FORTITUDE - December 2005 - Issue #8

In the September 2005 FORTITUDE we talked about the need to change your workout at intervals to promote optimal fitness results: PERIODIZATION.

This month were going to start a series of training programs that will allow you to see how you can progress through a program using PERIODIZATION. So in future newsletters we'll be progressing this program from one level to the next. This month we are going to put together a six-week Phase One - Conditioning Program based on the S.M.A.R.T.T. GOALS that we'll be describing below.

We also discussed that designing a great program involves many training variables, plus expertise in exercise science and ability to use your creativity. The bottom line in a great program is you must have a specific GOAL as mentioned in last month's newsletter in order to manipulate all training variables effectively.

So here we go:
S.M.A.R.T.T. GOALS: Lose 30 pounds body fat and gain 15 pounds of muscle in 30 weeks.
                                        Start Date: January 1, 2006     End Date: August 1, 2006
 
FORTITUDE December 2005 Conditioning Program - Phase 1    
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
week 1 3x15   3x15   3x15
5 minute warm up Elliptical Trainer 5 minute warm up Elliptical Trainer 5 minute warm up
1a. Leg Press Machine 20 minutes 1. Rack Deadlift 20 minutes 1a. Dumbell Squat
1b. Lat Pulldown   2. Dumbell Split Squat   1b. Neutral Grip Assist Pullup
2a. Step Up   3. T-Bar Supported Row   2a. Step Up
2b. Flat Bench Press   4. Incline Dumbell Press   2b. Dumbell Flat Bench Press
3a. Dumbell Walking Lunge   5. Bar Skull Crusher   3a. 60o Leg Extension
3b. Cable Row   6. Bar Curl   3b. One Arm Dumbell Row
4a. Decline Situp   7. Reverse Crunch   4a. Leg Curl
4b. Machine Military Press   8. Russian Twist   4b. Bar Military Press
5. Treadmill Jog 10 minutes   9. Treadmill Jog 10 minutes   5. Treadmill Jog 10 minutes
6. 10 minute stretch   10. 10 minute stretch   6. 10 minute stretch
week 2 3x10   3x10   3x10
5 minute warm up Elliptical Trainer 5 minute warm up Elliptical Trainer 5 minute warm up
1a. Leg Press Machine 25 minutes 1. Rack Deadlift 25 minutes 1a. Dumbell Squat
1b. Lat Pulldown   2. Dumbell Split Squat   1b. Neutral Grip Assist Pullup
2a. Step Up   3. T-Bar Supported Row   2a. Step Up
2b. Flat Bench Press   4. Incline Dumbell Press   2b. Dumbell Flat Bench Press
3a. Dumbell Walking Lunge   5. Bar Skull Crusher   3a. 60o Leg Extension
3b. Cable Row   6. Bar Curl   3b. One Arm Dumbell Row
4a. Decline Situp   7. Reverse Crunch   4a. Leg Curl
4b. Machine Military Press   8. Russian Twist   4b. Bar Military Press
5. Treadmill Jog 10 minutes   9. Treadmill Jog 10 minutes   5. Treadmill Jog 10 minutes
6. 10 minute stretch   10. 10 minute stretch   6. 10 minute stretch
week 3 1x12,10,8   1x12,10,8   1x12,10,8
5 minute warm up Elliptical Trainer 5 minute warm up Elliptical Trainer 5 minute warm up
1a. Leg Press Machine 30 minutes 1. Rack Deadlift 30 minutes 1a. Dumbell Squat
1b. Lat Pulldown   2. Dumbell Split Squat   1b. Neutral Grip Assist Pullup
2a. Step Up   3. T-Bar Supported Row   2a. Step Up
2b. Flat Bench Press   4. Incline Dumbell Press   2b. Dumbell Flat Bench Press
3a. Dumbell Walking Lunge   5. Bar Skull Crusher   3a. 60o Leg Extension
3b. Cable Row   6. Bar Curl   3b. One Arm Dumbell Row
4a. Decline Situp   7. Reverse Crunch   4a. Leg Curl
4b. Machine Military Press   8. Russian Twist   4b. Bar Military Press
5. Treadmill Jog 10 minutes   9. Treadmill Jog 10 minutes   5. Treadmill Jog 10 minutes
6. 10 minute stretch   10. 10 minute stretch   6. 10 minute stretch
week 4 3x15   3x15   3x15
1. Bar Squat Elliptical Trainer 1a. Rack Deadlift Elliptical Trainer 1. Bar Squat
2. Stiff Leg Deadlift 35 minutes 1b. Machine Chest Press 35 minutes 2. Stiff Leg Deadlift
3. 60o Leg Extension Machine   2a. Bar Split Squat   3. 60o Leg Extension Machine
4. Leg Curl Machine   2b. Dumbell Military Press   4. Leg Curl Machine
5. Medium Grip Assist Pullup   3a. Dumbell Side Step Ups   5. Medium Grip Assist Pullup
6. Bar Bent Over Row   3b. Double Crunch   6. Bar Bent Over Row
7. Swiss Ball Situp   4a. Bar Skull Crusher   7. Swiss Ball Situp
8. Bicycle Crunch   4b. Bar Curl   8. Bicycle Crunch
9. Treadmill Jog 15 minutes   5. Treadmill Jog 15 minutes   9. Treadmill Jog 15 minutes
10. 10 minute stretch   6. 10 minute stretch   10. 10 minute stretch
week 5 3x10   3x10   3x10
1a. Rack Deadlift Elliptical Trainer 1. Bar Squat Elliptical Trainer 1a. Rack Deadlift
1b. Machine Chest Press 40 minutes 2. Stiff Leg Deadlift 40 minutes 1b. Machine Chest Press
2a. Bar Split Squat   3. 60o Leg Extension Machine   2a. Bar Split Squat
2b. Dumbell Military Press   4. Leg Curl Machine   2b. Dumbell Military Press
3a. Dumbell Side Step Ups   5. Medium Grip Assist Pullup   3a. Dumbell Side Step Ups
3b. Double Crunch   6. Bar Bent Over Row   3b. Double Crunch
4a. Bar Skull Crusher   7. Swiss Ball Situp   4a. Bar Skull Crusher
4b. Bar Curl   8. Bicycle Crunch   4b. Bar Curl
5. Treadmill Jog 15 minutes   9. Treadmill Jog 15 minutes   5. Treadmill Jog 15 minutes
6. 10 minute stretch   10. 10 minute stretch   6. 10 minute stretch
week 6 1x12,10,8   1x12,10,8   1x12,10,8
1. Bar Squat Elliptical Trainer 1. Rack Deadlift Elliptical Trainer 1. Bar Squat
2. Stiff Leg Deadlift 45 minutes 2. Bar Split Squat 45 minutes 2. Stiff Leg Deadlift
3. 60o Leg Extension Machine   3. Dumbell Side Step Ups   3. 60o Leg Extension Machine
4. Leg Curl Machine   4. Machine Chest Press   4. Leg Curl Machine
5. Medium Grip Assist Pullup   5. Dumbell Military Press   5. Medium Grip Assist Pullup
6. Bar Bent Over Row   6. Bar Skull Crusher   6. Bar Bent Over Row
7. Swiss Ball Situp   7. Bar Curl   7. Swiss Ball Situp
8. Bicycle Crunch   8. Double Crunch   8. Bicycle Crunch
9. Treadmill Jog 15 minutes   9. Treadmill Jog 15 minutes   9. Treadmill Jog 15 minutes
10. 10 minute stretch   10. 10 minute stretch   10. 10 minute stretch

On some days we have supersets and some days just straight sets. A superset alternates two different exercises with no rest. For example on Monday of week 1 is a superset day. The first exercise is a Leg Press Machine which is supersetted with the Lat Pulldown without rest. Once you complete the Lat Pulldown you can rest for about 1-2 minutes. Then resume to a second set with the Leg Press Machine. Benefits of superset: increases heart rate dramatically, allows you to complete the workout faster, naturally increase your growth hormone levels at faster pace, and you'll feel great when you have completed the workout for the day! Reward yourself after with a nice healthy post-workout meal.

On each day we have listed how many sets and repetitions are to be completed for each pair of supersets. On Monday of week 1 we have "3x15" which means 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

On Monday of week 3 we have "1x12,10,8" which means first set at 12 repetitions, second set of 10 repetitions, and third set at 8 repetitions. You must increase the exercise load by some amount in order to challenge yourself each set

Next month we'll be looking at how we can perform specific stretching routines.

As Albert Einstein once said "There is nothing that is a more certain sign of insanity than to do the same thing over and over and expect the results to be different."

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to ALL!


Christian

"My heart and soul is vibrating like a volcano, and I am breathing like a dragon, The Fire of Life."