Early this week I had a wonderful conversation with someone about the value of studying fitness history to inform our current practices. One of the issues we touched on was how rarely, if ever, modern powerlifters seem to pay homage to older legends. Outside of some folks like Ed Coan it seems like the greats of yesteryear have been lost because they aren’t on social media. Likewise, no one has ever really done a modern iteration of Terry Todd’s wonderful book Inside Powerlifting, which paid homage to the first great generation of powerlifters.

I believe, perhaps obviously given this website, that history can be the best teacher, especially when you’re learning from the greats. Today’s beginner routine comes from a wonderful training book by John Kuc a multiple time IPF world champion who competed in the 1970s and early 1980s. His tale of the tape (A 905 lbs. squat, 600 lbs. bench press and 870.8lbs. deadlift) is enough credibility for us here.

Given the increasing popularity of powerlifting, especially for those starting out, Kuc’s routine is deceptively simple but builds a wonderful foundation for anyone looking to progress in strength. For seasoned powerlifters or strength athletes, I want you to pay attention to Kuc’s comments and details on accessory exercises – he did not ‘just’ squat, bench, deadlift!

Just about every person powerlifting today did not take up the sport without some prior weight training experience. This experience could come from many areas and situations. High school gym classes, weight assistance exercises for different sports, bodybuilding, olympic lifting or rehabilitation exercises are just a few examples. The important point to remember is that you cannot plunge into powerlifting without preparing your body for the enormous demands which will be placed on it through competitive lifting.

Any person who is going to start competitive powerlifting should have at least one year of general training. This type of training will not involve any specialization or heavy singles. This first year is the beginning phase. It is necessary for the bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments to adapt to the stresses which will be placed on them, stresses that would not be exceeded by any other sport. The beginning phase is also the time to learn proper lifting form. A bad lifting habit is easier to change when the weight is light, and before a mental image is formed from repeated execution of inferior form.

Before you begin the initial stages of training I must explain some very important things. I hope you will heed the advice I give you. If you are going to follow the program you should be at least fourteen years old. If you are fourteen or fifteen and have not lifted the workouts should be very light. The reason is that the bones of fourteen year old bodies are still maturing. The use of too heavy a weight or too many repetitions can cause serious injury. Hold back until you are sixteen and remember the old rule that when you are always being shown a new exercise or movement you have never seen before, be cautious and move ahead with caution. Right now it is better to do too little than too much.

Some of the most asked questions by people who are starting a weight training program are:

1. How often should I workout?

2. How much weight should I use to get started?

3. How much should I rest between sets and exercises?

When you are just starting to train, three days per week is the most you should try to do. Working out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday with Saturday and Sunday off, or on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with Sunday and Monday off is a good method. The amount of weight to start is a weight you can handle with proper form without cheating movements. If you can perform the prescribed sets and repetitions in strict form you are using the right weight. It will take some experimenting on your part before you settle on the right weight for yourself. If any of your repetitions become sloppy within the recommended reps, reduce the weight you are using a few pounds and try the lighter weight. Once you figure out your starting point and your muscles get used to the weights, you will want to add weight progressively. One of the best ways to increase your workout poundages is to add repetitions first and weight last. For example: You are doing three sets of eight reps at 100 pounds (3 × 8 @ 100#). You have been doing it for three weeks and it is relatively easy. You are ready to increase the reps in order to keep the muscle overloaded. The first week you will add a repetition to each set. Now you’re doing 3 × 9. The second week you add another rep and are now doing 3 × 10, etc. The third week I suggest you drop back to 3 × 8, but at this point you will add five pounds and start the cycle over again.

The amount of rest taken between exercises is often a question of controversy. Two or three minutes of rest between each set and exercise will be long enough for the time being. After a few months you can go faster on the bodybuilding and slower on the pure powerlifts. Do not let yourself slip into the habit of five or ten minutes rest between sets. Your routine will take two to three hours to complete, and you will grow stale in a very short time.

Working out is serious business. Keep the socializing to a minimum. Too much of it will drag out your training sessions and destroy the proper state of mind you need to get bigger and stronger.

Always associated with weights and working out are the beginners who feel a workout is not hard enough for them. They like to start out at the same level as someone who has been working out for five years or more. For most of you just starting weight training, three workouts a week and eleven exercises is all your body will be able to handle and recuperate from in time for your next workout. When you rest, your body rebuilds itself. When you workout, you break down the muscles. Don’t worry about not doing enough work. If you are faithful to this workout people will notice a change in your body after only a few months. You will notice and feel the change sooner. Trying to rush progress only invites injury, and injury stops progress. Take your time so you can progress only when you are ready. This is a proven, safe, and sound system.

The program that you will be working with during the next twelve months is illustrated as follows:

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1. ABDOMINAL WORK – Leg Raise 15 / Curl Up 15 / Jack Knife 10
2. SQUAT – Warmups 15 / 3 × 8
3. BENCH PRESS – Warmups 15 / 3 × 8
4. CURL – 3 × 8
5. LYING TRICEP EXTENSION – 3 × 8
6. DEADLIFT – Warmups 15 / 3 × 8
7. BENT OVER ROWS – 3 × 8
8. PRESS BEHIND NECK – 3 × 8
9. CALF RAISE – 3 × 8

Exercise Guide

The next few pages will explain how each exercise is performed.

Abdominal Exercises

Abdominal exercises start off the routine. Abdominal work does three important things that are a help in the beginning and throughout your entire lifting career. A strong midsection is one of the best ways of preventing hernias and strains which may be caused by exercise or heavy lifting. Strong stomach muscles are a great asset when doing heavy squats and deadlifts. Strong abdominals are like having an extra set of back muscles, and exercising the abdominal area before a workout is a very good way to warm up your body.

LEG RAISE

The leg raise is easy to do. Lie on a flat surface in the beginning. An incline bench can be used as you progress. Hold on to something immovable to the rear of your head. Bend the knees slightly while keeping your legs together and bring them up and slightly beyond 90° with your body. You can go back further with the legs if you want to really stretch your lower back. Return legs under control to the floor, and repeat for the number of repetitions.

CURL UP

The curl up is a simple movement. After you try a few you will discover it is also very effective and concentrated. To do a curl up you lie down in front of a chair. Rest the calves of your legs on the seat of the chair. Your thighs should be tight up against the legs of the chair and running parallel with them. Interlock your hands behind your head. Now curl your chin into your chest and bring your upper back off the floor about two or three inches. Tightly contract the abdominal muscles, hold for one second, return to floor and repeat. This upper body movement looks like the first one-third of a sit-up.

JACK KNIFE

The jack knife is an exercise that has a lot of movement. Because there is so much body movement, it is a great exercise for warming up, or if done in high reps will benefit your cardiovascular system. Begin the exercise by lying flat on the floor. Extend the arms completely to the rear. The legs should be together and flat on the floor. In one movement bend at the hips, bringing your arms and legs up until you touch the top of your ankles with your fingers. When you are touching, your body should look like a “V”. Keep the arms and legs straight during the movement. After touching your ankles return to the floor in a reverse movement and repeat.

SQUAT

Squatting is an exercise which can develop enormous lower body power. The squat will work the anterior and posterior muscles of the thigh, the gluteus muscles and the muscles of the lower back and calves to a limited degree. Athletes of all sports perform the squat to increase speed, stamina and power. To do the squat you must approach a loaded bar resting on a squat rack properly adjusted for your height. Get under the bar and position it at a comfortable spot on your upper back. Be careful not to have it too high for it can roll forward over your neck and head while squatting. Likewise, do not have it so low on your back that it rolls backwards. In a little time you will find a comfortable notch to set the bar in. Your feet should be shoulder width apart and pointing about fifteen degrees toward the right and left. Begin the movement by slowly bending the knee and hip joints starting your descent. While descending, let your lower back become slightly concave. Your head should be looking straight ahead. Lower yourself until the tops of your thighs are parallel to the floor. A little experimenting in front of a mirror with an empty bar can help you decide where this position is with your body. It is important not to bounce before starting your ascent. You may be able to handle a few extra pounds this way, but your knees will not last too long. In order to prevent bouncing, you have to be aware of your position throughout the entire squat movement. Start slowing your descent before you reach parallel. When you hit parallel start to ascend. Return to starting position with knees locked and feet motionless.

BENCH PRESS

Bench pressing seems to be the favorite exercise of the three powerlifts. People who are not too serious about working out or who do it only on occasion, choose the bench press as their exercise. I have never seen the occasional lifters doing squats or deadlifts. The bench press even has the edge among the serious weight trainees. Why is the bench press such a popular lift? People being upper body conscious probably plays a role in putting the bench press where it is popularity wise. In reality the bench press is truly the best method of developing arms, shoulders and chest strength along with substantial size. I cannot think of anyone who would not desire the powerful upper body look that the bench can deliver.

To start the bench press you lie on the bench and grasp the bar no wider than thirty-two inches between the forefingers of both hands. Keep your head flat on the bench. Your rear end must make constant contact with the bench. Your feet are in a comfortable position flat on the floor. Take the bar off the stands and lock elbows so the bar is straight over your chest ready to be slowly lowered to the chest. Slowly lower the bar to the chest. The point on your chest which the bar touches will vary with everybody. A good place to start is a line across the chest about an inch below the nipples. You can give it a try and experiment with other spots until you find what is best for your body. After making contact with the chest press the bar up and return to the original starting position of elbows locked and arms straight. Like the squat: don’t bounce the bar off the chest. You can crack ribs. Bouncing the bar will also lead to one of the toughest bad habits to break. That bad habit is beating the referee’s hand clap.

CURL

The standing barbell curl is a good basic biceps builder. It is a good exercise to start building up the arms with. Start the curl by grasping a straight or Easy Curl Bar, hands shoulder width apart, and palms facing up. The weight should be hanging at arm’s length in front of the body in the standing position. While keeping the upper arms as motionless as possible and at your sides, bend the elbow joints bringing the bar up and under your chin. Return the bar to the starting position under control. You should lower the bar a little slower than you curled it up. This can be applied to most other exercises too. The curl is important in powerlifting because it helps build a strong grip. It also toughens the tendons of the bicep brachialis and brachial so they will not rip off their origins or insertions during a very heavy deadlift.

LYING TRICEP EXTENSION

Grasp a straight bar or Easy Curl Bar with both hands about six inches apart. Lie down on a flat bench and bring the bar to the same position as a completed bench press. Keep the upper arms as motionless as possible and bend at the elbows, lowering the bar to the bridge of the nose or forehead. Touch, then return the bar to the starting position. It’s important not to let the elbows flare out to the side during this movement. The tricep extension isolates and works the tricep muscles in the rear of the upper arm. The triceps are important muscles in bench pressing. Tricep work done early and throughout a powerlifting career will assure powerful triceps for locking out those heavy benches, and strong and resilient connective tissue to help prevent injuries.

DEADLIFT

The deadlift calls for more overall body strength than any other powerlifting movement. When we deadlift the legs, back, arms, abdominals, almost the entire body are called into play. A good deadlifter cannot help but be great in all three powerlifts, but chances are good that the lifter will have two other fair lifts just from being strong in the deadlift. To start the deadlift try a shoulder width alternate grip on the bar. Grip the bar with one palm facing out and the other palm facing away from you. This alternate grip prevents a heavy bar from rolling out of the hands. The foot spacing should be a little narrower than the hand spacing. Your foot and hand spacing will change as time goes on as you accumulate some experience. For now try the hand and foot positions I have described. Get your foot and hand spacing, lower yourself to the bar by squatting down while holding the bar and slowly begin the pull. The pull is started with the lower back taken over by the legs and finished by the lower back again. Come to a standing position with the bar hanging in the arms. Lower the bar under control and repeat for your reps. Don’t get into the bad habit of dropping the completed deadlift or coming down too hard, because powerlifting judges may turn down your otherwise perfect and clean lift.

BENT OVER ROWS

Bent Over Rows are like the deadlift. They build strength and size in a lot of places. Rows will quickly give you that “V” shape to the upper back while thickening the arms and shoulders.

To do bent rows approach a barbell resting on the floor. Place the feet shoulder width apart. Take a shoulder width, regular grip on the bar. Bend at the knees and lift the bar off the floor so the bottom of the barbell plates clear the floor by a few inches. You are now ready to start the movement. Keep the knees slightly bent and the back as motionless as possible while pulling the bar up into the chest and returning it to the starting position, controlling the weight on its descent. Keep your elbows close to the body during execution of this exercise. Do not row the bar up to the chest and down again in a circular motion. The movement is a straight movement from starting position to the chest and back down again.

PRESS BEHIND NECK

Pressing behind the neck will develop the shoulder, triceps, neck and upper back. To perform the press behind the neck grip the bar a little wider than shoulder width. Clean the bar to the chest and lift overhead, resting the bar on the upper back. If you have high stands you can eliminate cleaning the bar. Press the bar until your elbows are locked, lower the bar and repeat. If you do not have the overhead space to do a standing press, you may do the presses seated. Do them the same way, only sit on the end of a flat bench before starting the press.

CALF RAISE

Calves are probably neglected by more people starting out in weight training than any other exercise. Calves are out of the way. We cannot get a good look at them unless we have a mirror, and the calf will never replace the bicep for a quick muscle flex request. Calf work seems to hurt more than other exercises also. The fact that calf muscles are highly visible especially if your thighs are developed fairly well. Calf work as related to powerlifting has some advantages. It is a good hamstring stretcher and can increase your squat poundage. A calf machine of the standing or sitting variety is best for working calves. The effectiveness of doing calf raises standing with a barbell on your back is limited by the problem of balance. To work calves properly you need to use a board that is three to five inches thick. Trying to raise up and down on this block with a barbell on your shoulders is almost always impossible. If you do not have access to a standing or sitting machine, try donkey calf raises. Use a three to five inch thick board that is long and thick enough to resist flipping when you raise on it. Place the board parallel to a standard flat workout bench. Place your feet on the board spaced about ten inches apart. Straighten your knees and bend over to the bench. Support yourself with your arms. Have someone sit on your lower back as you do the exercise. For calf raises to be effective you have to get a good stretch at the bottom of the movement and raise up as high as possible at the top of the movement. The bottom stretch to as high on your toes as possible must be done with the knees locked. The feet can be pointed in, out or straight ahead on each position working the calves from a different angle. It is best to do all three foot positions in a workout. If no one is available for resistance, a strap used for weighted pull ups can be utilized.

After four months it is a good idea to make some changes in your routine. This will help to reduce boredom and make the workouts more enjoyable. The new routine is basically the same as the old one. The changes are that powerlifting will be given slightly more emphasis. There will be variations of some exercises and more reps will be added.

REVISED ROUTINE

ABDOMINAL WORK – Leg Raises 50 / Curl Up 50 / Jack Knife 50
SQUAT – Warmups 15 / Warmups 8 – add weight / 3×8 / 2×5
BENCH PRESS – Warmups 15 / Warmups 8 – 3×8 / 2×5
CURL WITH DUMBBELLS – Seated / 3×8
INCLINE TRICEP EXTENSION – 3×8
DEADLIFT – Warmups 15 / Warmups 8 / 4×8
DUMBBELL ROWS – 3×8
PRESS BEHIND NECK – 3×8
SHRUGS – 4×8
CALF RAISE – 3×12

NEW EXERCISES

SEATED DUMBBELL CURL

Seated dumbbell curls will replace the regular standing curl you have been doing for the last four months. The seated dumbbell curl is a good bicep developer. Your biceps will be worked from different angles and the biceps will be isolated. This means the bicep muscle will be helped less by other muscles, thus putting more work on the bicep itself. Don’t worry if the sum of both dumbbells is less than what the curl bar weighed. Your biceps will still be worked harder. You will see this as time goes on.

To do the seated dumbbell curl you need two dumbbells of equal weight. Sit on the end of a flat bench with a dumbbell on each side. Reach down and grasp the dumbbells and sit in an upright position. When you begin the dumbbell curl your palms are facing in toward your body. As soon as the dumbbells clear the legs, turn your palms up and bring the dumbbell to the shoulder. Return the weights to the starting position and repeat.

INCLINE TRICEP EXTENSION

Grip the bar the same way as in the lying tricep extension. Lie on an incline bench and press the barbell overhead to arm’s length. Keep the head up off the bench during the exercise. As in the lying tricep extension do not let the upper arms move or elbows flare sideways. Now lower the barbell down until your forearms and biceps touch and return barbell to overhead position in a smooth motion.

DUMBBELL ROWS

You will need a flat bench and one loaded dumbbell. To begin the exercise place your left leg on the near side with the knee locked. Bend the right knee and brace yourself with your right arm on the bench, elbow locked. With your left hand pick up the dumbbell. Make sure the dumbbell is free of the floor when your arm is hanging straight down. Row the dumbbell up to the side of your chest during the movement. Return the dumbbell to the starting position making sure it does not touch the floor between reps.

SHRUGS

Shrugs will exercise the trapezius muscle. This muscle is visible at each side of the base of the neck. Your shoulders will be worked by the shoulder shrug as well as your gripping and pulling ability.

With a palm towards the body grip (shoulder width spacing) and lift the barbell off the floor and stand erect. Draw the shoulders towards the neck as high as you can go. Hold for an instant and return to starting position. Try to keep the elbows as straight as possible because if you bend them you will reduce the effectiveness of the movement.