The Body 4 Weeks Upper/Lower

My aims are (in no particular order):

1. Design a training method that works in context of the Centre and your time constraints. This need to

ensure the session can be completed in 1 hour and get around the issue of waiting for kit.

2. Design a training method that is hard but that you enjoy and gives you variety week on week.

3. Build in some methods of progression (up weight, reduce rest, increase reps with same weight) and

build in some per iodisation (increase intensity and volume over the 4 weeks).

Im not sure how this will evolve past the initial 4 weeks and lets consider this a test run. One thing I can say

for sure is that it will test you.

There is plenty of description given as you read but just a couple of notes that apply across the whole

programme:

1. Failure Failure in this context means when you cannot perform another reps with good form. Reps

are done in continuous fashion I.E. no resting. A short pause is acceptable however any more and the

set is over. Youve hit failure.

2. Upping weight/Rest Pause - Whenever you try and put more weight on the bar and dont manage it

use Rest Pause technique until you exceed the reps you managed the previous time but with more

weight. We are talking good reps here so go to failure as above. Rack the weight, rest 20 secs and

then perform another couple of reps with good form.

3. Remember how to train

Upper Body Workout

Upper body is split into Chest, Delts and Back/Traps and Arms.

Read through your options for each body part, keep an eye on what week you are in and remember you can do the body parts in whatever order suits.

Chest

Pick a pressing movement and pressing angle (Smith machine, Set up a barbell and bench in the cage, either of the two chest press machines).

If you decline press or machine press, grab a set of dumbbells and perform 10 front raises with perfect form (under control raising to forehead level, no

swinging) after each chest set of 8.

Week Sets/Reps Technique Goal Intensification

1

2 x Bar Do not lock these out. Stop and inch from chest and just before lock out.

Start Warming Up. None

1 x 12

No lock out and stop an inch from chest. Pyramid up to a hard 12. Suggest you go 1.25es, 2.5es, 3.75 each side. 3.75 is your hard 12 at a guess.

Pump None

1 x 8

Explosive technique. 1 sec pauses on chest and then press. Lock out. Lower slowly. Repeat.

Train explosively and work muscle from stretched position. You should feel a stretch as the bar sits on your chest or machine pushes you back for the 1 sec pause.

None

2

No Change Special Set: After your last set of 8 Go back to the weight you performed your 12 reps with. If smith benching set the safety catches to the correct height and if in the cage set the catch bars. Un rack the weight and go down to chest. Press half way up. Pause. Back down to chest. Press all the way up. That is one rep. Aim 6 reps.

3 Add an extra set of 8. So 1 x 12, 2 x 8.

Straight up pressing with perfect form. Drop Set: Perform your last set of 8, strip the bar or drop the plates on machine and rep it to failure.

4 No Change Partials: On your last set of 8 just keep going until you cannot

move the bar.

Delts: The programme is about compromise and as such we will take it that your front delts are getting hit sufficiently while training chest. This means you need to hit rears and sides. Delt intensification is explained last in this section.

Rear Delts: Pick a rear delt exercise (standing bent over rear delt swings, rear delt cable x, incline bench rear delt swings)

Side Delts: For the meantime, I want you to use DB Side Swings. Reminder - see how you find these after week 2. Use the same rep scheme as for side delts. Get me to show you the technique again.

Week Sets/Reps Technique Goal

1 1 x 20 If bent over swings or inc bench swings the aim is to keep the weight moving like a pendulum. With the cable x, get your arms all the way back and get a contraction.

Feel your rear delts contract.

2 2 x 20

3 2 x 25

4 2 x 30

Delt Intensification (Weeks 2,3) 6 Ways x 1 Set to failure. Standing or seated is fine but I will need to show you the form. Over and Back Press x 1 Set to failure. I will need to show you the form. Ensure you set up the do this is a cage and have the hooks at the right height to take the bar back off you. Im hoping you can do this with a 20kg barbell.

Delt Intensification (Weeks 4) Drop Set. On the last set of side and rear delts drop the weight in half and rep out failure. If your doing an exercise that requires a full range of motion (ie NOT swings) rep out some partials as well.

Back/Traps

There are a few parts to your back (a fact I have neglected to my detriment ;) ).Upper Traps, Lower/Traps + Rhomboids and Lats. There are various

supersets below to choose from the hit the entire back with minimal faff. Pick one and follow it through or pick a different one each week. Just look at the

week youre in for sets and reps and remember to do intensification after week 1.

NOTE ON INTENSIFIACTION: Some of these techniques double up across supersets and some are not appropriate for others. Have a look at the table at the

very bottom to see which ones to use with which superset.

NOTE ON TRAPS: To keep the workout time down do a set of dumbbell shrugs to failure with a 3 sec squeeze at the top after each superset. Remember

what failure means.

Chin Up/Body Row:

You can do these in the cage, in the smith machine (use a bench to jump up and grab the top of it to do the chins), or try and set up the gymnast handles in

the X fit section.

Week Sets/Reps (Chin/Row)

Technique Goal

1 F/F x 2 Sets Picture of the body row below, it is important to concentrate on hitting upper back by keeping your elbows up, drive your elbows back to power your chest towards the bar and squeeze your back muscles for 2 secs, slowly lower but keep tension in your backie dont let your shoulders come forward and keep your scapula somewhat back. Set the bar up however you feel it best. Chin ups can be partials if you cannot do full chins, just keep your chest up, shoulders back and keep it on your lats.

Feel your upper and lower back pump.

2 F/F x 2 Sets

3 F/F x 3 Sets

4 F/F x 3 Sets

Rack Pull/Chin Up:

You will remember these.

Week Sets/Reps (Rack

Pull/Chin)

Technique Goal

1 6/6 x 2 Sets Set up so your pulling from mid shins if you can. Make sure you flex your rhomboids/mid traps and upper back once (and only once) you have full locked the lift out. Lower the bar back down to the safety stoppers,pause and go again. Chins can be partials but as everhead up, chest up and shoulders back keeping it on the lats.

Upper/Mid/Lower back pump.

2 6/6 x 2 Sets

3 6/6 x 3 Sets

4 6/6 x 3 Sets

Smith Machine BOR/Body Row OR Barbell BOR/Body Row:

Use whichever combination of kit you fancy both work well.

Week Sets/Reps (BOR/Body

Row)

Technique Goal

1 12/F x 2 Sets Picture of the body row above, it is important to concentrate on hitting upper back by keeping your elbows up, drive your elbows back to power your chest towards the bar and squeeze your back muscles for 2 secs, slowly lower but keep tension in your backie dont let your shoulders come forward and keep your scapula somewhat back. Set the bar up however you feel it best. BORs just do whatever technique feels good to youremember tour hands are hooks and your driving your elbows back. Sometimes I find keeping these pumping like a piston gives a better feel than trying to contract each repsee how you get on.

Feel your upper and lower back pump.

2 12/F x 2 Sets

3 12/F x 3 Sets

4 12/F x 3 Sets

Cable Row/Straight Arm Push Down OR Lat Pull Down:

You can use any attachment you like for either of these. I like the individual handles for the cable row.

The push downs can be done on one of the pulleys or the lat pull down.

Week Sets/Reps (CR/PD)

Technique Goal

1 10/10 x 2 Sets Elbows up on the cable rows with a 2 sec squeeze targeting upper back. Big squeeze at the bottom of the push downs targeting lats. If doing lat pulls keep head and chest up and shoulders and scapula back. Pull to sternam and squeeze.

Feel your upper and lower back pump.

2 10/10 x 2 Sets

3 10/10 x 3 Sets

4 10/10 x 3 Sets

Back Intensification:

The table below shows gives a description of intensification techniques for back and shows which techniques to use with which supersets.

Chin Up/Body Row Rack Pull/Chin Up

Smith Machine BOR/Body Row OR Barbell BOR/Body Row

Cable Row with Handles/Straight Arm Push Down

Last Set Partials On your last set do partials once you cant do anymore full reps on both exercises.

Yes Yes but do not do partial rack pulls.

Yes but do not do partial BOR

No

Rest Pause Complete your last set take 20 secs and then pump out another couple of each exercise.

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Partials/Rest Pause Combo On your last set do the rest pause technique with partials after the rest pause. Do this on on both exercises.

Yes Yes but do not do partial rack pulls.

Yes but do not do partial BOR.

No

Increase your reps Beat the reps from the last time you did this superset. Beat the reps on EVERY set. Use rest pause as explained in the intro if you need to

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Work Quicker Reduce perceived rest time between supersets. Aim to work quicker.

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Arms I envisage arms will usually be the last port of call. I just want you do pick an option from the list below each week and get it done quickly. 5 Mins max with

these.

10 of each back to back = 1 set. Do 2 sets week 1 and 2. Up it to 3 sets week 3 and 4.

1. Cable Curl/Rope Push Down

2. Curl (BB or DB)/Diamond Push Up

3. Preacher Curl Machine/Machine Dip (they are next to each other).

4. Band Curl/Bodyweight Dip (get a band and put one end under your foot.then do a bicep curl with it)

5. Palms Facing you Chin Up/Assited Dip do these in the machin.

6. Any combination of the above you fancy.

Lower Body Workout

LEGS!!!!!!!

I thought about doing a load of sample leg workouts but I reckon to be sure you can get it all done in time the system below is safer.

There are 5 Sections to our leg workout. Run the sections sequentially picking one exercise for each section from the list below.

Do the intensification week 2 onwards.

Section 1: Whichever exercise you choose, ensure you get a full ROM and a good squeeze on each rep.

2 x Warm Up, 15,12,10 Up weight each set.

- Seated Hamstring Curl

- Lying Hamstring Curl Machine (I think this exists over with the machines in and around the bicep curl machine).

- Lying Hamstring Curl on Cable Machine (Ive never tried this but there is a foot attachment).

Intensification: On your last set go to failure then do partials, rest pause a drop set or ISO hold. How much pain you inflict on yourself is up to you. Do not

repeat the same technique twice.

GOAL: Pump Hamstrings

Section 2: Leg Extension: Squeeze and contract each rep hard at the top. Go all the way down. 2 x Warm Up, 15,12,10,8 up weight each set.

Bodyweight Squat: TUT/Piston Technique. 4 x 20.

GOAL: Pump Quads

Intensification: On your last set go to failure then do partials, rest pause a drop set (Leg extension only) or ISO hold. How much pain you inflict on yourself is

up to you. Do not repeat the same technique twice.

Section 3: Pyramid up in weight in 8s untill you feel you are 2 or 3 reps away from failure. Aim to get to this weight in 3 warm up sets. Perform 4 x 8 working sets at

this weight.

Squat

Leg Press

Intensification Week 1:None. Straight sets.

Intensification Week 2:Piston Technique/TUT on all sets. Obviously do not lock these out and try to keep the movement going without stopping.

Intensification Week 3:Dead stop leg press (1 sec pause at the very bottom then drive)/Paused Squat (Pause at the bottom to kill momentum) on all sets. Do

not lock these out at the top. On squats done push for the reps if they are not there. Stay Safe.

Intensification Week 4:4 x Dead Stop Leg Press/Pause Squat 4 x Piston TUT = 1 Set of 8. Do your 4 working sets like this.

GOAL: Train Explosively, Train Hard

Section 4: 2 x 12

BB SLDL

Smith SLDL

DB SLDL

Intensification: None

GOAL: Train Hams stretched position

Section 5: Similar to arms these always end up being a token effort and for your purposes that is fine. Get these done in 5 mins but work hard. Its the exercise before

your done for another week.

Calf Raise x 20 Reps

Body Weight Calf Raise x 20 reps

Tibia Raise x Failure

Do that twice through with no rest. Drop the weight on the second time through.

Calf Raise Options: leg press , with dumbbells in hand or barbell on your back. Make sure you have the safety bars set just below should height if using a

barbell. You can also use the smith machine if it works for you. I dont like it personally. At a pushuse the thing called the squat machine, hold the handles

and do calf raises.

GOAL: Train Calfs