Identifying the problem
The biggest problem with strength is a problem that be easily fixed. When you are sitting down and planning on what your training will look like, where is strength on that list? If it’s not one of your top 2 then you need to revisit your programming.
Strength is the base to everything.
If you don’t have the strength to move something, then how do you expect to move it explosively and repeatable, or for a long amount of time. It’s that simple, you can’t. Make it the first priority and the rest will come.
Goal planning
So now that we know to make it a priority, where do we go from there? The first thing is to find the overall end goal. Is the goal to be a power lifter, team sports, weight loss, or maybe a Crossfit athlete. Know this will give you the direction of what you need to do each step of the way.
Without a goal, you are going to lose the battle.
Let’s make an example here. If your goal is to play a team sport, like soccer or football, you are going to have 3 different training periods.
- Pre season
- In season
- Off season
Pre season time is the time to focus on that strength training and building it. The rest of the training blocks will be enough strength training to at least maintain that for the whole season. As you move from each training block you will adjust the amount of volume and intensity of all your training . As you move through the the other blocks you end back at strength focus again. It always comes back to strength.
Using this example you can apply that to any other goal. If your goal is to go on stage as a physique competitor or Crossfit competitor, it’s the same. Some sports like MMA have much smaller amounts of time for each block, but they are still there. Find a qualified coach that can take your goal and set into reality.
I worked with a client and in 3 months of proper strength training he was able to increase all his main lifts, squat, bench, dead lift, and strict press, by 50%. His dead lift was actually more. He was not a super young guy either. He was in his early 40’s.
Keep it simple
I always laugh to myself when I see these off the wall crazy programs. People think that in order to get results it can’t be simple.
This is so far from the truth.
K.I.S.S.- this a take from my days when I was in sales. Keep it simple stupid. The same applies here. Base your strength around the main 4 lifts, bench, squat, dead lift and press, and then aux lifts around those to support that movement.
Simple also applies to the amount of volume of work. Our bodies adapt to the work we put it through by growing. They will change according to how you applying the stress. The body wants to be prepared for the next time that happens, so it changes.
If you go from low volume to super high volume, you will hit a ceiling where you can’t do anymore volume and then will stall out. Legit training programs are designed as a piece of the bigger puzzle.
Everything has it’s place and compliments each other.
Conclusion
Get smart about your training. Don’t skip out on things just because you don’t like it. Normally, that’s the thing that will give you the best results. Cycle through your strength program. Don’t always do the same thing. You have to change up things in order to continually deliver results. Find a coach, and get a plan, specific for you.