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Vince Anello is the first man under 200 pounds bodyweight to deadlift 800 pounds. His relatively short torso and long arms gave him
an ideal physique for this lift.
2. 5,4,3,2,1 Method
SUMMARY: Bob Hoffman was one of the most influencial men in weightlifting and weight training. One workout that he wrote
was a pyramid system called the 5,4,3,2,1 Training Method. There is a skill involved in lifting heavy weights, and the 5,4,3,2,1
method teaches the muscles and nervous system how to express their true 1-rep maximum.
5,4,3,2,1 Method
Bob Hoffman was born in 1898, and a lifetime of service to the sport earned him the
nickname, “The Father of American Weightlifting.” Hoffman was a prolific writer, and in his
early works he described a pyramid type of program design known as the 5,4,3,2,1
Training Method.
Hoffman believed that a good guideline for getting strong was to perform a total of 15
“quality” repetitions of a given exercise: 5,4,3,2,1 equals 15 reps, as does 5x3 and 3x5.
Although there are flaws in this logic as sets of 5 produces a different training stimulus than
sets of 3, the 5,4,3,2,1 Training Method became a widely-used program used by countless
athletes in the Iron Game. It was a favorite of Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale, a former world
powerlifting champion and popular writer on strength training, nutrition, and supplements.
One benefit of the 5,4,3,2,1 method is that it teaches the muscles and nervous system how
to express their true 1-rep maximum. That is, it’s difficult to go from performing habitual
sets of 10-12 reps to doing a true 1RM because these higher reps don’t recruit the higher-
threshold fibers that produce maximum muscle force.
Powerlifter John McKean wrote about the training method in 1969 in Muscular
Development, a magazine owned by Hoffman. Here is what he said about it. “The
countdown provides the lifter with several advantages. First of all, he is relieved of the
boredom of doing set after set with the same weight or for the same number of counts.
Secondly, he looks forward to each coming set because, in his mind, the decreased
repetitions make it easier to perform. Of course there is more weight to contend with but
those detestable reps are diminished! It can also be seen that the body acquires a gradual
adjustment to an ever-increasing weight. When one can force his mind and body to accept
heavier workloads, he begins to improve.”
The program is simple. After performing several warm-up sets, anywhere from 1-5 reps
with progressively heavier weights, you select a weight equal to your 5-repetition maximum
(5RM), and perform 5 reps. From here you add 2-3 percent more weight every set, doing
one fewer rep each set until you reach your 1RM. The difficulty a particular set is
determines how much weight you will use for your next set. If a weight is easy, increase by
3 percent or more. If the weight is a struggle, a 1 percent increase is a better choice.
Here’s what a typical work/set progression would look like for a squat (after warm-up),
assuming the 1RM for the movement is about 300 pounds:
Sample Work/Set Progression
265 x 5
270 x 4
275 x 3
282.5 x 2
290 x 1
NOTE: Increase resistance by 2.5-pound increments, using Plate Mates™ or record plates.
Obviously, you’ll need to adjust the starting weight upwards by small amounts as you
progress. For instance, if you successfully completed all the reps (5,4,3,2,1), you’ll need to
add a small amount of weight on the first set of the next workout.
Agonists and antagonists muscles can be alternated with supersets using this training
method. Here is a sample routine arm routine using the 5,4,3,2,1 method:
A1. Decline Close-Grip Bench Press, 5,4,3,2,1, 3210,
120 seconds rest
A2. Scott One-Arm DB Curl, 5,4,3,2,1, 3010,
120 seconds rest
B1. Incline BB Triceps Extension, 5,4,3,2,1, 3110,
120 seconds rest
B2. Standing Reverse Curl, 5,4,3,2,1, 3210,
120 seconds rest
There are many interpretations of the 5,4,3,2,1 Training Method. For example, weightlifters
were known to add several more single reps at the end of the program to further stimulate
maximal strength, such as with the following progression: 5,4,3,2,1,1,1. Also, some lifters
would not use maximal weights for the first two sets, starting with perhaps 80 percent of
their 5-rep maximum (1RM) and progressing to maximal weights.
If you want to learn more about this popular training method, a book that discusses it in
detail is Gray Hair and Black Iron: Secrets of Successful Strength Training for Older Lifters
by Brooks D. Kubik (www.oldtimestronger.com). Most of Hoffman’s books are out of print,
but Bill Hinbern (superstrengthtraining.com) re-released the York Barbell and Dumbbell
System, which is probably the earliest writing on this program.
The 5,4,3,2,1 Training Method has a long history, and it’s popularity suggests that it can be
an effective way to shock your muscles into higher levels of strength. Give it a try, for old
time’s sake!
Chapter 3
Pound-for-pound, the greatest weightlifter in history is three-time Olympic champion Naim Suleymanoglu. At a bodyweight of only
132 pounds, the “Pocket Hercules” snatched 336 pounds and clean and jerked 418 pounds.
3. Cluster Training
One of the most effective methods for developing strength is Cluster Training. It was popularized in the 70s by weightlifting
coach Carl Miller, but it took several decades before its value was recognized by the rest of the Iron Game community and
the field of strength and conditioning.
Cluster Training
One of the most effective methods for developing strength is Cluster Training, a method
popularized in the 70s when Carl Miller wrote about it in weightlifting magazines.
In traditional strength training, the athlete is often prescribed a workout using the following
loading parameters: 5 sets of 5RM, with muscular failure achieved on the last repetition of
every set, and rest intervals of about four minutes. In this workout, the athlete would
execute a total of 25 repetitions at 85 percent of 1RM in roughly 25 minutes.
With cluster training you select a higher percentage of your 1RM and rest longer between
reps, for example, 10-15 seconds. Rather than performing 5 sets of 5RM at 85 percent,
you might be able to use 90 percent of your 5RM. Therefore, Cluster Training would
increase the total training time under higher tension for the high-threshold fast-twitch fibers,
a prerequisite for reaching hypertrophy of these selected fibers.
With cluster training, success in all sets and reps is critical. It is better to use a weight that
is initially too light than a weight that is too heavy. Let’s say your best close-grip bench
press is 300 pounds and your 3RM is 270 pounds. You could start the first cluster at the
3RM weight: 270 pounds, but it would be better to start at 255 pounds; move up if it is too
easy.
A 2012 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research tested the
effects of inter-repetition rest during multiple sets of the power clean. This study compared
peak power output, force, and velocity in the power clean with no inter-repetition rest, or
with either 20 seconds or 40 seconds of rest.
Participants were trained college-aged men, and they performed 3 sets of 6 reps of the
power clean at 80 percent of the 1RM. After each rep in the “no rest” group, participants
returned the barbell to the floor in a controlled manner and immediately performed the next
rep. The subjects in the “rest” groups rested for 20 or 40 seconds in the start position of
the power clean after they had returned the barbell to the floor.
Results showed that peak power significantly decreased by 16 percent during the “no rest”
sets (i.e., there was a 16 percent drop in peak power from the 1st to the 6th rep of the
set), compared to a decrease of 5.5 percent in the 20-second rest sets and to a decrease
of only 3 percent in the 40-second rest sets. Peak force also decreased significantly in the
“no rest” sets, whereas the other two rest groups maintained peak force throughout the set.
Peak velocity of the bar also decreased significantly by 10 percent in the “no rest” group
and dropped by only 3.8 percent and 1.7 percent in the 20-second and 40-second rest
groups, respectively.
Previous studies support mixing up training protocols with inter-repetition rest. A study of
elite Australian rugby players found that using inter-repetition rest improves lower body
power and velocity when training the power clean and squat. This study indicated that
cluster training can lead to greater neural adaptations and the recruitment of more Type II
muscle fibers.
Finally, a 2010 study on cluster training for the upper body found that this method allowed
participants to perform a high number of repetitions while maintaining the velocity of the
lifting motion, even when fatigue would have become a factor in a traditional training
scheme. The researchers concluded that cluster training is effective for developing power
and speed for sports and should be programmed accordingly. As such, upper body cluster
training can be used in sports such as wrestling, boxing, or judo, while lower body power
may be enhanced for rugby, soccer or football, or for track and field throwing events.
Although commonly used for exercises that recruit a lot of muscle mass, such as squats,
cluster training can also be used for smaller muscle groups. Here is an example of a cluster
training superset that combines a large muscle group upper body exercise with a smaller
one:
Sample Cluster Training
A1. 10-Degree Decline Close-Grip Bench Press, 3-5 clusters (5 x 1), 50X0, rest 10
seconds between reps and 120 seconds between sets
A2. Scott EZ Bar Semi-Supinated-Grip Curl,
3-5 clusters (5 x 1), 50X0, rest 10 seconds between reps and 120 seconds between sets
When you are ready to give cluster training a try, you should increase the weight only if all
reps and sets are successful. When you are ready to move up, a general guideline would
be to increase the weight by 1 to 3 percent.
It’s been said that the best workout program is the one you’re not using, which relates to
the idea that variety is essential to achieving rapid increases in strength and power. One
type of workout that should definitely be in your weight training toolbox is cluster training.
John Kuc was a three-time World Powerlifting champion who was the first to deadlift 850 pounds; his world record deadlift of 871
pounds set in 1980 stood for 15 years. At the 1972 AAU World Powerlifting Championships, Kuc squatted 905 pounds, bench pressed
600, and deadlifted 845 for a 2350 total. These lifts were performed under strict judging and performed with just ace bandages on his
knees.
4. Contrast Training
The concept of “bridging the gap” in strength training refers to applying strength developed in the weightroom to athletic
competition. One method of training designed to accomplish this is contrast training, which combines strength training with
plyometrics.
Contrast Training
Strength training and plyometrics are usually regarded as separate conditioning methods,
with the plyometrics being performed first in a training session. Contrast training “bridges
the gap” between these two training methods to help athletes increase their running speed,
jumping ability, and power.
Contrast training works on the concept of “post-tetanic potentiation” (PTP), which states
that a more powerful muscular response can be performed if it is preceded by a strong
muscular contraction. We often see baseball players swing weighed bats before stepping
up to the plate, such that they will be able to hit the ball harder. This is an example of PTP.
Here’s another example.
Let’s say you are lifting boxes of various weights. When you lift the heaviest boxes, you
recruit the powerful fast-twitch muscle fibers. When you lift a much lighter box after lifting a
heavy one, you might find that the box almost flies out of your hands. Although you don’t
need to recruit those powerful fibers, the nervous system was conditioned to activate those
fibers when you lifted the heavier box. This is the PTP effect.
PTP is the reason this training works, and the term coaches used to describe this method is
contrast training. This term fits, as you are contrasting two radically different training
methods in the same set to create more powerful muscular contractions.
One form of contrast training was used by Canadian strongman Doug Ivan Hepburn.
Hepburn won the 1953 World Weightlifting Championships and was the first man to bench
press 500 pounds, eventually lifting 545. Hepburn used a method where he would start his
workouts with heavy singles, followed by the same exercises but with slightly lighter weights
so that more reps could be performed.
Another form of contrast training is wave loading, popularized by Bulgarian weightlifters in
the ’70s and introduced to the bodybuilding community in the magazine Muscle
Builder/Power with an article detailing the training of Andon Nikolov, an Olympic champion in
weightlifting from Bulgaria. Nikolov went on break several world records held by David
Rigert, one of Russia’s most popular lifters. This article explained how Nikolov would work
up quickly to a one-rep max in either the snatch or the clean and jerk, then based upon
these results reduce the weight to be able to perform multiple reps of these exercises for
several sets.
One more type of contrast training involves performing a heavy weight training exercise
followed immediately by a plyometric exercise. A longer rest is taken after the plyometric
exercise to ensure near complete recovery. Here is an example of a contrast training
superset for the lower body designed to improve the vertical jump:
Sample Contrast Training
A1. Back Squat, 5 x 3, 40X1, rest 15 seconds
A2. Box Jump, 5 x 10, 10X1, rest 180 seconds
In this example, the squats will stimulate the nervous system to activate the powerful fast-
twitch fibers without creating excessive fatigue in the athlete, and those fibers will be still be
activated during the box jump. For the upper body, you could perform a bench press
followed immediately by Marine push-ups (clapping at the top), as follows:
A1. Bench Press, 5 x 3, 40X1, rest 15 seconds
A2. Marine Push-ups, 5 x 10, 10X0, rest 120 seconds
To increase sprinting speed and leg power, you can use contrast training within the same
set of an exercise with a push sled. To do this, you would grasp the vertical handles near
the top and push the sled for about 10-15 yards. Without breaking stride, you would release
the handles, step to the side of the sled and take off in an all-out sprint for another 15- 20
yards. You’ll find that when you release the handles, you will experience a sudden burst of
speed as if someone was pushing you from behind. The result is that you will run faster
than you could otherwise.
As for the weight of the sled, traditionally track coaches warned against using more than 10
percent of bodyweight for this type of training, but more current research is suggesting that
weights of 30 percent of bodyweight, or more, can be used effectively. However, you don’t
want to push a sled for more than 25 yards because you want to stay in the acceleration
phase of running. As for the weight to use, that decision varies with the level of strength of
the athlete – a good rule of thumb is to use the weight that gives the athlete the greatest
kick when the athlete lets go of the sled.
Finally, consider that contrast training is very taxing on the nervous system, so it should
seldom be performed more than twice a week (with ideally two days rest between training
sessions) to avoid overtraining. Using this type of training once every five days or just once
a week may be the best approach.
Contrast training can be a valuable training method for helping athletes become faster and
more powerful, and as such strength coaches should consider trying it with their athletes.
Chapter 4
In 1971 Vasily Alekseyev became the first to clean and jerk 500 pounds. He won the Olympic Games twice and broke 80 world
records. His best official lifts were a 521-pound Olympic press, a 418-pound snatch, and a 564-pound clean and jerk. He was featured
on the cover of the April 14, 1975 issue of Sports Illustrated with the title, “World’s Strongest Man.”
Chapter 5
One of the most massively-muscled powerlifters of his era, Doug Young won three IPF World Championships and bench pressed 612
pounds without any supportive gear. Young lifted in the 275-pound class and could also squat 722 pounds and deadlift 738 pounds – he
won the 1977 Championships despite suffering three broken ribs.
Chapter 6
Bulgaria’ Yoto Yotov (left) is a two-time Olympic silver medalist and Belgian’s Serge Reding (right), a three-time Olympian who also
won a silver medal. Both reached the elite level of their sport with strikingly different physiques.
Chapter 7
Russia’s David Rigert is an Olympic Champion who set 68 world records in his career, establishing records in three different weight
classes. Rigert was heavily muscled and in training power cleaned 485 pounds, snatched 440 pounds, bench pressed 463 (with legs
raised), and did a strict military press with 374 pounds.
Chapter 8
Mike MacDonald is the only powerlifter to hold the world record in the bench press in four bodyweight classes at the same time. His
best lifts are 522 at 181 pounds, 562 at 198 pounds, 603 at 220 pounds, and 635 weighing 232 pounds. With the help of Warren Tetting
who builds exercise equipment, MacDonald designed a cambered bar that enabled him to work the pectorals through a greater range
of motion.
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
As a child, Marv Phillips fell from a tree and reportedly tore his right arm completely from his body. Surgeons used 287 internal
stitches and 167 external stitches to sew his arm back on. Phillips was a 1974 national champion in powerlifting and broke the world
record in the squat seven times, with a best of 848 pounds in the 242-pound bodyweight class..
Priority Training
The 1966 Mr. Universe was one of the few bodybuilding competitions Arnold
Schwarzenegger lost. The winner, America’s Chet Yorton, was not nearly as massive as the
Austrian Oak but distinguished himself with large, diamond-shaped calves that were an
apparent weakness for Arnold. This loss convinced Arnold to make calf work a priority in his
training, and the result was that he turned a weakness into a strength and went on to an
undefeated run in the Mr. Olympia.
Arnold’s story is testament to the value of Priority Training, which suggests that you need to
perform the most important exercises early in your workout.
Those who write time management books and planning diaries always talk about setting
priorities with “To Do” lists. This is good advice because to achieve your goals it’s best to
focus first on those tasks that will provide the most impact, increasing the likelihood they will
get completed. Likewise, a sensible guideline in training is to perform the most effective
exercises early in the workout.
What are the most effective exercises? There are a number of factors to consider – here
are a few:
1. Exercises that recruit the maximum amount of muscle fibers. For example, the triceps
has three heads: long head, lateral head, and medial head. You should generally perform
exercises that work all three heads rather than just one or two. An excellent resource on
what exercises work which muscle groups is Target Bodybuilding by Per A. Tesch, PhD.
Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Tesch was able to determine which muscle
groups were used in 60 common exercises, many of them arm exercises, and how hard
they worked.
A practical way to determine which exercises activate the most muscle fibers is by how
much weight can be used in those exercises, obviously assuming that proper form is
respected. Therefore, dips on V-bars will do far more for your triceps development than
triceps kickbacks, and triceps pushdowns will not be as effective as close-grip bench
presses or seated-half presses in rack for rapid strength and mass gains in the triceps. For
the elbow flexors, one-arm Scott hammer curls will recruit more fibers than lying prone
dumbbell curls or incline bench concentration curls.
2. Technical complexity. Compound exercises with a high technical component, such as the
Olympic lifts and their variations, need to be performed first in a session; also in this
category are exercises used in the training for strongman competition, such as keg and
sandbag lifts. These exercises require a great deal of concentration and coordination, and
therefore they should be performed when the trainee’s energy lev- els are highest and the
nervous system is rested and in a wakeful state. Thus, a snatch should be performed
before a push press, a push press before a squat, and a squat before a biceps curl.
One bonus of this training method is that it saves time. Many complex exercises involve a
large amount of muscle mass, and as such they serve as an effective warm-up for other
exercises. For example, if you started your workouts with the military press, you might need
just three warm-up sets before you would be ready for maximal-effort sets.
3. Muscle fiber type. For optimal recruitment of the fast-twitch fibers from an exercise, one
must train them when the central nervous sys- tem is fresh; hence, at the beginning of the
training unit (or session). Here is an example of a workout that starts with an explosive
exercise followed by a strength exercise.
A. Power Clean, 7 x 3, 11X1, rest 150 seconds
B. Front Squat, 6 x 5, 4, 3, 3, 4, 5, 3010, rest 150 seconds
A practical example of how to apply this principle would be when working the calves. The
gastrocnemius is roughly 60 percent fast-twitch fibers, and the soleus is approximately 88
percent slow-twitch fibers; therefore, the gastrocnemius should be trained first. By the
same logic, in the case of elbow flexor training, the brachialis should be trained before the
biceps brachii because the brachialis has more fast-twitch fibers than the biceps brachii.
Other examples of muscles that are primarily fast-twitch include adductor longus, biceps
femoris, pectoralis major, psoas, rectus abdominus, and triceps.
There are exceptions where you would perform a slow speed exercise before a fast speed
exercise in a superset. This is the case with contrast training, where a heavy weight is used
first in a superset to stimulate the nervous system before an explosive exercise. Here is an
example.
A1. Back Squat, 8 x 3, 4010, rest 45 seconds
A2. Barbell Jumps, 8 x 6-8, 10X0, rest 180 seconds
4. Training Goal. The order of the exercises will change as the goals of the individual
change. A chain is only as strong as its weakness link, and the exercise order should be
arranged to reflect these goals. For example, when many bodybuilders decide they want to
compete, they often find that their calves are relatively weaker compared to their other
body parts. As such, calf exercises should be performed first, or at least early, in a training
session. The same principle applies to sports specific training.
A short-term training goal for a downhill skier might be to improve hamstring strength in the
off-season. Often the stress on the quadriceps from practicing their sport is enough to
maintain, and even increase, strength in the quadriceps. However, without supplemental
weight training, during the season it’s easily possible to develop a relative weakness in the
hamstrings. As such, performing hamstring exercises first in a workout can help athletes
achieve structural balance.
Now that you have your priorities straight, it’s time to get to work!
Al Feuerbach broke the world record in the shot put in 1973 with a put of 71’7”. He competed in the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Games,
and in 1974 won the Senior National Weightlifting Championships in the 242-pound bodyweight division with lifts of 341 in the snatch
and 418 in the clean and jerk.
Chapter 11
Mario Martinez (left) and Ken Clark are two US Olympians trained by Jim Schmitz. Martinez competed in three Olympics, earning a
silver medal in 1984.
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Powerlifters squat in such a manner as to use the most weight possible, and weightlifters perform the squat to carryover to the
classical lifts. Shown are (bottom) Jo-Jo White, a US powerlifter who attempted a 1,000 squat in 1978; and (top) Yurik Vardanyan, a
Russian weightlifter who won the 1980 Olympics and broke 41 world records.
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Jon Cole was a champion powerlifter, weightlifter, track and field athlete, and strongman from the United States. He was the first to
squat 900 pounds (raw, but with knee wraps) and total 2200 and 2300 in the three competition lifts. He threw the discus 231’7”
(winning the 1969 National AAU Championships) and the javelin 241”, put the shot 71’4”, and ran the 100-yard dash in 9.9 seconds at
a bodyweight of 258 pounds.