09-01-2011 Thursday

Upperbody Push Workout from Joey

Hey everyone, this workout will incorporate a new movement to the training cycle that many of you haven't done a cycle of yet. The bench press! For those of you who are new to the bench press and unsure about what weight to use, go light and focus on really great form (grip should be just slightly wider than shoulder width), and avoid going heavy. For those more experienced benchers, go back to a higher volume phase and focus on explosive power when you push the bar off your chest.

Warm up:

Shoulder circles, over and backs, 5 inchworms, 5 burpees

2x through:

-10 push-ups (vary position hands in/out)
-10 one armed K.B. swings to eye level (20-35lbs) per side
-5 K.B. crunches per side (first part of turkish get-up: keep K.B. overhead and crunch to side)

Lift: Bench Press/ Close grip Dumbbell Press

3 x 12 reps @ light-moderate intensity; rest 1-2 min between sets

then do 2 x 20 reps of close grip dumbbell bench press. Select a light weight (10-20lbs), palms facing each other, press the dumbbells up and immediately lower them back down to armpit level. Keep elbows tucked in, this will target the triceps well and supplement the bench.

METCON: AMRAP 6mins "Ray Charles" (have never had any workouts named after jazz musicians...hey why not?)

-10 dumbbell hang power cleans (go moderate weight, focus on speed)
-10 dumbbell push-presses
-6 per leg dumbbell lunges (weight at side, lunges are in place alternating)

^ Try to go as many rounds as possible without dropping dumbbells on floor. Ray Charles never dropped his dumbbells for fear he would misplace them and trip over them at a later time.

Isometric shoulder stability work:

-3 x 45seconds: hold push-up position with strict plank form, bending elbows only slightly...rest 30 sec in between sets.

Stretch:

-Chest stretch (lying down on ground drive up on one side), lacrosse ball rolling on pecs, miscellaneous stretching

-JD