Vest is best
Body-weight moves are simple and highly effective weapons in the battle for a better body. But add a weighted vest to your home routine and you’ll earn the big guns that win the war quicker than you can say, “I look like I’m wearing a flak jacket.” Personal trainer Scott H. Mendelson says, “Over time everyone needs to strategically increase loading, and without a vest trainees can do body-weight moves forever without seeing any changes in size or strength.” Use his simple weight-vest workout to sculpt lean muscle and obliterate strength barriers fast.
Weights and waits
"Perform the following in circuit fashion, with 30-90 seconds between each move, depending on your fitness levels and goals. A shorter rest period is best for those looking to maximise fat loss, while longer breaks will suit those looking to boost loading weight, and build muscle mass and strength fast," says Mendelson.
Complete 3-4 cycles following a warm-up with 6-8 reps per exercise. Reaching eight reps with proper form and tempo? Add more weight for the next set. "Make sure you have a vest with individual weight slots where you can add or subtract loading easily," adds Mendelson. Time spent hopping around after a weight drops on your toe is good cardio – but that's not what we're after here.
1. Body-weight pause squats
Fold your hands behind your head and start at the bottom of a squat position. Go up halfway to the top of the movement, back down to the bottom, and then all the way up to the top. On the way down, pause at the midpoint between the top and bottom for two seconds before continuing to the parallel position. This entire sequence represents one rep. “After doing a set you will likely form a new opinion about the difficulty of squats without a bar-bell load,” says Mendelson. “Good luck walking the next day!”
2. Press-ups
Lower yourself over a four-second count with a two-second pause on bottom – without relaxing. Try to keep your body straight, without allowing any hip sagging at all. “Push up explosively and you will feel the weight of the vest on every rep,” says Mendelson. “Take no rest between reps; you should be in a state of almost constant movement.”
3. Dynamic lunges
Quality of execution plays a big role in gaining the most benefits from this move. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and lunge forward with one leg to bring it in line with your back leg – your back knee should finish approximately in line with your back ankle. Keeping a consistent stride length for both legs is very important. Mark the proper length with chalk so you have a visual reminder during the workout. Push explosively off your front foot to put yourself back in the starting position and alternate the lunging leg after each rep. “If you feel your form deteriorating take off the vest completely and finish with body-weight only,” advises Mendelson.
4. Chin-ups
This is perhaps the hardest exercise to add weight to while keeping the full range of motion. Notice the name is a chin-up and not an eye-up. Ensure your chin is above the bar at the top of the movement and your arms are fully extended at the bottom. “Adding just 10lbs with a vest will make every rep far more challenging,” says Mendelson. “Loaded chins are one of the fastest ways possible to pack on quality lean body mass.”
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