Halloween is the season of haunted houses, ghosts and goblins. Frightening sagas are told around campfires, horror movies are the norm and people of all ages walk the streets in macabre costumes.While this commercialism can be kind of cute, I am going introduce you to something really scary this Halloween—five super intense workouts that will test your body and testicular fortitude.Next time you hit the gym, give any one of the following scary workouts a try….if you dare!SEE ALSO:11 Haloween Costumes to Showcase Your Muscles
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Edgar Artiga
Workout 1: Powerbuilding Monster Back
Exercise/Sets/Reps Deadlift: 3/5, 3, 2 Go as heavy as possible with good form.One-Arm Dumbbell Row: 3 / Maximum reps Do as many reps as possible 30 seconds while controlling the negative and being forceful on the positive.Straight-Arm Pulldowns: 2 / Maximum Reps Do as many reps as possible in one minute using a slow, rhythmic pace.Accentuated Negative Seated Rows: 3/5 A forceful positive followed by a steady rate, five-second negative.Neutral Grip Pullups: Maximum / 3 Do three reps, rest 15 seconds keep up this sequence for five minutes.Check out this video demonstration of the workout.
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Workout 2: Scary Sleeve Buster
One of my old powerlifting mentors told me to never train with someone if they don’t scare you just a bit. That same advice holds true when it comes to hypertrophy arm training, if thinking about the session doesn’t make you somewhat uneasy, you won’t maximize growth in minimal time.If you aren’t a little uneasy about all of the intensity-boosting techniques combined in the following arm workout, you ain’t lifting heavy enough weight!Exercise: Sets / RepsFunctional Isometrics: 3/6 Start with your eight-repetition close grip bench press maximum.Chain Triceps Extension: 4/8 Perform each rep with a five second negative and a forceful positive.Reverse Fat Bar Curls: 3/5 Perform each rep with a five-second negative; use fat gripz or a towel if no fat bar is available.Mechanical Advantage Curls: 3/Max Start with a weight you do an incline dumbbell curl for eights reps. Lift that weight to failure on the incline dumbbell curl then immediately do the same thing on the hammer curl.Occlusion Training: Max/25 Superset curls and triceps pushdowns for 25 reps each with light weight, approximately 20% of your maximum do as many as possible in 6 minutes.See workout demonstrated in video below.
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Workout 3: Chilling Chest Annihilator
This is the ultimate chest blast! I put Branch Warren through it back in 2012 as you will see in the video. This is definitely not a Thanksgiving workout as you will be cursing Muscle & Fitness for allowing this form of legal torture to be published.Exercise: Sets/RepsIncline Dumbbell Press: 4/8, 7, 6, 5 Add resistance bands if accessible that equate to 20% of total dumbbell weight used.Dips: 5/6, 7 ,8 ,9 , Max Add weight if applicable, band assistance if needed. Last set do as many reps as possible in one minute.Bench Press: 3/8, 6, 4 Add chains if accessible that equate to 20% of total barbell weight used.Negative Eccentric Emphasis Smith Machine Bench Press: 3/5 Make sure you use two competent spotters, any doubts skip this exercise.Dumbbell Fly: 3/12, 10, 8Cable Fly: 4/50, 40, 30, 20Incline Cable Pull Over: 4/20Juarez Valley 10 Pushups Complete 10, 1, 9, 2, 8, 3, 7, 4, 6, 5 reps in that order as fast as possible.Check out the video demo below.
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Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Workout 4: Blood-Curdling Shoulder Cluster
On paper this one doesn’t look so bad BUT it is truly a wolf in sheep’s clothing!Think about sprinting 200 meters eight times, it’s a helluva lot harder than walking a mile, yet both are the same distance—this session is like sprinting, most shoulder workouts are like walking.Each exercise is performed for five repetitions, followed by a fifteen-second break. This sequence is kept for five minutes, start with a weight you can do for 12 to 15 reps, the goal is to never lower the weight!Exercise: Sets/RepsMachine Lateral Raises: Max/5 Dumbbells can substituted if no machine available.Reverse Pec-Deck Rear-Delt Fly: Max/5 Face Pulls can be substituted of no pec deck available.Hammer Strength Overhead Press: Max/5 Any machine military variation is okay to substitute, avoid cumbersome barbells and dumbbells .Partial Rear Delt Fly: Max/10 Use 10 reps because of short ROM.Check out the demo video below.
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Workout 5: Metroflex Terrifying Leg-Thrash
No scary workout list would be complete without a leg thrashing! I am heavily borrowing from my bodybuilding mentor, Metroflex Gym Founder/Owner Brian Dobson.These are the type of workouts that built King Coleman and Branch Warren!Exercise: Sets/RepsSquats: 8/20,15,12,10,8,6,3,max Progressively add weight each set, starting with the bar.Leg Extensions: 8/40 Superset with squats.Romanian Deadlifts: 3/5 Perform with a five-second negative, use band resistance if accessible.Leg Curl: Max/3 Do three reps, rest 15 seconds for five minutes straight using 12-rep max.Walking Lunges: 3 sets Go 20 yards in a as few as steps as possible.Leg Press: 4/50, 40, 30, 20 Use the same weight each set, resting no more than two minutes between sets.See the leg-thrashing workout demonstrated in video below.
Halloween is the season of haunted houses, ghosts and goblins. Frightening sagas are told around campfires, horror movies are the norm and people of all ages walk the streets in macabre costumes.
While this commercialism can be kind of cute, I am going introduce you to something really scary this Halloween—five super intense workouts that will test your body and testicular fortitude.
Next time you hit the gym, give any one of the following scary workouts a try….if you dare!
Deadlift: 3/5, 3, 2 Go as heavy as possible with good form.
One-Arm Dumbbell Row: 3 / Maximum reps Do as many reps as possible 30 seconds while controlling the negative and being forceful on the positive.
Straight-Arm Pulldowns: 2 / Maximum Reps Do as many reps as possible in one minute using a slow, rhythmic pace.
Accentuated Negative Seated Rows: 3/5 A forceful positive followed by a steady rate, five-second negative.
Neutral Grip Pullups: Maximum / 3 Do three reps, rest 15 seconds keep up this sequence for five minutes.
Check out this video demonstration of the workout.
Workout 2: Scary Sleeve Buster
One of my old powerlifting mentors told me to never train with someone if they don’t scare you just a bit. That same advice holds true when it comes to hypertrophy arm training, if thinking about the session doesn’t make you somewhat uneasy, you won’t maximize growth in minimal time.
If you aren’t a little uneasy about all of the intensity-boosting techniques combined in the following arm workout, you ain’t lifting heavy enough weight!
Exercise: Sets / Reps
Functional Isometrics: 3/6 Start with your eight-repetition close grip bench press maximum.
Chain Triceps Extension: 4/8 Perform each rep with a five second negative and a forceful positive.
Reverse Fat Bar Curls: 3/5 Perform each rep with a five-second negative; use fat gripz or a towel if no fat bar is available.
Mechanical Advantage Curls: 3/Max Start with a weight you do an incline dumbbell curl for eights reps. Lift that weight to failure on the incline dumbbell curl then immediately do the same thing on the hammer curl.
Occlusion Training: Max/25 Superset curls and triceps pushdowns for 25 reps each with light weight, approximately 20% of your maximum do as many as possible in 6 minutes.
See workout demonstrated in video below.
Workout 3: Chilling Chest Annihilator
This is the ultimate chest blast! I put Branch Warren through it back in 2012 as you will see in the video. This is definitely not a Thanksgiving workout as you will be cursing Muscle & Fitness for allowing this form of legal torture to be published.
Exercise: Sets/Reps
Incline Dumbbell Press: 4/8, 7, 6, 5 Add resistance bands if accessible that equate to 20% of total dumbbell weight used.
Dips: 5/6, 7 ,8 ,9 , Max Add weight if applicable, band assistance if needed. Last set do as many reps as possible in one minute.
Bench Press: 3/8, 6, 4 Add chains if accessible that equate to 20% of total barbell weight used.
Negative Eccentric Emphasis Smith Machine Bench Press: 3/5 Make sure you use two competent spotters, any doubts skip this exercise.
Dumbbell Fly: 3/12, 10, 8
Cable Fly: 4/50, 40, 30, 20
Incline Cable Pull Over: 4/20
Juarez Valley 10 Pushups Complete 10, 1, 9, 2, 8, 3, 7, 4, 6, 5 reps in that order as fast as possible.
Check out the video demo below.
Workout 4: Blood-Curdling Shoulder Cluster
On paper this one doesn’t look so bad BUT it is truly a wolf in sheep’s clothing!
Think about sprinting 200 meters eight times, it’s a helluva lot harder than walking a mile, yet both are the same distance—this session is like sprinting, most shoulder workouts are like walking.
Each exercise is performed for five repetitions, followed by a fifteen-second break. This sequence is kept for five minutes, start with a weight you can do for 12 to 15 reps, the goal is to never lower the weight!
Exercise: Sets/Reps
Machine Lateral Raises: Max/5 Dumbbells can substituted if no machine available.
Reverse Pec-Deck Rear-Delt Fly: Max/5 Face Pulls can be substituted of no pec deck available.
Hammer Strength Overhead Press: Max/5 Any machine military variation is okay to substitute, avoid cumbersome barbells and dumbbells .
Partial Rear Delt Fly: Max/10 Use 10 reps because of short ROM.
Check out the demo video below.
Workout 5: Metroflex Terrifying Leg-Thrash
No scary workout list would be complete without a leg thrashing! I am heavily borrowing from my bodybuilding mentor, Metroflex Gym Founder/Owner Brian Dobson.
These are the type of workouts that built King Coleman and Branch Warren!
Exercise: Sets/Reps
Squats: 8/20,15,12,10,8,6,3,max Progressively add weight each set, starting with the bar.
Leg Extensions: 8/40 Superset with squats.
Romanian Deadlifts: 3/5 Perform with a five-second negative, use band resistance if accessible.
Leg Curl: Max/3 Do three reps, rest 15 seconds for five minutes straight using 12-rep max.
Walking Lunges: 3 sets Go 20 yards in a as few as steps as possible.
Leg Press: 4/50, 40, 30, 20 Use the same weight each set, resting no more than two minutes between sets.
See the leg-thrashing workout demonstrated in video below.
