For those who are new to weight training/lifting and have no idea who Ken Patera is here’s a little background for you.

Patera is a former Olympic Weightlifter and USA powerlifter. He won several medals at the Pan American Games (including gold), and finished second in the 1971 World Weightlifting Championships. He was the first American to clean and jerk 500 (503 1/2) lbs, which he achieved at the 1972 Senior Nationals in Detroit. He is also the only American to clean and press 500 lbs, and he was arguably the last American to excel at weightlifting on an international level.

Patera also competed in the first World’s Strongest Man contest in 1977, finishing third behind Bruce Wilhelm and Bob Young.

Patera went on to have a long career on professional wrestling. Here is a typical Patera workout. Patera would switch up his routines constantly, as well as sets and reps. Use your own judgement based on your comfort level.

The Ken Patera Workout

Snatch

Clean and Press

Bench Press

Squats

Notes: Lift 2-3 times per week using whatever set and rep scheme your comfortable with except for squats. Perform one set of each squat exercise and one set only. Get plenty of rest, eat good food and drink lots of water. Remember to lift heavy and with max intensity.

Understand that to be successful in any weight training program – hard work is a must! Half-hearted effort does nothing for you. If you’re new to weight training or grossly out of shape, consult a physician first. End of disclaimer.