Chest
- Ring Push-ups
- 4 sets x 15 (or 60 total)
- Set rings 3" off ground, perform push-ups as usual
- Bench Press
- 7 sets: 10, 5, 2, 2, 2, 5, 10
- Play around with your 2RM. Try to hit 2, then add weight for next set and try 2 again. If you got those 2, add weight for third set or stay where you're at.
- Incline Dumbbell Press Dropset
- 4 sets x 10 + 10 more
- Perform same as flat bench dumbbell dropset (drop about 1/3 weight from first set and perform 10 more)
- Standing Cable Flyes
Niko Countouriotis
Fireman
Back
- Deadhang Pull-ups
- Deadlift
- 6 sets: 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 4
- MAINTAIN PROPER FORM: hamstrings "loaded", core tight, chest up.
- Dumbbell Rows
- 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 handle from pull-up bar, lean back slightly and pull yourself up until chest touches.
- Focus on pinching shoulder blades together and pulling with your traps/lats.
Niko Countouriotis
Fireman
Arms
- Partner/Group Bench Dip Ladder
- 1 round (1 up to 10 and back)
- Everyone working out begins in bench dip position (hands on a bench/bar/box, feet extended in front, arms locked out so triceps are bearing your body weight), first person performs 1 rep, second does 2 reps, etc up to 10 reps then back down to 1.
- Everyone remains in fully-extended dip position the entire time except when actively performing dips.
- If working out solo: 1 thru 5 and back down.
- Barbell Skull Crusher/Triceps Bench
- 4 rounds of 8 + 8
- Perform 8 barbell skull crushers followed immediately by 8 triceps bench reps with same weight.
- Triceps Extension with V-shaped Bar/Overhead Ext. with Rope
- 4 rounds of 10 + 15
- Perform 10 reps of triceps extension with V-bar, followed immediately by 15 reps of overhead extensions with rope.
- Seated Curl Dropsets
- 4 rounds: 10 + 10, then 9 + 9, 8 + 8, 7 + 7
- Perform 10 reps of seated dumbbell curls, followed immediately by 10 reps of curls with 2/3 the weight (i.e. 50lbs, then 35).
- Do 1 less rep each set.
- Barbell Curl Burnouts
- 2 rounds of 36 total reps (8 reps at 4 different weights)
- Load barbell with small plates (5lbs and 10lbs), perform 8 reps, drop a plate off each end and perform 8 reps, drop a plate and 8 more, drop a plate and do last 8.
Niko Countouriotis
Fireman
Chest
- Explosive Push-ups
- 3 sets x 15 reps
- Perform a push-up by forcefully (explosively) pushing yourself up from the ground trying to get distance between your hands and the floor.
- Incline Bench
- Dumbbell Bench
- Ring Flyes
- 40 total
- Set rings at 2", move into push-up position, lower your chest to the floor by extending your hands out to the sides, then bring yourself back up.
- Be cautious of your shoulders!
- Start from knees until you get the feel of it.
- Push-up "Waterfall"
- 100 total
- If working out with a partner(s), everyone moves into push-up position together, one person beings performing push-ups while the others stay in position. When the first person stops, the next person starts from where he left off, but the first person remains in push-up position. This pattern continues until 100 reps is reached.
- If anyone fails to stay in push-up position, the group adds 10 reps to whatever number they're at and continues until the goal is reached.
- *If working out solo: 100 push-ups in the shortest time possible.
Niko Countouriotis
Fireman
Back
- Ring Rows
- Underhand-grip Bentover Rows
- 4 sets x 12 reps
- Load bar, grasp barbell with underhand grip (palms facing away from you), bend at knees/waist and pull bar up to xiphoid area. Pause at top for 2 count, then lower weight back down.
- Pulldowns
- 5 sets: 12, 10, 8, 6, 6
- Increase weight each set. Keep swinging down to a minimum and focus effort on lats. Go as heavy as you can to successfully perform each set without jerking your body.
- Dumbbell Rows
- Reverse Dumbbell Flyes
- 4 sets x 15 reps
- Alternate sets between rows and flyes if working out with multiple people.
Niko Countouriotis
Fireman
Arms
- Ring Chin-ups
- 4 sets x 10 reps
- Set rings high enough to perform chin-ups or attach them to the pull-up bar with a short chain/rope/webbing.
- EZ Bar Curls w/ Bands
- 5 sets: 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
- Load bar, loop band over ends, stand on center of band and perform curls.
- Skull Crushers*
- 4 sets: 12, 10, 8, 6 reps
- Triceps Extension w/ Rope*
- 50's
- 2 rounds x 50 reps of curls followed by 50 reps of bench dips
- Load barbell with very light weight or none at all and perform 50 reps nonstop only resting at full extension (don't put the bar down until you're finished with all 50). Rest as needed, then perform 50 reps of bench dips nonstop only resting at full extension. Bring feet in closer to the bench as necessary to lighten the load (amount of your bodyweight) you are lifting.
*Alternate between sets of Skull Crushers and Rope Extension.
Niko Countouriotis
Fireman
Chest
- Deficit Push-ups
- 3 sets x 20 reps
- Perform push-ups with hands placed on 25lb plates on floor. Make sure chest touches ground on each rep.
- Bench Press
- 9 sets: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 reps
- You will increase in weight EVERY set so base your starting weight on your 10RM, not your 1RM. Even if you're only adding 2.5lb plates to each side, continue increasing weight and decreasing reps each set. Use a spotter to assist or rack the bar and continue when you're ready if you fall short of the target reps.
- Incline Wide Press + Wide Push-ups
- 4 sets x 12 + 15 reps
- Perform 12 incline dumbbell presses making sure you go wide as you lower the weight each rep. Immediately following the last rep, perform 15 wide-grip push-ups.
- It doesn't look like much, but the bench ladder adds up.
Niko Countouriotis
Fireman
Back
- Inverted Row
- 60 total
- Set barbell at waist height, lay underneath and elevate feet, pull yourself up until chest touches bar.
- Good Mornings
- 4 sets x 12 reps
- Load barbell with light weight (or just use barbell), place barbell behind neck, keeping legs and back straight bend at the waist until you feel the pull in your hamstrings. Pause and raise back up to standing position.
- Go as deep as you can without rounding your back or bending your knees. Focus the exercise on your hamstrings and lower back muscles.
- Deadlift
- 5 sets: 12, 10, 8, 6, 4
- Increase weight each set. MAINTAIN PROPER FORM.
- Seated Close-grip Rows
- Pull-ups
Niko Countouriotis
Fireman
Arms
- Triceps Push-ups
- 4 sets x 20 reps
- Place hands either in diamond position or along sides of torso keeping elbows in.
- Barbell Skull Crusher
- Triceps Bench
- Standing Barbell Curl
- Concentrated Dumbbell Curl
- 4 sets x 15 reps each arm
- As seen in every muscle mag: grasp dumbbell while sitting on bench, place elbow into your inner thigh, perform curls allowing arm to extend until natural bend (don't go completely straight or hyperextend) then curl back up concentrating all the work on the biceps.
- Chin-ups
- 30 total
- Focus on your bis.
Niko Countouriotis
Fireman
Chest
- Spiderman Push-ups
- 50 total
- Perform a push-up but bring your right knee to your right elbow as you lower yourself down. Return to normal push-up position on the way up. Repeat with left knee to left elbow.
- Incline Bench
- 5 sets: 10, 8, 6, 6, 6
- Go heavy but protect your shoulders.
- Dumbbell Bench
- 5 sets: 10, 8, 6, 6, 6
- Go heavy but protect your shoulders.
- Wide-grip Bench
- Ab Ball Push-ups
- 60 total
- With feet positioned on Ab Ball, perform push-ups. Work on balance and stability while building accessory muscles in chest and shoulders.
Niko Countouriotis
Fireman
