gains_adam_fisher

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FIRST EDITION, JULY 2015
Copyright © 2015 by Adam Fisher
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright

Conventions. Published worldwide by Adam Fisher.
Contact Adam:
http://www.philosopher-warrior.com/
ae.fisher.gains@gmail.com
Book design by Elizabeth Sampat

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 7
A TWELVE-WEEK KICKSTART 9
Strength 9
Hypertrophy 11
Endurance 14
THE NITTY-GRITTY 19
Week 1 20
Week 2 22
Week 3 24
Week 4 27
Week 5 30
Week 6 33
Week 7 36
Week 8 39
Week 9 41
Week 10 43
Week 11 45
Week 12 48
A SUSTAINABLE PROGRAM 51
CLOSING 53
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Adam in 2008 and 2015
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INTRODUCTION
My name’s Adam, and I’m tired of fitness being used as a
tool to make people feel shitty about themselves.
Fitness saved my life. For my entire life I’ve suffered with anxiety
disorders, and when I was 17 I flipped a coin to decide whether or not
to attempt suicide. When the coin flip turned out in my favor, I vowed
never to look back. I saw a therapist and soon got into exercising and
lifting in a huge way. At my heaviest I weighed sixty pounds more
than I did when I started lifting, and I loved it. Exercise and lifting
weights has been massively empowering for me, and I feel prouder
and more comfortable in my body now than I ever have before.
After I graduated college, I became certified as a personal

trainer and have since done my best to help others find the
same level of empowerment that I found for myself.
Exercise should be about feeling good in your body. Lift more, lift
faster, run faster, run further, gain muscle, and above all: move better
and have fun. Unfortunately, for so much of the fitness industry, it’s all
about losing weight. Get smaller. Lose size. Get weaker. Look better. If
that’s your goal, that’s amazing. But the industry as it is tries to force so
many people to lose weight rather than focusing on more measurable
and meaningful markers of fitness success. In short, exercise should
be fun, and we should feel empowered by it rather than drained.
There are not many in the fitness industry who preach this
message. In fact, most work on body positivity comes from
outside the industry, making it hard for these two spheres to
interact. I want to bridge that gap. I want to help change the
fitness industry and make it more accessible and understandable
to outsiders. I want everyone to be able to enjoy fitness.
And that means you.
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A TWELVE-WEEK KICKSTART
This guide is designed for absolute beginners, but can work for
exercisers all the way up through an advanced level. In fact, my current
training is a variation on this template, and I currently deadlift near three
times my bodyweight while still getting in a lot of cardio every week.
It is important to understand that this plan balances the three main pillars
of fitness: strength, hypertrophy, and endurance. Strength is simple:
our ability to lift heavier weights. While related, this is not the same as
Hypertrophy, or growth of muscular size. Lastly, Endurance refers to
our ability to lift weights for more repetitions, or to continually repeat a
task without tiring. While again related to both strength and size in some
respects, it remains a distinct trait. Other important though lesser factors
include things like flexibility, mindfulness/self-compassion, and diet.
In general, it’s difficult to train for everything at once. A plan

which favors all fitness elements at once is unlikely to create elite
status in any individual trait. It’s also more difficult to construct,
since some traits tend to compete and can make it difficult to
simultaneously improve them. It’s long been said, for example,
that endurance training can compromise gains in strength and
size. However, when done intelligently, all three attributes can be
effectively trained in tandem, allowing for a well-rounded trainee.
Let’s get the boring, technical stuff out of the way

first, and explain each of the three qualities!
Strength
Strength is measured in the 1RM, or one repetition maximum. This

is a weight that you can only lift a single time before needing to rest.
Since such lifts are extremely stressful, they aren’t recommended for
beginners who don’t yet have a lift down yet, so I don’t recommend
testing your 1RM right away. At various points in the program,
I give the option to test 1RM, but often times improvement in a
submaximal max effort, such as a 5RM. 1RM calculators exist on
the internet to estimate your 1RM from larger rep ranges, and we
use these to structure the early strength portions of this program.
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Strength is a complex quality, and there is no such thing as a generalized

“strength” attribute like we have in RPG’s. Strength is highly movement
specific, meaning that improving strength in one lift may not cause any
carryover to other, even very similar lifts. If any carryover exists, it’s likely
a result of muscular growth (hypertrophy) and as such is likely to happen
with beginners (who have a lot to grow) and less so with advanced
exercisers. Naturally, this means that as you grow more advanced, you’ll
need to specialize if you wish to continue improving your strength.
Strength days are typically a little shorter in duration than hypertrophy

or endurance days. On a strength day, you’ll be working at a high
intensity, typically with sets of between 1 and 6 reps. True strength
work generally occurs at weights greater than 75% of one’s 1RM. These
lifts help build strength quickly, but are not as good for hypertrophy and
virtually useless when it comes to endurance. Since strength works
best with compound, multi-joint exercises, only a handful of lifts tend to
be focused on: squats, deadlifts, horizontal presses, vertical presses,
horizontal pulls, and vertical pulls. Together, these six basic movement
types make up the most basic of human motions, and are the foundation
for any strength program. Additional lifts such as the olympic lifts are
also good for strength training, but since they are highly technical
and specialized in nature I don’t recommend them to beginners.
These six basic motions form the foundation of our strength training, and
each week we have two strength days. One strength day is dedicated to
upper body, the other is dedicated to lower body. Since both horizontal
and vertical pulling tend to be similar in terms of the benefits we get out
of them, we’ll only be doing one or the other. On our lower body days, we
train a squat and a deadlift. Since lower body movements involve more
musculature, they also tend to be more taxing, and as a result the two
tend to balance out despite the excess volume used for upper body lifts.
It’s important that you understand proper technique and safety

precautions. First, search for youtube videos of the lifts you’re attempting
and study them ahead of time to learn proper technique. Your technique
will never be perfect, and you’ll get better at it as you practice more, but
you’ve got to learn from somewhere. Asking a friend who lifts is also
an excellent way to learn. Take videos of yourself with a smartphone
or have a friend do so, shooting from different angles so you can get
an idea of any issues you may have with form. Always use clips to hold
the weights onto your barbell, even if it seems unnecessary - if plates
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slide around, you’re going to lose control quickly. Use safety guards
or spotter arms on a power rack when available. Make sure that you
have someone to spot you on a heavy bench press or squat in case
something goes wrong (and also make sure that both you and they
know how to spot properly!). Nothing is worth injuring yourself in the gym
when you could have gotten away easily if you’d just had a spotter.
In training for strength, we train movements rather than muscles.

The selection of the right movements as well as the right way
to train them is thus the focus of strength training. Sure, you’ll
gain many physical adaptations along the way, but the primary
purpose is to provoke neurological adaptations that enable
your brain to make the most use out of existing muscles by
coordinating them in movement patterns. This distinguishes
strength training from size training, in which we train muscles, and
endurance training, in which we train the metabolic processes.
Strength training is marked by a process called periodization.

Periodization refers to a system in which intensity (overall weight relative
to 1RM) and volume (total poundage lifted) is varied over time in order
to produce best results. If you’re interested in strength training, you may
wish to look up more systems online, with 5/3/1 and Starting Strength
being commonly favored as beginner’s strength programs. The system
of periodization I use is a little different from many standard systems,
but has netted me good results with a wide variety of clients over time.
Hypertrophy
Hypertrophy refers to the ability of muscle tissue to increase in

size as a result of training. Some hypertrophy, such as the pump
you feel during a workout, is temporary. Over time, however, it
will become permanent as muscle tissues adapt and grow.
Training for hypertrophy occupies an intermediate amount of time

between short strength work and long endurance work. Appropriately, it
also takes place at an intensity of about 50-75% of one’s 1RM. Since it
occupies a position in between the two, hypertrophy work can improve
both endurance and strength, particularly in newer exercisers. A bigger
muscle is generally a stronger muscle, which means that hypertrophy
work contributes to strength development. Since hypertrophy work occurs
at a greater rep range than strength work (usually 8-12 repetitions)
it is also more energetically taxing, and can cause more endurance
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adaptations. Some bodybuilders even train more in an endurance rep
range than a hypertrophy one, particularly with certain muscle groups.
Hypertrophy training induces a strong feeling called the pump, an

acute soreness and feeling of swollenness within the utilized muscle.
Unlike strength training, where tiredness is derived from the inability
of the muscle to contract for whatever reason, hypertrophy training is
limited by local muscular fatigue. This pump is not the entire reason to
lift for hypertrophy, but is a good sign you’re having a good workout.
Hypertrophy training tends to use a greater variety of exercises than

strength training. The major compound lifts used in strength training
still make up valuable tools in the bodybuilder’s arsenal - they are
frequently used because they tend to use the greatest amount of
muscle at once and thus build the greatest amount of muscle in
the process. However, when training for aesthetics, we need to
focus on more than just those lifts. We use the bench press for its
ability to build muscle in the chest, shoulders, and triceps, but we
also use exercises for the individual muscle groups themselves.
These are called isolation exercises, because they use a much

smaller amount of muscle mass. In general, while you can build a
lot of muscle using the compound movements, isolation movements
are required in order to maximally overload smaller muscle groups
and enable continued growth that might not be possible with the
larger movements. Thus, we see stuff like bicep, tricep, shoulder,
trapezius, and calf exercises alongside our main movements.
Additionally, we’ll see movements like the fly, the reverse fly, the
lateral raise, the leg press, the leg extension, the leg curl, and other
exercises which still target large muscles but which are also harder
to build strength in because they isolate these muscles and cut out
smaller muscle groups. As I’ve mentioned above: in hypertrophy
training, we don’t train movements as much, we train muscles.
One major concern with a lot of exercisers is that hypertrophy means

that you’re going to instantly turn into Arnold Schwarzenegger, guys or
girls. I can assure you, this is not a likely occurrence. Lots of people work
their whole lives to look like that, and still don’t. Diet plays a huge role,
and any large gains in muscle mass also have to be paired with massive
increases in food intake. In short, unless you’re stuffing your face
purposefully, far beyond your hunger levels, you’re probably not going
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to gain too much size. People who work out while maintaining a similar
caloric intake tend to improve in body composition without any significant
changes in weight, which is to say that they just get leaner rather than
bigger. Those looking to gain a lot of size need to focus on eating a lot,
and those looking to lose weight need to focus on eating less (though
not far less) - in both cases, somewhat independent of exercise level.
Another concern for women is that they often believe that hypertrophy
styled training will instantly turn them “mannish”. This is an unfortunate
lie which refuses to die, and is often propagated by more backwards
individuals in the fitness industry. If women want to see evidence of this
lie, I recommend looking at female Crossfit athletes, or weightlifters
or powerlifters in the lighter weight classes. Figure competitors can
sometimes toe the line of what’s considered feminine, but again it’s
unlikely that you’ll find yourself in that position without specifically
working towards it. Very rarely do people suddenly stumble into a look
that other people spend a massive amount of effort training for. Many
women attain a much leaner look (and the sort of proportions they desire)
by lifting heavy, both in terms of hypertrophy and strength based lifting.
Periodization for hypertrophy differs from periodization for strength.

In general, volume (defined as sets times reps times weight) as total
poundage lifted is the most important factor. While strength-based
training also uses volume to a certain extent, hypertrophy set and rep
ranges tend to maximize total overall volume: strength training uses too
few reps to rack up a lot of total weight, and endurance training uses
such a light weight that you have to perform endless reps to catch up. So
long as a set is challenging, it’s likely to produce results. However, over
time you should look to improve your sets by either lifting more weight,
lifting it for more reps per set, or by lifting it for more sets. Tracking
volume is an easy and handy way to ensure that you’re getting better.
When it comes to lifting, both for strength and hypertrophy, I highly

recommend keeping a record of your workouts. This can be an old
school lifting journal, kept in your gym bag along with a pen, or you can
just bring your phone and take notes as you lift. In this way, you can
easily refer back to your previous workouts and figure out a good target
to hit to improve upon them. My own journal has been indispensable.
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Endurance
Endurance refers to your ability to continually produce an action over

time. Since endurance occurs at a low intensity (<50% of 1RM) it’s less
a problem of local muscular fatigue (as is seen in training for size) and
is more a problem of metabolism. Endurance training trains the energy
pathways of the body to be more efficient at delivering energy to where
it needs to go, enabling continued movement. This is why it’s often
referred to as cardiovascular activity, because the circulatory system
is responsible for delivering energy to the various parts of the body.
When it comes to endurance, you have a lot more options in terms of

how to structure your training. Anything below 50% of 1RM intensity
is considered endurance work, and can typically be completed for
upwards of fifteen repetitions. If you can do something for more than
a minute at a time without taking a rest, chances are it’s an endurance
activity. This includes traditional cardio activities like running as well as
low intensity weight lifting such as circuits and high repetition sets.
Endurance work can certainly induce hypertrophy, but typically at a

much lesser extent than hypertrophy training does due to a decreased
overall volume. Endurance work does little to directly benefit strength,
except at the lowest levels of exercise experience (beginners).
Additionally, endurance activities are more metabolically taxing than
muscularly taxing, and over time many endurance activities will
preferentially cause metabolic, rather than muscular, adaptations.
Done in extreme amounts without any work for hypertrophy,
endurance work can cause muscle loss, which is why we often see
distance runners being extremely lean with minimal muscle.
However, combining endurance with strength and hypertrophy training,

intelligently done, can offset much of the potential muscle loss seen
in endurance workouts. Additionally, while endurance workouts of
extreme duration are often unfavorable to muscular development,
shorter endurance workouts are in fact unlikely to cause problems
and likely to actually improve long term muscular growth, so long as
overall recovery is under control. The structure of these workouts is
designed to help avoid interference effects, enabling you to properly
balance the three qualities of strength, hypertrophy, and endurance.
Endurance work can also help strength and hypertrophy work. Energy
systems adaptations don’t directly enable you to lift more weight, but
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can make it easier to recover between challenging sets, enabling you
to get shorter workouts or put in more volume more easily over time. By
training endurance concurrently with strength and hypertrophy, which are
typically seen paired, we can ensure you get the best all-around results.
Aside from this, the health benefits of cardiovascular/endurance activity
are of a different type than the kind we get from weight training, meaning
that while you’re healthier training strength/hypertrophy alone, you’re
healthiest including endurance as well. You can’t get swole if you’re dead.
When it comes to endurance training, there are many options aside

from the standard cardio exercise. Most people associate endurance
training with endless hours spent on the treadmill, elliptical, or bike.
These are certainly among your options, but care should be taken to
structure workouts based on your own preferences. If you hate running
on a treadmill, but actually enjoy running outside, consider doing so!
If you hate running at all, there’s plenty of other options for you.
Firstly, consider what you want to be good at. Since training results
are highly specific, the fewer endurance activities you focus on, the
better. If you prefer being good at running, why slog it out on the
elliptical or bike? If you prefer lifting weights, circuits and interval
training can be your thing. Switching off between different modalities
only minimizes your ability to get good at anything, and while you
may be exercising solely to look good and not for performance,
increased performance may help you discover that you enjoy
something, or at the very least show you that you’re getting results.
Circuit training consists of a series of exercises designed to be

done in succession with minimal rest. Many different styles of circuit
exist, and Crossfit is largely based around circuit style workouts.
Because of the constant nature of the activity, a strong metabolic
and cardiovascular effect can certainly be achieved, though running
tends to burn the most calories. This can make circuit style training
a wonderful activity for those for whom running is difficult, such as
those with bad joints or excess weight which causes undue stress
on the body when running. Many “metabolic” circuits tend to focus
on exercises which use a large amount of muscle all at once in order
to burn as much energy as possible - stuff like burpees, squats,
pushups, situps, ball slams, ropes, sandbag carries, lunges, jumps,
deadlifts, sled drags, etc. are staples of these types of circuits.
While the rower and the stationary bike tend to burn less calories
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than the standard run on a treadmill, interval training allows these
to become formidable tools. Short “sprints” of 15-30 seconds
paired with an equal amount of slower time to rest can net a huge
cardiovascular effect quite quickly, and work well for those who cannot
run for whatever reason. While interval training should not be the
entirety of your cardiovascular program, it can be a crucial part.
Another style of training is density training, referred to in stuff like

Jen Sinkler’s Lift Weights Faster program. The idea of density
training is that you aim to complete sets of traditional exercises
faster (within the limits of form and safety) and with less recovery
time in order to consistently achieve a higher metabolic effect. I
myself occasionally practice this with stuff like bodyweight squats
and pushups, and in general a light weight has to be used in order to
be able to get a lot of reps in. Saying you want to complete as many
reps as possible of pushups in 5 or 10 minutes is the idea - each
time you record your total reps and then try to beat your previous
best. Such protocols can easily net a good cardiovascular effect.
Then, for those who absolutely abhor cardio in all its forms, there’s
always traditional lifting with upwards of 20 reps. This has the added
benefit of having maybe a little more carryover to strength/hypertrophy
training as well as potentially being good for preventing injury (high reps
tend to help build connective tissue) but is not recommended as it is
unlikely to have as powerful of a cardiovascular effect as other methods.
In this program, an effort is made to use a variety of different endurance

methods. As noted above, this is not ideal: in an ideal situation, you
would know what type of resistance training you prefer, and be able to
focus on that in order to continually get better. However, since there’s
a lot more variety when it comes to endurance training, it’s hard to
simply pick one or two methods and force them on you. As a result,
throughout this program different methods will be used so that you
can become acquainted with these new styles and find something
that you enjoy. More experienced exercisers may wish to modify the
program to focus more exclusively on a modality that you prefer.
When it comes to progression, the method depends on the method of

endurance training used. With running, biking, the elliptical, or other
traditional methods, this can be somewhat simple: going for a longer
time, going faster for a set time, or adding some form of additional
resistance (weight vest, incline on the treadmill) can all be used to
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ensure steady progress. With density training or endurance lifting,
more reps must be done consistently or weight can be added in small
increments whenever a certain threshold is reached (priority on reps over
weight). With interval training the body tends to autoregulate itself— if
you run as hard as you can for 20 seconds, for example, you’re naturally
just going to keep going further as you improve without needing to
focus on it. With circuit training, autoregulation can also happen - but
since varying up circuits is a given, you’re rarely able to compare your
performance against a similar workout. Crossfit tends to alleviate this
by having benchmark workouts - set workouts that are returned to from
time to time and used as a point of reference. Completing more reps,
in less time, or within whatever other parameters of the circuit, you
can complete similar circuits every now and then to track progress.
As with training for strength or hypertrophy, keeping a good journal

is crucial. Even something as simple as writing down “20 min run
today” can be enough to refer back to and then work forward from.
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THE NITTY-GRITTY
Phew! Okay. Let’s get down to it.
This workout plan is designed to guide you through twelve weeks. Note
that while I do technically say 12 weeks, I also technically count one
“week” as 8 days. Thus, this program spans 96 days instead of 84. This
is your 100 day challenge. For notation, note a few basic conventions:
BB for Barbell, DB for Dumbbell, KB for Kettlebell. Percentages
given are defined as %1RM, which will be calculated after week 1.
When writing sets and reps, we see them written as (X)x(Y) with X
being the number of sets and Y being the number of reps per set.
If you’re unable to complete a workout as written for any reason, that’s

okay! These workouts may be a little intense for a total beginner, and
it may take the first month or so to get used to it and stop feeling sore.
Workouts get progressively tougher with continual and steady increase
in volume. If you’re unable to complete a workout due to some sort
of nagging pain or issue with form, see if you can modify the exercise
to be a little bit more tolerable somehow - for example, if your squat
seems like it’s got poor form, you aren’t hitting depth, or it’s causing
you discomfort, search squat progression online for helpful resources
on how you can try to vary it up. If you’re still unable to find a workable
solution, you can simply skip certain exercises or substitute them
out for similar exercises but at an easier difficulty. If you don’t have
any trouble with individual exercises but still have trouble completing
the whole workout in a timely fashion, consider easing yourself into
the workouts. Repeat weeks until you can get it more easily, or cut
down from three sets to two in order to make the load a little easier.
Here we go!
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WEEK 1
Day 1 - Hypertrophy, Upper
BB or DB Bench Press 3x10
Lat Pulldown or Seated Cable Row 3x10
BB or DB Overhead Press 3x10
BB or DB Bicep Curl 3x15
Cable Tricep Pushdown, Rope Attachment 3x15
DB Lateral Raise 3x15
DB Shrug 3x20
Day 2 - Endurance - Long

Long Slow Run 30 min. duration
Day 3 - Hypertrophy, Lower

BB or KB Deadlift 3x10
DB or KB Goblet Squat 3x10
Standing Split Squat 3x10/leg (you can hold
onto a pair of DB to add weight)
Leg Curl 3x15
Leg Press 3x15
Glute Bridge 3x20-25 (repetitions, not isometric hold)
Standing Calf Raise 3x20 (use pair of DB held in hands
for weight, raise toes a few inches if possible)
Day 4 - Rest
Sleep (isometric hold) 6-8 hours
Three sets of eight reps of enjoying yourself and relaxing
Maybe a little light activity like a 15 minute run
to help shake out soreness in the legs
Day 5 - Strength, Upper

BB Bench Press 5x5 (work up to the heaviest possible set you can)
BB Strict Overhead Press 5x8
BB Bench Press 3x10 (use 80% of the weight you used for your first sets)
BB Strict Overhead Press 3x12 (use 80% of the
weight you used for your first sets)
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Day 6 - Endurance - Sprints
Warmup Run 2.5 min.
Sprints 30 sec. on/1 min. off x10 (you can walk during
the off to keep your legs moving, but don’t jog)
Cooldown Run 2.5 min.
Day 7 - Strength, Lower

BB Squat 5x5 (work up to the heaviest possible set you can)
BB Deadlift 5x5 (work up to the heaviest possible set you can)
BB Squat 3x10 (use 75% of the weight you used for your first sets)
BB Deadlift 3x10 (use 75% of the weight you used for your first sets)
Day 8 - Rest
Notes: Week 1
You’re on your first week! This week we went sort of vanilla on the
endurance days - good ol’ long run and speed run. In the following
weeks, we’ll be switching those out for other endurance modalities, but if
you like running, that’s okay! You’ve found your niche. You can go ahead
and keep doing that. Again, the endurance days here are more about
experimenting to find what you like than about providing a strict regimen.
If you decide to stick with running, the workouts can progress as follows:
slowly add time to your long run, extending it up to one hour at a time or
more. By slowly, I mean just a couple minutes at a time - no need to jump
in too quickly. Your sprints will improve on their own, provided you’re
really pushing yourself to your limits. You could do more sets of sprints,
but this would get pretty taxing pretty quickly. As noted in the discussion
on endurance above, sprints tend to be autoregulatory. (However, this
only applies when running outside, where you set your own pace in
real time - thus, treadmills should be avoided when doing sprints)
Take the 5RM’s you built in each of your lifts and plug them into a 1RM
calculator like the one at EXRX.net. Then, write those numbers down so
you have an estimate of your overall strength. These are the numbers
you’ll be using to calculate your strength workouts in the following weeks.
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WEEK 2
BB or DB Bench Press 3x11 (same weight as week 1)
Lat Pulldown or Seated Cable Row 3x11 (same weight as week 1)
BB or DB Overhead Press 3x11 (same weight as week 1)
BB Reverse Preacher Curl 3x15
Close Grip Bench Press 3x15
DB Arnold Press 3x15
DB Shrug 3x25

Long Slow Cycle 30 min. duration

BB or KB Deadlift 3x11 (same weight as week 1)
DB or KB Goblet Squat 3x11 (same weight as week 1)
Standing Split Squat 3x11/leg (you can hold onto a pair
of DB to add weight) (same weight as week 1)
Leg Curl 3x15
Leg Press 3x15
Hip Thrust 3x10
Day 4 - Rest

BB Bench Press 5x4 @85%
BB Strict Overhead Press 5x6 @75%
BB Bench Press 3x10 @50% (focus on speed
and explosiveness during these reps)
BB Strict Overhead Press 3x10 @50% (focus on
speed and explosiveness during these reps)
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Day 6 - Endurance - Sprints
Warmup Cycle 2.5 min.
Sprints 30 sec. on/1 min. off x10 (this time keep moving
during the off phase, albeit at a much slower pace)
Cooldown Cycle 2.5 min.

BB Squat 5x5 @80%
BB Deadlift 5x5 @70%
BB Squat 3x10 @50% (focus on speed and
explosiveness during these reps)
BB Deadlift 3x10 @50% (focus on speed and
Day 8 - Rest
Notes: Week 2
It’s getting rough! These weeks are the hardest from a habit forming
perspective: everything hurts, but your body isn’t used to the workout.
By week 4, you’ll notice that it’s easier, mentally and physically. Make it
through week 4, and you’re well on your way to making it all the way.
This week, endurance focuses on cycling. This should look familiar;

it’s the same protocol we used for running in week 1. Cycling has
a few differences between it and running: running is higher impact,
but burns more calories. If you’re looking to lose weight, running is
superior. However, be careful: the high impact of running can be difficult
on the joints, particularly for people with a lot of weight to lose. Thus,
cycling may be a better cardio modality to help you transition into it.
Since cycling burns fewer calories and has a smaller impact on

the legs, it’s ideal for strength exercisers looking to minimize
any interference between cardio and their primary goals.
If you like cycling, simply repeat this endurance format weekly, gradually
adding time to the long cycle and focusing on speed for the short cycle.
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WEEK 3
DB Hammer Curl 3x15
Tate Press 3x15
Seated DB Shoulder Press 3x15
DB Shrug 3x30


Leg Curl 3x15
Leg Extension 3x15
KB or DB Swing 3x20
Day 4 - Rest

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Day 6 - Endurance - Death Sets
Pick 2-3.
Death Squat, Bodyweight (see notes)
Death BB Bench, 25-45lbs. (see notes)
Death BB Deadlift, 25-45lbs. (see notes)
Death Row, light weight. (see notes)

BB Squat 5x4 @85%
Day 8 - Rest
Notes: Week 3
This week we’re adding a little bit to our hypertrophy day reps
(as usual), adding a little weight to our strength day while
also changing the set and rep scheme a little (as usual), and
adding a little time to our long run (as will be the norm).
For our second endurance day this week, we’re trying something a little
new: death sets. The idea is inspired by the concept of the Death Squat,
which you can find on youtube videos. Try not to be too discouraged
by the name! I came up with something pretty similar independently,
but the idea is this: you set up for the squat using a weight of your
choice and a box, bench, or other object to tap with each rep and
thus ensure that you’re hitting the same depth each time, and then
you’re going for as many reps as you can. You can rest in the standing
(up) position of the squat, and going until you feel entirely done.
Obviously, many modifications can be made. For beginners,

bodyweight alone is enough. No need to add any weight. If
you don’t have a box, that’s okay - just do your best to make
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sure you’re hitting a proper depth with each squat.
You should time yourself and record how many reps you did and in
what time. Typically, moderately advanced exercisers should be able
to go for ten minutes at a time and hit a couple hundred reps. Each
time you complete a death workout, you can either add weight and try
for a new rep number, or you can use the same weight you used last
time and try for more reps or the same number of reps in a shorter
time. So long as you’re seeing your numbers go up, you’re improving.
I’ve taken the concept and applied it to the other major lifts. With
the death bench, use dumbbells or a barbell but make sure you’re
hitting appropriate depth each time: either in line with the chest
with the DB, or making sure to touch the chest with each rep with
the BB. With the deadlift, you’ll need to be careful as form can
deteriorate quickly with exhaustion. Be conservative here. We
don’t do the overhead press precisely because it would be too
likely to cause injury with beginners, though it could conceivably be
done seated with a bench. For the row, it’s actually ideal to use a
machine of some sort as machines tend to be safest and encourage
the best form. Avoid cable, DB, or BB rows for this reason.
For guys, the basic 45lb barbell is generally used for the
barbell exercises. If available, women can use a lighter 25-
30lb barbell for the exercises, which can often be found in large
gyms. If not available, dumbbells can be used instead.
Death workouts can be extremely challenging. Do not think that you need
to finish all four challenges in one workout - just one alone is a workout
in itself! Pick 2-3 of these challenges per workout and don’t try to bite
off more than you can chew. Put the deadlift LOWEST on your lift of
priorities for these challenges, as it’s the most exhausting one of them all.
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WEEK 4
Cable Curl 3x15
Close Grip Incline Pushup 3x15
DB or BB Zydrunas Press 3x15
DB Shrug 3x35


Leg Curl 3x15
Leg Extension 3x15
Marching Glute Bridge 3x20-30
Day 4 - Rest

BB Bench Press Build up to 1RM (see notes)
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Day 6 - Endurance - Density Sets
Pushups 5 min. as many reps as possible
Light Goblet Squat 5 min. as many reps as possible
Butterfly Situp 5 min. as many reps as possible
Light KB Deadlift 5 min. as many reps as possible

BB Squat 5x2 @90%
Day 8 - Rest
Notes: Week 4
This week you’re going to be trying for a 1RM on the bench press. If you
don’t feel confident, that’s okay. Simply do 3x1 at 90-95% or even just a
5RM instead. If you’re an extreme beginner, or have a history of injury in
the area, it’s likely that you may not be ready for the 1RM test. There’s
nothing wrong with that. So long as you’re doing the other strength days,
you’re still getting stronger - the 1RM test exists only to reanalyze and
give us a slightly more accurate picture of what to work from next month.
If you do decide to go for a 1RM attempt, you’re building up to something

around or higher than your previous estimated 1RM. This means starting
off at a light weight and performing sets of single reps, adding weight
slowly until you get up to your desired weight. Make sure to keep your
butt on the bench, maintain good form, and as always have a spotter
to help you out in case you make an attempt that you can’t come back
from. If you don’t have a spotter, a power rack with safety arms in the
right place can also work, however you need to be sure that the safety
arms are just level with your chest height so that you can still get out
from under the bar in case of a failed attempt. Make sure to check with
the empty bar so that you can get out from under when you need to.
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Assuming you set a new best, write that down. Use that from now on
when calculating your strength workouts. Since you’re a beginner,
you’re likely to see huge gains in strength over the duration of this
program, so unless there’s any serious issues you may see something
as wonderful as 30 or more pounds added to your bench press already!
Density sets are a form of endurance training similar to death sets but
limited in duration, in this case 5 minutes. While you could conceive
of different durations, I’ve found 5 minutes to be a good length - much
longer is Too Long, while much shorter is Too Short. While it varies
from exerciser to exerciser and exercise to exercise, I like to aim to
have someone complete at least 100 reps in those five minutes before
considering adding weight. As with the death sets, you can progress
either by adding weight or by trying to complete more reps with the same
weight the next time you come back. If you’re unable to do pushups
with good form, consider doing a DB or BB bench press instead. If
you can knock out butterfly situps like no one’s business, consider
something like a toes to bar or hanging crunch for added challenge.
Regardless, make sure you’re always recording your reps

and weights used on the density sets. If you wish to use
these as a regular cardio format in the future, you’ll have a
baseline to come back to and attempt to improve on.
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WEEK 5
BB or DB Bench Press 3x10 (aim for 5-15lbs. heavier than week 1)
Lat Pulldown or Seated Cable Row 3x10 (aim
for 5-15lbs. heavier than week 1)
BB or DB Overhead Press 3x10 (aim for 5-15lbs. heavier than week 1)
Reverse Curl 3x10
Lying DB Tricep Extension 3x20
Lateral Raise 3x20
DB Shrug 3x20 (relatively heavy)


BB or KB Deadlift 3x10 (aim for 5-15lbs. heavier than week 1)
DB or KB Goblet Squat 3x10 (aim for 5-15lbs. heavier than week 1)
Standing Split Squat 3x10/leg (you can hold onto a pair of DB
to add weight) (aim for 5-15lbs. heavier than week 1)
KB Swing 3x20
Bodyweight Squat 3x20 (or fewer as needed)
Walking Lunge 3x10/leg (use pair of DB held in hands to add weight)
Standing Calf Raise 3x20 (use pair of DB held in hands for
weight, raise toes a few inches if possible) (relatively heavy)
Day 4 - Rest

BB Bench Press 5x5 @80% (use new 1RM to calculate)
BB Bench Press 3x8 @50% (focus on speed and
explosiveness during these reps) (recalculate weight
using new 1RM if available, or add 5-15lbs. if not)
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Day 6 - Endurance - 50’s
Bodyweight Squat (or from box if needed) x50
Pushup (from knees if needed) x50
Glute Bridge x50
Ring Row/TRX Row/Inverted Barbell Row x50
Butterfly Situp x50
Light DB Overhead Press x50
Reverse Lunges x25/leg
Band Pullapart/Light DB Bent Over Rear Fly x50
Light KB or BB Deadlift x50

BB Squat Build up to new 1RM (see notes)
Day 8 - Rest
Notes: Week 5
If you’re reading this, congratulations! You’ve finished four weeks of

training. I promise you, those are the worst four weeks you’ll ever have
experienced. It only gets easier from here on out. Some people say
stuff like “it never gets easier, you just get better at it”, but I disagree
- it does get easier, both mentally and physically, over time. When I
first started working out my leg soreness was crippling - now, I rarely
get extremely sore and am so psychologically used to training that it
doesn’t take much out of me even to do very hard workouts. The key
here is building habits - if you’ve gotten past month one, you’re most
of the way there. You’ve just gotta keep it up - the longer you can
keep it up, the better your results will be and the easier it will feel.
This week we will be maxing out on the barbell squat. If you don’t
have a rack, a smith machine will suffice— though it won’t be ideal.
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If you do have a rack, test the depth of your squat with the empty bar
to see where the end range of your motion is, and then set up the
pins or arm guards on the squat rack to be able to take the weight
off of you comfortably without getting in your way at the bottom of
your squat. In this way, if you can’t stand back up you can simply
set it down on the pins and get out from underneath the bar.
Some people may have issues getting to depth in the squat. This can
be due to a variety of factors, including lack of hip or ankle mobility.
Try putting a pair of 5lb. plates underneath your heels when you
squat. If this helps you squat lower, chances are it’s ankle mobility
and you need to stretch out your calves and heels more (though
you can still squat on the plates for the time being). Specialized
squat shoes, though expensive, mimic the same effect and allow
you to get lower. If it doesn’t improve with the plates, it’s more likely
a core or hip issue. Strengthening the core and stretching the hips
(forward bends, deep squat holds) can help improve your depth. If
you’re ever uncertain about what good depth looks like, don’t hesitate
to email me a video of your form and I can give you feedback.
If you want, you can have a friend spot you. Spotting for the squat
is a little more complicated than the bench. One option involves the
spotter standing close behind you and squatting down in unison,
at which point they can essentially hug you around the torso and
help you lift. This can be awkward, however, particularly for women.
Another option is to stand and provide one hand on the outside of
each of the lifter’s hands, giving a gentle upward push as needed.
Either option is acceptable, but shouldn’t be taken as a replacement
for other security precautions since neither method is foolproof.
50’s are an endurance method in which you’re completing 50

repetitions of each exercise in the workout. This is done in as few sets
as possible, meaning that you want to try and complete it in one go
if possible. If not, that’s fine! Simply get in a quick rest and get back
to it. For future scaling, simply add weight to exercises (or even add
reps, though this makes it no longer “50’s”) or try to complete the same
weight in fewer sets. If you can complete all 50 in one unbroken set,
it’s time to add either weight or reps. If the exercises themselves are
a little too hard, you can swap them out for easier exercises working
the same muscles, or you can simply stop at whatever you can
complete and then aim to complete the full 50 the next time around.
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WEEK 6
Preacher Curl 3x15
Skullcrusher 3x10
Seated Overhead Press 3x10
DB Shrug 3x25


DB Stiff Leg Deadlift 3x10
Front Squat 3x10 (use just the bar and practice the motion,
use crossover hand position if lack of wrist mobility)
Box Jump/Jump Squat 3x15
Day 4 - Rest

BB Strict Overhead Press 3x1 @95% (see notes)
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Day 6 - Endurance - Supersets
Superset x4: DB Bench Press x10/DB Bicep Curl x10
Superset x4: BB Deadlift x5/BB Shrug x15
Superset x4: BB Row x10/Tricep Pushdown x10
Superset x4: BB Squat or Heavy Goblet Squat x5/Calf Raise x15
Superset x4: Plank x20-30sec./Lateral Raise x10
Superset x4: Glute Bridge x15/Dead Bug x20-30sec.

BB Squat 5x5 @80% (recalculate using new 1RM
if available, or simply add 5-15lbs. if not)
BB Squat 3x8 @50% (focus on speed and explosiveness
during these reps) (recalculate using new 1RM if
available, or simply add 5-15lbs. if not)
Day 8 - Rest
Notes: Week 6
In week 6 we would be maxing out the strict overhead press. However,

the strict overhead press can be potentially very severely damaging
to the lumbar spine for an inexperienced lifter (and even many more
experienced ones: the single worst injury I’ve ever had was caused
by a poorly performed overhead press). I don’t actually recommend
maxing out on it this early in a program. Instead, a few singles at
90-95% is recommended, or as always you can go for a 5RM.
You want it to be difficult, but to still have a bit of ease while completing
the motion. Know that you could probably go a little bit heavier, but
back off when form starts to break down. If you have any history
of shoulder issues or are uncertain about the movement, you may
not even want to do that, instead backing off to a lower weight.
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More experienced lifters can go for a 1RM instead. Those who feel
somewhat comfortable with the motion can build up to something
near a 1RM, provided they’re honest with themselves and know
to stop when the rep becomes exceptionally slow or “grindy”.
Our endurance workout this week is a superset workout. Supersetting

is a traditional bodybuilding tactic used to shorten rest times by
training opposing muscle groups so that one muscle group can
rest while the other one is working. Thus, sets can be completed in
quicker succession by alternating back and forth between the two
exercises. This isn’t exclusively useful to bodybuilding, and even some
strength movements can be supersetted if done properly. Since we
are aiming to complete all 8 sets of the 4 set superset with minimal
rest, it’s more of an endurance activity. Once you’ve completed all
8 sets of the 4 set superset, you rest before moving onto the next
superset. Select appropriately light weights to make this possible.
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GAINS
WEEK 7
DB Bicep Curl 3x20
Dip/Assisted Dip/Bench Dip 3x15
Front Raises 3x15
DB Shrug 3x30


BB Weighted Glute Bridge 3x15
Bodyweight Squat 3x20-30
Plank 3x20-30sec.
Day 4 - Rest

BB Bench Press 4x2-3 @90%
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Day 6 - Endurance - Traditional Circuit
Performed in Succession, 10 rounds:
Bodyweight Squat x10
DB Bench Press x10
Glute Bridge x10
DB Hammer Curl x10
Burpee/Squat Thrust/Squat Jump x5

BB Deadlift Build up to new 1RM
BB Squat 5x4 @85%
BB Deadlift 3x8 @50% (focus on speed and explosiveness
during these reps) (recalculate using new 1RM if
available, or simply add 5-15lbs. if not)
Day 8 - Rest
Notes: Week 7
This week we’ll be maxing out on the deadlift. Unlike the other lifts,
the deadlift requires no spotter because you can always simply drop
the bar if you’re unable to complete a lift. However, the deadlift is also
a lift on which it becomes relatively easy to try and use bad form to
complete a lift. This isn’t recommended for beginners, so if you feel
your form starting to deteriorate or the lift becomes extremely slow,
chances are that that’s where you should stop and call it a 1RM.
If you have a lifting belt, it will help you lift more weight by further
activating the core, though it’s unclear whether the belt actually makes
you less likely to injure yourself in the process or not. Those with back
issues will want to skip this entirely, and just use a lighter weight instead.
Our special endurance workout this week is a traditional circuit.

In the traditional circuit format, a series of exercises is completed
in succession, typically resting at the end. Since these exercises
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are strung together so closely, rest time between them should be
minimal. If you’re struggling with the circuit, consider dropping
weight on the DB exercises to make the circuit a little bit easier.
One note of etiquette: while circuits can be made up of literally any

exercises, caution should be taken to avoid using a lot of exercises
which require additional equipment. Since you’re not using all of
that equipment at any given time but need to always have it ready
to be used, you’re essentially monopolizing that equipment. In
the future when you design your own circuits, consider sticking to
bodyweight and DB exercises as these require the least amount
of equipment and are thus nicest to the others in the gym.
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GAINS
WEEK 8
DB One Arm Row 3x10/side
Dip/Assisted Dip/Bench Dip 3x20
Lateral Raises 3x20


Rack Pull 3x10
BW Walking Lunge 3x10/leg
Plank 3x25-35sec.
Day 4 - Rest

BB Bench Press Build up to new 1RM
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Day 6 - Endurance - The Burpee Run
The burpee run is one of my favorite workouts, partly because
it’s intense enough to be challenging yet flexible enough to be
useful for a wide range of exercisers. In essence, the burpee
run is a 10-20min. run interspersed randomly with burpees.
If you’re doing this alone, you can do it outside and simply set an interval
timer to alert you every minute or so. If you’re doing it with a partner,
they can randomly call out burpees for you. Anytime the burpee is
called, you stop running to do a single burpee and then continue. Simple
and effective, though if your intervals are set too closely or your friend
calls the burpees out too frequently, you’re going to have a bad time.
Alternately, you can do other bodyweight exercises such as a

handful of squats or pushups if a traditional burpee is too tough.

BB Squat 4x2-3 @90%
Day 8 - Rest
Week 8 Notes
Bench Press 1RM again, see previous notes on the topic. Now that
we’re getting into the swing of things, you should be getting more
used to the workouts and not getting as sore. Hopefully you’re
still getting enough variation to enjoy yourself, even
though parts of the workouts can be repetitive.
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WEEK 9
BB or DB Bench Press 3x10 (aim for 5-15lbs. heavier than week 5)
Lat Pulldown or Seated Cable Row 3x10 (aim
for 5-15lbs. heavier than week 5)
BB or DB Overhead Press 3x10 (aim for 5-15lbs. heavier than week 5)
DB One Arm Row 3x12/side
Tricep Pushdown Rope Attachment 3x12
Standing DB Overhead Press 3x12
DB Shrug 3x25


BB or KB Deadlift 3x10 (aim for 5-15lbs. heavier than week 5)
DB or KB Goblet Squat 3x10 (aim for 5-15lbs. heavier than week 5)
Standing Split Squat 3x10/leg (you can hold onto a pair of DB
to add weight) (aim for 5-15lbs. heavier than week 5)
BB Hip Thrust 3x10
Leg Press 3x20
Plank 3x30-40sec.
Standing Calf Raise 3x20 (use pair of DB held in hands for
weight, raise toes a few inches if possible) (relatively heavy)
Day 4 - Rest

BB Bench Press 3x8 @50% (focus on speed and explosiveness during
these reps) (recalculate using new 1RM, or add 5-15lbs. if not available)
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Day 6 - Endurance - Bodyweight
Pushups/Knee Pushups/Hand Elevated Pushups 40 reps total
BW Squats/BW Box Squats 70 reps total
Pullup/Ring Row/TRX Row/Inverted Row 55 reps total
Plank 2 min. total
BW Hip Thrust 70 reps total
Butterfly Situp 50 reps total
Dips/Assisted Dips/Bench Dips 55 reps total
Box Jump/Jump Squat 40 reps total
Reverse Crunch 40 reps total

BB Squat Build up to new 1RM
Day 8 - Rest
Notes: Week 9
Two months down, only one to go! Hopefully by now you’ve settled into
things quite comfortably, and have managed to modify the program a
little to suit your needs. You’re well on your way to becoming a master!
This week we’re maxing out on the barbell squat again, so refer to
previous notes. As always, don’t go for a true 1RM if you feel unprepared.
Our endurance method for this week is bodyweight. This bodyweight

workout is somewhat tame since my program is aimed at beginners, but
it covers the bases. If you love bodyweight work, you can repeat this
workout, and add a few reps/seconds to each exercise each time you do
it. There’s no restriction on how you split up reps within a set - if you’re
doing 50 total, you can do that in as few or as many sets as it takes you
to complete. Easier exercises have been suggested where appropriate.
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Other methods of progressing a bodyweight routine: you can add in
a weight vest, adding challenge to many of your movements. You
can also consider looking into advanced gymnastic or calisthenic
bodyweight movements. A pair of gymnastics rings enables a
great deal of exercises and can be probably hung somewhere in
the average house or even brought to the gym and hung from a
rack. Calisthenics bars such as the Lebert Equalizer enable you
to practice things like handstands or dips. With these, you can
perform a wide range of advanced bodyweight movements.
WEEK 10
DB Bent Over Reverse Fly/Cable Reverse Fly 3x15
DB Fly/Cable Fly 3x12
DB Shrug 3x30


BB or DB Deadlift 3x11 (same weight as week 9)
Hyperextensions 3x15
DB Step Up 3x10/leg
Plank 3x35-45sec.
Day 4 - Rest
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GAINS
BB Strict Overhead Press 3x1 @90-95%
Day 6 - Endurance - Deadly Duo

Repeat for 10-15 min.:
KB Swing x10
Pushup/Pushup from Knees/Pushup from Bench/DB Bench Press x10
10-15min. Cooldown Run

BB Squat 5x5 @80%
BB Squat 3x9 @50% (focus on speed and explosiveness during these
reps) (recalculate using new 1RM if available, or add 5-15lbs. if not)
Day 8 - Rest
Week 10: Notes
This week we’re approaching another pseudo-max on the overhead

press. Again, you can attempt a 1RM if you’re confident in your
abilities, but I still don’t suggest it for beginners. Those unprepared
for a real 1RM can attempt simply a 3x1 or a 5RM if desired.
The endurance workout this week is a deadly duo. Deadly duos can
get a little repetitive, but they’re essentially extremely simple: two
large exercises paired together, back and forth. Any two exercises
can work, but care should be taken to make sure that they’re not
TOO exhausting (for example, burpees) while not being so easy as
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to be trivial (for example, bicep curls). In general, weight used must
be carefully chosen to prevent using something that wears you out
too quickly. Another option is to have multiple weights ready so that
you can switch to a lighter one when needed. In this case, be ready to
switch to a lighter DB bench press if you’ve exhausted the pushups.
Another consideration with the deadly duo is exercise selection. I

tend to select two exercises with opposing muscle groups so as to
make it more tolerable. However, you could also select two similar
exercises (for example, a squat and a deadlift) if you REALLY wanted
to be masochistic and totally destroy yourself. Essentially, the deadly
duo is just an extended superset taken to its logical conclusion.
You’re getting near the end of your fitness journey. Don’t look
back now, except to remember how much you’ve gained.
WEEK 11
Cable One Arm Row 3x20/arm
Cable One Arm Standing Chest Press 3x15/arm
DB Zydrunas Press 3x20


Hyperextensions 3x20
Side Lunge 3x10/leg
Plank 3x35-50sec.
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Day 4 - Rest


BB Bench Press 4x2-3 @90%
BB Strict Overhead Press 3x9 @50% (focus on speed and explosiveness
during these reps) (recalculate using 1RM or add 5-10lbs if not available)
Day 6 - Endurance - Barbell Complex

Done without letting go of the bar, 6-10 rounds:
BB Deadlift x10
BB Hang Clean x5
BB Overhead Press x5
BB Front or Back Squat x10 (depends on comfort with either
motion and ability to get bar behind head from front position)
BB Reverse Lunge/BB Step Up (optional, depending
on how tired you are from the first 4 exercises and
how comfortable you are with lunges) x5/leg

BB Deadlift Build up to new 1RM
BB Squat 4x4 @85%
Day 8 - Rest
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Week 11: Notes
This week we’re building up to a new max in the deadlift, with

everything that that entails. Hopefully you’re getting used to it by now!
This week’s endurance workout is the barbell complex.

Barbell complexes are an endurance method in which
multiple exercises are done with a barbell of the same weight
without dropping that barbell. Rest in between rounds.
One of the most important parts of the barbell complex is the weight
selection. You want to be careful to make sure that the weight you’re
lifting is one that can be comfortably used for the weakest exercise
in the chain, in this case most likely the overhead press. This will
seem light for the exercises you’re stronger at, but has to be kept
that way or you’d be unable to finish the weaker exercises in the
set. For this reason, we tend to compensate with more repetitions
allotted to the exercises that we’re going to be stronger at.
While theoretically any barbell exercises can be combined into a

barbell complex, one concern is exercise flow. We move the deadlift
into the clean, for example, because the deadlift and the clean are
similar motions with the end point of the deadlift leading into the
beginning of the hang clean. Likewise the clean ends in the rack
position, which we use to start the overhead press. Simply combining
a deadlift into a squat, for example, would require potentially taxing
extra motion to get the bar into the proper position for the squat. You
can do more if you properly flow the exercises to minimize wasted
transitional movement. Consider that you can also add in smaller
muscle group stuff like barbell curls, shrugs, calf raises, and the like.
Consider these rules when constructing your own barbell complexes.
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GAINS
WEEK 12
Barbell Bicep Curl 3x20
Close Grip Bench 3x20
DB Shrug 3x25


KB Swing 3x12
Jump Squat 3x15
Plank 3xMax Time.
Day 4 - Rest

BB Benh Press Build up to new 1RM
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GAINS
Day 6 - Endurance - Dumbbell Complex
Ideally done with the same pair of DB the whole

time 6-10 rounds, rest between rounds:
DB Stiff Leg Deadlift x15

DB Bicep Curl x10
Double DB Front Squat x10
DB Clean and Press x5
(Rest with DB at shoulders, 20-30 sec.)
DB Press Jack x15
DB Renegade Row x5/arm
Plank x20sec.
Burpee to Overhead Press x2

BB Squat 3x2 @90%
Day 8 - Rest
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Notes: Week 12
Wow! You’re done with twelve weeks. If you’re a beginner, chances

are that this means a lot has changed in your life. You’re probably a
lot stronger and more durable (yes, endurance training turns you into
Wolverine) than you did twelve weeks ago. You’re a true superhero.
This week we’re maxing out on the bench again. It’s a little
lopsided that we’re maxing out on bench three times while all the
others are getting two, but that’s just the design of the program.
If you continue on a similar program, you can simply max out
on your other lifts in the same order in the following weeks.
This week’s special endurance activity is a dumbbell complex.
Admittedly, the dumbbell complex isn’t comprised solely of
dumbbell exercises the way a barbell complex is comprised solely
of barbell exercises. However, the ease of use of dumbbells
makes it a little easier/more fluid to chain movements in, so
new kinds of movements can be somewhat easily included.
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A SUSTAINABLE PROGRAM
This program is written for 12 weeks. If you’re a beginner and
you’ve stuck to the plan as written, chances are you’ve seen a
lot of progress! If you’re an advanced exerciser, chances are
you may have had to modify a few things to be more challenging
or to suit your needs. That’s fine as well! Now it’s time to
decide what you’re going to do going forward from here.
As explained above, this is a plan designed for general, all-around

performance. It will get you stronger and more durable while
building muscle and helping you get leaner. For many people
without serious performance goals, this plan may be enough—
keep focusing on increasing your volume over time and you’re
going to improve. However, if you find you’re particularly drawn
to one aspect of exercise more than others and want to perform
well in it, or if you want to train for a specific sport, you should
specialize in order to reach your maximum potential in that area.
Here are some tips in modifying the template to suit your needs:
For hypertrophy-centric exercisers: drop out one strength day and

one endurance day and turn those into hypertrophy days. Turn your
remaining strength day into a full body day (training both upper
and lower body at heavy weights that day) and turn your remaining
endurance day into a long run or other long activity of 45-60 min. in
duration. You may consider working in heavy singles as a warmup to
a hypertrophy session to add in a little strength focus, or 15-20 min.
endurance after each session to add in a little endurance focus. In this
manner, you would do two hypertrophy days and one strength day,
a day off, and then two hypertrophy days and an endurance day.
For strength centric exercisers: drop out one hypertrophy day and
one endurance day and turn those into strength days. Your remaining
hypertrophy day should focus mostly on small muscle groups to be
performed as accessory exercises, such as bicep, tricep, shoulder,
calf, trap, and other isolation work. You can still work in one or two
primary movements for reps, however be careful not to compromise
your recovery for your strength days by doing too much. Add in
more accessory exercises, including compound exercises, on your
strength days. For your endurance day, use a low-impact cardio
activity. This can include: sled dragging, weight vest walking/incline
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walking, cycling, rowing, or a circuit or barbell complex that avoids
jumps and other plyometric exercises. Moreso than with hypertrophy,
it is important when training for strength to allow maximum recovery
by minimizing the impact of your endurance activity. In this manner,
you would do a hypertrophy, strength upper, strength lower, rest, and
then an endurance, strength upper, and strength lower again, rest.
Most strength athletes do not train extremely heavy twice per week
per body part - they likely train one day heavy (>85%) and one day
lighter (75-85%). Thus, it is best to alternate which lifts are done
when: if you squat heavy and deadlift light on your first lower body
strength day for the week, then you would deadlift heavy and squat
light on the other. Lighter reps should be completed explosively
and done for a little more overall volume than heavier ones.
For endurance exercisers: drop a strength day and a hypertrophy

day, and turn these into endurance days. Convert your remaining
strength day into a full body workout, and skew your hypertrophy
day a little more towards the half of the body you’ll be using more
in your cardio activity (usually lower body for runners and cyclists,
though upper body cardio [rowing] should train more upper body).
Additionally, consider skewing your hypertrophy days a little more
towards the endurance (15-20) rep range - it’s better for building up
connective tissue in the joints and reducing injury potential during the
repetitive motion of endurance activity. You’ll also want to skew your
hypertrophy days away from isolation work - since this plan involves
the least lifting of all, you need as much compound work as you can
get. On your remaining endurance days, you can’t just go all out for
long runs daily. Mix up longer, slower distance cardio with shorter,
faster cardio or even all-out intervals of 30 sec. on/1 min. off for 10-15
rounds in order to get best results. Thus, a plan might look like: long
run, short run, hypertrophy, rest, long run, short run, strength, rest.
For exercisers training for a specific sport: the biggest thing is to

focus on stuff relevant to your own sport. Training as a bodybuilder?
Well obviously hypertrophy is your thing, and focus on your diet to
either gain or lose weight. Training as a powerlifter? You’ll need to
use the squat, bench, and deadlift a lot. Training as a sport athlete?
Well, you’re going to need strength but you shouldn’t chase after a
1RM too much (because you’re not lifting maximal weights on the
field) and should instead look to improve 5RM’s while also adding in
unilateral (single arm and single leg) training and keeping good cardio.
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GAINS
Training as a strongman? You’ll need to find some stones and other
contest implements and work in a day per week getting used to lifting
them. Training as a fighter? Obviously you’ll need to work in sparring
practice somehow. Always look at the considerations of your sport,
look towards elite level coaches in that sport, and learn what you can
from them. Again, while these basic workout templates can help you
transition from beginner to badass, they’re not a perfect solution. As
you get better, you’ll need to learn more specialized knowledge, which
you can only get from good coaches in your specific field of interest.
If you’re a beginner looking to take the next step, I highly recommend

finding some sort of competition to compete in. Without goals to
reach for, you’re never going to push yourself and you’re never going
to get the results that you want. Fitness should be fun, and having
worthwhile goals is what helps you to accomplish that. Look up
competitions in your area and plan for something you want to compete
in. Structure your training around succeeding in that competition,
and you’re going to see much better results and have a lot more
fun than if you just come into the gym and clock in your hours.
CLOSING
I’m glad to have been here for the first step in your fitness journey. I
think you’ve made the right choice, and hopefully there’s plenty more
wonderfulness to come. You’ve gotten to see a wide variety of training
styles and hopefully found some that you really really enjoy. From
here on out, it’s all about keeping up that wave: do what you can to
maintain your momentum and prevent yourself from falling off.
So long as you can do so, you are a Badass. You always get to keep
that title, so long as you live. Write it down on a piece of paper and
hang it on your wall. You are a Superhero. You are a Prince/ss of swole.
You are a Warrior of fitness. No one can take that away from you.
Loving yourself and enabling yourself to move are of peak importance

in a world in which we’re consistently more likely to be unhappy
and unmoving. The better you move, the longer you’ll live, and
the happier you’ll be with your life. Please, always remember:
move more, and move well. The more you move, the better you’re
going to feel and be, and your body is going to thank you for it.
53

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GAINS

Copyright © 2015 by Adam Fisher

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright

Book design by Elizabeth Sampat

Adam in 2008 and 2015

After I graduated college, I became certified as a personal

And that means you.

In general, it’s difficult to train for everything at once. A plan

Let’s get the boring, technical stuff out of the way

Strength is measured in the 1RM, or one repetition maximum. This

Strength is a complex quality, and there is no such thing as a generalized

Strength days are typically a little shorter in duration than hypertrophy

It’s important that you understand proper technique and safety

In training for strength, we train movements rather than muscles.

Strength training is marked by a process called periodization.

Hypertrophy refers to the ability of muscle tissue to increase in

Training for hypertrophy occupies an intermediate amount of time

Hypertrophy training induces a strong feeling called the pump, an

Hypertrophy training tends to use a greater variety of exercises than

These are called isolation exercises, because they use a much

One major concern with a lot of exercisers is that hypertrophy means

Periodization for hypertrophy differs from periodization for strength.

When it comes to lifting, both for strength and hypertrophy, I highly

Endurance refers to your ability to continually produce an action over

When it comes to endurance, you have a lot more options in terms of

Endurance work can certainly induce hypertrophy, but typically at a

However, combining endurance with strength and hypertrophy training,

When it comes to endurance training, there are many options aside

Circuit training consists of a series of exercises designed to be

Another style of training is density training, referred to in stuff like

In this program, an effort is made to use a variety of different endurance

When it comes to progression, the method depends on the method of

As with training for strength or hypertrophy, keeping a good journal

If you’re unable to complete a workout as written for any reason, that’s

Day 2 - Endurance - Long

Day 3 - Hypertrophy, Lower

Day 5 - Strength, Upper

Day 7 - Strength, Lower

Day 2 - Endurance - Long

Day 3 - Hypertrophy, Lower

Day 5 - Strength, Upper

Day 7 - Strength, Lower

This week, endurance focuses on cycling. This should look familiar;

Since cycling burns fewer calories and has a smaller impact on

Day 2 - Endurance - Long

Day 3 - Hypertrophy, Lower

Day 5 - Strength, Upper

Day 7 - Strength, Lower

Obviously, many modifications can be made. For beginners,

Day 2 - Endurance - Long

Day 3 - Hypertrophy, Lower

Day 5 - Strength, Upper

Day 7 - Strength, Lower

If you do decide to go for a 1RM attempt, you’re building up to something

Regardless, make sure you’re always recording your reps

Day 2 - Endurance - Long

Day 3 - Hypertrophy, Lower

Day 5 - Strength, Upper

Day 7 - Strength, Lower

If you’re reading this, congratulations! You’ve finished four weeks of