Muscle & Fitness

TRAINING
3 8 - P A G E
S P E C I A L
ULTIMATE
TRAINING
GUIDE
85
Want workouts? We got em.
of them, covering
every bodypart
and providing the
answer to every
major training goal
BY M&F STAFF | PHOTOS BY IAN LOGAN
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MUSCLE-FITNESS.COM
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WORKOUT CENTRAL
Weve all
been there.
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MUSCLE & FITNESS
November 2007
ROUTINE KEY
THROUGHOUT THE FOLLOWING PAGES, YOULL FIND
NUMEROUS ROUTINES THAT ADDRESS DIFFERENT
TRAINING GOALS AND TROUBLE SPOTS. HERES A QUICK
GUIDE TO THOSE CATEGORIES AND WHAT THEY ENTAIL
>> MASS-BUILDING ROUTINE

Compound movements, high volume and moderate
rep ranges for maximizing muscle growth.
>> BEGINNERS ROUTINE

Mostly machine-based exercises for those still
getting their feet wet before progressing to more
advanced moves.
>> AT-HOME ROUTINE

Requires nothing more than dumbbells and an
adjustable bench, a common home-gym setup.
>> 15-MINUTE WORKOUT ROUTINE

Short rest periods and multiple exercises using
minimal equipment for a faster pace. (For abs, we
offer a 10-minute routine instead of 15.)
>> PRIORITY WORKOUT ROUTINE

For targeting a specific area of a muscle that needs
to be brought up. A priority workout will train other
areas of the muscle as well (for example, the short
head of the biceps will also be worked in the long
head priority workout), just not to the extent of the
intended location.
>> GIANT-SET ROUTINE

All exercises are done consecutively without resting
between sets to achieve ultra-high intensity.
>> STRENGTH ROUTINE

Lower reps, heavier weight and longer rest periods
for when pure strength and power are priorities.
>> GET RIPPED ROUTINE

High volume, high reps and short rest periods
to increase intensity and boost metabolism for
greater fat-burning potential.
>> GET SUPERPUMPED ROUTINE

High reps and short rest periods for increased
blood flow to muscles.
GYM: EVOLUTION FITNES S, (626) 793-5353;

A L L B O D Y PA R T P H O T O S BY R O B E R T R E I F F
In general your workouts have never

been better, but those pesky lower lats
are about as responsive as Lindsay
Lohan is to rehab. Or maybe your
outer quads or front delts are more
Gary Coleman than Ronnie Coleman
and just refuse to grow. Then again,
perhaps the problem is your entire pec
area, or you sport hams that are more
like Spam mushy and far from the
real thing. Or it could be youre just
pressed for time and want to know
how to perform a decent back workout
in just 15 minutes.
Cue Workout Central, your onestop shop for muscle size, strength
and definition. In this 38-page feature
we offer 85 workouts, one or more of
which we can virtually guarantee will
solve your individual training problems. Youd be hard-pressed to find
this many individual routines so easy
to navigate in one place.
In addition, we provide an efficient
40-minute, total-body workout plan
designed especially for those balancing
a great physique with a hectic schedule
plus targeted advice for gaining overall
muscle mass or getting superlean. So
what are you waiting for? Identify
your problem, look up the solution
and start turning a weakness into a
strength.
The following 20
pages are chockfull of routines, so
unrack the weight
and start lifting
103
WORKOUT CENTRAL
LOWER LATS PRIORITY
WHEN TARGETING A SPECIFIC AREA of a muscle,

exercise selection is key. In the lower lats priority
workout, the movements (most notably back exercises performed using a narrow reverse grip,
including the chin) are all effective at zeroing in on
the lower portion of the lats, which, when fully
developed, create a more dramatic V-taper. In the
upper lats priority workout, all exercises are done
with a wide overhand grip, which helps develop
back width just below the armpits. Ideally youd
utilize both underhand and overhand grips in a
given back workout, but each of the aforementioned routines are great for bringing up their
respective areas when a weakness is present.
CLOSE-GRIP
LAT PULLDOWN
EXERCISE
>> Pulling your elbows

down close to your body
targets the lower lat fibers
SETS
REPS
Reverse-Grip Bent-Over
Barbell Row
10, 10, 12, 12
Close-Grip Lat Pulldown
8, 8, 10, 10
Straight-Arm Pulldown
10, 12, 15
Chin
to failure
UPPER LATS PRIORITY

EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
6, 10, 12, 15
Wide-Grip Bent-Over
Barbell Row
10, 10, 10
Wide-Grip Seated
Cable Row
8, 10, 12
Wide-Grip Pull-Up
to failure
GIANT-SET WORKOUT *
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
10, 10, 10, 10
Deadlift
Bent-Over Barbell Row
10, 10, 10, 10
Rack Pull
10, 10, 10, 10
Pull-Up
to failure
* A giant set consists of four or more exercises performed

consecutively without rest as a means to increase intensity
and promote muscle growth. Do one set of each exercise backto-back thats one giant set. Rest three minutes between each
MASS-BUILDING
EXERCISE
giant set.
SETS
REPS
Deadlift
6, 6, 8, 10, 12
STRENGTH
8, 8, 10, 10, 12
EXERCISE
Seated Cable Row
8, 8, 10, 12
Lat Pulldown
8, 10, 12
BEGINNERS
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
One-Arm Dumbbell Row
4, 4, 6, 8
Machine Low Row
4, 4, 6, 8
T-Bar Row
4, 6, 6
Seated Cable Row

(wide grip)
4, 6, 6
SETS
REPS
Lat Pulldown
10, 10, 12, 12
Machine Row
10, 10, 10
10, 10, 10
GET RIPPED
Standing Low-Cable Row
12, 12, 12
EXERCISE
* Rest 23 minutes between each set.
Dumbbell Deadlift
AT-HOME
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
SETS*
REPS
10, 12, 12, 15, 20
Straight-Arm Lat Pulldown
12, 12, 15, 15
Dumbbell Pullover
15, 15, 20, 20
10, 12, 15, 20
8, 10, 12, 20
Lat Pulldown
Straight-Arm Kickback
10, 12, 12, 20
* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
Dumbbell Pullover
8, 8, 12, 20
GET SUPERPUMPED
15-MINUTE WORKOUT
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
SETS*
REPS
10, 10, 30, 30
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
6, 10, 15
Seated Cable Row
10, 10, 30, 30
Reverse-Grip Lat Pulldown
6, 10, 15
Lat Pulldown
10, 10, 30, 30
Seated Cable Row
6, 10, 15
EXERCISE
Note: The above workouts dont include warm-up sets.
ONE-ARM
DUMBBELL
ROW
>> Concentrate
on pulling with
your back and
not your biceps
Unless otherwise noted, rest 6090 seconds between all sets.
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November 2007
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WORKOUT CENTRAL
THE MASS-BUILDING WORKOUT at right incorporates three variables that are crucial to adding
size: 1) compound exercises in the form of barbell
and dumbbell presses and dips; 2) high volume, as
the workout consists of 17 total sets, including five
each for the first two exercises; 3) rep ranges of
812 (the exception being two sets of six on the
incline bench press), which is the optimal rep
scheme for promoting hypertrophy. Weighted, not
bodyweight, dips are included to maintain this rep
range, since many individuals are able to exceed
12 reps without added resistance. The routine
attacks all areas of the chest upper, middle and
lower pecs with incline presses, flat-bench dumbbell presses and decline flyes, respectively to
achieve overall development.
MASS-BUILDING
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Incline Bench Press
6, 6, 8, 10, 12
Dumbbell Bench Press
8, 8, 10, 10, 12
Dumbbell Decline Flye
8, 8, 10, 12
Weighted Dip
8, 10, 12
WEIGHTED
DIP
>> Allow yourself
to lean forward
to better target
the pecs
BEGINNERS
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Machine Chest Press
10, 10, 12, 12
Machine Incline Press
10, 10, 10
Flat-Bench Dumbbell Flye
10, 10, 10
SETS
REPS
AT-HOME
EXERCISE
8, 10, 12, 20
Incline Dumbbell Flye
10, 12, 12, 20
Decline Push-Up
to failure
B
GIANT-SET WORKOUT *
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
10, 10, 10, 10
15-MINUTE WORKOUT
Bench Press
10, 10, 10, 10
Decline Dumbbell Press
10, 10, 10, 10
Pec-Deck Flye
10, 10, 10, 10
SETS*
REPS
Smith Machine Incline Press
6, 10, 15
Smith Machine Bench Press
6, 10, 15
consecutively without rest as a means to increase intensity and
Smith Machine Decline Press
6, 10, 15
promote muscle growth. Do one set of each exercise back-to-
Pec-Deck Flye
50
back thats one giant set. Rest three minutes between each
EXERCISE
giant set.
STRENGTH
DECLINE
BENCH PRESS
SETS*
REPS
Bench Press
4, 4, 6, 8
Incline Dumbbell Press
4, 4, 6, 8
Decline Bench Press
4, 6, 6
4, 6, 6
EXERCISE
>> Bring the bar to your

lower chest/upper abs
on each rep
GET RIPPED
EXERCISE
LOWER CHEST PRIORITY

EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Decline Bench Press
10, 10, 12, 12
Upright Cable
Crossover
8, 8, 10, 10
10, 12, 15
Weighted Dip
to failure
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MUSCLE & FITNESS
November 2007
REPS
10, 12, 12, 15, 20
12, 12, 15, 15
Dumbbell Pullover
15, 15, 20, 20
Weighted Dip
10, 12, 15, 20
GET SUPERPUMPED
SETS*
REPS
Smith Machine
Bench Press
10, 10, 30, 30
Flat-Bench Cable Flye
10, 10, 30, 30
Incline Cable Flye
10, 10, 30, 30
EXERCISE
UPPER CHEST PRIORITY

EXERCISE
SETS*
SETS
REPS
Incline Smith
Machine Press
6, 10, 12, 15
10, 10, 10
8, 10, 12
Decline Push-Up
to failure

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107
WORKOUT CENTRAL
STRONG LEGS ARE OFTEN what make a decent

body a complete one, and our quad strength workout will help you add size and power. It includes all
the aspects any good strength routine needs:
compound exercises that allow you to move a lot
of weight; slightly lower volume (fewer total sets)
than a typical mass-gaining workout so as not to
exhaust your muscles too much; heavy weight with
low reps (mostly 46); and, of course, longer rest
periods to ensure adequate recovery between
sets. The single-leg leg press is one exercise you
dont often see in a hardcore strength routine, but
its great for determining whether one leg is weaker
than the other and for promoting balanced
strength in the lower body.
SMITH
MACHINE
FRONT SQUAT
INNER QUAD PRIORITY

EXERCISE
>> Dont stop at parallel;

bury the front squat
deep in the hole
STRENGTH
SETS
REPS
Wide-Stance Smith
Machine Squat
10, 10, 12, 12
High and Wide Leg Press
8, 8, 10, 10
Leg Extension (toes out)
10, 12, 15, 15
4, 4, 6, 8
Single-Leg Leg Press
4, 4, 6, 8
Hack Squat
4, 6, 6
GET RIPPED
SETS
REPS
Narrow-Stance Hack Squat
6, 10, 12, 15
Smith Machine Front Squat
10, 10, 10
Sissy Squat
8, 10, 12
Leg Extension (toes in)
8, 10, 12
SETS*
REPS
Leg Extension
10, 12, 12, 15, 20
Leg Press
12, 12, 15, 15
15, 15, 20, 20
Sissy Squat
10, 12, 15, 20
EXERCISE
GIANT-SET WORKOUT *
EXERCISE
REPS
Squat
OUTER QUAD PRIORITY

EXERCISE
SETS*
EXERCISE
GET SUPERPUMPED
SETS
REPS
Leg Extension
10, 10, 10, 10
EXERCISE
Hack Squat
10, 10, 10, 10
Squat
Leg Press
10, 10, 10, 10
Leg Press
10, 10, 30, 30
10, 10, 10, 10
Leg Extension
10, 10, 30, 30

promote muscle growth. Do one set of each exercise back-to-back
SETS*
REPS
10, 10, 30, 30

thats one giant set. Rest three minutes between each giant set.
MASS-BUILDING
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Squat
6, 6, 8, 10, 12
Leg Press
8, 8, 10, 10, 12
Hack Squat
8, 8, 10, 12
Leg Extension
8, 10, 12
BEGINNERS
EXERCISE
Smith Machine Squat
SETS
REPS
10, 10, 12, 12
Horizontal Leg Press
10, 10, 10
Lunge
10, 10, 10
Leg Extension
10, 10, 10
AT-HOME
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
8, 10, 12, 20
Sissy Squat
10, 12, 12, 20
Dumbbell Step-Up
12, 12, 15, 20
Dumbbell Squat
HACK SQUAT
15-MINUTE WORKOUT
SETS*
REPS
Leg Extension
6, 10, 15
Machine Leg Press
6, 10, 15
Bodyweight Jump Squat
to failure
EXERCISE
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MUSCLE & FITNESS
November 2007
>> Dont let your heels

come up off the platform
as you descend; keep
your feet flat throughout
A B
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WORKOUT CENTRAL
THE HAMSTRINGS ARE ONE of the toughest

muscle groups to train at home, since most of us
rely on leg curl machines at the gym to train the
backs of our thighs. That said, our at-home hammie
routine provides an intense training session to
help you build bigger legs. An important caveat
concerns exercises such as squats, leg presses
and lunges, which mainly work the quads but will
also stress the hams and glutes if performed
through a full range of motion. Theres a lot of
crossover in the routines featured at right; complete isolation of just the hamstrings often isnt
possible or even necessary. Your hammies will still
get a great workout, even if your quads and glutes
come into play a bit.
MASS-BUILDING
EXERCISE
INNER HAMSTRING PRIORITY

SETS
REPS
Squat
6, 6, 8, 10, 12
EXERCISE
Sumo Squat
SETS
REPS
10, 10, 12, 12
Romanian Deadlift
8, 8, 10, 10, 12
Seated Leg Curl (toes in)
8, 8, 10, 10
Good Morning
8, 8, 10, 12
Lateral Lunge
10, 12, 15, 15
Leg Curl
8, 10, 12
OUTER HAMSTRING PRIORITY

BEGINNERS
EXERCISE
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Leg Press
10, 10, 12, 12
Leg Curl
10, 10, 10
Dumbbell Lunge
10, 10, 10
SETS
REPS
30-second hold
Exercise-Ball Roll-In
Dumbbell Romanian
Deadlift
Reverse Hamstring Curl
6, 10, 12, 15
Stiff-Legged Deadlift
10, 10, 10
Lying Leg Curl (toes out)
8, 10, 12
Barbell Step-Up
8, 10, 12
SETS
REPS
Smith Machine Squat
10, 10, 10, 10
10, 12, 12, 20
Lying Leg Curl
10, 10, 10, 10
12, 12, 15, 20
Weighted Glute-Ham
Raise
10, 10, 10, 10
Dumbbell Romanian
Deadlift
10, 10, 10, 10
15-MINUTE WORKOUT
EXERCISE
REPS
GIANT-SET WORKOUT *
AT-HOME
EXERCISE
SETS
Squat
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Smith Machine
Romanian Deadlift
6, 10, 15
Reverse Hamstring
Extension
6, 10, 15
giant set.
Weighted Glute-Ham Raise
6, 10, 15
STRENGTH

promote muscle growth. Do one set of each exercise back-toback thats one giant set. Rest three minutes between each
SETS*
REPS
Barbell Hack Squat
4, 4, 6, 8
Romanian Deadlift
4, 4, 6, 8
Good Morning
4, 4, 6, 8
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
Leg Press
10, 12, 12, 15, 20
Dumbbell Stiff-Legged
Deadlift
12, 12, 15, 15
Leg Curl
15, 15, 20, 20
Split Jump Squat
to failure
EXERCISE
*Rest 23 minutes between each set.
GET RIPPED
*Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
GET SUPERPUMPED
SETS*
REPS
Squat
10, 10, 30, 30
Romanian Deadlift
10, 10, 30, 30
Weighted Glute-Ham Raise
10, 10, 30, 30
EXERCISE
REVERSE
HAMSTRING
EXTENSION
>> A tough move without resistance; add a
light dumbbell to make
it even tougher
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MUSCLE & FITNESS
November 2007

GOOD
MORNING
>> Always think
chest up, back
flat on the descent
A
B
WORKOUT CENTRAL
A B
TRAINING A RELATIVELY SMALL BODYPART

(abs, calves, forearms) in 15 minutes is no big deal,
but getting a sufficient shoulder workout in such
a short time is a much bigger challenge. The 15minute workout at right, however, makes it possible with only nine total sets and 30-second rest
periods in between. Most important, all three
exercises use the same equipment (dumbbells and
a low-back seat), so no relocation is necessary.
And just because youre short on time doesnt
mean you have to shortchange your shoulder
development. All three heads get attention front
and middle delts with overhead presses, middle
delts with lateral raises and rear delts with bentover laterals.
MASS-BUILDING
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Overhead Barbell Press
6, 6, 8, 10, 12
Upright Row
8, 8, 10, 10, 12
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
8, 8, 10, 12
Bent-Over Lateral Raise
8, 10, 12
BEGINNERS
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Machine Overhead Press
10, 10, 12, 12
Cable Lateral Raise
10, 10, 10
Barbell Front Raise
10, 10, 10
Reverse Pec-Deck Flye
10, 10, 10
AT-HOME
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Arnold Press
8, 10, 12, 20
Seated Dumbbell
Lateral Raise
10, 12, 12, 20
Dumbbell Upright Row
12, 12, 15, 20
Seated Bent-Over
Lateral Raise
12, 15, 15
FRONT DELT PRIORITY
15-MINUTE WORKOUT
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
Seated Overhead
Dumbbell Press
6, 10, 15
Seated Dumbbell
Lateral Raise
6, 10, 15
Seated Bent-Over
Lateral Raise
EXERCISE
OVERHEAD
DUMBBELL
PRESS
SETS
REPS
Neutral-Grip Dumbbell
Press
10, 10, 12, 12
Arnold Press
8, 8, 10, 10
Barbell Front Raise
10, 12, 15
10, 12, 15
6, 10, 15
MIDDLE DELT PRIORITY & TRAPS

EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Smith Machine
Behind-the-Neck Press
6, 10, 12, 15
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
10, 10, 10
Smith Machine Wide-Grip

Upright Row
8, 10, 12
Bent-Over Cable
Lateral Raise
8, 10, 12
Barbell Shrug
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MUSCLE & FITNESS
November 2007
STRENGTH
SETS*
REPS
Overhead Barbell Press
4, 4, 6, 8
Upright Row
4, 4, 6, 8
Cable Lateral Raise
4, 6, 6
4, 6, 6
EXERCISE
GET RIPPED
EXERCISE
Smith Machine Upright Row

8, 10, 12
GIANT-SET WORKOUT *
EXERCISE
>> Hits all three delt

heads, with emphasis on the front and
middle delts
SETS
REPS
Overhead Dumbbell Press
10, 10, 10, 10
Seated Dumbbell
Lateral Raise
10, 10, 10, 10
Dumbbell Front Raise
10, 10, 10, 10
Bent-Over Lateral Raise
10, 10, 10, 10
SETS*
REPS
10, 12, 12, 15, 20
Cable Front Raise
12, 12, 15, 15
Cable Lateral Raise
15, 15, 20, 20
Dumbbell Shrug
10, 12, 15, 20
GET SUPERPUMPED
EXERCISE
Machine Overhead Press
SETS*
REPS
10, 10, 30, 30
Dumbbell Upright Row
10, 10, 30, 30
10, 10, 30, 30
UPRIGHT ROW
>> Keep the bar very

close to your body on
each rep, elbows high
and promote muscle growth. Do one set of each exercise
back-to-back thats one giant set. Rest three minutes
between each giant set.
consecutively without rest as a means to increase intensity
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WORKOUT CENTRAL
A
GET RIPPED
THE BICEPS MUSCLES provide arguably the

most satisfying pump, making the sleeves of your
T-shirt feel as if theyre two sizes too small at the
end of an intense workout. The Get Superpumped workout at right was designed to stretch
your sleeves just a bit more to help spark longterm muscle growth and assist you in breaking
through even the most stubborn plateau. Exercise
selection is fairly basic, with the only possible
exception being the high-cable curl for the constant tension cables provide. The hallmark of the
routine is the high-rep sets (30 reps), which
increase blood flow to the working muscles, preceded by sets of 10 reps to promote hypertrophy.
REPS
10, 12, 12, 15, 20
Barbell Preacher Curl
12, 12, 15, 15
Dumbbell Curl (21s^)
21

^ For each set, do seven reps using just the bottom half of the
range of motion, followed by seven reps using just the top half
of the range of motion, followed by seven reps using a full range
of motion.
GET SUPERPUMPED
EXERCISE
Barbell Curl
MASS-BUILDING
EXERCISE
SETS*
Alternating Dumbbell Curl
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
10, 10, 30, 30
High-Cable Curl
10, 10, 30, 30
Hammer Curl
10, 10, 30, 30
*Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.
SETS
REPS
Barbell Curl
6, 8, 10, 12
Preacher Curl
6, 8, 10, 12
Incline Dumbbell Curl
8, 8, 10, 12
High-Cable Curl
8, 10, 12

BEGINNERS
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
EZ-Bar Curl
10, 10, 12, 12
Machine Preacher Curl
10, 10, 10
Cable Concentration Curl
10, 10, 10
B
BICEPS SHORT HEAD PRIORITY
AT-HOME
EXERCISE
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Standing Dumbbell Curl
10, 12, 12, 20
Dumbbell Curl (21s*)
21
Concentration Curl
12, 12, 15, 20
SETS
REPS
6, 10, 12, 15
Scott Curl
10, 10, 10
8, 10, 12
Wide-Grip Barbell Curl
8, 10, 12
Dumbbell Preacher Curl
* For each set, do seven reps using just the bottom half of the
range of motion, followed by seven reps using just the top half
of the range of motion, followed by seven reps using a full
GIANT-SET WORKOUT *
EXERCISE
range of motion.
SETS
REPS
10, 10, 10, 10
Preacher Curl
15-MINUTE WORKOUT
Scott Curl
10, 10, 10, 10
10, 10, 10, 10
10, 10, 10, 10
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
Cable Curl
6, 10, 15
High-Cable Curl
6, 10, 15
Cable Concentration Curl
6, 10, 15

giant set.
BICEPS OUTER HEAD

(PEAK) PRIORITY
EXERCISE
STRENGTH
SETS
REPS
Close-Grip Barbell Curl
10, 10, 12, 12
8, 8, 10, 10
Hammer Curl
10, 12, 15, 15
Cable Curl
10, 10, 12
114
MUSCLE & FITNESS
November 2007
SETS*
REPS
Barbell Curl
4, 4, 6, 8
Smith Machine Drag Curl
4, 4, 6, 8
Hammer Curl
4, 4, 6, 8
EXERCISE
CLOSE-GRIP
BARBELL
CURL
>> Want the peak?
Narrow your grip
on the bar
DUMBBELL
PREACHER
CURL
>> By using dumbbells
simultaneously, you
can better detect
muscular imbalances
MUSCLE-FITNESS.COM
115
WORKOUT CENTRAL
A B
THE BEAUTY OF THE GIANT-SET workout for

triceps lies not just in its intensity but in its diversity. The lying triceps dumbbell extension that
starts off the routine is a good overall triceps
developer that works well for adding mass. The
seated overhead dumbbell extension places more
emphasis on the long head, followed by the twoarm kickback, which is more of a shaping exercise
that requires the use of lighter weights. The closegrip push-up hits the triceps lateral heads especially well while utilizing higher reps (since you use
only your bodyweight) for three high-intensity
burnout sets. When doing giant sets, choose a first
exercise that allows you to go heavy, then progress
to lighter and lighter moves.
MASS-BUILDING
EXERCISE
Lying Triceps Barbell

Extension
SETS
REPS
6, 8, 10, 12
Weighted Bench Dip
6, 8, 10, 12
Close-Grip Bench Press
6, 8, 10, 12
Straight-Bar Pressdown
8, 10, 12
BEGINNERS
EXERCISE
V-Bar Pressdown
SETS
REPS
10, 10, 12, 12
Dumbbell Kickback
10, 10, 10
Seated Overhead Cable

Extension
10, 10, 10
AT-HOME
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Close-Grip Push-Up
8, 10, 12, 20
Lying Triceps
Dumbbell Extension
10, 12, 12, 20
Dumbbell Kickback
12, 12, 15, 20
WEIGHTED
BENCH DIP
15-MINUTE WORKOUT
SETS*
REPS
Standing Overhead
Cable Extension
6, 10, 15
Reverse-Grip Pressdown
6, 10, 15
EZ-Bar Pressdown
6, 10, 15
EXERCISE
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
45-Degree Lying Triceps

EZ-Bar Extension
10, 10, 12, 12
Seated Overhead
Dumbbell Extension
8, 8, 10, 10
Weighted Bench Dip
10, 12, 15, 15
10, 10, 12
TRICEPS LATERAL HEAD PRIORITY

EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Close-Grip Bench Press
6, 8, 10, 10, 12
Rope Pressdown
8, 10, 12
Seated Overhead
Dumbbell Extension
8, 10, 12
GIANT-SET WORKOUT
EXERCISE
SEATED
OVERHEAD
DUMBBELL
EXTENSION
>> An attentive spotter
can help with forced
reps and take the weight
at the end of the set
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MUSCLE & FITNESS
November 2007
>> A rare compound

move for tris thats sure
to add strength and size
TRICEPS LONG HEAD PRIORITY
STRENGTH
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
Close-Grip Smith Machine

Bench Press
4, 4, 6, 8
Seated Overhead Cable

Extension
4, 4, 6, 8
4, 4, 6, 8
GET RIPPED
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
10, 12, 12, 15, 20
Weighted Bench Dip
12, 12, 15, 15
Triceps Dip
to failure
Reverse-Grip Pressdown
SETS
REPS
Lying Triceps
Dumbbell Extension
10, 10, 10, 10
Seated Overhead
Dumbbell Extension
10, 10, 10, 10
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
Lying Triceps EZ-Bar

Extension
10, 10, 30, 30
Seated Overhead Rope

Extension
10, 10, 30, 30
Rope Pressdown
10, 10, 30, 30
promote muscle growth. Do one set of each exercise back-to-
back thats one giant set. Rest three minutes between each
giant set.
Two-Arm Dumbbell Kickback
10, 10, 10, 10
Close-Grip Push-Up
to failure
GET SUPERPUMPED
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WORKOUT CENTRAL
WITH ONE OF THEIR MAIN DUTIES being to

assist in gripping, the forearms are some of the
most functional muscles we have. If you lack grip
strength, youll never reach your full potential in
the weight room, especially on exercises such as
deadlifts and rows. Unfamiliar with the exercises
in the grip-strength workout? For the horizontal
cable hold, stand in the middle of a cable crossover
station with D-handles set to shoulder level, select
a heavy weight, grasp the handles and stand in an
iron cross position for the allotted time; on the
plate pinch, hold two 10-pound plates in each hand
down at your sides and pinch the plates together
with your fingers (progress to heavier plates as
you grow stronger); and for the straight-arm
hang, simply hang from a pull-up bar with your
arms straight, hands shoulder-width apart, for as
long as you can.
BEHIND-THEBACK WRIST CURL

>> Although the range of
motion is small, the benefits
are huge. Hold the peak
position as long as possible
MASS-BUILDING
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
6, 8, 10, 12
Hammer Curl
8, 10, 10, 12
Barbell Wrist Curl
6, 8, 10, 12
Behind-the-Back Wrist Curl
8, 10, 12
Reverse Barbell Curl
BEGINNERS
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Dumbbell Wrist Curl
10, 10, 10
Standing Cable Wrist Curl
10, 10, 10
AT-HOME
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Dumbbell Reverse Curl
8, 10, 12, 20
Zottman Curl
10, 12, 20
Hammer Curl
12, 12, 15
Dumbbell Wrist Curl
10, 10
REVERSE
BARBELL CURL
>> For added intensity,
keep your thumbs on the
same side of the bar as
your fingers
GRIP STRENGTH
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Horizontal Cable Hold
30 seconds
Plate Pinch
30 seconds
Straight-Arm Hang
to failure
GET SUPERPUMPED
EXERCISE
SETS*
REPS
Reverse Scott Curl
10, 10, 30, 30
Reverse Barbell Curl
10, 10, 30, 30
Barbell Wrist Curl
10, 10, 30, 30

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November 2007
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123
WORKOUT CENTRAL
A B
IN MOST BEGINNERS WORKOUTS,the exercises

arent too different from those in an advanced
lifters routine; instead, volume and intensity tend
to be somewhat lower for the beginner. Basic
mass- and strength-building moves are good for
trainees of all levels, and youll continue to use
seated and standing calf raises indefinitely in your
lower-leg training. For beginners, the key is to take
this time to master technique so you dont form
bad habits, especially with a bodypart as stubborn
as the calves. When training calves, no matter the
exercise, be sure to go all the way up onto your
toes at the top of each rep and go all the way down
at the bottom for a stretch. Using a full range of
motion is a must for turning your calves into cows.
DONKEY
CALF RAISE
>> For comfort,
the pad should
rest across your
glutes and low
back
MASS-BUILDING
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Standing Calf Raise
8, 10, 12, 15, 25
Seated Calf Raise
8, 10, 12, 15, 25
Leg Press Calf Raise
10, 15, 20
BEGINNERS
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Standing Calf Raise
15, 15
Seated Calf Raise
15, 15
AT-HOME
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
One-Leg Dumbbell
Calf Raise
10, 10, 15, 15
Seated Dumbbell
Calf Raise
10, 10, 15, 15
GIANT-SET WORKOUT *
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Standing Smith Machine

Calf Raise
15, 15, 20, 20
Seated Smith Machine

Calf Raise
15, 15, 20, 20
Donkey Calf Raise
15, 15, 20, 20
15, 15, 20, 20

giant set.
GET SUPERPUMPED
EXERCISE
Donkey Calf Raise
SETS*
REPS
10, 10, 30, 30
10, 10, 30, 30
Standing Power Rack

Calf Raise
10, 10, 30, 30

Unless otherwise noted, rest one minute between all sets.
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November 2007
SEATED
CALF RAISE
>> The bent-leg calf
raise stresses the
underlying soleus
muscle
125
WORKOUT CENTRAL
FOR MOST PEOPLE, the lower abs are by far the

most difficult region of the midsection to carve out,
since this area typically attracts more bodyfat as
opposed to just under your pecs. A clean diet is crucial to great lower abs, but the muscles also need to
be fully developed to show through. All three exercises in the lower abs priority workout entail
crunching the pelvis up and toward the ribcage, the
opposite motion of the standard crunch, in which
the pelvis remains stationary and the shoulders
and chest move, targeting the upper abs. Our rep
ranges (1020) arent astronomical; it doesnt take
sets of 50100 to get abs, as long as you perform
each exercise slowly and under control.
BEGINNERS
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Crunch
15, 15
Reverse Crunch
15, 15
AT-HOME
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Double Crunch
20, 20
Crossover Crunch
15, 15
Scissor Kick
10, 10
10-MINUTE WORKOUT
SETS*
REPS
Hanging Leg Raise
15, 15
Kneeling Cable Crunch
15, 15
Decline Medicine-Ball
Twist
10, 10
EXERCISE
* Perform these three exercises back-to-back without resting

between sets (called a tri-set). Rest one minute between each
tri-set.
UPPER ABS/OBLIQUES PRIORITY

EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Decline Medicine-Ball Twist
15, 15
Lying Cable Crossover

Crunch
15, 15
Machine Crunch
15, 15
LOWER ABS PRIORITY

EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Hanging Knee Raise
15, 15
Hip Thrust
10, 10
Scissor Kick
20, 20

A
A
B
DECLINE
MEDICINEBALL TWIST
>> No spotter?
Bounce and catch
the ball on each side
DOUBLE CRUNCH
>> Train both upper and lower abs with this targeted move
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November 2007
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127
WORKOUT CENTRAL
The No. 1 benefit

of having a
training partner:
forced reps
THE WEIDER PRINCIPLES

BUILD THE PERFECT ROUTINE OR MAKE ANY WORKOUT BETTER WITH THESE 24 TRIED-ANDTRUE TRAINING PRINCIPLES, COLLECTED BY THE MASTER BLASTER HIMSELF, JOE WEIDER
In the preceding 85 workouts weve provided a multitude

of ways to thoroughly improve every major bodypart.
Each one relies on the strength of the chosen exercises, set
selection and rep ranges to target every muscle group.
However, as with any training program, you can take
what weve given and tweak it, depending on your level of
experience and need for higher intensities to blast through
any training plateau. The Weider Principles, a list of
weightlifting truisms gathered and honed by the father of
bodybuilding Joe Weider, have stood the test of time.
These 24 principles, which weve divided into three categories, have guided us for decades in our program design.
We highly recommend that you use them, too, as you learn
and advance your muscle-building efforts.
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MUSCLE & FITNESS
November 2007
PROGRAM DESIGN
CYCLE TRAINING Devote portions of your training
1 year to specific goals for strength, mass or getting
cut. This can help decrease your risk of injury and add
variety to your routine. Cycle periods of high intensity and
low intensity to allow for recovery and spur new gains.
ECLECTIC TRAINING Incorporate a diverse selection
2 of variables, such as set, rep and exercise schemes,
into your workout. Bodypart routines should utilize both
mass-building multijoint moves and single-joint exercises.
INSTINCTIVE TRAINING Experiment to develop an
3 instinct as to what works best for you. Use your
training results along with past experiences to constantly
fine-tune your program. Go by feel in the gym: If your
INTENSITY BOOSTERS
CONTINUOUS TENSION Dont allow a given muscle
5 to rest at the top or bottom of a movement. Control
both the positive and negative portions of a rep and avoid
momentum to maintain constant tension throughout the
entire range of motion.
FLUSHING TRAINING Train one bodypart with
6 multiple exercises (34) before you train another.
The flushing is your body sending a maximum amount
of blood and muscle-building nutrients to that area to best
stimulate growth.
HOLISTIC TRAINING Use numerous training tech7 niques (low and high reps, faster and slower speeds,
and alternate exercises) to stimulate maximum muscle
fibers. Dont always approach exercises with the same
610-repetition sets; try lightening the load and going for
20 reps in some training sessions to build endurancerelated muscle fibers.
ISOLATION TRAINING This is a technique designed
8 to work individual muscles without involving adjacent muscles or muscle groups. A pressdown for triceps
(rather than a close-grip bench press) is an example of an
isolation movement.
ISO-TENSION Between sets (or even between
9 workouts), flex and hold various muscles for 610
seconds, keeping them fully contracted before releasing.
Competitive bodybuilders use this technique to enhance
their posing ability through increased muscle control.
MUSCLE PRIORITY Hit your weakest bodypart
10 first in a workout or bodypart split, when you can
train with more weight and intensity because your energy
level is higher.
PEAK CONTRACTION Squeeze your contracted
11 muscle isometrically at the endpoint of a rep to
intensify effort. Hold the weight in the fully contracted
position for up to two seconds at the top of an exercise.
PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD To continue making
12 gains, your muscles need to work harder in a progressive manner from one workout to the next. During
most of your training cycle, try to increase your weights
each session, do more reps or sets, or decrease your rest
periods between sets.
PYRAMID TRAINING Incorporate a range of lighter
13 to heavier weights for each exercise. Start light with
higher reps (1215) to warm up the muscle, then gradually
increase the weight in each successive set while lowering
your reps (68). You could also reverse the procedure
moving from high weight and low reps to low weight and
high reps, aka a reverse pyramid.
BODY
SLAM
GET FIT FAST WITH THIS 40-MINUTE
FULL-BODY WORKOUT
Sure, youd like to go to the gym 46 days a week for

an hour or so a pop, but real life doesnt always work
out as we plan.
When you find yourself short on time, or if youre in
an extremely busy stretch and cant make it to the gym
more than twice a week, you may want to hit your
whole body in one fell swoop. This regimen gives you
the tools to do just that.
The key to this workout is that it contains one exercise for each bodypart that hits the greatest amount of
muscle fibers, so you get the most bang for your buck.
Notice how each movement is a basic, core exercise
for the respective muscle group, as opposed to a strict
isolation move. To speed things along, youll rest only
30 seconds between each set and do only 12 sets per
exercise. Even though youll get in and out of the gym in
about 40 minutes, its crucial that you make the most
of every set, taking each one to failure at close to the
suggested number of reps to promote hypertrophy.
To avoid injury, do 12 light warm-up sets before your
working sets for each exercise.
Ideally, when training for muscle size or strength,
you should perform bodypart routines on different
days and train with higher volume. That said, employ
this routine only when you have a time crunch, as it
wont maximize the gains youd see when training
longer and more frequently. But when one of those
weeks is upon you, this 40-minute full-body gauntlet
should keep your training goals on track.
THE BODY SLAM WORKOUT

BODYPART
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
CHEST
Incline Barbell
Press
8, 12
BACK
Bent-Over Row
8, 12
LEGS
Barbell Squat
8, 12
SHOULDERS
Overhead
Dumbbell Press
8, 12
TRAPS
Barbell Shrug
12
BICEPS
Close-Grip
Barbell Curl
12
TRICEPS
Lying Triceps
Extension
12
CALVES
Donkey Calf Raise
25
ABS
Double Crunch
to failure
Note: The above workout doesnt include warm-up sets.

Rest 30 seconds between all sets.
PHOTOGRAPHERS NAME
biceps just dont feel like theyve recovered from the last
workout, do another bodypart that day instead.
MUSCLE CONFUSION Constantly change variables
4 in your workout number of sets, number of reps,
exercise choice, order of exercises, length of your rest
periods to avoid getting in a rut and slowing growth.
WORKOUT CENTRAL
ADVANCED TRAINING TECHNIQUES

SUPERSETS Perform sets of two exercises for the
14 same or different muscle groups back-to-back with
no rest in between.
TRI-SETS Perform three consecutive exercises for
15 one muscle group in nonstop sequence.
GIANT SETS Four or more exercises for one muscle
16 group performed in back-to-back fashion without rest
in between.
BURNS Continue a set past the point at which you can
17 lift a weight through a full or even partial range of
motion with a series of rapid partial reps. Do this as long as
your muscles can move the weight, even if only a few inches.
CHEATING Use momentum (a slight swing of the
18 weight) to overcome a sticking point as you fatigue
near the end of a set. While doing heavy barbell curls, for
example, you might be able to perform only eight strict
reps to failure. A subtle swing of the weight or a slightly
faster rep speed may help you get 12 additional reps. For
advanced bodybuilders only.
DESCENDING OR DROP SETS After completing
19 your reps in a heavy set, quickly strip an equal
amount of weight from each side of the bar or select lighter
dumbbells. Continue to do reps until you fail, then strip
more weight off to complete even more reps.
FORCED REPS
Chatting on your
cell while spotting:
the ultimate gym
faux pas
Have a training partner assist you
20 with reps at the end of a set to help you train past

the point of momentary muscular failure. Your training
partner will lift the bar with just enough force to get you
past the sticking point.
NEGATIVES Resist the downward motion of a very
21 heavy weight. For example, on the bench press, use
a weight thats 15%25% heavier than you can typically
handle, and fight the negative as you slowly lower the bar
to your chest. Have your partner assist with the positive
portion of the rep.
PARTIAL REPS Do reps involving only a partial
22 range at the top, in the middle or at the bottom
of a movement.
PRE-EXHAUSTION Pre-exhaust a muscle with a
23 single-joint exercise before performing a multijoint
movement. In leg training, you can start with leg extensions (which target the quads) before a set of squats (which
also work the glutes and hamstrings).
REST-PAUSE Take brief rest periods during a set of
24 a given exercise to squeeze more reps out of a set. Use
a weight you can lift for 23 reps, rest as long as 20 seconds,
then try for another 23 reps. Take another brief rest and go
again for as many reps as you can handle, and repeat one
more time.
SINS OF THE GYM
By Bill Geiger, MA
CHANCES ARE THAT IF YOURE NOT GROWING, YOURE MAKING ONE OF THESE SIX CRITICAL TRAINING MISTAKES
Take a look around the gym and you can easily spot the beginners: guys doing barbell curls in rhythm with a pelvic
thrust, and a lot of bouncing out of the hole in squats and bench presses. Too bad theyre not the only ones making
mistakes. In fact, intermediate- and advanced-level bodybuilders also commonly make critical errors in their
workouts, ultimately slowing their progress. And there are also some universal bad habits that we gym rats
commit from time to time that could be a burden to those around us.
1)
Unbridled
Enthusiasm
You want to get big, but

Rome wasnt built in a day,
and you wont be, either.
Doing hours of biceps
curls wont make your
arms grow any faster
and could be counterproductive. Enthusiasm is
good if youve never
worked out before and
youre starting a new
program, but doing too
much too fast wont do
your body any good, says
Adam Garett, a certified
personal trainer at Bally
Total Fitness in Oakland
Park, Florida.
Beginners often try to
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MUSCLE & FITNESS
do every exercise for

every bodypart, but that
enthusiasm needs to be
tempered because hormones that break down
muscle quickly start rising. Expect to hit your
body hard for 4560 minutes total, about 30 minutes for a given muscle
group; you cant maintain
the intensity very long
when your energy levels
are trailing off. Also,
remember that training
stimulates the process of
muscle breakdown, but
growth occurs after your
workout during your
recovery period, which is
aided by good nutrition.
November 2007
This also applies to overambitious lifters who get

carried away with volume
and intensity.
Not Learning
Every Variation
of a Given Move
2)
While you may know how

to perform every exercise
in your workout with textbook technique, youll
build thicker, denser muscles if you learn how to do
each of its variations. For
instance, if youre doing
standing dumbbell lateral
raises for your middle
delts, also try doing the
move from a seated position or one arm at a time
while standing. Other
alternatives include using

cables for raises, both in
front and behind your
back, and doing the movement with one arm as you
lean to the side by gripping a vertical post with
your opposite hand.
Virtually every exercise
can be tweaked. Knowing
how to do a particular
move a number of ways
can be helpful when
theres a line in front of
you for a given piece of
equipment, but each and
every variation also
works the muscle a little
differently, and this helps
build the muscle more
fully, Garett explains.
Not Making the

Most of Your
Time at the Gym
Not Putting Your

Mind to Work
3)
4)
If youre a gym member,

then youre paying for the
resources to build a better body. So why waste
time when youre there?
Too often, youll see lifters
regardless of their level
of experience spending
a great deal of their time
resting in the gym.
Whether its taking a
longer-than-necessary
breather between sets,
leaving their racked and
towel-shrouded equipment for a bathroom
break or rubbernecking
to get a look at the hottie
on Cardio Row, extended
rest can be detrimental to
your progress. Go to the
gym to work use your
couch at home to lounge
and grow.
Once youve been training

for a while, your muscles
adapt and you no longer
make strength and size
gains the way you did as
a beginner. While switching up exercises can help,
its time to rethink your
approach and try some
extraordinary methods
to jump-start serious
muscle growth.
Listen to your body and
focus on the pump and
feeling the muscle work,
worrying less about sets
and reps, Garett says.
Consciously make the
decision to challenge
yourself by doing exercises you hate, or by using
other high-intensity methods such as rest-pause or
cycled training that you
havent tried before.
5)
Not Practicing
the Little Things
If theres one thing

advanced lifters know, its
sore joints and aches and
pains. These problems
dont just go away when
youre lifting heavy day
after day. The more
progress you make, the
more important it is to
pay attention to all the
things you skipped as a
beginner, Garett says.
This includes making sure
you do a thorough warmup, doing rotator-cuff
stretches and exercises,
stretching afterward
(especially your low back
and hamstrings to help
prevent low-back pain)
and knowing the difference between good and
bad pain. Over the long
term, such little things will
prove huge.
6)
Not Paying
Attention
If youre lucky enough to

have a training partner,
make sure you use that to
your advantage, not as a
hindrance to your progress. Studies show that
those who lift in the presence of others have a tendency to push around
more weight than they
would lifting alone. And
after your partner helps
you push through your
heavy sets, be sure to
return the favor. Marginalizing your duties as
a reciprocating spotter
by going through the
motions, chatting or looking away will keep your
partner from reaching
his goals and is an open
invitation for injuries.
Besides, youll have time
to socialize postworkout.
MUSCLE-FITNESS.COM
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WORKOUT CENTRAL
The Do Not Do List
GETTING LEAN
WE ALWAYS TELL YOU WHAT TO DO TO CHANGE THE WAY YOUR BODY LOOKS, BUT IF YOURE LOOKING
TO GET LEAN, YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW WHAT HABITS TO AVOID By Eric Velazquez
Each month, we fill these pages with fitness and nutrition

must dos to educate you and keep you on the right track,
but sometimes the best way to develop good habits is by
learning what not to do.
If youre looking to shed some bodyfat, there are some
very basic guidelines anyone can follow to start achieving
results. For some reason, however, there are still those who
make a few cardinal mistakes. Here we explain the 10
things you absolutely should not do if you want to get lean.
If youre doing any of them, your physique is in big trouble.
Now go to your room and read.
Sticking to light weights and high reps
Heavy weight just bulks you up, says the shapeless gym
enthusiast. Lighter weights with higher reps is what really
gets you ripped. Tsk, tsk tsk. Mr. Nonsense and his amoebic
physique have good intentions, but this way of thinking is
as archaic as eight-track cassettes.
High-rep sets definitely have their place increasing
muscular endurance and pump, for instance but they
should never form the backbone of your program when
youre trying to get lean. Sticking to lightweight sets (1220
reps) for an extended period robs your muscles of what they
need most a constant challenge. In the absence of new
stimuli, such as constantly increasing weight loads, your
muscles will simply grow content and either plateau or
backtrack in size and shape. Lifting heavier will help you
gain more lean tissue, which allows you to be slightly more
metabolic at rest. Plus, heavy training (68 reps) increases
the total caloric expenditure during and after your workout.
BEST TIP: Base your program on heavy, multijoint lifts
such as squats, deadlifts and various presses that recruit and
build more total muscle and burn more calories. Use moderate- (1012 reps) and lightweight (1220 reps) sets to complement your heavy training, not the other way around.
Performing cardio
before weight training
Some silly folks like to shamelessly exploit a fundamental
training mantra that you should always train for priorities. If losing bodyfat is your primary goal, for example,
then cardio should be your primary focus in the gym, right?
This is one case where your priorities are just backward,
pal. While cardio by itself is certainly productive, doing
cardio after your weight-training session is almost twice as
productive at burning fat.
Japanese researchers recently determined that doing a
weight workout before cardio resulted in significantly more
134
MUSCLE & FITNESS
November 2007
fat-burning than doing cardio alone. In the study, a cardioonly group burned just more than 20% of their total calories
from fat, while another group who did cardio after weights
burned nearly 50% of their total calories from fat. One reason for this amazing disparity is that the body plows
through stored glycogen during your weight routine, making fat the primary fuel source once its time for your cardio.
BEST TIP: Perform cardio when itll be most productive for
you after you hit the weights. Try mixing in 34, 2030minute, postlifting cardio sessions per week.
Eating fast-digesting carbs preworkout
Before you hit the gym, you definitely want to have some
protein, but some people still reach for white toast, Gatorade
and other fast-digesting carbs to round out their preworkout
meal. Somewhere on a cave wall it is written in ancient Sanskrit: A carb is a carb is a carb. Today, we know better.
You definitely dont want to head to the gym on an
empty tank, which is why you should fuel up in the 6090
minutes or so before your first rep. But before you guzzle a
sports drink or have a baked potato, know this: Fast-digesting carbs will have a negative impact on your bodys ability
to burn fat for fuel in the gym because they boost insulin.
This anabolic hormone is great to boost after the workout
for encouraging muscle growth, but during the workout it
blunts fat-burning.
BEST TIP: While having some carbs in your system is ideal
preworkout, youll want to make smarter choices to keep
your fat-burning high. Take in 3040 grams of slowerdigesting sources such as oatmeal, whole-grain bread, fruit
or sweet potatoes 1530 minutes before training. Research
shows that athletes who eat these foods burn more fat.
Always doing steady-state cardio
at 70%80% of max heart rate (MHR)
We love those skinny dudes who hit the treadmill with a
heart-rate monitor strapped around their chests it helps
round out their already stylish headband-and-AdidasGazelles look. But that leisurely prance is simply no match
for a hard-sweat, fat-nuking interval session.
Steady-state cardio done at 70%80% of your max heart
rate will definitely eat away at bodyfat, but you may be selling yourself short. Your best bet is to train using intervals,
where you frequently alternate between bouts of high
intensity (80%90% MHR) and low intensity (50%60%
MHR). This method of training leaves the body burning
more fat long after you put in your last sprint no heartrate monitor required.
Progress makes
perfect. Always
strive for greater
weight loads to get
big and lean
MUSCLE-FITNESS.COM
135
WORKOUT CENTRAL
BEST TIP: Perform 2030 minutes of interval training on a
treadmill, elliptical or bike 23 times per week. Try one

minute of high intensity (a fast run) followed by one
minute of low intensity (a slow walk) and keep repeating.
Avoiding caffeine,
green tea and carnitine
Men. Were too proud to ask for directions, sure. Thats
because our navigational prowess makes it unnecessary for
us to do so. But were here to tell you that refusing to use
supplements to power your fat-fighting efforts could leave
you feeling as though youre driving in circles.
When it comes to shedding bodyfat, theres no substitute
for hard training and sound dieting. But that doesnt mean
you shouldnt use everything at your disposal to speed up
your results. Virtually every fat-burner on the market contains some form of caffeine, green tea or carnitine. Why?
All three attack fat-burning from different sides, making
your training and nutritional efforts all the more produc-
ting the treadmill Maurice Greenestyle, make sure youve

primed your body to hold on to as much muscle as possible.
Taking 1020 grams of fast-digesting whey protein or 36
grams of amino acids before a hard cardio session particularly those done in the morning on an empty stomach
will help ensure that your body has available energy for the
work ahead rather than tapping into muscle protein.
BEST TIP: Take 36 grams of amino acids or consume a
light, 1020-gram whey protein shake before cardio. This is
especially important for cardio before breakfast.
Eating three squares a day
We dont blame you entirely for this one. The whole
breakfast, lunch and dinner approach to nutrition has
been an American mainstay seemingly since time began. It
has worked wonders, too, what with us Yanks now in the
midst of a national obesity epidemic.
This philosophy works for our armed forces, but unless
youre doing 8-mile hikes with a 70-pound rucksack twice
Its easy to eat like a maniac

after a hard workout, but some
guys miss the mark preworkout
tive. Caffeine binds to fat cells to enhance fat-burning during exercise, green tea prevents the breakdown of the
metabolism-regulating neurotransmitter norepinephrine
and carnitine helps transport fat into the mitochondria of
cells, where theyre burned for energy. Avoiding these
supps is an easy way to downshift your progress.
BEST TIP: Take 200400 mg of caffeine with breakfast and
200400 mg 12 hours before your workout. Take 500 mg of
green tea extract three times a day, including one serving
just before your workout. Take 12 grams of carnitine three
times a day, including one serving just before and one serving immediately after your workout.
Avoiding protein or
amino acids before cardio
If youre a regular m&f reader, you should know just how
important pre- and postworkout nutrition and supplementation is. Its easy to eat like a maniac after a hard workout,
but some guys miss the mark when it comes to the preworkout prep, particularly in terms of halting muscle
catabolism on a cardio-only day. What a shame, because its
an easy fix.
Lets not forget: Leaning out isnt nearly as fun unless you
have some muscle underneath that blubber. So before hit-
136
MUSCLE & FITNESS
November 2007
a day, youre better off consuming 56 small meals a day.

While some people rely on three squares to meet their daily
caloric needs, such larger infrequent meals can cause stomach bloating, overeating, drops in blood sugar and greater
fat retention. Smaller, more frequent meals keep your
metabolism higher, allowing your body to use more of the
food for fuel instead of dropping it off on your waistline.
BEST TIP: Even if youre chained to a desk for 10 hours a
day, make sure you consume small meals or snacks every
23 hours. Protein powders, canned tuna, nuts, jerky, fruit
and protein bars are all good things to keep on hand.
Sticking to straight sets in the gym
Three sets of 10 on every exercise, 12 minutes of rest
between sets, huh? Yawn. How long have you been doing
that, and how much has it helped you lean out? If youre
reading this, the answers are probably too long and not
much. If you really want to blast away at stubborn fat
stores, you need to kick things up a notch.
Supersets are a perfect way to do that. Performing two or
more exercises back-to-back without rest can boost postworkout growth hormone levels, thus increasing muscle
mass and stoking fat-burning without really increasing
your workout volume. Plus, moving from one exercise to
Theres no rest for

the ripped. Pushing
your body with
supersets burns
more bodyfat
another with limited rest in between increases your calories burned during exercise.
BEST TIP: Try using an all-supersets workout for 24 weeks
to elevate your metabolism, burn more calories and boost
GH levels.
Eating carbs alone
Even the most dedicated, carb-deprived bodybuilders need
the occasional carb-heavy snack to keep their sanity intact.
So if your diet makes you feel as if you need to chow down
on a plain bagel from time to time, feel free to do so. Just
dont have it alone! If you eat carbs by themselves, particularly outside of training times, you might as well start
shopping for wider-waisted jeans.
Its okay to have carbs when trying to get lean just
make sure you have some protein, too. An extra glass of
milk, some egg whites or some cottage cheese are all suitable items to add to a carb-rich dish. The addition of protein will help slow the digestion of carbs, keeping your
body from storing them as fat.
BEST TIP: Never eat carbs alone. Always have them with
protein and small amounts of fat to slow digestion and keep
your blood sugar levels in check. Eating fibrous veggies

such as broccoli, cauliflower and green beans helps ensure
slower digestion of all carbohydrates.
Being a night owl
We know how it is. After a hard days night at the gym, you
like to come home, refuel with food, plop down on the
couch and take inventory of your DVR list. After your
sixth episode of Rescue Me, however, you find that the night
has gotten away from you. Is it really 1:15? You finally commit to exiting your recorded shows when you realize, Hey,
thats Jessica Biel on Late Night with Conan OBrien! There
goes another half-hour. Go to bed already!
Studies have shown that those of us who like to stay up
late be it channel surfing, web browsing or just reading
and get up early for work suffer the consequences by way
of the belly. Thats right getting less sleep actually contributes to higher levels of bodyfat over time.
BEST TIP: If youre looking to drop bodyfat, then you need
to manage your time better, especially in the evening.
Wind down after your workout, get to bed at a decent hour
and aim to get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.
WORKOUT CENTRAL
The Do Not Do List
GAINING MASS
FORGET ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING. HERE ARE 10 THINGS YOU COULD BE DOING
WRONG IN YOUR QUEST FOR MORE MUSCLE By Eric Velazquez
Gaining muscle mass can be really easy if you do all the

right things. If youre eating a high-protein diet, timing
your meals well, supplementing right and working out like
a madman, youll find gaining muscle a steady and fruitful
endeavor. But putting on a few pounds of lean mass can
also be an easy thing to completely screw up. We see it
every day people making fundamental missteps that are
keeping them from their goals.
If you want thicker legs, a superwide back or shoulders
like Arnolds, youre going to need to train a little smarter.
Getting big isnt just about eating more or lifting heavier
its about knowing exactly what your body needs and
when. So check our list to see if youre committing any of
these massive blunders.
Eating too much
Some people see bulking up as an excuse to eat everything
they see, figuring that the more they consume, the more
muscle theyll be able to grow. Unfortunately, eating for
the sake of eating is nothing more than a first-class ticket
to fat camp.
Sure, if youre looking to gain weight, you should eat
more food, but you need to be more selective than the next
guy, not less. If youre trying to gain muscle as we suspect you are without blowing up like a balloon, you must
carefully monitor your macronutrient intake. Eating indiscriminately will just leave you bloated and doughy.
BEST TIP: All calories are not created equal. In general, a
bodybuilder looking to add muscle at a steady pace should
consume protein, carbs and fat at about a 40:40:20 ratio,
which can be altered slightly depending on progress. Protein is key to muscle gains a 200-pound guy should get
200400 grams of protein per day, spread out over several
small meals. And when it comes to the rest of your calories,
dont reach for apple pie and Guinness. Instead, choose
plenty of vegetables, sweet potatoes, fruit, nuts and oatmeal.
Lifting too much
We know what youre thinking: Big muscles are built with
big weights. Thats true, but the simplicity of that statement has led many a lifter to sore joints, aching muscles
and stale results. Plowing through heavy workouts with
low reps (35) isnt what builds muscles. It may build
strength, but not mass. And if as so often happens
sloppy form becomes the key to lifting these heavy
weights, then even the strength gains will plateau.
Doing your muscle-building reps in good style and doing
enough of them per set is the path to lean mass gains. For
138
MUSCLE & FITNESS
November 2007
maximum growth and refinement, your muscles require

concentrated stimulation, not just a violent push to complete a rep.
BEST TIP: Use weight loads that allow you to complete
610 controlled reps with good form. We guarantee that your
muscles will feel the effects tomorrow. Your mirror and the
scale will offer their testimony later.
Go big! (At least

as big as possible
while maintaining
strict form.)
Using too many single-joint exercises

Whats the deal are you scared of the squat rack? Or do
you actually think that a two-hour biceps routine is going
to give you the physique you want? Sure, everyone wants
arms like The Oaks and is willing to curl their way into
oblivion to get there. The problem is, 15 sets of heavy curls
twice a week wont add muscle to your frame. Consider
that for every 10 pounds of lean mass you add, you gain
approximately 1 inch on your arms. Where do you think
youre going to build those 10 pounds at the pressdown
station? Hardly. If youre expecting to get big, its time to
start going big.
BEST TIP: Build your program on big multijoint lifts for
total-body mass. The deadlift, squat, leg press, bench press,
barbell row and overhead press are just a few exercises that
force your body to recruit more muscle. Each workout,
regardless of the bodypart youre training, should start off
with compound moves.
Where do you think youre going

to build those 10 pounds at
the pressdown station? Hardly
Doing too much cardio
You want to gain muscle but you dont want to get fat in the
process. As a result, you keep the cardio high, doing 56
hard sessions per week, sometimes going up to an hour at a
time. So dont be surprised when you dont gain any muscle that type of alarmist training wont help you get bigger. Remember when we said youd need to train smarter?
Well, heres your chance.
When you perform cardio in excess, your body needs to
find the energy somewhere. After it depletes your stored
glycogen, it likes to go looking for fat but will settle for
muscle if it needs to, which is the last thing you want when
trying to fill out that new XXXL T-shirt. Frequent bouts of
cardio also sap you of the precious vigor you need to push
around the big-boy weights.
BEST TIP: Limit your cardio to no more than three moderately paced 20-minute sessions per week when trying to
gain mass.
Increasing your training volume
When you hit a rut in your mass-gaining phase, the first
thing that comes to mind is usually: I must not be doing
enough. Time to bump it up a lot. Bump it up? We hate to
break it to you, but sometimes less is more.
We love lifting. We wish you could grow with every single set and every single workout, but unfortunately thats
not the way muscle works. Training too frequently or with
too many sets seems like the right thing to do if you want to
gain mass, but its actually counterproductive. Cranking up
the volume will eventually leave you overtrained, making
it even harder to gain muscle or lose bodyfat. (See Too
Much of a Good Thing? on page 148.)
BEST TIP: Limit your sets to 1216 per bodypart and incorporate a few intensity techniques to take your muscles past
failure. Drop sets, supersets and forced reps used sparingly are all good alternatives to maniacal amounts of
sets or workouts.
Banking on technology
Why do so many mass-seekers expect to get huge using
machines? The invention of the pec deck isnt akin to the
cotton gin or the electric light bulb in terms of usefulness,
but it seems that a great deal of lifters are still in awe of it.
The fascination with the potential benefits of new technology has every Tom, Dick and Harry waiting for their turn
at the incline iso-press and self-spotting machine press

instead of doing what successful bodybuilders have been
doing for a hundred years taking heavy objects and moving them against the force of gravity.
Machines have certain advantages over free weights, but
overall theres no replacing the muscle-building benefits of
barbells and dumbbells.
BEST TIP: Some machine work Smith machines, cables,
etc. in your program is beneficial for muscle gain and
refinement, but it should be limited to one or two exercises
per bodypart, per workout, if that. The bulk of your exercise selections should be free-weight moves.
Not getting enough protein
See Eating Too Much. What you eat is more important than
how much you eat when trying to gain mass, and protein is
right at the top of the mass-gainers food pyramid. And for
good reason. This is the stuff your muscles are made of, so
why on earth would you deprive them of what they need to
grow? Stuffing your face with plenty of slow-digesting
carbs and healthy fats is important, but not nearly as crucial as the type, timing and amount of protein you eat.
BEST TIP: Make sure you get 12 grams of protein per pound
of bodyweight per day. Also, always have 3040 grams of
fast-digesting whey protein when you first wake up to stall
muscle catabolism, 20 grams of whey preworkout to prevent
muscle breakdown, and another 4060 grams of a protein
blend (whey, casein and soy) postworkout to aid in muscle
repair and growth. Having a 40-gram casein shake just
before bed also helps your efforts by feeding your body a
steady stream of amino acids throughout the night.
Skipping creatine
Not on the creatine bandwagon yet? Think its a fading
fad? Dont worry it has been only about 15 years since
this popular and intensely researched supplement has been
building stronger, bigger physiques.
This tried-and-true product is still the biggest must-buy
for muscle-seekers (aside from protein powder, that is)
because of its ability to enhance strength gains and muscle
fullness. Creatine has evolved into more easily digested
versions, such as creatine-ethyl-ester, that make it even
more effective at helping you build muscle. Still, some people avoid it for fear of bloating or stomach cramps, neither
of which are an issue with creatines newer versions.
WORKOUT CENTRAL
Creatine can
help you get
bigger and
stronger faster
Curling too
intensely for too
long can bring
biceps-building
to a halt
Creatine bolsters your bodys ability to exert

itself in short, powerful spurts, such as those experienced
during weight training. Take 35 grams of some form of creatine 30 minutes before your workout and 35 grams immediately afterward to keep strength and size gains coming.
BEST TIP:
Going dry
As we near the end of the list, you might be thinking, Im
actually doing most of this stuff right. Good for you. But one
area where we see people falling well short of satisfactory
when it comes to building muscle is with water.
Wait, what? Despite waters ability to support blood volume while helping deter the breakdown of muscle via free
radicals, some guys just dont want to be hitting the head
every half-hour and therefore neglect their H2O consumption. But because youre working out as hard as you
are (or should be), you actually need more water than the
average person.
140
MUSCLE & FITNESS
November 2007
BEST TIP: If you plan on being adequately hydrated for

your workouts and for all the growth that happens afterward, strive to take in 11.5 gallons of water per day.
Limiting carbohydrate consumption

Man cannot live on protein alone. Gaining mass, cutting
weight, it doesnt seem to matter. The bad rep that carbs
have gotten in the media has steered many lifters away
from this critical macronutrient, leaving people scratching
their heads over their lack of progress. Carbs arent your
enemy; in fact, they can be your biggest ally, especially if
youre trying to gain muscle. Make most of your carbohydrate sources slow-digesting foods with the exception of
your postworkout meal, in which 60100 grams of fastdigesting carbs are needed to drive glycogen to muscles.
BEST TIP: Take in 2 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight per day, mostly from slow-digesting sources such as
whole-wheat bread and oatmeal.
TOO MUCH
OF A GOOD THING?
These nightmarish symptoms end up affecting a lifters

central nervous system, leading to altered mood states and
even depression.
DONT MISTAKE DILIGENCE FOR INSANITY. GOING OVERBOARD WITH YOUR WEIGHT TRAINING MAY KEEP
YOU FROM REACHING YOUR GOALS IN THE GYM By the M&F Staff
So modest are we here at m&f that were sometimes loath

to admit were pretty good at what we do. Our annual
workouts issue is a bodybuilders dream come true. Its
value far exceeds its 30-day shelf life and will provide you
service well beyond your next workout. These pages
include 85 specialized routines that you can spend the next
several years experimenting with as you carve your body
into a rock-hard work of art. But before you can bear a likeness to Michelangelos David, you have to be aware of the
weaknesses of your flesh. Its true what they say: You can
get too much of a good thing.
While getting to the gym day in and day out may be one
of your fondest pastimes, going balls to the wall for too
long tons of weight, a lot of sets, intensity techniques
galore could actually end up bringing an abrupt halt to
your progress. A decade ago they called it wussing out.
Today they call it overtraining.
Overtraining is a very real condition experienced by
bodybuilders characterized by an increased resting heart
rate, unusually long recovery times after exercise, sleeping
troubles, increased sweating, irritability, digestion problems,
fatigue, depression and drops in strength and endurance,
says m&f Senior Science Editor Jim Stoppani, PhD.
Despite the clarity of symptoms, overtraining can still
sometimes be difficult to diagnose. What appears to be
a plateau in progress caused by lack of proper diet or intensity can be mistaken for the syndrome of overtraining
itself, says m&f Fitness Director Jimmy Pea, MS, CSCS.
That can often fuel the pattern of overtraining in affected
individuals who arent conscious of the condition or refuse
to acknowledge the symptoms.
So before you put this issue to its fullest use, you should
understand the ins and outs of overtraining.
An Inside Look
Some of the symptoms of overtraining are pretty tough to
peg. Maybe youre in a bad mood simply because the guy
who used the leg press before you neglected to wipe down
the bench or remove his plates. And it could be that youre
tired because you decided to watch a few repeats of Family
Guy on Cartoon Network the night before. But some
things are easier to catch and should thus raise a red flag.
A decrease in muscle mass, for example, can be easy to
see for a guy who has been monitoring his progress in the
mirror and on the scale. If youre finding it tough to get the
last few reps on an exercise with a load you were handling
just weeks earlier, it could be a sign that youre overtrained.
The first place to look, however, is your routine.

Overtraining is usually the result of training at too high
of an intensity or with too much weight or too much volume for too long, Stoppani says.
So if youve been doing four sets of six reps on most exercises, doing 20 sets per bodypart and mixing in, say, forced
reps and drop sets for the last several months, youre a
prime candidate for an overtraining-induced plateau. The
body, believe it or not, is only capable of so much in a given
period. After a while, it revolts from the inside out.
The most significant changes that occur in someone
whos overtrained are hormonal, Stoppani says. Your
testosterone levels fall and your cortisol levels are elevated.
The increase in cortisol, which is a stress hormone, turns
your body catabolic and causes you to lose muscle and
strength. Growth hormone levels also fall, further limiting
gains in size and strength.
As if thats not enough, your body experiences depressed
levels of thyroid hormones, sapping you of energy, and your
adrenaline levels can go haywire, affecting your bodys ability to generate energy during workouts. Getting sick more
often? Thats another sign of overtraining your immune
system takes a beating after prolonged bouts of high-intensity exercise. Sore joints are also part of the misery.
Overtraining is
not caused in a
day, nor can it
be cured in a
day. Thats why
its important
to allow ample
recovery time
Bringing the Over Under (Control)

The first step toward getting your overtrained wreck of a
body growing again is recognizing the symptoms. After
that, getting back on track is easier than you might think.
Overtraining is not caused in a day, nor can it be cured in
a day, Pea says. Thats why its very important to allow
ample time for recovery. This could mean taking several
days, even weeks, off from the gym. This doesnt mean
zero activity, but staying away from heavy, intense lifting
is key. Outdoor activities, a change in scenery and lighter
activity can aid in the recovery process.
You are, as always, what you eat, and the quality and timing of your meals are important factors in preventing and
coming back from overtraining. This means eating enough
of the right kinds of foods, even splurging more than someone is used to, allow the mind a mental break from the pressure of trying to achieve perfection, not to mention the physical results that will follow, Pea says.
Diet is a very important factor in preventing overtraining, Stoppani agrees. Those who eat properly before and
after their workouts are at much less risk of overtraining
because these meals help the body recover faster and much
more thoroughly.
So dont forget your 20 grams of protein and 40 grams of
slow-burning carbs before workouts. And dont even think
about missing your 4060 grams of whey protein and 4060
grams of fast-digesting carbs after training. If you work out
like a maniac and miss these key windows for nutrition,
youre begging to hit a wall.
Overtraining is as the Marines in the movie Jarhead
referred to the Iraqi desert The Big Suck for lifters. For
you, progress in the weight room is a passion, and youre
willing to put yourself through the ringer to pursue it. But
going overboard too often or for too long is a sure way to
interrupt your gains. The trick, then, is to temper your
enthusiasm and periodize your weight training, alternating 68-week bouts of intense, heavy lifting with 68
weeks of more moderate sessions. Keep that in mind when
you start up any of the programs in this or any other issue
of muscle & fitness. M&F
OVERTRAINING
101
HERES HOW TO IDENTIFY WHETHER YOUR BODY
IS OVERTRAINED AND HOW TO BUST OUT OF YOUR
RUT ONCE YOURE THERE
WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Fatigue
Drop in blood pressure
Increased resting heart rate
Irritability
Digestion problems
Depression
Decrease in strength
Joint pain
Decrease in muscle mass
Sleeping troubles
WHAT TO DO WHEN OVERTRAINED

1) Reduce training volume, intensity and/or frequency,
or take an extended break of 12 weeks
2) Loosen normal dietary restrictions
3) Engage in non-gym activities
4) Start supplementing with protein (20 grams of whey
immediately preworkout and 40 grams of whey or
a whey-casein mix immediately postworkout) and
glutamine (5 grams with breakfast, pre- and postworkout, and before bed)
5) Return to the gym with a restructured routine that
incorporates fewer intensity techniques, more
moderate loads and more rest between sessions
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TRAINING

BY M&F STAFF | PHOTOS BY IAN LOGAN

>> MASS-BUILDING ROUTINE

>> BEGINNERS ROUTINE

>> AT-HOME ROUTINE

>> 15-MINUTE WORKOUT ROUTINE

>> PRIORITY WORKOUT ROUTINE

>> GIANT-SET ROUTINE

>> STRENGTH ROUTINE

>> GET RIPPED ROUTINE

>> GET SUPERPUMPED ROUTINE

GYM: EVOLUTION FITNES S, (626) 793-5353;

In general your workouts have never

LOWER LATS PRIORITY

WHEN TARGETING A SPECIFIC AREA of a muscle,

>> Pulling your elbows

10, 10, 12, 12

Close-Grip Lat Pulldown

UPPER LATS PRIORITY

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown

10, 10, 10, 10

10, 10, 10, 10

10, 10, 10, 10

* A giant set consists of four or more exercises performed

Bent-Over Barbell Row

Seated Cable Row

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Machine Low Row

Seated Cable Row

10, 10, 12, 12

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Standing Low-Cable Row

* Rest 23 minutes between each set.

10, 12, 12, 15, 20

Straight-Arm Lat Pulldown

12, 12, 15, 15

15, 15, 20, 20

10, 12, 15, 20

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

10, 12, 12, 20

* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.

Bent-Over Barbell Row

10, 10, 30, 30

Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown

Seated Cable Row

10, 10, 30, 30

Reverse-Grip Lat Pulldown

10, 10, 30, 30

Seated Cable Row

* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.

* Rest no more than 30 seconds between each set.

Note: The above workouts dont include warm-up sets.

Unless otherwise noted, rest 6090 seconds between all sets.

MUSCLE & FITNESS

Incline Bench Press

Dumbbell Bench Press

Dumbbell Decline Flye

Machine Chest Press

10, 10, 12, 12

Machine Incline Press

Flat-Bench Dumbbell Flye

Dumbbell Bench Press