Strength Workouts for Athletes: Full-Body & Upper-Body Sessions

A strength workout for athletes has one job: build force you can transfer into sprinting, jumping, carrying, and fighting. Size for its own sake is not the goal. The two sessions below use the same principles behind our military fitness programs, where strength gets judged by what it does on a ruck route, a fire ground, or a selection course.

This post gives you workouts, not a periodized plan. If you want the complete 12-week build, it lives in a full strength and conditioning program. Here you get a full-body session, an upper-body session, a weekly layout, and guidance for endurance athletes. Start with what makes training "athletic."

What Makes a Strength Workout for Athletes Different?

Athletic strength training develops maximal force and the speed at which you apply it. It uses compound lifts, explosive movements, and loaded carries. Bodybuilding pursues muscle size through isolation work and high-volume fatigue. Athletes train movements, not muscles, because sport and the job reward force output, not appearance.

The research supports this priority. Stronger athletes tend to jump higher, sprint faster, change direction better, and get injured less (Suchomel, Nimphius and Stone, 2016). Maximal strength also sets the ceiling on power, since you cannot express force quickly if you cannot produce much of it to begin with. Heavy lifts train the force side of that equation and explosive lifts train the velocity side. Strength vs power training covers how the two interact.

For tactical athletes the same logic holds under load. Dismounted soldiers routinely carry well over 100 pounds of equipment (Knapik, Reynolds and Harman, 2004). Dragging a casualty or climbing a wall in full kit requires usable, whole-body force. The reasoning behind functional strength for performance applies directly, and it sits within the broader framework of tactical strength and conditioning.

Both sessions follow four rules:

• Power first. Explosive work goes at the start, while the nervous system is fresh.

• Heavy compound lifts. These stay in the 3 to 6 rep range, which drives maximal strength more effectively than light loads (Schoenfeld et al., 2017).

• Unilateral work. Single-arm and single-leg movements expose and correct side-to-side gaps.

• A loaded carry to finish. Real tasks happen while you are holding something.

Full-Body Strength Workout for Athletes

This full-body strength workout for athletes takes about 60 minutes. Warm up for 8 to 10 minutes first: easy bike or row, hip and thoracic mobility, then three or four ramp-up sets before each main lift.

Full-Body Session

Figure 1.1 - A full-body session audited against published programming guidance: order, loading, rest and movement-pattern coverage. The running order follows every sequencing rule, plyometrics first for maximal power output, then multi-joint before single-joint and higher-intensity before lower, and the three-minute rest on the trap bar deadlift is the single most consequential number in it, since over eight weeks of identical training resistance-trained men resting three minutes added 15.2 per cent to their squat and 13.3 per cent to quadriceps thickness against 7.6 and 6.9 for a one-minute group. The sixty seconds on the dumbbell press and row is not the shortfall it appears: paired as an agonist–antagonist superset, each lift waits out the other, so the chest gets about two minutes fifty and the back about two minutes twenty, and a 2025 meta-analysis found this pairing allows more repetitions than straight sets while cutting session time by around 37 per cent. Totalled, 61 per cent of the session's fifty minutes is prescribed rest and four sets of deadlift account for nearly a third of it. Across twenty-four working sets, eight are hinging and three movement patterns never appear at all, bilateral squat, vertical press, and anything that pulls from overhead. Sources: Ratamess et al., ACSM position stand, Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009;41(3):687–708; Schoenfeld et al., J Strength Cond Res 2016;30(7):1805–1812; Zhang et al., Sports Med 2025;55:953–975.

Why This Session Is Built This Way

The broad jump primes intent. Treat every rep as a test and stop the set the moment distance drops. The clean pull trains the violent hip, knee, and ankle extension of the Olympic lifts without the technical demand of the catch. That is why the NSCA's weightlifting position statement supports pulling derivatives for developing power (Comfort et al., 2023).

The trap bar deadlift is the heavy hinge. It keeps the load closer to your center of mass than a straight bar and shifts some demand from the lower back to the knees (Swinton et al., 2011), so you can push intensity with less spinal cost. RPE 8 means about two reps left in reserve (Zourdos et al., 2016). That is heavy enough to drive strength and controlled enough to recover from before the next session.

The split squat builds single-leg strength, which matters for running, climbing, and anything done from a staggered stance. The farmer carry finishes the session by loading grip, trunk, and posture together, the same way a pack, litter, or hose line does.

Upper-Body Strength Workout for Athletes

This upper-body strength workout for athletes builds the pressing, pulling, and grip strength needed for climbing, grappling, and lifting gear overhead. Pulling volume matches or exceeds pressing volume, which keeps the shoulders balanced under heavy training loads.

Upper-Body Session

• A. Medicine ball chest pass: 3 sets of 5 at max intent. Rest 60 seconds.

• B. Bench press: 4 sets of 5 at RPE 8. Rest 3 minutes.

• C. Weighted pull-up: 4 sets of 5 at RPE 8. Rest 2 to 3 minutes.

• D1. Half-kneeling landmine press: 3 sets of 6 per side at RPE 7 to 8. Rest 60 seconds, then go to D2.

• D2. Chest-supported row: 3 sets of 8 at RPE 8. Rest 60 seconds, then return to D1 until all sets are done.

• E. Suitcase carry: 3 sets of 30 meters per side, heavy, staying upright. Rest 60 seconds.

Coaching Notes

The chest pass trains rate of force development, the upper-body counterpart to the broad jump. Bench press and weighted pull-ups are the strength anchors. The pull-up matters most because it builds relative strength: the ability to move your own bodyweight plus kit.

The landmine press loads overhead pressing in a shoulder-friendly arc, which suits athletes with accumulated shoulder wear. The suitcase carry loads one side only, forcing the trunk to resist bending. Spine stability under asymmetric load transfers to nearly every real-world carry.

How Do You Turn These Workouts Into a Strength Plan?

A strength workout plan for athletes typically uses 2 to 3 lifting days per week, with at least 48 hours between heavy lower-body sessions. The ACSM position stand recommends 2 to 3 days for most trainees and more for advanced lifters (ACSM, 2009). Strength gains track total weekly volume more than frequency alone (Grgic et al., 2018).

Weekly Strength Workout Routine Options:

2 lifting days per week:

• Monday: Full-body session

• Tuesday: Conditioning

• Wednesday: Off

• Thursday: Upper-body session plus lower-body accessory work

• Friday: Conditioning

• Saturday: Long ruck or run

3 lifting days per week:

• Monday: Full-body session

• Tuesday: Conditioning

• Wednesday: Upper-body session

• Thursday: Conditioning

• Friday: Full-body session, swapping the trap bar deadlift for a front squat

• Saturday: Long ruck or run

Progress with load before adding volume. When you complete every rep at or below the target RPE, add 5 to 10 pounds to lower-body lifts and 2.5 to 5 pounds to upper-body lifts the following week. Every fourth week, reduce sets by roughly a third to allow fatigue to clear.

This structure supports four to eight weeks of solid training. Beyond that point, phases, testing, and conditioning need to be planned together, which is what the 12-week program above provides. If you are weighing structured options that develop strength and endurance in parallel, the guide on choosing a strength & endurance program compares them.

How Should Endurance Athletes Use These Strength Workouts?

Endurance athletes should lift heavy, twice a week, with low reps and no training to failure. Heavy strength training improves running economy and cycling efficiency without adding meaningful bodyweight (Rønnestad and Mujika, 2014; Beattie et al., 2014). The full-body session above works well for this purpose. Skip the carries if your weekly ruck volume is already high.

Interference from concurrent training is real but manageable. A meta-analysis by Wilson et al. (2012) found that the strength penalty was largest with high-frequency, long-duration running. Separate lifting and hard endurance sessions by at least six hours where possible, and schedule the higher-priority session first. A full breakdown of training strength and endurance together covers sequencing in more depth.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should athletes strength train?

Most athletes should strength train two to three times per week. The ACSM recommends this range for the majority of trainees, and strength gains depend more on total weekly volume than on frequency. Two sessions are enough to maintain strength during high conditioning blocks. Three sessions build it faster when strength is the priority.

Is a full-body or an upper/lower split better for athletes?

Full-body training is better for most athletes training two or three days per week. Each major pattern gets trained at least twice weekly, and the schedule tolerates a missed session. Upper/lower splits work better at four or more lifting days, a schedule that rarely fits alongside running, rucking, and job demands.

How is athletic strength training different from bodybuilding?

Athletic strength training builds force output and the speed of producing it. Bodybuilding builds muscle size. Athletes use heavy compound lifts, explosive movements, and carries, and they stop sets short of failure to stay fresh for sport. Bodybuilders use more isolation work, higher reps, and deliberate fatigue to drive growth.

Should endurance athletes lift heavy?

Yes. Heavy, low-rep lifting improves running economy and cycling efficiency with minimal weight gain, according to reviews by Rønnestad and Mujika and by Beattie and colleagues. Keep sets in the 3 to 6 rep range, stop well short of failure, and separate lifting from hard endurance work to limit interference.

A good strength workout for athletes is simple: power first, heavy compound lifts, single-limb work, and a loaded carry, all built around force you can use. The two sessions above give you that structure today. Run them for four weeks, log every set, and progress load only when the RPE allows. When you want the work periodized around a specific test or selection date, choose a structured Combat Fitness program and train for the standard you are going to face.

References:

Suchomel TJ, Nimphius S, Stone MH. The importance of muscular strength in athletic performance. Sports Medicine. 2016;46(10):1419-1449.

Suchomel TJ, Nimphius S, Bellon CR, Stone MH. The importance of muscular strength: training considerations. Sports Medicine. 2018;48(4):765-785.

American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2009;41(3):687-708.

Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Davies TB, Lazinica B, Krieger JW, Pedisic Z. Effect of resistance training frequency on gains in muscular strength: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2018;48(5):1207-1220.

Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.

Rhea MR, Alvar BA, Burkett LN, Ball SD. A meta-analysis to determine the dose response for strength development. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2003;35(3):456-464.

Zourdos MC, Klemp A, Dolan C, et al. Novel resistance training-specific rating of perceived exertion scale measuring repetitions in reserve. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2016;30(1):267-275.

Cormie P, McGuigan MR, Newton RU. Developing maximal neuromuscular power: part 2, training considerations for improving maximal power production. Sports Medicine. 2011;41(2):125-146.

Comfort P, Haff GG, Suchomel TJ, et al. National Strength and Conditioning Association position statement on weightlifting for sports performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2023;37(6):1163-1190.

Swinton PA, Stewart A, Agouris I, Keogh JW, Lloyd R. A biomechanical analysis of straight and hexagonal barbell deadlifts using submaximal loads. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2011;25(7):2000-2009.

Knapik JJ, Reynolds KL, Harman E. Soldier load carriage: historical, physiological, biomechanical, and medical aspects. Military Medicine. 2004;169(1):45-56.

Wilson JM, Marin PJ, Rhea MR, Wilson SM, Loenneke JP, Anderson JC. Concurrent training: a meta-analysis examining interference of aerobic and resistance exercises. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2012;26(8):2293-2307.

Rønnestad BR, Mujika I. Optimizing strength training for running and cycling endurance performance: a review. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. 2014;24(4):603-612.

Beattie K, Kenny IC, Lyons M, Carson BP. The effect of strength training on performance in endurance athletes. Sports Medicine. 2014;44(6):845-865.

Lauersen JB, Bertelsen DM, Andersen LB. The effectiveness of exercise interventions to prevent sports injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2014;48(11):871-877.

Haff GG, Triplett NT, eds. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. 4th ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2016.

Headquarters, Department of the Army. FM 7-22: Holistic Health and Fitness. Washington, DC; October 2020.

Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting a new training program, especially if you have an injury or medical condition. Individual results vary, and no specific performance outcome is guaranteed.