If you thought Part 1 was tough, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. The final four weeks of the rock hard challenge will push your body to new extremes. Dramatic results call for drastic measures—intense weight training, frequent cardio, and an ultra strict diet. Focus in and attack Part 2, and you’re going to look better than you ever have—and possibly, you’ll earn more than $1,000 worth of MuscleTech supplements and appear in M&F. You took this challenge. Are you man enough to finish?
Heart-Rate Calculator
Throughout this workout, you’ll see cardio intensity expressed in terms of maximum heart rate (MHR) percentage.
To estimate your MHR, use this simple formula:
220 – Your Age
So, if you’re a 25-year-old male, your MHR would be 195 beats per minute (220 – 25 = 195). On days when you need to reach 85% MHR, you’d multiply the 195 by 0.85, for a target heart rate of 166 for that cardio session.
Part 1 of the 2014 Rock Hard Challenge is in the books. The first four weeks introduced you to a new style for our signature trans- formation program: Instead of a traditional body-part training split and loads of volume, we’re using total-body circuit training on all lifting days. The reason for this is twofold: First, circuit training is the most effective method of working a variety of different muscle groups in a short period of time. Second, circuits keep your heart rate elevated by keeping rest times to a bare minimum, which allows you to get lean while building muscle. This is the ideal method for approaching a trans- formation within a short time frame.
Part 2 takes those same concepts and amplifies them. You’ll notice that each total-body circuit-training day is further divided into more mini circuits, some consisting of only two exercises (sometimes called a couplet).
Whereas all circuit-training days in Part 1 used no more than three circuits, some days in Part 2 use four or five circuits plus a single, ultra-intense finishing exercise. The hope is that, as you start to feel depleted toward the end of the program, the shorter circuits will still allow you to attack each set with the appropriate intensity.
Plus, you’ll learn a variety of unique new exercises that will help you add shape to your muscles as you get lean.
In summary: The final four weeks of the Rock Hard Challenge are much more intense than the first four. Rest times are shorter. Workouts include more exercises. Steady-state cardio sessions are longer. Meal plans contain fewer carbs, and the off-day meal plan is especially spare. If you dismissed the recommended supplement regimen as a superfluous sponsorship opportunity for MuscleTech, now’s the time to reconsider: At this stage, you WILL need extra help to push through the workouts and recover afterward. The right supps can provide that.
You’re going to run into people who hear about what you’re doing and criticize it as unsustainable. Pay them no mind. This is a transformation program intended to bring you to a specific physical peak, in the same way that physique competitors prepare for competition. In your case, the peak is the after photo. Besides, if you started this program with a considerable amount of body fat and used it to drop the unwanted pounds, the end of the program will find you in a much better place to maintain long-term fitness than before.
And you’re about to learn that staying in shape is a hell of a lot easier than getting in shape.
