Training Age: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Beginner, intermediate, advanced. People use these terms all the time but they often mean different things.
It's important to understand the differences because training programs are often designed around training age.
But how to know what your training age is? Let's find out in this article.
What is Training Age?
Training age is the classification of athletes into different categories. Typically, these categories are:
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
We'll see in a minute how to make this distinction. But first let's talk about why training age is important in the first place.
Why is Training Age Important?
The idea behind classifying athletes as beginners, intermediates or advanced is that different athletes have different needs.
Beginners
Beginners tend to adapt easily to training. Every stimulus is new to them and makes them improve. At the same time though, being new to training, they have a lot to learn (exercise names, proper execution, etc.).
This is why beginners are better served by simple programs that focus on the basics. Putting them on advanced programs would make their life harder for no reason while potentially distracting them from their true priorities.
Advanced
On the other hand, advanced athletes have already gone through the easy steps. They have less potential for adaptation and require the use of more complex strategies.
Putting advanced athletes on beginner programs sets them back to what used to work but doesn't work anymore.
So the bottom line is giving athletes the program they need. Not too basic, not too advanced. Training age helps with that.
But how do we make the distinction? How do we know if an athlete is a beginner, intermediate or advanced? There are different criteria we can use.
Training Age by Years of Training
The simplest method to define training age is based on the years of consistent training.
If you've been training consistently for less than two years, you're a beginner. Between three and five years, you're intermediate. Six years or more, you're an advanced athlete.
Training Age | Years of Consistent Training |
---|---|
Beginner | 0 - 2 years |
Intermediate | 3 - 5 years |
Advanced | 6 years or more |
Pros
The main strength of this method is that it's very straightforward. Just by knowing a single information it's possible to tailor a program to suit an athlete's needs.
However, there's also a big flaw to it. Can we really call someone advanced just because they show up regularly in the gym?
Cons
Many people spin their wheels in the gym for years.
They make some progress at first but eventually hit a plateau. They might think they're advanced. But in reality, they're still beginners or intermediates and simply don't know how to progress from there.
As a result, some lifters have been hitting the gym for over a decade but functionally are still intermediates relative to their genetic limits.
Training Age by Level of Strength
Another way to define training age is by classifying athletes based on their level of strength.
Normally, you would compare the athlete's strength to an arbitrary standard, such as the strength on a particular lift. Using the deadlift as an example:
Training Age | Strength in the Deadlift |
---|---|
Beginner | 1.0 - 1.3 x body weight |
Intermediate | 1.2 - 1.5 x body weight |
Advanced | 1.6 - 2.1 x body weight |
Pros
This method is better than the previous one because it's more objective.
Regardless of the years of experience, we're looking at the actual results here. So someone who makes good use of their training time will make progress and therefore get stronger.
Cons
The main problem with this approach is that some people are just naturally stronger than others.
Some gifted folks are able to pick up over 300 lbs on their first deadlift attempt. Should we treat them as advanced even if it's their first day in the gym?
On the other hand, less gifted people struggle to meet baseline requirements even after years of dedicated and well-thought training.
Despite their relatively low strength level, they're already accustomed to advanced training techniques. Putting them on a beginner's program would set them back and stop producing results.
Training Age by Strength Performance
Instead of relying on the years of training or some arbitrary strength standard, this approach relies on the athlete's rate of progress. Specifically, how fast or slow they're able to gain strength.
Rates of strength gains slow as training age increases. In other words, the more advanced you become the slower you'll gain strength.
Training Age | Rate of Strength Gains |
---|---|
Beginner | Workout to workout |
Intermediate | Week to week |
Advanced | Month to month |
Pros
This method considerably improves on the previous one.
If someone is naturally strong, they'll be able to lift heavy weights since their first days in the gym. But because they're beginners, they'll also be able to add weight consistently workout to workout as they gain strength.
On the other hand, someone less gifted although more advanced will only be able to progress week to week (or month to month) even if the amount of weight lifted is relatively low.
Cons
The only limit to this approach is that it's very specific to strength training.
This is not a problem if strength is your main objective. But what if you're more interested in hypertrophy? Or what if you want to develop both qualities?
The Full Stack Body Approach
At Full Stack Body we're big proponents of critical thinking and employing an inclusive rather than exclusive mindset.
So we went through all the methods listed above, took the best that each had to offer, and mixed it with our years of experience in coaching clients.
The following is the classification we use. Notice there are no set durations or strength standards. Everything is relative to the athlete and their unique capabilities.
Beginner
Beginners make easy gains with only the basics in place. Every stimulus is new to them and makes them improve. They just need to lift weights and get plenty of food and rest.
Beginners accumulate very little fatigue workout to workout and adapt very quickly. There is no need for complexity. Beginner programs are best when simple. This allows them to focus on the basics and make their most rapid and productive gains.
The beginner phase draws to a close when it becomes increasingly difficult to make progress. The end is marked by a performance plateau which generally occurs within the first two years of consistent, intelligent training.
Intermediate
Once reached their first plateau, beginners enter the intermediate phase.
As an intermediate, gains don't come easy anymore. Adaptation rate slows down and fatigue accumulation from workout to workout increases. To keep making progress, some thinking is required. They have to refine their program and start paying attention to the details.
Beyond the first plateau, others will come up every now and again. But they come and go as long as the athlete is diligent and their training is logical.
The end of the intermediate phase is marked by a performance plateau after a series of increasingly difficult and complex workouts. This generally occurs between the third and fifth year of consistent training.
Advanced
Past the intermediate stage, athletes become advanced and approach their physical potential. This generally occurs after at least five years of consistent, logical training.
At this stage, improving is simply impossible unless the details are in place. Adaptation rate is slow and hard to notice, while workouts generate a lot of fatigue.
Advanced lifters cannot afford to do a good job in the gym. They have to do a great job. A very specific job. They must learn what works for them and put their best effort in that direction.
High amounts of work and complex manipulation of training are required. If the program is anything but refined, advanced simply make no gains. When they do, they are slow to come and hard to notice.
Conclusions
This is a list of the most common ways to classify athletes, including the approach we use with our clients.
You can pick one or mix and match. The important thing is that you get a rough idea of your training age so you can choose the right program for you and not for someone else.
This is going to make all the difference in terms of results, optimal use of your time and energies, and adherence to the program in the long run.