This Guide Teaches You:
What the differences are for beginners between training for muscle and training for strength.
What natural strength standards and expectations are.
Which 7 lifts are the cornerstones for building strength.
The fastest way for a novice to build strength.
How often to test your one rep max, and the best way to do it.
How to improve your bench press, squat, deadlift and overhead press form.
About common strength building workout programs and systems, such as Starting Strength, Wendler's 531 and Westside.
How to structure a strength building workout plan.
How to warm up, and what you can do to help prevent injuries.
About common assistance exercises that target strength weaknesses.
How to use proper nutrition and supplementation to maximize results, and how to structure a meal plan.
Table of Contents:
1. Introduction
1.1. Strength Training vs. Muscle Building for the Beginning Lifter
1.2. Definitions and Common Terms
1.3. Natural Strength Standards and Expectations
2. Strength Training Basics
2.1. Defining Your Goals
2.2. The 7 Primary Natural Strength Movements
2.3. Primary Strength Building Exercises
2.4. The Fastest Way for a Novice to Build Strength
2.5. The Big 4 Lifts – Plus 1
2.6. Do I Need a Belt?
2.7. The Role of the Central Nervous System
2.8. How Often Should I Test My 1RM?
2.9. How to Test Your 1RM
2.10. Strength Training Sports
3. Form 101 – A Look at the Big Lifts
3.1. Squat Form 101
3.2. Squat Form Tips
3.3. Other Important Squat Form Tips and Information
3.4. Deadlift Form 101
3.5. Bench Press Form 101
3.6. Military Press/Push Press Form
3.7. Romanian Deadlift Form 101
4. Common Strength Training Workouts & Systems
4.1. Starting Strength
4.2. Westside Barbell Training
4.3. Wendler’s 531
4.4. John Christy’s AB Split
4.5. Smolov Squat Building
4.6. Bill Starr’s 5x5
4.7. The Texas Method
4.8. 3 Day Powerlifting Format
5. Structuring a Workout
5.1. Choosing a Workout Based on Experience Levels
5.2. Understanding Intermediate and Advanced Workout Structures
5.3. Adaptation and Volume
5.4. Common Progression Approaches
6. Injury Prevention
6.1. How to Warm Up
6.2. Rotator Cuff Health
6.3. How to Avoid Training Injuries
7. Assistance Training
7.1. Bench Press Weaknesses
7.2. Squat Weaknesses
7.3. Deadlift Weaknesses
7.4. Common Assistance Training Exercises
7.5. Olympic Exercise Variations
7.6. Using Bands and Chains
8. A Look at Periodization
9. Training At Home
10. Common Strongman Exercises and Events
11. Nutrition and Supplementation
11.1. Strength Building Nutritional Basics
11.2. How Many Calories Do You Need?
11.3. How Much Protein Do You Need?
11.4. Determining Fat Intake
11.5. Determining Carbohydrate Intake
11.6. How to Structure a Meal Plan
11.7. Is Paleo Eating a Viable Option?
11.8. Common Bulking Approaches
11.9. Supplement Basics
11.10. Top Selling Supplements
12. Conditioning
Introduction
The goal of the Muscle & Strength strength building guide is to provide you with all the tools you need to build strength as quickly as possible. You will learn about popular strength building workout structures and exercises, how to improve your bench press, squat and deadlift form, and how to maximize your nutrition and supplementation to reach your goals.

If you need help or clarifications, please feel free to post a question or comment at the end of this guide. You may also post questions in the Muscle & Strength forum.

Strength Training vs. Muscle Building for the Beginning Lifter
During the initial stages of training, there is very little difference between working out to build strength and working out to build muscle. Both goals will require a substantial addition of strength for key compound exercises such as the bench press, squats, overhead presses and rows, as well as the addition of muscle.

While experienced lifters will need to place much of their focus on lower rep training (1-5 reps per set), trainees who are just beginning their journey and looking to build strength should focus on the use of 5-10 rep sets for most compound exercises.

Definitions and Common Terms
The following is a list of common terms found in most strength building articles and workouts, along with definitions.

Intensity – Intensity is often viewed in the context of “high intensity training.” For strength training intensity mean the percentage of your one rep max (1RM) that you are working with for a given exercise.
Volume – Volume can constitute the number of sets per workout, the number of reps for a specific exercise at a given weight, or the total reps multiplied by the weight used.
Periodization – Periodization involves the cycling of intensity and/or training volume through specific cycles to allow for improved recovery and continual gains.
Overtraining – Overtraining can involve taxing a muscle, the central nervous system or joints and ligaments beyond their ability to effectively recover.
Deload – A planned period of rest or lighter training to allow the symptoms of fatigue or overtraining to rescind while maintaining your current strength levels.
Max Effort (ME) – Max effort refers to heavy (intense) training days in which a trainee works up to a 5, 3 or one rep max for a specific movement. ME days can be considered maximal load training days.
Dynamic Effort (DE) – Dynamic effort training days place the focus on speed work, or performing an exercise with an approximate 50-60% of 1RM for fast/powerful repetitions. Dynamic effort sets are often single reps for the deadlift, 3 reps for bench press, and 2 for squats. DE days can be considered maximal speed training days.
Repeitition Effort (RE) – Repetition effort training days focus on the use of higher rep sets, generally in the 6 to 12 rep range. Each set is push near, or to failure. RE days can be considered maximal force training days.
Assistance Exercises – The function of assistance exercises is to target weaknesses and build up/strengthen key muscle groups so that the body as a unit is as strong as possible.
Natural Strength Standards and Expectations
The following strength standards were developed from definitions in “Practicial Programming” by Lon Kilgore, Mark Rippetoe and Glenn Pendlay. Five primary lifts are featured:

Squat
Bench Press
Deadlift
Overhead Press
Power Clean
Squat
Squat Strength Standards For Men
Weight Untrained Beginner Intermediate Advanced Elite
114 78 144 174 240 320
123 84 155 190 259 346
132 91 168 205 278 369
148 101 188 230 313 410
165 110 204 250 342 445
181 119 220 269 367 479
198 125 232 285 387 504
220 132 244 301 409 532
242 137 255 311 423 551
275 141 261 319 435 567
319 144 267 326 445 580
320+ 147 272 332 454 593
Bench Press
Bench Press Strength Standards For Men
Weight Untrained Beginner Intermediate Advanced Elite
114 84 107 130 179 222
123 91 116 142 194 242
132 98 125 153 208 260
148 109 140 172 234 291
165 119 152 187 255 319
181 128 164 201 275 343
198 135 173 213 289 362
220 142 183 225 306 381
242 149 190 232 316 395
275 153 196 239 325 407
319 156 199 244 333 416
320+ 159 204 248 340 425
Deadlift
Deadlift Strength Standards For Men
Weight Untrained Beginner Intermediate Advanced Elite
114 97 179 204 299 387
123 105 194 222 320 414
132 113 209 239 342 438
148 126 234 269 380 482
165 137 254 293 411 518
181 148 274 315 438 548
198 156 289 333 457 567
220 164 305 351 479 586
242 172 318 363 490 596
275 176 326 373 499 602
319 180 333 381 506 608
320+ 183 340 388 512 617
Overhead Press
Overhead Press Strength Standards For Men
Weight Untrained Beginner Intermediate Advanced Elite
114 53 72 90 107 129
123 57 78 98 116 141
132 61 84 105 125 151
148 69 94 119 140 169
165 75 102 129 153 186
181 81 110 138 164 218
198 85 116 146 173 234
220 89 122 155 183 255
242 93 127 159 189 264
275 96 131 164 194 272
319 98 133 167 199 278
320+ 100 136 171 203 284
Power Clean
Power Clean Strength Standards For Men
Weight Untrained Beginner Intermediate Advanced Elite
114 56 103 125 173 207
123 60 112 137 186 224
132 65 121 148 200 239
148 73 135 166 225 266
165 79 147 180 246 288
181 85 158 194 264 310
198 90 167 205 279 327
220 95 176 217 294 345
242 99 183 224 305 357
275 102 188 230 313 367
319 104 192 235 320 376
320+ 106 196 239 327 384

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