Current Workout plan and so far its pretty good. It sucks the energy out of me which lets me know that its really pushing my body to the limit. Excellent.
Monday – Shoulders & Traps
Set 1 – Overhead Press (4 mins rest)
Set 2 – Dumbbell Lateral Raises (no rest) followed immediately by
Overhead Press (4 mins rest)
Set 3 – Dumbbell Lateral Raises (no rest) followed immediately by
Overhead Press (1 min rest)
Set 4 – Overhead Press (Now take 4 minutes rest before hitting the traps)
Set 5 – Cable Shrugs/Trap bar shrugs or alternatively, Dumbbell (or EZ bar) upright rows (2 minutes rest)
Set 6 – Cable Shrugs/Trap bar shrugs or alternatively, Dumbbell (or EZ bar) upright rows (2 minutes rest)
Set 7 – Cable Shrugs/Trap bar shrugs or alternatively, Dumbbell (or EZ bar) upright rows
Notes: It will prove very beneficial to perform your overhead presses while seated at smith machine. This is because the muscle fibers of your shoulders will be so FRIEDthat it will be hard to maintain balance will performing this movement with free weights.
Tuesday – Legs
Set 1 - Barbell Squat (4 mins rest)
Set 2 - Barbell Squat (4 mins rest)
Set 3 - Leg Press (4 mins rest)
Set 4 - Leg Press (3 mins rest)
Set 5 - Leg Extensions (3 mins rest)
Set 6 - Leg Curls (4 mins rest)
Set 7 - Seated or Standing Calf Raises (2 mins rest)
Set 8 - Seated or Standing Calf Raises (2 mins rest)
Set 9 - Seated or Standing Calf Raises
Note: While squats and leg presses are great exercises, don’t skip the leg curls and extensions. Only these exercises can place maximum resistance to the quads and hamstrings in the fully contracted position or peak contraction point i.e. that point in the range of motion where all of the muscle fibers are recruited.
Wednesday – Chest & Abs
Set 1 – Flat Bench Press (3 mins rest)
Set 2 - Pec Deck (3 mins rest)
Set 3 - Pec Deck (no rest) followed immediately by
Flat Bench Press (4 mins rest)
Set 4 - Pec Deck (no rest) followed immediately by
Flat Bench Press (Take 5 minutes or more if you need it before proceeding to abs)
Abs
Set 1 - Weighted Sit-Ups (decline if you are strong enough) (2 mins rest)
Set 2 – Weighted Sit-Ups (2 mins rest)
Set 3 – Weighted Sit-Ups (2 mins rest)
Set 4 – Leg Raises or Reverse Crunches if you don’t have access to a leg raise machine (2 mins rest)
Set 5 – Leg Raises or Reverse Crunches (2 mins rest)
Set 6 - Leg Raises or Reverse Crunches
Note: Building the abdominal muscles requires no special exercises. The ones above are recommended because they place a lot of resistance on the abs at the Peak Contraction Point (P.C.P.) i.e. your spine is rounded and your abs have shortened and hardened to their full potential. Any exercise that achieves this is good. Some gyms have dedicated ab stations that fit the bill very well, go ahead and use them if you wish.
An example of an inferior ab exercise would be the ‘plank’ because the abs aren’t ever brought into the P.C.P., nor can the resistance be mathematically increased over time for progressive gains.
Thursday – Back & Biceps
Set 1 -Deadlift (4 mins rest)
Set 2 -Deadlift (4 mins rest)
Set 3 -Barbell Row (2 mins rest) optimized form really works best for barbell rows
Set 4 -Barbell Row (2 mins rest)
Set 5 -Lat Pullovers (pullover machine) or Decline Cable Pullovers or Seated Cable Rows (2 mins rest)
Set 6 -Lat Pullovers (pullover machine) or Decline Cable Pullovers or Seated Cable Rows (Take 5 minutes or more if you need it before proceeding to Biceps)
Biceps
Set 1 - Cable Preacher Curls (2 mins rest)
Set 2 - Cable Preacher Curls (2 mins rest)
Set 3 - Cable Preacher Curls (No rest) Proceed immediately to next set in superset fashion
Barbell Curls (straight barbell not EZ bar) (2 mins rest)
Set 4 - Barbell Curls (2 mins rest)
Set 5 - Barbell Curls
Note: Allow a little controlled movement in your barbell curls, especially at the end of the set
Friday – Triceps
Set 1 - French Curls (3 mins rest)
Set 2 - French Curls (3 mins rest)
Set 3 - French Curls (4 mins rest)
Set 4 - Tricep Pushdowns (3 mins rest)
Set 5 - Tricep Pushdowns (3 mins rest)
Set 6 - Tricep Pushdowns
Note: I haven’t included any dedicated exercises for forearms in this cycle. More than likely you’ll be experiencing muscle soreness in your forearms before you get to Friday. However, if you wish to work them directly, throw in 2 or 3 sets of wrist curls on Friday after your triceps.
All credit goes to MuscleHack
Thanks Mark
