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Posts Tagged ‘endurance’

A Super-Sexy David Beckham-esque HIIT Sprint Workout

February 25th, 2010

David Beckham : Men's Health

Awhile back, Men’s Health wrote an article showing us guys how we can “Live It Like Beckham“.

Included in that article was the David Beckham Workout.

Looking at that workout almost 2 years later, I realized that…..it was a hunk of junk.

Seriously, this guy makes bazillions of dollars every year and this is the best workout that him and his team of trainers & therapists can come up with.

We can do better.

So, here we go:

1. Strength Training

The MH article ignored Beckham’s strength training routine, so like them, we will save that part of his training routine for another article.

However, if you are interested in building some strong, powerful “athlete” muscles, start with this article.

2. Aerobic Training

The MH article also neglected to look at Beckham’s aerobic training. Luckily for you, I am going to build some aerobic conditioning into your….

3. Anaerobic / HIIT / Tabata Training

Alright, here’s where the fun begins.

3 workouts per week
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced workout
Increased speed, power & anaerobic endurance
Less of this

And more of this

Beginner Workouts

These workouts are designed for beginners who are interested in losing tons of weight and getting super-fit and ripped.
For beginners, I am going to assume that you are performing 2 strength training workouts per week
I will outline 3 Super-Sexy David Beckham-esque HIIT Sprint Workouts. The number of workouts you perform will depend upon your schedule, goals & recovery abilities.
My recommendation: Do all 3 workouts if you can
Regarding fitness equipment, I prefer trainees do these workouts while sprinting outdoors or on an exercise bike in the gym or on a Versaclimber or on a rowing machine. A treadmill can be used with lower intensity workouts, but when the sprinting gets intense, the treadmill can get a wee bit dangerous.

Workout #1

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
3 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with a 50 second rest
10 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
3 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with a 50 second rest
10 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

Workout #2

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
3 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with a 50 second rest / 15 sec sprint with 45 sec rest / 20 sec. sprint with 40 sec. rest
10 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
3 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with a 50 second rest / 15 sec sprint with 45 sec rest / 20 sec. sprint with 40 sec. rest
10 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

Workout #3

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
10 minutes of sprints – 10 x 10 sec. sprint with 50 sec rest
Cool-down – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.

Intermediate Workouts

These workouts are designed for intermediates who have outgrown the beginner workouts and are still interested in losing tons of weight and getting super-fit and ripped.
I am assuming that you are performing 2 strength training workouts per week
I will outline 3 Super-Sexy David Beckham-esque HIIT Sprint Workouts. The number of workouts you perform will depend upon your schedule, goals & recovery abilities.
My recommendation: Do all 3 workouts if you can
Regarding fitness equipment, I prefer trainees do these workouts while sprinting outdoors or on an exercise bike in the gym or on a Versaclimber or on a rowing machine. A treadmill can be used with lower intensity workouts, but when the sprinting gets intense, the treadmill can get a wee bit dangerous.

Workout #1

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
5 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with a 50 second rest
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
5 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with a 50 second rest
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
5 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with a 50 second rest
5 to 30 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

Workout #2

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
5 minutes of sprints – 10 sec/50 sec – 15/45 – 20/40 – 10/50 – 15/45 sec. sprint/rest ratio
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
5 minutes of sprints – 10 sec/50 sec – 15/45 – 20/40 – 10/50 – 15/45 sec. sprint/rest ratio
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
5 minutes of sprints – 10 sec/50 sec – 15/45 – 20/40 – 10/50 – 15/45 sec. sprint/rest ratio
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
5 minutes of sprints – 10 sec/50 sec – 15/45 – 20/40 – 10/50 – 15/45 sec. sprint/rest ratio
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

Workout #3

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
10 minutes of sprints – 10 x 10 sec. sprint with 50 sec rest
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
10 minutes of sprints – 10 x 10 sec. sprint with 50 sec rest
5 to 30 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

Advanced Workouts

These workouts are designed for advanced trainees who have outgrown the intermediate workouts and who are almost super-fit and ripped.
I am still assuming that you are performing 2 strength training workouts per week
I will outline 3 Super-Sexy David Beckham-esque HIIT Sprint Workouts. The number of workouts you perform will depend upon your schedule, goals & recovery abilities.
My recommendation: Do all 3 workouts if you can
Regarding fitness equipment, I prefer trainees do these workouts while sprinting outdoors or on an exercise bike in the gym or on a Versaclimber or on a rowing machine. A treadmill can be used with lower intensity workouts, but when the sprinting gets intense, the treadmill can get a wee bit dangerous.

Workout #1

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
2 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with 20 second rests (4 sprints total)
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
4 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with 20 second rests (4 sprints total)
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (180 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
2 minutes of sprints – 10 sec. sprint with 20 second rests (4 sprints total)
5 to 30 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (185 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

Workout #2

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
4 minute Tabata workout – 4 x 20 sec sprint / 40 sec rest
10 minutes cardio at 50% of max intensity
4 minute Tabata workout – 4 x 20 sec sprint / 40 sec rest
5 to 30 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

Workout #3

Warm-up – 10 mins at a perceived intensity 50% of your maximum intensity.
10 minutes of sprints – alternate 10/15/20 sec sprints
5 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute
10 minutes of sprints- alternate 10/15/20 sec sprints
5 to 30 minutes cardio at 60% of max intensity OR (175 – your age) Heartbeats per Minute

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Enjoy

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And while it’s not required, I highly recommend using an interval timer with your sprints. Trying to watch the clock an do these workouts is a real pain in the butt.

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The Deadpool Mega Muscle Mass Workout – Part Three

October 9th, 2009

Continuing on from Part 2…

Upper Back

Horizontal Pull

Heavy Partial: I don’t like partial reps for any rowing exercises
Isos: Isometric Row – Grab hold of an immovable object (ie. heavy barbell, cable stack, piece of equipment, flagpole, etc and try to pull it towards you using a rowing motion. Neither you nor the object should move. Hold for 2-5 seconds per rep for 3-8 reps
Plyos: N/A
Vibrations: Using a light weight (dumbbells, barbell, bands, etc..), perform 1 or 2 handed speed rows as fast as possible. I prefer the bands for this…less chance of injury Remember, think hummingbird wings - 3-8 reps

Immediately after completing the wake up exercise, proceed to a set of heavy Barbell/Dumbbell/Cable Rows – 3-8 reps

Upper Back

Vertical Pull

Heavy Partial: Partial Chin-Ups with added weight, Partial Pull-downs – 3-8 reps
Isos: Attempt to Chin-Up or Pulldown a weight that is too heavy to be moved – Hold for 2-5 seconds for 3-8 reps
Plyos: N/A
Vibrations: Using a light weight (dumbbells, barbell, bands, etc..), perform 1 or 2 handed speed rows as fast as possible. I prefer the bands for this…less chance of injury Remember, think hummingbird wings – 3-8 reps

Immediately after completing the wake up exercise, proceed to a set of heavy Barbell/Dumbbell/Cable Rows – 3-8 reps

Lower Back – Core

Spinal Extension

Heavy Partial: N/A
Isos: N/A
Plyos: Overhead Medicine Ball Tosses to the rear – 3-8 reps

Vibrations: Band Triple Extension or Swing Snatches (light weight) – 3-8 reps

Immediately after completing the wake up exercise, proceed to a set of heavy Swings or Good Mornings or Deadlifts – 3-8 reps

Chest

Heavy Partial: Partial Bench Press in the power rack – 3-8 reps

Isos: Isometric Bench Press – Push the bar into an immovable object (ex. Power Rack) - Hold for 2-5 seconds for 3-8 reps

Plyos: Medicine Ball Chest Throws (lying or standing)

Vibrations: Band Chest Press for speed

Immediately after completing the wake up exercise, proceed to a set of Chest Presses for 3-8 reps

Abs – Core

Spinal Flexion

Heavy Partial: N/A
Isos: N/A
Plyos: Medicine Ball Slams – 3-8 reps

Vibrations: Standing Band Crunch – 3-8 reps

Immediately after completing the wake up exercise, proceed to a set of Standing Cable Crunches (just like the band crunch except using a pull-down cable machine) – 3-8 reps

Obliques – Core

Spinal Rotation/Lateral Flexion

Heavy Partial: N/A
Isos: N/A
Plyos: Rotational Medicine Ball Slams – 3-8 reps

Vibrations: Band Wood Chops – 3-8 reps (move faster than the girls in the video)

Immediately after completing the wake up exercise, proceed to a set of Standing Cable Woodchops – 3-8 reps

Okay, that’s enough for today.

In Part 4, we hit the lower body

Enjoy

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The Deadpool Mega Muscle Mass Workout – Part Two

October 6th, 2009

In Part 1 of the Deadpool Mega Muscle Mass Workout, I told you that:

By stimulating the hard to hit fast-twitch muscle fibers, even hardgainers can maximize the size, strength and power of their muscles.
To wake up those fast-twitch fibers, we need to use 1 of 3 different techniques:

Very Intense Concentric Muscular Contractions – ex. Partial range bench press or Isometrics
Very Intense Eccentric Muscular Contractions – ex. Plyometric movements (depth jumps)
Very Fast Concentric & Eccentric Muscular Contractions - like a hummingbird flapping it’s wings

After waking up the fast-twitch fibers, we hit them with…

Slightly Less Intense Concentric Muscular Contractions…through a full range of motion and performed as fast as possible. Think explosive bench presses.
Slightly Less Intense Eccentric Muscular Contractions….but we drastically increase the time under tension. Sloooowwww negatives on those bench presses.
With no pause at the top or bottom of the lift. The muscle is always under tension.

Today, I am going to give you some of my favorite Wake-Up Exercises and show you how to pair them with the traditional lifts to get the best results.

Wake-Up Exercises

For convenience, I am going to shorten my descriptions of the 3 style of wake up exercises.

Very Intense Concentric Muscular Contractions will be called “Heavy Partial Lifts” or “Isos”
Very Intense Eccentric Muscular Contractions will be called “Plyos”
Very Fast Concentric/Eccentric Muscular Contractions will be called “Vibrations”

I have broken the list of wake up exercises down by body part and/or body movement.

Hopefully, it is easy enough to follow, but if there’s a problem, please comment and I will update the post.

Here we go….

Traps

Vertical Shrug Movement

Heavy Partial: N/A
Isos: Isometric Shrug – Grab hold of an immovable object (ie. heavy barbell, pins in a power rack or even sit on a bench and grab the underside of the bench) and try to shrug it. The weight should not move. Hold for 2-5 seconds
Plyos: Slam Shrugs – Set up a power rack with the pins slightly lower than your shrug lockout height. Grab your barbell and position it beneath the pins. Then, shrug the bar HARD into the pins. Repeat for 3-5 reps
Vibrations: Using a light weight (dumbbells, barbell, bands, etc..), perform 5 shrugs as fast as possible. Remember, think hummingbird wings

Immediately after completing the wake up exercise, proceed to a set of heavy Barbell Shrugs – 3-8 reps

Horizontal Shrug Movement

Heavy Partial: N/A
Isos: Iso Face Pulls into the floor – Just like a regular standing cable face pull, except you are lying on your back and pushing your elbows back into the immovable floor – Repeat for 3-8 reps holding each rep for 1 sec.
Plyos : Reverse elbow strikes into a heavy bag – 3-8 reps per arm

Vibrations: Face Pulls using a Jump Stretch band – 3-8 reps – as fast as possible

Immediately after completing the wake up exercise, proceed to a set of Standing Cable Face Pulls – 3-8 reps

Shoulders

Overhead Pressing Movement

Heavy Partial: Standing or Seated Partial Shoulder Press out of a Power Rack

Isos: Isometric Shoulder Press – Shoulder Press into an immovable object - Hold for 2-5 seconds for 3-8 reps

Plyos: Medicine Ball Shoulder Press Throws- Repeat for 3-8 reps – think speed!!!

Vibrations: Shoulder press using bands – 3-8 reps – moving as fast as possible. Remember, think hummingbird wings

Immediately after completing the wake up exercise, proceed to a set of heavy Shoulder Presses – 3-8 reps – using either barbells or dumbbells

Lateral Raise Movement

Normally, I wouldn’t use this technique for an isolation exercise such as this, but feel free…

Heavy Partial: N/A

Isos: Isometric Lateral Raise – Lateral Raise into an immovable object (ex. Power Rack) - Hold for 2-5 seconds for 3-8 reps per arm

Plyos: N/A

Vibrations: Super-speed Lateral Raises using bands – 3-8 reps – moving as fast as possible. ala Speedy Gonzales

Immediately after completing the wake up exercise, proceed to a set of heavy Lateral Raises – 3-8 reps – using either barbells or dumbbells

Reverse Lateral Raise Movement

Normally, I wouldn’t use this technique for an isolation exercise such as this, but feel free…

Heavy Partial: N/A

Isos: Isometric Lateral Raise – Reverse Lateral Raise into an immovable object (ex. Power Rack) - Hold for 2-5 seconds for 3-8 reps per arm

Plyos: N/A

Vibrations: Super-speed Reverse Lateral Raises using bands – 3-8 reps – moving as fast as possible. ala Speedy Gonzales

Immediately after completing the wake up exercise, proceed to a set of heavy Lateral Raises – 3-8 reps – using either barbells or dumbbells

Biceps

Heavy Partial: Cheating Bicep Curls or Partial Range Bicep Curls – 3-8 reps

Isos: Isometric Bicep Curl – Curl a barbell into an immovable object (ex. Power Rack) - Hold for 2-5 seconds for 3-8 reps per arm

Plyos: Drop & Catch Bicep Curls – Start by holding a barbell at the top position of a bicep curl. As you start to lower the barbell, let it drop and catch it while your elbows are still bent. This will take some practice. You don’t want to drop the barbell. – 3-8 reps

Vibrations: Super-speed Bicep curls using bands – 3-8 reps – moving as fast as possible. ala Speedy Gonzales

Immediately after completing the wake up exercise, proceed to a set of heavy Bicep Curls – 3-8 reps – keep the form strict…not like the cheat curls

Triceps

Heavy Partial: Partial Dips, Partial Close Grip Bench Press or Partial Pushdowns- 3-8 reps

Isos: Isometric Close Grip Bench Press or Iso Pushdown- Your tricep force vs an immovable object (ex. Power Rack) - Hold for 2-5 seconds for 3-8 reps

Plyos: Close Grip Plyo Push Ups – 3-8 reps

Vibrations: Super-speed Pushdowns – 3-8 reps – moving as fast as possible.

Immediately after completing the wake up exercise, proceed to a set of heavy Dips, Close Grip Bench or Pushdowns – 3-8 reps – keep the form strict.

Okay, that’s enough for today. This post is too long already.

Tomorrow…another bunch of exercises

Enjoy

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SuperFood: Beet Root

August 7th, 2009

An interesting new study shows that drinking beet root juice boosts your stamina and could help you exercise for up to 16% longer.

The theory is that the nitrate contained in beet root juice leads to a reduction in oxygen uptake, making exercise less tiring.

And while the researchers are not yet sure of the exact mechanism that causes the nitrate in the beet root juice to boost stamina, they suspect it could be a result of the nitrate turning into nitric oxide in the body, reducing the oxygen cost of exercise.

In fact, drinking beet root juice reduces oxygen uptake and improves endurance better than any other known means, including training.

Including training!

Obviously, this is big news for endurance athletes.

The Science

The researchers gave the test subjects 500ml per day of organic beet root juice for six consecutive days before completing a series of tests, involving cycling on an exercise bike.

On another occasion, they were given a placebo of blackcurrant cordial for six consecutive days before completing the same cycling tests.

After drinking beet root juice the group was able to cycle for an average of 11.25 minutes, which is 92 seconds longer than when they were given the placebo.

Beet root supplementation resulted in a 19% reduction in the amplitude of the pulmonary O2 response during moderate cardio exercise

As an extra added bonus, the group that had consumed the beet root juice also had lower resting blood pressure. (systolic pressure dropped 6 mmHg)

This blood pressure benefit was also found in a 2008 study.

In that study, researchers discovered that within 1 hour of drinking 500ml of beet root juice, volunteers experienced a drop in blood pressure, with the peak drop 3 to 4 hours after ingestion.

Some degree of reduction continued to be observed until up to 24 hours after ingestion.

Researchers showed that the decrease in blood pressure was due to the chemical formation of nitrite from the dietary nitrate in the juice. The nitrate in the juice is converted in saliva, by bacteria on the tongue, into nitrite. This nitrite-containing saliva is swallowed, and in the acidic environment of the stomach is either converted into nitric oxide or re-enters the circulation as nitrite.

The peak time of reduction in blood pressure correlated with the appearance and peak levels of nitrite in the circulation, an effect that was absent in a second group of volunteers who refrained from swallowing their saliva during, and for 3 hours following, beet root ingestion.

This research suggests that drinking beet root juice, or consuming other nitrate-rich vegetables, might be a simple, effective and inexpensive way to reduce blood pressure and maintain a healthy cardiovascular system.

Conclusion

If you are interested in:

Lowering your blood pressure
Reducing your risk of heart disease
Increasing your aerobic endurance
and making you cardio sessions feel much, much easier

Drink your beet juice.

And if you can’t get your hands on some fresh beet root juice, there are a number of GreenFood/SuperFood/Antioxidant drinks that have beet root powder as an ingredient.

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Are You Tough Enough for This Workout?

August 5th, 2009

Are you tough enough to handle one of my custom HIIT/HIRT workouts?

hiit

And by handle the workout, I don’t mean just survive the workout.

I mean, can you push yourself harder than you ever have before?

Can you kick my ass at this workout?

Well, can you…punk?

The Workout

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Part 1 – The HIIT

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30 minutes of HIIT sprints on a Stationary Bike

10 min Cardio – Moderate level of intensity (12-13 on Borg Scale)
5 min of HIIT Sprints – 10 Sprints – (10 sec sprint : 20 sec active rest – Level 20 on the Borg Scale)
5 min Cardio – Moderate level of intensity (12-13 on Borg Scale)
5 min of HIIT Sprints – 10 Sprints – (10 sec sprint : 20 sec active rest – Level 20 on the Borg Scale)
5 min Cardio – Moderate level of intensity (12-13 on Borg Scale)

Note:

These are short duration sprints – 10 sec. As such, they are to be performed at Maximum Intensity.

(20 on the Borg – Perceived Exertion Scale)

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And when I say max intensity, I mean max intensity.

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A trick I use is to count the number of revolutions (1 leg) I pedal in my first 10 second sprint. For the rest of my sprints, I use that number as a target. I find that when I have a target to aim for, I push myself harder.

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The 20 sec Active Rests should be performed at a 6-8 on the Borg Scale…very, very light effort.

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Part 2 – The HIRT

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This second part of the workout is a 10 Minute HIRT Circuit consisting of 3 exercises, performed back to back with no rest between sets.

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Each set will consist of 5 reps performed in an explosive manner.

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We will be using bodyweight exercises.

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Push-Up – 5 Reps per Set – As Many Sets As Possible in 10 minutes
Body-weight Row – 5 Reps per Set – AMSAP in 10 minutes
Bulgarian Split Squat – 5 Reps per Leg per Set – AMSAP in 10 minutes.

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For most, body-weight will be more than enough resistance. However, if you think you can handle it, feel free to add some resistance (weight vest, chains, bands, plates, dumbbells…your choice). But, I don’t want you sacrificing intensity & speed just to add some weight.

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Remember, there is no rest between sets. Perform all 3 exercises in the same spot. I find that a Power Rack or Smith Machine works well for the Body-weight Rows. So, I just camp out there for the full 10 minutes using the bar (or a bench) for the Bulgarian Split Squats.

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PDF copy of the workout

So, do you think you can kick my ass at this workout?

Here’s how I did earlier today:

HIIT Sprints

All sprints completed as designed
Bike Resistance set at 80% of maximum
Fastest Revolutions per Leg in 10 seconds – 32 (3rd sprint)
Slowest Revolutions per Leg in 10 seconds – 24 (last sprint)

HIRT Workout

Push-Up – BW (248) + 20 lb Weight Vest for 100 reps
BW Row – BW (248) + 20 lb Weight Vest for 100 reps (Body held parallel to floor)
Bulgarian Split Squat – BW (248) + 20 lb Weight Vest + 25 lb plate for 105 reps per leg (Back leg on std. flat bench)

So, can you kick my ass?

PDF copy of the workout

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Today’s Workout – June 10, 2009

June 10th, 2009

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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Posted in Exercise, fitness, health, weight loss, working out

Tags: abs anaerobic back bench press bicep boxing chest chin up circuit training core endurance Exercise fitness heart hiit hirt interval training kicking lats lunge power press pushup row sprints strength superset swing snatch weight loss workout

Today’s Workout – June 08, 2009

June 8th, 2009

Resistance Training Day

Warm-up

10 min of Joint Mobility exercises & Dynamic Stretching

Workout

Superset #1

Rollouts – 10 sets of 10 reps, supersetted with
alternating sets of Bodyweight Squats & Bodyweight Reverse Lunges – 10 sets of 20 reps

No rest between sets – Total reps – 100 rollouts & 200 reps squats/lunges

3 min rest between superset 1 & 2

Superset #2

Pull-Ups – various grips – Bodyweight – 5 sets of 5 reps, supersetted with
1 Arm DB Press – 75 lbs – 5 sets of 3 reps, supersetted with
Jumping Lunges – Bodyweight – 5 sets of 20 reps

No rest between sets

3 min rest between superset 2 & 3

Superset #3

1 Arm Kneeling Pulldowns – 8 sets of 5 reps, weight pyramiding from 145 – 250, supersetted with
Glute Ham Raises – 8 sets of 5 reps, Bodyweight

No rest between sets

3 min rest between superset 3 & 4

Superset #4

Standing Cable Crunch – 7 sets of 3 reps @ 135 lbs, supersetted with
Bulgarian Split Squat – 7 sets of 7 reps, Bodyweight, supersetted with
Standing Cable Row – 2 hand – focus on scap retraction not biceps – 7 sets of 7 reps @ 225 lbs

No rest between sets

3 min rest between superset 4 & 5

Superset #5

Cybes Shoulder Press – 5 sets of 5 reps @ 205 lbs, supersetted with
DB Concentration Curl – Hammer grip – 5 sets of 5 reps @ 50 lbs

No rest between sets

Flexibility/Mobility Training

15 min of stretching

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Posted in Exercise, fitness, health

Tags: anaerobic back bicep chin up circuit training endurance Exercise fitness heart lats power press pull up pulldown shoulder sprints strength weight loss workout

Exercise easier with a cuppa joe

April 2nd, 2009

For decades, endurance athletes have relied on caffeine as a performance aid.

They claimed that a pre-workout cup of coffee helped them to push themselves harder and for longer periods of time.

And along the way, science has backed up that belief:

In 1979, scientists found that caffeine helped cyclists improve their performance by 7% during a 2 hour workout.
In 1991, cyclists dosed with 9mg of caffeine per kg of bodyweight were able to increase their endurance by 51%
In 1995, cyclists performing high intensity circuits were able to improve their endurance by 29% with a dose of 5.5mg of caffeine per kg of body mass.

Pretty good, right?

The only problem is that no one really knew why caffeine improved athletic performance…until now.

Researcher (and cycling geek) Dr. Robert Motl has spent the last 7 years considering the relationship between physical activity and caffeine.

Today, he has a much better understanding of why that cuppa Joe he used to consume before distance training and competing enhanced his cycling ability.

Early in his research, he became aware that “caffeine works on the adenosine neuromodulatory system in the brain and spinal cord, and this system is heavily involved in nociception and pain processing.”

Since Motl knew caffeine blocks adenosine from working, he speculated that it could reduce pain.

A number of studies by Dr. Motl support that conclusion, including investigations considering such variables as exercise intensity, dose of caffeine, anxiety sensitivity and gender.

The good doctors latest study “looks at the effects of caffeine on muscle pain during high-intensity exercise as a function of habitual caffeine use,” he said. “No one has examined that before”.

And what did they find?

Caffeine reduces pain during exercise.
Less pain means you can work harder.
Less pain means you can work longer.

The Science

The study’s 25 participants were fit, college-aged males divided into two distinct groups:

Subjects whose everyday caffeine consumption was extremely low to non-existent,
And those with an average caffeine intake of about 400 milligrams a day, the equivalent of three to four cups of coffee.

After testing their baseline aerobic fitness, Dr. Motl tortured his subjects with two monitored high-intensity, 30-minute exercise sessions.

An hour prior to each session, cyclists – who had been instructed not to consume caffeine during the prior 24-hour period – were given a pill.

On one occasion, it contained a dose of caffeine measuring 5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (equivalent to two to three cups of coffee); the other time, they received a placebo.

During both exercise periods, subjects’ perceptions of quadriceps muscle pain was recorded at regular intervals, along with data on oxygen consumption, heart rate and work rate.

The Results

Obviously the most important result was that caffeine reduced the pain of intense physical activity.

But Dr. Motl also found that when it came to the reduction of pain, “caffeine tolerance doesn’t matter”.

Caffeine-junkies and the herbal tea drinkers received the same pain reducing benefit from their little caffeine pill.

So, what now?

Dr. Motl wants to see what effect caffeine’s pain-reducing abilities has on sport performance.

“We’ve shown that caffeine reduces pain reliably, consistently during cycling, across different intensities, across different people, different characteristics.

But does that reduction in pain translate into an improvement in sport performance?”

Interesting question for sure, but I am way to impatient to wait for the next Dr. Motl study.

If you’re like me, check out this list of caffeine based beverages and let’s get physical.

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1,000,000,001 Different Ways to Squat

March 18th, 2009

This post is for that guy at the gym who avoids squatting because:

They hurt his back
They hurt his knees
They hurt his shoulders, wrists, neck, ego…
Squat only focus on his quads
He’s trying to focus on his vastus medialis
Squats are overrated
He’s not a powerlifter
He’s not a bodybuilder
He’s not a football player or sprinter or skater or…

Well, you get the idea.

Just for that guy, I am going to outline all of the different ways that you or him can squat.

Note: I am pretty sure that I will miss something, so feel free to let me know what I missed and I will add it to the post.

1,000,000,001 Different Ways to Squat

In an attempt to organize this master list of squatting options, I decided to organize all of these different lifts into different categories.

Unilateral / Bilateral

1 Leg Squat – free leg held in front of body – knee bent
1 Leg Pistol Squat – free leg held in front of body – leg straight
1 Leg Box Squat – free leg hangs down
1 Leg Squat – free leg placed behind body
1 Leg Bulgarian Squat
2 Leg Squat

Stance / Body Orientation

Hips turned out – Toes turned out
Hips straight – Toes straight – legs shoulder width apart
Hips & toes straight – narrow stance – legs close together

Torso held high, chest up, very little forward lean at the hips – bodybuilder style
Rear end pushed back, large forward lean at the hips – powerlifter style

More knee flexion than hip flexion during lift – Knees move past the toes during lift
Equal knee and hip flexion – Knees don’t pass the toes
More hip flexion than knee flexion – Knees stay well back of the toes – box squat style

Equipment

Barbell
Dumbbell(s)
Kettlebell(s)
Bodyweight only
Weighted Vest
Band(s)
Chains
Medicine ball, sandbag, log, tire, rock, person or any other extreme implement
Machines – Smith machine, Squat machine, Hack Squat machine, etc….
Cable weight machines
Benches / Boxes
Stability balls

Position of Load

Back Squat – load held on shoulders behind the neck
Front Squat – load held in front of the neck
Overhead Squat
DBs, KBs, etc held in hands at waist height
Zercher Squats – load held in the “crook” of your elbows at chest/belly height
Hack Squat – barbell held behind your legs

Range of Motion

Full squat
Barely bending your knees Partial Squat
Everything in between
1 and 1/2 squats – squat all the way down, come up half way, go back down and then squat all the way up
Focusing on a specific range – i.e working only in the bottom 1/4 of the full range focuses the effort strongly on your glutes, while focusing on the top 1/4 focuses mainly on the quads while also making the exercise much, much easier

Tempo or Speed

There are a number of different systems for classifying lifting speed. For simplicity sake, I will stick with the basics: fast, moderate, slow & pause
Different speeds of motion can be used for the different portions of the lift: descent, bottom, ascent, top
You can mix and match the different speeds with the different portions of the lift depending on your training goals
The typical squatter descends fast, doesn’t pause at the bottom, ascends back up fast and pauses at the top if he needs to rest – not very scientific
However, another lifter may descend slowly, pause at the bottom to eliminate the bounce he might receive from his stretch shortening cycle, ascend as fast as possible and immediately descend into another squat

Weight of Load as a % of 1 Rep Max Lift

Your 1 Rep Max Lift is the maximum amount of weight you can successfully lift with good form.
If you are lifting for strength, you will likely choose a load that is close to your 1 Rep max. A lower percentage load is used when you are performing high reps for muscular endurance or for low reps and high speed in an attempt to develop muscular speed.

Lifting Surface

This category is primarily employed by the Bosu or “functional training” crowd
Most lifters stand on a solid floor, but if it floats your boat, feel free to squat while standing on:
Balance disks
a Bosu
a 1/2 foam roller
a balance beam
on top of someone’s shoulders

Training Volume

Depending on your training goals (power, strength, hypertrophy, endurance, speed), you can choose a variety of reps per set, sets per exercise and total sets/reps per workout

Rest Periods

This category refers to the length of the rest periods taken between sets.
Short rest periods are used as a tool to develop the trainees anaerobic energy system.
Long rest periods are used to allow more complete muscular and/or nervous system recovery.
And as with tempo and load percentage, there is an almost infinite number of positions in between.

Putting it all together…

To be honest, I have no idea how many different types of squats we could make with all of these options.

1,000,000,001 looked impressive, so I went with it…sue me.

But, I do know that my little list ‘o squats should definitely spark your imagination and help you create a new and better squat workout.

Have fun.

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HIIT Interval Timers: Review of the Inventico TMR04-B

February 11th, 2009

artist: Bill Hall

One of my favorite training methods is HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training.

It’s one of the best tools I know for developing power, improving anaerobic endurance and maximizing fat loss.

But, it’s not perfect. One of the potential drawbacks to HIIT workouts is that instead of counting reps, your workout revolves around time.

And that’s fine if you are using a piece of cardio equipment with a built in timer.

However, if you are trying to time a set of HIIT hanging power cleans, you may be in for some trouble.

Unless you have a workout partner with a stopwatch, an expensive personal trainer like yours truly…or a dedicated Interval Workout Timer like the Inventico TMR04-B.

Inventico TMR04-B

What is an Interval Timer

Basically, it is a stopwatch dedicated to counting down and alerting you to start and stop your HIIT work sets and rest periods.

The TMR04-B is not the only interval timer on the market. But, it is the only one that I have used.

Disclosure – Inventico contacted me in January and asked if I would be interested in trying out their product. At that time, offers of this kind were fairly new to me. I agreed to try out the unit because:

I was sick of using a stopwatch to time my personal HIIT workouts
The Inventico rep was very confident in the product and was willing to risk a bad review
I am a geek for fitness equipment. You wouldn’t believe the amount of workout and rehab tools that litter my apartment

So, here’s the review:

How Does It Work?

The unit is about the size of a travel alarm clock – 3 1/2″ (8.3cm) wide & tall by 1 1/4″ (3.5cm) thick
You enter the number of interval sets and the length of the work sets and rest periods via the buttons at the top of the face plate.
The relatively large LCD display (height of numerals – 3/4″ or 2cm) counts down the work/rest periods
The unit beeps three times at the end of every work set and beeps 1 time at the end of your rest periods
At the end of your final work set, the unit produces 3 sets of 3 beeps
There is also a red LED light at the top of the unit that flashes in unison with the beeping.

Pros and Cons

Pros

It made solo HIIT workouts a LOT simpler. For example, in the past when I wanted to do a HIIT workout using front squats, I had to pause between reps to turn and look at the wall clock in my gym. With the timer, I used the LED light as a visual cue to start and stop my sets. Outdoors, the auditory cue (beeping) was loud enough that I didn’t need to carry the timer during sprints.
The LCD screen is large enough to see from a few feet
Inventico designed the unit to be mounted onto fitness equipment. The unit has two holes in the casing that allow a piece of cable to be threaded through and attached to the frame of a piece of fitness equipment. Obviously, this was designed to help out a health club manager. For my use, I bought a piece of stick-on magnet and stuck it to the back plate of the timer. This allowed me to attach the timer to any piece of metallic equipment at whatever height was appropriate for that exercise.
The unit is durable – It was dropped more than once and it kept on tickin’

Cons

The beeping noise is way too loud for a health club. And it isn’t adjustable. But, it can be eliminated by removing a small chip from the circuit board inside. Note - Inventico has plans to offer an adjustable volume control with it’s next edition of the timer
The LCD screen is hard to read in certain lighting conditions. However, I seldom used the screen anyway, preferring the LED indoors and the beeping outdoors.
The instructions were a little confusing. I gave the unit (with instructions) to a bunch of people and no one found it easy to adjust…at first. After a few tries, it becomes easier.

Overall

The unit isn’t perfect, but if you are a HIIT junkie, it’s worth the $26.

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Note about Health Habits and Product Reviews

In the past few months I have started to receive offers to try out different products & services. At first, I turned down all of these offers because I can’t stand when other bloggers write kiss-ass reviews for products simply because they got the product for free and felt that they owed it to the company.

I decided to take Inventico up on their offer because I was genuinely curious about the product. And I was 100% honest in my review.

In the future, if I write a review about a product that I received at no cost, I will:

Let you guys know that I received the product free from the manufacturer,
Review it honestly, and
Request from the manufacturer that they send a second item to one of my readers for their review. That way, we will get two different points of view on the same product/service.

Reference

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Posts Tagged ‘endurance’

1. Strength Training

2. Aerobic Training

3. Anaerobic / HIIT / Tabata Training

Beginner Workouts

Workout #1

Workout #2

Workout #3

Intermediate Workouts

Workout #1

Workout #2

Workout #3

Advanced Workouts

Workout #1

Workout #2

Workout #3

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1,000,000,001 Different Ways to Squat

Categories

Unilateral / Bilateral

Stance / Body Orientation

Equipment

Position of Load

Range of Motion

Tempo or Speed

Weight of Load as a % of 1 Rep Max Lift

Lifting Surface

Training Volume

Rest Periods

Putting it all together…

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Related Posts

What is an Interval Timer

How Does It Work?

Pros and Cons

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