Punch Harder, move faster, jump higher. The Viking Warrior Program.
Jul/100
This summer its time to tune in your inner athlete, focus on explosive movements with low rest to prepare your body to hit like a mack truck, run hard, and jump higher. Here is the plan for the next 8 weeks.
Monday and Thursday: Punch Harder
- DB Incline Press: 3 x 6,10,15 superset with push-ups to failure on last set: Rest 1 min between sets.
- Close Grip Smith Machine Press: 3 x 8-10 Rest 1 min between sets
- Triceps Rope Pushdowns Superset Overhead Rope Extensions: 3 x 10/10 Rest 1 min between sets.
- Barbell/Dumbbell curls: 3x 10-12 Rest 1 min between sets
- Lat Pulldowns superset Reverse Grip Pulldowns: 3 sets x 6/6/8/8/12/12 Rest 1 min between sets
- Dumbbell Rows Triple Drop Set: 3x 6/8/10
- Shoulders Press 3 x 8 superset lateral raises after each set.
- Abs: After each workout and no rest between the exercises
- Crunches: 1 set x 25
- Leg Raises: 1 set x 15
- Rope Crunches: 1 set x 10
After last set, immediately Grab Jump Rope and perform 1 minute of jumps. Rest 1 minute.
Then immediately after last superset Grab Jump Rope and perform 1 minute of jumps. Rest 1 minute.
Take, for example, a 90 lb DB and do 6 reps with right arm, put down and IMMEDIATELY pick up 30% less weight, say 60 lbs and do 8 reps, then reduce by 30% more and rep out until failure. Repeat with left arm. Then immediately Grab Jump Rope after last set of exercise and perform 1 minute of jumps. Even if you trip-up, keep going. The point is to get the heart rate up and keep moving. Rest 1 minute.
Directly after this workout do 20 minutes on bike/treadmill or elliptical.
Tuesday and Friday: Jump Higher
| Exercise | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | comment |
| Rim jumps | 3×10 | 4×10 | 5×10 | 2×10 | 2 minutes rest between sets |
| Rhythmic
lunge jumps |
3×10 (per leg) | 4×10 | 5×10 | 2×10 | 1 minute rest |
| Depth jump | 3×5 | 4×5 | 5×5 | 2×5 | Use moderate box around 18 inches
2 minutes rest |
| Jump squat | 3×12 | 4×10 | 5×8 | 2×6 | Perform rhythmically and with barbell
2 minutes rest |
| Romanian
Deadlift |
3×6 | 4×5 | 5×4 | 3×3 | The important thing is to add weight to the bar each week
3 minute rest |
| Full Squat | 3×6 | 4×5 | 5×4 | 3×3 | 3 minutes rest |
Wednesday: OFF
Saturday: Low Intensity Cardio
- Do one hour of low intensity cardio like incline walking, elliptical, biking or swimming.
Sunday: High Intensity Cardio
- Do one hour of high intensity cardio like interval sprints, boxing, running, or stairs / hills.
Ultimate 8 week summer workout plan
Mar/100
Want to get cut up for summer? Show your beach body? Not sure how?
Here is a step by step guide for the next 8 weeks of your life, no get to it!
Workout Fundamentals – Overall Frequency:
The workout frequency for this program is high. This is optimal for burning the most fat. The frequency used in this program would probably be overtraining if all the workouts were designed to build muscle. However, since there are several types of workouts, with varying parameters, a higher frequency is possible.
Muscle Maintenance Workouts:
These workouts should be similar to the ones you would use to build muscle. However, since we are trying to lose as much fat as possible, much of the workout schedule will be used up by other type of workouts. Therefore, it is important to get as much out of each muscle maintenance workout as possible. The goal should be to use heavier weights, and to perform sufficient volume, or total work, to optimally maintain muscle mass.
Progression:
Progression is still just as important as it was when bulking. However, focus on progression through reps & time, rather than increasing the weight. In other words, focus on increasing total reps (sets x reps) for each exercise, or on decreasing the total workout time. Increasing the weight used is still fine & effective, but I think that the using the other two ways is easier during this type of routine.
Exercise Choices:
Use weights that are approximately 85-90% of your 1RM. Note that your relative 1 RM will decrease throughout the workout, as you get fatigued.
Aim to perform a total of 25-35 repetitions for each primary exercise
Keep rest times at 30-90 seconds
Avoid training to failure on compound movements. It is ok to do for isolation exercises, but it isn’t necessary. Avoiding failure is especially important for this program, as the workout frequency will be high.
Many people will automatically include isolation exercise in a “good” routine for summer-cutting. However, in this case, they are not the best choice. The main benefit of isolation exercises are to focus on a specific area which needs more work. This is useful during the previous 8 months of bulking, when the goal is to build muscle & symmetry. Now, the goal is to maintain current muscle mass. Building up specific parts is not a priority.
That said, compound movements will provide the most bang for the buck, and will be the most effective at maintaining muscle mass. A few sets of sets to focus on the arms will not hurt, but drop the lateral raises, flyes, and leg curls.
Circuit Workouts:
The goal for these workouts is to aid with maintaining muscle mass, as well as boosting fat loss. As mentioned before, the amount of fat oxidation depends on the amount of calories burned. As such, the workouts will focus on using compound exercises which use large muscle groups.
Rest times will be short to maintain intensity. The rep ranges used should be in the neighborhood of 8-12 reps. This will allow for sufficient calorie burning, and it will also help to maintain muscle mass.
The Muscle Maintenance Workouts:
Workout A – Pull:
- 10 minute cardio warm-up (rowing machine & low intensity is perfect for this)
- Bent Over Barbell Rows or Seated Cable Rows
- 1 warm-up set – 15-20 reps
1 moderately heavy set – 8-10 reps
5 sets of 5 with 80-85% of 1RM - Pullups or Cable Pulldowns
- 1 moderately heavy set – 8-10 reps
5 sets of 5 with 80-85% of 1RM - Reverse Grip Pulldowns or Chins – 3 sets of 5 with 80-85% 1RM
- Barbell or Hammer Curls (optional) – 3 sets of 8
Workout B – Push:
- 10 minute warm-up
- Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press
- 1 warm-up set – 15-20 reps
1 moderately heavy set – 8-10 reps
5 sets of 5 with 80-85% of 1RM - Barbell or Dumbbell Incline Press
- 1 moderately heavy set – 8-10 reps
5 sets of 5 with 80-85% of 1RM - Dumbbell or Barbell Seated Overhead Press – 3 sets of 5 with 80-85% 1RM
- Tricep Pushdowns, Skull crushers, or Close-Grip Bench (optional) – 3 sets of 8
Workout C – Lower Body:
- 2-5 minute warm-up
- Squat or Deadlift (any variation)
1 warm-up set – 15-20 reps
1 moderately heavy set – 8-10 reps
5 sets of 5 with 80-85% of 1RM - Straight-Legged Deadlifts or Barbell Lunges
1 moderately heavy set – 8-10 reps
5 sets of 5 with 80-85% of 1RM - Reverse Grip Pulldowns or Chins – 3 sets of 5 with 80-85% 1RM
- Standing Calf Raises (optional) – 3 sets of 8 (lower the weight fairly slowly, and pause for 2-3 seconds at the bottom)
The Circuit Workout
The circuit workout will work all of the main muscles in the body. It will be fast paced in order to maximize the benefit. The exercise stations should be close to each other. Choose the exercises that will minimize walking time between stations.
Obviously, this depends on your gym, so exercise choices are flexible. The important thing is not the specific exercise, but that they work similar muscle groups. Thus, if squats and deadlifts are listed, and you want to do power cleans, it is perfectly ok for this workout.
The rest times should be as short as you can handle. The times given are broad to allow for this. If you need more time, that is ok. If you only need 20-30 seconds of rest, then don’t hesitate to keep going.
The Circuit Workout:
- 2-5 minute warm-up. (This can be cardio, bodyweight exercises, dynamic movements, or a mixture.)
- 1st set: Squats, deadlifts, or something similar – 10 reps @ 65-70% of 1RM
- 2nd set: Bench Press, any variation – 10 reps @ 65-70% of 1RM
- 3rd set: Barbell row, any variation – 10 reps @ 65-70% of 1RM
- 4th set: Chins, Pullups, or Pulldowns – 10 reps @ 65-70% of 1RM
- 5th set: Overhead Press, any variation – 10 reps @ 65-70% of 1 RM
- 6th set: Crunches, any variation – 10 reps @ 65-70% of 1 RM
- Rest for 30-120 seconds
Repeat this circuit at least 5 more times. The entire workout should last 20-30 minutes. If you are able to, complete 4-5 more circuits, or as many as you can within 30 minutes. The more circuits you complete, the more total fat will be burned.
Cardio Workouts
High-Intensity Option #1:
- Warm-up for 2-5 minutes at a slow, but gradually increasing pace
- Begin with an all out burst that lasts 15-30 seconds.
- ‘Rest’ at a slower pace for 15-45 seconds
- Repeat the all out burst for 15-30 second
- Rest for 15-45 seconds
Continue for at least 10 minutes (not including the warm-up), and as long as 15 minutes.
High-Intensity Option #2:
- Warm-up for 2-5 minutes, with gradually increasing speed
Exercise at the maximum effort that you can maintain for at least 10 minutes, not counting the warm-up, all the way up to 15 minutes. Adjust pace as necessary.
Alternate Cardio #1 – Moderate-High Intensity Cardio:
- Warm-up for 2-5 minutes, with gradually increasing speed
Exercise at the maximum effort you can maintain for at least 15 minutes, not counting the warm-up, all the way up to 30 minutes. Adjust pace as necessary.
Alternate Cardio #2 – Moderate Intensity:
- Warm-up for 2-5 minutes
Maintain a moderate pace, or 60-70% of maximum heart rate, for at least 30 minutes.
The Workout Schedule (put it all together)
Weeks 1 & 2 – Burn Fat & Maintain Muscle:
- Day 1 – Muscle maintenance workout A
- Day 2 – Muscle maintenance workout C
- Day 3 – Rest
- Day 4 – Cardio
- Day 5 – Circuit Workout
- Day 6 – Cardio
- Day 7 – Muscle maintenance workout B
Weeks 3 & 4 – Same As Week 1 & 2, Just With A Slightly Different Schedule:
- Day 1 – Muscle maintenance workout C
- Day 2 – Rest
- Day 3 – Cardio
- Day 4 – Circuit Workout
- Day 5 – Cardio
- Day 6 – Muscle maintenance workout B
- Day 7 – Muscle maintenance workout A
Weeks 5 & 6 – 1 Extra Rest Day, To Help Prevent Burnout:
- Day 1 – Muscle maintenance workout A
- Day 2 – Muscle maintenance workout C
- Day 3 – Muscle maintenance workout B
- Day 4 – Circuit Workout
- Day 5 – Rest
- Day 6 – Circuit Workout
- Day 7 – Rest
Week 7 – Max Fat Burn:
- Day 1 – Muscle maintenance workout C
- Day 2 – Muscle maintenance workout A or B
- Day 3 – Cardio
- Day 4 – Circuit Workout
- Day 5 – Rest
- Day 6 – Cardio
- Day 7 – Circuit Workout
Week 8 – Max Fat Burn:
- Day 1 – Muscle maintenance workout C
- Day 2 – Muscle maintenance workout A or B (different than week 7, day 2)
- Day 3 – Rest
- Day 3 – Cardio
- Day 4 – Circuit Workout
- Day 5 – Rest
- Day 6 – Cardio
- Day 7 – Circuit Workout
There you have it! this is your plan to get shredded this summer, you have no excuses now. Follow your diet and dont miss a work out I will guarantee you get the results you are after!
This is defiantly viking approved!
This workout was developed by mtguy8787
Post any questions to the comments and I will answer them, enjoy!
The Viking Workout!
Oct/091
While reading through recent crossfit excersices, I stumbled upon one I just had to post. I give you the Viking battle workout: 
- Row to shore: 1000m
- Run to battle: 800m
- Scale Walls: 50 Pull-ups
- Heave over ramparts: 50 Wall Balls (20#)
- Throw Blows: 100 Push-ups
- Run Back to boat: 800m
- Row Home with booty: 1000m
Do these exercises in sequence with as little rest as possible. Try to see how fast you can finish using correct form. Post a comment with your time, let’s see who’s battle ready!
MMA Week: Couture Training
Jul/090
In honor of UFC 100 coming up this weekend, I decided to share a few workouts for those of you interested in getting your body into fighting shape. I will post training tactics this week that will focus on explosive movements and core power, two key factors in getting your body ready for the cage. Today I will discuss a true MMA training staple, The Randy Couture workout.
Randy Couture is an American mixed martial artist, Greco-Roman wrestler, former collegiate wrestler, and the former heavyweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Couture is one of only two UFC fighters to have held a championship title in two different divisions (heavyweight and light heavyweight) while in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (the other fighter being BJ Penn), as well as the only five-time champion in UFC history. Couture is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame, and many consider him to be the most popular fighter in MMA history. His training techniques are guaranteed to be brutal and whip you into shape in a hurry! One of his most popular routines was a complex series he used to supplement his training. I recommend you try to mix this workout into your routine 3 times a week.
For this workout, do all the reps without letting go of the bar for the best conditioning effect:
I recommend you start with the 45lb empty bar and work up (depending on your base conditioning). Remember this is not a strentgh workout, its about fitness and endurance.
Do the following without stopping, that’s 1 set. Rest one minute, do 3-5 sets.
- Bent rows x8
- Upright rows x8
- Military press x8
- Good morning x8
- Lunges x8 (each leg)
- Squat push press x8
- Deadlift x8
Here is a video showing how this workout is done:
Keep the intensity high, enjoy!
The 300: For Vikings and Spartans alike
Jun/091
Everyone has seen the movie The 300, an amazing and visually stunning movie. One of the things that made the movie so stunning was the amazing physique of the actors… These guys were SHREDDED! This workout was what their trainer had them doing at the end of each month in preparation for the film. Now, I know this movie and work out came out a few years ago but I have just discovered it so I thought it would be worth sharing here.
WARNING: This workout is not for the weak! It will push your body far past the point of exhaustion, but it is a great way to challenge yourself to get to the next level in fitness.
The workout was given its name for the total number of reps you will complete by the time you finish. This workout is not meant to be an every day thing, Instead try it once a month to test yourself and compare how you do each time you complete it. It looks like this:
The folowing are to be completed in order with no rest in between sets (don’t move on until you do every rep).
- 25 pull-ups
- 50 dead lifts at 135 pounds
- 50 push-ups
- 50 box jumps with a 24-inch box
- 50 “floor wipers” at 135 pounds
- 50 “clean and press” at 36 pounds
- 25 more pull-ups
That’s 300 reps! Record the time it took you to complete the workout and try to beat it next month!
This workout definitely meets the Viking Muscle standard, brutal!
