+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Submit your email address to subscribe to
our free newsletter.
You can receive our weekly email letting you know
when there are new Questions and Answers. We will
also keep you up to date with upcoming events and
new ways to become a better athlete.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Training Economy
How to Maximize Efficiency in the Gym
by Joe DeFranco
This article
originally appeared on www.T-mag.com
Questions regarding the concept of
training economy have indirectly been
thrown my way since I first picked up a dumbell. I
use the term indirectly because most people
have never heard of the term training economy,
but I get asked the same question time and time again.
It goes like this, "Although I would love to build
a more muscular physique, I just don't have the time.
What can I do?" I usually give the following carefully
considered answer to this question: "Bullshit!"
Most people think that they
don't have the time because they have the wrong impression
of what it takes to build a more muscular physique.
Read on and I'll explain further.
I'm writing this article as I sit
on a plane from Texas where I enjoyed a great Super
Bowl weekend. Ironically, just before I started writing
this article, training economy was indirectly brought
up again! During the flight, I got into a discussion
with Dan Klecko of the New England Patriots, Frank
Ferrarra of the N.Y. Giants, and one of my colleagues.
And wouldn't you know it, the drunken asshole sitting
behind us had to chime in on our conversation. He
starts rambling on and on about how if he was a pro
athlete or he worked in a gym, he would be "buff"
just like us. I turned around and let this drunken
fool in on a little secret. My colleagues and I work
80-100 hours a week and Dan and Frank only have time
to weight train two times a week during the football
season.
My point was that everyone
is busy. Granted, some people are busier than others,
but we're all busy. Whether it's your job, family
or school, most of us don't have a lot of time to
train. The majority of people reading this article
aren't professional bodybuilders. We can't spend all
day, every day, working out. So how do my clients,
my colleagues and I get buff even during the busiest
times of year? We all adhere to TRAINING ECONOMY.
When I talk about the training economy,
I'm referring to choosing the exercises and
training methods that give you the quickest results
in the shortest possible time. It's important
to know that ALL EXERCISES WERE NOT CREATED EQUAL!
For example, the deadlift is an "economical" exercise
because it works a TON of muscle mass at once. Deadlifting
works the low back, glutes, hamstrings, quads, forearms,
upper back, and traps. This one exercise can literally
take the place of a dozen less productive exercises.
Hopefully this example helps you
to realize that making the proper exercise selections
can drastically cut down on the time you spend in
the gym. Yet, time and time again, I see people wasting
valuable time by doing concentration curls, leg extensions,
triceps kickbacks, and a bunch of other exercises
that make me want to puke. These are the same people
who look exactly the same year in and year out even
though they "work out everyday for 2 hours." They're
also on a first-name basis with every single member
of the gym. These people go to the gym to make friends,
not progress.
In order to get the most out of my
sample workout, you have to attack my workout like
Michael Jackson attacks pre-pubescent boys! Okay,
maybe I need to work on my motivational skills, but
you get the idea.
Just do my damn workout!
Everyone in our society loves a good
bargain. There's "buy 1 get 1 free" sales at the mall,
happy hour at the local bar, "Super Tuesday" at GNC,
and coupons that we cut out and bring to the grocery
store. Below you'll find my "workout bargain" to all
of the people who claim they're too busy to get buff.
What I've done for T-Nation readers is design the
ultimate training economy workout. It's quick, realistic,
simple and productive. That is what the training economy
is all about. But don't mistake economical with easy.
Even though you're not going to spend a lot of time
in the gym, you must bust your ass for the short time
that you're there.
This program requires less than 2
1/2 hours of your entire week. Anyone can do
it. The beauty of this workout lies in the exercise
selection and the unique set, rep and rest schemes.
If you're a busy guy who "doesn't have time to train,"
give this workout a try. IT WORKS!
[Note: The workouts should
be done on non-consecutive days. Perform this program
for 3 or 4 weeks and then move onto another program.]
Sets: 3 x as many as
possible
Tempo: Fast
Rest: 60 seconds
DESCRIPTION:
After a warm-up, choose a pair of dumbbells that'll
allow you do to between 30-40 reps on your first set.
Rep out until you're about 1 rep shy of concentric
failure. Rest 60 seconds and then perform a second
set of as many reps as you can with the same dumbbells.
After the second set is complete, rest another 60
seconds and then perform a third set with the same
dumbells until you reach concentric failure. Record
the total number of reps that you completed in the
3 sets. Next week, you'll stick with the same weight
but try and perform more reps.
Rest 2 minutes before moving onto
the next exercise.
Sets: 3 x 8, 1 x 15
Tempo: 3011
Rest: 60, 60, 30s
DESCRIPTION:
Place your feet lower than your hips on the foot plates.
Bend your knees slightly, arch your back, and lean
slightly forward. Start with your arms fully extended
and then row an "E-Z" bar to just below your sternum.
Use a 3-0-1-1 tempo on all sets. Rest 60 seconds between
the sets of 8 reps, but only rest 30 seconds after
your last set of 8 before dropping the weight and
performing your 15-rep set.
Rest 2 minutes before moving onto
your next exercise.
Sets: 1 x 10, 2 x 8
Tempo: Controlled
Rest: 90s
DESCRIPTION: Start
the movement as if you were going to perform a standard
military press. Press the barbell just high enough
to clear your head and then lower it behind your neck
until it touches your traps. Immediately reverse the
movement by pressing the barbell up and over your
head and then lowering it to your upper chest. This
constitutes one rep. You'll perform 10 reps on your
first set and 8 reps on your second and third set.
Never press the bar all the way up on this exercise.
You're always pressing the bar just high enough to
clear your head. This keeps the tension on your shoulders.
Rest 90 seconds between all sets and use a controlled
tempo!
Rest 2 minutes before moving onto
your final exercise.
D. Low-pulley swiss ball crunches
Sets: 3 x 15
Tempo: 3011
Rest: 45s
DESCRIPTION: Perform
this exercise by attaching a triceps rope to the low
pulley. After placing your low-back on the swiss ball,
arch your back and grab the rope or have someone hand
it to you. Secure the rope over your traps and tuck
your elbows. Crunch up until your elbows touch your
thighs. Reverse the movement until you achieve a good
pre-stretch on the abs. Repeat for 15 reps. Use a
3-0-1-1 tempo on all 3 sets. Rest 45 seconds between
all sets.
APPROXIMATE WORKOUT TIME:
32 minutes
+++++++++ Day 2 +++++++++
Sets: 5 x 5
Tempo: Controlled
Rest: 120s. 120s, 120s, 180s
DESCRIPTION:
Place your shins against the barbell with your feet
about 12" apart. Grab the barbell with an overhand
grip about 1" outside of the rings. Make sure your
chest is up and your back is arched. Think about initiating
the movement by pushing your feet through the floor
and pulling the bar towards your body. Don't
hyperextend your back at the top of the movement.
Focus on keeping the bar close to your body and keeping
your back arched when lowering the weight.
You're going to perform 5 sets of
5 reps. For the first set, use a weight that you can
handle for 10 reps. Increase the weight gradually
each set so that you're using maximal weights on sets
4 and 5. Rest 2 minutes between the first four sets.
Rest 3 minutes between sets 4 and 5.
Rest 2 minutes before moving onto
the next exercise.
Sets: 2 x 10 reps (each
leg)
Tempo: Controlled
Rest: 120s
DESCRIPTION: A
"speed-skater" squat is a single leg squat performed
in a one-and-a-half rep fashion. Start by holding
two dumbells and placing one foot about 2 feet in
front of a bench. Place the top of the other foot
on the bench. Squat down until your back knee is one
inch from the ground, raise half way up and pause
for a second, lower yourself back down until your
knee is one inch from the floor again; then stand
all the way up. That is considered 1 rep! You will
perform 2 sets of 10 one-and-a-half rep sets per leg.
Rest 10 seconds between legs and 2 minutes between
sets.
Rest 2 minutes before moving onto
the next exercise.
Sets: 3 x 8 reps (each
leg)
Tempo: 2112
Rest: 0
DESCRIPTION:
Place the front half of your foot on a box or platform.
Let the non-working leg hang off of the box. Hold
a dumbell in the same hand of the leg that you're
working. You can support yourself by holding onto
a bar or the wall with your other hand. Drop the heel
down of the working leg to achieve a full stretch
on the calf. Then, raise yourself as high as possible
onto your toes. Pause at the top for a two-count.
You will perform 3 sets of 8 reps with each leg. Go
back and forth between sets without resting. Perform
all sets at a 2-1-1-2 tempo.
After you've completed 3 sets with
each leg, go immediately into your final exercise.
Sets: 3 x 20
Tempo: Explosive
Rest: 30s
DESCRIPTION:
Lie flat on the ground with your hands at your side.
Explode up into a full sit-up by firing one arm forward
and the opposite knee up. Simultaneously fire the
opposing arm backward and keep the other leg flat
on the ground. Lie back down and then immediately
fire up again with the opposite arm and leg. Your
arm action should resemble a sprinting motion. Every
time you sit up counts as one rep. You'll perform
3 sets of 20 reps. Rest 30 seconds between sets.
APPROXIMATE WORKOUT TIME:
42 minutes
+++++++++ Day 3 +++++++++
Sets: 8 x 3
Tempo: 2011
Rest: 30-45s
DESCRIPTION:
If you don't know how to perform a chin-up, you shouldn't
be reading this article. Here's the catch; Instead
of performing the standard "3 sets of 8-10 reps,"
you're going to perform 8 sets of 3 reps. The rest
interval is 30-45 seconds between all sets. If you're
strong enough, you can do them with extra weight around
your waist. Make sure all reps are super-strict. You're
only doing 3 reps per set so you can't afford garbage
reps! Try to achieve a 2-0-1-1 tempo on all sets.
Rest 2 minutes before moving onto
the next exercise.
Sets: 3 x 6-8, 1 set
to failure
Tempo: Controlled
Rest: 120s, 120s, 45s
DESCRIPTION: Dips
will be performed by starting in the upright position
with your elbows 99% extended. Lower yourself until
your biceps cover your forearms on every repetition.
Keep your elbows tucked during the lowering and the
raising. If you're strong enough, you'll do the first
3 sets with extra weight around your waist. Choose
a weight that you can complete 6-8 strict reps for
3 sets. You'll rest 2 minutes between weighted sets.
After your third set of weighted dips, get rid of
the weight; rest 45 seconds, and then rep out with
your bodyweight.
If you're not strong enough to do
weighted dips, simply perform 4 sets of 6-8 reps with
your bodyweight. Rest 2 minutes between all sets.
If you can't do 4 sets of 6-8 dips, go consult Tony
Little for a new exercise program.
Rest 2 minutes before moving onto
the next exercise.
Sets: 3 x 8
Tempo: 1-10-1-1
Rest: 60s
DESCRIPTION:
Start this exercise by driving your shoulders straight
up to the back of your ears. Hold the first rep at
the top for 10 seconds. Then, release your shoulders
down and perform 7 more reps. Hold each rep at the
top for a "one-thousand-one" count. Don't "roll" your
shoulders backward during the lowering of the weight!
Keep your elbows straight and drive the weight straight
up and straight down! Rest 60 seconds between sets.
Rest 60 seconds before moving onto
your final exercise.
Sets: 2 x 4-10 (each side)
Tempo: Controlled
Rest: 120s
DESCRIPTION:
"T" push-ups are a great "finisher" to your workout.
They're also a bitch! Start by getting into a push-up
position with your hands on two light dumbells. Perform
a traditional push-up. After you push yourself up,
perform a rear delt raise with one arm. While performing
the rear delt raise make sure you focus on stabilizing
the stationary arm. It would be a shame to have the
dumbell roll out from underneath you and dislocate
your shoulder. This would really hinder next week's
workout.
If your gym has hex dumbells, you
can start with them. They're obviously easier due
to the fact that they won't roll out from under you.
The goal is to be able to perform this exercise with
round dumbells, though. You'll perform 2 sets of 4-10
reps each side. Rest 2 minutes between sets. You'll
need it!
APPROXIMATE WORKOUT TIME:
29 minutes
*NOTE: After performing this program you'll realize
that you don't need to live in the gym to change your
physique. Of the 10,080 minutes that are in a week,
I think anyone can spare 103 of those minutes. If
you can't, then you deserve to look like everyone
else at work. Now get to the gym and get your ass
in shape!
Joe DeFranco is one of the country's leading authorities
on performance enhancement and physique transformation.
He is the owner of DeFranco's Training Systems, LLC,
located in northern New Jersey. Professional athletes
from all over the country flock to New Jersey to train
with Joe and reap the benefits of his uncanny ability
to improve performance. Joe trains countless NFL football
players, major league baseball players, Olympic athletes
and hundreds of college and high school athletes.
For more information on Joe DeFranco check out his
website at http://www.defrancostraining.com/.
Return to Top
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
