How To Increase Strength: Ultimate Guide To Getting Big And Strong Part 1

[01dragonslayer]

This Guide Teaches You:​

• What the differences are for beginners between training for muscle and training for strength.
• What natural strength standards and expectations are.
• Which 7 lifts are the cornerstones for building strength.
• The fastest way for a novice to build strength.
• How often to test your one rep max, and the best way to do it.
• How to improve your bench press, squat, deadlift and overhead press form.
• About common strength building workout programs and systems, such as Starting Strength, Wendler's 531 and Westside.
• How to structure a strength building workout plan.
• How to warm up, and what you can do to help prevent injuries.
• About common assistance exercises that target strength weaknesses.
• How to use proper nutrition and supplementation to maximize results, and how to structure a meal plan.

Table of Contents:​

1. 1. Introduction
   1. 1.1. Strength Training vs. Muscle Building for the Beginning Lifter
   2. 1.2. Definitions and Common Terms
   3. 1.3. Natural Strength Standards and Expectations
2. 2. Strength Training Basics
   1. 2.1. Defining Your Goals
   2. 2.2. The 7 Primary Natural Strength Movements
   3. 2.3. Primary Strength Building Exercises
   4. 2.4. The Fastest Way for a Novice to Build Strength
   5. 2.5. The Big 4 Lifts – Plus 1
   6. 2.6. Do I Need a Belt?
   7. 2.7. The Role of the Central Nervous System
   8. 2.8. How Often Should I Test My 1RM?
   9. 2.9. How to Test Your 1RM
   10. 2.10. Strength Training Sports
3. 3. Form 101 – A Look at the Big Lifts
   1. 3.1. Squat Form 101
   2. 3.2. Squat Form Tips
   3. 3.3. Other Important Squat Form Tips and Information
   4. 3.4. Deadlift Form 101
   5. 3.5. Bench Press Form 101
   6. 3.6. Military Press/Push Press Form
   7. 3.7. Romanian Deadlift Form 101
4. 4. Common Strength Training Workouts & Systems
   1. 4.1. Starting Strength
   2. 4.2. Westside Barbell Training
   3. 4.3. Wendler’s 531
   4. 4.4. John Christy’s AB Split
   5. 4.5. Smolov Squat Building
   6. 4.6. Bill Starr’s 5x5
   7. 4.7. The Texas Method
   8. 4.8. 3 Day Powerlifting Format
5. 5. Structuring a Workout
   1. 5.1. Choosing a Workout Based on Experience Levels
   2. 5.2. Understanding Intermediate and Advanced Workout Structures
   3. 5.3. Adaptation and Volume
   4. 5.4. Common Progression Approaches
6. 6. Injury Prevention
   1. 6.1. How to Warm Up
   2. 6.2. Rotator Cuff Health
   3. 6.3. How to Avoid Training Injuries
7. 7. Assistance Training
   1. 7.1. Bench Press Weaknesses
   2. 7.2. Squat Weaknesses
   3. 7.3. Deadlift Weaknesses
   4. 7.4. Common Assistance Training Exercises
   5. 7.5. Olympic Exercise Variations
   6. 7.6. Using Bands and Chains
8. 8. A Look at Periodization
9. 9. Training At Home
10. 10. Common Strongman Exercises and Events
11. 11. Nutrition and Supplementation
    1. 11.1. Strength Building Nutritional Basics
    2. 11.2. How Many Calories Do You Need?
    3. 11.3. How Much Protein Do You Need?
    4. 11.4. Determining Fat Intake
    5. 11.5. Determining Carbohydrate Intake
    6. 11.6. How to Structure a Meal Plan
    7. 11.7. Is Paleo Eating a Viable Option?
    8. 11.8. Common Bulking Approaches
    9. 11.9. Supplement Basics
    10. 11.10. Top Selling Supplements
12. 12. Conditioning

Introduction​

The goal of the Muscle & Strength strength building guide is to provide you with all the tools you need to build strength as quickly as possible. You will learn about popular strength building workout structures and exercises, how to improve your bench press, squat and deadlift form, and how to maximize your nutrition and supplementation to reach your goals.
If you need help or clarifications, please feel free to post a question or comment at the end of this guide. You may also post questions in the Muscle & Strength forum.

Strength Training vs. Muscle Building for the Beginning Lifter​

During the initial stages of training, there is very little difference between working out to build strength and working out to build muscle. Both goals will require a substantial addition of strength for key compound exercises such as the bench press, squats, overhead presses and rows, as well as the addition of muscle.
While experienced lifters will need to place much of their focus on lower rep training (1-5 reps per set), trainees who are just beginning their journey and looking to build strength should focus on the use of 5-10 rep sets for most compound exercises.

Definitions and Common Terms​

The following is a list of common terms found in most strength building articles and workouts, along with definitions.

• Intensity – Intensity is often viewed in the context of “high intensity training.” For strength training intensity mean the percentage of your one rep max (1RM) that you are working with for a given exercise.
• Volume – Volume can constitute the number of sets per workout, the number of reps for a specific exercise at a given weight, or the total reps multiplied by the weight used.
• Periodization – Periodization involves the cycling of intensity and/or training volume through specific cycles to allow for improved recovery and continual gains.
• Overtraining – Overtraining can involve taxing a muscle, the central nervous system or joints and ligaments beyond their ability to effectively recover.
• Deload – A planned period of rest or lighter training to allow the symptoms of fatigue or overtraining to rescind while maintaining your current strength levels.
• Max Effort (ME) – Max effort refers to heavy (intense) training days in which a trainee works up to a 5, 3 or one rep max for a specific movement. ME days can be considered maximal load training days.
• Dynamic Effort (DE) – Dynamic effort training days place the focus on speed work, or performing an exercise with an approximate 50-60% of 1RM for fast/powerful repetitions. Dynamic effort sets are often single reps for the deadlift, 3 reps for bench press, and 2 for squats. DE days can be considered maximal speed training days.
• Repeitition Effort (RE) – Repetition effort training days focus on the use of higher rep sets, generally in the 6 to 12 rep range. Each set is push near, or to failure. RE days can be considered maximal force training days.
• Assistance Exercises – The function of assistance exercises is to target weaknesses and build up/strengthen key muscle groups so that the body as a unit is as strong as possible.

Natural Strength Standards and Expectations​

The following strength standards were developed from definitions in “Practicial Programming” by Lon Kilgore, Mark Rippetoe and Glenn Pendlay. Five primary lifts are featured:

• Squat
• Bench Press
• Deadlift
• Overhead Press
• Power Clean

Squat
Squat Strength Standards For Men
Weight	Untrained	Beginner	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
114	78	144	174	240	320
123	84	155	190	259	346
132	91	168	205	278	369
148	101	188	230	313	410
165	110	204	250	342	445
181	119	220	269	367	479
198	125	232	285	387	504
220	132	244	301	409	532
242	137	255	311	423	551
275	141	261	319	435	567
319	144	267	326	445	580
320+	147	272	332	454	593

Bench Press
Bench Press Strength Standards For Men
Weight	Untrained	Beginner	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
114	84	107	130	179	222
123	91	116	142	194	242
132	98	125	153	208	260
148	109	140	172	234	291
165	119	152	187	255	319
181	128	164	201	275	343
198	135	173	213	289	362
220	142	183	225	306	381
242	149	190	232	316	395
275	153	196	239	325	407
319	156	199	244	333	416
320+	159	204	248	340	425

Deadlift
Deadlift Strength Standards For Men
Weight	Untrained	Beginner	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
114	97	179	204	299	387
123	105	194	222	320	414
132	113	209	239	342	438
148	126	234	269	380	482
165	137	254	293	411	518
181	148	274	315	438	548
198	156	289	333	457	567
220	164	305	351	479	586
242	172	318	363	490	596
275	176	326	373	499	602
319	180	333	381	506	608
320+	183	340	388	512	617

Overhead Press
Overhead Press Strength Standards For Men
Weight	Untrained	Beginner	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
114	53	72	90	107	129
123	57	78	98	116	141
132	61	84	105	125	151
148	69	94	119	140	169
165	75	102	129	153	186
181	81	110	138	164	218
198	85	116	146	173	234
220	89	122	155	183	255
242	93	127	159	189	264
275	96	131	164	194	272
319	98	133	167	199	278
320+	100	136	171	203	284

Power Clean
Power Clean Strength Standards For Men
Weight	Untrained	Beginner	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
114	56	103	125	173	207
123	60	112	137	186	224
132	65	121	148	200	239
148	73	135	166	225	266
165	79	147	180	246	288
181	85	158	194	264	310
198	90	167	205	279	327
220	95	176	217	294	345
242	99	183	224	305	357
275	102	188	230	313	367
319	104	192	235	320	376
320+	106	196	239	327	384