Further Instructions for Your Training

General Weight Intensity Guidelines

In order to see the adaptation we’re aiming for in relation to your goals, I want you to pay attention to the specific intensity within your workouts.

On your, all of your reps are spelled out.

In general you want to get to CONTROLLED FAILURE by the end of each rep, so that means you should come within one rep of concentric failure. Your form should be perfect even by that last rep, however the rep following that one would have you not being able to fully complete it.

The overall idea is to train as hard as you can, BUT TO DO SO SAFELY. So always listen to your body! Also, use weights that you can control with confidence. You shouldn’t NEED a spotter for any of the exercises on your plan.

What Is Tempo? An Overview For Your Workouts

You’ll see this word on pretty much all of your workouts.  Weightlifting tempo refers to the number of seconds it takes for you to complete the full range of motion of one repetition. It’s normally expressed using either three or four numbers, each representing the number of seconds of each segment of movement of a particular resistance exercise.

For example, a weightlifting tempo of 2/0/2 is performed with a count of 2 as you raise the weight, then no pause when you’ve reached the top of the lift, followed by a count of 2 when lowering the weight.  So the break down is Concentric/Isometric/Eccentric Contractions.

As another example – 2/1/3 would be 2 counts to flex with the weight, 1 count to hold the position, 3 counts to return to start.

The 3 phases of each repetition are outlined in detail below:

1. Concentric phase – This phase is also referred to as the “positive” portion of the lift. During this phase, the muscle is contracting while under load. This movement is normally faster than the lowering phase. This phase will take the weight back to the starting position of the exercise.

2. Isometric Phase – This phase is where you’ve already contracted the muscle.  Although in a full contraction there is no motion.  This would be like a static hold for instance.

3. Eccentric Phase – Also known as the “negative” portion of the lift. This is where the weight is being lowered, and there is tension on the muscle while it is being stretched. Hypertrophy training programs typically emphasize a slow and controlled eccentric movement. This phase is very taxing on the muscle fibers, and is what causes the majority of muscle fiber breakdown-a good thing when it comes to muscle growth!

Workout Warm Up/Cool Down

If any of the following areas tend to be tight on you, or if you have some soreness from your workouts, take the time to foam roll both before and after your workout.

Before your workout, you should FOAM ROLL AFTER the cardio warm-up described on your program (normally a duration of about 5-10 mins).  Once done foam rolling, you can commence your program.  Finish with foam rolling at the end of your workouts as well.

(Click the name of the muscle to see the video link):

 

Foam Roll The Following Areas

Static Stretches (Following the Foam Rolling Stretches):

Lats

Piriformis

IT Band/TFL

Calves

Quadriceps

Adductors

Hamstrings

Standing Chest Expansions

Lats – 1 Arm Stability Ball

Crossover Stretch

Psoas Stretch

Ultimate Exercise Exchange List

The following exercises are a list that you can pick from in the case where you may need to swap out exercises either because you don’t have the tools available to you, or you feel like mixing up the exercise that you have assigned on the plan.

If swapping things out, I want you to use an exercise that hits the muscle at the same angle.  So if it’s a glute exercise, then sub it out with another exercise for glutes, for mid-back, swap it out for another mid-back exercise. In this way, you still train the muscle in the way I’ve intended, but you get to accommodate things for your needs.

Keep in mind this is a small list, but it gives you a quick reference of what you can easily switch things out with.

 

Notes:

BB – Barbell, DB – Dumbbells, MB – Medicine Ball, KB – Kettlebell, SB – Stability Ball

“Hammer Strength” – any machine that is weight plate loaded.

Many of the exercises below can be perform with Single Arm or Leg, or both sides at the same time.

* – Video in our database

** – Can be done at home

** * – At home and Video available

Videos for just about all of these can be found at: http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises

You may also run a quick Google search on any of these to see a video that appropriately teaches you form and execution.

 

Compound Legs (Hits everything):

Leg Press 

Hack Squat Machine

Super Squat/Standing Squat Machine

Ground Based Squat Machine

Smith Machine Squats

Overhead Squat**

BB Squat (regular, sumo/wide stance, etc)**

DB Squat**

Deep ATG Squat**

Barbell Lunge – Front, Side, or Back**

Walking Lunges**

Bench or Box Jumps

Box Squats

Jefferson Squats**

BB Sumo Squats

BB Front Squats

Quad Specific:

Leg Extension Machine

Single Leg Step Up**

Pistol Squats (Single Leg Deep Squat)**

Cable or Band Standing or Seated Single Leg Extension**

Goblet Squats (DB or KB)**

Front Squats BB**

Forward Lunges**

Walking Lunges**

Chair Squat (Smith Machine)

Bulgarian Split Squat**

Hack Squat

Narrow Stance Hack Squat

Narrow Stance Leg Press

Jefferson Squat**

DB or KB Curtsy Lunge**

Single Leg Push Off**

Single Leg Push Off Jump**

Wall Sits**

Smith Machine Leg Press

Smith Machine Pistol Squat

Squats with Resistance Bands**

Weighted Sissy Squats**

Hammer Strength Leg Extensions

Smith Machine Leg Press

 

Glutes/Hamstrings Specific:

BB Deadlifts**

DB Deadlifts**

Sumo Deadlifts**

Narrow Stance DB or BB Deadlifts** *

Good Mornings (BB or Body Bar)**

BB Floor Lying Glute Bridges

BB Glute Bridges Lying on Bench

Bodyweight Hip Bridges (Double or Single Leg)

SB Hip Extension**

SB Leg Curls**

KB, DB, or MB Swings**

Machine Glute Extension (Butt Blaster)

Cable Rope Pull Through

Hex Bar Deadlift

Ground Based Squat Machine Deadlift

Cable Glute Kickback

Lying Hamstring Curl

Seated Hamstring Curl

Standing Cable Hamstring Curls

Standing Resistance Band Hamstring Curls**

Nordic Leg Curls**

Renegade Hip Bridge** *

Reverse Hyperextensions on Bench or Ball**

Hammer Strength Lying Hamstring Curl

Standing Single Leg Hamstring Curl on Leg Extension Machine*

Seated or Standing Machine Hip Abduction

Standing Cable Hip Abduction

Standing Resistance Band Hip Abduction**

 

Calves

BB Seated Calf Raise**

Machine Calf Press

Calf Press on the Leg Press

Theraband Calf Press**

Rocking Standing BB or DB Calf Raise**

Seated Calf Raise Machine

Smith Machine Calf Raise

BB or DB Calf Raise on Plate (Ball of Foot)**

 

Back – Width Exercises

Wide Grip Pull Ups**

Assisted Machine Pull Ups

Assisted Band Wide Grip Pull Ups**

Resistance Band Pull Downs

Kneeling Cable Rope Pull Downs*

Seated Wide Grip Lat Pull Downs

Cambered D Handle Pull Downs

Seated Wide Grip Rows

Wide Grip Resistance Band Rows**

Rack Pulls

Deadlifts

DB or BB Bent Over Rows – arms to 90 degree angle

DB Pullover

Cable Rope Pullover

Resistance Band Lat Press Down

MB Slams**

Hammer Strength Lat Pull Down

Hammer Strength Reverse Grip Lat Pull Down

 

Back – Detail/Thickness Exercises

Narrow Grip Pull Ups

Assisted Machine Narrow Grip Pull Ups

Band Assisted Narrow Grip Pull Ups**

Olympic Bar T Rows** *

T Bar Row Machine

BB or DB Bent Over Row – Close Grip and Palms Up**

Smith Machine Rows

Seated or Standing Cable Row

Seated or Standing Resistance Band Row**

Meadow Rows

Explosive Switch Rows**

Seated V Grip Lat Pull Down

Bent Over Plate Rows**

Body Rows**

Renegade Rows**

Cable Reverse Fly

Pec Deck Machine Reverse Fly

Resistance Band Reverse Fly**

Hammer Strength Row Machine

Hammer Strength DY (Low) Row

Hammer Strength High Row

 

Chest – Upper Chest Exercises

Chest Dips

Incline Bench Press

Incline DB Press**

Incline SB DB Press**

Incline DB Fly

Cable Low to High Fly

Resistance Band Low to High Fly**

Resistance Band Incline Chest Press**

Diamond Push Ups**

Hammer Grip Incline Press**

Around The Worlds**

Hammer Strength Incline Press

Cable Seated Machine Incline Chest Press

Seated Machine Incline Press

Decline Bench Wide Grip BB Pullover**

Chest – Mid and Lower Exercises

Resistance Band Bench Press**

BB or DB Flat Bench Press

BB or DB Decline Bench Press

Smith Machine Decline Bench Press

Smith Machine Flat Bench Press

DB Flat Bench Fly**

DB Decline Bench Fly**

SB DB Press**

Flat Bench Cable Fly

KB or DB Alternating Floor Press**

Cable Seated Machine Chest Press

Hammer Strength Wide Grip Press

Cable Cross Over

Resistance Band Cross Over**

Pec Deck Fly Machine

Iron Cable Cross

Decline Push Up**

Drop Push Up**

Incline Push Up Depth Jump**

MB Push Up**

Plyo Push Up**

SB Push Up (Feet on Ball)**

Side to Side Push Ups**

SA Cable Cross Over

Alternating Integrated Chest Press** *

TRX Push Up**

Svend Press**

Shoulders – All 3 Heads

BB or DB Jerk**

DB or BB Push Press**

BB, DB, or KB Snatch**

Hang Cleans

BB Clean and Jerk

BB High Pull

BB or DB Upright Row

Seated BB Shoulder Press

Seated DB Overhead Press**

Arnold Press**

Cuban Press**

Cable Shoulder Press

Cable Lateral Raise (Single or Double Arm/Crossover style)

Alternating Cable Shoulder Press

MB Overhead Backwards Throw**

BB or DB Front Raise**

Straight Raises on Incline Bench (BB or DB)

DB Lateral Raise**

Front Plate Raise**

BB or DB Rear Delt Row**

Resistance Band Pull Apart**

Resistance Band Lateral Raise**

Bradford Press

Bent Over Single Arm Lateral Fly

Bent Over 2 Arm Seated Lateral Fly

Cable Internal/External Rotation

DB or Resistance Band Internal/External Rotation**

High to Low Cable Rear Delt Fly

Cable Face Pulls

Resistance Band Face Pulls**

Car Drivers**

DB Lying Single or Double Arm Rear Lateral Raise**

DB Scaption**

DB Iron Cross**

Handstand Push Up (Full or Modified)**

KB Pirate Ships**

Landmine Thrusters*

Single Arm Linear Jammer

Hammer Strength Machine Shoulder Press

Machine Shoulder Press

Machine Lateral Raise

DB Punches**

BTN Pull Down

DB Side Laterals to Front Raise**

Biceps Exercises

BB or Curl**

Incline Bench DB or BB Curl (Spider Curls)**

Alternating Hammer Grip DB Curl**

Incline Bench Alternating Curls**

Cable Hammer Curls (Rope Curls)

Cable Preacher Curl

DB or BB Preach Curl

Standing Cable Curl

Close Grip EZ Bar Curls**

DB or BB Concentration Curl**

Cross Body DB Hammer Curl**

Drag Curl**

Alternating DB Curl**

Lying Cable Curl

Supine Lying DB Curl**

Resistance Band Curl**

Machine Bicep or Preacher Curl

Overhead Cable Curl

Reverse Grip BB or DB Curl**

Standing Bent Over Concentration Curl**

Standing One Arm DB Curl Over Incline Bench**

Zottman Curl**

TRX Body Bicep Curls**

Triceps Exercises

Triceps Dips (Bodyweight)

Bench Dips (Feet Elevated or Knees Bent)**

Resistance Band Skull Crushers**

BB Skull Crushers**

Close Grip Bench Press (JM Press)

TRX Body Triceps Press**

Body Up**

Cable Rope Overhead Triceps Extension

Cable Rope Extension

Cable Triceps Press Down

Lat Bar Cable Triceps Press Down

Close Grip EZ Curl Bar Press**

Decline Bench Close Grip Skull Crusher**

Decline Bench DB Triceps Extension**

Seated Dip Machine

DB Floor Press**

DB Single Arm Overhead Triceps Extension**

DB Seated or Standing Triceps Press**

Bench or SB Lying Hammer Grip DB Triceps Extension**

Incline Bench BB Triceps Extension**

Incline Close Grip Push Up**

Triceps Push Up (Elbows into the body)**

Kneeling Cable Triceps Extension

Standing Cable OH Triceps Press

Low Cable Lying Triceps Extension

Machine Triceps Extension

DB Kickbacks**

Resistance Band Kickbacks**

Seated or Standing Bent Over DB Kickbacks**

Cable Single Arm Triceps Kickback

DB Tate Press**

Plyometric/Power and Cardio-Based Exercises 

All of these can be done at home.

You can swap these out for any exercises that appear on our metabolic circuits or total body circuits. Again, you can find full video tutorials in the Bodybuilding.com exercise database.

MB Slams

Battle Ropes

High Knees

Butt Kicks

Agility Ladder

Ice Skaters

Burpee

Rocket Jumps/Jump Squats

Jump Squat + Adduction*

BB or DB Jerk

DB or BB Push Press

BB, DB, or KB Snatch

Hang Cleans

BB Clean and Jerk

Bench Jump

Bench Sprint

Double Leg Butt Kick

Jog in Place

Jumping Jacks

Scissor Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Lateral Speed Steps

Mountain Climbers

Prowler Sprint

Jump Rope

Side to Side Box Shuffle

Single Leg Push Off

Standing Long Jump

Star Jump