I have been lifting weights for 15 years, and experimented with a lot.

I have done high intensity training, high intensity interval training, crossfit, 3×8’s, and other high rep workouts.

I got really into cardio for a while.

I have tried a bunch of different diets and supplements.

I have over trained, under trained. I have tried to get cut, tried to bulk, and tried to get strong.

I focused specifically on strength when I first started, and got pretty strong. I primarily did 5×5’s, and focused solely on compound lifts. The end of my junior year I was squatting 540, benching 330, cleaning 315, and deadlifting 525. I was weighing in at 198 at that point.

After I graduated high school, I stopped strength training and focused more on body building. I stopped squatting, deadlifting, and cleaning, and focused more on glamour muscles. Unfortunately, I was eating a ton of food, without all the work, and I got fat.

I cut all that gained weight, and then some, over the course of one summer. I rode my bicycle 30 miles a day, was not lifting, and eating about half of what I was previously eating.

I got back into body building shortly thereafter, and kept my body fat and physique in check for a long time.

Being assigned to a submarine fucked that all up, and I got pretty chunky again. After I got assigned to a shore command, it was back to work.

I have since determined strength should be the priority when working out.

I have gone back to what I did at the very beginning: Getting strong with 5×5 compound lifts.

Here is why.

  1. I does not make you much bigger. This is good for me, because I do not want to out grow my suits.

  2. It gives you something to aim for. I will talk about the progression later, but it makes the gym a bit more fun as you have a very specific goal each time you go.

  3. It burns a ton of calories. I used to to a lot of cardio to try and keep my body fat percentage low. Now I do not do barely any. Fucking, and playing sports are the only time I get in my cardio, and my BF percentage is pretty low comparatively.

  4. The strong man wins in life.

When I got back into these lifts, it was a struggle. I had not squatted, deadlifted, or cleaned in a long time. I also incorporated over head press back into my workouts as well.

I was weak, my form sucked, and I had to swallow a bunch of pride, and lift some pussy weights, because I was weak.

Once I got back into the swing of it, I could not believe the results. I looked better, felt better, and had a much easier time keeping my body fat percentage in check.

I still do follow this regiment, and do not plan on stopping anytime soon.

5×5’s rundown.

For each compound lift (squat, deadlift, bench press, and over head press), pick a weight that you can rep about 8 times, and do 5 sets of 5 reps with it. This is where you start.

For example, when I started out I could do 245 for 8 reps on squat. The first workout was 245, and I shot for 5 sets of 5 reps. If I hit it, the next time I did squats I would aim for 250 5×5’s.

As time goes on, your gains halt a little. Sometimes I would hit 5×5’s one week, go up 5 pounds, and only get 5x5x5x4x3.

Next time you do that lift, shoot for one more rep at the very least. It can be 5x5x5x5x3 or 5x5x5x4x4. You keep doing this until you get to a point where you are strong enough to hit 5×5’s with that weight, and move up.

Do each lift once a week at the minimum.

Rinse, wash, and repeat.

Three important points to consider going forward.

  1. Learn to do the lifts properly. The percentage of people I see at the gym doing all these lifts incorrectly is astonishing. You have the internet, use it.

  2. You may feel some pain at first. A lot of people think there knee or back pains prevent them from doing these lifts. What they do not realize is that these pains arise from how fucking weak they are in the first place. In the process of becoming stronger, there will be a bit of pain if you fall under this category. Obviously you should use some due diligence, but there is a difference between being hurting, and suffering from injury.

  3. Listen to your body. There are days you are going to feel tired and weak, or you are feeling a bit more pain than you are used to. If this is the case, just deload. Do 50-60% of what you normally do. Maybe concentrate on some auxiliary lifts. And get back at it the next time around. Sometimes your central nervous system just needs a break. Taking it easy every now and again minimizes the risk of injury, and ensures you keep making gains.

Do 5×5’s, I promise you will not regret it.

Edit: I was 198, not 188. I was tempted not to defend my position, but I feel fairly convicted that what I am recommending is an effective method in regards to strength training.

Also, I never said omit aux lifts, I simply said focus on getting strong.

Now, as far as those pesky numbers that are so unbelievable. A few things to consider before calling bullshit.

  1. I brought up those numbers as a data point. When I was strength training, using very basic workouts, I was strong as hell.

  2. I was a teenager, pulsating with a crazy amount of testosterone (basically steroids). I took it very seriously, and I come from a family of naturally strong guys, so there is some genetic disposition. If I would have stuck with it, I very well could have gotten to those elite levels.

  3. They are not that impressive. Check out What is strong? and look at what the raw scores are. I was no where near those.

  4. Right now I am 30, 5'8" (snuck three inches in college) at 190. I have not maxed out in a while but I do 5x5's with 330 squat, 275 bench, 175 OHP, and 405 deadlift. This is a lot given the fact that I probably drink too much, am not as serious about it, and have only been consistently getting after it for the last year and half or so. All because I do this particular workout.