Fat-Burning Body-Weight Workout

The four-move body-weight workout for maximizing fat loss.

Building muscle, increasing strength, and burning fat isn’t just a product of countless hours of lifting heavy weight. Body-weight workouts can be just as effective, and even place less strain on the body’s joints. Men’s Fitness met with Equinox Tier 4 coach Josh Stolz for a demonstration of a four-move fat-burning workout suitable for highly trained athletes or the casual gym-goer.
THE WORKOUT INSTRUCTIONS:
Complete four rounds of the following four exercises with 60–120 seconds’ rest in between rounds.
THE EXERCISES:

 1. lateral stepup: 6 repetitions per side

 

 

 

 

 

 2. archer pushup: 6 repetitions per side

 

 

 

3. ice skater lunges (explosive): 10 repetitions per side

 

 

 

 

 4. pushup pike with feet on a box: 6 repetitions

 

 

 

 

THE WORKOUT BENEFITS:
This workout targets the entire body with two upper-body movements and two lower-body movements to provide muscular balance. Performing the exercises with high intensity and at a rapid pace will boost cardiovascular endurance and maximize fat-burning and caloric expenditure. This workout is ideal for anyone looking to lose weight or develop a general base of strength without the strain of heavy weightlifting.
EXERCISE-SPECIFIC BENEFITS:
The lateral stepup is a lower-body exercise that increases strength and power in the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. As a unilateral exercise, muscular balance is achieved on both sides of the body.
The archer pushup is an upper-body exercise that increases strength and power in the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Performing the exercise in a side-to-side, “archer-like” motion will improve balance on both sides of the body.
Tip: Maintain a neutral spine and brace your core throughout the entire movement. Position your “lower” hand farther up or down to increase or decrease the difficulty.
The ice skater lunge is a lower-body exercise that increases muscular strength, power, and endurance in the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Performing the exercise rapidly will also improve cardiovascular endurance.
The pushup pike with feet on a box is a combination exercise that increases muscular strength and endurance in the upper body, specifically the shoulders and triceps. The pike position also actively engages and strengthens the core.
Tip: Consciously remember to keep your core braced to prevent any rounding or slouching during the entire exercise. Perform a decline pushup if the pike is too challenging.

 

Body-Weight Workout: Plyometric Power for Athletes

The body-weight workout to perform your athletic best.

A game-changing difference between a good athlete and a great athlete is explosive power and strength. Make or break moments could come down to a higher jump, a faster sprint, or more slugging-power. Men’s Fitness met with Equinox tier 4 coach Josh Stolz for a demonstration of a four-move explosive power workout suitable for the competitive athlete or a pickup game ringer.
WORKOUT INSTRUCTIONS:
Complete four rounds of the following four exercises with 2 minutes rest in between rounds.
EXERCISES:
1. man-maker - 4 reps per side
2. jumping push-up - 4 reps
3. lateral burpee box jump - 4 reps per side
4. 180-degree squat jump - 4 reps
WORKOUT BENEFITS:
Fast and explosive exercises that involve the entire body are what build powerful athletes. They also improve coordination, balance, and stability.
EXERCISE-SPECIFIC BENEFITS:
The man-maker is an advanced progression of a traditional burpee. The exercise will actively engage the core throughout the movement while improving upper and lower body power and strength.
Tip: Don’t “sag” when in the plank position, and be sure to give yourself a wide foot position for more stability when lifting your arms.
The jumping pushup is an advanced progression to the traditional pushup that increases strength and power throughout the entire upper body, more specifically, the chest, shoulders and triceps.
Tip: Focus on timing and coordination; to execute the move properly you must push from both arms and leg simultaneously.
The lateral burpee box jump is a lower body power exercise that will improve coordination, lateral speed, and agility.
The 180-degree squat jump is a lower body exercise that improves power and explosiveness in the legs while also improving rotational power and core strength.

 

30-Minute Arm Workout

Build beach-ready bis and tris in under 30-minutes with supersets.

Both, biceps and triceps are very resilient muscle groups. They recover very quickly and can handle a lot of volume and high intensity training techniques. To get the most out of your arm workouts, you've got to hit them hard, and with a variety of different techniques. Certified personal trainer and founder of TRyMFitness, Tim McComsey lays out a 30-minute arm workout loaded with supersets and dropsets to bring up those bicep peaks and stack on the size.
Supersize Your Workouts With Supersets >>>

THE ARM WORKOUT >> 

1. Barbell Curls superset with V-Bar Tricep Push Down

 

Sets: 3 
Reps: 12
Rest: 60 seconds

2. Standing EZ Bar Close Grip Curls superset with Dumbbell Kickbacks

Sets: 3
Reps: 12
Rest: 60 seconds

3. Bench Dips superset with Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curls

 

 

Sets: 3
Reps: 12
Rest: 60 seconds

4. Machine Seated Bicep Curl [drop sets] 

Sets: 3
Reps: 10
Rest: 30 seconds
Drop sets: Slash the weight by approx. 10% after each set.

5. Cable Rope Press Downs [drop sets]

Sets: 3
Reps: 10
Rest: 30 seconds
Drop sets: Slash the weight by approx. 10% after each set

Your Perfect Muscle-Building Day

Between work, family obligations, and the occasional weekly hangout with the guys, finding time to meet all of your health and fitness goals can prove to be quite challenging. Compound those events with the conflicting ideas concerning optimal workout times, meal frequency, and other factors and the whole idea of building muscle becomes a confusing mess. To help simplify the process, we’ve laid out a step-by-step game plan to your ideal muscle-building day. Follow the steps below to set yourself up for success in achieving your dream physique.

6AM-8AM

1. Hydrate
After spending six to eight hours horizontal in bed, your body is likely dehydrated. Taking into account that 75% of muscle tissue is water, the lack of hydration can really put a damper on your muscle-building abilities. Replenish the water you missed out on overnight with a tall glass first thing in the morning - before your first cup of coffee.
10 Surprising Ways to Quench Your Thirst>>>
2. Eat a high-quality breakfast
While the intermittent fasting craze has taken off as of late, breakfast is still an important meal especially for guys looking to build muscle. Your muscles likely aren't breaking down from lack of nutrition after only six to eight hours without food, but a solid breakfast is one of the best ways to get a jumpstart on proper fueling for the day and curb cravings. Plus, most guys have more time in the morning to focus on eating properly (provided you don't miss your first alarm). Start with a high-protein breakfast including a few sources of dietary fat. Finish the meal with another large glass of water.
 

9AM-11AM

 

1. Eat a high protein snack
Like many other arenas, the best offense against snacking temptations is a good defense. Plan to take down a high-protein snack mid-morning to keep energy levels high and to prevent yourself from binging on the coffee cakes and cinnamon rolls.
2. Hydrate
Like many of your other coworkers, you’ve likely downed a few cups of coffee by mid-morning. Supplement your java habit with 10-12 ounces of water. The extra fluid will help to keep you hydrated and also prevent hunger pangs (combined with your high-protein snack) that tend to strike at this time.
The Caffiene Fix: Press Beyond Your Limits With Coffee>>>
3. Move
If you're like the majority of the American population, you spend the bulk of your day seated in front of a computer. That position can both wreak havoc on your posture and ruin your chance at your desired physique. To make matters worse, excess sitting has been correlated with metabolic disease, depressed mood states, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Beat them all by moving around mid-morning. After planning out your day and answering any pertinent emails, take a quick walk around the office. Try to move for at least 5-10 minutes. If you don’t mind being dubbed the office health nut, throw in some bodyweight squats and push-ups. Keep moving throughout the day trying to be seated for no more than an hour at a time.

12PM-2PM

 1. Workout
Afternoon workouts are beneficial for several reasons. First, your body is likely more warmed up than first thing in the morning leading to less risk of injury. Second, hormones like growth hormone and testosterone are at higher levels ensuring that you get the most muscle-building benefit from your lifting session. Lastly, the demands of the workout session ensure that your energy levels are high, and you avoid the mid-afternoon slump.
To get the most out of your afternoon workout, focus on hitting your entire body combining multi-joint exercises like squats and deadlifts. This type of whole-body focus will further elevate your hormones and help you get in and out of the gym quickly.
2. Eat a high protein lunch
Protein is crucial to take in, particularly post-workout. Alongside your serving of this muscle-building macronutrient, be sure to include some fast-digesting carbohydrates like potatoes or rice. The carbohydrates will slow down catabolism – the body’s process of breaking down tissue during your workout. This results in a faster recovery and jumpstart on the muscle-building process.
3. Supplement with creatine
Creatine is one of the most popular sports supplements on the market for one reason – it works. The strength builder has been backed by numerous studies and offers a safe way for men to increase muscle mass. If you need to take back your daily dose, the best time is after your workout, so knock it back with your post-workout meal.

2PM-4PM

1. Take a nap
Skip out on the afternoon coffee and instead opt for a mid-afternoon nap. The quick snooze will leave you feeling rejuvenated for the rest of the workday. Afternoon naps also lead to increased productivity and memory function. To make matters even better, you only need a short time (10-30 minutes) to reap all of the benefits. Can’t skip out on work for a quick sleep session? Practice meditation instead. The quiet time can help you refocus your energy and attack the rest of the day with vigor.
2. Hydrate
While the rest of your coworkers are searching for energy drinks, load yourself up with a cup of water instead. The continued focus on hydration will help to replenish fluids lost during your workout as well as maintain energy levels. It also helps with digestion and prevents cravings for the sugar-filled temptations that lurk in the kitchen cabinets.

6PM-8PM

 1. Eat a homemade dinner
After a long day of work, the last thing many guys want to do is hop behind the kitchen counter to whip up a gourmet meal. However, now isn’t the time to ruin your perfect day by hitting up the drive-thru on the way home. Top off your nutrition with a blend of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Don’t be afraid of piling on the carbohydrates. Provided you’ve kept your consumption in check throughout the rest of the day, the increased carb intake might actually help you sleep better at night.
2. Limit the booze
A stressful day might tempt you to indulge in some evening cocktails. However, the excess booze intake could be detrimental to your hard work in the gym. While alcohol in moderation poses little threat to growing muscles, overconsumption decreases key hormone production and ruins sleep (not to mention the extra added calories). To build your optimum physique, keep alcohol consumption to a minimum (0-2 drinks/night).

CM Punk's Workout Tips - "Work Out For You, Not The Girls At The Gym"

A very short list of people to whom you should always be on your very best behaviour, minding your Ps, Qs and ensuring every request is bookended with either a please and/or thank you: your mum; someone in possession of a loaded gun; current WWE Champion - CM Punk.
Now, apart from the obvious fact that the latter is build like a juggernaut and could snap my weedy bones like an ice cream cone, should I cheese him off, minutes before meeting the WWE superstar in a Birmingham hotel room I'm told that he's a very firm believer in good manners. Such a believer in fact that he's even been known to refuse picture and autograph requests for the fickle fools who overlook 'the magic word'.
Not that I'd disagree with any of the above in the slightest - good manners cost nothing and all that - but I'm suddenly struck with an all-consuming fear that I might omit just one please, and be smacked over the head with a steel chair. A real possibility when sitting opposite a testosterone fuelled wrestler type.
I shouldn't have worried of course, as rather than getting angry, CM Punk got helpful - regaling AskMen with his gym secrets and priceless words of workout wisdom, and you can watch it all unfold in the above video.
And yes, I did say please. 42 times in 15 minutes.
WWE 13 is out now, available on PS3 and Xbox 360.