to warm-up.
Also, consider the better job you do during this warm-up means less time you'll need to
spend warming up for the first exercise. You'll still perform warm-up sets, but performing a
good warm-up will increase their effectiveness.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Dynamic Warm Up (continued)
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How To Warm-Up For Your Major Exercises:
Even though you're warmed up thoroughly, you still need to ramp up to your working weight on your main lifts, as you can't just jump
in and start with 85% of your load. Therefore, we're now going to show you the best method to warm-up for your main lifts.
We're going to use a % of your 1RM in this example. However, use this as a guideline. You do not need to hit your percentages on
the warm-up sets exactly. For example, if you're supposed to do 75% of 105lbs, just use 75lbs.
After your general warm-up, use the following warm-up for your first lift:
• Empty Bar x 15 reps
• 50% x 5 reps
• 60% x 5 reps
• 75% x 5 reps
• 80% X 3 reps
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You'll notice that most days have two major lifts. For the 4-day and 5-day split, this won't be a huge issue as the movement patterns
are similar (back squat & front squat or military press & floor press). For these, your muscles will already be warm but you should still
warm up the movement pattern with an empty bar. After, you can just include one or two warm-up sets before your working set.
However, if you need to include a third warm-up, do it.
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The 3-day split is a little different as your sessions will include an upper and lower body main exercise. However, even though it's a
different muscle group, you'll find that your muscles still get warmed up. Therefore, definitely warm up the movement pattern with a
barbell and then use two or three warm-up sets.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Warm Up (aka Ramp Up) Sets
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
The Workouts
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We know that everyone has different lifestyles that require different time commitments.
Therefore, we have developed 3 different versions of this program for those who want a 3day, 4-day, or 5-day program.
The basic concepts are exactly the same, with the 4-day and 5-day program having a few
more exercises than the 3-day.
When deciding on what days to run the program, the basic rule is to separate the training
days as much as possible. In other words:
• Don’t train Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
• DO train Monday, Wednesday, Friday
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We will explain more about each option before going through their respective programming.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
3, 4, 5 Day Per Week Options
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
3 Day Program
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The 3-day program is designed for maximum effectiveness with minimal time. The 3-day program will utilize a fullbody split, meaning you’re going to work every muscle group every session. This is a great choice for the busy lifter or
even some older lifters who need extra time for recovery. Still, some of the strongest guys in the world only train three
days a week. The key is intensity. As you have a rest day between each session, you should always be ready to go.
Further, if you have been training 5-days a week for years, you may find that your body responds very well to the
“break” of a 3-day program. The 3-day program will deliver optimal results in minimal time.
The best way to run this program is with a rest day in between each session. This would leave you two 1-day rest
periods and one 2-day rest period. For example:
• Mon, Wed, Fri (Rest: Tues, Thur, Sat, Sun)
• Mon, Wed, Sat (Rest: Tues, Thur, Fri, Sun)
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And keep in mind that you can change the days if you need to. For example:
• Your normal schedule has you train Monday, Wed, and Friday
• You have something to do Friday so you could train Saturday this week instead.
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This is another plus of the 3-day program as it allows the most wiggle room. Just try to keep it as consistent as
possible.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
3 Day Programming
Exercise
Sets
Reps
(A) Back Squat
3 (Week 1, 5, 9)
3 (Week 2, 6, 10)
5 (Week 3, 7, 12)
5 (Week 4, 8, 11)
3
5
1 (2 on last set)
5 (deload @50%)
3 (Week 1, 5, 9)
3 (Week 2, 6, 10)
5 (Week 3, 7, 12)
5 (Week 4, 8, 11)
3
5
1 (2 on last set)
5 (deload @50%)
N/A
(B) Single Arm Dumbbell Row
3
8-10/each side
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(B) Romanian Deadlift
4
8-10
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Arm Curl
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Triceps Pushdown
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Barbell Rollout
3
5
N/A
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(A) Military Press
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RPE
Rest
Notes
Set & Rep Scheme Swaps Week 11 & 12
N/A
3 mins
Week 12: Finding New PRs
(1 rep max on sets 4 and 5)
See A-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
Set & Rep Scheme Swaps Week 11 & 12
3 mins
Week 12: Finding New PRs
(1 rep max on sets 4 and 5)
See A-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
3 Day Workout Program (Session 1)
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Exercise
Sets
Reps
(A) Bench Press
3 (Week 1, 5, 9)
3 (Week 2, 6, 10)
5 (Week 3, 7, 12)
5 (Week 4, 8, 11)
3
5
1 (2 on last set)
5 (deload @50%)
(A1) Front Squat
3 + 1 drop set (weeks
1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
5 (week 4, 8, 12)
(A1) Chin Up
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3 + 1 drop set (weeks
1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
RPE
Notes
Set & Rep Scheme Swaps Week 11 & 12
N/A
3 mins
Week 12: Finding New PRs
(1 rep max on sets 4 and 5)
See A-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
5 (weeks 1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
5 @50% 1RM (week 4, 8,
12)
Rest
N/A
2-3 mins
(weeks 1-3,
5-7, 9-11)
Drop set is AMRAP
(do it right after you finish your 3rd set)
No drop sets on week’s 4, 8, 12,
just EMOM for 5 sets.
EMOM (week See A1-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
4, 8, 12)
5 (weeks 1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
N/A
2-3 mins
(weeks 1-3,
5-7, 9-11)
Drop set is AMRAP (do it right after you finish your 3rd set):
- If you are doing weighted chin ups, use just your
bodyweight or decrease load.
- If you are doing bodyweight chin ups, add a little
assistance (i.e. with a band)
- If you are doing assisted chin ups, increase the assistance.
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5 (week 4, 8, 12)
5 @50% 1RM (week 4, 8,
12)
(B) Hip Thrust
4
6-8
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Leg Curl
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Leg Extension
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Calf Raise
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
EMOM (week No drop sets on week’s 4, 8, 12, just EMOM for 5 sets.
See A1-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
4, 8, 12)
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
3 Day Workout Program (Session 2)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
(A) Deadlift
3 (Week 1, 5, 9)
3 (Week 2, 6, 10)
5 (Week 3, 7, 12)
5 (Week 4, 8, 11)
3
5
1 (2 on last set)
5 (deload @50%)
(A1) Floor Press
3 + 1 drop set (weeks
1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
5 (week 4, 8, 12)
(A1) Barbell Bent Over Row
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3 + 1 drop set (weeks
1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
RPE
Notes
Set & Rep Scheme Swaps Week 11 & 12
N/A
3 mins
Week 12: Finding New PRs
(1 rep max on sets 4 and 5)
See A-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
5 (weeks 1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
5 @50% 1RM (week 4, 8,
12)
Rest
N/A
5 (weeks 1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
N/A
2-3 mins
(weeks 1-3,
5-7, 9-11)
Drop set is AMRAP
(do it right after you finish your 3rd set)
No drop sets on week’s 4, 8, 12,
just EMOM for 5 sets.
EMOM (week See A1-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
4, 8, 12)
2-3 mins
Drop set is AMRAP
(weeks 1-3,
(do it right after you finish your 3rd set)
5-7, 9-11)
No drop sets on week’s 4, 8, 12,
just EMOM for 5 sets.
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5 (week 4, 8, 12)
5 @50% 1RM (week 4, 8,
12)
(B) Box Squats
4
6-8
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(B) Dips
3
8-10
7-8
1.5 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Cable Upright Row
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Face Pulls
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
EMOM (week See A1-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
4, 8, 12)
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
3 Day Workout Program (Session 3)
We have created a 3 Day spreadsheet that lays everything out for you perfectly so you can follow the program dayby-day and week-by-week.
So, if you are at all confused when reading through this program, the spreadsheet will make things very clear on a
micro and macro level.
You can also record the loads you used on the spreadsheet in the designated areas to keep track of your previous
lifts.
The spreadsheet will make working through this 12-week program much more simple for you. We just wanted to use
this pdf as a way to really explain things to you about the programming on a deeper level so you understand the
“why” of the program, not just the “what”.
Be sure to click the 3-Day tab.
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Download Spreadsheet
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
3 Day Program Spreadsheet
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
4 Day Program
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If we had to choose the sweet spot for most guys, we’d go with the 4-day split. It allows a lot of volume
but plenty of rest, exactly what you need to progress.
The 4-day program will utilize an upper/lower split while prioritizing the main movements. The reason we
use an upper/lower rather than a push/pull is due to the style of training. While we love training the back,
there aren’t really too many back exercises that are suitable for using really heavy loads (>90%1RM).
Therefore, it works well to pair it with pushing exercises as there are two major movements, the bench
press and military press, that can use heavy singles. This allows the bench press to be the #1 exercise of
one session the military press to be the # 1 session of the other.
The best way to run this 4-day program is either two 2-day training periods or one 2-day training period
and two 1-day training periods. For example:
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• Train: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri (Rest: Wed, Sat, Sun)
• Train: Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat (Rest: Tues, Thurs, Sun)
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Personally, we like to separate training days as much as possible but it’s entirely up to you. And again,
you can make changes if you need to.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
4 Day Programming
Exercise:
Sets
Reps
(A) Back Squat
3 (Week 1, 5, 9)
3 (Week 2, 6, 10)
5 (Week 3, 7, 12)
5 (Week 4, 8, 11)
3
5
1 (2 on last set)
5 (deload @50%)
(A1) Front Squat
3 + 1 drop set (weeks
1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
RPE
Rest
Notes
Set & Rep Scheme Swaps Week 11 & 12
N/A
3 mins
Week 12: Finding New PRs
(1 rep max on sets 4 and 5)
See A-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
5 (weeks 1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
N/A
2-3 mins
(weeks 1-3,
5-7, 9-11)
Drop set is AMRAP
(do it right after you finish your 3rd set)
No drop sets on week’s 4, 8, 12,
just EMOM for 5 sets.
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5 (week 4, 8, 12)
5 @50% 1RM (week 4, 8,
12)
(B) Romanian Deadlift
4
8-10
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(B) Walking Lunges
3
10/each leg
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) GHD or Reverse Hyper
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Leg Curls
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Barbell Rollout
3
5
N/A
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
EMOM (week See A1-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
4, 8, 12)
©
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
4 Day Workout Program (Session 1)
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Exercise
Sets
Reps
(A) Bench Press
3 (Week 1, 5, 9)
3 (Week 2, 6, 10)
5 (Week 3, 7, 12)
5 (Week 4, 8, 11)
3
5
1 (2 on last set)
5 (deload @50%)
(A1) Chin Up
3 + 1 drop set (weeks
1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
RPE
Rest
Notes
Set & Rep Scheme Swaps Week 11 & 12
N/A
3 mins
Week 12: Finding New PRs
(1 rep max on sets 4 and 5)
See A-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
5 (weeks 1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
N/A
2-3 mins
(weeks 1-3,
5-7, 9-11)
Drop set is AMRAP (do it right after you finish your 3rd set):
- If you are doing weighted chin ups, use just your
bodyweight or decrease load.
- If you are doing bodyweight chin ups, add a little
assistance (i.e. with a band)
- If you are doing assisted chin ups, increase the assistance.
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5 (week 4, 8, 12)
5 @50% 1RM (week 4, 8,
12)
(B) Single Arm Dumbbell Row
3
6-8/each side
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(B) Close Grip Bench Press
4
8-10
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(B) Seated Back Row
3
8-10
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Face Pull
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Arm Curl
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
EMOM (week No drop sets on week’s 4, 8, 12, just EMOM for 5 sets.
See A1-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
4, 8, 12)
©
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
4 Day Workout Program (Session 2)
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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Exercise
Sets
Reps
RPE
Rest
Notes
(A) Deadlift
3 (Week 1, 5, 9)
3 (Week 2, 6, 10)
5 (Week 3, 7, 12)
5 (Week 4, 8, 11)
3
5
1 (2 on last set)
5 (deload @50%)
N/A
(A1) Farmer Carry
3
10m
N/A
2-3 mins
See progression for Farmer’s Carry
(B) Box Squats
4
6-8
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(B) Hip Thrust
4
6-8
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(B) Bulgarian Split Squat
3
8-10
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Leg Extension
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Calf Raise
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
Set & Rep Scheme Swaps Week 11 & 12
3 mins
Week 12: Finding New PRs
(1 rep max on sets 4 and 5)
See A-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
©
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
4 Day Workout Program (Session 3)
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Exercise:
Sets
Reps
(A) Military Press
3 (Week 1, 5, 9)
3 (Week 2, 6, 10)
5 (Week 3, 7, 12)
5 (Week 4, 8, 11)
3
5
1 (2 on last set)
5 (deload @50%)
(A1) Floor Press
3 + 1 drop set (weeks
1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
5 (week 4, 8, 12)
(A1) Barbell Bent Over Row
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3 + 1 drop set (weeks
1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
RPE
Notes
Set & Rep Scheme Swaps Week 11 & 12
N/A
3 mins
Week 12: Finding New PRs
(1 rep max on sets 4 and 5)
See A-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
5 (weeks 1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
5 @50% 1RM (week 4, 8,
12)
Rest
N/A
5 (weeks 1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
N/A
2-3 mins
(weeks 1-3,
5-7, 9-11)
EMOM (week
4, 8, 12)
2-3 mins
(weeks 1-3,
5-7, 9-11)
Drop set is AMRAP (do it right after you finish your 3rd set)
No drop sets on week’s 4, 8, 12, just EMOM for 5 sets.
See A1-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
Drop set is AMRAP
(do it right after you finish your 3rd set)
No drop sets on week’s 4, 8, 12,
just EMOM for 5 sets.
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5 (week 4, 8, 12)
5 @50% 1RM (week 4, 8,
12)
(B) Dips
4
6-8
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Lateral Raises
2
12-15
8-9
2 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Triceps Pushdown
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Cable Upright Row
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
EMOM (week See A1-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
4, 8, 12)
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
4 Day Workout Program (Session 4)
We have created a 4 Day spreadsheet that lays everything out for you perfectly so you can follow the program dayby-day and week-by-week.
So, if you are at all confused when reading through this program, the spreadsheet will make things very clear on a
micro and macro level.
You can also record the loads you used on the spreadsheet in the designated areas to keep track of your previous
lifts.
The spreadsheet will make working through this 12-week program much more simple for you. We just wanted to use
this pdf as a way to really explain things to you about the programming on a deeper level so you understand the
“why” of the program, not just the “what”.
Be sure to click the 4-Day tab.
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Download Spreadsheet
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
4 Day Program Spreadsheet
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
5 Day Program
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COPYRIGHT 2015
The 5-day program is basically going to be the 4-day program as it will follow an upper/lower split, but with an
additional day that incorporates some unconventional strength training, core, and upper body isolation as well
as helps spread out some exercises.
The 5th day will incorporate farmer carry as well as the bent over row and Z-press. This is merely to spread
them out as we feel they’re very important and you could possibly get better lifts with them set up in this
manner. Further, all of the upper-body isolation will be reserved for the 5th day as well to simply spread out the
exercises. This day will be “easier” so reserve this for the weekend or whenever you need a “lighter” day.
With the 5-day program, you really one have one options and that’s to have a 2-day training period and a 3day training period with a rest day in-between each. Because the 5th session is the easiest, you should
definitely divide your workouts so the 5th session is part of the 3-day training group. Nevertheless, your
options are:
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• Mon, Tues,Thur, Fri, Sat (Rest: Wed, Sun)
• Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat (Rest :Thur, Sun)
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You could train 5 days in a row if you needed a 2-day weekend BUT do so sparingly. If you have a choice, use
the “deload” week to do this.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
5 Day Programming
Exercise
Sets
Reps
(A) Bench Press
3 (Week 1, 5, 9)
3 (Week 2, 6, 10)
5 (Week 3, 7, 12)
5 (Week 4, 8, 11)
3
5
1 (2 on last set)
5 (deload @50%)
(A1) Chin Up
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3 + 1 drop set (weeks
1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
RPE
Rest
Notes
Set & Rep Scheme Swaps Week 11 & 12
N/A
3 mins
Week 12: Finding New PRs
(1 rep max on sets 4 and 5)
See A-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
5 (weeks 1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
N/A
2-3 mins
(weeks 1-3,
5-7, 9-11)
Drop set is AMRAP (do it right after you finish your 3rd set):
- If you are doing weighted chin ups, use just your
bodyweight or decrease load.
- If you are doing bodyweight chin ups, add a little
assistance (i.e. with a band)
- If you are doing assisted chin ups, increase the assistance.
COPYRIGHT 2015
5 (week 4, 8, 12)
5 @50% 1RM (week 4, 8,
12)
(B) Single Arm Dumbbell Row
3
6-8/each side
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(B) Close Grip Bench Press
4
8-10
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(B) Dips
3
8-10
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Face Pulls
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
EMOM (week No drop sets on week’s 4, 8, 12, just EMOM for 5 sets.
See A1-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
4, 8, 12)
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
5 Day Workout Program (Session 1)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
(A) Back Squat
3 (Week 1, 5, 9)
3 (Week 2, 6, 10)
5 (Week 3, 7, 12)
5 (Week 4, 8, 11)
3
5
1 (2 on last set)
5 (deload @50%)
(A1) Front Squat
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3 + 1 drop set (weeks
1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
RPE
Rest
Notes
Set & Rep Scheme Swaps Week 11 & 12
N/A
3 mins
Week 12: Finding New PRs
(1 rep max on sets 4 and 5)
See A-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
5 (weeks 1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
N/A
2-3 mins
(weeks 1-3,
5-7, 9-11)
Drop set is AMRAP
(do it right after you finish your 3rd set)
No drop sets on week’s 4, 8, 12,
just EMOM for 5 sets.
5 (week 4, 8, 12)
5 @50% 1RM (week 4, 8,
12)
(B) Walking Lunges
3
8-10/each leg
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(B) Romanian Deadlift
4
8-10
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) GHD or Reverse Hyper
3
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Leg Curls
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
EMOM (week See A1-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
4, 8, 12)
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
5 Day Workout Program (Session 2)
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Exercise:
Sets
Reps
(A) Military Press
3 (Week 1, 5, 9)
3 (Week 2, 6, 10)
5 (Week 3, 7, 12)
5 (Week 4, 8, 11)
3
5
1 (2 on last set)
5 (deload @50%)
(A1) Floor Press
3 + 1 drop set (weeks
1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
RPE
Rest
Notes
Set & Rep Scheme Swaps Week 11 & 12
N/A
3 mins
Week 12: Finding New PRs
(1 rep max on sets 4 and 5)
See A-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
5 (weeks 1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
N/A
2-3 mins
(weeks 1-3,
5-7, 9-11)
Drop set is AMRAP
(do it right after you finish your 3rd set)
No drop sets on week’s 4, 8, 12,
just EMOM for 5 sets.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
5 (week 4, 8, 12)
5 @50% 1RM (week 4, 8,
12)
(B) Barbell Front Shrugs
4
6-8
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(B) Seated Back Row
4
8-10
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Straight Arm Lat Pulldown
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Cable Upright Row
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Barbell Rollout
3
5
N/A
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
EMOM (week See A1-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
4, 8, 12)
©
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
5 Day Workout Program (Session 3)
COPYRIGHT 2015
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
©
Exercise:
Sets
Reps
RPE
Rest
Notes
(A) Deadlift
3 (Week 1, 5, 9)
3 (Week 2, 6, 10)
5 (Week 3, 7, 12)
5 (Week 4, 8, 11)
3
5
1 (2 on last set)
5 (deload @50%)
N/A
(B) Box Squats
4
6-8
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(B) Hip Thrust
4
6-8
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(B) Bulgarian Split Squat
4
8-10
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Leg Extension
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Calf Raise
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
Set & Rep Scheme Swaps Week 11 & 12
3 mins
Week 12: Finding New PRs
(1 rep max on sets 4 and 5)
See A-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
5 Day Workout Program (Session 4)
COPYRIGHT 2015
Exercise
Sets
Reps
RPE
Rest
Notes
(A1) Farmer Carry
3
10m
N/A
2-3 mins
See progression for Farmer’s Carry
2-3 mins
(weeks 1-3,
5-7, 9-11)
Drop set is AMRAP
(do it right after you finish your 3rd set)
(A1) Barbell Bent Over Row
3 + 1 drop set (weeks
1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
5 (weeks 1-3, 5-7, 9-11)
N/A
No drop sets on week’s 4, 8, 12,
just EMOM for 5 sets.
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5 (week 4, 8, 12)
5 @50% 1RM (week 4, 8,
12)
(B) Z-Press
4
6-8
7-8
2 mins
See B-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Arm Curl
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Skull Crushers
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Lateral Raises
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
(C) Triceps Pushdown
2
12-15
8-9
1.5 mins
See C-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
EMOM (week See A1-Exercise Weekly Loading & Progression Explanation
4, 8, 12)
©
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
5 Day Workout Program (Session 5)
COPYRIGHT 2015
We have created a 5 Day spreadsheet that lays everything out for you perfectly so you can follow the program dayby-day and week-by-week.
So, if you are at all confused when reading through this program, the spreadsheet will make things very clear on a
micro and macro level.
You can also record the loads you used on the spreadsheet in the designated areas to keep track of your previous
lifts.
The spreadsheet will make working through this 12-week program much more simple for you. We just wanted to use
this pdf as a way to really explain things to you about the programming on a deeper level so you understand the
“why” of the program, not just the “what”.
Be sure to click the 5 Day tab.
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Download Spreadsheet
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
5 Day Program Spreadsheet
COPYRIGHT 2022
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
HOW TO RUN THIS
PROGRAM
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COPYRIGHT 2015
So now that you’ve looked at the basic
program and have a good sense of what it
entails, we’re now going to run through how
you are going to run it in terms of loading and
reps, as well as implement progressive
overload.
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Something to note about this program instead of worrying about getting stronger
every week, look at this program as an entire
12-week experience. The program is not
designed to be lifting heavier weights every
single week. We use a form of periodization
that will help you get stronger over the course
of the program as a whole, which we are about
to explain in detail.
Intro Week
A Exercise Progression WeekBy-Week
A1 Exercise Progression
Week-By-Week
B-C Exercise Progression
Week-By-Week
Program Spreadsheets
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Recommended Cardio
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Programming Breakdown
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Intro Week
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To be clear, this program will be 13-weeks including the intro week. During the intro week, your main
goal is going to be to find starting weights for your lifts. You’ll also familiarize yourself with the
program’s exercises, and how it’s run.
So, if you choose the 3 day program, then you will run the 3 day intro week, which will be the same
exact exercises as week 1 of the 12 week program.
Put simply, you will run the first week twice.
Use the following pages’ explanations to find your starting weight.
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And don’t worry too much as everything is laid out perfectly for you on the spreadsheet, so you’ll just
need to follow it, but it’s good to know how to best find a starting weight, which we are about to
explain.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Intro Week (Finding Starting Weight)
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Because we’ll be working with percentages with the “A” exercises, you’re going to need to find your 1RM. However, this won’t be a true 1RM.
You’re going to use what we call a “working 1RM”. This is basically the maximal amount of weight that you can lift with 100% confidence.
Therefore, when you find this weight, you don’t need to be screaming and popping eye vessels. While you should definitely be at a level 9, don’t
feel like you have to go higher. In fact, in the long run, starting a little bit light is significantly more effective than starting too heavy. This is very
important. If you are rushed to get stronger you will fail.
Follow this guideline below to find your working PR. Hopefully you have an idea of what your PR might be so just use that for the percentages in
the warm-up. For example, if you know you usually bench press 165lb six times, you could use the 1RM calculator to find a number to use or
just guess at 190lbs. As the first warm-up sets use a range i.e. 30-50%1RM, you’ll be in the right vicinity. You can then just proceed based on
how you feel.
If you really have no idea, just guess and see how you feel:
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• Warm-up Set: Empty Bar X 15
• Warm-up Set: 30-50% 1RM X10
• Warm-up Set: 50-60% 1RM X 5
• Warm-up Set: 60-70% 1RM X 5
• Warm-up Set: 75-87% 1RM X 3
• Warm-up Set: 90-93% 1RM X 1
• Attempt 1RM: Add weight and attempt a 1RM
Use this same process for all A exercises
COPYRIGHT 2015
After you find your working 1RM, you are then going to take that number and subtract 5lbs for upper body movements and 10lbs for lower body
movements. Again, we want to start light.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Intro Week (Finding “A” Exercise Starting Weight)
Finding weight for “A1” Exercises:
How To Run Farmer Carry:
Because you can’t work up to a 1RM, you will follow the same
general idea but work up to a 5RM. You will then find a 1RM
estimate by using your 5RM and a 1RM calculator. Use
spreadsheet tab labeled 1RM. This is very important when finding a
1RM for training purposes.
The farmer carry will be the one unique exercise following a
completely different rep scheme. At the same time, it may look very
different for different individuals depending on what they have access
to. Basically, we will be looking with two variables:
• Increasing the load
• Increasing the distance
Finding weight for “B” And “C” Exercises:
Finding weight for your “B” and “C” exercises will be simpler. For
these, you’re just going to add weight over your sets until you find
a weight that falls into the given rep scheme and RPE.
Finding “weight” for bodyweight exercises:
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Bodyweight exercises are going to work differently. First, you will
perform the bodyweight exercise as prescribed and see how many
reps you can perform.
• If you perform more than the rep scheme, you can stop. You’ll
rest and then load weight and perform the exercise again.
Continue doing this until you find a load that keeps you in the
prescribed range.
• If you can’t perform enough reps, you will rest and use bands to
help assist. Repeat until you can perform the prescribed reps.
Ideally you have an open space 10m long. If not, you will have to do
the best you can. Regardless, you will want to make trips about 10m
long. Again, this may mean you need to do 2-5m runs for 1 “rep” if
that’s what you have. For weights, most people can likely get away
with using dumbbells first assuming your gym’s go heavy enough.
• If your gym does not have heavy enough dumbbells, you can use a
trap bar. While this is technically more similar to a “frame carry”, it
still works.
• If you can not load sufficiently, you will need to go for time instead;
either by timing or trips.
• You’ll rest 2:00-3:00
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Intro Week (Finding “A1-C” Exercise Starting Weights)
Going forward, you’re going to need to use percentages for choosing what weights to use. The
problem for some people is that their gym does not have fractional plates (0.25lb, 0.5lb) or even
1lb plates. This is going to make it impossible for many people to hit their percentages exactly.
However, most gyms have 2.5lbs plates meaning that you can make 5lbs jumps. Therefore,
follow these guidelines:
• If the percentage is <3lbs over, you’ll round down. If your percentage equals 113lbs, you’ll use 110.
• If the percentage is >3lbs over, you’ll round up. If your percentage equals 113.5 lbs, you’ll use 115lbs.
After your first block, you will then just be adding 5-10lbs. In an ideal world, everyone would
have fractional plates, and we could just use %, but we’ll do what we can.
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COPYRIGHT 2015
Also, anytime you see a %, the number is based on your original 1RM from the start of the
program. This is why at one point later in the program you’ll see 1x2 @100%. Of course, 100% x
2 wouldn’t make sense if it wasn’t for you had gotten stronger since the start of your program.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
How to Use Percentages When Choosing Weights
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
A Exercise Load & Rep Scheme
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Your “A” exercises are going to follow the most “complicated” programming. By complicated we just mean
your rep and load range will vary week to week. We’ll provide a template for you to write your weights
down so it will have everything laid out for you as well to help. It’s really not too difficult to follow.
Remember that your “A” exercises are going to use ladder sets meaning each successive set will increase
the weight. Then, the next time you perform that rep scheme, the ladder set will begin in the middle of the
previous ladder. This is a classic example of taking one step back to make two steps forward. Remember
that when we talk about progressive overload, that doesn’t mean every week. While you were able to do
that when you first started, it gets significantly harder the longer you train. So with these big exercises,
you’ll actually be dropping the load every four weeks.
For upper body exercises, you will add 5 pounds.
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For lower body exercises, you will add 10 pounds. However, if you need, you can also choose to just add
5 lbs if you need.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
A Exercise Loading & Rep Scheme Explained
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
A Exercise Load & Rep Scheme (Week 1-4)
Starting after your Intro Week, here’s how it’ll work week by week for A exercises…
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Set 1
Set 2
Set 3
Week 1
3 reps @85% 1RM
3 reps (add 5-10 lbs)
3 reps (add 5-10 lbs)
Week 2
5 reps @80% 1RM
5 reps (add 5-10lbs)
5 reps (add 5-10lbs)
80% of set 3 AMRAP
Week 3
1 rep @75% 1RM
1 rep @80% 1RM
1 rep @85% 1RM
1 rep @90% 1RM
COPYRIGHT 2015
Week 4
5 reps @50% 1RM
5 reps @50% 1RM
5 reps @50% 1RM
Set 4
Set 5
Notes
If you can, you may perform an extra rep or two on
the set 3. However, you are not bringing it to failure.
5 reps @50% 1RM
2 reps @95% 1RM
On the 5X1 singles, it’s important that you use
maximal intent on every lift.
5 reps @50% 1RM
The fourth week is a quasi deload where you’ll be using just 50% of
your 1RM. You will run a 5 minute EMOM with 5 reps. This simply
means you will perform 5 reps every minute on the minute. However
we also want you to focus on using maximal intent each rep meaning
each rep will be performed with 100% effort. You should push as hard
as you can and attempt to move the bar as fast as possible.
You won’t increase the weight over the 5 sets. Again, just focus on
force production.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
A Exercise Rep Scheme (Week 5-8)
Week 5-8 will work off of weeks 1-4 but will start to increase the intensity…
Set 1
Week 5
3 reps @ Week 1 Set
2’s Weight
Week 6
5 reps @ Week 2 Set
2’s Weight
Set 2
3 reps (add 5-10lbs)
5 reps (add 5-10lbs)
Set 3
Set 4
Set 5
If you can, you may perform an extra rep or two on
the last set. However, you are not bringing it to
failure.
3 reps (add 5-10lbs)
5 reps (add 5-10lbs)
Notes
AMRAP @80% of Set
3
On the 5X1 singles, it’s important that you use
maximal intent on every lift.
Week 7
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1 rep @80% 1RM
1 rep @85% 1RM
1 rep @90% 1RM
1 rep @95% 1RM
2 reps @100% 1RM
Try your best to get 2 reps on the 5th set.
Remember, these % are based on your original
1RM from the start of the program intro week.
COPYRIGHT 2015
Week 8
Focus on using maximal intent each rep meaning each rep will
be performed with 100% effort. You should push as hard as you
can and attempt to move the bar as fast as possible.
5 reps @50% 1RM
5 reps @50% 1RM
5 reps @50% 1RM
5 reps @50% 1RM
5 reps @50% 1RM
You won’t increase the weight over the 5 sets. Again, just focus
on force production.
Do each set every minute on the minute.
This 3rd block will continue the same. The only difference is the EMOM and heavy singles will swap so that you can end
the program with finding a new 1RM…
Set 1
Week 9
3 reps @ Week 5 Set
2’s Weight
Week 10
5 reps @ Week 6 Set
2’s Weight
Week 11
Set 2
3 reps (add 5-10lbs)
5 reps (add 5-10lbs)
Set 3
Set 4
Set 5
If you can, you may perform an extra rep or two on
the last set. However, you are not bringing it to
failure.
3 reps (add 5-10lbs)
5 reps (add 5-10lbs)
AMRAP @80% of Set
3
Focus on using maximal intent each rep meaning each rep will
be performed with 100% effort. You should push as hard as you
can and attempt to move the bar as fast as possible.
5 reps @50% 1RM
5 reps @50% 1RM
5 reps @50% 1RM
5 reps @50% 1RM
5 reps @50% 1RM
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Notes
You won’t increase the weight over the 5 sets. Again, just focus
on force production.
Do each set every minute on the minute.
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Week 12
This week will simply be a ladder where you increase the weight
of each set.
1 rep @85% 1RM
1 rep @90% 1RM
1 rep @95% 1RM
1 rep @100% 1RM
1 rep @100% 1RM
On set 4, you’re trying to set your new PR. So use a weight
you’d be happy with but are pretty confident you can get. Then
on the 5th set, try to really push a maximum number.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
A Exercise Rep Scheme (Week 9-12)
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
A1 Exercise Load & Rep Scheme
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The “A1'' exercises are the other main exercises that aren’t suitable for extremely heavy lifts (>90%). To recap,
these exercises will only use two rep schemes:
• Week 1-3, 5-7, 9-11: 3X5 w/ 2:00-3:00 rest (plus one 1 drop set for AMRAP @80% - so technically 4 sets)
• Week 4, 8, 12: 5X5 EMOM @50%
You’re going to look at each four week block like a wave. For the first 4 week block, you will increase the weight
week’s 2 and 3, and then on the 4th week you will do the EMOM “deload”. For the following four week block
you will start with the weight you used on week 2 and increase the following two weeks and then deload again
on week 8. Then, the final four week block will be the same as the previous four week block, where you start the
first week with the weight of the 2nd week of the previous block (which will be week 6’s weight), then increase
the following two weeks and end the last and final week with a deload EMOM.
Essentially, for block’s 2 and 3, you will only reach a new peak weight on the third week, hence why we call it a
wave.
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On a session level, these exercises will be using straight sets, meaning the load will remain the same for every
set during that session.
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If you are confused, the following charts will clear things up…
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
A1 Exercise Load & Rep Schemes Explained
For the first few weeks, you will increase weight in a linear fashion, but this will change during the next block, as you are going to see…
Sets
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Reps
Rest
Notes
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Week 1
3
5 @80% 1RM
2-3 mins
After your 3rd set, do a drop set to 80% of the weight you used on
the 3rd set (i.e. if you used 100lbs on the 3rd set, you’d do a drop
set for as many reps as possible with 80lbs).
Week 2
3
5 @80% + 5-10lbs
2-3 mins
After your 3rd set, do a drop set to 80% of the weight you used on
the 3rd set.
Week 3
3
5 @Week 2’s weight +
5-10lbs
2-3 mins
After your 3rd set, do a drop set to 80% of the weight you used on
the 3rd set.
Week 4
5
5
EMOM
Do a set on the minute, every minute, with maximal intent.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
A1 Exercise Progression (Week 1-4)
Week 5 will start with the weight from Week 2. You will only actually be increasing weight from the previous block once during this second block…
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Sets
Reps
Rest
Notes
Week 5
3
5 @Week 2’s Weight
2-3 mins
After your 3rd set, do a drop set to 80% of the weight you used on
the 3rd set.
Week 6
3
5 @Week 3’s Weight
2-3 mins
After your 3rd set, do a drop set to 80% of the weight you used on
the 3rd set.
Week 7
3
5 @Week 6’s weight +
5-10lbs
2-3 mins
After your 3rd set, do a drop set to 80% of the weight you used on
the 3rd set.
Week 8
5
5
EMOM
Do a set on the minute, every minute, with maximal intent.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
A1 Exercise Progression (Week 5-8)
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
A1 Exercise Progression (Week 9-12)
Week 9-12 is the same idea as week 5-8. However, the weight will be pushing towards maximal loads…
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Sets
Reps
Rest
Notes
Week 9
3
5 @Week 6’s Weight
2-3 mins
After your 3rd set, do a drop set to 80% of the weight you used on
the 3rd set.
Week 10
3
5 @Week 7’s Weight
2-3 mins
After your 3rd set, do a drop set to 80% of the weight you used on
the 3rd set.
Week 11
3
5 @Week 10’s weight +
5-10lbs
2-3 mins
After your 3rd set, do a drop set to 80% of the weight you used on
the 3rd set.
Week 12
5
5
EMOM
Do a set on the minute, every minute, with maximal intent.
Progression for Chin Ups:
Progression for Farmer’s Carry:
For chin ups, the sets are of 5 reps, as it is an
A1 exercise. But, you want those 5 reps to be
challenging, just like it would be with other A1
Exercises. That means you may need to do
weighted chin ups from the start or as you
progress. From there, you are adding weight
just like you would other exercises.
Depending on your situation, you will want to increase the load
or increase the distance/time. Again, you know the basics of
progressive overload so whatever you need to do to make that
happen.
If you can’t do 5 chin ups with just your
bodyweight, then you need to use an
assistance band and progress from there.
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For the drop set, you would simply be
decreasing the external load (or going from
weighted chin ups to bodyweight) OR you
would be increasing assistance if you are
doing banded chin ups for the main sets.
There will be no drop sets for Farmer’s Carry, so just do 3 sets
total.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
A1 Exercises (Chin Up & Farmer’s Carry)
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Progressive Overload for B-C Exercises
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Your B exercises will keep the same rep scheme throughout the program.
We have spoken about this before but to reiterate. Your “B” exercises are going to primarily be focusing on using RPE to
dictate your workload. All of these exercises have a range of reps that you want to be training in at a given RPE. You
should have a good idea of what to use from your first week but you will be working at a RPE7-8 for your B exercises.
This means that they should start getting difficult but nowhere near failure.
That being said, if the weight feels light this week, you’ll add some weight. If it feels heavy, you’ll take some weight off.
You’ll do this every week but ideally you will be able to gradually increase the weight over time. Also, you can change
weight each set on the same day to meet the prescribed RPE of 7-8.
Each week you will attempt to either add weight or add reps. You will rest for about 2:00 between sets. If you are in a
rush, you could knock it down to 1:30.
For dips, there will be two scenarios:
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• If you are using your bodyweight or a load, you will simply attempt to add more load week after week.
• If you are using bands or some other sort of assistance, you’re going to attempt to take away some bands to remove
assistance.
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Regardless, you will want to stay within the same rep scheme while gradually using more load, either by taking away
assistance or actually adding a load.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Progressive Overload for B Exercises
Your C exercises will keep the same rep scheme throughout the program.
Your “C” exercises will basically be run like the “B” exercises but with even less rigidity and a higher RPE of
8-9. Reason being is these isolation exercises are easier to recover from. Again, attempt to either add
weight or reps as the program progresses.
You will rest for 1:30 between each set. If you are in a hurry you could knock it down to 1:00.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Progressive Overload for C Exercises
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We have created a 3 Day, 4 Day, and 5 Day spreadsheets (each has it’s own tab) that lays everything out for you
perfectly so you can follow the program exercise-by-exercise, session-by-session and week-by-week.
The spreadsheet also includes an ‘Intro Week’ tab to follow. Be sure to decide on whether you are going to run
the 3, 4, or 5 day option before starting.
If you are at all confused when reading through this program, the spreadsheet will make things very clear on a
micro level. All you have to do is follow it each session and record the loads you used on the spreadsheet in the
designated areas to keep track of your previous lifts.
The spreadsheet will make working through this 12-week program much more simple for you. It tells you exactly
what to do. We just wanted to use this pdf as a way to really explain things to you about the programming on a
deeper level so you understand the “why” of the program, not just the “what”.
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Download Spreadsheet
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Spreadsheets
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Yes. You should do cardio as well. The whole “cardio steals your gains” is nonsense and really bad advice
unless you’re one of the .1% of lifters who make a living with their body and can’t risk losing a gram of
muscle. While that’s a whole story in itself, performing moderate cardio is not going to hurt your gains and
could actually improve your training by increasing your workout output. Here are a few benefits of doing
cardio:
• An improved cardio system can improve recovery speed between sets (produce more ATP)
• Serve as active recovery
• Improve heart health
• Improve endurance
We recommend at least 3 cardio sessions per week and should include both HIIT and steady state. Our
recommended choices for cardio:
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• Cycling - 30-60 minutes
• Uphill Treadmill Walking - 30-60 minutes
• Sled Work (HIIT Style)
• Kettlebell Swings - Use different schemes: 300 as fast as possible, 8X25, etc
• Jump Rope - Depends on skill
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Recommended Cardio
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
LIFTING GEAR
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By workout gear, we mean things like belts
and knee sleeves. While you don’t need
them, they can definitely help when
following a proper strength program.
However, there’s a proper way to wear gear
and used gear. That’s what we’ll go over
now.
Further, we’ll also link to some brands we
recommend. You’ll notice that there are two
recommendations, Cerberus and Iron Bull.
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Iron Bull is an entry-level brand that we
have also personally used in the past and
can verify its quality.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
What Type of Lifting Gear Do You Need?
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Weight Lifting Belt
The weight lifting belt is the most misused and misunderstood piece of gym gear there is.
Too often, guys and girls will walk into the gym one and take it off once they leave. This is
not how you use it. In reality, a weight lifting belt should be so tight that it’s uncomfortable
to wear for prolonged periods of time. That’s why you say real lifters pop it off the first thing
they do after a lift.
Above, we talked about the Valsalva maneuver and how it creates intraabdominal pressure.
Wearing a weight belt can increase your intraabdominal pressure to an even higher degree
by wrapping around your waist tight. This prevents any expansion in your abdomen, thus
creating more pressure. In other words, a weight belt IS NOT a back brace. In order for you
to get the most out of it, you must wear it correctly and breathe properly.
To wear a weight belt properly, you are going to wear it above your waist and around your
belly button. Generally speaking, this is much higher than most people tend to wear theirs
unless given instruction. Remember that you want to prevent your core from expanding, so
place it in a spot where that can happen. There can be some variance, but generally
speaking, it will sit just above the hip bone and wrap around the belly button.
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Next, you will breathe in and fasten the belt snugly. The best way to check to see if it’s
wrapped tight enough is to stick your index finger between your back and the belt. You
want it to be tight enough to create pressure but also have enough room so that you can
expand your stomach into it. This is what creates the solid base you’re looking for.
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Finally, when you’re ready to lift, you’re going to perform the Valsalva maneuver. Exhale and
allow your stomach to expand into the belt.
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Wrist Straps
Wrist straps are the most misused piece of gym gear there is. Wait, didn’t we say that
about the belt? Anyways, its use is pretty bad too. Wrist straps allow you to lift heavier
loads without your grip becoming an issue. This does not mean you use it for every
single exercise like many guys do (we have even seen it used on the bench press).
Even if you use them for an appropriate exercise, you don’t use them all the time.
There is a bit of nuance when giving guidelines on when it’s appropriate to use and
when not. For starters, we think you should be able to deadlift at least 1.5x bodyweight
with just your grip before you think about using straps. Your grip strength is still a major
component of overall strength, and using straps as a crutch to mask your weak grip
will do no one any favors. 1.5X body weight is definitely doable by everyone.
Therefore, in this program, we give the “OK” for the use of wrist wraps (if wanted) for
the following exercises:
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• Deadlift - But only use once you start feeling your grip becoming an issue. Ideally
not until you hit 80+%1RM
• Romanian Deadlift - The reason we give the OK for Romanian deadlifts is simply due
to the fact you’ll be doing heavy movements prior and the goal is to hone in on your
posterior chain.
• Rows - Same reason as the RDL.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Wrist Wraps
Wrist wraps aren’t seen as much in the gym, but when they are,
they’re almost always put on the wrong part of the body. Most
guys and girls will wrap their “wrists” around their forearm, below
their wrist. This leaves virtually no support for the wrist and allows
a full range of motion.
While this seems to be the common way to wear them, these
questions will make it make sense:
• Where do you put knee wraps? Around the knee.
• Where do you put elbow wraps? Around the elbow.
• So where do we put wrist wraps?
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Around the wrist joint! To do this, you’ll first put your thumb
through the thumb loop. Next, pull on the wrap and place it across
the meaty part of your palm, across the wrist. Pull tight and
continue wrapping it around until you secure it with the velcro. If
you did it right, you shouldn’t be able to bend your wrist that
much.
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Elbow and knee sleeves are the simplest of
these products. The major choice you have
with these are material and thickness. For
that, we recommend 5mm neoprene sleeves.
Knee Sleeves
Elbow Sleeves
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You could even get 7mm if you’re moving big
weight. The biggest factor is to buy a pair
that fits correctly. Therefore, do not
guestimate or assume you should wear size
“XL.” Take the extra 5 minutes and measure
correctly. Plus, each brand has its own
measurements, so you’ll need to be sure you
use their specifications.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Elbow & Knee Sleeves
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Lifting Shoes
Lifting shoes are shoes that have a raised heel and a solid flat bottom.
They’re primarily used for squatting exercises and Olympic lifts, but some
like to wear them for overhead pressing movements. And for the love of
God, please don’t deadlift in them.
The raised heel allows you to hit depth much easier, especially for those
with ankle mobility issues. At the same time, the solid sole gives you a firm
foundation to press from.
The problem with lifting shoes is they’re fairly expensive, and you really only
use them for squatting or possibly overhead lifting. Therefore, these heavily
lie in the “if you have extra money laying around” category .That being said,
we would also advise looking at eBay.com and PoshMark.com as you can
find some good deals on used shoes. Buying used shoes sounds odd but
we have done it and have been very happy. If not, pay attention to Adidas,
as they will often run specials.
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We recommend the Adidas Powerlift as it’s an entry-level shoe that’s
reasonably priced. It’s a good place to start when experimenting with lifting
shoes.
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DIET & NUTRITION
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To fully optimize this program, you need
to have your diet in check. And hydration.
And supplements (if desired).
We're going to lay out exactly what you
need to do so that you are fueling your
body appropriately for growth.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
DIET & NUTRITION
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When it comes to eating for strength, there isn't
necessarily any specific diet you should eat. If we
had to choose one diet, the Vertical Diet is pretty
popular in the strength world
However, we definitely recommend concentrating on
whole foods as much as possible and following what
is known by the 80/20 rule. The 80/20 rule basically
states that you should aim to eat "clean" 80% of the
time while you have some leeway for the other 20%.
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To be clear, you still need to be hitting your macros.
The 80/20 rule is really just a guideline that permits a
person to eat a bit unclean here and there. If you find
yourself at a party or are binging on Netflix after a
killer session, it won't kill you to have some "guilty
pleasure." However, that assumes you usually eat
clean.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Diet For Strength
To gain strength, you should be in a caloric surplus. This means you need to eat more calories than you use on a daily
basis. Right away, this should tell you that this is not a "lose weight" plan. To be clear, you can run this program while
being in a caloric deficit if you want to lose weight. However, we just can't promise you're going to gain as much strength.
The reason being is that this program is very taxing where you'll be moving a lot of heavyweights. To do this, you need
fuel to not only get you through the workout, but you need to be able to recover as well. A caloric surplus will provide that
while a caloric deficit won't.
Therefore, we recommend being in at least a 300-500 caloric surplus when you run this program. If you are concerned
about weight gain, you could stick to the lower end.
Still, some may find that they need even more to properly recover. Therefore, your diet will be a bit of a guessing game
when you first start. That's why we strongly recommend you track your food intake so that you know what you're eating.
That’s great but a “500 caloric surplus” doesn't mean much if you don't know what you should be in a surplus of.
Therefore, you will need to use a TDEE calculator to approximate your daily caloric need. TDEE stands for Total Daily
Energy Expenditure and is the sum of all the ways you expend energy.
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Your TDEE will vary depending on what calculator you use, as there are different formulas that exist to come up with
TDEE. Obviously, this is not an exact science. Being so, we like the one from dioxyme as it uses formulas that produce a
pretty conservative value.
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How Many Calories Do You Need For Strength Training
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For those who are new, "macros" refers to your macronutrients which are the 3 nutrients your body needs in large quantities for optimal health.
Not only do these macronutrients provide you with a range of essential compounds for life, but they also provide you with calories. You will
need to know how many calories each macro provides in order to do your meal planning.
Protein: 1g=4 calories
Carbohydrates: 1g= 4 calories
Fats: 1g= 9 calories
To begin with, don't stress your exact macro split too much. For strength training, it's really not going to make a huge difference, assuming
you follow a few guidelines. That being said, we're going to quickly run through your macros and how much you should be eating of each.
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Protein (1.6-2.2g/kg)
Fats (30% TDEE)
Carbohydrates (Fill In The Rest)
Protein is the most important macro when building a diet as
it has the most "wiggle" room. While your fat and carb
intake could fluctuate quite dramatically, your protein intake
will always stay roughly the same. Studies recommend that
strength athletes eat between 1.4-2.0g/kg⁴. However, we
like 1.6g/kg to be the absolute minimum from experience
and the vast majority of professionals we work with like
these numbers as well. You are about to run an intense
strength program and will need the protein to support
recovery.
For fats, simply get 30% of your total caloric intake
from healthy fat (unsaturated and polyunsaturated)
while limiting saturated fat and eliminating trans fats.
After you have subtracted your protein intake and fat
intake, you are then going to use the rest of the
calories for your carbs:
Good sources of unsaturated fats:
• Oatmeal
• Vegetable oils
• Sweet potato (Our favorite snack w/ a little brown
Good sources of protein:
• Chicken breast
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• Greek yogurt (our favorite protein snack)
• Red meat
• Eggs
• Avocados
Good sources of polyunsaturated fats (your omegas):
• Flax Seed
• Chia
• Walnuts
• Fatty Fish
• Eggs w/ yolk
sugar!)
• Brown Rice
• Fruit
• Bean/Legumes
• Milk/Yogurt
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Determining Your Macros for Strength Training
To make this clear, here's an example of how to calculate your macros for a lifter who weighs 100kg, and his TDEE is 3,500 calories.
Protein
• Protein intake should be between
1.6-2.2g/kg/ He decides he wants
to eat 2.0g/kg.
• Therefore protein intake =
bodyweight (100kg) X protein (2g)
= 200g of protein.
• Since 1g of protein has 4 calories,
200g X 4 calories = 800 calories
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Carbohydrates
Fat
• Fat intake is 30% of TDEE
• His TDEE is 3000 calories
• 3000 X 0.30= 900 calories
• 1g of fat has 9 calories.
900/9= 100g of fat
• The rest of his calories will come
from carbohydrates.
• TDEE - protein - fat =
carbohydrates
• 3000- 800 - 900 = 1,300 calories
• 1g of carbohydrates has 4
calories. 1,300/4=325g of
carbohydrates
In summary, his macros would be:
• Protein: 200g/800 calories
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• Fat: 100g/900 calories
• Carbohydrates: 325/1,300 calories
Recommended TDEE Calculator
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Example TDEE
We're not going to give you a specific number
to drink as it's impossible and everyone will
differ. What we do know is what arbitrary
number you have heard before; it's going to
be more than that. The best way to know if
you're hydrated or dehydrated is by the color
of your urine. The optimal urine color is a light
yellow. Anything more yellow than that, and
you need to drink.
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Pay attention to hydrating when you wake up
as well as the time surrounding your training.
Just a 2% decrease in body weight from
dehydration can have an obvious effect on
your training. There's no reason to let this
happen.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Hydration
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
SUPPLEMENTATION
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You know the deal. Supplements are
the last part of the equation in your
journey to success.
We know your program is on point, and
you have all the information for
nutrition.
Therefore, it's up to you to follow those
as well as get in your sleep.
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That being said, here are the best
supplements we would recommend to
help you reach your goals.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
SUPPLEMENTATION
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Protein Powder
Protein powder is simply a convenient and effective way to
get in your protein when consuming a high protein diet.
You definitely don't need to use protein powder, but it
definitely helps.
At the same time, you shouldn't rely on protein powder
either. This said, the most effective time to use a protein
powder is after your training session with a fast-acting whey
protein.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Creatine
Creatine is the one supplement that we strongly recommend to our clients as it is
easily the most effective sports supplement on the market. There have been
thousands of studies that show that creatine will have a positive impact on your
performance.
Dosing occurs in two parts, a loading phase, and a maintenance phase. The
loading phase will allow you to quickly fill up your creatine stores while the
maintenance phase maintains your creatine levels. Studies that you can expect
the following results from creatine supplementation⁵.
• 5–15% more strength and power short-term
• 5-15% more work performed during sets of maximal effort muscle contractions
• 1 to 2 kg gain body mass in the first week of loading
• 5-15% greater gains in strength and performance long-term
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• Loading Phase: 20-25 grams daily for 5-7 days. It can be taken in smaller
doses, such as 5 servings of 4-5 grams.
• Maintenance Phase: 3-5 grams daily.
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It doesn't matter when you take your creatine, but evidence shows that taking it
with carbs can enhance absorption. With that in mind, it makes sense to add
creatine to your post-workout protein shake (assuming you have one).
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Caffeine & Pre-Workout
While most people think of caffeine as being a quick “pick-meup”, caffeine is actually one of the most effective supplements
on the market. Acting on the central nervous system, it acts as a
stimulant.
In order to see performance benefits from caffeine, you need to
take 3-6mg per kilogram of body weight approx 30-60 minutes
before your workout.
As for pre-workout…
Using a pre-workout is 100% a personal choice. You definitely
don't need to take one, or you may find that simply taking
caffeine works great. On the other hand, you might like the extra
kick it gives you.
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We recommend the Nutricost option to the right if you decide
on caffeine, as the 100mg per capsule dose means you can
portion it easily to 100-300mg depending on how much of a
boost you want.
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Beta-Alanine
Beta-Alanine is probably the most misunderstood supplement there is
due to its relation with pre-workouts. Beta-Alanine is the rate-limiting
factor in the synthesis of a compound known as carnosine. Carnosine is
a powerful muscle buffer that can help mitigate the build-up of fatigue.
However, once beta-alanine runs out, carnosine can't be produced
anymore, so your muscles fatigue much faster. Therefore, supplementing
with beta-alanine can increase the production of carnosine, thereby
mitigating fatigue.
In order for beta-alanine to work, you must take it for a period of time to
allow for the production of carnosine. The optimal dosing protocol isn't
quite as clear as with creatine, but the following are some good
guidelines to follow:
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• Loading Phase (First 2-4 Weeks): 4-6g daily; you can divide into
multiple doses
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• Maintenance Phase: 2-4g daily; some studies have seen maintenance
with 1.2g
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EAAs
EAAs are your essential amino acids and are basically isolated amino
acids from protein. In this free form, your body is able to absorb them
much faster, which can offer immediate support for muscle recovery.
In recent years, BCAA used to be all the rage as they contain the
important amino acids for muscle protein synthesis (MPS). However,
newer research has shown that your body still needs the "less important"
amino acids for optimal MPS.
For weightlifters who are eating sufficient calories and protein, EAA
probably isn't really necessary. The only time we might suggest this is for
the intra-workout, but other than that, they're unneeded. To be honest, we
think one of their best traits is that they taste awesome and encourage
hydration. While that sounds funny, it's actually very important.
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We recommend Bulk Supplements because of its price. It’s unflavored but
that’s fine for most people as you can just mix it with your protein or other
kinds of smoothies.
BUY NOW
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
FOOD TIMING &
RECOVERY
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Food timing refers to the practice of eating nutrition or supplements at specific times to optimize
performance. This is really the last piece of the puzzle that can help improve your performance.
Besides how and what you eat, you also need to make sure you are sleeping enough! Sleep is a huge
part of building muscle and strength and optimizing recovery.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
FOOD TIMING & RECOVERY
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You should aim to consume protein once every 3-4 hours in order to maintain an elevated muscle
protein synthesis (MPS) rate. These doses should be relatively similar EXCEPT for your post-workout
protein intake. Studies have shown that consuming higher doses of protein after your workout can
help to optimize your heightened anabolic state.
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Protein Timing
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Your before-workout meal will depend on when you train, specifically if you train first thing in the
morning or after breakfast. The obvious differentiating factor being is if you train before breakfast or
after. Therefore, we’re going to tackle these two scenarios separately.
Before we go any further, we have no issue with which category you fall into, AS LONG as you don’t
train fast! We don’t have an issue with fasted training, but that is for another goal, and strength
gains are not it. The only caveat is if you are experienced and are very familiar with how your body
performs.
Also, your before-workout meal is important, but it’s not as important as your post-workout meal.
This is an intense program, but the sessions shouldn’t be prolonged, meaning that as long as you
have been following your basic nutrition plan (hitting your macros, eating throughout the day), it’s
not really a huge deal.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Before-Workout Meal
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The pre-workout meal is going to be more important for the pre-breakfast crew compared to the postbreakfast crew as this group is technically in a fasted state. Therefore, they need to get some food in them
before they hit the gym. At the same time, they need to be mindful of any gastric distress. This is highly
individual, so you will need to adjust according to your body’s ability to handle food while exercising.
When you wake up, your primary goal is to hydrate. You just spent 6-8 hours with no liquid and you are
likely in some state of mild hydration. Don’t be fooled into believing you’re not because you were sleeping
as your body expels water during respiration. Therefore, we would recommend keeping a big glass of
water next to your bed and chugging that first thing.
After you hydrate, your main food to focus on is getting some carbs in your system. Fruit makes a great
choice, but even some juice or a sports drink would be great as you get the carbs and hydration at the
same time. That being said, you want to stick to high-gi foods so that your body can digest them quickly.
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Secondly, ideally, you can get some protein in you. If we’re going with food sources, our go-to is definitely
greek yogurt. It’s light, has anywhere from 12-15g of protein, and also has some carbs on top.
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One awesome food source is going to be chocolate milk. It has some good protein, and carbs from the
chocolate, AND milk is actually an awesome source of hydration. Studies show it even hydrates better
than water or sports drinks.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Pre-Breakfast Crew (Those Who Workout Before Breakfast)
For the post-workout crew, your post-workout meal isn’t really going to be that important, at
least if you have eaten every 3-4 hours. The reason being is that there could only be a couple
hours max separating your workout time from your last meal.
Ideally, you could coordinate your meal times so that you eat about 1.5-1 hour before your
workout session.
Regardless, let’s say it had been 3 hours since you ate; you could just do something similar to
the pre-breakfast crew and have a little snack.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Post-Breakfast Crew (Those Who Workout After Breakfast)
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Intra-workout nutrition isn’t a huge
priority in weightlifting as the duration
isn’t long enough to matter too much.
This is, of course, assuming you’re
eating a sufficient amount of calories.
That being said, studies have shown
that consuming carbohydrates,
generally in the form of a liquid, can
increase muscle glycogen stores,
mitigate muscle damage, and perhaps
increase adaptations from training.
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Most studies have used a 6%
carbohydrate beverage (sports drink)
or a 6% carbohydrate drink plus 6g of
EAA⁶.
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Intra-Workout
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The post-workout anabolic window has been greatly exaggerated over the years to the point where lifters actually
think they wasted their workout if they didn’t get their protein shake in on time. This is not the case. However, a
pushback to this nonsense has led to another wave of pushback that proclaims it doesn’t matter at all when you eat.
This isn’t really true either.
Notice how I said that the post-anabolic window is “exaggerated” and not a “lie .”In reality, it does seem like your
body is anabolically primed after your workout, but that doesn’t mean you’ll waste your workout if you don’t. What it
means is that you should eat if you are able to. Basically, putting off your post-workout meal “just because” is silly. At
the same time, don’t run red lights trying to get home because you forgot your protein.
Now we have that cleared up, let’s talk about what you should eat post-workout. Eat a meal composed mainly of
carbs and protein in a 2:1-3:1 ratio (carbs: protein). As mentioned above, studies have suggested that eating a larger
dose of protein post-workout could lead to optimal recovery, so we would suggest somewhere in the 30-40g range,
perhaps even more for bigger guys⁴. Don’t make this too complicated, though, as it doesn’t need to be exact.
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For example, if you were going to eat 40 g of protein, you would pair it with 80-120g of carbs. Caloric-wise, you’re
looking at 480-640 calories.
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Also, be sure to hydrate!!!! Don’t even worry about “how much?” as this depends on your sweat rate but drink a big
ass glass of water. If you’re a sweaty beast, drink two.
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Post-Workout
New research has found that pre-sleep
protein can greatly increase MPS while
you sleep and enhance recovery and
muscle adaptations.
Specifically, casein protein tends to elicit
greater effect as it’s a slow-digesting
protein.
This can elicit a greater increase in MPS
for a longer duration. Research shows
that a dose of 30-40g is optimal7.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Pre-Sleep Protein
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Please don’t bust your ass in the gym, dial in your diet, and then screw it all up by sleeping 3 hours a
night. The whole “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” mantra is only going to get you deader sooner. We understand
some of you are extremely busy, but sleep is literally the time our bodies recharge. Sure, you might be
“awake” for a couple of extra hours, but you will be nowhere near as productive as if you slept those two
extra hours. And we’re not even talking about performance here. Cutting your sleep short can affect your
work performance, mood, mental well-being, and even relationships.
That being said, losing sleep can also have a huge impact on sports performance, including weight loss
and the mitigation of muscle growth. At the same time, a strength program like this can really pile on
fatigue so you may find you even need an extra hour. If you do, take it.
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At the same time, active recovery is another huge factor in how well you feel and perform. The best thing
that you can do is perform some sort of light cardio after your training session, preferably at some other
point in the day. And we’re not talking about a full-on spinning session here. We’re talking about taking
your dog for a walk; just walk a little faster. Hell, it might mean going shopping with your girlfriend. Or
ladies, go look at cars with your boyfriend. The main point is to try and be active throughout the day.
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Sleep & Recovery
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That’s a lot of information, but it’s really not that bad once it’s written down. Therefore, we are going to give
you a timeline of what a normal day of training would look like. This will also include nutrient timing and
supplementation.
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• 6AM - Wake-Up
• 6:30 AM - Breakfast 4ggs, 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 cup of whole milk
• 7:30 AM - Take Preworkout (30min before workout)
• 8:00 AM - Workout (Sports Drink w/ 6g EAA)
• 9:30 AM - Post-Workout Shake/Meal w/ Creatine & Beta-Alanine 40G PRO/80g CARB
• 12:00 PM - Lunch
• 2:00 PM - Snack
• 5:00 PM - Dinner
• 7:00 PM - 30 minute walk
• 7:30 PM - Snack
• 9:30 PM - Pre-Sleep Casein Shake 30g.
• 10:00 PM - Sleep
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
Example of a Full Day of Eating, Training, and Sleeping
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
FAQ
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You can do what you want, but we strongly advise you not to. One of the key components to a successful strength program is handling recovery
effectively. Needlessly causing more stress on your body will not help you achieve strength. This is perhaps the hardest lesson for new lifters to
learn; more does not always mean better.
2. What if I miss a session?
Obviously, it's best if you get every session; however, things happen. If you miss a session, you have a couple options.
• You can simply just push all of your sessions up one training day. This is for those who are stuck with training on certain days to their
schedule.
• You could try to workout out on one of your rest days to get back on schedule.
If this begins to happen a lot, you may want to try a set-up that has you training fewer days like the 3-day split we have.
3. Will this program also grow muscle?
Yes, it's just not the main focus. Also, it depends on how much muscle mass you have right now and how long you've been training. The newer
you are to training will result in an easier time gaining muscle. Vice versa for those who have been training longer.
4. What If I Don't Have A Spotter?
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Our answer will vary greatly on how experienced the person is who is asking. To begin with, you should always have a spotter. However, this is
reality, and this isn't always possible. Still, unless you are training at a home gym, there is ALWAYS someone at the gym that's willing to help out.
Be sure to read body language, but most people at the gym are willing to help out real quick. Just be ready to go, and don't find someone on the
opposite side of the gym. If worse comes to worst, you can grab a trainer real quick.
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Other than that, you can always set up safety bars in a stand. In fact, you can even do this for the bench press by placing a bench in between the
safety bars. This can be a bit cumbersome to set up but missing a lift is also cumbersome as well as dangerous and slightly embarrassing.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
1.Can I add exercises?
Tempo refers to the speed at which you perform a repetition. Generally, it's used to modify time under tension in order to invoke more
muscle damage, mechanical tensions, etc., for muscle hypertrophy. As this is a strength program, the tempo isn't going to really matter so
much apart from two situations:
• When you're instructed to use maximal intent
• Using a slow and controlled descent
The reason being is that when you're dealing with heavy loads, you don't have much choice with how long it takes for you to complete a
rep. Nor does it really matter for strength purposes (again, apart from maximal intent). Further, you want to use a slow and controlled
eccentric so that you don't hurt yourself. Physics still applies, and when a heavy load picks up speed, the force increases. If this is on the
barbell, you're gonna have to stop this excessive force and reverse the motion.
6. Do I need to use A belt?
No. But you can, and it does help for major lifts. Go back to the gear section to learn more.
7. Do I need to stretch?
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Stretching is one of those hot-button issues that can get people oddly angry. We'll give you the breakdown while too intensive of a subject
to explain here. Over time, the term "stretching" and "warm-up" have often been interchanged so that people confuse the meanings. The
main purpose of stretching is to increase flexibility, yet it has traditionally been done during the warm-up. Therefore, the population relates
stretching with injury prevention which studies show really isn't the case.
Further, during our warm-up, we do perform "stretching"; it just consists of dynamic stretching rather than static stretching.
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Post-workout, we recommend a proper cool down that is some light cardio. You can perform static stretching if you have specific issues
with flexibility but studies actually show it doesn't really do much for injury prevention⁸. However, if you want to, you certainly can.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
5. Does tempo matter?
Muscle soreness is caused by a phenomenon known as DOMS or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Interestingly, the mechanisms of
DOMS still aren't fully understood, but it's definitely caused by introducing a new stimulus to the muscle or when the muscle
experiences training of higher intensity. There are a few things you need to know about DOMS:
1. It's completely normal and will subside after a few days
2. You should not "chase" DOMS. DOMS is not an indicator of muscle growth
3. A little soreness is usually and doesn’t matter. Excessive soreness indicates somethings wrong with your recovery or you increased
the intensity way too fast
9. What about cardio?
Yes. You should definitely be doing some sort of cardio in addition to this program. One of the biggest flaws of pure strength athletes,
and even bodybuilders, is they exclude cardio because they think it will steal their gains. It won't if you keep it reasonable. We suggest
a minimum of 3 cardio sessions of 30 mins per week. We also recommend including some sort of HIIT as well as at least one session
of steady-state. We listed some cardio options below.
10. The weight feels too easy?
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The weight will likely feel easy during the first cycle (1-4 weeks). In fact, it's always better to start lighter than heavier. Instead of
thinking about getting stronger every week, look at the program as a whole, and you're preparing to set a new PR in 12 weeks.
Regardless, strength will never be linear; it's always a path of ups and downs, but the general trend should be moving up.
11. What If I miss a rep?
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This really shouldn't be an issue until at least the 2nd cycle, assuming you're eating properly. However, things happen. If you miss a
rep, we want you to rest for 1:00 and then perform another set and perform reps until an RPE8-9.
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
8. Why are my muscles sore? And do I need to be sore?
For several reasons. The first is that this week is acting like a quasi-deload. However, instead of a 100% proper deload, you're
focusing on pushing with maximal velocity. Again, this means you're pushing as hard as you can. Theoretically, if you can
move the weight faster, that's "progressive overload ."However, the progressive overlord isn't the purpose of this week as,
again, it's acting as a deload for these reps.
13. Can I increase (decrease) the number of days I train mid-way?
If you have been training for a month or so and find that you want to change the number of days you train (increase or
decrease), then you can. The only caveat is if you're going to do this, wait until the beginning of a training week, i.e., don't
switch training plans on session 2.
14. How long should my workouts take?
Including your warm-up, a session will last around 1:15 give or take. For example:
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• Warm-up: 10-15min
• A. Bench Press 5/3/1: 20min
• A1 Chin-Up 3x5 + Drop Set: 15min
• B. Close-Grip Bench 4X6-8: 10min
• B. Seated Back Row 4X6-8: 10min
• C. Face Pull 2X12-15: 3min
• C. Arm Curl 2X12-15: 3min
Trying to account for nuance, this would take you 71mins+ walking to the exercises and anything else that could pop up
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
12. Why doesn't the load increase for the AMRAP?
When we lift heavy weights, our ATP stores will deplete quickly. Therefore, the primary purpose of rest intervals is to allow
your ATP stores to be replenished as well as allow some other physiological mechanism to return to normal such as blood
pressure. Regardless, most people rest too short because they “feel” fine but in reality, their ATP stores are still filling up.
Therefore, when it comes to altering rest time, follow these guidelines:
• Try to keep the assigned intervals
• If you need longer, take it. This program is 100% strength based so if you need rest to hit your weights, that’s fine.
• For your “A” and “A1” exercises, always rest for the assigned intervals. Think of those as a minimum.
• For your “B” and “C” exercises, if you need to you can cut :30sec off.
• If you are in a rush with limited time, do the primary exercises and work your way down. If you need, just skip exercises
towards the end.
16. What if the weight is too light?
The weight shouldn’t be too light if you perform the 1RM testing correctly. Also, remember that you will work up into a higher
weight. However, if you feel the weight is so light it’s not doing anything, you can add slightly more weight.
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
15. What if I need more rest time or less rest time?
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A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
AFTER THE PROGRAM ENDS
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If you want to run this program for another 12 weeks, you would be to basically do the same thing but
use different exercises, especially your main lifts. For example, instead of the bench press, you could do
an incline bench press. Instead of the deadlift, you could do a sumo deadlift or deficit deadlift. While the
movement pattern and muscle groups are very similar but different enough to elicit a different stimulus
from the muscles.
We’re going to list some appropriate “swap-out” exercises you could use for some of your lifts. And to
be clear, you don’t need to swap out every exercise at the same time. After the first 3 months, you could
then maybe swap out new A1, B & C exercises for every 4 weeks.
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WANT TO RUN THIS PROGRAM AGAIN?
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Bench Press Swap Outs:
• Dumbbell Bench Press
• Incline Press (Barbell or Dumbbell)
Back Squat Swap Outs:
• Safety Squat Bar
• Low Bar Squat
Romanian Deadlift Swap Outs:
• Snatch Grip Romanian Deadlift
• Stiff Leg Romanian Deadlift
Bent Over Row Swap Outs:
• T-Bar Row
• Pendlay Row
• Use Underhand Grip
Deadlift Swap Outs:
• Deficit Deadlift
• Rack Pull (below knees)
Z-Press Swap Outs:
• Seated Dumbbell Press
• Kneeling Single Dumbbell Press
Front Squat Swap Outs:
• Front Rack Barbell Split Squat
Single Arm Dumbbell Row Swap Outs:
• Meadows Row
• Kroc Row
Military Press Swap Outs:
• Push Press
• Pin Press
• Overhead Dumbbell Press
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Lunges Swap Outs:
• Reverse Lunge
For the rest of the exercises, you can just follow the same idea. But keep in mind, you don’t have to swap out every exercise.
At the same time, sometimes it can help to just remove an exercise for a period of time. The point being is that when things
stale you can just simply alter your plan a bit.
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Swap-Out Examples
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1) Ahtiainen JP, Walker S, Peltonen H, et al. Heterogeneity in resistance training-induced muscle strength and mass responses in men
and women of different ages. AGE. 2016;38(1). doi:10.1007/s11357-015-9870-1
2) Morton RW, Colenso-Semple L, Phillips SM. Training for strength and hypertrophy: an evidence-based approach. Current Opinion in
Physiology. 2019;10:90-95. doi:10.1016/j.cophys.2019.04.006
3) McCrary JM, Ackermann BJ, Halaki M. A systematic review of the effects of upper body warm-up on performance and injury. British
Journal of Sports Medicine. 2015;49(14):935-942. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2014-094228
4) Campbell B, Kreider RB, Ziegenfuss T, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. Journal of
the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2007;4(1):8. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-4-8
5) Buford TW, Kreider RB, Stout JR, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation and
exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2007;4(1):6. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-4-6
6) Bird SP, Tarpenning KM, Marino FE. Effects of liquid carbohydrate/essential amino acid ingestion on acute hormonal response
during a single bout of resistance exercise in untrained men. Nutrition. 2006;22(4):367-375. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2005.11.005
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7) Kim J. Pre-sleep casein protein ingestion: new paradigm in post-exercise recovery nutrition. Physical Activity and Nutrition.
2020;24(2):6-10. doi:10.20463/pan.2020.0009
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8) Thacker SB, Gilchrist J, Stroup DF, Kimsey CD. The Impact of Stretching on Sports Injury Risk: A Systematic Review of the
Literature. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2004;36(3):371-378. doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000117134.83018.f7
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References
A SET FOR SET PROGRAM FOR BUILDING STRENGTH
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