When Vince Lombardi took over the Green Bay Packers everyone asked him what he was going to do:
“Are you going to change the playbooks?”
“Are you going to change the players”
“What are you going to do differently?”
To these questions he replied:
“I’m not going to change anything, we’re just going to get brilliant on the basics. Our opponents may be able to predict exactly what we’re going to do, but we’re going to be so good at the basics that they won’t be able to stop us.”
The Back To Basics Mass & Power Barbell Workout
When it comes to building a muscular physique the one key element that you must focus on is getting stronger. A bigger muscle is a stronger muscle (and vice versa). When you are at the gym just look around at the regular members. I’m willing to bet that the guys who are the biggest and the most muscular are also the ones who are lifting the heaviest weights.
One of the problems that a lot of people run into when training for strength gains is doing way too many exercises. They are spreading themselves too thin and burning out on the sheer volume of training. Part of the problem is the environment that most of us train in.
Most commercial gyms these days have so many fancy padded machine exercises all over the place that people are getting away from the basic bread & butter barbell exercises.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of machine exercises and I feel they have their place in the gym. Machines are great for isolating specific muscles, good for working around injuries, and they can help add variety to your training. Plus there are some exercises that can only be done on machines that can’t be duplicated with free weights (i.e. pull downs, push downs, leg press, leg extensions, etc.).
However, over reliance on machine exercises will actually make you weaker, instead of stronger. The reason I know this is because I’ve personally fallen into this trap myself several times over the years. Opting for Leg Press over Squats. Doing the Hammer Strength Bench Press instead of the Barbell Bench Press. Machine Rows instead of Barbell Rows, etc…
Now you can still make “strength gains” in these machine exercises. However, those strength gains don’t always carry over into your free weight exercises. Machines balance and support the weights for you, all you have to do is push or pull along a guided track, it’s not a true strength builder.
But when you make strength gains in basic free weight exercises, those gains almost always carry over into your machine exercises. Free weights put you in a real 3 dimensional environment where you not only have to push or pull the weights, but you have to balance and support them as well.
Barbells and dumbbells can twist, turn, wobble, etc. and this all leads to a higher level of neuromuscular activation and thus more stimulation for building strength and muscle mass.
For our Back To Basics Mass & Power Barbell Workout we’re going to put the machine exercises on the back burner. Instead we are going to focus on only doing a select few powerlifts and working the crap out of those lifts!
The goal for each workout is simple:
To Lift More During This Workout Than You Did For Your Last Workout.
If you can consistently beat your previous best lifts over and over again, even if it’s just getting an extra rep or adding an extra 5 pounds to the bar, it will all add up overtime and equal some Big Lifts and some Big Muscles. Now what we consider “big” is all relative, I’m not saying that within in the matter of weeks you’ll be ready to pose down on the Mr. Olympia stage or anything like that. But by getting stronger on the basic lifts you’ll be able to blow past your own training plateaus and set some new personal records in size and strength.
So without wasting anymore time, let’s cut the small talk and get right into the “Meat & Potatoes” of the program…
Focus On The 3 Basic Powerlifts…
The workout will consist of:
– Squats
– Bench Press
– Deadlift
That’s it, nothing more, nothing less!
These are the core powerlifts. The big 3 (squat, bench, and deadlift) are the competition lifts in powerlifting. Nothing else can sum over up overall brute strength and power like those 3 lifts. They lay the foundation to any good muscle building program.
Workout 3 Days Per Week…
The workout itself is very simple. You’re going to hit the gym 3 days per week (or every second day). The main thing is that you take a full day of rest after each workout before training again.
Warm Up Before Every Workout…
Before each workout you’re going to do a proper warm up. I suggest doing 5-10 minutes of cardio such as a rowing machine or an elliptical with the moving arm handles. Ideally you would do something that moves your entire body, elevates your core temperature, and gets the blood flowing.
After your cardio you’ll do some rotator cuff rotations, arm circles, bodyweight squats, etc. to make sure all your major muscles are limber. I’ve got a good video on YouTube that shows how to do a proper warm up routine posted below…
Note: if you can’t see the embedded video clip above,
you can watch it directly on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q52_IF-qoDc
Once you are all warmed up you’re going to head over to the power rack and get set up for your first set of squats!
Sample Workout Routine…
For each exercise in our basic mass and power workout you’re going to do a few progressively heavier warm up sets, pyramiding up to your top working weight, then you are going to do 2 sets of 5 reps with your top working weight.
Now for example purposes, let’s assume your top working weight in the squat is 225 pounds for 5 reps. Your weights, sets, and reps may go like this:
Sample Squat Workout:
1st set – 95 pounds x 10 reps (warm up)
2nd set – 135 pounds x 8 reps (warm up)
3rd set – 185 pounds x 5 reps (warm up)
4th set – 225 pounds x 5 reps (working set)
5th set – 225 pounds x 5 reps (working set)
After squats you’ll move on to the bench press. And for our example, let’s assume your top working weight in the bench press is 185 pounds for 5 reps. Your weights, sets, and reps may go like this:
Sample Bench Press Workout:
1st set – empty bar x 10 reps (warm up)
2nd set – 95 pounds x 8 reps (warm up)
3rd set – 135 pounds x 5 reps (warm up)
4th set – 185 pounds x 5 reps (working set)
5th set – 185 pounds x 5 reps (working set)
After bench presses you’ll move on to the deadlift. And for our example, let’s assume your top working weight in the deadlift is 275 pounds for 5 reps. Your weights, sets, and reps may go like this:
Sample Deadlift Workout:
1st set – 135 pounds x 10 reps (warm up)
2nd set – 185 pounds x 8 reps (warm up)
3rd set – 225 pounds x 5 reps (warm up)
4th set – 275 pounds x 5 reps (working set)
5th set – 275 pounds x 5 reps (working set)
That’s it, those are the 3 basic lifts that you are going to do 3 days per week. Your training goal is very simple, each workout strive to add 5 pounds to the bar and still perform all the sets and reps. If you are able to up the weight by 5 pounds and still get all the required sets and reps with good form, then up the weight again for your next workout and keep progressing in this fashion. However, if you get stuck and don’t hit 5 reps on one of your working sets, or you had to get help from a spotter, keep the same weight for your next workout.
When planning out a program like this it’s a good idea to be little conservative when selecting your starting weights. I’d much rather you go through the workouts feeling strong with the weights and knowing that you could do grind out an extra rep or two if you really had to. This will allow you to build momentum in your training and allow you to keep increasing the weights by those 5 pound jumps for several workouts in a row before hitting a plateau.
The slow and steady approach to strength gains is much better than starting off too heavy and hitting failure right off the bat and having to drop down in weight. Getting “beaten by the weights” and having to lighten the load is no fun. But feeling strong and making those small frequent jumps in weight helps keep you motivated. A lot of people ignore this aspect of training, but being motivated, feeling strong, and actually looking forward to your workouts is half the battle. That’s what keeps you on track towards your muscle building goals.
Advanced Training Tips…
If you are a more advanced lifter and can handle heavier weights than what I have listed in the examples, than you’ll most likely need to perform more warm up sets. The heavier you lift, the more warm up sets it will take in order to reach your top working weight.
You may also want to cycle the order that you perform the exercises, so overtime you can hit each exercise at the beginning of your workout when you are fresh and at your strongest. For example, you may start your first workout with squats, bench presses, and deadlifts. The next workout you could do bench presses, deadlifts, and squats. The following workout you could do do deadlifts, squats, and bench presses, etc. And just keep rotating through the exercises like that.
The use of a good powerlifting belt and lifting chalk will really help, especially as you build up the poundages for those top heavy working sets. You could even use lifting straps to help re-enforce your grip on the deadlifts if needed. But make sure to do all your warm up sets without lifting straps so that you’ll still be able to build up your natural grip strength.
What About Working The Rest Of The Body…
As I’m writing this I can already hear the comments coming from the peanut gallery:
– “What about all my other muscle groups?”
– “What am I going to do for biceps?”
– “What about calves?”
– “Shouldn’t I be working my abs?”
– Etc…
The biggest problem that people run into when following a basic mass and power workout program is that it “Seems Too Basic”. Most people don’t see the forest for the trees. They over complicate things by always looking for new exotic exercises, magic formulas, unique training theories and new age programs. Meanwhile, the answer to their problem is very often staring them right in the face, but they overlook it because it seems too obvious.
Too many guys get bogged down in the minor details before they even have a solid foundation to work with. To give you a real world example of this, let’s look at the process of building a house. If you were building a house would you start off worrying about what color you are going to paint the walls before the foundation has been laid and the house has been framed? Probably not… Now I’m not saying that the color that you paint the walls isn’t important, but it’s a very specific detail that only really matters way down the line once the rest of the house has been built.
The same applies with building your body. It makes no sense to focus on the details of your physique and doing specialization training when you weigh a buck fifty soaking wet. Focus first on putting some meat on your bones and building up your base strength.
A good goal to strive for is to get your strength up in the core powerlifts so that you can bench 1 and 1/2 times your bodyweight and squat and deadlift 2 times your bodyweight. Focus on hitting those numbers before worrying about how to bring out the detail of your serratus anterior or isolating your vastus medialis.
It makes no sense to worry about sculpting your bicep peak or isolating the lateral head of your triceps if your arms barely stretch the tape measure to 13 inches. Pay your dues in the gym with some hardcore training on the basic powerlifts and you’ll pack more meat on your guns than biceps curls ever could.
“But Lee I just have to work my… (arms, abs, calves, etc.)”
If the thought of not directly training a particular muscle group is just driving you nuts and keeping you awake at night. Then you can follow a modified version of this Back To Basics Barbell Workout and take 1 day per week to do whatever muscle isolation exercises you feel that you absolutely “must do”.
If you just have to do bicep curls, tricep push downs, side lateral raises, crunches, calf raises, etc… Simply take 1 day per week to do those exercises.
For example, if you are working out 3 days per week this is how your training split may look:
Monday – “Back To Basics” – train the 3 powerlifts
Tuesday – Rest
Wednesday – “Isolation Workout” – do your isolation moves
Thursday – Rest
Friday – “Back To Basics” – train the 3 powerlifts
Saturday – Rest
Sunday – Rest
This way you’ll be able to satisfy your urge to isolate specific body parts. But in all honesty it probably won’t be any more effective in the long run than simply doing the 3 basic powerlifts.
Conclusion…
You’ll be amazed at the improvements you can make in your overall muscular development if you just take a few months and really focus on improving the 3 basic powerlifts. If you were to add 30-50 pounds to each of these lifts over the course of the next several months, just think of how that would impact your overall muscle density?
And when you zero in and target all your training efforts on just a few basic lifts, making these kinds of strength gains within a few months is very realistic. Especially if you have been doing “marathon workouts” and trying to work the muscles from every angle possible with every exercise imaginable.
So if you are looking to take your physique to the next level of muscular development, give this Mass & Power Barbell program a try. Simplify your approach, focus on making strength gains, and get brilliant on the basics!
107 Comments
Comment navigation
Davin
Lee, I really need your help on this one. You see, you mentioned about trying to lift about 1 and 1/2 times my bodyweight for bench press, and twice my bodyweight for deadlifts, etc(for the other 2 powerlifts). You also mentioned that doing all these 4 powerlifts in ONE workout can grant me muscle gains and strength for 6-8 weeks before things taper off. I couldn’t agree more to that, because I’ve experienced the same thing. I’ll use the bench press exercise for the example here. Now I’m a big fan of doing bench presses for a year now….and I’m still doing it now. For the 1st 9 weeks I did the bench press, my strength went up from 75lbs to 175 lbs for a 5×5(I never changed that rep range for all those 9 weeks). But since then, it never went up anymore, until now. I keep pressing 175lbs of 5×5, and it never goes up. Everytime I really hope that it can jump to 180lbs…but it never happen. What is wrong? What can I do?
I’m getting very desperate about this. I really appreciate you for noticing this, lee. Thanks. Please reply me.
Ditto
Yo, Lee!
Great article!
It reminded me that I really need to go for those basics.
My little problem is that I’m on the move, I gotta drive between cities for almost five days in a week. However I got a pair of adjustable dumbbells in my car, and the maximum weight each bar can carry is about 15kgs (err…30 pounds?). My simple question is: With dumbbells, how can we differentiate squats and deadlifts?
Thanks, Man.
G-Truth
Hey whats yup Lee Hayward! I’m a big fan of your posts and a bigger fan of powerlifting exercises, don’t like machines! Now, I read your post, and wonder, my normal workout method is, when training chest, always begin with barbell bench press, and continue with dumbell, fly, incline and so on! And for legs, squat first, than the other leg exercises and for back, deadlift first and so one! So I do this exercises always, because I love them and they are the ones to beat! Is that method also good, or should I really do them, like competition, all together in one day!?
leehayward
I usually help balance things like this out with my warm up routine. I often do 10 minutes on the rowing machine at a my cardio warm up before lifting. Plus I do direct shoulder / rotator cuff work as well to keep the shoulders healthy. I have a video about proper warm ups that you can check out at:
leehayward
When it comes to powerlifts like this, taking longer rest periods are best for strength gains. Rest 1-2 minutes between warm up sets. And 2-3 minutes between working sets. And you could even rest longer if needed.
leehayward
When you hit a plateau in an exercise like this you need to change the exercise and do another variation that works those same muscle groups from different angles.
I’ve got a good video that covers this exact topic at:
leehayward
I’ve got a simple dumbbell workout program that you can follow outlined at:
http://www.leehayward.com/homeworkout.htm
leehayward
If what you are doing is working and you are seeing strength gains from week to week, keep doing it. When you hit a plateau and your strength gains stop is when you need to change things up and look for ways to spur on new growth again.
jake
i had a lateral tear in my meniscus a few years ago. i had surgery and it was fixed. i havent been able to squat much since. i normal stick to incline leg press machines, hack squat machines, etc. every time i try to squat more than a 135. my knee flares up. (im 6’0, 235lbs.). i was going to try your back to basics workout. any suggetions of what i should substitute for squats? thanks in advance
leehayward
Just listen to your body, if you can do leg presses without bothering your knee, than do those instead of squats.
Jeff
Hi Lee,
I’m stoked about starting this workout, So thanks for sharing it.
I just had a question & don’t know if I just missed it…….
Do I hit the Back to basics routine every second day for the 6 to 8 week period or just the 3 times a week, Like mon, wed, fri take sat sun off?
Thanks again for all the info that you supply your fans with.
Anthony Bosnar
Good article Lee,
could you do military press as your overhead press exercise?
Jon
hey Lee! as always, I learn a lot from the articles that you keep on posting. Good thing before you posted this, I already alternating my routines between machines and free weights. The information you post are very useful for people like me who depend on the internet for most of my weight lifting information and advice. Yours, I would say is the most comprehensive and down-to-earth of all, devoid of any terminologies that will confuse many aspiring weight lifters. I especially found your information on eccentric and concentric lifting very useful–the example you provided was for the biceps exercise. I know incorporate this knowledge in my workouts plus I’ve added a little twist of my own with regards to my back and deltoids. I have made serious gains as far as strength and size is concerned. I never tire of reading anything that comes from you. You are a blessing to many of us who aspire to live the code of the steel. Many thanks to you and may God continue to bless you in every way!
Zeoiler
heya lee, awesome article man. you see the picture of the skinny kid with glasses.. reminds me of me 🙂 Im 69 kilo’s i’ve put on 5.4 kilo’s since starting gym in december. I didnt quite hit my goal of 70kg by march 16 but im still happy. Im following your good friend vince delmonte’s NNMB program. Still I read ur articles keep up the great work mate.
leehayward
There’s not much difference between them, but if you want a set schedule to follow go with 3 days per week. (i.e. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday)
leehayward
Yes, military presses are ok for the overhead press exercise.
leehayward
Thanks for the comments Jon, glad you enjoy the info that I share via my website.
leehayward
Great job at gaining 5.4 kilos. Even through we set specific goals for bodyweight, strength gains, etc. rarely do we ever reach them spot on. Often times we’ll either over shoot them, or fall a little short. But the main thing is to keep focusing on making steady gains over the long term. Before you know it you’ll be over 70 kilos and well on your way towards 80 kilos and beyond… Keep it up!
Bill
What about adding a back exercise such as pull-ups or rowing?
Matt
Can you explain how to perform an overhead press, please ?
ben
Hey lee I’ve been training 1 year and been getting pretty good gains.my bench is 210 and my squat is around 260+ at 136lbs bodyweight but I’ve never deadlifyed because I heard it was dangerous. How would you suggest I get my deadlift up?
cwb3
Hey Lee,
Can you substitute dumbbell’s for barbell bench press and overhead press and still get the same effect?
S.I.
Great program Lee ! I’m in week four and making definite strength gains !! I think I will take next week as a deload and go with high reps and lighter weights with some stretching and cardio then i will resume week 5 where I left off. Does this sound ok ? Thanks for the program and have an excellent and safe trip.
Roland
Hey Lee!
We’ve followed this program for 7 weeks (22 workouts in 52 days) with my brother, and I’d like to share the results with you:
We started with the weights we had been using for 2×8 reps in our workouts.
These were:
squats: 70,5kg (155 lbs)
bench: 64,5kg (142 lbs)
deadlift: 78,5kg (173 lbs)
overhead press: 35,5kg (78 lbs)
The weights I finished with: (bodyweight 77kg (170 lbs), bodyfat 11-12%)
squats: 89,5kg (197 lbs)
bench: 71,5kg (157 lbs)
deadlift: 111,5kg (245,5 lbs)
overhead press: 52,5kg (115,5 lbs)
The weights my brother finished with: (bodyweight 90kg (199 lbs), bodyfat ~21%)
squats: 102,5kg (226 lbs)
bench: 83,5kg (184 lbs)
deadlift: 111,5kg (245,5 lbs)
overhead press: 56,5kg (124,5 lbs)
Size gains are not really relevant, since we don’t follow a strict eating plan. We don’t eat junk, nor consume any supplements. Basically we eat home made food, low sugar cookies included :), as well as fruits and veggies.
Anyway:
My brother gained ~2 kgs (4-5 lbs), mainly fat to his belly, because he didn’t do any cardio, and I lost 1 kg, but that was because of some hardcore preparing for exams. I simply cannot eat enough if I study and train hard at the same time. I lost 3 kgs (6lbs) two weeks ago, I gained back 2 since, but usually I can get these kind of losses back swiftly.
I measured my body parts as well, just out of curiosity. (I repeat, I don’t follow strict eating plans, my protein intake is maybe around 100-120 grams each day.) My bicep went down with 1 cm (0,4 inch) from 37cm (14,5 inch) to 36 cm (14 inch), (maybe some curls would have been needed after all? 🙂 my chest went from 96 cm to 97 cm (37,5 -> 38 inch).
So to summarize: we’ve gained a good amount of strength, my shoulders are wider, and my chest is more defined (that’s noticeable in the mirror as well). My bro gained some fat too, because this is not a fat loss program. I told him this was gonna be this way, so he is not disappointed, and he feels stronger than ever.
At first we finished the workout in 45 mins, it was easy, in the end 75 mins were required, and we died each time. Now we feel wrecked. 🙂
So we had enough of the weights for some time, and we are going to do some hardcore bodyweight tabata training for a month, to burn that fat from my bro’s belly 🙂
We enjoyed this training very much, it adds some variety, we will incorporate it in our schedule every year for a few weeks.
So thank you very much!
lee
You can certainly include a rowing exercise if you like. What I’d suggest if you are going to follow this routine, is to take one workout a week and just do some of the exercises that you feel you need (i.e. rows, arm work, shoulders, abs, calves, etc.) to fill in the gaps in your training. But for the majority of the time focus on the basics as listed here.
lee
An over head press is simply a shoulder press. You can do them seated or standing. With a barbell or with dumbbells.
lee
Simple, just start doing deadlifts 😉
They are no more dangerous than squatting. In fact, they are actually safer than squats because if you can’t lift a deadlift you simply drop the bar, but if you can’t lift a squat you could get crushed by the bar.
I’ve got a good basic deadlift instructional video that you should watch at:
http://youtu.be/1vcBQNqfxe8
lee
Sure, you can use either barbell or dumbbell lifts for this workout.
lee
That’s a good idea. Pushing it hard for a month or so and then backing off for a week or two is a good strategy for making long term gains.
lee
Roland,
Thanks for sharing your results, glad to hear both of you made solid strength gains. Just imagine how much better your results could have been if you combined the program with a proper diet and supplement routine!
Jam_Man
I tried this routine today. Been in the gym for 2 months after being lazy and not going for a year. On paper it looks easy because of the low volume and it is only 4 exercises. I thought it was gonna be too easy and not even break a sweat. Wow, was I wrong!!!!! And I started on moderate weights, I didnt max out at 5 reps as the article said in order to keep gains coming and keep motivation up. Upping the weights or reps over 6 weeks three times per week is gonna be a challenge even at the low to moderate starting point! So don’t be fooled by the simplicity and low volume of this routine!
This routine was a true workout. My other routine had too many exercises in it (DB flyes, DB rows, tricep presses, bicep curls, calf raises, shrugs) and this was just too much volume spreading my energy thin (I am in my 40’s).
This routine helps me dedicate my energy on the big lifts. Walked out of the gym feeling like I got a GREAT productive workout without feeling beat up and had energy throughout the day.
Been reading your site since 2005 and you have been giving CORRECT advice here and you really know your stuff. It is gonna build up my strength and prepare me for more intermediate/advanced routines in the future. Thanks Lee!!!!
mojca
HEY LEE
I WILL TRY IT FOR SHURE.THE ONLY THING THAT BUGGING ME
IS WHAT ABOUT OVERTRAINING AND CNS BURN OUT SINCE
I WILL DO THE ALL BIG LIFTS IN THE SAME WORKOUT?
I WOULD LIKE SOME SECOND OPINION
DID ANYBODY TRY IT ALREDY?
THANKS
MOJCA
Joe
Davin,
Your gains have stopped because you DIDN’T use Lee’s routine as outlined. Instead, you thought you knew better than Lee and made the classic ignorant beginner mistake of taking a proven routine that works and changed it because beginners can’t just leave the fucking routine alone!! You only applied Lee’s suggestions to the bench press (as you said in your comment) and you can’t continually make gains on the bench press alone. The entire POINT of Lee’s routine is to add TOTAL body mass and strength, NOT just bench press strength. LEAVE THE FUCKING ROUTINE ALONE AND DO IT AS LEE SAID TO DO IT YOU MORON!!!
If you’re so inexperienced that you’re roaming the ‘net for gaining routines then you’re obviously too much of a beginner to be taking a proven routine then changing it because you can’t just leave shit alone. IMO you deserve the hole you dug yourself in. QUIT being a pussy and do the god damn squats and deadlifts and overhead presses with the bench press or LEAVE THE ROUTINE ALONE!!!
It’s a proven FACT that if you train heavy on squats/deadlifts along with your bench press that your bench press weight will go up continuously and more easily than training bench press alone. GAWD i wish ignorant lifters would quit spending hours looking for a routine that will produce good, solid gains then change the routine because they think they know everything and THEN complain because their ‘modified’ routine doesn’t work. There’s a reason Lee wrote the fucking routine AS IS.
Do it right or shut the fuck up about your lack of gains :-/
You sound like the same pussy-losers who only want a six-pack, a big bench, and big biceps because you’re so ignorant, naive, inexperienced and too stupid to realize lifters like myself and Lee have YEARS more of training knowledge and experience than you probably ever will. And the sad thing is you’ll probably read this comment and instead of adjusting your workout to the real one Lee suggests you instead get pissed that I’m telling you the cold hard truth, quit lifting, then go around talking about how the ‘routine’ doesn’t work.
You need to grow a pair of balls to become a successful weight lifter. If you’re not willing to do so, then just go back to your couch and t.v. now and quit wasting everyone’s’ time.
Your comment reminds me of the typical overweight, bored, lazy housewife that wants to get in shape so she does aerobics for 15 minutes 3 days per week, eats shit food, then gives up after a few weeks because “it’s too hard and doesn’t work” and so goes back to sitting on your ass and eating like a pig and wondering why your husband is cheating on you, lol ;-P
Shaun
I going 2try this workout for 12weeks I let u kn
Brad
Hi Lee,
Fantastic article…you always deliver. I’ve been a follower for 4+ years now so thanks for all your hard work and effort you give so openly to the public. One question related to these back to basic power lifts….can they be combined with cardio on off days or before/after the workout itself. I’m 6’2″ 275lbs and have body fat to lose, but don’t like the idea or “common” knowledge that low weight / high reps plus cardio is what’s necessary to cut. Do you see fat loss results from these major muscle building exercises alone and do you recommend adding some cardio to maximize fat loss? And if so, when would be the best time. I’ve read some related material by yourself and others that it is possible to gain strength/muscle while burning fat at the same time.
Thanks again for the inspiration!
Brad
devarshi
leehayward,
thanks a lot Lee.
Butch Reedy
Lee is right I ‘am 35 today and 180 lbs 2 years ago I was barely 150 lbs but for doing a standard 5X5 like back to basic’s I gained 30 lbs of muscle no BS , best results I ever had just thought I would share incase someone was on the fence about , Lee your the best out there , and I will continue to follow. and yes natty , my wife would never allow be to take super juice
eric bongers
leehayward,
I drive a truck and have the same problem.what I do is look for a local gym and do day passes.some times they offer free passes for one or two days.there about 5-15$ each but you got to do what you got to do
eric bongers
Joe,
your reply to this guy is a typical arogant ass hole.hes trying that’s all that counts and hes asking questions.thats good we all started somewhere or did you start at being realy good
leehayward
Brad,
For sure, you can include cardio with this workout. A great way to go about it would be to do cardio on your non lifting days. Alternating weight training one day and cardio the next is a fantastic way to build lean mass and keep the bodyfat in check.
shahbaz sayed
thankx Lee for the tips….
Gary
Hi Lee
This workout looks great and I am going to give it a go, although I am a little confused, the workout shows 3 exercises, squat, bench press and deadlift, yet a number of the comments talk about there being 4 exercises in this workout, i.e these 3 and shoulder press.
Has the article workout changed or are some people just adding the shoulder press themselves?
Cheers
leehayward
Gary,
Yeah, I just updated the blog post with the 3 basic power lifts. In the older version I had squat, bench, deadlift and shoulder press. It’s totally up to you if you want to add in the shoulder press or not. But some people find that benching and shoulder pressing in the same session too much for the front delts.
Gary
leehayward,
Coolio, thanks for this, I’ll give it a go for a few months and see how I get on, I struggle to put on weight so hopefully sticking to this and eating right will get me on the path.
Cheers
Gary
aram hamparian
Can’t squat due to sciatica, and can’t flat bench. Can I sub weighted dips and Leg Presses? Great article, Lee…
Prashanth
Can we do light cardi say for 30 min on the off days….
leehayward
Absolutely, doing cardio on your off days from weight training is a great form of active recovery. It will help speed up your recovery, reduce muscle soreness, and burn some bodyfat in the process.
Rohit Singh
I think that bench press workout routines is one of the best exercise to increase your overall body strength and mass
Sam
Hey Lee, Great article,
I’ve heard some say when you reach middle age, the rib cage starts to grow by 3 inches, and that if you target this area at that time then it could grow by over 10 inches. I don’t know about the authenticity of this finding, so can you tell us if it’s true.
Sam
John
Lee,
Can I continue my 2 days of Marital Arts training(45 minute sessions)while I follow this routine for 90 days?
I want to get extra size and strength but can’t just do the MA practices.
Thanks Lee
leehayward
You can lift weights and do MMA, but you need to adjust your training accordingly in order to allow for adequate recovery between training sessions. I have a youtube video that covers this topic in more detail at:
Comment navigation