Mens Health - Total Body Workout | Page 6

in each workout.
Variety: When you can’t increase the weights from one
week’s workouts to the next, or when you can’t
increase the number of pullups, switch the exercises
around as follows:
Instead of… Do…
? Overhand-grip pullup? Neutral-grip pullup
? One-arm cable row? Machine row (Hammer
Strength–style is best)
? Dumbbell pullover? EZ-curl–bar pullover
? Neutral-grip lat pulldown? One-arm lat pulldown
? Bent-over dumbbell row? Underhand-grip bent-over
barbell row
? Stiff-arm lat pulldown? Machine pullover
How long: When you find that you’ve hit a plateau with
the alternate exercises, switch back to the first group;
but this time use lighter weights, do more repetitions,
and take shorter rest periods. Your body will need a
break from the heavy weights.
AB
A
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B
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BA
AB
Total Body Workbook
OVERHAND–GRIP PULLUP
Sets:
3Repetitions: Max out
NEUTRAL–GRIP LAT PULLDOWN
Sets:
3Repetitions:6–8
ONE–ARM CABLE ROW
Sets:
3Repetitions: 6–8 with each arm
BENT–OVER DUMBBELL ROW
Sets:
3Repetitions:6–8 with each arm
DUMBBELL PULLOVER
Sets:
1Repetitions: 10-12
STIFF–ARM LAT PULLDOWN
Sets:
1Repetitions:10–12

www.menshealth.com|TOTAL BODY WORKBOOK25MEN’S HEALTH
ADVANCED BEGINNER
BAB
A
BB
KEY INFO
BEGINNER
Frequency: Do these exercises three times a week,
as part of a total-body weight workout.
Rest: 1 minute between exercises
Progress: Increase weights each week.
How long: Follow this program for your first 4 to 8 weeks
of exercise, or for 2 to 3 weeks after a break. When you
can’t increase the weight from one week to the next,
move to the Advanced Beginner workout.
Frequency: Do these exercises three times a week,
as part of a total-body weight workout.
Technique: Increase weights on each set.
Rest: 2 minutes between sets
Progress: Use heavier weights each week.
Variety: After 3 or 4 weeks, switch to the exercises in
the Intermediate program, but do them as shown here,
increasing the weight on each set.
How long: When you have the time and energy to do
more exercises, move to the next level.
A
A
ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION:Hold
for 5 seconds on each repetition.PLATE LIFT: Perform
slow repetitions.BUCKET LIFT:Increase resistance by
adding water or sand to the bucket.
Total Body Workbook
LEG PRESS
Sets:
1Repetitions: 12–15
LEG CURL
Sets:
1Repetitions:12–15
DUMBBELL SQUAT
Sets:
3Repetitions: 12, 10, 8
ONE-LEGGED CURL
Sets:
3Repetitions:12, 10, 8 each leg
CALF RAISE
Sets:
1 Repetitions:15
No More Shinsplints Nearly all shinsplints involve overusing your anterior tibialis—the strip of
muscle on the front of your lower leg—without first strengthening it, Pearson says. Actually, it’s a simple
muscle to exercise: Raise your toes toward your knee, and you’ve worked it. Here are moves you can do to
strengthen your shins. One set of 10 to 12 repetitions of any one of these exercises should give your anterior
tibialis all the work it needs.
Illustrations: John Hull; icons: Jim Nuttle

MEN’S HEALTH 26TOTAL BODY WORKBOOK|www.menshealth.com
INTERMEDIATE
Homegrown Hamstrings Don’t have access to a gym? Here are two hamstring exercises that
require no special equipment. You can substitute them for the exercises shown above.
KEY INFO
LYING HIP EXTENSION DUMBBELL LEG CURL
Frequency: Divide your workout into two sets of exer-
cises—one for the chest, shoulders, and arms, and one
for the back, legs, and abdominals. There are two dif-
ferent leg workouts at this level. Do each once a week.
Technique: Begin the first set of each exercise with the
heaviest weight you can use for eight to 10 repetitions.
Reduce the weight slightly for subsequent sets if you
need to. If you start your workout with barbell squats,
however, you’ll need one or two warmup sets before
you’re ready to work with a truly challenging weight.
Rest: 2 minutes between sets
Progress: Increase the weights each week. If you increasethe weight on squats and lunges, you may be too pooped
for the others, but don’t worry about it. It’s more impor-
tant to push yourself on the full-body exercises.
Variety: If you get stuck on one weight for 2 or 3 consec-
utive weeks, switch to exercises from the previous
sections—you should be able to do them with much
more weight—or try some of the moves in the Advanced
section. When you stop making progress with those,
switch back to the Intermediate program.
How long: Train this way for as long as you’re satisfied
with the results, or until you feel ready to push yourself
with higher weights and fewer repetitions.
WORKOUT 1 WORKOUT 2
BAD FORM
BAD FORM
Don’t bend forward or let your
heels lift off the floor. Don’t let your knees extend past
your toes, especially if you’ve ever
had knee problems.
AB
B
ABAB
A
AB
AB
Total Body Workbook
BARBELL SQUAT
Sets:
3Repetitions: 8–10
LUNGE
Sets:
3Repetitions:8–10
STANDING LEG CURL
Sets:
3Repetitions: 8–10
SEATED LEG CURL
Sets:
3Repetitions:8–10
SEATED CALF RAISE
Sets:
1Repetitions: 15–20
ONE–LEGGED CALF RAISE
Sets:
1Repetitions:12–15 each leg

www.menshealth.com|TOTAL BODY WORKBOOK27MEN’S HEALTH
A
A
A
B
AB
POWER WORKOUTTo improve your game
MUSCLE-BUILDING WORKOUTTo build more brawn
Frequency: Choose the program you’d like to follow and
do it twice a week, following the same split routine you
used in the Intermediate program.
Technique: Schedule heavy and light days each week.
For the
Power Workout,use more weight on each set
on the heavy day, and on the light day stay at the same
weight—a much lighter one—for all three sets. On the
light day, use about 60 percent of the weight you lifted for
your last set on the heavy day. For example, if you used 185
pounds on your last set of squats on the heavy day, try
about 115 pounds for all your sets on the next light day.
For the
Muscle-Building Workout,start each exercise
with the heaviest weight you can lift for the recommended
number of repetitions. This rule holds for your light day as
well as your heavy