Phase I: 4 Day Functional Strength Workout
Get it here: Free 4 Day Functional Strength Workout 1
Program Introduction:
Before even getting into any details I wanted to say one thing. This is not designed to be a balls to the wall program. The goal is to gain strength and muscle, but in order to do that we first need to develop a solid foundation that we can build on. This is a 4 week, 4 day per week, functional strength program. The point is to gradually improve each week, so that by week 4 of the program you are feeling your best, lifting your most challenging weights, and confident in the movements.
Program Objective:
Build functional strength through the execution of fundamental and complex weight bearing movements.
Program Breakdown:
Each week will contain 4 workouts. 2 focus on chest, back, biceps, triceps, and core. 2 focus on legs, shoulders, and core. The workouts are each repeated 4 times (once per week, for 4 weeks).
With a 4 week cycle, this is how you should think about approaching each week’s workouts.
Week 1: Feel out the movements and discover the best weights to hit the prescribed repetitions. Figure out if there are any modifications that you need to make. Whether that’s because of available equipment or because you’re not comfortable doing an exercise. But week 1 is not for maxing out or going to failure and getting so sore that it makes the next workouts painful to do (in fact, not getting painfully sore is a theme you should stick to throughout the program). The four weeks will be taxing enough without overdoing it early on.
Week 2: Hopefully you made any adjustments you needed to in Week 1 and found or came close to finding the right weights. You should also feel more comfortable with the movements, and replaced anything that was painful or uncomfortable with a different exercise. But if you haven’t made those adjustments entering into Week 2, then Week 2 is still a good time to modify. Once you’ve made your adjustments and picked the right weights, think about getting into a good flow with the exercises and the workout, and trying to really familiarize yourself with the workouts’ cadence. Hopefully after week 2 it will start to feel familiar.
Week 3: After building a foundation in Weeks 1 & 2, Week 3 is a good time to challenge yourself by increasing the weights 5-10%, or increase the repetitions if your weight options are limited (i.e. only have increments of 10 lb, or you’ve already maxed the weighs you have). With that said, don’t increase the weights if it means sacrificing form. If you’re planning on continuing to workout after the 4 weeks are over, then maintaining solid form and avoiding injury is important. Think long term. Compounding gains.
Week 4: If there is a time to go balls to the wall, then it is Week 4. For one, you will have had 3 weeks of foundational building to rely on by this point. And two, Week 4 is the last week of the program before switching to a new routine. After 4 weeks you might even want to take a week to rest and / or do another activity. So, if you find yourself really sore after the Week 4 workouts, take it as a good sign that you challenged yourself. Still, never sacrificing form.
Additional Details:
Workout structure: Each workout is made up of 8 exercises, broken into 3 circuits that are treated as supersets. Meaning, you’ll perform each exercise within the give circuit in succession, and then take a 90 second break before repeating it again. Complete each circuit 3 times before moving onto the next circuit.
The first circuit is only 2 exercises and focuses more on the primary muscle groups for that day (i.e. chest, back, legs, shoulders). The last 2 circuits have 3 exercises, focus more on the ancillary groups (i.e. triceps, rear deltoids) and include one core specific exercise. Workouts are designed to last ~30 - 45 minutes, plus a 10 - 15 min warm up (so no more than 45 - 60 minutes total).
Equipment Needed:
Dumbbells
Kettlebells
TRX
Resistance bands
A bench
Pull up bar
Stability ball
Yoga mat
If you belong to a gym or are going to join one you shouldn’t have an issue. If you’ve been working out at home then I would assume you have most of this equipment, and weights heavy enough and diverse enough for the program.
Progressing and Regressing:
There’s three simple ways to make any workout easier or harder:
Increase/decrease the weight
Increase/decrease the repetitions (don’t go more than 15 or less than 6)
Increase/decrease the sets (don’t go more than 4 or less than 3)
You might end a workout and still have energy for more. Don’t do more. Save that energy for the next day, or your off day and perform some cardio. Likewise, consider that you didn’t push yourself hard enough during the workout. Remember that for your next workout. This is a functional strength program. Stick to it.
Warming Up:
Schedule:
The program lists Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday as the designated days, making Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday rest days. I personally treat Wednesday and Saturday as cardio days (i.e. trail running, cycling, indoor rower, assault bike, jumping rope), and take Sunday off. If there’s a better way for you to fit in the 4 strength days, then feel free to modify as needed.
Note: If you have not exercised in a while, and want to start slower, picking one upper day and one lower day (that includes shoulders), and training 2x per week is a good place to start.
Keeping Track:
The program is in spreadsheet form pre-populated with all of the exercises, prescribed repetitions, areas of focus, and most importantly links to video demonstrations of each movement. Keeping track of the weights and repetitions performed is a major component of any workout program, so don’t skip this important step. I like to complete my spreadsheet in real time during my workout because when I don’t, I inevitably forget what I did, and while I always think I’ll remember, I rarely do. Pull up the spreadsheet while you’re training and put it in after each circuit while you’re taking your rest interval.
Diet:
Diet is of course more important than the workouts themselves. However, I find that communicating what a proper diet should look like is extremely difficult. There are so many variables to consider that change from person to person. I don’t even like the idea of a “diet.” Instead what I recommend is cooking / preparing as many of your meals yourself as possible using real food ingredients. In my experience if you eat a diet abundant in real good (90%+ of your calorie) then it will be easy to hit your health, fitness, and weight goals. That means avoiding processed food as much as physically possible (in which I would include eating out, ordering in, or buying prepared meals). If you’re unsure what processed food is, here is a great checklist to consider when buying food.
Processed food is defined by seven engineering criteria:
mass produced
consistent batch to batch
consistent country to country
uses specialized ingredients from specialized companies
consists of pre-frozen macronutrients
must stay emulsified so that the fat and water do not later out
must have a long shelf life or freezer life
Are carbs bad? Refined carbohydrates and sugar contain almost no nutrients and are particularly devoid of fiber, a key nutrient that aids in digestion. If you’re going to indulge in bread, pizza, pasta, dessert, ice cream, or anything of the like, then make special emphasis to make sure if comes from a local source that prepares their own dough, ice cream, or pastries. At the very least eliminate the preservatives, gums, toxins, and added ingredients that are included in store bought foods that are needed to be shipped around the globe.
A Few FAQs:
Do you recommend a certain weight for dumbbell and kettlebell for each progression?
It's hard to know where everyone should start from. Choose a weight that your confident you can hit the prescribed reps with. On your subsequent sets make adjustments. If it felt light you can up the weight next time (I usually jump 5 - 10 lbs when it comes to dumbbells and kettlebells), or add in a couple of repetitions. Use the first set and the first weeks to get good at choosing your weights. Also, keep track of what you're using so you can start where you leave off the previous week.
Do you recommend taking any supplements?
I don't recommend any, but here's what I take:
5,000 IU of Vitamin D: good for overall health and immune function (vitamin D deficiency is one of the main causes of a weak immune system)
5 g creatine monohydrate: for physical and cognitive performance
Omega-3 fish oils: anti-inflammatory
350 mg (split into two servings, 1 mid-day with my creatine, 1 before bed) CALM Brand magnesium: good for muscle cramping and overall health
LMNT electrolytes: I've been mixing 1 packet into 64 ounces of water (split into two 32 ounce servings, 1 before my workout, 1 after). The packet contains magnesium, potassium, sodium. There's a lot of research to suggest that these specific elements aid in performance and they definitely make me feel better, especially after a hard workout like a HIIT class or kickboxing where I'm sweating a lot.
Recommendations on food?
Eat real food
Measure your meals using your hands
1 handful of protein (meat, fish, eggs, tofu)
2 handful of veggie or fruit
1 - 2 handful of whole grains (quinoa), rice, potato, or the like
1 thumb size serving of healthy fat (avocado, almond, walnut)
Do you advise doing cardio on after each days workout?
No. Save cardio for off days. Especially in the beginning of the program.
And of course please feel to reach out to me with any questions, concerns, requests for modifications etc… I’m happy to help.
Enjoy.
James