Workout Program: Phase One
To see the
best results from your workouts, the
concept of periodization can be
followed. Here is a full 3 day per
week program designed for Strongmen
and powerlifters!
To see the best
results from your workouts, the
concept of periodization can be
followed. This is used in a variety
of ways amongst personal trainers and
strength coaches around the world to
help athletes and other fitness
enthusiasts to perform at their best,
look their best and train with the
least likely chance for injury. In
the sport of Mountain biking, the
winner isn't always the fastest on
the pedals but the person who hits
the breaks the least. The point is
this, you don't want to "hit
your breaks" (get injured) when
training for a big track meet,
football game, bodybuilding
competition, or any other strength
sport for that matter. With that in
mind, I have developed a workout
program that has helped me achieve
better and better results in the
sport of Strongman. It is designed
around the concept of basic
movements, Olympic and powerlifting
movements, some bodybuilding concepts
and most importantly event training.
The following is the first phase of
training to help build size,
strength, and technique.
This is a 3
day/week workout program. External
variables affecting your progress in
either positive or negative ways
include your age, supplement program
(drugs vs. natural), calorie intake,
and how busy you are. Those that work
two jobs, don't eat a whole lot, and
are over 30 years of age won't see
the same results as a 26 year old,
independently wealthy steroid user.
So, being tuned into your body and
how it feels/reacts to this workout
is important so that you can adjust
the schedule. If your recovery time
is faster, you may do 1 more set per
exercise in each workout. If you have
slightly slower recovery time and get
sick (cold/flu) the first 3-5 weeks
of using this program, than you're
overtraining and need to take an
additional day between each workout.
DAY ONE
1. Power Clean
2. Leg Press
3. Narrow Grip Barbell Flat Bench
Press
4. Narrow Grip Pull Down
5. Dumbell Hammer Curl
6. Weighted Abs
DAY TWO
1. Overhead Barbell
Push Press
2. Narrow Grip Barbell Incline Bench
Press
3. Standing Barbell Curls
4. Cable Pulls to the Chest
5. Standing Calf Raises
6. Weighted Back Extensions
DAY THREE
This day is set
aside for event-type training. Once
you know what events are at the
competition you'll be doing, you must
start practicing using lighter
weights for technique and working
your way heavier while maintain
proper, injury-free technique.
This workout
program can be done for 4-6 weeks.
After this time period, you'll get
into Phase Two, which will involve
more event training and less volume
on the gym lifting.
For the above
workout, the following rep schemes
can be used for each exercise:
| Week |
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
| 1 |
1 |
1 |
Max Double |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
12 |
| 1 |
3 |
1 |
Max 6-8 |
| 1 |
4 |
3 |
12 |
| 1 |
5 + 6 |
3 |
12-15 |
| |
| Week |
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
| 2 |
1 |
1 |
Max Single |
| 2 |
2 |
4 |
8 |
| 2 |
3 |
1 |
Max 4-6 |
| 2 |
4 |
4 |
10 |
| 2 |
5 + 6 |
3 |
6-8 |
| |
| Week |
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
| 3 |
1 |
1 |
Max Double
(top wk 1) |
| 3 |
2 |
5 |
8 |
| 3 |
3 |
1 |
Max 6-8 (top
wk 1) |
| 3 |
4 |
4 |
8 |
| 3 |
5 + 6 |
3 |
6-8 |
You can then
repeat weeks 1-3 again. Each time you
do a Max top set you want to try and
beat what you did for the same number
of reps the previous time. So, lets
say you work your way up to a Power
Clean of 245 lbs for 2 week 1. For
week 3, you want to try and hit 250+
lbs. This is the same with Exercise 3
as well. Each exercise is designed to
help you with different events. In
previous articles, you've read about
what exercises help with what event.
Above, you'll find a good variety of
exercises designed to help you with
size, strength, trunk stability, and
event performance improvement.
Look for phase
2 after you've completed phase 1.
