The Best Strength Blog 2017: Cycle 1 - Fitness Rangers

The Best Strength Blog 2017: Cycle 1

The Best Strength Blog 2017: Cycle 1
January 10, 2017 fitnessrangers

Strength Training

by Robert Best

DISCLAIMER: If you haven’t tried any of our previous cycles, click here.

Do you want to start working out but don’t know where to start? Do you already work out and want to push your training to the next level? Well then you have come to the right place. This blog will be dedicated to giving you a simple yet affective training program to train your strength ability in a quick and efficient workout. If you have ever wanted to try strength training but didn’t know how to use it or if you have been working out for a while and want change up your day-to-day routine to break a plateau, then it might behove you to at least keep reading, and maybe even try the first few workouts to see how it compliments or helps build your workout routine.

The benefits of strength training include:

  • Increases the ease in which you do all your daily activities
  • Raises your average metabolic rate
  • Increase the calories burned in other workouts
  • Strengthens the joints, bones, and muscles to decrease injury risk

The strength workouts in this program were designed from some of the simplest yet most effective strength programs used by athletes and average Joes alike, because they work. Each workout has a first lift (the most important) and your goal is to increase the weight in these lifts. Every set in these exercises is meant to get a little heavier every set, every week. Then in a few weeks time, you will see how strong you are for these lifts, and gauge your improvement. Every day has two other exercises you will do to help work the other muscles of the body. With all three workouts done over the course of the week, you will push every muscle in your body to it’s limit, forcing it and you to get stronger every week.

 The key to the workouts:
  • Keep track of your weights for every set for every day (especially the ones with percentages)
  • Take at least one day off in between every day
  • Listen to your body, if a certain exercise hurts or doesn’t feel right, keep it out, and seek guidance on form before continuing
  • Only do reps that have good form, don’t do a lift with bad form just to lift (safety first!)

We will be updating this post weekly! So revisit this page to get all the weekly routine updates!

Week 1 (Video Demonstration)

Day 1
  • Box Squat
  • Warm Up 2×5(60%,65%) 5 (75%) 5 (80%) 5 (85%)
  • Lunges 3×8 each
  • Rows 3×10
Day 2
  • Single Arm Overhead Press
  • Warm Up 2×5(60%,65%) 5 (75%) 5 (80%) 5 (85%)
  • Leg Curls 3×8
  • Kb Swing 3×10
Day 3
  • Single Arm Deadlift
  • Warm Up 2×5(60%,65%) 5 (75%) 5 (80%) 5 (85%)
  • Push Up 3×8
  • Pull Down 3×10

Week 2

Day 1

  • Box Squat
  • Warm Up 2×5(60%,65%) 3(80%) 3 (85%) 3 (%90)
  • Lunges 4×6 each
  • Rows 4×8

Day 2

  • Single Arm Overhead Press
  • Warm Up 2×5(60%,65%) 3(80%) 3 (85%) 3 (%90)
  • Leg Curls 4×8
  • KB Swing 4×10
  • Day 3
  • Single Arm Deadlift
  • Warm Up 2×5(60%,65%) 3(80%) 3 (85%) 3 (%90)
  • Push Up 4×6
  • Pull Down 4×8

Week 3

This is the week where you want to find a maximum weight (1-3 reps) for each of the main lifts for every day. Remember these numbers, and use them when these exercises come back again in a few months and see if your strength improves.

Day 1 

  • Box Squat
  • Warm Up 2×5(60%,65%) 5×1 (75%) 3×1 (85%) 1×1 (95%)
  • Lunges 5×6 Each
  • Rows 5×8

Day 2 

  • Overhead Press
  • Warm Up 2×5(60%,65%) 5×1 (75%) 3×1 (85%) 1×1 (95%)
  • Leg Curls 5×6
  • Kb Swing 5×10

Day 3 

  • Deadlift
  • Warm Up 2×5(60%,65%) 5×1 (75%) 3×1 (85%) 1×1 (95%)
  • Push Up 5×6
  • Pull Down 5×8

Week 4

This is the final week of the first month of the Best Strength Blog. Last week you should have found a maximum lift effort for your box squat, single arm overhead press, and  single arm deadlift. 

This week you will be doing high reps and low weight to encourage recovery. The weights should be light and you should keep a steady pace (almost feeling like a cardio workout). 

At no point should you fail any repetition, but you want to feel a burn after each set in the muscles (not the joints)!

Day 1

  • Box Squat
  • Warm Up 5 (55%) 5 (60%) 5 (65%)
  • Lunges 2×12 Each
  • Rows 2x 20
  • Day 2
  • Single Arm Overhead Press
  • Warm Up 5 (55%) 5 (60%) 5 (65%)
  • Leg Curls 2×12
  • KB Swing 2×25

Day 3

  • Single Arm Deadlift
  • Warm Up, 5 (55%) 5 (60%) 5 (65%)
  • Push Up 2×20 (w/band assistance)
  • Pull Down 2×20

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