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Level Two: Basic Strength & Hypertrophy

Having developed efficient movement, better strength, and a good foundation for strength in your connective tissue, we now want to focus on further developing lean mussle tissue, while continuing to develop strength endurance.

 

This is where the real muscle building begins. Don't forget to always warm up and cool down with every workout.

Warming Up and Cooling Down

 

Hopefully, by now, you already have a decent routine in place to begin and finish a training session. As you move forward into your conditioning, your best results will be achieved as you consider some more advanced warm ups to add to the beginning of each session. Make it more challenging, and keep it fun and interesting.

Here in level two, we will begin to follow a more focused 4-week protocall. Three weeks focused on muscle hypertrophy (muscle growth), with one week of strength endurance. That is to say, intensity increses with each week, for three weeks, and then we back it up a little on the fourth week, and then the intensity of week five will be slightly higher than week three. This will continue until we reach level three in the conditioning pyramid.

Level Two; Stage One: Strength Endurance & Hypertrophy

 

Now we can begin the real muscle growth, while at the same time building endurance. In this stage, we will be repeating a cycle of three weeks for hypertrophy (muscle building), and one week for strength endurance. Durring week 4 (strength endurance week), we will lower the intensity somewhat, picking it back up as you begin the next 4-week cycle.

2:1
Level Two; Stage Two: Hypertrophy & Basic Strength

 

Basic strength can be described as "heavy lifting." This is where we focus on pushing you to your max load capacity. In other words, pack on enough weight that you can only lift for 6 perfect reps. Pushing hard, while maintaining perfect form, is essential for the complete development of the musculoskeletal system.

 

Like before, we are going to go through 4-week cycles, with the fourth week being a "download" week. In this case, each of three weeks will have increased volume, while drawing it back a bit on week four. So, we begin with three sets, then go to four, then five, and then back to four again. We'll also increase the ammount of exercises performed for three weeks, dropping a few on week five.

First, we want to pick up where we left off, continuing to focus on those main exercises, and add a few more as we go along. At the same time, we want to advance our core conditioning. Just swap out the core exercises you've been using with more advanced one. For instance, if you've been using the multifidus lift exercise, now change it to supermans.

 

There's not a lot to explain here, since it really just continues along the same pattern as in the previous stage, only with more intensity. Just remember to keep ttrack of your weeks, slightly reducing the intensity every fourth week.

2;2

Notice that the lift rate has jumped to one second, with only two seconds for lowering. But it returns to 2 seconds up and 4 seconds down every fourth week.

 

Basic strength is different from endurance. When building muscular endurance, we are trying to maximize the load and hold it for a longer period. To overcome fatigue. With basic strength, the goal is to push more weight in an instant. It's not about what you can hold and control, at this point. It's about how much you can lift in one quick shot. But don't get too crazy... you don't want to hurt yourself by going too fast. When I say "one second," I really do mean to take that much time in the lift.

 

Notice the inclusion of a new concept. The supplemental exercise. To supplement means to aid. Many also call these "assistance exercises." These are the exercises that work to build a stronger foundation in each movement by training the individual muscles used. So, if you are working on chest presses, you are involving the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Exercises to work these areas individually are supplemental to getting stronger in your chest press. It is a concept used in power lifting, and it works well for us, as well. After all, where technique fails us, we need to be able to muscle our way through a situation.

EXERCISE SELECTION

 

In stage one, we are basically continuing the program established in the first level, only with a raised intensity. In stage two is where we really pick up the intensity and begin to truly get into core conditioning, while at the same time we begin to implement supplemental exercises. This whole training routine is getting intense! Well, you haven't seen anything until you've walked through the following level. So let's push it and make sure we're actually ready before we enter into the hell that is level 3.

Exercise 2

Note: When you get to level 3, it shouldn't actually feel like hell. If you jump the gun, however, you will cry for your mommy while pissing yourself. DON'T JUMP AHEAD!!!

At this point in your conditioning, it would be good to start focusing on a 7-day work out program (or at least 6 days). I'm not saying to basically live in the gym and kill yourself by pushing too hard and never giving yourself any rest. No! The concept I am refering to is called "active rest." Basically, as your body heals from a heavy training session, spend the days in between using much lighter training, such as jogging. Here's an example plan:

 

  • Sunday: TRX & Cardio

  • Monday: Weight Training

  • Tuesday: MMA Ground Drills

  • Wednesday: Weight Training

  • Thursday: TRX & Cardio

  • Friday: Weight Training

  • Saturday: Boxing Drills

 

Staying active every day is the best way to achieve results. A daily jog won't cause you to over train, nor will daily pull ups. In my prime, I was training all day every day, with a huge emphasis on pull ups, dips, and running. There were no days off, and I felt great.

So let's get to the point, here. What are the main exercises?

 

STAGE ONE:

  1. Monday:

    1. dumbbell press

    2. barbell row

    3. bulgarian squat (single leg squats)

    4. weighted pull ups (add weight to ankles for best results)

  2. Wednesday:

    1. tricept push down

    2. clean & press

    3. kettlebell swings

    4. weighted pull ups

  3. Friday:

    1. power clean

    2. dumbbell squat, curl, press

    3. step up with single leg dead lift

    4. weighted pull ups.

 

STAGE TWO: (this is where you really begin to push it)

Basic strength exercises are to be done heavy.

  1. Monday

    1. basic strength: bench press, bulgarian squat

    2. supplement: step up with single leg dead lift

    3. weighted pull ups

  2. Wednesday:

    1. basic strength: back squat, dumbbell rows

    2. supplement: push downs, shoulder raise, kettlebell swings

    3. weighted pull ups

  3. Friday:

    1. basic strength: deadlift

    2. supplement: clean & press, power clean, thruster

    3. weighted pull ups

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