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Muscle-Building 12-Week Workout: Week 7
Day: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
DAY 5: TWO BODY PARTS PER DAY, INCREASED WEIGHT - EXERCISES FOR LEGS AND TRICEPS
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Workout Program Overview
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Supersets?
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 7, DAY 5 EXERCISE VIDEO DEMOS

WARMUP
Superset Exercise Muscles Weight (Goal) Set 1 Reps (Goal) Set 1 Reps (Actual) Set 2 Reps (Goal) Set 2 Reps (Actual) Set 3 Reps (Goal) Set 3 Reps (Actual) Set 4 Reps (Goal) Set 4 Reps (Actual)
Spin Bike or Stair Machine Legs Heavy Resistance 5 mins N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Begin Superset
S Medicine Ball Chop Squats Legs, Shoulders, Core Light 20 20 20 N/A N/A
S Prisoner Squats Legs N/A 20 20 20 N/A N/A
WORKOUT
Begin Superset
S Cable Squats Legs, Core Rep Max 15 12 12 N/A N/A
S Multidirectional Speed Lunges with Shoe Tap Legs, Core N/A 15 each leg 15 each leg 15 each leg N/A N/A
Begin Superset
S Barbell Squats Legs Rep Max 15 12 12 10
S Walking Lunges Legs Rep Max 15 12 12 10
Barbell Russian Deadlifts Back (lats, rhomboids) Rep Max 15 12 10 N/A N/A
Begin Superset
S Calf Raises Legs (calves) Rep Max 12, hold with foot flat for 8 secs; 12, hold with foot flat for 8 secs; and 12, hold with foot flat for 8 secs 12, hold with foot flat for 8 secs; 12, hold with foot flat for 8 secs; and 12, hold with foot flat for 8 secs 12, hold with foot flat for 8 secs; 12, hold with foot flat for 8 secs; and 12, hold with foot flat for 8 secs N/A N/A
S Drop-Down Lunges Legs Rep Max 15 15 15 N/A N/A
Begin Superset
S Barbell Step-ups Legs Rep Max 20 20 20 N/A N/A
S Plyometric Jump Squats Legs, Entire Body N/A 20 20 20 N/A N/A
Begin Superset
S Cable Triceps Press-Downs Triceps Rep Max 15 12 12 10
S Cable Triceps Pull-Downs Triceps Rep Max 15 12 12 10
Begin Superset
S Dumbbell Skull Crushers Triceps Rep Max 15 12 10 N/A N/A
S Single-Arm Rope Push-Downs Triceps Rep Max 15 12 10 N/A N/A
S Standing Dumbbell Tricep Kickbacks Biceps Rep Max 15 15 15 N/A N/A
Triceps Bench Dips with Feet on Floor Triceps N/A 25 25 25 N/A N/A
Begin Superset
S Flat-Leg Medicine Ball Situps Abdominals, Core 10 lb. Ball 20 20 20 N/A N/A
S Hand to Foot Stability Ball Pass Abdominals, Core N/A 20 20 20 N/A N/A
CARDIO TRAINING
Exercise Time Overview
Treadmill 30 Minutes Do 30 minutes of jogging on the treadmill machine. Get your heart rate up to a moderate level.
EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS IN BRIEF
Exercise Overview
Medicine Ball Chop Squats Stand upright with a medium-sized medicine ball held in both hands in front of you in both hands and your feet about hip-distance apart with knees slightly bent. Next, bring the medicine ball down in front of you in a wood-chopping motion—directly down in front of you, either to between your knees or, for a greater challenge, until you tap the floor. From the bottom of the motion, reverse direction and bring the ball back up, all the way to overhead. Try to maintain an even pace throughout the motion. Keep your chest and head high on both the lift and the descent, and allow your feet and legs to bend and pivot as demanded by the motion of your upper body.
Prisoner Squats Stand with your arms up at the sides of your head with elbows bent, your hands gently cupping the sides of your head, 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. Keep your weight back on your heels as you go down. Push your chest out very slightly in front of you to counterbalance the heavy load on your heels. From the seated position, reverse motion and drive up through your heels to return to the starting position. Keep a quick tempo; do not pause for rest.
Cable Squats Set both arms on a dual cable machine at the lowest height setting with a single handle attached to each cable. (If you do not have access to a dual cable machine, use a single-cable machine and use a double-handled rope attachment.) Stand about two feet away from the machine facing the machine. Hold one handle in each hand and your hands held up near your face, with your arms bent all the way in toward you as if you were at the top of a bicep curl. Your palms should be facing in toward your body. 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. The tension of the cable in your hands should provide some counterbalance, allowing you to squat down further. Do not allow your knees to go in front of the line of your toes. When you have squatted down fully, reverse direction, activate your core, and push back up to starting position, keeping your knees slightly bent at the top of the squat.
Multidirectional Speed Lunges with Shoe Tap Stand upright with feet about hip-width apart and arms at your sides. First, 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. From the bottom of the lunge, 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), and have returned to the starting position, do two lunges at a 45-degree angle. From the starting position, 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. Then do the same lunge on the other leg. Once you have completed the 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. Repeat on the other leg. 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 on the other side. You have now completed one circuit of lunges.
Barbell Squats Place a neck pad or neck cradle at the center point of a barbell positioned at shoulder height on a rack. Stand upright in front of the barbell so that it is resting across your shoulders and behind your neck. Your feet should be hip-width apart and your toes pointed forward. Hold the barbell on either side of your neck about one foot more than shoulder-width apart, with your palms facing forward. Lift the barbell off the rack and step back to give you room to squat. You may want to practice with a dowel or weightless bar if you haven't done this exercise before. Next, slowly lower down toward a fully squatted position, pulling your weight down through your leg muscles as you descend. Keep your weight balanced between the balls of your feet and your heels as you go down. If you feel any knee pressure, shift your weight back more to your heels and let your hips ride back more to take some of the weight off of your toes. Push your chest out very slightly in front of you to counterbalance the heavy load on your heels. Your back should maintain a natural arch; do not over-arch. When your thighs are parallel to the floor, you will have reached the depth of the squat. Reverse motion and drive up through your feet to return to the starting position.
Walking Lunges Stand on the floor with your arms up at the sides of your head with elbows bent, your hands gently cupping the sides of your head, and your feet hip-width apart. Next, step your right foot forward and drop your left knee down into a lunge. Lower the left knee down until the right quadriceps (thigh) is parallel to the floor. Do not allow the right knee to come out in front of your toes, or you'll risk knee and other injury. From the lunge, stand up and take a short step forward with your left foot. Then step the right foot forward again and drop your left knee down again into another lunge. Repeat for a full set of lunges with the right leg leading, then switch legs and perform another set with the left leg leading. As you do these lunges, keep your steps short enough to maintain control and balance.
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. When you are standing upright, 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. Lower the barbell to the floor or down to your shin level starting position, and then immediately move into the next repetition.
Calf Raises Stand upright on the balls of your feet on the edge of a step or box placed against a wall or support. Your feet should be flat and your heels should be well past the end of the box. Hold on to the wall or other support for balance. Next, flex your calves, point your toes and push up with your calves to raise your body. From the top of the calf raise, reverse direction and lower your body back down to starting position. Immediately move into your next calf raise. Do a total of 12 calf raises. Stop at the bottom of your 12th calf raise and hold with your feet parallel to the floor for a count of eight seconds. Next, repeat another 12 calf raises, and then again hold your feet flat for another eight seconds. Next, complete a final set of calf raises, using a quick, controlled movement. You will have done a total of 36 calf raises to complete one set.
Drop-Down Lunges Stand upright with your back and shoulders straight and your feet almost shoulder-width apart. Clasp your hands behind your head with your elbows in line with your shoulders. Next, step your right foot approximately two feet in front of you. Don't overdo the length of your step; keep your steps short enough to maintain control and balance. When your right foot is place, lunge forward with your right leg until you have a 90-degree bend in your right knee, staying light on your back foot. Your upper body and right knee should not move forward as you lower and raise your body. Make sure your right knee does not go beyond a 90-degree angle. Reverse direction and return to the starting position. To fully isolate your hamstring, glutes, and quad muscles, avoid putting any weight on your left leg as you come up from the lunge position.Perform a full set repeating with your right leg forward, and then turn switch legs and do a second set with your left leg forward.
Barbell Step-ups Stand upright facing a 24-inch box or the long side of a flat bench with a barbell resting across your shoulders and behind your neck. Your feet should be hip-width apart and your toes pointed forward. Hold the barbell on either side of your neck about one foot more than shoulder-width apart, with your palms facing forward. Step your right foot up onto the box or bench. Next, use the muscle of the right leg to bring the left foot powerfully up onto the box or flat bench. Do not allow left foot to rest on bench; instead, at the top of the lift, hold for one second to train balance. After holding for one second, reverse motion and bring the left foot back down to the floor. Leave the right foot up on the flat bench and perform an entire set with the right leg in the top position. When you have finished a set with the right leg in the top position, reverse feet and repeat with the left leg in top position.
Plyometric Jump Squats Stand on the floor with your arms up at the sides of your head with elbows bent, your hands gently cupping the sides of your head, and your feet shoulder-width apart. Position your feet so that your toes are pointed straight ahead. Next, slowly lower down to a fully squatted position, pulling your weight down through your leg muscles as you descend. Keep your weight back on your heels as you go down. Push your chest out very slightly in front of you to counterbalance the heavy load on your heels. When you have reached the depth of the squat, reverse motion and jump up into the air as high as you possibly can. When you land from your jump, go immediately into your next squat.
Cable Triceps Bar Press-Downs Attach a bent tricep bar to the upper connection of a cable machine. Stand in front of the cable machine with your legs in a slight scissor position so that one leg is stepped slightly forward and the other leg is stepped slightly back. Hold the bar up at chest level in both hands with your palms down and your pinkies are on the outside bend of the bar. Your elbows should be bent and held in at your sides. Next, press the bar down toward your thighs, keeping your elbows in as you descend. At the bottom of the movement, reverse position and bring the bar back up to starting position. At the top of the movement, your elbows should come up just past a 90-degree angle, no more and no less.
Cable Triceps Bar Pull-Downs Attach a bent bar to the upper connection of a cable machine. Stand in front of the cable machine with your legs in a slight scissor position so that one leg is stepped slightly forward and the other leg is stepped slightly back. Hold the bar up at chest level in both hands with your palms up, positioned so that your pinkies are resting in each bend of the bar. Your elbows should be bent and held in at your sides. Next, use your triceps to pull the bar down toward your thighs. Keep the top half of your arms steady, elbows in close to your body, and wrists stable as you descend to concentrate the work in the triceps. When your arms are fully extended and the bar is down in front of your thighs, reverse motion and bring the bar back up to starting position.
Dumbbell Skull Crushers Lie on your back on a flat bench with your head near one end and a dumbbell in each hand. Extend your arms toward the ceiling, but at a 45-degree angle behind the vertical, such that even in the starting position you can feel tension in your triceps. Your palms should be facing each other. Cross your feet at the ankle and lift your legs up off the bench so that your upper legs are perpendicular to the bench, your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle, and your lower legs are parallel to the floor. Next, keep your upper arms immobile as you bend your elbows and lower your forearms toward your head. Do not hit yourself in the head with the weights—instead, keep your hands at shoulder width throughout. Keep your shoulders back and your elbows high as you do these. At the bottom of the movement, reverse direction and bring your hands back to the starting position, again without changing the position of your upper arm, to complete one repetition; your tightest flexion will be at the top of the movement, so be careful to control the upward movement as much as the down. If you begin to struggle before the end of the set, bring your upper arms closer to vertical to lessen the intensity.
Single-Arm Rope Press-Downs Hook a single-handled rope attachment to the highest position on the cable machine (you may also use a double-handled rope attachment if you don't have a single-handed attachment; just tie off the second rope so that it doesn't get in your way). Stand facing the machine and take the rope handle in one hand. Stagger your feet with one in front of the other. Allow your other arm to hang down at your side. Next, keep your body tall and your shoulder blades together as you bring your hand directly down beside you, ending with your hand held at your side near your hip. Your elbow should stay held in toward your sides throughout and your upper arm steady and still; make sure your shoulders don’t end up pushing forward and taking over the work. At the bottom of your motion, squeeze and hold for a moment, twisting your palm slightly in toward your body to get a full flexion of the triceps. Reverse direction and allow your arm to return to the starting position—but don’t let your arm come above a right angle through your elbow. Do a full set with one arm, and then switch the rope handle to the other hand and do another set.
Standing Dumbbell Tricep Kickbacks Stand and bend over at the hips with a dumbbell in each hand. Your back should be flat, your neck in line with your spine, and your knees bent, with feet pointing forward at hip-distance apart. Keeping your elbows high above the line of your back, extend your elbows so that you straighten your arm. Your hands should remain in the same orientation throughout the movement, with palms facing inward. From the extended position, bend your elbows again to return to the starting position. As you do the kickbacks, keep your upper arm still so that your elbows stay high; the entire motion should focus on the extension and flexion at the elbow joint. Be especially careful to keep your back flat by maintaining a stable core.
Triceps Bench Dips with Feet on Floor Sit on the long edge of a flat bench, with your hands at your sides on the bench you're sitting on and your fingers facing your feet. Place your feet on the floor in front of you so your knees are a little more than a right angle. The smaller the angle, the easier the exercise will be. Grip the bench with your fingers and tuck your chin down a bit toward your chest. Engage your arms and lift yourself off the bench so that you are being held up by your hands on one bench and the heels of your feet. Next, lean your upper body forward slightly and slowly lower your butt down so that it goes a little beneath the bench you are sitting on. You should feel the stretch and work in your triceps as you lower diagonally down. When you reach the bottom of the dip, reverse the motion and push your body back up to starting position. When you reach the starting position you have completed one repetition.
Flat-Leg Medicine Ball Sit-ups Lie on your back on the floor with your legs extended and a medicine ball held in both hands above you. Extend your arms toward the ceiling so that your arms are perpendicular to the floor and the medicine ball is directly over your upper chest. Next, engage your abs by bringing your belly button toward your spine. Do not tip your pelvis upward. From that engaged position, begin lifting your shoulders off the floor in a sit-up, taking your arms forward as your upper body rises. Your legs should remain flat. Do not fling your upper body upward, nor grab through your lower back. Instead, think of peeling your shoulders off the floor from your center, and try to feel that the medicine ball is pulling you from above. Come as close as you can to sitting upright, with your arms extended forward and your legs still flat on the floor. From the top of the motion, reverse direction and lower back to the starting position. Control this downward movement using your abs—but make sure you use your lower abs, not just the area up by your rib cage. Be careful that the bottom part of the motion doesn’t happen more quickly than the top part; you want to lower yourself at a continuous pace.
Hand to Foot Stability Ball Pass Lie on the floor on your back. Hold a stability ball between your feet with your legs extended out along the floor and place both arms over your head. Next, raise your legs up over your body as you raise your arms to meet your feet. At the top of your motion, where your hands meet your feet, transfer the ball to your hands. With the ball now in your hands, lower your legs as you lower your arms back to the floor behind your head. Continue to transfer the ball between hands and feet for 20 repetitions (totaling 10 with the feet and 10 with the hands). Breathe regularly throughout the movement; exhale as your legs and arms rise, inhale as you lower them. Your lower back should remain against the mat throughout the exercise.
EXERCISE IMAGES
Photo Credit: Nicolas Smith

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