A Sample Program

The most important aspect of achieving any goal is the plan.  

One can easily show up to the gym dressed for success, then spend two hours scrolling endlessly on social media; this won't hit your goals. On the same page, doing the same six exercises you've loved since high school won't get you very far either, especially if you never deviate from three sets of ten.

I wanted to post a sample workout from my client's program and demonstrate how you should use this type of rigidity to help push forward in your own training program. Even though I take a jab at using "the same six exercises" indefinitely, there is strong merit behind that strategy, though it comes with rules. Read further.

Rule One: Use Mostly Compound Exercises.

Compound exercises are those that are the most efficient use of your time, using two or more joints to perform the lift. These exercises will allow you to lift the most amount of weight, engage more muscle fiber all over the body, and burn more calories while doing so.  Training for twelve months while ONLY utilizing isolation exercises (those that use only one joint at a time) will leave a lot of potential progress on the table.  So, make the most use of bench presses rather than chest flies; lat-pull-downs will get you stronger than bicep curls alone; and a leg extension will never deliver the results of a squat or deadlift with comparable intensity. 

Compound exercises are usually safer and leave your joints healthier than applying the same amount of force to only one single joint. Spread the love over multiple joints and multiple muscles to see faster results and feel your best.

Rule Two: Push yourself to the (almost) limit, at least an 8 or 9/10, most of the time. 

Most of us will train two to four days per week for most of our lives. Because of this frequency, we can be pretty confident that our training can be pushed to the (almost, a 9/10) limit most days we train.  An off-week or a de-load-week is necessary when the body is getting burnt out, but we can address that one later. You will then need to find a 10-12 rep max for these exercises, meaning it is up to YOU to perform these lifts with a spotter, finding what weight/load you will personally need to complete at least ten, but no more than twelve repetitions. When you fail a lift between ten and twelve reps, the weight correlates to 70-75% of your maximum load you are able to lift today. 

Using this intensity will prompt the muscles to both grow (hypertrophy) and get stronger through neuromuscular adaptations.  Both the muscles and the nerves will respond favorably, changing the shape, look, and feel of your whole entire body.  There is nothing better than getting stronger AND shredding body fat at the same time!

Rule Three: Progress week to week by improving your "Max Out Reps" data.

Each exercise prescribes two sets of eight repetitions, then two more sets of "Max Out Reps."  Now, this is where you will use the same weight as the last two sets, but instead of intentionally stopping at eight, continue until failure of your perfect form.  I do not intend for you to drop the bar on your chest, or get pinned to the ground under the squat bar, but you should feel close to it. Stop the set, rack the bar, and take your rest period as soon as your perfect form breaks from the increased fatigue. Record the number of repetitions, repeat that same procedure for Set #4, and record that rep-count.  These data points from Set #3 and Set #4 are intended to be improved week over week.

To see this in action, see below:

The new data points are listed in red.

The weights that you lift will remain consistent for the month, but the progress comes in the form of repetitions. If you are not modifying your own training program, find a coach that will do it for you with professional oversight.  This is a SUPER easy technique to progress on your own, but having a second set of eyes on your program can really help to push you to the next level of athleticism and aesthetics. 

Week after week, attempt to increase your reps on the "Max Out Reps" sets.  After completing the first month in this fashion, find your NEW heavy weight for 10-12 reps and begin the process over again.  After four weeks of hard training, expect to see a higher weight for your 10-12RM than last month. 

Once again, having a coach available to text or call throughout the month is a valuable asset, especially if changes need to be made mid-cycle. Listen to your body: push when you can, but then know when to tactically pull back as well. Now, go lift heavy.