I want to train to get as strong as I can naturally. I do not really care what I look like physically as long as I do not get a gut. How many days a week should I train for optimum results?
WT
Check out the book Dinosaur Training by Brooks Kubrik. Good read, and it is along the avenue of your goals.
As far as how many days you train, that is up to you and your comfort level. I’d say 3-5 days, keeping mostly with the big compound lifts, low reps and high sets.
If it helps you, here is what I am doing now. I am getting stronger by the week it seems. Maybe this is due to the fact that this is my first time training with this low of reps, but whatever it is, I have found a solid program that works for me…
Day 1-
Deadlifts- 8 sets, starting with triples, working my way up to a set or two of singles.
DB Bench supersetted with DB rows- 5x5, although the last two sets I may up the weight and go to 3 reps.
3-5 sets of finish work for chest and back, higher reps, for the pump, or some core work
Day 2-
Bottom Position Squats- 8 sets, same as day one
Superset 5 sets each of dips and pullups.
3-5 sets of core, grip or arms
Day 3-
Power cleans, 8 sets same as above.
Military press supersetted with pulldowns (different grip than pullups) 5 sets each, 5-3 reps
3-5 sets, rotator cuff, neck, core
Sometimes, I’ll combine cleans and presses into the clean and press for eight sets, and include good mornings.
I lift 3-5 times weekly, depending on my schedule and energy levels.
First thing you need to do is set some attainable goals.
You say you want to get stronger but what exactly does that mean?
I would start by picking some lifts you think are going to build overall strength and set some short and long term goals for those.
Once you have some goals you can start building a plan to reach those goals
I might be going out on a limb here by saying this, but I believe your strength has more to do with the adaptation to your nervous system as apposed to any other system. If you contintue to lift hard, eat clean (cutting a few calories), and manage to expend a little more energy throughout your day you should see a loss of body fat without compromising your stength.
I always found the training placed on a lot of endurance athletes ie. Lance Armstrong, was interesting. They manage to cut as much body weigt as they can safely while maximizing strength. Thir was a biography on the Discovery Channel on a female Chinese Olympic track runner, who was squating into the 400 range, though was quite lean.