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2018 Starter’s Guide: Strength Workout

Train to move big weight with this routine.

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2018 Starter's Guide - Goal #2: Training for Strength
Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
2018 Starter's Guide - Goal #2: Training for Strength
Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine

DIRECTIONS: Rest a day between each training session. For sets and reps, refer to the chart below.

Each day you will perform one or two main lifts (Day 1: squat & farmer’s walk, Day 2: overhead press, Day 3: deadlift) and two to four accessory work exercises.

Accessory work exercises are separated into categories (Lower 1, Lower 2, Upper 1, Upper 2, Back, Abs, and Deadlift Assist) and the options for each category are labeled “A”, “B”, “C” and so on.

For Day 1, select one “Lower 1” exercise option and one “Lower 2” exercise option.

For Day 2, select one “Upper 1” exercise option, one “Upper 2” exercise option, one “Back” exercise option, and one “Abs” exercise option.

For Day 3, select one “Deadlift Assist” exercise option, one “Lower 2” exercise option, one “Back” exercise option, and one “Abs” exercise option.  

Choose one move from each accessory work category and stick with it for two weeks. Then choose another, and continue to follow the set and rep scheme below.

Sets & Reps

Weeks Main Lifts Accessory Lifts
Week 1 3 sets of 8 3 sets of 12
Week 2 4 sets of 6 4 sets of 10
Week 3 5 sets of 5 5 sets of 10
Week 4 6 sets of 4 4 sets of 8
Week 5* 3 sets of 5 3 sets of 8
Week 6 8 sets of 3 3 sets of 10
Week 7 12 sets of 2 2 sets of 10
Week 8** Max 2 sets of 8

*This is a deload week. Use 80% of the weight you used for all your lifts for the previous week.
**Perform 1 set of 8, 1 set of 5, 2 sets of 3, and 2 sets of 2, increasing the weight each set. Then go as heavy as you can for 1 rep.

NOTE: For the back accessory work on Day 3, choose a different exercise than you did for the back on Day 2.

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Routine

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Day 1

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 1 of 14

SG18 Barbell Squat

Equipment
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Reps
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Rest
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Exercise 2 of 14

SG18 Lunge

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Rest
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Exercise 3 of 14

SG18 Reverse Lunge

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Rest
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Exercise 4 of 14

SG18 Walking Lunge

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Rest
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Exercise 5 of 14

SG18 Stepup

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Rest
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Exercise 6 of 14

SG18 Bulgarian Split Squat

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Exercise 7 of 14

SG18 Back Extension

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Rest
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Exercise 8 of 14

SG18 Glute-ham Raise

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Exercise 9 of 14

SG18 Rope Pull-through

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Exercise 10 of 14

SG18 Back Raise With Row

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Exercise 11 of 14

SG18 Keystone Deadlift

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Exercise 12 of 14

SG18 Farmer’s Walk

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Rest
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Day 2

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 13 of 14

SG18 Overhead Press

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Exercise 14 of 14

SG18 Dumbbell Bench Press

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Exercise 15 of 14

SG18 Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

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Exercise 16 of 14

SG18 Decline Dumbbell Bench Press

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Exercise 17 of 14

SG18 Pushup

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Exercise 18 of 14

SG18 Weighted Dip

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Exercise 19 of 14

SG18 Dumbbell Overhead Press

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Exercise 20 of 14

SG18 Dumbbell Flye

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Exercise 21 of 14

SG18 Hammer Curl + Press

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Exercise 22 of 14

SG18 Dumbbell Row

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Barbell Row and Meadows Row can also be performed as a back exercise option.
Exercise 23 of 14

SG18 Pullup

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Exercise 24 of 14

SG18 Fat Guy Pullup

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Exercise 25 of 14

SG18 Ab Wheel Rollout

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Exercise 26 of 14

SG18 Glute-ham Raise Situp

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Exercise 27 of 14

SG18 Plank

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Day 3

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 28 of 14

SG18 Deadlift

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Exercise 29 of 14

SG18 Good Morning

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Exercise 30 of 14

SG18 Front Squat

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Exercise 31 of 14

SG18 Zercher Squat

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Exercise 32 of 14

SG18 Lower 2

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Perform a Back Extension, Glue-ham Raise, Rope Pull-through, Back Raise with Row or Keystone Deadlift.
Exercise 33 of 14

SG18 Back

Equipment
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Perform a Barbell Row, Dumbbell Row, Meadows Row, Pullup or Inverted Row.
Exercise 34 of 14

SG 18 Abs

Equipment
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Rest
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Perform an Ab Wheel Rollout, Glute-ham Raise Situp or Plank.
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