20 Minute Total Workout

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WEIGHT LIFTING TIPS

A time-efficient plan for a longer, healthier, stronger lifeBY MIKE MEJIA, M.S., C.S.C.S

The 20-Minute Total-Body Workout

Let's get something straight: You're notweight liftingfor the

beach or to try to intimidate your daughter's dates. Your goal is

efficiency, so you need to focus on exercises that work the most

muscle in the least time, says Michael Mejia, C.S.C.S., a trainer

and the author of Scrawny to Brawny.

As a rule, Mejia recommends only multijoint movements,

which force you to bend at more than one joint. Plan your

workout around these six basic movements, and you'll train

every muscle in your body in less than 20 minutes per session.

"It only takes two sets of each movement, done twice a week, to

get most of the health benefits ofweight lifting, including

maintenance of your muscle and strength," says Mejia.

Choose one exercise from each movement category below, and

then create your own workout regimen by using the Rules of

Repetition, which follow below.

Movement 1

Quad-dominantAny lower-body exercise in which your

quadriceps work the hardest. An easy gauge: For any standing

exercise, your torso will be bent forward less than 45 degrees as

you perform the move.

The main moveSquat

How to do itHold a barbell with an overhand grip so that it

rests comfortably on your upper back. Set your feet

shoulder-width apart, and keep your knees slightly bent, back

straight, and eyes focused straight ahead. Slowly lower your

body as if you were sitting back into a chair, keeping your back

in its natural alignment and your lower legs nearly

ght Lifting Tips at Men's Health.com http://www.menshealth.com/print/19584

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perpendicular to the floor. When your thighs are parallel to the

floor, pause, then return to the starting position.

Perfect itArch your lower back and push your knees outward

as you lower your body. "This keeps the stress off your knees

and lower back, providing you with the safest way to perform

the move," says Dave Tate, C.S.C.S., a powerlifting champion

from Columbus, Ohio.

Super substitutionsLunge, split squat, and overhead squat.

Movement 2Hip-dominantAny lower-body exercise in which your

hamstrings and glutes work the hardest. For any standing

exercise, your torso will be bent forward more than 45 degrees

as you perform the move.

The main moveHigh stepup

How to do itUse a step or bench that's 18 inches off the

ground. Place your left foot on the step so that your knee is

bent at 90 degrees. Your knee should not advance past the toesof your left foot. Push off with your left foot, and bring your

right foot onto the step, keeping your back straight. Now step

down with the left foot, followed by the right. Alternate the

leading foot, or do all of the repetitions leading with one foot

and then alternating. Once you're comfortable, add dumbbells.

Perfect itUse a knee-high step or box, and hold a heavy

dumbbell in the hand on the same side as your working leg,

instead of two lighter dumbbells in each hand. "That ensures

that the weight is focused directly on the target leg," says

Cameron McGarr, C.S.C.S. Using the combination of a

knee-high box and heavy dumbbell will force your torso to


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bend forward, focusing the stress on your hips, hams, and

glutes.

Super substitutionsDeadlift, Romanian deadlift, and back

extension

Movement 3

Horizontal pressAny upper-body exercise in which you

push the weight out and away from your body

The main moveBarbell bench press

How to do itLie on your back on a flat bench with your feet

on the floor. Grab the barbell with an overhand grip, your

hands just beyond shoulder-width apart. Lift the barbell, and

hold at arm's length over your chest. Slowly lower it to yourchest. Pause, then push back to the starting position.

Perfect itTry it with dumbbells. Start by holding the

dumbbells next to your chest so that your palms face each

other. As you push the weight up, rotate the dumbbells

outward, so that your palms are facing forward. "This works

your pectorals the way they're designed to function, giving you

better results," says McGarr.

Super substitutionsPushup, dip, and close- or wide-gripversions of the barbell bench press


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Movement 4

Horizontal pullAny upper-body exercise in which you pull

the weight in to your torsoThe main moveBarbell row

How to do itGrab a barbell with an overhand grip, and stand

with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly

bent. Let the barbell hang at arm's length on top of your thighs,

thumbs pointed toward each other. Bending your elbows, lift

your upper arms straight out to the sides, and pull the barbell

straight up until your upper arms are parallel to the floor and

the bar is just below chin level. Pause, then return to the

starting position.

Perfect itUse a grip that's twice shoulder width and squeeze

your shoulder blades together as you pull the weight to your

chest. "You'll better work the muscles of your rear shoulders

and upper back, which when weak, cause men to slump and

lead to the rounded-shoulder look," says Mejia.

Super substitutionsDumbbell row, inverted row, and

seated row

Vertical pressAny upper-body exercise in which you press

the weight upward

The main moveBarbell shoulder press

How to do itSitting on an exercise bench, hold barbell at

shoulder height with your hands shoulder-width apart. Press


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the weight straight overhead so that your arms are almost fully

extended, hold for a count of one, then bring it down to the

front of your shoulders. Repeat. Perfect itHold the barbell

with an "offset" grip, so that your thumbs are against the inside

heads of the dumbbells. "This creates an imbalance in the

distribution of the weight, forcing your shoulder muscles to

work twice as hard," says Mejia.Super substitutionsDumbbell shoulder press and pike

pushup

Movement 6

Vertical pullAny upper-body exercise in which you pull the

weight downward

The main moveLat pulldown

How to do itGrab a lat-pulldown bar with a "false" overhand

grip that's just beyond shoulder width. A false grip means you

place your thumb on top of the bar, alongside your index

finger, rather than wrap it around the bar. Pull the bar down to

your chest. Pause, and slowly return to the starting position.

Perfect itPerform the movement while on your knees, instead

of sitting on the bench. "It aligns your lats and your glutes,

which naturally work together, allowing you to use more

weight," says McGarr.

Super substitutionsChinup and pullup


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The Rules of Repetition

1. Twice a week, perform each movement in the order shown

above. In your first workout, do 4 to 6 reps of each movement.

In your second workout, perform 10 to 12 reps of each

movement. Alternating between these two repetition ranges

each session trains your muscles for both strength (the lower

reps) and endurance (the higher reps).2. Do the two lower-body movements as straight sets,

performing both sets of Movement 1 (quad-dominant) before

moving on to Movement 2 (hip-dominant). Rest 60 seconds

between each set of each movement.

3. To save time, do Movement 3 and Movement 4 as a pair, and

Movement 5 and Movement 6 as a pair, resting 30 seconds

between each set. That is, perform one set of Movement 3, rest

30 seconds, and then perform one set of Movement 4, and rest

another 30 seconds. Repeat one time--for a total of two sets ofeach exercise--and then move on to Movement 5 and

Movement 6.

4. Always rest at least a day or two between workouts.

5. Every 4 weeks, choose a new exercise from each movement

category.

http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/weight-lifting-tips


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20 Minute Total Workout