I want to go on record and state that there are many ways of approaching training. The key to training is consistency and continuously improving from workout to workout.
I also want to go on record and state that my style of training is not designed for the elite. By this I mean you are not going to become as big as a bodybuilder or gain tons of strength like a powerlifter.
[This is the type of body you can hope to achieve. A body like this can take years to build depending on where you start from]
This site will make you reach intermediate targets of strength and possibly even advanced strength. What I can guarantee is, if you follow my plan pretty closely you will achieve a physique comparable to your favourite hollywood icons and also fitness models and models.
Effective Training For A Drug Free Individual
I beleive in a minimalist approach to training where I use four key lifts. These being the military press, bench press, squat and deadlift. I also use a list of secondary exercises which are also compound movements and will help make your body grow.
With the internet and any average Joe able to make a website, there is a lot of training nonsense out there. Even fitness magazines you think you can trust are filled with misinformation often designed to use in conjunction with their supplement they’re promoting.
This is what I have found to be the best training system so far. I started training on and off since I was 15. I am now 23 and have learned a lot in that time. I know how hard it is to find a good training program with this abundance of information, so I aim to make this really simple for you.
I personally train 3 days a week, and would suggest you do the same. It is optimal to have a days rest in between then 2 days off afterwards.
The Most Effective Workout
I have found that this is to use the big compound movements and practice them as often as possible. This is the best approach for beginners. I have seen that too many beginners jump on split routines which they read about in magazines when they should be doing full body workouts until they have maxed that out.
One thing that often isn’t spoken about is the art of coaching yourself. It is no good to just follow a template and sticking to that. You have to use your own wits and know how to progress. The key to training is damaging your muscles then repairing them and repeating the process as often as possible.
As you get stronger, you will no longer be able to recover in 48 hours and will subsequently need more rest time before you attempt the same movement.
This is where intermediate training comes in. Once 48 hours is not enough to recover, you ought to start dropping exercises where you are no longer progressing in until you move onto needing to use a split workout.
Learning The Correct Form For The Big Compound Movements
Learning the correct form in training is vital. If you can get someone who is competent in the movement to teach you or watch youtube videos and compare your form to theirs by recording yourself. Using shitty form can lead to injury, so please heed this advice.
If you would like to know more details about the exercises I prescribe, check out Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe.
You can see his YouTube lectures here:
1. Squat
2. Bench Press
3. Deadlift
Your Options
A beginner weight training program. I have a good solid template in this post here, so by all means use it and milk the shit out of it.
For intermediates here is a 3 day reverse pyramid routine that Martin Berkhan of lean gains recommend.
Some Final Considerations To Make Before You Choose
Are you bulking?
If yes, do a maximum of 3 sets per exercise.
Are you cutting?
If yes, understand that because you are going to be in a calorie deficit most of the week, it is optimal to maintain muscle mass and not overstress the body. I suggest using just 2 sets instead of 3 sets.
What if I don’t have access to weights?
If you don’t have weights, know that your progress will be slower but there are ways to make bodyweight movements harder. Here is a great template I used to use and sometimes use when I am not at home and feel like training.
What About Cardio?
I will go on record and say I no longer use structured cardio. I don’t find it enjoyable and would rather concentrate on creating a calorie deficit through diet instead of cardio. I prefer to play sports such as football (soccer) and recently picked up basketball.
I know a lot of you will love cardio, and the advice I would give you is to do your cardio in a fasted state so you can start burning fat straight away. I use to recommend using HIIT, but I no longer recommend this and instead tell people to do steady state cardio so you don’t stress your body even further.
For those who like cardio to create a calorie deficit so you can eat more, I would encourage you to check out Visual Impact Cardio, which is a ‘game changer’ for cardio.
For even more muscle building tips check out Muscle Gaining Secrets. Lame title but packed with solid information. Just ignore the nutrition advice as he is the author of the renegade diet which admits the wrongs of the diet in muscle gaining secrets.