Center Stage Magazine August-September | Page 282

Day 1: Squat Day 3: Deadlift 1. Squats: 5 sets of 5 with the heaviest weight you can handle. 2. Leg Press: 3 sets of 15, using as full a range of motion as possible – no ego lifting! 3. Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlifts: 3 sets of 20, keeping your back perfectly arched. Switch to a barbell if your gym’s dumbbells are too light. 4. Weight Decline Sit-ups: 3 sets of 10, as heavy as you can handle. Hold the weight behind your head, not in front! 5. Seated Calf Raises: 3 sets of 15, squeezing and holding every rep at the top. This should hurt! 1. Conventional Deadlifts: Work up to one top set of 4 with as much weight as you can handle. Rest, decrease the weight by 40-50 pounds, and do as many reps as you can. Rest, and once more decrease the weight by 40-50 pounds and do as many reps as you can. 2. Front Squats: 4 sets of 6 with as much weight as you can handle. This exercise is hard, but don’t puss out! The low reps will keep you from seeing stars as the bar is pressed close to your neck. 3. Barbell Rows: 4 sets of 10. Go heavy, and cheat a little bit if you need to, but make sure your lats and traps are doing the work. 4. Ab Wheel: These are cheap and incredibly useful, so buy one if your gym doesn’t have one. Do 3 sets of 15-20 rolls, and have someone add a plate to your back if that gets too easy. 5. Standing Calf Raises: 3 sets of 20, again squeezing and holding every rep at the top. When it comes to calves, it’s no pain, no gain! Day 2: Bench Press 1. Barbell Bench Press: 5 sets of 5 with the heaviest weight you can handle. 2. Incline Fly-to-Press: Using dumbbells on an incline bench, descend into fly position but press the weight back up while squeezing your pecs. 4 sets of 15, and don’t be afraid to go heavy if your form is good. 3. Wide-grip Pull-ups: 4 sets of 10, adding additional weight as needed. Each set should be to near failure! 4. Incline Dumbbell Curl: Lie back on an incline bench, and strictly curl from top to bottom. 5 sets of 15 here, and don’t go so heavy you have to cheat! 5. Incline Skull Crusher: Superset these with the incline curls, 5 sets of 15. Day 4: Military Press 1. Standing Military Press: 5 sets of 5 with the heaviest weight you can handle. It’s okay to cheat the first rep from a dead stop, but stay strict on every rep after. 2. Machine Incline Bench: Pick your favorite upper chest-focused pressing machine, and pump out 4 sets of 15 reps. Stretch your pecs between every set for maximum blood volume and growth. 3. Parallel-grip Pull-ups: 4 sets of 12, adding weight as necessary. 4. Side dumbbell raises: 5 sets of 20, and don’t go light! It’s okay to start the set with a decent range of motion, but to finish it with some partial reps and cheat reps. Side delts grow best from a combo of heavy weights AND high reps! 5. Reverse Pec-dec: 5 sets of 25. This time, be as strict as possible, and make every set burn! The rear delts grow well from a lot of volume and pain.