How to Workout: Simple and effective principles on how to exercise in the traditional gym

Citation preview

How to Work Out

simple and effective principles on how to exercise in the traditional gym

by

Robbie Oswald

Copyright © 2018 by Robert Oswald All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher via email: [email protected]

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How to Workout Simple and effective principles on how to exercise in the traditional gym

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Table of contents: Exercise techniques: Upper body joint stacking……………………………………………………………………...…8 and 9 Lower body joint stacking…………………………………………………………………...…11 and 12 Other joint stacking and exercise techniques………………………………………….……13 and 14 Writing workout programs……………………………………………………………………………...15 Table of exercises and targeted muscles…………………………………………………....22 and 23 Cardio…………………………………………………………………………………………..…… 26-29 Circuits and finishers…………………………………………………………………………..……30-33 Nutrition…………………………………………………………………………………………..…..34-41 Warm-up and cool down……………………………………………………………………………..…42 Workout programs…………………………………………………………………………………...….44 Exercise index…………………………………………………………………………………………...58 Lower body exercise index……………………………………………………………………………..59 Upper body exercise index……………………………………………………………………………..82 Core exercise index…………………………………………………………………………………...116

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What the readers will get out of this book As the title implies, this book will help people start a workout regime. The goal is to give the power of simple exercise knowledge to those who have the motivation to start working out but don't know how. It seems like the community is generally left with two options: cut an exercise routine out of a magazine, or pay a bunch of money for a trainer. Not everyone has luxury the for a trainer, and most magazine cutouts are very limiting in their actual results. Also, magazine cut outs usually don't show you how to do the exercises. This book will walk you through how to do the exercises, what exercises to do, and how to set up a workout program for your own personal goals. There will be templates and guidelines throughout the book. I promise this will all be simple. This book will not waste your time with fillers. It is obvious to me that there is a big hole in the market for the exercise world. My goal is to give you the power to exercise yourself. After reading this book and doing the programming, you will feel confident with your knowledge and exercise technique in the gym, and you will experience great results. Even if you decide to do different workouts other than the ones in this book, the content is extremely valuable and will set you up to succeed for the rest of your fitness life.

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About myself There are two main factors that make me different from many other trainers and strength coaches. One, I have a very diverse background in fitness and athletics. Two, I have had to work hard and go out of my way to learn everything I know. Exercise has always sparked my interest. I remember when I was 6 years old, I started a self-designed workout program where I did sprints, push-ups, and sit-ups, 3 times a week. I didn’t understand sets and reps yet, so I just did it until I was really tired. In later years, I realized what I was doing was actually a decent program. I would later get into many other activities including wrestling, biking and BMX, skateboarding, street hockey, football, weightlifting, snowboarding, baseball, and powerlifting. Throughout this time, working out in the gym comprised of about 75% of my exercise activity. This was just up until graduating high school. After high school, I spent more time with bodybuilding, powerlifting, and I was a division one collegiate rugby player. Since my undergraduate years, I’ve pursued more powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, competitive CrossFit, trail running, and several sprint triathlons. I have plenty of personal experiences with fitness and athletics. I also have plenty of professional experiences. I have a bachelor’s in exercise science, and as I type up this personal statement, I will soon be finishing my Master’s degree in Movement Science focusing on biomechanics and exercise physiology. I have years of experience working with athletes in strength and conditioning. I have worked in physical therapy clinics training general and geriatric populations. I have worked as a personal trainer with weight loss and strength training. I have worked in clinical stress testing and biomechanics labs. I have worked as a bootcamp instructor. I have managed and instructed a CrossFit gym. I have managed a commercial recreation center. I have written various remote programs for powerlifters, athletes, those interested in cutting and trimming, the list goes on. The importance of explaining all of these experiences is to make the point that unlike a lot of other trainers and enthusiasts, I have seen and experienced aspects from several different corners of fitness training, and I understand how principles from each discipline can be applied to everyone. Too often, trainers and exercise enthusiasts will discuss and argue if one way of exercising is better over another way. A lot of time, people paint themselves into a corner and say what they are doing is the best and everything else is wrong. Well, just like most things, everything in moderation is the answer. Holistic fitness is the answer and is the most effective, no matter what your goal is. In the end, everyone that is exercising is trying to get fitter, and/or better, in one way or another and the same principles that help you progress in one discipline will probably help you progress in another. I’ve seen and experienced these principles, so I know how to apply them across the board. Also, I’ve seen it all from an outsider’s point of view, which brings me back to the second main factor that makes me different from other professionals; I have had to work hard and go out of my way to learn everything I know. I didn’t just happen to get into fitness and performance training because I was an athlete. It was actually quite the opposite. I participated in a lot of activities because I enjoyed them. But to get noticed in athletics, I pounded on my craft, and forced an athlete out of me. There were few answers to be found on how to do so, and I was looking in every corner. For some reason it seems like people wanted to hide the fitness info. It seemed like I was either getting the ego talk from strength coaches on how they were the best and everyone else knows nothing, or go 5

cut some workouts out of a workout magazine. It took me a while to learn how to find books that discussed how to program workouts, and how to understand the physiology of working out. Then, once learning how to program, there isn’t much out there to show people how to correctly do exercises. There are a lot of videos online on how to do exercises, but I can confidently say that a lot of them are either wrong or discouraging. Even as I completed my degree in exercise science, there was still so many simple questions not answered. Nevertheless, because I would rather die than do anything else, I persisted to learn. To find the answers. Over the years, I have learned a lot. More than anything, I’ve learned how to go from knowing nothing, to knowing how to create the body I want, whether it be for aesthetics or for performance. That in itself is my biggest motivator for writing this book. The way I see it, most people simply want to know how to workout for themselves. There are a million catchy booty and arm blaster programs, but there is nothing that simply shows people how to workout for the long haul. Now, for the first time, people will have access to the power on how to effectively start working out for themselves without a trainer or magazine cutouts. I have never cared about who is right between bodybuilders, powerlifters, Crossfitters, strength and conditioning coaches, fitness models, strongmen, endurance runners, trackletes, etc. It’s not about who is right, it’s about what is right, and what is right is taking a holistic fitness approach that will bring you ultimate fitness and happiness. This book will show you the unbiased way. Take full advantage of the principles in this book, and you will see success in any and all of your fitness endeavors.

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Important to read before exploring this book: The way this book is formatted is meant to be very informative, yet practical and to the point. You will see that there is a fair amount of informative reading. Toward the end of the book, there will be more templates and step by step guidelines. So, if you feel that you don’t have the time or patience to go through the text, then by all means, feel free to go straight to the templates and guidelines toward the end as they are still very effective without the readings. With that being said, it is an absolute must that the readers make it through the exercise technique section. The exercise technique section is extremely valuable, and it would be a waste of your money for you to not take that section seriously. Furthermore, make sure it is safe for you to exercise and consult your doctor if necessary. Now, go be awesome and learn how to take the power of being fit and healthy into your own hands.

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Chapter 1. Exercise Technique Before anything else, we must first talk about how to perform exercises. Being able to move well and use good technique is arguably the most important factor to exercise. If you exercise with bad form, you are likely to get hurt. If you get hurt and or can’t do the exercises, you can't get into shape! It's a downward spiral. So, this section will discuss important exercises that everyone should know how to do, as well as joint stacking. Knowledge of the exercises given and joint stacking will allow the reader to use good form with all types of exercises including ones not listed in this book. Exercises everyone should know how to do even if you can't do them yet: Body weight exercises: Push-ups, pull ups/chin ups, rows, BW squats, sit ups, lunges (including forward, reverse, and side lunges), bridges, and planks. Free weight exercises: Squat, bench press, deadlift, military press, Dumbbell and barbell rows There is always a use for body weight exercises, no matter how fit or strong you get. Gymnasts for example, primarily use body weight exercises and they have amazing physiques. So, let’s first look at the push up. Push-ups may be the most incorrectly performed exercise by the masses. Your body should not create a ‘T’ when performing push-ups. It should look more like an arrow ↑. Here is a checklist for performing the push up: ● ● ● ● ●

Start at the bottom of the push up Have hands outside of your chest, not in front of your shoulders Keep your elbows at a downward angle, creating an arrow shape Keep a straight line in your body with a tight core Try to go through full range of motion (or as much as you can), thinking as if you’re pushing the ground away

Refer to the pictures to the right and the link below for how to do the push up. There is also a form checklist with more pictures in the exercise index at the end of the book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYWtEkqHXss

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Upper body joint stacking: Two main rules to remember for upper body joint stacking are the following: 1. There should be some sort of downward angle between the arms and torso. 2. The weight should be stacked and perpendicular to the wrists and forearms. For upper body horizontal movements, hands need to be in line with chest, and the forearms should be roughly perpendicular to the exercise handle (barbell, dumbbell, machine, etc.). For example, during benching/machine press, try to keep forearms perpendicular to the bar, and in line with the chest (specifically, in line with sternum/nipples), allowing some sort of arrow shape between the arms and body. Think of the same form rules as used with the push-ups. The same concept applies to pulling or rowing in the horizontal plane as well. Drive the elbows back, keeping the forearms and hands down so that hands are in line with the chest and there is some sort of an arrow shape made with the body and arms. Try to avoid what many trainers call “elbow flare” (check the picture to the right for example). Additionally, make sure the hands aren't overly turned in or out, especially during pushing exercises. When pushing, the weight or handle should be somewhat stacked over the wrist. Please refer to the video link and pictures below https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tffU9i3k9M&t=8s Good wrist stacking on the left, and bad on the right

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These joint stacking methods can be applied to any type of exercise with pushing and pulling movements. Not all movements will be created equal, which is okay and even a good thing. For example, barbell rows with the palms facing down may differ slightly in joint stacking compared to a seated neutral grip cable row. The barbell movements may require a wider arrow shape of the body while the seated cable rows (with neutral grip) requires a narrower arrow shape (elbows closer to the sides). Refer to the pictures below for a quick example. Neutral grip movements in left 2 pictures, pronated movements (palms facing down) on the right

The concept of joint stacking is listed before actual exercise technique on purpose. Understanding joint stacking will allow you to better understand the form concepts of the technique videos. Technique videos for specific exercises will be listed later in this eBook. An exercise index will be listed at the back of this eBook to include a “proper form checklist” with pictures and video links for each exercise. To see technique videos for the other critical upper body exercises, refer to the links below. Technique videos for upper body exercises: ● Pull ups/chin ups, https://youtu.be/MzxfaEmkdRs ● Body weight rows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llCvBL1WDA0 ● Barbell and dumbbell rows: ● Barbell rows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTgDL2pJLl4&list=UUfo_hlSnrzUvVz9P9Lr6KtQ&in dex=23 Barbell supinated rows (palms up): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Ca7dVrW0c&index=22&list=UUfo_hlSnrzUvVz9P9 Lr6KtQ DB bent row: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guQUEsYkMWs DB single arm row: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQVgTxsyGkg

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Bench press: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ5bEOEk0oI&index=24&list=UUfo_hlSnrzUvVz9P9 Lr6KtQ Military/shoulder press: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfaYGvU2KQ&index=20&list=UUfo_hlSnrzUvVz9P9Lr6KtQ

Moving onto lower body, let’s talk about doing bodyweight squats, and then how the same methods for form and technique apply to lower body joint stacking. If you have ever felt like your knees hurt too much or that your hips can’t get low enough to do a squat, the chances are you did the squat wrong. That’s okay, I’m here to help you out and get you squatting like a pro. First question: Can you sit on your toilet? You can? Then that means you can squat. Just like when you push your hips back to sit on your toilet, you should push your hips back and down when you squat. Refer to the video below on how to do a bodyweight squat. Also refer to the form checklist on how to do the bodyweight squat: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Start standing up straight with feet (heels) shoulder width apart Turn toes out slightly Push hips back, keeping the balance toward the heels/midfoot Right after moving the hips back, bend the knees to execute the squat (smoothly) Keep back flat, allowing some angle in the torso, but not too much Get to parallel (hip crease in line with top of knee) Stand up straight, keeping balance over heel/midfoot Knees should track in line with feet and just slightly outward, but not inward.

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D6T63kyw2Y

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Lower body joint stacking: Using the same concepts from the free weight and body weight videos will help with performing other exercises including machines. For example, if you are using a leg press machine, set your feet in the middle with a squat width stance. Your knees should track in line or slightly outward of your feet, never in toward each other. The balance should be midfoot or toward the heels. IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THE LEG PRESS: Do not lock your knees out all the way. Bring the legs to about 90% straight. There is a risk you could injure your knees if you are forcefully reaching full extension under the heavy weight of a leg press. Refer to the video link below for a quick example. Ultimately, when doing lower body exercises, make sure the legs and hips are situated in a way that supports driving forces through the midfoot to heel area of the feet, while also keeping the spine straight in most cases. This is specific to lower body exercises that require some sort of pushing with the legs. https://youtu.be/-lfaAhAPI-g To see technique videos for the other critical lower body exercises, refer to the links below. Seeing these videos is very important and will help make more sense of lower body joint stacking. You may also check my YouTube channel, Robbie Oswald. Technique videos for lower body exercises: ● Barbell squat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4-U5fv5ogM&t=6s ● Deadlift: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BetgH0baLtc&t=32s ● Lunges: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yttYvujx3is ● Sit ups: https://youtu.be/T3cTM1C_YEQ ● Hip bridges: https://youtu.be/ziafaXzWFq4 ● Planks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9Pr4DNwmiE&t=12s

Leg curl and leg extension machines: For these machines, make sure you set the machine to fit you. It is possible to arrange the machines in a way that is bad for the joints. Focus on aligning the machine in a way that does not cause you to hyperextend your knees. Check this link for a video explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ6ls-nxXss

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Upper body machines: The concept of upper body joint stacking will apply here. Similar to the leg curl and leg extension machines, it is possible to set some exercise machines in a way that is not healthy for the joints. Use good judgement and set the machines in a way that is comfortable for your joints. For example, don’t hyperextend your elbows in bicep curl machines, and makes sure the handles for chest pressing machines are in line with the chest. In most cases, the elbows should be “in,” or close to the sides. Check the picture (to the left) and the link below for how to use upper body resistance machines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phP-JFxCfRk

*Note: notice how the handles are in line with the chest. This is important. For overhead pressing or shoulder press machines, use the same form as the dumbbell shoulder press. Here is the video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa_6HSWWqjo&t=13s

Dumbbell exercises: Rules for dumbbell exercises are almost the same rules for free weight exercises. The same joint stacking principles also apply. The main difference is that the elbow angle may differ between exercises. The elbows should still create a downward angle in relation to the torso. In other words, there should still be an arrow shape between your arms and your body. For example, neutral grip (vertical handle) bent over rows with dumbbells will result in elbows being tight to the sides, while standard grip (horizontal handle) DB chest presses will allow the elbows to go out some. Refer to the pictures to the right where the top picture shows bent over row form neutral grip), and the second shows chest press form with a standard grip. These concepts apply to all pushing and pulling movement for the upper body: there should always be some sort of an arrow shape between the arms and torso. An exception to this rule is fly exercises.

Check this link for in depth explanation of upper body joint stacking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tffU9i3k9M&list=UUfo_hlSnrzUvVz9P9Lr6KtQ&index=8

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For lower body dumbbell exercises, stick to the rules of the free weight exercises and joint stacking. Lunging: Lunges can be done many different ways, and can be done wrong in many different ways too. Really, even though the lunge is called “a lunge,” you don’t want your body flailing or lunging forward. Some people take this too literally and perform lunges in a way that puts unneeded tension over the knees. Believe it or not, taking a huge step is almost always better than taking a small step when you are doing lunges. Also, make sure you are driving through the heel/midfoot area of the foot as opposed to the toes when following through with the lunge. Refer to the video link below for a visual explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yttYvujx3is&t=53s Core exercises: First of all, let’s make it clear that the core includes more than the abs. You should think of your back, your abdominals, and your hips as your core. The big picture with performing ab exercises correctly is that you need to be conscious of engaging (in other words squeezing) your abs. Avoid bending solely at the hips, as doing so could compromise the lower back. For example, you must consciously curl up like a bug or armadillo to effectively contract your abdominal muscles. If you have ever hooked your feet under the couch to do sit ups and felt lower back pain, you were likely engaging more at the hip flexors and less in the abs. Refer to the video links and pictures to see examples including sit-ups and planks. Sit-ups: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3cTM1C_YEQ Planks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9Pr4DNwmiE&t=32s

There is a full exercise index with bulleted form checklists, pictures, and video links for every exercise in this eBook. For further questions, or to simply learn more, check the exercise index and video links. The YouTube channel is Robbie Oswald.

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Chapter 2. Writing a workout program In a nutshell, writing an exercise program involves choosing a sets and reps scheme, and choosing what exercises to do based on your training experience and your goals. Additionally, you will have to consider how much volume you need. Volume simply means how many exercises and sets you need in a workout session. As you progress from beginner to intermediate, you will have to bump up how much volume you need. So, the fitter you get over time, the more exercises you will need to keep the ball rolling. Explaining sets and reps: Sets can be viewed as one ‘bout,’ and ‘reps’ is short for repetitions. Here is an example; if I perform 10 body weight squats and sit down, that means I completed 1 set of 10 reps for the bodyweight squat. If I do 10 squats, rest for 30 seconds, and then do another 10 squats, then that is 2 sets of 10 reps for bodyweight squats. In workout programs you will often see sets and reps referred to as “sets x reps.” For example, “lunges 3 x 8 each leg, alternating” means perform 3 sets of 8 reps each leg of lunges. The alternating means you will do 1 rep right leg, 1 rep left leg, then another on the right, left… so on. Aligning rep schemes with goals: ● Muscle toning and muscle endurance, 3-6 sets of 14-20 reps, per muscle group ● Gaining muscle size: 3-6 sets of 8-12 reps, per muscle group ● Gaining strength: 3-6 sets of 4-7 reps, per muscle group For reps under the 4-7 range, so 1-4 reps, is another level of strength and power and is usually for people trying to peak their performance for some sort of competition or sport. For the sake of starting out and trying to get in shape, that rep range is less common. To elaborate on the above bullet list, notice how each bullet ends with “per muscle group.” If my program template tells me I can do 3 sets of 8-12 reps of some sort of chest press, and I choose the bench press, then I will do 3 sets of 8-12 reps. I will then be done with my chest exercises, and move on to whatever next exercise of a different muscle group (let’s say legs), and do the same thing. Why 3-6 sets per muscle group? 3-6 sets is the volume range from beginner to intermediate. In other words, if you are a complete beginner, you should be doing 3 total sets of a given exercise per muscle group in a session. So, for example, it’s day 1 out of your workout routine for the week. You’re a complete beginner. You’re about to do one of the exercises on your program, the leg press, which is dominant on the quads. So, you will do 3 sets of the leg press exercise and you are then done doing quad exercises for the day. Notice how I said quad dominant. That means you can do another leg exercise that day as long as it is a different muscle group such as the hamstrings. As you get more experienced and trained, you will be able to bump the amount of sets per muscle group to 4 sets in a session, then 5 sets, and so on (remember 3-6 sets for beginner to intermediate). 15

Frequency: How many times a week do I workout or train a muscle group? This depends on the time and training experience you have. If you are a pure beginner trying to get into the routine, I would recommend getting into the gym 3 days a week, definitely no less than 2. 2 days a week is usually considered under the minimum, but is better than nothing if that’s what you have to do. If you are a pure beginner, you should be training your muscle groups 2-3 times per week as well. So, a pure beginner would benefit most from starting a program that would be 3 days a week, with a full body exercise routine for each day. If you are somewhat of a beginner but a little more advanced, you can try 4 days a week. If you are doing four days a week of resistance training (i.e. lifting weights), I would recommend doing an upperlower split. This means you would alternate the upper and lower body focused days. Days 1 and 3 can be lower body focused, and days 2 and 4 can be upper body focused. Since you are training muscle groups twice a week instead of 3 times in a week, you can turn up the volume a little bit by doing 4 or 5 sets per muscle group instead of only 3 sets if you are a beginner. Your body will have more time to recover in an upper/lower body split. Earn the recovery and do a little more work. Getting to 5 days a week is a little more complicated, and requires a higher level of training capacity. If you want to do more than 4 days a week, I recommend splitting muscle groups up accordingly, and adding a cardio component. Adding cardio to a resistance exercise routine will be discussed later, and a template for 5 days a week will be shown as well. Feel free to jump to the cardio and programming sections. How do I choose exercises? First you need to know that you have to train in all planes of motion to keep the body symmetrical and functional. Simply stated, when you do a push, you should also do a pull. If the push is in a horizontal plane, also do a pulling exercise in the horizontal plane. Same goes for vertical planes. This is easier defined for upper body with planes of movement. With the lower body, just try to do a pull exercise for every push. Hitting all planes of movement is a universal need for everyone. Here is an example of a training template with the minimum necessary exercises for hitting planes of movement. Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

BB back squat (lower push) Dumbbell rows (upper pull) Bench press (upper push) Deadlifts (lower pull) Sit-ups (abs/anterior core) Hip bridges (glutes and posterior core)

Deadlifts (lower pull) Push-ups/dips (upper push) DB Lunges (lower push) Cable pull downs (lower pull) Planks (core) Side planks (core)

Back squat (lower push) Cable rows (upper pull) DB shoulder press (upper push) Back raises (lower pull/core) V-ups (abs/anterior core)

As you can see, over three days of training (1 week of training in this case), there is a balance of upper and lower, and push vs pull movements. Additionally, there is a general balance (not a perfect balance) between the planes of movement. In other words, a decent balance between horizontal and vertical movements. This would be the minimum. The next step would be to add exercises based on goals.

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Next, figure out what muscle groups you want to train, then you can choose an exercise for that muscle group. This will also depend on your training level. You need to know your “needs,” and your “wants.” So, what parts of you feel weak or need attention (needs), and what part would you like to work on (wants). For example, you might have a weak core which is dangerous for the health of your spine, but you might also want to have big arms. So, you would add core exercises first, and then add some arm exercises too. How do you figure out what muscles are weak if you don’t know? Try the baseline test below. Baseline test to assess strengths and weaknesses: Do these three exercises: ● Push-ups (try to do 10-20 reps) ● Bodyweight squats (try to do 20-30) ● Plank hold (try to hold 30-60 seconds) If you struggled to do 10 push-ups with correct form, you are likely a little weaker in the upper body. If you did 20 with good form and little fatigue then you are on the strong side for upper body. For bodyweight squats, if you could do 30 with little burning sensation and little break down of form, you are on the stronger side for the lower body. However, if your legs quickly began to burn, and you had a hard time standing out of the bottom by rep number 20, then your lower body could use some work. Same thing for the plank; if 30 seconds was hard you need to work on your core strength, and if 60 was easy your core is on the stronger side. It’s also important to consider relative strengths and weaknesses. For example, I know I can hold a plank for 60 seconds no problem, but my upper and lower body are considerably stronger than my core. So, I still need to prioritize my core. And for the muscles that are relatively strong, don’t neglect them, just be aware that your stronger muscles need less attention. Furthermore, if you struggled with this exercise test, start with the beginner protocol and do 3 sets for each exercise. If you do well, you can do 4-6 sets each exercise (or 4-6 sets per muscle group). Use your own judgement. It’s okay if you don’t score do well with this exercise test. You are going to improve quickly! It can be hard to accept that you didn’t do well on something, but it’s important to know so you can work on your weaknesses. The best part about starting up with exercise, or even coming back to it after having an absence, is that you will see improvement almost immediately. If you did this exercise test today and again tomorrow, I bet you would do better tomorrow. The body adapts quickly, faster than you think. You can do this. Never give up. Enjoy the process and keep a smile on that face. No one ever feels regretful after doing a workout, even if they didn’t feel great during the workout. Getting back to the point of choosing exercises: Some people want to have bigger glutes (bigger butt). Some want bigger arms. I personally want to look and be strong everywhere. Knowing your wants will help you choose exercises. Look at the pictures on the next page to see what muscle groups comprise the target areas you may want to improve.

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Here is an example of the previous table with arm exercises added for someone who has arm focused goals: Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

BB back squat (lower push) Dumbbell rows (upper pull) Bench press (upper push) Deadlifts (lower pull) Sit-ups (abs/anterior core) Hip bridges (glutes and posterior core) DB bicep curls and/or cable triceps pushdowns

Deadlifts (lower pull) Push-ups/dips (upper push) DB Lunges (lower push) Cable pull downs (lower pull) Planks (core) Side planks (core) Close grip bench (triceps) And/or Reverse curls

Back squat (lower push) Cable rows (upper pull) DB shoulder press (upper push) Back raises (lower pull/core) V-ups (abs/anterior core) Cable Bicep curls and/or Cable Triceps ext.

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Here is an example for someone who has a leg and glute focused goal:

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

BB back squat (lower push) Dumbbell rows (upper pull) Bench press (upper push) Deadlifts (lower pull) Sit-ups (abs/anterior core) Hip bridges (glutes and posterior core) Abductions Calf raises

Deadlifts (lower pull) Push-ups/dips (upper push) DB Lunges (lower push) Cable pull downs (lower pull) Planks (core) Side planks (core) Goblet squats Hip bridges

Back squat (lower push) Cable rows (upper pull) DB shoulder press (upper push) Back raises (lower pull/core) V-ups (abs/anterior core) DB sumo deadlifts Calf raises

Keep in mind that you should do the exercises you prioritize first. THAT DOES NOT MEAN SKIP OTHER EXERCISES. Always try to finish your routine unless you are doing a routine that has too much volume for you to handle. For example, when I am going through a powerlifting strength focused routine, I will usually program the first exercise I do on day 1 as squatting because I know that’s where it is the hardest for me to improve. Doing it first, on day 1, makes the squat my top priority. Think of it like cooking. Some food goes on the back burners with low heat and less attention, some foods are on high heat and high attention, right in front of you. For you, the reader, let’s say you want to work on your upper body. Start with an upper body pull exercise followed by an upper body push exercise. If you want to shed some body fat, start with some cardio intervals. Get nice and sweaty, then get to work on the resistance exercises. Remember, doing a mixture of resistance and cardio is best for improving body composition. In other words, building muscle and burning fat will give you the best results. Everything in moderation is still the answer, however, it’s all about prioritization to meet goals.

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Putting it all together (This part reiterates what is previously explained but quicker and simpler) Step 1.) Making a starting template Set a 3 or 4-day program with pushing and pulling movements for the upper body, pushing and pulling movements for the lower body, and core exercises. If it’s 3 days, it can be 3 full body sessions. If it’s 4 days, divide it to upper and lower body days. Here are some basic frameworks that you can use to create your own workout plan. 3 Day, full body basic framework Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

BB back squat (lower push) Dumbbell rows (upper pull) Bench press (upper push) Deadlifts (lower pull) Sit-ups (abs/anterior core) Hip bridges (glutes and posterior core)

Deadlifts (lower pull) Push-ups/dips (upper push) DB Lunges (lower push) Cable pull downs (lower pull) Planks (core) Side planks (core)

Back squat (lower push) Cable rows (upper pull) DB shoulder press (upper push) Back raises (lower pull/core) V-ups (abs/anterior core)

4 Day, upper-lower body split basic framework Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

BB back squat (lower push) Hamstring curls (lower pull) Side planks (core) Back raises (lower pull/core)

DB Shoulder press (upper push) Cable pull downs (lower pull) Push-ups/dips (upper push) Bicep curl (upper pull)

Deadlifts (lower pull) DB Lunges (lower push) Planks (core) Sit-ups (abs/anterior core)

Bench press (upper push) Cable rows (upper pull) Tricep push downs (upper push) Upright rows (upper pull)

Note: the tricep push-downs and bicep curls are not needed for general fitness development. I added them to the framework above to have a better balance for the upper/lower split. If you choose to replace them with something else that is fine. Step 2.) Adding exercises for target muscle groups. What you do with the programming next is based off of your goals/needs. As previously stated, you can either add a couple sets to the exercises/muscles you want to improve, or you can add another exercise for that muscle group. Refer to the following table as you design your plan to see various exercises and what muscles they work.

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(Table of push, pull, upper and lower, and core exercises) Exercise

Movement Plane/ Muscles Used

Rows (dumbbell rows, cable rows, etc.)

Upper body pull. Uses middle traps, latissimus dorsi (lats), and biceps

Pull downs or pull ups

Upper body pull. Uses lats and biceps

Upright rows

Upper body pull. Uses trapezius (traps) and lateral deltoid aka the shoulders

Shrugs (dumbbell or barbell)

Upper pull. uses traps

Military/shoulder presses (DB or BB)

Upper push. Uses shoulders and triceps

Push ups

Upper push. Triceps, chest, and shoulders

Bench/chest presses (DB, BB, Cable)

Upper Push. Uses chest, triceps, and some shoulders

Dips (assisted, or on bench)

Upper push. Uses mostly triceps, then chest and shoulders

Hip Bridges (both legs and single leg)

Lower body. Glutes, hamstrings, lower back

Deadlift

Lower pull. Mostly uses posterior chain (hamstrings, back, and glutes), also uses quads and glutes some

Romanian deadlifts (RDL)

Lower Pull. pure posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, lower back) **use light weight

Back raises

Lower pull. Isolates the lower back and glutes a little more than the Romanian deadlifts

Back squats

Lower push. Uses quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes.

Lunges

Lower push. Uses quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes.

Leg press

Lower push. Uses mostly quadriceps, then hamstrings and glutes. **no knee locking

Planks (forward and side)

Core strength. Mostly the abdominals and obliques

Sit ups (flat, decline, etc.)

Abdominal exercise (abs)

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Leg raises (hanging, flat, etc.)

Lower abdominals

Superman/superwoman holds

Core strength. Lower-back and glutes mostly

Isolation exercises

Muscles focused

Tricep push downs (cable, and reverse)

Uses triceps

Skull crushers (DB, BB, cable)

Triceps

Close grip push ups

Mostly triceps, some chest and shoulders

Close grip bench

Mostly triceps, some chest and shoulders

Bicep curls (DB, BB, cable, and reverse)

Biceps

Wrist curls/extensions

Forearms and grip strength

Leg extensions

Quadriceps. **use light weight

Hamstring curls

Mostly hamstrings, some glutes

Calf raises

Calves

Barbell (or weighted) hip ups

Glutes

Shoulder raises (front, side, rear)

Shoulders and deltoids (front, side, and back delts respectively)

Step 3.) Aligning rep schemes to meet goals and needs You now have your very basic foundation. Let’s say you pretty much have never exercised, and your goals are to generally get leaner and more muscular. Let’s start you out with two weeks of sets of 15 reps, doing 3 days a week as shown in the previous table. Remember, the 14-20 rep range is muscle toning and muscle endurance focused. Aligning rep schemes with goals: ● Muscle toning and muscle endurance, 3-6 sets of 14-20 reps, per muscle group ● Gaining muscle size: 3-6 sets of 8-12 reps, per muscle group ● Gaining strength: 3-6 sets of 4-7 reps, per muscle group For anyone starting out from scratch, he or she should do at least two weeks of endurance focused training before diving into other training. This properly preps the body’s muscles, ligaments, and tendons to be ready for heavier loads to come. The beginner’s general fitness regime for weeks 1 and 2 would look like the following:

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Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

3 sets x 15 reps of:

3 sets x 15 reps of:

3 sets x 15 reps of:

BB back squat (lower push) Dumbbell rows (upper pull) Bench press (upper push) Deadlifts (lower pull) Sit-ups (abs/anterior core) Hip bridges (glutes and posterior core)

Deadlifts (lower pull) Push-ups/dips (upper push) DB Lunges (lower push) Cable pull downs (lower pull) Planks (core) Side planks (core)

Back squat (lower push) Cable rows (upper pull) DB shoulder press (upper push) Back raises (lower pull/core) V-ups (abs/anterior core)

Build up to a hard set of 15 reps over the three sets Next you would either choose to change the rep scheme for a specific goal after finishing the two weeks of 15 rep sets. OR, keep doing this until you see a halt in progress. This is an important rule: DO NOT FIX SOMETHING IF IT ISN’T BROKEN. So, if you are doing the 15 reps and getting stronger and leaner, keep using it until it stops working. Once you notice that you're not progressing, in other words you haven't been able to increase the weight used on your sets for 2 weeks, then change the exercises and rep scheme. Example, if your program of 15 reps stops working, or if you really want to increase muscle size (I get it), your next plan would look like this: Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

3 sets x 8-12 reps of:

3 sets x 8-12 reps of:

3 sets x 8-12 reps of:

BB back squat (lower push) Dumbbell rows (upper pull) Bench press (upper push) Deadlifts (lower pull) Sit-ups (abs/anterior core) Hip bridges (glutes and posterior core) Added exercise or 2 for muscle group focus

Deadlifts (lower pull) Push-ups/dips (upper push) DB Lunges (lower push) Cable pull downs (lower pull) Planks (core) Side planks (core) Added exercise or 2 for muscle group focus

Back squat (lower push) Cable rows (upper pull) DB shoulder press (upper push) Back raises (lower pull/core) V-ups (abs/anterior core) Added exercise or 2 for muscle group focus

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Important notes for executing workouts: - Build up in weight each set. For example, 3 sets of squats for 15 reps should look like this: 95 lbs x 15 reps, 105 lbs x 15, 115 x 15-20 reps. Do this for all exercises. - Do as many reps as possible (with good form) on the last set. You may end up doing more than rep range goal. For example, you may end up squatting for 20 reps on your third set instead of 15 reps. - When you meet or exceed the top end of a rep range, increase the weight in the following workout. For example, I’m doing 3 sets of 8-12 reps of chest press. I go for as many reps as possible on the last set, and I complete 12 reps. This means in the following week, I will use a heavier weight on the last set. I may only get 8 reps in the following week with the heavier weight, which is fine. Stick with that weight until you perform 12 reps of it. - The rep range goals usually should follow in order. You should first do endurance (1420 reps), then muscle size increase (8-12 reps), and then strength (4-7 reps). I previously stated you should do at least 2 weeks of endurance before going to muscle gaining. It’s similar to the strength. Instead of skipping entirely to strength with the muscle gaining phase, do at least 1 week if 8-12 reps before doing a strength phase of 4-7 reps. *The above notes/guidelines are critical for the progression of your fitness. Follow them well! The next sections will discuss adding cardio and finishers to workouts. Whether your goal is to burn fat, build muscle, general fitness, or maybe all of the above, cardiorespiratory training (in other words, conditioning) is very useful. If you program conditioning with your workouts correctly, it will help you get better results, faster. The cardio section below will explain how and why.

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Chapter 3. Adding cardio and circuit training to your workout plan Cardio: With most aspects of life, everything in moderation seems to be the answer. This holds true with health and fitness as well. Everyone, no matter who you are or what goals you have, should be doing some amount of resistance training, bodyweight exercises, and cardiorespiratory training. For cardio, the minimum a person should be doing is 20 minutes twice a week. This doesn’t just mean running. There are ways you can mix things up to make it more fun. Traditionally, the rule is 2-3 times per week of steady state cardio of 20-40 minutes. If you like to run or do other aspects of cardio for longer periods of time, then go for it! You can pick any type of cardio (running, rowing, biking, stair climbing, sports, etc.) you want and get after it! However, I know not everyone likes cardio, and not everyone has the time to do 20-40 minutes and then resistance training on top of it. Before I get into explaining how you can add cardio training to help meet your goals, I want to state that half of the benefits gained from cardio comes with just showing up. It seems like people have this thought that they have to run at torturing paces while doing cardio. That’s not true. If you only have time to do half of your cardio workout, then do half of it! Don’t give up on it. Doing something is better than nothing. Or, maybe you have sprints or intervals programmed for the day, it’s alright if you don’t want to sprint and would rather go at an easy pace if you don’t feel good. Often time, steady state cardio (low intensity and slow pace) is good for recovery, particularly if it's for a shorter duration (10-20 minutes). Longer durations (20-60 minutes) will burn more fat. Benefits of cardio: ● Burns fat ● Increases metabolism ● Helps with recovery from workouts ● Releases endorphins (this makes you feel good, making you happier after the workout along with better focus, usually increasing productivity in all aspects of life) ● Muscular development (for example, hill sprints and bike sprints can help with muscle development in the legs. Looks at cyclists) Refer to the table below outlying different types of cardio for different goals. Type of cardio

Benefits

Working and resting ratio

Steady state

Fat burning during exercise, recovery, general heart health

Constant work, no rest until finished

Interval training

Fat burning after exercise, muscle toning, general heart health

Varying work:rest, 2:1, waving intensities, etc.

Sprints

Muscle building, muscle explosiveness

Ranges from 1:3 to 1:10

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Steady State: Steady state cardio refers to the traditional long and slow pace of consistent running. Marathon runners are those who are really good at steady state cardio. As shown in the table, steady state is good for long term fat burning, endurance, and is also useful for recovery and overall heart health. Shorter bouts of steady state are also good for warming up before a workout. With any workout you do, you should do 2-5 minutes of steady state cardio before starting your weight training. If you have the time to do 20 minutes, you can do 20 minutes of steady state before resistance training. This will warm you up for the workout and give you the benefits of steady state training! In regards to fat burning, fat will be used as energy and therefore “burned” while doing long distance running. High intensity running, specifically interval training, will be more effective for fat burning after the workout has been finished. Interval training follows. Intervals: Depending on the interval you are doing, you can do intervals before or after a workout. The more intense the interval is, the more you should do it after resistance training. The less intense, the more you should do it before resistance training. For example, if you don’t have time to do 20 minutes of steady state before your resistance training, you can do 10 minutes of steady state mixed with bouts of higher intensities. Before a lot of my workouts, I will do 10 minutes of steady state cardio, except every minute I will do a submaximal (meaning a hard but not an all-out effort) sprint for 5-10 seconds. For the other 50-55 seconds my pace is back at a slow and consistent steady state. For more intense intervals, they shouldn’t last too long, and will likely empty your energy tank. That’s part of why they are better for after finishing a resistance training session. A classic intense interval is called Tabata. Tabata means 20 seconds of 100% sprinting, and 10 seconds of nothing at all, repeated for 8 rounds and totaling 4 minutes. You can do this with anything, preferably a bike or running surface/treadmill that will allow you to do a sprint and then stop completely. This can also be done with rowers. Another interval is 30 seconds of low intensity, and 30 seconds of high intensity, repeating for 5-20 minutes. For the high intensity, go as fast as you can sustain for 30 seconds, knowing that you still have to do the low intensity for 30 seconds and more high intensity intervals. In other words, if you hit the gas pedal too hard during the first 30 seconds of high intensity, then you won’t be able to finish the workout. Also, how hard you push the gas pedal will determine your length of doing this. That’s why there is a big range from 5-20 minutes. There are many other ways you can use intervals. You can even add exercises such as situps/push-ups/ bodyweight squats to do during your cardio sessions. Feel free to get creative. Because of the nature of combining cardio with higher intensities, intervals are great for burning fat and general heart health. More intense and shorter intervals can be great for muscle toning too. Interval training brings on a response in the body that makes the body better at burning fat throughout the day, after the workout has been finished. Intervals are a great tool for fat loss, and can save time too.

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Sprints: Sprinting is awesome. Convince yourself. Just think, when doing full out sprints, you get to rest more! Sprints are great for building muscle and general muscle explosiveness. Sprints can be great for burning fat too. Manipulating the work to rest ratio for sprinting will determine if the sprinting is more biased to fat burning, or muscle development. A work to rest ratio of 1:3 will result in a combined muscle building and fat burning response. Sprints with a work to rest ratio of 1:6 will result in more of a muscle development (strength, size, and explosiveness) response. You can also choose what type of cardio to do in order to better target your goals. For example, doing sprints on an exercise bike will target the thighs and quadriceps muscles. Doing running sprints will target the hamstring and glutes more (assuming sprinting form is good). With any type of true sprinting, you should be sprinting for 5-10 seconds, and then resting 3-6 times that amount. That’s where the 1:3 to 1:6 work to rest ratio comes in. A classic one is 40yard sprints, 20 sets. A 40-yard sprint usually takes around 5 seconds. You can do a 40-yard sprint every 30 seconds, for 10 minutes, and get 20 sets in. One 30 second set would look like 5 second sprint : 25 second rest. This makes a 1:5 work to rest ratio. You could also do 10 seconds of sprinting, 50 seconds rest, 10-20 sets (10-20 minutes). If you’re short on time, shorten up the rest periods. So, 10 second sprints, 30 seconds rest, 10-15 sets. In other words, set a timer on your phone to beep every 40 seconds and sprint for 10 seconds. With the sprints that have long rest periods like the 40-yard sprint example, you can do this before or after workouts. In the sports performance world, you would usually do such a thing before a workout. However, make sure you do at least 2 minutes of steady state cardio BEFORE sprinting. If you don’t warm up properly, you could injure yourself sprinting. Imagine how it would feel if you put a lot of weight on a squat bar then squatted it without warming up. After the circuit training section, warming up and cooling down will be discussed.

Check the next page for a table of cardio pieces that can be used for different goals.

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Cardio pieces: Type and Goal

Equipment

Work to rest ratios

Steady state, longer term fat burn

Anything (running/treadmill, biking, stair climber, rower, ski erg, jacobs ladder,ect.)

20-40 minutes of consistent, slow pace cardio. If you have experience with endurance training, you can go for up to 60 minutes.

Interval: Steady state with bursts. Fat burning

Anything

10-20 minutes. Every minute, do 5-10 seconds of a higher intensity/faster pace followed by 50-55 seconds of slow pace

Interval: 30:30 of low and Anything high intensity. Or Tabata 20:10. Fat burning. Also some toning for more intense, shorter intervals

5-20 minutes. 30 seconds of low intensity, then 30 seconds high, repeating. Go longer for more fat burn, go harder and shorter for muscle tone.

Sprints: muscle building and fat burning

Anything (choose bike sprints for quadriceps focus, choose running sprint for hamstrings and glutes)

5-8 minutes. 1:3 work to rest. 10 second sprint, 30 second rest, 10-15 sets.

Sprints: Muscle building focused, some fat burning

Anything (choose bike sprints for quadriceps focus, choose running sprints for hamstrings and glutes)

10-20 minutes. 1:5 or 6 work to rest. 5 second sprints every 30 seconds (20 sets = 10 minutes), or 10 second sprints every minute (10-20 sets = 10-20 minutes).

Similar to the exercise table, this table should be used as a guide for plugging conditioning into workout programs. As the table shows, each cardio piece can be used for a specific goal. If you have no specific goal but want to add cardio pieces in, I would recommend cycling through the different types of cardio and alternating them.

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Circuits and finishers: Circuit training involves doing several exercises, back to back with little to no rest. Circuit training will elevate your heart rate and really work the target muscle groups. Circuits and finishers are great for burning fat and muscle building, and can be combined or replaced with the sprinting intervals listed above. If you want to go for muscle toning in a circuit or finisher, slightly lighter weights with more reps is the way to go. If you want to go for muscle building in a circuit or finisher, slightly more weight and less reps is the way to go. Fat burning will be a huge part of the circuits and finishers because of the highly intense nature. Unlike the cardio intervals listed above, there will be no programmed rest or pacing in these circuits/finishers. The goal for these finishers is to finish the circuit as fast as you can. They are short and sweet, and they burn (in a good way, of course!). Yes, there will be times you will have to take quick breaks. In fact, I encourage it, but only as long as needed, then get back to work. When doing these you should have a high heart rate, you should be sweaty, and you are going to get fatigued. Take small breaks to make sure you are using good form but push yourself. First, I will list examples of rep schemes for circuits. Then, I will show how to put together exercises for specific goals. Circuit rep scheme examples: ● 1-10. In this rep scheme, you would do 1 rep of a couple exercises, then 2 reps, then 3 reps… going up until you do a round of 10 reps of each exercise then you are done. ●

10-1. This is the same but reverse of above

●

3 rounds of… For example, 3 rounds of 15 push-ups, sit ups, and air squats as fast as possible.

●

5 rounds of… Same as above just another two rounds added.

●

However many rounds you want of….

●

Pyramids: for example, 5-10-15-10-5 of… In this example you would do 5 reps of a couple exercises, then 10, then 15, then back down.

●

AMRAP (as many reps/rounds as possible of) Example, for 8 minutes, complete as many rounds as possible of 5 push-ups, 10 sit ups, 15 air squats

●

Descending reps For example, 30-20-10. A common one used for functional fitness is 21-15-9.

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●

Ascending reps (reverse of the above)

These are fun, and allow you to get creative. You can use different rep schemes from the ones listed above. Those are there to help. When putting together finishers and circuits, you want to make them compliment your workout session. For example, at the end of an upper body session, you can do a partner finisher of 10-1 with dips and plank holds. In this finisher, one partner would do 10 dips while the other partner holds a plank. I recommend NOT doing compound movements like heavy deadlifts or heavy back squats during a circuit finisher, or at least not when you are first starting out with exercise. Instead, I recommend using body weight exercises, core exercises, and accessory exercises for the finishers and circuits. Accessory exercises include bicep curls, triceps extensions, dumbbell movements, etc. Body weight exercises like push-ups, air squats, and sit ups are great for finishers. Of course, always use common sense, and always start on the lighter side so you know what you can do in future circuits. Below are various sample finishers one can use to add to training. They will be separated into categories of full body finishers, lower body finishers, and upper body finishers. Some of them will require a partner, which always makes things fun! If you need to see how to do these exercises, refer to the exercise index in the back of the book for YouTube links. Full body finishers: (Beginner level finishers) AMRAP 7 (as many reps/rounds as possible for 7 minutes): - 7 Box or bench step ups each leg - 7 Push-ups or dips on the box/ bench * Make sure the box or bench you are about to use won’t tip over while you are doing either your step ups, or dips/push-ups on it. 3 Rounds: - 20 Body weight squats - 15 Sit ups - 10 Bent over dumbbell (DB) rows - 5 push-ups (may go to knees, or hand on a bench/wall to modify if needed) * If this seems too easy, try to do the same thing but add 5 reps to everything next time. So 25 squats, 20 sit ups, etc. (Intermediate level finishers) 4 rounds: - 8 Cable pull downs (3 count at bottom) - 12 Pause squats (3 count at bottom) to pause calf extensions (3 count at top)

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* A 3 count means the normal pace it would take to count to 3. Not a slow “one Mississippi… two Mississippi…” not a fast “1-2-3!!” 21-15-9: - Dumbbell thrusters - Dumbbell renegade rows (no push-up) total, not each arm *your choice on the DB weight. They should be heavy enough to need a quick break during 21 reps of thrusters, but should be able to do renegade rows without resting. Lower body finishers: (Beginner) 5-10-15-10-5: ● Body weight squats (get low, squeeze butt at the top of the squat) ● Sit ups 5-10-15-20 (reps each leg, so round one is 5 lunges each leg) - Sprinter lunges, bodyweight or holding light dumbbells in hands - 20 second Superhero(in) hold after each round of lunges (Intermediate level) 5-10-15-10-5: - Goblet/DB squats - V-ups 5 rounds: - 15 Close stance DB squats - 20-30 second side planks each side - 15 DB sumo deadlifts

Upper body finishers: (Beginner level) With partner, 10-1: - Push-ups (floor, knees, hands on bench/wall, whatever is needed) - Partner holds plank while other partner works at push-ups. *Switch when the partner finishes the rounds of push-ups. If you don’t have a partner, keep a timer by your side to see how long it took you to do the push-ups then hold the plank for that same time. 30-20-10 (total reps, not 30 reps each arm) reps of: - Alternating DB shoulder presses - Alternating DB bent over rows

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(intermediate) The classic 21s biceps curls (beginner can do this too) With a partner, 7 curls at a time, top half of the biceps curl. One partner does 7 curls, then you give it to the other partner to do 7 curls, repeat until both have done 21 reps of curls. The first set of 21s should be done going only half way down and up. The second set of 21s is done at the bottom half of the curl. The third set is done with full range of motion. Refer to this video link for quick help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naT69RhiM1w&t=5s With partner, 10-1: - Dips (on bench or on bar) - Partner holds plank while other partner works at push-ups. *Switch when the partner finishes round of dips. If you don’t have a partner, keep a timer by your side to see how long it took you to do the dips then hold the plank for that same time. Pyramid, 5-10-15-10-5: - Barbell push press - Barbell supinated rows * Your choice for the weight, should be heavy enough so that you need a quick break in between reps on round of 15 reps, and the round of 10 reps after the 15.

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Chapter 4. Nutrition: Earlier in the reading I stated that no matter who you are, no matter what goal you have, you should have some amount of cardio, some amount of resistance training, and some amount of bodyweight movements in your fitness regime. Yes, this is true, however I didn’t mention nutrition. Caring about eating healthy is a must for everyone. Some people may think that athletes eat like garbage because they can, and because they exercise so much. Maybe some athletes do, but they shouldn’t. Really, we should all be eating the same wholesome and healthy foods (with the exceptions of food allergies and intolerances), just at different quantities and rates to meet our fitness goals. I don’t want you to think you have to give up your happiness and live off of asparagus and almonds, but get rid of foods like soda and chips. Remember, everything in moderation. The next thing you need to understand is that nutrition is very much a process. Long term nutrition health and habits don’t usually come from a cut out plan. It takes thought, and changes over time. Think of nutrition like a sound board. When a musician starts playing an instrument, you’re not going to know what the sound levels should be at right away. Let’s paint the picture: The musician starts playing… “Ehh, I think we need a little less treble here. Turn the treble down.” (i.e. reduce your carb intake). “Hmm. This would be better if we turn up the bass to make it bolder.” (i.e. increase your protein intake) “There is just too much crap here. Too many instruments and too many sounds.” (i.e. reduce fat intake) “This is too quiet. Let’s turn it up!” (i.e. increase overall calorie intake) It is the little changes that you make every day that will help with nutrition. The first step is food quality, then followed by food timing and food quantity. I will give you advice on the foods you should be eating, what times you should be eating different foods, and then food quantities. Before diving into what foods are good for you and what are bad, we need to go over macronutrients. Macronutrients: Macronutrients, or macros, are proteins, fats, and carbs. Proteins are good for recovery and structural building. In other words, protein is good for building muscle and strength, as well as helping recover from workouts. Carbohydrates (carbs) are mostly used for energy supply. They get a bad rep, mostly because a lot of people overeat carbs. But they are not bad for you, you just need to know their role. Carbs supply the energy you need for workouts, as well as supply the energy you need for your brain and nervous system to function. Your body needs a fair amount of carbs just for it to function. If you feel cranky, depressed, and if your workouts feel like crap, you probably aren’t eating enough carbs. Another example is if you feel like you’re light headed or about to faint, that probably means your blood sugar levels are low, and that you need more carbs in your system. I’ve had to give many clients a sugar tablet because they almost fainted from not eating enough in a day. It happens often. 34

Fats also get a bad rep, but are also important. Fat’s serve as long term energy supply, and are important for proper hormone functions. When you look at a food label, the good fats are listed as “unsaturated fats,” and the bad fats are “trans” fats. Trans fats are pretty much purely artificial and NOT good for the body. You will also see saturated fats, which aren’t great, but small amounts of them are necessary. Also, a lot of fat in general is bad thing. So, don’t go crazy eating a bunch of unsaturated fats. Keep in mind that overconsumption of any food will turn to fat. Try to remember the 4-9-4 rule. This refers to the number of calories per gram of macro. One gram of protein is 4 calories, one gram of fat is 9 calories, and one gram of carbs is 4 calories. This may not be as important in the beginning, but when you begin to consider total caloric intake you will think about these things. What foods should you be eating/not eating? Anything that is wholesome or lived at some point is good to eat. The less processed, the better. And again, everything (good things) in moderation. Overconsumption of anything is bad and is usually what leads to health issues. Anything artificial is absolutely rubbish and shouldn’t be eaten. The only exception I would allow is small amounts of supplements like fish oils or protein powders. Any type of soda, any type of candy, is not food. Dark chocolate is a little different, but not great. At least it comes from a plant and has some antioxidants (good for the heart and blood flow), but artificial sugar candies are unacceptable. They also rot your teeth out, it’s way worse than you even want to believe. So, the first step you have to take is get rid of artificial drinks. No soda, and no creamers for your coffee. If you need some flavor in your coffee, add some milk. I even add some chocolate milk to my coffee, but the artificial creamers that don’t expire for an entire year are awful. No more of that. Drink more water. Maybe you don’t drink soda already. Good! You probably also need to drink more water. How much water do you need to drink? Enough to make your pee clear. That’s it. Don’t over chug water, drink enough to keep that pee clear. Most of your water intake should be in the morning and around workouts, while still regularly drinking water throughout the day. Next, look at the foods you eat. Think about what steps you can take to make them less processed. For example, do you eat cereal every morning? Make a step and either change your cereal to a healthier cereal, or go to oatmeal. Oatmeal can be tasty, if you do it right. A really easy thing you can do is add some cinnamon, and a spoon of peanut butter to your oatmeal. Add some water and heat it up in the microwave, then stir it up. Yummy! Of course, use a healthy brand of peanut butter. My favorite is homemade almond butter from a farmer’s market. Or, cook up some eggs, add some avocado, and make some home fries if you have time. I make a lot of eggs in spinach wraps. You can even put the eggs on a bagel or sandwich. Now it’s time to talk about bread. Breads are not all created equal. The whiter the bread, the worse it is. The more wheat or grain the better it is for you. Try to grab whole grain breads. Now, overconsumption of breads can lead to inflammation in the body. Feeling stiffness in your body is an example of this, and may be bad for blood flow, etc. Some may think there is still debate there. Either way, overconsumption is still bad, so limit yourself to no more than one bread product a day. People will respond to breads differently than others. Maybe you need it, maybe you need to get rid of it. Try to keep track of how you feel when you are eating or not eating breads.

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Continue the concept of making foods more wholesome. If you live off of protein bars for lunch at work, pack the beef stew you made the night before instead. See the process? Think of changing those sound knobs again. Good foods: ● Fish (protein) ● Chicken (protein) ● Beef (protein) ● Bison (protein) ● Venison/elk (protein) ● Other poultries (turkey) (protein) ● Pork (in moderation of course) (protein) ○ Bacon in small amounts is okay, but avoid bacon with added sugar ● Milk ● Yogurts ● Cheeses (less processed cheeses preferred, avoid American cheese) ● Cottage cheese ○ Dairies have different amounts of proteins, fats, and carbs. They also supply calcium and other essential vitamins. ● Sweet potatoes (carb/starch) ● Oatmeal (carb/starch) ● Rice (carb/starch) ● Beans ● Plantains (carb) ● Avocados (fat) ● Nuts and seeds (trail mixes) (mostly fats) ● All vegetables (fat) ● Broccoli (vitamins/minerals) ● Brussel sprouts (vitamins/minerals) ● Peas (vitamins/minerals) ● Berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc.) (carbs and antioxidants) ● Bananas (carb) ● Apples (carb) ● Other fruits and vegetables ● Supplements: ○ Having a protein supplement to mix in milk or water after a workout can be useful ○ Omega 3 fish oils are linked to a lot of health benefits including heart health, better protein synthesis, reduced inflammation, etc. ○ Even having a couple protein bars here and there are okay, but don’t live off of them. The point of supplementing is to assist in health not replace diets or meals.

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Bad foods: ● Sodas ● Added artificial sugar ● Avoid trans fats and candy bars ● NO CANDY ● Choose to use coconut oil over other oils ● Butter is better than margarine ● No white breads ● No coffee creamers (but coffee is okay) ● Avoid foods prepared in grease ○ No breaded and deep-fried foods ● Reduce sauces and condiments. Ranch for your salad/wings adds up to too many bad calories fast ● Avoid all types of chips ● Vending machine food is usually bad Keep in mind that the above lists of good foods and bad foods are not absolute. There are many other good foods, and many other bad. The main goal should be to make daily changes to make food more wholesome, and more balanced between the types of macronutrients. Meal timing: You should be eating 3 meals a day, the usual breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And you should also have 1-2 snacks per day. This works for both people trying to lose weight or gain muscle. If you are trying to lose weight, having small portions at each meal will keep the “fire” in your belly burning, keeping your metabolism high. With the small meals and high frequency of eating, you will begin to lose fat. If you are trying to gain weight, you simply take advantage of the eating times and eat more food. The lack of calories will result in weight loss, the surplus of calories will result in weight gain. Breakfast is important because you need to supply the body energy considering it hasn’t eaten in about 10-12 hours, and you need to supply energy to yourself for the day you are about to start. If you are trying to lose weight, not feeding yourself in the morning will slow down your metabolism. Having a slower metabolism is less effective with burning fat. It’s like trying to burn a bunch of wood with a little fire. If you are trying to maintain or gain weight, you are simply missing an opportunity to supply your body with fuel. Don’t drive passed the gas station with your gas tank on “E.” Furthermore, if it’s been 12 hours since you’ve had any protein or food, missing breakfast further puts you in a state of catabolism, meaning you will lose muscle. Whether your goal is to lose, gain, or maintain weight, you want to keep that muscle on you. So, eat in the morning when you wake up. This is a good time to get a good amount of wholesome proteins and carbs in your body. If you want to lose weight, have a smaller portion of balanced carbs and proteins. If you want to gain weight, have a larger portion of balanced proteins and carbs. Lunch is the meal you can tweak to fit your goals a little more. For breakfast, I stated you need a balance of protein and carbs. For lunch, you can make it less balanced to fit your

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goal. If you are trying to lose weight, it’s good to have a lighter sized meal for lunch, and less carbs and fats. Most of your meal should be protein based. The leaner the protein, the better. Chicken salad with a little oatmeal or an apple is a good way to go here. Remember, you still need some carbs and fats, just less of them. If you are trying to gain weight, you still want a lot of protein, but also a lot of carbs. When you are eating a lot of carbs and proteins, the fats usually fall in naturally. For example, having a nice hearty beef stew with lots of potatoes and meat will supply all of the nutrients you need for fats carbs and proteins. If you are trying to lose weight, eat to stop hunger but don’t get very full. To gain weight, don’t engorge yourself, as that can be bad, but be close to full when you finish eating. Dinner is usually the post workout meal for the average person. The post workout meal is the meal that needs, again, carbs and protein. For dinner, or the post workout meal, where how and what carbs and proteins you eat make a difference. After working out, you want to get starchy carbs to adequately replenish your energy stores. So, for any goal, you want starches like potatoes or rice in your meal after a workout. Starches are long term energy supply carbs, and will provide long term energy supply to your muscles. This is because they digest slowly. To simplify, for dinner/post-workout meal, eat starches and proteins. And of course, don’t forget vegetables. If you are trying to supply high energy needs or weight gain, try to have 2-4 times the amount of starches on your plate compared to the protein. If you want to lose weight, have around a 1:1 ratio, where about half of the plate is protein and the other half is carbs. Taking a step back, if you are someone that works out around your lunch break then you can flip flop how I have explained lunch and dinner. If lunch is your post workout meal, then apply the protein and starch needs there. This means that your dinner later in the day will then be the meal where you fit it to your needs more by for example, having that chicken salad and some light carbs if you want to lose weight. Snacks are meant to meet the fuel needs. When you know you are going to have a long stretch between meals, then snacks are your tools for success. If you work 9-5 and eat lunch at noon, and get to the gym at about 5:30, that means you’re about to workout having not eaten for 5-6 hours. You might be a little hungry, which makes it hard to work out. This is where you would have a snack right before or right as you finish your work shift. Generally, you want to have a meal 2 hours before working out. If you have a job, you might not have the luxury, so having a snack 30-60 minutes before working out will help you out. If you need a snack right before a workout, I recommend eating a quick protein bar and/or piece of fruit like an apple or banana. Fruit before a workout is great because fruits are simple carbs. Simple carbs are the opposite of starch carbs, meaning they get carbohydrate energy to the bloodstream fast. This makes them good for right before a workout. The protein bar will buy you time from feeling hungry during your workout, which is uncomfortable. You also need to know your body. I can have a meal one hour before working out and feel great. I can also eat a protein bar and apple right before working out. Often time, I need to. However, some people need to eat 3 hours before working out so they don’t throw up or feel sick. Whichever way you lean, adjust your snacks to meet your workout needs. This is why I recommend a protein bar and piece of fruit 30-60 minutes beforehand. You can use your snacking tool just the same for after a workout too. For example, maybe you’re not going to eat for 2 hours after working out. You know you need those proteins and starches after working out, so you have to do something. This is where the post workout protein shake comes in handy, and why it’s so popular. It gets the nutrients

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you need right away and buys you time until dinner. I recommend mixing a serving of protein powder with milk (white or chocolate) for right after workout. Usually, you want to get post workout nutrients within an hour after working out. If not, it’s okay. Do the best you can. How much food you eat is another monster in combination with what foods to eat, and at what times. Everyone will have different caloric needs. The easiest way to look at it all is know that you need protein for any goal, you need less carbs and less fats for weight loss, and more carbs and more fats (and more proteins) for weight gain. If you eat less calories than the calories you burn in a day, you lose weight. If you eat more calories than you burn in a day, you gain weight. Maintaining means eating the same each way. The good news is that there are plenty of phone apps out there that are free and very effective for tracking calories. They will also help with telling you how many grams and calories you need for each macronutrient. I definitely recommend downloading an app! A really good one rhymes with “hit this nail” …. Depending on your goal, you need about 0.5-1.0 grams of protein per pound you weigh. Eating 1.0 gram of protein is really toward the upper end of protein needs whether it is for athleticism or serious muscle gain. Most people don’t need that much, just keep that in mind. Going back to carbs, you need 1-4 times the amount of carbs compared to protein. Again, 4 times the carbs compared to protein is really the upper limit for gaining or athleticism. Fat usually falls into the mix naturally. Also keep in mind that these nutrition guidelines are for long term nutrition health. These guidelines are very general, and are a great place to start. Again, I recommend downloading a tracking app to help you. Ultimately, you need to monitor how your body changes in relation to your food intake. Make changes accordingly, just like the sound board. If you want to experiment with a nutrition challenge that uses a specific diet, go ahead! There is a lot one can learn. There are many diets out there that are good for quick results, such as intermittent fasting, paleo, keto, etc. Many of those types of nutrition plans aren't sustainable though. So, when those diet plans run their course (which should be about one month long, no longer), fall back to the guidelines in this eBook. The nutrition guidelines in this eBook are for your foundational fall back when you're not doing a temporary nutrition challenge. Nutrition rules to live by: ● Avoid all artificial and added sugars ● Eat wholesome foods ● Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 1-2 snacks ● Breakfast = balanced portions of carbs and proteins ● Lunch (if before workout) = biased to goal ○ Less carbs for weight loss ○ More carbs for weight gain ● Dinner (if post workout) = starch and protein ● Snacks = fueling body for workouts and long periods without meals ○ Example, protein bar and apple 30 min before working out ○ Protein shake after working out ● Starch carbs are better for after workout ● Simple carbs better for before workout ● Both or either types of carbs are okay for breakfast

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● ● ● ● ●

● ● ●

Don’t eat processed foods Eat foods in moderation, don’t eat too much Protein needs: 0.5 to 1.0 grams per pound you weigh A piece of meat the size of a deck of cards is 4 oz of meat, 4 oz of meat = around 30 grams of protein. Carb needs: 1-4 times the amount of grams of protein ○ 1 times the amount of protein for weight loss ○ 1-2 times the amount for maintenance (may be weight loss if you are really active) ○ 2-4 times the amount for weight gain (may result in maintenance if you are super active) If you are cranky, your workouts feel like crap, or you feel sad and burnt out, you probably need more carbs and/or more sleep Sleep 6-8 hours a night. Drink enough water to make your pee clear

Here are a couple sample tables, one for weight gain, and one for weight loss. If you’re someone that wants to maintain, try to fit your intake to a middle spot between these recommendations. You will need to weigh yourself and track your calories to find out how much you need for maintenance. If you notice you’re losing weight, bump up the calories and vice versa. Remember, the more active you are, the more calories you burn. It can be surprising how many calories you may need.

Weight loss: Breakfast 8:00 am

Lunch 12:00 am

Snack, before workout 4:30pm

Post workout snack/shake

Dinner 7:15pm

Eggs, toasts, milk and coffee. 1:1 to 1:2 of protein to carb ratio

Chicken salad with an apple. About 2:1 protein to carb ratio. More protein, less carbs.

Protein bar and banana. Going to workout at 5:30. Made sure I drank water today too

One serving of protein powder with low fat milk

Salmon and sweet potatoes, 1:1 protein and carb ratio. Some of the carbs included vegetables

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Weight gain: Breakfast 8:00 am

Lunch 12:00 am

Snack, before workout 4:30pm

Post workout snack/shake

Dinner 7:15pm

Egg wrap with avocado and home fries, chocolate milk and coffee, 1:3 to 1:4 of protein to carb ratio

Left-over beef stew, 1:3 carb to protein ratio

Cottage cheese with strawberries, working out at 5:30. Made sure I drank water too

One serving of protein powder with chocolate milk

Salmon and sweet potatoes, 1:3 protein and carb ratio. Some of the carbs included vegetables

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Chapter 5. Warm-Up and Cool-Down Yes, we all know warming up and cooling down is important. Yet, it's the first thing we choose to skip or forget about. With any warm up you need to get blood flowing through the body to get it warm, you need to prep the muscles for movement, and you need to mobilize your joints. For cool down, you need to do some quick blood flow work to move around any blood accumulation from the workout, you need to static stretch, and potentially mash any sore or problem areas. In this section I will show a warm up and cool down protocol that is good and useful for anyone. This warm up and cool down protocol can be applied to all of the workout programs in the end of this eBook. Warm up: ● 3-minute (minimum) cardio ● 10 Push ups ● 10 Michael Phelps hugs ● 10 Leg swings each direction ● 10 Bent over Rows ● 10 Black burns ● 10 calf raises ● 10 Body weight squats ● 30-60 second plank This may seem like a lot for a warm up. I promise it’s not much. Unless you’re doing a long cardio bout for part of your warm-up, the above warm up should take about 5-10 minutes. You should be able to move through the movements quickly. It might take a little extra time your first time, just because you’re not used to it yet. You’ll acclimate quickly. You’ll see this transfer to other factors of life as well. You’ll see that you can do more things and get them done faster. The first step is having a good attitude. Get things done and be happy about it! Check the link below for a video of the warm-up. Warm up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG9mApkMwzk Cooldown: ● 2 min walk/slow jog Then 30 seconds each of: ● Wide split hamstring stretch ● Laying quad stretch ● Laying chest/shoulder stretch ● Piriformis stretch ● Hip flexor stretch ● Lat stretch ● Triceps stretch ● Roll out/self-massage problems areas

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The purpose of the walk/jog is to help move blood around in your body. This will help with your recovery process. If you’re finishing with a finisher or sprint interval, I recommend doing a walk. If you’re finishing with resistance training, make it a 2-minute jog (this can be running or on a piece of cardio equipment). The stretches start with a focus on the lower body. You can do the stretching backwards (starting with triceps stretch) if you want to stretch upper body first. Make sure you do all of the stretching every time you workout. Check the video link for a demonstration of the cool down. https://youtu.be/zHWHJgcoJiU

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Goal specific workout programs You made it! You’ve read through this eBook and now you’re at the main course; the workout programs! If you didn’t read to get this far, hey that’s okay. You can still use these workout programs, but be sure to look back into this book for any questions you have. Specifically, check the exercise index videos, and the exercise technique section. Always know good form first. The programs will be divided by training level and by specific goal. The programs will be listed from easiest to hardest. If you start a program and see that it is too hard or too easy, come back to look at other programs as needed. Or, if you do a beginner program and get too fit for it, come back and try an intermediate program from this book! I will also tell you right now, these workouts will push you. Keep in mind that it’s okay if it’s a little hard. Push through it, it gets exponentially better every time you come in. I promise. Also promise me, and yourself, to finish what you start. I understand life can happen, but when you pick a plan, stick to it and finish it out. I know it might be hard. Half of the battle is just showing up. At least show up for the workouts and you will see results. The more you put into the workouts, the better the results you will see. Check out the workout programs and enjoy!

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3 Day Pure beginner workout: Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Warm up: 5 minutes of elliptical 20 slow high knees 20 slow butt kicks 20 jumping jacks 20 Michael Phelps hugs 20 cat cows

Warm up: 3 min of cardio 20 slow high knees 20 slow butt kicks 20 jumping jacks 20 Michael Phelps hugs 20 cat cows

Warm up: 3 min of cardio 20 slow high knees 20 slow butt kicks 20 jumping jacks 20 Michael Phelps hugs 20 cat cows

Workout: 1a.) Body weight box squat: 3setsx15 reps

Workout: 1a.) DB Deadlifts: 3 x 15

Workout: 1a.) BW box squat: 3x15

2a.) DB chest press: 3x15

2a.) Cable rows: 3x15

3a.) BW Lunges: 3x10 each

3a.) DB shoulder press: 3x15

2a.) Bent over DB rows: 3 x 15 2b.) Push-ups (hands on bench/wall): 3 x 10-15

4a.) Cable pull downs: 3x15

3a.) DB RDL: 3 x 15

4b.) Planks: 3x30 sec

4a.) Crunches w/2 sec hold: 3 x 15

5a.) Side planks: 3x30 sec 5b.) Calf raises: 3 x 20

4b.) Hip bridges: 3 x 15, pause @top for 1 second *Rest for 60 seconds between sets or as needed Cool down: Standing quad stretch Standing hip flexor stretch Wall chest/shoulder stretch Wall tricep stretch Stand and reach stretch *30-60 seconds of each stretch

*Rest for 60 seconds between sets or as needed Cardio: 10 minutes total, 15 seconds of high intensity every minute. i.e., start with 15 seconds of high intensity, then 45 seconds of slow pace and low intensity for 10 sets. Use elliptical, or resisted bike (assault, airdyne) Cool down: (same as day 1)

4a.) Step ups: 3x10 each leg 4b.) Super(wo)man raises: 3x15 5a.) Scissor kicks: 3x30 Seconds *Rest for 60 seconds between sets or as needed Cardio: 20-30 minutes of low intensity, but hard enough to get sweaty. You should be able to hold a conversation. I recommend a treadmill at an incline, or a stair stepper if you are comfortable with it. Cool down

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3 Day Pure Beginner explanation: If you are very green to exercise, and general movement is hard for you, then this plan is for you. For example, maybe you’re older, overweight, or recovering from something tragic, causing normal tasks like climbing a couple stairs to be very hard. This plan is your opportunity to take as a stepping stone before getting into the big lifts that may intimidate you. Don’t worry though, you can do it. Here are the links for you to look at that are specific to this program, and specific to the exercises. Please check the links to get the best results, and to be as safe as possible with your training. If you struggle with movement and need this program, you may need to speak to your doctor to be cleared for light exercise.

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3 Day, Full body workout for the average gym goer, beginner level Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

BB back squat 3 x 15 Dumbbell rows 3 x 15 Bench press 3 x 12 DB Deadlifts 3 x 12 Sit-ups 3 x 25 Hip bridges 3 x 12 each leg

Deadlifts 3 x 8 Push-ups/dips 3 x 15 or AMRAP DB Lunges 3 x 15 each leg Cable pull downs 3 x 15 Plank 3 x 30-60 seconds Side planks 3 x 30-60 sec

Back squat 3 x 15 Cable rows 3 x 15 DB shoulder press 3 x 15 Back raises 3 x 15 V-ups 3 x 12-20

4 Day, upper-lower body split basic framework, beginner level Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Warm-up 10-minute cardio warm up. Every minute, do 10 seconds of a higher intensity/faster pace followed by 50 seconds of slow pace. Finish warm up with General warm-up.

Warm up 3 min cardio and general warm up

Warm-up: 3 min cardio and general warm-up

3 min cardio and general warm up

1a.) DB Shoulder press 4 x 15

1a.) Deadlifts 3-4 x 8

1a.) Bench press 3-4 x 12

1b.) Calf raises 3-4 x 20

2a.) Cable rows 3-4 x 15

2a.) DB Lunges 3 x 15 each

3a.) Tricep push downs 3-4 x 15

2b.) Planks 3 x 30-60 seconds

3b.) Upright rows 3-4 x 15

Finisher 8-16-24-16-8: ● Body weight squats (get low, squeeze butt at the top of the squat) ● Sit ups Time:

Cardio finisher: 5-10 min burpees and rowing, 5 burpees every minute on the minute, rowing the rest of the minute.

General cool down

OR bicep 21s

Workout: BB back squat 3 x 15 Hamstring curls 3 x 15 Side planks 3 x 30-60 sec Back raises 3 x 15 Cool down: General cool down

2a.) Cable pull downs 4 x 15 3a.) Dips 3 x 15 3b.) Bicep curl 3 x 15 Finisher With partner: 10-1 ● Push-ups ● Partner holds plank One person does 10 push up while the other holds plank, you switch, then you both do 9 push-ups while other planks, then 8… down to 1. Time: General cool down

OR 20 min of cardio, preferably intervals

Stretch cool down.

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Explanation for 3 and 4-day average gym goer plans These workouts are general workouts. They are best for someone just starting out that wants to get in shape, but may not be sure as to what exactly he or she wants in relation to goals. The results yielded from this workout will be well rounded including muscle toning/strengthening, losing fat, and cardiovascular health. Notice how the reps are 15 reps for most of the exercises. This should be done for at least two weeks. Having the upper rep range results in using lighter weights and better prepares the muscles and ligaments for heavier loads down the road. So, do the 15 rep for at least 2 weeks, and then move to 10-12 reps with heavier loads after that. It would be better to stick to the 15rep range until you see a plateau in your progress. Seeing the plateau will let you know that your body is ready to move on to the next rep range, so keep track of your progress. I also understand that people usually would rather lift heavier weights for less reps, that's why it's okay to move on to 10-12 rep range after 2 weeks with 15 reps. How should you go about choosing weights for the sets and reps? Start on the lighter side for the first set and go heavier as you move on to the next sets. If you have no idea what light is, just make a guess and grab a weight to give it a shot. You'll quickly know if it's too light or heavy. Trial and error will be part of this process even with guidance. In regards to the barbell back squat, I recommend using the first couple sets as warm up sets, maybe even doing only 510 reps, and then making the third set a hard set of 15-20 reps. This will be tough, but will bring great results. The other option would be to have a lighter weight for all 3 sets of 15 reps. For the assistance exercises (the exercises that are NOT a big lift like the squat) I recommend doing the 3 sets of 15 reps with a lighter weight as opposed to warming up to a hard set of 15 reps. Either way, try to make the 3rd set harder by adding a little weight or be doing up to 20 reps. When you notice that the last set of an exercise can be done for 20 reps without much difficulty, that means you need to go heavier the next week when you're doing the exercise again.

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3 Day get toned lose fat, beginner Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

BB back squat 3 x 15 Dumbbell rows 3 x 15 NG DB press 3 x 15 DB Deadlifts 3 x 15 Russian twists 3x40 Hip bridges 3 x 15 each leg

Deadlifts 3 x 8 Push-ups/dips 3 x 15 or AMRAP DB Lunges 3 x 15 each leg Cable pull downs 3 x 15 Plank 3 x 30-60 seconds Side planks 3 x 30-60 sec

Back squat 3 x 15 Calf raises 3 x 20 Cable rows 3 x 15 DB shoulder press 3 x 15 Back raises 3 x 15

EMOM 5-10: Assault bike or rower during the minute, 3-5 burpees on every minute. Start with burpees.

Exercise Circuit: 21-15-9: - Dumbbell thrusters - Dumbbell renegade rows (no push-up) total, not each arm - Jumping jacks

Abs and sprints: 10-15-20-15-10: Leg raises or V-up After each round do a 40yard sprint, then rest for 60 seconds.

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4 Day Intermediate Get Toned, Burn fat plan Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Warm-up 3 min cardio and general warm up

Warm up 15-20 min easy cardio and general warm up

Warm-up: 3 min cardio and general warm-up THEN:

Workout: 1a.) BB back squat 4 x 15

1a.) DB Shoulder press 4 x 15

Warm-up: 10 min cardio with 35 burpees every minute and general warm up

2a.) Hamstring curls 4 x 15 Stretch hams x 30 sec between sets 3a.) Leg Press 4 x 15 Stretch quads x 30 sec 4a.) Side planks 3 x 30-60 sec 4b.) Back raises 3 x 15 Short finisher: 3-5 rounds: 15 sit-ups 30 Jump ropes Time:

2a.) Cable pull downs 4 x 15 3a.) Dips 3 x 15 3b.) Bicep curl 3 x 15 4a.) 3-way shoulder raises, 3 x 10 reps each way Finisher: 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 ● Burpees or updowns ● x10 Russian twists, total ~20 yard bear crawl~ Time: General cool down

Sprints, 10 min of: 30-40 yard sprint every 30 seconds x 20 reps. Check description after the plan 1a.) Deadlifts 4 x 8 1b.) Calf raises 4 x 20 2a.) DB Lunges 3 x 15 each 2b.) Planks 3 x 3060 seconds 3a.) Goblet squats 3x15-25 3b.) Hip adductions w/band or machine 3 x 15 General cool down

General cool down

1a.) Bench press 3 x 12 1b.) Pull-ups, change grips each set 3-4 x 5-10 reps 2a.) DB Upright rows 3 x 15 2b.) Push-ups 3 x 15+ 3a.) Ab wheel rollouts 3 x 15 Finisher: 10-15-20-15-10: - Barbell push press - Barbell supinated rows *start with 95 lbs, go up in following weeks Stretch cool down.

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3 Day general build muscle plan for beginners Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

BB back squat 3 x 8-12 Dumbbell rows 3 x 8-12 Bench press 3 x 8-12 Leg press 3 x 12-15 Calf raises 3 x 15 each leg Sit-ups 3 x 25 Hip bridges 3 x 12 each leg

Deadlifts 3 x 6-8 Dips 3 x 8-12 Side planks 3 x 30-60 sec DB Lunges 3 x 10-12 each Cable pull downs 3 x 8-12 Plank 3 x 30-60 seconds Skull crushers 3x8-12 Bicep curls 3x8-12

Back squat 3 x 15 Cable rows 3 x 15 DB shoulder press 3 x 15 Back raises 3 x 15 V-ups 3 x 12-20 Renegade rows 3x8-12 Russian twists 3 x 20-30 Hamstring curls 3 x 8-12

4 Day general build muscle plan, intermediate Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Warm-up 3 min cardio and general warm up

Warm up 3 min cardio and general warm up

Warm-up: 3 min cardio and general warm-up

3 min cardio and general warm up

Workout: 1a.) BB back squat 4 x 8-12 ATG w/pause 2x6

1a.) Barbell Shoulder press 4 x 6-8

1a.) Deadlifts 4 x 6-8

1b.) SL calf raises: 4x15 each leg 2a.) Hamstring curls 3 x 8-12 *drop set w/ 3 drops last set 3a.) Leg press: 3 x 12-15 reps *drop set w/3 drops last set 4a.) Side planks 3 x 30-60 sec 4b.) Back raises 3 x 12 STRETCH A LOT Cool down: General cool down

2a.) Cable pull downs 4 x 8-12 3a.) DB neutral grip incline chest press 3 x 8-12 3b.) SA DB rows 3 x 12-15 each

1b.) 2-way Calf raises 4 x 20 each way 2a.) DB Lunges 3 x 12 each 2b.) Planks 3 x 30-60 seconds 3a.) Sumo DB deads 3 x 15

Finisher 1: 10-1 Dips w/partner

3b.) Russian twists w/medball 3 x 20

Finisher 2: Shrug ladder, 5 sets of 10 reps of: Lt.-Med-Hvy-Med-Lt. Weights:

Finisher: Tabata resistance bike sprints: 8 sets, 20 sec sprint: 10 second rest

General cool down

General cool down

1a.) Bench press 4 x 8-12 Close grip 2x6 1b.) V-ups 4 x 15-20 2a.) Cable rows 4 x 15 *drop set w/ 3 drops last set 3a.) Tricep push downs 3 x 8-12 *drop set w/ 3 drops last set 3b.) Upright rows 3 x 8-12 Finisher 1: Bicep 21s by self or with partner. Check description and video Finisher 2: one set of push-ups for AMRAP Stretch cool down.

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4 Day, intermediate/advanced muscle building, upper/arm biased Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Warm-up 3 min cardio and general warm up

Warm up 3 min cardio and general warm up

Warm-up: 3 min cardio and general warm-up

Warm-up: 3 min cardio and general warm up

Workout: 1a.) Barbell Shoulder press 4 x 6-8 *2 sets of 10-15 push presses with finishing weight

Workout: 1a.) BB back squat 4 x 8-12 ATG w/pause 2x6

Workout: 1a.) Bench press 4 x 8-12 Close grip 2x6

Workout: 1a.) Deadlifts 4 x 6-8

1b.) SL calf raises: 4x15 each leg

1b.) V-ups 4 x 15-20

2a.) pull ups/pull downs 4 x AMRAP/8-12 *switch grip each set 3a.) DB neutral grip incline chest press 3 x 8-12 3b.) SA DB rows 3 x 12-15 each 4a.) Skull crushers 3x8-12 *drop set w/3 drops last set 4b.) Reverse bicep curls 3 x 8-12 *drop set w/3 drops last set STRETCH General cool down

2a.) Hamstring curls 3 x 8-12 *drop set w/ 3 drops last set 3a.) Leg press: 3 x 12-15 reps *drop set w/3 drops last set 4a.) Side planks 3 x 30-60 sec 4b.) Back raises 3 x 12 Warm-down: 3-5 rounds, not a sprint: ● Row 300 meters ● Farmers walk 30 meters STRETCH General cool down

2a.) Cable rows 4 x 15 *drop set w/ 3 drops last set

1b.) 2-way Calf raises 4 x 20 each way 2a.) DB Lunges 3 x 12 each 2b.) Planks 3 x 30-60 seconds

3a.) 3-way shoulder raises 3 x 10 each

3a.) Kettlebell swings 3 x 20-30

4a.) DB wrist curls and extensions 3 x 8-12

3b.) Russian twists or landmine rotations 3 x 20-30

Finisher 1: Bicep 21s by self or with partner. Check description and video

Finisher: Shrug weight pyramid, 10 reps of: Lt.-Med-Hvy-Med-Lt. Weights:

Finisher 2: 10-1 dips with partner Stretch cool down.

Optional: 5 x 50 jump ropes, 30 sec rest Stretch and roll everything General cool down

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4 Day, intermediate/advanced lower body legs and glutes biased Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Warm-up 6 min running, focus on big strides, do a 5 second sprint every minute, rest of min is slow. Then general warm up

Warm up 6 min cardio, 5 sec sprints each min. And general warm up

Warm-up: 6 min running, 5 sec sprint each min. And general warm up

Warm-up: 6 min cardio, 5 sec sprints each min. And general warm up

Workout: 1a.) SA DB Shoulder press 4 x 8-12

Workout: 1a.) Deadlifts 4 x 6-8

1a.) Bench press 4 x 8-12 Push ups 1-2 x AMRAP

Workout: 1a.) BB back squat 4 x 8-12 ATG w/pause 2x6 (ATG = ass to grass, so squat deep) 1b.) SL calf raises: 4x15 each leg 2a.) Hamstring curls 3 x 8-12 *drop set w/ 3 drops last set 3a.) Leg press: 3 x 12-15 reps *drop set w/3 drops last set 4a.) Side planks 3 x 30-60 sec 4b.) DB RDLs 3 x 15 *move slow, squeeze butt

2a.) Cable pull downs 4 x 8-12 *switch grip every time 3a.) DB neutral grip flat chest press 3 x 8-12 3b.) SA DB rows 3 x 12-15 each Warm-down: 3-5 rounds, not a sprint: ● Row 300 meters ● Farmers walk 30 meters General cool down

1b.) 2-way Calf raises 4 x 15-20 each way

1b.) V-ups 4 x 15-20 2a.) DB Lunges 3 x 12 each 2b.) Planks 3 x 30-60 seconds

2a.) Cable rows 4 x 15 *drop set w/ 3 drops last set

3a.) Super-set: - 25 KB swings - 15 Sumo DB deadlifts - Rest and stretch 60 sec

3a.) Tricep push downs 3 x 8-12

4a.) Russian twists w/medball 3 x 20

Finisher: 7-1: ● Burpees vert jumps ● DB Thrusters

Finisher: Tabata resistance bike sprints: 8 sets, 20 sec sprint: 10 second rest

3b.) X-band walks 3 x 50 steps total

Stretch cool down.

Stretch a lot General cool down

Finish: 3 x 15 Band or machine adductions and abductions STRETCH A LOT General cool down

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5 Day, intermediate/advanced, get strong, jacked, and sculpted Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Workout: 1a.) Back squats 4x8 @75%, AMRAP on last set

Workout: 1a.) NG DB presses w/4 second negative 4x8 45 sec rest

Workout: 1a.) Deads 4x6 at 80% 60 sec rest

Workout: A1.) Bench 4x8 at 85% of max, go for AMRAP on last set 60 sec rest

Workout: A1.) Front squats 4x8

2b.) 3-way calf raise x10 each direction, 60 sec rest

B1.) Pause bench, 2 sec at bottom, 2x5 at 60-70% of max 60 sec rest

B1.) Machine or T bar rows: 4x12

3a.) Single arm DB rows for time 3x30-45sec each arm, 60 sec rest

C1.) Dips 3x12 C2.) Standing rear delt DB raises 3x15 30 sec rest

4a.) Wide grip lat Pulldowns: 3x812 reps with 3 second negative Stretch lats for 60 seconds

D1.) Reverse tricep pushdowns 3x12 + 2 drop sets 12 reps each (12, 12, and 12 each set),

C2.) Shrug pyramid set, 1 set: 10 reps each weight: 45,135,225,315, 405,315,225,135 ,45lbs

1b.) Single leg tempo calf raises, 4x10 each leg *60 rest 2a.) Pause back squats: 2x6, 6070% of max 3a.) Good mornings 4x12, 30-60 sec rest, squeeze the butt

2a.) DB Incline Press 4x10, 2b.) DB rear delts raises 4x15, 30 sec rest 3a.) Tempo tricep kickbacks 3x10 each arm,

Finisher 1: 4 sets of: 30 D2.) Timed second Banded goblet squats face pulls, and (slightly wide rope pushdowns stance) 3x45 sec with 2 drops sets 60 sec rest Finisher 2: 4 Finisher: 8-10 rounds: Plate rounds, sprints overhead sit-ups and 10-15 for 20-30 decline sit-ups second, and 2030 seconds of unbroken battle ropes (vary patterns each time)

2a.) Leg press 4x15

5a.) Cable supinated rows 3x12-15 reps 5b.) Lat pushdowns: 3x12-15 30 sec rest Finisher: superset, no rest: heavy barbell curls 3x8-12 and

D2.) Chest flies 3x12, + 2 drop sets (12,12,12 each set) Stretch between sets Finisher: 3 rounds: Hanging leg/knee raises for 30 secs and push-ups x 30

A2.) Hamstring curls 4x12

B2.) DB Arnolds: 4x12

Finisher: 1. DB curl pyramid: 15sx10, 20sx10, 25sx10, 30sx10, 25sx10, 20sx10, 15sx10 Jump rope: 2030 jumps after each set of curls

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planks 3x45-60 seconds, Cool down: 20 single leg bridges each leg, child’s pose for 1 minute, banded leg abduction/adduc tion 20 reps once each

seconds of work, back to back with only 10 sec rest between raises and push ups

Explanation for 5 day get strong, jacked, and sculpted plan Day 1: A1.) Back squats (deep, get right below parallel) 4x8 @75%, AMRAP on last set A2.) Single leg tempo calf raises, 4x15 each leg (3 seconds on the way up, then 3 sec on way down. Also make sure to go through a full range of motion be getting a full stretch at the bottom and a full squeeze/lockout at the top) 60 rest B1.) Pause back squats: 2x6, 60-70% of max. These are meant for right after your first squat sets. These are to help develop and strengthen the legs in the weaker areas. C1.) Good mornings 4x12, 30-60 sec rest, squeeze the butt cheeks at the top D2.) Timed goblet squats (slightly wide stance) 3x45 sec Keep those legs moving like pistons. Don’t lock out at the top, keep moving up and down without stopping until the time is up. Make sure those knees don’t go in, push them out! 60 sec rest between sets Finisher: 8-10 rounds, sprints and 10-15 decline sit-ups The idea here is that you have access to a running path or piece of cardio equipment that will allow you to sprint for 5-10 seconds, and a bench you can do decline sit ups on. If you don’t have a bench, you can do v-ups instead, or any ab exercises you desire. It also doesn’t have to be running. It can be sled pushes, or plate pushes if you don’t have a sled, bike sprints, etc. Day 2: A1.) NG Strict dumbbell overhead presses w/4 second negative 4x8 (fast on way up, slow 4 seconds on way down) 45 sec rest B1.) DB Incline Press 4x10, B2.) DB rear delts raises 4x15, 30 sec rest

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C1.) Tempo tricep kickbacks 3x10 each arm, kick back fast then hold for 1 solid second, then 3 second negative (on way down) 30 sec rest Finisher 1: 4 sets of: 30 second Banded face pulls, and rope pushdowns with 2 drops sets (10 reps, drop weight 10 more, drop weight 10 more) Finisher 2: 4 rounds: Plate overhead sit-ups for 20-30 second, and 20-30 seconds of unbroken battle ropes (vary patterns each time) Day 3: A1.) Deads 4x6 at 80% for each set, 60 sec rest B1.) Leg press 4x15 B2.) 3-way calf raise x10 each direction, 30 total (feet out, feet parallel, and feet pointed in) 60 sec rest C1.) Kroc rows for time 3x30-45sec each arm, Pick up the weight and row without stopping for the time said above. Make sure same reps both sides 60 sec rest D1.) Wide grip lat Pulldowns: 3x10-12 reps with 3 second negative tempo (pull down to chest, then let up slowly) Stretch lats for 60 seconds then go back to work on the pull downs E1.) Cable supinated rows 3x12-15 reps E2.) Lat pushdowns: 3x12-15 30 sec rest Finisher superset, no rest: heavy barbell curls 3x8-12 and planks 3x45-60 seconds, Cool down: 20 single leg bridges each leg, child’s pose for 1 minute, banded leg abduction/adduction 20 reps once each

Day 4: A1.) Benching 4x8 at 85% of max, go for AMRAP on last set 60 sec rest B1.) Pause bench, 2 sec at bottom, 2x5 at 60-70% of max 60 sec rest C1.) Dips 3x12 C2.) Standing rear delt DB raises 3x15 30 sec rest D1.) Reverse tricep push-downs 3x12 + 2 drop sets 12 reps each (12, 12, and 12 each set), D2.) Chestflies of any kind 3x12, + 2 drop sets (12,12,12 each set)

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15 second stretch chest + 15 sec stretch of triceps. Then get back to work with the reverse triceps Finisher: 3 rounds: Hanging leg/knee raises x20 secs and push-ups x 20 seconds of work, back to back with only 10 sec rest between raises and push ups Day 5: A1.) Front squats 4x8 If you don’t do these often, make sure you look these up online and get familiar with them A2.) Hamstring curls 4x12 B1.) Machine rows: 4x12 B2.) DB Arnolds: 4x12 Do not lean back. Press the weight so that they are over your ears when overhead C2.) Shrug pyramid set, 1-2 sets: 10 reps each weight: 45,135,225,315,405,315,225,135,45lbs Finisher: 2. DB curl pyramid: 15sx10, 20sx10, 25sx10, 30sx10, 35s?x10, 30sx10, 25sx10, 20sx10, 15sx10 Jump rope: 20-30 jumps after each set of curls

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Exercise Index This next section is an extensive list of exercises. Each page will show an exercise and how to do the exercise. Pictures and video links will be included. The exercise index section is divided into three main parts; lower body exercises, upper body exercises, and core exercises respectively. This is the biggest section of the book. Enjoy!

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Lower Body Exercise Index

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Abductions and adductions (of the hip) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUn5ZO1NIq4&t=62s Primary muscles used: inner hip and thigh muscles (adductors for the adductions), outer hip and thigh muscles (abductors and glutes for abductions) 1. Have either an attachment to a cable or band wrapped around the lower leg/ankle 2. Step away from where the cable or band is attached, making sure your body is in line with the point of attachment. The direction you’re facing and the cable/band should create a right angle. 3. Stagger feet if necessary (so your legs aren’t in the way of the band/cable). 4. Abductions: leg raise your leg out to about 45 degrees, lower slowly. Adductions: pull your leg in toward your midline, let out slowly. 5. Keep legs straight, and keep feet straight. No turning of the toes outward. 6. Keep chest upright at all times. Don’t lean with the reps. *Many gyms have machines that work these muscles, usually called hip machines. Abductions, pushing leg out (outer thighs/hips/glutes):

Adductions, squeezing leg in (inner thighs/hips):

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Barbell back squat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4-U5fv5ogM&t=11s Primary muscles used: quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Set hands about thumbs distance from smooth, symmetrically on bar Squeeze shoulder blades together, and shrug into the bar to create a shelf Stand weight out of rack (like you’re squatting it), and take a couple steps back Set your heels shoulder width apart, and turn toes out slightly Start the squat by pushing hips back first Right after moving the hips back, then bend the knees to execute the squat (smoothly) and bring the hips down 7. Squat to parallel (hip crease below top of knee). Just like the body weight squat, knees should track in line with feet and just slightly outward, not inward. 8. Keep back flat, allowing some angle in the torso, but not too much 9. Finish squat rep by standing up straight, keeping balance over heel/midfoot for the entire movement *Remember to inhale into belly on way down, exhale on way up. Squeeze the core.

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Barbell Deadlift https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BetgH0baLtc&t=60s Primary muscles used: Posterior chain (glutes, back, hamstrings), quadriceps, and core 1. Set feet hip width apart, and feet straight (not out). The bar should be against the shins or very close. 2. Make sure shoulder blades are neutral in good posture. Keep them fixed for the entire movement. AND set hands outside of the hips (this will be your grip width). 3. By moving at the hips first, make way down to the bar. Placing hands on the bar using the same grip width. Arms should be straight. Knees inside of arms (but not inward). 4. Set body so that the shoulders are over top and slightly in front of the bar, back is flat, and butt is in between shoulders and knees. The butt should be back and down. 5. Take a big breath into belly, keeping core tight. 6. Stand up straight with the weight, driving heels into the ground, exhaling as you stand. As you stand, your chest should be going up the whole time, and your spine/back needs to stay flat. 7. While repeating reps, do the same thing on the way down. Think of rewinding the reps on the way down. Also, you may use a hook or switch grip.

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Barbell Front Squat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHmNWqQEqsI&t=337s Primary muscles used: Quadriceps, core, glutes, hamstrings. 1. Set a grip on the bar that is slightly outside of shoulder width (should be an inch or two between shoulder and hand on each side). If you don’t have the flexibility, you can use a cross grip instead. Make sure you are symmetrical. 2. Rack the bar on the shoulders, pushing the shoulders AND elbows forward like headlights. The bar should sit in the crease of the top of your shoulders. The bar will be close to your neck, it might even touch your neck, but it should not be choking you. 3. Get ready for the front squat by unracking the bar from the hooks, take a couple steps back and set feet shoulder width apart. 4. Execute the squat by bringing hips back and down. Get to parallel and stand back up. Make sure back is flat the whole time, weight/balance is distributed between heel and midfoot, and that the knees are just slightly out. 5. Drive the elbows up out of the bottom to reinforce good positioning. The elbows will want to dip down during the front squat, so fight it by pushing them up! 6. Breath by inhaling on the way down, exhaling on the way up.

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Barbell good morning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM2PQFxgq2g&t=158s Primary muscles used: hamstrings, glutes, back extensors (lower back) 1. Set the bar on the upper back (high bar or low bar, check the video). Unrack the bar. 2. Set feet HIP width apart. 3. Hinge at the hips. To do this, push the butt backwards allowing the knees to bend slightly, and the chest to come down. 4. Keep the back flat, and weight on heels. 5. When a stretch in the hamstrings is felt, squeeze the hamstrings and glutes to stand back up right. Essentially, the movement of a good morning is pushing the hips back, then pushing the hips forward. The rep is finished when the body is standing straight with glutes engaged. Don’t excessively push the hips forward. *The torso needs to come down until a stretch is felt, or until slightly ABOVE parallel. The torso shouldn’t quite be flat like a table parallel to the ground, but more like a flat slope or ramp. *Good form and technique should always come first, but especially with the good morning exercise. This exercise is meant to be done with lighter weights. Focus more on slow reps and glute engagement rather than heavy weights.

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Body weight squat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D6T63kyw2Y&t=14s Primary muscles used: quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes 1. Set heels shoulder width apart, and turn toes out slightly 2. Start the squat by moving hips back first, then (immediately after) bend knees and bring hips toward the ground 3. Squat to parallel (hip crease right below knee), keeping back flat, and balance over midfoot/heel 4. Knees should track in line with feet, and/or slightly outward 5. Stand up straight (and squeeze glutes) to finish the rep

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Box step ups https://youtu.be/zJDHmfGhwSQ Primary muscles used: hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps, 1. Stand about 1 foot away from box 2. Place foot on box 3. Drive through heel, to step onto box 4. Stand up straight (full extension), squeeze glutes at the top of each rep. 5. Step down from the box 6. Bring other foot to the ground *You may bring knee up at the top of each step up to challenge your balance and secondary muscles more.

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Box squat/sit to stand https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drOoinuqiMI&t=15s Primary muscles used: quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes *Same rules as body weight squat 1. Set heels shoulder width apart, and turn toes out slightly 2. Start the squat by moving hips back first, then (immediately after) bend knees and bring hips to the box 3. Keep back flat, and balance over midfoot/heel 4. Try to barely touch box with butt, you may sit if you HAVE to 5. Knees should track in line with feet, and/or slightly outward 6. Stand up straight by driving through the heels (and squeeze glutes) to finish the rep

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Calf Raises: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL8pcuUn3hw Primary muscles used: Calves (gastrocnemius) 1. With any type of calf raise, position so that your balance is on the ball of the foot, not toes 2. Go through full range of motion: full lock out and muscle contraction at the top, and full stretch at the bottom 3. Move at a moderate to slow pace, don’t go too fast 4. You can point your toes inward and outward to focus different parts of the calves. Outward for the outer calf muscle, inward for the inner calf muscle. The bottom 3 picture show 3-way calf raises.

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Dumbbell Deadlift https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P93JE8flWWg Primary muscles used: Glutes, back, hamstrings, quads, core 1. 2. 3. 4.

Starting position is standing up, with feet hip width apart, and straight Have dumbbells held to the sides Descend by moving at the hips first, then at the knees Bring the dumbbells to either mid shin, or let the front heads of the dumbbells hit the ground 5. Keep the dumbbells close to the body’s midline, using a straight movement path 6. Keep the back flat, and the core tight, at all times 7. Press through the heels to stand up straight and squeeze glutes at the top.

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Dumbbell RDLs (dumbbell Romanian deadlifts) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSofvP9wZJQ Primary muscles used: Hamstrings, glutes, back 1. Start by standing with good posture (shoulder blades back), and weight against the front of the thighs. Feet should be hip width apart. 2. Unlock the knees and push the hips back. Keep your back flat. 3. As you push your hips back, slide the weights down your thighs. 4. Try to lower the weights to right below your knees 5. Once you feel the stretch in the hamstrings, squeeze your butt and hamstrings to stand up. 6. Squeeze your butt and stand up straight. *Make sure to keep soft knees (knees slightly bent), and keep weight toward the heels.

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DB Squats with close stance https://youtu.be/VOcsscGSda0 Primary muscles used: Quadriceps (dominant), glutes, hamstrings 1. Rack the dumbbells on the shoulders. Heads of the dumbbells on the shoulders, elbows forward and high. 2. Move feet to hip width. 3. Toes can be out slightly OR straight 4. Like all other squats, move at the hips first, squatting to at least parallel, keeping weight on the heels. 5. Keep knees out slightly in relation to the feet, and back flat 6. Driving through the heels, squeeze quads and glutes to stand up straight. *If feet are straight, knees are more likely to be straight which results in likelihood of back rounding due to anatomy. In either case, try to keep knees out slightly and don’t let the back round.

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DB Sumo Deadlift https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue3XozwDSNA Primary muscles used: Glutes, back, hamstrings, quads and abductors/adductors 1. Pick up a dumbbell holding a head of the dumbbell 2. Set feet wider than shoulder width apart with toes pointed outward. Feet should be about 6 inches wider than shoulder width on each side 3. Just like a squat or deadlift, descend by moving the hips back first, then the knees. 4. Touch the head of the dumbbell to the ground while pushing the knees out. Work very hard to push the knees out and not let them dip in. 5. Once the dumbbell touches the ground, stand up straight with the weight. When standing up, still keep the knees pushed out, drive your chest up, and squeeze your glutes. 6. Establish the locked-out position by squeezing your glutes at the top of the rep. *DON’T hyperextend and lean backwards at the top. Also make sure to breath by inhaling on the way down and exhaling on the way up.

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DB Thrusters (squat and press) https://youtu.be/t-_fLAsMNWs Primary muscles used: Quadriceps, shoulders, hamstrings, glutes, triceps 1. Rack the dumbbells on the shoulders. The head of the dumbbell should be resting on the shoulders, and the elbows should be forward and up. 2. Set feet shoulder width apart 3. Start the thruster by squatting. Reminder: hips back and down, knees out slightly, chest up, back flat, weight on the heels 4. Squat down to parallel 5. Stand up explosively out of the squat. 6. Using the momentum from the explosive squat, follow with pressing the dumbbells overhead. The overhead press part of the movement comes right after the squat is finished (once the body is standing straight up). 7. Press the dumbbells over the ears 8. Lower the dumbbells by bringing the elbows forward and down to the shoulders 9. Right as the dumbbells reach the shoulders, go into the squat and repeat the rep

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Farmer walks/carries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ2oWLeLDjs Primary muscles used: Core, traps, legs. 1. Simply pick up a pair of heavy weights and walk with them. Make sure you use good deadlifting form when picking up the weights. 2. When you are walking with the heavy weights, make sure you have a tight core and good posture. Don’t round your back forward. *You may use kettlebells, dumbbells, farmer carry handles, etc.

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Goblet Squats https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_DV9y7CuII Primary muscles used: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings 1. Pick up the dumbbell, and set the head of the dumbbell so that it is resting on the mid to lower palm 2. Bring your elbows tight, keep the dumbbell against the chest 3. Set up for the squat, get feet shoulder width apart 4. Move the hips back and down 5. Keeping the back flat and the weight toward the heels, get low enough so that the hip crease is parallel or slightly under the top of the knee 6. Driving through the midfoot/heels, stand up 7. Finish the rep with standing up straight and squeezing the glutes. Don’t push hips forward excessively.

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Hip Bridges https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziafaXzWFq4 Primary muscles used: glutes and hamstrings 1. 2. 3. 4.

Start laying on back with arms to the side at an angle Place heels about 1 foot away from hips Push into the heels, squeeze the glutes, and push the hips up There should be a straight line between the knees and shoulders at the top of this exercise 5. This can be performed by holding the hip bridge at the top (isometric hold), or for reps going up and down. The reps should be performed moderately or slowly 6. This can also be done with one leg at a time. Same rules: squeeze the glutes. Try to keep the thigh of the non-working leg parallel to the thigh of the working leg

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Hip thrusts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLBAd1_CRFg Primary muscles used: Glutes, posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, back) 1. Place shoulder blades on a bench or on the ground. If shoulder blades are on a bench, the edge of the bench should be in the middle of the shoulder blades. 2. Situate the barbell in the crease of the hip. 3. Situate the feet slightly wider than hip width, and the feet should be about 1 foot or slightly farther from the glutes. 4. Execute the reps by pushing the heels into the ground and driving the hips up. The feet can be flat, but the pressure must be in the heels. Make sure to squeeze the glutes on the way up and down with the reps. *These are usually done better when the hips are lowered slowly. *Make sure the bench is secure and won’t tip over if you are using a bench.

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Kettlebell swings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2b2wsAQCko Primary muscles used: Posterior chain (back, hamstrings, glutes), core 1. Start one foot behind the kettlebell with feet shoulder width apart. 2. Bend down, put hands on kettlebell. The spine needs to be straight. 3. Hike the kettlebell high and tight to the thighs like a football. 4. From there, explosively thrust the hips forward to launch the kettlebell forward and up. The kettlebell only needs to come to about chest level. 5. Bring the kettlebell down to high and tight on the thighs again. Let the kettlebell bring the hips back. Hinge at the hips. Let the hips go back slightly, then thrust the hips to launch the kettlebell back up again. Continue doing kettlebell swings by aggressively launching the kettlebell up with each rep. *The movement needs to come from bending at the hips. There should be little bend in the knees. Think bend and snap. Avoid doing a front raise with the shoulders. *Don’t lean back when doing the kettlebell swings.

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Leg Presses https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lfaAhAPI-g Primary muscles: Thighs, quadriceps, hamstrings, hips. 1. Set feet shoulder width apart on the platform. Make sure the feet are symmetrical on the platform. 2. Press the weight up and unlock the safety lock. 3. Lower the weight with the knees slightly out, keep the weight on the midfoot/heel area of the foot. Lower the weight to slightly passed 90 degrees. 4. By driving through the midfoot/heels, press the weight back up. NOTE: IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO NOT LOCK THE KNEES OUT AT THE TOP OF THE LEG PRESS! There should be a slight bend in the knee when the weight is pressed up.

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Lunges https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yttYvujx3is Primary muscles used: quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes 1. Starting from a standing position, take a big step out in front of you. 2. Lower the knee of the back leg toward the ground. You may lower the knee to the ground softly, but don’t bounce your knee cap. Otherwise, lower the knee as low as you can to the ground. 3. At the bottom of the lunge, there should be a 90-degree angle in both legs at the knee joint. The knee of the forward leg should be over top of the ankle at the bottom of the lunge. 4. Keep the feet straight. 5. Drive through the heel to stand back up. 6. Alternate to the other leg. *When in doubt, step out. A bigger step is usually better than a smaller step. *The weight should always be balanced over the heel, not the toes.

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Sprinter Lunges https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P7xGjTBwio Primary muscles used: Glutes, hamstrings, quads. 1. Starting from a standing position, take a large step forward. 2. In a sprinter lunge, the back leg is extended as much as possible, therefore the step outward needs to be larger than a normal lunge. 3. The forward knee needs to be roughly over the heel, and the back leg needs to be extended as much as possible. In other words, as you step forward, squeeze your glutes and straighten your leg as much as possible. 4. Keep feet straight, don’t focus on knee getting close to the ground. Remember, focus on stepping big and squeezing the glute.

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Upper Body Exercise Index

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Arnolds (dumbbell shoulder exercise) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwjknJ7Bw9o Primary muscles used: Deltoids (shoulders), triceps. 1. Start with dumbbells over the shoulders and to the sides. Should be about 90-degree angles in arms. 2. Press straight up overhead. 3. Lower back to the shoulders. 4. Rotate the dumbbells in so that the heels of the hands are close. Maintain a 90-degree angle in the arms. Elbows should come slightly below 90 degrees, but all the way down to the torso. 5. Rotate arms back so dumbbells are over shoulders again. 6. Repeat and press overhead again. *Don’t lean back. Press the weights overhead. *keep the core tight while pressing.

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Barbell Pronated Rows (palms down) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTgDL2pJLl4&t=95s Primary muscles used: (Middle and upper back muscles) Lats, lower traps, rhomboids, some rear delts 1. Set hands to a grip that is about thumbs distance from the smooth part of the bar in the middle. Make sure hands are symmetrical. This grip should be closer (hands closer to each other) than the bench press grip. 2. Feet should be hip width apart (closer than shoulder width). 3. From a standing position, bring the torso down by bending at the hips and softening the knees. The torso angle should be a little lower than 45-degree angle, definitely not any higher. The bar should be hanging in front of your knees. 4. Keep the back flat. 5. Execute the reps by driving the elbows back and bringing the bar to hit the upper abs/upper belly. 6. Squeeze the middle back and shoulder blades together at the top of each rep. Keep the elbows angled down. 7. Lower the bar with control. Bar should lower to in front of the knees. Repeat.

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Barbell Supinated Rows (palms up) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Ca7dVrW0c&t=35s Primary muscles used: More middle back (lower traps), lats, rhomboids, biceps 1. Set grip so palms are up, pinkies in line with the smooth. In other words, the grip should be right outside hip width. The feet should be hip width. 2. Lower the bar to in front of the knees. 3. Hips back, knees slightly bent, back flat and torso down slightly lower than a 45-degree angle. 4. Execute the reps by driving the elbows back, squeezing the middle and upper back. 5. The barbell should contact the lower abs. 6. Lower under control, keep chest down. 7. Repeat.

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Battle Ropes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A7F4frJy2Q Primary muscles used: Shoulders and forearms 1. Be dynamic and aggressive with the ropes, simply moving them in some sort of a pattern. Usually going up and down is the most typical pattern to use, but feel free to use different patterns with the ropes. Battle ropes are usually done for time as a finisher for the grip and shoulders.

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Bench Press https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ5bEOEk0oI&t=43s Primary muscles used: Chest (pectorals), triceps, and shoulders (front deltoids). 1. Set your grip so that it is symmetrical and relative to you. You want a grip width that allows you to touch your sternum with the bar while keeping the forearms roughly perpendicular to the bar during the movement. This may take a little trial and error. 2. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, set your traps and shoulder blades into the bench. Keep your shoulder blades together for the entire set. 3. Bring your butt down into the bench. This will give you an arch. You may get on the balls of your feet, or feet flat. Just make sure you are pushing into the feet to create full body tension. 4. Tuck your feet back so that there is tension and the body is locked tightly into the bench. 5. Unrack the weight, bring the weight over your chest, in line with the sternum. 6. Lower the weight to the sternum, press up explosively. Do not disengage the shoulder blades. Keep them tight. While pressing up and down, the bar shoulder stay in line with the sternum. It should NOT drift over the face. *Just like the joint stacking videos, the arms should be angled roughly 45 degrees to the side of the torso. The elbows should not wing out. *Make sure you have a spotter for benching

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Bicep curls https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSw7nIZsFLE&t=48s Primary muscles used: biceps, forearms used as secondary muscles 1. 2. 3. 4.

Set elbows to the side of the torso. Keep the elbows there Curl the weight up, keeping the elbows tight to the side at the top. Under control, lower the weights back down. Different grips used: the usual curling grip is palms up, hammer is neutral grip curls (bottom left picture), reverse grip is palms down which is harder (bottom middle and right pictures)

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Bicep 21s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naT69RhiM1w Primary muscles used: Biceps, forearms are secondary 1. Start in standing position, elbows glued to the side, weights in hands and palms facing forward. 2. Do 7 half curls, from bottom of rep to middle of rep. 3. Then, do 70 upper half curls, going from middle to the top of the rep. 4. Then, do 7 full curls from bottom all the way to the top. *keep elbows glued to sides during all reps. *Do reps back to back or use a heavier weight and do reps with a partner.

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Bodyweight rows, also known as inverted rows. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llCvBL1WDA0&t=15s Primary muscles: Lats, rhomboids, biceps 1. Situate body at an angle. 2. Pull body up by driving the elbows backward and squeeze the shoulder blades together. 3. Lower body with control. 4. Keep the body in a straight line while doing the reps. *Go through full range of motion. The hands should be right by the chest at the top of the rep. If it is too hard to get the chest up to the hands, then walk feet backward. Conversely, walking feet forward makes the reps harder.

90

Cable rows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssYriVmRLw4 Primary muscles used: Lats, rhomboids, biceps. 1. 2. 3. 4.

Grab handle, set feet shoulder width apart, press body back. Keep the knees soft (slightly bent), and keep the back flat. Pull the handle to the chest. When pulling the weight, keep the elbows tight to the side and drive the elbows back. Squeeze the shoulder blades together. 5. Use a moderate tempo, controlling the weight on the way down. 6. When done, lower the weights and handle slowly.

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Close grip bench press https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYhtbIRup44 Primary muscles used: Triceps, some chest and shoulders 1. Same initial set up as bench press but using a different grip. Set shoulder blades together and traps into the bench. Before unracking it, make sure you have a good grip. For the case of the close grip, ring fingers should be right in line with smooth or hands about shoulder width on the bar. 2. Set feet back and tightly into the ground. 3. Unrack the bar, and bring the bar to in line with the sternum. Keep shoulder blades together. 4. Keeping elbows tight to the sides, lower the bar to the sternum, and finish with pressing up and locking arms out. *The bar should not drift backward while pressing. Keep the bar in line with the chest and press straight up. When at the bottom, middle, or top of rep, the bar should be in line with the sternum. Always keep elbows tight.

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DB Chest flies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzNWYb9729k Primary muscles used: Pecs (chest) 1. Lay down with dumbbells on chest. 2. Press dumbbell straight above the chest. 3. With elbows slightly bent, bring the dumbbells out to the side with the weights in line with the chest. 4. Once a stretch is felt, squeeze the chest and bring the dumbbells together. Again, the weights should be above and in line with the chest. *Don’t let the weights drift over or in line with the shoulders.

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DB Chest Press (neutral grip and standard grip) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBkgctmktYg Primary muscles used: Chest (pectorals) 1. Start seated with dumbbells on lap. 2. Sit backwards smoothly onto back while simultaneously bringing the dumbbells to the chest. 3. Situate the shoulder blades together. Keep them together for the entire movement. 4. Make sure the dumbbells are in line with the chest. Press the dumbbells straight up and in line with the chest. Squeeze the chest throughout the movement and at the top. 5. After the set, bring the dumbbells down the same way as when you started the set. You can also lower the dumbbells quickly but safely to the sides. *For the neutral grip press, the elbows should be very tight to the sides and handles should be vertical. *For the standard grip, the handles should be horizontal, and the elbows should be about 45 degrees from the torso. The elbows should be straight out to the sides. *Do not press the dumbbells over your face. Keep the dumbbells in line with the chest.

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Dumbbell Rows (bent-over) https://youtu.be/guQUEsYkMWs Primary muscles used: Middle and upper back muscles (rhomboids, traps, lats), and biceps 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Set feet hip width apart. Bend over, holding the weights in front of the knees and slightly to the side Keep the back flat, and knees soft (slightly bent) Drive the elbows up, and squeeze the shoulder blades together. The weights should be outside your chest, and elbows should be tight to your side Lower the weights the same way to in front of the knees. Repeat

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Dumbbell Rows (Single arm rows) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQVgTxsyGkg Primary muscles used: Middle and upper back muscles (rhomboids, traps, lats), and biceps 1. 2. 3. 4.

If using a bench, put hand and knee of same side on the bench. Make sure the foot and leg on the ground is back so it’s out of the way Keep your back flat, pick up the dumbbell. Row the dumbbell by driving the elbow up, squeeze the middle and upper back. Don’t twist your shoulders at the top 5. The dumbbell head should be right outside the chest 6. Lower the dumbbell (don’t let the weight drop down) 7. Go through full range of motion and repeat

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Dumbbell Shoulder press https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa_6HSWWqjo Primary muscles used: Shoulders (deltoids), triceps, upper trapezius 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Start by getting the dumbbells up and the heads of the dumbbells on the shoulders Make sure the elbows are up and forward Set the feet so they are hip width apart Press the weights straight up and over head. The weight should be over the ears which is over the hips and heels down through the body. Keep the abs tight while pressing overhead. 6. Bring the weights down every rep by pushing the elbows forward and lowering the heads of the dumbbells to the shoulders again

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Dips on a bar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCFHtbddWLE Primary muscles used: Triceps, pecs (chest), and shoulders 1. Jump up onto the bar, supporting the body weight with arms locked out. 2. Begin going down by leaning forward and pushing the elbows back. 3. Keep the elbows tight to the sides. 4. Try to get the upper arm parallel to the ground. 5. Push body back up and lock out the arms to finish the rep. *There should be some bend in the hips, and the legs should be under the hips. Don’t push the legs backward. *It is important to lean forward when doing the dip. This will allow the elbows to go back and to stay tight to the sides. Do not keep the chest upright, otherwise, the elbows will come away from the sides and there will be higher risk of injury for the shoulders.

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Dips (on a box or bench) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdOyvI_7dpU&t=187s Primary muscles used: Triceps and shoulders 1. Start with sitting on the bench/box, and place your hands right outside the hips. This is how wide your hands should be. Hands should be just about touching your hips. 2. Your weight should be over the middle to lower part of your palms 3. Straighten your legs and slide your butt off of the bench. Butt should be close to the bench. 4. Execute the dips by lower the body, toward the ground, and then pushing the body back up. While doing the dips let the chest come forward some and let the elbows go back 5. Keep the elbows tight. Elbows should travel backwards not sideways. *Try to travel through full range of motion without any pain or pinching. If you feel pain or pinching you could be going too low or using poor form. The goal is to get upper arms parallel to floor. *It’s important to make sure you don’t walk too far forward. Your hands/bench should be barely behind your butt. Being too far away will stress the chest and shoulders (not in a good way).

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Facepulls https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR-Up4JZxDY Primary muscles used: upper back and shoulders (rhomboids, rear delts, traps, etc.) 1. Make sure the rope attachment is about eye level. Using either type of grip (thumbs forward or thumbs back), take a step back to unrack the cable weight. Arms should be straight. 2. Next, pull the rope attachment back and outside the temples. Keep the hands in line with the eyes, and make sure the elbows are high. 3. When pulling back, focus on squeezing the shoulder blades and the back of the shoulders. 4. Control the weight slowly up and down. *This exercise needs to be more focused on the movement itself and less on going heavy. Go light and work on muscle engagement of the upper back and rear delts (back of shoulders).

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Incline chest press (with dumbbells) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0Tcj9mhyRg Primary muscles used: Pecs, triceps, shoulders. 1. Set the bench to an incline. It’s better if it’s a little on the lower side opposed to having the incline on a higher or steeper incline. 2. Situate the weights right outside the chest, and press them up right over the chest. DO NOT press the weights over the shoulders or the neck. 3. Use either a neutral grip or a standard grip. With either grip, there should be an angle between the arms and the sides. Don’t let the elbows flare out to the sides. 4. When pressing, focus on engaging the upper chest.

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Lat pull downs https://youtu.be/-BMt5_l6DFo Primary muscles used: Lats (middle back muscles), biceps, lower traps. 1. Grab the handle with hands slightly wider than shoulder width, then sit down with thighs under the pad. Make sure the seat and pad are set at comfortable heights for you. 2. Once seated, pull the elbows straight down, and try to pull the handle to the upper chest. At the least, try to pull the handle below your chin. If you can’t get the handle under the chin, then you need to make the weight lighter. 3. Always think drive the elbows down. Don’t pull the elbows backwards.

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Lat push-downs, a.k.a. Straight arm lat pull downs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb9qXV1ChX0 Primary muscles used: Lats are main the muscle group. Triceps are a secondary muscle group. 1. Set hands about shoulder width or slightly wider. Bend elbows slightly and keep elbows fixed. 2. Keep feet about hip width apart. 3. Focusing on your lats, push the bar down and toward your hips. Think, “shut the car trunk.” Also think of punching the armpits shut when you are at the bottom.

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Military press/strict press https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfaYGv-U2KQ&t=40s Primary muscles used: Shoulders, triceps. Core and upper back are secondary muscles. 1. Set your grip so that it’s wider than your shoulders. I do thumbs length from the smooth. There should be an inch or 2 between your hands and shoulders. 2. With shoulders forward, rack the bar onto your shoulders and step out of the rack. *shoulders must be forward so the bar can be racked onto the shoulders. If shoulders are back, the bar will rest on the throat. You don’t want that. 3. Set feet at about hip width or slightly wider. 4. Elbows slightly forward. 5. Press the bar straight up over the ears. 6. Once arms and weight are locked out overhead, let elbows go forward some and lower the bar to the shoulders. Don’t let the elbows go back. 7. Move the face out of the way on the way up and down, but DO NOT lean back. *keep the abs and glutes tight throughout the sets and reps of this movement.

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Pull ups and chin ups https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzxfaEmkdRs Primary muscles used: lats, biceps 1. For pull ups, use a palms forward grip, with hands slightly wider than shoulder width. For chin ups, use a palms facing in (toward your face) grip with hands slightly closer than shoulder width. These same grips can be used on the lat pull-down if pull ups and chin ups are too difficult. 2. When hanging from the bar, make sure the shoulders are active. 3. By engaging the lats and biceps, pull the elbows down and get the chin above the bar. Lower the body with control.

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Push Press https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW-omoNb-zA Primary muscles used: Shoulders, triceps. Secondary muscles: core, upper back. 1. Same starting position as military press: Hands inch or two outside of shoulders, shoulders and elbows slightly forward so the bar is resting on the shoulders. Feet are hip width or slightly wider. 2. Dip down: bring the hips straight down a few inches toward the heels, pushing the knees out, and keeping the torso upright. This shouldn’t feel like a squat. What you need to do is basically unlock the hips and knees to allow a slight bend. Don’t bend/dip too low. 3. After the dip, drive up with the hips, pushing into the heels. 4. Follow the dip and drive with a press overhead. 5. Like the military press lower the bar with elbows going slightly forward on the way down. *Make sure to get your head out of the way. The bar should move in a straight line from point A (shoulders) to point B (locked out overhead). * Keep the core tight

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Push up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYWtEkqHXss&t=13s Primary muscles used: Chest, triceps, shoulders (should be felt more in triceps and chest if done correctly) 1. Start with chest on the ground 2. Place hands on chest, and then move them outside of the chest, in line with the nipples. The forearms should be almost perpendicular to the ground. DO NOT LET THE HANDS SLIDE UP IN FRONT OF THE SHOULDERS 3. Make sure the arms are tight to the side, making an arrow shape between the torso and arms. Arms NO WIDER than the arrow in the picture (when in doubt go closer) 4. Tighten the core, making the body a straight line 5. Press the body away from the ground 6. Bring the chest back to the ground using the same form. *If possible, try to use full range of motion and bring chest to the ground. You may use your knees for push-ups, or put your hands on an elevated surface. Either way, use the same technique form.

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Renegade Rows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihoMm1S8KyQ Primary muscles used: rhomboids (upper back muscles), lats, biceps, core, chest, shoulders and triceps when push up is added 1. Start with a pair of dumbbells underneath the chest and shoulders, and with feet about shoulder width apart. Body is in a push-up type of position with the hands on the dumbbells (check first picture) 2. Row one dumbbell at a time, driving the elbow to the ceiling and squeezing the upper back muscles 3. Make sure the elbow goes past the plane of the body, and keep the elbow tight to the side. Don’t let the elbow go outward away from the body. 4. Alternate arms. 5. Keep the body flat (keep the core tight). Don’t let the butt shoot up. Keep the torso square; no twisting of the torso. *You may keep the hands on the ground if it hurts to hold the weights. *You may (and I recommend!) add push-ups in between rows. *Just like a push up, this can be done on the knees.

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Shoulder raises https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jsJghyZQN8&t=8s Primary muscles used: Shoulders (deltoids, front raises work the front delts, side raises work the lateral delts, reverse flies or rear delt raises work the rear delts) 1. Start standing straight, holding dumbbells in hands in front of thighs. 2. For front delts, keep arms straight and raise the weights up until they are in line with the shoulders. 3. For side raises, start with holding the weights to the sides, and raise the weights outward to the sides until the weights are in line with the shoulders 4. For rear delt raises, start by bending over and holding the weights in front of the knees. Squeeze the back of the shoulders and upper back to bring the weights up and outward. This is also known as a reverse fly. 5. For side raises and rear delt raises, have slightly bent elbows (also known as soft elbows). Keep the fists and weights in line with chest, not shoulders when doing the rear delt raises. 6. For all movements, try to lift the weights without throwing bodyweight into the movements.

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Shrugs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7QHlcLYpoM Primary muscles used: Upper trapezius (upper back muscles). May work grip if weight is heavy enough. 1. With dumbbells, stand up straight with good posture (shoulder blades back, tight core), holding the dumbbells to the sides. 2. Keep the arms straight, raise the shoulders up, and then back down. Shrug the shoulders the same as you would when you don’t know the answer to a question. 3. Try to keep the movement moderate, not fast or ballistic. 4. Same form can be used with barbell shrugs. Only difference is the barbell will be held in front of the thighs. While holding the barbell, the grip width should be about shoulder width or slightly wider.

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Skull crushers with dumbbells (laying dumbbell tricep extensions) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PrOxVj8EEs Primary muscles used: Triceps 1. 2. 3. 4.

Lay on bench with dumbbells at chest, press the weight straight up. Hold dumbbells with neutral grip or standard grip. Keep the elbows in and fixed, allow the dumbbells to come back and down Bring the weight toward the forehead/temple area, keeping the weights outside of the head of course 5. Keep the elbows fixed. Don’t let the elbows drop out to the sides. 6. Squeeze the triceps and bring the weights back to the top *You may use various grips and other equipment while doing this i.e. palms forward or reverse grip, barbells, etc.

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Tricep kickbacks (with cable) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRMQ8AVPr-4 Primary muscles used: Triceps 1. Move the cable attachment to the bottom. 2. Get on hands and knees, making sure that one shoulder and arm are in line with the cable attachment. 3. Grab the cable, holding the ball or right above it, and pin the elbow to the side. 4. Keeping the elbow against the side, squeeze the tricep and lock out the elbow. Don’t be too forceful with the lock out. 5. Keeping the elbow glued to the side, lower the weight with control and repeat for reps. *The same can be done with a dumbbell.

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Tricep push downs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqHPOOur6wY Primary muscles used: Triceps 1. Put hands on handle and pull the elbows down to the sides. 2. Keep the elbows glued to the sides. 3. Push the weight down and straighten the arms. 4. Control the weight back up. Repeat for reps. *Try to push straight down. Also, avoid wedging the elbows in the stomach.

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Upright rows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdVkozrHCvM Primary muscles used: Deltoids (shoulders) 1. 2. 3. 4.

Start in a standing position with dumbbells held against the front of the thighs. Make sure there is a good posture; shoulder blades back. Drive the elbows upward and squeeze the shoulders Raise the elbows as high as possible, let the weights stay low. The weights and fists must be lower than the elbows 5. Lower the weights with a moderate pace back to the thighs and repeat. *Keep the weight close to the body on the way up and down

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Wrist curls/flexions and wrist extensions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPi6LxCHVWo Primary muscles used: wrist flexors and extensors, targeting the forearm muscles. 1. With a box or bench, situate the forearms so they are flat and parallel. The crease of the wrist should be close to the edge of the box or bench. 2. With dumbbells in hands, execute the wrist curls or extensions by squeezing the dumbbells up and lowering the dumbbells. Palms up are wrist curls, palms down are wrist extensions.

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Core Exercise Index

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Ab wheel roll-outs (can also be done with a barbell) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suO2W-5TykU Primary muscles used: core, abdominals. Triceps and lats are secondary muscles 1. Start on knees, shoulders over top of wheel, arms straight. 2. Put your weight into the wheel and roll the wheel out slowly. 3. Keep your shoulders in line and overtop of the wheel for as long as you can. When you cannot keep shoulder overtop anymore, the wheel will then rollout in front of the head/body allowing the body to extend. 4. Keep the core engaged the entire time. 5. Try not to let the belly hit the ground. Once you have extended as far as you can, squeeze your abs and push into the wheel to bring it back under the shoulders and to the knees. Repeat. *Avoid pulling back with the hips. *Keep the core engaged. If the core loses tightness, you likely went too far out with the wheel. Go as far as you can while maintaining core tightness. You may or may not need to extend all the way.

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Back raises/extensions https://youtu.be/Twfsu6IFx9U Primary muscles used: Back extensors (lower back), glutes. 1. Situate the machine so the pad is in the crease of the hip. The corner of the pad should not be digging into the stomach. 2. Make sure the heels are secure. 3. Starting with crossed arms and straight body, lower the torso as far as comfort allows. 4. By squeezing the back and glutes, bring the torso back up. Only bring the torso up high enough so that the body is in a straight line. Do not lean back excessively. *Add weight by holding a weight at the chest while doing back extensions.

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Hanging leg raise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAke4WEdARw Primary muscles used: abdominals. Lats and forearms are secondary muscles. 1. Hang from bar with hands about shoulder width. Make sure the shoulders are active, not loosely hanging. In other words, your shoulders shouldn’t feel like they are about to dislocate. 2. Without swinging, raise the legs up until your legs are slightly higher than parallel to the ground. Then, slowly lower the legs to prevent the body from swinging. Lowering slowly will also work the core more. 3. When doing the leg raises, make sure you are engaging the abs on the way up and especially at the top. You must be conscious of the ab engagement here. If you aren’t conscious of the ab engagement, you may end up isolating the hip flexors. 4. If doing leg raises is too hard, try knee raises instead. Get the knees as high as possible and stay conscious of the ab engagement.

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Leg Raises https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXdn3FAtk20&t=7s Primary muscles used: Abdominals, lower abs 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Lay on back, place hands under the glutes (butt) so that the lower back is flat Straighten the legs, keeping the heels and feet a few inches (about 6) off of the ground. Keeping legs straight, squeeze abs to raise the legs off of the ground Make sure the abs are tightly squeezed, and push feet together Keeping abs tight, lower the legs down Lower the legs until the heels are a few inches away from the ground, don’t let the legs or feet hit the ground. Repeat the reps. *If you lose tightness in the core and your back is coming off of the ground, try lowering the legs to a point that’s not as low. Refer to the last picture and see how the legs are higher off the ground than the previous picture. Lowering the legs to a spot that’s not as low will help keep the abdominals tight while also protecting the back.

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Planks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9Pr4DNwmiE&t=130s Primary muscles used: Core, abdominals 1. Get down to the ground and onto the forearms and feet 2. Notice the dip in the lower back in the first picture. Get rid of this dip by squeezing the abs and butt. This is a better position for the core and back. 3. When your core is tight, push into the forearms and push the heels back. 4. A straight arm plank is another option. In this case, rock forward instead of backward. Make sure to keep a slight rounded shape. This is better for the core. 5. If standard plank is too hard, go to a knee plank. Keep a straight line in the body, making sure that the abs and glutes are engaged (squeeze your abs and butt)

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Russian Twists https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnPS7CIwFMM Primary muscles used: abdominals, some arms (biceps and forearms) 1. 2. 3. 4.

Start with sitting on the ground. Pick up the weight. Lift both feet off of the ground and keep them off the ground. Twist the weight side to side, making sure the weight touches the ground or comes close. 5. Keep your eyes on the weight as you twist it side to side. This ensures that the core is twisting and being worked. 6. If this is too hard, bring one foot to the ground, keeping the other foot up. If that’s still too hard, keep both feet on the ground while doing the twists *This is a good exercise for the core, especially when using high reps and moderate (not heavy) weights. *If you have a back injury, avoid this exercise. Static core exercises such as planks are better for the core if the back is injured.

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Side planks Primary muscles used: Core, obliques, abdominals, glute medius 1. Start side plank on forearm and with feet on top of each other, on the ground. 2. Make sure the core is tight (squeezing the hips and obliques), keeping a straight line in the body. 3. Push into the ground with the shoulder. Provide resistance in order to keep the shoulder strong and healthy. This is called active shoulder. 4. You may have non-supporting hand on the side or in the air. 5. If normal side plank is too difficult, try knee side plank. Make sure to curl in at the knees a lot in order to ensure the legs aren’t in the way. Same rules: squeeze the obliques and hips, keep a straight line in the body.

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Sit-ups: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3cTM1C_YEQ&t=15s Primary muscles used: abdominals Please refer to the video for important instruction for sit-ups. The video also shows other options for sit-ups.

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Superhero https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Hn2ZHshGCY Primary muscles used: back (upper back, middle, and lower), glutes, hamstrings, and core 1. 2. 3. 4.

Lay down on ground, belly down. Place arms straight overhead, with hands slightly outside of shoulder width. Push feet against each other Squeeze the entire back side (from back of shoulders down to the hamstrings), lift upper and lower body off of the ground. 5. Think of squeezing up, and reaching forward with arms while reaching backward with legs 6. You may do this for slow reps or for a still (static) hold at the top of the rep.

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V-ups https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTNwa1wwBHs Primary muscles used: abdominals 1. Start on the back with legs straight and together. Have arms straight over head 2. Squeeze abs and bring the arms and legs off the ground at the same time. The body should go up similar to slamming a book shut. Keep the legs as straight as possible 3. Lower the arms and legs back down, at the same time. However, don’t lower the legs all the way back down to the ground. Leave a couple inches between the heels and ground. Modifications: when doing the v-up, you can either reach passed the knees, or reach for the toes. Do the option that fits better for you. You can also do single leg v-ups if the normal v-up is too difficult. Furthermore, trying to keep the heels off of the ground makes the movement more challenging, so you can lower the heel(s) to the ground if needed. Lastly, if the movement is still too difficult, you can do the v-up without sitting the entire back off of the ground. For example, do an ab crunch while lifting the legs up instead of doing a full sit-up with the entire torso. Refer to the video for a clearer explanation.

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