Basic Strength Weight Training Program

A good way to set up a strength program is to use your own body weight (BW) as a reference point. For example, if you weigh 80kg set up your program as such.

Bench press 30% of BW x 15 reps – 50% of BW for 10 reps – 75% of BW for 5 reps. Now do body weight for 2-3 reps in power lifting style.

For each succeeding workout, add another power set with an additional 10-20% more weight on the bar and do 2-3 reps. Do this workout every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Once you can no longer add more weight and sets, start doing back off sets. What are back off sets? I will outline these in the example below.

Now you must do flat or incline bench press for your chest. Squats or leg press for your thighs and deadlifts or seated rows for your back. Now in the example, I will only show it to you for the chest, but don’t forget to do the thigh and back exercises on training days also.

Sample Workout

For 80kg male.

Week One

Monday: 25kg x 15 reps – 40kg x 10 reps – 60kg x 5 reps – 80kg x 2-3 reps

Wednesday: 25kg x 15 reps – 40kg x 10 reps – 60kg x 5 reps – 80kg x 2-3 reps – 90kg x 2-3 reps

Friday: 25kg x 15 reps – 40kg x 10 reps – 60kg x 5 reps – 80kg x 2-3 reps – 90kg x 2-3 reps – 110kg x 2-3 reps

Week Two:

Monday: 25kg x 15 reps – 40kg x 10 reps – 60kg x 5 reps – 80kg x 2-3 reps – 90kg x 2-3 reps – 110kg x 2-3 reps -120kg x 2-3 reps (maxed out)

Wednesday: 25kg x 15 reps – 40kg x 10 reps – 60kg x 5 reps – 80kg x 2-3 reps – 90kg x 2-3 reps – 110kg x 2-3 reps – 120kg x 2-3 reps

Now add a back off set, do 50% of max weight and try to get 20 reps with it. In this example, it’s 60kg x 20 reps. Once you can get 20 reps, add 5kg to the bar next workout and try for 20 reps again, and so on until you can do your back off set with bodyweight for 20 reps.

Once that is achieved, go back to regular training. You will need to adjust the starting weights depending on the type of exercise (bench press, incline press, squats, leg press, deadlifts or seated rows), plus your lifting experience. You are much better starting off with a conservative starting weight for the power sets. It is better to build up slowly than hit the wall early. Plus remember to keep good form.

DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS PROGRAM IF YOU ARE TRAINING BY YOURSELF WITHOUT A SPOTTER FOR BARBELL PRESSES AND BARBELL SQUATS!!!!!

This program helps to develop power and strength, which you can harness for sport and other weight training programs.