How to Get Strong Without A Training Partner

December 10, 2009 on 1:11 pm | In Muscle Building Articles, Strength Training | 21 Comments

Big post coming in from Doug Fioranelli today. I was tempted to break it into parts to make it easier to read – but I just did that to you and the Guide To Bodyweight Training (final part up next week) so here is EVERYTHING!

But first I was doing some website work and stumbled across an article on New Balance – the sneaker company. Between all the fancy training and equipment articles is the video of me working on rotational core strength by slamming a tree with a tire! (Last article on this page – New Balance, may be on page 2 by the time you look).

We are start making an impact – you, other dedicated trainers, and I getting these unconventional lifts and training methods recognized!

¡ Viva la revolution!

How to Get Strong without a Training Partner
By Doug Fioranelli

I remember my freshman year in college was the time that I became really interested in weight training and all of the science, methodology, function, and potential results that were part of it. I went to a commuter University and the only way to get free all-day parking was to arrive right when the street cleaners had finished at 6am. At so early in the morning, there were only two options to bide my time before classes; I could either sit in a coffee shop and study or I could hit the gym. I tried to study as little as possible, so the gym was my choice.

My friend, at the time, had armed me with two programs to follow; a navy seal program and a Tom Platz routine which was mostly an ascending-descending pyramid for bench press and squats.

Right away this was something new because I had never followed a structured lifting program before. I did lift for sports in high school but the programs were random. Being as I am a very structured (some would say “anal“) person, having a program that told me exactly what to do and how many reps to do was ideal. I got in the gym, had a plan, didn’t mess around, and I got positive results like I never had before. This set me on the path to learn more about the different exercise techniques and the programs that incorporate successful weight training.

The Problem:

There are a few problems that may arise when you train alone:
• No one is there to correct lifting form and keep you focused and motivated.
• Some of the best exercises can be flat out dangerous without a knowledgeable spotter.

As a result of these two gray clouds lingering over my head there were days when I was not feeling mentally “into it” and without the confidence of a spotter standing by I occasionally talked myself out of exercises and weight I should have been using. I relegated myself to using some machines for leg exercises and therefore my strength did not reach a level it should have for the amount of time I spent training.

Since college, I have continued my weight training and only until about two years ago I was still training alone. Although I made much better strength gains than I did in college, there were days when I was lacking motivation and that extra push needed to get through some workouts and I still had to stay away from certain exercises. Looking back, I realize that both pitfalls should not be used as excuses; when the road is blocked you just have to look for another way around.

In this article I will share with you how to deal with these two pitfalls and how to design a program with appropriate exercises to ensure success even when you train by yourself. There is no substitute for having someone else to train with (especially for technique feedback) however, it is not impossible to train alone with heavy weights if you learn and practice proper techniques.

How to Deal with Lack of Motivation:

As mentioned earlier, one of the biggest assets a training partner brings to the table is motivation. When training alone, there will be days when the hardest thing you do is not related to lifting weights but rather, just getting started. It can be very easy to skip the workout and just veg-out on the couch. When you don’t have a training partner motivation needs to be sought through other sources; whether it’s having a daily reward after you finish or trying to impress that special someone in the gym. It is important to find that motivation somehow.

The following are some of the tools I used throughout the years when I was training alone:
Make sure you have a plan – Like I mentioned before I am a very structured person; I have all of my workouts written for the next few weeks so I know exactly what I will be doing in the gym and what goals I want to accomplish. I know that by training on my designated days I will be one step closer to accomplishing my goals.

Realize that you are training yourself mentally – It’s mind-over-matter. Some days I told myself that, “if I can get through this workout the way I’m feeling today I can get through anything.” Remember that mental training is just as important as physical training if you want to be successful in sports and life.

Back off on the weight – If you are not completely there mentally then you are most likely not going to be at your strongest. If that is the case and you know you need to train, simply back the weight off 20% of what you should do and follow the same rep scheme you planned on doing.

Skip a few exercises– Before you shout “Blasphemy” let me say that there have been a few times when I did not want to train so I compromised with myself by thinking, if I did the main lifts I wanted to do I could skip a few of the ancillary lifts later in the workouts. As long as I got my deadlifting or pull ups in and hit my numbers I was not worried about missing a few arm curls or abs.

Find the right music– One nice thing about not having a training partner is that you can listen to whatever you want to without being criticized. So if Wham makes you press a little more weight, then by all means, crank up the iPod.

No Spotter? No Problem:

It is possible to train the right movements, using proper technique and exercise combinations, and get strong all by yourself. In this section I am going to give you a sample two days-a-week program that will do just that. No need to sit on the sidelines or demote yourself to the multi-hip machine to train legs; we are here to get strong, add muscle and be a better athlete and we can do it alone.

Please note that in this program I am only going to include exercises that most trainees will have access to in their garages or commercial gyms. Exercises using kettlebells, sandbags, sleds and even some cable machines are great tools of strength but not accessible to everyone. With that said you can swap out exercises that you do have access to or even use other exercise variations when you complete the first four weeks if you plan on continuing that program after that.

Main Lifts:

After I have warmed up and done my mobility drills I like to start the workout with what I call “main lifts” these are the lifts that are usually the ones you want to focus your strength training around. I usually keep the reps low and the sets and weight a little higher. In this program there will be one main lift each session with a designated Repetition Max (RM). There is no definitive number of sets for these lifts. Work up to the weight you can do the given RM for that day. Session one consists of a upperbody main lift and session two is lowerbody.

Dips – Dips are going to take the place of the beloved bench press for the main upperbody movement. Dips work several muscles and joints of the upperbody and also incorporate your own bodyweight into the movement. The nice thing about dips is that when you get stronger with them it is very easy to add weight safely to make them more challenging and increase your strength.

Deadlift – There is the age old debate as to which exercise is the best for legs, squats or deadlifts. In this case the deadlift wins; no spotter needed. Make sure you set your body up the proper way and start pulling big weight off the floor. Deadlift technique can be a little tricky setting up the first couple of times.

Ancillary Lifts:

These are the lifts that I use after I have completed my main lifts to complement what I have done. Many of these exercises will be unilateral to bring up any strength and flexibility imbalances between sides. Since this is a two day-a-week program it is a whole body training session rather than an upper and lowerbody split. The exercises are set up in a combo set fashion to get more work in a shorter amount of time. The reps are generally much higher than the main lifts and the sets will vary. For most of the exercises, each week, the reps will go down in number to allow you to add weight accordingly. Many of these ancillary exercises can be exchanged for other options depending on what you have access to. Some of the exercises in this program include:

Incline D.Bell Chest Press– To compliment the dips, the incline bench can be a little easier to get the weight started and reracked when you’re training by yourself.

Pull Ups– We all know why this exercise and its variations are good for you. They are safe to do on your own and they will make your upperbody strong. Check out Joe’s video for pull up variations.

D.Bell Rows – I have found that heavy D. Bell Rows pack muscle on your back better than any other exercise. They are also great for working the grip strength.

Shoulder Pullover – One of my absolute favorite exercises for the shoulders and opening up the chest and rib cage. These can be done with a D.Bell or by simply using a weight plate.

D. Bell Military Press – I feel that most people (injuries withstanding) should incorporate some pressing into their programs. There is just not enough of it done either because it is too hard to do or fear of getting injured. I find that Standing D.Bell Military Presses are a bit safer and easier to control when you are training alone. If the weight gets to be too much, brace yourself, tuck your elbows into your body and bring the weight to your sides.

Romanian Deadlift (RDL) – Great exercise for the posterior chain, upper back and grip strength. There is no need for a spotter with this exercise, because it can’t really be done; just make sure your technique is good.

Bulgarian Split Squat – This is a tough but effective unilateral leg exercise. It strengthens every aspect of the hip and knee joint; it also a great exercise to increase hip flexor range of motion.

Session 1:

1. Dips – As Many As It Takes – Week 1 – 6RM , Week 2 – 5RM, Week 3 – 4RM, Week 4 – 3RM

2. Incline D.Bell Press superset w / D. Bell Step Ups – 4 Sets, Week 1 – 15r, Week 2 – 12r, Week 3 – 10r, Week 4 – 8r

3. D. Bell Row and Romanian Deadlifts (RDL) – 4 Sets, Week 1 – 15r, Week 2 – 12r, Week 3 – 10r, Week 4 – 8r

4. D. Bell Reverse Flyes and Skull Crushers – 3 Sets, Week 1 – 15r, Week 2 – 12r, Week 3 – 10r, Week 4 – 8r

5. Weighted Sit Ups and Side Planks (timed) 3 Sets, Week 1 – 15r & 30sec, Week 2 – 12r & 40 sec, Week 3 – 10r & 50sec, Week 4 – 8r & 60sec

Session 2:

Deadlift, As Many As It Takes, Week 1 – 5RM, Week 2 – 4RM, Week 3 – 3RM, Week 4 – 2RM

Pull Ups and D. Bell Bulgarian Split Squats 4 sets, Week 1 – 8r &15r, Week 2 – 6r &12r, Week 3 – 5r &10r, Week 4 – 3r&8r

D. Bell Military Press and Standing Calf Raises 4 sets, Week 1 – 15r, Week 2 – 12r, Week 3 – 10r, Week 4 – 8r

D. Bell Lateral Raises and D. Bell Hammer Curls 3 sets, Week 1 – 15r, Week 2 – 12r, Week 3 – 10r, Week 4 – 8r

Reverse Crunches and Front Planks (timed) 3 sets – Week 1 – 8r & 30sec, Week 2 – 102r & 40sec, Week 3 – 12r & 50sec, Week 4 – 15r & 60sec

There you have it; a two day a week program that will get you strong in no time. Now you are armed and ready to take on the world alone if necessary.

Doug is a strength coach and owner of Rise Above Performance Training where he helps athletes develop and enhance their performance. Through carefully structured strength and conditioning programs, he teaches correct body positioning and proper lifting mechanics. Please visit http://www.RiseAboveStrength.com and sign up for his FREE NEWSLETTER and receive 2 FREE E-BOOKS.
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Even though Doug’s program seems like a lot of volume, keep in mind you are working out without a partner so the weights won’t typically be quite as high during the primary lifts.

Questions? Post them up for Doug!

DO YOU TRAIN ALONE?  HOW DO YOU DO IT?

- Joe Hashey, CSCS -

PS. It took me a long time to figure out how to make the upside down exclamation point up top!