I've been doing a lot of cardio lately and now it's time to go back to working out three days with weights -- two days of cardio -- two days of rest. . This is my new workout routine, but I can not take the credit for this workout -- I got this workout from my January 2009 Oxygen Magazine.
Mix ‘n’ Match
Group A: Legs
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Leg Press
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Squat
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Lunge
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Group B: Chest
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Incline Dumb Bell
Press
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Bench Press
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Flat Bench Fly
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Group C: Back
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Lat Pull Down
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Bent Barbell Row
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Seated Cable Row
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Group D: Shoulders
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Dumb Bell
Press
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Rear Delt Raise
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Side Lateral Raise
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Group E: Biceps
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Bar Bell
Curl
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Preacher Curl
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Seated Incline Curl
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Group F: Triceps
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Lying Triceps Extensions
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Triceps Press Down
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Seated Overhead Dumb Bell
Extensions
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Group G: Abs
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Hanging Leg Raise
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Oblique Crunch
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Crunch
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How It Works
Exercise Variability: Your goal is to do three different workouts
each week by selecting one exercise from each of the groups, A through G
(representing most body parts with the exception of hamstrings and calves). Unlike more traditional approaches that rely
on multiple exercises to exhaust a body part during a workout, with this plan
you train each body part using only one exercise per workout. However, by selecting a different exercise
per body part on each training day you will have worked out each of the body
parts from various angles by week’s end.
Example:
Week 1
Workout 1 – Day One
1. Leg
press
2. Bench
press
3. Bent
barbell row
4. Dumb
bell press
5. Barbell
curl
6. Triceps
press down
7. Crunch
These workouts are now no longer
available to use when you construct your second workout of the week. So for workout two:
Workout 2 – Day Two
1. Squat
2. Incline
dumbbell press
3. Seated
cable row
4. Side
lateral raise
5. Preacher
curl
6. Lying
triceps extension
7. Hanging
leg raise
Workout 3 – Day Three
1. Lunge
2. Flat
bench fly
3. Lat
pull down
4. Rear
delt raise
5. Seated
incline curl
6. Seated
overhead dumbbell extension
7. Oblique
crunch
In the interest of keeping your
muscles confused – and growing – construct entirely different workouts from the
list for each successive week of the program.
Remember, variety will breed accelerated success in minimal time.
Your Firm & Fit Plan
For maximum benefit,
follow these repetition sequences each week.
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Workout 1:
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SETS/REPS
3 sets of 6-9 reps
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WEIGHT/BENEFIT
Heavy: Strength
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Workout 2:
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3 sets of 10-12 reps
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Medium: Muscle Gain
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Workout 3:
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3 sets of 12-15 reps
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Light: Stamina
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REPETITION VARIABILITY:
In order to enhance muscle strength, growth and endurance, each of the
three weekly workouts relies on different rep ranges. So for the first workout of the week, you’ll
shoot for six to nine repetitions per exercise.
This rep range will help you build strength and some muscle. For the second workout, you’ll do 10 to 12
reps per set, which is the ideal range for building muscles. For the final workout of the week, you’ll do
12 to 13 repetitions per exercise. This
rep range provides its own set of benefits:
It improves endurance and stamina, and it helps build a network of
capillaries, which aid recovery and nutrient deliver for faster success.
OTHER VARIABLES: You
will do three sets of an exercise before moving on to the next one. If done with perfect form, this should be
enough to stimulate the muscle being worked.
Rest approximately 45 to 60 seconds between sets. Of course, do a light warm-up set of each new
exercise before adding weight for the three working sets. Also, while it is not essential to fail on
each of the sets, you should try to reach temporary muscle failure on the final
set of each exercise so as to train the target muscle fully. Finally, you should use the heaviest weight
possible for the first workout of the week, reducing the weight (as you
increase the repetition range) for each successive workout. Choose a weight that will allow you to reach
muscle failure on the final set of each exercise.
Have More Than 30 minutes
Should you find yourself with a
little more time in the gym on day, why not add a fourth set to each exercise
of your workout? This will boost the
intensity of the workout and keep your body adapting rather than
stagnating. However, doing more than
four sets per exercise of this program for a prolonged period of time may lead
to over training, so be sure to push yourself, just not over the edge.
Rest & Recovery
This is an intense program that
demands a lot of your body and mind. To
keep you progressing and injury-free make sure you take a day off between
workouts. This will allow your body time
to recover from the previous workout and keep your mind fresh and focused for
the next. On your days away from the
weight room, consider going for an easy run or doing very light cardio.
My Weekly
Rotation Form
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Tuesday
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Body Part
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Workout
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Reps
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Legs
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3 sets of 6-9
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Chest
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3 sets of 6-9
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Back
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3 sets of 6-9
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Shoulders
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3 sets of 6-9
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Biceps
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3 sets of 6-9
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Triceps
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3 sets of 6-9
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Abs
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3 sets of 6-9
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Thursday
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Body Part
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Workout
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Reps
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Legs
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3 sets of 10-12
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Chest
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3 sets of 10-12
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Back
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3 sets of 10-12
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Shoulders
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3 sets of 10-12
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Biceps
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3 sets of 10-12
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Triceps
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3 sets of 10-12
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Abs
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3 sets of 10-12
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Saturday
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Body Part
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Workout
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Reps
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Legs
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3 sets of 12-15
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Chest
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3 sets of 12-15
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Back
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3 sets of 12-15
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Shoulders
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3 sets of 12-15
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Biceps
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3 sets of 12-15
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Triceps
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3 sets of 12-15
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Abs
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3 sets of 12-15
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Monday & Wednesday
Cardio for the Week
Day
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Workout
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Monday
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Wednesday
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I put these forms in sheet protectors and I use a Sharpie to fill in my workouts. Makes it easy.
Please leave a comment below. Thanks for visiting.
