Any workout that doesn’t involve a certain minimum of danger or responsibility doesn’t improve the body; it just wears it out.” This quote from Norman Mailer—a combative world-class writer who wouldn’t take shit from anyone—reflects the essence of training that pushes your limits. Because of its unique construction, the following workout is called a reversing-switchback super-circuit for the upper body and—because of its shock value to the muscles—it pushes your body right to the edge.
Thanks to the way this upper-body super-circuit weaves itself, forcing you to handle reps and poundage in a unique fashion, it expedites muscle growth and improvements in strength. The progressively shorter rest periods increase the intensity of the super-circuit, hyping up your metabolism to help your body incinerate extra fat and then, as science has shown with such plans, keep burning it for hours afterwards. As well, because the workout hews to a circuit format, your cardio-respiratory capacity improves significantly.
Done regularly—three times a week on non-consecutive days—for up to six weeks at a time (assuming that you pay strict attention to form), this simple but demanding super-circuit will not wear out your body so much as improve it in ways you won’t believe.
CIRCUIT 1: Start heavy; 4-6 reps per exercise; rest one minute between each set
Dumbbell bench press > Two-arm bent-over dumbbell row > Standing dumbbell lateral raise > Seated alternating dumbbell curl > Seated dumbbell extension
CIRCUIT 2: Decrease weight if necessary; 8-10 reps per exercise; rest 45 seconds between each exercise
Seated dumbbell extension > Seated alternating dumbbell curl > Standing dumbbell lateral raise > Two-arm bent-over dumbbell row > Dumbbell bench press
CIRCUIT 3: Decrease weight; 10-12 reps per exercise; rest 45 seconds between each exercise
Dumbbell bench press > Two-arm bent-over dumbbell row > Standing dumbbell lateral raise > Seated alternating dumbbell curl > Seated dumbbell extension
CIRCUIT 4: Decrease weight if necessary; 12-15 reps per exercise; rest 15 seconds rest between each exercise
Seated dumbbell extension > Seated alternating dumbbell curl > Standing dumbbell lateral raise > Two-arm bent-over dumbbell row > Dumbbell bench press
Thanks to the way this upper-body super-circuit weaves itself, forcing you to handle reps and poundage in a unique fashion, it expedites muscle growth and improvements in strength. The progressively shorter rest periods increase the intensity of the super-circuit, hyping up your metabolism to help your body incinerate extra fat and then, as science has shown with such plans, keep burning it for hours afterwards. As well, because the workout hews to a circuit format, your cardio-respiratory capacity improves significantly.
Done regularly—three times a week on non-consecutive days—for up to six weeks at a time (assuming that you pay strict attention to form), this simple but demanding super-circuit will not wear out your body so much as improve it in ways you won’t believe.
CIRCUIT 1: Start heavy; 4-6 reps per exercise; rest one minute between each set
Dumbbell bench press > Two-arm bent-over dumbbell row > Standing dumbbell lateral raise > Seated alternating dumbbell curl > Seated dumbbell extension
CIRCUIT 2: Decrease weight if necessary; 8-10 reps per exercise; rest 45 seconds between each exercise
Seated dumbbell extension > Seated alternating dumbbell curl > Standing dumbbell lateral raise > Two-arm bent-over dumbbell row > Dumbbell bench press
CIRCUIT 3: Decrease weight; 10-12 reps per exercise; rest 45 seconds between each exercise
Dumbbell bench press > Two-arm bent-over dumbbell row > Standing dumbbell lateral raise > Seated alternating dumbbell curl > Seated dumbbell extension
CIRCUIT 4: Decrease weight if necessary; 12-15 reps per exercise; rest 15 seconds rest between each exercise
Seated dumbbell extension > Seated alternating dumbbell curl > Standing dumbbell lateral raise > Two-arm bent-over dumbbell row > Dumbbell bench press
0 Comments