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Today would be a good day for core work. I've modified the routine so you can do it at home if you can't make the gym today. If this is too easy for you (and it is pretty easy), just repeat it two, three, or four times until hopefully you regret your life choices. Each time should take about 10 minutes. Unless you're Herschel Walker or something, that should be sufficient.
1. Crunches 2 sets of 15, 2. Sit-ups 2 sets of 15, 3. leg raises 1 set of 10 4. leg raises w/ butt raise 1 set of 10 5. Supermans 2 sets of 15 6. Press ups from hip (as in a seal/upperward dog/abdominal stretch pose) 2 sets of 10 7. Plank 1 set of 30 seconds 8. Side Planks (1 set of 30 seconds per side)
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Team,
Dynamic effort is more commonly called "speed day" because we try to move a lighter weight as fast as possible. We're working on "speed strength" as a separate performance element from "absolute strength." Remember that in physics F= MA (Force= Mass x Acceleration). The faster you learn to move, the more force you'll be able to generate. This routine may be new to you, and if it is you'll benefit the most. I guarantee your muscles will feel a burn from this in a way they haven't before. ******************************************************* Warm-up: 1. One-armed dumbbell shoulder rotation presses 3x15 (3 sets of 15 per arm) Explanation: similar to an arnold press but performed one arm at a time and without as much internal rotation; in other words, you don't turn the dumbbell all the way in facing you, only into a neutral grip or until your elbow meets your armpit or side of the chest, then press upward while rotating the dumbbell to a pronated grip (palms facing forward) 2. Bar-Only Bench Press TIP: USE ONE OF THE TWO THICK GRAY BARS 1x10 (1 set of 10) Main Workout: 2. Speed Bench Press with 20-50% of One-Rep Bench Press Max 13x3 (13 sets of 3 reps) Example: 95 lbs. for 13 sets of 3 reps Explanation: Yes, you read that right. These are called "speed triples" and are exactly what they sound like. Each rep should take you less than 0.8 seconds ("one Mississippi") and should be explosive like a cannon. The tempo is "one-two-three-rack." The weight is not so important, moving the weight fast is. If you are getting tired or start slowing down, drop the weight until you reach 13 sets. 30 seconds rest between sets, it should take you less than 20 minutes to do this portion 3. Shoulder Press with Barbell-Only (45 lbs.) or Substitute (the black bars or women's Titan bar are 35 lbs.) 5 sets of 10 reps for Men 5 sets of 5 reps for Women 4. Leg raises on a bench for core 3 x 12 (3 sets of 12) MAX EFFORT (ME) PULL Workout
I'm very happy to see people doing the workouts at Westminster! I got a request from a teammate for a "pull" workout to complement the "push" routine they were doing yesterday. The pulling muscles mostly involve the posterior chain (spinal erectors, glutes, hamstrings, etc.) otherwise known as the "back end" or the "back side." They also involve the biceps, often indirectly. The three best types of pulls are deadlifts (and deadlift variations), rows, and chin-ups/pull-ups, all of which can be very challenging and daunting at first so start small and work up with time. This following workout is unconventional but extremely effective at building strength and confidence. You'll be moving more weight than you've probably ever moved before! ***************************************************************
Progression: Bar-Only (45 lbs.) 1 set of 10 reps 50% of One-Rep Deadlift Max 1 set of 5 reps 100% of One-Rep Deadlift Max 1 set of 3 reps 5 lbs. more than One-Rep Deadlift Max 1 set of 1 Reps 10 lbs. more than One-Rep Deadlift Max 1 set of 1 rep 15 lbs. more than One-Rep Deadlift Max 1 set of 1 rep 25 lbs. more than One-Rep Deadlift Max 1 set of 1 rep 35 lbs. more than One-Rep Deadlift Max 1 set of 1 rep 45 lbs. more than One-Rep Deadlift Max 1 set of 1 rep Tips: Line up as you would for a deadlift and have the bar as close to your body as possible. Take a BIG BREATH in first, brace by contracting your core, and then push against the floor with your feet while pulling your upper body back, hinging at the hip. This should not be an exhausting or overly difficult exercise despite the weight being heavy because of the upright torso angle and the short range of motion. This will teach you how to brace for a heavy lift and show you what you are capable of if you can stay upright during a deadlift. It will also build the traps, lats, and rhomboids quite well and develop grip strength. ACCESSORY EXERCISES: 2. Seated Rows 3 sets of 10 Tip: choose a weight you can do 12 times and stop at 10; this technique of stopping 2 reps before failure is sometimes abbreviated RCM for 'reps circa max' and allows for greater recovery and equal gains; focus on pulling your shoulder blades together 3. Chin-ups or Assisted Chin-ups / Heavy Lat Pulldowns 5 sets of 5 reps 4. Cross-Body Hammer Curls 3 sets of 6 reps (per arm, 12 total per set) Tip: You can go heavier on these curls than any other type of curl; try not to swing them as you can hurt your shoulder 5. Roman chair sit-ups (or any available sit-up) 3 sets of 10 reps I'm gathering that many of you are just starting up or just starting up again after a down time. I hear you! I had a surprising tweak in my hip while sumo deadlifting about a month a half ago so I had to regain a bunch of strength (and mostly have). The week after, I was hurting with 315 and over (which used to be easy). A year ago, I'd suffered an accident and hurt my left SI joint. I could only lift the bar! It was very discouraging.
This all reminded me, however, that injury can be a gift and a learning experience. Sure, the huge muscles in the back and legs are important but so are the smaller stabilizing muscles like the psoas and piriformis. Here is a beginner workout focused on conditioning the body to lift heavier while preventing injury. This will pay off in the long run.
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