New workout Routine WEEK ONE

[dr2i4ve]

DAY ONE:

3 Minutes of Bike + STRETCH + 25 Pushups

Barbell Bench Press 4 x 8, 6, 6, 4
Tips: Lie on a flat bench and firmly position your feet flat on the floor a little more than shoulder width apart. Keep your back flat on the bench! Using a grip broader than shoulder width, hold the barbell above your body, then lower slowly to the middle of your chest. Without bouncing the weight off your chest, drive the barbell up over the middle of your chest until your arms are straight and your elbows are locked. Lower the bar down slowly.

Incline Barbell Press 3 x 8, 6, 6
ips: Set the incline bench at about a 45 degree angle. Sit on the bench with your feet flat on the floor a little more than shoulder width apart. Position your back firmly against the bench. Using a grip slightly wider than shoulder width, hold the bar over your upper chest with your arms straight. Slowly lower the bar and make slight contact with your upper chest area. Drive the weight straight up over your chest until your elbows are locked, or close to it.

Cable Crossover 3 x 10, 8, 6
Tips: Hold the stirrup cable attachments that are attached to a high pulley. Stand about one foot in front of the weight stacks with a handle in both hands. Lean slightly forward and put one foot in front of the other (for balance). Your front knee should be slightly bent. Bring your hands around and in front of your body in a hugging motion with your elbows slightly bent. You should be pulling down at a slight angle. Focus on using just your chest muscles. When your hands meet directly in front of your midsection, squeeze the muscles and then slowly return to the starting position. Your elbows should stay in the same slightly bent position the whole time. Do not walk out too far in front of the pulley system or bend over too much!

Weighted Dips 2 x Unlimited
Tips: Using the parallel bars, grip the handles and push yourself up to your starting position. With elbows close to body and hips straight, lower body until shoulders are slightly stretched. Push body up in same posture and repeat. You can bend and cross your legs or keep them straight. To work the triceps, keep your body STRAIGHT up and down and do not lean over. Leaning over would work more of the lower chest.

Tricep Pushdowns 3 x 10, 8, 6
Tips: Using a high-cable pulley, grasp a short straight bar with an overhand grip. Your hands should be about 10 inches apart. Position your forearms so they are parallel to the floor. Keep your feet shoulder width apart and bend your knees slightly. Keep your elbows locked in close to your body and your wrists straight. Keep your WHOLE body steady, push the bar down as far as possible towards your legs, locking your arms and feeling the triceps full contract. Keep the upper arms close to the body. Return to the starting position using the same motion. Never move your elbows or torso! Stay standing straight up.

Lying Tricep Press 3 x 10, 8, 6
Tips: Sit on a flat bench holding an EZ-Curl bar with an overhand grip. Lie back so that the top of your head is even with the end of the bench. At the same time, extend your arms over your head so that the bar is directly over your eyes. Keep your elbows tight and your upper arms stationary throughout the exercise. Holding your upper arms in a fixed position (this is key), slowly lower the bar until it almost touches your forehead. Then press the bar back up in a slow, sweeping arc-like motion. At the finish, lock your elbows completely.


DAY TWO:

3 Minutes of Bike + STRETCH

Squat 4 x 6, 6, 4, 4
Tips: Rest a barbell on the upper portion of your back, not your neck. Firmly grip the bar with your hands almost twice your shoulder width apart. Position your feet about shoulder width apart and your toes should be pointing just a little outward with your knees in the same direction. Keep your back as straight as possible and your chin up, bend your knees and slowly lower your hips straight down until your THIGHS ARE PARALLEL TO THE FLOOR. Once you reach the bottom position, press the weight up back to the starting position. Don't lean over or curve your back forward! You can use a Belt to help reduce the chance of lower back injury. You can put your heels on a 1 inch block to further work the quads. You can also use a wider stance to work the inner quads even more.

Leg Press 3 x 8, 6, 6
Tips: Sitting on a leg press machine, position your feet together against the crosspiece about should-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward. Grasp the handle grips or sides of the seat. Bend your knees and lower the weight as far as possible without changing the position of your hips. Do not lower the weight so far that your hips start to curl up off the seat! Then slowly push the weight back up using your heels, not your toes. Do not lock your knees at the top, but rather take the weight to just before lock. Then being to lower the weight again SLOWLY. You can change your foot positions to vary the angle on the muscle.

Lying Leg Curls 3 x 8, 8, 6
Tips: Lie face down on a leg-curl machine and hook your heels under the roller pad. Your legs should be stretched out straight so that the pads rest on the back of your ankles. Grasp the handles under the bench for support. Remaining flat on the bench, curl your legs up until your hamstrings are fully contracted. Release and lower the weight slowly back to the starting position. Concentrate on using a full range of motion and do not SWING the weight up. You can point your toes to intensify the burn in your hamstrings.

Seated Calf Raises Superset Standing Calf Raises
2 x 20 2 x 20
Tips: Sit on a calf raise machine. Place your upper thighs under the leg pad just above your knees. Disengage any weight lock that may be in place. Lower your heels to the lowest possible position. Slowly raise up on your toes as high as you can go. Hold for a moment and return to the starting position. Do not "swing" the weight up using momentum! Repeat.

Tips: Stand with your toes on the block of a standing-calf-raise machine and your heels hanging off the end of the platform. Hook your shoulders under the pads and straight your legs, lifting the weight clear of the support. Do not hunch, but rather keep your body straight. Keeping your legs straight, lower your heels and the weight as far as possible toward the floor. Rise up on your toes on your toes as far as possible. Hold the contraction briefly, then slower return to the starting position. You can also point your toes in or out to vary the area of emphasis in your calf muscle.

[dr2i4ve]

DAY THREE:

3 Minutes of Bike + STRETCH + 25 Pushups

Deadlift 4 x 8, 6, 4, 4
Tips: Think of a deadlift as a squat, only the bar is in your hands rather than on your back.

The Stance: Approach the loaded barbell and assume a stance about as wide as your own shoulders while gripping the bar such that the inner aspects of your arms are slightly outside of your thighs. Another way to determine your optimal deadlift foot placement is to jump down from a box which is half your own height and "stick" the landing. Now look at your feet...this will approximate your ideal stance width and degree of foot turn-out.

Feet and Shin Position: Feet should point straight forward or turned out to a 25 degree angle at most. The best foot angle is one which provides the least amount of hip and knee restriction when you lower the hips in preparation to lift, so don't be afraid to experiment a bit. The shins should be two to three inches from the bar and then when you actually bend down and lower your hips in preparation to lift, the shins will touch the bar. Most of the weight will be on the heels of the feet. This facilitates maximal contribution of the glutes and hamstrings. During the ascent, the bar will travel as close to the leg and shins as possible. Ideally, wear cotton sweat pants or track pants with long socks to protect your shins.

Seated Cable Row 3 x 8, 6, 6
Tips: Sit down at a low-pulley rowing machine with your feet flat against the footrests and your knees slightly bent. Bending only at the waist, lean forward and grasp the pulley handle in front of you. Your palms should be facing each other. Keep your back FLAT and looking forward, slowly draw the handles back to your stomach while simutaneously leaning back at the waist until your torso is prependicular to the floor. The handles should reach your stomach just as your upper body reaches the upright position. Slowly return to the starting position by leaning forward from the waist while extending your arms in front of you. TO ISOLATE YOUR LATS ONLY do not bend forward at all, just keep your back straight up and down and move only your arms and squeeze your back.

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown 3 x 10, 8, 6
Tips: Start with your legs positioned snugly under the kneepads of a pulldown machine. Your feet should be flat on the floor. Grasp the wide bar firmly with an overhand grip. Your hands should be almost twice your shoulder width apart. Pull the bar down on top of your chest, arching your back slightly. Focus on keeping your elbows directly below the bar. Pause briefly with the bar in position right on top of your collarbone. Slowly raise the bar back to the starting position. Do NOT lean back too far and pull the weight down using your body weight!

Barbell Curl 3 x 8, 6, 6-4
Tips: Possibly the best biceps exercise! With your hands shoulder-width apart, grip a barbell with an underhand grip. Stand straight up with your shoulders squared and with your feet shoulder-width apart. Let the bar hang down at arm's length in front of you, with your arms, shoulders and hands in a straight line. WITHOUT leaning back or swinging the weight, curl the bar up toward your chest in an arc. Keep your elbows in the same place and close to your sides. Bring the weight up as high as you can and squeeze the biceps at the top. Lower the weight slowly, resisting all the way down until your arms are nearly straight.

Incline Dumbbell Curl 2 x 8, 6
Tips: Sit on an incline bench and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your shoulders square and your chest up. Press your upper back and shoulders against the bench. Let your arms hang downward with your palms facing each other. Slowly curl the weight in your right hand out and up to shoulder level, while turning your wrist so that your thumb is on the outside. Squeeze your bicep at the top and then slowly lower the weight back down. You can also do this standing or by doing one arm at a time.

Hammer Curl 3 x 6, 6, 4
Tips: With a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your arms hanging at your sides, palms facing each other. Keep your elbows locked into your sides. Your upper body and elbows should remain in the same place during the whole lift. Keeping your palms facing each other, curl the weight in your right hand up in a semi-circle toward your right shoulder. Squeeze the biceps hard at the top of the lift and then slowly lower. Do not turn your wrists during this lift! You can also do one arm at a time and/or alternate.



DAY FOUR:

3 Minutes of Bike + STRETCH

Clean And Press 4 x 8, 6, 6, 4
Tips:

Beginning Position
? Assume a shoulder-width stance, knees inside arms.
? Fully extend arms.
? Point elbows out to sides.
? Position shoulders over or slightly ahead of the bar. Establish a flat back posture.

Upward Movement Phase: First Pull
? Begin pull by extending the knees.
? Move hips forward and raise shoulders at the same rate.
? Keep the angle of the back constant.
? Lift bar straight up.
? Keep bar close to the body, heels on the floor.
? Keep elbows fully extended.
? Keep shoulders back and above or slightly in front of the bar.
? Keep head facing straight forward.
? Maintain torso position.

Upward Movement Phase: Transition (Scoop)
? Thrust hips forward and continue pulling until the knees are under the bar.
? Keep feet flat.
? Torso should be nearly vertical and erect.
? Keep shoulders positioned directly over the bar.
? Keep elbows fully extended.

Upward Movement Phase: Second Pull
? Brush bar against the middle or top of thighs.
? Keep torso erect and head facing straight or slightly up.
? Keep elbows straight.
? Move bar explosively by extending the knee, hip, and ankle joints in a "jumping action."
? Keep shoulders over the bar as long as possible, and elbows out.
? Keep bar close to body.
? At maximum plantar flexion, shrug the shoulders.
? At maximum shoulder elevation, flex and pull with the arms
? Keep elbows high during pull; keep them over the wrists.
? Pull bar as high as possible.

Catch
? Rotate elbows around and under the bar.
? Hyperextend the wrists as the elbows move under the bar.
? Point elbows forward or slightly up.
? Rack the bar across the front of the shoulders.
? Keep torso erect.
? Flex hips and knees to absorb the weight of the bar.

Overhead Press
? Without moving your feet, press the bar overhead.
? The barbell is to be pressed evenly in a continuous movement to arms length overhead.
? During the Press, the trunk may be inclined backwards to any extent, but the legs must remain braced and there must be no movement of the feet.

Downward Movement Phase
? Lower bar slowly and under control to top of thighs.
? Flex hips and knees as bar lands on thighs.
? Squat down toward floor.
? Maintain erect torso position.
? Keep bar close to shins.
? Place bar on the floor.

Breathing
? Inhale before the first pull of the first repetition.
? Hold breath until second pull.
? Exhale through the sticking point (shrug) of the second pull.
? Inhale during the downward movement phase of succeeding repetitions.

Front Dumbbell Raise and Power Partials
2 x 10, 8 2 x 8, 6
Tips: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing backward. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart. Maintain a slight bend in your elbows throughout the exercise so that your arms are straight, but not quite locked. Lift the weight in your left hand in front of you in a wide arc until it is slightly higher than shoulder height. With a smooth, controlled motion, lower the weight while simutaneously lifting the weight in your right hand, so that both arms are in motion at the same time. Do not cheat by swinging or leaning backwards! Can also be done with two dumbbells at the same time or a barbell.

Tips: Stand upright, with your feet about shoulder width apart and your arms to your sides. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms turned toward your body. Keeping your arms straight, lift the weights out and up to the sides until they are slightly under shoulder level. Then slowly lower them to your sides. It's important to keep your palms turned downward as you lift the dumbbells so that your shoulders, rather than your biceps, do the work. Make sure you lift the dumbbells on the way up rather than "swinging" them up. Don't lean forward! Keep the dumbbells at your sides.

Standing Military Press 4 x 8, 6, 4, 4
Tips: Raise barbell to your chest with your hands shoulder width apart. Lock your legs and hips. Keep your elbows in, slightly under your bar. Press bar to arm's length overhead. Lower to your upper chest or chin (depending on what is comfortable). Some experts believe lowering the bar to your chest is too low and strains the shoulders too much. Can also be done seated or with dumbbells.

Barbell Shrugs 2 x 10 Behind Neck 1 x 10
Tips: Hold a barbell with both hands in front of you with your hands a little wider than shoulder width apart. Keep your feet at shoulder width. Stand straight up with the bar hanging at arms length. Droop shoulders down as much as possible to start. Raise your shoulders up as far as you can go. You can also rotate your shoulders as you go up, going in a semicircular motion from front to rear. Then slowly return to the starting position. Can also be down with dumbbells.

Forearms and Abs

[Beowolf Agate]

Why the bike on upper-body days? Why the push ups? It has no purpose. Do exercise specific warm ups.

No comments other than that, tl;dr.

[Delgadido]

Why the bike on upper-body days? Why the push ups? It has no purpose. Do exercise specific warm ups.

No comments other than that, tl;dr.

cardio gets your blood pumping through your body..

[dr2i4ve]

Why the bike on upper-body days? Why the push ups? It has no purpose. Do exercise specific warm ups.

No comments other than that, tl;dr.

You're suppose to actually get a short cardio in before you stretch anyways, not like three minutes of biking is going to affect my upper body lifts..