If you’re looking for a no nonsense strength and endurance workout plan, then you’ve found it. This 6 week program is designed to increase your strength in the squat, bench press, and deadlift, as well as your cardiovascular fitness. Keep reading for full details, and free PDF download.
As the name implies, this exercise plan features a lot of cardiovascular training, mixed with heavy weights. In fact, it’s just about a 50% mix of each type of training. This training plan is designed to build your aerobic base as well as increase your overall strength, in common compound lifts. Check out the overview below.
6 Week Strength and Endurance Workout Plan
- Designed for intermediate athletes with good form on lifts
- 4 Days per week split, with optional 5th day
- 3 Rest days per week
- Can be done in most home gyms, and nearly any commercial gym
- Cardio method is athletes choice
- All workouts can be scaled to accommodate athletes current fitness level
This program is best for strength athletes that want to build cardiovascular endurance, or endurance athletes that need to build strength. The only requirement is that you understand how to safely perform each barbell movement.
If you decide that this workout program might be a little too much for your current fitness level, then I would recommend checking out this fitness program. It’s designed for new hybrid athletes, and should get you up to speed quickly.
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Strength and Endurance Workout Plan Overview
In this section I’m going to cover some of the rules of the road for this program. The first thing I recommend is performing a rep max test, or setting a new one rep max on the squat, bench press, and deadlift.
If you want to be very thorough, you can also do the same for the seated barbell press, and incline bench press. This will allow you to use the percentages accurately for the strength sessions.
It’s important to note that the cardiovascular exercise is written so that you can choose any method you like. I strongly recommend Assault Bike, cycling, rowing, or any other non-impactful method of cardio. However, you can absolutely choose running.
Lastly, you can do the weight training and the endurance work in the same session, but you’ll find more success if you separate them. Research shows that separating them by 4 hours or more, is the best way to combine cardio and lifting. If you can’t do this, then I want you to go for an easy walk for 10min between your last set of lifting, and the start of your cardio.
This should allow your body to burn some of the lactate built up in your system, which will interfere with the easy Zone 2 training. If you’re new to endurance training, read this guide to heart rate based Zone training. It will clarify much of this programming.
Before we get to week 1 of the 6 Week Strength and Endurance Workout Plan. Make sure you download the PDF with all 6 weeks. It’s a Dropbox download with the same images you’ll see below.
6 Week Strength and Endurance Workout Plan FREE PDF
Week 1
This program maintains similar movement patterns, and full body workouts across all 6 weeks for the lower body, and upper body. As such, I will give you some tips on each session type in each week of the program. Please read the whole thing before starting. I don’t want you to spend several weeks doing certain training sessions incorrectly!
Session one is a back squat and barbell strict press session. Make sure you go through a solid warm up, and hit at least 2-4 warm up sets before your first work set. I recommend resting 2-4 minutes between sets. You’ll then transition to the dark blue blocks, and go through your accessory work there.
Ideally the endurance work would be done separately from the lifting, but you can do it immediately after you finish a 10 min easy walk, post lifting. Make sure to check out my Zone 2 cardio guide, so you aren’t working out too hard, and completely ruining this workout. Now, on to Week 2.
If you like this kind of program but want a little more challenging option, you should check out my most popular hybrid training program below.
Week 2
In Week 2 we increase the load by a percent or two for the compound lifts. This is called linear periodization, and is a proven method to increase strength gains, and promote muscle growth. At this point the weights should be heavy but moving fairly well. The truly heavy weight lifting sessions come later!
In Session 6 we see a bench press and deadlift for our lifts. The accessory work is designed to build the muscles that will support both movements. They have the added benefit of increasing muscular endurance, while building each muscle group.
The endurance work starts with Zone 2, and then finishes with 7 minutes of max effort work in Zone 5. Regardless of whichever cardio method you’ve chosen, make sure you stick with it for all six weeks. Next, we’ll cover week three.
Week 3
In week three we continue the progressive overload, for the big lifts. You’re starting to get close to your previous one rep max levels, on the final sets. This is a requirement to build maximum strength. Your body learns to use your muscle fibers efficiently with repeated exposure to heavy weights. There is no short cutting this process.
In Session 11 we see a back squat / incline bench press day. The biggest difference is I’ve changed the rep scheme to allow for higher reps on each set. This is a great way to give your joints a break with somewhat lighter weights, while allowing you to build more muscle at the same time.
This endurance work is sprint interval training. Please note that those ramp up accelerations are written in meters for those who are running for their cardio. If you’re cycling, or rowing, then you should think of those ramp ups as 10 seconds, 20 seconds, and 30 seconds with a small break between each one.
Once you get into the meat of this high-intensity interval training session, you’ll find that this is a very challenging workout. I always recommend starting a little slower than you think. After all, 95% when fresh is different than when you’re tired at minute 16. Ideally each interval would be the same distance. Now let’s get to week 4.
Week 4
In this week, we rotate the accessory work to make sure that your progress isn’t stagnating. As a strength coach, I’ve found that your body will start to plateau after about 3-4 weeks. This is the ideal time to change movements and rep schemes so that you continue to improve in your strength training workouts.
In Session 16 you can see that it’s a pure lifting day. The bulk of this workout is a type of circuit training where I have you working on explosive power with the power clean, as well as some smaller muscle groups that need direct work as well. You’ll find that this is fairly steady work that keeps your heart rate moderately high.
If you’re barely able to move the weights as written, feel free to lower them. Next we’ll cover the second to last week in the 6 Week Strength and Endurance Workout Plan.
Week 5
This week we are getting really close to you previous one rep max strength levels. By now you should feel that you can move the weights fairly well. Sure, the bar isn’t moving quickly, but you shouldn’t be grinding out reps, barely able to finish, on every set. If you are struggling, you can drop the weights slightly, to makes sure you’re using proper form.
You’ll notice that I’ve maintained the same structure on the dark blue accessory blocks. This allows you to work on increasing your work capacity with movements that will support your strength work. Do your best to beat the previous weeks score either in weight, or reps, depending on the workout session. Now let’s get to the last week.
Week 6
This is the last, and most challenging session of the entire 6 Week Strength and Endurance Workout Plan. You can see that you’re working up to your previous one rep max. This will build your confidence to set new PR’s in the coming weeks, once you see that moving your old maxes is easier than you thought.
While this is a 4 day split strength and endurance program, I have included an optional 5th workout each week. It’s just 45 minutes of Zone 2 work, using the same method you’ve been doing.
This can improve your recovery, and it certainly will augment your cardiovascular training. If you’re the type of athlete that needs more cardio training, then feel free to jump in on these sessions when you can. You don’t have to do them every single week.
Now that we’ve finished this program, I’ll list some great follow on programs below to keep the muscle building and endurance gains you’ve worked so hard for.
Finding Your Next Program
In this section I’ll list several different workout plans that would work well as a follow on for this program. Each program will have a certain main goal. I recommend clicking on a few to see which one supports your specific fitness needs.
- 6 Week Beginner Hybrid Program
- 8 Week Functional Bodybuilding Hybrid Program
- 3 Day Strength Training Split Program (Free PDF)
- 4 Day Split Strength Training Program
- 6 Week Muscular Growth Program
If you’re the type of athlete that likes to have all the details, from nutrition info, coaches notes, to workout tips, then you should check out my premium programs. You’ll find my most popular hybrid program below.
If you want to see all the details included in each workout session then follow this link for more details.
Final Thoughts
This is a challenging program, with a lot of work. I recommend checking out this nutrition guide I wrote a while back to make sure you’re eating enough to support your goals. I would estimate that most of these sessions will have you burning around 1,000 calories between the lifts and the cardio.
To really build muscle mass, and increase endurance, you need to recover well. You can check out this article on realistic recovery methods that actually work. You’ll be surprised to find out that the best one is completely free!
If you liked this article then don’t forget to join the email list below. Now get out there and get training!
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