Making the Cut (31 page)

Doing a reverse pyramid means reversing the conventional method for muscle building. Rather than beginning with the lightest weight and doing 12 to 15 repetitions for the first set, you’ll reverse the order and begin your first set with the heaviest weight you can handle for at least six repetitions. For each succeeding set, you will decrease the weight (hence, the
reverse
pyramid) and increase the reps. The purpose of the reverse pyramid regimen is the same as for any training regimen: to gain as much lean muscle, or to alter body composition, in the least amount of time. This is perhaps the most energy-efficient and growth-inducing system around because it allows you to lift the most weight while your muscles are fresh on their first set. Your first set will undoubtedly be and feel heavy, but you will be able to use all your existing muscle fibers and energy to explode the weight up. Since your energy will be freshest for the first set, you will be stronger than if you used the same weight for the last set using the conventional ascending pyramid. In
Making the Cut
we will be incorporating both pyramids and reverse pyramids in our workouts, for the sake of variety and to continue shocking the muscles and the body into shedding fat and toning up.

PLYOMETRICS

For at least a century jumping, bounding, and hopping exercises have been used in various ways to enhance athletic performance. In recent years this distinct method of training for power or explosiveness has been termed
plyometrics.

Plyometrics, also known as jump-training, was originally designed to produce the greatest strength gains in the shortest time possible. Plyometric drills are intended to connect strength with speed to produce power. For many years coaches and athletes have sought to improve power in order to enhance performance. Speed and strength are integral components of fitness, and they are found in varying degrees in virtually all athletic movements. Plyometric exercises, however, are the most effective for achieving maximum improvements in power and physical performance.

Plyometric training is very advanced and intense. Assuming you have already passed the initial criterion for beginning my program, you will safely be able to perform the exercises incorporated into these workouts. If you haven’t met the basic physical requirements necessary to do this program but you bought the book anyway,
do not
do the plyometric training exercises, as you risk possible injury. Instead, give yourself time and utilize the information in this book to develop your fitness level. And in no time you should be able to experiment with plyo-training.

Okay, my friends, you know the rules and you’ve read up on the techniques. There’s nothing left to do but get moving!

Release the Past
I don’t care if you were the fat kid in high school, or the black sheep of the family, or the lazy teenager who hated to exercise. Forget it—let it all go! Those old identities are not serving you in the present, and they certainly aren’t going to help you achieve your goals for the future.

If you let go of old conceptions of yourself, you can maintain an open mind and be open to all possibilities. What we believe about ourselves dictates the way we interact in the world. It is imperative that you let go of the past in order to re-create yourself in the present.

THE ROUTINE

This section contains detailed plans for all of your workouts for the next 30 days. Think of it as a road map to the body of your dreams! Moves that are listed in bold can be found in The Exercise Index (Chapter 3). Before you throw yourself into the workouts, flip ahead and read through the entire Exercise Index, where all the exercises are listed alphabetically. There you can familiarize yourself with the proper form you need to make all the right moves.

To follow the workout plans, perform each circuit once before moving on to the cardio. (For an intense challenge, perform each circuit twice.) There is
no rest
in between sets within circuits. You get 30 seconds of rest
only
after a full rotation of each circuit. If you go at the right speed, the workouts should take you around 45 minutes each. I’d suggest rounding it up to an hour by doing 15 minutes of cardio after you’re finished with your circuit sets. And don’t forget to stretch
after
your workout—remember to hit all the major muscle groups used that day.

    
DAY 1

CIRCUIT
 1

Dumbbell Presses on Body Ball

Perform 20 repetitions (10 on each arm)

Dumbbell Flys on Body Ball with Crunches

Use half the weight of the Dumbbell Press and perform 15 repetitions

Squats

Perform 50 fast (no added weight)

One-minute sprint at 7 mph (women) or 9 mph (men)

CIRCUIT
 2

Plank

Hold pose for 10 seconds

Close-Grip Push-ups

Perform 5 repetitions

Side Planks with Inner Thigh Raise

Perform 10 repetitions

Flip back into Plank pose and hold for 5 seconds

Close-Grip Push-ups

Perform 5 repetitions

Side Planks with Inner Thigh Raise

Perform 10 repetitions

Flip back into Plank, and hold pose for 5 seconds

Burpies

Straight from Plank, perform 10 repetitions

Sumo Squats

Perform 50 repetitions

One-minute sprint at 7 mph (women) or 9 mph (men)

CIRCUIT
 3

Frog Push-ups

Perform 20 repetitions

Squat Thrusts

Perform 20 repetitions, then hold a static Squat for 30 seconds

W Shoulder Presses with Leg Extension

Perform 10 repetitions on each leg

Jump rope for 1 minute

CIRCUIT
 4

Bench Dips

Perform 20 repetitions

Rope Tricep Presses

Perform repetitions to muscle failure

Static Lunges with Lateral Shoulder Raise

Perform 10 repetitions with each leg forward

Mountain Climbers

Perform repetitions for 1 minute

Boat Pose

Hold pose for 30 seconds

CIRCUIT
 5

Jump rope (1 minute)

Bicycle Crunches

Perform 50 repetitions

Extended Plank

Hold pose for 30 seconds

    
DAY 2

CIRCUIT
 1

Wide-Grip Lat Pull-downs (pyramid up with weight)

First set 20 reps; second set 12 reps; third set 6–8 reps

Dumbbell Row

Perform 15 repetitions

Lunges (Basic)

Perform 50 repetitions on alternating legs (25 repetitions on each leg, no added weight)

One-minute hill run at incline 10, speed 5.5 mph (women) or 8 mph (men)

CIRCUIT
 2

Low Dumbbell Rows

Perform 15 repetitions

Seated Hamstring Curls

Perform 15 repetitions

Step-ups

Perform 20 repetitions on each leg (40 total)

One-minute hill run at incline 10, speed 5.5 mph (women) or 8 mph (men)

CIRCUIT
 3

Crab Walk

Go 10 steps forward

Reverse Plank

Perform 5 leg lifts on each leg (10 total)

Crab Walk

Go 10 steps backward

Reverse Plank

Perform 5 leg lifts on each leg (10 total)

Supermans

Perform 20 repetitions, then hold the midpoint position 20 seconds

Reverse Crunches

Perform 25 repetitions

Mountain Climbers

Perform repetitions for 1 minute

CIRCUIT
 4

Pendulum Lunges with Hammer Curls

Perform 10 repetitions on each leg (20 repetitions total)

Hammer Curls

Perform repetitions to bicep muscle failure

Static Lunges with Reverse Cable Fly

Perform 10 repetitions with each leg forward (20 repetitions total)

One-minute hill run at incline 10, speed 5.5 mph (women) or 8 mph (men)

CIRCUIT
 5

One-Leg Pelvic Thrusts

Perform 15 repetitions per leg (30 repetitions total)

Toe Touch Crunches

Perform 25 repetitions

Mountain Climbers

Perform repetitions for 1 minute.

    
DAY 3 OFF