Posts Tagged ‘abs’

Transformation #1 – the Healthy Irishman – Workout Overview

November 8th, 2009

jason-statham-shirtless-trans3

The other day on my blog, I introduced you to the Healthy Irishman and his plans to transform his body. Here is a link to that post.

Today, I will be outlining his program.

PROGRAM GOALS

  • The client want to add approx. 10 lbs of lean muscle.
  • Improve definition.
  • Improve fitness
  • Doesn’t want to look like a bodybuilder…more like LL Cool J or Jason Statham

llcoolj

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

This program is designed to:

  • provide maximum hypertrophy stimulus, while
  • supercharging anaerobic fitness and overall athleticism

In short, this program is going to make the Irishman bigger, stronger, faster, more flexible and hopefully reverse some of his dysfunction in his left shoulder.

THE WARM-UP

Unlike most programs, the warm-up doesn’t just get the Irishman ready for the workout, it is part of the workout.

I have designed two separate warm-ups that he will perform on alternate days.

Each warm-up is designed to dynamically stretch his joints, increase muscle temperature & elasticity, prime his anaerobic energy system as well as get his mind laser focused on the remainder of the workout

WARM-UP #1

  • Barbell Snatch x 8 reps
  • Barbell Overhead or Front Squat x 8 reps
  • Back Squat x 8 reps
  • Barbell Good Morning x 8 reps
  • Barbell Bent-Over Row x 8 reps
  • Barbell Deadlift x 8 reps
  • Hip Flexor Stretch x 8 reps

Repeat as many times as possible in 10 minutes (no rest between exercises – 30 sec. rest between supersets)

Note – You NEED to get through this at least 3 times in 10 min.

WARM-UP #2

  • Goblet Squat (DB) x 8 reps
  • Push-Up x 8 reps
  • Body Weight Row x 8 reps
  • Shuffle Lunge x 30 reps
  • Ab Wheel Roll-Outs x 8 reps
  • DB Swings x 20 reps
  • Hip Flexor Stretch x 8 reps

Repeat as many times as possible in 10 minutes (no rest between exercises – 30 sec. rest between supersets)

Note – You NEED to get through this at least 3 times in 10 min.

By the end of the 10 min. warm-up, the Irishman should be sweating hard and gasping for breath.

Take 5 min to get ready for the “real” workout

THE WORKOUT

The key to the success of these workouts is intensity.

I don’t care about the amount of weight lifted or how many reps. What I care about is effort. If you push harder than you thought you could ever push yourself, this workout will reward you with truly impressive results

For example, I tried this workout on a personal training client with amazing results

He is/was a tall (6′5″) guys with little muscle

In 9 weeks, he added 13 lbs of muscle and if his impedance scale is accurate, his BF has dropped from 23% to 14%

WORKOUT BASICS

  • Each workout will consist of 3 supersets
  • Each superset will consist of 2 exercises
  • Each superset will last 10 minutes
  • The reps performed per exercise will be modified by yours truly to maximize results.
  • The weight selected per exercise will also be modified by yours truly.
  • Intensity level HAS to be 100%

Simple…but not easy

SAMPLE WORKOUT

Superset #1

  • Alternate between exercise #1 and #2  for 10 minutes
  • No rest between sets

Exercise # 1

  • Goblet Squat
  • Choose a weight that would allow you to perform 20 quality reps (doesn’t have to be exact, weight selection will improve with experience)
  • Perform a maximum of 10 reps per set (at first, this will seem very easy..don’t worry, after 10 minutes you legs will be dying)

Exercise # 2

  • DB Lateral Raise / DB Bent-Over Lateral Raise
  • Choose a weight that would allow you to perform 20 quality reps (doesn’t have to be exact, weight selection will improve with experience)
  • Perform a maximum of 10 reps per set (by the end of 10 min, you may only be getting 1 or 2 reps per set, but remember 100% intensity)
  • Alternate between shoulder exercises -  ie Goblet/Laterals/Goblet/Bent-Over Lateral/Goblet/Lateral/Goblet/ Bent-Over Lateral…

5 Minutes rest between supersets #1 and #2 – Use that time to set up for superset #2

Superset #2

  • Alternate between exercise #1 and #2  for 10 minutes
  • No rest between sets

Exercise # 1

  • Swing Snatch
  • Choose a weight that would allow you to perform 40 quality reps
  • Perform a maximum of 20 reps per set

Exercise # 2

  • Cable Straight Arm Pushdown (aka the Vertical Woodchop or Hi-Lo Slam)
  • Choose a weight that would allow you to perform 20 quality reps
  • Perform a maximum of 10 reps per set
  • Be explosive with these

Superset #3

  • Alternate between exercise #1 and #2  for 10 minutes
  • No rest between sets

Exercise # 1

  • 1 Arm Kneeling Pulldown (or 1 Arm Alternating Standing Pulldown if 1 arm is n/a)
  • Choose a weight that would allow you to perform 20 quality reps
  • Perform a maximum of 10 reps per set

Exercise # 2

  • Shuffle Lunge
  • Bodyweight
  • 30 reps per set
  • Focus on speed…shuffle those feet

Okay, that’s it for this intro post.

Tomorrow, I will be posting the Healthy Irishman’s first workout (just in case anyone wants to join in)
.
Enjoy fellas.

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Today’s Workout – June 19, 2009

June 19th, 2009

leg press - old school

Friday’s Workout


Warm-up

  • 10 min of Joint Mobility exercises & Dynamic Stretching
  • 5 min of  kicking & punching the heavy bag

Workout

Superset #1

  • Cybex Leg Press – 61x tempo – 13 sets of 10 reps @ 90lbs, 180lbs, 270 lbs, 360 lbs, 450 lbs, 540 lbs, 630 lbs, 720 lbs, 810 lbs, 810lbs, 810 lbs, 810 lbs, 810 lbs  supersetted with
  • Incline DB Fly – 611 tempo – 55 lb DBs – 13 sets of 5 reps

30 sec between sets to load plates onto Leg Press– 1 min rest between superset 1 & 2

Superset #2

  • 1 Arm Cable Standing Row – 21x tempo – 8 sets of 5 reps @ 135/150/165/180/195/210/210/210 lbs, supersetted with
  • Woodchop – 21x tempo – 8 sets of 5 reps @same weight as above, supersetted with
  • Jumping Lunges, 8 sets of 30 reps – BW

No rest between sets

60 sec rest between superset 2 & 3

Superset #3

  • BW Row on Smith Machine – various grips – 21x tempo – BW – 9 sets of 8/8/8/8/8/8/7/6/4 reps,  supersetted with
  • Pushups – 21x tempo – 9 sets of 8 reps

No rest between sets

120 sec rest between superset 3 & 4

Superset #4

  • Standing 1 Arm Band(Green Jumpstretch) Chest Press – 6 sets of 15 reps – 21x tempo, supersetted with
  • Standing Band Face Pulls (Green band) – 6 sets of 15 reps – tempo 21x, supersetted with
  • Dragon Flags – BW – tempos 41x – 6 sets of 5 reps

No rest between sets

120 sec rest between superset 4 & 5

10 min of stretching & joint mobility

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Today’s Workout – June 15, 2009

June 15th, 2009

leg press ronnie coleman

Monday’s Workout

Warm-up

  • 10 min of Joint Mobility exercises & Dynamic Stretching
  • including kicking, punching & Turkish Get-Ups

Workout

Superset #1

  • 1 Arm Standing Cable Row – 81x tempo – 90 x 8, 105 x 8, 120 x 8, 135 x 8, 150 x 8, 165 x 5, supersetted with
  • Stab. Ball Terminal Leg Extension – 151 tempo – 6 sets of 10 reps

no rest between sets – 1 min rest between superset 1 & 2

Superset #2

  • Cybex Leg Press/Squat Hybrid Machine – 911 tempo – 5 sets of 10 reps @ 540 lbs, supersetted with
  • Incline DB Fly – 91x tempo – 5 sets of 8 reps @ 45 lbs

No rest between sets

30 sec rest between superset 2 & 3

Superset #3

  • 2 Arm Cable Tricep Pushdowns – 91x tempo – 3 sets of 15 reps @ 150 lbs,  supersetted with
  • 2 Arm Cable Slide Reverse Grip Curls – 91x tempo – 3 sets of 10 reps @ 150 lbs

No rest between sets

30 sec rest between superset 3 & 4

Superset #4

  • Dragon Flags – BW – tempo 91x – BW x 8/5/5/5/5/3, supersetted with
  • Vacuums – 6 sets of 5 reps – tempo 191

No rest between sets

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGFTdhDylvo]

Vacuum - Frank Zane

Vacuum - Frank Zane

Flexibility/Mobility Training

  • 15 minutes of static & pnf stretching

Notes:

Slow negatives suck

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Today’s Workout – June 10, 2009

June 10th, 2009

rocky boxing meat

Resistance Training Day

Warm-up

  • 5 min of Joint Mobility exercises & Dynamic Stretching

Workout

Superset #1

  • 10 minutes of heavy bag work – fists, knees, feet & elbows

No rest between techniques…sweat pouring off me like Niagara Falls

60 sec rest between superset 1 & 2 as I moved from the heavy bag room to the weight room

Superset #2

  • Push-Ups – various grips – Bodyweight – 10 sets of 10 reps, supersetted with
  • BW Row on Smith Machine – Bodyweight – 10 sets of 10 reps, supersetted with
  • Swing Snatch – 35 lb plate – 10 sets of 10 reps

No rest between sets

30 sec rest between superset 2 & 3

Superset #3

  • Straight Arm Pushdowns – Dynamic movement – lots of core involvement – 8 sets of 20 reps, weight pyramiding from 145 – 260 lbs., (last 3 sets 19, 16, 14 reps) supersetted with
  • Jumping / Shuffling Split Lunges – 8 sets of 40 reps, Bodyweight

No rest between sets

60 sec rest between superset 3 & 4

Superset #4

  • Cybex Incline Chest Press – 10 sets of 20 – 13 reps – weight increasing from 145 – 300 lbs, supersetted with
  • Bulgarian Split Squat – 10 sets of 7 reps, Bodyweight,

Flexibility/Mobility Training

  • no time to stretch…oops, gonna pay for that

Notes:

Short on time today. 35 minute workout. No rest between sets. No rest between supersets. Exhausted at the end of 35 minutes. Jogged to the gym and jogged/stumbled home from the gym

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Fitness Equipment Scams: Why Do People Buy This Junk?

August 5th, 2008
Dear Penthouse, You're not going to believe this, but I bought a Bowflex and two weeks later...

Dear Penthouse, You're not going to believe this, but I recently bought a Bowflex and two weeks later...

Here are some of my favorites:

The Bun and Thigh Roller

The Gym Form Duo

6 Second Abs

Japanese CowGirl Crotch Exerciser

The Cardio Twister

What the ??? – Gotta Love the Italians

The Ab Coaster

Okay, this actually looks kind of cool

The Bender Ball

The One Gym

And finally, China gets ready to take over the world…

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The BEST Core Exercise

May 23rd, 2008

Okay, technically they are the two best core exercises, but the Roll-out

and the Stability Ball Pike/Knee-In

are, in my opinion, the most complete core exercise combination. Period.

Here’s why

  1. They address the two primary functions of the core musculature unlike any other movement.
  2. They are infinitely scalable. Beginners can modify the movements to protect their lower backs while advanced athletes can perform variations that completely tax their strength, balance and co-ordination.

This is the part of the post where I discuss the science behind the exercise, so if that is not your thing, please skip ahead to the videos.

Core Function and the Roll-Out

The two main functions of the core are:

  1. The stabilization of the spine via abdominal compression
  2. Movement – spinal flexion, extension, rotation, tilting the pelvis

Spinal Stabilization

Physiologists often use the analogy of the human spine being like the mast of a sailing ship.

The core muscles – Transverse abdominus, Rectus abdominus, External and Internal obliques, Multifidus, Quadratus lumborum, Iliopsoas, and the Erector spinae all work together as a group to support your spine from your pelvis to your rib cage. While they all work as a team, the Transverse abdominus is the key player.

While there is great debate about the best way to train the Transverse Abdominis (T.A.), there is a general consensus that any movement where you are forced to tighten you core against the demands of gravity or an outside source WILL be effective to develop the T.A.

One of the most popular T.A. dominant exercises is the bridge or plank.

The Roll-out and the Stability Ball Pike/Knee-In provide the same benefit as the bridge, but with the added benefit of being a dynamic, rather than static movement.

Core/Spinal Movement

Spinal Flexion is controlled mainly by the Rectus abdominus and the Iliopsoas. The most popular Spinal Flexion exercises are the crunch and reverse crunch.

The Roll-out produces the same movement as the crunch with the added benefit of spinal stabilization.

The Stability Ball Pike/Knee-In gives you the same benefits as the reverse crunch with the added stabilization.

Spinal Extension is controlled mainly by the Erector spinae and the Multifidus muscles. Spinal extension training is generally addressed by posterior chain movements like deadlifts, good mornings and bodyweight hip extension movements. As such, this section of the “core” will be omitted from this post.

Lateral Flexion is controlled mainly by the External and Internal obliques. Lateral flexion is usually trained by some form of side bends.

Rotation is controlled mainly by the Obliques, Multifidus and the Erector spinae. Spinal rotation exercises have been the flavor of the month for a little while now. One of the most popular is the wood chop.

You will have to forgive my lack of video (my digital recorder was stolen, hence the youtube videos), but if you can imagine, performing the Roll-out moving at various angles will give you an intense lateral flexion movement combined with forward flexion and stabilization.

With the Stability Ball Pike/Knee-In, you can combine spinal flexion and stabilization with lateral flexion and rotation by rotating and twisting the hips as you move the stability ball back and forth.

Scaleability

As you have seen in the accompanying videos, there are various ways to perform the Roll-out and the Stability Ball Pike/Knee-In.

With the Roll-outs, beginners could start on their knees with a stability balls. Increase the difficulty by moving their arms further away from their body. Graduate to the ab wheel, then a loaded barbell. Stretch tubing can be attached to the ab wheel in order to help you back to the starting position.

The variations are as endless as your imagination.

In a future post, I will v-blog a variety of different variations.

Conclusion

As I said at the outset, the Roll-out and the Stability Ball Pike/Knee-In are the best core exercises. I hope that I may have converted a few of the ab crunchers out there.

Give them a try.

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