IT’S HUMAN NATURE TO TRY TO MAKE HARD THINGS EASY. So we keep trying to date models, even though our success rates would soar if we stuck with accountants and librarians. In the gym, most men prefer to take the easy way out, using machines to build muscles because the barbells and dumbbells are harder to grip and balance. But when you avoid the parts of an exercise that make it hard, you also avoid the parts that make your muscle hard.
That’s why our exercise advisor, Michael Mejia, C.S.C.S., devised this series with the idea that you should make lifting harder, rather than easier. So far, he’s shown you how to do this muscle group by muscle group. Now he shows you how to put all those purposely tougher exercises into a total-body workout. The strategy is when working any muscle group, start with an exercise that challenges your balance and stability, calling as many muscles as possible into action to keep you from falling over. Then, as you tire out those muscles, you move to an exercise that provides more support, so you can hit your targeted muscles with heavier weights.
The result is increased coordination and athleticism, along with more thorough muscle development and greater total-body strength. All of which will come in handy when that woman you’re courting asks you to help move her furniture into her new sixth-floor apartment. The better you look lifting it, the better your chances of getting to use some of it.
THE WORKOUT
The program is divided into two workouts: upper body and lower body. Alternate between the two workouts, taking a day off after each. You might do the upper body workout on Monday and Friday one week and the lower-body workout on Wednesday, then the following week do the lower body workout on Monday and Friday and the upper body workout on Wednesday.
TECHNIQUES
The upper-body exercises in Workout 1 are arranged in supersets pairs of exercises performed one after the other. You’ll see them listed as A-1 and A-2, B-1 and B-2, and so forth. Complete the moves in the order shown on the next page by doing all of the sets of the “A” exercises first, followed by the “B” exercises, and so on. Do both exercises in each superset without rest.
The lower-body workout uses trisets three exercises performed consecutively without rest in between. (Note: The last sequence of lower-body exercises is performed as a superset.) You’ll see the exercises in each triset designated, for example, as A-1, A-2, and A-3.
WARMUP
For each group of exercises, perform a warmup set. Do the number of repetitions suggested with about 60 percent of the weight you’ll use for your work sets.
REST
Rest 60 seconds after each superset or triset.
PROGRESS When you can do the maximum number of prescribed repetitions for each set, increase the weight you’re using by 5 to 10 percent.
SPEED OF REPETITIONS
Take 2 seconds to lower the weight, pause, then push or pull the weight back to the starting position as quickly as you can, but in a controlled manner.
BEGINNER/ADVANCED
If you’re new to weight lifting or returning to it after a long layoff, follow the sets and repetitions recommended for beginners. Do the advanced routine if you’ve been following the Total Body Workbook v2.0 program from the beginning or have been lifting consistently for more than a year.
ABDOMINAL WORKOUT
Perform your favorite ab exercises after each workout. Choose two or three moves and do two or three sets of 10 repetitions of each.
That’s why our exercise advisor, Michael Mejia, C.S.C.S., devised this series with the idea that you should make lifting harder, rather than easier. So far, he’s shown you how to do this muscle group by muscle group. Now he shows you how to put all those purposely tougher exercises into a total-body workout. The strategy is when working any muscle group, start with an exercise that challenges your balance and stability, calling as many muscles as possible into action to keep you from falling over. Then, as you tire out those muscles, you move to an exercise that provides more support, so you can hit your targeted muscles with heavier weights.
The result is increased coordination and athleticism, along with more thorough muscle development and greater total-body strength. All of which will come in handy when that woman you’re courting asks you to help move her furniture into her new sixth-floor apartment. The better you look lifting it, the better your chances of getting to use some of it.
THE WORKOUT
The program is divided into two workouts: upper body and lower body. Alternate between the two workouts, taking a day off after each. You might do the upper body workout on Monday and Friday one week and the lower-body workout on Wednesday, then the following week do the lower body workout on Monday and Friday and the upper body workout on Wednesday.
TECHNIQUES
The upper-body exercises in Workout 1 are arranged in supersets pairs of exercises performed one after the other. You’ll see them listed as A-1 and A-2, B-1 and B-2, and so forth. Complete the moves in the order shown on the next page by doing all of the sets of the “A” exercises first, followed by the “B” exercises, and so on. Do both exercises in each superset without rest.
The lower-body workout uses trisets three exercises performed consecutively without rest in between. (Note: The last sequence of lower-body exercises is performed as a superset.) You’ll see the exercises in each triset designated, for example, as A-1, A-2, and A-3.
WARMUP
For each group of exercises, perform a warmup set. Do the number of repetitions suggested with about 60 percent of the weight you’ll use for your work sets.
REST
Rest 60 seconds after each superset or triset.
PROGRESS When you can do the maximum number of prescribed repetitions for each set, increase the weight you’re using by 5 to 10 percent.
SPEED OF REPETITIONS
Take 2 seconds to lower the weight, pause, then push or pull the weight back to the starting position as quickly as you can, but in a controlled manner.
BEGINNER/ADVANCED
If you’re new to weight lifting or returning to it after a long layoff, follow the sets and repetitions recommended for beginners. Do the advanced routine if you’ve been following the Total Body Workbook v2.0 program from the beginning or have been lifting consistently for more than a year.
ABDOMINAL WORKOUT
Perform your favorite ab exercises after each workout. Choose two or three moves and do two or three sets of 10 repetitions of each.
