Weeks 11 and 13: Muscle-Up Workouts – Gold Body Phase

So now that we are officially in Gold Body Phase, I am super excited. The past 10 weeks have been super challenging and super fun. The workouts in this phase are based on the traditional bodybuilding-style muscle-growth program. Just reading about them gives me goose-bumps. I am sure they are going to be very challenging J

So this week, exercises are often paired in supersets to keep the heart pumping while maximizing time efficiency. Over the course of an exercise, reps rise and fall in step-like pattern for muscle growth and simulation. The key to any muscle-building phase is the application of the progressive overload principle, which means that muscle will only increase in strength and size when it's forced to handle more weight than it's handled before. Throughout this phase, always try to increase your weights while still hitting the target rep range. If the workout asks you to do 15 reps and you can do more means that you are going light. If you cannot get to 15, you are going too heavy. As the reps fall, train heavier. Remember that the pace of your initial gains will slow down as body adapts, further progress becomes that much harder generate.

Notes:

• Warm up for 5-10 minutes using a treadmill, elliptical or any other cardio equipment
  
• Select a weight that causes you to reach failure in the rep range given. This should be heavier in week 13 than it is in week 11
  
• Any two exercises paired in supersets should be done back-to-back, without resting in between. Once you have finished the pair, rest 1 minute and then do additional sets.
  
• Rest 1 minute between sets and exercises when doing straight sets
  
• Complete the cardio workout outlined below
  

    
 

Monday

Chest: (Superset the first two exercises)

• Barbell bench press – 2 sets – 15 to 20 reps
  
• Pushup (feet elevated) – 2 sets – 15 to 20 reps
  
• Incline dumbbell bench press – 1 set – 15 to 20 reps
  

Back: (Superset the first two exercises)

• One-arm dumbbell row – 2 sets – 15 to 20 reps
  
• Bent-over barbell row – 2 sets – 15 to 20 reps
  
• Pulldown – 1 set – 15 to 20 reps
  

Shoulders: (Superset)

• Upright row – 2 sets – 15 to 20 reps
  
• Seated dumbbell press – 2 sets – 15 to 20 reps
  

Ab Circuit # 3 (Don't rest until you have completed all three moves consecutively. Then rest for a minute and repeat)

• Jackknife – 2 sets – 15 to 20 reps
  
• Hanging running man – 2 sets – 15 to 20 reps
  
  • Grasp the handles of any two parallel bars in the gym
    
  • Assume an upright position b extending your arms and locking out your elbows. Raise one knee toward your chest, as if you are beginning to run
    
  • As you lower it, raise the opposing knee as if you are pedaling a bike
    
  • If you are feeling up to it, try doing dips while you are pedaling J
    
• Crunch – 2 sets – 15 to 20 reps
  

Cardio:

• Set the treadmill incline at 1.0 and find the speed that brings your heart rate to 65% of your MHR
  
• Increase your speed 0.5 every minute for the next 4 minutes
  
• Back off to your cruising speed for 2 minutes
  
• Continue alternating in this fashion until completing 30 minutes of total work
  

     
   

Tuesday

Quads: (Superset the exercises)

• Barbell squat or leg press – 4 sets – 15, 20, 25, 10 reps
  
• Leg Extension – 4 sets – 10, 15, 15, 10 reps
  

Hamstrings, glutes and lower back (Superset the exercises)

• Lying leg curl – 5 sets – 10, 8, 8, 6, 20 reps
  
• Hyperextension – 5 sets - 10, 8, 8, 6, 20 reps
  
  • Lie facedown on the apparatus so that your ankles rest against the footpads and your torso floats freely over the end. Place your hands behind your head or across your chest
    
  • Bend at the waist and lower your torso in a controlled manner, exhaling and keeping your back flat
    
  • Reverse the movement to the start position, where your upper body is diagonal to the floor
    

Wednesday

Cardio:

• Set the treadmill incline to 1.0 and warm up for 5 minutes at 60% MHR
  
• Raise the incline to 2.0 and run 1 minute at 80-85 % MHR
  
• Run 1 minute at 55-60% of MHR
  
• Continue alternating these two intervals for 20 minutes of total work
  

Thursday

Arms: (Superset 1)

• Standing barbell curl – 5 sets – 10, 8, 6, 5, 20 reps
  
• Dip (Closed grip) – 5 sets - 10, 8, 6, 5, 20 reps
  

Arms: (Superset 2)

• Preacher curl – 3 sets – 8, 6, 6 reps
  
• Skull-crusher – 3 sets – 8, 6, 6 reps
  

Ab Circuit # 3 (Don't rest until you have completed all three moves consecutively. Then rest for a minute and repeat)

• Jackknife – 2 sets – 15 to 20 reps
  
• Hanging running man – 2 sets – 15 to 20 reps
  
  • Grasp the handles of any two parallel bars in the gym
    
  • Assume an upright position b extending your arms and locking out your elbows. Raise one knee toward your chest, as if you are beginning to run
    
  • As you lower it, raise the opposing knee as if you are pedaling a bike
    
  • If you are feeling up to it, try doing dips while you are pedaling J
    
• Crunch – 2 sets – 15 to 20 reps
  

 
 

Friday

Cardio Circuit:

• Jump rope for 1 minute
  
• Without resting, do pushups for 30 seconds
  
• Without resting, jump rope for 30 seconds
  
• Without resting, do pushups for 30 seconds
  
• Rest 1 minute and repeat
  
• Continue in this fashion for 20 minutes of total work
  

 

Saturday

Upper Body:

• Incline Barbell bench press – 5 sets – 8, 8, 6, 15*, 6 reps
  
• Pullup (assisted) – 5 sets – 8, 8, 6, 15*, 6 reps
  
• Seated dumbbell press – 5 sets – 8, 8, 6, 15*, 6 reps
  

*Drop set: Select a weight that causes you to fail at 5 reps. Lessen the weight and do 5 more reps. Lessen the weight again and do 5 more reps

Sunday: Active rest