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ADVANCED WORKOUT OF THE WEEK

Above is the full breakdown of the EXACT Monday workout that I did from my previous blog entry, “How To Lose 3% body fat in a week”…

Workout Details:

TYPE: Heavy.  Low reps, short rest periods.

MUSCLE GROUPS: Core/Legs/Shoulders (Five exercises per muscle group)

CARDIO: 10 minutes high intensity treadmill

DURATION: 1 hour, 20 minutes

  1. CORE CIRCUIT:

Do Core First (for the most part)!

I prefer to start my workouts with core.  I like to perform core work as a circuit, and hit it when it is at its freshest… But, with that said, to keep the muscles guessing, I will mix it up from time to time.  Sometimes I will incorporate core within my workout, and sometimes I will do it at the end. I’ll do core within my workout or at the end once a week, on average.

But…

If the gym is too busy to do a core circuit, then sometimes the best option is to just do it at another time.  As I mentioned in my previous blog entry, “How To Lose 3% body fat”, you can break the circuit down into super sets and tri sets, if need be (See Core Circuit example in How to Lose 3% body fat for explanation)

Every rep counts!

It’s very important to concentrate on each repetition on each exercise, making it a priority to emphasize good form.  It is way better to opt for lighter weights with good form, than heavier weights with sloppy form.

Rep cadence = 1-1-1

Aim for a 1 second count on the eccentric contraction (lifting phase), then flex/squeeze core for 1 second @ the peak of the rep.  Come back down to starting position (concentric contraction) @ a 1 second pace.

HOW TO EXECUTE

Perform the following 5 exercises as a circuit, do it 3x. Rest 1 – 2 minutes between each round.  

1.) Weighted 25lb Sit Up x 12

Image result for weighted sit ups with plate
Perform as regular sit up. Hold plate over head (or in front of chest, as pictured) entire time.  Hold core tight and squeeze the chest toward the stomach as hard as possible. Flex at the top for a second, return to starting position.

2.) Rotational 25lb Plate Crunch x 6/side

Image result for weighted sit ups with plate side to side
Perform as a halfway sit up and rotate plate side to side.  Hold core as tight as possible and try not to move centered position while moving only the plate with the arms from side to side.

3.) Crunch x 15, 12, 10

Image result for crunches
Lying on the ground with hands behind your head and knees bent in the air (as pictured), squeeze chest and stomach together.  Contract your abs until you’ve reached top of movement (elbows touching knees). Squeeze at top, come back down.

4.) Bicycle Crunch x 15, 12, 10 (all per side)

Image result for bicycle crunches
Execute as a regular crunch, except alternate legs in bicycle fashion and reach opposite elbow to opposite knee on each rep. Hold each rep for 1 second.

5.) Lying leg Lifts x 10

Image result for lying leg lifts
Lying down, keep back flat on ground, moving only the legs straight up and down.  Reach legs as high as possible toward ceiling, contracting lower abs as hard as possible.  Hold for 1 second at the top and bring legs back down

2.) THE WORKOUT:

Go BIG

Being that this is a HEAVY workout, the goal is to push as much weight as possible for each exercise.  Pick a weight that you will be at, or near, failure at the prescribed reps of 5, 4, and 3.

You want to exert as much energy as possible on each set, and really focus on proper form.  And the rest periods are short. You don’t want to be completely recovered by the next set, however, you still want to have just enough energy to push through it.    

Reps, Sets, and rest periods

Everything is done in rep scheme of 3 x 5, 4, 3 (unless otherwise noted). Rest periods are 30 seconds between sets and exercises, or however long it takes to set up the next exercise or catch your breath.

Rep cadence = 2-0-1

Aim for a 2 second count on the eccentric contraction (lowering phase), 0 seconds @ the peak of the rep and explode back up at a 1 second pace on the concentric (the return to starting position) contraction.

Exercises explained…

LEGS:

1.) Hack Squat

Image result for hack squat
With feet shoulder width apart, squat down until glutes are just below 90 degrees.  Hold body and core tight, use legs to explode back up.

2.) Seated Leg Curl

Image result for seated leg curl
Sit down in the seated leg curl machine and squeeze hamstrings and glutes all the way down the movement until legs are at 90 degrees.  Slowly control the weight back to starting position.

3.) Seated Calf Extension 3 x 15 – 25

Image result for calf extension
Seat yourself until you are at a comfortable distance (with knees just slightly bent) from the foot pad.  Press down with balls of the feet and flex the calves at the top of the movement.

4.) Lying Hamstring Curl

Image result for lying hamstring curls
Lying face down and grasping the handle bars in the hamstring curl machine: Squeeze glutes and hamstrings all the way through movement until foot pad touches, or is about a half inch to inch away, from the glutes (top of movement).  Flex at the top of the movement, then return back to starting position.

5.) DB Side Lunge

Image result for dumbell side lunges
Holding core tight (with dumbells in hands, as pictured), and in a controlled motion, step laterally to the left, leaving your right leg stationary (and straight, as pictured). Keep back arched and chest out and squat down until left knee is at 90 degrees.  Explode up, return to starting position (standing straight up) and repeat for reps on other side.

SHOULDERS:

6.) BB Shoulder Press

Image result for barbell shoulder press
Standing in front of racked bar, Place hands down on the bar with grip just outside shoulder width.  Raise bar and flip wrists so that it is lying straight across collar bone. Stand upright with back slightly arched, knees slightly bent and wrists bent back.  Explode bar up overhead. Keep core tight and bring bar back down to starting position (bar laid across collar bone) in controlled motion.

7.) BB Front Raise (close grip)

Image result for barbell front raise
Standing directly in front of bar at waste level, place hands palms down onto the bar with grip just inside shoulder width.  Flex front delts and raise bar as fast as possible in front of you, arms straight out in front of you at the top of the movement.  Control weight back down to starting position

8.) BB Upright Row (close grip) 3 x 8

Image result for barbell upright row
Standing directly in front of bar at waste level, place hands down on the bar with grip just inside shoulder width.  Flex traps and pull up bar to chin as fast as possible. Control bar back down to starting position.

9.) Seated Cable Shoulder Press

Image result for seated cable shoulder press
In seated position, hold the cables, palms forward, at shoulder level.  This is starting position. Explode hands up and touch hands together over your head at the top of the movement and squeeze shoulder blades together as hard as possible.  Control weight back down to starting position.

10.) Bent Over Unilateral Rear Delt Cable Raise (palm down)

Image result for bent over unilateral rear delt cable raise
Bend over so that torso is parallel with the ground, body situated perpendicular to cable machine.  Let the arm opposite the cable machine hang down and grab the D handle with an underhand grip (as pictured).  From the bent over position, raise the cable laterally. Raise arm until it is parallel with torso and squeeze rear delt.  Control weight back down to starting position. Repeat for reps on other side.

3.) CARDIO:

Take a breath

Go into performing cardio as soon as you can after the workout.  It’s only ten minutes, however, it is very intense. Between the workout and cardio, you may need a minute to rest, or you may need 10 minutes.  It all depends on various factors, such as your fitness level, stamina, and how much energy you exerted during the workout .

10 minutes treadmill (instructions)

Image result for treadmill running
  1. Step on the treadmill and press quick start.
  2. Bump up the speed until you are running @ 9.0 pace.
  3. Bump up the incline until it is set to 1.5.
  4. Run at 9.0/1.5 (speed/incline) for 5 minutes straight.
  5. Stop treadmill @ 5 minutes and rest for 1 minute
  6. Repeat 1x

AND DON’T FORGET TO STRETCH!

Image result for stretching
Always make sure to get a good stretch in post workout! Stretching post workout circulates blood through the muscles and prevents injuries.  Benefits of Stretching in itself would be a great blog topic, I just may do one!

FINISH LINE (You Did It!)

Image result for finish line
You did it! Monday workout is now in the books. Time to cool down and feed those muscles! A protein shake and a banana should do the trick.

CONCLUSION:

Currently, my workout routine consists of weight training 6 days a week (Monday to Wednesday and Friday to Sunday, Thursday is my rest day).  This workout program calls for 10 minutes of treadmill cardio post workout Monday to Wednesday and AM cardio on Saturday and Sunday (see previous blog entry, “How to Lose 3% body fat in one week” for details).  

Right now this is the routine that works best for me due to my full time work schedule.  Currently, I put in a full 40 hour workweek in 4 days because we work 10 hour days Monday to Thursday.  So Thursday is the best day for me to take a rest day since I’m usually exhausted from the weekly grind of the 10 hour workdays.  Not to mention, my full time gig of carpentry is very physical.

I say all of this because I realize that everyone’s work schedules, obligations and priorities ect. are all different.  If you are interested in following this program, but feel that you need to rearrange the workout schedule so that it fits better into your routine, go for it!

If you need help or would like a tailored workout program that fits you, leave a comment below.  Or give me a follow and DM me on instagram! You can find me @joshrodriguez45

MY CURRENT STATUS:

According to the body fat handheld monitor, I’m hovering around 11.5 – 12.5% body fat.  Here is my progress pic…

I was able to achieve a consistent 10% during the summer months of 2018. Right now my weight is @ about 195. Last year, when I was @ 10%, my weight hovered around 186 – 189. So I’m looking to get myself back into that type of shape, however…

This year, my goal is to get down to 8% body fat (I set August as my deadline)! So I welcome everybody to join me in my fitness journey, and I would love to hear about yours! Feel free to leave a comment below.



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How to Lose 3% Body Fat in a Week

Image result for losing body fat

Here is an EXACT meal plan and workout routine that if followed to a T, will have looking and feeling great in just one week (I know this because this is exactly what I did last week… I lost 3% body fat. I went from 14% to 11% following this meal plan and workout routine)…

FIRST THINGS FIRST: ESTABLISH MACROS AND SET UP A MEAL PLAN

1. Establish your macros:

Calories…

Take your weight and multiply it by 14.  This will give you the total amount of calories you should be consuming each day. For example, since I weigh 192 – 195 pounds, my total caloric intake calculation would look like this…

194 x 14 = 2,716

Therefore, I need to consume about 2,716 calories everyday.

2.  Breakdown the daily calories like this:

  • 50% from fat (1,358 calories for me)
  • 19% from carbs (516 calories for me)
  • 31% from protein (842 calories for me)

To figure out the calories for each macronutrient you simply multiply the percentages by your weight.  So, for example, my fat calculation looks like this…

.5 X 194 = 1,358 daily calories from fat

3.  Create a meal plan that consists of 6 – 7 small meals spread out throughout the day

Here is my EXACT meal plan that I use:

MEAL 1: BREAKFAST                                     

½ cup irish oatmeal (dry measure)
1 cup almond milk unsweetened
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 tbsp peanut butter
1/4 cup quinoa

MEAL 2: SNACK
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

MEAL 3: LUNCH
6 oz chicken breast
1 cup spinach/arugula
1 cup sliced cucumber
shredded carrots
1/2 large avocado

MEAL 4: PRE WORKOUT
4 oz turkey breast tenderloin
1/2 cup riced broccoli
¼ cup almonds or 2 tbsp almond butter

MEAL 5: POST WORKOUT
5 oz roast turkey breast
8 oz asparagus

MEAL 6: DINNER
6 oz atlantic salmon
1 cup red bell pepper
1/4 large avocado

MEAL 7: BEFORE BED
2 tbsp peanut or almond butter
2 celery sticks

This is just what I use and what works best for me.  There are different ways to mix things up, I’ll discuss that in a future blog entry.

SECOND: EXECUTE A SOLID WORKOUT AND CARDIO PLAN

 1.  The Workout routine:

Details…

  • Weight training 6x/week (Each muscle is hit 2x, with arms being hit 3x)
  • Pick out 4 exercises to do for each muscle group, each day.  
  • On Heavy days (Monday – Wednesday) do everything in sets of 3 x 5, 4, 3
  • On Heavy/Light days (Friday – Sunday) do 2 heavy sets and 1 light set for the first 2 exercises for each muscle group.  Rep scheme is 2 x 6, 1 x 12 -15. For the next 2 exercises for each muscle group, do 1 heavy set and 2 light sets.  Rep scheme is 1 x 6, 2 x 12 – 15
  • Make rest periods as short as possible between each set.  You want to aim for 30 seconds of rest, but wait up to 1 minute if you have to.  The only rest between exercises is the time it takes to set up the next exercise.

2. The schedule:

DAY 1
MONDAY (Heavy): Legs/Shoulders/Core circuit* + 10 minutes treadmill**

DAY 2
TUESDAY (Heavy): Bi/Tri/Core*** + 10 minutes treadmill**

DAY 3
WEDNESDAY (Heavy): Back/Chest/Core circuit* + 10 minutes treadmill**

DAY 4
THURSDAY: REST

DAY 5
FRIDAY (Heavy/Light): Legs/Bi/Tri/Core circuit*

DAY 6
SATURDAY (double day):
AM Cardio: 50 minutes HIIT cardio/plyo****
PM Workout: (Heavy/Light): Chest/Back/Shoulders

DAY 7
SUNDAY (double day):
AM Cardio: 1 hour steady pace cardio
PM Workout: (Heavy/Light): Bi/Tri/Core*** + 10 minutes PLYO of choice

*Core circuit (example):

Ideally, you want to perform as a giant circuit (all 5 exercises consecutively), with no rest in between.  If a piece of equipment is not available, or all exercises cannot be performed consecutively because of the proximity of the equipment, break the circuit down into super and/or triesets.  I.e. do kneeling rope crunches, kneeling side crunches and crunches as a triset and then do hands over head and bench leg lifts as a superset. In total, this circuit should take about 15 minutes.  Rest 1 minute after each round.

**10 minutes treadmill (instructions)

Image result for treadmill running
  1. Step on the treadmill and press quick start.
  2. Bump up the speed until you are running @ 9.0 pace.
  3. Bump up the incline until it is set to 1.5.
  4. Run at 9.0/1.5 (speed/incline) for 5 minutes straight.
  5. Stop treadmill @ 5 minutes and rest for 1 minute
  6. Repeat 1x

***Core (Instructions)

Perform a core superset that addresses one exercise for the mid/lower abs and one for the obliques.  Opposed to the core circuit (Monday/Wednesday/Friday), this is not intended to be an intense core session.  You want to stick to cable static holds, leg flutters, planks, etc. Should take about 5 – 10 minutes to complete.  

****50 minutes HIIT cardio/plyo (routine)

Here is an exact routine for you to follow:

  1. 5 minutes bike
  2. 10 minutes treadmill
  3. 5 minutes elliptical
  4. 5 minutes jump rope
  5. 5 minutes elliptical
  6. 5 minutes treadmill
  7. 5 minutes PLYO routine
  8. 5 minutes elliptical
  9. 5 minutes PLYO routine

TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes

*Rest 1 – 3 minutes between each exercise. You will be huffing and puffing after each 5 minute period (except for the steady pace elliptical), so you will need some time to catch your breath and recuperate for the next exercise.

1.) 5 minutes bike: Press quick start on the bike and immediately bump the level up to 11. Do 5 minutes of fast pedaling @ level 11.  Aim for a constant heart rate @ 120 – 140

Image result for exercise bike

2. ) 10 minutes treadmill: Perform in the same fashion as outlined above.

Image result for treadmill running

3.) 5 minutes elliptical: Press quick start on the elliptical and immediately bump up to level 11. Move at this brisk pace for 5 minutes. Aim for a constant heart rate @ 100 – 110


4.) 5 minutes of jump rope: Perform jump rope @ 120 – 140 constant heart rate for 5 minutes.  The goal is not to stop at any point throughout the 5 minutes.  Sometimes the jump rope may get caught underneath the feet since you are jumping at such a fast pace…  No biggie… Just readjust and keep moving.

Image result for jump rope workout

5.) 5 minutes elliptical: Press quick start on the elliptical and immediately bump up to level 11. Move at this brisk pace for 5 minutes. Aim for a constant heart rate @ 100 – 110

6.) 5 minutes treadmill: Get back on the treadmill and do 5 minutes of fast running @ 9.0/1.5 (speed/incline)

Image result for treadmill running

7.) 5 minutes PLYO routine: Perform the following PLYO routine (5 total minutes):

  1. 1 minute of 15 lb medicine ball slams
  2. 1 minute of heavy kettlebell swings
  3. 1 minute mountain climbers
  4. 1 minute rope slams
  5. 1 minute burpees

1 minute of 15 lb medicine ball slams

Image result for medicine ball slams
Holding the medicine ball in front of you (at waist level) lift ball over head and slam down into the ground as hard as possible.  Using proper squat form (back arched, chest up), bend down and pick ball up (or ball may bounce back up to you, making the movement a little bit easier).  Lift ball back up over head and repeat slamming for reps.
 
1 minute of heavy kettle bell swings
Image result for kettlebell workout

From a squat stance, hold a heavy kettle bell with both hands, hanging down between the legs. Squat down and explode up with the kettle bell in both hands, as pictured. Come back down to starting position in controlled motion. Repeat for reps.

1 minute mountain climbers

Image result for mountain climbers

Position yourself as if you are about to perform a push up. Brace core and station hands firmly in place and pump legs up and down as hard and fast as possible, as if you are climbing a mountain.

1 minute rope slams

Image result for battle rope wave slams

Wave slams: From a wide stance squat (feet just outside shoulder width), create waves with the ropes; swing arms up and down at the same time, as hard and fast as possible.

1 minute burpees

Image result for burpees

From a standing position squat down until your hands are on the ground.  Now kick feet back and control your body to the ground so that you are in a push-up position.  Hold the push-up position for a second and then spring your knees to your chest — with hands still on the ground — then immediately explode back up to standing position.  Repeat process for reps

8.) 5 minutes elliptical: Press quick start on the elliptical and immediately bump up to level 11. Move at this brisk pace for 5 minutes. Aim for a constant heart rate @ 100 – 110


9.) 5 minutes PLYO routine. Repeat above PLYO routine from #7.  But feel free to substitute any of the exercises with any of the following from this list (And go ahead and do 5 straight minutes of any of the following activities if you so desire.  Mix things up however you see fit!)

  • Box hop jumps
  • Squat jumps
  • Split squat jumps
  • Boxing
  • Swimming
  • Side box hops
  • Box hop jumps: stand in front of a jump box and squat down and explosively jump up onto the box, land firmly on both feet.  Jump back down until both feet hit the ground. Jump back on box, and repeat for reps.
Image result for box hops
  • Squat jumps: Standing in a squat stance, bend knees and keep back arched, until legs are parallel to the ground.   Explosively jump up and down, as pictured.
Image result for squat jumps
  • Split squat jumps: Standing in a split stance (lunge stance), bend one knee down until it is about a half inch from the ground, as pictured below.  Explosively jump up and switch legs mid air. Land back down on the opposite leg, and repeat for reps.
Image result for split squat jumps
  • Boxing: Some gyms have boxing bags available for use.  If your gym is one of them, I suggest investing in a pair of gloves!  Just slap them on and punch the bag as hard and fast as possible. This is excellent cardiovascular exercise and will have working up a sweat, fast!
Image result for boxing
  • Swimming: If your gym has a swimming pool, then I recommend you take advantage of it! Swimming is an excellent full body fat burning exercise.  Hop in the pool and swim laps at as fast a pace as you can for at least 1 minute. For me, a fast pace is 4 Olympic laps in about a minute.  Of course, everyone’s pace will be different, so just go for it!
Image result for swimming
  • Side box hops: stand parallel to an elevated platform (most gyms have the platforms pictured below, available for use)  that is about 5 or six inches off the ground, and jump onto the box and then immediately onto the other side as quickly as possible.  As soon as your feet touch the opposite side, reverse the motion and go back to the other side. Go back and forth like this until you have completed at least one minute of jumps.
Image result for Side box hops

CONCLUSION

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is your road map to weight lifting and eating success! Everything is here for you to successfully lose 3% body fat in one week.  It always comes down to proper nutrition and exercising right.

If you have any questions on how to get started, or would like to know what exercises to do, Leave a comment below!  Or let’s connect on social media. You can find me on instagram @joshrodriguez45. Don’t hesitate to DM me about anything you see here, or just any fitness related questions in general.

I am also a certified personal trainer, so if anyone is interested in one on one coaching, please leave a comment below, or again, DM me on instagram.  

Stay tuned for my next blog entry! It will be exact details on the MONDAY workout from above.  Happy working out and eating everyone!