Sometimes the best workouts are the simplest workouts...this is especially true when training for STRENGTH.

For maximum strength gains, you MUST give your body a consistent training stimulus so that it knows what to adapt to. "Muscle confusion" is the worst thing you can do if you want to build real strength.

In this workout, you're going to be adapting your body to a single exercise done for single reps, for an extended period of time.

You're going to get plenty of practice with that exercise, essentially "greasing the groove" on it (a term coined by Pavel Tsatsouline meaning frequent training so your nervous system becomes very efficient at that particular exercise).

This is a nervous system adaptation that can add substantial weight to your lifts in a very short period of time.

I'm using Trap Bar Deadlifts to demonstrate this workout, though you can use any good compound exercise for it as well (I don't recommend isolation exercises for this technique...it won't be as effective).

This method will also develop your work capacity for moving heavy loads with greater volume.

Pick an exercise and pick a time block.

In my case, I went with a 40 minute time block, using 405 lbs on the bar. That weight is about 75-80% of my 1 RM on that exercise, which is a good guideline to use for weight selection. I likely could have gone up to about 425 or so and still made the 40 minutes (next time).

You can use shorter times blocks (like 10, 20, 30 minutes) or, if you want to really push yourself, LONGER time blocks (45, 50, 60 minutes).

On the shorter blocks, you can then also do additional blocks with other exercises, if you like (e.g. 20 minutes of deadlifts, 20 minutes of presses).

You're going to do ONE rep "on the 30 seconds".

This means when the clock is at :00, you do a rep. And when the clock is at :30, you do a rep.

Then you just repeat for the full time block.

That's it.

VERY simple, which is what makes it such a powerful strength technique.

You can work this technique into your training as a single workout. I would recommend hitting it just once a week as it is very taxing on the nervous system and you want to give your body time to recover from it so you can progress on it the next time you do it.

Add weight (or time) based on your performance in this workout (e.g. you made it all the way through on time and felt you had a bit more in the tank).

If you choose a weight that's too heavy the first time, and find you hit a point where you can't get a rep (with good form) on the 30 second mark, skip that rep and change up to one rep per minute instead, until your time block is over. That extra rest should allow you to continue.

Even though this workout may seem boring, I personally find it a lot of fun. There's no thinking involved...you just DO.

I've got the video for this method posted here...you'll be happy to know I compressed the time down to about 3 minutes instead of 40!

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This Workout Is In My "Metabolic Monsters" Program

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This book is packed with 70+ strength and conditioning workouts that will get you STRONG, CONDITIONED and LEAN without losing any mass.

This stuff is awesome.