Want to find out how much a singular barbell can really do? Want to get stronger, faster and become a better human? Want a free barbell?
Join Project Barbell!
First, where Project Barbell started…
I set out to find an answer to a few of those questions a long time ago, but a little over two months ago I started a personal project called “Project Barbellâ€.
The project is simple. I am going to lift 1,000,000 pounds (total volume) in three lifts (squat, press and deadlift) and see where it gets me. I’m not grasping at straws with the project…I know it will work and I know why it will work. The only real question is how much will it work?
See, when we start playing with heavy weights, like we do with barbell training, we go beyond training just the muscles and we start getting the central nervous system involved; the hypothalamus as well as the pituitary gland and we begin pumping the body full of awesome hormones that can do all sorts of things like shed fat, grow muscle, make you faster, smarter and over all a better human. It’s fun stuff!
Originally, I was going to finish the entire project before I even shared it at End of Three Fitness, but I have only lifted 250,000 lbs right now and the results have been AMAZING!
That’s why I want to get you involved TODAY! That’s why I am giving away a barbell!
Seriously, you need to get involved! I’ll tell you how in a second, but a little more on what 250K has done for me so far.
The short of it: In two months I have lifted over 250,000 lb and have gained 12 lb of muscle (without trying to), while maintaining around 8% body fat and actually getting faster. I will not max out on any lifts until I have completed all 1,000,000 lbs lifted, BUT right now it is already looking like 30-40 lb PRs in deadlift and squat and 10-15 lb PR in press.and I am only 25% in!
So you want to get involved??
It’s a three step process…
First, Commit to Lifting a Tank
Your missionI want you to lift a tank.
Not everyone wants/needs to lift 1,000,000 lbs, and it is actually going to take me 6-8 months to lift it all with only using three lifts, so I understand if that doesn’t fit in with your goals.
But I want you to at least lift a tank. That’s right! A tank!
An M1A1 Abrams tank weighs over 100,000 lb (~130,000 lb.), and that is what I want you to commit to! I want you to lift OVER 100,000 lb. and see what happens. Commit to a solid weekly lifting schedule and see where your fitness is at the end of 100,000lb. Some of you can do this in a few weeks and for some it will take a few months, but commit to lifting a tank!
Can I put you down for one Abrams tank?
Second, pick a program and use third grade math
Random lifting or CrossFit-style workouts do not count in your volume…it’s too, what’s the word…random. You need to pick 3 or more lifts you want to improve (i.e. squat, press deadlift), and work on getting the volume in on those lifts. If you lift 100,000 lb in 15 different lifts in a month, your results will not be what you were looking for.
A few guidelines:
- Pick your lifts (volume only counts in those chosen lifts)…obviously it has to be a barbell lift.
- Slightly increase volume over a few weeks (a good program will do this for you).
Example:
- I picked squat, press and deadlift
- My first month I lifted 108,027 lbs and my second month I lifted 110,986, etc.
But before we go any further…what is all this volume talk? Actually, I am not sure how I got this far in the article without specifying what I mean by 1,000,000 lbs total volumeNot to be confused with lifting 1,000,000 lbs off the ground all at once. Silly me.
Let’s talk volume for a second. The math for keeping track of what you lift is simple.
- Lifting Volume = Sets x Reps x Weight
So, if you do 3 sets of 10 reps at 100 lb, you have lifted 3,000 lb.
- 3 x 10 x 100 = 3,000
Too easy, right? Moving on!
Picking a program:
This part is important! I recommend picking a program to make this structured and easy!
Personally, I am lifting all 1,000,000 lbs using the One Man One Barbell program and its different methods. But as the creator of the program, you may think I am biased. No worries, you don’t have to use my program at all…I also will recommend using Wendler 5/3/1 or Starting Strength. They also have a incremental approach to volume increases.
It really doesn’t matter, so long as YOU TRACK the volume. Use your own program, use one of my recommendations or just get out there and start lifting a barbell!
That’s all you gotta do!
Now, moving on to how to get that FREE barbell…
Third, win a FREE Barbell
First, you may want to know WHY I am doing this…
This is not a sponsored post or product giveaway like you see on other sites out there. I am purchasing the barbell and giving it to one of my readers. I am using Rogue because I like their products and company values. I just want to be clear about that.
Anyway…The real why = Because you read End of Three Fitness! Because you, like me, are trying to become a better human!
That’s it! I have awesome readers and an awesome community and I want you to benefit from being a part of End of Three Fitness.
So the details:
I will be giving away the Silver and Black Rogue Bar by Rogue Fitness. This is one of the best multi-purpose bars on the market, hands down. It’s pretty legit…used at the CrossFit Games, Lifetime Warranty, 155K PSI tensile strength…read more about it HERE.
Of course, as with any competition or giveaway, there are a few rules…Anyone over the age of 18 can enter the contest. If outside the continental U.S., you are eligible for the prize amount of the barbell but not shipping costs.
- The contest will start May 19, 2014 and will end June 19, 2014.
Here are the rules for entering the contest
1.) The first rule of Project Barbell is you talk about project barbell!
2.) The second rule of Project Barbell is you TALK about project barbell!
Basically, you need to use the hashtag, #ProjectBarbell, on instagram, twitter and facebook. I am primarily looking for creative, awesome and better-human-like photos and videos. But I will also accept regular ole creative, awesome and better-human-like text updates (tweets and facebook posts). The more you use #ProjectBarbell, the better!
I will be monitoring, #ProjectBarbell, on all three social media sites constantly. The coolest picture on instagram or coolest tweet on twitter using #ProjectBarbell (feel free to mention me on twitter or instagram using @Eo3Fit) gets you closer to winning. Project Barbell is designed to help the current barbell movement grow even further and faster than ever before. So this is where you can share and hashtag the crap out of all your barbell or lifting pics and videos.
3.) Comment on this article below and let me know you are going to be a part of Project Barbell!
4.) Share this article today on Facebook and Twitter!
Here, I’ll make it east to get stared
The winner will be picked primarily on how well they shared and documented (not how much was lifted) their #ProjectBarbell journey over the next month, so long as you comment and share this article today you are good to go!
More volume won’t get you the win, but awesome pictures will!
Winner will be announced here at End of Three Fitness once the competition is over.
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Alright, get after it! If you have any questions, just add them to the comments!
-Jerred
P.S. – To be clear, I can’t know how much you lift over the next month. I want you to shoot for 100,000 lb because it will make you a better human but some are weak, some are strong, big, small, etc.We are all different! Ultimately, I am looking for awesomeness using the hashtag!