WEEK NINETEEN :: What Is Your Favorite Workout?

[the_fake_webmaster]

* Note: How can I win? Answer all questions in the order that they are asked.

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TOPIC: What Is Your Favorite Workout?

For the week of: 02/06 - 02/12
Sunday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

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Overall, what is your favorite workout? Why?

What made this workout become your favorite?

Do you enjoy this workout because of the results, or because it is more fun to do?

Bonus: What is your favorite ab workout?

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Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

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NEW PRIZE MONEY!!!!!
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The best response will get $75 in credit, and second place will get $50 in credit to use in our online store and will have their workout posted on our main site for the world to see!

Thanks,
Bodybuilding.com

[gangsta1529]

Overall, what is your favorite workout? Why?

What made this workout become your favorite?

Do you enjoy this workout because of the results, or because it is more fun to do?

Bonus: What is your favorite ab workout?


My favorite workout is training my back.

The reason why i chose my back is because i love doing me some Reverse Grip

Bent-Over Rows and som deadlifts and when doing that back i get this good

pump feeling not only in my back also my biceps. it makes me feel huge.also

my back workout also contains some dumbell rows, lat pulldown or some

pullups, and Seated Cable Rows and the deadlifts are done every 2 workouts.

I just dont enjoy this workout i love this work because of the results. i really

like when i wearing a shirt and my back gives me the width that i'am looking

for , also i dont go in the gyn to have fun i go in there to handle business and

push my self to my limit.


when traing abs i dont do high reps or a lot of sets. i do abs every 3 workouts

i do i try to keep ab workout short.

Decline Crunch-http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2002/declinecrunch2.jpg

Knee/Hip Raise On Parallel Bars http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2002...aisefront2.jpg

Seated Flat Bench Leg pull http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2002...legpullin2.jpg

Back workout out

Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2002...ipbentrow2.jpg

One-Arm Dumbbell Row http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2002...mbbellrow2.jpg

Seated Cable Rows
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2002/seatedrow2.jpg

Pullups- http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2002/pullup3.jpg

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2002/latpulldown2.jpg

Barbell Deadlift
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/imag.../deadlift2.jpg

[Squats]

What Is Your Favorite Workout?

Overall, what is your favorite workout? Why?

My favorite workout is a lot different from anybody here at the Bodybuilding forums. Mainly because I am power lifting oriented, I am achieving the goal of lifting the most amount of weight for one repetition in the bench press, squat, and deadlift. So, as bodybuilding have their own specific workout for their goals to achieve maximum hypertrophy (size) gains. Many people seem to be stuck in a rut in the bodybuilding world of training currently and aren’t opening their eyes to anything new. Well the methods of training I like are a whole new thing to bodybuilders for the fact that it’s for strength-specific purposes. But bear with me now, these methods have stood the test of time and have created many great power lifters trained under the watchful eye of Louie Simmons of Westside-Barbell.

My favorite workout is the conjugate periodization methods also known as Westside methods. These methods have been some of the best working pieces of the puzzle to get myself to get a lot stronger and add some mass onto my frame. The methods can be changed up for bodybuilders though as well, because there are three methods of conjugate periodization. The first one is the max effort method (to develop maximal strength), the second is the repetition method (used for hypertrophy reasons because a bigger muscle is a stronger muscle), and lastly the dynamic method (to develop the speed of the lift to improve your strength). The methods can be changed up for a bodybuilding to a power lifter, which offers a lot of variety making for a training method that works. It also is planned out to help with general recovery and CNS (central nervous system) recovery. Training the max effort exercise to a one-rep max every week sounds like a strain and it is, but all the supplemental and accessory work is not done to failure, but with a few reps left in the tank. This will boost recovery because you’re totally destroying the muscle like you would going to failure.

So far I have been doing Westside-Barbells methods for a little over three months and have gained about roughly 120 pounds on all three of my lifts along with an extra 15 pounds of mass on also. The gains have been very great and in large amounts without having any negative side effects or injuries. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is looking to gain strength or mass. If you would like to learn more about Westside methods or a variation for strength and mass, check out these websites…

www.elitefts.com
www.westside-barbell.com
http://www.defrancostraining.com/art...s_westside.htm

What made this workout become your favorite?

This workout became my favorite just because of how well the whole thing fits together. It works and that’s one thing you want to aim for no matter what your goals are. The gains from the methods were very great and in large amounts without any injuries or getting sick during the time. This workout is great for people who want challenges in their lifting program; this would be perfect for those individuals. Hitting new personal records every week, is always a great way to push yourself the extra limit. It also has a lot of variety for those who get bored of what they’re currently doing. With Westside you change up exercises every 1-3 weeks and you never get tired of the lifting. And there are also a lot of lifts to learn about and get to try out. Over hundreds of exercises not spotted by the bodybuilding population are just floating around waiting to be used and they’re great exercises.

Do you enjoy this workout because of the results, or because it is more fun to do?

I enjoy this workout because of the results and the variety you get with it. Switching up the exercises every few weeks keeps your body moving without burning out your CNS and giving some new flavor to the workout. The results have been very good with the basic methods, and with a repetition day for bodybuilders the results are also very good. Joe DeFranco’s Westside modification has been one of the most well-known programs for bodybuilders and athletes. The hypertrophy gains for many have shown very good along with proper nutrition. It is also challenging for those who like to challenge themselves day in and out to achieve their potential.

Bonus: What is your favorite abs workout?

Honestly I never really had a favorite abdominal routine. I just always kept it basic and heavy cause that’s really all you need. Doing some heavy pull down abs at the pull down station with a rope and your good for 5 sets of 10 to 15 reps. And adding in some straight leg raises for 5 sets of 15 reps is good for building the lower abdominal muscles and making them stronger. Another one you can try is a day with an abdominal circuit of 4-5 exercises circuited together with no rest in between and for variety. Then a day following it for some heavy exercises for the abdominals and oblique’s to help a physique along with low body fat percentages. Keep it simple and heavy and you’ll be on your way.

[Liquid_diet]

Overall, what is your favorite workout? Why?

It is important to be able to enjoy a fitness program in order to stick with it. This is the only way to maintain results and continue to make improvements. If I hated going to the gym like some people, then I would be doomed from the start. Luckily, I enjoy the time I spend at the gym. It is actually my favorite part of the day. There are several factors that contribute to making certain gym experiences even better than the rest. These can include no time retrains, having a motivated workout partner, and simply performing the activities and exercises that I enjoy most.

The Conditions:

My favorite workout is definitely a workout I can enjoy on my day off from work and school. Having to hurry through a workout while keeping tabs on the time can make me feel rushed and even stressed. When I have the entire to day to do as I wish, I can perform the exercises that I choose at a pace that I can enjoy.

Having a buddy that’s able to devote an equal amount of time to the gym always makes for a better workout experience. Being able to talk about exercises and supplements, and even joke around a little bit in between sets, makes the workout that much more enjoyable. In addition, having an experienced spotter to help you pump out those last couple reps will make for a more safe and effective workout.

Working out when the gym isn’t super crowded always makes for a favorite workout as well.

The exercises:

Warming up for a workout can actually be enjoyable! After the time spent on treadmills and other cardio equipment during cardio days, that is the last place I want to be during a lifting day. I like to warm up by kicking a soccer ball on the racquetball court with a buddy or alone. Punching a heavy bag or jumping rope are other warm-ups I enjoy.

Decline Dumbell Press-10,10,8,6.

Incline Dumbell Press-10,10,8,6.

Skull Crushers-10,10,8,6.

Incline Bench Dumbell Tri Extensions(hammer grip, dumbell in each hand)-10,10,10.

Dips-to failure.

I like to perform a 10 second "negative" when lowering the weight after my last rep on the last set of each exercise. Not only is it highly effective at fatiguing additional muscle fibers, but its challenging. It's also pretty funny to hear some of the things that will come out of a workout partner's mouth when they're trying to motivate you to hold up the weight without them helping you too much.

What made this workout become your favorite?

I came to enjoy this Chest/tri workout for several reasons. I’ve always enjoyed the “pushing” exercises associated with chest and triceps more than the “pulling” exercises associated with back and biceps. I also enjoy the more “primitive” feel of freeweight exercises instead of using machines. After doing the standard bench press, it’s always fun to change it up for a few months. Dumbells force me to focus on good form and equal distribution of the weight to both arms. I can always throw a little more weight up from a decline position, and I can watch my form in the mirror when on an incline bench. I also like that I can go with a relatively heavy weight with the number of reps I choose to perform.

Do you enjoy this workout because of the results, or because it is more fun to do?

My pecs and Tris are always pumped at the conclusion of my workout. I am definitely pleased with the results I have achieved with this workout, but mainly it is fun to me. Everyone enjoys certain exercises more than others, and these are my choices. Getting results and lifting heavier and heavier always adds to the overall fun of the extended gym experience for me.

Bonus: What is your favorite ab workout?

I like to keep my ab workout short and effective, as I usually exercise my abs at the end of my other workouts 3 times a week. I try to vary the exercise each time I do abs in order to avoid boredom and my abs adapting too quickly.

My favorite workout hits both the upper and lower abdominals. I like to perform a “combo set” of ab exercises without rest. I do 25 Crunches, immediately followed by 25 Supine Leg Lifts, and finishing with 25 “V” or “Jackknife” situps. If my abs aren’t burning too much at this point, I will hold my legs and head slightly off the ground for about 15 seconds to finish the job. After a 2 minute rest I will perform a Prone Elbow Hold for 1 minute, followed by a minute rest and then another 1 minute elbow hold. The burn is most unbearable at this point, but the abs are done and I can enjoy that feeling of completing my workout and look forward to coming back to the gym soon.

[DaMuscle]

Overall, what is your favorite workout? Why?
My favorite workout is the flat bench press Why? becouse every time iam able to bench more it makes me feel more confident and powerfull

What made this workout become your favorite?
Becouse the bench press is the most known workout. If you can bench more then somone it proves u are stronger then them.thats in my opion

Do you enjoy this workout because of the results, or because it is more fun to do? I personaly like it becouse its a fun workout and impowering.

Bonus: What is your favorite ab workout?
My favorite abb workout would be hanging leg raises with or without weight. Its a great workout makes you really feal the burn in your stomache and the results are awsome!

[MattyG]

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Overall, what is your favorite workout? Why?

What made this workout become your favorite?

Do you enjoy this workout because of the results, or because it is more fun to do?

Bonus: What is your favorite ab workout?

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Overall, what is your favorite workout? Why?

What made this workout become your favorite?

Do you enjoy this workout because of the results, or because it is more fun to do?

Bonus: What is your favorite ab workout?


INTRO
Ask anybody in the gym working on a split routine what their favorite day is and I’m sure you’ll get a definitive answer.
Most guys and gals enjoy working a particular part of their body more than the other parts.
Look around most gyms and you see all the time people working either chest or arms. I would bet the most common favorite bodypart to work is either of those just mentioned.
Arms lovers might say they love the pump they get – a valid reason – and chest lovers might exclaim how they just love pressing that bar off their chest – another valid point.
Look around the gym again – how many people do you see training back? I bet not as many as chest or arms.
What about LEGS? Now we’re really scraping the barrel! And out of those we do see training legs – how many of those are actually training with any real intensity?
At my gym there are some very big and powerful guys, but I’ve only ever seen one guy squat hard (me aside).

I’m guessing people don’t like leg day so much.

Me, I love training legs. The only thing is I also love training chest and back and all others equally. I don’t have a favorite – I just love training!

This is why I am so glad to be on a full body program.

_______________________________________________

My favorite workout is my full body program I have designed.
It goes like this:

1 set 20 rep squats
1 set sldl
2 sets incline dumbbell press or weighted dips or flat bench
2 sets pull ups or pull downs or rows
2 sets seated dumbbell shoulder press or barbell press
2 sets one legged calf raise

I love this program as it is nice and simple, focusing on the big compound movements. It’s short but brutal.
Each and every workout I can slap on a bit more weight or hit one more rep at the same weight as last time.
There is one exercise ‘per bodypart’ (though each exercise works more than one at a time) which enables me to attack each set with a high level of energy.

On a split routine, working chest for example, I always found that having already performed 3 sets of incline presses, I was ‘all pressed out’ when it came to flat bench, and therefore my poundage’s/reps suffered.

On this routine I’m always ‘fresh’. I’m not having to ‘spread’ my energy out over one whole workout. Fresh, but well worked.

This routine is easy to log in a journal, and I don’t have to think ‘oh I did one extra rep on incline dumbbell press, which made flat bench harder, which tired me out for dips so I did an extra set of flies and some crossovers’
My routine is easy to follow and easy to log and easy to trace back through the log and follow progress.

You can chop and change on this routine. This is why I have listed various chest exercises and back exercises for example.
This enables me to take a break from one movement if I feel it is stagnating, and work on another.

I get to work all my favorite body parts (that’s all of them ) with this routine, 2 or 3 times a week. This is why it’s my favorite.
I don’t get that ridiculous DOMS anymore from ‘killing’ one bodypart in a marathon session.

BONUS

My favorite ab workout is stupidly simple, just like my favorite workout program!

2 sets of crunches, working to near failure both sets. No need for extra weight, just good solid crunches.

Perform these before the squats as part of the warm up and you're good to go.

With all that squatting, dead lifting and other compound work, my abs/core is worked well enough imo.


So, in summary:

1. My favorite workout is Full Body Program
Because I get to work my whole body to maximum potential, whilst making consistent gains from session to session. It’s easy to log, and easy to manipulate.

2. I was stuck in a rut with split routines, finding I had to spread my energy too thin.

3. I enjoy this workout because it is brutal, yet sensible. You really feel like you’ve done some work and achieved something.

4. Crunches - 2 sets.

I am not saying that split routines suck or are useless people, but for me this program above is the ticket. That is all.

[zich_52]

my favorite workout would have to be my quad/calf day.

leg extensions: 12-15 reps x 4sets for warm up
hack squats: 1: 15 reps
2: 12 reps
3: 8-10 reps
4: quadruple drop set
leg press: 4 sets - first 2 sets 10-12 reps
- last 2 sets to failure (usually 5-8 reps)
squats: 4 sets - first 2 sets 8-10 reps
- 3rd set 1-5 reps
- 4th set 6-8 reps
calves
seated calf raise super setted with standing calf raise x4 sets
run on treadmill 1kilometer on 5 degree incline

It became my favorite workout because it is such a high intensity workout that it made all my other workouts just as intense as my leg workout is.

I enjoy the workout mostly because of the results.

[zich_52]

legs

[\/]

my favorite workout is the chest workout. i really enjoy training chest because it is one of my weak points, and needs to be improved

bench press and high pulley cable flys made training my chest a lot more effective and fun. i like the feeling off walking out of a gym and being satisfied with my workout, and a few sets of cable flys at the end are very productive

i enjoy training chest because i have a huge ego (i usually dont bring it with me to the gym) and doing heavy bench press really allow me to control it, its like an outlet for my ego. its a win win situation because i get stronger/bigger (on my chest day), and since i let it all out on the chest day, i can train biceps, triceps..etc with lighter weight an nearly perfect form.

my favorite ab workout is quiet simple, and can be done in almost every public gym. heres how it goes:
3 setes of machine crunches (pyramid the reps) and super set it with hanging leg raises, 2 sets of regular crunches and 2 sets of pillar (get on yourr toes like doing a push up, but instead of putting ur hands on the floor, put ur forearms on the floor. try to keep ur back straight and in a line with your legs, really concentrate on or abs, obliques and intercostals)

[guiseppe]

After spending the last five years or so doing my exercises low volume with a specific rest period between every set, typically two minutes, occasionally periodizing with short rest period work, I recently stumbled across a simple variation that has re energised my workouts and got me charging through a nasty plateau. This workout protocol is applied to all body parts so I’ll treat the whole workout week as one workout.

Tried and true bodybuilding wisdom tells us this: heavy weight, lower reps and long intervals between sets emphasise strength and power whereas lighter weight, higher reps and shorter rest periods emphasise muscle growth.

With this in mind I set about creating a workout to combine these elements and come up with a more efficient way to build my body, IE faster, better results in shorter time. After I conceived the plan I wondered why I’d never thought of it before; it’s hardly revolutionary but at the same time I find it devastatingly effective!

I won’t list the exercises I do as they are not the point of this writing. I will say this though: I’ve figured out during the years the exercises that work best for me, I expect you’ve done the same. This workout is really aimed at the advanced bodybuilder. In my opinion beginners can make impressive gains with straight sets and rest periods; save the advanced techniques for when you plateau later, otherwise you’ll have nothing to turn to in times of need!

The workout: first up strength and power are the goals while I’m fresh and strong and energy is highest from the meals I’ve been clocking up during the day. This is achieved by heavy weights and rest periods of two minutes, timed to the second. For a given body part I’ll do two exercises in this fashion, four sets of each (rest between exercises for all workouts is constant at two minutes) and going as close to failure on each set as I can on my own. For these exercises I’ll aim for 8-10 reps.

Now for the twist. The next two exercises are aimed at muscle growth via high intensity work, that is: short rest periods, serious pumps and the associated growth hormone and testosterone release due to the build up of waste products in the muscles (try saying that fast three times). For me this entails trimming the rest between sets down to one minute at the most and aiming for 10-15 reps. The pump is sweet!

It would appear that this is a quite insane amount of work and could easily lead to overtraining but not so. An entire workout done in this fashion, with strictly enforced rest periods, typically lasts 40 minutes for single muscle workouts and when pairing muscles about an hour. Please note that you need to split the body up so you train no more than two muscles at a time. I cover the whole body once every week. Also for smaller muscles I’ll knock a few sets off so in total end up with, for instance biceps, 12-14 sets in total.

So the reason this is my favourite workout? After years of the low volume approach with ever stagnating gains, this high volume, twin rest period workout has really got things moving again and the results are coming fast and strong.

As such it’s I enjoy this protocol because of it’s effectiveness and because it’s a real blast to perform (anyone remember the quote a certain someone made comparing the pump with coming?). Not only the pump either but the strength work is very satisfying too. Who doesn’t love to see their strength go up week by week? There’s nothing quite like ripping into the heavy weight with maximum energy at the start of a workout.

Now, the shocking truth! I don’t work abs. I think it’s totally redundant and I’ll cite the old cliché of “they get plenty of work in the big multi joint free weight exercises” because it’s true! I recently dieted down so I could see my abs and they were just as defined and shapely as my friend’s who trains abs like a madman (we both had similar body fat percentages). Perhaps I’m just lucky with genetics, but I tend to think that no one needs to train them. I’m perfectly open to proof though. Get me a picture of a man who never trains abs, at say 6% body fat, then get him to train abs for a year and take another picture at the exact same body fat percentage and we’ll see. On thinking about it, how about Dexter Jackson? He never used to train abs, now he does. I’ve seen comp pictures of him before and after and I don’t believe it’s made a tangible difference. His abs were superb before and they still are.

So I have to say my favourite ab workout is any heavy back, leg or basically any heavy workout period; the abs are involved in every lift we do!

[guiseppe]

Please excuse any grammar errors, I was very tired when I wrote this. The 3rd to last paragraph should read "As such I enjoy..." I tried to edit this now but the option has been removed for some reason.

[LJ57]

Most people dread Leg day but it is my absolute favorite workout. For one thing, my legs are the easiest body part for me to grow so it’s great to see the gains I am able to make in a short period of time. I had relatively large legs even before I took up weightlifting so I imagine there is a major genetic component at work here.

Leg day hurts like hell but it is, nonetheless, the best workout I can imagine. I could probably get my legs to grow with squats alone but I choose to keep my routine fresh, like with other muscles, by changing things up rather frequently. A normal leg workout for me includes squats, hack squats, leg extensions, and lying leg curls. Occasionally, I substitute lunges for squats and straight leg deadlifts for lying leg curls. This hits my glutes a little bit more and keeps my workout from getting stale.

I enjoy working legs because of results. No one in a sane state of mind looks forward to leg day. Throwing up and struggling to walk to the car are not generally classifiable as fun activities. Working legs, however, can be extremely rewarding because results can be seen and often seen quickly.

I work abs on Monday and Thursday. My experience has been that working abs every day or even every other day is counter-productive. If you want your abs to show, provided your bodyfat is low enough, then you need more than high-volume, high-frequency, high-repetition ab workouts. Hit them hard with 2-3 exercises and then let them recover like other muscle groups. I start by doing as many reverse crunches as I can in strict form. I rest 15-20 seconds and then do as many more as I can. After frying my lower abs with 3 or 4 sets I move on to decline crunches and follow the same method as above. Go to failure, rest 15-20 seconds, and go to failure again. After 3-4 sets I’m finished.

[csiagent]

My favorite workout is strength training focusing more on the upper body. One of my main goals is to make the most without requiring expensive equipment. So I've gone through a variation of workouts to meet my needs and not break my bank. I really don't want to spend money I can use buying protein, supplements or vitamins into buying heavy equipment that takes up a lot of space when I can achieve the same results (if not better) using less equipment but a good plan. So here's one of the workouts I've been using.

The workout

Exercise reps
Cable Rows: 8, 6
Russian Twist: 15, 12
Tricep Push Downs: 20,18
Skull Crushers: 10, 8
Deadlift: 10, 8
Bench dips: 10
Pushups: as many as I can
Cardio


I really enjoy this workout. I have also gotten great results in gaining upper body strength. I use different weights in each set. Usually going for the heaviest first, then a lighter one. The good old pushups are a great way to finish the workout. My goal is to always do better than on my last workout. I use this routine when I want to give my workouts a little boost.

As for cardio, I try to change it each time as to not get bored and maximize results. Some days it’s a bike ride, others is just walking/jogging on a treadmill. I have recently done some cardio with burpees, those are killers! If you haven't tried burpees I recommend you check them out. They are great for on the road or quick workouts.

I find that doing cardio after strength training works better for me than viceversa. Sometimes I split these up, doing cardio in the morning and strength training in the evening. When I do this I do some stretches before cardio. I find that this workout split during the day gives me even better results.

I finish the workout by doing some stretching exercises and also some for my back using a foam roller. That has made a difference in recovery time for me.

I don’t really do a separate workout for abs but I include these exercises into my workouts for that. I find that there is no need to create a separate workout for abs only or dedicate a day to focus on them. The exercises I’ve been doing in my workouts also work the abs with more than satisfactory results. Some of the exercises I include are:
Knee tucks
Supermans
Reverse Crunch
Russian Twists
Deadlifts

[Aussie LTD]

whats your favourite routine

[buffwannab]

The arms, because i see serious growth when I work them. I enjoy it because i work them harder and longer than any other. My favorite abs workout is the crunch. Makes them hurt, but hey it works. I can tell by the clothes I wear.

[ho_124]

What Is Your Favorite Workout?


Overall, what is your favorite workout? Why?
For many people, their favorite and sometimes only workout is either the chest or arms because it’s what they think is the most important for the beach or whatnot. But just because a certain workout makes gives you great results and makes you look good doesn’t mean its your favorite workout, which is true for me. My favorite workout has got to be working out the back. No matter what kind of day I’ve been through, I always love doing back workouts and it also lets me unwind after a stressful day. Unlike some people who just throw in a few back exercises and have plenty of chest exercises, I always put in full effort into concentrating on the back muscle and giving it a good workout. One thing I really like about working back is that it is challenging. By this I mean it is hard to try to just concentrate on just using the back instead of using arm power for exercises such as seated rows or one arm end of bar rows. I like the challenge every time I workout my back of trying to just concentrate on just my back muscles instead of using other muscles. This is something that I can always do better and improve on which keeps me motivated by knowing that I can always improve on working out my back better and try to improve each workout. Another reason why I like doing back workouts is because the exercises are such that it let’s me get to my target repetition range easier and it also lets me push myself harder. By this I mean that for things like one arm dumbbell rows, if you push hard mentally, you can almost always push out another rep or at least half or three quarters of a rep. Even on things like end of bar rows, or seated rows it is almost always possible to push out one or two more reps even though your in total fatigue, which is also great to give you better results. For exercises like lateral raises or bench press, its almost impossible to push out one or two more reps if your on the brink of failure especially on bench press when you get the bar down and can’t push back up. But as I mentioned before for things like one arm dumbbell rows I find that I almost never drop the weight or stop short on my target rep range because if I know if I push myself mentally, I can almost always complete the rep. Even when I’m on the brink of failure, sometimes I manage to push out one or sometimes even two more reps because the exercises are such that they allow me to. Another reason why this is great is because it allows me to complete the reps without cheating, so therefore I can concentrate on the back muscles more and give me a better workout. But for me, something like lateral raises I have to cheat if I’m on the brink of fatigue, there’s almost no way I would be able to do another full rep on lateral raises because of the nature of the exercise. Even on bench press if I’m very tired, I find it hard to push the bar back up when I get it down to my chest. The last reason why I love doing back workouts so much is because the exercises are relatively easy to do given that your concentration on the back muscles is good, which is true for every body part. Unlike squats, deadlifts, and cleans where you have to perform the exercise perfectly to prevent injury and for good results, back exercises are simple, just row the bar up to a certain spot or just pull down a bar to your chest. Even if your form isn’t the best, it won’t likely result in injury or reduced results, which isn’t true for things like deadlift or squats. In deadlifts or squats if you don’t perform the exercise with really good form, your knees or lower back might get screwed over really badly and you might not be able to do those exercises again. Also one last little note is that almost everyone can do back exercises which was great when I first started. Again, unlike cleans or deadlifts where beginners are advised to stay away, beginners can do almost any of the back exercises except for maybe pull-ups.

Overall this is my favorite back workout, keeping it simple. I always work back with other body parts to save time because like a lot of people I don’t have time to dedicate one day to each body part, and any ways it is unproductive in gaining muscle. Usually I work my back with chest, triceps or biceps, but I usually like to go with chest or triceps.

Exercises.
Warm up on rowing machine for 5 minutes

wide grip chin ups 3 sets x 6-12 reps

One arm dumbbell rows: 3 sets x 6-12 reps

Wide grip seated rows: 3 sets x 6- 12 reps

Close grip chin ups 3 sets x 6 – 12 reps

What made this workout become your favorite?
The first reason why this workout became my favorite is because when I first started out weight lifting I had limited knowledge and didn’t really know what I was doing. When anyone starts anything, they always make many mistakes. Like most beginners who start lifting weights, I basically only did chest, arms, and legs and maybe a few back exercises here and there which I didn’t even know was working my back out. I did this for a while until my badminton coach corrected me when he saw that I wasn’t working my back out enough. He said that I needed to start working my back out regularly or else I could end up with posture problems in the future. Or I wouldn’t be able to perform because I would have a stronger chest but a very weak back, or in other words I would be limited in my abilities. My assistant coach also told me that I had a bad posture to start with, and that I was too slouched forward and that gradually I would begin to curl in and be the proverbial hunched over old man. He told me that I could correct this by working my back out more consistently to even out the slouching forward that my chest was exerting. My coach finally showed my some simple exercises for my back such as lat pull down, chin ups, and seated rows. He also showed my a little on how to concentrate on the back muscles and not pull as much with the biceps. As I began to do back workouts more often, I start to enjoy them and actually liked doing them more than chest and arm workouts. Milos’ back training video was also incredible in providing ways to concentrate and develop the back muscles. Also I enjoy getting a lat pump and since it’s such a huge muscle it makes you feel huge and a lot of people like that feeling. Also when I do back exercises it increases my grip strength and also my forearms. For things like pull ups (Especially weighted ones), chin ups, deadlifts and things like end of bar rowing, it helps my grip strength a lot which is useful when I’m doing other exercises like shrugs.


Do you enjoy this workout because of the results, or because it is more fun to do?
I enjoy doing back workouts more because of the fun and how I enjoy being able to push myself as hard as I can during back workouts. Results are sure to come if I do back workouts correctly and the same goes for every other body part, so therefore if I work hard and do everything correctly for the workouts of the other body parts results should be increasing at about the same rate. It only makes sense that if I workout all body parts correctly and with full effort that gains will come at about the same pace, so therefore I don’t really choose one workout over the other based on the results I will get. Plus the point of working out is so that you enjoy it and also enjoy the results. Working out should never be about only results or therefore you will probably burnout mentally because your doing something you hate. I don’t know about you, but for me and probably the majority of people if they’re doing something they hate, they will probably drop it fast. That’s probably what I would do, if working out to me was as boring as stapling pages for an hour I probably wouldn’t do it. But like most people, I find ways to make it fun like working out with a partner and listening to music. But then again who doesn’t like results? I mean, if I was training for no reason just because I thought it was fun then what’s the point? Of course I train in part of results, that’s the point of everything, to get results. It’s just that it doesn’t dominate the reason for working out. Just lifting weights purely for results is dangerous psychologically. Sometimes people get way too obsessed with getting big or strong that it dominates their life and lifting weights is like taking a life saving pill to them. If they miss a workout its like life and death and their the ones who sulk in the gym and don’t really talk to anyone. I’ve seen people like that and I don’t want to be like one of them, so I never base my motivations purely on just getting big or strong, or rather I never become obsessed with that. Trust me it’s a dangerous thing to do.

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Bonus: What is your favorite ab workout?
Good abs are probably one of the most fundamental body parts. It’s also great for the beach or wherever you can show them off. I mean just look at this picture:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2004nocp5big.jpg
Just looking at this picture can inspire someone to have great abs. Imagine having those abs on the beach, you would make heads turn for sure. There would be nothing worse than having a flat stomach, no matter how big your chest, arms and legs may be, you wouldn’t have the full package without abs. That’s why I work my abs out heavy to ensure they grow to their full potential. I hate people who think doing 50 reps and feeling the burn will somehow sculpt the fat away and make their abs grow. My workout is quite simple and I always make sure to workout the obliques, lower (especially) and upper abs.

Weighted hanging knee raises: 3 sets x 8 – 12 reps
- I always start out with lower abs since they are the weakest.
Cable crunch: 3 sets x 8-12 reps
- This is probably one of the most underrated exercises. It can give you a great ab burn if it is done correctly.

Russian twists on decline bench
- These are great for burning out your upper abs and oblique at the same time.
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Decline reverse crunch: 3 sets x 8-15 reps
- For this one, to add more resistance I put a very light dumbbell between my legs. You might think like “O yea I could probably put a twenty pound dumbbell in between my legs” but if you’ve actually tried it it’s very hard with even a light dumbbell.

Weighted crunches: 3 sets x 8-15 reps
- Note I do these very slowly to get a good workout, if I do it faster then I can’t give my abs a good workout unless I go higher in reps