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Workout RoutinesThe Big Three This workout concept was heavily promoted by Bill Starr in his book "The Strongest Shall Survive" subtitled "Strength Training For Football." It involves choosing a compound movement for pushing, pulling and the legs/hips. Starr's "Big Three" mentioned in the book are the bench press, power clean and the squat. These movements are worked using a 5x5 set/rep scheme. After a general warmup that should see you breaking a light sweat, you perform the movements for five sets of five in the following manner: The first two sets are progressively heavier sets and serve as a further extension of your warm up. The remaining three sets are done with the most weight you can handle (in very good form, of course!) for five reps. The last set should be hard enough that initially, you should only be able to complete 4 reps. When you can easily complete all five sets for five or six reps, add a small amount of weight and begin again. The combinations that this concept allows should provide training variety for quite some time. For example: Starr's Classic Bench Press/ Power Clean/ Squat My current preference Clean and Press/ Power Clean/ Hip Belt Squat Other combinations Overhead Press/ Bent Over Rows/ Squats *** Bradford Press/ High Pulls/ Front Squat *** Push Press/ Power Cleans/ Straddle Lift *** Dips/ Pullups/ Squats *** Power Cleans/ Front Squats/ Overhead Presses You are only limited by your own creativity. Using dumbbells for the upper body work, whether using one or both hands, allows even more variety. This workout is fast, requires a minimum of equipment and works the entire body. Occasionally, it would be a good idea to include leg curls or some type of lower back/hamstring type movement, just to ensure that an adequate strength/muscle balance is maintained in the legs. Higher reps can be done, if using this concept as an abbreviated routine when bodybuilding. -Wicked Willie
Now before you go on, maybe you should read this page on how to tweak a workout to learn how to adapt a program to your personal needs. Elsewhere on the davedraper.com website: 8-week IOL Challenge Workout Routines Draper Slumpbuster Workouts; superset training; and understanding superset training And now for a sample workout from Wicked Willie You want to initially choose movements that will engage as much of your muscle mass at once (compound movements) so that your workouts will be efficient. You also want to get the most "bang for your buck," so to speak. You want your workout to be simple, short and hard enough to stimulate growth. Don't worry too much right now about direct movements for your abdominals...just get into the workout habit, by not missing a workout for three months, if you can manage that. Concentrate on building muscle and the fat will be used for energy and replaced by muscle (provided your diet allows this...and it looked good.) Here's a thought on the workout...see how you like it. Requires a minimum of equipment and time. Warm up - 15 minutes of walking, while swinging your arms around in various ways. Call it GONZO power walking. You should break a light sweat. Or you can use a stationary bike...the idea is to heat up your core temperature and stimulate overall circulation and synovial fluid in the joints Squat 3x10 to at least parallel depth.When you can do 3x12 in good form...increase the weight. If you can't squat with weight, do them without weights. If for some reason, you are mechanically unable to squat...you may substitute the leg press. But seriously work at the squat before giving up...it is that important. Overhead Press 4x6 When you can do 4x8 in good form, increase. Dumbbell Row 4x8 When you can do 4x10... You may occasionally substitute the Lat Pulldown, your choice of grip and grip width. Deadlift 6x4Reset for each rep...DO NOT use a touch and go style. Do these moderately for back integrity...don't push hard on them until you've lost some weight and gained conditioning. Cool down 5-10 minutes of walking or stationary bike at a slower pace. That's your workout blueprint...it shouldn't take more than 45 minutes, minus the warm up. Once a week, just to satisfy your ego and desire...add some curls and triceps pushdowns or some type of curl and tricep work. THIS IS OPTIONAL...the basic blueprint is NOT OPTIONAL. Do this moderately also, just for pump and a good feeling. Once you've lost some weight and gained some conditioning, you can add isolation type stuff if you wish...but if you use the basics outlined here, you won't really need to use them. It's better to leave a workout feeling you could have done more, than it is to leave exhausted. Train, don't strain. Last edited by Wicked Willie. Contributors: Laree, ccrow, mjolson, and Wicked Willie |