QUADS&

muscle intelligence

CALVES
SEVEN DAYS OF WORKOUTS

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 THE LOGIC OF
THE WORKOUTS:
NEUROLOGICAL
WORKOUTS:
These will get you strong
and will emphasize a greater
challenge to the nervous
system to recruit more
muscles per repetition.
The workouts are focused on
keeping the loads heavy, so
the rest periods are longer.
There isn’t an emphasis on
increasing time under tension,
so the stress to the muscular
system is not as high as
the challenge to nervous
system. The nervous system
takes longest to recover, and
therefore this type of training is
best not repeated more than
twice per week for a single
body part, or 3 times a week
total.
Neurological/strength-based
training typically does not
increase the need for protein
or carbohydrate so extra
calories aren’t necessary on
these days.
Focus instead on hydration,
electrolytes, creatine, and
decreasing inflammation.
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HYPERTROPHY
WORKOUTS:
Hypertrophy workouts will
focus on adding muscle by
challenging the muscular
system maximally. Muscular
challenge comes from
extending challenge in all
aspects of the range of motion:
fully contracted, mid-range,
fully stretched muscle, as well
as extending time in eccentric
loading.
This will increase mechanical
damage to the muscle and
increase the need for growth
and repair.
The volume and time in these
workouts is increased, while
giving enough time between
sets to maintain heavy loads
and perfect form. This phase
is most dependent on mental
focus.
Heavier loads, more volume,
therefore greater fatigue will
make it more difficult to stay
motivated and stay focused,
especially when perfect form
is the only option. Step up.
The amount of damage to the
muscle will increase the need
for protein to facilitate recovery.
quads & calves
METABOLIC
WORKOUTS:
The goal of these workouts
is to challenge the body
metabolically.
Decreased time between sets,
and increased time during sets
means greater needs for
ATP production, challenging
glycolytic pathways,
mitochondrial up regulation,
increased respiration, and
more depletion of the muscle
glycogen stores.
Increasing your tolerance to CO2
(carbon dioxide) will be a benefit
to increasing your performance
in this phase.
This phase will deplete muscles
of glycogen most and create the
least muscle damage. They can
typically be done more often
due to this fact as recovery time
is low but requires the muscles
to have enough carbohydrates
to benefit without burning
muscle.
 PERFORMANCE
BREATHING PREP
PROTOCOL:
At the beginning of every workout you will see:

PREWORKOUT PREP:
BREATHING: Performance Breathing Protocol
Intelligently executed breathing could be the biggest performance aid that
no one knows about...yet. Before you train, try a few of these breathing
techniques to: improve performance, increase work capacity, decrease
fatigue, decrease lactate (H+ accumulation), decrease perceived exertion, ADVANCED:
increase aerobic capacity, improve utilization of fat as fuel at higher effort, (DO THE INTERMEDIATE AS WELL)
improve focus and mental performance.
• Only ever breathe through
your nose.
• Sit up straight in a chair,
BEGINNER: INTERMEDIATE: cover your mouth and nose
with your cupped hands.
• Breathe into your cupped
• Only ever breathe through • Only ever breathe through hands with the intent of
your nose. your nose. making the breath as short,
• Sit up straight in a chair, • Sit up straight in a chair, light, and small as you can.
after exhaling, hold your after exhaling, hold your • Never fill your lungs, and
nose for 5 seconds. nose until you feel a strong always aim to keep as much
urge to breathe. air out of your lungs as
• Inhale and breathing possible by staying close to
normally for 10 seconds. • Inhale and breathing full exhalation.
normally 30 seconds. • Think “one centimeter” of air
• Then breathe out and hold
Repeat 5x. in and out only. Not more.
your nose for 5 seconds.
Repeat 10x. • The goal here is to build a • The air going out (and time of
strong air hunger and feel exhalation) should always be
• This should be very easy more than the air coming in.
like you need to breathe.
and only generate a small • The goal here is to
amount of air hunger. accumulate a large amount
of CO2 in the blood and a
strong air hunger that you
don’t let off for a long time.
• Stay with the air hunger and
resist the urge to take a deep
breath.
• Only take tiny sips of air.
• Do this for 5-10 minutes.

7 - d ay w o r k o u t f o r b o d y p a r t o p t i m i z at i o n quads & calves

 NOTE:
Each of these breathing exercises can be made
more effective by incorporating walking,
jogging, or running, while doing them. Any type
of exercise that will increase the CO2 production
in the body (movement increases CO2 in the
body that is then sent to the lungs to be
excreted). Be smart, and don’t do things that put
you in danger if you were to pass out. Passing
out can happen if you get to O2 (oxygen) levels
less than 60% in the blood.
The goal of each of these is to increase the CO2
in the blood, which is the bodies trigger to
release O2 from hemoglobin in the blood, and
into the tissues for use to improve performance.
These techniques are also very effective during
workouts to increase CO2 and push more O2 into
the tissue to drive better performance.
NOS: Neurological Overload Set
MI40’s core intensification technique since 2011
provides an opportunity to take a single set to
numerous muscular challenge points.
Here’s how it’s done:
Choose a weight you can do for 10 reps.
But only do 8.
Decrease the weight by 20% and immediately do
another 8 reps.
Decrease the weight again by 20% and
immediately do another 8 reps.
Decrease the weight again by 20% and complete
the final repetitions to complete muscular failure.
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WORKOUT NOTES:
Time the rest periods. They matter to
change the stimulus. Follow the
tempos. They matter to maximize
the stimulus.
How to read tempos:
Example
3: first number indicates the pace of
the eccentric or lowering.
1: the second number is the pause in
the stretched position.
2: The third number is the concentric
or contraction.
1: The fourth number is the pause in
the contracted or short position.
This means 4 sets in 1.
An initial set, plus 3 total drops by 20% each time.
Eventually, the goal will be to do 8 reps
With each drop and only fail on the last drop.
This will be hard at first.
This means, that initially you will have multiple
muscular failure points, the point at which your
muscle can no longer contract. This will tax your
nervous system to recruit more motor units of
muscle per contraction.
Eventually, one muscular failure point will stress
the nervous system less and can lead to great
capacity to do work and ultimately grow.
quads & calves
 THE WORKOUTS: Monday
Neurological Quads and Calves Training

PREWORKOUT PREP:
BREATHING: Performance Breathing Protocol
MOBILITY and STABILITY: Focus on Trunk/Spine and Pelvic Stability.

rest
Exercise Sets reps TEmpo
period
A1 (WU) Walking Lunges 4 10 3210 (to muscle
excitation-no
fatigue. Pause
at the bottom)

B2 Front squats 6 8, 6, 4, 3120 4 mins

8, 6, 4

C1 Trap Bar deadlift 4 6 3010 3 mins

D1 Reverse Lunge (with DBs) 4 8 2110 3 mins

E1 Seated Calf Raise 6 6 2121 3 mins

F1 Standing Calf Raise 4 6 2121 3 mins

NOTES

Between sets: *5 seconds in, 5 second breath hold,

• Nasal Breathing ONLY.
• Aim for some strong breath holds.
• Do not sit down.
• Train Abs.
• Do downward dog poses with slow
*5-5 box breath nasal-diaphragmatic breathing.
5 seconds out, 5 second hold.
Do not stretch during downward dog pose
when training legs. Focus on light active
contraction of the muscles on the front of
the body, rather than attempting to lengthen
the muscles on the back of the body.

7 - d ay w o r k o u t f o r b o d y p a r t o p t i m i z at i o n quads & calves

 Tuesday Back, Triceps, Hamstrings, Glutes

THE WORKOUTS: Wednesday

Hypertrophy Quads and Calves Training

PREWORKOUT PREP:
BREATHING: Performance Breathing Protocol
MOBILITY and STABILITY: Focus on Trunk/Spine and Pelvic Stability

rest
Exercise Sets reps TEmpo
period
A1 (WU) Walking Lunges 4 10 4210 (to muscle
excitation-no
fatigue. Pause
at the bottom)

B2 Hack Squats 6 10 3120 2 mins

(NOS on
last set)

C1 DB Squats (heels elevated) 4 8 4010 2 mins

D1 L
 eg Extensions 4 8 4110 90 secs

E1 Seated Calf Raise 6 6 4121 2 mins

(NOS on
last set)

F1 S
 tanding Calf Raise 4 6+BW 4121 2 mins
(BW=bodyweight reps to
failure each set)

NOTES

Between sets: *5 seconds in, 5 second breath hold,

• Nasal Breathing ONLY.
• Aim for some strong breath holds.
• Do not sit down.
• Train Abs.
• Do downward dog poses with slow
*5-5 box breath nasal-diaphragmatic breathing.
5 seconds out, 5 second hold.
Do not stretch during downward dog pose
when training legs. Focus on light active
contraction of the muscles on the front of
the body, rather than attempting to lengthen
the muscles on the back of the body.

7 - d ay w o r k o u t f o r b o d y p a r t o p t i m i z at i o n quads & calves

 Thursday Parasympathetic Day

THE WORKOUTS: Friday

Metabolic Quads and Calves Training

PREWORKOUT PREP:
BREATHING: Performance Breathing Protocol
MOBILITY and STABILITY: Focus on Trunk/Spine and Pelvic Stability.

rest
Exercise Sets reps TEmpo
period
A1 (WU) Walking Lunges 4 10 3210 (to muscle
excitation-no
fatigue. Pause
at the bottom)

B1 Squats 4 8 3120 2 mins

C1 H
 ack Squats 4 8 3010 1 mins

D1 Leg Extensions 4 15 2110 No rest

(NOS on
last set)

D2 DB reverse lunges 4 12 2121 2 mins

E1 Leg Press Calve Raise 7 40, 30, 4121 1 mins

20, 10,
20, 30,
40

F1 Seated Calve Raise 10 5 2010 10 secs

NOTES

Between sets: *5 seconds in, 5 second breath hold,

• Nasal Breathing ONLY.
• Aim for some strong breath holds.
• Do not sit down.
• Train Abs.
• Do downward dog poses with slow
*5-5 box breath nasal-diaphragmatic breathing.
5 seconds out, 5 second hold.
Do not stretch during downward dog pose
when training legs. Focus on light active
contraction of the muscles on the front of
the body, rather than attempting to lengthen
the muscles on the back of the body.

7 - d ay w o r k o u t f o r b o d y p a r t o p t i m i z at i o n quads & calves

 Saturday Chest, Delts, Biceps.

Sunday Parasympathetic Day.

NOTE: This document is based

on advanced science and years of
application. The protocols set forth
are based around concepts known to
be effective when used in a range of
subjects. Please be sure to consult
a physician before using any of the
protocols as these are suggested
protocols based on experience and
science, not on the FDA guidelines.