Try Total Workload Training If you need a break from heavy lifting, you can always turn the focus of your training to an emphasis on a high total workload for gaining strength. What do I mean by total workload? It…
Short Workout Bursts In this article, I will address the use of high frequency short workout bursts. These workouts can be done with light to moderately heavy weights, or heavy weights according to your preference. The workouts that I am…
Mark Challet’s Minimalist Workouts In the last article, I began a series on minimalist training which refers to doing the least possible amount of training while still experiencing optimum strength gains. The workouts are simple, brief, and infrequent. Perhaps the…
There are Olympic lifters and powerlifters who have used minimalist training with great success. Minimalist training basically means doing the minimum amount of work necessary to stimulate a positive training effect. True minimalist training consists of selecting a minimum amount…
Fast For a While, Slow for a long Time If you want fast strength gains, what I am about to say in this article doesn’t sound good, it’s not popular, and a lot of people don’t want to hear it.…
Three Types of Strength Training Routines In the last article I discussed three basic training strategies that are used to build strength. The most common is max effort overload training which works wonderfully for intermediate lifters. Max effort overload training…
There are three basic strength training methods that lifters use to gain strength. They consist of: Max effort overload training (ie training to failure or going for a new single rep max record). Progressive overload. Start out with fairly light…
Gain Strength by Programming for Overcompensation In a previous article that was titled, Increasing Total Workload for Strength, I explained how a four set pyramid can be turned into a ten set pyramid to increase the total workload. Increasing total…
High Total Workload Eric Spoto is an example of a powerlifter who does an extensive high workload warm up to reach his top bench press poundage. His total workload for his first eight sets before ever reaching his top weight…
Top up Progression vs. Bottom up Progression There are multitudes of progression strategies that lifters use to increase their strength. I refer to one of these strategies as bottom up progression as opposed to top up progression. In my own…
