Killer Power circuit

by Joseph
(Ohio)

The most difficult workout I have ever completed was a combination of Power lifting, explosive style movements and Circuit training. It will kill you.

It is great for stimulating new muscle growth and improving muscular endurance and strength. I recommend using this 2-4 times a month in your regular rotation to place more emphasis on fast-twitch muscle fiber and to jazz up your workout scheme a bit.

I first found this workout in an issue of Flex Magazine and then mutated it to make it more difficult. You can use any combination of large and small muscle groups to make it effective. Just make sure that you have plenty of recovery time after each workout (2days) and at least one day of rest before you attempt it.

Here's the layout:
You start with 70% of your normal 1 rep max on all exercises. Pick 10 exercises alternating from a large muscle group to a small muscle group. The max number of reps that you are looking to accomplish on each exercise is 150. Each exercise is to be performed for one minute, as many reps as you can get in.

Once you have fulfilled the 150 repetitions then you can take that exercise out of the circuit. Rest time is however long it takes to get to the next machine or weights and get them moving, then rest 2 full minutes at the end of each circuit.

Our circuits looked something like this.
Bench press
Close-grip bench press
Squat
Weighted calf raises
T-bar rows
Zottman Curls
Weighted Dips
Lateral Raises
Incline Bench press
Incline flyes

You can use any permutation of exercises to accomplish this. I recommend using it only 2-4 times a month to prevent over training.

Make sure and get plenty of protein and carbs after the workout in the form of whole foods. You will be depleted. Its a monster, but it works. Have fun!

Joseph

Note from Dr. Dan

Joseph,

This looks like an excellent workout to break out of a plateau.

You see a lot of people at the gym on the treadmill, looking like they're half asleep, waiting for something to happen.

Or sleepwalking through "3 sets of 10" with the same exercises, same reps, same sets, same everything, workout after workout.

And they wonder why they don't get anywhere.

But when you shoot for 150 reps you are going to get somewhere. Maybe you don't make 150. Maybe you don't make 50. But you didn't stop at 10. You kept going, challenging yourself.

We can all use a little challenge sometimes to break out of our rut.

Dr. Dan