For individuals who have been training two to three times per week, for six months or more and are looking for additional strength/size progress... You need more intensity! Here's a great high intensity workout for greater gains
For individuals who have been training two to three times per week, for six months or more and are looking for additional strength/size progress and gains, then I have one very important word for you... Intensity!

In order to increase strength and/or size in a well-conditioned person, a program that offers an overload of resistance with intensity emphasized, keeping you training in an anaerobic pathway must be implemented and maintained.

This involves fatiguing the intended muscle with intensity and to a degree in which it is not accustomed to on a regular basis. This can be done by fatiguing the muscle group being worked, by using a weight sufficient enough to fail the muscle within 30-90 seconds.

Most people when they have been exercising a while, make the mistake of changing things up by raising the number of repetitions they do; and for a well conditioned individual, multiple sets of high repetition overloads are not sufficient enough to stimulate strength/size gains; nor do they recruit enough muscle mass to even cause a cardio-respiratory effect on the body.

This kind of training is generally ineffective (unless sports specific) at resulting in any kind of fitness or strength gains; and if the repetitions are too high, for too long can lead to over-use damage to the tissues, lack of results or regression, and frustration.

Well-trained persons should generally lower the repetitions to 6-12 using near maximal weight and/or utilize high intensity training techniques. This can be done in many different ways, and with many different exercises.

The workout that follows is a basic implementation of advanced and high intensity training. Focusing on using near max weight (as heavy as possible) and training each set to failure (completely unable to perform another rep with good form, or at all). This can be done in anywhere from 8 reps to 20 reps; but for one set only.


Guidelines For This Workout:


This workout is to be done 3 times a week.
Rest one day between each workout; do not do three consecutive workouts in a row.
The entire body will be worked each time.
Perform only 1 set of each exercise to complete fatigue.
Rest for 1 minute between exercises for full system recovery.
Use a spotter/partner if you have not worked with such significant weight alone, in the weight room before.
Use near-maximal weight (80% of your 1 rep max; 1RM is the amount of weight you're able to lift only once).


Advanced Strength Training Workout



Weighted Belt Deep Squats:


Exercise data:

Main Muscle Worked: Quadriceps
Other Muscles Worked: Hamstrings
Equipment: Other
Mechanics Type: Compound

Tips:

Place weight on a dip belt around your waist. Step up onto boxes or benches spaced apart; one foot on each one. Arms can be extended forward for balance throughout the exercise. Squat down until your thighs are just past parallel to the floor. Extend your knees and hips until legs are straight. Return and repeat.


Hack Squat:


Exercise data:

Main Muscle Worked: Hamstrings
Other Muscles Worked: Quads, Hamstrings, Calves
Equipment: Machine
Mechanics Type: Compound

Tips:

Lie face up on a hack squat machine with shoulders against pad. Place feet on platform. Your feet should be together, toes pointed slightly out. Extend hips and knees. Release dock levers. Flex hips and knees to descend until knees are just short of complete flexion. Raise sled by extending knees and hips. Repeat. Great for developing the lower area of the thigh.


Seated Cable Rows:


Exercise data:

Main Muscle Worked: Lats
Other Muscles Worked: Middle Back
Equipment: Cable
Mechanics Type: Compound

Tips:

Get a platform of some sort that is around 4-6" in height (calf raise platform, aerobics platform etc). Place it on the seat of the cable row machine. Lean forward with a strong arch in your back. Keep this leaned forward position while pulling into your abs. This exercise hits the lower lats hard.