I just put my body through a rigorous five-day workout plan aimed at increasing overall strength and packing on muscle mass. “Hell Week” as it is known, was well worth it, but I would only recommend it for experienced lifters and those not faint of heart. Perhaps even more surprising than seeing results after only one week was the simplicity of the routine — bench press, squat, deadlift, repeat.
Known as the three principle compound exercises of weightlifting, the bench, squat and deadlift are considered necessities for anyone looking to get bigger and stronger. The reason is that each of these movements incorporates a number of different muscles in order to complete one repetition of the exercise. For example, the bench press requires the lifter to use the pectoralis major and triceps brachii as primary muscles, while drawing in the front deltoids (shoulders), traps and back as secondary muscles. In much the same way, the squat and deadlift spread their focus among various muscles, allowing the lifter to fatigue different groups in one movement and therefore achieve a greater effect. (I would argue that the standing barbell military press could and should be considered a needed compound exercise as well, but that is for another post).
Anyway, despite my skepticism at the beginning, I gave this workout a shot and to my surprise, I can’t argue with the results. After 10 minutes of cardio (aim for 150-200 calories burned) I performed a warm-up set of each exercise (12 reps at 60% max), followed by three sets to failure in the six to eight rep range (4 reps is okay for the last set as long as you up the weight and fail out). Beginning with the bench press, I performed each set with roughly two minutes of rest in between, which is one minute longer than I would take during my regular workout, and then progressed through the squat and deadlift. That’s it, the whole workout. I performed this routine for three consecutive days before taking a rest day and then finishing with a final two-day push.
After only five days of this routine, my deadlift, which was my weakest area of the three heading into the week, jumped 20 pounds for roughly three to four more reps. My bench press, which tends to reach a certain point and then plateau, also rose by the same amount (which for anyone struggling with a stubborn bench knows is an amazing move) and my squat, which I considered my strong point, rose another 30 pounds for one to two more reps.
Now please note, the idea of Hell Week is that it is a maximum fatigue routine that should only be performed once a month (I prefer the first week). Performing the same three exercises for consecutive days without giving your muscles time to heal and rest forces you to adjust and shocks your body into dealing with the heavier weights. It may take some getting used to mentally, but I urge those of you looking for a boost of strength to give this workout a shot and like me, you may just be surprised with the results.
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