Andrew Lewis: A Hierarchy of the Variables in Strength Training

[Mark Rippetoe]

A Hierarchy of Variables in Strength Training | Andrew Lewis

[Scaldrew]

Good article. Years of programming experience condensed into maybe a few thousand words, easy enough for anyone's grandma to read. Great primer.

[Southpaw]

Andrew,

Thanks for putting this out there. Your bullet points seem like a really nice checklist for sanity checking my (or anyone’s) current approach to training. I think focusing on the important items in the order you laid out creates a positive feedback loop—if you hauled yourself to the gym even if you felt unmotivated, you might as well do the most valuable lifts since you’re there. And if you get under the bar, you might as well squat correctly. If you use the right form, you might as well use the appropriate weights. And if you complete your workout, your definitely more likely to eat enough protein, and so on.

I’m curious: Was there any argument or debate between you and your peers regarding which components should go where in the various tiers?

[AndrewLewis]

Was there any argument or debate between you and your peers regarding which components should go where in the various tiers?

There were definitely discussions between myself and the three people with whom I spoke. There was an especially lengthy discussion when I first started fleshing out the concepts and how I wanted to form the hierarchy.

After a lot of free flow debate, I formed the original hierarchy from a Pugh Matrix I did in excel with all of the variables.

The positioning of consistency and exercise selection were decisively in the foundation. The rest were kind of up for debate and had to be weighed and partitioned appropriately.

The final hierarchy did not look the same as the first one. Diet and sleep were chunked into recovery and total reps was eliminated entirely.

[Eric Schexnayder]

But where do the combo close-grip snatch / kettlebell pistol squats fit in to your model?

[Meshuggah]

I like to know about real world experience before I put much stock into what a person writes about training.
How long have you been training and what are your best lifts on the big 4, Andrew?

Have a great holiday weekend.

[AndrewLewis]

But where do the combo close-grip snatch / kettlebell pistol squats fit in to your model?

That would be in the meta hierarchy under "Exercise selection".

I like to know about real world experience before I put much stock into what a person writes about training.
How long have you been training and what are your best lifts on the big 4, Andrew?

Have a great holiday weekend.

I don't respond to trolls.

If someone else wants to ask the question out of genuine curiosity, I'll be more than happy to answer.

[Meshuggah]

I like to know about real world experience before I put much stock into what a person writes about training.
How long have you been training and what are your best lifts on the big 4, Andrew?

Have a great holiday weekend.

I don't respond to trolls.

If someone else wants to ask the question out of genuine curiosity, I'll be more than happy to answer.

Troll? I've been a member of this forum and have kept a training log here for over 6 years. I have also shared many articles and videos that have hopefully helped motivate members with their training. If Rip honestly thinks I am a troll he should delete my account and entire posting history immediately.

Best of luck with your endeavors, Andrew.

[Danny Yarbrough]

What caught my attention was the fact that you did not include the Power Clean in the discussion of exercise selection:

"These 3 criteria lead to the squat, the standing overhead press, the deadlift, and the bench press."

I usually see the "big five" teaming up together when these basics are discussed.
Is there a specific reason you left it out here? Has there been a change of understanding regarding the Power Clean? Has it fallen from it's throne?

Don't get me wrong, I'm more of a chin-up guy anyway. Just curious about the development in SS.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Andrew was addressing the primary lifts used for strength development in this piece. You seem like the type of guy who would enjoy the more detailed discussion that takes place at a seminar. See you there.