THE BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT

THESE BARBELL & BODYWEIGHT WORKOUTS PROVIDE THE MUSCLE POWER & ENERGY TO KEEP YOUR PHYSIQUE IN PEAK SHAPE FOR LIFE

Almost every guy who has ever lifted a weight has, at one time or another, dreamed of possessing big, brawny muscles. Unfortunately, for most, the quest to achieve an impressively muscled physique is an elusive goal. Only a precious few actually make substantial gains in muscular size, and many simply give up in frustration.

Without question, genetics will affect a person’s propensity to bulk up. Factors such as the percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibers, the length of muscle bellies and androgen-to-estrogen hormonal ratios all influence the amount of muscle that one can ultimately accrue. However, while these factors may limit upward potential, virtually everyone has the capacity to develop a strong, muscular physique, provided they utilize a proper training approach.

Included in this comprehensive feature section are two workouts, one utilizing a barbell and one featuring bodyweight drills. Before each session it is imperative to warm up. Break a good sweat with aerobic exercise, such as riding the stationary bike, jogging or using a stair climber. It is also beneficial to perform an easy warm-up set using very light poundages. This prepares your muscles for the heavy maneuvers that will follow. Between sets, rest for approximately two minutes, or as long as necessary for your heart rate to return to resting levels. Don’t turn a strength workout into an endurance event; doing so will compromise your training capacity and cause you to fall short of your ultimate goal. Only when you feel strong and are able to give it your all should you begin your next set.

In order to maximize growth, your muscles must be stressed beyond their physical capacity. By nature, the human body strives to maintain stability, a phenomenon called homeostasis. If your training intensity doesn’t sufficiently tax your resources, there won’t be enough of a stimulus to force your body from its homeostatic state. Only by progressively overloading your muscles will it be compelled to produce an adaptive response and grow beyond its normal potential.

In exercise performance, the intensity of your effort must be great enough to exceed your body’s work threshold. To accomplish this, you need to take each set to the point of momentary muscular failure, the point at which you are physically unable to perform another rep. This tactic is used for the barbell exercises. Make sure, though, that your mind isn’t giving up before your body. The extreme discomfort associated with intense training can cause an individual to quit before muscular failure actually is reached. To achieve optimal results, you must push past the pain threshold and completely fatigue your target muscles.

Contrary to popular belief, weight training doesn’t build your muscles, it breaks them down. Adaptations to these stresses take place during rest. Provided that you have trained hard enough to stimulate muscular gains, your body will use the recovery period to repair, replenish and regenerate itself, growing bigger and stronger in the process.

Perform the barbell workout twice weekly, and the less-stressful bodyweight routine two or three times a week. On the other days you can do extra aerobic exercise and/or play sports. The combination will upgrade your strength, stamina and energy. And that’s the point!

Front Curls

Stand grasping a barbell palms up in front of thighs. Proceed to curl it up until biceps meet
forearms. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 10 repetitions.

Rear Curls

Stand grasping a barbell overhead with a close grip. Proceed to lower it behind the head. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 10 repetitions.

Upright Rows

Stand grasping a barbell palms back against thighs with a close grip. Proceed to pull it up under the chin, extending elbows out. Pause, then return to
starting position. Perform 10 repetitions.

Military Presses

Stand grasping a barbell palms up at the top of the chest with a wide grip. Proceed to press it overhead. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 10 repetitions.

Bent-Over Rows

Bend over grasping a barbell inches off the ground with a wide grip. Keeping the back straight and knees bent, proceed to pull the bar up to the chest. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 10 repetitions.

Squats

Stand grasping a barbell on the upper back with legs wide apart. Keeping the back straight and head up, proceed to squat until legs are bent at
90-degree angles. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 10 repetitions.

Lunges

Grasping a barbell on the upper back, step forward with the right leg. Proceed to lower until the right thigh is parallel to the ground. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 10 repetitions, then switch leg positions for another set.

Reverse-Grip Curls

Stand grasping a barbell palms down in front of thighs. Proceed to curl it up until biceps meet forearms. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 10 repetitions.

Trunk Twists

Stand grasping a barbell on the upper back, with feet shoulder-width apart. Proceed to twist the upper body to the right. Pause, then twist to the left. Perform 10 alternating repetitions to each side.

Leg Raises

Sit on a step with legs off the ground, with hands grasping the step. Proceed to raise the legs and pause several seconds, flexing the abs, before returning to starting position. Perform 12 repetitions.

Elevated Push-Ups

Align in a push-up position with legs higher than the body and arms bent at 90-degree angles. Proceed
to push up to arms’ length. Pause, then return to
starting position. Perform 12 repetitions.

Dips

Grasp bars at side with arms almost straight and feet off the ground. Proceed to lower your body until arms are bent at 90-degree angles. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 12 repetitions.

Wide-Grip Push-Ups

Align in a push-up position with arms bent at 90-degree angles and hands wide apart. Proceed to push up to arms’ length. Pause, then return to starting position. Perform 12 repetitions.

Side Leg Raises

Lie on your right side, leg over leg, with the raised upper body supported on the right forearm. Proceed to
raise the left leg and pause for a few seconds before returning to starting position. Perform 12 repetitions,
then turn on your left side for another set.

Leg-Raised Twists

Sit on your buttocks with legs raised and bent and hands behind head. Proceed to twist to the right. Pause, then twist to the left. Perform 12 alternating repetitions to each side.

Front Lunges

Standing with hands on hips, proceed to step forward with the right leg and lower until the thigh is parallel to the ground. Pause, then return to starting position and next step forward with the left leg. Complete 12 alternating repetitions with each leg.