Copyright 2014 © by Bret Contreras Training Systems. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this manual may be used, reproduced, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, by anyone but the purchaser for their own, personal use. This manual may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of Bret Contreras, except for those who wish to quote excerpts for the sake of a review written for inclusions in a magazine, newspaper, or journal article; these cases require written approval from Bret Contreras prior to their publication. For more information, please contact: Bret Contreras Email:
[email protected] Websites: www.BretContreras.com and www.2x4strength.com
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Disclaimer The information offered in this book is for educational purposes only; the reader should be forewarned that there is an inherent risk assumed by the participant with any form of exercise or physical activity. With that in mind, those participating in strength and conditioning programs should check with and obtain clearance from their physician prior to beginning such activities. It is imperative that anyone participating in these activities understands that such training initiatives may be dangerous if performed incorrectly; additionally, they may not be appropriate for everyone. The author assumes no liability for injury; this manual is purely educational, as to guide those already proficient with the demands of such programming.
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Acknowledgements I’d like to thank the following individuals for their help in creating the 2 x 4 program: • • • •
Andrew Serrano Joey Percia Andrew Vigotsky Mike Peltz
I’d also like to thank the following people for positively influencing my knowledge pertaining to powerlifting: • • • • • • • •
Louie Simmons Dave Tate Jim Wendler Mark Rippetoe Dan Green Mike Tuscherer Eric Cressey Chad Waterbury
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Table of Contents Designing the Program ............................................................................................... 7 The Case for Submaximal Loads and Intensity of Effort ............................... 11 Why Percentages Fail Some Lifters ...................................................................... 13 The Program ................................................................................................................ 14 Assistance Work ......................................................................................................... 15 Deloading ...................................................................................................................... 17 Training Days .............................................................................................................. 18 Maximal Strength Training is a Marathon, Not a Sprint ............................... 19 Sample Training Journal .......................................................................................... 21 Training Program....................................................................................................... 30 Peaking .......................................................................................................................... 39 Tweaking the Program ............................................................................................. 40 Records Sheet .............................................................................................................. 42 2 x 4: Maximum Strength PR Tracker Sheet...................................................... 43 How to Adapt the Program for Different Movements .................................... 44 Example Adapted Program ..................................................................................... 46 2 x 4 for Geared or Advanced Lifters ................................................................... 47 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ...................................................................... 48
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2 x 4: Maximum Strength Welcome to 2 x 4: Maximum Strength. At this point, you might be wondering what 2 x 4 stands for. It’s quite simple; two lifts are performed on four separate days per week, hence, 2 x 4. Before I delve into the book, let’s get some things straight right off the bat: 1. There are an infinite number of ways to write a good maximum strength training program.
2. Knowing which program is the absolute best would require extensive research that will never happen (dozens of groups with ample subjects would need to train according to each popular program for an ample amount of time, with the winner being the program that produced on average the best results). 3. Even so, the best program for the masses might not be the best program for you (there is much variation in the response to a training program from one person to the next).
4. Moreover, the best program out there for you right now might not be the best program for you three years from now. 5. There are many excellent strength training programs already available.
6. I encourage you to experiment with them and learn more about your body and the methods that work best for you. 7. 2 x 4 is just one of the many excellent programs out there. However, for raw lifters seeking maximal strength, 2 x 4 makes more sense to me than any other program available.
8. 2 x 4 is not a year-round program. It is a 14-week training cycle that can be performed either twice back-to-back or three times spread out over the course of a year. In between training cycles, lifters should experiment with other systems and be sure to incorporate phases that focus on higher rep ranges and variety.
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Designing the Program Okay, now that we’ve got that straight, let me tell you how I created the program. I actually spent a year and a half formulating the program and tinkering with all of the design variables, and the program went through many different renovations. It may look very simple and appear to have been written overnight, but there’s a difference between writing a program and implementing the program – that’s where the learning and adjustments took place.
In fact, having now been through the process, I believe that the best way to create a program is to construct a well-thought out and scientific plan on paper, and implement that plan for at least a year with a group of lifters with varying ranges of experience. No matter how scientific and logical the program may appear to be, let me tell you that there are things you just can’t predict, even with years of training experience and reading research. The current 2 x 4 program is leaps and bounds better than the original plan laid out 18 months ago due to constant tinkering, analyzing, and practical consideration.
Let’s get back to the program’s development. Since I wanted to create the best program possible, I went about it very systematically. The first question I considered involved training frequency – what’s the ideal number of days to train per week? After analyzing the majority of powerlifting and strength training routines, examining training routines of top powerlifters and strongmen, and considering my own experiences in training myself, my training partners, and my clients over the years, I decided on four days per week. The next question involved exercise selection – which exercises combine to give you the best possible strength gains? This is tricky because on one hand you have pure specificity in which only the three powerlifts (or whatever lifts you wanted to use to measure strength) would be performed, and on the other hand, you have extensive variety in which case endless variations of the exercises along with assistance lifts are performed. After countless revisions and experimentation, I decided upon 8 primary lifts – the back squat, bench press, deadlift, military press, front squat, close grip bench press, floor press, and block pull. These are the lifts that you will master. You will become a student of these eight exercises. Next, I needed to determine the lifts that were to be performed on each day. This required over a year of tinkering and finetuning. I ended up going with the back squat and floor press on day one, the block pull and military press and day two, the 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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front squat and bench press on day three, and the deadlift and close grip bench press on day four. I realized that these lifts couldn’t all be performed with maximal intensity of effort each week, as four days of intensive pressing and two days of intensive deadlifting per week is overkill for the vast majority of lifters. Therefore, each lift will be performed throughout the week, but with varying levels of intensity of effort. One week, you’ll be trying to set personal records (PR’s) on back squats, military press, bench press, and deadlifts, and the next week you’ll be trying to set PR’s on floor press, block pulls, front squats, and close grip bench press.
The following step in designing 2 x 4 required me to figure out the ideal set and rep schemes. As for number of repetitions, I’m a big fan of singles, triples, and sets of five. You might be wondering what’s wrong with doubles, quadruples, and sets above five reps. The answer is: nothing is wrong with them, and many lifters like to perform heavy doubles or higher rep sets of 8-10 reps. However, for the 2 x 4 program, I went with 1’s, 3’s, and 5’s. You’ll be performing two weeks with sets of 5 reps, then two weeks with sets of 3 reps, and then two weeks with heavy singles, followed by a deload week.
As for number of sets, I went with 3 working sets. Many lifters enjoy doing up to 5 working sets, but when training full body four times per week, it’s just too demanding. That said, there are two primary ways to perform the working sets – using the same weight for each set, or ramping up in weight with one ultimate set. Since both of these methods are very effective in different ways, I decided to incorporate both into the program. You’ll perform a six-week block using straight weight (same loads for all 3 sets), followed by a deload week, followed by a six-week block using ascending weight (ramping up by starting out light and going progressively heavier on the following sets), followed by another deload week. Let’s recap:
Ideal number of training sessions per week: 4
Ideal exercises for building powerlifting strength: back squat, bench press, deadlift, military press, front squat, close grip bench press, floor press, block pull Ideal set and rep schemes: 3 x 5, 3 x 3, 3 x 1
Recall from earlier that I told you that you’d be alternating the lifts that you perform with maximal intensity each week. To reiterate, you’ll perform back squats, military press, bench press, and deadlifts with maximal intensity of effort and the intention of setting PR’s one 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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week, and the next week you’ll switch to floor press, block pulls, front squats, and close grip bench press. As you can see, you’ll perform two primary lifts each day, one of which you’ll be going “all out” on, and the other where you’ll purposely “sandbag.” You might be wondering how you’ll train a lift if you’re purposely avoiding setting PR’s. In this case, you have three options: 1. Pause Reps
You can perform pause-reps. In this case, you’ll want to utilize 60-80% of 1RM while pausing for 3 seconds. Be aware that most lifters skimp on time when performing pause reps. In fact, most lifters only pause for 1-second when performing 3-secound pause reps as they start counting early and also cut short. For loading, use 60% of 1RM when performing 5 reps, 70% of 1RM when performing 3 reps, and 80% of 1RM when performing single repetitions. Pause reps are good for newbies, intermediates, and advanced lifters.
2. Super Strict Form
You can perform the lifts with lighter loads and be ultra-strict with form. In this case, you’ll want to utilize 60-80% of 1RM and really hone in on technique. You’ll be surprised how heavy you can make 80% of 1RM feel when being super strict with form. Don’t perform the lifts with maximal speed; be smooth and control the load throughout the entire repetition. Just as in the case of pause reps, use 60% of 1RM when performing 5 reps, 70% of 1RM when performing 3 reps, and 80% of 1RM when performing single repetitions. Super strict sets are good for newbies, intermediates, and advanced lifters.
3. Explosive Training (also referred to as dynamic effort or compensatory acceleration training)
You can perform the lifts with lighter weight and maximal acceleration. You might have heard explosive training referred to as the dynamic effort (DE) method or as compensatory acceleration training (CAT). As in the case of pause reps and super strict form, you’ll want to utilize 60-80% of 1RM (60% of 1RM when performing sets of 5 reps, 70% of 1RM when performing sets of 3 reps, and 80% of 1RM when performing single repetitions). Over time, you’ll figure out how to lift explosively while avoiding excessive jarring forces on the joints by gradually accelerating the load throughout the range of motion. It is beneficial when
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training explosively with submaximal loading to use strict rest periods of 60-90 seconds. Explosive training is best performed by lifters who have a couple of years of experience; most newbies haven’t ingrained solid enough lifting patterns to adequately control the load and adhere to great technical form with explosive training. Therefore, newcomers should stick with pause reps and super strict form until they become more advanced.
Notice that in each of the three options, you’ll be using 60% of 1RM for sets of 5, 70% of 1RM for sets of 3, and 80% of 1RM for singles. It’s worth mentioning that my favorite submaximal method is super strict form, but my training partner Andrew prefers pause reps and my other training partner Joey prefers explosive training. We each use all three methods in our training, but we dedicate a greater proportion of our training to the method that we feel works best. Over time, as you gain experience with 2 x 4, you may need to fine tune and adjust the percentages. Some lifters will need to use slightly heavier loads and other lifters will need to use slightly lighter loads to keep the training stimulus at the appropriate intensity of effort. The goal with these lifts is quality, not quantity! You’ll be staying far away from maxing out and far away from repping to failure, but make no mistake about it, the training is still highly productive. Don’t believe me? Keep reading!
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The Case for Submaximal Loads and Intensity of Effort However tempting it may be, don’t go balls-out on both lifts on any training day. Give it your all on exercise numero uno, set your PR, and then coast on lift number two with either explosive training, pause reps, or super strict form. Please don’t fear that you’ll lose strength by not performing each lift with maximal intensity of effort each week. First of all, every week you’ll be going all out on a squat variation (either back or front squats), two upper body pressing variations (either military press and bench press, or floor press and close grip bench), and a deadlift variation (either traditional deadlifts done in conventional or sumo style, or block pulls).
Second, some of the best lifters in the world rely on the submaximal methods such as dynamic effort and pause-reps to build their world-class strength. Please don’t underestimate the importance of this point!!! Let’s consider three elite lifters: Andy Bolton, Sam Byrd, and Mike Tuchscherer. Andy Bolton is the only lifter to pull over a thousand pounds in two separate contests, and he relied solely on dynamic effort deadlifts to build his freakish strength. He literally never pulled with over 75% of his 1RM in the 8 weeks prior to his legendary 1,003 lb pull (the first supra-1,000 lb pull ever performed).
Sam Byrd is arguably the best squatter in the world, having set numerous records in multiple weight classes as a raw and equipped lifter. How does Sam achieve his crazy levels of squatting strength? By employing the dynamic effort method and staying in the 60-80% of 1RM ranges. Sam doesn’t maximally load up his squat until competitions.
Mike Tuchscherer is a rare gem in powerlifting in that he’s a raw lifter who has steadily gained insane amounts of strength over the years and has not plateaued. What are his favorite assistance lifts? The pause squat, pause bench press, and pause deadlift. He believes that these pause sets have helped him increased his strength over the years and improve his performance.
What’s more, some of the most popular training systems incorporate these submaximal methods. For example, the Sheiko Training System utilizes pause reps as well as superstrict form, and the dynamic effort method plays a large role in the Westside Barbell 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Training System. Most Olympic lifters employ all three submaximal methods in their training to build their strength.
As you can clearly see, incredible levels of strength can be built using submaximal loading and submaximal intensity of effort, as long as the reps are performed with a pause, with super-strict technique, and/or with maximum acceleration. In this way, there’s a synergy with the two lifts per day in that one is performed with maximum effort and the other is performed with submaximal effort but with a particular technique in mind. By blending together the two methods, you prevent burnout and steadily gain strength.
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Why Percentages Fail Some Lifters Many programs utilize percentages for loading schemes. To name a few, Shieko, Smolov, and The Russian Squat Routine each provide the lifter with detailed set and rep schemes based off of percentages of 1RM. For example, a particular training day might have the lifter performing 7 sets of 5 reps with 80% of 1RM. These types of programs are very convenient as they take all of the guesswork out of the equation and allow the lifter to get in and get the job done. Sounds incredible in theory, right? Problem is, programming just isn’t that simple. My colleague Brad Schoenfeld and I recently collected data for an upcoming study we intend on publishing that examines the EMG activation in the leg muscles with heavier weight (75% of 1RM) versus light weight (30% of 1RM) to failure. While we weren’t particularly interested in the number of repetitions the subjects achieved during exercise performance, we were intrigued to find that with the 75% of 1RM loading, the ranges of repetitions achieved by the subjects varied dramatically from one lifter to the next. While most subjects performed between 10 and 15 repetitions, one subject performed a whopping 21 repetitions, and another subject performed just 7 repetitions (with 30% of 1RM, the range was 30 to 71).
This jives with my experience as a personal trainer. Thirteen years ago, I trained a very strong 107 lb female client who could squat 135 lbs for 20 reps below parallel and deadlift 155 lbs for 20 reps. Impressive, right? She could grind out reps like a champion. Guess what her 1RM’s were? 160 lbs for the squat, and 175 lbs for the deadlift. She could squat 85% of her 1RM for 20 reps and deadlift almost 90% of her 1RM for 20 reps. Ten years ago, I trained a freakishly strong male 225 lb client who could incline press 385 lbs. He was one of the most explosive lifters I’ve ever seen. One time I wanted to see how many times he could incline press 135 lbs. He petered out at 20 reps. He could only lift 35% of his 1RM twenty times.
What does this mean for training programs involving percentages? It means that some of the lifters employing the program will receive a great training effect. The load, set, and rep scheme will be just what the doctor ordered to boost the lifter’s strength for the following week. However, for other lifters, the prescribed percentages will be too easy (and will therefore fail to elicit an optimal training stimulus), or they will be too hard (and the lifter will physically be unable to complete the reps). Something like 7 sets of 5 reps with 80% of 1RM would be very easy for the female client I described, but impossible for the male client I described. Some lifters will thrive on these types of programs, others won’t be sufficiently challenged, and others will be run into the ground. However, a program such as 2 x 4 won’t fail any lifters because it’s centered on setting PR’s in a systematic fashion. 2 x 4 does use percentages for submaximal methods, but they are conservative percentages, and the methods can be adjusted to provide the proper dosage of stimulus. 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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The Program Below is a chart that represents the nuts and bolts of the program. You will indeed add some assistance work to the program and train on deload weeks, but this chart does a good job of detailing the main lifts that are performed each day. Later in this manual I’ll provide a template and an example 14-week program.
Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Day 1 (Mon) Back Squat 3 x 5 S Floor Press 3 x 5 S Floor Press 3 x 5 S Back Squat 3 x 5 S Back Squat 3 x 3 S Floor Press 3 x 3 S Floor Press 3 x 3 S Back Squat 3 x 3 S Back Squat 3 x 1 S Floor Press 3 x 1 S Floor Press 3 x 1 S Back Squat 3 x 1 S Deload Back Squat 3 x 5 A Floor Press 3 x 5 A Floor Press 3 x 5 A Back Squat 3 x 5 A Back Squat 3 x 3 A Floor Press 3 x 3 A Floor Press 3 x 3 A Back Squat 3 x 3 A Back Squat 3 x 1 A Floor Press 3 x 1 A Floor Press 3 x 1 A Back Squat 3 x 1 A Deload
* S = Straight Sets *In Red = PR’s
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
Day 2 (Tues) Military Press 3 x 5 S Block Pull 3 x 5 S Block Pull 3 x 5 S Military Press 3 x 5 S Military Press 3 x 3 S Block Pull 3 x 3 S Block Pull 3 x 3 S Military Press 3 x 3 S Military Press 3 x 1 S Block Pull 3 x 1 S Block Pull 3 x 1 S Military Press 3 x 1 S Deload Military Press 3 x 5 A Block Pull 3 x 5 A Block Pull 3 x 5 A Military Press 3 x 5 A Military Press 3 x 3 A Block Pull 3 x 3 A Block Pull 3 x 3 A Military Press 3 x 3 A Military Press 3 x 1 A Block Pull 3 x 1 A Block Pull 3 x 1 A Military Press 3 x 1 A Deload
* A = Ascending Sets
Day 3 (Thur) Bench Press 3 x 5 S Front Squat 3 x 5 S Front Squat 3 x 5 S Bench Press 3 x 5 S Bench Press 3 x 3 S Front Squat 3 x 3 S Front Squat 3 x 3 S Bench Press 3 x 3 S Bench Press 3 x 1 S Front Squat 3 x 1 S Front Squat 3 x 1 S Bench Press 3 x 1 S Deload Bench Press 3 x 5 A Front Squat 3 x 5 A Front Squat 3 x 5 A Bench Press 3 x 5 A Bench Press 3 x 3 A Front Squat 3 x 3 A Front Squat 3 x 3 A Bench Press 3 x 3 A Bench Press 3 x 1 A Front Squat 3 x 1 A Front Squat 3 x 1 A Bench Press 3 x 1 A Deload
Day 4 (Fri) Deadlift 3 x 5 S Close Grip Bench 3 x 5 S Close Grip Bench 3 x 5 S Deadlift 3 x 5 S Deadlift 3 x 3 S Close Grip Bench 3 x 3 S Close Grip Bench 3 x 3 S Deadlift 3 x 3 S Deadlift 3 x 1 S Close Grip Bench 3 x 1 S Close Grip Bench 3 x 1 S Deadlift 3 x 1 S Deload Deadlift 3 x 5 A Close Grip Bench 3 x 5 A Close Grip Bench 3 x 5 A Deadlift 3 x 5 A Deadlift 3 x 3 A Close Grip Bench 3 x 3 A Close Grip Bench 3 x 3 A Deadlift 3 x 3 A Deadlift 3 x 1 A Close Grip Bench 3 x 1 A Close Grip Bench 3 x 1 A Deadlift 3 x 1 A Deload
* In Black = Pause Reps, Superstrict Reps, or Explosive Training
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Assistance Work I can already hear you moaning and complaining about the lack of extra assistance or support work and isolation movements. Trust me, I understand your concerns! If all you did for your training was the eight chosen exercises mentioned in the previous section in the fashion described, your training would be suboptimal.
I can’t think of a single powerlifter that I know who doesn’t employ any isolation work or appreciate certain assistance lifts. The fact of the matter is, exercises like bent over rows, hip thrusts, lateral raises, band tricep extensions, hammer curls, back extensions, leg presses, seated rows, chest supported rows, and dumbbell bench press can indeed help improve your powerlifting strength through increased muscular hypertrophy. Strength training induces neuromuscular adaptations, meaning that there are both neural and muscular components to increased strength. While neural improvements such as gains in coordination and increased neural drive are critical for increased strength, plain old muscular hypertrophy helps increase strength as well. A larger muscle not only has greater physiological cross sectional area (PCSA), it also has a greater moment arm and a more optimal line of pull, depending on the muscle. This leads to greater torque production.
So don’t worry, 2 x 4 allows for and encourages additional work. After you’ve finished your two main lifts for the day, you have 10-15 minutes of free time to add in some additional exercises. I recommend sticking to ten sets or less for this assistance work.
When you perform your assistance work, it’s very important to focus intensely on the goal. Not only to you want the right muscles doing the job, but you want to perform your lifts in a manner that will transfer maximally to the big lifts. Therefore, envision the lift you want to the assistance lift to transfer to when you’re performing the movement. For example, during a hip thrust, think of locking out a heavy deadlift when you’re pushing the hips upward. In a chest supported row, think of lower the bar under control during the bench press as you’re raising the load. I’m sure you get the picture.
Since all muscles need to be strong in powerlifting, you’ll be performing some assistance work for each major muscle group each week. However, due to the fact that you need to be fresh to set records on different lifts each week, you will alternate the assistance work you do from week to week. Considerable time and experimentation was spent figuring out the ideal way to incorporate extra assistance work into the routine without compromising PR’s for subsequent training sessions. After months and months of tinkering, I settled on the following approach. 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Quads and core will be trained on day 1 one week and on day 3 the next. Shoulders and hams will be trained on day 2 one week and day 4 the next. Chest and tri’s will be trained on day 3 one week and day 1 the next. Back, bi’s, and core will be trained on day 4 one week and day 2 the next. Therefore, your training will look like this: Day 1 (Mon) Week Back Squat One Floor Press Quads Core Week Floor Press Two Back Squat Chest Tri’s
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
Day 2 (Tues) Military Press Block Pull Shoulders Hams Block Pull Military Press Back Bi’s Core
Day 3 (Thur) Bench Press Front Squat Chest Tri’s Front Squat Bench Press Quads Core
Day 4 (Fri) Deadlift Close Grip Bench Back Bi’s Core Close Grip Bench Deadlift Shoulders Hams
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Deloading Every seventh week, you’re going to deload. Let me guess – you don’t think you’re the type who needs to deload? Please tell me that after the six weeks are up. Better yet, please tell me that in between cycles of 2 x 4 where you’ll be going for new PR’s. Trust me, a deload will be a welcome break from the heavy lifting and will give your body and mind time to repair and recuperate. When the CNS is excessively fatigued, muscles can’t fire maximally or produce maximum force. By giving yourself a break, you’ll come back refreshed and stronger so you can keep setting personal records.
Here’s how you’re going to deload: you’re going to stick with the same movements, but you won’t go for any PR’s – in fact you won’t even go near any PR’s. You will stick with the super strict method and focus on using excellent technical form, and also the pause rep method. You will perform 2 sets of 5 with 50% of 1RM using the super strict method. Next, you will perform 2 sets of 3 pause reps with 60% of 1RM (3-second pause).
I encourage you to avoid doing too much assistance work during your deload weeks, no matter how tempting it may be. After your training sessions, feel free to perform 3-5 sets of additional exercises, but keep the weight light. I recommend that you stay in the 12-15 rep range. Your deload week will therefore look like this: Deload Week
Day 1 (Mon)
Day 2 (Tues)
Day 3 (Thur)
Day 4 (Fri)
Back Squat 2 x 5 @ 50% 1RM 2 x 3 @ 60% 1RM w/3sec pause
Military Press 2 x 5 @ 50% 1RM 2 x 3 @ 60% 1RM w/3sec pause
Bench Press 2 x 5 @ 50% 1RM 2 x 3 @ 60% 1RM w/3-sec pause
Deadlift 2 x 5 @ 50% 1RM 2 x 3 @ 60% 1RM w/3-sec pause
Assistance Work 3-5 total sets of 12-15 reps
Assistance Work 3-5 total sets of 12-15 reps
Assistance Work 3-5 total sets of 12-15 reps
Assistance Work 3-5 total sets of 12-15 reps
Floor Press 2 x 5 @ 50% 1RM 2 x 3 @ 60% 1RM w/3sec pause
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
Block Pull 2 x 5 @ 50% 1RM 2 x 3 @ 60% 1RM w/3sec pause
Front Squat 2 x 5 @ 50% 1RM 2 x 3 @ 60% 1RM w/3-sec pause
Close Grip Bench 2 x 5 @ 50% 1RM 2 x 3 @ 60% 1RM w/3-sec pause
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Training Days As you can see, I’ve suggested that day one be performed on Monday, day two on Tuesday, day three on Thursday, and day four on Friday. However, many individuals will need to adjust the training days to accommodate their schedules. There are a number of options that will work in this regard, but I recommend taking a day off in between day two and day three and at least a day off in between day four and day one. In this manual, for simplicity’s sake, I went with the Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday (MTThF) approach. But you may need to adjust this depending on your schedule and logistics. Here are some options below. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 Option 5
Sunday Day 1 Day 1
Monday Day 1 Day 1 Day 2
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
Tuesday Day 2 Day 2 Day 2 Day 1
Wednesday Day 2 Day 3
Thursday Day 3 Day 3 Day 3
Friday Day 4 Day 4 Day 3 Day 4
Saturday Day 4 Day 4
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Maximal Strength Training is a Marathon, Not a Sprint This simple statement is critical in the iron game: “Strength training is a marathon, not a sprint.” It’s so important, but few lifters truly get it. Over the years, I’ve trained with some insanely strong individuals. Unfortunately, I can say with much certainty that the vast majority of powerlifters I’ve trained with fail to adequately plan and consider their long term training strategies.
The goal is to keep lifting for many years to come. The goal is to keep gaining strength over the decades. The goal is to remain healthy and not destroy your joints. The goal is to continue to be able to compete in powerlifting.
What good will it do you if you ignore warning signs, allow your form to deteriorate, and/or push full throttle ahead just to set PR’s, only to eventually injure yourself? Getting injured will stop progress in its tracks. Conversely, staying healthy and injury-free as a lifter will allow the muscles to continue firing properly and allow the body to maintain sound levels of mobility so that the lifter continues to build strength steadily over the years. Will it not benefit your joints to avoid maxing out every single week? Will it not be beneficial to spend a couple of months each year focusing on hypertrophy and avoiding heavy lifting (anything above a 5RM, for example)? Will it not be wise to spend a couple of months each year shoring up weak links and addressing any deficits in mobility, stability, or coordination? Won’t it be better off in the long-run if you stick with sets of 5’s and sets of 3’s for a majority of the training cycle and run heavy singles for a minority of the training cycle (in 2 x 4, two-thirds of your training revolves around 3’s and 5’s, with one-third revolving around singles)? Will regular deloading not benefit your body over the long haul? Sadly, I’ve seen far too many lifters seeking maximal strength gains get too greedy and end up going backwards in their training due to injury or burnout. I’ve seen way too many powerlifters ignore the body’s warning signs and push through pain until something snaps. I’ve witnessed a common trend where a lifter pushes the strength barrier week in and week out with no deloading, only to hit a massive wall. Rather than alter their training strategies, many simply resort to using greater amounts of anabolic steroids or moving up a weight class in order to continue gaining strength. Many stop being so strict on form and allow for serious form breakdown just to keep setting PR’s. This eventually backfires on the lifter. 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Sure, I could design a rapid 6-week peaking program that could fast-forward short-term results. However, this same program wouldn’t necessarily be optimal for long-term results. 2 x 4 is designed with your long-term progress in mind as it maintains just the right balance between eliciting adaptations and allowing for adequate recovery. Of course, you need to train intensively, but a carefully planned approach trumps a haphazard, careless approach any day of the week. The hare beats the tortoise in the short run, but the tortoise beats the hare in the long run. Due to the carefully planned program design, the 14-week 2 x 4 cycle can be repeated year in and year out 1-3 times per year to boost your maximal strength.
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Sample Training Journal I felt that it would be very beneficial to include a sample training journal to portray what the training sessions will look like. Here’s a 14-week sample program from raw powerlifter Andrew Serrano. He’s actually the first lifter to complete the 2 x 4 training program and is a 190-lb lifter (competes at 181 lbs) who prior to this program could squat 472 lbs, bench press 315 lbs, and deadlift 472 lbs. His strength absolutely skyrocketed on this program, but please be aware that I do not think in any way that these results are typical. Other lifters who have ran 2 x 4 have indeed gained moderate amounts of strength during the 14week cycle, but Andrew has put over 100 lbs on his deadlift, 60 lbs on his squat, and 50 lbs on his bench. Lifters running 2 x 4 the second time through are still setting records consistently, so I feel that the program does a great job of building strength gradually and preventing periods of stagnation, which is sometimes common in other programs. Andrew
Week One 11/4/13
weight: 190 lbs
11/5/13
weight: 188 lbs
11/7/13
weight: 189 lbs
11/8/13
weight: 190 lbs
Back squat Floor press Cybex leg press Hack squat Band Pallof press Ab wheel rollout Military press Block pull (3 inch) Lateral raise Band hip thrust 45 degree hyper
365 x 5, 365 x 5, 365 x 5 225 x 5, 225 x 5, 225 x 5 *pause reps 540 x 20, 630 x 20 230 x 10 rb x 10, rb x 10 bw x 10, bw x 10 165 x 5, 165 x 5, 165 x 5 315 x 5, 315 x 5, 315 x 5 *super strict reps 20 x 15, 25 x 15 bb x 20, bb x 20 100 x 10, 100 x 10
Bench press Front squat Incline fly Band tricep extension Push up
275 x 5, 275 x 5, 275 x 5 225 x 5, 225 x 5, 225 x 5 *pause reps 50 x 10, 50 x 10 pb x 20, pb x 20 bw x 12, bw x 12
Sumo deadlift Close grip bench Bent over row Dumbbell curl Side plank Hanging leg raise
405 x 5, 405 x 5, 405 x 5 190 x 5, 190 x 5, 190 x 5 *explosive reps 185 x 5, 185 x 5, 185 x 5 30 x 20, 40 x 10, 45 x 8 bw x :30 sec, bw x :30 sec bw x 8, bw x 8
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Week Two 11/11/13
weight: 189 lbs
11/12/13
weight: 190 lbs
11/14/13
weight: 189 lbs
11/15/13
weight: 190 lbs
Floor press Back squat DB incline press Rolling DB skull crusher
285 x 5, 285 x 5, 285 x 5 405 x 5, 405 x 5, 405 x 5 *pause reps 80 x 8, 80 x 8, 90 x 8 35 x 12, 35 x 12, 35 x 12
Block pull (3 inch) Military press Bent over row Hammer curl Chin up
405 x 5, 405 x 5, 405 x 5 135 x 5, 135 x 5, 135 x 5 *super strict 185 x 8, 185 x 8, 185 x 8 45 x 8, 45 x 8 bw x 8, bw x 8
Front squat Bench press DB reverse lunge Band Pallof press Ab wheel rollout
315 x 5, 315 x 5, 315 x 5 225 x 5, 225 x 5, 225 x 5 *pause reps 60 x 8, 60 x 8, 60 x 8 pb x 10, pb x 10 bw x 10, bw x 10
Close grip bench Conventional deadlift DB seated shoulder press Single Leg RDL Week Three
315 x 5, 315 x 5, 315 x 5 315 x 5, 315 x 5, 315 x 5 *explosive 75 x 10, 75 x 10, 75 x 10 135 x 8, 135 x 8
11/18/13
weight: 190 lbs
11/19/13
weight: 191 lbs
11/21/13
weight: 190 lbs
Back squat Floor press Cybex leg press Hack squat Band Pallof press Ab wheel rollout Military press Block pull (3 inch) Lateral raise Band hip thrust 45 degree hyper Bench press
405 x 3, 405 x 3, 405 x 3 225 x 3, 225 x 3, 225 x 3 *pause reps 540 x 16, 540 x 16, 540 x 16 230 x 10 rb x 10, rb x 10 bw x 10, bw x 10
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
185 x 3, 185 x 3, 185 x 3 315 x 3, 315 x 3, 315 x 3 *super strict reps 20 x 15, 25 x 15 bb x 20, bb x 20 100 x 10, 100 x 10 295 x 3, 295 x 3, 295 x 3
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Front squat Incline fly Band tricep extension Weighted push up
225 x 3, 223 x 3, 225 x 3 *pause reps 50 x 10, 50 x 10, 50 x 10 pb x 20, pb x 20 25 x 12, 25 x 12
Sumo deadlift Close grip bench Bent over row Dumbbell curl Side plank Hanging Leg Raise
455 x 3, 455 x 3, 455 x 3 225 x 3, 225 x 3, 225 x 3 *explosive reps 185 x 5, 185 x 5, 185 x 5 30 x 20, 40 x 10 bw x :30 sec, bw x :30 sec bw x 6, bw x 6, bw x 6
11/22/13
weight: 190 lbs
Week Four 11/25/13
weight: 192 lbs
11/26/13
weight: 190 lbs
11/28/13
weight: 193 lbs
11/29/13
weight: 191 lbs
Floor press Back squat DB Incline Press Rolling DB skull crusher Flat DB chest press
295 x 3, 295 x 3, 295 x 3 315 x 3, 315 x 3, 315 x 3 *pause reps 95 x 6, 95 x 6, 95 x 6 40 x 10, 40 x 10, 40 x 10 80 x 10, 90 x 8
Block pull (3 inch) Military press Bent over row Hammer curl Weighted chin up
455 x 3, 455 x 3, 455 x 3 155 x 3, 155 x 3, 155 x 3 *super strict reps 195 x 6, 195 x 6, 195 x 6 40 x 10, 40 x 10, 40 x 10 25 x 6, 25 x 6
Front squat Bench press DB reverse lunge Band Pallof press Ab wheel rollout
325 x 3, 325 x 3, 325 x 3 245 x 3, 245 x 3, 245 x 3 *pause reps 75 x 6, 75 x 6, 75 x 6 pb x 10, pb x 10 bw x 10, bw x 10
Close grip bench Conventional deadlift DB seated shoulder press Single leg RDL Week Five 12/1/13
Back squat Floor press Cybex leg press Hack squat
295 x 3, 295 x 3, 295 x 3 365 x 3, 365 x 3, 365 x 3 *super strict reps 80 x 8, 80 x 8, 80 x 8 155 x 6, 155 x 6
weight: 192 lbs
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
455 x 1, 455 x 1, 455 x 1 255 x 1, 255 x 1, 255 x 1 *pause reps 630 x 12, 630 x 12, 630 x 12 230 x 12
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Band Pallof press Ab wheel rollout
rb x 8, rb x 8, rb x 8 bw x 10, bw x 10
12/2/13
weight: 194 lbs
12/4/13
weight: 191 lbs
12/5/13
weight: 190 lbs
Military press Block pull (3 inch) Upright row Band hip thrust 45 degree hyper
195 x 1, 195 x 1, 195 x 1 365 x 1, 365 x 1, 365 x 1 *super strict 85 x 15, 85 x 15 bb x 25, bb x 25 100 x 12, 100 x 12
Bench press Front squat Incline fly Band tricep extension Push up
305 x 1, 305 x 1, 305 x 1 265 x 1, 265 x 1, 265 x 1 *explosive reps 45 x 12, 45 x 12 pb x 20, pb x 20 bw x 15, bw x 15
Sumo deadlift Close grip bench Bent over row Hammer curl Side plank
495 x 1, 495 x 1, 495 x 1 275 x 1, 275 x 1, 275 x 1*explosive reps 185 x 5, 185 x 5, 185 x 5 45 x 8, 45 x 8, 45 x 8 bw x :30 sec, bw x :30 sec
Week Six 12/8/13
weight: 189 lbs
12/9/13
weight: 190 lbs
Floor press Back squat Flat DB chest press Dip
305 x 1, 305 x 1, 305 x 1 365 x 1, 365 x 1, 365 x 1 *pause reps 75 x 12, 85 x 10, 90 x 8 bw x 15, bw x 15
Block pull (3 inch) Military press Neutral grip chin up EZ bar curl RKC plank
475 x 1, 475 x 1, 475 x 1 165 x 1, 165 x 1, 165 x 1 *super strict reps bw x 12, bw x 12, bw x 12 85 x 12, 85 x 12 bw x 20 sec, bw x 20 sec
Front squat Bench press Hack squat Straight leg sit up Band Pallof press
325 x 1, 325 x 1, 325 x 1 265 x 1, 265 x 1, 265 x 1 *pause reps 225 x 10, 225 x 10, 225 x 10 bw x 8, bw x 8 pb x 10, pb x 10
12/11/13
weight: 189 lbs
12/12/13
weight: 190 lbs
Close grip bench
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
305 x 1, 305 x 1, 305 x 1
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Conventional deadlift Upright row Single leg RDL
Week Seven (Deload)
405 x 1, 405 x 1, 405 x 1 *super strict reps 95 x 12, 95 x 12, 95 x 12 135 x 8, 135 x 8
12/15/13
weight: 190 lbs
12/16/13
weight: 192 lbs
12/18/13
weight: 195 lbs
12/19/13
weight: 195 lbs
Back squat Walking lunge Goblet side lunge
185 x 12, 225 x 10, 315 x 5 95 x 10, 95 x 10 35 x 8, 35 x 8, 35 x 8
Military press DB seated shoulder press Lateral raise
135 x 8, 135 x 8, 135 x 8 50 x 10, 60 x 10, 65 x 10 20 x 15, 25 x 15
Bench press Front squat EZ bar curl EZ Bar skull crusher
135 x 15, 185 x 12, 185 x 12 225 x 8, 225 x 8, 225 x 8 *pause reps 65 x 15, 65 x 15, 85 x 8 65 x 20, 75 x 20
KB deadlift Lat pulldown Bent over row Dumbbell curl Straight leg sit up
106 x 15, 106 x 15, 106 x 15 190 x 5, 190 x 5, 190 x 5 *explosive reps 135 x 12, 135 x 12, 135 x 12 25 x 12, 30 x 12 bw x :30 sec, bw x :30 sec
Week Eight 12/22/13
weight: 195 lbs
12/23/13
weight: 193 lbs
12/25/13
weight: 191 lbs
Back squat Floor press Sled push Band anti rotation hold
315 x 5, 365 x 5, 405 x 5 225 x 5, 225 x 5, 225 x 5 *super strict reps 400 x 30 yds, 400 x 30 yds pb x 35 sec, pb x 35 sec
Military Press Block Pull (3 inch) DB seated shoulder press 45 degree hyper
165 x 5, 185 x 5, 190 x 5 315 x 5, 365 x 5, 405 x 5 *super strict reps 90 x 8, 90 x 8, 90 x 8 100 x 8, 100 x 8, 100 x 8
Bench press Front squat Incline DB press EZ bar skull crusher
225 x 5, 275 x 5, 305 x 5 225 x 5, 275 x 5, 275 x 5 *explosive reps 105 x 8, 105 x 8, 105 x 8 95 x 8 95 x 8, 95 x 8
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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12/26/13
weight: 190 lbs
Sumo deadlift Close grip bench Bent over row BB curl RKC plank
405 x 5, 455 x 5, 500 x 5 245 x 5, 275 x 5, 275 x 5 *pause reps 205 x 8, 205 x 8, 205 x 8 115 x 8, 115 x 8, 115 x 8 bw x 30sec, bw x 30 sec
Week Nine 12/29/13
weight: 190 lbs
12/30/13
weight: 188 lbs
Floor press Back squat Alternating DB chest press Weighted dip
280 x 5, 315 x 5, 330 x 5 225 x 5, 275 x 5, 315 x 5 *pause reps 85 x 8, 85 x 8, 85 x 8 60 x 8, 60 x 8, 60 x 8
Block pull (3 inch) Military press Weighted chin up Band Pallof press
405 x 5, 455 x 5, 465 x 5 135 x 5, 135 x 5, 165 x 5 *super strict reps 60 x 8, 60 x 8, 60 x 8 pb x 8, pb x 8, pb x 8
1/1/14
weight: 189 lbs
1/2/14
weight: 190 lbs
Front squat Bench press Walking lunge DB step up
Close grip bench Conventional deadlift Lateral raise RDL Week Ten 1/5/14
weight: 191 lbs
1/6/13
weight: 190 lbs
225 x 5, 275 x 5, 325 x 5 225 x 5, 245 x 5, 255 x 5 *super strict reps 70 x 8, 70 x 8, 70 x 8 60 x 8, 60 x 8, 60 x 8 275 x 5, 285 x 5, 295 x 5 315 x 5, 365 x 5, 405 x 5 *super strict reps 50 x 8, 50 x 8, 50 x 8 225 x 8, 225 x 8, 225 x 8
Back squat Floor press Sled push Band anti rotation hold
385 x 3, 405 x 3, 455 x 3 265 x 3, 275 x 3, 305 x 3 *pause reps 375 x 30yds, 375 x 30yds, 375 x 30 yds pb x 30sec, pb x 30sec, pb x 30sec
Military Press Block pull (3 inch) DB shoulder press 45 degree hyper
165 x 3, 185 x 3, 205 x 3 365 x 3, 365 x 3, 405 x 3 *super strict reps 80 x 10, 80 x 10, 80 x 10 90 x 10, 90 x 10, 90 x 10
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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1/8/14
weight: 189 lbs
1/9/14
weight: 190 lbs
Bench press Front squat Incline DB press EZ bar skull crusher
275 x 3, 305 x 3, 315 x 3 245 x 3, 275 x 3, 305 x 3 *pause reps 95 x 10, 95 x 10, 95 x 10 85 x 10, 85 x 10, 85 x 10
Sumo deadlift Close grip bench Bent over row BB curl RKC plank
405 x 3, 455 x 3, 515 x 3 225 x 3, 225 x 3, 285 x 3 *explosive reps 190 x 10, 190 x 10, 190 x 10 100 x 10, 100 x 10, 100 x 10 bw x 30sec, bw x 30sec
Week Eleven 1/12/14
weight: 190 lbs
1/13/14
weight: 190 lbs
1/15/14
weight: 189 lbs
1/16/14
weight: 190 lbs
Floor press Back squat Alternating DB chest press Weighted dip
275 x 3, 315 x 3, 335 x 3 315 x 3, 365 x 3, 365 x 3 *explosive reps 75 x 10, 75 x 10, 75 x 10 45 x 10, 45 x 10, 45 x 10
Block pull (3 inch) Military press Weighted chin up Band Pallof press
405 x 3, 455 x 3, 495 x 3 165 x 3, 165 x 3, 165 x 3 *super strict reps 50 x 10, 50 x 10, 50 x 10 pb x 10, pb x 10, pb x 10
Front squat Bench press Walking lunge DB step up Close grip bench Sumo deadlift Lateral raise RDL
275 x 3, 315 x 3, 350 x 3 225 x 3, 225 x 3, 225 x 3 *explosive reps 60 x 10, 60 x 10, 60 x 10 50 x 10, 50 x 10, 50 x 10
275 x 3, 285 x 3, 305 x 3 315 x 3, 365 x 3, 375 x 3 *explosive reps 40 x 10, 40 x 10, 40 x 10 185 x 10, 185 x 10, 185 x 10
Week Twelve 1/19/14
weight: 189 lbs
Back squat Floor press Sled push Band anti rotation hold
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
415 x 1, 475 x 1, 525 x 1 225 x 1, 225 x 1, 245 x 1 *super strict reps 350 x 40 yds, 350 x 40 yds, 350 x 40 yds pb x 30 sec, pb x 30 sec, pb x 30 sec
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1/20/14
weight: 188 lbs
1/22/14
weight: 188 lbs
1/23/14
weight: 187 lbs
Military press Block pull (3 inch) DB seated shoulder press 45 degree hyper
165 x 1, 195 x 1, 225 x 1 315 x 1, 315 x 1, 365 x 1 *super strict reps 70 x 12, 70 x 12, 70 x 12 80 x 12, 80 x 12, 80 x 12
Bench press Front squat Incline DB press EZ bar skull crusher
275 x 1, 305 x 1, 365 x 1 265 x 1, 275 x 1, 285 x 1 *explosive reps 85 x 12, 85 x 12, 85 x 12 75 x 12, 75 x 12, 75 x 12
Sumo deadlift Close grip bench Bent over row BB curl RKC plank
455 x 1, 500 x 1, 565 x 1 225 x 1, 245 x 1, 245 x 1 *explosive reps 175 x 12, 175 x 12, 175 x 12 85 x 12, 85 x 12, 85 x 12 bw x 30sec, bw x 30sec
Week Thirteen 1/26/14
weight: 187 lbs
1/27/14
weight: 188 lbs
1/29/14
weight: 188 lbs
1/30/14
weight: 189 lbs
Floor press Back squat Alternating DB chest press Weighted dip
275 x 1, 315 x 1, 355 x 1 315 x 1, 315 x 1, 315 x 1 *super strict reps 60 x 12, 60 x 12, 60 x 12 25 x 12, 25 x 12, 25 x 12
Block pull (3 inch) Military press Weighted chin up Band Pallof press
405 x 1, 455 x 1, 510 x 1 *super strict reps 165 x 1, 185 x 1, 185 x 1 30 x 12, 30 x 12, 30 x 12 pb x 10, pb x 10, pb x 10
Front squat Bench press Walking lunge DB step up Close grip bench Sumo deadlift Lateral raise RDL
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
295 x 1, 315 x 1, 395 x 1 225 x 1, 245 x 1, 275 x 1 *super strict reps 50 x 12, 50 x 12, 50 x 12 45 x 12, 45 x 12, 45 x 12
285 x 1, 305 x 1, 345 x 1 405 x 1, 405 x 1, 455 x 1 *super strict reps 25 x 12, 25 x 12, 25 x 12 165 x 12, 165 x 12, 165 x 12
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Week Fourteen (Deload) 2/2/14
weight: 192 lbs
2/3/14
weight: 190 lbs
2/5/14
weight: 190 lbs
2/6/14
weight: 190 lbs
Floor press Back squat Hip Thrust Band Pallof press
185 x 12, 195 x 10, 225 x 8 225 x 15, 255 x 10, 255 x 10 225 x 15, 315 x 15 pb x 10, pb x 10
Bent over row Military press DB upright row Single leg RDL
135 x 18, 135 x 18, 135 x 18 135 x 12, 135 x 12, 135 x 12 30 x 15, 30 x 15 40 x 8, 40 x 8, 40 x 8
Front squat Bench press Dip Rope tricep extension
185 x 15, 185 x 15, 185 x 15 135 x 20, 185 x 15, 185 x 12 bw x 15, bw x 15 100 x 15, 100 x 15
Close grip bench DB alternating curl Concentration curl Seated row
135 x 12, 185 x 8, 185 x 8 25 x 12, 30 x 12, 30 x 12 15 x 18, 15 x 18 150 x 20, 150 x 20
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Training Program On the following pages, I will provide you with a training log that should help keep you on track. This log just includes the main lifts. Remember, you will be determining which assistance lifts you employ based on your needs, preferences, and logistics.
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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2x4 Monday Block 1 Back Squat – Straight Weight Date Week Sets Reps Set 1 1* 3 5 2 3 5 3* 3 3 4 3 3 5* 3 1 6 3 1 Floor Press - Straight Weight 1 3 5 2* 3 5 3 3 3 4* 3 3 5 3 1 6* 3 1
Set 2
Set 3
Accessory work: Quads and Core -Weeks 1,3,5 Chest and Triceps -Weeks 2,4,6
* Denotes the lifts for which you’ll be going for PR’s 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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2x4 Tuesday Block 1 Military Press – Straight Weight Date Week Sets Reps Set 1 1* 3 5 2 3 5 3* 3 3 4 3 3 5* 3 1 6 3 1 Block Pull - Straight Weight 1 3 5 2* 3 5 3 3 3 4* 3 3 5 3 1 6* 3 1
Set 2
Set 3
Accessory work: Shoulders and Hamstrings/Posterior Chain -Weeks 1,3,5 Back, Biceps, and Core - Weeks 2,4,6
* Denotes the lifts for which you’ll be going for PR’s 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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2x4 Thursday Block 1 Bench Press – Straight Weight Date Week Sets Reps Set 1 1* 3 5 2 3 5 3* 3 3 4 3 3 5* 3 1 6 3 1 Front Squat - Straight Weight 1 3 5 2* 3 5 3 3 3 4* 3 3 5 3 1 6* 3 1
Set 2
Set 3
Accessory work: Chest and Triceps – Weeks 1,3,5 Quads and Core – Weeks 2,4,6
* Denotes the lifts for which you’ll be going for PR’s 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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2x4 Friday Block 1 Deadlift – Straight Weight Date Week Sets Reps Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 1* 3 5 2 3 5 3* 3 3 4 3 3 5* 3 1 6 3 1 Close Grip Bench Press - Straight Weight 1 3 5 2* 3 5 3 3 3 4* 3 3 5 3 1 6* 3 1
Accessory work: Back, Biceps, and Core – Weeks 1,3,5 Shoulders and Hamstrings/Posterior Chain – Weeks 2,4,6
* Denotes the lifts for which you’ll be going for PR’s 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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2x4 Monday Block 2 Back Squat – Ascending Weight Date Week Sets Reps Set 1 1* 3 5 2 3 5 3* 3 3 4 3 3 5* 3 1 6 3 1 Floor Press – Ascending Weight 1 3 5 2* 3 5 3 3 3 4* 3 3 5 3 1 6* 3 1
Set 2
Set 3
Accessory work: Quads and Core -Weeks 1,3,5 Chest and Triceps -Weeks 2,4,6
* Denotes the lifts for which you’ll be going for PR’s 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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2x4 Tuesday Block 2 Military Press – Ascending Weight Date Week Sets Reps Set 1 Set 2 1* 3 5 2 3 5 3* 3 3 4 3 3 5* 3 1 6 3 1 Block Pull – Ascending Weight 1 3 5 2* 3 5 3 3 3 4* 3 3 5 3 1 6* 3 1
Set 3
Accessory work: Shoulders and Hamstrings/Posterior Chain – Weeks 1,3,5 Back, Biceps, and Core - Weeks 2,4,6
* Denotes the lifts for which you’ll be going for PR’s 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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2x4 Thursday Block 2 Bench Press – Ascending Weight Date Week Sets Reps Set 1 1* 3 5 2 3 5 3* 3 3 4 3 3 5* 3 1 6 3 1 Front Squat – Ascending Weight 1 3 5 2* 3 5 3 3 3 4* 3 3 5 3 1 6* 3 1
Set 2
Set 3
Accessory work: Chest and Triceps – Weeks 1,3,5 Quads and Core – Weeks 2,4,6
* Denotes the lifts for which you’ll be going for PR’s 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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2x4 Friday Block 2 Deadlift – Ascending Weight Date Week Sets Reps Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 1* 3 5 2 3 5 3* 3 3 4 3 3 5* 3 1 6 3 1 Close Grip Bench Press – Ascending Weight 1 3 5 2* 3 5 3 3 3 4* 3 3 5 3 1 6* 3 1
Accessory work: Back, Biceps, and Core – Weeks 1,3,5 Shoulders and Hamstrings/Posterior Chain – Weeks 2,4,6
* Denotes the lifts for which you’ll be going for PR’s 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Peaking If you are peaking for a meet, you can simply plan to run 2 x 4 so that the week before your meet coincides with the 14th (deload) week of the training program. However, rather than sticking to the recommendations included in the deload section, please do the following:
1. Just train 2-3 days that week, preferably taking off the 2 days prior to the competition 2. Either avoid the big lifts completely, or do a few sets of each movement (squat, bench press, deadlift) but stay below 70% of 1RM 3. Perform some assistance work but steer clear of accumulating too much fatigue. This is not the time to be setting PR’s. Stick to 10 total sets for the entire workout. Get in, get the blood flowing, and go home. 4. You’ll be riding a high after setting single rep gym PR’s on the squat, bench, military, and deadlift three weeks out and single rep gym PR’s on the front squat, floor press, close grip bench, and block pull two weeks out. The week of the meet, you need to rest up, eat well, and sleep well so that your body is charged up for the meet.
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Tweaking the Program For your first time running 2 x 4, I recommend sticking exactly to the recipe. However, after going through the program, there are things that you will learn about how your body responds. You will figure out subtle ways in which you can tweak the program to produce even better results in the future. Don’t get me wrong; you don’t want to stray too far from the recipe. But tweaking the program 10% is probably beneficial for many lifters, given that we’re all different in terms of anatomy, physiology, and psychology. Again, don’t feel compelled to tweak the program if you think it’s perfect, but also don’t be afraid to tweak it slightly after you’ve become accustomed to the plan. I’ll discuss some examples of how my training partners and I have strayed from the program. Ascending Sets
When I’m performing my 3 sets of 5 ascending sets, I might prefer to just stick to triples for my first two work sets so that I’m not fatigued and can give my all to the last work set of 5 reps. For example, I recently block pulled 315 x 3, 405 x 3, and 495 x 5. Extra Day
You might miss some assistance work during the week if you’re pressed for time or if you’re just too drained to finish your training session. In this case, you may add in a fifth day where you perform some make-up work. We’ve resorted to this from time to time, so we will caution you – don’t overdo the assistance workout if you go this route. When you’re in the middle of a workout and the juices are flowing, it’s tempting to keep going and do a ton of volume. Be aware that you’ll have to set a PR a day or two later, so don’t go overboard. Sandbagging the Second Exercise
Some days you might be so wiped out after performing your first exercise of the day that you decide to sandbag the second exercise. You might choose to stray from the recommended prescription and just go through the motions. For example, I’ve seen my training partner Andrew do 3 sets of deadlifts with less than 60% of his 1RM after he performs his Friday close grip bench session. Conversely, I have trouble staying in the recommended ranges with military presses as I find myself wanting to go a bit heavier with them. Any good program must allow for some degree of auto-regulation. Mixing Up Rep Ranges
There have been times where we’ve strayed from the program when we felt like doing triples on our second exercise rather than singles, or singles rather than 5’s, etc. From time to time, we will pyramid up in weight with our pause reps, strict sets, or explosive sets and do something like a set of 5, a set of 3, and a set of 1. This only applies to the second lift of 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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the day, not the first. Once the PR has been set on the first lift, you have some wiggle room with your second lift of the day, so feel free to stray from the prescription slightly. Adding or Omitting Exercises
I like to perform a rowing movement several times per week. I also like to conduct some extra glute work several times per week. I’ll often perform hex bar bent over rows or band hip thrusts twice per week, and often these fall on days where I’m not supposed to be performing back or glute work. On the other hand, I’m guilty of neglecting my abs/core and failing to perform any targeted abdominal/oblique exercises for the week. Lifters with weaker grips will need to incorporate some additional grip work.
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Records Sheet Included in this program is a records-sheet that you will keep. It is very important that you get very familiar with your numbers. You want to almost worship these numbers, as these are the indicators of your strength and progress. You want to know what you can deadlift for 5 sets of 5. You want to know your 3 sets of 3 close grip bench press. You want to know your max single in the front squat. These are the numbers that let you know if you’re moving in the right direction with your training. Every time you set a PR, you update the sheet. Below is an example - this is my first raw 2 x 4 PR sheet at a bodyweight of 218 lbs. I’ve gotten markedly stronger since my first 2 x 4 training cycle, but this is where I started. You’ll need your own PR sheet, so I’ve included a blank one on the following page. Perhaps you can take a screenshot of it and print it, or recreate your own chart in Word. 3x5 Straight 280
3x3 Straight 315
3x1 Straight 345
3x5 Ascending 295
3x3 Ascending 320
3x1 Ascending
245
245
265
245
255
285
455
495
515
475
500
555
Block Deadlift (3” preferably)
475
495
515
495
505
565
Bench Press
245
255
275
250
255
285
Close Grip Bench
225
250
265
235
255
275
Floor Press (or Board Press)
245
260
285
250
265
290
Military Press
160
170
180
165
170
185
Back Squat (High Bar or Low Bar) Front Squat Deadlift (Conventional or Sumo)
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
365
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2 x 4: Maximum Strength PR Tracker Sheet
Back Squat (High Bar or Low Bar)
3x5 Straight
3x3 Straight
3x1 Straight
3x5 Ascending
3x3 Ascending
3x1 Ascending
Front Squat Deadlift (Conventional or Sumo) Block Deadlift (3” preferably) Bench Press Close Grip Bench Floor Press (or Board Press) Military Press
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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How to Adapt the Program for Different Movements Maybe you’re sold on maximum strength, but you aren’t a huge fan of powerlifting. Perhaps the squat, the bench press, or the deadlift just don’t suit your body very well. You may have discovered through trial and error that other movements build your strength and musculature better than the lifts that I’ve included in 2 x 4. Can you still adhere to the plan with some simple modifications? Sure you can. Here’s how. First, you’ll need to figure out the 8 lifts that you would like to prioritize in the program. As you know, I picked the back squat, front squat, deadlift, block pull, bench press, close grip bench press, military press, and floor press.
You might like the box squat, Romanian deadlift, Bulgarian split squat, hip thrust, weighted chin, seated dumbbell overhead press, chest supported row, and low incline press.
That’s fine as these are great exercises. Let me show you how to fit them into the 2 x 4 model. At this point, you’ll need to determine the three target reps you’ll reach. To remind you, I picked 5’s, 3’s, and 1’s in the original 2 x 4 plan. You might prefer a bit higher reps, such as 8’s, 6’s, and 4’s. You can build plenty of strength with these target reps, so trust your chosen reps.
Next, you’ll need to determine which lifts you’ll perform on the various four training days. Let’s say you choose to pair up box squats and low incline press on day one, hip thrusts and weighted chins on day two, Bulgarian split squats (Bulgarian SS) and seated dumbbell overhead press (Seated OHP) on day three, and Romanian deadlifts (RDL’s) and chest supported rows (CSR’s) on day four.
Now you’ll just perform the routine in a similar manner to what I provided in this manual. You’ll perform two weeks of 3 x 8 reps using the same weight on each set, two weeks of 3 x 6 reps using the same weight on each set, two weeks of 3 x 4 reps using the same weight on each set, then a deload week. This will be immediately followed by two weeks of 3 x 8 reps using progressively heavier loads on each set, two weeks of 3 x 6 reps using progressively heavier loads on each set, two weeks of 3 x 4 reps using progressively heavier loads on each set, then a deload week. 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Your plan would be set forth on the following page. Of course, you’d need to add in some assistance work and deload in a similar fashion to what was laid out earlier in the manual, but I’m sure you get the point. We’ve included a ton of exercises in our 2 x 4 library so that you can pick and choose what works best for you!
2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Example Adapted Program Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Day 1 (Mon) Box Squat 3 x 8 S Incline Press 3 x 8 S Incline Press 3 x 8 S Box Squat 3 x 8 S Back Squat 3 x 6 S Incline Press 3 x 6 S Incline Press 3 x 6 S Box Squat 3 x 6 S Box Squat 3 x 4 S Incline Press 3 x 4 S Incline Press 3 x 4 S Box Squat 3 x 4 S Deload Box Squat 3 x 8 A Incline Press 3 x 8 A Incline Press 3 x 8 A Box Squat 3 x 8 A Back Squat 3 x 6 A Incline Press 3 x 6 A Incline Press 3 x 6 A Box Squat 3 x 6 A Box Squat 3 x 4 A Incline Press 3 x 4 A Incline Press 3 x 4 A Box Squat 3 x 4 A Deload
* S = Straight Sets *In Red = PR’s
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Day 2 (Tues) Hip Thrust 3 x 8 S Weighted Chin 3 x 8 S Weighted Chin 3 x 8 S Hip Thrust 3 x 8 S Hip Thrust 3 x 6 S Weighted Chin 3 x 6 S Weighted Chin 3 x 6 S Hip Thrust 3 x 6 S Hip Thrust 3 x 4 S Weighted Chin 3 x 4 S Weighted Chin 3 x 4 S Hip Thrust 3 x 4 S Deload Hip Thrust 3 x 8 A Weighted Chin 3 x 8 A Weighted Chin 3 x 8 A Hip Thrust 3 x 8 A Hip Thrust 3 x 6 A Weighted Chin 3 x 6 A Weighted Chin 3 x 6 A Hip Thrust 3 x 6 A Hip Thrust 3 x 4 A Weighted Chin 3 x 4 A Weighted Chin 3 x 4 A Hip Thrust 3 x 4 A Deload
* A = Ascending Sets
Day 3 (Thur) Bulgarian SS 3 x 8 S Seated OHP 3 x 8 S Seated OHP 3 x 8 S Bulgarian SS 3 x 8 S Bulgarian SS 3 x 6 S Seated OHP 3 x 6 S Seated OHP 3 x 6 S Bulgarian SS 3 x 6 S Bulgarian SS 3 x 4 S Seated OHP 3 x 4 S Seated OHP 3 x 4 S Bulgarian SS 3 x 4 S Deload Bulgarian SS 3 x 8 A Seated OHP 3 x 8 A Seated OHP 3 x 8 A Bulgarian SS 3 x 8 A Bulgarian SS 3 x 6 A Seated OHP 3 x 6 A Seated OHP 3 x 6 A Bulgarian SS 3 x 6 A Bulgarian SS 3 x 4 A Seated OHP 3 x 4 A Seated OHP 3 x 4 A Bulgarian SS 3 x 4 A Deload
Day 4 (Fri) RDL 3 x 8 S CSR 3 x 8 S CSR 3 x 8 S RDL 3 x 8 S RDL 3 x 6 S CSR 3 x 6 S CSR 3 x 6 S RDL 3 x 6 S RDL 3 x 4 S CSR 3 x 4 S CSR 3 x 4 S RDL 3 x 4 S Deload RDL 3 x 8 A CSR 3 x 8 A CSR 3 x 8 A RDL 3 x 8 A RDL 3 x 6 A CSR 3 x 6 A CSR 3 x 6 A RDL 3 x 6 A RDL 3 x 4 A CSR 3 x 4 A CSR 3 x 4 A RDL 3 x 4 A Deload
* In Black = Pause Reps, Superstrict Reps, or Explosive Training
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2 x 4 for Geared or Advanced Lifters What if you’re a competitive powerlifter who trains and competes in gear? What if you’ve been heavily influenced by Westside Training and like to utilize more of their methodology? Can you still follow the 2 x 4 plan? Sure you can, with some simple modifications. Here are ways in which you can go about this: 1. Train in Gear With Squats and Bench
When performing maximal squats and bench press, train in your gear. This means wear your briefs, knee wraps, belt, and squat suit when you squat, and wear your bench shirt when you bench. You’ll still be doing plenty of raw work when performing submaximal effort work and when performing box squats, floor press, and close grip bench press, so the two styles will go hand in hand with each other.
2. Substitute Box Squats for Front Squats
Rather than performing front squats, perform box squats and practice sitting back while keeping the shins vertical. This training will be more specific to the demands of the geared squat.
3. Utilize Accommodating Resistance During Explosive Training
When you perform explosive training, make sure to loop some band tension or chains around the bar to more closely mimic the strength curve of geared lifting. A good rule of thumb is to incorporate an extra 2030% of tension at the top of the lift. Another option is to use the sling shot during your bench and even close grip bench press training. See the reference guide for a video on the sling shot.
4. Perform a Greater Proportion of Explosive Training
Rather than utilizing the super-strict method or pause reps, stick mostly to explosive training for your submaximal effort methods.
We’ve included a great deal of exercises in our quick reference video guide, so make sure you check that out if you fall into this category. We teach you how to set up bands and chains for the different lifts in addition to demonstrating the most effective ways of utilizing accommodating resistance. 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Here are some frequently asked questions pertaining to 2 x 4, split up into several different categories, which include: • • • • • • •
Gear/Accessories and Specialty Equipment Training Form & Technique Assistance Lifts Troubleshooting Programming General
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Gear/Accessories and Specialty Equipment Can I wear lifting straps? Some powerlifters wear them, however, I don’t recommend their usage because you should never be limited by your grip. I have overcome a terribly weak grip by avoiding straps and utilizing specialized grip training. One benefit of straps is that you can usually use more weight, but this is a slippery slope since relying on them can become a crutch. In competition you are not allowed to use straps, so I think it’s best to avoid using them altogether. A good knurled barbell and chalk should suffice. I don’t have bands. What do I do? This depends on the exercise. For example, if you don’t have bands, you can use a cable column with Pallof presses or face pulls. You can also employ similar free weight substitutes. In terms of accommodating resistance, you can use chains. I would recommend saving up for bands in the future.
I don’t have blocks. What do I do? Block pulls are a large component of this program, and I have a hunch that they’ll become one of your favorite exercises (they quickly became one of mine). I like a 3" block the best, however, most powerlifters prefer 4”. I spent roughly $30 at Lowe's - I had them cut 2 sheets of plywood in squares that I could stack on top of one another for block pulls and also deficit work. You may use rack pulls in the meantime but I would highly recommend getting your hands on some blocks. Either purchase blocks, or get crafty and figure something out like I did. Some lifters pull off of bumper plates, which presents another option.
I don’t have a 2-Board. What do I do? You can do floor press as a substitute, but a 2-board is a very easy tool to make for a cheap price. Again, you can go to your local hardware store and get the materials for a reasonable price. It’s a great option for building bench press lockout strength so I recommend that over time you figure out a way to board press. I don’t have a sling shot. What do I do? The sling shot is an excellent tool for advanced and geared lifters. It’s good for raw lifters too, and you can substitute this for the floor press or board press if you 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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purchase one. If you’re looking to mimic the effect, you can use bands or chains in the meantime if they are available to you. I recommend that you invest in one as they are very useful and can help spare your shoulders and pecs, especially if you are injury prone. Another possibility is to use a mini band looped around the upper arm, which works similar to a slingshot but is not as beneficial.
I have a hex bar, can I do hex bar deadlifts? Yes, these can be done in place of regular deadlifts or block pulls in the weeks where you are not trying to set a PR. I also like to use the hex bar for bent over rows. Should I wear a belt? Yes, you should, but only on your top lifts (>85% of 1RM). Do not use a belt so frequently that you rely on it even on your warm-up sets.
Should I wear knee wraps or sleeves? This is up to you. Some federations allow the use of knee wraps and sleeves while some do not, so take this into consideration and do some research if you plan on competing. Moreover, don’t use them so often that you absolutely rely on them while training.
Should I wear elbow sleeves? These are not allowed in any federation so do not use them so frequently that you become reliant on them. You may use them from time to time if you feel the need, but again, don’t use them all the time. Should I wear wrist wraps? These are advised since most federations allow them. If you plan on competing, check with your federation ahead of time. Most of my colleagues wear them and swear by them to keep their wrists healthy. What type of shoes should I wear? Most people do best squatting in Chuck Taylors, while others do best in Olympic shoes. I like front squatting in Olympic shoes and back squatting in Chucks or something similar. You might prefer different shoes with different lifts so experiment to find what works best for you. For example, some lifters prefer to bench in Olympic shoes, and a very small minority even like to deadlift using Olympic shoes. Different strokes for different folks. 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Should I use liniment? Yes, I think using liniment is a good idea when you are feeling beat up, but I don’t advise you to use it all the time and become reliant upon it.
I don’t have a glute ham developer, what else can I do? The GHR primarily strengthens knee flexion hamstring strength, which I believe to be overrated for powerlifting and maximal strength training in general. So don’t fret if you can’t do GHR’s. There are many other options that are great for building hamstring strength, including: back extensions, good mornings, reverse hypers, Nordic ham curls, and Valslide leg curls.
I don’t have a reverse hyper, what else can I do? The reverse hyper is a great tool. However, it’s not well-tolerated by every lifter. The heavy kettlebell swing is a good substitute for reverse hypers. However, back extensions and hip thrusts will do the job as well.
I don’t have a hip thruster, what else can I do? We love our band hip thrusts off the hip thruster. However, if you don’t have a hip thruster, you can simply do barbell hip thrusts off of a standard bench. Make sure you have a bar pad to cushion the hips. You can also get crafty and figure out a way to do band hip thrusts, perhaps using a power rack.
I don’t have a back extension, what else can I do? You can perform back extensions off of a standard bench by laying flat on the bench and hooking your legs underneath the bench. Sometimes you’ll need to put a heavy dumbbell on the other end of the bench to prevent it from tipping. However, good mornings and hip thrusts can be performed (or reverse hypers or kettlebell swings) in their place. I don’t have a heavy kettlebell, what else can I do? Heavy kettlebell swings are great, but many individuals don’t use great form with these, so make sure you do them right if you do them. Most lifters don’t have access to heavy kettlebells. We like to use the 203 pounder in our training. However, you can purchase a Hungarian core blaster or Kettleclamp if you’d like. And perhaps better yet, you can make a homemade t-handle for around $15 from Home Depot. There are videos showing how to make these on YouTube. I don’t have any specialty bars. Am I in trouble? 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Plenty of world-class lifters have built their strength using solely a standard barbell for their big lifts. Do not worry if you don’t have a safety squat bar, rackable cambered bar, buffalo bar, or hex bar. These are nice to have for long term training, but they’re not necessary.
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Training Can I do a burn out set? No. Burn out sets are tempting, but get your volume with the assistance exercises. Burn out sets are great for other programs, but for 2 x 4 they will compromise recovery and impede progress.
Can I rep out on the last set if I have more in the tank? No, just stick to the 3x5, 3x3, and 3x1. If you end up completing the sets with relative ease, just leave some in the tank rather than pushing the envelope. When you start doing extra, it affects you later in the training week. Should I do high bar or low bar back squats? It depends. Most lifters will find they're stronger with low bar, but some prefer high bar. Experiment with both and find what works for you. Throughout the year, you should incorporate both styles though.
Should I do conventional or sumo deadlifts? It depends, and there's really no way to tell which style you’ll be best at. You'll have to experiment to find which one works for you, although both should be done throughout the year (just as in the case of high bar and low bar squats). Can I do touch and go reps? No. Do not touch and go with your bench presses or deadlifts. Always use a slight pause. Deadlifts are reset every rep, and bench presses are held with a pause. Bad habits beget bad habits with bench press, and deadlift gains will be greater if you pause between reps. Can I incorporate pause reps? Yes, these are done on days when you're not trying to set a record, on alternating weeks. We highly encourage pause reps on the primary lifts. These are also beneficial during de-load weeks as well.
Can I incorporate dynamic effort work? Yes, you can do dynamic effort work on alternating weeks when you are not setting PRs. However DE should be reserved for lifters that have sufficient weightlifting experience. Geared lifters should employ a greater proportion of explosive lifting in their training. 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Can I do conditioning work? Yes, although I'm not a huge fan of HIIT training when training for maximal strength. Keep in mind that weight training is a form of conditioning work - especially high rep assistance lifts. I like the prowler, hill sprints, KB swings, and Farmers walks, but don’t overdo it. There’s nothing wrong with plain old walking. Don’t forget that plenty of bodybuilders and powerlifters have been successful without ever doing HIIT. I recommend periodizing your conditioning so that you’re not doing extra high intensity work year round.
Can I do Olympic lifts? No, they’re not worth it when aiming for maximal strength. If aiming for greater power, explosive training (DE or CAT) can be done every other week. This will give you the specific explosive strength you need for building the big lifts. The Olympic lifts can be dangerous for athletes not used to this stimulus, as they are very technical. If you’re insistent on performing other explosive lifts, then hex bar jump squats and heavy kettlebell swings can build just as much power as Olympic lifts but are safer to perform.
Can I do plyometrics? No, they’re not worth it when building maximal strength. Explosive training done every other week will give you the specific explosive strength you need. Plyometrics can be dangerous for athletes not used to this type of stimulus. If you’re insistent upon incorporating some plyos, then box jumps are easiest on the body.
Can I do sprints? No, it’s not worth it for maximum strength training. Dynamic effort work done every other week will give you the specific explosive strength you need. Sprints can be dangerous for lifters who are not used this type of stimulus. I know many lifters who pulled a hammy or hip flexor when attempting sprints and ended up regretting it. If you’re insistent on sprinting, then hill sprints are easier on the body. How do I get more TUT and metabolic stress into my workouts? You can get this with your assistance lifts, not with your specific lifts. With the specific lifts be sure to stick to the plan, but you can focus more on getting a pump, feeling the burn, and getting more volume in with the assistance lifts.
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Form and Technique Is it ok if I round my back a little bit with deadlifts? Yes and no. On weeks where you're going for PRs, allow for a little bit of wiggle room, but limit the low back rounding as much as possible. Upper back rounding is acceptable, however. The more neutral you can keep your spine, the less beat up you'll get, which is important on this program. On non-PR weeks be ultra strict.
I lean forward a lot in my squat. What should I do? Much of this is due to your anatomy and body segment lengths. Some find wearing Olympic shoes helps. Strengthening the quads and improving ankle mobility can help tremendously over time as well. You want to stay relatively upright, but it’s not uncommon to see powerlifters leaning forward to a 45 degree trunk angle when at the bottom of the movement. I’m stronger when I flare my elbows out on a bench press rather than keeping them in. This is very common with lifters who first start powerlifting, but stick with it. Over time, the vast majority of lifters find they are stronger this way, so be patient. It will also be better for your shoulders in the long run. The ideal arm angle varies from one lifter to the next so experiment to figure out what works best for you.
What’s the best grip for deadlifts? Most people use a mixed grip (overunder), but some of my colleagues like the hook grip. The hook grip takes a while to get used to, but some swear by it. Find what works best for you to allow you to pull the most weight.
How deep should I do my front squats? Try going ass to grass (ATG) on these, but if you can't maintain proper form, just go as deep as you can without losing your arch. Some lifters can only safely go to parallel.
I’m weak off the floor during deadlifts. Pause deadlifts, leg presses and heavy KB swings will help. Some lifters find that quad work in general and deficit deadlifts help improve their starting strength. I have a weak lockout with the deadlift. Hip thrusts, back extensions, and thoracic extensions can help. Some people like rack pulls. Make sure your rack pulls mimic the same body positioning you use during your regular deadlift. 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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I’m weak off the chest during bench. Pauses, super-strict technique, explosive training, learning to stay tight, and learning to use the lats in the bottom position of the press can all help.
I have a weak lockout with the bench. Band triceps extensions, floor press, board press, slingshot, bands, chains, and other triceps work will help. I like band tricep extensions because they are easiest on the elbow joint and can be performed frequently. I have trouble sitting back during the squat. Box squats, good mornings, and general strengthening of the back and hamstrings should help with this. I have trouble reaching depth with the squat. Hip mobility work, ankle mobility work, pause squats, and squatting to a box will help. Squatting to a box prevents skimping in ROM, which tends to happen as the weight gets heavier in training.
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Assistance Lifts Should I go to failure on my assistance work? Don’t be afraid to go to failure, but in general, try to leave 1-2 reps in the tank. Assistance lifts are every bit as much about quality as quantity, so make sure you focus on the intended muscles and use excellent technical form.
Why do I need to hip thrust? The hip thrust is highly beneficial for several reasons: 1. Bigger glutes can never hurt for squatting and deadlifting 2. They can actually transfer to all three lifts since the bench press requires leg drive that’s similar to a hip thrust 3. The most overlooked benefit is when lifters go to pull their 3rd deadlift attempt on the platform. They usually go for a PR which they have never lifted before. They round their back slightly to get the load off the floor, and without big strong glutes, it makes it near impossible to lock out the weight because they are in a disadvantageous position.
Can I do other types of bent over rows? Of course. I like the Pendlay style row, but I don’t reset each rep on the floor, which builds added grip strength. However, you may do Yates rows or other types of rows if you would like. I like the hex bar for bent over rows as well. How much abdominal work should I do? Don’t go overboard on abs. A couple sets at the end of the workout is all you need. You can get very strong abs this way. What type of core/ab exercises should I do? Spinal stability exercises are the safer option: RKC planks, hollow body holds, side planks, and Pallof presses are advised. However many powerlifters like straight leg sit-ups and hanging leg raises and have not found them to be injurious. How often should I hip thrust? At least once a week but I recommend 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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twice per week if you find that glutes are a weak part.
How often should I bent over row? A least once per week but I recommend twice per week performed with a double overhand grip if your grip strength is lacking. Bent over rows can transfer to all 3 powerlifts so don’t underestimate their importance.
What assistance work should I do on the different days? Since the main lifts alternate, you’ll need to alternate the assistance work to make sure not to tire anything out for one of the lifts in which you are going for a record. I like quads and core on day 1 of week 1 and day 3 of week 2, shoulders and hamstrings on day 2 of week 1 and day 4 of week 2, chest and triceps on day 3 of week 1 and day 1 of week 2, back/bi’s/core on day 4 of week 4 and day 2 of week 2.
What are the best assistance exercises for shoulders? Military press, dumbbell military press, lateral raises, front raises, and rear delt raises are advised.
What are the best assistance exercises for pecs? Flys, dumbbell bench, and dumbbell incline press are advised.
What are the best assistance exercises for quads? Front squats, hack squats, leg press, leg extensions, and single leg squatting movements like lunging and Bulgarian split squats are advised. What are the best assistance exercises for hamstrings? Good mornings, back extensions, 45 degree hypers, reverse hypers, GHRs, Nordic ham curls, and Valslide leg curls are advised. What are the best assistance exercises for back? Bent over rows, chin ups, pulldowns, chest supported rows, seated rows, inverted rows, and 1arm DB rows are advised.
What are the best assistance exercises for calves? Single leg calf raises can be done anywhere off a step, so they are most convenient. Standing and seated machine calf raises are good as well. 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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What are the best assistance exercises for glutes? Hip thrusts, single leg hip thrusts, pull-throughs, barbell glute bridges, kb swings, and seated band hip abductions are all advised.
What are the best assistance exercises for arms? For triceps, I like band triceps extensions. For biceps I like hammer curls because they are both very easy on the joints, which is important when training frequently. There are many other great arm exercises like barbell curls, EZ bar curls, rolling DB triceps extensions, dips, and chins as well.
What are the best assistance exercises for the squat? Front squats, deadlifts, block pulls, and hip thrusts are my favorites. Some people like box squats and good mornings, while others like Bulgarian split squats and back extensions. It is very important to find what works best for you. What are the best assistance exercises for the bench press? Close grip bench, dumbbell bench press, military press, chest supported rows, band triceps extensions, and floor press are my favorites, but there are many others. What are the best assistance exercises for the deadlift? Squats, front squats, block pulls, and hip thrusts are my favorites, but there are many others.
How do I know how many sets and reps to use for my assistance work? Many strategies can work. In general 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps, but do not be afraid to do just 1 set of 20 or sets of 3's and 5's from time to time. Variety is good.
What is more important for getting stronger - the main lifts or the assistance lifts? The main lifts are much more important but the assistance lifts help out very much over the long haul and drive your main lifts. Do not make the mistake of neglecting either. I’m not strong enough to do glute ham raises - can I just do negatives? Yes, that would be an appropriate regression.
I'm not strong enough to do pullups can I just do negatives? Yes, that would be an appropriate regression. You can also do band assisted pull-ups or seated lat pulldowns if you have access to one. 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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Trouble Shooting There’s nowhere to do hip thrusts at my gym, is there a substitute? You can do barbell glute bridges, single leg hip thrusts off a bench, pull throughs, or try setting up aerobic steps and doing barbell hip thrusts off that. I can’t roll the bar over my hips for barbell hip thrusts and glute bridges because my legs are too big. Learn how to set up band hip thrusts using a rack or heavy dumbbells, or use a spotter to help hand the weight to you.
The bar hurts my hips when I hip thrust. You need a Hampton thick bar pad, Airex balance pad, or Squat Sponge to cushion the hips. Alternatively, learn how to use bands.
I can’t get hip thrusts to feel right. You’re probably using too much weight, so drop the load and make sure you really squeeze the glutes at end range. Experiment with your foot and back position as well.
Squatting hurts my hips. Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) is extremely common in lifters, so this may be the culprit. If you have to, squat high and do DE work. Soft tissue work and stretching can help as well, as can goblet squats and glute strengthening. Hip thrusts hurt my knees. This can happen because the quads contract very hard while hip thrusting. If this happens, back off in frequency and the pain will usually subside.
Deadlifts hurt my back. A lot of times this is due to either lumbar flexion (rounding) or hyperextension (overarching). Make sure you know what a neutral spine is and reinforce this posture over and over in your lifting. You may need to take a couple weeks off from heavy deadlifting if it’s acting up. Never stubbornly push through pain. Listen to your body and make appropriate adjustments in training. 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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My grip is weak. Train your grip twice per week. My favorites are grippers, bench squeezes, and static one arm hangs from a pull up bar. However, doing deadlift warm up sets with a double overhand grip and bent over rows with double overs will go a long way in strengthening your grip as well. My shoulders hurt when I squat. You can try high bar squats with a wide hand placement. If that doesn’t work, the cambered bar, safety squat bar, and buffalo bar can all bring some relief as well. Front squatting for a few weeks is another option.
My shoulders hurt when I bench. The Swiss bar, football bar, 2 board press, floor press, sling shot, mobility work, activation work, and soft tissue work in the shoulder girdle can be good solutions.
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Programming Can I do this routine and another routine at the same time? Absolutely not.
On what days should I schedule my workouts? I like Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri. Some like Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Sat. In general, just try to spread the days out and make sure you’re recovering. Should I deload? If so, how often? Yes, I recommend every six weeks you have a week where you take it easy. This is written in the program. Stick to 10 sets total or less for the workout including assistance movements.
I’m young. Can I add in more frequency? No. You can add more volume in the assistance lifts but don’t add more frequency to the main lifts.
I’m older and my body has taken a pounding over the years. How can I adapt the routine? You can use a cambered and safety squat bar for squats. You can use the swiss bar or thick bar for bench. You may avoid the military press and perform bent over rows with a trap bar. You could do more single leg work and posterior chain work and less specific work. The point is to adapt the program to work for you, which can easily be done. Should I do this program year round? No. It’s a 14-week cycle that may be done twice back-to-back or 3 times spread out throughout the year. I’d like to add in Smolov, 5/3/1, Sheiko, Russian Squat, Westside, etc.? These can be run at separate times of the year, but make sure you deload and recover properly after completing 2x4 before starting something else.
How should I adjust my training if I am prepping for a meet? Plan the program so that the last deload week is the week of the meet. On this week, it’s probably better to just train 2-3 days using light loads and mostly assistance
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work. I don’t recommend taking it completely off however. Deloading is specific to the lifter, so experiment to figure out what works best for you.
How should I choose my weights at a meet? Beginners should be really conservative. There’s nothing wrong with going 9 for 9. Your 1st lift should be something you can lift for 5 reps. Your 2nd lift should be something you’ve hit in training and know you can do. And your 3rd lift would ideally be a gym PR. However, you'll have to adjust depending on how you're feeling. I’m on anabolic steroids. Can I modify the program? You can add in more assistance work if you feel that you’re easily recovering, but don’t modify the specific work.
I compete in gear. Should I modify the program? Yes. Read the section on this topic. In general, do more top end work and use bands and chains. I am a female. Should I train differently on this program than a male would? No. Train the same way. You might need to add in more glute work if you feel your glutes are a weak point.
Since you don’t give percentages, when should we consider a set a ‘work’ set? It takes a couple cycles of this program to really learn your weights, but over time, you will learn your exact strength on the different set and rep schemes.
Can you provide a rough estimate on how long each lifting session should take? 60-90 minutes
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General When I feel really beat up, should I still lift? It depends. You need to learn the difference between general discomfort and bad pain. With bad pain, you do not want to train, so take the day off. With general discomfort, many times people will find this goes away after their warm-up and they have a great workout. If you’re just fatigued, go lighter and focus on form. Usually lifters can train around things, but there’s nothing wrong with just foam rolling and stretching and then heading home. How should I warm up? In general, it is a good idea to spend 10-15 minutes doing a general warm-up consisting of self-manual therapy (SMT,) dynamic mobility, and some muscle activation work. You’ll also need to perform specific warm-up sets for your first lifts of the day.
What kind of diet should I follow? Many diets can work well. I am a fan of IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros), but in general, you do not want to carry excess body fat. Look at powerlifters Stan Efferding and Dan Green who are both proof that you do not need to be fat to be strong. I want to get muscular and strong at the same time, will this program help me achieve both objectives? Yes, this program is great at doing both at the same time. Since both strength and hypertrophy are related, we have included all the variables into 2x4. We left no stone unturned. How long of a rest should I take in between sets? It depends. For specific work, around 3 minutes, but for assistance work, 1-2 minutes. When performing explosive training on the main lifts, keep it to 60-90 seconds.
Is this program for lifters of all different experience levels? Yes, it can work for both beginners and advanced lifters.
What should I do if I have to miss a day of training how should I continue when I return? Since this is a 4-day a week program, try to squeeze it in on another day. You need to be able to commit to 4 days. If you miss a couple of days, you may have to combine the specific lifts from different days while dropping the assistance exercises. 2 x 4: Maximum Strength
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What should I do if I have to miss a week of training - how should I continue when I return? Just continue where you left off.
What can I do on the days that I am not lifting? Recovery work. This can include: Jacuzzi, contrast baths/showers, and SMT. It can also entail taking in proper nutrition, sleeping well, relaxing, and having some fun.
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