Sometimes, our fans can teach us a thing or two, which is why each week Muscle & Fitness will be selecting a Bad-Ass Workout of the Week, submitted by one of our highly knowledgeable readers. Then our training experts will explain why they're so bad-ass, how how to make them badder; and what training style they work for.
This week, Dan Trink, Director of Training at Peak Performance in NYC, tips his cap to this routine from our Facebook fan Tim Zeddies. Let us know what you think, and show off your own workout at badassworkout@muscleandfitness.com. If we think it's worthy, we'll post it on the Muscle & Fitness website.
THIS WEEK'S OFFICIAL BAD-ASS WORKOUT
1."Cindy" a CrossFit workout. One round = 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 air squats. As many rounds as you can in 20 min. (I got 23 rounds).
2.Super-Duper Dumbbell Burpees. One rep = bicep curl/plank/2 renegade rows and 2 push-ups/upright row to shoulder press. Did 2 sets of 8 reps with 40s.
3. Three sets of 20 kettlebell swings (40 lbs.) + seated cable rows + neutral grip pull-ups.
4. Three sets of TRX suspension pull-ups + TRX suspension body rows + Dumbbell walking lunges with 40s.
5.Strip Set Tricep. One set = two-armed kickbacks + diamond push-ups to failure. 4 sets (30s, 27.5s, 25s, and 22.5s).
6.Strip Set Curls. (42.5s, 40s, 37.5s, 35s, 32.5s, and 30s)
Well, Tim, no one could argue that you don’t have great work capacity. Most people hit a CrossFit workout and are done for the day. Looks like it’s just a warm-up for you. I also like how you cranked up the intensity on the dumbbell burpees which are a tough exercise on their own. You’ve got some great ‘bang for your buck’ exercises in the mix like pull-ups, walking lunges and push-ups. And you finish off with some hardcore, direct arm work, which is awesome 'cause, let’s be honest, who doesn’t want a big set of pipes?
HOW TO MAKE IT BADDER:
Clearly you're a guy who gets off on training hard with lots of intensity and variety. I’m surely not going to be the one to change that. What I would love to see is you adding in some of the real foundational exercises such as squats, deadlifts and military presses early in the workouts. This will help get you bigger, stronger and, well, more bad-ass.
Once you’ve finished those, then it’s time to hit one or two of your conditioning protocols, whether it’s the CrossFit workout or the burpees-on-roids sets you’ve described above. Still itching for more? Use one of the arm workouts (either bi’s or tri’s) as a finisher and call it a day. Get the workout done in under an hour and your chances for recovery, positive hormonal response and ability to come back strong tomorrow go way up.
WHO SHOULD DO IT:
If you’re the kind of guy who gets off on long training sessions, driving up work capacity to ridiculous levels and being sore for a couple of days, this is the program for you. If developing strength or using traditional body part splits to get swole is more of your thing, then, obviously, you're better off looking somewhere else.
Dan Trink, CSCS, is a strength coach, personal trainer, fitness writer and nutritional consultant. He is also the Director of Training at Peak Performance in NYC. You can find out more about Dan at www.trinkfitness.com or on Facebook at www.faceboook/trinkfitness.
