Lifting

Introduction

Your goal, most likely if you are reading this guide, is to achieve a good physique. In order to achieve this, you must lift. This means you will need access to a gym, whether it be a home gym or a commercial one.

My goal, however, is to show you a way to achieve a good physique while making your quality of life better. I’ve already showed you how to get lean if you followed the diet part of this guide. So now I need to show you a way to get strong and muscular, while spending as little time in the gym as possible.

Plan

The first step of lifting is planning. Look at your weekly schedule and decide how many days you can workout. If it’s only one day a week, don’t be discouraged. Going one day a week will just make progress a little slower, but it is still completely possible to make gains.

Typically, I recommend working out 3 days a week as the optimal amount for most people. 3 days a week allows for shorter workout periods as you can split up muscle groups instead of having to do multiple in one period. It also is usually compatible with most people’s schedules.

The Routine

Each week follow the workout scheme: A then B, then repeat. So working out three days a week, the plan would be ABA the first week, and BAB the second. A two day a week would simply be AB the first week, and BA the second week.

DAY A:

• Bench Press: 10,8,6,4
• Deadlift: 10,8,6,4
• Close grip bench press: 10,10,10
• Pull-ups (weighted when you can): 10,10,10

DAY B:

• Squat: 10,8,6,4
• Overhead Press: 10,8,6,4
• Lateral raises: 10,10,10
• Bicep curls: 10,10,10

If you wish, on your rest days, you can add more accessory lifts, cardio, or do ab work. Also, remember to begin each days workout with lighter weight to warm up.

The focus on strength

One of the most fundamental differences between my routines and other routines is the focus on strength. With your goal on building strength, you will achieve feats you never thought possible, as well as get the ripped body you’ve always wanted! As a natural lifter, it is also the quickest method to achieving quality results. It also allows you to nurture your competitive side, as it becomes fun to outdo your previous bests.

The Big 4 lifts

All of my routines, by default, include the Big 4 lifts: Barbell Bench Press, Barbell Squat, Deadlift, and Overhead Press. All of these are compound movements, meaning they work multiple muscle groups at the same time, so you’re getting more bang for your buck.

If you can only workout once a week, do a full body routine including all of the Big 4.

Can I substitute an exercise?

Yes. I don’t typically advise it, because it’s hard for new lifters to know when a exercise targets the same muscle groups that the Big 4 lifts do. The general rule is substitute barbell exercises with dumbbell exercises if you want to substitute. Machines are not an acceptable substitute for the Big 4. They can be used as accessory lifts (that is, after you’ve done the Big 4), but they utilize less muscle groups when using them, leading to slower progression and more time in the gym.

Learn proper form

It’s the most rehashed concept in all of lifting, but it’s one of the most crucial: learn proper form, especially on the Big 4 lifts. One of my favorite channels for lifting tutorials is here.

Hiring a trainer is always an option as well, though it can be difficult to find a good one.

Getting stuck

It’s inevitable that at some point, as a natural lifter, you will hit a plateau on strength gains. It’s important to not give up.

First, try taking some weight off and work on form. Most strength plateaus can be overcome with better form. However, if that doesn’t work, try altering the exercise and doing a variation. For example, switching to Dumbbell Bench Press for a short period of time to get past a Barbell Bench Press plateau can work wonders on getting past your plateau.

Plateaus often are also caused by problems in diet. As mentioned in my diet guide, muscle is gained much quicker when eating in a caloric surplus. You might not be eating enough to sustain muscle growth.

You have a maximum potential

Another important aspect of lifting to realize is that you have a maximum amount of muscle that you will build. Realize that you will never be as big or ripped as most fitness models or bodybuilders without using performance enhancing drugs.

Don’t be discouraged. As a natural lifter, you can still build the perfect amount of muscle to look good.

Making lifting enjoyable

Just like dieting, I believe you must make lifting enjoyable. No one wants to spend hours at the gym a week when it is unenjoyable. So don’t make it suck. Make it fun. One of the reasons my routine focuses on strength is because of how competitive and fun it can be. It allows you to be competitive with yourself, always achieving new personal bests of strength.

FAQ

Do I need to train abs?

If you are doing the Big 4 lifts, you are already working abs.

However, in my opinion, the abs can still use a little work. I recommend doing ab work on your days off, or at the end of your workouts.