Can't find any spare moments to train? Here's how to pack a
week's worth of workouts into Saturday and Sunday, while still having
time for rest and relaxation.
You've seen them before, the
articles touting workouts that get you out of the gym in 45 minutes,
sometimes even 30 minutes, so you can get fit and get on with the rest
of your busy life. You see them, shake your head and say, "Yeah, I wish
I had that much extra time on my hands."
Whether it's an 80-hour work week,
a wife and kids pulling you in multiple directions, or '" gulp '" a
combination of both, getting to the gym even once during the work week
is about as possible as brokering lasting peace between PETA and the
National Cattlemen's Beef Association.
Does this scenario hit
all-too-close to home? You don't have to toss aside your bodybuilding
dreams. If you can squeeze out a few hours for dedicated training time
on weekends, there's hope, and it's right here:
the ProSource Weekend Warrior Workout.
you only need to find 3-4 hours per week
Yes, it's not ideal to cram all of your training into two days, but
with your schedule, perfection must take a back seat to reality. And,
truth be told, you can accomplish a lot in just two days '" you can
thoroughly work every major muscle group, setting the stage for
meaningful growth.
Intrigued? Read on, and get ready
to pull out your day planner '" you're gonna want to pencil in a couple
workouts this upcoming Saturday and Sunday.
SATURDAY: Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Glutes, Back, Biceps, Calves & Lower Abs
Training Time: 90 minutes-2 hours
On the
Weekend Warrior plan,
you will divide your body parts over two workouts on consecutive days,
taking advantage of some overlap by making use of compound movements
that hit multiple muscle groups at once. You'll also squeeze more
intensity out of every precious minute with layered intensity
techniques, specifically pairing rest/pause and drop sets, or partial
reps and negatives, on some of the prescribed exercises.
On all of the listed exercises
below, if there's not a specific intensity technique listed, you will
pyramid up the poundage set-to-set for the weighted exercises, and rep
to failure on your last 1-2 sets of the exercise. If a superset is
indicated, you do the two exercises listed back to back with no rest;
rest 30-60 seconds between each superset.
Start each training session with a 10-minute warm-up on a cardio machine of your choice.
BODYPART(S)
|
EXERCISE
|
SETS
|
REPS
|
Quads, Hams, Glutes
|
Leg Press
|
5
|
20, 15, 12, 12, 10/failure*
|
Thighs, Glutes, Back
|
Deadlift
|
5
|
12, 10, 10, 8, 6
|
Quadriceps
|
Leg Extension
superset with
|
3
|
15, 12, 12
|
Hamstrings
|
Lying Leg Curl
|
3
|
15, 12, 12
|
Back
|
T-Bar Row
|
3
|
12, 12, 10/failure*
|
Lower Back
|
Back Extension
|
3
|
25, 20, 15
|
Back, Biceps
|
Pull-Up
(Note: Start wide, and use a slightly closer grip each set)
|
4
|
10, 10, 10, 10
|
Biceps
|
Standing Barbell Curl
|
4
|
12, 10, 8/10, failure**
|
Calves
|
Standing Calf Raise
|
4
|
20, 12, 12, 10/failure*
|
Lower Abs
|
Incline Board Leg Raise
|
4
|
30, 25, 20, 15
|
* Rest/pause & drop set combo:
After performing the prescribed set or sets of warm-ups (if
applicable), you'll do three working sets. For the first, choose a
challenging weight with which you can only get 12 reps. On the
following set, increase the weight 10-15%, and aim for 12 reps; to get
there, use the rest-pause technique, resting in the starting position
(for instance, for the leg press, in the legs-extended position) for
15-30 seconds between reps as necessary to reach the end of the set. (A
spotter helps on the leg press, as it allows you to reach total failure
and then have assistance to get the sled back up; otherwise, a good
trick is to push on your knees with your hands to help give it a
boost.) Finally, on the last set, you'll add a bit more weight, 10-20%
(as much as you can reasonably handle), and go for 10 reps, using
rest-pause; upon reaching 10, strip off 20-30% of the weight and rep
until failure.
** Partial reps & negatives combo:
After doing the prescribed set or sets of warm-ups, you'll do three
working sets. For the first, pick a weight you can get 10 (and no more)
reps. For the next set, add about 15% weight, do eight full reps, then
finish with 10 partials. For the last set, add about 10-15% more
weight, do as many full reps as you can and then end with partials to
failure. On the partials, start with at least half reps, then work down
to quarter-reps until you can't move the weight/bar. At that point, if
you have a partner, have him/her lift the bar for you, then let it down
as slowly as you can, for 3-5 additional "negative" reps.
|
SUNDAY: Deltoids, Traps, Chest, Triceps, Forearms & Upper Abs/Obliques
Training Time: 90 minutes-2 hours
BODYPART(S)
|
EXERCISE
|
SETS
|
REPS
|
Deltoids
|
Smith-Machine Barbell Press
|
5
|
20, 15, 12, 12, 10/failure*
|
Middle Delts
superset with
|
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
|
3
|
15, 12, 12
|
Rear Delts
|
Bent-Over Dumbbell Raise
|
3
|
15, 12, 12
|
Delts, Traps
|
Upright EZ-Bar Row
|
3
|
12, 12, 10/failure*
|
Traps
|
Barbell Shrug (in power rack)
|
4
|
15, 12, 12, 10/failure*
|
Chest
|
Incline Smith-Machine Press
|
5
|
15, 12, 10, 8/10, failure**
|
Chest, Triceps
|
Parallel-Bar Dip
(Note: Lean torso forward first two sets; stay upright latter two)
|
4
|
10, 10, 10, 10
|
Triceps
|
Cable Pressdown
superset with
|
3
|
15, 12, 12
|
Forearms
|
Behind-Back Barbell Wrist Curl
|
3
|
15, 12, 12
|
Upper Abs, Obliques
|
Decline Bench Twisting Crunch
|
4
|
30, 30, 20, 20
|
* See description for "rest/pause and drop set combo" under Saturday workout.
** See description for "partial reps and negatives combo" under Saturday workout. |
CARDIO & NUTRITION
The above sessions will amply cover your bases as far as your weight
training. Grueling as each routine may be, you'll accomplish a lot in a
relatively short period of time '" think about it, you only need to find
3-4 hours per week, which should be possible in all but the most crazed
schedules on the planet. (Honestly, if you can't find four measly hours
to train, it may be time for a career change.) Monday through Friday,
your muscles rest, heal and grow, preparing them to do it all over
again in five days.
One piece missing from the puzzle
as we've laid it out thus far: Cardio. You have a few cardio options if
heart health and fat burning are key priorities for you. One, you could
do 20-40 minutes of an aerobic activity of your choosing on Saturday
and Sunday, either first thing in the a.m. each day or after your
weight workout. Or, if you have the leeway and cooperative weather
where you live, you could set the alarm for a bit earlier than usual
and begin walking, running or biking outdoors for a similar amount of
time 2-4 days per week before heading to work.
You may even want to invest in a
high-quality piece of cardio equipment for your home. Whatever option
you choose, at the very minimum get in two cardio sessions in per week
'" it may not contribute to building more muscle directly, but
indirectly the benefits are numerous and undeniable.
As for nutrition, if you're not following some sort of
muscle-building or
fat-loss diet
There are a number of key supplements you should consider as well: Glutamine to amp your recovery, creatine and nitric oxide products to give your strength and stamina a boost, a multivitamin/multimineral to fill nutritional gaps, and protein powders and bars
to serve as meal replacements and provide your body the protein it
needs for growth. And if losing weight is your ultimate goal, you can
look into a thermogenic supplement as well.
PURSUIT OF PERFECTION
It may be obvious, maybe not, but the so-called "
Weekend Warrior"
workout is applicable even if your best opportunities to train aren't
on the weekend. Perhaps you have a job that allows you time on Mondays
and Wednesdays, or Thursdays or Fridays, or maybe it changes week to
week. Whatever the case, if you're in a position where you can at best
squeeze in two workouts per week, this plan can work for you.
In the quest to have it all '" the
great career, family and social life '" you don't have to sacrifice your
dream of a great physique. Think of the Weekend Warrior workout as
ProSource's way of helping you have it all.
(depending on your goals), you should start. It's not enough to train
hard on the weekends, and then subsist all week on processed, fast and
fatty foods. What you eat during the week, in fact, directly relates to
your weekend training '" nutrition early in the week fuels muscle repair
and recovery, and later in the week ramps up your energy systems for
the upcoming training onslaught. If you follow this system, the best
"cheat" day, if you in fact use one, is Wednesday.