Workout Number 1 – Chest and Triceps

Before we get stuck into it, I’d like to thank my good friend Nick. Nick is a qualified personal fitness instructor with a passion for exercising second to none. A lot of my training knowledge, workout ideas and facts about nutrition in this blog, I’ve picked up from him and then tailored to my own needs. He now lives in New Zealand which means we don’t see each other as regularly as I’d like to. I’m happy for him because he is very happy but I miss you buddy. I can’t wait to get some hardcore training sessions in when you’re next in London.

Alright, we’ve talked the talk. Now, it’s time to walk the walk!! Today is the first day of the rest of your life. We were always going to have to start the workouts eventually so let’s get right into it. Depending on your goal, the workout routine will look different for each and every one of you. You can join my training plan absolutely for free. Alternatively, email me with your goal and timeline (i.e. half marathon race in April, full marathon race in June, want to lose 20 lb by May, etc.) and I’ll put together a specific workout tailored just for you. My aim is to get fit, ready for the beach and into shape by July.

Back to the workout … Here’s what I’m doing. My weight sessions are divided into 3 different muscle groups. Number 1 – Chest and Triceps, Number 2 – Back and Biceps and Number 3 – Legs, Shoulders and Abs. As a bonus, we will train abs every time we exercise but #3 will have a special focus on core conditioning, i.e. working that abdominal strength.

All exercises are designed for maximum effect with limited effort. By linking muscle groups in the same workouts we’re aiming to work out everything at the same time. For example, your chest is a bigger muscle than your triceps so we’ll be focusing on that first. By the time your chest is tired, chances are your triceps will be quite shaky already. Then we finish off the triceps with one last exercise. In the early stages, you’ll find your triceps will weaken first, or at least before your chest. That’s a good thing. Every time it rebuilds itself it will grow stronger. We need your triceps strong so we can get your chest tired. Everything is linked.

Before lifting any weights, always warm up! You are not saving time by skipping the 5 to 10 minutes jogging to increase body temperature and a bit stretching. You’re more likely to injure yourself which will put you out of the game for several weeks and needless to say, you’ll miss out on achieving your goal. Always warm up!!

Warm Up: 5 minute jog

Warm up: Push Ups -  do as many Push Ups as you can. Repeat once

3 x 10 Flat Benchpress, Barbell

Step 1: Lie on your back on a bench with feet firmly rested on the floor.

Step 2: Firmly grip the bar with an overhand grasp ensuring the wrists are straight.

Step 3: Brace your abdominals to maintain a straight back. Extend your elbows, thereby lifting the bar off the rack.

Step 4: Position the bar over the chest. Breath in slowly while lowering the bar to mid chest level. Don’t jerk and/or swerve helplessly. Stay in control, you direct the bar.

Step 5: Lower the bar until your elbows are at right angles (aim to align the bar so it sits on a line drawn connecting your nipples, never actually rest it on your chest).

Step 6: Pause briefly, breath out and push the bar back upwards, by extending the arms at the elbow. Repeat 10 times.

3 x 10 Incline Benchpress, Barbell*

Same as Flat Benchpress, Barbell except adjust the back rest of the bench on an incline

3 x 10 Decline Benchpress, Barbell*

Same as Flat Benchpress, Barbell except move the back rest of the bench on a decline.

*During Incline Barbell and Decline Barbell, you'll be significantly lowering your weights (vs flat), reduce your weights by about 30%.

3 x 10 Benchpress, Dumbbell, Inclined

Same as Incline Benchpress, Barbell except use dumbbells on a high incline. This will also target the front of your shoulders.

You’ll be wondering, how heavy you should be lifting. This will differ from one person to another. To estimate what you can personally lift is difficult to say for me. You will have to do two things. (1) Estimate how long it’s been since you’ve lifted any weights and guess what you can lift now. (2) Keep track and use the first sessions to get a gauge on what you should be lifting next week and in the coming weeks. You’ll be doing this same exercise routine again in one weeks’ time so you need to remember what you were lifting. Keep a score card and note your progress. Particularly during your first session but always keep in mind, if you’re lifting heavy you should always have someone spot you. I recommend you lift as heavy as possible for you but go for slow, smooth and controlled motions, always staying in control of the bar and dumbbells. You want to feel your muscles having tired after completing the third set, i.e. completing the last 4 reps of the third set should be a struggle.

Undoubtedly, these four chest exercises targeting slightly different muscles around your chest will have taken it out of you. By now, both your chest and triceps should be sufficiently weakened and you should really struggle on the last set. Push yourself as hard as you can. When you think you can’t do that last reputation to finish the set, do another rep. You can! If you don’t have someone to spot you, hang up the bar/dumbbells with your last efforts. Let’s finally finish off this muscle group with a quick superset.

3 x 10 Dumbbell Flies + Triceps Dips (Super-Sets)

Step 1: Take hold of a dumbbell in each hand and lie back on a bench. Firmly place feet on the floor.

Step 2: Ensure alignment of the spine by bracing the abdominals and back muscles. Ensure your full back is in contact with the bench.

Step 3: Extend arms and position the dumbbells together directly over the middle of the chest.

Step 4: Fix the elbows, with a slight bend

Step 5: Gently lower the arms to the horizontal position either side of your torso, whilst maintaining fixed elbow position with a slight bend until the shoulders are fully extended.

Step 6: Raise the arms back to the original position by horizontally flexing the shoulders whilst maintaining the fixed elbow position. Repeat 10 times (Flies).

Step 7: Immediately move off the bench and into the next stage of the super-set, release dumbbells and position your hands shoulder width apart on a stable bench.

Step 8: Move your backside in front of the bench with your legs bent and feet placed about hip width apart on the floor (straighten your arms and keep a little bend in your elbows in order to always keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints).

Step 9: Slowly bend at elbows while lowering your upper body down towards the floor until your arms are at about a 90 degree angle. Always keep your back close to the bench.

Step 10: Pause briefly, breath out and slowly push off with your hands, and press yourself straight back up to the starting position. Repeat 10 times (Dips).

We’re almost done. Let’s finish with an abdominal workout and we’re golden for today! Go for as many reps as possible and push yourself as hard as you can. I mean that, keep pushing! This one really needs squeezing! Keep going! One more round. Come on!

- Jack Knife Sit-Up / V-Up (to failure)

- Ab Crunches / Sit-Up (to failure)

- Alternating Superman (to failure)

- Plank on elbows and toes (hold for 1 minute)

Repeat twice.

The overall workout duration should be between 50mins – 60mins. Give yourself approx. 30-45 seconds rest between the sets and you can complete the full cycle in the given time. For the first 7 weeks, we will stick to 3 x 10 reps. See my previous post on Adjusting Your Lifestyle - “I’ve decided to split up into 3 x 7 week long training camps”. During the second 7 week camp we will increase this to 3 sets of 12 reps for each exercise.

Once you’ve completed todays training session, you should immediately replenish the broken down muscles with a protein supplement (a review of several supplements will follow in future posts). Following your workout, you have a 30 – 90 minute window where (1) you need to give back to your body what you just took out of it and (2) you will still be burning calories. As I already mentioned, a lot of future posts will include info on nutrition so keep coming back. My favourite post workout meal is pasta and Bolognese. I normally never eat pasta, except on days when I train. If you’re ever going to eat pasta, now is the time. Don’t go crazy though – no more than half a cup. Focus on getting enough protein. Another favourite and an even leaner post workout meal is pasta with chicken with side salad. Go for 250gr of juicy boneless, skinless chicken breast, half a cup of pasta, with a cucumber, tomato, basil and feta cheese salad on the side.

Make sure you get some rest tonight. You should be physically tired and sleeping will not be a problem tonight. When you wake up tomorrow, you will be feeling sore. This state is called DOMS (no joke) which stands for delayed onset muscle soreness. This is basically the stiffness felt in muscles for several hours and days following unaccustomed and strenuous exercise. You will get used to feeling like this. This is what we’re working towards during every training session. As you get stronger, it will be tougher for you to break down muscle and achieve this feeling. Also, in a few weeks you will enjoy feeling like this much more.

These workout results (DOMS) may sound extreme but believe me you will feel better for exercising. Yes, you will feel both physically better as well as mentally sharper. And this is after only one session. Wait till we’ve done this for a couple of months – you will feel better than you are feeling today! Don’t forget to stretch out regularly particularly in the mornings after waking up and at night before going to bed.