5.13.13 SWOD

Warmup

Strength

  • Sumo deadlift– work up to a 3 rep rest-pause* max.
  • Rest-Pause = include 10-15 seconds (no more) of rest between each rep to make sure each pull invokes full muscle re-contraction. 
  • Here’s what I’ll do (3 reps each): 135#, 225#, 315#, 365#, 400#, 420#
  • Rest between heavy sets should be at least 3 minutes.

Conditioning- “Zeus”

  • 5 rounds- 5 reps Curtis P Complex (@~50% of your bodyweight), 20 sit-ups
  • Prescribed rest (b/t rounds)- 60-90 seconds

This barbell complex (a series of consecutive movements done with a barbell) was recommended to me by a fellow SwoleFIT brother, and it’s going to be a doozy. Choose a weight where you can maintain perfect form on every rep.

Today’s workout is named for the character from Greek mythology, Zeus. Towering from his throne atop Mount Olympus, he hurls thunderbolts down to earth. This is an amazing feat of strength as these lightning bolts weigh approximately 450 lbs each.

Post weights and times to comments.

Motivation

  • Hulk Hogan once engaged Zeus in battle; here is the salvaged footage:

5.9.13 SWOD

Warmup

Dynamic

  • EMOM for 7 minutes (Every Minute on the Minute)- 3 Box Squats @50-60% 1RM

Volume- (rest 60-90 seconds b/t sets)

  • [Superset 2- Legs/Traps]  4 sets, 8-12 reps

This will be the final week we do this particular volume workout so make it count! Push yourself to the limit here, and make those weights pretty heavy. If you’ve got some extra fuel left in the tank on the third set of each exercise, keep pumping it up until you’ve given all you can give.

Motivation

  • Prison is meant to be a place of social rehabilitation. Here’s a video of a prison powerlifting competition. It’s amazing that the simple act of moving around heavy objects can help re-direct the internal aggression of a lot of these inmates and really add a positive aspect to their lives.

5.7.13 SWOD

Warmup

Dynamic

  • Dumbbell Bench- 8 sets of 3 explosive reps @ 50-60% 1RM
  • If you’re not sure of your dumbbell 1RM, just choose a weight that is fairly easy to do and allows you to work on movement control and explosiveness.

Volume (add 5-10 lbs to weights used from workout last week)

This is the last week we’ll use this workout for volume day; we’ll be switching it up the movements next week to change it up, keep the muscles guessing.

 Motivation

  • Arnold cruises around the town, comments on everything he sees to hilarious effect.

5.6.13 SWOD

Warmup

Strength

  • Clean and Jerk
    • 3 sets of 3 @ 50% 1RM (warmup sets)
    • 5 sets of 3 @ ~70% 1RM
  • If this movement is new to you, use a very low weight and focus on technique. Power in this movement is derived primarily from hip explosion, so make sure you thrust with your pelvis (seriously) as the bar comes up and you come to the catch portion.

Conditioning

Monday’s workouts are always some of the toughest: this one should get you in gear to dominate the week. Seriously, what in life can bring you down after you beast through a workout, push yourself to your limits, and get those muscles as swole as a schoolbus? Nothing, that’s what.

Motivation

  • Here’s a pretty awesome highlight reel of some Olympic athletes competing. It’s pretty amazing to see how much weight these athletes can move despite their low bodyweight. Technique and explosiveness is what enables these athletes to do this; they are moving that bar with a good amount of velocity

4.30.13 SWOD

Warmup

Dynamic

  • Incline Bench– 8 sets of 3 @ 50-60% 1RM
    • This weight should feel fairly light. Focus on slowly lowering the bar to your chest and subsequently exploding with full force/velocity on the way back up.
    • Rest 45 seconds between sets

Volume (add 5-10 lbs to weights used from workout last week)

All lifts are the same as last week’s volume workouts; only change is a decrease in the number of reps. Continue to add weight to the exercises. Rest 60-90 seconds between supersets to maximize hypertrophy.

Post weights to comments.

4.26.13 SWOD

Warmup

Strength

  • Flat Bench
    • 3 warmup sets, 3 reps each @ 50% 1RM
    • 5 working sets, 3 reps each @ ~85% 1RM (add 5-10 lbs from last week)
  • Pendlay Rows– 5 sets of 5, heavy weight, but don’t go to absolute failure
  • For both of these exercises, rest at least 3 minutes between working sets.

Conditioning

This week we’ll be hitting the bench hard again, this time lowering the rep count to three. Plan on increasing the weight from last week by at least 5 lbs. Substitute jumping jacks for the DU if you don’t have a jump rope.

 

 

4.25.13 SWOD

Warmup

Dynamic

  • EMOM for 7 minutes (EMOM = Every Minute On the Minute)

Volume (Increase weights 5-10 lbs from last week)

Same workout as last week, just added an isolated oblique exercise to the ab circuit. Rest periods between supersets should be 60-90 seconds for max hypertrophy.

4.23.13 SWOD

Warmup

Dynamic

  • Flat Bench– 8 sets of 3 @ 50-60% 1RM
    • This weight should feel fairly light. Focus on slowly lowering the bar to your chest and subsequently exploding with full force/velocity on the way back up.
    • Rest 45 seconds between sets

Volume (add 5-10 lbs to weights used from workout last week)

So the only modification from the workout last week was increasing the number of sets on the last two supersets. I’m going to plan on changing volume workouts up ever three weeks. Some consistency is beneficial, just make sure to increase the weights by 5-10 lbs on each movement.

Again, rest 60-90 seconds between supersets and choose moderately heavy weights while still maintaining perfect form.

Motivation

  • Comin’ atcha again with another classic from BroScienceLife, indubitably the best Youtube channel besides “Life According to Jimmy.”