SIX-WEEK WORKOUT CYCLE 27 (Begins January 1, 2012)

CYCLE 27 WORKOUT (AND “BREAK WORKOUT”)

I’m pleased to share with you my 27th Workout Cycle. My goals for Cycle 27 and the beginning of 2012 are as follows:

1.To build more muscle in my chest.
2.To build more muscle in my legs.
3.To build more muscle in my back.
4.To continue to progress toward doing planche push- ups.
5.To obtain a lower body fat percentage.
6.To work on consistently running at or below a 6:10 mile pace on all of my runs.

Cycle 27 is a direct result of tweaking one of my most successful workout cycles---Cycle 26. I decided to add a few new exercises to improve the level of challenge on my arm and shoulder days. I replaced triceps kickbacks with French presses and added Reverse Flys for the shoulders as well. I continue to make sure that there is ample variety in the exercises and workouts to maintain some sense of muscle confusion and to keep progressing. As far as cardio on arm and shoulder day, I removed the bounds and added a new exercise---broad jump Burpees. These should be extremely challenging and a welcome addition to the mixed cardio that I perform on Monday. There is still no change to my longer distance runs. It is still a goal of mine to be able to run a 5-minute mile and I will push somewhat harder on the run. I will continue pursue planche training, which ended on a high note during cycle 26. My goal during this cycle is simply to work on better form, so I will train tuck planches at 40 seconds during the entire cycle. The other changes are the increase in reps of my extra push-ups from five sets of 80 to five sets of 90 three times per week for a total of 1350 and increasing the reps on my plyometrics from 30 to 35. Hopefully, that will get the chest popping more and the legs in better shape.

Feedback and suggestions are always welcomed. If you have any questions or want a copy of my workouts, please feel free to send me a personal message (PM) or an e-mail at Andrew.harris.jr@gmail.com with “BODYSPACE” or “Natural Muscle Mass”, depending on which site you read this on, in the subject line of the e-mail.

WORKOUT CYCLE 27

The structure of this cycle is fairly simple. Essentially, it is three weeks of workouts performed twice. During the second repetition, reps are increased on some exercises. I will use a slash (/) to separate the reps for the exercises performed during the first and second repetition of the workouts. Weeks 1 and 4, 2 and 5, and 3 and 6 contain the same exercises with the second week containing increased reps, time, etc. unless otherwise stated. Fridays, however, workouts alternate on odd and even weeks. I have integrated the Planche push-up training and the extra push-ups into each week’s workouts as well.

I have attached my modified break workout at the end of this cycle’s workout.

WHETHER LISTED OR NOT, I INCORPORATE STRETCHING INTO EVERY WORKOUT!

PLANCHE PUSH-UP TRAINING (SUNDAYS and THURSDAYS)

OVERVIEW: Training time for tuck planches will remain at 40 seconds for the entire six-week cycle in order to improve my form and gain more strength. I continue to use “quasi sit-ups” to strengthen and develop my lower abs more. 3 sets of 40 weighted push-ups (weighted vest) and other exercises will be performed during planche training. Extra push-ups will still be completed on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. The reps will now be 5 sets of 90 (450), each of those days, for a total of 1,350 per week! I will continue to run 1-mile on Sundays after the planche training is complete.

SUNDAY (Weeks 1-3/4-6):
Tuck Planches 3 x 40/40 Seconds
Quasi Sit-ups 3 x 40/40
Pseudo Push-ups 3 x 40/40
Tiger Push-ups 3 x 340/40
Push-ups 3 x 40/40 (Weighted)
Reverse Crunch 3 x 40/40
Pull-ups: 3 x 15/15
Pull-ups (Reverse) 3 x 15/15
Chin-ups 3 x 15/15
Jump Squats 3 x 15/15
EXTRA Push-ups 5 x 90

THURSDAY (Weeks 1-3/4-6):
Tuck Planches 3 x 40/40 Seconds
Pseudo Push-ups 3 x 40/40
Tiger Push-ups 3 x 40/40

CARDIO (SUNDAYS ONLY):
Rope Jumping 3 x 2.00 Minute
1-Mile Walk
1-Mile Run

5 x 90 EXTRA PUSH-UPS on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays!

ARMS AND SHOULDERS (MONDAYS)

OVERVIEW: The arms have benefited greatly from the chin-ups, push-ups, and dumbbell exercises. Additional gains have come from my planche push-up training. A couple of cycle ago, I changed the order of the arm and shoulder workouts during the cycle to improve recovery of the arms. As far as the cardio goes for these days, I permanently replaced bounds with broad jump burpees. I threw out a few exercises, replacing them with reverse flys and French presses. Reps for exercises will remain the same throughout the cycle. (DB=dumbbell, Weighted=weighted vest)

WEEKS 1/4:
5 x 25/25 Chin-ups (Close Grip)
5 x 25/25 Chin-ups (Wide Grip)
3 x 40/40 Shrugs

WEEKS 2/5:
3 x 40/40 Hammer DB Curls
3 x 40/40 French Press
3 x 40/40 Military Press
5 x 25/25 Chin-ups

WEEKS 3/6:
3 x 40/40 DB Curls
3 x 40/40 Overhead Triceps Extensions
3 x 40/40 Reverse Flys
5 x 20/25 Chin-ups

Cardio (Weeks 1-6):
3 x 2.0 min Jump Rope
3 x 50 Jumping Jacks
3 x 50 Windmills
9 x 40 yd Agility Drills
9 x 40 yd Sprints
3 x 40 yd Broad Jump Burpees
2-Mile run

CHEST/BACK (TUESDAYS)

OVERVIEW: I continue combining Chest and Back during this Cycle. This has continued to prove beneficial and affords me the opportunity to rest my arms and ha