TRAINING
3 8 - P A G E
S P E C I A L
ULTIMATE TRAINING
GUIDE 85 Want workouts? We got ’em. of them, covering every bodypart and providing the answer to every major training goal
BY M&F STAFF | PHOTOS BY IAN LOGAN
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We’ve all
been there.
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ROUTINE KEY THROUGHOUT THE FOLLOWING PAGES, YOU’LL FIND NUMEROUS ROUTINES THAT ADDRESS DIFFERENT TRAINING GOALS AND TROUBLE SPOTS. HERE’S A QUICK GUIDE TO THOSE CATEGORIES AND WHAT THEY ENTAIL
>> MASS-BUILDING ROUTINE Compound movements, high volume and moderate rep ranges for maximizing muscle growth.
>> BEGINNER’S ROUTINE Mostly machine-based exercises for those still getting their feet wet before progressing to more advanced moves.
>> AT-HOME ROUTINE Requires nothing more than dumbbells and an adjustable bench, a common home-gym setup.
>> 15-MINUTE WORKOUT ROUTINE Short rest periods and multiple exercises using minimal equipment for a faster pace. (For abs, we offer a 10-minute routine instead of 15.)
>> “PRIORITY” WORKOUT ROUTINE For targeting a specific area of a muscle that needs to be brought up. A priority workout will train other areas of the muscle as well (for example, the short head of the biceps will also be worked in the long head priority workout), just not to the extent of the intended location.
>> GIANT-SET ROUTINE All exercises are done consecutively without resting between sets to achieve ultra-high intensity.
>> STRENGTH ROUTINE Lower reps, heavier weight and longer rest periods for when pure strength and power are priorities.
>> GET RIPPED ROUTINE High volume, high reps and short rest periods to increase intensity and boost metabolism for greater fat-burning potential.
>> GET SUPERPUMPED ROUTINE High reps and short rest periods for increased blood flow to muscles.
GYM: EVOLUTION FITNES S, (626) 793-5353; A L L B O D Y PA R T P H O T O S BY R O B E R T R E I F F
In general your workouts have never been better, but those pesky lower lats are about as responsive as Lindsay Lohan is to rehab. Or maybe your outer quads or front delts are more Gary Coleman than Ronnie Coleman and just refuse to grow. Then again, perhaps the problem is your entire pec area, or you sport hams that are more like Spam — mushy and far from the real thing. Or it could be you’re just pressed for time and want to know how to perform a decent back workout in just 15 minutes. Cue “Workout Central,” your onestop shop for muscle size, strength and definition. In this 38-page feature we offer 85 workouts, one or more of which we can virtually guarantee will solve your individual training problems. You’d be hard-pressed to find this many individual routines so easy to navigate in one place. In addition, we provide an efficient 40-minute, total-body workout plan designed especially for those balancing a great physique with a hectic schedule plus targeted advice for gaining overall muscle mass or getting superlean. So what are you waiting for? Identify your problem, look up the solution and start turning a weakness into a strength.
The following 20 pages are chockfull of routines, so unrack the weight and start lifting
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LOWER LATS PRIORITY
WHEN TARGETING A SPECIFIC AREA of a muscle, exercise selection is key. In the lower lats priority workout, the movements (most notably back exercises performed using a narrow reverse grip, including the chin) are all effective at zeroing in on the lower portion of the lats, which, when fully developed, create a more dramatic V-taper. In the upper lats priority workout, all exercises are done with a wide overhand grip, which helps develop back width just below the armpits. Ideally you’d utilize both underhand and overhand grips in a given back workout, but each of the aforementioned routines are great for bringing up their respective areas when a weakness is present.
CLOSE-GRIP LAT PULLDOWN
EXERCISE
>> Pulling your elbows down close to your body targets the lower lat fibers
SETS
REPS
Reverse-Grip Bent-Over Barbell Row
4
10, 10, 12, 12
Close-Grip Lat Pulldown
4
8, 8, 10, 10
Straight-Arm Pulldown
3
10, 12, 15
Chin
3
to failure
UPPER LATS PRIORITY EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
4
6, 10, 12, 15
Wide-Grip Bent-Over Barbell Row
3
10, 10, 10
Wide-Grip Seated Cable Row
3
8, 10, 12
Wide-Grip Pull-Up
3
to failure
GIANT-SET WORKOUT * EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Deadlift Bent-Over Barbell Row
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Rack Pull
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Pull-Up
4
to failure
* A giant set consists of four or more exercises performed consecutively without rest as a means to increase intensity and promote muscle growth. Do one set of each exercise backto-back — that’s one giant set. Rest three minutes between each
MASS-BUILDING EXERCISE
giant set.
SETS
REPS
Deadlift
5
6, 6, 8, 10, 12
STRENGTH
Bent-Over Barbell Row
5
8, 8, 10, 10, 12
EXERCISE
Seated Cable Row
4
8, 8, 10, 12
Lat Pulldown
3
8, 10, 12
BEGINNER’S EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
4
4, 4, 6, 8
Machine Low Row
4
4, 4, 6, 8
T-Bar Row
3
4, 6, 6
Seated Cable Row (wide grip)
3
4, 6, 6
SETS
REPS
Lat Pulldown
4
10, 10, 12, 12
Machine Row
3
10, 10, 10
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
3
10, 10, 10
GET RIPPED
Standing Low-Cable Row
3
12, 12, 12
EXERCISE
* Rest 2–3 minutes between each set.
Dumbbell Deadlift
AT-HOME EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
SETS*
REPS
5
10, 12, 12, 15, 20
Straight-Arm Lat Pulldown
4
12, 12, 15, 15
Dumbbell Pullover
4
15, 15, 20, 20
4
10, 12, 15, 20
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
4
8, 10, 12, 20
Lat Pulldown
Straight-Arm Kickback
4
10, 12, 12, 20
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
Dumbbell Pullover
4
8, 8, 12, 20
GET SUPERPUMPED 15-MINUTE WORKOUT
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
SETS*
REPS
Bent-Over Barbell Row
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
3
6, 10, 15
Seated Cable Row
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Reverse-Grip Lat Pulldown
3
6, 10, 15
Lat Pulldown
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Seated Cable Row
3
6, 10, 15
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
EXERCISE
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
Note: The above workouts don’t include warm-up sets.
ONE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW >> Concentrate on pulling with your back and not your biceps
Unless otherwise noted, rest 60–90 seconds between all sets.
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THE MASS-BUILDING WORKOUT at right incorporates three variables that are crucial to adding size: 1) compound exercises in the form of barbell and dumbbell presses and dips; 2) high volume, as the workout consists of 17 total sets, including five each for the first two exercises; 3) rep ranges of 8–12 (the exception being two sets of six on the incline bench press), which is the optimal rep scheme for promoting hypertrophy. Weighted, not bodyweight, dips are included to maintain this rep range, since many individuals are able to exceed 12 reps without added resistance. The routine attacks all areas of the chest — upper, middle and lower pecs with incline presses, flat-bench dumbbell presses and decline flyes, respectively — to achieve overall development.
MASS-BUILDING EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Incline Bench Press
5
6, 6, 8, 10, 12
Dumbbell Bench Press
5
8, 8, 10, 10, 12
Dumbbell Decline Flye
4
8, 8, 10, 12
Weighted Dip
3
8, 10, 12
A
WEIGHTED DIP >> Allow yourself to lean forward to better target the pecs
BEGINNER’S EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Machine Chest Press
4
10, 10, 12, 12
Machine Incline Press
3
10, 10, 10
Flat-Bench Dumbbell Flye
3
10, 10, 10
SETS
REPS
AT-HOME EXERCISE
Dumbbell Bench Press
4
8, 10, 12, 20
Incline Dumbbell Flye
4
10, 12, 12, 20
Decline Push-Up
4
to failure
B GIANT-SET WORKOUT * EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Incline Dumbbell Flye
15-MINUTE WORKOUT
Bench Press
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Decline Dumbbell Press
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Pec-Deck Flye
4
10, 10, 10, 10
SETS*
REPS
Smith Machine Incline Press
3
6, 10, 15
Smith Machine Bench Press
3
6, 10, 15
consecutively without rest as a means to increase intensity and
Smith Machine Decline Press
3
6, 10, 15
promote muscle growth. Do one set of each exercise back-to-
Pec-Deck Flye
1
50
back — that’s one giant set. Rest three minutes between each
EXERCISE
* A giant set consists of four or more exercises performed
giant set.
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
STRENGTH
DECLINE BENCH PRESS
SETS*
REPS
Bench Press
4
4, 4, 6, 8
Incline Dumbbell Press
4
4, 4, 6, 8
Decline Bench Press
3
4, 6, 6
Flat-Bench Dumbbell Flye
3
4, 6, 6
EXERCISE
>> Bring the bar to your lower chest/upper abs on each rep
* Rest 2–3 minutes between each set.
GET RIPPED EXERCISE
LOWER CHEST PRIORITY EXERCISE
Incline Dumbbell Press
SETS
REPS
Decline Bench Press
4
10, 10, 12, 12
Upright Cable Crossover
4
8, 8, 10, 10
Dumbbell Bench Press
3
10, 12, 15
Weighted Dip
3
to failure
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REPS
5
10, 12, 12, 15, 20
Flat-Bench Dumbbell Flye
4
12, 12, 15, 15
Dumbbell Pullover
4
15, 15, 20, 20
Weighted Dip
4
10, 12, 15, 20
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
GET SUPERPUMPED SETS*
REPS
Smith Machine Bench Press
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Flat-Bench Cable Flye
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Incline Cable Flye
4
10, 10, 30, 30
EXERCISE
UPPER CHEST PRIORITY EXERCISE
SETS*
SETS
REPS
Incline Smith Machine Press
4
6, 10, 12, 15
Incline Dumbbell Press
3
10, 10, 10
Incline Dumbbell Flye
3
8, 10, 12
Decline Push-Up
3
to failure
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set. Note: The above workouts don’t include warm-up sets. Unless otherwise noted, rest 60–90 seconds between all sets.
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STRONG LEGS ARE OFTEN what make a decent body a complete one, and our quad strength workout will help you add size and power. It includes all the aspects any good strength routine needs: compound exercises that allow you to move a lot of weight; slightly lower volume (fewer total sets) than a typical mass-gaining workout so as not to exhaust your muscles too much; heavy weight with low reps (mostly 4–6); and, of course, longer rest periods to ensure adequate recovery between sets. The single-leg leg press is one exercise you don’t often see in a hardcore strength routine, but it’s great for determining whether one leg is weaker than the other and for promoting balanced strength in the lower body.
SMITH MACHINE FRONT SQUAT
INNER QUAD PRIORITY EXERCISE
>> Don’t stop at parallel; bury the front squat deep in the hole
STRENGTH
SETS
REPS
Wide-Stance Smith Machine Squat
4
10, 10, 12, 12
High and Wide Leg Press
4
8, 8, 10, 10
Leg Extension (toes out)
4
10, 12, 15, 15
4, 4, 6, 8
Single-Leg Leg Press
4
4, 4, 6, 8
Hack Squat
3
4, 6, 6
* Rest 2–3 minutes between each set.
GET RIPPED
SETS
REPS
Narrow-Stance Hack Squat
4
6, 10, 12, 15
Smith Machine Front Squat
3
10, 10, 10
Sissy Squat
3
8, 10, 12
Leg Extension (toes in)
3
8, 10, 12
SETS*
REPS
Leg Extension
5
10, 12, 12, 15, 20
Leg Press
4
12, 12, 15, 15
Smith Machine Front Squat
4
15, 15, 20, 20
Sissy Squat
4
10, 12, 15, 20
EXERCISE
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
GIANT-SET WORKOUT * EXERCISE
REPS
4
Squat
OUTER QUAD PRIORITY EXERCISE
SETS*
EXERCISE
GET SUPERPUMPED
SETS
REPS
Leg Extension
4
10, 10, 10, 10
EXERCISE
Hack Squat
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Squat
Leg Press
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Leg Press
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Smith Machine Front Squat
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Leg Extension
4
10, 10, 30, 30
* A giant set consists of four or more exercises performed consecutively without rest as a means to increase intensity and promote muscle growth. Do one set of each exercise back-to-back
SETS*
REPS
4
10, 10, 30, 30
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set. Note: The above workouts don’t include warm-up sets. Unless otherwise noted, rest 60–90 seconds between all sets.
— that’s one giant set. Rest three minutes between each giant set.
MASS-BUILDING EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Squat
5
6, 6, 8, 10, 12
Leg Press
5
8, 8, 10, 10, 12
Hack Squat
4
8, 8, 10, 12
Leg Extension
3
8, 10, 12
BEGINNER’S EXERCISE
Smith Machine Squat
SETS
REPS
4
10, 10, 12, 12
Horizontal Leg Press
3
10, 10, 10
Lunge
3
10, 10, 10
Leg Extension
3
10, 10, 10
AT-HOME EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
4
8, 10, 12, 20
Sissy Squat
4
10, 12, 12, 20
Dumbbell Step-Up
4
12, 12, 15, 20
Dumbbell Squat
HACK SQUAT
15-MINUTE WORKOUT SETS*
REPS
Leg Extension
3
6, 10, 15
Machine Leg Press
3
6, 10, 15
Bodyweight Jump Squat
3
to failure
EXERCISE
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
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>> Don’t let your heels come up off the platform as you descend; keep your feet flat throughout
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THE HAMSTRINGS ARE ONE of the toughest muscle groups to train at home, since most of us rely on leg curl machines at the gym to train the backs of our thighs. That said, our at-home hammie routine provides an intense training session to help you build bigger legs. An important caveat concerns exercises such as squats, leg presses and lunges, which mainly work the quads but will also stress the hams and glutes if performed through a full range of motion. There’s a lot of crossover in the routines featured at right; complete isolation of just the hamstrings often isn’t possible or even necessary. Your hammies will still get a great workout, even if your quads and glutes come into play a bit.
MASS-BUILDING EXERCISE
INNER HAMSTRING PRIORITY SETS
REPS
Squat
5
6, 6, 8, 10, 12
EXERCISE
Sumo Squat
SETS
REPS
4
10, 10, 12, 12
Romanian Deadlift
5
8, 8, 10, 10, 12
Seated Leg Curl (toes in)
4
8, 8, 10, 10
Good Morning
4
8, 8, 10, 12
Lateral Lunge
4
10, 12, 15, 15
Leg Curl
3
8, 10, 12
OUTER HAMSTRING PRIORITY BEGINNER’S
EXERCISE
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Leg Press
4
10, 10, 12, 12
Leg Curl
3
10, 10, 10
Dumbbell Lunge
3
10, 10, 10
SETS
REPS
4
30-second hold
Exercise-Ball Roll-In
4
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
4
Reverse Hamstring Curl
6, 10, 12, 15
Stiff-Legged Deadlift
3
10, 10, 10
Lying Leg Curl (toes out)
3
8, 10, 12
Barbell Step-Up
3
8, 10, 12
SETS
REPS
Smith Machine Squat
4
10, 10, 10, 10
10, 12, 12, 20
Lying Leg Curl
4
10, 10, 10, 10
12, 12, 15, 20
Weighted Glute-Ham Raise
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
4
10, 10, 10, 10
15-MINUTE WORKOUT EXERCISE
REPS
4
GIANT-SET WORKOUT *
AT-HOME EXERCISE
SETS
Squat
EXERCISE
* A giant set consists of four or more exercises performed
SETS
REPS
Smith Machine Romanian Deadlift
3
6, 10, 15
Reverse Hamstring Extension
3
6, 10, 15
giant set.
Weighted Glute-Ham Raise
3
6, 10, 15
STRENGTH
consecutively without rest as a means to increase intensity and promote muscle growth. Do one set of each exercise back-toback — that’s one giant set. Rest three minutes between each
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
A
SETS*
REPS
Barbell Hack Squat
4
4, 4, 6, 8
Romanian Deadlift
4
4, 4, 6, 8
Good Morning
4
4, 4, 6, 8
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
Leg Press
5
10, 12, 12, 15, 20
Dumbbell Stiff-Legged Deadlift
4
12, 12, 15, 15
Leg Curl
4
15, 15, 20, 20
Split Jump Squat
4
to failure
EXERCISE
*Rest 2–3 minutes between each set.
GET RIPPED
*Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
B
GET SUPERPUMPED SETS*
REPS
Squat
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Romanian Deadlift
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Weighted Glute-Ham Raise
4
10, 10, 30, 30
EXERCISE
REVERSE HAMSTRING EXTENSION >> A tough move without resistance; add a light dumbbell to make it even tougher
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* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set. Note: The above workouts don’t include warm-up sets. Unless otherwise noted, rest 60–90 seconds between all sets.
GOOD MORNING >> Always think “chest up, back flat” on the descent
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TRAINING A RELATIVELY SMALL BODYPART (abs, calves, forearms) in 15 minutes is no big deal, but getting a sufficient shoulder workout in such a short time is a much bigger challenge. The 15minute workout at right, however, makes it possible with only nine total sets and 30-second rest periods in between. Most important, all three exercises use the same equipment (dumbbells and a low-back seat), so no relocation is necessary. And just because you’re short on time doesn’t mean you have to shortchange your shoulder development. All three heads get attention — front and middle delts with overhead presses, middle delts with lateral raises and rear delts with bentover laterals.
MASS-BUILDING EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Overhead Barbell Press
5
6, 6, 8, 10, 12
Upright Row
5
8, 8, 10, 10, 12
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
4
8, 8, 10, 12
Bent-Over Lateral Raise
3
8, 10, 12
BEGINNER’S EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Machine Overhead Press
4
10, 10, 12, 12
Cable Lateral Raise
3
10, 10, 10
Barbell Front Raise
3
10, 10, 10
Reverse Pec-Deck Flye
3
10, 10, 10
AT-HOME EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Arnold Press
4
8, 10, 12, 20
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise
4
10, 12, 12, 20
Dumbbell Upright Row
4
12, 12, 15, 20
Seated Bent-Over Lateral Raise
3
12, 15, 15
FRONT DELT PRIORITY
15-MINUTE WORKOUT
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press
3
6, 10, 15
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise
3
6, 10, 15
Seated Bent-Over Lateral Raise
3
EXERCISE
OVERHEAD DUMBBELL PRESS
SETS
REPS
Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Press
4
10, 10, 12, 12
Arnold Press
4
8, 8, 10, 10
Barbell Front Raise
3
10, 12, 15
Reverse Pec-Deck Flye
3
10, 12, 15
6, 10, 15
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
MIDDLE DELT PRIORITY & TRAPS EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Smith Machine Behind-the-Neck Press
4
6, 10, 12, 15
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
3
10, 10, 10
Smith Machine Wide-Grip Upright Row
3
8, 10, 12
Bent-Over Cable Lateral Raise
3
8, 10, 12
Barbell Shrug
3
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STRENGTH SETS*
REPS
Overhead Barbell Press
4
4, 4, 6, 8
Upright Row
4
4, 4, 6, 8
Cable Lateral Raise
3
4, 6, 6
Reverse Pec-Deck Flye
3
4, 6, 6
EXERCISE
* Rest 2–3 minutes between each set.
GET RIPPED EXERCISE
Smith Machine Upright Row 8, 10, 12
GIANT-SET WORKOUT * EXERCISE
>> Hits all three delt heads, with emphasis on the front and middle delts
SETS
REPS
Overhead Dumbbell Press
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Dumbbell Front Raise
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Bent-Over Lateral Raise
4
10, 10, 10, 10
SETS*
REPS
5
10, 12, 12, 15, 20
Cable Front Raise
4
12, 12, 15, 15
Cable Lateral Raise
4
15, 15, 20, 20
Dumbbell Shrug
4
10, 12, 15, 20
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
GET SUPERPUMPED EXERCISE
Machine Overhead Press
SETS*
REPS
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Dumbbell Upright Row
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Reverse Pec-Deck Flye
4
10, 10, 30, 30
UPRIGHT ROW
* A giant set consists of four or more exercises performed
>> Keep the bar very close to your body on each rep, elbows high
and promote muscle growth. Do one set of each exercise
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
back-to-back — that’s one giant set. Rest three minutes
Note: The above workouts don’t include warm-up sets.
between each giant set.
Unless otherwise noted, rest 60–90 seconds between all sets.
consecutively without rest as a means to increase intensity
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A GET RIPPED
THE BICEPS MUSCLES provide arguably the most satisfying pump, making the sleeves of your T-shirt feel as if they’re two sizes too small at the end of an intense workout. The “Get Superpumped” workout at right was designed to stretch your sleeves just a bit more to help spark longterm muscle growth and assist you in breaking through even the most stubborn plateau. Exercise selection is fairly basic, with the only possible exception being the high-cable curl for the constant tension cables provide. The hallmark of the routine is the high-rep sets (30 reps), which increase blood flow to the working muscles, preceded by sets of 10 reps to promote hypertrophy.
REPS
5
10, 12, 12, 15, 20
Barbell Preacher Curl
4
12, 12, 15, 15
Dumbbell Curl (21s^)
4
21
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set. ^ For each set, do seven reps using just the bottom half of the range of motion, followed by seven reps using just the top half of the range of motion, followed by seven reps using a full range of motion.
GET SUPERPUMPED EXERCISE
Barbell Curl
MASS-BUILDING EXERCISE
SETS*
Alternating Dumbbell Curl
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
4
10, 10, 30, 30
High-Cable Curl
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Hammer Curl
4
10, 10, 30, 30
*Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
SETS
REPS
Barbell Curl
4
6, 8, 10, 12
Preacher Curl
4
6, 8, 10, 12
Incline Dumbbell Curl
4
8, 8, 10, 12
High-Cable Curl
3
8, 10, 12
Note: The above workouts don’t include warm-up sets. Unless otherwise noted, rest 60–90 seconds between all sets.
BEGINNER’S EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
EZ-Bar Curl
4
10, 10, 12, 12
Machine Preacher Curl
3
10, 10, 10
Cable Concentration Curl
3
10, 10, 10
B BICEPS SHORT HEAD PRIORITY
AT-HOME EXERCISE
EXERCISE SETS
REPS
Standing Dumbbell Curl
4
10, 12, 12, 20
Dumbbell Curl (21s*)
4
21
Concentration Curl
4
12, 12, 15, 20
SETS
REPS
4
6, 10, 12, 15
Scott Curl
3
10, 10, 10
Standing Dumbbell Curl
3
8, 10, 12
Wide-Grip Barbell Curl
3
8, 10, 12
Dumbbell Preacher Curl
* For each set, do seven reps using just the bottom half of the range of motion, followed by seven reps using just the top half of the range of motion, followed by seven reps using a full
GIANT-SET WORKOUT * EXERCISE
range of motion.
SETS
REPS
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Preacher Curl
15-MINUTE WORKOUT
Scott Curl
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Incline Dumbbell Curl
4
10, 10, 10, 10
4
10, 10, 10, 10
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
Cable Curl
3
6, 10, 15
Standing Dumbbell Curl
* A giant set consists of four or more exercises performed
High-Cable Curl
3
6, 10, 15
Cable Concentration Curl
3
6, 10, 15
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
consecutively without rest as a means to increase intensity and promote muscle growth. Do one set of each exercise back-toback — that’s one giant set. Rest three minutes between each giant set.
BICEPS OUTER HEAD (“PEAK”) PRIORITY EXERCISE
STRENGTH
SETS
REPS
Close-Grip Barbell Curl
4
10, 10, 12, 12
Incline Dumbbell Curl
4
8, 8, 10, 10
Hammer Curl
4
10, 12, 15, 15
Cable Curl
3
10, 10, 12
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SETS*
REPS
Barbell Curl
4
4, 4, 6, 8
Smith Machine Drag Curl
4
4, 4, 6, 8
Hammer Curl
4
4, 4, 6, 8
EXERCISE
CLOSE-GRIP BARBELL CURL >> Want the “peak”? Narrow your grip on the bar
DUMBBELL PREACHER CURL >> By using dumbbells simultaneously, you can better detect muscular imbalances
* Rest 2–3 minutes between each set.
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THE BEAUTY OF THE GIANT-SET workout for triceps lies not just in its intensity but in its diversity. The lying triceps dumbbell extension that starts off the routine is a good overall triceps developer that works well for adding mass. The seated overhead dumbbell extension places more emphasis on the long head, followed by the twoarm kickback, which is more of a shaping exercise that requires the use of lighter weights. The closegrip push-up hits the triceps’ lateral heads especially well while utilizing higher reps (since you use only your bodyweight) for three high-intensity burnout sets. When doing giant sets, choose a first exercise that allows you to go heavy, then progress to lighter and lighter moves.
MASS-BUILDING EXERCISE
Lying Triceps Barbell Extension
SETS
REPS
4
6, 8, 10, 12
Weighted Bench Dip
4
6, 8, 10, 12
Close-Grip Bench Press
4
6, 8, 10, 12
Straight-Bar Pressdown
3
8, 10, 12
BEGINNER’S EXERCISE
V-Bar Pressdown
SETS
REPS
4
10, 10, 12, 12
Dumbbell Kickback
3
10, 10, 10
Seated Overhead Cable Extension
3
10, 10, 10
AT-HOME EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Close-Grip Push-Up
4
8, 10, 12, 20
Lying Triceps Dumbbell Extension
4
10, 12, 12, 20
Dumbbell Kickback
4
12, 12, 15, 20
WEIGHTED BENCH DIP
15-MINUTE WORKOUT SETS*
REPS
Standing Overhead Cable Extension
3
6, 10, 15
Reverse-Grip Pressdown
3
6, 10, 15
EZ-Bar Pressdown
3
6, 10, 15
EXERCISE
EXERCISE
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
SETS
REPS
45-Degree Lying Triceps EZ-Bar Extension
4
10, 10, 12, 12
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Extension
4
8, 8, 10, 10
Weighted Bench Dip
4
10, 12, 15, 15
Straight-Bar Pressdown
3
10, 10, 12
TRICEPS LATERAL HEAD PRIORITY EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Close-Grip Bench Press
5
6, 8, 10, 10, 12
Rope Pressdown
3
8, 10, 12
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Extension
3
8, 10, 12
GIANT-SET WORKOUT EXERCISE
SEATED OVERHEAD DUMBBELL EXTENSION >> An attentive spotter can help with forced reps and take the weight at the end of the set
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>> A rare compound move for tri’s that’s sure to add strength and size
TRICEPS LONG HEAD PRIORITY
*
STRENGTH EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
Close-Grip Smith Machine Bench Press
4
4, 4, 6, 8
Seated Overhead Cable Extension
4
4, 4, 6, 8
Straight-Bar Pressdown
4
4, 4, 6, 8
* Rest 2–3 minutes between each set.
GET RIPPED EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
5
10, 12, 12, 15, 20
Weighted Bench Dip
4
12, 12, 15, 15
Triceps Dip
4
to failure
Reverse-Grip Pressdown
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
SETS
REPS
Lying Triceps Dumbbell Extension
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Extension
4
10, 10, 10, 10
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
Lying Triceps EZ-Bar Extension
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Seated Overhead Rope Extension
4
10, 10, 30, 30
consecutively without rest as a means to increase intensity and
Rope Pressdown
4
10, 10, 30, 30
promote muscle growth. Do one set of each exercise back-to-
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
back — that’s one giant set. Rest three minutes between each
Note: The above workouts don’t include warm-up sets.
giant set.
Unless otherwise noted, rest 60–90 seconds between all sets.
Two-Arm Dumbbell Kickback
4
10, 10, 10, 10
Close-Grip Push-Up
4
to failure
* A giant set consists of four or more exercises performed
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WITH ONE OF THEIR MAIN DUTIES being to assist in gripping, the forearms are some of the most functional muscles we have. If you lack grip strength, you’ll never reach your full potential in the weight room, especially on exercises such as deadlifts and rows. Unfamiliar with the exercises in the grip-strength workout? For the horizontal cable hold, stand in the middle of a cable crossover station with D-handles set to shoulder level, select a heavy weight, grasp the handles and stand in an iron cross position for the allotted time; on the plate pinch, hold two 10-pound plates in each hand down at your sides and pinch the plates together with your fingers (progress to heavier plates as you grow stronger); and for the straight-arm hang, simply hang from a pull-up bar with your arms straight, hands shoulder-width apart, for as long as you can.
B
BEHIND-THEBACK WRIST CURL >> Although the range of motion is small, the benefits are huge. Hold the peak position as long as possible
MASS-BUILDING EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
4
6, 8, 10, 12
Hammer Curl
4
8, 10, 10, 12
Barbell Wrist Curl
4
6, 8, 10, 12
Behind-the-Back Wrist Curl
3
8, 10, 12
Reverse Barbell Curl
BEGINNER’S EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Dumbbell Wrist Curl
3
10, 10, 10
Standing Cable Wrist Curl
3
10, 10, 10
AT-HOME EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Dumbbell Reverse Curl
4
8, 10, 12, 20
Zottman Curl
3
10, 12, 20
Hammer Curl
3
12, 12, 15
Dumbbell Wrist Curl
2
10, 10
REVERSE BARBELL CURL >> For added intensity, keep your thumbs on the same side of the bar as your fingers
GRIP STRENGTH EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Horizontal Cable Hold
4
30 seconds
Plate Pinch
3
30 seconds
Straight-Arm Hang
3
to failure
A
GET SUPERPUMPED EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
Reverse Scott Curl
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Reverse Barbell Curl
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Barbell Wrist Curl
4
10, 10, 30, 30
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set. Note: The above workouts don’t include warm-up sets. Unless otherwise noted, rest 60–90 seconds between all sets.
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IN MOST BEGINNER’S WORKOUTS,the exercises aren’t too different from those in an advanced lifter’s routine; instead, volume and intensity tend to be somewhat lower for the beginner. Basic mass- and strength-building moves are good for trainees of all levels, and you’ll continue to use seated and standing calf raises indefinitely in your lower-leg training. For beginners, the key is to take this time to master technique so you don’t form bad habits, especially with a bodypart as stubborn as the calves. When training calves, no matter the exercise, be sure to go all the way up onto your toes at the top of each rep and go all the way down at the bottom for a stretch. Using a full range of motion is a must for turning your calves into cows.
DONKEY CALF RAISE >> For comfort, the pad should rest across your glutes and low back
MASS-BUILDING EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Standing Calf Raise
5
8, 10, 12, 15, 25
Seated Calf Raise
5
8, 10, 12, 15, 25
Leg Press Calf Raise
3
10, 15, 20
BEGINNER’S EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Standing Calf Raise
2
15, 15
Seated Calf Raise
2
15, 15
AT-HOME EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
One-Leg Dumbbell Calf Raise
4
10, 10, 15, 15
Seated Dumbbell Calf Raise
4
10, 10, 15, 15
GIANT-SET WORKOUT * EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Standing Smith Machine Calf Raise
4
15, 15, 20, 20
Seated Smith Machine Calf Raise
4
15, 15, 20, 20
Donkey Calf Raise
4
15, 15, 20, 20
Leg Press Calf Raise
4
15, 15, 20, 20
* A giant set consists of four or more exercises performed consecutively without rest as a means to increase intensity and promote muscle growth. Do one set of each exercise back-toback — that’s one giant set. Rest three minutes between each giant set.
GET SUPERPUMPED EXERCISE
Donkey Calf Raise
SETS*
REPS
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Leg Press Calf Raise
4
10, 10, 30, 30
Standing Power Rack Calf Raise
4
10, 10, 30, 30
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set. Note: The above workouts don’t include warm-up sets. Unless otherwise noted, rest one minute between all sets.
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SEATED CALF RAISE >> The bent-leg calf raise stresses the underlying soleus muscle
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FOR MOST PEOPLE, the lower abs are by far the most difficult region of the midsection to carve out, since this area typically attracts more bodyfat as opposed to just under your pecs. A clean diet is crucial to great lower abs, but the muscles also need to be fully developed to show through. All three exercises in the lower abs priority workout entail crunching the pelvis up and toward the ribcage, the opposite motion of the standard crunch, in which the pelvis remains stationary and the shoulders and chest move, targeting the upper abs. Our rep ranges (10–20) aren’t astronomical; it doesn’t take sets of 50–100 to get abs, as long as you perform each exercise slowly and under control.
BEGINNER’S EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Crunch
2
15, 15
Reverse Crunch
2
15, 15
B
AT-HOME EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Double Crunch
2
20, 20
Crossover Crunch
2
15, 15
Scissor Kick
2
10, 10
10-MINUTE WORKOUT SETS*
REPS
Hanging Leg Raise
2
15, 15
Kneeling Cable Crunch
2
15, 15
Decline Medicine-Ball Twist
2
10, 10
EXERCISE
* Perform these three exercises back-to-back without resting between sets (called a tri-set). Rest one minute between each tri-set.
UPPER ABS/OBLIQUES PRIORITY EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Decline Medicine-Ball Twist
2
15, 15
Lying Cable Crossover Crunch
2
15, 15
Machine Crunch
2
15, 15
LOWER ABS PRIORITY EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Hanging Knee Raise
2
15, 15
Hip Thrust
2
10, 10
Scissor Kick
2
20, 20
Note: The above workouts don’t include warm-up sets. Unless otherwise noted, rest 30–60 seconds between all sets.
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DECLINE MEDICINEBALL TWIST >> No spotter? Bounce and catch the ball on each side
DOUBLE CRUNCH >> Train both upper and lower abs with this targeted move
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The No. 1 benefit of having a training partner: forced reps
THE WEIDER PRINCIPLES BUILD THE PERFECT ROUTINE — OR MAKE ANY WORKOUT BETTER — WITH THESE 24 TRIED-ANDTRUE TRAINING PRINCIPLES, COLLECTED BY THE MASTER BLASTER HIMSELF, JOE WEIDER
In the preceding 85 workouts we’ve provided a multitude of ways to thoroughly improve every major bodypart. Each one relies on the strength of the chosen exercises, set selection and rep ranges to target every muscle group. However, as with any training program, you can take what we’ve given and tweak it, depending on your level of experience and need for higher intensities to blast through any training plateau. The Weider Principles, a list of weightlifting truisms gathered and honed by the father of bodybuilding Joe Weider, have stood the test of time. These 24 principles, which we’ve divided into three categories, have guided us for decades in our program design. We highly recommend that you use them, too, as you learn and advance your muscle-building efforts.
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PROGRAM DESIGN CYCLE TRAINING Devote portions of your training 1 year to specific goals for strength, mass or getting cut. This can help decrease your risk of injury and add variety to your routine. Cycle periods of high intensity and low intensity to allow for recovery and spur new gains. ECLECTIC TRAINING Incorporate a diverse selection 2 of variables, such as set, rep and exercise schemes, into your workout. Bodypart routines should utilize both mass-building multijoint moves and single-joint exercises. INSTINCTIVE TRAINING Experiment to develop an 3 instinct as to what works best for you. Use your training results along with past experiences to constantly fine-tune your program. Go by feel in the gym: If your
INTENSITY BOOSTERS CONTINUOUS TENSION Don’t allow a given muscle 5 to rest at the top or bottom of a movement. Control both the positive and negative portions of a rep and avoid momentum to maintain constant tension throughout the entire range of motion. FLUSHING TRAINING Train one bodypart with 6 multiple exercises (3–4) before you train another. The “flushing” is your body sending a maximum amount of blood and muscle-building nutrients to that area to best stimulate growth. HOLISTIC TRAINING Use numerous training tech7 niques (low and high reps, faster and slower speeds, and alternate exercises) to stimulate maximum muscle fibers. Don’t always approach exercises with the same 6–10-repetition sets; try lightening the load and going for 20 reps in some training sessions to build endurancerelated muscle fibers. ISOLATION TRAINING This is a technique designed 8 to work individual muscles without involving adjacent muscles or muscle groups. A pressdown for triceps (rather than a close-grip bench press) is an example of an isolation movement. ISO-TENSION Between sets (or even between 9 workouts), flex and hold various muscles for 6–10 seconds, keeping them fully contracted before releasing. Competitive bodybuilders use this technique to enhance their posing ability through increased muscle control. MUSCLE PRIORITY Hit your weakest bodypart 10 first in a workout or bodypart split, when you can train with more weight and intensity because your energy level is higher. PEAK CONTRACTION Squeeze your contracted 11 muscle isometrically at the endpoint of a rep to intensify effort. Hold the weight in the fully contracted position for up to two seconds at the top of an exercise. PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD To continue making 12 gains, your muscles need to work harder in a progressive manner from one workout to the next. During most of your training cycle, try to increase your weights each session, do more reps or sets, or decrease your rest periods between sets. PYRAMID TRAINING Incorporate a range of lighter 13 to heavier weights for each exercise. Start light with higher reps (12–15) to warm up the muscle, then gradually increase the weight in each successive set while lowering your reps (6–8). You could also reverse the procedure — moving from high weight and low reps to low weight and high reps, aka a reverse pyramid.
BODY SLAM GET FIT FAST WITH THIS 40-MINUTE FULL-BODY WORKOUT
Sure, you’d like to go to the gym 4–6 days a week for an hour or so a pop, but real life doesn’t always work out as we plan. When you find yourself short on time, or if you’re in an extremely busy stretch and can’t make it to the gym more than twice a week, you may want to hit your whole body in one fell swoop. This regimen gives you the tools to do just that. The key to this workout is that it contains one exercise for each bodypart that hits the greatest amount of muscle fibers, so you get the most bang for your buck. Notice how each movement is a basic, core exercise for the respective muscle group, as opposed to a strict isolation move. To speed things along, you’ll rest only 30 seconds between each set and do only 1–2 sets per exercise. Even though you’ll get in and out of the gym in about 40 minutes, it’s crucial that you make the most of every set, taking each one to failure at close to the suggested number of reps to promote hypertrophy. To avoid injury, do 1–2 light warm-up sets before your working sets for each exercise. Ideally, when training for muscle size or strength, you should perform bodypart routines on different days and train with higher volume. That said, employ this routine only when you have a time crunch, as it won’t maximize the gains you’d see when training longer and more frequently. But when “one of those weeks” is upon you, this 40-minute full-body gauntlet should keep your training goals on track.
THE BODY SLAM WORKOUT BODYPART
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
CHEST
Incline Barbell Press
2
8, 12
BACK
Bent-Over Row
2
8, 12
LEGS
Barbell Squat
2
8, 12
SHOULDERS
Overhead Dumbbell Press
2
8, 12
TRAPS
Barbell Shrug
1
12
BICEPS
Close-Grip Barbell Curl
1
12
TRICEPS
Lying Triceps Extension
1
12
CALVES
Donkey Calf Raise
1
25
ABS
Double Crunch
1
to failure
Note: The above workout doesn’t include warm-up sets. Rest 30 seconds between all sets.
PHOTOGRAPHER’S NAME
biceps just don’t feel like they’ve recovered from the last workout, do another bodypart that day instead. MUSCLE CONFUSION Constantly change variables 4 in your workout — number of sets, number of reps, exercise choice, order of exercises, length of your rest periods — to avoid getting in a rut and slowing growth.
WORKOUT CENTRAL
ADVANCED TRAINING TECHNIQUES SUPERSETS Perform sets of two exercises for the 14 same or different muscle groups back-to-back with no rest in between. TRI-SETS Perform three consecutive exercises for 15 one muscle group in nonstop sequence. GIANT SETS Four or more exercises for one muscle 16 group performed in back-to-back fashion without rest in between. BURNS Continue a set past the point at which you can 17 lift a weight through a full or even partial range of motion with a series of rapid partial reps. Do this as long as your muscles can move the weight, even if only a few inches. CHEATING Use momentum (a slight swing of the 18 weight) to overcome a sticking point as you fatigue near the end of a set. While doing heavy barbell curls, for example, you might be able to perform only eight strict reps to failure. A subtle swing of the weight or a slightly faster rep speed may help you get 1–2 additional reps. For advanced bodybuilders only. DESCENDING OR DROP SETS After completing 19 your reps in a heavy set, quickly strip an equal amount of weight from each side of the bar or select lighter dumbbells. Continue to do reps until you fail, then strip more weight off to complete even more reps.
FORCED REPS
Chatting on your cell while spotting: the ultimate gym faux pas
Have a training partner assist you
20 with reps at the end of a set to help you train past the point of momentary muscular failure. Your training partner will lift the bar with just enough force to get you past the sticking point. NEGATIVES Resist the downward motion of a very 21 heavy weight. For example, on the bench press, use a weight that’s 15%–25% heavier than you can typically handle, and fight the negative as you slowly lower the bar to your chest. Have your partner assist with the positive portion of the rep. PARTIAL REPS Do reps involving only a partial 22 range — at the top, in the middle or at the bottom — of a movement. PRE-EXHAUSTION Pre-exhaust a muscle with a 23 single-joint exercise before performing a multijoint movement. In leg training, you can start with leg extensions (which target the quads) before a set of squats (which also work the glutes and hamstrings). REST-PAUSE Take brief rest periods during a set of 24 a given exercise to squeeze more reps out of a set. Use a weight you can lift for 2–3 reps, rest as long as 20 seconds, then try for another 2–3 reps. Take another brief rest and go again for as many reps as you can handle, and repeat one more time.
SINS OF THE GYM
By Bill Geiger, MA
CHANCES ARE THAT IF YOU’RE NOT GROWING, YOU’RE MAKING ONE OF THESE SIX CRITICAL TRAINING MISTAKES Take a look around the gym and you can easily spot the beginners: guys doing barbell curls in rhythm with a pelvic thrust, and a lot of bouncing out of the hole in squats and bench presses. Too bad they’re not the only ones making mistakes. In fact, intermediate- and advanced-level bodybuilders also commonly make critical errors in their workouts, ultimately slowing their progress. And there are also some universal bad habits that we gym rats commit from time to time that could be a burden to those around us.
1)
Unbridled Enthusiasm
You want to get big, but Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you won’t be, either. Doing hours of biceps curls won’t make your arms grow any faster — and could be counterproductive. “Enthusiasm is good if you’ve never worked out before and you’re starting a new program, but doing too much too fast won’t do your body any good,” says Adam Garett, a certified personal trainer at Bally Total Fitness in Oakland Park, Florida. “Beginners often try to
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do every exercise for every bodypart, but that enthusiasm needs to be tempered because hormones that break down muscle quickly start rising. Expect to hit your body hard for 45–60 minutes total, about 30 minutes for a given muscle group; you can’t maintain the intensity very long when your energy levels are trailing off. Also, remember that training stimulates the process of muscle breakdown, but growth occurs after your workout during your recovery period, which is aided by good nutrition.”
November 2007
This also applies to overambitious lifters who get carried away with volume and intensity.
Not Learning Every Variation of a Given Move
2)
While you may know how to perform every exercise in your workout with textbook technique, you’ll build thicker, denser muscles if you learn how to do each of its variations. For instance, if you’re doing standing dumbbell lateral raises for your middle delts, also try doing the move from a seated position or one arm at a time while standing. Other
alternatives include using cables for raises, both in front and behind your back, and doing the movement with one arm as you lean to the side by gripping a vertical post with your opposite hand. Virtually every exercise can be tweaked. “Knowing how to do a particular move a number of ways can be helpful when there’s a line in front of you for a given piece of equipment, but each and every variation also works the muscle a little differently, and this helps build the muscle more fully,” Garett explains.
Not Making the Most of Your Time at the Gym
Not Putting Your Mind to Work
3)
4)
If you’re a gym member, then you’re paying for the resources to build a better body. So why waste time when you’re there? Too often, you’ll see lifters — regardless of their level of experience — spending a great deal of their time resting in the gym. Whether it’s taking a longer-than-necessary breather between sets, leaving their racked and towel-shrouded equipment for a bathroom break or rubbernecking to get a look at the hottie on Cardio Row, extended rest can be detrimental to your progress. Go to the gym to work — use your couch at home to lounge and grow.
Once you’ve been training for a while, your muscles adapt and you no longer make strength and size gains the way you did as a beginner. While switching up exercises can help, it’s time to rethink your approach and try some extraordinary methods to jump-start serious muscle growth. “Listen to your body and focus on the pump and feeling the muscle work, worrying less about sets and reps,” Garett says. “Consciously make the decision to challenge yourself by doing exercises you hate, or by using other high-intensity methods such as rest-pause or cycled training that you haven’t tried before.”
5)
Not Practicing the “Little Things”
If there’s one thing advanced lifters know, it’s sore joints and aches and pains. These problems don’t just go away when you’re lifting heavy day after day. The more progress you make, the more important it is to pay attention to all the things you skipped as a beginner, Garett says. This includes making sure you do a thorough warmup, doing rotator-cuff stretches and exercises, stretching afterward (especially your low back and hamstrings to help prevent low-back pain) and knowing the difference between good and bad pain. Over the long term, such little things will prove huge.
6)
Not Paying Attention
If you’re lucky enough to have a training partner, make sure you use that to your advantage, not as a hindrance to your progress. Studies show that those who lift in the presence of others have a tendency to push around more weight than they would lifting alone. And after your partner helps you push through your heavy sets, be sure to return the favor. Marginalizing your duties as a reciprocating spotter by going through the motions, chatting or looking away will keep your partner from reaching his goals and is an open invitation for injuries. Besides, you’ll have time to socialize postworkout. MUSCLE-FITNESS.COM
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The “Do Not Do” List
GETTING LEAN WE ALWAYS TELL YOU WHAT TO DO TO CHANGE THE WAY YOUR BODY LOOKS, BUT IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO GET LEAN, YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW WHAT HABITS TO AVOID By Eric Velazquez
Each month, we fill these pages with fitness and nutrition “must dos” to educate you and keep you on the right track, but sometimes the best way to develop good habits is by learning what not to do. If you’re looking to shed some bodyfat, there are some very basic guidelines anyone can follow to start achieving results. For some reason, however, there are still those who make a few cardinal mistakes. Here we explain the 10 things you absolutely should not do if you want to get lean. If you’re doing any of them, your physique is in big trouble. Now go to your room and read. Sticking to light weights and high reps “Heavy weight just bulks you up,” says the shapeless gym enthusiast. “Lighter weights with higher reps is what really gets you ripped.” Tsk, tsk tsk. Mr. Nonsense and his amoebic physique have good intentions, but this way of thinking is as archaic as eight-track cassettes. High-rep sets definitely have their place — increasing muscular endurance and pump, for instance — but they should never form the backbone of your program when you’re trying to get lean. Sticking to lightweight sets (12–20 reps) for an extended period robs your muscles of what they need most — a constant challenge. In the absence of new stimuli, such as constantly increasing weight loads, your muscles will simply grow content and either plateau or backtrack in size and shape. Lifting heavier will help you gain more lean tissue, which allows you to be slightly more metabolic at rest. Plus, heavy training (6–8 reps) increases the total caloric expenditure during and after your workout. BEST TIP: Base your program on heavy, multijoint lifts such as squats, deadlifts and various presses that recruit and build more total muscle and burn more calories. Use moderate- (10–12 reps) and lightweight (12–20 reps) sets to complement your heavy training, not the other way around. Performing cardio before weight training Some silly folks like to shamelessly exploit a fundamental training mantra — that you should always train for priorities. If losing bodyfat is your primary goal, for example, then cardio should be your primary focus in the gym, right? This is one case where your priorities are just backward, pal. While cardio by itself is certainly productive, doing cardio after your weight-training session is almost twice as productive at burning fat. Japanese researchers recently determined that doing a weight workout before cardio resulted in significantly more
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fat-burning than doing cardio alone. In the study, a cardioonly group burned just more than 20% of their total calories from fat, while another group who did cardio after weights burned nearly 50% of their total calories from fat. One reason for this amazing disparity is that the body plows through stored glycogen during your weight routine, making fat the primary fuel source once it’s time for your cardio. BEST TIP: Perform cardio when it’ll be most productive for you — after you hit the weights. Try mixing in 3–4, 20–30minute, postlifting cardio sessions per week. Eating fast-digesting carbs preworkout Before you hit the gym, you definitely want to have some protein, but some people still reach for white toast, Gatorade and other fast-digesting carbs to round out their preworkout meal. Somewhere on a cave wall it is written in ancient Sanskrit: A carb is a carb is a carb. Today, we know better. You definitely don’t want to head to the gym on an empty tank, which is why you should fuel up in the 60–90 minutes or so before your first rep. But before you guzzle a sports drink or have a baked potato, know this: Fast-digesting carbs will have a negative impact on your body’s ability to burn fat for fuel in the gym because they boost insulin. This anabolic hormone is great to boost after the workout for encouraging muscle growth, but during the workout it blunts fat-burning. BEST TIP: While having some carbs in your system is ideal preworkout, you’ll want to make smarter choices to keep your fat-burning high. Take in 30–40 grams of slowerdigesting sources such as oatmeal, whole-grain bread, fruit or sweet potatoes 15–30 minutes before training. Research shows that athletes who eat these foods burn more fat. Always doing steady-state cardio at 70%–80% of max heart rate (MHR) We love those skinny dudes who hit the treadmill with a heart-rate monitor strapped around their chests — it helps round out their already stylish headband-and-AdidasGazelles look. But that leisurely prance is simply no match for a hard-sweat, fat-nuking interval session. Steady-state cardio done at 70%–80% of your max heart rate will definitely eat away at bodyfat, but you may be selling yourself short. Your best bet is to train using intervals, where you frequently alternate between bouts of high intensity (80%–90% MHR) and low intensity (50%–60% MHR). This method of training leaves the body burning more fat long after you put in your last sprint — no heartrate monitor required.
Progress makes perfect. Always strive for greater weight loads to get big and lean
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WORKOUT CENTRAL
BEST TIP: Perform 20–30 minutes of interval training on a
treadmill, elliptical or bike 2–3 times per week. Try one minute of high intensity (a fast run) followed by one minute of low intensity (a slow walk) and keep repeating. Avoiding caffeine, green tea and carnitine Men. We’re too proud to ask for directions, sure. That’s because our navigational prowess makes it unnecessary for us to do so. But we’re here to tell you that refusing to use supplements to power your fat-fighting efforts could leave you feeling as though you’re driving in circles. When it comes to shedding bodyfat, there’s no substitute for hard training and sound dieting. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use everything at your disposal to speed up your results. Virtually every fat-burner on the market contains some form of caffeine, green tea or carnitine. Why? All three attack fat-burning from different sides, making your training and nutritional efforts all the more produc-
ting the treadmill Maurice Greene–style, make sure you’ve primed your body to hold on to as much muscle as possible. Taking 10–20 grams of fast-digesting whey protein or 3–6 grams of amino acids before a hard cardio session — particularly those done in the morning on an empty stomach — will help ensure that your body has available energy for the work ahead rather than tapping into muscle protein. BEST TIP: Take 3–6 grams of amino acids or consume a light, 10–20-gram whey protein shake before cardio. This is especially important for cardio before breakfast. Eating three squares a day We don’t blame you entirely for this one. The whole “breakfast, lunch and dinner” approach to nutrition has been an American mainstay seemingly since time began. It has worked wonders, too, what with us Yanks now in the midst of a national obesity epidemic. This philosophy works for our armed forces, but unless you’re doing 8-mile hikes with a 70-pound rucksack twice
It’s easy to eat like a maniac after a hard workout, but some guys miss the mark preworkout tive. Caffeine binds to fat cells to enhance fat-burning during exercise, green tea prevents the breakdown of the metabolism-regulating neurotransmitter norepinephrine and carnitine helps transport fat into the mitochondria of cells, where they’re burned for energy. Avoiding these supps is an easy way to downshift your progress. BEST TIP: Take 200–400 mg of caffeine with breakfast and 200–400 mg 1–2 hours before your workout. Take 500 mg of green tea extract three times a day, including one serving just before your workout. Take 1–2 grams of carnitine three times a day, including one serving just before and one serving immediately after your workout. Avoiding protein or amino acids before cardio If you’re a regular m&f reader, you should know just how important pre- and postworkout nutrition and supplementation is. It’s easy to eat like a maniac after a hard workout, but some guys miss the mark when it comes to the preworkout prep, particularly in terms of halting muscle catabolism on a cardio-only day. What a shame, because it’s an easy fix. Let’s not forget: Leaning out isn’t nearly as fun unless you have some muscle underneath that blubber. So before hit-
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a day, you’re better off consuming 5–6 small meals a day. While some people rely on three squares to meet their daily caloric needs, such larger infrequent meals can cause stomach bloating, overeating, drops in blood sugar and greater fat retention. Smaller, more frequent meals keep your metabolism higher, allowing your body to use more of the food for fuel instead of dropping it off on your waistline. BEST TIP: Even if you’re chained to a desk for 10 hours a day, make sure you consume small meals or snacks every 2–3 hours. Protein powders, canned tuna, nuts, jerky, fruit and protein bars are all good things to keep on hand. Sticking to straight sets in the gym Three sets of 10 on every exercise, 1–2 minutes of rest between sets, huh? Yawn. How long have you been doing that, and how much has it helped you lean out? If you’re reading this, the answers are probably “too long” and “not much.” If you really want to blast away at stubborn fat stores, you need to kick things up a notch. Supersets are a perfect way to do that. Performing two or more exercises back-to-back without rest can boost postworkout growth hormone levels, thus increasing muscle mass and stoking fat-burning without really increasing your workout volume. Plus, moving from one exercise to
There’s no rest for the ripped. Pushing your body with supersets burns more bodyfat
another with limited rest in between increases your calories burned during exercise. BEST TIP: Try using an all-supersets workout for 2–4 weeks to elevate your metabolism, burn more calories and boost GH levels. Eating carbs alone Even the most dedicated, carb-deprived bodybuilders need the occasional carb-heavy snack to keep their sanity intact. So if your diet makes you feel as if you need to chow down on a plain bagel from time to time, feel free to do so. Just don’t have it alone! If you eat carbs by themselves, particularly outside of training times, you might as well start shopping for wider-waisted jeans. It’s okay to have carbs when trying to get lean — just make sure you have some protein, too. An extra glass of milk, some egg whites or some cottage cheese are all suitable items to add to a carb-rich dish. The addition of protein will help slow the digestion of carbs, keeping your body from storing them as fat. BEST TIP: Never eat carbs alone. Always have them with protein and small amounts of fat to slow digestion and keep
your blood sugar levels in check. Eating fibrous veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower and green beans helps ensure slower digestion of all carbohydrates. Being a night owl We know how it is. After a hard day’s night at the gym, you like to come home, refuel with food, plop down on the couch and take inventory of your DVR list. After your sixth episode of Rescue Me, however, you find that the night has gotten away from you. Is it really 1:15? You finally commit to exiting your recorded shows when you realize, Hey, that’s Jessica Biel on Late Night with Conan O’Brien! There goes another half-hour. Go to bed already! Studies have shown that those of us who like to stay up late — be it channel surfing, web browsing or just reading — and get up early for work suffer the consequences by way of the belly. That’s right — getting less sleep actually contributes to higher levels of bodyfat over time. BEST TIP: If you’re looking to drop bodyfat, then you need to manage your time better, especially in the evening. Wind down after your workout, get to bed at a decent hour and aim to get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.
WORKOUT CENTRAL
The “Do Not Do” List
GAINING MASS FORGET ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING. HERE ARE 10 THINGS YOU COULD BE DOING WRONG IN YOUR QUEST FOR MORE MUSCLE By Eric Velazquez
Gaining muscle mass can be really easy if you do all the right things. If you’re eating a high-protein diet, timing your meals well, supplementing right and working out like a madman, you’ll find gaining muscle a steady and fruitful endeavor. But putting on a few pounds of lean mass can also be an easy thing to completely screw up. We see it every day — people making fundamental missteps that are keeping them from their goals. If you want thicker legs, a superwide back or shoulders like Arnold’s, you’re going to need to train a little smarter. Getting big isn’t just about eating more or lifting heavier — it’s about knowing exactly what your body needs and when. So check our list to see if you’re committing any of these massive blunders. Eating too much Some people see bulking up as an excuse to eat everything they see, figuring that the more they consume, the more muscle they’ll be able to grow. Unfortunately, eating for the sake of eating is nothing more than a first-class ticket to fat camp. Sure, if you’re looking to gain weight, you should eat more food, but you need to be more selective than the next guy, not less. If you’re trying to gain muscle — as we suspect you are — without blowing up like a balloon, you must carefully monitor your macronutrient intake. Eating indiscriminately will just leave you bloated and doughy. BEST TIP: All calories are not created equal. In general, a bodybuilder looking to add muscle at a steady pace should consume protein, carbs and fat at about a 40:40:20 ratio, which can be altered slightly depending on progress. Protein is key to muscle gains — a 200-pound guy should get 200–400 grams of protein per day, spread out over several small meals. And when it comes to the rest of your calories, don’t reach for apple pie and Guinness. Instead, choose plenty of vegetables, sweet potatoes, fruit, nuts and oatmeal. Lifting too much We know what you’re thinking: Big muscles are built with big weights. That’s true, but the simplicity of that statement has led many a lifter to sore joints, aching muscles and stale results. Plowing through heavy workouts with low reps (3–5) isn’t what builds muscles. It may build strength, but not mass. And if — as so often happens — sloppy form becomes the key to lifting these heavy weights, then even the strength gains will plateau. Doing your muscle-building reps in good style and doing enough of them per set is the path to lean mass gains. For
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maximum growth and refinement, your muscles require concentrated stimulation, not just a violent push to complete a rep. BEST TIP: Use weight loads that allow you to complete 6–10 controlled reps with good form. We guarantee that your muscles will feel the effects tomorrow. Your mirror and the scale will offer their testimony later.
Go big! (At least as big as possible while maintaining strict form.)
Using too many single-joint exercises What’s the deal — are you scared of the squat rack? Or do you actually think that a two-hour biceps routine is going to give you the physique you want? Sure, everyone wants arms like The Oak’s and is willing to curl their way into oblivion to get there. The problem is, 15 sets of heavy curls twice a week won’t add muscle to your frame. Consider that for every 10 pounds of lean mass you add, you gain approximately 1 inch on your arms. Where do you think you’re going to build those 10 pounds — at the pressdown station? Hardly. If you’re expecting to get big, it’s time to start going big. BEST TIP: Build your program on big multijoint lifts for total-body mass. The deadlift, squat, leg press, bench press, barbell row and overhead press are just a few exercises that force your body to recruit more muscle. Each workout, regardless of the bodypart you’re training, should start off with compound moves.
Where do you think you’re going to build those 10 pounds — at the pressdown station? Hardly Doing too much cardio You want to gain muscle but you don’t want to get fat in the process. As a result, you keep the cardio high, doing 5–6 hard sessions per week, sometimes going up to an hour at a time. So don’t be surprised when you don’t gain any muscle — that type of alarmist training won’t help you get bigger. Remember when we said you’d need to train smarter? Well, here’s your chance. When you perform cardio in excess, your body needs to find the energy somewhere. After it depletes your stored glycogen, it likes to go looking for fat but will settle for muscle if it needs to, which is the last thing you want when trying to fill out that new XXXL T-shirt. Frequent bouts of cardio also sap you of the precious vigor you need to push around the big-boy weights. BEST TIP: Limit your cardio to no more than three moderately paced 20-minute sessions per week when trying to gain mass. Increasing your training volume When you hit a rut in your mass-gaining phase, the first thing that comes to mind is usually: I must not be doing enough. Time to bump it up — a lot. Bump it up? We hate to break it to you, but sometimes less is more. We love lifting. We wish you could grow with every single set and every single workout, but unfortunately that’s not the way muscle works. Training too frequently or with too many sets seems like the right thing to do if you want to gain mass, but it’s actually counterproductive. Cranking up the volume will eventually leave you overtrained, making it even harder to gain muscle or lose bodyfat. (See “Too Much of a Good Thing?” on page 148.) BEST TIP: Limit your sets to 12–16 per bodypart and incorporate a few intensity techniques to take your muscles past failure. Drop sets, supersets and forced reps — used sparingly — are all good alternatives to maniacal amounts of sets or workouts. Banking on technology Why do so many mass-seekers expect to get huge using machines? The invention of the pec deck isn’t akin to the cotton gin or the electric light bulb in terms of usefulness, but it seems that a great deal of lifters are still in awe of it. The fascination with the potential benefits of new technology has every Tom, Dick and Harry waiting for their turn
at the incline iso-press and self-spotting machine press instead of doing what successful bodybuilders have been doing for a hundred years — taking heavy objects and moving them against the force of gravity. Machines have certain advantages over free weights, but overall there’s no replacing the muscle-building benefits of barbells and dumbbells. BEST TIP: Some machine work — Smith machines, cables, etc. — in your program is beneficial for muscle gain and refinement, but it should be limited to one or two exercises per bodypart, per workout, if that. The bulk of your exercise selections should be free-weight moves. Not getting enough protein See Eating Too Much. What you eat is more important than how much you eat when trying to gain mass, and protein is right at the top of the mass-gainer’s food pyramid. And for good reason. This is the stuff your muscles are made of, so why on earth would you deprive them of what they need to grow? Stuffing your face with plenty of slow-digesting carbs and healthy fats is important, but not nearly as crucial as the type, timing and amount of protein you eat. BEST TIP: Make sure you get 1–2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. Also, always have 30–40 grams of fast-digesting whey protein when you first wake up to stall muscle catabolism, 20 grams of whey preworkout to prevent muscle breakdown, and another 40–60 grams of a protein blend (whey, casein and soy) postworkout to aid in muscle repair and growth. Having a 40-gram casein shake just before bed also helps your efforts by feeding your body a steady stream of amino acids throughout the night. Skipping creatine Not on the creatine bandwagon yet? Think it’s a fading fad? Don’t worry — it has been only about 15 years since this popular and intensely researched supplement has been building stronger, bigger physiques. This tried-and-true product is still the biggest must-buy for muscle-seekers (aside from protein powder, that is) because of its ability to enhance strength gains and muscle fullness. Creatine has evolved into more easily digested versions, such as creatine-ethyl-ester, that make it even more effective at helping you build muscle. Still, some people avoid it for fear of bloating or stomach cramps, neither of which are an issue with creatine’s newer versions.
WORKOUT CENTRAL
Creatine can help you get bigger and stronger faster
Curling too intensely for too long can bring biceps-building to a halt
Creatine bolsters your body’s ability to exert itself in short, powerful spurts, such as those experienced during weight training. Take 3–5 grams of some form of creatine 30 minutes before your workout and 3–5 grams immediately afterward to keep strength and size gains coming.
BEST TIP:
Going dry As we near the end of the list, you might be thinking, I’m actually doing most of this stuff right. Good for you. But one area where we see people falling well short of satisfactory when it comes to building muscle is with water. Wait, what? Despite water’s ability to support blood volume while helping deter the breakdown of muscle via free radicals, some guys just don’t want to be hitting the head every half-hour and therefore neglect their H2O consumption. But because you’re working out as hard as you are (or should be), you actually need more water than the average person.
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BEST TIP: If you plan on being adequately hydrated for your workouts and for all the growth that happens afterward, strive to take in 1–1.5 gallons of water per day.
Limiting carbohydrate consumption Man cannot live on protein alone. Gaining mass, cutting weight, it doesn’t seem to matter. The bad rep that carbs have gotten in the media has steered many lifters away from this critical macronutrient, leaving people scratching their heads over their lack of progress. Carbs aren’t your enemy; in fact, they can be your biggest ally, especially if you’re trying to gain muscle. Make most of your carbohydrate sources slow-digesting foods — with the exception of your postworkout meal, in which 60–100 grams of fastdigesting carbs are needed to drive glycogen to muscles. BEST TIP: Take in 2 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight per day, mostly from slow-digesting sources such as whole-wheat bread and oatmeal.
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING?
These nightmarish symptoms end up affecting a lifter’s central nervous system, leading to altered mood states and even depression.
DON’T MISTAKE DILIGENCE FOR INSANITY. GOING OVERBOARD WITH YOUR WEIGHT TRAINING MAY KEEP YOU FROM REACHING YOUR GOALS IN THE GYM By the M&F Staff
So modest are we here at m&f that we’re sometimes loath to admit — we’re pretty good at what we do. Our annual workouts issue is a bodybuilder’s dream come true. Its value far exceeds its 30-day shelf life and will provide you service well beyond your next workout. These pages include 85 specialized routines that you can spend the next several years experimenting with as you carve your body into a rock-hard work of art. But before you can bear a likeness to Michelangelo’s David, you have to be aware of the weaknesses of your flesh. It’s true what they say: You can get too much of a good thing. While getting to the gym day in and day out may be one of your fondest pastimes, going balls to the wall for too long — tons of weight, a lot of sets, intensity techniques galore — could actually end up bringing an abrupt halt to your progress. A decade ago they called it wussing out. Today they call it overtraining. “Overtraining is a very real condition experienced by bodybuilders characterized by an increased resting heart rate, unusually long recovery times after exercise, sleeping troubles, increased sweating, irritability, digestion problems, fatigue, depression and drops in strength and endurance,” says m&f Senior Science Editor Jim Stoppani, PhD. Despite the clarity of symptoms, overtraining can still sometimes be difficult to diagnose. “What appears to be a plateau in progress caused by lack of proper diet or intensity can be mistaken for the syndrome of overtraining itself,” says m&f Fitness Director Jimmy Peña, MS, CSCS. “That can often fuel the pattern of overtraining in affected individuals who aren’t conscious of the condition or refuse to acknowledge the symptoms.” So before you put this issue to its fullest use, you should understand the ins and outs of overtraining. An Inside Look Some of the symptoms of overtraining are pretty tough to peg. Maybe you’re in a bad mood simply because the guy who used the leg press before you neglected to wipe down the bench or remove his plates. And it could be that you’re tired because you decided to watch a few repeats of Family Guy on Cartoon Network the night before. But some things are easier to catch and should thus raise a red flag. A decrease in muscle mass, for example, can be easy to see for a guy who has been monitoring his progress in the mirror and on the scale. If you’re finding it tough to get the last few reps on an exercise with a load you were handling just weeks earlier, it could be a sign that you’re overtrained.
The first place to look, however, is your routine. “Overtraining is usually the result of training at too high of an intensity or with too much weight or too much volume for too long,” Stoppani says. So if you’ve been doing four sets of six reps on most exercises, doing 20 sets per bodypart and mixing in, say, forced reps and drop sets for the last several months, you’re a prime candidate for an overtraining-induced plateau. The body, believe it or not, is only capable of so much in a given period. After a while, it revolts — from the inside out. “The most significant changes that occur in someone who’s overtrained are hormonal,” Stoppani says. “Your testosterone levels fall and your cortisol levels are elevated. The increase in cortisol, which is a stress hormone, turns your body catabolic and causes you to lose muscle and strength. Growth hormone levels also fall, further limiting gains in size and strength.” As if that’s not enough, your body experiences depressed levels of thyroid hormones, sapping you of energy, and your adrenaline levels can go haywire, affecting your body’s ability to generate energy during workouts. Getting sick more often? That’s another sign of overtraining — your immune system takes a beating after prolonged bouts of high-intensity exercise. Sore joints are also part of the misery.
Overtraining is not caused in a day, nor can it be cured in a day. That’s why it’s important to allow ample recovery time
Bringing the Over Under (Control) The first step toward getting your overtrained wreck of a body growing again is recognizing the symptoms. After that, getting back on track is easier than you might think. “Overtraining is not caused in a day, nor can it be cured in a day,” Peña says. “That’s why it’s very important to allow ample time for recovery. This could mean taking several days, even weeks, off from the gym. This doesn’t mean zero activity, but staying away from heavy, intense lifting is key. Outdoor activities, a change in scenery and lighter activity can aid in the recovery process.” You are, as always, what you eat, and the quality and timing of your meals are important factors in preventing and coming back from overtraining. “This means eating enough of the right kinds of foods, even splurging more than someone is used to, allow the mind a mental break from the pressure of trying to achieve perfection, not to mention the physical results that will follow,” Peña says.
“Diet is a very important factor in preventing overtraining,” Stoppani agrees. “Those who eat properly before and after their workouts are at much less risk of overtraining because these meals help the body recover faster and much more thoroughly.” So don’t forget your 20 grams of protein and 40 grams of slow-burning carbs before workouts. And don’t even think about missing your 40–60 grams of whey protein and 40–60 grams of fast-digesting carbs after training. If you work out like a maniac and miss these key windows for nutrition, you’re begging to hit a wall. Overtraining is — as the Marines in the movie Jarhead referred to the Iraqi desert — “The Big Suck” for lifters. For you, progress in the weight room is a passion, and you’re willing to put yourself through the ringer to pursue it. But going overboard too often or for too long is a sure way to interrupt your gains. The trick, then, is to temper your enthusiasm and periodize your weight training, alternating 6–8-week bouts of intense, heavy lifting with 6–8 weeks of more moderate sessions. Keep that in mind when you start up any of the programs in this or any other issue of muscle & fitness. M&F
OVERTRAINING
101 HERE’S HOW TO IDENTIFY WHETHER YOUR BODY IS OVERTRAINED AND HOW TO BUST OUT OF YOUR RUT ONCE YOU’RE THERE
WHAT TO WATCH FOR Fatigue
Drop in blood pressure
Increased resting heart rate
Irritability
Digestion problems
Depression
Decrease in strength
Joint pain
Decrease in muscle mass
Sleeping troubles
WHAT TO DO WHEN OVERTRAINED 1) Reduce training volume, intensity and/or frequency, or take an extended break of 1–2 weeks 2) Loosen normal dietary restrictions 3) Engage in non-gym activities 4) Start supplementing with protein (20 grams of whey immediately preworkout and 40 grams of whey or a whey-casein mix immediately postworkout) and glutamine (5 grams with breakfast, pre- and postworkout, and before bed) 5) Return to the gym with a restructured routine that incorporates fewer intensity techniques, more moderate loads and more rest between sessions
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