(This is dedicated to my friends at Fort Lewis. This is the idea I was trying to explain.)
We tend to overcomplicate everything in life. Tell someone to “eat clean” and you need a 500-page manual to explain it. To get “in shape” might take several thick volumes of work to detail everything.
But, to get strong is one of the easiest things I know. As I often joke, and the research backs me up on this:
If you want to get stronger, lift weights.
The best method I know is simply “One-Two-Three.” It’s an old method that has recently seen the light of day again.
Pick a big movement.
Push: Bench or Military Press
Pull: Pull Up
Squat: Front Squat or Back Squat
Hinge: Deadlift
Find a load that you can do for five. It’s going to really vary for most of us, but a normal trainer will find that 80% of their max is about right. Now, follow this rep scheme:
1–2–3
Do a single, rest a bit, do a double, rest a bit, then do a triple. That is six total reps and the quality should all be excellent. For a solid workout, run through this three times: 1–2–3–1–2–3–1–2–3.
