6/06

Personal Trainer
Edited by Ray Klerck
Because fit is the new rich

214
212
Ready to rumble?
The right fighting moves to win

220
Chest in show Fair means or fowl?
Follow our plan for a torso that’d make Superman jealous A devilish twist on post-workout food

222

218
Ball breaker Pack a punch
Use Bosu balls to strengthen your abs Prep yourself for the beach with this full-body move

Key Bulk up Dine on time Slim down Punch Save time The plan

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 Your workout
starts here
Bring left arm high
Lower body circuit
behind your head
then lower it, fast.
Perform 100 reps
1 Get a solid core for powerful punches

Duck walk
1 Works glutes, calves and thighs

Stand with feet forward and once you

shoulder-width apart, get in motion stay in
a single dumb-bell or motion. Execute the
kettle bell in front of move quickly and
your right shoulder, forcefully. Perform
with your wrist facing 3 sets of 10 steps on
away from you. Take each leg, resting for
a step forward with 90 seconds between
your right leg, letting each set.
its knee drop down
to the ground. Stay in
the crouched position
and slide the other
leg forward. Drop
your left leg’s knee
and repeat. Look

Upper body circuit

2 Speed and power will keep you in the ring

Wrestles
1 Works glutes, hamstrings, core and shoulders

It’s a
1 Place a weight
plate on the end of
an Olympic bar,
wedging the other
end in a corner. Grip
arm’s length.
2 Lower the bar
towards your left leg
while pivoting your
feet left. When the

knockout
Punch above your weight, not below the belt
the weighted portion
in your left hand,
holding the bar at
weight is an inch
from the floor pull up
to the start position
with your chest and
arm, pivoting your
feet back. Repeat on
right side. Do 6 sets

R
andy Couture’s a man who knows about rucking – he’s the first
person to have held world titles in two weight divisions at the of 5 reps each side.

50MIN Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC), a professional mixed

martial arts organisation. “We need to teach our muscles to move quickly
WORKOUT and accurately,” he says. “A great fighter has a unique combination of
strength, speed and flexibility.”
Using Couture’s six-week plan will get you the explosive power you
need to prove your credentials to even the biggest bouncer. Kick arse 2-3
times a week with one day’s rest between sessions.

The UFC 60, Royce Gracie vs Matt Hughes, will be on Bravo at 10pm, 28 May.
The Ultimate Fighter will be on Bravo throughout June 1 2

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 6/06 Fighting fit
Bounding Pop-ups Lateral skaters
2 Works legs and upper body 3 Works legs, core, arms and chest 4 Works inner thighs and ankles

Run for 5 minutes set it for 30 seconds 1 Start by getting 2 Bring your knees Start with both 20 seconds and
to warm up. Mark of bounding and 2 on your hands and forward and your feet together and record that number.
out a distance of minutes of running knees on the floor. upper body up, push off laterally Rest for 1 minute
about 100 metres. at a lower speed. Keep your toes on landing on your feet with one leg. Upon by running slowly
Run normally but Repeat 8 times, the ground with your in a crouch position. landing, immediately then repeat and
drive the knee that’s resting 45 seconds feet perpendicular Do 4 then sprint 50 push off in the attempt to better
being lifted upward between sets. to the floor. Bend metres – that’s 1 opposite direction the previous number
until that thigh your arms slightly set. Perform 4 sets, and continue the of reps. Repeat this
becomes parallel to and push yourself resting 45 seconds drill for a specified 10 times.
the ground. Jump up with your hands between them. amount of time; to
WORDS RAY KLERCK. ILLUSTRATION TOBATRON@FOLIOART.CO.UK

with each step. It and the balls of your develop quickness,

should look like a feet. This will get perform as many
bouncy run with long you airborne. reps as you can for
strides. Run for 90
seconds after each
100 metres. Repeat
this 12 times. If
you’re on a treadmill,

1 2

Medicine-ball press-up shuffles Medicine-ball throws Super fly press-ups

2 Works chest, triceps and abs 3 Works chest, shoulders, triceps and abs 4 Works chest, triceps and abs

Lie in a press-up across so your left Stand 2 metres from it returns. Tense Get into the press- lower body off the
position, your right hand lands on the a wall, holding a your abs a second up position with your ground. Clap your
hand on a medicine ball. Keep feet hip- medicine ball to your before you catch. Try hands slightly wider hands together
ball, left hand on the width apart and chest in both hands. with 1 arm to make than your shoulders. mid-air and land
floor. Keep your arms core tight during the Straighten elbows to it harder. Do 4 sets Hold a slight bend in with your body
extended and with move. Perform 3 throw it against the of 12 repetitions, your knees. Keep weight on your arms
back straight, bend sets of 5 repetitions wall. Catch it when resting 30 seconds your back flat and then let your legs
your elbows until on each arm, resting between sets. lower your body touch the ground.
your chest touches for 60 seconds until your upper Perform 6 sets of 6
the ball. Explosively between sets. arms are lower than repetitions, resting
push up and off with your elbows. Quickly 60 seconds between
both hands, moving straighten your arms each set. ■ MH

and knees to lift both

your upper and
CREDITS XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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 Pump it up
The average guy can
bench-press 93% of
his body weight, so
get pumping

Go figure
The average man’s
chest size is 41 inches.
Top that with our
workout programme

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 R,
6/06 Muscle
A BIGGE
BETTERIN
CHEST S
8 WEEK 40 MIN
WORKOUT

Simply
Your goal The perfect chest
The routine on the next two pages attacks
the primary cause of puniness: “The mistake
most men make when looking for more chest
size and strength is always sticking to the

the chest
traditional eight-to-12-repetition principle,”
says strength coach Jason Ferruggia. His
first rule: Change your repetition schemes
and emphasise lower-repetition, heavier-
weight sets. This allows you to target your
body’s fast-twitch muscle fibres, the ones
with the greatest potential for growth.
Eight weeks into this schedule to get a chest to beat the
At times, this workout also calls for you to
rest, head for the beach, peel off your T-shirt and reveal lift only your body weight. Think gymnasts,
an upper body that’ll have ladies falling off their lilos who build rock-hard bodies without ever
picking up a dumb-bell. “Moving your body
through space is more taxing to your central
nervous system than normal weight-training,”
says Ferruggia. This will train your body to
recruit more muscle in every exercise.

The pay-off
Fewer crunches
Push it good The press-ups and single-arm bench press
The total amount of
press-ups the average challenge your core stability while building
guy is capable of doing your chest, so your midsection works just as
in one go is a mere hard as in any ab exercise.
27 – easy!

A stronger upper body

The heavy weights you’ll use in this workout
develop muscle fibres that produce strength
and power. This added strength improves
performance in many upper-body lifts.

Extra muscle
This routine uses several body-weight moves
that train stabilising muscles in addition to
your largest muscles, so you end up working
more muscle overall.

Perform the Phase 1 workouts (overleaf) for 4

weeks, working your chest twice a week with
two separate routines (Day 1 and Day 2). Do
the exercises here as the chest portion of
your upper- or total-body routine. Rest at
least 2 days between workouts. Complete
the Phase 2 workouts in the next 4 weeks.

You’re one page away

from a better body
JUNE 2006 MEN’S HEALTH 215

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 Your workout
starts here
Phase 1 Day 1 Day 2
Dumb-Bell Single-Arm Two-Hand Incline Body-Weight Suspended
1 Bench Press 2 Bench Press 1 Press-up
1 Lie on your back on a 2 Push the weight up so 1 Lie face-up on an 2 Slowly press the 1 If your gym has Blast 2 With your hands
bench with a heavy your arm is above your incline bench and hold dumb-bells straight Straps or chains, try grasping the handles,
dumb-bell in your left chest. Pause, then a pair of heavy dumb- above your chest, this press-up variation. so only your feet are
hand alongside your slowly lower the weight bells along the outsides without locking your Or do the weighted touching the floor, bend
chest, palm facing in. to the starting position of your chest with elbows. Pause, then press-ups below. Set a at the elbows to lower
Hold the other arm out and repeat using the a neutral grip (palms lower them to the bar about 1 metre from your body until your
to the side for balance. opposite arm. turned in). starting position. the floor in a squat rack. upper arms are parallel
Loop the straps round to the floor, then push
the bar. Get into a yourself up to the
press-up position. starting position.

2 1 2
2

THE PLAN THE PLAN THE PLAN

Do 5-7 repetitions with each hand. Perform 6-8 repetitions. Do Do as many press-ups as you can,
Complete 4 sets, resting 2 minutes 3 sets and rest 2 minutes after then rest for 90 seconds. Do a total
after each set. each set. of 3 sets.

Benchmark of success
How do you measure up? Phase 2 Day 1 Day 2
The best barometer of chest strength is your
maximum bench press – the most weight you 1 Bar-Bell Bench Press 1 Weighted Press-up
can lift for a single repetition. To determine
1 Lie on a bench with 2 Pull shoulder blades 1 (Instead of the 2 Keeping your body
your max, you’ll need a spotter.
your feet flat on the back, then lower the suspended press-up.) straight and your feet
Grab an empty bar and perform 10 floor. Grab the bar bar to your chest. (Tuck Assume the standard in the same position,
repetitions of the bench press. Rest for 30 to with your hands slightly your elbows in at 45 press-up position, with lower yourself with a
90 seconds, then add 5-15kg and repeat. more than shoulder- degrees; don’t let them your hands beneath controlled movement
width apart and flare out to the sides.) your shoulders. Ask by bending your elbows
Continue this process until the weight feels hold the weight over Pause, then push the a workout partner to until your chest touches
difficult. Then do only one repetition per set your chest. weight back up. place a weight plate on the floor. Pause, then
until you work up to the heaviest weight you your back, between push yourself back up
your shoulder blades. to the start position.
can lift once – your one-repetition maximum,
or one-rep max (1RM). Measure your 1RM at
the beginning of the schedule and then again
in the last week and adjust your routine for
the Bar-bell Bench Press (right) accordingly.
1

Track Your Progress 1

Record your one-rep max in the chart below.
Then follow the exercises overleaf and retest
yourself every 4 weeks.
2
Start 2

Week 4 THE PLAN Do 5 sets of 4 reps at THE PLAN

80% of your 1RM. Increase weight Do 8-12 reps, then immediately
but decrease reps, so by week 8 do move on to the Cable Lying Fly to
Finish 4 sets of 1 rep at 90% of your 1RM. create a superset.

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 6/06 Muscle
Side-Lying Single-Arm
2 Dumb-Bell Incline Fly 3 Parallel-Bar Dip 4 External Rotation
1 Lie back on an incline 2 Keeping your palms 1 Grab the parallel dip 2 Slowly lower yourself 1 Lie on your left side 2 Keeping your right
bench, keeping your forwards, slowly sweep bars and lift yourself on by bending your elbows with your left arm bent upper arm stationary,
feet steady on the your arms down and to them, so your arms until your upper arms and your head resting slowly rotate your right
supports. Hold a pair out to your sides in an are straight. Keep your are parallel to the floor. on it. Holding a light forearm until it points
of dumb-bells over arc, until the weights back straight and cross Pause, then push up to dumb-bell in your right toward the ceiling. Then
your chest with your are level with your your ankles. the starting position. hand, bend your right rotate your forearm
arms straight (but chest. Pause, then arm 90 degrees and back to the starting
elbows not locked), reverse the motion until tuck your upper arm by position and do the
with your palms facing the weights are once your right side, the same while lying on
out in front of you. again above you. weight in front of you. your right side.

1 2 2
1
2

THE PLAN THE PLAN THE PLAN

Do 8-12 repetitions of the dumb-bell Do as many reps as you can, then Perform 12-15 repetitions, then rest
incline fly, then immediately rest for 3 minutes and repeat the for 1 minute. Repeat the exercise on
superset it with the parallel-bar dip. superset with the previous move. the opposite side. Do 2 sets.

2 3 GYM#1T8
ETIQUETandEcrashing
Cable Lying Fly Sitting External Rotation
1 Place an exercise 2 Keeing your feet flat 1 Sit on the floor with 2 Keeping your elbow
bench between the on the floor, your palms your left knee bent and in place, slowly rotate
mming g
stacks of a cable turned inwards and your right leg flat. Hold your left arm up. Pause Loud sla ame thin
m ean the s y do
crossover station and your elbows slightly a light dumb-bell in when your forearm noises m as th e
attach handles to the bent, slowly lower your left hand and rest points to the ceiling, in the gy ou’ve
w he re else: y
low-pulley cables. Grab your hands out to your the elbow at 90 degrees then reverse the motion ev ery
ing w rong.
eth
the handles and lie sides in an arc motion, on your knee with the until the weight is back done som ur weights
face-up on the bench. then reverse the weight hanging down. to its start position. Lower yo ly.
Hold your arms straight movement to return slow
above your chest. to the start position.

1
PHOTOGRAPHY ADRIAN WEINBRECHT, BETH BISCHOFF

Gym assassin
But if you’ve only
got 4 weeks…
You can blitz your way to a better
1 2 2
chest if your holiday is only a month
away, just spend two weeks on
THE PLAN THE PLAN phase one and two more on phase
Do 8-10 repetitions, rest 150 Do 10-12 reps with each hand, then two. You might not end up quite as
seconds, then repeat the superset rest 60 seconds.
ripped, but you’ll still see some
for a total of 3 sets.
results worth writing home about. ■ MH

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 ABS IN
MINUTES!

Half time
Bosu balls push balance to your core, creating abs you could bounce a marble on

Warm-up
Use the cross-trainer for 3 minutes on level
8, then row for 4 minutes at a slow to
moderate pace. Then do the following
circuti twice, 2-3 times a week.

Jump and tuck

1 Position the Bosu rounded side
up. Stand on it with feet hip-width apart.
Bend your hips and knees until they’re
perpendicular to the floor. Push up and
Press-up to plank
straighten your legs so your feet leave the
Bosu while lifting your arms. Bring both
2 Place the Bosu rounded side down.
knees up, grabbing them briefly. Land Hold edges, in a press-up position. Bend
with bent knees. Perform 15 repetitions. elbows to lower. Just before your chest
hits the platform straighten up again. Next,
lower, and rest elbows on the platform for
10 seconds. This is 1 repetition; perform 8.

4
3

Roll-ups
4 Place the Bosu rounded side up.
Bosu back lunge
3 Place the Bosu rounded side up and
Stand in front of it, feet hip-width apart,
back straight. Roll onto the ball until your
stand on the ball with feet hip-width apart.
shoulders touch the floor behind it, then
Step back with your left foot and land with
roll back into the squat. Next, get into the
its heel flat on the floor while keeping your
press-up position, with feet on the ball.
right knee over its toes and in the middle
Perform a press-up then return to the
of the ball. Push down on the ball of your
squat. This is 1 repetition; perform 12.
foot to bring your left foot to the start
position. Repeat with your right. Perform
alternating repetitions, 9 on each leg.

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 6/06 Fat-burning

Bosu pike press-up

7 Place the Bosu ball rounded side
down. Get into a press-up position,
holding the edges of the Bosu. Walk
your feet forward until they’re a metre
behind your hands, hips in the air. Keep
6 legs straight and bend elbows to lower
yourself as far as you can go in the press- 7
up. Straighten your arms to return to the
start position. Perform 12 repetitions.

Bosu curls
6 Place the Bosu with the rounded
side down and stand on it with your feet
shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumb-bell in
each hand at arm’s length in front of your
thighs with your palms facing you. Keep
your back straight and bend your elbows
to curl the weights towards your
shoulders. Pause, then slowly lower it to
the start position. Preform 15 repetitions.

V cycles
5 8 Place the Bosu rounded side up.
Sit on the ball, knees bent, feet off the
floor. Your thighs should be perpendicular
to the floor. Keep your arms at your sides,
palms facing your body. Extend your legs
so they’re at a 45-degree angle from the
floor and raise your upper body. Straighten
arms. Hold this position and bring your left
knee in, then extend it out. Repeat with
your right leg. Perform 14 repetitions.
WORDS RAY KLERCK. ILLUSTRATION DAVID PIERCE

Bosu burpees
5 Place the Bosu rounded side up and
stand in front of it, feet hip-width apart.
Bend your knees so you’re sitting on your
heels. Place your hands shoulder-width
apart on the ball. Rest your weight on your
hands and thrust your legs straight out
behind you. Bring legs between your arms.
Jump up while keeping your arms at your
sides. When you land, return to the squat Gym assassin
and start again. Perform 18 repetitions.
If you’ve only got 20 mins...
Complete the circuit once doing 14 repetitions at each
station. Rest only 30 seconds between each exercise. ■ MH

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 Six for one 6/06

One-punch
wonder
Get a six-pack, a barrel chest, solid legs and big biceps
for the beach with this split squat to chest press

PHOTOGRAPHY GLEN BURROWS. SHORTS BY ELLESSE; SOCKS BY ADIDAS; TRAINERS BY NIKE. FOR STOCKISTS SEE PAGE 204
1 Abs
On the cable
crossover weight
2 Front thighs
Start to slowly
straighten your right
3 Glutes
Keep rising
upwards but don’t
4 Chest
Start to straighten
your elbow to push
5 Obliques
Keep your lower
half completely
6 Triceps
Keep your chin
up and straighten
stack attach a single knee but make sure lock your right knee the handle out in front straight and solid. your right elbow,
handle to a setting just it’s in line with your at the top of the of your chest. Keep Only your upper body flexing your triceps.
below chest height. toes. Keep the movement. Keeping your right wrist tight should be moving at Aim for your right
Stand with your back movement slow and a slightly bent knee and locked to stop this stage. Continue hand to finish in line
to the stack. Hold the smooth so that your will keep the tension it from bending to straighten your arm with the middle of
handle overhand in knee doesn’t wobble in your legs and backwards. Wrap your but at the same time your chest. Keep your
your right hand. Your from side to side. glutes. Tense your abs thumb around the start to turn at your upper body upright.
right foot should be Keep the heel of as well – this will handle to give extra waist towards your left Pause for a second
forward and the other your left foot raised ensure you don’t lean support to your wrist. foot. This should put then slowly release
a metre behind you. and then begin forward. Don’t start to Do the movement the power of your back to the start
CREDITS XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tense abs to keep to straighten your press the handle with the form of entire upper body position. Switch sides
your torso upright. left knee. forward yet. a straight punch. behind your right arm. and repeat. ■MH

PUNCH WITH POWER Reps Sets Rest Times per week Lifting tempo
Adjust your workout plan …thinner 15-20 4 45 secs 3 2 secs up, 2 secs down
and use the split squat to
…stronger 3-5 6 120 secs 2 1 sec up, 3 secs down
chest press to get…
…bigger 8-10 5 60 secs 2 1 sec up, 4 secs down

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 Use this chart to track your progress through this month’s workouts – keeping
a record is a great self-motivator. Next month’s issue is on sale Monday 12 June 6/06 The grid
FAT-BURNING Half time (p210)
WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4
WORKOUT 1 WORKOUT 2 WORKOUT 1 WORKOUT 2 WORKOUT 1 WORKOUT 2 WORKOUT 1 WORKOUT 2

STATIONS (RECORD REPS) SET 1 SET 2 SET 3 SET 1 SET 2 SET 3 SET 1 SET 2 SET 3 SET 1 SET 2 SET 3 SET 1 SET 2 SET 3 SET 1 SET 2 SET 3 SET 1 SET 2 SET 3 SET 1 SET 2 SET 3

Jump and tuck

Press-up to plank
Bosu back lunge
Roll-ups
Bosu burpees
Bosu curls
Bosu pike press-up
V cycles

MUSCLE Simply the chest (p206)

WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4
WORKOUT 1 WORKOUT 2 WORKOUT 1 WORKOUT 2 WORKOUT 1 WORKOUT 2 WORKOUT 1 WORKOUT 2

STATIONS (RECORD REPS) S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5

PHASE 1
Dumb-bell single-arm bench press
Two-hand incline bench press
Body-weight suspended press-up
Dumb-bell incline fly
Parallel-bar dip
Side lying single arm external rotation
PHASE 2
Bar-bell bench press
Weighted press-up
Cable lying fly

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Sitting external rotation

FIGHTING FIT It’s a knockout (p204)

WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4
WORKOUT 1 WORKOUT 2 WORKOUT 1 WORKOUT 2 WORKOUT 1 WORKOUT 2 WORKOUT 1 WORKOUT 2
STATIONS (RECORD REPS) S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6
LOWER BODY CIRCUIT
Duck walk
Bounding
Pop-ups
Lateral skaters
UPPER BODY CIRCUIT
Wrestles
Medicine-ball press-up shuffles
Medicine-ball throws
Super fly press-up