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Article of the Month
The Ten Minute Total Body Workout
By Brad Schoenfeld, CSCS, CPT
Who's got time to work out? If you're like most women, you're too busy running around, dealing with life's challenges. After all, with so much going on, where are you going to find a couple of hours to spend in the gym?
Fortunately, you don't need to devote a lot of time in order to stay fit. In fact, if you've got ten minutes to spare, then you have enough time to get in a great bodysculpting workout. The Ten-Minute Bodysculpting Solution is a streamlined routine that will optimally target all of the major muscles in your body. By utilizing a technique called supersets, where one exercise is followed directly by another, you can efficiently sculpt your body to its ultimate potential. Moreover, since only a bench and a set of dumbbells are required, you can perform the workout without leaving the comfort of your own home!
The routine should be performed three days per week, training your muscles in the following order:
Day One:Shoulders/Triceps/Biceps
Day Two:Back/Chest/Abdominals
Day Three:Thigh/Hamstrings/Calves
For best results, the following protocols should be observed:
- The supersets for each muscle group should be performed in succession (i.e. shoulders immediately followed by biceps immediately followed by triceps, etc.), in essence creating one "giant set.
- Perform each giant set three times.
- Rest approximately 30 seconds between each giant set.
- Repetitions should be kept between 12 to 15 per set.
- Weights should be heavy enough where it is difficult to complete the last few reps of each set.
- The routine should be performed on non-consecutive days (i.e. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, etc.).
Using these protocols, here's the routine:
SHOULDER SUPERSET
Arnold Press:Grasp two dumbbells and bring the weights to shoulder level with your palms facing toward your body. Press the dumbbells directly upward, simultaneously rotating your hands so that your palms face forward during the last portion of the movement. Touch the weights together over your head and then slowly return them along the same arc, rotating your hands back to the starting position.
Lateral Raise:Grasp two dumbbells and allow the weights to hang by your hips. With a slight bend to your elbows, raise the dumbbells up and out to the sides until they reach shoulder level. At the top of the movement, the rear of the dumbbells should be slightly higher than the front. Slowly return the weights back to the starting position.
BICEPS SUPERSET
Incline Hammer Curl:Lie back on a 45-degree incline bench. Grasp two dumbbells and allow the weights to hang by your hips with your palms facing inward toward each other. Curl the dumbbells upward toward shoulder level keeping your palms facing each other throughout the movement. Slowly return the weights back to the starting position.
Prone Incline Curl:Lie face down on a 45-degree incline bench. Grasp two dumbbells and allow the weights to hang straight down from your shoulders with your palms facing away from your body. Curl the dumbbells upward toward shoulder level keeping your elbows forward throughout the movement. Slowly return the weights back to the starting position.
TRICEPS SUPERSET
Triceps Kickback:Stand with your body bent forward. Grasp two dumbbells and press your arms against your sides with your elbows bent at 90-degree angles. With your palms facing your body, raise the weight by straightening your arms until they are parallel with the floor. Slowly return the weights back to the starting position.
Dumbbell Nosebreakers:Lie back on a flat bench. Grasp two dumbbells and hold them overhead with your palms facing each other. Keeping your elbows in, slowly lower the dumbbells until the weights are just above the level of your head. Press the dumbbells back up until they reach the starting position.
FRONTAL THIGH SUPERSET
Side LungeStand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Grasp two dumbbells and hold one in front and one in back of your body. Keeping your left leg straight, bend your right knee out to the side until your right thigh is parallel with the floor. Slowly rise back up and then repeat this process immediately on the left side.
Sissy SquatStand on your toes and grasp an incline bench with one hand. Slant your torso back, bend your knees and lower your body downward. Thrust your knees forward as you descend and lean back until your torso is almost parallel with the floor. Slowly rise upward until you reach the starting position.
HAMSTRINGS/GLUTES SUPERSET
Stiff Legged DeadliftStand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grasp two dumbbells and let them hang in front of your body. Keeping your knees straight, slowly bend forward at the waist and lower and lower the dumbbells down until they touch your toes. Slowly rise upward until you reach the starting position.
Bench Hamstring CurlLie face down on a bench. Place a dumbbell between your ankles and bring your legs into a parallel position with the floor. Curl your legs upward until the dumbbell approaches your butt. Slowly lower the weight back down until you reach the starting position.
CALVES SUPERSET
Standing Calf RaiseFrom a standing position, grasp a pair of dumbbells and let them hang by your hips. Rise up as high as possible onto your toes until your calves are fully flexed. Slowly reverse direction until your heels touch the floor.
Seated Calf RaiseSit at the edge of a bench and position a dumbbell across your thighs near your knees. Place your toes on a small block of wood and allow your heels to drop as far below your toes as possible. Rise up as far as you can onto your toes until your calves are fully flexed. Slowly reverse direction until you reach the starting position.
BACK SUPERSET
Bent RowStand with your body bent forward. Grasp a pair of dumbbells and allow the weights to hang straight down from your shoulders with your palms facing each other. Keeping your elbows back and close to your body, pull the dumbbells upward as high as possible. Slowly return the dumbbells back to the starting position.
PulloverLie back on a flat bench. Grasp a dumbbell with both hands and raise it directly over your face. Keeping your arms slightly bent, slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head as far as comfortably possible. Reverse direction and return the dumbbell back to the starting position.
CHEST SUPERSET
Flat PressLie back on a flat bench. Grasp a pair of dumbbells and let them rest at your armpits with your palms facing forward. Keeping your elbows back, lift the weights straight up over your chest and touch them together at the top. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Incline FlyeLie back on a 45-degree incline bench. Grasp a pair of dumbbells and lower them out and down to either side of your body in a wide arc. Keeping your arms slightly bent, raise the weights over your head in a semi-circular, hugging motion. Slowly return the dumbbells back to the starting position.
ABDOMINALS SUPERSET
Weighted CrunchLie on your back with your lower legs resting across a flat bench. Holding a dumbbell across your chest, raise your shoulders up while keeping your lower back pressed to the floor. Slowly return to the starting position
Bench Reverse CurlLie back on a flat bench. Holding on to the sides of the bench, curl your knees into your stomach and raise your butt as high as possible while keeping your upper back pressed to the bench. Slowly return to the starting position.
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