TOTAL-BODY

WORKBOOK
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2.0

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WORDS LOU SCHULER. PHOTOGRAPHY RICHARD CORMAN

& Chest
The second instalment of our all-new, ten-part
series that will teach you how to build the
body you want… www.menshealth.co.uk | MEN’S HEALTH MONTH 2000 | 1
 » Over the years,
you’ve learned to
avoid unstable
situations – jobs in Iraq and
horse-loving girlfriends, for
example – because your life
is a lot easier that way. 3
THE MUSCLES
1 F R O N T D E LT O I D
2 PECTORALIS MAJOR
3 UPPER TRAPEZIUS
4 R E A R D E LT O I D
5 L ATIS SIMUS DORSI
6 MIDDLE TRAPEZIUS
And you probably apply the
1
same thinking to your workouts.
That is, you do exercises – such 4

as the standard bench press –

with your body in a supported,
stable position in order to
5
isolate specific muscle groups. 6
But performing the same 2
exercises while you’re in an
unstable position – so you
have to balance yourself as
you lift – forces the smaller,
surrounding muscles to work
too. And that means a more
productive workout. The rest of your workout
Using instability to your Do the chest and back exercises first in your workout – in other words, do the exercises described
advantage can lead to the best here in Chapter Two. After that, it’s up to you how to fit in exercises for other muscle groups.
gains you’ve ever achieved in Most important: Working the front and neglecting the back is a recipe for injury. Some suggestions:
strength, muscle and athletic
performance, says Michael »BEGINNER »INTERMEDIATE »ADVANCED
Mejia, our workout expert. Think Do a total-body workout two or Divide your programme into two Divide your workout into four
about when you first learned three times a week. After you workouts: one for upper body, one parts. Do each one once a week;
to walk. As you advanced from finish your chest and back for lower. Alternate the two, taking don’t work out more than two
crawling to standing to walking, exercises, try one set of 8 to 12 a day off after each. So you’d days in a row.
your body position became repetitions of the following do the upper-body workout on 1. Chest and back.
less stable. But as a result exercises (except where noted): Monday and Friday of one week 2. Knee-dominant exercises
you became stronger. That’s Squat (or leg press) and the lower-body workout on (described on the left), plus
because your muscles had to Leg curl Wednesday, then the next week abs and calves.
perform better at each stage. Seated alternating you’d do the lower-body workout 3. Shoulders and arms.
In this plan you’ll give your dumb-bell press on Monday and Friday and the 4. Hip-dominant exercises
chest and back the same Cable triceps extension upper-body on Wednesday. (also described on the left),
advantage. By changing from Dumb-bell biceps curl Upper-body workout After doing plus abs and calves again.
stable to less stable positions, Crunch (15 to 20 reps) this instalment’s chest and back
you’ll not only build the muscles programme, choose one exercise
you can see, but you’ll also each for shoulders, biceps and
build the underlying stabiliser triceps. Do two or three sets of
muscles you’ve ignored for the shoulder exercise and one or
years. And by training your two sets of the arm exercises.
body in unstable positions, Lower-body workout Choose one
you’ll prepare it to be more ‘hip-dominant’ exercise, meaning
stable when it counts – like the main emphasis is on the
when it’s time to get away from hamstrings and gluteals (eg step-
that horse-loving girlfriend. ups and deadlifts). Then choose
one ‘knee-dominant’ exercise,
»Version 2.0 of the Total-Body meaning the emphasis is on the
Workbook is a sequel to a series quadriceps on the front of the »YEAR PL ANNER
we ran in Men’s Health during thigh (eg squats, leg presses and May: Shoulders
WORKOUT PHOTOGRAPHY BETH BISCHOFF

the winter of 2000/01. The first lunges). Do two or three warm-up June: Chest and Back 1
workbook explained how to sets and two work sets. (A work July/August: Chest and Back 2
develop every muscle group that set uses the most weight you can September: Legs and Backside 1
counts. This time we’re back with for that number of reps. The warm- October: Legs and Backside 2
a hybrid – a plan that develops up sets should be percentages of November: Abs and Lower Back
two muscle groups at a time. that weight – say 40%, 60% and December: Arms 1
Stick with it and you’ll build the 80%. Do fewer reps in each Jan/Feb: Arms 2
body you want in just three warm-up set.) Add your choice March: Total-Body Muscle
workouts a week. Guaranteed. of abdominal and calf exercises. April: Total-Body Fat Loss
D I F F I C U LT Y L E V E L
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 TOTAL-BODY
WORKBOOK
Chest & Back beginner version
2.0
If you’re new to weight-lifting – or even returning to it
after a long layoff – consider yourself a beginner.

Do these four beginner exercises THREE-POINT

for four weeks. PRESS-UP
●Get into press-up
Week 1 » Do 1 set of 10 to 12 reps position – your hands
of each exercise. set slightly wider than
Week 2 » 1 to 2 sets of 10 to 12 reps. and in line with your
Week 3 » 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps. shoulders – with your
Week 4 » 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps. arms straight. Place the
Increase weights each week. ball of your left foot on
top of your right heel.
●Keep your back flat,
and lower your body
until your chest nearly
touches the floor.
●Pause, then push back
up to the start position.

FLAT-BENCH FLY floor and in line PRONATED LAT-

(FEET ELEVATED) with your ears. PULL-DOWN
●Grab a pair of dumb- ●Pause, then lift the ●Grab a lat pull-down bar
bells and lie on your dumb-bells back to with a shoulder-width,
back on a flat bench, the starting position. overhand grip.
with your hips and knees ●Moving only your arms,
bent at 90 degrees pull the bar down to your
and your feet in the air. chest by squeezing your
Hold the dumb-bells shoulder blades together.
over your chest with ●Pause, then slowly return
your elbows slightly to the starting position.
bent and thumbs turned
towards each other.
●Slowly lower the dumb-
bells down and slightly
back until your upper
arms are parallel to the

45-DEGREE PRONE your shoulder blades

DUMB-BELL ROW together. Your upper
●Set an incline bench to arms should be almost
a 45-degree angle. Grab perpendicular to your
a pair of dumb-bells and body at the top of the
lie chest-down against move. Your forearms
the pad. Let your arms should be pointing
hang straight down towards the floor.
from your shoulders ●Pause, then slowly lower
and turn your palms the weights to the
so your thumbs are starting position.
facing each other.
●Bend your elbows and lift
your upper arms as high
as you can by squeezing

●
➤➤
 D I F F I C U LT Y L E V E L
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Chest & Back intermediate advanced

An intermediate has been lifting for at least six months to a year and has seen gains
in strength and muscle mass. An advanced lifter has been lifting for more than a
year and is proficient at squats and deadlifts, and can do at least five pull-ups.

As an intermediate, do the six intermediate/ SWISS-BALL PRESS-UP

advanced moves shown here for four weeks. ●Get into press-up
position but instead of
Weeks 1–2 » 2 sets of 10 to 12 reps. placing your feet on the
Weeks 3–4 » 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps. floor, rest your shins on
a Swiss ball. With arms
As an advanced lifter, do the six intermediate/ straight and back flat,
advanced moves shown here for four weeks. your body should form a
straight line from your
Weeks 1–2 » 2 sets of 6 to 8 reps, after shoulders to your ankles.
a thorough warm-up with ●Lower your body until
lighter weights. your chest nearly
Weeks 3–4 » 2–3 sets of 4 to 6 reps, touches the floor.
after warm-up. ●Pause, then push
Weeks 5–6 » 2 sets of 6 to 8 reps. yourself back up to
Weeks 7–8 » 2 to 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps. the starting position.

ALTERNATING DECLINE ●Hold the dumb-bells just

DUMB-BELL PRESS outside your shoulders,
●Grab a pair of dumb- with arms bent and
bells and lie on your palms facing forward.
back on a decline bench. ●Push one dumb-bell up
and slightly towards your
head, so when your arm
is extended, the dumb-
bell is above your chin.
●As you lower the dumb-
bell back to your chest,
repeat the movement
with your other arm.
●Alternate until you finish
the set.
●Alternate the arm you
start with on each set.

LOW-TO-HIGH ● Pull the handles up

CABLE FLY and together without
● Attach two stirrup changing the angle of
handles to the low your elbows, until the
cables of a cable- handles are level with
crossover station. your eyes.
● Grab the left handle ● Pause, then return
with your left hand and to the starting
the right handle with position.
your right. Now stand
upright in a staggered
stance in the middle of
the station, with your
arms outstretched but
slightly bent.
 TOTAL-BODY
WORKBOOK
version
2.0

SNATCH-GRIP
BENT-OVER ROW
●Grab a bar-bell with an
overhand grip that’s as
wide as comfortably
possible. Stand with your
feet shoulder-width apart
and knees slightly bent.
Bend at your hips,
lowering your torso about
45 degrees, and let the
bar hang straight down
from your shoulders.
●Pull the bar up to your
torso, pause, then slowly
lower it back down.

TOWEL PULL-DOWN ● Pause, then slowly

● Drape a towel over return to the
each handgrip of a lat- starting position.
pull-down bar. Sit on
the bench and grab the
ends of each towel so
that your palms are
facing each other.
● Moving only your
arms, pull the bar
down below your
chin by squeezing
your shoulder
blades together.

SEATED REAR
LATERAL RAISE
●Grab a pair of dumb-bells GET VIDEO
and sit at the end of a CLIPS!
bench. With your back flat Just click any of the pictures
and elbows slightly bent, and we’ll zip you off to our website
lean forward at the waist to see the move played out in full.
as far as you can. Let the MISSED A CHAPTER?
dumb-bells hang at arm’s Each costs just £1 from
length, with thumbs www.menshealth.co.uk/
facing each other. totalbody
●Slowly raise the dumb-
bells as high as you can
without changing the
angle of your elbows.
●Pause, then lower back
to the starting position. ■
●