Building strength needn’t be complicated, but it does require consistency, effort and a plan that ticks the right boxes. One of the simplest ways to do that is by focusing on heavy compound lifts – and Arnold Schwarzenegger has a straightforward solution, shared in his Pump Club newsletter.
‘Most people overcomplicate strength. You don’t need 15 exercises and 90 minutes. You need a few big movements that cover your whole body, loaded hard enough to matter, a couple of times a week,’ says Schwarzenegger.
He recommends the following workout, which hits every major muscle group with just five movements, performed for two to three hard sets each and stopping one or two reps before your form starts to break down.
‘You chase the hard reps, and you’re in and out,’ he says.
The Workout
Schwarzenegger recommends: ‘Perform 2-3 warm-up sets of each movement, progressing from 50% up to about 75-80% of the weight you’ll use. (If you would use 100 pounds [45kg], then on your final warm-up set, you’d use 75-80 pounds [34-36kg].) Keep reps between 3-6, so you prepare your body without exhausting it.’
‘Perform 2-3 sets of each exercise for 4-7 reps, resting 2-3 minutes between sets. The last 2-3 reps of each set should feel hard, like you had maybe one or two left in you. That’s the sweet spot. You don’t have to grind all the way to failure to get strong.’
If you’re short on time, he says to cut the workout down to one hard set of each movement.
‘Do the warm-up sets and then perform a single all-out set of five movements,’ he says.
The Moves
Pick one option for each movement pattern, based on your equipment and preferences:
Why it Works
The workout is effective because it covers the main movement patterns, helping you train multiple muscle groups in a short amount of time. By taking each working set close to failure, without pushing until form breaks down, you can create enough stimulus for strength and muscle gains while still keeping the session efficient. And if you’re short on time, even one hard set of each movement can still be a useful option.
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