Get Stronger: Coronavirus home gym edition

I am a big fan of wave periodization. Reinforcing movement patterns week after week while changing percentages, reps, overall volume, and even a slight change in tempo does the double duty of getting athletes stronger while keeping the program fresh.

This 6 week blast works but you have to treat it as if you are on a mission to get stronger, rather than a long term plan.

Lift every rep on the big 3 (squat, bench, and deadlift) with power, force, and picture perfect form. Push yourself on the assistance work to increase weight from week to week. Leave nothing on the table for 7 weeks.

6 weeks of work, 1 week to test new maxes, let’s see what you do.

For this program you will need:

1. A barbell
2. Weights
3. A flat bench
4. 80 pounds of chain in 20 pound increments
5. Power rack
6. 4″ blocks (easy to make if you wish to)

That is all, this entire program will be performed with one bar, one rack, and the rest of the equipment you see here.

If you are stuck using a home gym, or always use your home gym, give this program a try for the next 7 weeks and let me know how you do.

Week 1:

Day 1
Squat 65% 10×3; 20s breaks
Pause Squat 70% 3×3
1″ Bench Press 65% for 30TR (total reps)
Romanian Deadlift 3×10
Pull-ups 40TR
Barbell Curls 45# barbell for 100TR

Day 2
Bench Press 80% 5×3
Close Grip Bench Press 65% for 40TR
Inverted Rows 50TR
Snatch Grip RDL 3×12
Bent Over Wide Grip Elbows Out Barbell Row 2×25
Plate Front Raises 2×25 (from dead stop to above head)

Day 3
Deadlift 80% 5×2
3ct Pause Squat 70% 3×3
Wide Grip Bench Press 62.5% for 35TR
Meadows Rows 3×10 per arm
Reverse Grip Barbell Curls 3×12

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Week 2:

Day 1
Squat 80% 4×2; 5th AMAP
Pause Squat 70% 3×3 (add 5 pounds from last week)
1″ Bench Press 65% for 30TR (add 10 pounds if you got these in 3 sets)
Romanian Deadlift 3×10
Pull-ups 40TR
Barbell Curls 45# barbell for 100TR

Day 2
2ct Pause Bench Press 80% 5×3
Close Grip Bench Press 65% for 40TR (add 10 pounds if you got these in 4 sets)
Inverted Rows 55TR
Snatch Grip RDL 3×12
Bent Over Wide Grip Elbows Out Barbell Row 2×25
Plate Front Raises 2×25

Day 3
Deadlift 60% 10×3; 20s breaks
3ct Pause Squat 70% 3×3 (add 5 pounds from last week)
Wide Grip Bench Press 62.5% for 35TR (add 10 pounds if you got these in 3 sets)
Meadows Rows 3×12 per arm
Reverse Grip Barbell Curls 3×15

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Week 3:

Day 1
Squat 70% 3 reps EMOM for 8 minutes (start at 0:00 and end at 8:00)
Pause Squat 70% 3×3 (add 5 pounds from last week)
1″ Bench Press 65% for 30TR (add 10 pounds if you got these in 3 sets)
Romanian Deadlift 3×12
Pull-ups 40TR
Barbell Curls 45# barbell for 100TR

Day 2
Bench Press 85% 4×2; 1 for max reps
Close Grip Bench Press 65% for 40TR (add 10 pounds if you got these in 4 sets)
Inverted Rows 55TR
Snatch Grip RDL 3×12
Bent Over Wide Grip Elbows Out Barbell Row 2×25
Plate Front Raises 2×25

Day 3
4″ Block Deadlift 85% 4×6
3ct Pause Squat 70% 3×3 (add 5 pounds from last week)
Wide Grip Bench Press 62.5% for 35TR (add 10 pounds if you got these in 3 sets)
Meadows Rows 3×12 per arm
Reverse Grip Barbell Curls 3×15

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Week 4:

Day 1
Squat 85% 4×3; 1 for max reps
Piston Squat 65% 3×12
Floor Press 70% for 22TR
Good Morning 3×12
Pull-ups 44TR
Drag Curls 3×12

Day 2
Close Grip Bench Press 70% 4×6
3ct Pause Bench Press 72.5% 3×3
Supinated Grip Barbell Rows 3×12
Sumo RDL 2×12 (if you find these problematic, do Sumo DL from 4″ blocks fo the same set/rep scheme)
Rear Delt Reverse Barbell Raise 3×12
Upright Rows 3×15

Day 3
Deadlift 65% 8×3 with chains. Add no more than 20% of your weight today in chains. If you are using 300# today, you will use 60# of chains. If you are using 405#, you will use 80# of chains. If you are using 500#, you are pulling 770# and you probably won’t follow this program anyway.
Front Squat 40% of Squat 1RM for 24TR (if you find these problematic, do Olympic Squats, i.e. high bar squats, at 50% for 24TR)
Slight Incline Bench Press 75% for 12TR. Put edge of bench on a 4″ block
Block Rows 3×6. Set Barbell on block, pull to body, return to block, reset each rep.
JM Press 2×20

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Week 5:

Day 1
Squat 70% 7×3 with chains. Add no more than 20% of your weight today in chains. 
Piston Squat 65% 3×12 (add 5 pounds if 3×12 was accomplished)
Floor Press 70% for 24TR
Good Morning 3×12
Pull-ups 44TR
Drag Curls 3×12

Day 2
Bench Press work to 90% for 1 set of max reps
3ct Pause Bench Press 72.5% 3×3 (add 5 pounds from last week)
Supinated Grip Barbell Rows 3×12
Sumo RDL 2×12
Rear Delt Reverse Barbell Raise 3×12
Upright Rows 3×15

Day 3
Deadlift 80% 4×1
Front Squat 40% of Squat 1RM for 24TR (add 5 pounds if you got these in 3 sets – same for Olympic Squats)
Slight Incline Bench Press 75% for 14TR. Put edge of bench on a 4″ block
Block Rows 3×6. Set Barbell on block, pull to body, return to block, reset each rep.
JM Press 2×20

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Week 6:

Day 1
Squat work to 87.5% for 1 set of max reps
Piston Squat 65% 3×12 (add 5 pounds if 3×12 was accomplished)
Floor Press 70% for 24TR
Good Morning 3×12
Pull-ups 44TR
Drag Curls 3×12

Day 2
Bench Press 80% 3×3
3ct Pause Bench Press 72.5% 3×3 (add 5 pounds from last week)
Supinated Grip Barbell Rows 3×12
Sumo RDL 2×12
Rear Delt Reverse Barbell Raise 3×12
Upright Rows 3×15

Day 3
Deadlift 70% 5×3
Front Squat 40% of Squat 1RM for 24TR (add 5 pounds if you got these in 3 set – same for Olympic Squats)
Slight Incline Bench Press 75% for 14TR. Put edge of bench on a 4″ block
Block Rows 3×6. Set Barbell on block, pull to body, return to block, reset each rep.
JM Press 2×20

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Week 7:

Wednesday
Squat
Bench
Deadlift
Find a new 1RM

Work up to your prior 1RM, add 5-7% each attempt until you get to a new 1RM.

If you want to run this for a full cycle instead of 6 and a test week, you will add a deload week after the first 6 weeks.

Deload week weight will be 65% for 4×3 for all main lifts, 70% of the weight for assistance lifts, but with the same volume.

A full cycle will reap more strength gains, but that is your choice.

This is a focused program which will benefit your progress, it will test how hard you are willing to train, and it will show off in the mirror and with the weight on the bar.

Training hard doesn’t need a lot of equipment, it just needs the basics, and a will to improve by any means necessary.

For more information on our programs, coaching, remote coaching, and KC Nutrition, please contact us.

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