• Bench & Deadlift: 135 lbs, 4 x 10
• Barbell Shoulder Press (115 lbs.) & Barbell Lunges (135 lbs.): 4 x 10 and 4 x 6 respectively
• Plates On-the-Go: 45 lbs. plates x 10 laps*
• Pull-ups:  start with 1 rep and go up to 10 reps switching back and forth with your partner without taking breaks in between

* Ok, I do make up weird names for new exercises that I come up with. For Plates On-the-Go, each person grabs a 45 lbs plate in each hand and walk about 25 yards back and forth, and that’s 1 lap. Whoever is doing this exercise should walk as fast as he can and keep his heart rate up to ensure efficient strength and endurance training.

Every one of us has had the experience of running short on time or just being lazy to make lunch the night before work or school. As always, we all have ended up paying ten bucks for a tuna wrap or sandwich that barely has enough tuna to fill us up during the middle of the day. Don’t worry, I will save you the time and not lecture you about saving money here. However, one of the biggest advantages from making yourself a lunch is that you can use your imagination and play around with the recipe while keeping your food healthy and delicious. I get bored of the usual tuna sandwich with mayo ( reduced fat or Smart Balance’s canola oil mayo ). To add some flavor to my tuna wrap, I use spicy mustard, chopped basil, and hot sauce to bring the taste of tuna up a notch. For those of you who can’t tolerate spicy food, you may try honey mustard or dijon mustard. I find mustard to be a must whenever I make a sandwich because of its tangy flavor that runs through my nostrils when I take a big bite. In addition, mustard generally has only 5 calories per serving. What’s not to like if you can have a great tasting sandwich or wrap without adding the unnecessary calories!

Make it a quick one and follow the exercises in the given order

• Pull-ups: 1 x 25
• Incline Bench & Straight Leg Deadlift: 4 x 10, 135 lbs
• Dips: 1 x 25
• Standing Barbell Shoulder Press (95 lbs) & Barbell Lunges (145 lbs): 4 x 10 & 4 x 6 respectively
• Pull-ups: 1 x 25
• Biceps Superset: E-z Bar Curl (55 lbs) & Hammer Curl (15 lbs): 2 x 10
• Dips: 1 x25
• Triceps Superset: Skull Crushers (65 lbs) & Backward Dips 2 x 10
• Abs

Have a great night!

• Swimming: 20 laps, about 1000 meters at 6:30 am

Later at night…lifting with a partner

• Pull-ups: 4 x 10
• Bench Press 4 x 12  & Squat 4 x 10: 135 lbs.
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press (50 lbs) & Dumbbell Lunges ( 20 lbs): 4 x 10
• Bend-over Rolls (135 lbs) & Front Dips: 4 x 10
• Biceps Superset: Barbell Curls(65 lbs.) & Dumbbell  1-Arm Curl(15 lbs.), 2 x 10
• Triceps Superset: Close Grip (135 lbs.) & Back Dips, 2 x 10
• Abs

From my experience, my workout can be even more efficient if I break my cardio routine and weight lifting apart, at least six hours in between. However, time constraint has made me combine my weight lifting and cardio training together these days. Today was one of those rare days that I actually get the six hours of break. That won’t happen tomorrow though.

• Pull-ups:1 x 25
• Deadlift: 50 reps, as least amount of sets as possible
• Push-ups: 1×50
• 1 Leg Quick Jumps: hold light dumbbell weights with both hands and jump up and down with one leg at a time, 50 reps, as least amount of sets as possible*
• Floor Wipers: 50 reps each leg, as least amount of sets as possible, please visit youtube.com for video demonstration
• Single Arm Clean and Press: 50 reps each arm with 35 lbs dumbbell (You may do 10 reps each arm at a time)
• Pull-ups: 1 x 25…yes, you end wit pull-ups. It’s not a mistake.

Above routine is an advanced workout used to train all the actors from the movie 300. If you haven’t seen the movie, well, click that link and you will have a better idea of the results from the training. Yes, they looked jacked as hell. But I only recommend this workout if you have been training consistently with high intensity for a long period of time, six months at least. If you don’t look like that even after re-designing your workout, don’t sweat it. I have been doing 300 workout (not every day, probably once a week) for the past month, and I am no where near Gerald Butler’s 8-pack. Plus, the movie studio did some touch-up work on actors’ outer image. So, it’s ok not to be that perfect. Sorry if I put some pressure on your self-esteem. Don’t worry, I feel like a wuss after seeing that movie too. This blog is not to judge the way you look or try to make you feel horrible. My intent is to add some variety to your tedious bench press and squat. So give it a try if you think you have what it takes to finish that workout without taking breaks in between sets and exercises; that means no water breaks. Oops…should’ve mentioned that earlier. Good luck.

* The original 300 workout is supposed to have 24 inches jump-box exercise. However, I currently can’t find a gym with such equipment, so I substituted the jump-box with 1-leg jump. Still burns if you do it right.

This is not a blog on my high school football career, which did not have that much of highlight anyway. But the reason why I brought it up today is because the way I used to work out for the sport has affected the way I design my cardiorespiratory routines now. When I was playing high school football, out of my desperation to impress the coaches, I used to “man up” and squat nearly 400 lbs. ( and no needles were involved ). As I constantly put tremendous amount of pressure on my knees from squatting, I developed tendonitis and other joint problems that have prevented me from running for prolonged period of time. To this day, I would still feel uncomfortable or even pain sometimes if I jog or sprint in my work out. To ensure a sufficient cardiorespiratory workout, I have started swimming at least once every other day and implemented cross training. I highly recommend swimming because not only do you increase your respiratory capacity from proper breathing technique, but you also increase your functional capacity of your joints without putting extra pressure on them from body weight. I also like cross training because I can rotate from treadmill, to stationary bike, then finally to elliptical machine. Cross training helps me train different part of leg muscles without constantly putting pressure on my knee joints from doing the same motion, such as jogging, over and over. For instance, stationary bike requires me using my hamstring to pull pedals up rather than using my quadriceps consistently in long distance running. By adding cross training into your routine, you grain strength in different part of your lower body, and you also add some “spice” into your workout that can keep you motivated. Because of my ignorance of the side effect from squating heavly, I have injured my knees permanently and forced myself to design my cardiorespiratory routines with care. Although I rather not have developed knee problems in such young age, I have learned to workout without hurting myself from high school football experience. My advice above is not only for the people who have knee problems like myself, but also for those who is interested in making their tedious cardio routines more interesting and exciting. By the way, if you happen to know any high school football player who is killing himself in the squat cage, tell him to take it easy. Squating nearly 400 lbs. will get him only a round of applause in the gym, but does not guarantee a starting spot on the field. Don’t be young and stupid!

Yes…from the gym only. But stay active! Don’t you have laundry to do? floor to vacuum? desk to organize? Well, whatever errands you have, just don’t become a couch potato. For some of you who only work out three to four times a week, that’d give you even less excuse to be sedentary on the weekend. Weekends are also the perfect time to meet up with your friends for some pick-up basketball and football games. Remember, weight loss, muscle maintenance, or strength gaining is accomplished by consistency. While your muscles need time to recover from rigorous training, they also need some recreational exercises (ok…maybe not the chores, but you get the idea) to keep them functional. You don’t train yourself just to look good in the mirror. You also train yourself to prevent injuries, carry groceries, or lift boxes. So, utilize your strength and make your weekends fun. If you feel like showing off by walking around your neighborhood topless, go right ahead. Just don’t sit on your butt for longer than an hour or two without letting your blood flow. Have a great weekend and enjoy the sun!

• Pull-ups: 1 x 25
• Dumbbell Reverse Push-ups: 15 lbs. 1 x 20
• Front Squat: 135 (10 reps) lbs., 115 (10), 95 (10), 75 (10)
• Barbell Shoulder Press: Started with 95lbs. and decreased 10lbs. in each succeeding sets until only bar weight, 10 reps each set
• Crazy 10’s: started with 4 5-lbs. plates on each side of the e-z bar, decreased 1 plate from each side after each set until bar weight, 2 cycles with 10 reps in each set
• Close Grip Bench: 135(10 reps) lbs., 115(10), 95(10), 75(10), 10 reps each set
• Minute Pull-Ups: Started with 1 pull-up, rested for a minute, then 2 pull-ups, rested for another minute, then 3 pull-ups, worked out with the same pattern until 10 pull-ups in the last set
• Abs

Now, you may be curious about what I do for abs because all you see is “Abs” in every single one of my exercise blog. Abs exercises are very difficult to describe by words. In the near future, I will take pictures of abdominal exercises for your reference. Just be patient. In the mean time, I’d suggest that you try basic abdominal exercises, such as crunches, v-ups, or oblique, on either a stability ball or a bosu. I find those two equipments to be very effective. Also, just google Women’s Health, or Men’s Health for great tips. Ohhh, by the way, diet diet diet. Good Luck!

p.s. skipped cardio because of tight schedule…but still, no more excuses!

Not a lot of time here, just going to give you my workout.

• Pull-ups: 4 x 10 with 10 seconds of break
• Chest Superset: Bench Press 165(6 reps) lbs. - 155(8) - 145(10) - 135(12) with 10 push-ups in between each set of bench press
• Straight Leg Deadlift: 165(10 reps)lbs. - 155(10) - 145(10) - 135(10)
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 50(10 reps) lb. - 45(10) - 40(10) - 35(10)
• Medicine Ball Squat: 2 x 20
• One-Arm T-bar: 135(10 reps) lbs. - 115(10) - 95(10) - 95(10)
• Crazy Biceps: Starting with 20lbs of dumbbells and do 10 reps with each succeeding sets of dumbbells, including no weight as the last set
• Triceps Machine (Rope): 70(10 reps)lbs - 60(10) - 50(10) - 40(10)
• Abs

Drink lots of water! And try to finish this workout with as little time as possible.

• Pull-ups: 3 x 15 with 15 seconds of break
• Incline Bench: 165(10 reps) lbs - 155(8) - 145(5) - 135(5), benched until failure in each set
• Deadlift: total 50 reps in 3 sets
• Bendover Row: 145 lbs - 135 - 115 - 95 x 10 with only 10 to 15 seconds of break
• Backward Lunges (barbell): 2 x 25 (each leg) with 30 seconds of break
• Push-ups: 4 x 15 with 10 seconds of break
• Bicep Superset: Barbell biceps: 65 lbs, 1 x 10 followed by 1-arm dumbbell curls: 15 lbs, 1 x 10 (2 cycles)
• Tricep Superset: Skull Crusher 70 lbs, 2 x 10
• Abs: 3 sets of upper, lower, and oblique muscles, done in cycle
• 750 meters of freestyle for cardio workout: 5,4,3,2,1 lap

Above exercises are to be done with as least amount of break as possible. Exercising heart rate needs to be maintained at around submaximal of 75% if you are an experienced lifter and want to workout efficiently. I would say to keep the heart rate at around submaximal of 50% if you live a sedentary life, are on a rehab program, or have chronicle diseases. By the way, weights are subject to change according to your capability.

Final comment: Weak…I thought I could do 4 x 10 at incline bench. Guess I still have a long way to go.