Before we get into the good stuff, I want to go over what will make your program a success. There are many ways to train your body and there are many ways that work. The consistencies in the success stories deal with habit and structure. Without habitual behavior, it is going to be hard to reach your goals. Just like brushing your teeth has been ingrained in your daily routine. You want to create that same kind of habit with your lifting routine. In order to do that, create structure in your day and in your training schedule. You should always have a plan and have a purpose each time you enter the weight room. Execute your daily routine without deviation and the accountability for your actions will be improved. Now on to the training stuff!
There is a natural evolution of training. The first level is what I will call training freestyle. These people just show up to the gym, do whatever they want, and leave. Some training is always better than no training but when you aren't maximizing your time when you have no plan, no progression, and no record keeping. The second level of training is chop-shop programming. These individuals mix and match a bunch of different ideas they've read or got from their "mentors" and call that a program. The issue with this is that by doing a little bit of this and a little bit of that, you aren't really following a program. Programs are created for a reason. If you are going to follow one then do just that. Don't substitute this for that and think you are still doing the program. You're not! The third level is what I'll call exact recipe programming. This is the individual who religiously monitors their tempo, makes sure everything is working right, following someone's plan to a T, but put so much effort and energy into everything being perfect that they forget to train hard. The fourth level is template programming. This is the individual who has a plan and a rough idea on periodization. They are experienced enough to have a little flexibility and understand that some days you just might not have it. This individual is in it for the long haul.
For somebody that is looking to get to level four, I will give you some basic guidelines for how to start building your very own template. These workouts should be full body workouts done three days a week. A basic template is listed is as follows: upper body push, upper body pull, any type of squat, something that involves a hip hinge (Deadlift, KB Swing, Romanian Deadlift, etc), an exercise that is core/trunk related, and a loaded carry. The carry is often neglected but if you have an opportunity to push a sled or carry some heavy weights around, DO IT! They are a game changer and extremely taxing on your body. Every day you lift, you can change the exercises up a little so you aren't constantly doing the same stuff. So for the upper body push, bench one day, military press another, use dumbbells, press only one arm at a time, etc. Use the same variations with the other exercises as well. A simple rep scheme to follow in the beginning is a 10/8/6 program. There are many ways to do it but the 10/8/6 program is a good place to start. Each week you try to beat your previous weeks best lift. Lastly, never miss a rep (if it calls for 6 reps make sure you get 6) and never sacrifice quality for quantity. Take some time this weekend to put some ideas on paper and create your plan for the upcoming week. Keep me posted on how you're progressing!
Chris Fluck
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