H4-Toned and Lean 1

          This routine involves the full body except upper back work. I would call this workout advanced so if you’re a beginner I would save this one for another time down the road. You should be comfortable doing a deadlift and pushups in order to complete this workout so make sure your technique is on par. It is hard to tell you the weight to use so you should figure out what weight works best for you.

          Before you begin make sure to set up everything in order for you to move smoothly from exercise to exercise. The workout will be done in the following order. Start by holding a pair of dumbbells and do pushups with the dumbbells and your palms facing each other. Complete just 5 reps and then come up on your knees and do 5 reps of bicep curls with the same weight. After you do the curls go right back and do 5 more reps of pushups and then 5 more reps of curls. Next move on to a barbell deadlift and complete 8 reps ( the weight should be heavy enough so the reps are very tough). Immediately after you finish go right into reverse lunges with no weight and do as many as you can and as fast as you can for 25 seconds. Finally finish with side lunges with no weight as do as many reps as you can and as fast as you can for 20 seconds. Repeat from the start for 2-4 more rounds.

Pushups with dumbbells 5 reps

COMBO WITH

Kneeling Bicep curl with dumbbells 5 reps

( Repeat 1 more time)

Deadlift with barbell   8 reps

SUPERSET WITH

Speed reverse lunges with no weight     25 seconds

SUPERSET WITH

Speed side lunges with no weight  20 seconds

Repeat 2-4 more times.

H4-3

         This routine is meant be done with workouts H4-1 and H4-2. The fact that this involves both triceps and shoulders, which aid each other makes it the toughest in my opinion of the three. Heavy weight is not the focus but high intensity and calorie burn are. The exercises should be done in the order of standing alternating dumbbell shoulder press, lying tricep dumbbell extensions, standing dumbbell front raise with lateral raise, dips, seated bent over dumbbell reverse flys.

           Before you begin make sure you have all the weights for each exercise set up so that there will be a smooth transition from exercise to exercise. Yoru goal will be to try to complete as many reps as possible in 25 seconds for each exercise. You will take no rest in going from exercise to exercise. After you complete all 5 exercises go back to the start and do 2-4 total rounds. As you get better you can move up to 30 seconds but never go past 45 seconds.

Alt Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press   25 sec

SUPERSET WITH

Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extensions   25 sec

SUPERSET WITH

Standing Dumbbell Front/Lateral Raises  25 sec

SUPERSET WITH

Dips  25 sec

SUPERSET WITH

Bent Over Dumbbell Reverse Flys  25 sec

Repeat 2-4 more times.

H4-2

       This routine is best done with workouts H4-1 and H4-3. The key here is not heavy weights but high intensity and calorie burn. The workout will consist of chest and back exercises only. It is hard to give you exact weights to use so go ahead and play around with the weights for each exercise to find what works best for you. The exercises will go in this order, bent over dumbbell row with neutral grip, flat chest press with dumbbells, latpulldown, push up, lawnmower row with dumbbell.

         Before you begin make sure all the exercises are set up to allow for a smooth transition from exercise to exercise. Do as many reps as you can for 25 seconds on each exercise. Do not take any rest between exercises. After you finish the 5 exercises go back and start from the beginning and do 2-4 rounds. As you get better you can bump up the time to 30 seconds but never exceed 45 seconds.

Bent Over Row with Dumbbells and Neutral grip  25 sec

SUPERSET WITH

Flat Dumbbell Chest Press  25 sec

SUPERSET WITH

Latpulldown  25 sec

SUPERSET WITH

Pushup 25 sec

SUPERSET WITH

Lawnmower Dumbbell Row 25 sec

Repeat 2-4 more times.

H4-1

       This routine is intended to be used with my H4-2 and H4-3 workouts. All three should be done in one workout session or you can mix and match them with other routines. The focus here is not heavy weight, but instead high intensity and calorie burn. It is hard to give you the exact weight you should be using for each exercise but stick with lighter weights, you might have to play around and find whats best for you.

         Before you begin make sure you set up every exercise so you can have a smooth transition from one to the next without stopping. The order of exercises will be alternating front lunge with dumbbells, standing bicep curl with dumbbells palms up curling narrow then wide, squat with dumbbells, wall preacher curls with dumbbells, angled alternating front lunge with dumbbells. For each exercise you will try to do as many reps as you can for 25 seconds will proper form. Go from exercise to exercise without rest. Once you have gone through all 5 exercises go right back to the start of the routine and complete 2-4 rounds total. As you get better you can add time and do 30 seconds instead of 25, but I would never go longer than 45 seconds.

Alternating Dumbbell Front lunge 25 sec

SUPERSET WITH

Standing Dumbbell Bicep curl both Wide and Narrow 25 sec

SUPERSET WITH

Dumbbell Squat  25 sec

SUPERSET WITH

Wall Dumbbell Preacher curls 25 sec

SUPERSET WITH

Alternating Angled Lunge 25 sec

Repeat 2-4 more times.

GVT for Biceps

       GVT, known as German Volume Training, was a technique of high volume work loads that the Germans used for their athletes back in the day. This type of high volume work is very hard on the body and if done with the correct weight soreness can last up 4 days. You should have a spotter for this routine, because you can help each other from taking too much time between sets and to help get the weight up near the final sets.

       This workout will be done performing preacher curls with the EZ bar. Set up the bar with about 50-60% of your 1RM. Now complete 10 sets of 10 reps taking only 1 minute rest. Do not slack on the time, 1 minute rest means 1 minute! This routine totals to 100 reps, so I recommend not doing biceps for a good 3-4 days after doing this routine. Make sure to get plenty of protein the rest of the day after this one. You can thank the Germans for helping your biceps grow!

Preacher Curl wwith EZ curl    10 sets of 10 reps     1 minute rest between set

Lat and Rear Delt 3 Way

         The focus on this routine is to hit and build the lat and rear deltoid muscles. To do a proper inverted row just lie on your back inside a smith machine or squat rack with the bar and arms length. Grab the bar and keeping your torso straight pull yourself up until your chest touches the bar.

        To start this tri-set do 12 inverted rows. After you finish the rows, move on and do 10 pullups with a medium grip, remember if you cant do pullups use an assisted pullup machine. Once your done with pullups go right into bent over reverse flys using dumbbells for 12 reps. Rest for 90 seconds and repeat 2-3 more times.

Inverted Rows   12 reps

SUPERSET WITH

Pullup  10 reps

SUPERSET WITH

Bent Over dumbbell flys  12 reps

Rest 90 seconds and repeat 2-3 more times.

 

The Big “O”

      This routine originates from Famous bodybuilder Larry Scott, so I cannot take credit for it. I did however make some changes to the routine and in my college circle of friends this became know to be called the Big “O”. To start you need to set up 3 things. You will need a pair of dumbbells that you could curl for 6 reps, a barbell that’s about 70% of the weight of the dumbbells, a EZ curl bar that about 60% of the weight of the dumbbells.

      This routine can be done without a spotter, but for maximum results and performance you should use one. To begin take both dumbbells and do 6 reps on the preacher curl. Try to keep the ends of the dumbbells together throughout the movement and make sure you go down deep. After you complete 6 reps do 4 burn reps. Burn reps are were you go down half way and then come back up. The weight should be heavy enough so that the 6th rep is very tough. Once your done with the burns put down the weights and grab the barbell with a grip 4 inches wider than shoulder width. Perform barbell curls on the preacher for  6 reps and then 4 burns. Immediately put down the barbell and then stand up and do standing reverse curls with the EZ bar for 6 reps. After all this your arms will be in pain! Rest for 90 seconds and repeat 2-3 more times.

Dumbbell preacher curls 6 reps ( 4 burns)

SUPERSET WITH

Wide grip Barbell preacher curls 6 reps ( 4 burns)

SUPERSET WITH

Standing EZ bar reverse curls  6 reps

Rest for 90 seconds and repeat 2-3 times

The “Jason”

        This is named after a good friend of mine from college Jason S. He showed me this routine and I have loved it ever since. You only need a leg press for this workout. You do however need a good base level strength in your legs to do this routine because you need to be able to start with at least four 45 pound plates on side of the press.

          To begin load up each side of the leg press with 45 pound plates, I would recommend 4-6 on each side depending on your strength. Start by performing 6 reps with that weight, each rep will be done for a 6 second negative, meaning you will lower the weight down counting for 6 seconds ( this slow negative will place stress on your thighs to make them grow ). After you lower the weight push the weight back up at regular speed without a slow count. Next strip one 45 pound plate off each side and do another 6 reps with a 6 second negative. Repeat this process of striping off one 45 pound plate on each side and doing 6 reps with a 6 second negative until you finish 4 drops. Rest for 2-3 minutes and repeat for 2 more times.

Leg Press  6 reps with 6 sec negative  ( set 1)

                 strip 1 plate per side

                6 reps with 6 sec negative ( set 2 )

                 strip 1 plate per side

                6 reps with 6 sec negative ( set 3 )

                 strip 1 plate per side

                6 reps with 6 sec negative ( set 4 )

            Rest for 2-3 minutes and repeat 2 more times.

The Half Chest

   This routine involves something called a half press which is a technique some of you might have never heard of. To complete a half press, un rack the bar from a bench press and let the bar all the way down just above chest level( just like you would do for a regular bench press) then bring the bar only half way up and then let it all the way again and then finally back up into full extension. That whole move counts as one rep. The benefit of this is to put more work load and more stress on the chest. You see the bottom part of the bench movement is were most of the chest work is done, the top portion is mostly triceps. So if your aiming for a big chest then this will get you the most bang for your buck.

     You will be using both a barbell bench press and doing bench press with dumbbells. As always will any intense routine, especially a chest routine, use a spotter.To do the workout you will setup a bench press with a weight that will be lighter than your normal press due to the intensity of the half press. You will need to figure out what weight you can handle, I typically would suggest anywhere from 40-50% of your normal bench 1RM. Start by doing flat bench press with dumbbells with heavy weight, a weight you could do 6-8 reps. Immediately upon finishing the set go right into flat barbell bench press and do half presses for 10 reps. Rest 90 seconds and repeat 3-4 more times.

Flat Bench Press with dumbbells  6-8reps

SUPERSET WITH

Flat Bench Press with barbell ( 1/2 press ) 10 reps

Rest 90 seconds and repeat 3-4 more times.

Hanks Favorite Bicep Routine

      For this routine all you will need is a preacher curl bench and EZ curl bar. This is best done with a partner not only for spotting you but it will help keep you from resting too long in between sets. Your grip on every set should be shoulder width. Make sure to keep the shoulders back and have quality reps on the whole workout. The key with this is the weight you choose, make sure the weight is heavy enough so that on your last 1-2 reps of each set you can barely finish. If your partner has to help you with the last 1-2reps that is fine, but you should not let yourself wuss out here and quit! Get angry, get crazy and have a great pump!

         To start you will do 4 sets of 6-8 reps with a heavy weight. Take about 1 minute rest inbetween sets. Next, take off about 2.5-5lbs from each side of the bar and do 2 sets of 8-10 reps. Once again rest about 1 minute between sets. After completing that take off another 2.5-5lbs off each side and do 2 sets of 10-12 reps. To finish the workout drop another 5-10lbs off each side and do quartercurls for 1 set of as many as you can. Quarter curls are were you bring the bar just a quarter of the way up and then let it back down and then bring it all the way up, this would be 1 rep. As soon as your done with the quarter set strip the bar again by 2.5-5lbs and do a burnout set with regular reps to failure. Trust me you will love this routine, just don’t overuse it, I would do this one every month or so.

Preacher Curls

4 sets @ 6-8 reps, 1 minute rest between sets

Rest 90 seconds

2 sets @ 8-10 reps, 1 minute rest between sets

Rest 90 seconds

2 sets @ 10-12 reps, 1 minute rest between sets

Rest 90 seconds

1 set of 1/4 curls @ failure

SUPERSET WITH

1 set of regular curls @ failure