Fitness is a great metaphor for recovery.
With the right knowledge, plan, and mental paradigm, you can build a virtuous cycle of progress and happiness that continually reinforce each other.
Unlike the tools that will allow you to recover from addiction, your fitness plan needs to be altered periodically to keep you from burning out. And physical progress requires that you take short, periodic breaks to allow your muscles and nervous system to recover from pumping iron for weeks at a time.
Tip of the Day: Plan Your Workouts in 2-3 Month Increments
Most people who start going to the gym reach a point, within several months, at which their bodies demand rest and they respond by quitting the gym altogether. Then they never return, at least not until a spouse or a friend shames them into repeating the sad cycle.
When devising your gym plan, include the number of weeks you will expect yourself to pursue this particular program. Plan to allow yourself to rest for a week after you complete it.
Don’t worry about muscle loss; it takes weeks for muscle to atrophy as long as you’re eating and sleeping properly.
Here’s My New Plan
I recently devised an 8 week gym routine for my roommates and myself. After these 8 weeks, we’ll rest for a week, and then begin a new plan. It’s possible that we’ll decide to repeat this plan all over again, but for the sake of avoiding psychological burnout, we prefer to keep that a mystery.
This plan is intense but very effective for building muscle in a short period of time.
Monday: Legs & “Pulling” (Back & Biceps)
1) Deadlifts: Warmup – 12, 10, 4. Record weight – 2 x 4-6, 1 x 1RM.
2) Barbell Curls: 4 x 4-6
3) Squats: 4 x 4-6
4) Bent-over rows: 4 x 4-6
5) Superset – Pull-ups/Incline Bench Curls: 4 x To Failure/4-6
Tuesday: “Pushing” (Chest, Shoulders & Triceps) & Abs
1) Bench Press: Warmup – 12, 10, 4. Record weight – 2 x 4-6, 1 x 1RM.
2) Shoulder Press: 4 x 4-6
3) Incline Chest Press: 4 x 4-6
4) Lateral Raise/Bench Dip Superset: 4 x 4-6/To Failure
5) Ab Circuit: 3 x 10 Reps: Spiderman Plank Crunch, Russian Twist (w/ plate), Swiss Ball Roll-out. THEN timed plank to absolute failure.
Wednesday: Active Recovery Lift
“Active Recovery.” 45 min 1 hour. 3 sets of 15-30 reps. Target sore areas.
Thursday: Legs & “Pulling” (Back & Biceps)
1) Deadlifts: Warmup – 12, 10, 4. Record weight – 2 x 4-6, 1 x 1RM.
2) Barbell Curls: 4 x 4-6
3) Squats: 4 x 4-6
4) Bent-over rows: 4 x 4-6
5) Superset – Pull-ups/Incline Bench Curls: 4 x To Failure/4-6
Friday: “Pushing” (Chest, Shoulders & Triceps) & Abs
1) Bench Press: Warmup – 12, 10, 4. Record weight – 2 x 4-6, 1 x 1RM.
2) Shoulder Press: 4 x 4-6
3) Incline Chest Press: 4 x 4-6
4) Lateral Raise/Bench Dip Superset: 4 x 4-6/To Failure
5) Ab Circuit: 3 x 10 Reps: Spiderman Plank Crunch, Russian Twist (w/ plate), Swiss Ball Roll-out. THEN timed plank to absolute failure.
Weekends: Rest
