After looking for exercise and workout ideas online, I came back to bodybuilding.com to browse their extensive workout library. I stumbled across a new workout program by Erin Stern's Elite Body 4 Week Trainer and immediately resonated with her training approach as she incorporates plyos, super-sets, short rest periods, and emphasizes the mind-body connection. She is a track athlete and a two-time Ms. Olympia and her training program will push you to your limits.
Having a written workout is a huge help to me during training and keeps me focused when I want to wander from one machine to the next. Use this plan to inspire and design your training plan, or use it as is. Training sheets for all 4 weeks are on the site.
Why should you add plyos into your leg workout?
The idea is, polymetrics develop power by focusing on speed and force. If you increase your power, you'll improve your performance. Warming up with plyos stimulates the fast twitch muscle fibers and prepares your body to produce more force per rep. Sounds like a great way to bust out of a plateu and make some serious progress right! Let's get started!
The plyos circuit is high intensity and challenging and will leave you sweaty. Make sure to download your Plyos and Legs PDF training log. I surprised myself with the length of my forward jumps. These were actually a lot of fun, but by the time I started the Legs portion of the workout--I was already tired! I got carried away with the plyos and was too burnt out for legs. I didn't make it to the last superset and barely through the deadlifts.
Since legs are such a large muscle group, I'll definitely train these on a day without such intense plyos, or at least a very short plyo warm up of 1 rather than all 3 rounds. Perhaps, for the next time, I should fuel with more carbs and protein, or focus more on feeling and activating the muscle group I'm working on rather than just going for time. Overall, this is an excellent workout and it gave me something measurable to work towards.
Check it out here:
For more info on this workout check out the videos and pics here:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/erin-stern-elite-body-4-week-fitness-trainer-day-2.html
Track your progress, and let me know how you felt after the workout.
Were you Totally Dying or Cruising Through? ;)
Were you Totally Dying or Cruising Through? ;)