At TSF, we typically program in five-week blocks and we are staunch on sub-maximal training. Understanding the “why” behind coaching decisions can help you as a lifter to attack your training with the intention that is built in to your program. If you don’t know why certain exercises are in your program or what the purpose of an intro/deload week is, it’s hard for you to execute them with the desired intention.

In this article I explain how we structure our training at TSF and in line with that, how you can best execute each week of your training block to achieve the best training outcomes.

Across a five week training period, we want to first recover from the fatigue accumulated in the preceding training block, then build training momentum across the block to launch us in to the next one. This is how we do it.

Barbells, dumbbells and machines are not as different as they appear on the surface. They all apply external load to the body with the goal of making the trainee stronger. You can get stronger, you can get more jacked and you can change the shape of your body with any one or combination of those tools.

Based on factors like your skill level, your goals, what equipment you have access to, your access to a coach, etc, you may be better using one training tool over another, or using them in various degrees.

I unpack that in this article so you can make best use of your time in the gym!