Warm Up
About 5 minutes. Do each once:
1) Banded Ankle Rocks — 10 each side. Easy effort.
How: Loop a band around your ankle, anchored low in front. Keep your foot flat and push your knee forward over your toes.
2) Lying Hamstring Kicks — 10 each leg. Easy effort.
How: Lie on your back, band or towel around one foot, keep the leg straight, pull it toward you, hold 1 second.
3) Cat-Cow — 10 slow reps. Easy effort.
How: On hands and knees, round your back up, then let it sag.
4) Band Pull-Aparts — 15 reps. Easy effort.
How: Arms straight in front, pull the band apart until it touches your chest.
5) Two light sets of today's first lift — about half your working weight for 6 reps, then about three-quarters for 4 reps. Easy effort.
How: Move smooth. These are warm-ups, not work sets.
1) Banded Ankle Rocks — 10 each side. Easy effort.
How: Loop a band around your ankle, anchored low in front. Keep your foot flat and push your knee forward over your toes.
2) Lying Hamstring Kicks — 10 each leg. Easy effort.
How: Lie on your back, band or towel around one foot, keep the leg straight, pull it toward you, hold 1 second.
3) Cat-Cow — 10 slow reps. Easy effort.
How: On hands and knees, round your back up, then let it sag.
4) Band Pull-Aparts — 15 reps. Easy effort.
How: Arms straight in front, pull the band apart until it touches your chest.
5) Two light sets of today's first lift — about half your working weight for 6 reps, then about three-quarters for 4 reps. Easy effort.
How: Move smooth. These are warm-ups, not work sets.
Conditioning
1) Easy bike — 8 to 12 minutes. Easy effort.
How: No sprints. Skip it if the main lifts felt heavy.
How: No sprints. Skip it if the main lifts felt heavy.
Strength
1) Standing Barbell Overhead Press — 2 sets of 5 reps. Easy effort. Rest about 2 minutes.
How: Bar at your collarbone, feet hip-width. Press straight up until your arms lock out, lower under control.
Form cue: Squeeze your glutes, keep your ribs down, don't lean back.
2) Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row — 2 sets of 8 to 10 reps. Easy effort. Rest about 1.5 minutes.
How: Lie chest-down on an inclined bench, row the dumbbells to your ribs, lower slowly.
Form cue: Easy on your lower back the day after deadlifts.
3) Incline Dumbbell Press — 2 sets of 8 to 10 reps. Easy effort. Rest about 1.5 minutes.
How: Bench set to about 30 degrees. Lower the dumbbells to your upper chest, press up.
How: Bar at your collarbone, feet hip-width. Press straight up until your arms lock out, lower under control.
Form cue: Squeeze your glutes, keep your ribs down, don't lean back.
2) Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row — 2 sets of 8 to 10 reps. Easy effort. Rest about 1.5 minutes.
How: Lie chest-down on an inclined bench, row the dumbbells to your ribs, lower slowly.
Form cue: Easy on your lower back the day after deadlifts.
3) Incline Dumbbell Press — 2 sets of 8 to 10 reps. Easy effort. Rest about 1.5 minutes.
How: Bench set to about 30 degrees. Lower the dumbbells to your upper chest, press up.
Skill
Today's focus: press with your ribs down and squeeze your upper back on every row. Main lift: Standing Barbell Overhead Press.
Cool Down
1) Kneeling Hip-Flexor Stretch — 30 seconds each side. Easy effort.
How: Kneel on one knee, push your hips forward gently.
2) Doorway Chest Stretch — 30 seconds. Easy effort.
How: Forearms on the door frame, lean through.
How: Kneel on one knee, push your hips forward gently.
2) Doorway Chest Stretch — 30 seconds. Easy effort.
How: Forearms on the door frame, lean through.
Notes
Today: Upper (press + row + chest). About 32 minutes.
Effort guide: 'Hard effort' means stop the set when you could do about 2 more good reps. 'Easy effort' means stop with 4 or more left.
Deload week: same exercises as last week, fewer sets, easy effort. The goal is to feel fresh by Monday.
Effort guide: 'Hard effort' means stop the set when you could do about 2 more good reps. 'Easy effort' means stop with 4 or more left.
Deload week: same exercises as last week, fewer sets, easy effort. The goal is to feel fresh by Monday.