Strength Programs

Barbell Medicine Strength Programs

Beginner-to-Intermediate

Powerlifting Focus

Muscular Size Focus

Crossfit-style Focus

Olympic Weightlifting Focus

Specialty Focus

Need help deciding on a program? Use our Program Quiz:

What Our Clients Say

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Training Programs?

Our Programs provide exercises to perform to best reach your goals. They offer specific or choices of exercises, programming for number of days of the week to exercise, sets and repetitions, and other details so that you’re armed with all that you need when you exercise. They also take into account the amount of experience you have and your preferences, such as how many days per week you have available to train.

What is the difference between Program categories?

The Endurance category is focused on conditioning and developing your overall fitness. Hypertrophy has a primary focus on building muscle size. Rehab is for those suffering from specific body part injuries that they would like to address with a tailored exercise program to return to full function. And, finally, Strength is focused on developing strength as the main goal above all others and perfectly suited for those casually or competitively engaged in weightlifting.

How are the Programs delivered and used?

You have a choice of how you’d like to use each Training Program based on your preferences. Each Program can be downloaded individual files, such as spreadsheets and PDF eBooks that contain instructions and all of the programming for your training sessions. We also have a Barbell Medicine mobile app (available for both Apple iOS & Google Android devices) that you can use instead that guides your training sessions directly in-App.

What else is provided with the Programs?

We offer lifetime support and bug fixes for each of our Programs. If you have questions or issues with the material, you can contact us in our Forum and we will be glad to provide you support.

What is your Return Policy for Programs?

Because of the electronic nature of our product and to protect our intellectual property, we do not offer any refunds or returns on Program purchases.

Who are Programs a good fit for?

We consider our Programs a great Do-It-Yourself (DIY) approach for getting high-quality programing for your goals & preferences at an unbeatable price. We recognize that some either don’t have the time and energy to use a Program or just prefer the expert advice & guidance that comes from 1-on-1 Coaching. For those situations, we offer a comprehensive 1-on-1 Coaching service and we would be glad to work with you.

Beginners Introduction To Strength & Conditioning Training

Strength training, also known as resistance training, is a type of exercise where the muscles of the body create force via contraction against a load or weight. The load or weight may be external or internal to the individual, e.g. barbell (external) or body-weight (internal) exercises.

Strength is defined as the amount of force produced measured in a specific context. For example, a powerlifter completing a heavy 1-Rep-Maximum (1RM) squat is displaying force production in one context (e.g. a maximal, single-effort squat) whereas a gymnast or shot-put thrower is displaying force production in a different context. In sum, there are many different types of strength that are linked together by the common feature of muscular force production.

All of what we mentioned so far are the basics of strength training. But what’s the science behind it? There are a few biological phenomena that occur as our bodies build strength. Let’s find out what those are.

Muscle Contractions

For strength training to work, multiple, complex adaptations must occur across many tissues including the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, muscle, tendons, and bones.

It all starts with muscular contraction, where the muscle produces enough force to overcome the resistance and move it through the desired range of motion. In order to generate enough force to lift the weight, the brain sends a signal to the muscles to contract, which results in muscle fibers shortening through actin-myosin crossbridge production.

Actin-Myosin Crossbridges

The actin-myosin crossbridges are at the core of muscle contractions and, by sliding past each other, allow us to produce the force necessary to (hopefully) overcome the resistance. As its name suggests, an actin-myosin crossbridge is a compound of two proteins; actin and myosin.

• Actin is the protein that the thin filaments within muscle tissue are composed of.
• Myosin is the protein that makes up the thick filaments between muscle tissue.

When a muscle is activated by the signal from the brain, the proteins in these filaments react with each other, creating crossbridges. [14] To improve strength performance we need to improve muscular force production. To do that, we need to form more crossbridges in a coordinated way and have them transfer force more efficiently to the bones to cause movement.

From a muscle loading perspective, we need to make sure we use enough weight so that the muscles are required to produce high amounts of force in an efficient manner. We know that heavier loads (e.g. higher intensity) does this better than low loads. [5] This is somewhere around the 60 to 70% of someone’s 1-Repetition Maximum (1RM), though even heavier loads (> 90% 1RM) should be used to improve maximal strength. [15]

Repetitions that are too light do not require the muscles to form more crossbridges in an efficient way. But with the appropriate amount of resistance, muscle contractions will occur in a manner that builds strength over time.

Muscle Fiber Recruitment

Another factor that allows our bodies to build strength is muscle fiber recruitment, which is the phenomenon that occurs when our nervous system recruits motor units.

Motor units consist of a single motor neuron and all of the muscle fibers they activate. All muscle groups contain motor units that come in a variety of sizes, and the smaller motor units are always activated first. As the mechanical load increases, the movement starts demanding more force, which is when bigger motor units are activated. This is referred to as Henneman’s size principle.

While it may seem logical that heavier loads require more motor unit recruitment than lighter loads, recent evidence suggests that during dynamic movements, most motor units are recruited similarly during both light (<50% 1RM) and heavy (>85%) efforts. [16]  For example, one study showed that there was similar activation of the quad muscles when doing single repetitions at loads ranging from 50% to 90% of a 1RM squat. [17]  Rather, the major difference between lighter and heavier efforts does not appear to be the amount of muscle mass used, but rather how frequently they get the signal to contract, which is known as rate coding. [16]

Neuromuscular Adaptations

When the muscle is continually trained, the nervous system sends the signal to the motor units to contract more frequently, which both recruits more motor units total and increases the force each one produces. This allows the muscle to react better to increasing mechanical loads through a process called neuromuscular adaptation.

Muscle Protein Synthesis

Lifting weights at challenging loads generates a strong signal within the muscle to make more muscle, a process called muscle protein synthesis. Increases in muscle protein synthesis rates are helpful in repairing the muscle protein breakdown that occurs with resistance training. When more muscle protein is being synthesized than broken down, muscle size increases, which is called muscle hypertrophy.

In humans, muscle size can change by altering the number of muscle fibers or the size of existing muscle fibers. [18] Increasing the number of muscle fibers is termed hyperplasia, whereas an increase or decrease in the size of existing muscle fibers is called hypertrophy or atrophy, respectively. At present, hyperplasia has not yet been demonstrated in adults, rather changes in muscle size over a lifetime appears to be the result of hypertrophy and atrophy.  [18, 19]

While some believe that muscle protein breakdown from lifting weights is key to causing the muscle to grow, the scientific evidence shows that very little muscle growth takes place when levels of muscle protein breakdown are high. Instead, muscle growth seems to mostly happen when relatively little muscle protein breakdown occurs from training. [20] Reduced levels of muscle protein breakdown from exercise occur if the program is well-suited to the individual’s, e.g. not too much or not too little stress,  and as they get used to the demands of the program.[21]

All of these phenomena play into the strengthening of the muscle. However, there is a specific set of factors that a training program must have to help lifters achieve the maximum amount of strength. We’ll now look into a few of them.

Personalized Training

Strength training is heavily reliant on consistently challenging the body with a training load that matches the individual’s current fitness level, goals, and resources. The responses to training are heavily influenced by genetics, but not so much by age or sex based on current evidence. For example, one study looked at how men and women ages 19 to 78 responded to the same 6-month lifting program. Some people got a lot stronger, improving their strength by 60%, while some others actually lost strength (-8%) when following the same program. The response to the training programs varied independently of the sex or age of the subjects. [4]

Individuals respond uniquely to exercise, which is why applying the same programs to everyone would be unreasonable at best and detrimental at worst. If you are considering a strength training program, it’s essential that you get help from a licensed professional first — but more on that later.

Progressive Loading

We’ve mentioned that building strength requires continually challenging our muscles, and this is achieved through what we call progressive loading. In other words, as people get stronger, the weight or reps completed must increase to match this improvement so that all the biological phenomena are signaled to improve strength.

Recovery and Adaptation

While challenging the muscle is crucial to building strength, we can’t force strength gains to occur. Rather, the weight we lift week-to-week should track with an individual’s performance potential. On days where someone is feeling strong, adding weight is likely the right call in order to match their current uptick in performance. On days where someone is not performing as well, reducing the load would be the move in order to match their current performance potential. We call this autoregulation.

In addition to matching the training to what the individual needs based on real-time feedback, there are a few techniques that can help with recovery and adaptation rates. 

Here are some that can help us get back on our feet in a shorter period:

• Getting at least 6-8 hours of sleep daily.
• Taking 30-minute naps, especially on days when we feel particularly fatigued. The usefulness of a nap can vary by individual, so be mindful if it works for you or if it disrupts your normal sleep. Either way, don’t nap too long or too close to your normal sleep period. [23]
• Having a nutritious and balanced diet.
• Consuming enough protein to support muscle protein synthesis.
• Managing stress and mood.
• Autoregulating training using real-time feedback during exercise. Some days will be lighter- a type of active recovery day where training is lighter- and other days will be heavier.

Remember, building strength doesn’t happen overnight, and can only be achieved through continually putting the right amount of stress on our muscles and allowing them to adapt over time. For individuals who are new to the world of strength training, or who don’t have the necessary amount of knowledge to create the perfect program, this can be a lot to handle.

This is why we stress how crucial it is to get help from licensed professionals. So, this brings us to our next point— how can Barbell Medicine assist you in your strength training journey?

Ready to start your strength journey? Use our Program Quiz to find your program:

The Benefits of a Strength Training Program

Obviously, enhancing our physical strength is a massive benefit on its own, but the advantages of following a strength training program don’t stop there. Strength training has the potential to offer a variety of physical and mental health benefits

Increase in Physical Strength

This is the area that strength training specifically targets, and as so it is the area in which an individual will experience the most benefit. However, when we think of muscle strength, we shouldn’t only consider a muscle group’s ability to create maximal force in the gym.  In fact, strength training has proven to improve power, endurance, and speed as well, in accordance with muscle adaptation and development. [24,25]

Lower Risks of Diseases

Participation in strength training has long been associated with lowering the risk of many health issues such as type II diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. [3] It also appears that individuals who get stronger seem to have greater improvements in health compared to those who still lift, but don’t get as strong. [26,27]

Muscle Hypertrophy

While a strength-focused training program is unlikely to increase muscle size as much as a hypertrophy-focused program, strength training does drive large improvements in muscle size when programmed appropriately, especially in someone new to lifting.

Improvements in Cardiovascular Health

Strength training can improve cardiorespiratory fitness in those with lower levels of aerobic capacity, as well as improve performance in endurance-based sports. [25,28] Getting stronger also lowers resting blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Increased Bone Mineral Density

Strength training can strengthen bones and promote bone growth, which is crucial for individuals who are at risk of osteoporosis, such as menopausal women. [29]

Enhanced Body Composition

It is well-known that strength training increases muscle mass, reduces risk of weight regain, and tends to reduce waist circumference by reducing abdominal fat. [35]  Exercise training also appears to increase many individuals’ sensitivity to feelings of fullness when eating, thereby potentially helping with weight maintenance or loss. [36]

Reduced Joint Pain

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common disabling conditions related to joint pain. It most often affects the knees, hips, and hands of middle-aged and older individuals.

Strength training tends to produce clinically significant improvements in muscle strength, functional ability, and pain scores, even in patients with advanced disease [33] Additionally, starting to lift earlier seems to not only reduce loss of strength associated with osteoarthritis, but also slows down or even stops progression of the disease. [34]

Mental Health Benefits

Regular strength training has been proven to reduce the risks or symptoms of some mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. These effects seem to occur regardless if the individuals actually get stronger, but rather a different mechanism that’s currently unknown. [30, 31]

Strength training has also been proven to improve sleep quality in individuals, which is a huge plus, as getting enough sleep is pivotal to having good mental health. [32]

Should You Start Strength Training?

Anyone could benefit from becoming stronger. One obvious advantage would be the ability to perform daily tasks, such as carrying heavy objects or opening stubborn jar lids easily (which is a total flex, in our opinion).

But jokes aside, strength training hosts a myriad of benefits for all groups of people, regardless of age, sex, and fitness level. From helping individuals with mood stability issues or anxiety to allowing us to age better, strength training is an enjoyable and healthy solution to many health issues.

We’d also like to stress that although strength training has historically been perceived as a  masculine sport, women can benefit from strength training even more than men, as it reduces the risk of skeletal problems such as osteoporosis, which many women face as they get older.

So, there are really no who’s and how’s when it comes to starting strength training, but only when’s. And our answer to that is, what better time than now?

Ready to start your strength journey? Use our Program Quiz to find your program:

References:

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27.  Jansson AK, Chan LX, Lubans DR, Duncan MJ, Plotnikoff RC. Effect of resistance training on HbA1c in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and the moderating effect of changes in muscular strength: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2022 Mar;10(2):e002595. doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2021-002595. PMID: 35273011; PMCID: PMC8915309.

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29.  Watson SL, Weeks BK, Weis LJ, Harding AT, Horan SA, Beck BR. High-Intensity Resistance and Impact Training Improves Bone Mineral Density and Physical Function in Postmenopausal Women With Osteopenia and Osteoporosis: The LIFTMOR Randomized Controlled Trial. J Bone Miner Res. 2018 Feb;33(2):211-220. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.3284. Epub 2017 Oct 4. Erratum in: J Bone Miner Res. 2019 Mar;34(3):572. PMID: 28975661.

30.  Gordon BR, McDowell CP, Lyons M, Herring MP. The Effects of Resistance Exercise Training on Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Sports Med. 2017 Dec;47(12):2521-2532. doi: 10.1007/s40279-017-0769-0. PMID: 28819746.

31.   Gordon BR, McDowell CP, Hallgren M, Meyer JD, Lyons M, Herring MP. Association of Efficacy of Resistance Exercise Training With Depressive Symptoms: Meta-analysis and Meta-regression Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. JAMA Psychiatry. 2018 Jun 1;75(6):566-576. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.0572. PMID: 29800984; PMCID: PMC6137526.

32.   Kovacevic A, Mavros Y, Heisz JJ, Fiatarone Singh MA. The effect of resistance exercise on sleep: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Sleep Med Rev. 2018 Jun;39:52-68. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2017.07.002. Epub 2017 Jul 19. PMID: 28919335.

33.   Turner MN, Hernandez DO, Cade W, Emerson CP, Reynolds JM, Best TM. The Role of Resistance Training Dosing on Pain and Physical Function in Individuals With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review. Sports Health. 2020 Mar/Apr;12(2):200-206. doi: 10.1177/1941738119887183. Epub 2019 Dec 18. PMID: 31850826; PMCID: PMC7040944.

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35.  O’Donoghue, G, Blake, C, Cunningham, C, Lennon, O, Perrotta, C. What exercise prescription is optimal to improve body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness in adults living with obesity? A network meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews. 2021; 22:e13137. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13137

36.  Hopkins, Marka,b; King, Neil Ac; Blundell, John Ea. Acute and long-term effects of exercise on appetite control: is there any benefit for weight control?. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 13(6):p 635-640, November 2010. | DOI: 10.1097/MCO.0b013e32833e343b