Get Strong With Us
BARBELL CLUB
Welcome to our Barbell Club! This page is set up as a guide for our members so they have easy access to our programs and coaching resources. For in-person or online coaching, reach out to us.
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This page gives you access to our NOVICE BARBELL PROGRAM and our intermediate/advanced level POWER UP PROGRAM. The following sections will guide you on how to download our training log spreadsheet and how to put it to use.
This program assumes that you have a basic level of understanding for barbell training. If you've never trained with a barbell, we highly recommend finding a local coach or experienced athlete to teach you the basics in-person, or refer to our Basic Barbell Training Videos
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Need more help, click here to talk to Coach Rick
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Click The Title of a section to skip to it!
INTRO
This program was developed using several training methods, and designed to be customized to suit many peoples' training needs. Before beginning this program, please read the disclaimer and overview of the program. If you want coaching or a personalized program, send us a message.
DISCLAIMER: All exercise and physical activity comes with risks. Not all exercises are suitable for everyone and this or any other exercise program may result in injury. PLEASE ALWAYS consult your DOCTOR before beginning this or any other exercise program. If you don't know how to exercise properly, enlist an expert to teach you the basics. GetStrongWithUs and its representatives are not liable for injuries occuring
GETTING STARTED: If you are working with a coach, they will have already done a movement/knowledge assessment and set up the program to suit your needs. If you are getting started and do not have a coach, start with the following SELF-ASSESSMENT to make sure you are starting where you need to. If you are starting with the Novice program, follow the recommended weights listed on that program. If starting the Power Up Program, you will need to know your estimated 1RM.
SELF-ASSESSMENT
SELF ASSESSMENT: The self-assessment is 8 Yes or No Questions. If you answer Yes to 4 or Less, you should do the NOVICE BARBELL PROGRAM for 4 weeks to get into the swing of things. If you answer Yes to 5 or more, start with the full POWER UP PROGRAM.
1: Are you currently working out, and have been using barbell exercises (Squats, Bench, Deadlift) for at least 3 months?
2: Are you free of movement limitations (Back pain, Tight hips, weak ankles, crunchy shoulders, etc?)
3: Are you able to safely Squat and Deadlift with your bodyweight loaded on the barbelll?
4: Are you able to Safely Bench Press half your bodyweight loaded on the barbell?
5: Are you able to safely Squat and Deadlift DOUBLE your bodyweight loaded on the barbelll?
6: Are you able to Safely Bench Press DOUBLE your bodyweight loaded on the barbell?
7: Have you competed in Powerlifting, Olympic Weightlifting, or Strongman?
8: Do you have an experienced coach or training partner able to help you with your program?
GETTING STARTED
SETTING YOUR PROGRAM UP: Whether you are doing the Novice or Power Up program, you have to set your starting weights. Refer to the appropriate sheet and enter the info it requests in the YELLOW boxes. For the Novice program this is your starting weights (Found Below). If you are doing the Power Up Program, you need to enter your estimated 1-Rep Max. Do not alter or adjust any of the other cells.
STARTING WEIGHTS: If starting with the Novice Barbell Progam, there are 2 optional starting points depending on if you are familiar with the barbell lifts or not. Recommended starting weights are listed on the NOVICE BARBELL PROGRAM log sheet. For the POWER UP PROGRAM, starting weights for the Big Lifts are based on a percentage of your 1-Rep Max (1RM) called your Training Max (TM). The weights used in the Power Up Program are percentages based off of your Training Max, and the Log Sheet will Auto-Calculate a 4-week cycle for you.
WARM UPS
WARMING UP PROPERLY: All good workouts start with a proper warm up. You will find links to warm up videos below Choose the appropriate warm up for the workout.
POWER UP PROGRAM - SPECIFIC WARM UP VIDEOS
Each of thse videos are meant for specific workouts. You should add any other exercises that help you lift better.
Squat Day
Press Days
Deadlift Day
Novice Warm Up
FIX IT EXERCISES - Video Links Below
These videos demo several "fix it" style exercises meant to help you stay mobile and feeling good. Feel free to include them into your training in between sets or during warm ups & cool downs.
Crunchy Knees
Crunchy Shoulders
Tight Hips & Back
More hip Mobility
GETTING STRONGER
TRAIN WITH INTENSITY: Take enough rest to fully recover in between sets, but don't overdo it. Once you are warmed up you should hit the weights hard. With lighter weights and accessories, 30-60 seconds in between sets is adequate. For heavier working sets in the POWER UP PROGRAM, 1-3 minutes should be enough on Weeks 1, 2 & 4 and up to but not more than 5 minutes on week 3.
WHEN DO I CHANGE THE PLAN? Simple answer is "when it ain't working anymore". Long answer is if you are starting with the Novice Program, you should run it for 4-8 weeks and then when confident, test your maxes. If you do well, it's time to graduate to the Power Up Program. If you are starting with the Power Up Program, you should aim to run the cycle for 8-12 weeks, adjusting the numbers and accessory work as needed. Cool thing is that the Power Up Program is versitile and benefits from changing up the accessory work.
THE PROGRAM
So you must be ready to get started. Below is the download link for our training log spreadsheet which has the main exercise programming. Once you have determined whether to start with the Novice or Power Up program, click on the appropriate sheet and enter the necessary info and the workouts will auto-calculate the prescribed weights. Follow the program and GET STRONG WITH US!
This program is built to be customized. To get the most out of it you should be asking yourself "what am I good at?" and "what weaknesses can I improve upon?" If you work on those using accessory exercises you'll never feel bored and constantly improve! A skilled coach or a good training buddy can always help you reach the next level.
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If you feel like you're hitting a plateau, getting bored, or need help with advancing your program reach out to us.
ADAPTATIONS
As with all our programs, we do our best at adapting our programs to be used by everyone. If you need help adapting your program, reach out to us.
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For our Trans/Enby friends who may need adjustments to the program for their affirmation-goals, we have put a short guide together found HERE.
The Barbell Club Program is free to download. I want to help you get strong.
If you would like to help us create more content you can contact us to send us a donation or sign up for coaching! Those who donate or do coaching get exclusive perks including access to our private discord, early access to new content, and shoutouts for helping make this possible.
If you want help customizing the program, need help breaking through a plateau, or are looking at competing in powerlifting sign up for coaching with us!
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Contact us to get started!
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