Strong people are harder to kill, and generally more useful. ~ Coach Mark Rippetoe
Building absolute strength and size is neither complex, nor does it require high-tech equipment, but it is hard.
You will be focusing on the basic exercises of the strongest in the world: powerlifters and olympic weightlifters. You will perform the squat, bench press, deadlift, press, power clean, pullups, and chinups. Whether you have access to a full gym or only your bodyweight at home, all these exercises are scalable and translate well between bodyweight, barbell, and kettlebell exercises.
The Gentleman Spy Workout is simply another take on the proven 5×5 routine. The basic idea is that you will perform only two separate workouts, each consisting of three exercises. You will complete five sets of five reps on each exercise before moving onto the next, resting as necessary between sets.
WORKOUT A:
- Squat
- Bench Press
- Pullups/Chin-ups (alternating)
WORKOUT B:
- Squat
- Overhead Press
- Deadlift/Power Clean (alternating)
This all sounds deceptively easy, and it is – in the beginning. But you will be adding weight to every lift every day. Within just a few short months, you will be squatting over 200 pounds, and deadlifting over 300. It will be brutal, and miserable. But when you look at what you’re accomplishing – when you look in the mirror and see pounds of lean muscle – it will all be worth it.
QUICK-START GUIDE:
Full programming is available inside the Gentleman Spy program. For those who want to figure it out alone, your best resources are Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength and Practical Programming. Stronglifts.com is another good resource.
As you progress through this workout, you’ll quickly find yourself outgrowing anything but a dedicated CrossFit/weightlifting/power lifting facility. Most commercial gyms simply aren’t equipped for power and Olympic lifting and won’t like you dropping heavy lifts on the floor and scaring the rest of their customers who are afraid to truly work hard.
Your best bet is to build your own gym in your garage or backyard. Rogue Fitness is the one-stop shop for everything from setting up a simple squat rack and barbell, to outfitting the next CrossFit Games. Buy once, cry once, and train hard for the rest of your life.
When you’re ready for more detailed programming including what to do before, during, and after this workout…