This is one of the most toughest workouts I have ever done. It puts your cardio, strength and endurance to the test. The workout itself is something that you should acclimate yourself too. Don’t expect to go all out and be able to complete this type of training, unless your used to it. What makes it truly challenging is the use of time  as a measurement  instead of reps.
To put it into perspective curling 25 lbs for 10 reps resting for 60 seconds than repeating the reps is a lot easier, than curling 25lbs for a minute straight doing as many reps as you can.  This puts your cardio to the test gets the blood pumping right away. Resting for 15 seconds before moving to the next exercise gives you a chance to catch your breath.

My advice for anyone starting out is lift light at first trying to do as many reps within a minute.  Men’s Health suggest that if you can not complete the exercise for the full minute do 15 to 20 reps instead. The amount of weight you should lift according to Men’s Health is weight that is challenging, which basically means you should be able to lift it for a minute.

I have done this workout with two other gym mates, one threw up wasn’t able to complete the exercises. The second almost fainted three exercise in.  As for myself I when I first started this routine I was able to complete some exercises for the full minute. Other exercises I would revert to reps instead.

Other tips to getting the most out of Spartacus Workout.
1. Rest – Men’s Health suggests that you do this routine three times a week taking a day off in between workouts.
2. Keep pushing yourself if you can do a minute at ten pounds move it up to fifteen.
3. Stretch before you do this workout
4. Maintain form over reps

By the second circuit I am pouring in sweat and pumping the music to get through.

To date I have done this routine 12 times.
Here is where I am at from the date I started till the present.
I am amazed at the results.

Goblet Squat –  
1/2/10
1st / 20 reps  Weight 40 whole minute
2nd/ 20 reps  Weight 40 whole minute
3rd/ 20 reps  Weight 40 whole minute
Present
1st / 40 reps  Weight 50 whole minute
2nd/ 35 reps  Weight 50 whole minute
3rd/ 35reps  Weight 50 whole minute

Mountain Climber
1/2/10
1st / 20 reps  
2nd/ 20 reps  
3rd/ 20 reps  
Present:
1st / 50 reps  whole minute
2nd/ 30 reps  
3rd/ 30 reps  

Single-arm dumbbell swing
1/2/10
1st / 15 reps  Weight 30 each arm
2nd/ 15 reps  Weight 30 each arm
3rd/ 15 reps  Weight 30 each arm
Present
1st / 20 reps  Weight 35 each arm
2nd/ 20 reps  Weight 35 each arm
3rd/ 20 reps  Weight 35 each arm

T-Pushup
1/2/10
1st / 16 reps  Weight 15  whole minute
2nd/ 12 reps  Weight 15 whole minute
3rd/  12 reps  Weight 15  whole minute
Present
1st / 16 reps  Weight 20 whole minute
2nd/ 14 reps  Weight 20 whole minute
3rd/ 14 reps  Weight 20 whole minute

Split Jump
1/2/10
1st / 20 reps  
2nd/ 20 reps  
3rd/ 20 reps  
Present
1st / 40 reps  almost the whole minute
2nd/ 30 reps  
3rd/ 25 reps  

Dumbbell Row
1/2/10
1st / 15 reps  Weight  30
2nd/ 15 reps  Weight 30
3rd/ 15 reps  Weight  30
Present
1st / 30 reps  Weight  35 almost the whole minute
2nd/ 30 reps  Weight 35 almost the whole minute
3rd/ 25 reps  Weight  35

Dumbbell side lunge and touch
1/2/10
1st / 10 reps  Weight  20
2nd/ 10 reps  Weight 20
3rd/ 10 reps  Weight  20
Present
1st / 18 reps  Weight  20 whole minute
2nd/ 16 reps  Weight 20 whole minute
3rd/ 14 reps  Weight  20

Pushup – position row
1/2/10
1st / 10 reps  Weight  15 each arm
2nd/ 10 reps  Weight 15 each arm
3rd/ 10 reps  Weight  15 each arm
Present
1st / 26 reps  Weight  20 each arm whole minute
2nd/ 25 reps  Weight 20 each arm whole minute
3rd/  20 reps  Weight  20 each arm

Dumbbell lunge and rotation
1/2/10
1st / 20 reps  Weight  20 whole minute
2nd/ 20 reps  Weight 20  whole minute
3rd/ 20 reps  Weight  20 whole minute
Present
1st / 20 reps  Weight  30 whole minute
2nd/ 20 reps  Weight 30  whole minute
3rd/ 20 reps  Weight  30 whole minute

Dumbbell push press
1/2/10
1st / 20 reps  Weight  30
2nd/ 15 reps  Weight 30
3rd/ 15 reps  Weight  30
Present
1st / 30 reps  Weight  35 almost the whole minute
2nd/ 30 reps  Weight 35 almost the whole minute
3rd/ 25 reps  Weight  35

The February 2010 issue of Men’s Fitness is packed with workouts, fitness tips and no – flab foods. What got my attention was their ” MMA WORKOUT GET ABS LIKE GSP.” Any UFC fan knows that GSP ( Georges St-Pierre ) has some of the best looking abs in the UFC. I was inclined to review this workout because I want them too. I wasn’t disappointed, well may be a little but not in a bad way . More like I wish I had more time way. I gave this workout four and a half stars. It is a solid ab routine, left me with that I have been worked out feeling.

The time and the commitment it takes to get the MMA abs is something I don’t have right now. I also think that a lot of readers of MF are thinking the same thing. Great workout but how do I fit it into my real life? This is my only issue with the workout, that it wouldn’t fit into my real life to get me the results that I see on the UFC fighters. There is hope, the article says up to six times a week. Maybe I can get by with twice a week. We will see.

Workout developed by: Adam Campbell and Rachel Cosgrove, C.S.C.S.

This routine was developed to keep the cast of the up coming new Starz  series Spartacus: Blood and Sand in shape.
The workout is a fat burning, core tuning and high intensity circuit training. Circuit training is when you do a group of exercises one after the other resting after you have completed the all exercises in the group.

I have to give credit to Adam Campbell and Rachel Cosgrove for designing such a tough whip your a$$ back into shape workout. I have been incorporating this routine into my workout for about a week. Each time I do this routine I am pushing myself to do a minute on each exercise. That’s the hook here, each of the exercises in the routine are supposed to be done for a minute. I can get through the first circuit doing a minute on each exercise, the second and third I go for reps instead. At the end of the workout I am drenched in sweat that’s why I gave this workout a five star rating. My advice for anyone starting out who hasn’t worked out in a while is to take slowly. A minute on each exercise is a lot. If you are just starting out go for reps instead of time on each exercise. Once you have become acclimated to the routine, then push for time. Remember you have nothing to prove to no one, except to yourself.

There are a total of ten exercises that make up the Men’s Health Spartacus Workout.  You can download the whole routine plus enter to win a walk on role as a gladiator on Spartacus series.

Click here to get the routine plus find out how to enter the contest.

So I have decide to enter the contest. I would be totally blown away if I won, I will start posting pictures of my progress right away.
Also to keep track of my progress with the routine I have programmed it into my FitnessBuilder iPhone App. You can keep up with what I am doing on my Facebook and Twitter accounts. Every time I do the workout FitnessBuilder will  up date Facebook andTwitter for me.

Let’s see what happens. Stay tuned for more magazine workout reviews and product reviews.

The Stomach Blast Ab Routine! Cheesey name I know These are some exercises I do three times a week to finish off a routine if I have time, to burn off a little extra fat. These exercise in Circuit Training format, one exercise after the other.

STOMACH BLAST:

Shot Gun 10 Reps
Power Tower Kick Out 10 Reps
Swiss Ball Crunches 10 Reps
Two Bench Side Bridge 10 Reps
This is one circuit.
Do 3 Circuits.
60-30 Seconds of rest or no rest between circuits. If you are just starting out I would recommend resting 30 seconds between exercises and
lowering the reps to 5 reps till you build up to 10 reps.

Let me know what you think.

Want a little motivation read about someone incredible like Mr. Ultramarathon runner Dean Karnazes. I would say he is a modern day superman. He has ran just about everything twice in the same day! I may be exaggerating but what he has done is no small feat. Here are some career highlights that should make you think twice about complaining, about a 30 minute workout.

• 135 miles nonstop across Death Valley in 120°F temperatures WTF!
• Marathon to the South Pole at -40°F.
• 50 marathons, in all 50 US states, in 50 consecutive days, finishing with the New York City Marathon, which he completed in three hours and thirty seconds.
• 350 miles (560 km) in 80 hours and 44 minutes without stopping

Dean Karnazes has written two books which I will read and review.
Stay tuned.

Ultamarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner

50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days — and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance!