Strength training is fun. Especially when you start gaining strength you can see. An extra five pounds on your lift is always good. The secret to keep adding weight every workout is:
5x5 strength training.
This form of training involves doing five sets of five repetitions for each exercise, and then only doing big, compound exercises.
Why should you do 5x5 strength training?
- It involves only big, compound exercises. These hit all the muscles you want to exercise. This translates to shorter workouts, usually for 40 minutes to an hour.
- Doing big, compound exercises means you'll need lots of rest. Which means you will work out only three times a week, every other day.
- It works. Bigger weights means more strength - and more strength leads to even bigger weights. These form the vicious cycle of muscle growth.
- Simple equipment: Barbell, dumbells, bench and squat rack or power rack. Every normal gym has these. If not, find one that does.
- Alternate between two workouts every time you train:
Workout A: Squats 5x5, Bench Press 5x5, Barbell Row 5x5, Push-up 3xF. Barbell Curl 5x5.
- Start with 10lbs (5lbs on each side of the barbell). If you did Strength Training for Absolute Beginners, this should be easy. This is to accustom you to the motions.
- Always, always warm up with dynamic stretching, not normal (static) stretching.
- Add 5lbs to the total weight every time you do the exercise.
That's all there is to it. The only thing left is for you to eat right, sleep a lot and of course, train hard.
Let's do this.