Push/pull routine to do for new muscle

Last week I found myself drawing a blank on what new routine to do for my push/pull day in order to really shock the body. It was then when I remembered a workout I used to do in college and knew that would be exactly what I needed. The workout is set up differently then I normally do and odds are this holds true for you too. I always do this workout when I lift with my friend Pat and you should do it with someone as well since the workout is based on training with a partner.

** Warning this workout is not meant for beginners or anyone not used to intense workouts. This is best used for someone looking to add muscle or gain strength.

Push Component-You will get balance between dumbbell work, barbell work. bodyweight work and machine work. Not to leave any angle out you this takes you through incline, decline and flat body positions.

A1) Pushup pyramid- Start with 1 pushup, hold at the top for 2 seconds, then do 2 reps and hold at the top for 2 seconds, do 3 reps and hold at the top for 2 seconds......4,5,6,7,8,9 and then end with 10 reps. Go as far as you can push yourself even if you cant reach 10 reps. This exercise will get the chest burning right off the bat.
***NOW YOU REST AND YOUR PARTNER DOES THIS BEFORE YOU BOTH MOVE TO A2

A2) Dumbbell chest press on flat bench-12 reps
Be wise when choosing weight. You will not be able to lift what you could for 12 reps fresh so plan accordingly.
***NOW YOU REST AND YOUR PARTNER DOES THIS BEFORE YOU BOTH MOVE TO A3

A3) Decline barbell 1/2 presses-5-6 reps. Take the bar off the rack and lower it all the way down, then press just half way up, lower it back down and then finish the rep going all the way to the top which would equal 1 rep.
***NOW YOU REST AND YOUR PARTNER DOES THIS BEFORE YOU BOTH MOVE TO A4

A4) Incline Hammer press machine ( or whatever incline machine you have )-6-8 reps. The goal here is to explode up with the weight as fast as possible and then lower the weight for a 5 second count.
***NOW YOU REST AND YOUR PARTNER DOES THIS

Rest 3 minutes and repeat this whole thing 1 more round. Only change is now do the pushup pyramid in reverse order so start with 10 reps, then 9 reps, 8....ending with 1 rep. You could a third round and start back from 1 on the pushups.

PULL COMPONENT- Here we target the back with horizontal pulling and vertical pulling movements

B1) Narrow grip lat pulldown-6-8 reps. Have your hands about 8-10 inches apart and palms facing away from you.Go heavy and have your partner help on the last rep or two if need be.
***NOW YOU REST AND YOUR PARTNER DOES THIS BEFORE YOU BOTH MOVE TO B2

B2) Seated curved bar row-10 reps. palms down and arms wide.
***NOW YOU REST AND YOUR PARTNER DOES THIS BEFORE YOU BOTH MOVE TO B3

B3) TRX row-12 reps. Start with your palms facing each other and then finish the row with your palms down. If you don't have a TRX then set up a double cable pulley station with the handles set up high. Drop down into a light squatted position grab the handles and perform the same action as stated above.
***NOW YOU REST AND YOUR PARTNER DOES THIS BEFORE YOU BOTH MOVE TO B4

B4) Incline bench dumbbell reverse flys-15 reps.Lie face down on a incline bench grab a pair of dumbbells. With your arms extended towards the floor and your palms facing each other perform reverse flys under control. You do not need a ton of weight trust me.
***NOW YOU REST AND YOUR PARTNER DOES THIS

Rest 3 minutes and repeat the pulling work for 1 more round. You can do a third round as you progress.

Done, done and DONE! The next day you will feel amazing....trust me and try this today!

GO DOMINATE!

Strip set for the leg press

Most experts believe that the quads need high reps and time under tension to hypertrophy. Strip sets will allow you get a high amount of reps as well as place your muscles under a long period of tension. To start pile on the leg press with a weight you can do 10 reps with while keeping quality form. The 10th rep should be really difficult. Once you finish your 10 reps, have a partner strip off a plate off each side and without rest get as many reps as you can to failure. Next, strip off another plate from each side again and go until failure. Repeat this process until you no longer can finish. Some can get down until you are just pressing the sled itself.

* Notes- If you don't have a partner just strip the plates yourself but make sure to move fast. Remember leg presses in this manner can cause your blood pressure to skyrocket so be careful if you have high blood pressure to begin with.

3 rep schemes for new muscle growth!

1. Tempo Contrast -This is when you alternate between fast and slow tempos during one set. This hurts really bad trust me. Example would be doing 8 reps of curls like this:

Rep 1-Lower the weight for 6 seconds, and then lift the weight up with for a 4 second count

Rep2-Lower the weight for 6 seconds, and then lift the weight up with for a 4 second count

Rep 3-Explosive ( fast as you can )

Rep 4-Explosive ( fast as you can )

Rep 5-Lower the weight for 6 seconds, and then lift the weight up with for a 4 second count

Rep 6-Lower the weight for 6 seconds, and then lift the weight up with for a 4 second count

Rep 7-Explosive ( fast as you can )

Rep 8- Explosive ( fast as you can )

**Do about 3-4 sets like this


2. The 8x3 Method-Generally you think heavy weight with low reps is only for strength but you can build muscle with this method as well. The key is the multiple sets. Doing multiple sets with heavy weight targets type IIB muscle fibers which are the ones with the greatest growth potential.Here is how you do it:

* Perform 8 sets of 3 reps with heavy weight
* Don't train to complete failure ( you should be able to do a 4th rep, but you will stop at 3 )
*Keep rest periods at about 1 minute

3.Isometric/Dynamic method-This is when you add a pause into each rep. Isometric contractions can allow you to recruit up to 10% more muscle fibers than dynamic lifts. This really works good with isolation exercises. My favorite is to do this with seated rows. You would perform a regular row and then hold the contraction at the back end and try to squeeze your shoulder blades. Below is how it would look:

Rep 1-10 sec pause
Rep 2-8 sec pause
Rep 3-6 second pause
Rep 4-4 second pause
Rep 5- 2 second pause
Rep 6-no pause

3 Splits I like for hypertrophy

Here are some of my favorite splits to use when designing your training program with a goal of gaining lean muscle mass. Some these might not be that common but with my clients and myself I have found them to yield good results.

Split A ( this gives really good balance and lets the legs have plenty of recovery time between sessions)


M- Push/Pull ** Always aim for at least 2-1 ratio of pull to push work
T-Legs
W-Arms
Th-Push/Pull
F-Legs
S-Arms
Su-OFF

Split B ( Hit the legs right from the get go. Back gets a second day compared to just one chest day to help and correct typical imbalance between push and pull . The single chest day should be high volume since that is all you will do for the week)

M-Legs
T-Bi/Back
W-Tri/Chest
Th-Legs
F-Bi/Back ( biceps/triceps can be interchangeable depending on your weak area ) S-OFF
Su-OFF


Split C ( Here I pair lesser common groupings of biceps with chest and triceps with back. Thought is that you get more workload since these pairings don't effect one another. Every other week you can shift which pairing you do twice. Week 1-Back/Tri 2x......Week 2 Chest/Bi 2x )

M-Back/Tri
T-Legs
W-Chest/Bi
Th-Legs
F-Back/Tri
S-OFF
Su-OFF

Quick giant set bicep routine

This routine goes from heavy weight and low reps to lighter weight and higher reps and ends with an isometric hold. The goal is to stress the biceps at every rep range. If done correctly and at the right weight and intensity 1 set should be plenty since it adds to 45 total reps. Go 2 rounds if you dare.

A1)Lying Bicep curls ( set up low cable pulley at the bottom and attach a straight bar. Lying on your back on the floor perform a curl)-8 reps with heavy weight

A2) Standing barbell curl with wide grip-10 reps

A3) Seated alternating bicep curls with dumbbells-12 reps each arm

A4) Standing band curls ( place a band under your feet and curl for speed )-15 reps **this will be tough trust me

A5) Chin-up isometric hold ( get into the top position of the chin-up and squeeze and hold until you can't hold on ) Done!

Pyramid training

Instead of doing the same amount of reps for every set try pyramiding your reps. Pyramiding allows you to work throughout a whole range of rep ranges. Pyramid workouts are also great to amp up your intensity and help you build more muscle. Below are 3 types of pyramiding sets that you can use.

1) Descending pyramid-decrease weight, increase reps

* First warmup properly before starting your first set. You will then start off with the heaviest weight you plan to use on the first working set. You should aim for about 5-6 reps on set one. Each set after you should decrease the weight and increase the reps. On your fourth set or so you should be around 15 reps.

2) Ascending pyramid-increase weight, decrease reps

* First warmup properly before starting your first set. Start off with lighter weight and do around 15 reps on set one. Each set after drop the weight by about 10-20% and do less reps. So set two might be about 12 reps or so. By set four you will be using the heaviest weight yet and doing around 4-5 reps.

3) Triangle pyramid-combining the above two

* This routine involves more sets, and the higher volumes helps you to build more muscle. Start by doing the ascending pyramid in which you use light weight and high reps. Go all the way down to about 4-5 reps and then now try and work your way back up. Most likely you wont be able to hit the same reps so make adjustments and get as close as you can.This would look like this:

16-12-8-4-8-12-16

Putting the LABOR in Labor day!

Its Labor day most everyone is off so what better way to spend your day then dominating in the gym. Below is a push and pull workout that you will love. Make it happen!

A1)Incline dumbbell chest press-12 reps ( explosive reps )
SUPER SET
B1) Incline bench dumbbell one arm row-12 reps **
** stand behind the incline bench and rest your left arm on the top of the bench. Perform a row with your right arm, then switch arms.

Do this for 1 round then take 1 minute rest before moving to A2/B2

A2) Decline dumbbell chest press-8 reps ( each rep lower the weight for 4 seconds )
SUPER SET
B2) Straight bar seated row-8 reps ( each rep hold for 5 seconds )

Do this for 1 round then take 1 minute rest before moving to A3/B3

A3) Barbell 1/2 press-12 reps ( lower the bar to just above the chest and then press just 1/2 way up, lower back down to equal one rep )
SUPER SET
B3) T-bar row-12 reps

Do this for 1 round and then take 2-3 minutes rest before starting back at A1/B1

Repeat this whole sequence for 3 total rounds

5 ways to improve your pull-ups

The lat pulldown has become more popular around gyms than the pull-ups. The reason is simple, pull-ups are freaking hard and most people cant do them well or just cant do them at all. Here are some ways to change that.

1) Lose excess weight/body fat-You need to be strong and lean to do pull-ups. The heavier you are the harder its going to be to excute obviously.

2) Do not train to failure-When your doing pull-ups if you always train to failure you end up with horrible sloppy reps and you just dont gain a benefit from it. In fact going to failure on pull-ups often tends to lead to decreases in strength and mass gains for reasons unknown, it just happens.

3) Elbows towards your sides-Think about driving your elbows down and back to really bring the lats into play and therefore avoid relying mostly on your biceps.'

4) Improve your grip strength- the stronger your grip the better your pull-ups will be. You can build grip strength by doing more deadlifts and reverse curls or by using fatter barbells. You can also do wrist curls and other exercises geared towards grip strength.

5) Train with different ranges-To do a bunch of pull-ups you need both strength and endurance. Make sure you lift with low rep ranges for strength and high rep ranges for endurance. You can use bands as assistance for the pullups if need be.

Full blast back routine

A1) Seated row with V bar- You will hold each rep and focus on squeezing the shoulder blades together at the back of the movement. Rep 1-8sec rep 2- 7 sec rep 3-6 sec........until last rep is held for 1 sec. 8 total reps of course. The isometric hold is a great way to recruit more muscle fibers and has been shown to be highly effective when training the back.

**Rest 60 sec and repeat this for 3 more total sets

B1) T-bar row-This will be done as a drop set. Do your first set with a challenging weight for 8-10 reps. then immediately drop 25lbs off the bar and then try and rep out another 8-10 reps.

**Rest 60 sec and repeat this for 3 more total sets

C1) One arm row with a dumbbell and pause-Do a standard one arm row but let the weight rest on the floor at the bottom for a 1 sec pause each rep before exploding up as fast as you can. This pause will keep you from cheating and allow you to focus better on solid movements. Do 8 reps

**Rest 60 sec and repeat this for 3 more total sets

Done!

Random thoughts

• There are a bunch of programs that work for a while but then eventually everything becomes stale. You need to make sure you are changing your workouts. Change exercises, programs, and methods.

• If your trying to get faster then work your hamstrings and glutes. If your trying to better your vertical then work on your quads.
  

• I love beets. They are low in calories and fat, but are high in fiber and vitamins and minerals. So Eat some!
  

• If you have no specific training goal in mind try to mix up your routine every4-6 weeks. Do weeks of strength, metabolic ( fat loss ) and hypertrophy to get the benefits of every type of training.

• Plyometric training and lifting with heavy heavy loads is hard on your central nervous system and can really beat down your body. Limit these types of workouts to 1-2x a week.
  

Try this!

Do 100 reps of pullups in as few of sets as you can. You can take whatever rest you need between sets just don't exceed 2minutes. Then next time you workout your back try and get to 100 reps in fewer sets as you did the first time around. It doesn't matter what number you start with your how many you do in each set just get to 100 in the least amount of sets. If you are not strong enough to do legit pullups then you can use the assisted machine or just wait til your stronger!

Example

25 reps-set 1

15

15

10

10

10

10

5

Done

Get bigger pecs for the beach with this routine...

This routine incorporates the incline press which is great to build a fuller looking chest. If you have shoulder issues you should stay away from this workout since it will be demanding on the shoulder joint. You can use either the incline barbell press or the Hammer strength incline press machine. Start the first set with the most weight possible for 6 reps. The 6th rep should be really difficult if the weight is correct.
1)
Incline barbell press/or Hammer incline strength press machine-1 set at 6 reps
SUPER SET WITH
Flat dumbbell twist press -1 set at 12 reps
*( flat twist press starts off like a traditional press but as you start to press up you want to twist the weight so your palms end up facing your face at the top of the movement. If done right the movement should look like a combo of chest press and chest fly. Make sure to bring the dumbbells together at the top. You will need to use less weight then you would for a regular chest press.
**Rest 90 seconds before doing 1 more set.


2)NOW DROP THE WEIGHT BY ABOUT 2.5-5LBS PER SIDE
Incline barbell press/or Hammer incline strength press machine-1 set at 8 reps
SUPER SET WITH
Flat dumbbell twist press -1 set at 10 reps
**Rest 90 seconds before doing 1 more set.


3) NOW DROP ANOTHER 5 LBS PER SIDE. YOU CAN DROP MORE IF NEED BE.
Incline barbell press/or Hammer incline strength press machine-1 set at 10 reps
SUPER SET WITH
Flat dumbbell twist press -1 set at 8 reps
**Rest 90 seconds before doing 1 more set.


Done. You should have done a total of 6 super set combinations.

Great chest builder

Sometimes when we train the chest we might not work in the incline and decline movements as much as we should so this workout uses both. As always, I would recommend doing this with a spotter. The first set of the incline will be with the most weight you can do for 6 reps and then you will decrease the weight and increase the reps every set after. The decline weight and reps will remain the same throughout.

Incline chest press with barbell-6 reps, 8, 10, 12
SUPER SET WITH
Decline dumbbell press- 12 reps

Take 90 seconds-2 minutes between sets

High volume back workout

The muscles of the back respond very well to a high volume of work so this workout is great to stimulate new growth. Sometimes training back can fatigue your forearms so make sure not to hold everything with too firm of a grip. This workout can be done with any of your favorite back exercises, below are just some that I like to use for this.

Straight bar row ( overhand grip )- 6 sets of 10 reps

* 1 minute rest between sets

T-bar row ( neutral grip, palms facing each other )- 6 sets of 10 reps

* 1 minute rest between sets

Straight arm pulldown standing- 6 sets of 10 reps

* 1 minute rest between sets

One arm dumbbell row- 4 sets of12 reps

* 1 minute rest between sets

Total of 22 sets and 228 reps!

Big time biceps!

Great workout to add some size to your biceps!

A1) Standing dumbbell bicep curls ( keep your palms up the entire lift and lift both arms at once )-10 reps

SUPERSET WITH

A2) Lying straight bar bicep curl with cable pulley ( set the pulley to the very bottom and attach a straight bar handle. Lie on your back curl the weight like a normal bicep curl just don't let your head come off the ground )-10 reps

SUPERSET WITH

A3) Neutral grip chin-up ( if you can't perform these than use the assisted machine )-10 reps

Rest 2min and repeat 2-3 more times

Quick hitter for the legs

I read this workout from a guy named Bedros Keuilian. What is great about this routine is that it is super quick and can be done if your in a rush. Start by warming up on the leg press with a light weight. Now get into the workout by using a weight that you could press for 10 reps. Once you get 10 reps in have a partner ( or do it yourself ) strip a plate off each side and then rep out as many as you can. Keep following this format until you get to 100 reps. Once done with the 100 reps immediately perform 25 reps of stiff leg deadlifts with a pair of dumbbells. Thats it it!

Pack on muscle with this chest routine

This workout is best done with a partner. You would do one set, then your partner would do their set before moving right into the next exercise. If you are training alone then take about 30 seconds between exercises. This routine is intense

Flat barbell bench press ( 1/2 method )-6 reps with heavy weight
***This is when you rack the weight and drop the bar to the chest, then press it halfway up, then let it drop to the chest before finishing by pressing all the way up. This would be one rep.

SUPERSET WITH

Flat dumbbell chest press-10 reps

SUPERSET WITH

Explosive pushups-12 reps
** If you cannot finish these then move onto a bench to do the pushups or if you must drop to your knees.

Rest 2 minutes and repeat this 2 more rounds.