Click here to view the embedded video.

Men’s Fitness Iron Sides by Mike Mahler
This workout is from the 2011 December issue of Men’s Fitness.
What caught attention about this workout were some of the similar exercises that I have reviewed in other workouts. Due to my hectic schedule I have as of late, I’ve been looking for routines that deliver on intensity and doesn’t take too much time. Maintaining all the work of have put in the last two years to loose 40 lbs and keep it off isn’t just a goal it is a obsession.
Iron Sides is a efficient, full body, core blasting and fat burning workout that is easy to remember and do.
Here are some ways that I use it to increase difficulty and burn a little extra fat.

Make it harder – Shorten the rest period between exercise to 20s, 15s, 10s, or 0.
I personally only rest at the end of the circuit.
2. After workout burner, after a workout perform two circuits to burn extra fat.
3. Vary weights to increase intensity, for example the clean press start with a 45 lb kettlebell and switch it to a 30 for circuits 3-5.

Iron Sides Workout

Complete the following circuit five times. Take 45-second breaks in between each exercise and 60-second
breaks at the end of each round

1. ONE ARM KETTLEBELL CLEAN AND MILITARY PRESS
x 10 ON EACH SIDE
2. WIND MILL x6 ON EACH SIDE
3. FRONT SQUAT x 10
4. HAND-TO-HAND KETTLEBELL SWING x 15 ON EACH SIDE

Here are some reference links I used to create this video. Note I boiled down the exercises to give a general guideline on how to do the exercise. My video is only 5 mins. In total the reference links below are about 20 minutes worth of video.

Dan John perfecting the kettlebell swing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVEReOq5Jgs – 14 minutes

Steve Cotter Kettlebell – Steve is the the man!incredible Kettlebell videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6651sjanpxI&feature=plcp&context=C3b0a…
6 minutes

Phil Scarito from DV8 Fitness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdCiCjzlAbM
2.28 minutes

http://www.mensfitness.com/

Men’s Health Full Body Dumbbell Blast is easy and effective.  Lately I haven’t had a lot of time to do my regular workouts.  In order to maintain what I’ve worked so hard to achieve I’ve been researching what I’m calling, short but sweat workouts.  Patrick Striet, owner of Force Fitness & Performance in Cincinnati Ohio came up with this lean mean fat burning workout.

This workout delivers and is easy to remember whether  you’re at home or in the gym.  All you need are some dumbbells and a bucket of will.

Check out Patrick’s gym if you live in Cincinnati.

Men’s Health Spartacus 2.0 Workout

Men’s Health and Rachel Cosgrove have done it again!
Another ass kicking, muscle sculpting workout!

The routine  is a total of 10 exercises.
The way it works is in two steps.
Step 1:
5 Exercises:
1. Dumbbell Hang Pull
2. Offset Dumbbell Reverse Lunge
(Perform this exercise on one side your body.  Switch sides after each circuit.)
3. Single-arm Dumbbell Swing
(Perform this exercise on one side your body.  Switch sides after each circuit.)
4. Thrusters
5. Single-leg, Single-arm Underhand-grip Dumbbell Row
(Perform this exercise on one side your body.  Switch sides after each circuit.)
Perform each exercise for 40 seconds do as many reps as you can.
Rest for 20 seconds then move on to the next exercise.
Repeat for two circuits then rest 2 minutes, then repeat for  2 more circuits.
After you have completed 4 circuits total move on to Step 2.

Step 2:
5 Exercises
1. Dumbbell Chop
(Perform this exercise on one side your body.  Switch sides after each circuit.)
2. Plank Walkup to Pushup
3. Rotational Dumbbell Straight-leg Deadlift
(Perform this exercise on one side your body.  Switch sides after each circuit.)
4. Squat Thrusts
5. Jump Squat
Perform each exercise for 40 seconds do as many reps as you can.
Rest for 20 seconds then move on to the next exercise.
Repeat for two circuits then rest 2 minutes, then repeat for  2 more circuits.
After you have completed 4 circuits total you have completed Spartacus 2.0!

Just in case the above is confusing I have outline example of what a full Circuit should look like.

STEP1:

Circuit 1
1. Dumbbell Hang Pull / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
2. Offset Dumbbell Reverse Lunge / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
3. Single-arm Dumbbell Swing / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
4. Thrusters / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
5. Single-leg, Single-arm Underhand-grip Dumbbell Row / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds

NO REST

Circuit 2
1. Dumbbell Hang Pull / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
2. Offset Dumbbell Reverse Lunge / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
3. Single-arm Dumbbell Swing / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
4. Thrusters / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
5. Single-leg, Single-arm Underhand-grip Dumbbell Row / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds

REST FOR 2 MINUTES AFTER 2 CIRCUITS

Circuit 3
1. Dumbbell Hang Pull / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
2. Offset Dumbbell Reverse Lunge / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
3. Single-arm Dumbbell Swing / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
4. Thrusters / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
5. Single-leg, Single-arm Underhand-grip Dumbbell Row / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds

NO REST

Circuit 4
1. Dumbbell Hang Pull / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
2. Offset Dumbbell Reverse Lunge / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
3. Single-arm Dumbbell Swing / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
4. Thrusters / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds
5. Single-leg, Single-arm Underhand-grip Dumbbell Row / Perform for 40 seconds/ Rest 20 seconds

Click for the Men’s Health Spartacus 2.0 Workout

Click here to view the embedded video.

By Alwyn Cosgrove

I am always amazed with how simple things can be. Torching fat doesn’t have to take a lot of time or be complicated.  Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S developed this two exercise workout to torch calories and ignite your metabolism.  Basically, what this workout does is get your body set up to burn more calories all day.

I did some research on Alwyn and his theory on fat loss and found this interesting quote.
“the post workout period that results in metabolic disturbance, elevating EPOC, fat burning enzyme activity and total body fat oxidation to maximize caloric burn for the other 23+ hours per day”. Alwyn focuses on workouts that keep your body burning even after you finished working out.

Check out this interesting read Training techniques to maximize fat loss. Where Alwyn answers the question . What do you look for when designing a fat loss training program? Do you look at what people have done in the gyms before, or do you read the research and then try to recreate that?

Click here to read more.

I decided to make a second video on the Spartacus workout due to all the questions that I’ve received on my first video. This new video contains tips for both beginners and advance users.

Here are all the links that are in my video.

Track your progress download the workout sheet

Keep your pacing and timing download the mp3

Join the Spartacus Workout Club get inspired, learn and share!
A site that will focus on more extreme workouts.
Subscribe to my Youtube channel

Advice for Beginners:
The Spartacus Workout is a really intense workout, it may make you throw up or faint. I am not joking when I say this. I have had two friends of mine throw up and almost faint.
1. If you haven’t worked out in a while or your not used to doing intense circuit training, don’t try to be superman or superwoman! Pace yourself.
Men’s Health suggest that if you cannot complete the exercise for the full minute do 15 to 20 reps instead.

Another method you can try is doing as many reps as you can within 30 seconds or 45 seconds. Then resting the remainder of the 60 seconds plus the 15 seconds rest as well. So the math looks something like this.
You go all out with x reps for 45 seconds. You rest for the remainder of the 60 seconds which is 15 seconds plus the rest period of 15 seconds. This gives you a total of 30 seconds of rest. I created a printable pdf so you can keep track of how long you can do an exercise for.
In my personal experience things start going south for me during my 3 circuit.

2. Press your internal pause button, take small breaks at the beginning and end of an exercise. This will help you get through the whole 60 seconds.

3. Counting in 10′s I don’t know why but counting in from 1 to 10 helps me push through.  When I get to 10 I start over from 1 basically what I tell myself is that there is only 10 reps to focus on and it helps sometimes. ; )

4. Weight – 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 say go light! Then build from there.
Just like any other workout increase your weight as your body gets used to the exercise and you get stronger.

5. There is nothing wrong with modifying.  Two exercises within the Spartacus workout the Split Jumps and Dumbbell side lunge and touch are both exercises you can modify, the new video shows you how. Once again as your body gets used to the exercises and stronger you will be able to do more.

Advance users:
Personally I’ve done this workout allot, I am at the point where I cycle it into my workouts every 2 to 3 weeks.
This depends on whether or not I am reviewing a workout or not. I get bored really quick with my workouts so I have discovered a couple of tricks to keep the Spartacus workout interesting and making it harder.

1. Goblet Squat – Move the weight slightly away from your chest. Your core and arms will start to shake and your making both of them work even harder.
Prison Squat Goblet Squat variation done without weights with hands behind head.
2. Mountain Climber – Do them with the exercise ball.  Feeling is believing by the 10th rep you will feel it.
3. Single arm dumbbell swing – rolling up to the tips of your toes will make your calves work as well.
If you have kettle bells doing both arms at the same time will only help you get more stronger and ripped.
4. T Push up – Go heavy with the modified exercise. (Watch video.)
5. Split Jump – Adding light weight and feel the burn.
6. Dumbbell Row – You can get a little extra workout by adding a twisting motion to the weight as you lift it up and down.
7. Push up Position row – add in a push up then perform the row. This is hardcore.
8. Dumbbell side lunge and touch – add a squat half way through the motion for more leg impact.
9. Dumbbell lunge and rotation – double the rotation for more ab impact, go to one side then the other.
10. Dumbbell push press – add in the Arnold press to hit your shoulders at all angles and to make this exercise harder.

Mix all of some of these extra moves into the Spartacus workout to keep it fresh.

One of the most crucial elements to the Spartacus workout is timing and pacing.  If you’re not watching the clock and exercising for the allotted time then you won’t get the impact you need for this routine.
Workout Muse’s Spartacus workout track is a must have to help you keep your focus and timing.
The person on the track does everything for you, tells you the number of exercise you’re on, timing, rest periods and circuit.  It does it all so all you need to do is focus on the exercise.

Other questions about the Spartacus workout
Can I do it with other exercises or activities?
I say yes, as long as you don’t feel over trained and it fits into your goals.
If you’re looking to gain muscles you need to rest more.  So make sure you get a least two days of rest.
Here are a couple of things I have done with this workout.
1. It can take place of your cardio workout,  I have used it as my cardio.
2. Combined the Spartacus workout three day split giving me a total of 6 days of working out and one day of rest.
3. Combined the Spartacus workout with two heavy lifting days, giving me 2 days of rest.
4. Doing the Spartacus workout for 2 days and combing it with a 3 day split giving me 2 days of rest.

The rule of thumb is how do you feel and what are your goals.  Men’s health the big book of exercise also has workouts that you can combine with the Spartacus workout.

What weights am I using in the video?
Powerblocks adjustable weights click here to see the website.

What weight do I use on the exercises.
Remember you should use me as a guide to how much you can lift etc. Lift with what you feel comfortable with.

1. Goblet Squat – 40 to 50 lbs around 20 – 30 reps
2. Mountain Climber – 30 to 60 reps depending on circuit on the 3rd circuit I am wiped.
3. Single arm dumbbell swing – 30 lbs 20 reps per arm or 30 reps with two kettle bells.
4. T Push up – 20 to 30 lbs 12 to 16 reps
5. Split Jump – 20 reps if I am lucky
6. Dumbbell Row – 35 lbs 20 reps
7. Push up Position row – 30 lbs 20 reps
8. Dumbbell side lunge and touch – 30 to 35 pounds 20 reps
9. Dumbbell lunge and rotation – 30 lbs 20 reps
10. Dumbbell push press – 35 to 40 lbs 20 to 25 reps

Diet?
I follow some basic principles about what I eat.
1. I eat high fiber foods, high fiber foods make you feel more full therefore you eat less.
2. I get protein from shakes, bars, fish, chicken and red meat (once a week)
3. Whole grain pastas and breads for my carbs.
4. I avoid anything with refined sugar or enriched flours.
5. NO SODA!
6. I limit my alcohol consumption.
7. Drink plenty of water.
8. Seven small meals a day vs. three big meals
9. When I cheat I do it in small portions and divide them up during the week.
10. Always have healthy snacks and a game plan about what I will eat during the day.  Having a game plan makes it easier to keep your diet on track.

I hope you found this useful.

5 star workout that is efficient and aggressive.
All it takes is 30 to 40 minutes of your time.
Men’s Fitness “Perfect” Program Developed by Chad Waterbury -
Want size, strength and killer abs? The “Perfect” workout is for you. Combination of exercises that will make your core scream and your muscle sore. Circuit training combined with straight set exercises makes a killer workout with combos that  brings the science of the working out to life. I gave this routine 5 out of 5 stars because of it’s intensity, mental and physical challenge.
Try it and see for yourself.

Frequency:
Perform each workout 1, 2 and 3 with a least a day of rest between each workout.

Workout 1:

Click here to view the embedded video.

1 – Front Squat – Sets 6 Reps 3
Use the heaviest weight possible complete all sets before moving on to the next exercise.

Circuit 1:
2a -Wide Grip Pull Up
Sets 4 – Complete as many as you can with in your 10 RM ( Rep Max)
Perform 1 set Rest 30 seconds move  to Dip.

2b- Dip
Sets 4 – Complete as many as you can with in your 10 RM ( Rep Max)
Perform 1 set Rest 30 seconds move  to Dumbbell RDL.

2c-Dumbbell RDL
Sets 4 – Complete as many as you can with in your 10 RM ( Rep Max)
Perform 1 set Rest 30 seconds go back to Wide Grip Pull Up.

Circuit 2:
3a- Medicine Ball Squat Thrust / Press
Sets 5 – Perform for 30 seconds
Rest – 15 seconds move to Dumbbell Swing

3b- Dumbbell Swing
Sets 5 – Perform for 30 seconds
Rest – 15 seconds move to Medicine Ball Squat Thrust / Press

Workout 2:

Click here to view the embedded video.

1 – Hang Snatch  – Sets 6 Reps 3
Use the heaviest weight possible complete all sets before moving on to the next exercise.

Circuit 1:
2a -One Arm Row
Sets 4 – Complete as many as you can with in your 10 RM ( Rep Max)
Perform 1 set Rest 30 seconds move  to Dumbbell Chest Press.

2b- Dumbbell Chest Press ( Cable Chest Press if you have cables)
Sets 4 – Complete as many as you can with in your 10 RM ( Rep Max)
Perform 1 set Rest 30 seconds move  to Single Leg Dumbbell Deadlift.

2c-Single Leg Dumbbell Deadlift
Sets 4 – Complete as many as you can with in your 10 RM ( Rep Max)
with each leg. Perform 1 set Rest 30 seconds go back  to One Arm Row.

Circuit 2:
3a- Jump Squat
Sets 5 – Perform for 30 seconds
Rest – 15 seconds move to Medicine Ball Slam

3b- Medicine Ball Slam
Sets 5 – Perform for 30 seconds
Rest – 15 seconds go back to Jump Squat

Workout 3:

Click here to view the embedded video.

1 – Snatch Grip Deadlift  – Sets 6 Reps 3
Use the heaviest weight possible complete all sets before moving on to the next
exercise.

Circuit 1:
2a -Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Sets 4 – Complete as many as you can with in your 10 RM ( Rep Max)
Perform 1 set Rest 30 seconds move  to Chin Up.

2b- Chin Up
Sets 4 – Complete as many as you can with in your 10 RM ( Rep Max)
Perform 1 set Rest 30 seconds move  to Bulgarian Split Squat

2c-Bulgarian Split Squat
Sets 4 – Complete as many as you can with in your 10 RM ( Rep Max) with each leg.
Perform 1 set Rest 30 seconds move on to Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Circuit 2:
3a- Dumbbell Chop
Sets 5 – Perform for 30 seconds
Rest – 15 seconds move to Split Jumping Jack

3b- Split Jumping Jacks
Sets 5 – Perform for 30 seconds
Rest – 15 seconds move to Dumbbell Chop

Click here to view the embedded video.

Well if I can’t get the suit of kick ass armor might as well get the next best thing, the body. Robert Downey Jr.  looks shredded in the sequel to Iron Man. How did he do it? Men’s Fitness brought in his secret weapon Brad Bose, Ph.d.  Brad developed a fat burning, full body and core ripping routine. I had to substitute some of the exercises due to the type of equipment I have, but the workout still does the job.

Bose says to stretch before and after training. He also says if you limit your calories between 1,600 and 2000 you will see results fast. Gotta love the science of exercise.

Here are some tips from the article.
Beginners should exercise to failure, taking the remainder of the minutes to rest.
In other words since the workout is based on time. If you can only go for 25 seconds out of a minute, use the other 35 seconds to rest.

For intermediate lifters take a minute from the two minute rest period  and perform the exercises listed below.

Block 1; Jogging in place
Block 2: Crunches
Block 3: Plank
Block 4; Jumping Jacks

Frequency:
3 times a week
Cardio of your choice for a hour on alternate days

Block 1
Jump Rope (Substitute for StairClimber ) 5 minutes
Push ups 1 minute
Bent over Rows (Substitute for cable rows) 1 minute
Dead-Bug 1 minute
Bear Crawl 1 minute
Clean & Jerk 1 minute

Block 2
Jump Rope (Substitute for StairClimber ) 5 minutes
Pull-Ups 1 minute
Kettle Bell Alternating Arm Swing 1 minute
Plank 1 minute
Side Laterals  ( Substitute for Bosu Ball Standing Side Raises) 1 minute
Walking Lunge 1 minute

Block 3
Jump Rope (Substitute for StairClimber ) 5 minutes
Hyperextension Swiss Ball ( Substitute for Gym Hyperextension Bench) 1 minute
Swiss Ball Dumbbell Chest Press 1 minute
Bird Dog 1 minute
One Foot up Split Squat ( Substitute for Gym Alternating One-Leg Press) 1 minute
Standing Long Jump 1 minute

Block 4
Jump Rope (Substitute for StairClimber ) 5 minutes
MedicineBall Uni Push Up ( Substitute for Bosu Ball Push -up) 1 minute
Swiss Ball Side Crunch 1 minute
Swiss Ball Squat 1 minute
Sumo Squat 1 minute

Click here to view the embedded video.

April 2010 Men’s Fitness Magazine has some great routines in it. Building a NFL neck, to staying lean with Jeffrey Donovan’s MMA Workout. The workout that made me push myself and feel the burn was the “Build Muscle! Burn Fat! workout.” Anything with that has build and burn in it’s name has to live up to it. I have to say, I wasn’t disappointed.

Build Muscle! Burn Fat is a 5 star workout.

It focuses on contrast training which is executing a heavy exercise followed up by a light exercise. The heavier exercise makes you stronger and builds muscle. The lighter exercise works on your power. A nice combination that we can all use.

Frequency
Two times a week, resting at least a day between each session.

Takes about 45 minutes.

Execution:

Complete each exercise with in a sequence.
There are two sequence with in the total routine.

Sequence One:
Do each of these exercises right after the other.
Example of one set.
1a. Deadlift             4-6 Reps
1b. Deadlift Jump  4-6 Reps
1c. Bench Press    4-6 Reps
1d. Plyo Pushup    4-6 Reps
4-6 Sets

Sequence Two:
Do each of these exercises right after the other.
Example of one set.
2a. Dumbbell Reverse Lunge 5-8 Reps each leg
2b. Alternating Jumping Lunge 5-8 Reps each leg
2c. Chinup 4-6 Reps
2d. Medicine-Ball Slam 5-8 Reps
4-6 Sets.

Plate Chop  is to be done at the end of
both sequences.
Reps 8-10, Sets – 2-3

Click here to view the embedded video.

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.