Workout Summary
- Main GoalIncrease Strength
- Workout TypeSplit
- Training LevelAdvanced
- Program Duration8 weeks
- Days Per Week5
- Time Per Workout60-90 minutes
- Equipment RequiredBarbell, Cables, Dumbbells, Machines, Other
- Target Gender Male & Female
- Recommended Supps
- Workout PDF Download Workout
Workout Description
The beginner gains people see when they first start training are always enjoyable. It makes us want to do more, lift more, and feel even more powerful. The downside is that eventually, the gains may stall and what previously worked may not be as effective.
When these “plateaus” arrive, stop doing what the rookies do and try something different.
Before we proceed, a word of advice. This program is likely a change from what you’re used to as it focuses primarily on lifting heavy.
If you’re concerned about shape and getting shredded, this is not the program for you. If you want to move some serious weight in eight weeks that you don’t think you can move today, keep reading.
Nutrition and Recovery Matter
The workouts will be key to getting stronger, but this is no time to slack on the diet. The food you eat matters even more now because you are trying to make your body do something it can’t do now. So, 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day, 1.5-2 grams of carbs per pound, and .5 grams of fats are what I would suggest. You can slightly alter those numbers based on your experience, but it should be close to those numbers. Also, 1 gallon of water per day.
As for recovery, sleep is the biggest one so get a lot of it. You could also do massages, cold plunges, stretching, and chiropractor work. They aren’t all necessary but will help and will positively influence your success in this program.
Related: Whey Protein Powder: Complete A-Z Guide For All Types Of Whey Supplements
Before We Begin
Commit one day to the gym and get your best five rep max on the following lifts.
- Standing Barbell Press
- Front Squat
- Deadlift
We aren’t going to go full powerlifting here. Reps are still important. Whatever your five rep max is on these lifts is what we intend to improve.
You will start on week 1 by doing three reps with that weight. The next week, you will go up to four, then five after that. If you get to five sets of five with your five-rep max, then you get to go up in weight because clearly you got stronger. If not, stay there the next week and do the best you can.
After eight weeks, you will test those numbers again, and you should find they are better. Details of each workout and why you’re doing them are included with each day on the schedule.
Workout 1: Push Power Day
Since this is about overall strength, we are making the top movement the military press. You have to use your legs and core for stability, and you need the shoulders and triceps to push that bar up. Don’t worry about the chest, though. We got you covered with the next two movements, and the last two will pump up those triceps, even with heavy weight.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Military Press | 5 | 3-5 | 3 min |
| Incline Bench Press | 4 | 3-5 | 3 min |
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 5 | 2 min |
| Tricep Dip | 3 | 5 | 2 min |
| Overhead EZ Bar Tricep Extension | 3 | 5 | 2 min |
Workout 2: Legs Power Day
Leg day means squats are on the menu. Front squats target the quads and challenge your core to stay strong. The strength you gain with this will transfer to the traditional back squat. Next, we jump into a basic back squat with a pause for the glutes. Do not use the same weight for both exercises. Adjust as needed. The rest of this leg day is self-explanatory but go heavy on all of them. And if you aren’t close to failure, up the weight.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front Squat | 5 | 3-5 | 3 min |
| Pause Back Squat* | 4 | 3-5 | 3 min |
| Hack Squat or Leg Press | 3 | 5 | 2 min |
| Seated Leg Curl | 3 | 5 | 2 min |
| Leg Extension | 3 | 5 | 2 min |
*Note: To perform a pause squat, slowly lower into a squat. Once you're in the lowest position, hold the weight for about two seconds killing any momentum you may have. After two seconds, return to the starting position.
Workout 3: Pull Power Day
You get to have some personal choices on this one. The main movement is the rack deadlift with the barbell at knee height. However, take them on if you can handle full deadlifts after the leg day. If you have lower back issues, do more pull ups, which follow the deadlift on this one. One-arm rows are great for improving unilateral strength and symmetry, and we isolate the biceps and traps.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trap Bar or Barbell Rack Pull | 5 | 3-5 | 3 min |
| Pull Ups | 4 | 3-5 | 3 min |
| One Arm Dumbbell Row | 3 | 5, each side | 2 min |
| Concentration Curl | 3 | 5 | 2 min |
| Shrug (with hold) | 3 | 5 | 2 min |
Workout 4: Lower Dynamic Day
Today we will focus on speed and explosion. For the first two speed exercises, lower the weight under control and explode up as fast as possible. During the speed pause squats, pause at the bottom of the movement for two seconds. Then explode back up to the starting position. Whatever weight you used for those exercises on your power days, use half of that for this. So, if you deadlift 250 pounds for the power day, use 125 on this day.
As for the other three movements, focus on the contractions and use moderate weight. This is where the physique development component will come in. For the last 3 exercises, use lower weight to focus on quality contractions.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed Front Squat | 6 | 3 | 30 sec |
| Speed Pause Squat* | 6 | 3 | 30 sec |
| Leg Press | 4 | 4 | 30 sec |
| Seated Calf Raise | 2 | 6 | 30 sec |
| Lying Leg Raise | 2 | 6 | 30 sec |
*Note: To perform a pause squat, slowly lower into a squat. Once you're in the lowest position, hold the weight for about two seconds killing any momentum you may have. After two seconds, explode up to the starting position.
Related: 3 Ways to Break Through Squat Plateaus
Workout 5: Upper Dynamic Day
You will see we combined push and pull into one day here. The same principles from Day 4 apply on Day 5. Use 50% of the weight you used earlier in the week for the first two movements but move quickly. The last three should be all about quality reps and contractions.
During the speed exercises, you want to move explosively during the concentric part of the movement. For the speed barbell press, explode during the "push" part, as you go overhead. For the rack pulls, explode during the "pull" part, as you lift the weight to the top position.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed Barbell Press | 6 | 3 | 30 sec |
| Speed Trap Bar or Barbell Rack Pull | 6 | 3 | 30 sec |
| Lateral Raise | 4 | 4 | 30 sec |
| Barbell Curl | 2 | 6 | 30 sec |
| Tricep Extension | 2 | 6 | 30 sec |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this workout suitable for me?
If you have been training for less than one year, then no. We have plenty of other great strength programs for you here on M&S, but this one is for the advanced lifters (male and female) that are making power a priority.
Can I substitute exercises?
If there is something that you can’t do because of a medical issue or injury, then swap for something that provides a comparable challenge that you can do after speaking to your doctor. If you simply don’t like the exercises or don’t have the weight to provide the challenge you need, then you should also consider another program.
Can I train five days in a row?
Yes! These workouts were created so you can either take a day off or train five days in a row. The only caveat is that you can’t change the order of days you train or the exercise order. Those are in place to help you reach strength goals and recover properly while also helping you maintain or improve your physique shape.
There aren’t enough exercises for a certain muscle group.
This program is purely for strength-gaining purposes with a slight focus on muscle shape. This is not meant for physique development. However, every muscle group has been targeted except for forearms.
Can I use a belt or lifting straps?
Belts, elbow sleeves, and knee sleeves are recommended for sure. However, since the goal is to get stronger, I suggest leaving your straps in the gym bag. Let’s focus on making everything stronger, including the grip. If you do this, your forearms will also see improvement.
How do I incorporate cardio?
Cardio can be done, but I suggest keeping it to steady state for this program. Save the energy for the weights and not on HIIT. 20-30-minute sessions after each workout or separately during the day would be plenty as long as the nutrition and recovery are on point.
Conclusion
Remember that we are here to help. Just hit us up in the Comments section below if you have any questions. Also, share your feedback and results if you give this the full run.
57 Comments
Hi I just started the 8 week big and strong work out plan I wanted to know do you think doing push ups on my off day would effect my growth I also work long hour each day
As long as you don't do like 1,000, you should be fine, Trent. And as long as you're eating and sleeping properly, you should still see results, even with the long hours. Thanks for reading M&S, and best of luck!
I don't have heavy DBs to use for flat bench. Should i make any changes to the sets/reps/rest for a traditional barbell flat bench?
Hi Walter. Do the best you can with what you got. Do slower negatives, longer pauses, and slower lifting along with holds at the top. This could help, depending on the weights.
On my first week and power push day. Honor the dumbbell bench press I lifted the heaviest dumbbells we have at our gym at 110 for 5. Should I just go up and reps? For the remainder of the 8 weeks? Or is there something to sub out? Thank you
Nice, Kyle! You can go slower with the reps or increase reps you do. Once you get to the point you can do the 110's for 10 or more with a slow cadence, then we may need to find something else for you.
Thank you will do that.
There isn't a dip machine at my gym. What would be a good substitution?
Hey Luke, if there is a dip station where you can do the bodyweight version, go for it. If not, then a decline press would work.
Buna seara!As dori o informatie daca se poate .... am început programul de forță de mai sus si îl fac acasă și nu am presă ...ce exercițiu pot face in locul presei pentr-u picioare? Mulțumesc anticipat si seară frumoasă vă doresc.
Salut Stefan, poți face genuflexiuni cu gantere. Fă o pauză în partea de jos înainte de a urca pentru a maximiza tensiunea. Sper că te va ajuta. Mulțumesc că ai citit!
Translated from Romanian - "Good evening! I would like some information if possible .... I started the strength program above and I do it at home and I don't have a press ... what exercise can I do instead of a press for my legs? Thank you in advance and have a nice evening."
My answer - Hi Stefan, you can do a goblet squat with a dumbbell. Pause at the bottom before coming up to maximize tension. I hope this will help you. Thank you for reading!
Mulțumesc foarte mult...ma ti ajutat enorm..Seară frumoasă
Tricep dip weighted or body weight?
Whatever provides the challenge for five reps, Izzy. If you can do bodyweight easily, then add weight.
I've been doing this workout for about 14 weeks now and I'm loving it, seeing good increases and more muscle mass! I do have a couple of tweaks for those viewing this though:
Day 1: move incline press to last. Just seems to work better for my chest.
Day 3: add forearm exercises.
Day 4: some commenters say the low-weight squats seem worthless, but use these days to focus on form. If you can't quite go full depth, take it down to just the bar if you need to. My squat strength has quickly grown by doing this.
Day 5: eliminate the mini-deadlifts. My lower back is already hit pretty hard from Wednesday and all the back squats, these just seem to be too much. Add another tricep exercise - dealer's choice.
Is this a good program for a pro golfer age 30? Trying to stay strong but protect back health too
Hi Mickey, I think it would be beneficial for you. Just make sure you are sticking with your golf schedule so you can maintain your swing while adding the size. I hope it helps you. Thanks for reading M&S!
How many sets should I start the fourth week with if I get to five sets of five with my five-rep max in third week. Continue with five sets (with increased weight) or start again with three sets (as in the first week)?
Hi Marek, continue with five sets but go up in weight. I hope this helps and you see great results with this program!
Hello. Do i add more weight after each rep i do or do i more weight on the next set of pull or push workout? Or do i keep weight for the entire set of pull or push exercise?
Lalo, keep the weight the same for all sets. Once you max out the sets and reps, you go up in weight.
On Lower Dynamic Day am I doing lying leg raises or should it be lying leg curls?
Hey Steve, that is meant to be lying leg raises for the midsection. If you feel you need more hamstring work, leg curls would be a good addition to include.
Aren’t the reps a bit low for leg raises? Should I raises the reps on some of the additional movement exercises?
Hi Izzy, if you do them slow and controlled, the the reps will be fine. Keep in mind the 30-second rest periods. As sets progress, you will feel more challenged.
Is it better to complete each set of the workouts separately or superset them?
Hi Evan, go individually with this. The extra rest is going to help you continue training heavy.
I've just completed my first week of this cycle and the first 3 days are really good. However I feel the 2 dynamic days are a bit of a let down. I'm focusing on the speed and the contraction but don't feel there's enough weight or reps to get a pump. I'm wondering whether I should do more reps or add some more weight? I know it's a strength workout so maybe it's a bit different?
Go with adding weight first, Chris. If that doesn't work for you, then up the reps. Hope this helps!
The rests are for each rep or set?
Rest is between sets, Melanie. Hope this helps!
M overweight 106 kgs 5’7. What changes you suggest.
Since you mentioned overweight, my guess is you're going for strength and weight loss. 20-30 minutes of cardio after each training session AND a separate session in the mornings. Also, focus on the diet for fat loss. This guide can help with that. https://www.muscleandstrength.com/expert-guides/fat-loss
Outside of that, keep it the same.
Hello, I have a knee injury which prevents lunging, squatting etc. Most leg machines are fine and don’t cause pain such as leg press. Would you recommend any alternatives for the squats or will this injury prevent me?
Hi Ben, the squat is one of the more important movements here, so I can't guarantee that you would see the same results opting for a machine movement. However, if you can stay consistent by using a hack squat or leg press, then I would say go ahead with it.
I have an injury in my left knee that causes a pinch whenever i squat, lunge, etc.
Leg press is fine, so is leg extension, leg curl etc. Worth finding a substitute or is this injury limiting me?
Hi Ben, stick with what works for you, but check with a doctor about the knee so you know you are not doing any further damage. If you're not wearing a knee sleeve, it would be a good idea to start.
Could I add a extra one chest and one back exercise in just to add more volume or did you think that be to much
What do you have in mind to add, James? That would help me answer this question better for you.
On pull power day add some flys 3 sets and on power pull day add a lat pull down 3 sets
I would suggest going for 8 reps with less weight because those are isolation exercises that could lead to injury after the other work you did. That said, you could do it. Best of luck!
I believe this would be okay to do.
And after 8 week you think it alright to swap the Standing Barbell Press to the incline bench around and the same on Upper Dynamic Day as well
Any alternatives to front squat? I just have a hard time doing them with a proper form due to wrist issues
Training at home or a gym, Ryan. Also, any injuries with those wrists I should know about? I want to provide the best answer possible.
You can do Box squats with the box set at a height you can work with, CJ. If that is not possible, let me know if you are training at home or in a gym, and I will see what else I can come up with. I would mention Zerchers, but I don't know how bad that elbow is and if you could support the weight in your arms. If you can, then try that as well.
Same question here. I have a torn TFCC ligament in one wrist and the other one isn’t torn but is also damaged. Not to mention my elbow issues. Front squats are a real pita for me.
Hello!
Super excited about this workout! I did the Super Strength: 8 week training two times in a row this January - May. I've taken the summer "off" traveling, cycling, backpacking, etc, with some whole body lifting when I'm in town. When I return to the gym this fall, what would be the most beneficial - do another round of the Super Strength or jump into Big & Strong? What do you recommend? Thank you for your time!
Hi Michelle, thank you for reading M&S! I think at this point you are ready to give Big and Strong a go! If you take it on, keep us posted on your progress. Hope you are having a great summer so far!
I understand this isn't technically for hypertrophy and toning but if i start this program and take those sets to near failure could it still get me there?