Fat Loss 4 Exercises The Fat-Loss 4 Workout Protocol
The four exercises making up a Fat Loss 4 (FL4) circuit are:
Upper body pushing or pulling Lower body quad or hamstring
dominant Torso/core Cardio drill
The beauty of the FL4 protocol is its simplicity and
versatility. You can plug in virtually any exercise you like,
provided it fits the category.That said, I've found that certain
exercises seem to work better than others. You'll find some of my
favorites later in this article.How long is a FL4 circuit?A FL4
circuit consists of four minutes of work with one minute of rest,
for a total of five minutes.Each strength exercise is performed for
30 seconds, with 15 seconds rest between exercises.For
example:Upper body (pushing or pulling) exercise x 30 secondsRest
15 secondsLower body exercise x 30 secondsRest 15 secondsCore/torso
exercise x 30 secondsRest 15 secondsCardio exercise 90-105 seconds
(That's 1:30 1:45)Note: Cardio duration depends on how much you
need to recover after performing all three strength movements. The
longest rest interval I'll allow is 30 seconds, which would put you
at 2:30 when starting the cardio exercise.Ideally, you'll only rest
15 seconds transitioning from strength to cardio, which would put
you at 2:15 when starting the cardio drill (and leave you with 1:45
to do cardio).
Sets and RestAfter you've completed a full four-minute circuit,
you'll rest for one minute. We typically perform 2-3 rounds of a
given FL4 circuit for a total of 10-15 minutes. (Two rounds is a
total of 10 minutes; three rounds is a total 15 minutes).
Intensity of an FL4 WorkoutThere are two intensities to consider
in the FL4 protocol: The total intensity of the entire circuit. The
working intensity of each exercise within a given circuit.During
the strength exercises within a circuit, you should be able to
complete the entire 30 seconds of work with good form and a
consistent, controlled tempo.On a scale of 1-10 (10 being working
very hard), you should be at a 7 or 8 at the end of each strength
exercise.On the cardio exercise, we're after a pace that gets you
to about 80% of your max heart rate.By the time you're about to
begin the next round of an FL4 circuit, you should feel mostly
recovered. Basically, if you can get out a full sentence without
huffing and puffing, you're good to go. But if you're still sucking
wind after your 60-second rest between circuits, you need to reduce
the intensity of the cardio.Sample FL4 WorkoutsDesigning a workout
is easy once you understand the formula.I've found it works well to
change the strength movements every 2-3 rounds, although as
mentioned earlier, I like to keep the cardio drill the same
throughout the workout. So although the strength moves may change,
the cardio remains constant.
Here are a few sample FL4 circuits.FL4 Circuit #1Push: Push-back
push-upsLower body: BB front squatsTorso/core: Landmine
rotationsCardio: Treadmill run (Run pace between a light jog and
all-out sprint.)FL4 Circuit #2Pull: Compound rowsLower body:
Step-ups (alternate legs)Torso/core: Stability ball knee
tucksCardio: Treadmill run (Run pace; between a light jog and
all-out sprint.)FL4 Circuit #3Push: Dumbbell uppercutsLower body:
Barbell or trap-bar deadliftsTorso/core: Dumbbell plank rows (aka
Renegade rows)Cardio: Treadmill run (Run pace; between a light jog
and all-out sprint.)Varying your FL4 WorkoutsAfter performing 2-3
rounds of the same exercises, change the strength exercises and
perform a new circuit for another 2-3 rounds while keeping the same
cardio drill.Sticking with the same cardio drill helps develop a
consistent workout rhythm, while changing the strength moves every
so often creates variety while serving to minimize localized muscle
fatigue.What exercises work best to use in an FL4 workout?The great
thing about FL4 is that it's "plug and play." You can insert just
about any appropriate upper body, lower body, core, or cardio
exercise you like and get great results.However, there are a few
movements I've found work exceptionally well with both my athletes
and general fat loss clients. Here are my top five moves to try
when designing your FL4 workouts.
Top 5 Pushing ExercisesShoulder to shoulder pressPush-ups (any
variation)Standing two-arm cable pressAngled barbell press and
catchPowerMax 360 PunchesNote: The PowerMax 360 is one of my
favorite upper body training pieces.
Top 5 Pulling ExercisesBarbell bent-over rowsCompound rowsBand
alternate arm speed rowsBlast strap or TRX recline rowsPowerMax 360
arm circles (out to in)
Top 5 Lower Body ExercisesKettlebell goblet squatsWeighted sled
or tire drags (forward or backward)Barbell Zercher or front
squatsBarbell or dumbbell reverse lungesDumbbell step-ups
Top 5 Core/Torso ExercisesStability ball plate crunchStability
ball knee tuckBarbell rainbows
Dumbbell plank rowsMedicine ball tight rotations
Top 5 Cardio ExercisesAirdyne bikeJump ropeShadow boxing (only
if you have some basic boxing/kickboxing ability)TreadmillAgility
ladder
Note: The exercises above are all either bilateral (two arm or
two leg) or alternate limb actions. I've also experimented with
unilateral exercises, performing one circuit on the left side and
the next round on the right side.Although this methods works, I've
found circuits run smoother with either purely bilateral actions or
with alternating limb actions like lunges, where you switch legs on
each rep.I also recommend sticking with compound strength movements
instead of smaller, single-joints actions. This should be obvious,
but compound strength movements create a better metabolic training
response than single joint actions as they involve more muscle
mass.
Why Does the FL4 Protocol Work?There are four reasons why this
protocol works so well for losing fat and keeping muscle:1. It's
total body.The more muscles you work, the more energy you must use,
meaning the more calories you burn both during the workout and for
several hours after through Excessive Post Oxygen Consumption
(EPOC).2. The sequencing creates a cardiovascular effect.FL4 blends
local muscle conditioning (through strength moves) with central
conditioning (heart and lungs) to create a comprehensive metabolic
workout.During any strength exercise, your body pumps more blood to
the working muscles. By following an upper body exercise with a
lower body exercise and then a torso/core exercise, you're
constantly changing where your body must increase blood flow. Doing
this creates a cyclic blood flow effect, forcing your body to
increase its cardiovascular output.Finishing each sequence of
upper/lower/mid-body exercises with a burst of total-body cardio
exercise extends this cardiovascular effect even longer.3. The
sequencing allows for intensity.Along with using your total-body,
the other key to maximizing metabolic cost is working at a
consistent high intensity. The F4L is sequenced so that when
fatigue begins in a specific muscle group, the exercise is switched
to train a different group of "fresh" muscles. By the time you
return to the original muscle group on the next circuit, it's been
several minutes, giving your body time to recover sufficiently.4.
You won't lose muscle when you're using muscle.Since there's a
heavy component of strength training involved in the FL4 Protocol,
we haven't seen any losses in muscle size or strength. Although
you're not using maximal weights, you are training with higher
volumes, another effective way of creating intensity.I also don't
suggest using FL4 as your only training method. Blending it with
some basic strength training and bodybuilding helps ensure the
muscle you've worked so hard to achieve is maintained while
focusing on losing fat. You'll see how this is accomplished in the
sample weekly training splits below.
Weekly FL4 Training SpliHere's a few sample three, four, and
five-day training splits showing how to incorporate the FL4
protocol with other strength and bodybuilding methods.Three-Day
SplitMonday Push & FL4ExerciseSetsReps
ABench press (dumbbell or barbell)4-56-8
BShoulder press (dumbbell or barbell)4-56-8
CFL4 circuits6-8 rounds*
* total of 30-40 minutes
Wednesday Legs/Hips & FL4ExerciseSetsReps
ADeadlifts (Trap bar or barbell)5-64-6
BSingle-leg squat (Bulgarian or free standing)3-46-8 *
CFL4 circuits6-8 rounds* *
* each leg* * total of 30-40 minutesFriday Pull &
FL4ExerciseSetsReps
AChin-ups or pull-ups4-56-8
BSingle-arm dumbbell row (dumbbell or barbell)3-46-8 *
CFL4 circuits6-8 rounds* *
* each arm* * total of 30-40 minutes
Four-Day SplitMonday FL4 circuit workoutExerciseSetsReps
FL4 circuits9-12 rounds*
* total of 45-60 minutes
Tuesday Push/Pull strength workoutExerciseSetsReps
A1Bench press (dumbbell or barbell)4-56-8
A2Bent over row (dumbbell or barbell)4-56-8
B1Shoulder press (dumbbell or barbell)4-56-8
B2Pull-ups or lat pulldowns4-56-8
C1Skull crushers (dumbbell or EZ bar)310-12
C2Biceps curl (dumbbell or EZ bar)310-12
DDumbbell farmer's walk4-51 min.
Thursday FL4 circuit workoutExerciseSetsReps
FL4 circuits9-12 rounds*
* total of 45-60 minutes
Friday Legs/Hips/Abs strength workoutExerciseSetsReps
A1Deadlift (trap bar or barbell)4-56-8
A2Stability ball weighted crunch46-8
B1Lunges or step-ups (alternate legs)3-46-8 *
B2Band rotations3-415-20 * *
C1Leg extension310-12
C2Hamstring curls (seated or lying on Swiss ball)310-15
DDumbbell farmer's walk4-51 min.
* each leg* * each side
Five-Day SplitMonday FL4 circuit workoutExerciseSetsReps
FL4 circuits9-12 rounds*
* total of 45-60 minutes
Tuesday Push/Pull strength workoutExerciseSetsReps
A1Bench press (dumbbell or barbell)4-56-8
A2Bent over row (dumbbell or barbell)4-56-8
B1Shoulder press (dumbbell or barbell)4-56-8
B2Pull-ups or lat pulldowns4-56-8
C1Skull crushers (dumbbell or EZ bar)310-12
C2Biceps curl (dumbbell or EZ bar)310-12
DDumbbell farmer's walk4-51 min.
Wednesday Legs/Hips/Abs strength workoutExerciseSetsReps
A1Deadlift (trap bar or barbell)4-56-8
A2Stability ball weighted crunch46-8
B1Lunges or step-ups (alternate legs)3-46-8 *
B2Band rotations3-415-20 * *
C1Leg extension310-12
C2Hamstring curls (seated or lying on Swiss ball)310-15
DSled or tire drag4-530-40 yards
* each leg* * each side
Friday FL4 circuit workoutExerciseSetsReps
FL4 circuits9-12 rounds*
* total of 45-60 minutes
Saturday FL4 circuit workoutExerciseSetsReps
FL4 circuits9-12 rounds*
* total of 45-60 minutes
ConclusionIn my business the FL4 protocol has proven to be a
safe and effective way to get virtually any client in record shape,
fast. This powerful fat loss weapon is now locked and loaded in
your training arsenal. All you've got to do is use it!Steady-state
cardio (SSC) isn't nearly as effective as HIIT at mobilizing fat
from fat stores, but it's really effective at burning those
triglycerides that are floating around the bloodstream as a result
of high-intensity intervals. Post-HIIT SSC is insurance that the
fat that was mobilized gets burned.To put this strategy into
action, do at least 20 minutes of SSC after your intervals. The
intervals could be anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes.Here are a few
examples: If you've got 30 minutes to do cardio, try 10 minutes of
HIIT followed by 20 minutes of SSC. If you've got an hour, try 20
minutes of intervals followed by 40 minutes of SSC.As for methods
of cardio, let your imagination go wild. Try 20 minutes of
intervals on the StepMill followed immediately by 40 minutes of
walking on the treadmill at a slight incline. If you're doing your
cardio outside, you could do sprints followed immediately by
walking or jogging, depending on your cardiovascular shape.
2. Only Consume Carbs Around the Workout
When it comes to building a lean, muscular physique, it's
important to strike the right balance of consuming vs. restricting
carbs.As a general rule, consuming fewer carbs will help you shed
some fat, due in part to lower average insulin levels. However, if
you take that too far you'll ultimately end up compromising
potential gains in muscle, once again due in part to the reduction
in insulin.When planning your carb intake, you're of course going
to address the overall amount of carbs you consume each day, but
you should give equal consideration to when you consume those
carbs.Consuming carbs peri-workout (meaning "around" your workout)
is undoubtedly the best strategy. Consuming carbs prior to your
workout will, in simple terms, give you energy for your workout.
More specifically, it'll ensure that your blood glucose levels are
adequate.To fine-tune your pre-workout carb intake, make sure you
time them properly in order to avoid plummeting blood glucose
levels: rebound hypoglycemia. For most people, having carbs roughly
an hour before training works well. Likewise, many people would
also do well having higher GI carbs about 10-15 minutes prior to
training.Another viable option is to consume carbs during your
workout a.k.a. intra-workout carbs. Much has been written here at T
Nation about consuming fast-acting carbs (and protein) during your
workout, and for good reason. It's an effective
anabolic/anti-catabolic strategy.Regardless of your pre- and/or
intra-workout carb strategy, you're definitely going to want to
consume carbs post-workout to facilitate proper recovery. And by
drastically reducing (or eliminating) the carbs you consume at
other times, you'll maximize fat loss.
3. Consume Inversely Proportional Carbs and Fat
If you're going to consume higher amounts of carbs in a meal,
keep your fat intake relatively low. If you're going to consume
more fat in a meal, consume fewer carbs. Or, you can split the
difference and have a moderate portion of each.In simple terms,
carbs provide energy and fat provides energy, only you don't want
to consume too much energy in one meal.Of course protein can
provide energy, too, but for the most part protein is used to build
things (muscle, hair, skin, etc.). It's typically not used in
appreciable amounts for energy unless there's not enough carbs or
fat around (starvation or extremely long-duration exercise).Former
Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates once explained dieting for a bodybuilder
contest this way:"Eat a set amount of protein all the time, then
adjust your carbs and fat to gain or lose fat."Well said, Dorian.
And, as mentioned, the best way to adjust carbs and fat is in an
inversely proportional manner. You could look at it as a method of
calorie control, but it's really energy control.As an example, a
meal could have about 15 grams of fat or about 35 grams of carbs.
If you're combining fat and carbs, you could have about 7 grams of
fat along with about 18 grams of carbs. Each of these options
yields about 135 calories of energy-providing macronutrients. These
are just sample illustrations. Adjust according to your
needs.Here's another way to look at this: We know low carb,
higher-fat diets work well in terms of fat loss. We also know low
fat, higher-carbs can work, too. But nowhere have you heard of a
high carb and high fat diet working, at least for anything other
than making you fat!On a similar note, you've never heard of a
low-protein diet being effective either, so make certain to consume
enough protein. Doing so will help build and/or maintain muscle,
boost your metabolism via its thermic effect, and provide a feeling
of fullness.In summary, if you keep your protein intake ample and
consistent and your carbs and fat inversely proportional, you've
got yourself the foundation of an effective fat-loss diet laid
down.
4. Choose Harder Exercises, You Wuss
Whether consciously or subconsciously, all too often we opt for
exercises that are easier and don't make us breathe as hard, but
also don't burn as many calories. When you're in a state of caloric
deprivation (therefore a bit tired), it's even more likely for you
to take the easier way out.An obvious case of this would be doing
leg extensions vs. barbell squats, but a less obvious example would
be choosing the leg press over squats. We'll try to rationalize
that squats and leg presses work the same muscles, but we
desperately want that to be the case because the leg press it
easier.Squats are tough because the back and other muscles are
involved in stabilizing the weight, along with the glutes being
heavily involved to extend the hips, but if you want to burn fat,
that's exactly what you want.Deadlifts are another exercise that
beg for rationalization. Say what you will, but doing back
extensions simply aren't the same, even if you hold a 45-pound
plate while doing them.Instead of doing concentration or preacher
curls, do chin-ups. They'll call into play the lats, rear delts,
etc., resulting in more calories burned. Here are a few other
exercises that'll force you to burn extra calories compared to
their more isolationist counterparts: Clean and press Walking lunge
Kettlebell swing Hanging leg raise Burpees
Regarding burpees, they're not a sexy exercise, but boy do they
get you out of breath, create oxygen debt, and burn some calories.
They're especially good used between sets of other, more
traditional weight-training exercises.Speaking of supersets,
they're a simple way to create more oxygen debt and burn more fat,
especially if you superset two compound exercises like barbell
squats and walking lunges.The key is to take an honest look at your
exercise selection and see where you could implement tougher
exercises ones that use more muscle groups, cause movement across
more joints, and simply get you more out of breath. By doing so,
you'll burn more calories and ultimately lose more fat.
5. Use Caffeine Prior to Exercise
Without getting into a deep biochemistry lesson, caffeine
promotes lipolysis (fat burning) and inhibits glycolysis (carb
burning). Type "caffeine" into PubMed and you'll get close to
30,000 results, and one consistent trend in the research is an
increase in the amount of free fatty acids (FFA) in the
bloodstream, indicating that fat's been broken down.But now that
it's been broken down, it's up to you to make sure it gets burned.
(This is the same concept we discussed regarding HIIT + SSC).
That's where exercise comes in. It's a good idea to always have
caffeine prior to exercising because it makes
physiological/biochemical sense.Not only is this likely to help
with lipolysis, but it'll indirectly help burn fat because you'll
be more energetic, thus ultimately do more work.On a related note,
there's some evidence that yohimbine does pretty much the same
thing, albeit via slightly different mechanisms. So taking caffeine
and yohimbine prior to exercise may provide a double lipolytic
whammy.1. 30/20/10 Double Countdown: Kettlebell Swing and Clap
Push-upThis combination is popular because it only requires a
kettlebell. You can do it almost anywhere, and it's probably the
easiest of all five.How to do it:Start with as many kettlebell
swings as possible in 30 secondsRest 30 secondsThen do as many clap
push-ups as possible in 30 secondsRest 30 secondsNext do swings
hard and fast for 20 secondsRest 20 secondsFollow it up with 20
seconds of clap push-upsRest 20 secondsFinish with 10 seconds of
swings, 10 seconds of rest, and 10 seconds of clap push-upsRest for
30 seconds and repeat the sequence once more
2. 150 Reps of Pain: Band Jump Squat and Judo Push-upThe band
jump squat and judo push-up is an awesome combination, but it
becomes pretty brutal when you have to knock out 150 total reps as
fast as possible. Get ready for pain.How to do it: Start with15
band-jump squats, then drop to the ground (keep the band on) and do
15 judo push-ups. The next round is 14 of each. Continue dropping a
rep each round until you reach 10. Make rest your nemesis and keep
it at bay from start to finish.3. The 2-Minute Full-Body Scorcher:
Squat, Curl and Push PressThis challenging complex can be performed
with a kettlebell or a dumbbell in each hand. It's an ideal
finisher for people that are short on time and don't have a lot of
space to move, but it's also great for everyone else that wants to
burn fat and build their anaerobic threshold.How to do it: Stand
with feet shoulder-width apart while holding a weight in each hand,
arms hanging at sides. Push the hips back and squat until the
weights are just below the knees. Quickly stand up as you
simultaneously curl the weights and then dip down a few inches and
push-press the weights overhead using leg assistance. This entire
movement should be smooth without any hesitation. Bust off as many
hard and fast continuous reps as possible in two minutes.4. 7
Minutes of Whatever is Worse Than Hell: Sled Push and Pull-upThis
is my favorite ass-kicking, nausea-inducing finisher for athletes.
However, it's also the most impractical because most people don't
have a sled to push, and if they do it's probably nowhere close to
a pull-up bar or a set of rings. Still, I couldn't write an article
on finishers without mentioning it.How to do it: Start by pushing a
sled back and forth, hard and fast, along a 20-meter stretch for as
many rounds as possible in 60 seconds. Next, jog to the pull-up bar
or rings and perform as many reps as possible in 60 seconds (you'll
most likely need to stop at least once during that time to avoid
hitting failure, because if you do hit failure, it'll probably be
impossible to knock off anymore reps in that time). Then jog back
to the sled, push it hard for 50 seconds and jog over for 50
seconds of pull-ups (again, avoid failure). The next round is 40
seconds of each, followed by 30 seconds and 20 seconds of each.
Finish with the hardest, fastest 10 seconds of the sled push and
pull-ups your body can muster.Note: I've built a thick skin due to
the insults that were hurled at me from athletes after they
regained consciousness from this finisher.Final WordsOf course, any
of these finishers can be performed with different exercises, but I
recommend you stick with the basic parameters outlined above
because they've been battle-tested. Add one of the finishers to the
end of your workouts, 3-4 days per week, and you'll start scorching
body fat as you build muscle and mettle.The Tabata Six
Tabata Workout #1Barbell Tabata Complex (4 Exercises)Pick four
barbell exercises that you can easily transition between.Perform
the first exercise for as many reps as you can in 20 seconds.Rest
10 seconds.Perform the second exercise as fast as possible for 20
seconds.Rest 10 seconds.Repeat this process for the following two
remaining exercises.Once you've completed all four exercises you're
only half way done, because you'll only be two minutes into the
Tabata. Go back to the first exercise and repeat the entire complex
again without ever dropping the bar.
Barbell Tabata Complex Example:1.Reverse Lunge (alternating
legs) (rack position)2.Shoulder Press or Thruster3.Romanian
Deadlift4.Hang Clean5.Reverse Lunge (alternating legs) (rack
position)6.Shoulder Press or Thruster7.Romanian Deadlift8.Hang
Clean
Tabata Workout #2Barbell Tabata Complex (8 Exercises)This
complex is performed exactly the same as the previous complex, only
you perform eight different exercises once instead of four
exercises performed twice.Example:1.Reverse Lunge (barbell on
shoulders; back squat style)2.Good Morning (bar still on
shoulders)3.Shoulder Press or Thruster4.Hang Clean5.Front
Squat6.Bent Over Row7.Romanian Deadlift8.Push-UpNote: When
performing barbell complexes like the one above, it's okay not to
use "perfect" Olympic lifting technique on moves like cleans and
snatches. Why? We're not Olympic lifting, we're doing a barbell
complex. We're not trying to build peak power, we're trying to
build conditioning and lose fat. Good Olympic lifting form is
needed to help you lift heavy loads as fast and efficiently as
possible. The loads used in the complexes above are not heavy at
all, and therefore don't require you to have "perfect" form. As
long as you don't lose optimal spinal alignment and maintain good
rhythm, you're fine.Tabata Workout #3Kettlebell Tabata Complex (4
Exercises)You can swing kettlebells, squat with kettlebells, or
thrust them over your head. So pick your favorites and just rotate
with 20 second intervals.Example:
20 seconds 1-Arm swing (right arm)10 seconds rest20 seconds
1-Arm swing (left arm)10 seconds rest20 seconds Front Squat (right
arm)10 seconds rest20 seconds Front Squat (left arm)10 seconds
rest20 seconds Push Press (right arm)10 seconds rest20 seconds Push
Press (left arm)10 seconds rest20 seconds 2-Arm swing10 seconds
rest20 seconds 2-Arm swing
You can also do this same Tabata workout without switching sides
each time like this:
20 seconds 1-Arm swing (right arm)10 seconds rest20 seconds
Front Squat (right arm)10 seconds rest20 seconds Push Press (right
arm)10 seconds rest20 seconds 1-Arm swing (left arm)10 seconds
rest20 seconds Front Squat (left arm)10 seconds rest20 seconds Push
Press (left arm)10 seconds rest20 seconds 2-Arm swing10 seconds
rest20 seconds 2-Arm swing
Tabata Workout #4Resistance Band Tabata (8 Exercises)Resistance
bands are simple, versatile, and inexpensive. They may look
harmless but don't be fooled, this will be tough if you're doing it
right.Example:1.Squat and Row2.Swimmers (back straight, arms
straight, touch band to shoulders)3.Tight Rotations (right
side)4.Tight Rotations (left side)5.Punches (right leg
forward)6.Punches (left leg forward)7.Swimmers (back straight, arms
straight, touch band to shoulders)8.Squat and Row
Tabata Workout #5Fighter's Band Tabata (4 Exercises)This Tabata
is a favorite among fighters because it develops the upper-body
conditioning necessary to continually throw punches, push, pull,
and clinch with your opponent for the entire fight. It's also a
non-leg dominant way of improving conditioning and accelerating fat
loss. Bodybuilders and figure competitors love this Tabata after an
upper-body lifting day.This entire Tabata is performed with a
staggered stance. Switch your lead leg each round.Example:
20 seconds punches (left leg lead)10 seconds rest20 seconds
punches (right leg lead)10 seconds rest20 seconds alternating row
(left leg lead)10 seconds rest20 seconds alternating row (right leg
lead)10 seconds rest20 seconds punches (left leg lead)10 seconds
rest20 seconds punches (right leg lead)10 seconds rest20 seconds
alternating row (left leg lead)10 seconds rest20 seconds
alternating row (right leg lead)
Another Fighter's Band Example
20 seconds punches (left leg lead)10 seconds rest20 seconds
alternating row (left leg lead)10 seconds rest20 seconds punches
(right leg lead)10 seconds rest20 seconds alternating row (right
leg lead)10 seconds rest20 seconds punches (left leg lead)10
seconds rest20 seconds alternating row (left leg lead)10 seconds
rest20 seconds punches (right leg lead)10 seconds rest20 seconds
alternating row (right leg lead)10 seconds rest
Tabata Workout #6Bodyweight Tabata (4 Exercises)Need to train at
home, outside, or while traveling?Even if you do have access to gym
equipment, sometimes it's nice to get away from all that stuff and
just allow your body to move the way it wants.
20 seconds Speed Squat10 seconds rest20 seconds Burpees10
seconds rest20 seconds Mountain Climber (keep neutral spine)10
seconds20 seconds Speed Skips (in place) (lift knee above hip)10
seconds rest20 seconds Speed Squat10 seconds rest20 seconds
Burpees10 seconds rest20 seconds Mountain Climber (keep neutral
spine)10 seconds20 seconds Speed Skips (in place) (lift knee above
hip)
When to Use TabatasFor fat loss: You can use Tabatas up to three
times per week. But you can also do multiple Tabata intervals one
workout. I've used up to three different Tabata intervals in a
workout.Remember to do them after strength training so that you
have the energy to keep your current amount of muscle size and
strength.For conditioning: You can use Tabatas throughout your
workout, either before, during, or after your strength
training.During most sports (football, MMA, etc.) you're often
required to call upon every ounce of strength you have and explode
throughout the entire competition, even when you're tired. So,
mixing conditioning and strength work together can help prepare you
specifically for this challenge.This is especially important for
MMA fighters and other combat athletes because you have to lift up,
take down, and push your opponent around the entire fight, no
matter how gassed you may be.
Tabata ProgressionsIf you're not able to do the entire 4-minute
Tabata, gradually build up your stamina with the following
progression.So you understand the chart, here's what each figure
means:10/20 x 6 means 10 seconds work and 20 seconds rest for 6
rounds.
Week 110/20 x 6Week 210/20 x 7Week 310/20 x 8Week 415/15 x 5Week
515/15 x 6Week 615/15 x 7Week 715/15 x 8Week 820/10 x 4Week 920/10
x5Week 1020/10 x 6Week 1120/10 x 7Week 1220/10 x 8
Now, if you're a better-conditioned athlete, you may need only
eight weeks to build up to the full Tabata. Here's an eight-week
Tabata workout progression:
Week 110/20 x 6Week 215/15 x 4Week 310/20 x 8Week 415/15 x 6Week
520/10 x 4Week 615/15 x 8Week 720/10 x 6Week 820/10 x 8
Now, take this arsenal of Tabata workouts and use them to
incinerate fat and smoke the competition.Metabolic Finisher #1300
Yard Shuttle SprintsThis is one of my longtime favorites because
it's simple, super intense, and just plain tough!Purpose: Improve
leg muscle power endurance, accelerate metabolism, and improve
cardio/conditioning; great for athletes in field and/or court
sports!How to do it:Place two cones or water bottles roughly 25
yards apart.Sprint as fast as possible back and forth between the
cones for 12 times, completing 6 round trips.Touch the cones each
time.Try to finish all 6 laps in as close to 1 minute as
possible.Perform 1-3 sets (300 yards = 1 set) resting 3-5 minutes
between sets.
Coaching Tips:Touch cones each time you change direction.Be sure
to drive with your arms while sprinting.When changing direction at
each cone, be aware of your lower-body alignment and control.
Metabolic Finisher #2Medicine Throw Ball ComplexIf you've got a
rubber medicine ball (3-5kg) and a wall to hurl it at, give this
one a shot!Purpose: Improve upper body and torso power endurance.
This one is great for upper-body conditioning, especially since so
much of conditioning is lower body dominant. Great for boxers,
kick-boxers, and MMA fighters.How to do it:Standing at a short
distance from a solid wall, perform the following exercises,
back-to-back, explosively:8x Squat Push Throws16x Overhead Throws
w/step (alternate legs) 16x Rotary throws (alternate sides) 8x
Overhead Floor SlamsPerform 4-5 sets. Rest 90 seconds 2 minutes
between sets
Coaching Tips:Be explosive on each throw.When throwing, use your
legs to help drive the medicine ball.Stay tall (long spine) on the
rotary throws.
Metabolic Finisher #3Prowler or Tire PushesPurpose: Improve
total body conditioning, improve leg strength endurance, improve
shoulder, chest, and arm strength endurance, and improve core
strength endurance. Improve mental toughness. Great for football,
rugby, grappling, and MMA athletes.How to do it (with a
Prowler):Keep a straight spine and straight arms while driving the
Prowler forward using big strides.Driving the sled with a good body
forward lean angle, push the Prowler for 25-40 yards as fast as you
can.Perform 3-6 sets with 30 seconds 3 minutes rest (depending on
the intensity) between sets.How to do it (with a tire):Note: I
prefer using the tire over the Prowler as I feel it's more
demanding on the arms, shoulders, and torso. Plus, you can save
some serious cash and space in your gym by simply using an old
tire.Coaching Tips:Keep your back straight and don't allow your low
back to hunch (round).Keep arms/elbows straight throughout the
exercise.Take long strides, pushing your legs hard into the ground
with each step.The weight you put on the Prowler will change
depending on the surface you're pushing it on.Mix up weight and
length ranges. Some days use lighter loads for 40+yd pushes. On
other days, go with heavier loads for 25+ yards.
Metabolic Finisher #4Plate/Sled PushesThis one is great if you
don't have a sled, Prowler, or tire! Even it you do have those
pieces of equipment, it's still an awesome option to sprinkle into
your training program.Purpose: Improve total body conditioning,
improve leg strength endurance, and improve mental toughness.How to
do it:A basketball court or track surface is ideal for this
exercise.Place a 45 lbs. Olympic plate on top of a towel to create
a slippery surface.Place your hands inside the plate and assume a
push-up position.Driving with your legs, push the plate across the
floor 25-40 yards as fast as you can. Perform 3-6 sets with 30-90
seconds rest between sets.
Coaching Tips:Keep your back straight and avoid lifting your
hips higher than your shoulders.Keep arms/elbows straight
throughout the exercise.Take long strides, pushing your legs hard
into the ground with each step.Place dumbbells inside the weight
plate to add additional load.Here's a video of two of my "master
class" figure competitors getting after it with sled pushes
Metabolic Finisher #5Four-Minute Bodyweight Tabata
ComplexEfficiency zealots love Tabatas. How else can you absolutely
destroy yourself in just four fast minutes?I love Tabatas because
they allow for so much programming variety. With a little
imagination, it's possible to never repeat the same workout
twice!Purpose: Improved overall conditioning, boost metabolism,
increase functional ability, and build body awareness. This one is
great for guys who want to workout at home or travel frequently and
are stuck in a hotel room. It's also great to unload the body from
heavy lifting while still pushing your conditioning!How to do
it:Perform 2 cycles of each of the following exercises back to back
for 20 seconds of activity and 10 seconds rest:
Speed SquatsBurpeesMountain ClimbersSpeed Skips (in place)
This will total four minutes.Perform 1-3 sets. Rest 2-4 minutes
betweens sets.Coaching Tips:Perform each exercise as fast as
possible without sacrificing form.On the speed skips, lift knee
above hip.On the burpees, don't slam your feet into the ground.
Control your fall on each rep!
If you like what you see here, you can find more Performance U
Tabata complexes in this article.
Metabolic Finisher #6Four Corners Farmer WalksHere at
Performance U, we've combined farmer's walks with strength
complexes to make each protocol an even more effective metabolic
finisher.Purpose: Build upper body strength/endurance, improve grip
strength, accelerate metabolism, and pump up the shoulders like
never before! Great for the guy who loves to lift weights but hates
to do "cardio."
How to do it:Place two cones or water bottles roughly ten yards
apart. Stand at one end holding a pair of heavy dumbbells. Get
comfortable; you won't put these dumbbells down until you've
completed all of the following exercises:Perform 8-10 reps of bent
over rows.Without ever placing the dumbbells down, walk to the
other end and perform 8-10 biceps curls.Still holding the
dumbbells, walk back to the other end and perform a set of dumbbell
front squats.Walk back to the other end and perform 8-10 dumbbell
over head presses.Don't put the dumbbells down yet! Walk back to
the starting cone to complete 1 full set.
Perform 1-3 sets with 2-4 minutes rest between sets.Coaching
tips:Walk as fast as possible between the cones.On all strength
exercises, be sure to use optimal form and control.Choose the
heaviest set of dumbbells that allow you to successfully complete
the entire workout without ever putting it down on the floor.
Metabolic Finisher #7100 Rep Kettlebell ComplexThe more I use
kettlebells, the more I like them! They're a very versatile tool
that incorporates momentum and full body motions along with
rhythmic motions, which require good focus and timing all great
things to help improve fitness and athleticism.Below is a great KB
finisher I learned from fitness model Alli McKee.Purpose: Improve
total body conditioning and upper-body strength/power
endurance.
How to do it:Each movement is performed with one arm at a time.
Perform each exercise with power and deliberate control.Bang out
each exercise back-to-back, without rest until finished:Right side
KB swing x 10 repsLeft side KB swing x 10 repsRight side KB clean x
10 repsLeft side KB clean x 10 repsRight side KB snatch x 10
repsLeft side KB snatch x 10 repsRight side KB racked squat x 10
repsLeft side KB racked squat x 10 repsRight side KB push press x
10 repsLeft side KB push press x 10 repsRest 23 minutes between
rounds. Perform 1-3 rounds.
Coaching Tips:If your form breaks down either stop or reduce the
reps!Use your entire body on each exercise, never "arm up" the
kettlebell.
Bonus: Do it Backwards!
Once you've mastered the above 100 rep KB challenge, try it in
the reverse order beginning with the push presses. It's a whole new
animal when you switch the order up.Although I've provided you with
7 nasty "puke in your shoes" finishers, this is by no means an
exhaustive list of all the metabolic finishers I use in my business
at Performance U.With all the great conditioning tools available
from battling ropes to hammer training to Airdyne Bike intervals to
barbell complexes and circuits, it's literally endless what you can
do with some purposeful creativity. Use this article as inspiration
to think out of the box and develop your own metabolic
finishers.Aside from the amazing fitness and physique benefits,
these finishers will test your grit and help build the intestinal
fortitude you need to take on any challenge that life throws at
you.Look better, move better, feel better, and BE better. It all
starts with how you finish!Progressions for Hypertrophy and Fat
Loss
Goal 1 Increase Muscle Mass (Hypertrophy Training)Let's see, I
probably only had a 95% chance of getting this one right. Is there
anyone who reads Testosterone that doesn't want bigger muscles?
When training for hypertrophy you must ingest more calories than
you expend each day. This above-maintenance nutritional plan allows
you to get away with more extreme types of progression because your
body is fed with plenty of nutrients. In other words, you're in a
phase where overtraining is less likely to occur. Therefore, I
recommend the three most intense progressions.
Load progressionIncreasing the load with each training session
is one of the most effective, albeit demanding, types of
progression. It takes the biggest toll on your joints and nervous
system. The key is to increase the load in small increments. This
forces your muscles to do more work, but it doesn't overwhelm your
brain, muscles, and joints. Many coaches, including myself, often
recommend increasing the load 2% when you repeat a training
session. But many people are anything but ecstatic about this
approach. Let's say you did five sets of five reps (5x5) for the
lying triceps extension with 40 pound dumbbells on Monday. The
following Monday you pull out a calculator and realize that you
need to increase the load 0.8 pounds. (I probably don't need to go
much further for you to realize the problems with the 2% approach,
but I will.) You're immediately faced with a formidable challenge
because your gym has a dumbbell set that only jumps in five-pound
increments. So you're relegated to a 12% load progression instead
of 2%.And this is one of the many reasons why I favor compound
movements. Had you chosen a close-grip bench press with 225 pounds
to train your triceps, that 2% progression becomes 4.5 pounds.
Without a leap of faith, you can presume that increasing the load
five pounds is a relatively accurate and effective progression.
When working with the 2% progression, if you're ever faced with a
7.5 pound load increase, always round down instead of up (increase
the load 5 pounds instead of 10 pounds). I like the 2% progression,
but its applicability is limited to compound movements when the
load is measured in hundreds of pounds. Anything less and you'll
end up banging your head against the wall. Platemates (small
magnetic weights) that attach to dumbbells and barbells help, but
it doesn't eradicate the problem.
Of course at some point, strict 2% load progression becomes
impractical. Which brings us to the next progression.
Rep progression I like the rep progression for single-joint
exercises with lighter loads. With a rep progression you aren't
forced to work with miniscule load progressions, but you can still
overload your muscles. There are two ways to make the most of the
rep progression.First, if you follow traditional set/rep parameters
such as 5x5, you can simply add a rep to each set when you repeat
the training session. Depending on how close the first session was
to failure you might not be able to add a rep to every set. For
example, if on Monday you performed 5x5, the following Monday you
might only get six reps on the first three sets. Hell, the fifth
set might only be four reps.That's fine, too. All that matters is
that the total number of reps is higher. 5x5, of course, equals 25
total reps. 6, 6, 6, 5, 4 equals 27 total reps. Stay with the rep
progression until you can complete two more reps with each set
(5x7). At that point, increase the load to the next available
increment and start the process over with a new set/rep range that
you can manage with the heavier load. The second way to use rep
progression is based on a target number of reps. Let's say you want
to do 25 total reps with a load that you could lift 4 to 6 times
while fresh. The next time you perform the training session,
increase the total reps by 2 or 3. Continue with this progression
until you reach 35 total reps. At that point, increase the load and
start over. I favor this approach because I feel lifters get too
hung up on a target number of reps per set. What they should really
be focusing on is the total number of reps per lift per training
session.
Frequency progression Increasing the number of training sessions
for a specific movement is the most effective progression I've ever
used for hypertrophy. But the frequency progression is not for
everyone. First, you must have the luxury of training more often.
Second, you've got to understand planes of movement. For the sake
of simplicity, I break down movements into: upper body pulling and
pushing in the horizontal plane, upper body pulling and pushing in
the vertical plane, and a squat or deadlift. If you don't know
which muscles are emphasized in which movement, this information is
probably too advanced for you. But if you do understand that a
wide-grip pull-up primarily trains your lats and upper back
muscles, keep reading. The frequency progression is not
complicated, unless you make it so. If you're struggling with
pull-ups, and if you want a bigger upper back, you should increase
the frequency of pull-ups. If you simply added more volume you'd
just augment your recovery time. Start the first week with three
sessions for pull-ups. The next week add a fourth. The third week
add a fifth. The fourth week increase your pull-up sessions to six.
Hold the frequency of six pull-up sessions per week for the fifth
week. On the sixth week, perform one pull-up session before
returning to anywhere between three and six on the seventh week.
Here's how the frequency progression looks for the pull-up.Week 1:
Monday, Wednesday, FridayWeek 2: Monday A.M., P.M., Wednesday,
FridayWeek 3: Monday A.M., P.M., Wednesday, Friday A.M., P.M..Week
4: Monday A.M., P.M., Wednesday A.M., P.M., Friday A.M., P.M..Week
5: Monday A.M., P.M., Wednesday A.M., P.M., Friday A.M., P.M..Week
6: WednesdayWeek 7: pick up with your schedule on any week between
1 and 4
Take note that I didn't increase the number of training days per
week; I increased the number of total sessions by implementing
morning and evening workouts. I've found that twice-daily workouts
work better for hypertrophy training compared to increasing the
frequency to six days in a row. Each morning and evening workout
should be separated by at least six hours.On week 7, you have a few
options. If your upper back is still lagging you can jump back into
training it six times per week. Just be sure to unload every fourth
week and only perform one training session for the pull-up. The
other option is to revert back to three, four, or five sessions per
week. Again, you'll unload every fourth week. What frequency you
use should depend on what your schedule allows.
SummaryUse the 2% load progression for compound movements, use
the rep progression for single-joint or light movements, and use
the frequency progression for the movements that train your lagging
muscles.
Goal 2 Burn Fat (Metabolic Training)When training for fat loss
you must burn more calories than you consume each day. This
below-maintenance nutritional plan necessitates less demanding
types of progression since you're more likely to overtrain when
you're short on nutrients. Therefore, I recommend progression
methods that don't mandate lifting ever-heavier loads, but instead
force you to increase your metabolism by boosting excess
post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).Before I get to the
progressions, let me explain what EPOC is. After you finish
training your body needs more oxygen. When you're training with
weights, or simply running outside, your body uses up a lot of
oxygen. Your body must restore that oxygen debt to maintain
homeostasis. In essence, your body must return to its pre-exercise
state. It does this by replenishing energy sources, re-oxygenating
your blood and restoring circulatory hormones, decreasing body
temperature, and returning ventilation and heart rate to normal.
All of these steps collectively are known as EPOC, and all of these
steps take energy. Therefore, the higher your EPOC, the more
calories you'll burn after exercise. Alwyn Cosgrove refers to this
as "afterburn."
Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC)Therefore, when
training for fat loss you should implement progression methods that
force your body to use more oxygen. Here are the progressions.
Rest progression Progressively decreasing your rest periods
without changing the load is my favorite method to boost fat loss.
Since you're not increasing the load, your muscles and joints
aren't beat up by the lack of nutrients in your diet. Instead, you
force your energy systems (mainly anaerobic glycolysis) to work
harder. Before I outline how to use the rest progression, I must
revert back to my opening statement about the importance of
selecting the right movements. There's no place for single-joint
movements in a fat loss workout! Does that mean you should never
perform any trap raises, external rotations or other joint
integrity exercises? Of course not. If you need to strengthen your
lower traps or rotator cuff, you should include exercises for them.
But this isn't part of your fat loss session per se, it's an
addition after your fat loss training is finished. Beyond the
proper movement selection, the rest progression is pretty simple.
You'll start with a relatively short rest period, say, 60 seconds
between each movement in a circuit, and then decrease the rest
periods in five-second increments each time you repeat the training
session. Here's an example.
Week 1, Workout A1A) Pull-upRest 60 seconds1B) DipRest 60
seconds1C) CleanRest 60 seconds and repeat
Week 2, Workout A
1A) Pull-upRest 55 seconds1B) DipRest 55 seconds1C) CleanRest 55
seconds and repeat
The first factor you must respect is the initial rest period. If
60 seconds isn't challenging, the rest periods are too long. In
other words, if 60 seconds rest isn't enough to make you sweat and
feel a little nauseous, you're not doing yourself any favors. You
must start with an effective plan if you want the progression to
work. If 60 seconds was too long for your first workout, decrease
the rest periods by 10 seconds the next time you repeat it. From
that point, stick to five second rest progressions. You can stick
with the rest progression for as long as you're training for fat
loss. I've worked with people who started with 60 second rest
periods, and three total body workouts per week, who progressed to
10 second rest periods with the same movements, loads and reps.
They all lost a substantial amount of body fat by supercharging
their EPOC. The rest progression really does work wonders for
most.
Set progression Adding an extra set to each lift during a
training session is another effective progression for metabolic
training. It's effective because adding a set is less taxing than
increasing the load or adding reps, but it's sufficient to boost
your work capacity. There are two ways to use the set progression,
depending on how your training sessions are structured.If you
follow the typical set/rep plan with, say, 5x5 you'll simply add
one set each time you repeat the workout. So if on Monday you did
5x5, the following Monday you'll do 6x5. The load won't change and
neither will the rest periods. You'll keep adding a set for as long
as you keep experiencing results. If you're new to training, you
might be able to go from 5x5 to 10x5 over the course of five weeks
and still get results. If you're experienced, it's likely that your
body will adapt quicker. In that case, you might want to limit the
set progression to three weeks and start with a higher volume. You
could go from 8x3 to 10x3 over the course of three weeks. There's
another way to use the set progression if you have a target number
of total reps with each lift. Let's say your target number is 25
reps with a load you could lift fresh for 4 to 6 reps. And let's
say on Monday your sets for the pull-up went as follows:
Set 1: 6 repsSet 2: 5 repsSet 3: 5 repsSet 4: 5 repsSet 5: 4
reps
The following Monday you'll add a sixth set and perform as many
reps as possible, so it looks like this:
Set 1: 6 repsSet 2: 5 repsSet 3: 5 repsSet 4: 5 repsSet 5: 4
repsSet 6: As many reps as possible
Overall, I like to emphasize the rest progression. For fat loss,
three total body sessions per week is the upper limit for most
people. Use the rest progression on Monday and Friday and use the
set progression on Wednesday. Summary: use the rest progression for
two sessions each week; use the set progression for one workout
each week. Stick to circuits derived of compound
movements.Locomotive exercises need more loveToo many of us get
trapped in our power rack, always lifting heavy but never moving
around. We humans used to love running around, killing things, and
then eating them... what the hell happened to us? Seriously,
though, moving with agility is important, and stations are a good
way to blend it into strength training.
The Top 3 Station SchemesFor clarity in programming, think of
each complete workout you create two stations with locomotion
in-between as a "scheme."Variation 1:Heavy Dynamic Heavy (HDH)In
this variation, we'll use stations with dumbbell or barbell
exercises set up with a 10-rep weight. The goal is to get 6-8 good
reps, which will probably be difficult because you'll be breathing
heavily from the locomotive exercise. Good heavy exercise choices
are low-technique compound movements that can be performed safely
without having to use flawless form barbell and dumbbell rows,
presses, deadlift variations, and squat variations all work well.
Ballistic movements like Olympic lifts don't mix well with
fatigue.Dynamic choices include sprints, side shuffles, backpedals,
jumps, bounds, hops, and skips. Most commercial gym-goers prefer
not to bounce around like a bunny, but for those of you in more
private settings or who don't give a shit, jumping, bounding,
skipping, and hopping is fantastic for building athleticism and
getting the heart rate up.
HDH Scheme Example #1 (Stations set 20 yards apart)Station
A:Barbell Push PressLocomotive:5-Line Sprint (up and back twice,
ending at opposite station; 100 total yards)Station B:Split Stance
Dumbbell Row
The sprint is going to become a hard run once fatigue sets in,
but that's okay, just push the pace and move fast. Get to the
station exercise as soon as possible. That may be near
instantaneous for some, or 10 deep breaths later for others. The
point is to keep moving, but understand that as long as you're
breathing heavily you're still increasing your conditioning, even
if you're not pushing iron at that precise moment.
HDH Scheme Example #2 (Stations set 10 yards apart)Station
A:Barbell RowLocomotive:Side Walk Push UpStation B:Dumbbell Reverse
Lunge
Variation 2:Dynamic Heavy Dynamic (DHD)In this variation,
"dynamic" can mean a lot of things, but in this context it most
often means calisthenics or explosive movements things that will
get the heart rate up fast while allowing semi-rest for the heavy
locomotive movement. I suggest 30-60 seconds for the dynamic
exercises, or simply going hard and moving on to the locomotive
movement when fatigue or boredom gets severe.Simple calisthenics
such as skier jumps, jump rope, plank variations, high knees,
jumping jack variations, and mountain climbers work well. More
taxing choices for the legs involve squat and lunge jump variations
such as squat jumps or split-squat jumps.The heavy movement will be
relatively slow because the weight needs to be so heavy that you
barely make it from one station to the next. My favorite choices
are heavy farmer's walks, dumbbell lunges, and sled pushes and
pulls. (Our gym's 10-yard backward sled pull record is 860
pounds.)
DHD Scheme Example #1 (Stations set 20 yards apart)Station
A:Split Squat JumpLocomotive:Farmers CarryStation B:Band
Pull-Apart
DHD Scheme Example #2 (Stations set 10-15 yards apart)Station
A:Jump RopeLocomotive:Heavy Sled PullStation B:Marching Plank
Variation 3:Volume Volume Volume (VX3)In the volume-based
variation, we're looking to get a good pump and a lot of work done.
We won't choose calisthenics and we'll let the locomotive exercise
and higher rep range (10-15) get the heart rate up and pump blood
into the muscles. Mixing compound movements with more
characteristically bodybuilding-type movements works well.VX3
Scheme Example #1 (Stations set 20 yards apart)Station A:Goblet
SquatLocomotive:Farmer's Walk with 5 shrugs every 5th stepStation
B:Push Up
VX3 Scheme Example #2 (Stations set 20 yards apart)Station
A:Hammer Curl to Overhead PressLocomotive:Walking Lunge with Fat
GripsStation B:Sliding Leg Curl
Workout Length and VolumeThere are two good options:1.Complete a
specified number of sets of each station, using one to three
station schemes. Remember, each complete workout you create two
stations with locomotion in-between is a "scheme."2.Choose a
timeframe and work on a scheme until time elapses. I prefer this
method because I don't have the brainpower to count during
conditioning work.Two turns at each station is a good starting
point, which will provide four locomotive sets and take
approximately 8-10 minutes, depending on the exercises. From this,
you can tailor the exercises and schemes to suit. Volume schemes
can work well as high as three or four turns per station.
Exercise Choices and PairingsIf I'm using only one scheme as a
complete workout, I'll typically do a push exercise and a pull
exercise as the stations and a leg exercise as the locomotive. This
is a simple, balanced workout. Beyond this, you can get deeper into
hitting more body parts and movements. A good starting point is the
big six, around which I base most simple workouts:
PushPullHip-DominantQuad-DominantCoreRotator Cuff
Beyond choosing balance in the workout, it's a good idea to pick
exercises that "rest" one another. If you're doing goblet squats as
station A, running sprints as the locomotive, and performing RDLs
as station B... you're going to die.Sure, you'll earn your "brutal
leg workout" merit badge, but the quality of every exercise will
suffer. I also get concerned when people want to run with exhausted
hamstrings. That's not to say you can't have leg exercise overlap
you can just be smart about it. Moving from leg to upper body
exercise is the easiest way to design a sensible station
scheme.