Back To Basics

Everyday I get a question on what someone thinks of a certain exercise. "Doug, what do you think of the 1 foot elevated push-up, on a bosu ball, with a dumbbell balanced on my back, during a thunderstorm, and the Beatles playing in the background.?" Too many people try to complicate their programs so much that they are no longer effective. That same person that asked the above question most likely skips half their workouts and has a double cheeseburger and a bud light as their post-workout meal.

Don't get me wrong, there is place in a workout for a 1 foot elevated push-up on a bosu ball, but for the average Joe or Jane they need to focus on the basics. If you have not consistently stuck to a designed program for 4-6 weeks you need to go back to the basics. What are the basics?

In my opinion, the most basic program you can do is a full-body program, 3 times a week, with a day off in between each workout. Before you start throwing in all these complex exercises, super-sets, negatives, and all the other things, you need to build a foundation. YOU WILL NOT SEE RESULTS IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GOOD FOUNDATION BUILT!

This full-body program is what I consider to be the most basic of programs, and for a beginner, does an excellent job at building a solid foundation that can be built on.

Program completed: Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

Rest: 30-45 seconds

Tempo: 2/1/2

Sets/Reps: 3sets of 10reps

Exercises(In this order):

Squat

Chest Press

Back Row

Shoulder Press

Triceps Pressdown

Biceps Curl

Abdominal Plank

The science behind this program is simple. You take each muscle group, largest to smallest, and choose a fundamental exercise for that group. Keeping the rest periods short adds some endurance to the workout, and the tempo is a pretty standard tempo, nothing too slow or too fast.

Now, is this a program for a elite athlete, or a power lifter? Hell no! If you're EDUCATED on what you're doing, and have been lifting properly is this the appropriate program for you? Hell no! However, if you go into the gym with no plan, shoot the shit with your friends, and come out accomplishing absolutely nothing, this may be a good program to build your foundation. If you go to the gym less than the Red Sox beat the Orioles, then this may be a good program to build your foundation.

A house can't be built without a foundation. If you have your foundation built, then you need a more specialized, periodized program. However, I can guarantee you most of the population out there does not have their foundation built, and doing this program CONSTANTLY for 4-6 weeks will build a solid foundation.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

As always, any questions or comments shoot me an e-mail.

Best,

Doug Spurling, BS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT

Spuring Strength & Speed

Dspurling@une.edu

What came first the chicken or the egg?

I wanted to share this article with you all one more time. I had yet another encounter of someone mentioning they are throwing away the yolks of their eggs and only eating the whites. Little do they know, all the nutrition is in the yolk. Read the article below and you will see why eating the whole egg is the better choice.

Click here for the truth about eggs

Best,

Doug Spurling, BS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT

Spurling Strength & Speed

dspurling@une.edu

German Body Composition

Did you indulge in a few too many fruity drinks with umbrellas or friend clams on the beach this summer? Got a few extra pounds that need to be shredded for an upcoming wedding? Is your sport starting up and you need to get whipped into shape quick? If your goal is to get into better shape and shed some baggage I have a program for you.

German Body Composition, GBC for short, will rip fat off your body quicker then you can put a whoppie pie down. In a nutshell, the program is based on short rest intervals, super-setting different body parts, pushing you lactate threshold to the max, and increasing your growth hormone.

Here is what a German Body Composition program looks like:

Day One: Chest and Back

A1. 6 Incline Dumbbell Presses at 45-degree angle
Rest 10 seconds
A2. 12 Incline Barbell Presses at 45-degree angle
Rest 10 seconds
A3. 25 Incline Dumbbell Press at 30-degree angle
**Rest 2 minutes
**Repeat 3 times

B1. 6 Weighted Chins
Rest 10 seconds
B2. 12 Bent-over Rows
Rest 10 seconds
B3. 25 Seated Cable Rows
**Rest 2 minutes
**Repeat 3 times

Day Two: Legs

A1. 6 Squats
Rest 10 seconds
A2. 12 Lunges
Rest 10 seconds
A3. 25 Leg Extensions
**Rest 2 minutes
**Repeat 3 times

B1. 6 Leg Curls
Rest 10 seconds
B2. 12 Romanian Dead Lifts
Rest 10 seconds
B3. 25 Reverse Hypers/Back Extensions
**Rest 2 Minutes
**Repeat 3 times

Day Three: OFF

Day Four: Arms and Shoulders

A1. 6 Seated Dumbbell Presses
Rest 10 seconds
A2. 12 Seated Lateral Raises
Rest 10 seconds
A3. 26 Front/Posterior Raises
**Rest 2 minutes
**Repeat 3 times

B1. 6 Dips or Close-Grip Bench Presses
Rest 10 seconds
B2. 12 Skull Crushers
Rest 10 seconds
B3. 25 Cable Pressdowns
**Rest 2 minutes
**Repeat 3 times

C1. 6 incline Dumbbell Curls
Rest 10 seconds
C2. 12 Standing Barbell Curls
Rest 10 seconds
C3. 25 Standing Pulley Curls
**Rest 2 minutes
**Repeat 3 times

Day Five: OFF

REPEAT

Seems pretty simply on paper, but with the short rest intervals you will be panting more than a German Shepherd on a hot August day. If your up to it, give this program a try and let me know how it goes for you.

As always, any questions regarding fitness, sports, or nutrition please don't hesitate to contact me. I am always looking for blog topics.

I hope you're out enjoying the final few days of nice weather, because before you know it we will be digging ourselves out of that fresh white powder!

Best,

Doug Spurling, BS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT

Spurling Strength & Speed

Dspurling@une.edu