Your setbacks are your fault. Don’t blame the injuries. Don’t blame the program. Don’t blame the equipment.
Blame yourself.
In all likelihood, your program isn’t failing because it’s bad. It’s failing because you think it’s bad. And then that means you’re not giving the same effort you otherwise would if you had faith in it. You aren’t going “all in.”
But in your defense, it’s confusing out here in the battlefield. The weapons are numerous. There are barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, sandbells, and practically any other bell you have enough money to patent. And the machines? Treadmills, elliptical, rowers, and bikes. And that’s if you narrow it down to contraptions that liken us to gerbils — creatures that actually enjoy running inside of a wheel that never moves.
Let’s not forget about the techniques. Isometrics, plyometrics, concentrics, force spectrum ramping, and good old dynamic contractions. You start to wonder if there is method to the madness or just madness in the methods.
It’s no wonder you always feel inadequate. One day you’re toying around with time proven dumbbells and someone starts swinging a kettlebell in your face.
Your dumbbells don’t look quite the same after that.
I mean, they’ve been around forever. They have to be outdated, right?
And as soon as that thought creeps into your mind, your program — carrying your motivation — flutters out of the window.
You would rather be playing with the fancy toys.
But there is a similar process in nearly every field. Take writing for example. Novices try to razzle and dazzle with old clichés like, well, razzle and dazzle. They use impressive words, overlooking the ones that are common to everyday language, the ones that actually resonate with our brain.
But let’s get back to your training. The more complicated it is, the more setbacks you will have. You’ll fall to the fads only to realize that your original plan was more effective. You’ll hop from your new program back to your old, yet more effective, one. But because you abandoned it, it takes you three months to work your way back to your baseline. And during those three months, you don’t notice any progress. And for good reason.
You never really progressed. You just worked your way back to your previous level.
Since no change took place, your confidence teeters. This begins the impatience. So when you see that person in the corner of the gym doing iso-quasi-mio-plio-nano contractions, you falter again. And the cycle continues. But just imagine where you would be if you stayed on your original program for the six months that it took for all of this to transpire.
A lot of people choose gyms based on equipment. Its gotta’ have treadmills, bikes, free weights, machines – the works. I mean, you’re paying for it, right? The owner should put your money to good use.
Likewise, people create home gyms with racks, bars, plates, dumbbells, chains, bands, and the latest gadget you can think of.
But remember what I said about writing? About keeping it simple? Well, I’m going to propose to you a radical – and simple – way to achieve every goal you’ve ever had. It may sound crazy, but that’s because it is. You will, however, save yourself years of anguish.
There are two ways to execute this “crazy” plan. The first involves cleaning out a spare bedroom, basement, or garage (any extra space with head room), and buying one of those barbell sets with 315lbs of total weight. If that doesn’t sound enjoyable, then continue going to your gym, but pretend like the only equipment there is a barbell and 315lbs of total weight.
As you can guess, your training will only involve the barbell and 315lbs in weight. No power rack. No dumbbells. Just you, the bar, the plates, and the ground. Your program will be built around the overhead press, front squat, barbell row, and clean. Now, of course, you can do things like push presses and deadlifts but you’re going to narrow your sights for now because I can already see your mouth opening up for questions.
“But what if I can deadlift more than 315? Shouldn’t I use more weight?”
And if you’re legitimately asking that question right now, I suggest you go back a re-read the previous three paragraphs. Before anything else spits out of your mouth, let me explain just why this workout is everything you’ll ever need.
You’re not going to have small shoulders if you can press 225 over your head, you’re not going to have small legs if you can front squat 315, and you’re not going to have a small backside if you can clean 315.
Now there are other hidden gems in a program, like having to clean the bar anytime you overhead press or front squat. This is what I like to call hidden volume. And hidden volume adds up over time to produce fantastic results.
But let’s get serious: is it possible to hit those strength numbers without fancy assistance exercises or special techniques?
Well, I dare you to find out. I dare you to spend the next year doing one of the programs below. I dare you.
There is no superior program, just some guidelines. Guidelines like attacking the barbell a minimum of three days a week, or a maximum of five days a week. Guidelines like making sure you work the movements in question with some intensity and passion. (That’s not to say work to failure, but just make sure you challenge yourself.) Guidelines like add weight when it feels comfortable. (You don’t need percentages to tell you when you’re strong enough to add another five or ten pounds.)
If you’re a four day per week kind of guy (or gal) that likes to have one focus per session, then whipping up a program is simple.
Day One: Push presses, barbell rows, arm work
Day Two: Deadlifts, front squats (light), anything else for the glutes or lower back
Day Three: Military, rows (different grip or back angle), arm work
Day Four: Cleans, front squats (heavy), anything else for the glutes or lower back
If you’re a three day per week kind of guy (or gal), then I’m going to “steal” a little program from Dan John. He says this program works, and if I were you I’d listen to him. He calls it The Southwood Program, but we’re going to alter it a bit. I guess you can call it The Northwood Program.
It’s to be done three days per week. All exercises follow the same 8-6-4 scheme as outlined in The Southwood Program. The exercises, in order, are the power clean, military press, front squat, and barbell row.
I know you’re not going to be satisfied with this, so I have a curveball for you. Since I know you’re going to do extra work, I might as well give you permission.
“Walk in the park” one day every week, and do some calisthenics. Do chin-ups on the swing set. Climb across the monkey bars a few times. Flip yourself on top of them and do some dips. Climb down and work on your handstands.
Be an idiot and have some fun with it. You’ll likely fall in love with being outside and doing this sort of thing. I’m tempted to tell you that you can do these workouts “as often as weather permits” but I don’t want you to lose focus of the benefits a barbell brings.
Now, you don’t have to use the programs above. They are just examples. But remember, the novice writer always out-works himself. He finds ways to add to his sentences, ways to make them more lavish. The experienced writer, however, looks for ways to subtract — ways to make things simpler.
You can experience this for yourself, or you can just take my word for it.
What’s it going to be?
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I’d appreciate it if you shared this post and dropped your questions below. I’d love to hear from you.
Interestingly enough, I built a similar program with your 242 Method, I love this acrticle!
Nice. I seem to be getting that a lot lately. Glad people put it into use.
Great article once again. Since you know quite a bit about knee problems i was hoping you could help me out. Do you know about ganglion cysts in the knees? I have them and i think they need to be drained, but im currently waiting for an orthopedic appoinment. Would your program help with this type of problem? Thanks for any help. I havent walked in a month and never experienced any knee problems before and i have never read about this on any of the sites i visit like yours, t-nation, gentilcore, dean sommerset, cressey, etc.
Thanks for the reply, Steve. Unfortunately, no, no cyst knowledge. I’m not quite so sure my book would help you either as it’s about the mechanical aspects of movement. It might help you put less stress on the knee, which might ease up the pain. But if you haven’t walked in a month, I don’t think my book is going to be your saving grace.
When I feel overwhelmed by all the different methods I want to try, I come back to your stuff to read and I always get back to my center. I love how your writing always is able to make me want to simplify rather than complicate matters.
I can’t thank you enough for introducing me to the 242 method. It’s made everything simpler.
With my four main lifts being Floor press, push press, power snatch and snatch grip deadlifts should i be fine for back work with lower intensity chinups, inverted rows, and face pulls or I need some higher intensity back work?
Awesome. Thanks for the kind words, Kent. Really appreciate it. Your back work looks fine to me.
Feeling this brotha. I love the simplicity and basics of it all. The fact that power cleans are in there gets me giddy.
On the days you recommend glute/low back supplemental work may I suggest the ol’glute-ham raise? You’ll find out soon through those if you have a week posterior for sure.
Great post brotha!
Well, Justin, that defeats the point of the entire article. You’re only supposed to train using the barbell and park equipment
@Kent
Given your 4 main movements you can’t do go far wrong. I would do 30 reps of chin ups every time your in the gym – at the end of your session or when ever(at home) e.g. 4 sets of 8. If you feel like it do one set of max reps (Joe Defranco approved) on non technical lifts like inverted rows face pulls, lat raises, push ups etc.
Hi Anthony!
Wonderful wonderful post! Dare I say that this program is like a siren…very very attractive. So simple, yet so effective. I might just take your dare..:)
Are progressive overload and surplus of calories the necessary conditions of hypertrophy? How about time under tension…I really get confused as to which variables are important…which is one of the reasons I tend to program hop
Progressive overload, proper nutrients, and time under tension all have a role. All are important. If you want muscle size, progress over time, flood the body with nutrients at the right time, and train with enough volume (reps in the 5-8 range for bigs, higher for smalls) to force the adaptation.
What does “higher for smalls” mean?
Never mind, I got it now -.-.
Too bad I read comments from later rather than sooner.
higher for smaller lifts, like isolations
Lol, thanks though
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I am copying these words and putting them as wallpaper. This is the last time I am going to ask you this particular question. Thanks Anthony!
And could we have tips on an amalgam of the Northwood with the 242 method?
Sure. High intensity days — Southwood. Low intensity days — walk in the park.
But just two higher intensity days? Sample program please…
I sense sarcasm…?
Nope…sarcasm is not part of my persona…genuine curiosity.
Ok, I read my sentence again and understood why it might seem sarcastic.
Here is what I originally wanted to ask.
In 242 method, we have barbell lifts on the the 2 main days and mainly DB and lower intensity exercises on the other 2 days. I was wondering, if instead of the lower intensity DB work, we should do reduced load BB work. Walk in the park is something that I do every day
You take the time out to answer any and all questions. I am non-sarcastic by nature. Even if I were, I would take care to be upright with someone like you…:)
Condense barbells into twice per week. Walk in the park the other two. That’s the quickest and dirtiest.
Sorry for the multiple comments!
I went through the program in detail. When you say arm work, you mean barbell arm work again? Barbell curls, skull crushers, french presses and so on??
Added Calf work? Forearms? As a skinny fat dude, these are badly lacking…
I think I will take your dare on..:)
The purpose is to do that which can be done with just a barbell.
You can do all of that extra stuff whenever you have time.
love it anthony.i shall embrace this concept of minimalism!love the additional day for calisthenics.the program looks really fun and simple at the same time.awesome
Yup. Walk in the park
Keep it simple, it never fails. The information overload became a very bad thing, there’s so many programs, so many trends, well there’s a whole universe of new next big thing almost everyday that it becomes so easy for one to lose himself. It’s a good reminder for all of us, to keep things simple, it will always work as long as we give our best
Good insight.
Minimalism is a great principle. It can and should be applied to all areas of life whenever applicable. I actually read a great article on it a while back on PostMasculine.
The most progress I ever made came was when I stopped looking around for a new program. I didn’t suddenly make gains the moment I decided to stick to my program. The gains had compounded over time. They came with time and consistency. Like you said above, progressive overload, proper nutrients, time under tension, and enough volume are necessary for the program to be effective.
It’s not the medium that matters, but the will to commit to it. Or to be punny, it’s not the vehicle that matters, but the will (wheel) to steer. The factors I mentioned above are the fuel. How far are you going to get without fuel, even if you’re steering? And how far are you going to get if you’re hopping from car to car (sick, but fruitless)?
Bam! End extended metaphor. Sorry, couldn’t resist. I also just realized I transitioned from a pun to an extended metaphor. Cool. If it’s not too corny for your tastes, you are welcome to it, lol.
And that was a slick Shakespeare reference. Up top!
I love how you replied to this post like 12 times already. Seriously, love it. Haha!
Aha, so the system was registering them! I’m not going crazy! It was odd though, if it considered the link spam, it didn’t say anything. It took me twelve tries to realize what was happening.
It was like a butler that’d say, “Yes, I’ll be sure to give Anthony your message.” but would then toss the letter into the fireplace.
It was frustrating NOT seeing the comment counter change when I replied with several paragraphs, and then seeing it change when I replied with sentences.
I’m glad it didn’t bother you! Then again, I wasn’t sure if you’d see the messages. So you can see them?
Hi Anthony, great program guidelines! Any recommendation for building a thicker neck exercises?
My neck is rather thin itself, so I can’t say for sure. All I know is people recommend a lot of neck harness stuff. I do have some experience with wrestling bridge variations though. I’d start in either place.
Enjoyed reading your article ~ enjoyed even more doing it !!
Combined it with ideas from the 242 method along with the principle of maximize the minimum. A couple of exercises created from this are on the overhead ladder at the park. Grabbed them with a parallel grip then did a pull up then went into a row. From there did a deadlift shrug. Later after working that a while did some dips to overhead push presses on the dip bars.
It really Rocked to enjoy the simplicity of this workout that really worked me that day. Afterward did a walk – sprint home to enjoy a shower and pineapple protein shake
Ah, wonderful! I’m glad you put it to use!