I’m not the biggest fan of conventional “Schwarzeneggerian” hypertrophy-driven resistance training.  That is, I’m not into body building.  Body building has its merits as a sport and takes human physiology to its limits, like any sport; but for the rest of us, who are normal people who want to look great and feel fit, I prefer to prescribe less regimented lifting.

Seldom do I “lift” more than one day per week (unless I’m  going through a specific phase in training).  When I do, I use different strategies.  Today’s strategy is two lifts that compliment each other.  One, heavier; the following, lighter and more explosive.

Dead Lift > Single-arm Overhead Snatch (each arm) (4-4, 4-4, 4-4, 4-4, etc.)

Warm up well.  Warm up your entire body, legs, back, core, shoulders, grip strength…

A warm up set of dead lifts at medium weight can be performed (6-8 reps), followed by some light single arm snatches.

Then…  Perform 4 heavy dead lifts.  Follow these dead lifts immediately with 4 single arm snatches (each arm).

Take active rest by adding more weight to your dead lifting station.

Perform 4 dead lifts, followed by 4 single arm snatches (this time with a higher weight increment).

Rest.

Continue adding weight (gradually) to your lifts.  You should progress through several rounds, slowly, safely, and effectively.  This method, quite aerobic in nature due to the many transitions and active recovery) as well as anaerobic (the nature of resistance training) will ease your body into stressful activity; your body will be warm, and will gladly go round by round until you at long last reach your max for that day.  This max should not be assumed to be your one-rep max, as you will be already tired from multiple repetitions.

If you max out on one exercise before the other, keep that exercise’s weight the same, and continue adding to the other while you progress through your rounds.

Just another method for lifting, keeping it interesting, for exploring your limits.