Home Workout Book

Description

This book consists of a 12-week programme.

Three undulating workouts lasting 4 weeks each including warm-ups and conditioning.

Each of the 33 exercises featured come with images, execution instruction and muscles used.

FAQ’s

What is a superset?

A superset is pairing two exercises ‘back to back’,  so that you go straight from one to the other, resting in-between ‘rounds’.

Why are some exercises paired together?

The exercises in this program are paired together in a specific and complementary manner in three main ways:

What we do we must undo: With bigger compound extension based movements such as the squat and deadlift, they are paired together with a core stability exercise to help maintain the ‘brace’ position needed for these movements and to ‘undo’ the aggressive extension.

Antagonistic supersets: pairing pushing and pulling exercises together is a very time-efficient way of training, as one group of muscles ‘rests’ while the opposite is working

Upper / lower supersets: pairing together upper body and lower body movements take advantage of a phenomenon known as ‘venous shunt’, where the body must move blood from one set of working muscles to another.  When these muscles are at different ends of the body the cardiovascular system must work hard to keep balance.  This type of programming is an excellent way of creating a conditioning effect from resistance training.

Why are the sets and reps different each week?

The program is designed to undulate.  Some exercises are harder in different weeks.  Across a four week block you will follow the following model:

Week 1 Moderate
Week 2 Hard
Week 3 Hardest
Week 4 Light

This is based on the principle that a new program is hard as there is a skill acquisition element to new movements.  By week 3 you should be skilled enough in the movements to be able to challenge them through load and volume.  Week 4 we back off,  focusing more on movement quality.  This allows you to be ready for the challenge of learning new movements again in week 1 of the next block.

Why are some exercises given more volume than others?

Typically I will program bigger compound movements with fewer reps and more sets.  Then smaller single joint or ‘accessory’ movements with fewer sets and higher reps.  I have found that this balance enables a client to focus on force production through the bigger lifts,  but also see the body composition benefits of greater volume in the accessory work.  This approach also allows us to tailor the accessory work for a particular aesthetic outcome if desired – without detracting from the client’s physical well being and performance.