Tag: workout program

  • How I got over my fear of the gym

    How I got over my fear of the gym

    Everyone is talking about resolutions, working out, and eating right. It’s that time of year. But what you won’t hear about is a fear of the gym. For the longest time when I had first started, I was afraid of the gym. If you’re a complete beginner, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about.

    “Where do I start?”

    “Where is all the equipment?”

    “Am I going to get in someone’s way?”

    “Am I going to look like a complete idiot?”

    Those were just some of the actual things I had racing through my head. It didn’t matter if it was solo or with friends. I was just so uncomfortable and felt out of place.

    Now, maybe that’s all just me, but if you clicked on this link it says that you might have some hesitations and concerns yourself. I’m here to tell you that it’s completely normal and OK to feel that way. You’ve just got to get in the groove.

    I thought long and hard about those days imaging a barbell come crashing down on me with weights spilling all over the floor. Luckily, that never happened, but it’s terrifying to think about.

    Hopefully these 10 tips will help you with getting over the fear like l did so you can get down to business.

    1. Find the right place for you

    If you’re going to be spending an hour per day in a place, you better be sure you like it. Take a day to check a few places out and talk to the owners. Feel them out. The people that manage or own the place really set the tone. If possible, go at peak hours (before work, lunch, immediately after work). This will allow you to see how busy the place actually gets. I went to four gyms in one day. Really put some consideration into their approach as well. Do you want group fitness classes? Do you like the idea of small group fitness? Mom and pop shop? Chain facility? They’ve all got very unique feels.

    2. Don’t be afraid to ask questions

    There was a guy named Greg at one of the first gyms I joined. I didn’t know him well, but he kept in good shape and taught fitness courses at the college. Every once in a while I’d ask a couple questions. I soaked in as much information as I could. I recommend finding your own Greg.

    3. Train during off-peak hours

    While it might be a good idea to scope our your new potential gym during peak hours, it might not be the best idea when actually starting out. Those peak hours such as before work, lunch break, and post-work can be mayhem. And while your schedule may not allow for it in the long run, try and go at odd hours when the crowds are thinner in the beginning. It will be less overwhelming. Plus, that’s when most of the real hardcore-not-about-the-scene guys go so maybe you can learn some stuff from them.

    4. Find your spot

    To this day I’ll find myself in super-crowded gyms where I’m unfamiliar with the space and people. If you have a chest and back day planned that requires you to be all over the place, just slow down for a few minutes. Find a spot and do some push ups, planks, foam roll, etc. Take your time and feel it all out. Plus, you should be warming up anyway!

    5. Pick a solid beginner plan

    You’ve got to have a plan. Failing to plan is planning to fail. You 100% need a mission for everyday in the gym. After you’ve chosen one, learn and watch closely how to do each move. Got questions? Ask them! I personally like the Foundation workout plan for beginners. (Or the 4-week Very Beginner workout plan for very beginners).

    From there you can progress onto something like The 6-week Redemption workout plan, or the The 6-week Reconstruction plan. Still not finding what you’re looking for? Check out all 30+ FREE workout plans here.

    6. Watch videos that get you fired up

    When first starting out there was a period of time that for 10 or 20 minutes before I planned on going to the gym I would watch inspiring videos to get me excited. Guys just killing it with some cool beat in the background. Majority of this battle is mental and that was a big part of getting me riled. (I remind myself of that every day. In fact, I made sure to have those types of videos created for EVERY workout program we launch. That way you can get as stoked as I did.) I suggest watching all of these: The Holiday Schedule, The Detox, Built for the Beach, and Redemption.

    7. Build your most epic of all epic playlists

    A great workout playlist is clutch. Similar to the inspiring videos, this is clearly a given. I suggest making a few different playlists based on the different genres you like. Don’t listen to your party or chill music. Listen to your, “I’m going to beat the living hell out of the gym today” music. I personally have a several different ones lined up for lifting days, running days, and yoga days.

    Must read! How to always have your best possible workout

    8. Invest in new training gear

    You don’t need to go nuts, but the gear you wear just becomes a part of the whole process. There’s nothing wrong with making it a little special. Doesn’t matter what it is, this is your world, get set up the way you want to.

    9. Crush it with a friend

    If you really think you can’t do it on your own just yet, that’s cool. A good training partner when first starting out makes things 100x easier. You’ve got someone to get through the grueling sets and reps with, but it can also help with getting acclimated to the social scene. (Yeah, there’s probably a scene of some sort at your gym.) Also: make sure it’s someone that’s down to really make it happen. A crappy training partner can kill you—and your plan. Check out this 3-day strength-building plan we produced for training partners with brothers Ryan and Eric Johnson.

    10. Remind yourself every day why you’re doing this

    There were plenty of days I didn’t want to go to the gym (and there still are). But the most important thing to remember is that with every single day you step foot in the place, you’re getting better. A 1 mile run is better than a no mile run. Three sets of 10 of one exercise is better than no sets of 10. Go at your own pace, the more you do it, the more you love it. But never, ever forget to continuously remind yourself why you’re doing it.

    Must read! How do you stay motivated to work out?

  • Train Like Island Ninja Grant Mccartney

    Train Like Island Ninja Grant Mccartney

    We recently collaborated with Spartan, Titan Fitness, and Island Ninja Grant Mccartney on an exclusive 4-week training program for obstacle course racers and functional fitness enthusiasts.

    You may already be familiar with the natural-born obstacle specialist. Mccartney is a seven-time American Ninja Warrior, a German Ninja Warrior Grand Champion, a Spartan Games competitor, and he even holds a Guinness Book of World Records title for the most consecutive flying bar jumps (which is 15, by the way). He’s also completed a handful of Spartan races and consistently makes the obstacles look like a walk in the park. (You may also be familiar with his shenanigans at the CrossFit Games with The Buttery Bros.)

    Here, we chat with Mccartney to learn more about how he discovered his love for fitness, the evolution of his performance meal plan, and how he takes care of his hard-working body. Plus, what to expect in his Spartan Island Ninja Training program.

    Island Ninja Grant Mccartney’s Approach to Fitness, Training, and Racing

    Mike Simone for SPARTAN: How did the Island Ninja get his start in fitness?

    Grant Mccartney: I ran as a kid. I was never amazing, but I liked to do cross country. I liked waking up — even in college — on a random Saturday. Instead of partying all Friday night, I would go to bed early, because I’d have a 6:00 a.m. race — a 5K for cancer, or something. I was always running.

    MS: What about competing in Ninja Warrior?

    GM: As a kid, I watched this show in Japan on the G4 Network. I remember there was one year that they had the two Olympians, the Hamm brothers, doing it, and I thought, I’m going to do that one day.

    And, actually, a lot of my family then passed away in a very short period of time. My mom, and then, like three months later, my grandmother. Then, my great-grandmother, my dad’s mom, and my stepdad all passed within about a year. That kind of reality check of the fragility of life, made me say, “Okay, well, what are the things that I always say I’m going to do?” I had this list of stuff in the back of my head, so I created that list of things that I wanted to do, and I just started doing them.

    MS: How did you get into Spartan and Spartan Games?

    GM: I did American Ninja Warrior, then Spartan Ultimate Team Challenge, then German Ninja Warrior, and then went to Italy to do the Guinness Book of World Records flying bars. There’s a lot of crossover there with what I do with Spartan, so I’ve done races and the Spartan Games. And last year, I did a swim under ice in Alaska with Ten Thousand.

    MS: How would you describe how you train?

    GM: That depends on the time of year. When I’m doing Ninja Warrior and competing, that runs from December to June, and July is competition season. And when I’m in season, it’s very obstacle-focused, and that’s very different from the off season. In season, I get so tired of pulling and pulling and pulling. My shoulders are rotating forward and I’m overdeveloping and hurting things, so that’s why I go into more pushing and lifting in the off season.

    I like CrossFit because I like being a bigger build, and my body likes that stuff. Depending on if I’m traveling three to four or five days a week, I’ll hit CrossFit — warm-up, strength, and skill — and then after, I’ll do specific accessory skill or strength work, like Olympic lifting.

    Grant Mccartney’s Nutritional Approach

    MS: What does the Island Ninja’s meal plan look like?

    GM: It’s definitely still a work in progress. I used to eat pretty poorly, but I’ve gotten away with eating a lot of sugar and candy my whole life because I had, and have, such a high output. I basically can eat a lot of things and my body will turn it into fuel at this point, and it’s great. But my biggest learning is that not all fuel is the same quality.

    So, having a Snickers bar will get me through a workout, but it doesn’t get me through a workout in the same way that sweet potatoes would. And I’ll feel the slow breakdown of a complex carb in a heavy, hard CrossFit workout, whereas I won’t as much with something I had just to make it through that last tail end or right in the middle of it.

    MS: You’ve been working with Wild Heath, the precision medicine company?

    GM: Yeah, I’m on with Wild Health. We’ve gone through all of the blood work and all of the samples and other things. They’ve given me my first focus, and it was a lot on diet. Trifecta Nutrition has also started sending me meals, but we’re going to work on doing a partnership next year. That’s going to make things way easier for me, too, because cooking is a tough one — I’m not a great cook. I usually just pick up something.

    MS: What would you say you learned from the Wild Health process, in terms of nutrition? 

    GM: We’re definitely going to focus on cleaner snacks, like an RxBar instead of a candy bar. Some protein bars are almost candy bars anyway, but anything I can do to start to slide the scale more toward healthy is a win. I also learned that my body can genetically handle carbs well, so that’s great for how active I am. However, my body doesn’t do well on fat, so we’re going to look at that more closely.

    The Island Ninja’s Recovery Protocol

    MS: For as physically active as you are, how do you make sure you’re recovering well?

    GM: I’m heavy on hot and cold therapy. If I could have the perfect setup, I’d have an ice bath, like a PLUNGE, and I’m talking in the 40-degree range. I’d be in there for five minutes, and then in the heat for 15, and I do that for three rounds.

    Stretching is also crucial, and I’m learning more and more about the importance of that. I know my bad areas — my hip flexors, my legs, and my butt — so when I come out of the cold, I’ll slowly move, I’ll get in the heat and stretch through the heat, and then I’ll get back in the cold. And when my legs are really smoked, too, I have the Normatec boots as well. That’s my ideal recovery.

    MS: Can you tell us a little about the training program we’re working on?

    GM: When I was writing the programming, I had written it and unwritten it. I went running, and then I went, “Nope, that’s not it.” I wondered, Is this really going to help people? Is this going to make them better? So, I kept rewriting it until I felt good about it, and I even asked my friend and Skyline CrossFit coach Ryan Kucish to help, because he’s worked with a lot of other Spartans.

    Where we landed is a program with a lot of obstacle skills stuff, running, carries (lots of carries), and some CrossFit-style training that will translate on the course. Titan Fitness, Spartan’s equipment provider, outfitted an entirely new at-home gym for me with everything from dumbbells and kettlebells to heavy slam balls, a sled, a fan bike, and more — anything and everything that a Spartan, or functional fitness enthusiast needs to be ready for anything.

    For a new training plan to try, check out the 4-Week Spartan Island Ninja Training Program with Mccartney at spartan.com

  • The 4-week Body Reconstruction plan

    The 4-week Body Reconstruction plan

    This will be the year you dramatically change the composition of your body. A couple weeks in, take a look into the mirror, you’ll see noticeable differences in all the right places. Your face and jawline will show signs thinning; your shirts will tighten up in your chest, back, and shoulders. You’ll have visible veins in your arms, and you start to see those abs you never knew you had.

    With the recent (January 2018) updates to the Redemption plan and the fresh release of the 6-week Unlabeled workout plan, you’re probably wondering why we’re promoting another one. Well, it’s always nice to have options. It’s also nice to have other programs to cycle with. But, more importantly, Reconstruction’s programming works very well with the whole New Year, New You thing.

    Let me try my best to explain why.

    The big picture

    As we all know, January is the unofficial reset button for everyone. We all make resolutions and promises to work on improving some aspect or aspects of our lives. Whether we have the determination to stick to them or see them through—only time ends up telling. But, considering it’s such a huge reflective and goal-setting time for everyone that means there’s a whole lot of people in the same boat. While most of my programs are 100% suitable for anyone, I think this plan is particularly great for two types of people—the beginner that’s never been in the gym and the advanced person that may have let himself go. January is the time of year they mobilize the most.

    For the person that’s just starting out

    When I was starting out, the very first thing that I learned was to get intensely focused and dialed in on every single rep, and to feel every millimeter I moved the weight. This is what really creates results. I mean, I’m talking hyper-focused. Even on the rest periods. In fact, for years I didn’t allow myself to bring my cell phone into the gym. This is the main reason why Reconstruction was designed with exercises that focus on super-slow repetition tempos. This is a perfect habit to get into as a beginner. They will learn to train to feel everything.

    For the person that’s done this before

    While I’ve been fortunate enough to have fitness at the center of my life and career, I understand that’s not the case for everyone. Life happens and those single-digital body fat days end up being a memory of the past. But that doesn’t mean they are gone for good. I get countless messages from folks looking to get their body back. They know what’s-what in the gym, they’ve been there before, it’s just been a while. This is another reason why Reconstruction was designed with super-slow repetitions. It’s back to basics. Start actually feeling everything again.

    For the person that absolutely lives and breathes it

    I do all of my programs, even the one’s other contributors provide. I’ve pretty much done it all. Want to know what happens sometimes? You get lost in it! I originally designed the Reconstruction for myself. It didn’t have a name. It was just another program I made to “reset” when I found myself rushing through workouts. So I forced myself to do slower repetitions. I also found myself getting sluggish and slow mid-week. So I pulled back the volume a bit. I wasn’t hammering circuits with heavy weights every day. I wasn’t doing 5-6+ sets per exercise with each workout. And four weeks in, my strength, recovery, energy, and mood were all back to normal.

    THE RECONSTRUCTION WORKOUTS

    For each exercise marked with “*”, you will perform repetitions very slow and very controlled. Two-three seconds on the way down, two-three seconds on the way up, with a pause at the bottom and top of each rep. As you strengthen that connection with your muscles, watch how quickly you progress.

    It’s suggested that DAY 1 is Monday, DAY 2 is Wednesday, DAY 3 is Thursday, DAY 4 is Saturday. Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday are “OFF” days. In week two, complete the first and second exercise of each body part as supersets. In week three and four, add one-three additional sets per exercise.

    DAY 1: Chest & Back

    *1.Barbell bench press 3×8-10 rest 60s
    2.Barbell bent-over row 3×8-10 rest 60s
    3.Incline dumbbell press 3×8-10 rest 60s
    *4.Seated rope row 3×8-12 rest 60s
    *5.Swooping cable flye 3×10-12 rest 60s
    *6.Lat pulldown 3×12-12 rest 60s
    7A.Push-up 25,50, or 100 as quickly as possible
    7B.Pullup 25,50 or 100 as quickly as possible

    DAY 2: Legs & Abs


    *1.Back squat 3×6-8 rest 60s
    *2.Deep goblet squat 3×20 rest 30s
    3.Forward and reverse lunge 3×5 each side and direction rest 60s
    4.Stiff-leg deadlift with calve raise 3×8-10 rest 60s
    5.10-20 yard wind sprint 5-10x rest 30-60s
    6.Barbell roll out 3×8-10 rest 30s
    7.Hollow rock/roll 3×15-30s rest 30s
    8.Cable chop variation 3×10 rest 30s

    DAY 3: Shoulders & Arms


    1.Dumbbell clean and press 3×8-10 rest 60s
    *2.Side lateral raise 3×12-15 rest 30s
    3.Angled plate press 3×10-12 rest 30s
    4.Cable pull-apart 3×12-15 rest 30s
    5.*Dumbbell hammer curl 3×8-10 rest 60s
    6.Lying dumbbell extension 3×8-10 rest 60s
    7.Cable rope curl 3×8-10 rest 60s
    *8.Cable tricep pushdown 3×8-10 rest 60s

    DAY 4: Full Body Fat-Loss Circuit

    Complete five rounds as quickly as possible. Rest two minutes between each round.

    Dumbell thruster x10-12
    Dumbbell push-up and row x10-12
    Dip bar knee tuck x10-12
    Dumbbell hammer curl x10-12
    Dumbbell kickback x10-12
    Burpee x10-12

    And be sure to post before and after photos with the hashtag #humanfitporject for your chance to be featured to an audience of over 300K+ on HUMANFITPROJECT.com and our social platforms.

  • Redemption: The 6-week workout plan

    Redemption: The 6-week workout plan

    The Redemption workout plan was original published for Men’s Fitness magazine in January 2016.

    We’ve all limited ourselves, missed opportunities, or let time slip by. It’s never too late to redeem yourself.

    Redemption is more than workouts. It’s about finding the right state of mind, and igniting what triggers your motivation. For 45-60 minutes per day, your number one priority is to hit the gym and give your all. And while pounding away, rep after rep, think about everything you want to achieve. Know that with each successful push, pull, and lift that you’re inching closer to what you want.

    These workouts are dedicated to anyone who’s felt defeated. We’ve all been there before. Let this be the year that motivation runs high.

    To build you summer body in the winter, download our new Premium Content PDF, The Size, Strength, and Shred Cycle

    Update to Redemption (2019)

    The Redemption workout plan continues to be one of HFP’s most popular programs, and for good reason—it gets results. While the fitness industry will always go through fads and crazes, nothing beats basic strength training if you’re looking to make body composition changes. The 2019 update includes some new ideas on how to modify the plan.

    Update to Redemption (2018)

    The Redemption workout plan was originally produced and released for New Year’s 2016. Now, for New Year’s 2018, you will find a version of each workout produced in the raw. (Similarly to our recently released 6-week Unlabeled workout plan.) Continue down to the bottom of the piece for my reasons for creating Redemption in the first place.

    Before you get started: Get caught up on some of my other pieces

    If this plan and story doesn’t motivate you enough, check out my blog on how to always have your best possible workout.

    If you’re completely new to the gym and nervous about getting started, I’ve been there before, check out how I got over my fear of the gym.

    And don’t forget, you are what you eat, check out my piece on intuitive eating for lean muscle.

    If you’re always on your phone in the gym getting distracted from your workouts, check out my piece gym-selfies and it’s affect on intensity.

    Like going out and partying a lot? Read up on this post on how to drink alcohol and still build muscle and lose weight.

    THE REDEMPTION WORKOUTS

    *Friday and Sunday are recovery days.

    2019 Update

    1. If this seems a little too taxing for you at first, do 1 or 2 sets less for each exercise.

    2. When there is a range of repetitions, pick an exact number and stick to it for all of the sets. For example, if it says 8-12 reps and you fail at 10 reps on your first set, try and get 10 reps for every set after that.

    3. Switch your reps each week or every other week. If you’ve gone through Redemption before and have followed the rep scheme for all 6 weeks, for your next cycle through, go heavier on the weight and lower with the reps for a week or two, then go lighter on the weight and higher reps for a week or two. If you go heavier, bump the rest periods up to 60s, if you go lighter, drop them down to 30s.

    4. For Wednesday’s cardio+abs workout, feel free to swap it! Here are 20 ways to give your core a great workout.


    Day One: Chest & Triceps (Monday)

    We begin with a traditional bodybuilding split. You guessed it: chest and triceps.

    I feel I get more out of a workout using dumbbells rather than barbells, especially when it comes to training the chest. It’s not that I don’t use barbells, but dumbbells seem to have been a better option for me. They’re good for muscular balances, and easier on the shoulders.

    1.DB Bench Press 5 x 8-12 reps
    2.Incline DB Bench Press 4 x 8-12 reps
    3.Cable Flye 4 x 8-12 reps
    4.Dip 3 x failure
    5.Push up 3 x failure

    1.EZ-Bar Skullcrusher 4 x 8-12 reps
    2.Cable Pushdown 3 x 8-12 reps
    3.Single-arm Pushdown 3 x 8-12 reps
    4.Medball Pushup 4 x 8-12

    Rest 30-45 seconds between sets.

    In week 4, begin using the “rest-pause method.” During the final set of each exercise, complete reps to failure, rest 5 seconds, and complete as many more reps as possible.
    In week 5, your final set of DB Bench Presses for chest and final set for EZ-Bar Skullcrushers for triceps will be a triple drop set. Perform the number of reps, drop 5 pounds, continue to failure, drop 5 pounds, continue to failure again.

    Day Two: Back & Biceps (Tuesday)

    Moving on to the second day, this workout could also be considered another universally-accepted bodybuilding split: back and biceps.

    There’s so much to be said about this particular routine. I love every exercise in it. In some weeks, pull ups will be more of a player. Instead of 3 sets to failure, it can be 6 sets to failure and performed before anything else. Supermans were added once I realized how much they improved my surfing. Drag curls are a totally weird way to hit the biceps. Concentration curls make me think of Arnold in “Pumping Iron.” And rope curls have been a go-to when the medial epicondylitis (inner elbow pain) flares up from too much volume.

    1.BB Deadlift 5 x 8-10 reps
    2.Lat Pulldown 4 x 8-12 reps
    3.Single-arm DB Row 4 x 8-12 reps
    4.Pull-up 3 x failure
    5.Supermans 3 x failure

    1.BB Curl 4 x 8-12 reps
    2.BB Drag Curl 3 x 8-12 reps
    3.DB Concentration Curl 3 x 8-12 reps
    4.Rope Cable Curl 4 x 8-12

    Rest 30-45 seconds between sets

    In week 4, begin using the “rest-pause method.” During the final set of each exercise, complete reps to failure, rest 5 seconds, and complete as many more reps as possible.
    In week 5, your final set of Lat Pulldowns for back and final set for Rope Cable Curls for biceps will be a triple drop set. Perform the number of reps, drop 5 pounds, continue to failure, drop 5 pounds, continue to failure again.

    Day Three: Cardio & Abs (Wednesday)

    This is where we take a little break from the weights to allow for some muscular recovery—but it’s an active break. The focus will be to get in some relatively decent cardio and hit a little bit of abs in between.

    This was solely built for two reasons. The first is being able to recover while pushing myself. Second, this routine is centered around my time in the water. I need to work my lungs for bigger surf, and the core work is important for maintaining the ability to surf more powerfully.

    Jog/Run for 30-minutes (steady-state)

    Complete 3-5 rounds (with zero rest) of the following:

    Hip Thrust from the Floor x 8-10 reps
    Ab Wheel Roll Out x 8-10 reps
    Cable Chops x 8-10 reps (each side)
    Side Planks x failure (each side)

    7-10 minute cardio intervals
    30 second sprint/30 walk or light jog

    In week 4 and 5: bump up to 45 minutes of steady-state cardio, and/or another 3-7 minutes of intervals.

    Day Four: Legs & Shoulders (Thursday)

    Back at the weights again. This time it’s legs and shoulders.

    This is a long one, I know. I considered reconfiguring the plan, but wanted to keep it real. This has been a go-to since back-in-the-day. The two types of squats are a nice touch, and the shoulder workout will really get the blood pumped.

    1.Back Squat 3 x 8-10 reps
    2.Front Squat 3 x 8-10 reps
    3.DB Plie Squat 4 x 8-12 reps
    4.DB Step Up 4 x 8-12 reps
    5.Walking Lunge 3 x 8-12 reps
    6.Glute bridge 3 x 10 (+ 2 second hold)

    1.Neutral-grip DB Press 5 x 10-12 reps
    2.DB High Pull 4 x 10-12 reps
    3.Front Cable Raise 3 x 10-12 reps
    4.Side Cable Raise 3 x 10-12 reps
    5.Rear Cable Raise 3 x 10-12 reps
    6.Face Pull 3 x 15 reps

    Rest 30-45 seconds between sets (60-90 seconds between sets of squats, if necessary)

    Day Five: Mixed Bodyweight & Abs (Saturday)

    After four straight days of working out—even though it’s balanced nicely—you’ll take a complete day off, then restart with this mix. The fifth day is solely bodyweight work and abs.

    This routine is a funny one. It can be relatively easy, or sneaky hard. Five-ten rounds can get you. I like it because it’s a good dose of light strength training mixed with cardio and ab-specific work without being entirely too taxing on the body after a long week.

    Complete 5-10 rounds of the following as quickly as possible:

    Push ups x 10 reps
    Pull ups x 10 reps
    Sit ups x 10 reps
    Hip Thrust from the Floor x 10 reps

    The real reason the Redemption plan was created

    When I produced the original version of my Redemption workout plan, I wanted to make it special for the new year. I’m tremendously grateful for the things that I’m fortunate enough to do, but that doesn’t mean everything is and always has been so wonderful. Working out has given me so much more than a stronger and leaner body. It’s been my therapy, a release, and a positive outlet. It’s had the power to transform anger into happiness and anxiety into calm.

    Redemption was my creative attempt at inspiring our followers by telling a little bit of that story, even if they just saw a glimpse.

    We all go through tough times and make mistakes along the way. I continue to make mistakes. I get down on myself. But, it’s about getting the hell back up, brushing yourself off, and doing the best you can to improve. Redemption brings on emotion for me. Never waste opportunity. Don’t waste time. Don’t listen to negative people. Don’t feel sorry for yourself. Whenever I do this workout plan, those powerful feelings come back to the surface. It’s not just another workout plan. It’s got emotion.

    I needed to produce this. I couldn’t just throw it out there with a label. It meant something to me and I’ve always hoped it would mean something to someone else too. Feeling like shit? Feeling like you lost? Feeling not good enough? Can’t get ahead. Work. Life. Body. Mind. Whatever. Use this plan. Let it be the one that brings on emotion to fight on and be as great as you want to be.

  • The 4-week Winter Bulk Up workout plan

    The 4-week Winter Bulk Up workout plan

    Winter does have its advantages. And one of the best is that you can set yourself up to be your at your biggest and leanest once the warm weather swings back around. The trick is to use the winter to Bulk Up, then transition into an aggressive shred during the spring. This gives your body a change it needs. You’ll be able to eat more, and to some degree, rest a bit more as well.

    Program designer Tim McComsey (@TimMcComsey) says there are three main components to the Bulk Up:

    If you’re very new to working out, check out our best exercises for men and women to learn proper form. 

    1. It’s focused on large muscle groups such as Chest, Back, and Legs. You will train them twice per week. Smaller muscle groups like Shoulders, Biceps, and Triceps are secondary. The beginner of each week will be the most challenging, the middle-to-end is scaled back as though it’s a tapered recovery without going easy.

    2. The rest periods between exercises are longer to enable ample recovery from heavier, bigger lifts. You’re looking at 60-90 second between sets versus 30-45 seconds which you would see in a weight loss plan.

    3. The Bulk Up plan revolves around “straight sets” versus the use of “super-sets” or “tri-sets”. Once you complete a set of an exercise you will rest, then repeat for the prescribed number of sets that follow. This is another strategy to allow for ample recovery. The only time “tri-sets” will be used are for short ab/core workouts at the end.

    Before you get started, check out this piece on intuitive eating and this one on Tim’s grocery store essentials for building lean muscle.

    DAY ONE: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps

    1. *BB Flat Chest Press
    2. *DB Incline Chest Press
    3. Push Ups
    4. *DB Standing Shoulder PressSeated DB Lateral Raise
    5. Cable Tricep Press Downs with Straight Bar
    6. DB Bent-over Tricep Kick Backs

    Sets, reps & rest protocol
    * 4 sets x 8 reps : 90 seconds rest
    3 sets x 10 reps : 60 seconds rest

    The Tri-set Finisher
    Complete 3 sets of with 30 seconds rest between each one.

    7A. Hanging Leg Raise x 12
    7B. Decline Bench Reverse Curl Up x 12
    7C. Swimmer Kicks x 30

    DAY TWO: Back & Biceps 1

    1. *Pull Ups
    2. *BB Bent-over Rows
    3. *Cable Free Motion Wide-grip Pull Downs
    4. *Seated Free Motion V-bar Rows
    5. BB Shrugs with 1 second hold
    6. BB Standing Curls
    7. Seated DB Hammer Curls

    Sets, reps & rest protocol
    * 4 sets x 8 reps : 90 seconds rest
    3 sets x 10 reps : 60 seconds rest

    DAY THREE: Legs 1

    1. *BB Squat
    2. *BB Deadlift
    3. *DB Forward Lunge
    4. *Glute Ham Leg Raise
    5. Standing Calf Raise
    6. Seated Calf Raise

    Sets, reps & rest protocol
    * 4 sets x 8 reps : 90 seconds rest
    3 sets x 10 reps : 60 seconds rest

    The Tri-set Finisher
    Complete 3 sets of with 30 seconds rest between each one.

    7A. Free Motion Cable Torso Rotations with Straight Bar x 15 per side
    7B. Side Plank Up-Downs x 15 each side
    7C. Decline Bench Weighted Russian Twist x 15 per side

    DAY FOUR: Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps 2

    1. *Standing High Free Motion Crossover Fly
    2. *Flat Bench DB Fly
    3. *Machine Cable Fly or Band Fly
    4. *Standing DB Front Raise
    5. *Seated DB Shoulder Press with Palms-In
    6. DB Bench Tricep Skull Crushers
    7. Weighted Bench Dips

    Sets, reps, & rest protocol
    * 4 sets x 8 reps : 90 seconds rest
    3 sets x 10 reps : 60 seconds rest

    DAY FIVE: Back and Biceps 2

    1. *Chin Ups
    2. *Single-arm DB Row
    3. *Free Motion T-bar Pull Downs
    4. *Two-arm DB Row
    5. *Seated DB Shrugs with 1 second hold
    6. Cable Rope Curls
    7. Cable Crossover Curls

    Sets, reps, & rest protocol
    * 4 sets x 8 reps : 90 seconds rest
    3 sets x 10 reps : 60 seconds rest

    DAY SIX: Legs 2

    1. *Sissy Squats
    2. *Slide Board Hamstring Curls
    3. *Narrow Stance BB Squats
    4A. Standing DB Calf Raises
    4B. Weighted Walking Calf Raises

    Sets, reps, & rest protocol
    * 4 sets x 8 reps : 90 seconds rest
    3 sets x 10 reps : 60 seconds rest
    A/B indicates superset

    Continue Your Gains with The Size, Strength, and Shred Cycle


  • The Survival Plan: Building an Unbreakable Machine

    The Survival Plan: Building an Unbreakable Machine

    What if you actually had to push, pull, or even carry something incredibly heavy? How about sprint, jump, or climb? And would you have the stamina to do if for a sustained amount of time? Looking big, strong, and durable is one thing—being big, strong, and durable is another. Instead of training for the pump, use this program to prepare your body to apply all of that size, strength, power, and endurance. This program has been designed and demonstrated by Mike Counihan, a New York City law enforcement officer and group training instructor. Follow him on Instagram @nodonutshere.

    HOW IT WORKS

    This program is built off of several foundational moves—presses, deadlifts, rows, and squats. However, as each day progresses, you’ll be met with a different challenge. In day one the battle ropes come out to test your cardiovascular and muscular endurance. What you thought was a typical “chest day” is now burning up your shoulders, arms, and even your lungs. Day two is a whole lot of pulling, but there’s a twist when the sled comes out. This total-body device will turn everything on full blast—chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs, and your lunges. And finally, there’s day three, which is likely to be the most confusing for the body—in a good way. Front-racked hang cleans to walking lunges are equally as challenging for the muscles as they are for the lungs, plus the slight awkwardness will add to the difficulty. And deadlifts with farmer’s walks will turn up the intensity on the basic tough-guy lift. And for whatever gas remains in your tank and in your legs, jump squats will finish it off. When it comes to survival, you need to take your body to the brink of failure—and beyond.

    DIRECTIONS

    Rest 90-120 seconds after repetitions of 6 and below. Rest 60 seconds after repetitions above 6. For resistance, select a weight in which you reach muscular failure for the prescribed number of repetitions. Do these workouts on non-consecutive days for two to four weeks.

    THE WORKOUTS

    DAY ONE: Push Focus + Cardio Conditioning Component

    Click here to watch day one on mensfitness.com

    Bench press : 10, 10, 6, 4, 4
    Incline bench press: 10, 10, 6, 4, 4
    Push-up variations (3) 3 set of 25 per variation
    Battle rope variations (3) 30 seconds per variation for 3 rounds
    Dips: 3 sets of 25

    DAY TWO: Pull Focus + Cardio Conditioning Component

    Click here to watch day two on mensfitness.com

    Deadlifts: 10, 10, 6, 4, 2, 1
    Bent over rows: 10, 10, 6, 4, 4
    Sled pull with rope + push back: 20 yards for 4 rounds
    Pulldowns: 10, 10, 8, 6, 4,
    Dumbbell rows 15, 10, 10, 8, 8

    DAY THREE: Lower-body Focus + Cardio Conditioning Component

    Click here to watch day three on mensfitness.com

    Squat: 15, 10, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2,
    Hang clean to walking lunges: 20 yards for 3 rounds
    Deadlift with hex bar walk: 10 reps with 20 yard walks for 5 rounds
    Jump squat: as many reps as possible in 30 seconds for 4 rounds

  • Trim in Six: What It’s All About

    Trim in Six: What It’s All About

    Six weeks is a nice time frame for a program. Just shy of two months. It’s in-between “fast results” and that stage where you also need some time to build up your strength and endurance.

    You can start when you’ve got a modest buffer of time before you actually want to be your leanest. * You’re less likely to burn out from overly aggressive workouts and brutally strict dieting that are typically required in programs with significantly shorter time frames.

    Trainer, dietician, and HFP contributor Tim McComsey speaks with Mike Simone for Men’s Fitness Magazine about the program.

    THE TRIM IN SIX WORKOUT

    You will be working out a total of six days for the duration of six weeks.

    DAY ONE: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
    DAY TWO: Back, Biceps, and Traps
    DAY THREE: Legs
    DAY FOUR: Off
    DAY FIVE: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
    DAY SIX: Back, Biceps, and Traps
    DAY SEVEN: Plyometrics and High-Intensity Intervals

    Get the Trim in Six Diet to to Maximize Your Fat Loss >>>

    * Shorter, highly-intense, strict, and aggressive programs are still an effective option, but it’s best to save for last-minute body composition changes, or when your mental strength and fortitude requires testing. Example program: The 21-Day Shred