Every male who starts going to the gym quickly learns about the “Bro Split”. Push, Pull, Legs. Right? One day you do like 8 exercises that work your chest and triceps (Push), another day you do like 8 exercises that work your back and biceps (Pull), and the final workout day you do like 8 exercises that work your legs.
Is that adequate? What does that accomplish?
If you’re just trying to look good with your shirt off then the “Bro Split” can definitely do that. Why? Because of Hypertrophy. If you’re an athlete, you might not be getting the most out of a “Bro Split”.
Hypertrophy
The enlargement of an organ or tissue from the increase in size of its cells. (https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/hypertrophy)
In layman’s terms, hypertrophy means growth. Training that focuses on hypertrophy is focused for muscle size (think bodybuilders or gym bros trying to look good with their shirt off).
But what about pure strength?
Hypertrophy Training vs Strength Training
The biggest differentiating factor in strength training types is the intensity at with they’re preformed, the number of reps, and the amount of rest between sets.
| Training Type | Intensity | Reps | Rest |
| Hypertrophy | Medium | Medium (8-10) | Medium (1-3 min) |
| Strength | High (heavier weight) | Low (4-6) | High (3-5 min) |
| Muscle Endurance | Low (lower weight) | High ( > 10) | Low |
Pure Strength for Beginners
There are a number of programs out there for beginners to build strength. The two most popular are very similar in the following manner:
- Both have an A workout and a B workout that you alternate every workout.
- Both recommend working out 3 days a week with at least 1 day of rest in between.
- Both use Linear Progression for advancement.
- Start with lower weights to get your form correct.
- Add a little bit of weight each workout to each lift.
- If you fail on a lift do a de-load.
- Lower the weight a couple steps back the next time you do that exercise.
- Continue back with adding a little bit of weight each time.
- Both have you squat every workout day.
- Both choose exercises that are “functional”. Which means they’re exercises that activate your whole body including your core.
StrongLifts 5×5
A free program with tons of information on their website: https://stronglifts.com/5×5/. All exercises are 5 sets of 5 reps except deadlift which is 1 set of 5 reps.
| Workout A | Squat 5×5 | Bench 5×5 | Barbell Row 5×5 |
| Workout B | Squat 5×5 | Barbell Overhead Press 5×5 | Deadlift 1×5 |
Starting Strength – Mark Rippletoe
Mark Rippletoe wrote a book about this workout that I recommend you buy: Starting Strength. All exercises are 3 sets of 5 reps except deadlift which is 1 set of 5 reps.
| Workout A | Squat 3×5 | Bench 3×5 | Deadlift 1×5 |
| Workout B | Squat 3×5 | Barbell Overhead Press 3×5 | Power Clean 3×5 |
Final Thoughts
It will take a long time to advance past these “beginner” strength training routines. If you’re looking to add strength in an off-season, I highly recommend using a barbell and lifting heavy.
In a future blog post I will talk about bodyweight strength training vs most muscle endurance training you see online (100 push-ups a day etc).
Happy lifting!
Jacob Cody Wimer
Update
I have updated this blog post to include an Amazon Associate link to the book Starting Strength.