Super Low Volume For Dieters, Contest Prep, & I.F'ing

This is a Strength focus workout that will help you keep muscle around as you start dropping your calories.  Strength is the best variable to measure muscle retention.

3 movements per workout

3 workouts a week

6 total workouts for 2 weeks, then rotate again.  Print the chart below and start tracking progress!

Each muscle will be hit at least twice a week.  

After warm up sets, do 3 sets for all movements.

Get 2 warm up sets before going into your 'workset'.  Your warm up can be 50% then 80% of your workset.  your warm up rep can be lower or half of what your workset rep would be.

your workset is the load and rep that you will performed across the # of sets prescribed below.

Use your 'target load' for your 1st set, then keep the same or reduce the load by 10-15% for your next set.

Workouts: A	Target Load	Reps Range	Date	Date	Rest
Back Squat		4-8			2 min
Pull Up		6-10			90 sec
Bent-O Rows		6-8			60 sec
B
Dead		2-6			2min
Hang Clean		4-5			90 sec
Chin Up		6-8			1min
C
Incline Press		8-10			2min
Overhead Press		8-10			90 sec
Overhead Squat		6-8			1min
D
Bench Press		6-8			2min
DB push down		6-10			2min
Romanian Dead		4-8			90 sec
E
Sumo Dead		4-6			2min
Front Squat		8-10			90 sec
DB Fly		10-12			1min
F
Dip		4-8			2mins
DB Lunges		10-12			90 sec
Push Press		8-10			60sec

You should be setting new PRs every week for the first 6-8 weeks for all the underlined movements.

 

This is also a great template for beginners learning weight training for the first time and can only handle a few movements at a time at the gym.

If you have flexibility issues, use dumbbells instead of straightbars.

The newer you are to the exercise, the more reps I recommend you do in the rep range described below. the more experienced and safer the movement, the lower you should go.

If you have difficulty learning the movements, you can always subsistute these movements with machines, bands, and cables. 

 

you can add couple sets of curls and calf raises towards the end if they are lagging behind.   2-3sets per muscle to failure will do it.

Fun Workouts For When Your Trainer is Not Around

Wrote this for a client of mine who will be training herself while I'm gone on vacation for 3 weeks.

Basically a 3 workout rotatation for someone who's got some experience in power and O-lifts. 

To make it simple and safer, some movements are done on machines to get a good burn towards the end of a workout.  Most movements are still compound and done with free weights which is my preference for most healthy trainees.

For those not familiar with doing these movements, you can always substitute dumbbells for straight bars.  If you cannot perform these with bodyweight, you can always use machines or bands to assist you.

For her, she likes to perfect her form on the powerlifts, do 1 bodyweight chin up, like to feel some burns in each workout to feel productive, so this is what I gave her.

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TECHNICAL SQUAT & DEAD DAY
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Deficit Dead - stand on a plate 5sets of 5 reps, 2min rest b/w sets
 3/1/3": take 3 sec going up, lock out for 1 sec, and slowly grind the bar down for 3secs.

Front squat - 3 sets of 6reps, 2min rest b/w sets
3/2/x - 3sec going down, 2 secs  in the hole, explode up.

Clean/Front Squat/Split Jerk Conditioning Combo - 15reps total.  Rest 10-15sec between reps.
Use a 70% 1RM for the Jerk.

Note: You can use a dumbell and use a weight you're comfortable performing 6 reps for a split jerk.
A rep is where you perform a clean, follow by a front squat, and explode up and get into a split jerk.

This should take about 5mins.

Leg Curl (machine) 2x to failure - whatever weight you prefer, use a load where you fail at around  20-25reps.

Quad Blast 2x10
Note: if your gym don't have a quad blaster, just use the leg extension machine.  Alternate the leg curl and quad blast movement.

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GUNS, CANNONS, AND WINGS
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Speed Bench 3/2/x" - 6X6, use 50% of 1RM, 1min rest b/w sets

Chin, 3X8

T-bar Row, 3X8
Alternate the chin and T-bar

Chin: 1x failure
if using a machine, add 10-15lbs of assistance.  if done weighted, drop that much resistance.

KB Swings 30 secs

Chin: 1x failure - add another 10-15lbs of assistance or simply do body weight for those using weight belts.

KB Swings 30 secs

note: substitute (or add) Ab Wheels to the KB swing if your gym doesn't have Kettlebells.  Ab Wheels will work your lats hard.

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WALK LIKE ZOMEBIE THE NEXT DAY
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Split Jerk 10x3

Incline DB Shoulder press, 3X10

Back Squat 3x6, 3/2/x
note: alternate the DB shoulder press and squat

Machine Shoulder Press 3x20

3x leg extention machine to failure

3x calf raises on machine to failure
note: if the gym is not too crowded, rotate through the machine shoulder press, leg ext, and calf.

30min Workouts to Train Around a Shoulder Injury

Wrote this simple 2 workout routines for an online client of mine to train around a injured shoulder.

It's a total body workout (except the injured arm), 1 upper and lower body push movement, 1 upper and lower body pull movement, and a core or explosive movement.

The load is something you have to find out for yourself but try and keep everything 8-10reps.  This means find a resistance that you can only perform in the 8-10reps range, if you can do more than that, find a heavier load to challenge yourself.

All single arm movements are done on the non-injured side.

All you need is a cable machine and some dumbells.  Most gyms and hotels will have these.

If you try to do this at home, you can subsitute the cable movements with bands set up against a door.  You can find those at Academy and they'll show you how.

For most movements, take a deep breathe and hold your chest up with a nuetral/flat back, then execute the movement.  Inhale and exhale after each rep is done, do not exchange breathe throughout the movement.

Click on the movements for a video demo.

SA- Single Arm, DB –Dumbbell.

Exercise	Load & Rep	Date	Date	Date
SA DB Squat and Press
DB Swing
SA Cable Rows
SA Incline DB Press
Russian Twist
Exercise	Load & Rep	Date	Date	Date
DB Lunges
SA Suitcase W/ DB
SA Cable Shoulder Press
Cable Face Pull
Side Plank

Rest 1 min or more between sets.

Do 3 work sets for every exercise after a warm up set.   You can wam up each movement by performing half the load and rep of the actual work load/rep.

If you have a hour to kill, do 4 -5sets per movement.

Just copy and paste this onto another document and start tracking progress! 

Good Luck!