>> This article is an excerpt from the May issue of M&F, on newsstands April 7.
It takes a combination of efforts to get lean. You have to eat right and train hard, not just one or the other. And when it comes to the latter, you need a solid lifting plan and cardio regimen. Just hitting the weight room isn't enough, and simply plodding away on a treadmill will for the most part leave you spinning your fat-loss wheels. The following program is truly a synthesis, bringing together high-volume lifting and super-intense cardio: It's a mix of high- and low-rep training plus interval-based cardio and longer, steady-state exercise. That's because one without the other might have you burning some bodyfat, but not nearly as much as you're capable of. Over the next four weeks, the workouts will be tough and the month might seem long, but at the end of the program you'll surely realize why you did it. You'll have burned lots of blubber and your abs will be showing. Not a bad combination, huh?
The program has you train six days a week (Monday through Saturday), each workout consisting of both lifting weights and cardio. You'll do more or less the same routines every week, and due to the high volume and intense nature of the workouts, this plan will be very effective since your body will still be adapting to the stress placed on it through the fourth week. The specific exercises, sets, reps and duration of the program can be found starting on page 84 of the May issue, but here's a general rundown of what each day will entail.
The training week will start with a high-volume arm workout and a heavy-duty cardio session, performed in that order. The weightlifting will consist of three exercises each for biceps and triceps.
For biceps, start off with what's called a buddy curl. First, select a weight with which you'll reach failure at around 10 reps. Do one rep, then pass the bar to your training partner. He'll do his rep, then hand the bar back to you for two reps. Hand it back to him for two reps, then it's back to you for three reps, and so on. Do this in one-rep increments until you reach 10 reps on your last set. (If you don't have a lifting partner, set the bar down on a bench between sets and rest as long as it would take someone else to do the same number of reps.) This method is great for adding volume and intensity to your workout, which are hallmarks of this program. Perform all the other exercises for biceps and triceps in straight-set fashion.
For the full four weeks worth of high-intensity, fat-burning programs and cardio prescriptions, pick up the May issue of M&F, on newsstands April 7.
