Program Performance
As you review your program, when you see two exercises grouped together then a rest interval, please perform a set of the first exercise then a set of the second. Continue alternating exercises for the prescribed number of sets and repetitions. You can then rest before beginning the next superset or couplet. Please complete the program in this manner. Our goal is to facilitate cardiovascular conditioning by completing the program in this manner. (Don’t stress if you can complete the program in this manner for one reason or another, you’ll
still get results 🙂.)
Rest Intervals
Rest periods are subject to many factors making recommendations difficult. The program is designed for alternating movements. For example, while you are exercising your lower body, your upper body is resting and vice versa. Rest as long as you feel you need, but this type of
design allows for recuperation of one area while the other works, challenging you cardiovascularly. To be clear, quality is more important than rushing through a training session. Take your time and do things right but don’t dawdle so much that you lose out on a training effect.
Tempo
A normal tempo would be 2-3 seconds to lower the weight but then lift the weight as fast as possible, but controlled. Again, quality is key.
Selecting a Weight
The goal of this program is to get stronger. I fully expect you to do so. To that end, I never assign training percentages. I want you to challenge yourself but you likely aren’t going to hit a personal record every time you perform an exercise. All sets should be within 90-100% of what
you can lift for the prescribed number of repetitions. To put that in perspective, if the prescribed number of repetitions is 10 the resistance should be enough so you don’t feel like you could get more than 12 with good form. If you feel you could complete more repetitions, then increase the resistance for the next set. Listen to your body
along the way. Ideally, only sets 90% or greater should count. Anything done before it is more of a warm-up. If you can lift 500#, I would prefer you to work up to that versus having 500# on for your first set. With all that being said showing up is the most important factor. Exercising is a pass or fail…did you do something or not. You are not going to set a personal record each time you workout. Sometimes you’ll feel ready to run through a wall and conquer the world. Other times you’re
just going through the motions. Either way you gave your body a hug and set it up for success in your daily activities. Thank you for doing that 🙂!