The Black Book of Strength - Andy Bolton [PDF]

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The M&F Strength Series

Powerlifting legend Andy Bolton’s secret Black Book of proven strength training programmes...

Guaranteed to make you

stronger

The M&F Strength Series

www.muscle-fitness.co.uk/strength

the M&F strength series

the black book of strength By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman Photography by Chris Bailey: Bailey Images Shot on Location at: Olympic Sports Gym, Ashton Under Lyne, Manchester http://www.olympicsportsgym.co.uk/ Model: Jonathan Walker the M&F strength series Project Team Andrew Berrie, Martin Cheifetz, Joanna Green, Neil Molyneaux, Sarah Patterson, John Plummer, Leigh Shrimpton, Matt Turner

ISBN 978-1-78420-044-2 (PDF version)

Published in the UK by Weider Publishing Ltd. Copyright © (2013) Weider Publications, LLC

To subscribe to Muscle&Fitness or FLEX call 01858 435346 or email [email protected] Every care is taken to assure the accuracy of the information in The M&F Strength Series, The Black Book of Strength, but no responsibility can be accepted for the consequences of actions based on the advice contained herein. Weider Publishing Ltd. makes every effort to ensure that the advertising contained in The M&F Strength Series, The Black Book of Strength is derived from respectable sources. It does not, however, assume responsibility for the advertisements, nor any claims and representations made therein, nor the quality or delivery of the products/services themselves.

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The M&F Strength Series

The M&F Strength Series

introduction

Hey, it’s Andy Bolton here If you don’t know who I am, let me briefly explain… I’m a six-time WPC world powerlifting champion, a two-time WPO world powerlifting champion, a 15-time British powerlifting champion, and the first man to deadlift over 1,000 lbs (457.5 kg). At the time of writing I’ve done this twice. I’ve held the all-time total record, and—again at the time of writing—I am the current British bench press record holder with a bench of 350.5 kg. I’ve also competed in Strongman, on one occasion beating Mark Henry (the self-titled ‘World’s Strongest Man’) by deadlifting 900 lbs (410 kg) for three reps, after he’d just pulled two reps with the same weight and thought he’d won.

That felt pretty good!

Anyway, why am I telling you all this? Not to brag, that’s for sure.

Rather, to show you that you’re in safe hands when it comes to strength training programmes. I’ve built my 1,214-lb squat, 775-lb bench and 1,008-lb deadlift by writing my own strength training programmes— programmes that work. Believe me, it took about 10 years of trial and error to get really good at writing strength training programmes that produce results for me and the other lifters and athletes I coach. And I live and breathe strength. Most people—if they try to ‘go it alone’—will end up frustrated. What I mean is, if they try to write their own training programmes they will get limited results. Why? Because writing programmes is a serious thing. It takes knowledge and experience. Investing in my Black Book was a wise decision because now, instead of frustrating yourself and wasting hours, days, weeks, months or even years fiddling around with programmes that don’t work…

…you can, instead, simply cherry-pick programmes from this book and then go to the gym and follow them. If you do that—without succumbing to the temptation of ‘messing with them’ and ‘trying to make them better’—there will only be one outcome: You’ll get a lot stronger. Simple as that. And truthfully, there are enough strength training programmes in this Black Book to keep you going for a lifetime. Something Really Freakin’ Important!

Before we get into the ‘meat’ of this book I need to point something out that very few strength coaches will ever tell you:

If you don’t believe in a programme—and if it doesn’t suit your personality—you will make limited or nonexistent gains while using it!

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The M&F Strength Series Let’s be honest…

Unless you’re a professional athlete, you aren’t getting paid to train for strength. You aren’t getting paid to go to the gym and bust-your-ass when you could be out drinking with your buddies instead! (Or doing whatever else you love to do). So, without the allure of money, the only thing you have to motivate you is a genuine desire to get stronger. If you have this, you’re already half way to being seriously strong.

Now, let me ask you a question…

If you’re going to go to the gym (or train in your garage) two, three, four or more times a week, do you think you’ll be happier and more enthusiastic doing so if you really believe in the programme you’re following, or if you hate it?

It’s obvious, right?

You’ll make your best gains by far if you follow a programme you really like. As you go through this book some programmes will appeal to you more than others. That’s cool. You’re a human being; it’s natural to have preferences. It’s natural to favour some things over others. My point is simply to only follow the programmes you like the look of! Otherwise you are setting yourself up for failure.

Want proof?

Take the example of my friend Elliot. He’s a powerlifter and he once tried the Sheiko approach to strength training, which basically involves lifting moderate weight and using high volume on the squat, bench press, deadlift and not much else. After three weeks Elliot was going insane. Sheiko just didn’t suit him. He found it monotonous and boring. Am I saying Sheiko is bad? Heck no! It’s produced some of the world’s

greatest powerlifters. But it’s not for everyone. Now you might be thinking Elliot’s just a quitter. He’s not. He just needs a training programme that suits him, and when he gets it, he can make some pretty damn fast progress. For instance, when he first decided he wanted to start powerlifting, he went to the gym and hurt his back trying to deadlift 80 kg. He tells me it took him about five very slow seconds to grind up 80 kg and after he set the weight back down his back was killing. In the changing rooms afterwards he could barely put his socks on. The pain took nearly a week to go away. I shouldn’t laugh, but it is kind of funny… One rep with 80 kg and he hurt his back. But, check this out: Within eight months, Elliot had travelled to Belgium and pulled 227.5 kg in competition, to win a junior world title in the World Drug Free Powerlifting Federation. Look at the maths. 227.5 kg – 80 kg = 147.5 kg. He put 147.5 kg on his deadlift in eight months.

How would you like to experience that kind of strength increase? Pulling 80 kg he weighed a whisker under 82.5 kg. Pulling 227.5 kg he still weighed a whisker under 82.5 kg. Now, would I follow the programme Elliot used to make these gains? Absolutely not.

Why not?

Because it’s not my thing. It doesn’t appeal to me. But it appealed to him and boy did it work for him. So, I’ll actually share that programme—which led to a 147.5 kg gain on his deadlift in eight months—with you in this Black Book. Because it just might appeal to you!

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1:

HOW TO practise your way to super strength

Chapter 2: the 5 x 5 programme

Chapter 3: the 3 x 3 programme

Chapter 4: the power of ‘25’

Chapter 5:

waving your weights

Chapter 6: ladders

Chapter 7:

from an 80 kg to 227.5 kg deadlift in 8 months - here’s how to do it

Chapter 8: cycling

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The M&F Strength Series OK. I think you get my point…

▪  There are a ton of strength training programmes in this book ▪  All of them will make you stronger ▪  Only choose the ones that you like the look of—the ones that suit your personality Now, there are just a few more important things to cover and then we’ll get to the programmes. More important stuff you need to know to get the most out of The Black Book Of Strength training programmes… I’ll bullet point this so you can get through it as quickly as possible. Please do read it because, like I said, it’s important: ▪  Don’t be a ‘programme hopper.’ Don’t be that guy (or girl) who jumps from programme to programme every week. If you do this, you’ll make zero progress. Guaranteed. Instead, pick a programme you like the look of and commit to it for however long it lasts. If there’s no set number of weeks for it, use it for at least eight and preferably 12 weeks. Why? Because it takes at least that long to start to understand a programme and the results it produces for you. ▪  Use great technique on every lift you perform because this will lead to the fastest possible strength gains with minimum injury risk. NOTE: there is always some risk associated with lifting weights, just as there is with crossing the road. Lifting with bad form is like crossing the road with your eyes closed. It’s dumb, it’s dangerous and it’s asking for trouble. Lifting with great form is the only acceptable way. I know ‘technique’ doesn’t sound sexy, but it’s sexier than injury. And think about this: the best athletes have the best technique.

▪  Nutrition and sleep matter. A lot. If you want to maximise your results from any of the programmes in this book do not ignore your nutrition or sleep. The days of strength athletes fuelling themselves on fast food, take-outs, ham and cheese sandwiches on white bread and chocolate bars has to stop. ▪  Eat a natural, unprocessed, organic diet, drink plenty of clean water and get seven to eight hours of quality, uninterrupted sleep every night. Do that and the strength gains will come thick and fast (assuming you pick a programme you like and follow it exactly as written). ▪  Don’t be afraid to have some time off. Occasionally having five days or a full week when you don’t touch a weight can be beneficial. Just don’t go taking six or eight weeks off like some do, because that’ll just make you lose strength. There’s a fine line so be honest with yourself. If you’ve been training hard for three or four months and you suddenly feel a little tired, maybe you need a few days off. If you’re 10 days into a programme and you take two weeks off, you’re just being lazy.

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The M&F Strength Series ▪ A  void failure almost all of the time. Failure—pushing sets to the absolute limit in the gym—will make you tired, is hard to recover from, usually leads to a loss of form and can lead to injury. I’ve squatted 1,214 lbs and deadlifted 1,008 lbs in competition without ever going anywhere near failure in the gym.

I always left a rep in the tank and, compared to most of my competitors, I’ve had fewer injuries. So it might be a good idea for you to always ‘leave a rep in the tank’, too. The exception is when you are testing your strength or competing. When doing that you can push harder, potentially to your limit. But that’s only going to be a handful of times a year. Most of the time, lift within yourself and leave a rep (or two) in the tank.

OK, now we are ready to get into the Strength Training Programmes. Note that all programmes are written REPS x SETS

**Only working sets are shown. These should be preceded by several warm up sets. Warming up is unique to the individual, so warm up reps and sets are not included here. www.muscle-fitness.co.uk/strength

The M&F Strength Series

Chapter 1:

How To Practise Your Way To Super Strength The ‘three-day-a-week practice’–a pretty much ‘foolproof’ way to get stronger… Pick three barbell lifts you want to get stronger on. For the purposes of this example we’ll use the back squat, bench press and deadlift but it could just as easily be the front squat, military press and sumo deadlift. Practise those lifts three times a week, on non-consecutive days. Monday, Wednesday Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. You get the idea.

Here are some keys to success with this style of training: ▪ Use 1-5 reps per set (focusing mostly on 3-5 reps, using singles and doubles occasionally) ▪ Rest 2-5 minutes between sets ▪ Do most of your practise using 60-90% of your 1 rep max on any given exercise ▪ Have harder days, easier days and moderate days. On a three day a week practise plan, one of each works perfectly in any given training week ▪ Test your strength every eight to 12 weeks. You can test your strength by working up to a 1, 2, 3 or 5 rep max or by doing max reps with a given weight ▪ With the exception of test days, avoid failure at all costs. Always leave a rep in the tank, and sometimes (on easy and moderate days) leave several.

Here’s how it looks: Day 1: Squat (hard) Bench Press (medium) Deadlift (easy) Day 2: Squat (medium) Bench Press (easy) Deadlift (hard) Day 3: Squat (easy) Bench Press (hard) Deadlift (medium)

Now, you’re probably wondering: Are there any assistance exercises with this programme? And: How many sets should you do for each exercise? Let me answer those for you right now… If you want, you can add assistance exercises but keep it very simple. Don’t dilute the beautiful simplicity of the programme by adding five, six, seven or more crappy assistance exercises to each workout, that’ll only tire you out and make you weaker. Here’s what I’d do: Do your squat, bench press and deadlift practice first, then finish off with: Pull ups or rows on day one, two-handed kettlebell swings on day two, and hanging leg raises on day three. For the pull ups shoot for 6-8 reps per set. 3-4 sets will get the job done. Add weight if you can. For the rows go with 8-12 reps for 3-4 sets.

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The M&F Strength Series Use impeccable form. And for the swings, roll with 5-10 reps for 5-10 sets In fact, right now I want to show you the simplest kettlebell swing programme in the world. It’ll help you to (eventually) dominate any size of kettlebell you wish on the two-handed swing. If you’ve never really practised the kettlebell swing before, start with the 16 kg kettlebell and follow this plan…

If you compete in sports that require strength, speed, power and/or endurance, you’ll also find you’re a much better athlete. And all that from 5-10 minutes of swings performed once a week. Pretty sick, eh?

The simplest kettlebell training programme in the world

Session 1: 5 x 5 (performing the swings at the top of every minute. This means you get just under a minute to rest between sets) Add a rep each session… Session 2: 6 x 5 Session 3: 7 x 5 Session 4: 8 x 5 Session 5: 9 x 5 Session 6: 10 x 5 (now you’re doing 50 swings in 5 minutes) Once you get to 10 reps for five sets start adding a set each session… Session 7: 10 x 6 Session 8: 10 x 7 Session 9: 10 x 8 Session 10: 10 x 9 Session 11: 10 x 10 (now you’re doing 100 swings in 10 minutes)

Kettlebell swing start Mid-point

When you can do that with a 16 kg ’bell, switch to a heavier kettlebell and repeat until you can do this with the 48kg ‘bell—known as The Beast. When you can do 100 crisp and powerful reps in 10 minutes, with the Beast, you will be strong and conditioned. You’ll also notice a weird and amazing carry-over to your barbell lifts, particularly the deadlift. www.muscle-fitness.co.uk/strength

Finish

The M&F Strength Series If you’re somebody who likes to train five times a week, train Monday to Friday and take the weekend off. Here’s a five-day practice programme that’ll work nicely for you: Monday: Practise squats, bench presses and deadlifts. Finish with pull ups (or chins) Tuesday: Follow the simplest kettlebell swing programme in the world Wednesday: Practise squats, bench presses and deadlifts. Finish with hanging leg raises Thursday: Follow the simplest kettlebell swing programme in the world Friday: Practise squats, bench presses and deadlifts. Finish with rows

This style of training—frequent practise and never to failure—is exactly how many of the old-time strongmen trained. The beauty is that it allows you to get a lot of reps in and perfect your technique without burning yourself out. Now, you’re probably still wondering how many sets you should do for your practise sessions on squats, bench presses and deadlifts. Here’s what I recommend: A typical hard session should be 5 x 5 A medium session should be 3 x 3 And an easy session could be 2-3 x 2-3 with lighter weights than you used on the hard and medium days. But seriously, as long as you stay fresh and ‘get the work in’ there’s no right or wrong way with this style of training. If you’re feeling really great one day and you want to do 10 sets of five reps on your squats or bench presses, that’s fine. Just be sure to follow it up with a much easier

session the next time you practise. And don’t be afraid to make your EASY sessions really easy… 60% of your 1RM for two or three doubles or triples is perfectly acceptable on your easy days. You’re simply getting some practise in. Avoid the newbie mistake of making every session HARD. Do that and you’ll go backwards sooner or later, that’s for sure.

A word on the deadlift:

The deadlift is probably the most physically and mentally stressful barbell lift you can perform. Much more so than squats, presses (bench or overhead) and the Olympic lifts. Think about it— Many Olympic lifters train their front squats and Olympic lifts multiple times a day, for multiple sets of 1-6 reps. However, many of the greatest powerlifters and deadlifters of all time have only ever trained their deads once a week. Are they lazy? No, they simply understand that there is something really tiring about grinding with the weight in your hands. For this reason, I recommend a slightly different approach to practising your deadlifts… On easy days, a few singles (10 at the most) with 50-60% of your max will suffice. Pavel Tsatsouline would call this “greasing the groove”. I call it “practising your technique”. Whatever. You get the idea. On moderate days, pull a few singles with 60-75% of your max, or pull 2-3 x 2-3 with the same kind of percentage. On hard days, sometimes a single with 80% is all you need. However, if you’re feeling really fresh, feel free to work up to 3-5 reps with 80 or 85% or pull a heavy single with 90%+. Just be sure to avoid pulling a heavy single with 90%+ too often.

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The M&F Strength Series Once every 6-8 weeks is enough. If you put enough volume in on your squats and practise your deads regularly, but with limited volume, you’ll still increase your pull. Especially if you add the kettlebell swings, pull-ups and rows into your programme.

Practising barbell lifts four or five times per week

What if you want to practise your barbell lifts four or five times per week, instead of three? That’s ok. Just be careful you don’t overdo it and make sure your sleep and nutrition are spot on. Also, be realistic about whether you really need five days a week of barbell practise and ask yourself whether or not it fits into your lifestyle. If it doesn’t, go with three days a week and throw in the kettlebell swing workout on days four and five. That way, you’re fulfilling your desire to train five days a week, but the kettlebell swing days only take 10 minutes max! Here are some guidelines for practising barbell lifts four to five times a week: Only go ‘hard’ once a week on any given lift and remember that ‘hard’ still means AVOIDING FAILURE (break this rule at your own risk!) Focus on more than just three lifts. For instance, do the squat, bench press and deadlift, then add in the military press and front squat Have an easy week (or de-load) every three to six weeks. On this easy week, eliminate the ‘hard’ sessions and stick to easy and moderate sessions. It’ll let your body and mind recover and you’ll come back stronger the next week. By the way – the week after an easy week is the perfect time to TEST your strength Here’s a four-day training programme using the ‘practice’ method:

Monday: Squat Bench press Tuesday: Military press Deadlift Thursday: Squat Bench press Friday: Military press Deadlift

Don’t worry about pressing four times a week. So long as you stick to the ‘practice’ mind-set, only go hard once a week and avoid failure, you’ll be able to handle it. Think about it. If you do 5 x 5 on your hard day, that’s only 25 reps. Your easy and moderate days will have even less volume. So it’s not the volume in any one session that’s making you strong by practising like this, it’s the frequency (and quality) of practice. Finally… Here’s a five-day training programme using the ‘practice’ method: Monday: Squat Bench press Tuesday: Military press Deadlift Wednesday: Front squat Push press Thursday: Squat Bench press Friday: Military press Deadlift

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The M&F Strength Series On either of these four or five-day practice plans, add in one assistance exercise at the end of the session if you feel you need it and if you feel up to it. If you have a day when you genuinely don’t feel like doing an assistance exercise, end the session and live to fight another day. You might be reading this and asking: “Andy, what do I do if I want to practise my barbell lifts 6 or 7 days a week?” My answer? Well, in the politest way possible… get a life!

If you practise your barbell lifts four or five days a week, try to keep your sessions to 45 minutes, or an hour at most (after you’ve warmed up). This will ensure you don’t do too much. If you can only train twice a week, ditch the easy sessions and just have a hard and a moderate session. Feel free to train for 90 minutes, or even 120 minutes during these sessions. After all, you’re only training twice a week. Two assistance exercises per session are OK on a two-day practice regime.

Seriously—spend time with your family, go out with your friends, volunteer to do some charity work or get a second job. Training six or seven days a week isn’t necessary. On those days, take it easy, go for a walk or a gentle swim, do some mobility work, play golf or get a massage. Just keep the freakin’ barbell out of your hands. This isn’t meant to feel like a job. If you do it every day, it will start to feel that way and your gains won’t be as fast as if you train three, four or five days a week following the guidelines I laid out earlier in this chapter. Before we end this chapter on ‘practising’ for STRENGTH, let me discuss the length of your workouts: If you practise your barbell lifts three days a week, your sessions can last up to 90 minutes (although your easy sessions may only last 30 minutes and that’s cool too). www.muscle-fitness.co.uk/strength

The M&F Strength Series

Military press

Focus on more than just three lifts. For instance, do the squat, bench press and deadlift, then add in the military press and front squat www.muscle-fitness.co.uk/strength

The M&F Strength Series Two-day Practice Regime—For strength gains when time isn’t on your side Day 1: Squat Bench press Rows Hanging leg raises Day 2: Military press Deadlift Pull ups Kettlebell swings

A1. Front squat A2. Military press A3. Sumo deadlift

On this two-day regime, push your squats and military presses hard in week one and go moderately on your bench presses and deadlifts. On week two, reverse proceedings, pushing hard on your bench presses and deads and only going moderately on your squats and military presses. How to make the most of your time when practising for strength If you do all your squats, then all your bench press, then all your deads that might be a very long session. Super-setting exercises can greatly improve the time-efficiency of your practise sessions. For instance, let’s say you’re practising three days a week. Monday calls for squats, bench presses and deadlifts. Instead of resting three minutes between all your sets of squats, then doing the same for all your sets of bench presses and deadlifts… alternate between sets of squats and bench presses and finish with deads. Here’s how it looks: A1. Squat A2. Bench press B. Deadlift

Rest 90-120 seconds between sets of squats and bench presses and alternate back and forth between them until you’ve done all your sets. Then move on to your deadlifts and rest 180 seconds between each set. Alternatively, you can even use giant sets. Here’s how a giant set might look:

Do a set of front squats, rest 90-120 seconds. Do a set of military presses, rest 90-120 seconds. Do a set of sumo deadlifts, rest 90-120 seconds. Repeat until you’ve finished your session. Who should use the ‘practice’ session training approach for gaining strength? Well, if it appeals to you, you should give it a try. As I said earlier, many of the old-time strongmen trained this way and got seriously strong. Many gymnasts and Olympic lifters still train this way, often practising their skills throughout the day and never to failure. But it’s not just for professionals and the seriously strong. Practising a handful of lifts multiple times a week, never going to failure, is even a great way for beginners to train because it gives them the frequent practise they need to master the technique of each lift. Think about it… If you took up golf, tennis or baseball tomorrow, do you think you’d improve faster if you practised once a week or several times a week? The answer is as obvious as a slap in the face. Practising for between two and five days a week is also a great way for a powerlifter to train after a competition. Leading up to a competition the power-

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The M&F Strength Series lifter has probably been following a six, eight, 10 or 12 week cycle that was very definite, very ‘set in stone’. There were probably definite numbers to hit each week, and while that’s a good thing leading up to a competition it’s also mentally tiring and stressful. Practising is much less stressful, still makes you strong and the change of pace can be very welcome after a hard competition that was preceded by a very strict and definite (and potentially somewhat boring) training cycle. Sumo deadlift start

Finish

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The M&F Strength Series

Chapter 2:

the 5 x 5 programME 5 x 5 is nothing new

It’s one of the oldest and most ‘foolproof’ ways to get stronger. I use it with some of my clients and in the off-season I sometimes use it myself. Yet the reality is that many gym-rats still manage to screw it up. Let me explain how to use 5 x 5 in several ways that will all make you stronger.

3 x 3 to 5 x 5

The 3 x 3 to 5 x 5 method is a way of taking a weight you can only manage for three triples and turning it into a weight you can handle for five sets of five. If you do this, your 1RM will go up— quite a lot. That much is certain. A weight you can only manage for three sets of three reps is pretty heavy (probably somewhere between 85 and 90% of 1RM for most people). However, a weight you can manage for five sets of five is only moderately heavy (somewhere between 75 and 85% of 1RM for most people). Here’s how to get really strong using the 3 x 3 to 5 x 5 method: Establish your 3 x 3 weight. Be sure you can get three sets of three with ‘a rep in the tank’ and solid form. A grind on the third rep of the third set would be OK, but be honest with yourself. If your form is going down the toilet and you’re popping blood vessels on the second rep of your first set you’re trying to lift too heavy.

Once you have your 3 x 3 weight,

follow this cycle:

(reps x sets) Session 1: 3 x 3 Session 2: 3 x 4 Session 3: 3 x 5 Session 4: 4 x 1, 3 x 4 Session 5: 4 x 2, 3 x 3 Session 6: 4 x 3, 3 x 2 Session 7: 4 x 4, 3 x 1 Session 8: 4 x 5 (up to 20 reps in a session with a weight you could originally only get nine reps with) Session 9: 5 x 1, 4 x 4 Session 10: 5 x 2, 4 x 3 Session 11: 5 x 3, 4 x 2 Session: 12: 5 x 4, 4 x 1 Session 13: 5 x 5

In just 13 sessions you’ve gone from nine reps to 25 reps with the same weight— pretty impressive. Take an easy week, re-test your 1RM (you’ll be pleasantly surprised how much better it is) and start another programme. Or restart this programme using a heavier weight. You can use this 3 x 3 to 5 x 5 programme over the course of 13 weeks, doing one session a week on the lift using this rep protocol. Or, you could do it twice a week and achieve 5 x 5 in just seven weeks.

5 x 1 to 5 x 5

Here’s another variation of 5 x 5. Pick a weight you can do five solid reps with. The fifth rep should be tough, but you could probably squeeze a sixth out if someone put a gun to your head. Now add a set each session.

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The M&F Strength Series It’s unlikely you’ll go: Session 1: 5 x 1 Session 2: 5 x 2 Session 3: 5 x 3 Session 4: 5 x 4 Session 5: 5 x 5 Instead, you might go: Session 1: 5 x 1, 3 x 1 Session 2: 5 x 1, 4 x 1 Session 3: 5 x 2 Then you’d add a set on your 4th session… Session 4: 5 x 2, 3 x 1

And again, you’d patiently add a rep to that third set until you can nail 5 x 3. Then you’d add a fourth set. Eventually you’d get up to 5 x 5 and earn the right to increase the weight. This method can be used once or twice a week but if you do it twice a week, try to leave 72 hours between sessions.

5 x 5—Ramping Up The Weights

The first two 5 x 5 programmes I showed you were all about using one weight and patiently trying to work up to getting 5 x 5 with that weight. This style of 5 x 5 is different because you’ll pyramid up in weight from set to set. This method can work much better for intermediate and advanced lifters and isn’t quite as monotonous as the previous two styles. As a rule of thumb, the first ‘working set’ cannot be less than 60% of your 1RM. So if you can bench 100 kg for one rep, here’s how a training session might look using this progression: Warm up with a few light sets, and then do:

Run with this for as long as you can, gradually adding weight to the sets whenever you can. Once you’ve peaked, take an easy week, test your strength, and start over with this programme or another.

3-5 x 3-5

This variation of 5 x 5 comes from my friend Pavel Tsatsouline. It’s near as dammit ‘idiot-proof’—so long as you avoid failure. Pavel recommends this programme for law enforcement and military personnel because it lets you get stronger while staying super fresh. But to tell the truth, 3-5 x 3-5 will help pretty much anyone get stronger. Here’s how it works: Train 3-5 days per week. On any given day choose three big compound exercises and do 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps and rest 3-5 minutes between sets. The beauty of this system is that it allows you to push a movement really hard or take it easy. Either way, you still get the practice in and, in the long-run, you’ll still get stronger. Pavel Tsastouline

matt marsh

60 kg x 5 65 kg x 5 70 kg x 5 75 kg x 5 80 kg x 5

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The M&F Strength Series Here’s an example of how this can work: Monday: Front squat Military press Kettlebell swing Wednesday: Bench press Deadlift Pull ups Friday: Wall handstand push ups Squat Rows

And all you do is 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps of each movement and rest 3-5 minutes between sets. If you want, you can alternate exercises and rest 90-120 seconds between sets.

It’s simple, it’s fool-proof and it makes you stronger.

5 x 1, 3 x 4

With 5 x 1, 3 x 4 you choose a weight and do one set of five and four triples. The important thing is you do the set of five on the set where you are strongest. For most people this is the second or third set. It could be your first set but it’s definitely your fifth—unless you really weird/unusual! You’ll have to play around and experiment to find out which set you feel strongest on. To progress, increase the weight each session. Add 10 pounds on squats. Add five pounds to upper body pressing movements like bench presses and military presses. Do this once a week for as many weeks as you can make progress, then switch to another programme. Feel free to do more pressing during the week, but make it an easier session. Four triples and a set of five, with a weight that’s challenging for five reps, is pretty tough.

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Bent-over barbell row finish

Start

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Chapter 3:

the 3 x 3 programME 3 x 3 is a really good way to get strong. In fact, for advanced lifters and intermediates who are already pretty strong, 3 x 3 can work better than 5 x 5 because the intensity is higher but the volume is lower. Just as with 5 x 5, there are many ways to get stronger while working with three sets of three reps. Here are some of the best:

2 x 3 to 3 x 3

Pick a weight where you can get a tough, but solid double. Do three doubles in the first session and on the second go for a triple followed by two doubles. On the third session do two triples and a double and then on the fourth do three triples. If you do one session a week, you’ll have gone from three doubles to three triples in just four weeks. That’s big progress. It could add 5% to your 1RM. Whatever the case, you’re definitely stronger.

3 x 3 to 8 x 3 This one is tough.

Session 1: Establish your 3RM. Grind it out and figure out what weight you can handle for three hard reps. Session 2: Do 3 x 3 with a weight that’s 5-10 pounds below your 3RM (go 10-20 pounds below if you’re really strong).

Now add a set each session. Here’s how the cycle looks: Session 3: 3 x 4 Session 4: 3 x 5 Session 5: 3 x 6 Session 6: 3 x 7 Session 7: 3 x 8

You can now do 24 reps with a weight you originally did just nine reps with. Again, that’s big progress. At this point you can either: ▪ K  eep going. If you think you can get to 3 x 10 sets—do it. ▪ T ake an easier week, then come back and re-test your 3RM (it will be much higher) ▪ Start a new programme

3 x 3 – ramping up the weights

This is the method many advanced lifters prefer. Do as many warm up sets as you need to be able to confidently handle 80% of your 1RM. Then do: 80% x 3 85% x 3 90% x 3

Aim to add a little weight to each set for as many sessions as you can. After you peak, switch to another programme. I’ve used this style of 3 x 3 many times, particularly on my bench press, but it’ll work equally well on the squat and deadlift. Just remember to leave a rep in the tank and avoid failure. The truth is that 80%, 85% and 90% doesn’t suit everyone. You might find 70%, 80% and 90% work better for you. Or 75%, 82.5% and 90%. Or even 75%, 80% and 85%.

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The M&F Strength Series TIP: The more advanced

(stronger) you are, the lower the percentage your first set will probably need to be. 80%, 85% and 90% for 3 x 3 would kill me but it’d work great for many beginners. I’d have to go with something more along the lines of 70%, 77.5% and 82.5-85%.

Back squat start

Finish

Try it out, experiment, run the cycle several times and figure out what your body responds best to. Whatever you do, make sure your top set is getting up to the 85% range. If it isn’t, it might not be enough intensity to get you stronger. www.muscle-fitness.co.uk/strength

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Chapter 4:

The Power Of ‘25’ In the world of strength, ‘25’ is a bit of a magic number. If you take a big compound exercise like a squat, press or deadlift and do 25 reps total with a reasonably heavy weight good things tend to happen. You get stronger and you add muscle—if you eat enough.

5x5

5 x 5 is the classic example of the power of ‘25’ but there are other ways to do this number of reps in a training session. For example: (Reps x sets) 3x8 4x6 6x4 8x3

The last two options – 6 x 4 and 8 x 3 require the use of higher reps per set than I usually recommend for strength purposes. Normally I wouldn’t ever go above five reps per set. However, once in a while a four-week programme of 6 x 4 or 8 x 3 can work well, especially if you want to add some size. Just try and add some weight to each set from session to session. And now for something a little cleverer… If you want to take a weight and make it feel light using the magic of ‘25’, try this: Take a weight you can do a tough but solid set of five with and progress like this: Session 1: 3 x 8 (24 reps) Session 2: 4 x 4 (16 reps) Session 3: 4 x 5 (20 reps)

You can do this over the course of three, four or six weeks.

To do it over the course of three weeks train on Monday and Thursday, or Tuesday and Friday etc. To do it over the course of four weeks, train Monday and Friday on week one, Wednesday on week two, Monday and Friday on week three and Wednesday on week four. To do it over the course of six weeks, simply train using this protocol once a week. Once you’ve gone from eight triples to 5 x 5 with a given weight, increase the weight and start over. It’s a pretty much ‘fool-proof’ way to get stronger.

Session 4: 4 x 6 (24 reps) Session 5: 5 x 4 (20 reps) Session 6: 5 x 5 (25 reps)

Although you did 24 reps in session 1 and 25 reps in session 6, 5 x 5 calls for you to be much stronger than 3 x 8. Give it a try and you’ll see what I mean.

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Flat bench-press start

Finish

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Chapter 5:

Waving Your Weights In the west we love to do straight sets with the same weight or ramp our weights up. For instance, straight sets with the same weight might be: 200 kg for 5 x 5; whereas ramping weights up might be: 40 kg x 5, 60 kg x 5, 80 kg x 5, 100 kg x 5, 120 kg x 5. Pretty simple. Occasionally some smart-arse might get fancy and do a couple of down sets after his heavy set(s). They might go: 60 kg x 5 x 2, 80 kg x 5, 90 kg x 5, 100 kg x 5, 120 kg x 3, 130 kg x 1, 140 kg x 1, then 110 kg x 3 x 3. That’s it. Those are the only ways many guys in the west traditionally train for strength. But what about people in the east? Well, they’re sometimes a bit more imaginative and creative when it comes to strength training programmes that actually work. One thing the Russians often like to do is wave their weights. This freaks out many western strength coaches who see it as a ‘silly’ thing to do. But the Russians have proved, scientifically, that waving weights does indeed make you stronger.

Here’s how it works:

Let’s say you can do five sets of five reps on the military press with 65 kg. Instead of doing 65 for 5 x 5, you would do something like this: 60 kg x 5, 57.5 kg x 5, 65 kg x 5, 62.5 kg x 5, 67.5 kg x 5 Notice that you finish a wave with your

HEAVIEST set. This style of training gives you sets that are heavier–and harder–and some that are lighter–and easier. The sets where you wave back down and do a lighter weight than you did on the previous set often feel quite EASY, which is nice. It’s like getting strength for FREE. And much like turning down free money–you’d have to be an idiot to turn down free strength. If you look at the above example–65 kg for 5 x 5–and the version where you wave the loads, you’ll see that the volume of weight lifted is very similar, but the two training sessions would feel quite different. When waving your weights, don’t be afraid to take RANDOM jumps up and down. In fact, Russian scientists proved that this works better than waving the weights in nice, even increments. So, let’s say you have a 1RM on the squat of 200 kg and a 3RM of 175 kg. You plan to do a strength training session using multiple sets of three on your squat. You might do something like this: 150 kg x 3, 160 kg x 3, 152.5 kg x 3, 175 kg x 3, 170 kg x 3, 177.5 kg x 3 (new PB), 155 kg x 3, 180 kg (another PB).

See how the jumps are uneven?

Sometimes the difference between sets is only 7.5 kg, but sometimes it’s as high as 22.5 kg. That’s the best way to wave your loads: randomly. Don’t worry that it’s different to what you’re used to–it’ll make you stronger and that’s all that matters. Plus, Waving the loads is, for most people, less

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The M&F Strength Series boring than doing endless sets of the same weight or ramping up the weights in a linear fashion. Give it a try–

you have nothing to lose and a ton of strength to gain.

Military press start

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Chapter 6: ladders

My friend Pavel Tsatsouline is a huge fan of ladders–another secret strength training technique from the east. Pavel uses ladders A LOT in his kettlebell training programmes, but you can apply them just as easily to barbell and bodyweight exercises. Whatever the strength training tool– ladders will help you to get stronger. Do not confuse ladders with PYRAMIDS. Pyramids are really a bodybuilding technique, and while they can work well for adding muscle, they are a long way down the pecking order when it comes to great ways to get strong.

A pyramid looks like this:

12 reps, 10 reps, 8 reps, 6 reps, 4 reps, 6 reps, 8 reps, 10 reps, 12 reps It burns you out, pumps you up and makes you tired. Not what a STRENGTH athlete wants. Ladders do the opposite, allowing you to do an amazing number of reps with a given weight–far more reps than you could do if you did straight sets (or a pyramid). If you want proof, try this: Go to the gym and choose a weight you can handle for five solid pull ups. Any grip you like, it doesn’t matter. Do five pulls ups. Rest two minutes. Do another set. You probably won’t get five reps on this set. You might squeeze out four. By the third set you’ll be busting your ass for a triple. Come back three or four days later and repeat the experiment,

but this time, do this: Do 1 rep with the weight you can handle for 5 tough reps. Rest a minute. Do 2 reps with the same weight. Rest a minute. Do 3 reps. Rest a minute. Repeat the cycle: 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3

You will be amazed at how FRESH laddering helps you to stay and how much volume you can get in with a given weight. Many lifters go to the gym and try to do three sets of 10 on the pull up. Invariably most of them are really struggling by the third set and their technique is horrendous. A better approach would be to do something like: 2, 3, 5, 2, 3, 5, 2, 3, 5 That’s still 30 reps But they’ll be QUALITY reps–fast, crisp and powerful–with total body tension and no kipping.

Now consider this:

If the lifter can do three sets of 10 reps on the pull up and he’s really struggling on the third set, how might the fourth set look? “Horrendous,” I hear you say. Correct. But here’s the thing… The guy doing ladders of 2, 3 and 5 reps will find it easy to add a ladder to his workout and then another to his next workout. Before he knows it he’s doing 2, 3, 5 for 5 ladders. That’s 50 pull ups in a workout and every rep is crisp, tight and, well, PERFECT. The other guy is still trying to do his fourth set of shaky, wobbly kipping pull ups and his shoulders are killing him because his form is absolutely terrible.

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Front squat start

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The M&F Strength Series Ladders can be applied to any exercise you like

Here are some of the best: 1, 2, 3 - awesome for pure strength. 3 ladders works well 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 – will build strength and muscle. Anything up to 5 ladders can work 2, 3, 5 – will build strength and muscle (3 ladders of 2, 3, 5 seems to be a great workout for most people) 6, 8, 10 – for the muscle-seekers.

You can also ladder WEIGHT–it doesn’t just have to be reps. For instance… You might bench press and do sets of three while laddering the weight like this: 80, 90 and 100 kg. The sets with 80 and 90 will feel quite easy. You’ll ‘work’ on the set with 100 kg. You can even combine ladders that manipulate reps and weight. Let’s say you’re performing kettlebell swings. You might do: 24 kg x 15 32 kg x 10 40 kg x 5

Repeat for as many ladders as you like.

Finally, you can ladder for time.

10 seconds of work, 20 seconds of work, 30 seconds of work. Repeat. This works well for conditioning. Try it with the kettlebell swing. The key point to grasp here is that ladders allow you to do a phenomenal amount of work in the gym, without training to failure

and without burning yourself out. Ladders also suit a lot of people from a mental perspective because they make training sessions more interesting. Think about it– Endless sets of the same weight can be BORING. But with ladders you get easy sets and harder sets all built into one ladder. For instance, if you do ladders of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, the single and double are EASY. The triple is still easy. The four gets your attention and the set of five makes you really work. Then you start over with a very easy single.

How To Rest Between Sets During A Ladder

The question you’re probably asking right now is: “How long should you rest between sets during a ladder and between ladders?” Well, there is no right and wrong, but here are some techniques and strategies to consider: When training purely for strength, using ladders of 1, 2, 3 (or even 1, 2), use longer rest periods. At least 90 seconds between sets and possibly as much as 180 seconds. For ladders emphasising strength and muscle, use shorter rest periods of a minute to 90 seconds and for conditioning, feel free to experiment with much shorter rest periods such as 20 or 30 seconds Rest periods don’t have to be the same between every set. For instance, if you’re doing ladders of 1 ,2 ,3 ,4, 5, you may do a single, shake off for a few seconds and then immediately knock off the double. Then you may rest a minute before your triple. Then two minutes before your set of four. Finally, you may rest a full three minutes before the set of five. You need to match the rest periods to the weight you are using and your current conditioning levels. Remember, if you start trying to rush through your ladders too fast, your technique will deteriorate, your strength

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The M&F Strength Series gains won’t be as good and your injury-risk will soar. More importantly than anything, choose rest periods that allow you to execute every rep, of every set, of every ladder with ‘textbook’ form.

Kettlebell swing start

Mid-point

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The M&F Strength Series

Chapter 7:

from an 80 kg to 227.5 kg deadlift in 8 months - how to do it Back in the introduction to the Black Book of Strength I told you about my friend Elliot and how he could only deadlift 80 kg the first time he tried and how he hurt his back doing it. At that time he weighed 82.5 kg. Eight months later he still weighed 82.5 kg (though he was noticeably more muscular) and he pulled 227.5 kg in competition in Belgium. Pretty rapid progress by anyone’s standards. And yes, he’s a lifetime drug-free lifter. His programme required four days of training per week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Here are some things to keep in mind: Rest periods between heavy squats, bench press, partial deadlifts, board pressing and floor pressing should be around three minutes per set once you get heavy (feel free to ‘load and go’ on lighter warm up sets). Rest periods on speed squats and speed bench pressing should be 45-60 seconds between sets. Rest periods on all the other assistance exercises should be 60-120 seconds. Every fourth week is a de-load week where volume is dramatically reduced for recovery purposes. The programme to the right is what Elliot used to go from a shaky, injuryinducing 80 kg deadlift to 227.5 kg pull in eight months. Let’s have a look at the exact 16-week cycle he used to peak for that 227.5 kg (500 lbs) competition deadlift.

Elliot’s 16 Week Training Programme Here’s how it looked:

(reps x sets) Monday (heavy lower body): Squat variation: work up to a 1-5 RM Speed deadlift: 1 x 5-10 Single leg work: 6-8/side x 3-4 Ab exercise: 3-4 sets Wednesday (speed upper body): Speed bench press: 3 x 6-10 Overhead pressing exercise: 5-8 x 3-4 Tricep push down exercise: 15-30 x 3 Rows: 8-12 x 3-4 Friday (speed lower body): Speed box squat: 2 x 8-12 Partial deadlift exercise: 6-8 x 3-4 Glute ham raise: 6-8 x 3-4 Hanging leg raise: 5-8 x 3-4 Saturday (heavy upper body): Bench press variation: work up to a 1-5RM Board pressing or floor pressing: 3-5 x 3-5 Pull ups or chins: 6-8 x 3-4 Curls: 8-12 x 3

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The M&F Strength Series Barbell floor press start

Important notes:

For speed work to be effective you must move the bar as fast as possible. The percentages are just a guideline. If needs be, lower the weight slightly and use a lower percentage if it means you can move the weight faster. On bodyweight exercises such as pulls ups, add weight using a dipping belt if the suggested reps and sets are too easy. When the programme says 5RM or 3RM do not fail reps. By all means push HARD, but don’t go for failure. There’s a fine line, be sure not to cross it. These sessions should be completed in about an hour, once you’ve warmed up.

Mid-point

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The M&F Strength Series Weeks 1-4

Monday (heavy lower body): Box squat: work up to a 5RM on week 1, a 5RM on week 2, a 3RM on week 3 and do a moderate single on week 4 Speed deadlift: 50% for 1 x 10 on week 1, 55% for 1 x 10 on week 2, 60% for 1 x 10 on week 3, omit speed deadlifts on week 4 Split squat: 6-8 per side x 3-4 sets Plank: 60-90 seconds x 3-4 sets Wednesday (speed upper body): Speed bench press: 50% for 3 x 8 on week 1, 55% for 3 x 8 on week 2, 60% for 3 x 6 and 70% for 3 x 2 on week 3, omit speed bench on week 4 Military press: 5-8 x 3-4 Band push down: 15-30 x 3 Machine row: 8-12 x 3-4 Friday (speed lower body): Speed box squat: 50% for 2 x 10 on week 1, 55% for 2 x 10 on week 2, 60% for 2 x 6 and 70% for 2 x 2 on week 3, omit speed box squats on week 4 Romanian deadlift: 5 x 3-4 Glute ham raise: 6-8 x 3-4 Hanging bent knee leg raises: 5-8 x 3-4 Saturday (heavy upper body): Bench press (pinky on the ring): 5RM on week 1, 5RM on week 2, 3RM on week 3, moderate single on week 4 Close grip floor press: 3-5 x 3-5 Chin up (8-inch grip): 6-8 x 3-4 Barbell curl: 8-12 x 3

Weeks 5-8

Monday (heavy lower body): Front squat: work up to a 5RM on week 1, a 5RM on week 2, a 3RM on week 3 and do a moderate single on week 8 Speed deadlift against chains: 50% for 1 x 10 on week 1, 55% for 1 x 10 on week 2, 60% for 1 x 10 on week 3, work up to a moderate single on week 8 with no chains Dumbbell reverse lunge: 6-8/side x 3-4 Side plank: 20-30 seconds/side x 3-4 sets Wednesday (speed upper body): Speed bench press against chains: 50% for 3 x 8 on week 1, 55% for 3 x 8 on week 2, 60% for 3 x 6 and 70% for 3 x 2 on week 3, work up to a moderate single on week 8 without chains Push press: 5-8 x 3-4 Band push downs: 15-30 x 3 One-arm dumbbell row: 6-10/side x 3-4 Friday (speed lower body): Speed box squat against chains: 50% for 2 x 10 on week 1, 55% for 2 x 10 on week 2, 60% for 2 x 6 and 70% for 2 x 2 on week 3, 50% for 3 x 3 without chains on week 8 Partial deadlift (starting just below the knee): 3 x 3-5 Reverse hypers: 8-12 x 3-4 Hanging bent knee leg raise: 8-10 x 3-4 Saturday (heavy upper body): Close-grip bench press: 5RM on week 1, 5RM on week 2, 3RM on week 3, moderate single on week 8 Two-board bench press (pinky on the ring): 3-5 x 3-5 Close-grip chin up: 4-6 x 3-4 Dumbbell curl: 8-12 x 3

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Two board bench-press start

Mid-point

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Zercher squat start

Finish

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The M&F Strength Series

Mid-point Kettlebell overhead press start

Gymnastic ring pull-up start

Kettlebell overhead press finish

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Finish

The M&F Strength Series Weeks 9-12

Monday (heavy lower body): Squat: work up to a 5RM on week 1, a 5RM on week 2, a 3RM on week 3 and do a moderate single on week 12 Speed deadlift against bands: 45% for 1 x 8 on week 1, 50% for 1 x 8 on week 2, 55% for 1 x 10 on week 3, omit speed deadlifts on week 12 Dumbbell forward lunge: 6-8/side x 3-4 Plank with added weight: 30-60 seconds x 3 sets Wednesday (speed upper body): Speed bench press against bands: 45% for 3 x 6 on week 1, 50% for 3 x 6 on week 2, 55% for 3 x 5, do 50% for 3 x 3 on week 12 without bands Double kettlebell miliatary press: 3-5 x 3-5 Band push downs: 25-30 x 3 Bat wing rows: 8-12 x 3-4 Friday (speed lower body): Speed box squat against bands: 50% for 2 x 8 on week 1, 55% for 2 x 8 on week 2, 60% for 2 x 6, 50% for 2 x 3 without bands on week 12 Partial deadlift (starting at mid-shin): 3 x 3-5 Kettlebell swing: 5-10 x 5-10 Hanging leg raise: 3-5 x 3-5 Saturday (heavy upper body): Incline bench press (pinky on the ring): 5RM on week 1, 5RM on week 2, 3RM on week 3, moderate single on week 4 Three-board close-grip bench press: 3-5 x 3-5 Shoulder-width grip pull ups: 6-8 x 3-4 Barbell curl: 8-12 x 3

Weeks 13-16

Monday (heavy lower body): Zercher squat: work up to a 5RM on week 13, a 5RM on week 14, a 3RM on week 15 and do 50% x 3 on week 16 Speed deadlift against chains: 50% for 1 x 12 on week 13, 55% for 1 x 10 on week 14, 60% for 1 x 8 on week 15, omit speed deadlifts on week 16 Walking dumbbell lunge: 8-10/side x 3-4 Plank: 90 seconds x 2 sets Wednesday (speed upper body): Speed bench press paused: 55% for 3 x 8 on week 13, 60% for 3 x 8 on week 14, 60% for 3 x 6, then 70% for 3 x 2 on week 15, do 50% for 3 on week 16 Double kettlebell push press: 3-5 x 3-5 Band push downs: 10-15 x 3-4 Machine rows: 8-12 x 3-4 Friday (speed lower body) (omit this entire session on Week 16): Speed box squat against chains: 55% for 2 x 12 on week 13, 60% for 2 x 12 on week 14, 65% for 2 x 10 on week 15 Romanian deadlift: 6-8 x 3-5 Single-arm kettlebell swing: 5-10/side x 5-10 Hanging leg raise: 3-5 x 3-5 Saturday (heavy upper body): Close-grip bench press (paused): 3 x 3 on week 13, 3 x 3 on week 14, 3 x 3 on week 15. Test bench 1RM on week 16, test deaDlift 1RM on week 16. One-board bench press (pinky on the ring): 3-5 x 3-5 Gymnastic ring pull up: 3-5 x 3-5 Dumbbell Curl: 8-12 x 3

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The M&F Strength Series

Chapter 8: cycling

NOTE: longer cycles tend to work

And now we get to the style of training I’ve used for most of my powerlifting career. It’s simple and it works. Leading into a competition I always use cycling. In the off-season and the weeks after a competition I use variations of 5 x 5, 3 x 3, ladders, waves and all the other good stuff I’ve shared with you in this Black Book of Strength. But when it comes to peaking for competition–peaking for a 1RM–I always use the cycling approach. It has also been used by a host of other great champions, including Ed Coan– probably the greatest pound-for-pound powerlifter of all-time. Let me give you a quick re-cap of how cycling works, then I’ll give you some complete training programmes you can take to the gym and put into action…

How Cycling Works:

▪ Establish your 1RM (or 3RM or 5RM) ▪ Set a challenging yet realistic new 1RM (or 3RM or 5RM) ▪ Count back 6, 8, 10 or 12 weeks and figure out your ‘working sets’ for each session ▪ Ramp the weights up gradually over the course of a cycle

better for more ADVANCED lifters. For beginners, the opposite is true–shorter cycles are where the party is usually at.

A few examples will show you how cycling works. It’s dead easy.

Example cycle for a lifter with a 140-kg deadlift 3RM

Goal at the end of the sixweek cycle: Deadlift 147.5 kg for 3. A solid increase of 7.5 kg Here is how this lifter would set up his cycle: Week 1: 122.5 kg x 5 x 2 Week 2: 127.5 kg x 5 Week 3: 132.5 kg x 5 Week 4: 137.5 kg x 3 Week 5: 142.5 kg x 3 (ties his old PR) Week 6: 147.5 kg x 3 (new PR)

Notice how the reps drop from five to three as the cycle progresses and the weights increase. On week one the lifter does a couple of working sets. From week two onwards, he just does one. This isn’t set in stone, but it can be useful. All the working sets should be preceded by a series of warm up sets. Warming up is unique to each individual, but here’s an example of how this lifter might warm up on week six… 60 kg x 3 x 2 80 kg x 3 100 kg x 3 120 kg x 3 130 kg x 2 140 kg x 1 147.5 kg x 3 (new 3RM)

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The M&F Strength Series Notice how the reps are reduced to a double with 130 and a single with 140. This is to conserve energy. Remember, the purpose of the warm up on a test week is to get the lifter ready to perform at his absolute best on his top set—it’s not there to tire the lifter out. However, on other weeks, the lifter may simply stick to fives or threes on every set. For example, on week five, where the top set is 142.5 kg for three, the lifter may warm up like this: 60 kg x 3 x 2 80 kg x 3 100 kg x 3 120 kg x 3 130 kg x 3 142.5 kg x 3

However you choose to warm up, there are a few of things you should avoid at all costs: ▪ Doing a gazillion reps with 60 kg or 80 kg. I see lifters do this all the time and all it does is lead to sloppy form and, even though the weight is light, it tires you out because a gazillion x 60 is still a lot. ▪ Doing more than five reps on any given warm up set ▪ Not concentrating until your working set and being sloppy on warm up sets. This ingrains poor form and sets you up for performing at less than your best on your working set(s). If you ever get the chance to train with me, you’ll see me warm up with 40 kg on the bench press and it’ll look like I have 200 kg in my hands. Whatever the weight, I respect it—you should do the same. You wouldn’t get Tiger Woods hitting sloppy shots early in his golf practice, so it makes zero sense for you to do sloppy reps early in your strength training practice.

Example cycle for a lifter with a 200 kg squat 1RM

Goal at the end of the 10 week cycle: squat 210 kg for a solid single—a great increase of 10 kg Week 1: 130 kg for 10 x 2 Week 2: 150 kg for 8 x 2 Week 3: 140 kg for 5 x 2 Week 4: 150 kg for 5 Week 5: 160 kg for 5 Week 6: 170 kg for 3 Week 7: 180 kg for 3 Week 8: 190 kg for 2 Week 9: 200 kg for 2 (doubled his old 1RM) Week 10: 210 kg for 1 (a new PR)

In this cycle you see an example of beginning a cycle with sets consisting of 10 and 8 reps. This allows the lifter to build a little muscle, as well as strength. When the weights get more serious, in week three, normal service is resumed with sets of five.

Example cycle for a lifter with a 100 kg bench press 5RM

Goal at the end of the sixweek cycle: bench press 105 kg for a set of 5—a solid gain of 5 kg. Week 1: 80 kg x 5 x 2 Week 2: 85 kg x 5 x 2 Week 3: 90 kg x 5 x 2 Week 4: 95 kg x 5 Week 5: 100 kg x 5 (ties his old PR easily) Week 6: 105 kg x 5 (a new PR and 5RM)

Now that you understand how to cycle your training, you can apply this technique to your squat, bench press, deadlift and military press. The next step is to figure out how to incorporate your cycles into a two, three or four-day per week training plan.

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The M&F Strength Series

Pay attention. You’re about to get a “Done-for-you, ‘can’t-fail’ blueprint for monster strength.” Be aware that your cycles don’t need to match, unless you’re a powerlifter trying to peak for a competition. Feel free to do 10-12 week cycles on your squats and deads and 6-8 week cycles on your presses if you feel that’d work better for you.

Three-day a week cycle

This is a real old-school, nothing fancy training programme that gets the job done. If you want utter simplicity and something that just works, give it a shot. Monday: Squat Day Squat cycle Leg press 8-12 x 4-5 Leg curl 10-12 x 3-4 Seated calf raise 12-15 x 3-4 Wednesday: Bench Press Day Bench press cycle Military press 3-5 x 3-5 Row 8-12 x 4-5 Friday: Deadlift Day Deadlift cycle Pull ups 3-5 x 3-5 Kettlebell swing 5-10 x 5-10

Pretty simple and pretty effective.

▪ But what if you’re on a tight schedule and you can only train twice a week? ▪ Well, you should probably set your training up something like this:

Two-day a week cycle

Monday: Lower Body Squat cycle Deadlift cycle Kettlebell swing 5-10 x 5-10 Abs (whatever you like) Thursday: Upper Body Bench press cycle Double kettlebell push press 2-3 x 3 Chin ups 3-5 x 3-5 Row 8-12 x 3-4

Alternatively, you could train twice a week with two total body sessions. Here’s how that’d look: Monday: Squat cycle Military press 3-5 x 3-5 Pull ups 6-8 x 3-4 Row 8-12 x 3-4 Thursday: Bench press cycle Deadlift cycle Kettlebell swing

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Kettlebell squat start

Mid-point

Now, what should you do if you have the luxury of training four days a week? Well the most obvious thing to do would be something like this:

Four-day a week cycle

Monday: Squat Day Squat cycle Leg press 8-12 x 4-5 Leg curl 10-12 x 3-4 Seated calf raise 12-15 x 3-4 Tuesday: Bench Press Day Bench press cycle Rows 8-12 x 4-5 Thursday: Deadlift Day Deadlift cycle Kettlebell swing 5-10 x 5-10 Friday: Military Press Day Military press cycle Pull ups 3-5 x 3-5

Finish

If you’re the kind of person who likes to do a lot of work, throw in some double kettlebell front squats on your deadlift day, after your deadlifts, but before your swings—3-5 for 3-5 will work well. Or you could shoot for 6-8 for 3-4 if muscle gain is your primary goal. Then, on the bench press and military press days you could add in one more exercise. Ab work—such as planks or hanging leg raises—springs to mind. Any more than that and you’re just doing work for the sake of work and there’s no point in that. The goal is to get strong, not to wear your body down with endless sets of pointless exercises. Right, now let me show you the training template I’ve used for most of my powerlifting career. This is the one responsible for my 1,214-lb squat, near 800-lb bench and 1,008-lb deadlift…

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Read carefully. HINT: if it’s worked for me, my training partners (seven of whom have deadlifted over 300 kg) and my clients, it’ll probably work for you, too. How Andy Trains (most of the time)

I have a squat and deadlift day, a bench press day and one or two assistance days. The reason why I say ‘one or two’ assistance days is because it has varied over the years. Both have worked. Both have made me stronger and produced world records. It’s not a question of ‘right or wrong’, just different. With that in mind, I’ll share both threeand four-day splits with you. Then you can take your pick…

Three-day split

Monday (Bench Day) Bench press cycle Heavy board pressing Tricep extensions Wednesday (Squat and Deadlift Day) Squat cycle Partial deadlift cycle Speed deadlift Leg press Saturday (Assistance Day) Back work first, comprising two rowing exercises and a pull up or pull down movement. 3-4 sets of 5-12 reps of each exercise. Next up is kettlebell swings. I keep it simple and do sets of 5-10 reps using as heavy a kettlebell as I can manage—5 sets is usually enough. Occasionally I’ll do more and might get up to 10 sets

The assistance workout ends with ab work, calf work and grip work. For the abs— planks, dumbbell side bends and leg raises usually steal the show. Calves are worked seated on a machine (because my back doesn’t need more stress) and grip is worked with fat holds, shrugs and occasionally pinch gripping because these are the exercises I’ve found work best for my deadlift grip.

Four-day split

Monday (Bench Day) Bench press cycle Heavy board pressing Wednesday (Squat and Deadlift Day) Squat cycle Partial deadlift cycle Thursday (Upper body assistance) Tricep extensions, back work (2 rows, 1 pull up/pull down exercise), biceps Saturday (Lower Body assistance and grip work) Leg Presses, Calf Raises, Hamstring Curls, Kettlebell Swings, Abs and Grip Work

As you can see, the Monday and Wednesday workouts are shorter because some of the exercises are moved to the assistance days. The Wednesday session is just brutal on the three-day split so for that reason, I’d favour the four-day option if you can.

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Side-plank

Front-plank

Kettlebell side bend start

Kettlebell side bend finish

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“If you add bands or chains to the bar, you’ll have to reduce the percentages slightly. But start with straight weight and don’t even think about adding bands and chains until you’ve done several cycles of ‘straight weight’ speed work” www.muscle-fitness.co.uk/strength

The M&F Strength Series How to programme speed work

Ok, so you know how to cycle your squats, deads, bench presses and overhead presses. You know how to do assistance work (should you choose to do it). But what might not be so obvious is how to perform the deadlift speed work that you see in my Wednesday training sessions. For the record, I believe this is superimportant. Just remember: never sacrifice form for speed. Nail your technique, then dial in your speed. For most people, doubles and triples work great on speed work. Your conditioning level will determine how many doubles and triples you can handle. Some people start off with three sets, and that’s fine. Others go as high as six or eight. I wouldn’t ever go past 10. And here’s the rule of thumb: if your speed drops on a set, your session is over. You’re done. Come back next week and do more. So, how do you cycle speed work? Start off with 50% of your deadlift max on the bar. Do three doubles. If you’re feeling great, do more. If you slow down on set four or five, stop the session and add a set each week until you can do eight doubles with the same weight and no drop in speed. In fact, if you’re really ‘in the zone’ on your speed work, your eighth set should feel better (and faster) than your first. Then you have two choices: Start the cycle again with three triples and work your way up to eight triples Or… try to add some weight to the bar and master eight quick doubles. Speed work is as much art as it is science. It’s also the key.

If you’re moving the weight fast, you’re doing something right. If you do 3-8 sets of 2-3 reps, you’re doing something right. If you stop your session when your speed drops (or just before), you’re doing something right. If, over time, you are able to gradually move heavier and heavier weights at the same speed, you’re doing something right. For example, if your deadlift 1RM is 200 kg and you do your first speed cycle with 100 kg, starting with 3 x 3 and working up to 3 x 8, then a year later you’re doing 120 kg for 3 x 8 with the same speed that you used to pull 100 kg, that’s great. You will be faster, more explosive and a better athlete and yes, you’ll be capable of pulling a bigger 1RM.

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The M&F Strength Series If you want a definite speed work cycle, here it is:

here’s six weeks of speed work. 50% x 3 x 3 50% x 3 x 5 50% x 3 x 7 55% x 3 x 4 60% x 3 x 6 65% x 3 x 8

As a rule of thumb, 50-70% is the right weight for most people for speed work. Some really slow lifters can start with 40% and some really explosive lifters can get over 70% on speed work. But 50-70% works for almost everyone.

If you prefer a longer cycle, it could look like this: 50% x 2 x 3 55% x 2 x 5 60% x 2 x 7 65% x 2 x 8 50% x 3 x 3 55% x 3 x 5 60% x 3 x 7 65% x 3 x 8

If you add bands or chains to the bar, you’ll have to reduce the percentages slightly. But start with straight weight and don’t even think about adding bands and chains until you’ve done several cycles of ‘straight weight’ speed work.

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Now

I could sit here typing out programmes for the next 100 years but, at some point, you just have to pick one and get to the gym and put the work in. Now’s that time.

Go get strong! www.muscle-fitness.co.uk/strength

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