This is for those new guys with little to no experience in training protocols. This is even useful for guys who lift regularly but don't know what else to do or lack direction.

Strength Initiation (1 week)

If you are knew to lifting. Working directly into some kind of strength program can be dangerous at best and injurious at worst. You muscles, and specifically, your neuro-muscular system, can be over-trained and over-stressed very quickly.

Your body needs to adjust to the upcoming stress you are about to deliver to it in the coming months. But first, you need to initiate your neuro-muscular system into accepting progressive loads.

For now there are five resistance exercises you need to know and three bodyweight exercises you need to know:

Resistance

  • Squat
  • Deadlift
  • Bench Press
  • Overhead (Military) Press
  • Barbell Row

All resistance exercises will be done on a 3-set, 10-repetition program of easy-to-moderate effort except Deadlifts, which will be a single set with 10 repetitions.

Body-weight

  • Pull-ups (palms outward)
  • Push-ups
  • Dips

All body-weight exercises will be done on a 3-set, As Many As Possible (AMAP) program.

The initiation schedule should be as follows:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Squat Squat Squat Push-ups
Bench Press BenchPress Bench Press Pull-ups
Barbell Row Barbell Row Barbell Row Dips
Military Press Military Press Military Press
Deadlift Deadlift Deadlift

All weights chosen should be easy. The first set should be very easy. Add 10 lbs to each set on the squats and 5 lbs to each set everything else. Remember, the deadlift set is one single set.

When you are completed with a set, you shouldn't feel tired but you should feel worked.

You may be a little sore the next day, but you shouldn't be in pain.

Testing Phase (1 week)

In this phase we will be testing what your theoretical 1RM (Single Repetition Maximum) is for each exercise.

This will require very light warm up sets and then select a weight. Do 5 reps, then stop. Add weight to the bar. Do 5 more reps. Repeat this process until you can do 5 reps and it's difficult. Continue doing the set. If you do less than 10 repetitions and can do no more, stop. If you get to 10, stop. Ideally, the last repetition should be straining.

All other exercises still follow the easy-to-moderate 3x10 schedule (except deadlifts; those are still 1x10)

That schedule should look like this:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Squat Test Squat Squat Pushups
Bench Press Test Bench Press Bench Press Pull-ups
Barbell Row Test Barbell Row Barbell Row Dips
Military Press Military Press Test Military Press
Deadlift Deadlift Test Deadlift

Apply the weight and repetitions to This site to find your 1RM. Now take 90% of that number and this is your training maximum. We use 90% as the maximum to prevent over training. (example: if your 1RM was calculated at 120 lbs., then your training max is 90%, or 108 lbs.)

Development Phase: 5/3/1 (12 weeks)

In this phase, the weights lifted will be high, but the set count will be low and the repetition count low.

The resistance selection will be based upon a percentage of your training 1RM. Round up or down as necessary. (example: if your training max is 108, then 40% (43.2) becomes 45 lbs. and 75% (81) becomes 80 lbs.)

All body weight exercises are still 3-set, AMAP format.

During each 4-week mesocycle, the training 1RM will not change. At the beginning of each new mesocycle, add 10 lbs to the 1RM for the leg exercises and 5 lbs to the others. (example: If your training max is 108 lbs during weeks 1-4, then weeks 5-8 will be 118 for legs or 113 for upper body.)

Week 1,5,9

In the following table, the top exercise is the main exercise. The second exercise is an auxiliary exercise.

WARM-UP

  • 40% x 5
  • 50% x 5
  • 60% x 3

MAIN-LIFT

  • 75% x 5
  • 80% x 5
  • 85% x 5

AUXILIARY LIFT (deadlift is a single 50% x 10-repetition set)

  • 50% x 10
  • 50% x 10
  • 50% x 10

BODY-WEIGHT

  • 3 x AMAP
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Squat Bench Press Military Press Deadlift
Deadlift Military Press Bench Press Squat
Dips Pull-ups Pull-ups Push-ups

Week 2,6,10

In the following table, the top exercise is the main exercise. The second exercise is an auxiliary exercise.

WARM-UP

  • 40% x 5
  • 50% x 5
  • 60% x 3

MAIN-LIFT

  • 80% x 3
  • 85% x 3
  • 90% x 3

AUXILIARY LIFT (deadlift is a single 50% x 10-repetition set)

  • 50% x 10
  • 50% x 10
  • 60% x 10

BODY-WEIGHT

  • 3 x AMAP
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Squat Bench Press Military Press Deadlift
Deadlift Military Press Bench Press Squat
Dips Pull-ups Pull-ups Push-ups
Push-ups Pull-ups Pull-ups Dips

Week 3,7,11

In the following table, the top exercise is the main exercise. The second exercise is an auxiliary exercise.

WARM-UP

  • 40% x 5
  • 50% x 5
  • 60% x 3

MAIN-LIFT

  • 75% x 5
  • 85% x 3
  • 95% x 1

AUXILIARY LIFT (deadlift is a single 50% x 10-repetition set)

  • 50% x 10
  • 50% x 10
  • 60% x 10
  • 60% x 10

BODY-WEIGHT

  • 3 x AMAP
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Squat Bench Press Military Press Deadlift
Deadlift Military Press Bench Press Squat
Dips Pull-ups Pull-ups Push-ups
Push-ups Pull-ups Pull-ups Dips

Week 4,8,12: DE-LOAD WEEK

During these weeks, you will be lifting less to allow your central nervous system (CNS) to recuperate.

MAIN LIFT 1

  • 50% x 10
  • 50% x 10
  • 50% x 10

MAIN LIFT 2

  • 50% x 10
  • 50% x 10
  • 50% x 10

BODY-WEIGHT

  • 3 x AMAP
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Bench Press Squat
Military Press Deadlift
Dips Pull-ups Push-ups Pull-ups
Push-ups Pull-ups Dips Pull-ups

Growth Phase: Stronglifts 5x5 (12 weeks)

After 3 mesocycles of 5/3/1, your strength should be greatly increased, but your size won't look it. This is because we have been training your strength skill. We have trained your body to recruit as many neurons per fiber as it can. At this point you will notice a decrease in body fat and an increase in muscular definition. All of your major muscle groups have been well trained through the 4 compound exercises of 5/3/1.

These next 12 weeks will continue to develop strength through high-volume workouts. Strength will improve and you may notice an increase in muscular volume as well.

Be warned: these next 12 weeks will be high-volume and will stress your body more than 5/3/1.

Traditionally, the SL 5x5 program requires that all 5 sets are of the same weight. I prefer to do a AAABC weight progression. In either case, the training maximum we ended with from 5/3/1 is the training maximum we will use to calculate your first sets.

If you choose to do the same weight for all 5 sets, start with 70% of your training max. For the Barbell Rows, find a weight that is doable for 5 sets of 5 repetitions. At this point, you should be able to figure this out with some ease (you've been lifting for 14 weeks... after all!)

If you choose an AAABC progression, follow this format:

  • AAABC: 70-70-70-75-80 (to start.) If you complete all 5 sets of 5 reps...
  • AABBC
  • ABBBC
  • BBBCD: add 5 lbs for upper body exercises and 10 for lower body exercises when creating the new weight for "D"

Workout A

  • Squat
  • Bench Press
  • Barbell Row

Workout B

  • Squat
  • Military Press
  • Deadlift (only a single set of 5 repetitions)

Week 1,3,5, etc.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Workout A Workout B Workout A

Week 2,4,6, etc.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Workout B Workout A Workout B

Thoughts

All of this requires a protein intake of 1 gram per lb of body weight.

Stronglift 5x5 will add increased definition, strength, and bulk to your frame. How much definition depends on body fat percentage.

Body fat can be lowered by simply decreasing calories in. The problem is that it is hard to build muscle mass on a limited caloric intake. I'm not a nutritionist, but I recommend getting your protein counts every day, cutting your carbohydrate intake on off days (replace them with protein) and making sure you hit your calorie counts. Track your waist line and you BF%... not your weight. Your weight may even go up in the first couple of weeks.

If you have trouble getting your protein counts, use whey powder. Remember, this is not magic powder; it's food in powder form. It's a fast and easy way to increase protein alone.

You can probably start taking creatine supplement powder after the first 5/3/1 mesocycle. It's not necessary, but it can help some people. It doesn't help high-level athletes much.

One thing all of these programs lack is isolation exercises. Doing isolation work can limit growth on strength gains. After 3 mesocycles of 5/3/1 and a week of SL 5x5, you are probably well trained enough to not notice the stress. Also, given the volume of the 5x5 program, the isolation work won't affect much.

Fine Tuning with Isolation Work

Let's face it... one of the things we are looking to be better at is looking the part of a man. Women are instinctively drawn to robust arms and shoulders. 5/3/1 and 5x5 work the chest well enough, but it doesn't pay attention to these parts, specifically. Barbell rows work the biceps a bit, and the bench and military press work the medial and lateral heads of the triceps. Military and bench press works the anterior deltoids a bit, and the rows work the posterior deltoids a bit. Military press also works the lateral deltoids a bit.

My solution has been to work the biceps and then run a circuit all using dumbbells at home. (I use the bowflex slectable models) This also allows my wife to see me ripped and lifting just before bed. The final set is a drop-set (lower the weight each time you can't finish a set.) It looks like this:

  • Bicep curls: 5x10

Circuit (No rest between sets. Rest after the Rear Delt Rows. Add weight each time.)

  • Behind-the head extensions (tricep long head): 4x10
  • Lateral raises (Lateral deltoids): 4x10
  • Front raises (Anterior deltoids): 4x10
  • Upright rows (Lateral deltoids): 4x10
  • Rear delt rows (Posterior deltoids): 4x10

This will develop the arms and shoulders well. I do them twice a week on non-gym days. I don't recommend doing them on gym-days; it's too much.

Strength is Nothing Unless You Can Move

Guess what. You need to run. A guy who looks in shape but can't move and gets out of breath on a brisk walk isn't fun. You need to run. Nothing serious, but having a race goal helps. Ideally, you should be doing at least one HIIT session, one tempo session, and one longer-duration run a week. This is separate from the 1-mile warm-up and cool-down runs you need to be doing at the gym. A 5K is a good race goal. It's low endurance and easy to get good at. If you can place or win a race... even better. Winners are sexy.

Strength is Nothing Unless It Does Something

Guess what. You should learn to fight. Women aren't just drawn to the strong man, they are drawn to the man who they know can protect them. Men are warriors, historically, and hunters, historically. These types of activities require the ability to move and act like a fighter. Besides, what good is all this strength if it doesn't do anything? Join an MMA gym. They offer a wide array of activities (Muy Thai, Boxing, MMA, Wrestling, Grappling, BJJ) and usually have some sort of functional fitness classes and some limited weight areas that you can at least do our 5 compound lifts (Squat, Deadlift, Bench Press, Military Press, Barbell Row.) Look to compete somehow. Winners are sexy, but men who beat other men, literally, and win are sexier.

Personal Note

If you think this sounds like a lot of work, you're right. No one said this was going to be easy. Here's my schedule, currently:

  • Warm-up before weights: run 2 miles (6 miles total)
  • Gym weight sessions 3 times a week: 1 hour each (3 hours total)
  • Cool-down after weights: run 1 miles (3 miles total)
  • HIIT session once a week (4-8 x 200 or 400m) with a mile warm up and a 1 mile cool down (3.5 - 6 miles total)
  • Tempo session once a week (2.5 - 4 miles a week)
  • Long duration session once a week (6 - 9 miles)
  • Dumbbell sessions at home twice a week (2 hours total)

Up to 27 miles a week running and 5 hours of weight work

In about a month I will be re-shifting to include 4 hours of BJJ work.