Let’s take a gamble on today’s workout and play “Black Jack“! 

Warm up: 15 minutes of cardio on treadmill, bike or elliptical then 2 sets of 20 crunches, 10 walking lunges and 10 push ups

‘Black Jack 21′ Full Body Workout:

- 20 bench press reps  & 1 back squat
(both sets with weight; Men = 135 lbs, Women = 45-75 lbs, beginner = no weight)
- 19 bench press  reps & 2 back squats
(both sets with weight; Men = 135 lbs, Women = 45-75 lbs, beginner = no weight)
- 18 bench press reps  & 3 back squats
(both sets with weight; Men = 135 lbs, Women = 45-75 lbs, beginner = no weight)
- 17 bench press reps… and so on

- Go all the way down to 1 bench press and 20 squats… This is a killer workout!
- Beginners can do push-ups and air squats, no weight.
- Post your time and the weight that you used!

“Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.” – Oprah Winfrey

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You will be 100% more effective with your workouts if you have a written plan. Commit to your written workout plan and bring the intensity..!

Warm up: 10 push ups, 10 pull ups (use leg band if needed), 10 sit ups, 10 lunges, 10 Diamond push ups, and 1k row

Upper Body Chest Workout Routine:

- You will do 20, 15, 10 and 5 of your body weight Dead Lifts and your body weight Olympic Incline Press. Modify the weight if needed.

- 20 reps Dead Lifts
- 20 reps Olympic Incline Press

- 15 reps Dead Lifts
- 15 reps Olympic Incline Press

- 10 reps Dead Lifts
- 10 reps Olympic Incline Press

- 5 reps Dead Lifts
- 5 reps Olympic Incline Press

This is a timed workout, have your dead lift bar and your incline press loaded with your body weight, and spotter if needed. Post your time and what weight/modifications you used.

Beginners/Intermediate: modify your weight to fit your level

httpvp://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=FB8D3EC32CAA5375

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In today’s arm workout routine, we are working antagonist (opposing muscle groups) in ‘supersets’ which provides a couple of different benefits. First, more work is done in less time and second, muscle groups recuperate faster when their opposing group is worked.  Perform the two superset exercises in a row with next to no rest in between.

Summer Tank Top Arm Workout Routine:

SUPERSET #1: Warm up

- Dumbbell Curls 3 sets of 8-10 reps with
- Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions 3 sets of 8-10 reps

SUPERSET #2:

- Low-Cable Curls 3 sets of 8-12 reps with
- Tricep Push downs 3 sets of 8-12 reps

SUPERSET #3:

- Dumbbell Hammer Curls 3 sets of 10-12 with
- Flat Bench Dumbbell Presses 3 sets of 10-12 (place dumbells together and keep them pressed together as you press them up)

SUPERSET #4:

- Preacher Curls 3 sets of 12-15 (see next to last last video of Candace below)
- Bench dips x 20

Thanks Candace for a great workout! How did you do? Post your results below… Have a question? Chat with Candace directly on Facebook and Twitter!

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How To Build Great Legs!

Here was my leg workout a few days ago adding abs in between a few sets. Keep in mind this workout is not for beginners. I always go as heavy as possible when training legs to burn as many calories as possible while building shapely legs!

Squats: At the squat rack, start with the bar for your first set and add weight accordingly. When using the squat rack, make sure you straddle your legs when taking the bar off the rack. Squat down pushing your glutes back, keeping knees in line with ankles. 15 reps

Hanging Leg Raises: If your squat rack has a bar for pullups, do some hanging leg raises. Hold on to the bars and lift your legs straight up as high as possible. Lower slowly. This is a hard exercise to try at first, most people swing all over. Tighten your core and use controlled movements. 6-10 reps

Superset 3x

Seated leg Press: I always press heavier than my body weight with this one, but play with the weight because you may be surprised as to how much you can press. Knees in line with your ankles, avoid locking knees out at the top.

Straight Legged Deadlifts: You can hold on to a bar, I like to grab plates that have a grip that you can hold on to. Knees soft, lower from hips keeping an arch in mid-back. Keep your shoulders back for this exercise, you want to avoid hunching them! If you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, then you are doing this right. If you don’t, you are most likely in a squat position. Make sure you stand all the way up as you are working your lower back as well with this exercise.

Superset 3x

Bench Step Ups: This exercise is hard, gets your heart rate up and using heavy weight with this one really burns! I held onto my 25lbs plates for this exercise. One leg at a time starting with the right leg, step up and stand straight, then step down with the right leg. Repeat with left side 8-12 reps.

V Tucks on bench: Sitting at the end of the bench, straighten legs and lower upper body towards bench. Bring knees and chest in together. Grasp the bench with your hands while doing this exercise and keep your back straight.

Superset 3x

Standing One Leg Hamstring Curl: I love this machine! If you are lucky to have this machine in your gym, use it. I like to focus on one hamstring at a time, and if you have knee problems, this machine seems to not aggravate it more. Focus on curling all the way up and slowly lowering down.

The Reptile: This is really just the plank on your hands and toes, but bringing your knee up to your elbow. I look over my shoulder at my knee so I can crunch my side even more when I bring it up to my elbow.

So this is it. I don’t add calves to my routine simply because I get a better workout for calves by skipping or running stairs. Have fun!

Thanks Angelique for a great workout! What did you think of Angelique’s leg workout routine? Share your comments below..!

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After Iron Man, Downey had slimmed down to 151 pounds for his role in Sherlock Holmes. Downey had to quickly gain an additional 20 pounds of muscle in 3 months for Iron Man 2. Celebrity trainer Brad Bose created a non conventional workout routine for a shredded Downey and got him back up to 175 pounds for Iron Man 2.

Bose shares his intense 6 week fat burner below.

The workout program consists of four blocks; five minutes on the stair climber followed by five exercises you do for one minute each. Repeat the workout three times a week, and on alternate days pick your favorite form of cardio to perform for up to one hour. Stretch thoroughly before and after training, limit your calories between 1600 and 200 a day, get eight hours of sleep per night and you should notice incredible results in a flash.

BLOCK 1

PUSH-UPS
Place your hands on the floor, about shoulder-width apart, and extend your legs straight behind you. Your body should form a straight line from your heels to your head. Keeping this straight line, lower your body until your torso is about one inch off the floor, and then complete the rep by pushing yourself back up to the starting position.

ROWS
Attach a straight bar to the pulley of a cable station with a bench. Sitting on the bench, knees slightly bent, place your feet flat on the platforms. Grab the handle with an overhand, shoulder-width grip, and pull it toward you just enough so that there is tension on the cable. Now row the bar to the lower part of your chest, and then complete the rep by reversing the motion to return to the starting position.

DEAD-BUGS
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Tightening your abs, raise both legs together, maintaining a 90-degree angle at the knee, and freeze when your shins are parallel to the floor. Holding this position, straighten your arms and raise them above you until they are perpendicular with the floor. This is the starting position. Using slow, controlled movements, lower your right arm behind you (like a backstroke) while lowering and extending your left leg, allowing neither to touch the floor. Hold for a second, and return to the starting position to complete the rep. Now do the opposite arm and leg.

BEAR-CRAWL
Get on your hands and knees with your hands shoulder-width apart. Keeping a straight back, lift your knees no more than an inch off the ground and make sure that your weight is evenly distributed between your hands and feet. Now, focusing your eyes on the space between your hands, begin crawling forwards one leg at a time, keeping both knees inside your elbows.

CLEAN & JERK
Set a barbell down on the floor in front of you. Bending your knees, crouch down and grab it with hands shoulder-width apart. Your lower back should be in its natural arch. Explosively stand up and shrug the bar, coming up onto the balls of your feet. As the bar rises to chest level, flip your wrists over so that your palms face the ceiling and your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Allow your knees to bend as you absorb the force of the bar at your shoulders. Take a deep breath. Keeping pressure on your heels, dip your body slightly by bending your knees, and then explode upwards, driving the weight above your head. As you lock out, split your feet in one fast movement with one leg in front of you and the other behind. Your front foot should be flat on the floor with your shin perpendicular to the ground. Your rear knee should be slightly bent with your foot on its toes. Complete the rep by bringing your back leg forward and front leg back into a normal standing position, lowering the bar back to shoulder position and returning the weight to the floor.

BLOCK 2

PULL-UPS
Grab onto a pull-up bar with hands shoulder-width apart. Hang from the bar with your feet off the floor. Squeezing your shoulder blades together, pull your body up until your chin is over the bar. To complete the rep, reverse the motion and return to the starting position.

KETTLE BELL ALTERNATING ARM SWING
Holding a kettlebell in your right hand, lower yourself into the squat position, allowing the weight to hang down but not touch the ground. Make sure to keep your back arched and head up, looking straight ahead. Explode upwards, pushing your hips forward as you swing the kettlebell forward and up, keeping your arm straight. Just as the weight reaches eye level, grab the handle with your left hand, letting go with the right. Return to the starting position, absorbing the force of the kettlebell by bending your hips and knees. Repeat the movement with your left hand.

PLANK
Get into pushup position. Then, bending your elbows 90 degrees, rest your weight on your forearms, keeping your entire body in a straight line. Hold the position.

BOSU BALL STANDING SIDE RAISES
Put a BOSU ball on the floor, flat side down. Standing in front of a mirror will help you keep an eye on form. Taking one dumbbell in each hand, step onto the BOSU ball with both feet and let your arms hang at our sides. Keeping them straight, raise your arms simultaneously until they are parallel to the floor. Your body should look like a giant letter T. Hold the position for a second. To complete the rep, reverse the motion, returning your arms to your sides.

WALKING LUNGES
Step forward with one leg and lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Imagine your shin and thigh forming a 90-degree angle and don’t allow your knee to go past your front foot. Your back leg should be bent so that your knee hovers about two inches from the floor. Push off from your front leg and step forward with your other leg, repeating the movement.

BLOCK 3

HYPER-EXTENSIONS
Set up on a Roman chair with your heels hooked under the rear foot pads and the main pad resting just below your hips. Straighten your back so that your entire body forms a straight line. Fold your hands in front of your chest, with your right hand touching your left shoulder and vice-versa. Bending at the hip, slowly lean forward until your upper and lower body form a 90-degree angle. Return to the starting position, making sure not to arch your back at the top

SWISS BALL DUMBBELL CHEST PRESS
Grab a dumbbell in each hand and sit on top of a Swiss ball. Walk your feet out in front of you, keeping your hips up so that your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Maintaining this position, press the dumbbells straight up, just like you would in a regular bench press. Complete the rep by lowering your arms back to the starting position.

BIRD DOG
Get on your hands and knees with your hands shoulder-width apart. Keeping a straight back, brace your core as you extend your left arm forward while extending your right leg back. Both should be parallel to the floor. Hold this position for 10 seconds before returning to the start position. Repeat the movement with the opposite arm and leg.

ALTERNATING ONE-LEG PRESS
Find the leg press machine at your gym that allows your legs to move independently of one another. Sitting on the seat with your back flush against the back pad, grab the handles on either side and place both your feet flat on the platforms. Make sure that your knees and feet are in line with one another and then press one of your legs out as far as possible without locking out. Bring your leg back to the starting position and repeat with the other leg.

STANDING LONG JUMPS
Get into some space. Stand with your feet slightly less than shoulder-width apart. As you begin shifting your weight forward, bend your knees and draw your arms back past your hips. Swing your arms out in front of you as you explode forwards with your legs. Land with both feet at the same time, bending your knees to absorb the impact.

BLOCK 4

BOSU BALL PUSH-UPS (RIGHT, CENTER, LEFT)
Place a BOSU ball on the floor, flat side down. Set up in push-up position, and with your left hand on the floor and your right hand in the center of the BOSU ball, perform a push-up. When you return to the starting position, move your right hand over to the right side of the ball and place your left hand on the opposite side. Do another push-up. Lastly, put your right hand on the floor to the right of the BOSU ball, move your left hand to the center of the ball, and do another push-up.

SWISS BALL SIDE CRUNCHES (RIGHT)
Grab a Swiss ball and find a wall in your gym where the wall and floor meet at a 90 degree angle. Standing with the ball on your right side and the wall on your left, angle your right hip into the ball and use the base of the wall to anchor your feet, bottom leg forward, top leg back. Straighten your legs so that your entire body is in a straight line, forming a 45 degree angle with the floor. Cross your arms in front of your chest, with your right hand touching your left shoulder and vice-versa. Keeping your body sideways, and your feet wedged firmly between the wall and floor, lower your torso until it is parallel to the floor. To complete the rep, reverse this movement, coming up just past the starting position.

SWISS BALL SIDE CRUNCHES (LEFT)
Grab a Swiss ball and find a wall in your gym where the wall and floor meet at a 90 degree angle. Standing with the ball on your left side and the wall on your right, angle your left hip into the ball and use the base of the wall to anchor your feet, bottom leg forward, top leg back. Straighten your legs so that your entire body is in a straight line, forming a 45 degree angle with the floor. Cross your arms in front of your chest, with your right hand touching your left shoulder and vice-versa. Keeping your body sideways, and your feet wedged firmly between the wall and floor, lower your torso until it is parallel to the floor. To complete the rep, reverse this movement, coming up just past the starting position.

SWISS BALL SQUATS (WEIGHTS OPTIONAL)
Standing up, place a Swiss ball between your lower back and a bare wall. Staring straight ahead, keep your back straight and your hands at your sides with your feet slightly forward, shoulder-width apart. Keeping your feet planted firmly on the floor, tighten your core and lower your body by bending your knees until the ball is between your shoulder blades and your thighs are parallel with the floor. To complete the rep, reverse the motion by pushing off the ground with your heels until you arrive back at the starting position. To add intensity, hold a dumbbell in each hand, keeping your arms straight at your sides.

SUMO SQUAT
Holding a dumbbell with both hands, stand with your feet a bit wider than shoulder-width apart, your toes turned slightly outward. Take a deep breath and, keeping your knees over your toes, bend your hips and knees to lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. As you exhale, explode upward back to the starting position.

*Beginners should attempt every exercise to failure, taking the remainder of the minute to rest*

Brad Bose and Robert Downey Jr. are also known for their unconventional workouts. Bose said, “We went out and bought truck tires, and we used sledgehammers — anywhere from, two 4-lb. sledgehammers in each hand, all the way up to a full 20-lb. sledgehammer — and we were just beating tires with it. We used fire hoses that we filled with sand and water… and we’d drag and whip them to build the shoulder muscles and pecs back up. Downey Jr. also navigated through an obstacle course while pushing “a custom-built wheelbarrow that we modified with 600 to 700 lb. weight stacks,” said Bose.

The workouts they used were functional, training the body in different planes of motion and simulating how the body moves in real life. Read more about Downey’s workout routine in Men’s Fitness and some of  Bose’s unique workouts for Downey in WebMD.

Picking a few unconventional exercises you can do in your home, or outside, is a good way to keep your workouts exciting.

Have you ever tried any non-conventional exercises in your workout routine? Share your comments below…

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Warm up: 10 walking lunges, 10 air squats, 20 sit ups, x 2 rounds then run 400 meters at 60%

CrossFit Workout Routine:

- Body weight squats (round to the nearest 5 LBS, beginners 50% of your body weight on the bar or less. Remember an Olympic bar weighs 45lbs) Back Squat; hold the bar behind the head

- Pull ups

- Do both each round. Here are the reps: 21, 18, 15, 12, 9 6, 3, 1

This is a timed event. Post your time!

Here’s a pic of  Jason Khalipa, a tough condender at the Crossfit games. For more CrossFit workouts find a CrossFit affiliate near you and be a part of the CrossFit family. You will be in for some of the best workouts of your life!

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I see this all the time in my clubs; over enthused lifters that want to build size fast, gain muscle and achieve a body building status and appearance too quickly. What happens is they stack on the weights, push through the exercises and sure enough, injuries follow soon after.  Common injuries are; consistent shoulder pain, and tears, inflammation, sprains and strains to the shoulder and rotator cuff.

I’m all for giving 100% intensity to workouts, but we have to be smart; always go lighter first to develop your muscles before you lift the extra lbs. Slowly build your smaller muscles in the shoulder through resistant band exercises first before you lift heavy. Protect your shoulder and rotator cuff, without a healthy shoulder, you wont be able to lift at all!

Warm Up: Jog 800 meters (or 2 lap around the track) , 10 shoulder rolls front and back (add light weights if needed) 5 minutes of jump rope and repeat; 10 shoulder rolls front and back (add light weights if needed) and 5 minutes of jump rope.

Basic Shoulder Workout Routine:

- Begin with resistance band shoulder exercises. These shoulder therapy exercises are key to building the smaller muscles of the shoulder, keep the shoulder intact, and stabilizing and preventing shoulder injuries. This is your shoulder rehab!

Go through each of these exercises and use the right resistance bands for your level. Resistance bands and tubing are inexpensive but if you don’t have access to resistance bands, use light weights (Beginners 2 lbs to Advanced 10lbs):

Deduction (side and front Extension)
Rotation (rolling in and out)
Flextion (side and front)

- If you have a healthy shoulder, continue and do the lifting shoulder exercises:

Shoulder Press
Push Press or
Push Jerk

- Men (Beginners) 45 lbs to (Advanced lifters) 135 lbs
- Women (Beginners) 25 lbs to (Advanced lifters) 85 lbs

- Pick one shoulder lifting exercise. On the minute with a continuous clock running, add an extra rep every minute. Example: 1st min 3 reps, 2nd min 4 reps, 3 min 5 reps… keep going until you can not do the amount of reps within the minute… For example 10 mins and you cant finish 10 reps your number is 9. Post your score!

*To avoid shoulder injury and harmful shoulder pain, go lighter on your weight bar and be sure you have worked up properly to the weight you are lifting. As you continue to add shoulder rehab exercises into your workout routine and are sure your shoulder is strong and healthy, then add weight to your shoulder lifting exercises*

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Warm up: Indoor row for 1k meters, (or run 800 meters at a slight incline if you don’t have access to a rower) and 3 sets of 30-45 second planks.

Leg Workout Routine:

- 20 Walking Lunges; Advanced – add 10-25 lb dumbbell weights
- 3 Dead Lifts; Advanced (or if ur goal is to build muscle) go max weights, and Beginners use the 45 lb or lighter bar.
- Burpees; Advanced do 20, Beginners do 10
- 10 Hyperextentions; Adv use a weighted medince ball
- Complete 4 cycles

- In this workout if your goal is to build more muscle, add heavy weights to lunges and on the dead lifts every set.  Make sure the weights are at your level of fitness and you have proper form on the dead lifts. Rest 3-5 minutes in between each cycle. Post weights, time and burpees per cycle!

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Warm up: 1 mile jog/run

Full Body Workout Routine:

- In 3 minutes do as many sets as you can of:

- 7 reps of Sumo Dead lift High Pulls

- 7 reps of Thrusters

- Advanced use 95 LBS. Women use 45-65 LBS.  Beginners scale as needed or use a lighter bar.

- After  the 3 minutes of work, rest 2 minutes and  then start again.  Keep track of your sets, within the 3 minutes. If  you don’t complete 7 reps, write down the number of reps you did.  For example, if you do 3 sets and only 5 Sumo Dead lift High Pulls then you would score 3 sets, 5 reps for that circuit.  Once you are done with all 4 circuits add up your sets and  post.

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