Workouts: General Circuit Workout No.1
General Curcuit Workout No. 1
This is the exact workout I have been using for 3 years.
Note: women should use much lighter weights and 50% more reps to build definition and strength instead of size.
Warmup / cardio: Treadmill or Lifecycle. Beginner: 12 min 3.2mph walk (incline) or 12 min ride on a medium setting. Intermediate: 20 min 5.5mph jog or 20 min ride. Advanced: 30 min 7.0mph run.
Circuits. Do 3-4 circuits, selecting six of the following stations per circuit. One set per station.
Pull-ups. Beginner: 2-3 close-grip pullups. Intermediate: 3-4 wide-grip pull-ups. Advanced: 10+ wide-grip unassisted pullups.
Abs:
Leg Raises: Perform leg raises until abs tire. Beginner: Bent-leg raises. Advanced: Straight-leg raises.
(OR)
Ab-horse: Perform side crunches until tiring, 1x set each side.
Delts: Very important for shoulder width, it is amazing how many work people chest and biceps but have narrow, slumping shoulders.
Lateral arm raises: With dumbbell, do 8-10 straight-arm lateral raises each side, go no higher than shoulder level. Use highest weight that the arm can be raised straight, without jerking, the important thing is to get a burn in the shoulder cap. This weight can be as little as 5 lbs. I've been doing this for 3 years and am up to 40lbs.
(AND)
Forward arm raises. As above, but going forward.
(OR)
Overhead shoulder press: 5-6 overhead shoulder presses with barbell for mass, or 15-20 reps with no weights for definition.
(AND)
Bent over lateral raises
Biceps:
Preacher Curl: Using EZ-Bar, curl maximum weight for 10 reps and bicep burn.
(OR)
Seated dumbbell curl: Curl maximum weight for bicep burn at 10 reps.
Triceps:
Dips on leg-raise station, also assisted pullup machines usually have a dip position. 12-15 dips.
(OR)
Tricep machine, 8-10 reps.
Chest:
Bench Press: 8-10 reps
(OR)
Dumbbell Bench Press: 8-10 reps
(AND)
Decline Bench Press
15-20 reps
Back
Pullups.
If doing chest also do:
Back Machine: 8-10 reps.
Back should be worked equally with chest.
Legs:
Leg Extensions: 8-10 reps
(AND)
Hamstring Curls: 8-10 reps
(OR)
Leg Press: 8-10 reps
Calves:
Calf machine: 20 reps
(OR)
Calf raises: Until tired
If your warmup involves inclined treadmill, you can skip this.
This is the exact workout I have been using for 3 years.
Note: women should use much lighter weights and 50% more reps to build definition and strength instead of size.
Warmup / cardio: Treadmill or Lifecycle. Beginner: 12 min 3.2mph walk (incline) or 12 min ride on a medium setting. Intermediate: 20 min 5.5mph jog or 20 min ride. Advanced: 30 min 7.0mph run.
Circuits. Do 3-4 circuits, selecting six of the following stations per circuit. One set per station.
Pull-ups. Beginner: 2-3 close-grip pullups. Intermediate: 3-4 wide-grip pull-ups. Advanced: 10+ wide-grip unassisted pullups.
Abs:
Leg Raises: Perform leg raises until abs tire. Beginner: Bent-leg raises. Advanced: Straight-leg raises.
(OR)
Ab-horse: Perform side crunches until tiring, 1x set each side.
Delts: Very important for shoulder width, it is amazing how many work people chest and biceps but have narrow, slumping shoulders.
Lateral arm raises: With dumbbell, do 8-10 straight-arm lateral raises each side, go no higher than shoulder level. Use highest weight that the arm can be raised straight, without jerking, the important thing is to get a burn in the shoulder cap. This weight can be as little as 5 lbs. I've been doing this for 3 years and am up to 40lbs.
(AND)
Forward arm raises. As above, but going forward.
(OR)
Overhead shoulder press: 5-6 overhead shoulder presses with barbell for mass, or 15-20 reps with no weights for definition.
(AND)
Bent over lateral raises
Biceps:
Preacher Curl: Using EZ-Bar, curl maximum weight for 10 reps and bicep burn.
(OR)
Seated dumbbell curl: Curl maximum weight for bicep burn at 10 reps.
Triceps:
Dips on leg-raise station, also assisted pullup machines usually have a dip position. 12-15 dips.
(OR)
Tricep machine, 8-10 reps.
Chest:
Bench Press: 8-10 reps
(OR)
Dumbbell Bench Press: 8-10 reps
(AND)
Decline Bench Press
15-20 reps
Back
Pullups.
If doing chest also do:
Back Machine: 8-10 reps.
Back should be worked equally with chest.
Legs:
Leg Extensions: 8-10 reps
(AND)
Hamstring Curls: 8-10 reps
(OR)
Leg Press: 8-10 reps
Calves:
Calf machine: 20 reps
(OR)
Calf raises: Until tired
If your warmup involves inclined treadmill, you can skip this.