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Chris' fitness corner: Chest explosion package
For those of you who want to add layers to your upper body muscle follow this 8 week plan on top of your usual workout routines.
It consists of 3 phases. Phase 1 builds endurance, phase 2 boosts strength and the final adds explosiveness and speed so you can pack on more muscle.....You'll literally be chucking it on at this stage.
So here we go.... For the first phase perform the exercises 2-3 days in a week, with at least one rest day between workouts and resting for 1-2 minutes between sets.
Weeks 1 & 2 - complete 3 sets of each exercise aiming at 10-15 reps. If you can't do this much then DO THE BEST YOU CAN.
There are 3 exercises to complete.
A. Wide press-up - Standard press up with hands wider than shoulder width apart.
B. Alternating shuffle press up - Begin in standard position. Move your right hand left until your hands are next to each other. Slide your left hand further left until your hands are shoulder width apart and perform the press up. Do the same, but to the right this time. 2 press ups, but one rep!
C. Diamond press up - Perform press ups so your thimbs and finger tips touch creating the shape of a diamond.
Weeks 3,4,5 & 6 - Do these variations 2 days each week completing 4 SETS, resting 1-2 minutes between and 10-15 reps. YOU WILL NEED A 10-20cm HIGH BOX (or I use a the norton anthology of English literature - or a yellow pages).
A. One -arm press up - Perform press up with right hand on the floor and left hand on the box. Switch arms and repeat. 2 press ups, one rep!
B. Cross over box press up - Do a one arm press up with left hand on the box. From the starting position, lift your right hand beside your left. Move your left hand down to the floor, with hands shoulder width apart. Do a press up. That's one rep again!
C. Hands on box diamond press up - Same as the first 2 weeks, but diamond on the box/book.
D. Dynamic box press up (This one is pretty tough) - Place hands on the box in the diamond press up position, lower your body and press explosively off the box so your hands land on the floor with the box between them. IMMEDIATELY lower your body and press explosively up so your hands land on the box in the starting position. ONE REP AGAIN - You're allowed to grunt at this point!
Weeks 7 & 8 - For all the drakepress' out there who want to slap on the muscle this is the phase for you (after completing the first 2 of course) I'm going to write this in capitals for emphasis on exactly how difficult this is.
COMPLETE ONE SET OF EACH EXERCISE FROM PHASE 2 ONE AFTER THE OTHER WITHOUT ANY REST PERIOD. ONCE YOU'VE COMPLETE ALL 4 VARIATIONS TAKE A 1-2 MINUTE REST AND COMPLETE A FURTHER 3 TIMES TO MAKE 4 SETS. DO ONLY 10 REPS PER EXERICSE.
Join next week for triceps.