It’s about time for many lifters to think about changing from a “get lean” routine to a “pack on mass” regimen. But some of us prefer to switch things up simply to avoid monotony without abandoning our goal of staying lean year-round. To accomplish this we asked Jim “Smitty” Smith, C.P.P.S., owner of Diesel Strength and Conditioning, to whip up a hellish three-day workout program that would burn 1,000 calories per session.
Warning: Putting yourself through these will absolutely suck. However, the math speaks for itself. There are 3,500 calories in 1lb of fat. That means when you hit all three workouts, you’ll be left with only 500 calories to burn. Consume 70 fewer calories a day—drop that Snickerdoodle, buddy!—and that’s a guaranteed pound of fat lost per week.
Each workout is made up of three parts: a main lift, an every minute on the minute (EMOM) protocol, and a finisher. Now that you have the plan all you need to do is remove the excuses and execute.
The main lift is a multijoint movement meant to build strength and increase calorie expenditure, since you’re recruiting multiple muscles. Also, an all-out dropset follows your final set to reinforce a proper range of motion and up your total volume.
EMOM
For EMOM, start at the top of a minute and perform 10 reps for the first exercise (marked 2A). If it takes 40 seconds to perform the entire set, rest the remainder of the minute (so 20 seconds in this case), then move to the next exercise. Repeat the same EMOM technique for 2B and 2C. The EMOM sets in these workouts will equate to a total of 12 minutes. “This protocol shortens the rest periods, keeps the intensity high, and keeps the lifter accountable by ensuring the rest periods are structured,” says Smith. “You can keep the weight the same for each movement, or if it’s too light, increase it slightly.”
“These finishers will finish off your workout with a major bang,” Smith says. “It’s simple: These are intense, short, and sweet circuits that’ll stress your metabolic rate.” Smith mixes in core work with short bouts of extreme effort with moves like sprints, kettlebell carries, and bear crawls.
