Directions
FREQUENCY: Phase X is broken into two parts. Part I consists of Workout A, B, and C, and shoud be followed for four weeks. Part II consists of Workouts D, E, and F, which you’ll also follow for four weeks. Complete all of the workouts in Part I before moving on to Part II. Perform each workout once per week, resting at least a day between each session.
HOW TO DO IT: Perform each pair of exercises (marked A and B) as alternating sets, resting the prescribed amount of time after each set. (So you’ll do one set of A, rest, then one set of B, rest again, and repeat for all the prescribed sets for each exercise.) In Workout E, you’ll perform a tri-set, marked lower-case a, b, and c. This means you’ll complete one set for each of the three exercises without resting in between. So you’ll do all your reps for 3a, then all your reps for 3b, and then 3c before resting.
Perform the remaining exercises as straight sets, completing all the prescribed sets for an exercise before moving on.
TEMPO: The first digit is how many seconds you should take to lower the weight. The second digit is how long you should pause at the bottom (when your muscles are under the most tension). The third digit is how long you should take to lift the weight. A “0” means to move right to the next digit, and an “X” in place of digits means to perform each rep with explosive speed.
WEIGHT: For the exercises that list “relative rep max” next to the reps, use the heaviest weight that allows you to perform all the given reps on the first set, and then adjust it on the sets that follow. This means that you can go for broke on the first set, using a weight you know you won’t be able to use again for the specified number of reps on the sets that follow. You’ll then use lesser weights (though equally challenging) on the remaining sets.
Unless otherwise noted, use the heaviest weight that allows you to complete all the prescribed repetitions for each set.
1 Romanian Deadlift/Bentover Row/Jump Shrug Complex
Sets: 2–3 Reps: 10 Tempo: 211 Rest: 90–120
2A Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Press
Sets: 2–3 Reps: 10 Tempo: 311 Rest: 60 sec.
2B Overhead Lunge
Sets: 2–3 Reps: 10 (each leg) Tempo: 311 Rest: 60 sec.
3A Mixed-Grip Pullup
Sets: 2–3 Reps: 10 Tempo: X Rest: 60 sec.
3B Single-Leg Bridge
Sets: 2–3 Reps: 10 (each leg) Tempo: 201 Rest: 60 sec.
4A Swiss-Ball Crunch
Sets: 2 Reps: 10 Tempo: 311 Rest: 0 sec.
4B Swiss-Ball Side Crunch
Sets: 2 Reps: 10 Tempo: 311 Rest: 0 sec.
4C Reverse Crunch
Sets: 2 Reps: 10 Tempo: 311 Rest: 60 sec.
