Workout Plans: Legs 2

As many of you already know, the legs are comprised of four major muscle groups; quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. This workout involves exercises that target each of these muscle groups to maximize your muscle building and thus calorie burning potential.

Try this workout in sequence, to exhaust your quadriceps, then hamstrings and glutes, and finally your calves. Keep rest periods in between sets below 1 minute.

Quadriceps

Barbell Squats

• 2 warmup sets of 8-12 reps
• 3 working sets of 8 reps

Leg Extensions

• 1 warmup set of 20 reps
• 3 working sets of 10-15 reps

Hamstrings

Stiff-Legged Deadlifts

• 2 warmup sets of 8-12 reps
• 3 working sets of 6-8 reps

Lying Leg Curls

• 1 warmup set of 10-15 reps
• 3 working sets of 8-12 reps

Glutes

Leg Press (feet wide and high on platform)

• 4 working sets of 12-15 reps

Calves

Calf extension on leg press

• 4 working sets of 15-20 reps

Standing Calf Raises

• 3 working sets of 15 reps (weighted)
• 2 sets of 30 (bodyweight)

Have fun with this one. As we've said before, if you feel slight nausea or struggle to walk out of the gym, that means you're doing it right. Do this workout once a week and you'll get stronger, more defined legs in no time!

Workout Plans: Arms 2

Who wants tickets to the gun show? According to Ron Burgundy, handing these out is the only way to bag a classy lady. Although we may not completely agree, it can’t hurt to have well developed triceps, biceps, and forearms, right? This workout will tone and build lean muscle mass onto your arms.

"1001, 1002, 1003,..." - a bit higher than conventional rep ranges

Warm up:

·         5 minutes on stationary bike, treadmill, or jump rope

Incline Dumbbell Curls

·         5 sets of 8-12 reps

Preacher Curls

·         5 sets of 8-12 reps

Barbell 21’s

·         3 sets

o   There are 3 steps to barbell 21’s:

1.       Start at bottom of range of motion, and come halfway up 7 times

2.       Start mid-way, and lift to the top of the range of motion without moving your upper arms, 7 times

3.       7 full reps

Lying Barbell Tricep Extensions (“Skullcrushers”)

·         5 sets of 8-12 reps

Cable Tricep Rope Pushdown

·         4 sets of 8-12 reps

superset with…

Overhead Cable Tricep Rope Extension

·         4 sets of 8-12 reps

Tricep Dips

·         3 sets to failure

Minimize rest time to 60-90 seconds in between sets, and 2 minutes in between exercises. As always, have a protein shake immediately post-workout to optimize protein synthesis. Good luck, have fun, and let us know what you think!

Workout Plans: Back 2

This workout is designed to fatigue every single muscle fiber in your back. It starts with exercises that work the upper back, and gradually moves downwards.

Try to increase the weight with each set, while maintaining perfect form. Keep the rest time in between sets to about 40-60 seconds.

Straight Arm Pulldown

·         4 sets of 8-12 reps

Wide Grip Lat Pulldown

·         4 sets of 8-12 reps

·         1 drop set – get 8-12 reps on the first set, reduce by 20% and go to failure 3 times

Bent Barbell Row

·         4 sets of 8-12 reps

·         1 drop set – get 8-12 reps on the first set, reduce by 20% and go to failure 3 times

One Arm Dumbbell Row

·         4 sets of 8-12 reps

Deadlift

·         4 sets of 6-10 reps

Hyperextension

·         3 sets of 15 slow reps, 4 seconds up, 4 seconds down

·         Add weight if you find this is too easy

This is another tough workout, but if you stick with it, you will stimulate new growth throughout your back, which will contribute to your overall physique.

Good luck, have fun, and let us know how it goes by commenting on this board or on facebook or twitter! If you like this workout, subscribe to our emails and you'll get updates/workouts directly to your inbox.

Workout Plans: Chest 2

We’ve been getting very positive feedback from the workouts we have posted thus far. If you haven’t tried any of our previous workouts, visit our training page here.

This is an intense chest workout designed to build both size and strength. It can essentially be divided into two sections; presses and flyes.

Presses:

Incline Barbell Bench Press

      ·         2 warm up sets of 15-20 reps

·         4 working sets of 8-12 reps

Dumbbell Bench Press

·         1 warm up set of 15-20 reps

·         3 working sets of 8-12 reps

Decline Barbell Bench Press

·         4 working sets of 8-12 reps

Flyes:

Incline Dumbbell Flyes

·         1 warm up set of 15-20 reps

·         3 working sets of 10-15 reps

Superset with…

Flat Dumbbell Flyes

      ·         1 warm up set of 15-20 reps

·         3 working sets of 10-15 reps

Cable Crossovers

·         8-12 reps from top cable position

·         6-10 reps from middle cable position (half way down rack)

·         That is one set, do 3

This is a very demanding workout. We recommend a pre-workout or intra-workout drink containing caffeine and BCAAs, as well as a post-workout recovery shake and lots of rest.

Have fun with this one, and as always, keep us posted on your progress by commenting on this board, or on our Facebook page or Twitter (see feed on right).

One Easy Trick to Maximize Muscle Growth

Our apologies for the hanging title. Trust us, when you read this article, you’ll be the smartest one in your gym. Well, maybe not (depends on the gym!), but at least you’ll have something cool to tell your friends.

If you gain nothing else from this article, the take home message is that you must constantly mix up your workout routines to achieve maximal gains in muscle strength, size, definition, and to avoid plateaus. Some have cleverly marketed this concept as “muscle confusion”, and it is one reason why we have outlined several training techniques on our blog to help you train smarter to achieve better results than just training harder. Just click around and you’ll find them!

Without getting too scientific, you should know that resistance training (lifting weights), targets specific muscle fibres. These muscle fibres are anaerobic, meaning they function without oxygen, and are capable of fast and powerful movements. Ever heard of fast-twitch?

New research in the European Journal of Applied Physiology (catchy title, we know) reveals that there are different subtypes of fast-twitch anaerobic muscle fibres in bodybuilders. Interestingly, the most abundant fast-twitch muscle fibres are dual capacity, meaning they function for both power AND endurance.

Therefore, if you only train using low-rep sets, you’re only utilizing half of the ability of your most abundant muscle fibres, and your gains in size and strength will reflect that. You need to train to exhaust both power and endurance components of your fast-twitch muscle fibres.

The perfect example of a bodybuilder who trained this way?

 

Arnold often used a technique we have already described, pyramid sets, where he would increase weight over a number of sets on his compound moves like bench presses. When he reached his heaviest weight for around six reps, he would then reduce the poundage for two "burnout" sets, 12 to 15 reps each.

He also often used double-drop, or strip sets, which are three progressively lighter sets back to back to finish off an exercise.

Therefore, he crushed the power component of his muscle fibres early in his set, and then got an immense pump with the lighter sets towards the end.

Therefore, the trick is:

Use a lighter weight and get a higher number of reps at the end of a set of compound movements.

There are many techniques and names for these lighter sets (burnout, drop sets, strip sets, double-drop sets, etc.). We will write about each in detail in the future. For the meantime, use one of them to integrate both power and endurance into your workout routines.

Training Technique: German Volume Training (GVT)

If you want to punish your muscles, and we mean PUNISH, try GVT. Germans must be crazy, because nobody should want to do this many sets of this many reps!

GVT is a highly successful training technique typically used by powerlifters, bodybuilders, and olympic level lifters to reach new and higher training goals, and to break through plateaus in their training. That’s not to say it won’t work for intermediate weightlifters looking for a challenge, and for newcomers, this is important to learn so you can put it to the test later. Knowledge is power!

GVT involves 10 sets of 10 repetitions of the same weight for a compound lift. These are designed to work large muscle groups to their absolute max. Think squats and lat pulldowns, not leg extensions or side lateral raises. Start with a weight that you can lift for 20 repetitions or 60% of your one rep max. This weight may feel light for the first few sets, but if you stick to 60 second rest periods (as you should), it won’t feel light for very long.

GVT should be used on the first one or two exercises of your workout, and then you can finish up with one or two other exercises with a lower number of reps.

An example leg workout for GVT would be:

Barbell squats

·         10 sets of 10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest

Lying Leg Curls

·         10 sets of 10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest

Leg Extensions

·         3 sets of 12-15 reps with 60 seconds rest

Walking Lunges

·         3 sets of 12-15 reps with 60 seconds rest

Typically, you will need to incorporate more rest days with GVT, as the muscles are worked very intensely. Each muscle group should only be worked once every 6 days maximum! Try a split such as the following:

Monday – Chest/Triceps

Tuesday – Back/Biceps

Wednesday – Off

Thursday – Legs

Friday – Shoulders

Saturday – Off

Sunday – Off

With GVT, you will need to maximize your recovery days to help repair muscle tissue. Make sure to eat enough protein and carbohydrates, and have fun incorporating this workout into your fitness arsenal!

Training Techniques: Intro to Pyramid Sets

This post is the first of several that will summarize workout styles that can be used by beginners and advanced weight lifters alike. The first workout technique that we will focus on is pyramid sets.

Commonly referred to as a “classic” or “old school” approach to training, pyramid sets are a tried, tested and true mechanism for building muscle and trimming fat. Although there are a few variations of pyramid sets (ascending, descending, etc.), the most common method is to increase the weight each set, while reducing the number of repetitions.  Typically, you will perform 3 or 4 sets of each exercise, and follow a strict number of repetitions (e.g., 12, 10, 8, 6). For example, a pyramid set of bench presses will look like the following:

Set 1: 135 lbs x 12 reps

Set 2: 165 lbs x 10 reps

Set 3: 185 lbs x 8 reps

Set 4: 205 lbs x 6 reps

Of course, this is only an example. Regardless of your training level, you should lift heavy enough that you struggle for the last few repetitions of each set. Make sure to only rest between 60 and 90 seconds in between sets.

With the added weight of each set, it is very important to workout with a partner or ask someone to spot you. Having a partner is both safer, and you’ll find that having that extra set of eyes on you will push you much farther.

The number of exercises you do during a workout will vary. However, if you were working out chest (as we’ve already started) you could continue with 3-4 more chest exercises to complete your chest workout in pyramid fashion.

Incline barbell bench press

·         3 sets of increasing weight, for 12, 10, and 8 reps

Flat bench dumbbell flyes

·         3 sets of increasing weight for 15, 12, 10 reps

Cable crossovers

·         3 sets of increasing weight for 15, 12, 10 reps

Remember to always warm up prior to your workout.

Whether you’re new to the gym, or an experienced weightlifter, these pyramid sets should be in your fitness arsenal.

Workout Plans: Shoulders

Here's a great workout to build strength in your shoulders. Do NOT skip shoulder workouts. Strong shoulders will help you lift bigger on other exercises such as bench presses and pull ups, and can help prevent injuries.

This workout is for intermediate lifters. The first exercise is the "core" exercise. From week to week, you will see greater progress in the exercise you perform first in your workouts. These exercises are typically more demanding, so you should rest for about 2 minutes in between sets. For all other exercises, rest for between 60 and 90 seconds in between sets.

Seated barbell overhead press

• 4 sets of 6-12 reps

Arnold dumbell presses

• 4 sets of 6-12 reps

Lateral dumbell raises

• 4 sets of 6-12 reps

Rear delt raises

• 4 sets of 6-12 reps

Upright barbell rows

• 4 sets of 6-12 reps

Good luck and have fun with this one. Remember, you should struggle with the last few reps of each set. Also, try to leave a day between your shoulder day and chest day to avoid overtraining.

Workout Plans: Arms

Everyone dreams of having bigger or more sculpted arms. This workout is designed to maximize results and minimize time spent in the gym.

This arm workout is very taxing on your body. It consists of two HUGE supersets. The first includes four exercises designed to blast your biceps, and the second includes four exercises to work your triceps. If you're doing this workout on consecutive weeks, reverse the order of these exercises so you crush your triceps before your biceps.

Warmup: Incline dumbell curls with light weight for 15 reps

Get focused, and power through this first massive superset. These supersets work the same muscle group (albeit from different angles) throughout, so start with a lighter weight (say 50% of your one rep max) and work your way up.

Dumbell Preacher Curls

• 12 reps of moderate weight

with very little rest (<30 seconds) superset with...

EZ bar Preacher Curls

• 10 reps of moderate weight

again, with little rest, superset with...

Reverse EZ bar Preacher Curls

• 10 reps of moderate weight

superset with...

Machine Preacher Curl

• 20 reps of light weight

The machine preacher curls are designed to be light weight and high repetition to achieve a super pump in the bicep muscle at the end of the set. Rest for 1-2 minutes in between sets, and repeat four times.

Bench Dips

• 20 reps
• if those are too easy, put your feet on another bench
• if those are still to easy, put a weight on your lap and feet up on another bench

superset with...

Skullcrushers

• 10-15 reps of  moderate weight

superset with...

Rope Tricep Extensions

• 10-15 reps of moderate weight

superset with...

Overhead Tricep Extensions

• 10-15 reps of moderate weight

Repeat three more times for a total of 4.

This is a gruelling workout that targets most major muscle groups in your upper and lower arms. Mix it in and keep your muscles guessing to prevent "plateauing". We hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to comment on how you did!

Thanks to www.musclepharm.com for the inspiration for this workout. Those guys really know how to push you physically!

Workout Plans: Back

The back is composed of several huge muscle groups. Activating these muscles will burn a high number of calories and can contribute to a significant increase in metabolism. Like the chest workout below, this workout will utilize supersets. Rest periods in between sets should not exceed 90 seconds.

Warmup for 5 minutes on an exercise bike, treadmill, or by skipping rope.

Bent over Barbell Row

• 5 sets with increasing weight
• sets should follow 15-12-10-8-8

Lat Pulldowns

• 3 sets of 12-10-8 reps
• start with 12 reps, then increase weight by 10 lbs, get another 10 reps, increase 10 lbs, get another 8 reps

Dumbell Pullover

• 5 sets of 10-15 reps

superset with…
One-arm Dumbell Rows

• 5 sets of 10-15 reps

Pull ups

• 4 sets to failure

superset with…
Seated Cable Rows

• 4 sets of 10-15 reps

Barbell Deadlift

• 2 warmup sets of 10-15 reps
• 3 working sets of 5-8 reps

Back Extensions

• 3 sets of 15-20 reps

DONE. Grab a recovery shake and a good night’s sleep.

Let us know how you did on our Facebook page!

Workout Plans : Chest

This workout will include a few supersets to push your chest muscles to the MAX. For those of you who don't know, a superset is performed when two movements are performed back to back with NO REST in between. That means have the weights out and ready to go. Rest for 60 - 90 seconds in between each set.

Incline Bench Press - 2 warmup sets of lower weight and high reps (15-25)
                                 - 3 working sets of higher weight and lower reps (8-15)
superset with...

Incline Dumbell Flyes - 5 sets of 12-15 reps

Think that was hard? Move right into...

Flat Bench Press - 2 warmup sets of lower weight and high reps (15-25)
                            - 3 working sets of higher weight and lower reps (8-12)
superset with...

Flat Dumbell Flyes - 5 sets of 12-15 reps

Finish with one more HUGE superset!

Cable Crossovers - 5 sets of 12-15 reps

superset with...

Chest Dips (lean forward slightly to target chest) - 5 sets to failure

Recommend a recovery drink after, you'll be sore!!