Last week I presented a workout rotation (Magnolia News, Health Section, Jan. 12) I've adapted from Hugo Rivera and James Villepigue's book, "The Body Sculpting Bible" as a means of creating a disciplined exercise routine.
As I said, if you haven't been to the gym in a while, you will definitely want to take yourself through the two-week break-in period.
This will allow your body and mind to adjust to the work of a safe, efficient and fulfilling exercise habit - without feeling like you're going to die in the process.
Aside from consistency, changing your workout every two weeks is the key to getting into great shape. Our body's adaptability is the reasoning behind this pattern.
After two weeks, your muscles get used to your routine and your body's fat burning capabilities plateau.
This week, I will present a three-day rotation that should be done twice a week over a six-week period before starting over without the break-in routine. As always, the emphasis will be not on how much you can lift, but how you lift. However, you will be feeling stronger and able to lift more weight, using proper form, as you progress.
Weeks One and Two: repeat the break-in routine, but increase your weights by a slightly challenging amount.
Weeks Three and Four: supersets are used, which means resting for 60 seconds between paired exercises:
Days 1 and 4
Warm up: 20 minutes of cardio, 10 minutes of stretching and finish with 25 lying leg raises and 50 crunches.
First superset:
BACK: One-arm rows, three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions with no rest.
CHEST: Incline dumbbell press, three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions with 60 seconds of rest.
Second superset:
BACK: Dumbbell pullovers, three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions with no rest.
CHEST: Incline dumbbell flys (pushups on day 4), three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions, rest for 60 seconds.
Third superset:
BICEPS: Dumbbell curls, three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions each with no rest.
TRICEPS: Lying dumbbell triceps extensions, three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions, rest for 60 seconds
Fourth superset:
BICEPS: Concentration curls (hammer curls on day 4), three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions each with no rest.
TRICEPS: Triceps kickbacks (overhead dumbbell triceps extensions on day 4), three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions each, rest for 60 seconds.
Days 2 and 5
Warm up: 20 minutes of cardio, 10 minutes of stretching and finish with 25 lying leg raises and 50 crunches.
First modified compound-superset:
THIGHS: Dumbbell squats (ballet squats on day 5), three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions with no rest.
HAMSTRINGS: Leg curls (lunges on day 5), three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions each, rest for 60 seconds.
Second modified compound-superset:
THIGHS: Ballet squats (leg extensions on day 5), three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions, no rest.
HAMSTRINGS: Lunges (leg curls on day 5), three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions each, rest for 60 seconds.
Third modified compound-superset:
CALVES: One-legged dumbbell calf raises, three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions, no rest.
SHOULDERS: Dumbbell shoulder press (dumbbell upright rows on day 5), three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions, rest for 60 seconds.
Fourth modified compound-superset:
CALVES: Two-legged dumbbell calf raise, three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions each, no rest.
SHOULDERS: Bent-over lateral raises, three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions, rest for 60 seconds.
Days 3 and 6
CARDIO: 40 minutes done outside, if you can.
ABDOMINAL: Three sets of 25 lying leg raises and 25 crunches with 60 seconds rest between each pair.
STRETCHING: 10 minutes from toes to top.
During weeks five and six giant sets are used, and that means doing four exercises and then resting for a total of 60 seconds:
Days 1 and 4
Warm up: 20 minutes of cardio, 10 minutes of stretching, finishing with 25 lying leg raises and 50 crunches.
First giant set:
BACK: One-arm rows, four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each, no rest.
CHEST: Incline dumbbell press, four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each, no rest.
BACK: Dumbbell pullovers, four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each, no rest.
CHEST: Incline dumbbell flys (pushups on day 4), four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each, rest for 60 seconds.
Second giant set:
BICEPS: Dumbbell curls, four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each, no rest.
TRICEPS: Lying dumbbell triceps extensions, four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each, no rest.
BICEPS: Concentration curls (hammer curls on day 4), four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each, no rest.
TRICEPS: Triceps kickbacks (overhead dumbbell triceps extensions on day 4), four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each.
Days 2 and 5
Warm up: 20 minutes of cardio, 10 minutes of stretching and finish with 25 lying leg raises and 50 crunches.
First giant set:
THIGHS: Dumbbell squats (ballet squats on day 5), four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each, no rest.
HAMSTRINGS: Leg curls (lunges on day 5), four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each, no rest.
THIGHS: Ballet squats (leg extensions on day 5), four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions, no rest.
HAMSTRINGS: Lunges (leg curls on day 5), four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions, rest for 60 seconds.
Second giant set:
CALVES: One-legged dumbbell calf raises, four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions, no rest.
SHOULDERS: Dumbbell shoulder press (dumbbell upright rows on day 5), four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each, no rest.
CALVES: Two-legged dumbbell calf raise, four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions, no rest.
SHOULDERS: Bent-over lateral raises, four sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each.
Days 3 and 6
CARDIO: 40 minutes done outside, if you can.
ABDOMINAL: Four sets of 25 lying leg raises and 25 crunches with no rest in between.
STRETCHING: 10 minutes from toes to top.
Erik Hansen is editor of the South District Journal and Beacon Hill News[[In-content Ad]]
