Mark Challet’s Minimalist Workouts
In the last article, I began a series on minimalist training which refers to doing the least possible amount of training while still experiencing optimum strength gains. The workouts are simple, brief, and infrequent. Perhaps the most extreme example of a great lifter who used minimalist training was Mark Challet. According to Marty Gallagher in his article The Eternal Resistance Training Schism-Intensity vs. Volume, Mark’s dead lift routine consisted of five reps total. He simply started with a single warm up rep with 255 pounds and increased the weight over the course of his next four single reps until he reached up to 800 pounds. He did this routine once per week to become the best deadlifter in the world for his weight class with several competition lifts in excess of 850 pounds.
Of course the minimum number of exercises that you can do in a workout is one exercise. The minimum number of reps you can do for a set is one rep. Mark Challet used this concept for his workouts and did no assistance work and no other exercises for his deadlift workout, just five single reps of deadlift. A complete workout that consists of single reps for a single exercise is not completely unique to Mark Challet. The Bulgarian Olympic lifters under coach Ivan Abadjiev were known to also do very simple workouts of one or two exercises for single reps. However, the Bulgarian’s worked out constantly. Even though they did very simple workouts, they generally worked out three or more times per day and had no reservations about doing more than one workout for the same exercise on the same day.
Minimalist Workouts vs. Minimalist Training
While you could say that the Bulgarian’s often did what appeared to be a minimalist workout, they did not use a minimalist training frequency. There is a difference between a minimalist workout, and minimalist training. Pure minimalist training is done on an infrequent basis, however minimalist workouts can be done on a high frequency basis.
High Frequency Minimalist Workouts with Single Reps
If you love heavy training, and incorporate it into infrequent minimalist training, but you are not getting the results that you would like from it, you have the option of trying high frequency minimalist single rep workouts. When training heavy on a frequent basis, I would caution against doing all out single rep max attempts. Instead of grinding out heavy single reps, I strongly recommend using a training max that is based on using the heaviest weight that you can use while maintaining a smooth nonstop lifting motion throughout the entire lifting motion with excellent form. Working up to one heavy single rep using your training max for one or two basis exercises (such as squat or deadlift, or a pressing exercise) is enough for a single minimalist workout, and you can do these workouts often if you take your time and gradually work up to high frequency training with heavy weights.
Warm ups
When doing a minimalist workout for heavy singles, I recommend doing a very light warm up set with ten reps. After you do a warm up set, increase the weight across at least five single reps until you reach a heavy single rep using your training max. Use perfect form without any jerking, grinding, or displacement in your form, as this is one of the keys to lifting heavy without injuring yourself. If focusing on heavy singles leads to sore muscle or joints, I highly recommend incorporating more light warm up sets for ten reps, and some light cool down sets after lifting heavy. These sets should be very light in order to rehabilitate instead of debilitate your muscles.
Work Your Way into High Frequency Training
If you do minimalist workouts on a high frequency basis, I suggest starting out with just three workouts per week for a few weeks, and then moving to four workouts per week for three weeks, followed by five workouts per week for three to six weeks. If you are comfortable with five workouts per week, then you can increase to six workouts per week. You must listen to your body as you may find that you can do pressing exercises every day, but squats and deadlifts may wipe you out if you do them too often.
When doing heavy singles on frequent basis, there is a fine line between lifting heavy enough and too heavy. All you need to do is find a weight that is heavy enough to challenge you without wiping you out, and then add on a little to that weight occasionally. Only add weight if you can do so while maintaining perfect form without any grinding.
Many people have found minimalist workouts to be highly effective and the only way to know if it will work for you is to experiment, listen to your body, evaluate your progress, and make adjustments as you go. In the next article, I will discuss the use of brief minimalist workouts in conjunction with lighter weights on a high frequency basis. Until then, best of training to you.