renegadenate
Level 6 Valued Member
I just completed six weeks of BuiltStrong Minimalist, and I love it! This has been my most favorite StrongFirst program so far.
I chose the Tough schedule as I am used to a higher training volume. In hindsight, I should have stuck with the Regular schedule as I was also performing two Murph Challenge training sessions each week (see my thread here: Bodyweight - Murph Challenge Training).
So, after I completed the first four weeks on the Tough schedule, I switched to the Regular schedule for the Medium and Light lifts but I kept the Tough schedule on the Heavy lifts as there was only a 1-2 rep difference in reps each week, and I can handle a higher volume of heavy lifts (the total number of lifts performed was 15 - I'm used to 20-30ish). That has worked great for me!
My weekly schedule and exercise choices looked like this:
Mon: BuiltStrong Minimalist (Heavy: Double Kettlebell Overhead Presses / Medium: Bulgarian Split Squats / Light: 1-Arm KB Rows)
Tues: Murph training (easy 1/2-mile run and low-volume Murph: 2/4/6 EMOM for 15-25 minutes)
Wed: BuiltStrong Minimalist (Heavy: DKBFS / Medium: BW Chin-ups / Light: BW Dips)
Thurs: Off
Fri: BuiltStrong Minimalist (Heavy: Weighted Pull-ups / Medium: DB Floor Presses / Light: Goblet Squats)
Sat: High-volume Murph training (see my thread above)
Sun: Off
My only "complaint" is that my knees (arthritis) have HATED squatting/Bulgarian split squats 3x/week. I can really only handle one squat day and one easier split squat day per week without my knees barking at me. Thus, for my next run of BuiltStrong minimalist, I will replace my Heavy squat day with Deadlifts.
Also, I quickly found out that you need to choose your "Medium" and especially your "Light" exercises wisely as they will be the exercises you're performing for the highest volume and reps (7-10). For 1-Arm KB Rows and Dips, it was fine, but Goblet Squats, DB Floor Presses, Chin-ups, and Bulgarian Split Squats (in addition to my arthritis) were brutal at higher volumes/rep ladders on some weeks.
I'm glad the volume decreases on weeks 7 and 8 as I have the Murph Challenge on Memorial day (which will be the start of Week 7).
So far, I've noticed an increase in muscle size in my biceps for the first time ever! I've literally NEVER had my biceps grow quickly or larger in the last 30 years!
I can also tell that my legs are regaining lost size (after a car accident in 2017), and my back/lats have definitely grown as my shirts have gotten tight in those areas.
In addition, I've lost 3lbs of fat (my waist has gotten loose on my shorts, and I can tighten my belt 1-2 more notches).
When I started BuiltStrong Minimalist I was trying to lose fat after gaining way too much in the last 2 1/2 years. I didn't care about gaining weight, but I'm glad to see that I've lost weight and have increased muscle in the aforementioned areas despite eating for fat loss.
I'm already designing my next 8-week BuiltStrong Minimalist plan with a few exercise changes (including Renegade Rows, Deadlifts in place of the Heavy Squat day, and 1-Arm KB Presses for all three press days). I will be running the "Tough" schedule for all Heavy lifts and the "Minimal" schedule for the Medium and Light exercises as I'll be performing two conditioning days each week for this next phase. I really need to bring up my cardio/work capacity to where I used to be.
@Fabio Zonin I'm so glad the BuiltStrong Minimalist program comes with a spreadsheet with so many options available! It allows me to get the variety I need with exercise choices (I chose 9 different exercises for my first 8-week plan) and varying volume with the different schedules.
I WISH the PlanStrong seminar included a spreadsheet like this so I could easily design strength plans for myself and my coaching clients. Even though I attended the first PlanStrong event in 2014, I still haven't figured out how to properly use all the info. It's way too confusing and time-consuming. I'm sure it's much better now (and I'm sure the manual has been revised a few times), but it really does need a spreadsheet like BuiltStrong Minimalist.
I chose the Tough schedule as I am used to a higher training volume. In hindsight, I should have stuck with the Regular schedule as I was also performing two Murph Challenge training sessions each week (see my thread here: Bodyweight - Murph Challenge Training).
So, after I completed the first four weeks on the Tough schedule, I switched to the Regular schedule for the Medium and Light lifts but I kept the Tough schedule on the Heavy lifts as there was only a 1-2 rep difference in reps each week, and I can handle a higher volume of heavy lifts (the total number of lifts performed was 15 - I'm used to 20-30ish). That has worked great for me!
My weekly schedule and exercise choices looked like this:
Mon: BuiltStrong Minimalist (Heavy: Double Kettlebell Overhead Presses / Medium: Bulgarian Split Squats / Light: 1-Arm KB Rows)
Tues: Murph training (easy 1/2-mile run and low-volume Murph: 2/4/6 EMOM for 15-25 minutes)
Wed: BuiltStrong Minimalist (Heavy: DKBFS / Medium: BW Chin-ups / Light: BW Dips)
Thurs: Off
Fri: BuiltStrong Minimalist (Heavy: Weighted Pull-ups / Medium: DB Floor Presses / Light: Goblet Squats)
Sat: High-volume Murph training (see my thread above)
Sun: Off
My only "complaint" is that my knees (arthritis) have HATED squatting/Bulgarian split squats 3x/week. I can really only handle one squat day and one easier split squat day per week without my knees barking at me. Thus, for my next run of BuiltStrong minimalist, I will replace my Heavy squat day with Deadlifts.
Also, I quickly found out that you need to choose your "Medium" and especially your "Light" exercises wisely as they will be the exercises you're performing for the highest volume and reps (7-10). For 1-Arm KB Rows and Dips, it was fine, but Goblet Squats, DB Floor Presses, Chin-ups, and Bulgarian Split Squats (in addition to my arthritis) were brutal at higher volumes/rep ladders on some weeks.
I'm glad the volume decreases on weeks 7 and 8 as I have the Murph Challenge on Memorial day (which will be the start of Week 7).
So far, I've noticed an increase in muscle size in my biceps for the first time ever! I've literally NEVER had my biceps grow quickly or larger in the last 30 years!
I can also tell that my legs are regaining lost size (after a car accident in 2017), and my back/lats have definitely grown as my shirts have gotten tight in those areas.
In addition, I've lost 3lbs of fat (my waist has gotten loose on my shorts, and I can tighten my belt 1-2 more notches).
When I started BuiltStrong Minimalist I was trying to lose fat after gaining way too much in the last 2 1/2 years. I didn't care about gaining weight, but I'm glad to see that I've lost weight and have increased muscle in the aforementioned areas despite eating for fat loss.
I'm already designing my next 8-week BuiltStrong Minimalist plan with a few exercise changes (including Renegade Rows, Deadlifts in place of the Heavy Squat day, and 1-Arm KB Presses for all three press days). I will be running the "Tough" schedule for all Heavy lifts and the "Minimal" schedule for the Medium and Light exercises as I'll be performing two conditioning days each week for this next phase. I really need to bring up my cardio/work capacity to where I used to be.
@Fabio Zonin I'm so glad the BuiltStrong Minimalist program comes with a spreadsheet with so many options available! It allows me to get the variety I need with exercise choices (I chose 9 different exercises for my first 8-week plan) and varying volume with the different schedules.
I WISH the PlanStrong seminar included a spreadsheet like this so I could easily design strength plans for myself and my coaching clients. Even though I attended the first PlanStrong event in 2014, I still haven't figured out how to properly use all the info. It's way too confusing and time-consuming. I'm sure it's much better now (and I'm sure the manual has been revised a few times), but it really does need a spreadsheet like BuiltStrong Minimalist.
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