101 Get-Lean Workouts and Strategies

by Muscle & Fitness

Overview

Packed with cutting-edge training programs that are backed by scientific research and proven by professional trainers and athletes, this workbook provides the very best fat-burning workouts. Containing numerous fitness regimens, this book provides the step-by-step instructions necessary to effectively shed fat and to get into optimal shape. In addition, this collection buttresses the workouts with comprehensive meal plans that ensure readers maximize fat loss while also increasing energy levels and maintaining overall health.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781623684150
Publisher:	Triumph Books
Publication date:	08/01/2013
Series:	101 Workouts
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	176
Sales rank:	1,008,932
File size:	10 MB

About the Author

Muscle & Fitness is a bodybuilding magazine that offers professional exercise and nutritional tips.

Read an Excerpt

101 Get-Lean Workouts and Strategies

---

By Muscle & Fitness, Art Brewer

Triumph Books

Copyright © 2012 American Media, Inc.
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-62368-415-0

---

CHAPTER 1

GET RIPPED IN 12 WEEKS

BURN LOADS OF BODY FAT WITH THIS HIGH-INTENSITY TRAINING PROGRAM AND NUTRITION PLAN

Who says a get-lean phase has to take place at the beginning of the year or heading into summer?

Any time is a good time for your abs to be shredded and the rest of your muscles sliced and diced just the same. Which is why the timing is perfect right now for this 12-week fat-burning, weightlifting, and cardio programs and meal plan. The training is high-volume and intense, and the diet manipulates macronutrients in such a way that your metabolism will hit the roof. Three months from now you'll be as lean as ever, if not sooner.

CARDIO CONSIDERATIONS

As with your weight workouts, your approach to cardio will vary each week. You'll alternate between steady-state cardio and high-intensity interval sessions to burn fat through different mechanisms. Each week you'll stride through as many as five cardio workouts, each lasting 20-60 minutes.

You can get more out of these sessions by performing them before breakfast or post-workout; saving cardio for after high-rep sessions with a given body part can help burn more subcutaneous body fat from that area. The fat, which is mobilized through exercise, is then used as fuel during cardio rather than redepositing itself under your skin. With that in mind, try to get your cardio in after your ab workout(s) each week and schedule a few other sessions for first thing in the morning.

SHREDDING SEASON

For the next 12 weeks we give you a full playbook: heavy sets of six reps, moderately weighted sets of 10-12 reps, and lighter sets of 20. For abs, you'll dabble in 30-rep sets at times, giving your belly the opportunity to burn some of the released fat after a hardcore cardio session. As for cardio, let's just say you're going to work hard and sweat through plenty of towels. But as you adapt and improve week after week, your body will switch to calorie-burning autopilot, where each workout will force your body to call upon its stubborn fat stores for energy. By the end of the program, you can expect to be at your absolute leanest.

INTENSELY LEAN

While the exercises laid out in this program aren't too complicated, the offbeat split and gamut of rep ranges will likely take some getting used to. But don't worry, the routine described above and presented on the following pages is structured to help you recruit boatloads of fibers within your targeted muscle groups — and thus burn more fat and grow more muscle — over the next 12 weeks. The addition of cardio will serve only to speed things up.

TRAINING PROGRAM A

Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11:

During odd-numbered weeks — if we count today as Day 1 of Week 1 — you'll train for strength and hypertrophy with low-to-moderate rep ranges. You'll focus on heavy compound lifts, usually with barbells, to get your muscles growing. Shorter rest periods (45-60 seconds) are intended to help maximize your energy stores — studies have shown that most individuals will be adequately recovered after one minute as opposed to three — while keeping your heart rate up for added metabolic benefits.

TRAINING PROGRAM B

Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12:

During the even-numbered weeks, you'll head into higher rep ranges (12-20) to chew through more stored body fat, extend muscular endurance, and achieve a greater pump. Your workouts here will be dumbbell-heavy, forcing you to recruit more stabilizer muscles to complete lifts with balance. Since you'll strive for muscle failure at higher reps, you'll want to bump up your rest periods to 90 seconds between sets.

GET RIPPED NUTRTION

MAXIMIZE FAT-BURNING WITH THIS GET-LEAN MEAL PLAN THAT COMPLEMENTS OUR 12-WEEK TRAINING PROGRAM

Don't be that guy who ruins a perfectly good training program by blowing his diet on liberal consumption of empty carbs and regular fast-food splurges. When it comes to achieving a rock-solid, chiseled body, the countless hours of hard work spent in the gym are only half the battle. The other half comes in the form of food selection and nutrient timing, which for many people is the most confusing part of getting lean. Not this time. We've eliminated the guesswork by designing a fat-fighting food plan that works in conjunction with our "Get Ripped in 12 Weeks" training program.

The following meals provide about 14 calories per pound of body weight per day, which is about 2,500 calories for a 180-pound guy. Throughout the 12 weeks, protein intake will remain high to jump-start your metabolism and preserve lean mass. Each week aim to get 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight, or 180-270 grams per day for the 180-pounder.

Carb intake will vary depending on each week's training goal. During the weeks you follow Training Program A (emphasis on strength and size), shoot for 1.25 grams of carbs per pound per day (225 grams) to supply the energy muscles need. When following Training Program B (emphasis on muscle endurance and fat burning), reduce carbs to 0.75 gram per pound (135 grams per day) to encourage your body to use body fat stores for energy.

As for dietary fat, intake will be 0.4-0.5 gram per pound (70-90 grams per day), accounting for 25%-30% of total daily calories. You'll notice during Program B that when carbs are lower, fat and protein intakes increase to provide the calories needed to help maintain lean muscle mass. Eating healthy omega-3s and monounsaturated fats will remain a priority to further enhance fat-burning and aid your recovery process.

SAMPLE MEAL PLAN PROGRAM A

Breakfast

1 whole-wheat English muffin
2 eggs 4 egg whites
1 slice low-fat cheese

Midmorning Snack

1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1 cup pineapple

Lunch

Fajitas:
6 oz top sirloin
2 whole-wheat Mission Carb Balance Tortilla (6' diameter)
1 cup bell pepper
1 cup lettuce
¼ cup onion

Pre-workout

1 scoop whey protein
1 apple

Post-workout

1 scoop whey protein
2 cups low-fat milk

Dinner

8 oz pork tenderloin
1 cup quinoa
1 cup broccoli

Bedtime Snack

1 scoop casein protein
1 tbsp flaxseed oil


DAILY TOTALS

2,505 calories
261g protein
201g carbs
73g fat
39g fiber
2,839 mg sodium

SAMPLE MEAL PLAN PROGRAM B

Breakfast

1 scoop whey protein
1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1 cup strawberries
2 tbsp ground flaxseeds

Midmorning Snack

2 string cheese sticks
10 whole-wheat crackers

Lunch

6 oz roast beef
2 cups mixed green salad
½ cup tomato
½ cup cucumber
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
2 tbsp olive oil/vinegar dressing

Pre-workout

1 scoop whey protein
6 multigrain rice cakes

Post-workout

8 oz chicken breast
1 medium white potato

Dinner

9 oz tilapia
2 cups green beans

Bedtime Snack

1 scoop casein protein
1 oz mixed nuts

DAILY TOTALS

2,462 calories
283g protein
139g carbs
86g fat
30g fiber
2,239mg sodium

SAMPLE REST DAY MEALS

Breakfast

1 whole-wheat Mission Carb Balance Tortilla (6? diameter)
3 eggs
½ cup bell pepper
1/4 cup onion
1 cup spinach

Midmorning Snack

1 scoop whey protein
1 orange

Lunch

8 oz chicken breast
1 cup brown rice

Mid-afternoon Snack

8 oz salmon
2 cups broccoli
1/3 cup hummus

Dinner

8 oz flank steak
2 cups zucchini

Bedtime Snack

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 tbsp flaxseed oil

DAILY TOTALS

2,351 calories
257g protein
126g carbs
91g fat
26g fiber
2,393mg sodium

Note: Mix protein powders according to label directions.

CHAPTER 2

SCULPT YOUR MIDSECTION IN JUST SIX WEEKS WITH THIS HARD-HITTING TRAINING PROGRAM

SIX-PACK SOLUTION

THE NEXT TIME you stumble upon that Sunday-morning infomercial touting an ab-training gadget as the solution to the perfect six-pack, change the channel. Watch SportsCenter, Meet the Press, or even Baywatch reruns — anything but a $99 glorified crunch that claims to melt flab from your midsection. No one thing alone will get you a six-pack; it takes a multipronged approach of weight training, isolated ab work, intense cardio, and a clean diet. Even though it won't happen overnight, our six-week plan will reveal an impressive set of abs when followed diligently. Its basic parameters are similar to the program in Chapter 1, only with more emphasis placed on the midsection and a tighter deadline. But this plan — unlike the aforementioned infomercial — is about more than just a bunch of ab exercises. You can't get a shredded midsection without ramping up your metabolism, and you can't ramp up your metabolism without hitting the gym hard with a full-body program.

HEAVY LIFTING

LIFTING WEIGHTS seems to be the missing link in most people's efforts to get six-pack abs. Talk to the average guy with this goal in mind and he'll probably tell you about all the cardio he's doing in the gym. Ask him if he's hitting the weights hard and he'll likely respond, "No, I'm not trying to get big, I just want to be defined." (Feel free to roll your eyes at this point, or even punch him.)

"When people throw the word lean around, what most of them forget is lean means lean body mass, which is muscle," says Jesse Burdick, C.S.C.S., owner and founder of Prevail Fitness in Pleasanton, CA, and a trainer at Re-Active Gym. "Just doing cardio isn't enough to get a six-pack. The more of a full-body weight-training workout you do, the more lean mass you'll have and the higher your metabolism will be. These are synergistic in helping you achieve a six-pack."

In other words, a sound lifting program is key to shedding body fat around the mid-section and everywhere else on the body. That's why the following routine entails six days a week of hardcore weightlifting, broken into a body-part split in which you train each major muscle group twice weekly. If the goal of the program were strictly hypertrophy with less emphasis on getting lean, training each body part just once each week might suffice. But boosting metabolism and burning calories are top priorities here, so training frequency is high.

Big exercises take precedence in the program for one simple reason: They work more muscles and, as a result, increase the metabolism that much more. "Multijoint exercises are the kings of muscle recruitment," Burdick says. "Why would you want to recruit just one muscle group when you can force your whole body to work? With big multijoint moves you'll add lean mass quicker, which goes back to that synergistic effect: The more muscle you use, the higher your body mass and metabolism."

PLATEHEAD DECLINE SITUP

START: Lie faceup on a decline situp board, or decline bench with your feet secured under the rollers, holding a light weight plate just above your forehead. (Start with a 10-pound plate and progress to a 25-pounder.)

EXECUTION: Contract your abs to initiate a full situp, keeping the plate on your head throughout. Slowly return to the start position.

The rep ranges in the program vary from low to high. With bench presses, deadlifts, and squats you'll employ heavy sets of five reps to build strength and stimulate the central nervous system, followed by another five sets of 10 reps in Weeks 1-3 to promote hypertrophy through the use of moderate reps and high volume. Reps on assistance exercises typically fall in the 12-20 range; again, boosting your metabolism through muscle growth is the primary rationale here.

Coupled with mostly moderate-rep ranges are short rest periods designed to maximize fat loss. The majority of breaks are 45-60 seconds, except on arm days, when that decreases to 30 seconds. Even on benches, deads, and squats, rest is fairly brief at 90 seconds tops.

SKYWALKERS

START: Lie faceup on the floor with your legs extended toward the ceiling so your body forms an "L." Flex your feet so your heels are parallel to the floor and extend your arms toward the ceiling.

EXECUTION: Contract your abs to crunch up and touch your toes. Be sure to keep your legs extended so your heels are as high in the air as possible; imagine trying to touch your heels to the ceiling. Slowly lower back to the start.

FIGURE-4 CRUNCH

START: Lie faceup on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Cross your left leg over so your left ankle rests on your right knee. Place your right hand behind your head with your elbow pointing out to the side.

EXECUTION: Crunch up and to the left until your right elbow touches your left knee, then slowly return to the start position. Repeat for reps, then switch sides.

AB ROLLOUT

START: Place a barbell with circular plates on the floor so it can roll back and forth. Use a shoulder-width grip and begin either bent over with your legs extended and the bar in front of your shins or kneeling with the bar right in front of you. (The standing position is extremely advanced; most people will need to start in the kneeling position.)

EXECUTION: Slowly roll the bar forward until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor, then contract your abs to roll the bar back toward you. Don't let your hips sag.

DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS

When running the rack, be sure to drop enough weight on successive sets to allow you to still get 10 reps.

FEET-ELEVATED CRUNCH

START: Lie faceup on the floor with your feet in the air, and your hips and knees bent 90 degrees. Extend your arms toward the ceiling.

EXECUTION: Keeping your hips and knees bent and your feet up, contract your abs to lift your shoulder blades off the floor and raise your hands toward the ceiling. Squeeze your abs hard, then lower back to the floor.

SPLITTING FIBERS

NO ONE SAID getting a six-pack was going to be easy. The lifting will be intense, as will the cardio (see "Burning Down the House" on page 30), but to get the full benefits of each it's best to divide them into separate training sessions with at least four to six hours and a few meals in between. It's the classic a.m./p.m. split, with one workout taking place before work or school and the other later in the evening.

Lifting and cardio alternate between a.m. and p.m. sessions. Low-intensity, steady-state cardio is always done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, which has been proven to burn more fat than when it's done at other times of the day. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is also positioned in the morning, since doing it after a hard leg workout would diminish the gains made with squats and other lower-body moves. Moderate-intensity cardio will be done in the afternoon on days when you lift in the morning.

If six weeks of two-a-days isn't feasible in your schedule, feel free to do weights and cardio in the same session, even though that's not ideal. Here's why: Since the primary goal of this program is getting lean, the focus shifts somewhat to the HIIT workouts, and you don't want your lifting to be counterproductive. Consider the glycogen stores the body uses during each training session: If you lift weights and then have a post-workout meal, you're in an anabolic state. If you lift weights and then use an entirely different energy system to do cardio, you essentially zap all the glycogen stores you need after lifting, rendering you much less anabolic. The more anabolic you are, the faster your metabolism and vice versa.

It's no accident that your hardest lifting workout (legs) and toughest cardio session (HIIT) fall on the same days: Monday and Thursday. Your body needs time to recover from the most taxing workouts, and doing legs and HIIT on consecutive days won't allow for this. The other training days in the split, when all lifting is upper- body and cardio is moderate and low-intensity, will act as an active rest following your grueling lower-body/HIIT days.

Lifting and cardio will consume the vast majority of your time and attention in the gym, but direct ab work shouldn't be an afterthought. Train abs as part of every weight-room workout six days a week. Our six moves will hit your abs from multiple angles with varying rep schemes and resistance to promote hypertrophy, endurance and core stability, thus providing both aesthetic and functional benefits.

The lifting program as a whole, combined with proper nutrition and cardio, is guaranteed to reveal a better, stronger, and more visible six-pack. See if your plastic infomercial gadget can do that.

J-PULL

Pull a rope or V-bar from the high-pulley cable toward your abs in a J-shaped path. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the bottom of each rep.

HAMMER CURL (RUN THE RACK)+ STATIC PLATE HOLD

After as many dropsets of 10 hammer curls as you can do, hold a weight plate in a half-way-up curl position for 30 seconds.

KROC ROW

You do only one set of these, so go to all-out failure. When you can no longer work through a full range of motion, do partial reps until you burn out completely.

BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE

SHED FAT LIKE A FIGHTER WITH THIS RADICAL THREE-PRONGED CARDIO ROUTINE

For the fastest possible fat-burning results, you need a cardio plan that breaks a few rules. We've enlisted Kelly Tekin, M.S., C.S.C.S. — a competitive bodybuilder and strength and conditioning coach whose client list includes UFC fighters Rashad Evans, Jon "Bones" Jones, and James McSweeney — to design three MMA-inspired routines that'll push conventional boundaries and strip fat from your midsection. Tekin's high-, moderate-, and low-intensity routines challenge your aerobic capacity with circuits containing a variety of athletically functional movements. "Each circuit is designed to be performed at the pace fighters use to prepare for a match," she says of the program's ferocious training tempo. "By forcing your body to work explosively with little rest, you'll not only burn body fat faster but also train all your muscle fibers to fire faster."

HIGH-INTENSITY DAY

MONDAY, THURSDAY

The most difficult workout of this series comprises a six-move dumbbell circuit and four treadmill intervals superset with explosive exercises. Tekin suggests choosing relatively light weights for the dumbbell circuit to provide just enough resistance to make it challenging.

For the treadmill intervals, you'll jog for 30 seconds and sprint for 30 seconds, repeating for a total of four minutes. After each interval, you'll perform the prescribed exercise, then immediately jump back on the treadmill for the next interval.

DUMBBELL LATERAL LUNGE

Stand erect with a dumbbell in each hand. Take a large step to one side and bend your knee to lower your body. Keep your trailing leg fully extended. Return to the start by powerfully extending your lead knee and hip. Repeat on the other side.

(Continues...)

---

Excerpted from 101 Get-Lean Workouts and Strategies by Muscle & Fitness, Art Brewer. Copyright © 2012 American Media, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of Triumph Books.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

---

Table of Contents

Contents

Chapter 1 GET RIPPED IN 12 WEEKS,
Chapter 2 SIX-PACK SOLUTION,
Chapter 3 THE METABOLIC WORKOUT,
Chapter 4 BURN NOTICE,
Chapter 5 FULFILL YOUR DENSITY,
Chapter 6 FREQUENT FRYER,
CHAPTER 7 BURN FAT SAVE MUSCLE,
Chapter 8 4 MINUTE MUSCLE,
Chapter 9 30-MINUTE MADNESS,
CHAPTER 10 20-30-40,
Chapter 11 FIND THE PERFECT WORKOUT,
Chapter 12 GET OUT OF THE GYM!,
Chapter 13 POWER CARDIO,
Chapter 14 THE A-TEAM,
Chapter 15 FEED YOUR ABS,
Chapter 16 NEXT LEVEL OF LEAN,