HealthHabits

Your Best Body Workout – 2011 – Week 37 – Day 3


“The Athlete” by Howard Schartz and Beverly Ornstein

Week #37 – Day #3

Same as last week – next week is all new stuff

WORKOUT OVERVIEW

  • Lift 3x per week on non-sequential days (M,W,F)
  • Rest or low intensity cardio work (walking, jogging) or flexibility (yoga, stretching) between lifting sessions (Tu,Th,Sa)
  • Sunday is devoted to either HIIT training or Cardio training or something else athletic.
  • Day 1 focuses on Chest & Back training
  • Day 2 focuses on Legs & Abs/Core
  • Day 3 focuses on Arms & Shoulders
  • Each bodypart will be hit with one main compound exercise for 10 sets of 10 reps.
  • I want the negative portion of the lift (ie lowering the bar to your chest on a bench press) to be done slowly – for a count of 4
  • I want the positive portion of the lift (pressing the bar in a bench press) to be done quickly & explosively – like a rocket taking off.
  • I have also included a couple of supplemental exercises in each workout. You don’t need to do these exercises. The core movement will suffice, but at this point, some of you may feel that the base workout isn’t enough. If that’s you, do the supplemental exercises.
  • When it comes to weight selection, choose a weight that you perform for 20 reps. This means that the first few sets will seem way too easy. But don’t worry, around set number 6, you WILL feel the pain.
  • If you are able to complete all 10 sets of 10 reps, you need to increase the weight used at the next workout. Don’t make a huge jump in weight. A 5% jump should be about right.
  • We are going to do this phase for 3 weeks and then do a bridge week, followed by 3 weeks of HIIT/HIRT style training.

Suggested Exercises

This workout relies on big, long range of motion, compound exercises. We want to involve as many muscle groups as possible while still maintaining simplicity of movement.

So, we’re going to stick to the basics.

  • Chest Exercises – Bench Presses – BB or DB, Incline, Decline, Flat…it’s your choice.
  • Back Exercises – Chins, Pulldowns or Rows 
  • Legs Exercises – Squats, Leg Press, Deadlift or Hip Thrust 
  • Arms & Shoulders Exercises – Dips, Curls & Presses

 

Alright, here we go.

 

WORKOUT WARM-UP

Circles – Starting with the ankles and moving all the way up to your neck, gently make circles with all of your joints – 10 revolutions each joint in each direction

Dead Bug – Push your lower back into the floor and articulate your arms & legs as in the video. 1 set of as many reps as possible with your lower back pushed into the floor. When your back starts to arch…STOP

1 Arm Swing Snatch – 25 reps per arm  – Dumbbell or kettlebell – choose a light weight – the goal is to warm-up

 

THE WORKOUT

The tempo for all 4 exercises will be 4020

Exercise #1

Tricep Dips

  • Standard palms facing in style or palms out Gironda style…it’s your choice
  • Choose a weight that you could perform 20 reps with, and
  • Perform 10 sets of 10 reps
  • At a tempo of 4020 (count 4 on the lowering, no pause at the bottom, press up under control – count of 2, no rest at the top)
  • 90 seconds rest between set – no more, no less

Exercise #2

Alternating Hammer Bicep Curls

  • Choose a weight that you could perform 20 reps with, and
  • Perform 10 sets of 10 reps
  • At a tempo of 40×0 (count 4 as you lower the weight, no pause at the bottom, curl the weight under control – count of 2, no rest at the top of the lift)
  • 90 seconds rest between set – no more, no less
After this, you might be a big sweaty exhausted mess.
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But if you’re not, here are 2 supplementary exercises for your enjoyment.
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Note – the tempo has changed from 40×0 to 4020
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This means that the work/concentric portion of the lift is no longer explosive, but done in a controlled manner for a 2 count.

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Exercise #3

Overhead Press – Push Press, Standing Press, Seated Press

  • Choose a weight that you could perform 20 reps with, and
  • Perform 10 sets of 10 reps
  • At a tempo of 4020 (count 4 as you return to standing, no pause on standing, crunch downward in a controlled manner – count of 2, no rest at the bottom)
  • 90 seconds rest between set – no more, no less

Exercise #4

Reverse Flyes on Incline Bench

  • Choose a weight that you could perform 20 reps with, and
  • Perform 10 sets of 10 reps
  • At a tempo of 4020 (count 4 as you lower lower the weight, no pause at the bottom, lift the weight under control – count of 2, no rest at the top)
  • 90 seconds rest between set – no more, no less

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Alright, that’s it for today.

Tomorrow, you can rest, go for a walk or a slow jog or stretch or do yoga. Nothing high intensity.

Monday, you’re back with me in the gym – all new stuff.