Back (4/30/13)

Back

• Feet Elevated Inverted Rows
• 4 sets x 15
• Set barbell about waist level, place bench in front to elevate feet, lay under bar and pull yourself up until chest touches
• Deadlift
• 5 sets: 10, 8, 6, 6, 6
• MAINTAIN PROPER FORM: hamstrings "loaded", core tight, chest up.
• Incline Bench Dumbbell Rows
• 5 sets x 12
• Set bench at 45 degree incline, face it and place chest against pad, grab dumbbells and perform rows pulling dumbbells up to sides
• Use 1/2 the weight you use for single arm dumbbell rows (i.e. 80lb dumbbell for single arm rows = 2 x 40lb dumbbells)
• Wide-grip High-pulls (aka Upright Rows)
• 4 sets x 10
• Load barbell, place hands shoulder-width or wider, stand, pull bar up past nipple line focusing on pulling with your upper back (traps) and delts, slowly lower bar to waist and repeat.
• Close-grip Pull-ups
• 50 total
• Hang close-grip attachment from pull-up bar, lean back slightly and pull yourself up until chest touches the handles
• Focus on pinching shoulder blades together and pulling with your traps/lats

Niko Countouriotis
Fireman

Arms (4/28/13)

Arms

• Feet Elevated Ring Dips/Explosive Curls
• 4 rounds of 15/10
• Perform 15 ring dips with feet elevated in front of you about ring height, followed by 10 explosive curls
• Explosive curls: load barbell with light weight, perform curls exploding upward and releasing the barbell in the air, cushioning the catch on the way down by lowering arms back to full extension
• Triceps Bench
• 4 sets x 8 reps
• Hands, elbows and shoulders in line. Concentrate on keeping elbows tight to your body as you lower the bar to xiphoid, pause and press back up focusing all effort on triceps
• EZ Curl Superset w/ Bands
• 4 rounds of 8/8
• Load EZ curl bar, loop band over ends, stand on center of band and perform 8 curls. Remove band and immediately perform 8 more with same weight.
• Overhead Triceps Extension w/ Dumbbells
• 4 sets x 12 reps each arm
• Hold single dumbbell overhead with arm straight, lower dumbbell behind head while attempting not to move elbow, pause once arm breaks 90 degree bend and return dumbbell up overhead to full extension
• Focus all effort on tricep
• Seated Cable Curls
• 4 sets x 12 reps each arm
• Attach D-handles and set pulleys at lowest setting, move bench in center set at a slight recline, lean back and perform curls
• Barbell Curl "50's"
• 2 rounds
• Load barbell with LIGHT weight, perform 50 curls resting as needed throughout but never set the barbell down until all 50 are complete.
• A slight swing is OK as you fatigue and near the end.

*If working out with multiple people, alternate exercises as needed to expedite (i.e. 2 people complete all sets of Triceps Bench while other 2 are performing Curl Supersets).

Niko Countouriotis
Fireman

Chest (4/26/13)

Chest

• Ring Push-ups
• 50 total
• Set rings 3" off ground, perform push-ups as usual
• For added difficulty: elevate feet on an object and set rings to that height
• Bench Press
• 5 sets x 5 reps + 1 forced rep
• Perform press with heavy enough weight to reach failure by 5th rep, at which point spotter(s) will assist lifter in getting 6th and final rep
• Spotter: help only enough for lifter to get last rep up (make them work for it)
• Adjust weight as necessary to hit prescribed reps
• Incline Dumbbell Press
• 4 sets x 12 reps
• Wide-grip Floor Press
• 4 sets x 12 reps
• Laying flat on floor, perform press with hands wide on bar. Lower bar until upper arms are flat on floor, pause for 2 count, explode back up to full extension.
• Cable Flyes Superset
• 3 rounds of 10 reps x 4 different weights
• Perform 10 flyes, go down in weight and perform 10 more, repeat 2 more times = 1 round

Niko Countouriotis
Fireman

Back (4/21/13)

Back

• Ring Rows
• 4 sets x 15
• Elevate feet for added difficulty
• Pull-downs
• 4 sets x 10
• Banded Bentover Rows
• 4 sets x 15
• Loop band over ends of loaded barbell, stand on middle of band, bend at knees and waist keeping core tight, perform rows pulling bar up to xiphoid
• Close-grip Rows
• 4 sets x 15
• Reverse Cable Flyes
• 4 sets x 15
• Set pulleys at lowest setting, grasp handles with opposite hands, perform flyes by pinching shoulder blades together and flexing traps

Niko Countouriotis
Fireman

Arms (4/19/13)

Arms

• Flexed Arm Hang
• 3 minutes total
• With a clock running, pull yourself up to a chin-up position, hold yourself with chin over bar for as long as possible counting the seconds until your arms break 90 degrees. Rest as needed and start again. Keep a tally of seconds held until you reach 3 minutes.
• Weighted Triceps (Diamond) Push-ups
• 4 sets x 15
• Place hands on ground in diamond shape (forefingers and thumbs don't have to be touching, but try to keep them close), have partner place a plate on your upper back, perform push-ups focusing on utilizing triceps rather than chest
• Standing Dumbbell Curls
• 5 sets: 10, 10, 8, 8, 6 each arm
• Increase weight each set, alternate arms or do both at the same time - your choice
• Triceps Extensions w/ Rope
• 5 sets: 10, 10, 8, 8, 6
• Try to keep hands separated as you press downward, move them together once you reach failure near end of set
• Hammer Curls w/ Rope
• 4 sets x 15
• With rope attached, set pulley at lowest level. Grab rope in each hand and perform hammer curls as you would with dumbbells
• Triceps Kickbacks
• 4 sets x 15 each arm

Niko Countouriotis

Fireman

Chest (4/17/13)

Chest

• Playing Card Push-ups
• 15 cards per person
• With a deck of playing cards, each person takes turns drawing one and performs the number of reps on the card (face cards =10, Ace =15)
• If no playing cards available, perform 5 sets of 20
• Incline Bench
• 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps
• Try to reach failure by the last rep each set, add weight as necessary to hit failure on next round
• Cable Bench Press
• 4 sets x 12 reps
• Set up bench centered on cable handles set at lowest pulley setting, perform as you would a dumbbell press
• Dumbbell Flyes
• 4 sets x 15 reps
• Playing Card Push-ups (Wide-grip)
• 10 cards, wide hand placement
• If no playing cards, perform 50 total

Niko Countouriotis
Fireman

Back (4/12/13)

Apologies for the late posting - I didn't have internet connection.

Back

• Weighted Inverted Rows
• 5 sets x 10 reps
• Balance a weight plate on your chest as you position yourself under the bar and perform rows as usual with feet elevated
• Adjusted amount of weight as necessary to hit 10 reps, rest as needed in the hanging position
• Close-grip Seated Rows*
• 5 sets x 14, 12, 10, 8, 6
• Increase weight each set
• Pull-downs*
• 5 sets x 14, 12, 10, 8, 6
• Increase weight each set
• Dumbbell Row/Dumbbell Flye
• 5 rounds of 12 each
• Position bench at an incline, place 2 sets of dumbbells behind it (1 heavy set for rows, 1 light for flyes). Stand behind bench, grab dumbbells and lean forward, resting forehead on top of bench. Perform rows pulling both dumbbells up to sides at the same time. Upon completion of rows, pick up lighter dumbbells and perform flyes also resting forehead on bench.

*Alternate each set between Rows and Pull-downs to limit rest if working out with multiple people

Niko Countouriotis

Fireman

Arms (4/10/13)

Arms

• Max Rep Chin-ups
• 2 set
• Rest as much as needed between sets
• Max Rep (Ring) Dips
• 2 set
• Rest as much as needed between sets
• Standing straight-bar curls
•  4 x 6
• Low reps, flex arms throughout
• Straight-bar skull crushers
• 4 x 8
• Hands at shoulder-width, keep elbows in line with hands and shoulder (don’t let them bow out)
• Partner Curl Pyramid*
• 2 rounds
• Load an EZ curl bar, stand in front of partner, perform 1 rep then pass bar so partner can perform 1. Then do 2. Continue progression up to 10, then back down.
• You’ll quickly realize if you loaded the bar too heavy
• Partner Tricep Push-up Pyramid*
• 2 rounds
• Choose area where both partners can perform triceps push-ups. 
• First man does 1, then partner does 1. Then 2, etc. Continue to 10, then back down.

*If no partner, perform as described resting between sets the length of time it took to perform reps.  i.e. 5 reps of curls took about 10 seconds, rest 10 sec then continue on to 6 reps.

Niko Countouriotis
Fireman

Chest (4/8/13)

Chest

• Hand Release Push-ups
• 50 total
• Perform a push-up pausing at the bottom with your chest on the floor, briefly lift your hands off the ground to demonstrate full depth (your weight is distributed between your feet and chest), then replace hands and push up to full extension
• Flat Bench Press
• 4 rounds of 10 reps banded + 5 reps regular
• With band looped over one end of barbell, under bench and over other end, perform 10 reps. Rack weight, have partner remove band (from one end will do), then perform 5 more reps with the same weight
• Choose a weight that brings you close to/at failure on 10th banded rep, then work hard to get the 5 additional reps
• Incline Bench
• 4 sets x 12 reps
• Wide Dumbbell Bench Press
• 4 sets x 15 reps
• Perform dumbbell press, but bring weights out wider than usual as you lower them
• Do not go fully to flye position, but wide enough to feel a stretch in your chest before pressing them back up
• Ring Superman
• 40 total
• Set rings 3" from ground, grasp as you would a ring flye but lower yourself to the ground by moving the rings forward in front of you instead of to the side. Pause and pull the rings back in to raise yourself to the start position.
• These are much harder (and put more strain on your shoulders) than flyes, so go from your knees to start. If it's still too hard from your knees, raise the rings higher and lean forward so you're lifting less of your body weight.
• Keep core tight.

Niko Countouriotis

Fireman

Back (4/3/13)

Back

• Weighted Pull-ups
• 6 sets: 8, 8, 6, 6, 4, 4
• Wear a weight vest or hook plate on with a belt
• Increase weight each set
• Deadlift/Bentover Row
• 4 sets x 15 each
• Perform 15 deadlifts followed immediately by 15 bentover rows
• No rest between except to change hand position if needed
• Close-grip Pull-downs
• 5 sets x 10
• Reverse Dumbbell Flyes/Shrugs
• 4 sets x 15 each
• Perform flyes followed immediately by shrugs

Niko Countouriotis
Fireman

Arms (4/1/13)

Arms

• Chin-up/Ring Dip Ladder
• 10 rounds
• 10 chin-ups/1 dip, 9 chin-ups/2 dips, 8/3... all the way to 1 chin-up/10 dips
• Complete each round without rest; rest as needed between rounds
• Negative Barbell Curls
• 5 sets x 5 reps of 5 count
• Load barbell, have partner assist weight to full curl, lower slowly on a 5 count to full extension, have partner assist weight back up
• Seated Dumbbell Skull Crusher
• 5 sets x 10 reps
• From a seated position, lift dumbbell (or have partner hand it to you) until it is pressed out directly overhead, lower weight behind head keeping upper arms perpendicular to ground, stop just past 90 degrees and press it back up while flexing tris
• Grab dumbbell by making diamond with thumbs and forefingers around handle, placing palms on weight of 1 side of dumbbell
• Seated Hammer Curls
• 4 sets x 12 each arm
• Triceps Extension w/ Straight Bar
• 4 sets x 12

Niko Countouriotis
Fireman