Hybrid training

The über Cross fitter

Tu r n yo u r s e l f i n t o a n a b s o l u t e s p e c i m e n i n j u s t f o u r wee k s by c o m b i n i n g C r o s s F i t - s t y l e t r a i n i n g w i t h b o d y b u i l d i n g .

B y D o n S a l a d i n o a n d Ro b e r t Ya n g P h o t o g r a p h s by J a m e s M i c h e l f e l d e r

■Bodybuilding makes you big and strong. CrossFit builds power, agility, and endurance. Now, imagine what you would get if you combined the two, taking the multitude of CrossFit techniques used to maximise athleticism and added to them the old, reliable exercises bodybuilders employ to maximise aesthetics? The answer: This hybrid program, which promises to get you into the best condition of your life — big, lean and unbelievably powerful — in just four weeks flat.

D A Y I

1A SQUAT CLEAN

Sets: 5 Reps: 6 Rest: 0 sec.

Hold a barbell with hands shoulder-width apar t and stand with feet shoulder-width apar t. Bend your knees and slightly at the hips, lowering the bar to just above your knees. Now extend your hips and knees until the bar reaches pocket-level on your pants. From there, jump and shrug the bar explosively so it rises up your body and then pull yourself under the bar and catch it at shoulder level. Follow the momentum by descending into a squat. Stand back up, lower the bar to your knees again, and begin the next rep. How It Works

■ Four times a week you’ll train with mainly CrossFit moves, which make you faster, more explosive and more athletic overall. You’ll also time your workouts just like they’re CrossFit WODs. When you repeat the sessions, try to beat those times; that way, you’ll be competing with yourself for better gains, just as CrossFitters do (the aspect of CrossFit people seem to love most). In two other weekly workouts, you’ll do familiar exercises like bench presses and rows, which build muscle in a way CrossFit moves can’t, and round out your physique.

There are four workout days you will use to

Directions train six days per week. Perform Day I’s workout on Monday and Thursday; Day II’s routine on Tuesday and Friday; Day III on Wednesday, and Day IV Saturday. Complete Days I and II as written on Monday and Tuesday respectively. When you repeat them later in the week, make this change: Take no rest after each round of exercises and time the workout. Each time you repeat it on these days, try to beat that time. Perform exercises marked with a letter (“A”, “B” and so on) in sequence.

1B HANDSTAND PUSHUP/ PIKE PUSHUP

Sets: 5 Reps: 5 Rest: 0 sec.

Kick up to a wall and lower your body until your head nearly touches the floor. If that’s too difficult or you don’t have a spotter, place your feet on a bench and pike your body by bending your hips 90 degrees so your head points to the floor. Lower your body until your head is just above the floor and press up. 1C DOUBLE KETTLEBELL SQUAT TO CARRY

Sets: 5 Reps: 10, 40 steps Rest: 0 sec. Hold a pair of kettlebells just under your chin and stand with feet shoulderwidth apar t and toes turned out about 45 degrees. Twist your feet into the floor firmly and squat down as low as you can without losing the arch in your lower back. Perform 10 reps, then come back up to standing and walk forward 40 steps.

1D PUSH PRESS

Sets: 5 Reps: 8 Rest: 0 sec.

Set a barbell on a rack at chest level. Grasp the bar with hands at shoulder width and nudge it off the rack. Step back and stand with feet shoulder-width apar t. Dip your knees and explosively press the weight overhead using the momentum.

1E HANGING KNEE-UP

Sets: 5 Reps: 10 Rest: 60 sec.

Hang from a pullup bar with hips and knees bent 90 degrees. Contract your abs and crunch your knees to your chest.

D A Y I I

1A POWER SNATCH FROM HANG

Sets: 5 Reps: 6 Rest: 0 sec.

Set up as you did for the squat clean but grasp the bar with hands at double shoulder width. Bend your knees and slightly at the hips, lowering the bar to just above your knees. Now extend your hips and knees until the bar reaches pocket-level on your pants. From there, jump and shrug the bar explosively so it rises up your body and then pull yourself under the bar and catch it overhead with arms extended.

LET THE POWER COME FROM YOUR HIPS. DON’T SWING THE BAR OVERHEAD.

1B RENEGADE ROW

Sets: 5 Reps: 10 (each side) Rest: 0 sec. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and get into pushup position, balancing on the handles. Shift your body weight to your right side so your left arm feels light. Row the left-hand dumbbell to your hip. Repeat on the opposite side. Keep your body in a straight line and your abs braced throughout.

1C BROAD JUMP

Sets: 5 Reps: 6 Rest: 0 sec.

Stand with feet hipwidth apar t. Bend your hips and knees and swing your arms behind you to gather momentum. Jump as high and as far for ward as you can, landing softly by absorbing the force in a squat position. Reset yourself and begin the next jump.

1D NEUTRALGRIP PULLUP

Sets: 5 Reps: As many as possible Rest: 0 sec. Hang from a pullup bar with hands at shoulder width and palms facing each other. Pull yourself up until your chin is over the bar. Stop each set two reps shy of failure.

1E SINGLELEG HIP EXTENSION

Sets: 5 Reps: 15 (each side) Rest: 60 sec. Rest your upper back on a bench and place your feet on the floor close to your butt. Brace your abs and raise one leg off the floor. Lower your hips until your butt nearly touches the floor and drive your heel into the floor to raise your hips up to level again.

D A Y I I I

1A INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS

Sets: 4 Reps: 8 Rest: 30 sec.

Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and lie back against the bench. Press the dumbbells from shoulder level to straight over your chest.

1B DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS

Sets: 4 Reps: 8 Rest: 30 sec.

Lie back on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level. Press the weights straight over your chest.

1C DECLINE PUSHUP

Sets: 4 Reps: 8 Rest: 30 sec.

Elevate your feet on a bench or box and place your hands on the floor. Lower your chest to just above the floor and then press back up. 2A BENTOVER LATERAL RAISE

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 30 sec.

Hold a dumbbell in each hand and bend your hips back until your torso is parallel to the floor. Keep your lower back flat. Raise the weights out 90 degrees, squeezing your shoulder blades together.

THIS PROGRAM FILLS THE GAPS IN BOTH CROSSFIT AND BODYBUILDING TRAINING. 2B LATERAL RAISE

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 30 sec.

Hold a dumbbell in each hand and raise the weights out 90 degrees to your sides. Avoid swinging the dumbbells and lower each rep with control. 3A EZ-CURL SKULL CRUSHER

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 30 sec.

Hold an EZ-curl bar with hands at shoulder width and lie back on a bench. Press the bar over your chest. Lower the bar to just above your forehead. Extend your elbows to lockout.

3B DIP

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 30 sec.

Suspend your body over parallel bars. Lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the floor and then press back up.

D A Y I V

1A CHESTSUPPORTED ROW

Sets: 4 Reps: 10 Rest: 30 sec.

Set an adjustable bench to a 45-degree angle and lie down with your chest against it and a dumbbell in each hand. Row the weights to your hips with your palms facing each other. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top.

1C STRAIGHTARM PULLDOWN

Sets: 4 Reps: 10 Rest: 30 sec.

Stand behind a latpulldown station and grasp the bar with a shoulder-width grip. Bend your hips back until your arms are stretched overhead. Pull the bar down to your hips with arms straight.

1B UNDERHANDGRIP PULLDOWN

Sets: 4 Reps: 10 Rest: 30 sec.

Set up at a lat-pulldown station and grasp the bar at shoulder width with palms facing you. Pull the bar to your collarbone.

2 DEADLIFT

Sets: 1 Reps: 20 Rest: 30 sec.

Stand with feet hipwidth apar t and bend your hips back. Grasp the bar just outside your knees and, keeping your lower back in its natural arch, drive your heels into the floor to raise the weight up until you’re standing tall with hips locked out. Use 100kg if you can do 20 reps safely — this is what CrossFit competitors use. If not, choose a weight that you can do well.

3A STRAIGHTBAR CURL

Sets: 4 Reps: 8 Rest: 30 sec.

Hold a barbell with hands shoulder-width apar t and palms facing up. Without allowing your upper arms to move forward, curl the bar.

3B INCLINE HAMMER CURL

Sets: 4 Reps: 8 Rest: 30 sec.

Set an adjustable bench to a 60-degree incline and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Without allowing your upper arms to move forward, curl both weights.

BY TIMING YOUR WORKOUTS, YOU CAN MAKE EACH SESSION A GAME OF BEAT-THECLOCK.