WORKOUTS
Strong and Lean 12-Week Workout: Week 8
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DAY 5: STRENGTH TRAINING - DYNAMIC PULL MOVEMENTS WITH WEIGHTS
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Week 1 Workouts
Week 2 Workouts
Week 3 Workouts
Week 4 Workouts
Week 5 Workouts
Week 6 Workouts
Week 7 Workouts
Week 8 Workouts
Week 9 Workouts
Week 10 Workouts
Week 11 Workouts
Week 12 Workouts
| WEEK 8, DAY 5 EXERCISE VIDEO DEMOS |
| WARMUP | |||||
| Exercise | Muscles | Reps (Goal) | Weight (Goal) | Reps (Actual) | Weight (Actual) |
| SET 1 | |||||
| High-Incline Elliptical Sprints | Legs | 2 minutes on Elliptical machine set to high incline: 30 secs fast, 30 secs slow, 30 secs fast, 30 secs slow | N/A | ||
| Alternate Walk Up-Downs on Flat Bench | Legs | 2 minutes | N/A | ||
| Multidirectional Speed Lunges with Floor Tap | Legs | 6 sets of 2 | N/A | ||
| WORKOUT SEQUENCE 1 | |||||
| Exercise | Muscles | Reps (Goal) | Weight (Goal) | Reps (Actual) | Weight (Actual) |
| SET 1 | |||||
| Power Press Single Leg Press | Legs | 12 each leg | 75% Rep Max | ||
| Power Flick Single Calf Raise | Calves | 20 each leg | N/A | ||
| SET 2 | |||||
| Power Press Single Leg Press | Legs | 10 each leg | Rep Max | ||
| Power Flick Single Calf Raise | Calves | 20 each leg | N/A | ||
| WORKOUT SEQUENCE 2 | |||||
| Exercise | Muscles | Reps (Goal) | Weight (Goal) | Reps (Actual) | Weight (Actual) |
| SET 1 | |||||
| Dumbbell Squats on BOSU Ball | Legs | 12 | 75% Rep Max | ||
| Barbell Russian Dead Lifts | Legs, Core | 12 | 75% Rep Max | ||
| Stability Ball Pike Ups | Abdominals | 20 | N/A | ||
| SET 2 | |||||
| Dumbbell Squats on BOSU Ball | Legs | 10 | Rep Max | ||
| Barbell Russian Dead Lifts | Legs, Core | 10 | Rep Max | ||
| Stability Ball Pike Ups | Abdominals | 20 | N/A | ||
| WORKOUT SEQUENCE 3 | |||||
| Exercise | Muscles | Reps (Goal) | Weight (Goal) | Reps (Actual) | Weight (Actual) |
| SET 1 | |||||
| Speed Low Single Cable Scissor Squat and Row | Legs, Back | 12 each side | 75% Rep Max | ||
| Low Single Cable Squat and Power Cross-Punch with Twist | Legs, Back | 12 each side | 75% Rep Max | ||
| Alternate Rope Tricep Overhead Extension and Squat | Legs, Triceps | 12 | 75% Rep Max | ||
| Low Cable Bent-Bar Squat and Curl Holding High | Legs, Biceps | 12 | 75% Rep Max | ||
| Dumbbells-High Alternating Side Lunge and Dumbbell Press | Legs, Shoulders | 12 | 75% Rep Max | ||
| Superman Hold with Freestyle Kicks | Back (lower) | 60 seconds | N/A | ||
| SET 2 | |||||
| Speed Low Single Cable Scissor Squat and Row | Legs, Back | 10 each side | Rep Max | ||
| Low Single Cable Squat and Power Cross-Punch with Twist | Legs, Back | 10 each side | Rep Max | ||
| Alternate Rope Tricep Overhead Extension and Squat | Legs, Triceps | 10 | Rep Max | ||
| Low Cable Bent-Bar Squat and Curl Holding High | Legs, Biceps | 10 | Rep Max | ||
| Dumbbells-High Alternating Side Lunge and Shoulder Press | Legs, Shoulders | 10 | Rep Max | ||
| Superman Hold with Freestyle Kicks | Back (lower) | 60 seconds | N/A | ||
| EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS IN BRIEF | |
| Exercise | Overview |
| Alternate Walk Up-Downs on Flat Bench | Stand upright facing the long side of a flat bench. Bring your right foot up and put it on the bench, and step up with it, bringing your left leg up to follow your right until both feet are on the bench. From the top of the bench, step back with the right foot to the floor, followed by the left foot as you step down. Now switch feet: Step up with your left foot, bringing your right foot up to follow it; and step back with your left foot, followed by the right as you step down to the floor. Step up and back, alternating your leading leg and keeping a regular rhythm, for two minutes. |
| Multidirectional Speed Lunges with Floor Tap | Stand upright with feet about hip-width apart and arms at your sides. Step one foot forward into a lunge. Drop down through the back thigh and knee as you bend the front leg. Do not push forward through your front knee; it should not go ahead of your front toe. At the bottom of your lunge, touch your hands gently to the floor on either side of your front foot. Reverse the motion, bring your hands off the floor, come up through your legs, and bring your feet back together. After you have done two of the forward lunges (one on each side), return to the starting position, and then do two alternating lunges at a 45-degree angle. Step out and turn your body so that you lunge at a 45-degree angle to your starting position. Repeat the lunge forward, touch the floor, and return to standing, being sure to pivot back so that you end standing at the starting position. Once you have completed the two 45-degree lunges, you will do two side lunges. Again from the starting position, step one leg straight out to the side and bend that knee, such that you lunge down over your bent leg while the other leg will stretch straight to the side. Again touch the floor at the bottom of your lunge, and press back up bringing your legs together, such that you end at the starting position. Finally, do two rear diagonal lunges. From the starting position, step one leg out, pivot and turn, and drop into a rear diagonal lunge, 135 degrees from the starting position. Touch the floor on either side of your front foot, and press up through the back leg to return to standing Repeat the entire circuit 5 more times, for a total of six circuits. |
| Power Press Single Leg Press | Sit at a leg press machine. Put one foot on the floor of the machine and elevate the other foot to press firmly against the foot plate. Bend your knee and lower the plate in toward you; keep your toes and foot straight and your knee in line with your foot as you lower the plate. When your knee is nearly at your chest, reverse direction and press the plate away from you with your bent leg by straightening your leg. As you press, try to generate some speed and thrust even as you maintain a controlled press. Repeat the number of recommended reps with one leg, then switch legs and repeat on the other side. |
| Power Flick Single Calf Raises | Sit at a leg press machine. Put one foot on the floor of the machine and place your other foot on the lower edge of the leg press platform, with the ball of your foot resting on the edge. Push out with your toe as hard as you can, so that you go fully onto your toe. Focus on power and speed as you push. You should feel the flex in your calf. When you have extended as far as you can, reverse direction and slowly lower back down to the starting position. Do reps with one leg, and then switch legs and do reps with the other leg. |
| Dumbbell Squats on BOSU | Stand on top of the round side of a BOSU ball holding dumbbells at your side with palms inward and your feet shoulder-width apart. Position your feet so that your toes are pointed straight ahead. Slowly lower down to a fully squatted position, pulling your weight down through your leg muscles as you descend. Make sure your weight is evenly distributed between each foot as well as balanced across the bottom of each foot as you descend. Push your chest out very slightly in front of you to counterbalance the heavy load on your heels. As you squat down, slightly twist the dumbbells so that your palms turn to the back, and hold the dumbbells slightly out on front of you to counterbalance the heavy load on your heels. From the depth of the squat, reverse motion and push up through your heels to return to the starting position. As you stand back up from the squat, twist the dumbbells in reverse so that your palms turn inward, dumbbells are at your side, and you retract your shoulders as you reach the starting position. For your second set, hold the dumbbells up at your shoulders with palms facing inward. |
| Barbell Russian Deadlifts | Stand upright in front of a weighted barbell with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and take up a modified squat position, with your knees slightly bent, hips pressed slightly back, and back flat. Your chest should be high, head forward, and neck in line with your spine. From the modified squat, grip the barbell with both hands about shoulder-width apart and palms facing you. The barbell should be at the level of the middle of your shins, either resting on the floor (if the plates are large) or held off the floor in your hands. Keep the majority of your weight back on your heels, while still applying pressure through the balls of your feet. Next, keeping your chest forward, use your legs to lift the barbell and stand up straight to a fully upright position. Focus on using your legs to lift and your core engaged throughout to protect your back. Hold for a moment, and then press your hips behind you and bend your knees as you sit back down into a squat. Keep your back flat as you squat down to the starting position. |
| Stability Ball Pike-ups | Take up a push-up (plank) position, with your hands under your shoulders and your back flat, but with a stability ball under your legs. The ball should be beneath your shins and the tops of your feet, with your toes pointed. Engage your abdominals so that your hips do not droop toward the floor. Use your abs to fold your body upward, pulling your hips and buttocks straight toward the ceiling. Keep your feet pointed, so that the ball comes under your toes as your hips rise. At the top of your lift, the ball will be held under your pointed toes, and your back will nearly be in a straight line with your arms. Your shoulders should remain above your hands or slightly behind them—never in front. Next, lower your hips as you press the ball back carefully with your feet, allowing it to be captured by the tops of your feet as you return to the starting position. Do not allow your hips to dip below a flat line with your shoulders and feet. |
| Speed Low Single Cable Scissor Squat and Row | For these scissor squat and rows you should focus on controlled speed and power. Set up a cable row with a single-hand-grip attachment at the lowest height setting. Stand upright about four feet from the cable row machine, holding the grip attachment with your left hand. Make sure your left arm is straight and angled down toward the base of the cable row machine. Scissor your legs so that your right leg is bent slightly in front of you and your left leg is bent slightly behind you. Your left heel should be slightly off the floor. Do a scissor squat quickly downward. Your front knee should be directly over your ankle, and your back heel will come fully off the floor. Try to take your back knee as close as possible to the floor without compromising your form. From the bottom of the squat, reverse position and come back up to the starting position, powering through your legs. Immediately perform a single-arm cable row with your left arm by pulling the cable as far back as you can using your back muscles. Again, do this with speed and power. Focus on retracting your left shoulder blade by wrapping your elbow back towards your spine. Finally, reverse direction and bring the cable back to starting position. Doing the recommended number of reps with your left hand, and then switch and repeat with your right hand. |
| Low Single Cable Squat and Power Cross-Punch with Twist | Set up a cable row with a single-hand-grip attachment at the lowest height setting. Stand perpendicular to the cable system about four feet from the machine, with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes pointing forward, and your right side toward the cable machine. Hold the grip attachment with your right elbow bent and hand at shoulder level, with your palm facing inward. Position your left hand opposite it, also facing inward, in a classic boxer defensive position. Next, bend your knees and perform a squat, keeping your weight a little more back on your heels than on your toes. Go down to the point where your quads are parallel to the floor without compromising your form. When you have squatted down fully, reverse direction and begin to stand back up to starting position, keeping your knees slightly bent. As you stand out of the squat, pivot and turn your upper body toward your left as you powerfully punch your right arm across your body and up diagonally at about a 45-degree angle. You should pivot through your hips, feet, and knees as you punch up and across. From the extended punch, reverse the motion, pivot back to center, and return your hands to the starting position. Do the recommended number of reps punching with your right hand, and then turn around, switch the cable to your left hand, and repeat. |
| Alternate Rope Tricep Overhead Extension and Squat | Attach rope handles to a cable at the lowest point on the cable machine. Take one handle in each hand and twist around, bringing your arms around overhead, such that you end up with your back to the machine and your arms overhead and bent behind you, with one handle still in each hand. Place your feet shoulder-with apart. Next, bring your arms directly overhead by straightening your elbows, then bend your elbows back again, until there is little or no tension on the rope. Keeping this arm position, sit into a deep squat. Sit your hips down and back behind you and your back flat. From the squat, return to the upright starting position. |
| Low Cable Bent-Bar Squat and Curl Holding High | Attach a bent cable curl bar to the low setting on a cable machine. Stand upright facing the machine with the bar held in both hands at the top of a biceps curl, just under your chin with your palms facing you. Keeping your elbows bent and the bar held steady below your chin, sit back and down into a squat. Keep your weight in your heels as you press your hips back behind you, making sure your back remains flat and your chest raised. Your shoulders should not come ahead of your knees. From the bottom of your squat, push through your legs and rise back up to standing, keeping your elbows bent and the curl bar close to you. Next, perform a bicep curl, straightening your elbows and lowering your hands in front of you, until your arms extend nearly straight down and the bar is in front of your upper thighs. Reverse and bend your elbows again and curl the bar back up. Continue alternating squats with bicep curls for the recommended number of reps. |
| Dumbbells-High Alternating Side Lunge and Shoulder Press | Stand upright with feet shoulder-width apart and dumbbells in both hands at shoulder height, with your palms facing each other. Step your left foot out into a side lunge. Press your hips back behind your bent left leg as your right leg extends straight to the side. The toes of both feet should be pointing forward throughout, and the weights should remain at your shoulders. Next, drive hard off of your bent left leg to bring yourself back to the starting position. Perform a shoulder press, pressing the weights straight up from the shoulder until your arms are straight overhead, and then lower back down to the starting position. Next, step out to the right in a side lunge, return to standing, and again do a shoulder press. Continue to alternate sides with the lunges, and alternate the lunges with shoulder presses, until you have done the recommended number of each. |
| Superman Hold with Freestyle Kicks | Lie face down on the floor with your legs extended and your arms straight on the floor in front of you with palms facing down. Raise both your legs off the floor as you retract your shoulder blades and lift your arms, shoulders, and chest off the floor as well. Keep your head and neck in line with your back. Next, maintain the elevated position as you perform freestyle kicks: Kick from the hip with alternating legs, keeping your toes pointed and your knees straight. Continue to kick for 60 seconds before slowly lowering your legs, chest, shoulders, and arms back to the floor. |
| EXERCISE IMAGES |
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Photo Credit: Nicolas Smith
