Fitter, Faster, Leaner

It happens every year. January dawns, and magazines like this one offer you plans intended to help you drop all those extra pounds you’ve been packing on since sometime in November. But we here at Muscle & Performance have come to a decision. We’ve decided that that’s not good enough. Our readers don’t just want added size and a better six-pack but improved athletic performance, greater overall fitness to improve health, and the ability to run the annual 5K without embarrassing themselves. So forget the annual post-holiday diet, we’re offering you the chance to concentrate on improving your overall fitness, and if you end up leaner and with improved muscularity, well, so much the better.

Jim Stoppani, Ph.D., one of the most trusted authorities in the world on training, nutrition and supplementation, designed a comprehensive 12-week program that will improve your speed, power and aerobic fitness while also delivering increased lifting strength, muscle mass and leanness. Dubbed “Fitter, Faster, Leaner,” it will be published in three consecutive issues of M&P, starting right here with Month 1. 

Test Yourself
The whole point of this program is to experience tangible, positive results in a variety of areas over the course of 12 weeks. Therefore, you’ll be testing your strength, endurance, speed, power, body-fat percentage, muscular size and overall fitness before and after the program. The below tests, eight of them in all, are well-established measures of each of the aforementioned physical attributes. Perform all of them the week before starting the program, then again the week after completing it (week 13), preferably not all on the same day. For each test, performance scales for men and women are listed so you can see how you measure up against your peers. 

Test 1: Aerobic Fitness | 1.5-Mile Run
This test can be performed on either a running track (six laps around a standard 400-meter track) or on a flat street where 1.5 miles is measured using an odometer.

Men

Poor: > 12 minutes

Average: 12 to 10:01 minutes

Good: 10 to 9:01 minutes

Exceptional: <9 minutes

Women

Poor: > 14 minutes

Average: 14 to 12:01 minutes

Good: 12 to 10:01 minutes

Exceptional: <11 minute

The best barometer of upper-body strength is determining how much you can bench-press for one rep, a measurement that’s known as your one-rep max, or 1RM. We suggest you do a 10-rep max (10RM) test, then use the following equation to estimate your one-rep max:

weight lifted for 10 reps x 1.33 = 1RM

Once you have your max bench-press weight, divide that by your bodyweight. 

Men

Poor: < 1.0 x bodyweight

Average: 1.0 to 1.25 x bodyweight

Good: 1.25 to 1.5 x bodyweight

Exceptional: > 1.5 bodyweight

Women

Poor: < 0.5 x bodyweight

Average: 0.5 to 0.6 x bodyweight

Good: 0.6 to 0.75 x bodyweight

Exceptional: > 0.75 x bodyweight

 

Test 3: Lower-Body Strength |  10-Rep Max 
On the traditional barbell squat, determine your 1RM by finding your 10RM and plugging that into the same equation used for the bench press:

weight lifted for 10 reps x 1.33 = 1RM

Men

Poor: < 1.5 x bodyweight

Average: 1.5 to 1.75 x bodyweight

Good: 1.75 to 2 bodyweight

Exceptions: > 2 x bodyweight

Women

Poor: < 1 x bodyweight

Average: 1 to < 1.25 x bodyweight

Good: 1.25 to < 1.5 x bodyweight

Exceptional: > 1.5 x bodyweight

 

Test 4: Upper-Body Muscle Endurance | Push-Ups

Men

Poor: < 35

Average: 35 to 49

Good: 45 to 59

Exceptional: > 60

Women

Poor: < 15

Average: 15 to 24

Good: 25 to 39

Exceptional: > 40

Men

Poor: < 20 inches

Average: 20 to 24 inches

Good: 25 to 29 inches

Exceptional: > 30 inches

Women

Poor: < 20 inches

Average: 20 to 24 inches

Good: 25 to 29 inches

Exceptional: > 30 inches

Test 6: Running Speed | 40-Yard Dash

Men

Poor: > 5.5 seconds

Average: 5.5 to 5 seconds

Good: < 5 to 4.6 seconds

Exceptional: < 4.6

Women

Poor: > 6.6 seconds

Average: 6.5 to 6 seconds

Good: < 6 to 5.5 seconds

Exceptional: < 5.5 seconds

Test 7: Body Fat | Hip-to-Waist Ratio

The best way to truly determine your body fat is to have a skilled technician perform a skin caliper test or underwater weighing. But because most people don’t have access to these techniques, we’re using the hip-to-waist ratio instead. Using a tape measure, measure your waist by wrapping the tape an inch above your bellybutton. To measure your hips, stand with your feet together and measure around the widest part of your hips. Then divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement to get your ratio.

Now it’s time to start training to shatter those test results. To achieve results in every possible area of physical fitness, the Fitter, Faster, Leaner program involves periodization, a method of altering training variables (such as volume, sets and reps) at specific times.

Weight Training
The 12-week lifting program will be a two-day split that divides the body into two separate workouts (chest, back, shoulders and abs in one; legs and arms in the other). You’ll train each muscle group twice a week for a total of four weekly weight workouts. In the program chart that follows, lifting sessions are labeled Workout 1, 2, 3 and 4. Plan training days according to what best fits your schedule, but try to make sure that Workouts 1 and 3 and 2 and 4 are separated by two full days (i.e., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday). Workouts 1 and 2 will focus on developing speed, strength and power, while 3 and 4 focus on muscle growth, endurance and fat burning.

You’ll use two different forms of periodization during the 12-week program. Power and strength workouts will follow what’s known as a linear periodization scheme, during which weight progressively gets heavier as rep counts decrease. This form of periodization has been shown in numerous studies and in decades of use by world-class athletes to produce remarkable increases in power and strength. The exception here is on power movements like squat jumps and power push-ups, during which you’re using your own bodyweight. Because you can’t easily increase the weight on these exercises, you’ll increase reps each phase instead.

Muscle endurance and growth workouts will use a reverse linear periodization scheme, which basically means that weight progressively gets lighter as reps increase. You’ll also be using intensity-boosting techniques, supersets (for major muscle groups) and tri-sets (for abs). In months 1 and 3, you’ll do supersets for the same muscle group (i.e., two chest exercises); in Month 2, you’ll do supersets for opposing muscle groups (i.e., chest and back; biceps and triceps).

Cardio
You’ll do two different types of cardio workouts throughout the 12 weeks: (1) high-intensity interval training to help you boost running speed and (2) slower, steady-state runs to boost endurance and your 1.5-mile run time. You’ll alternate the two styles of cardio, doing each twice a week, for a total of four cardio sessions. Cardio workouts can be done either in the same session as lifting workouts or separately. (Doing weights and cardio in different sessions, even if on the same day, is always recommended, but we get that this isn’t feasible for most people.) If done in the same session, prioritize which you do first based on your strengths and weaknesses. For example, if you’re naturally strong in the gym but your cardio is lacking, do cardio first and vice versa.

After completing the first four weeks of the program, you’ll be ready for Month 2, which will be published in the February 2012 issue of M&P.

 

Month 1 Weight-Training Workouts

Workout 1

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Power Push-Up	2	3	2-3 minutes
Bench Press	3	8-10	2-3 minutes
Incline Dumbbell Press	3	8-10	2-3 minutes
Smith Machine One-Arm Power Row	3	3	2-3 minutes
Bent-Over Barbell Row	3	8-10	2-3 minutes
Pulldown	3	8-10	2-3 minutes
Barbell Shoulder Press	3	8-10	2-3 minutes
Barbell Shrug	3	8-10	2-3 minutes
Cable Crunch	3	15-20	1-2 minutes

 

Workout 2

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Jump Squat	2	3	2-3 minutes
Squat	3	8-10	2-3 minutes
Leg Press	3	8-10	2-3 minutes
Triceps Pressdown	3	8-10	2-3 minutes
Dumbbell Over Triceps Extension	3	8-10	2-3 minutes
Barbell Curl	3	8-10	2-3 minutes
EZ-Bar Preacher Curl	3	8-10	2-3 minutes
Standing Calf Raise	3	15-20	1-2 minutes

 

Workout 3

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Density Push-Ups	See sidebar at end of the post
Dumbbell Flye superset with Dumbbell Press	3	10-15	- 1 minute
Straight-Arm Pulldown superset with Reverse-Grip Pulldown	3	10-15	- 1 minute
Dumbbell Lateral Raise superset with Dumbbell Shoulder Press	3	10-15	- 1 minute
Hanging Leg Raise tri-set with Crossover Crunch tri-set with Plank	3 3 3	to failure to failure 60	- - 1 minute

 

Workout 4

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Leg Extension superset with Front Squat	3 3	10-15 10-15	- 1 minute
Leg Curl superset with Romanian Deadlift	3 3	10-15 10-15	- 1 minute
Prone Incline Dumbbell Curl superset with Incline Dumbbell Curl	3 3	10-15 10-15	- 1 minute
Laying Triceps Extension superset with Close-Grip Bench Press	3 3	10-15 10-15	- 1 minute
Seated Calf Raise superset with Leg Press Calf Raise	3 3	10-15 10-15	- 1 minute

 

Density Training Push-Up Program

The goal of this program (to be completed as the first exercise in Workout 3 every week) is to complete 60 push-ups without stopping. At each level, you will do one set every minute. Start at the top of the minute and complete the reps corresponding to that level. Rest until the top of the next minute, then start with set two. Continue in this fashion until all sets are completed for that level.

Start at Level 1, and once you’re able to complete all reps (120 push-ups in 12 minutes), progress to Level 2 (121 push-ups in 11 minutes) the next week. Once you successfully complete all reps for a given level, it’s time to move up to the next level.

Level	Sets	Reps	Time
1	12	10	12 minutes
2	11	11	11 minutes
3	10	12	10 minutes
4	9	14	9 minutes
5	8	15	8 minutes
6	7	17	7 minutes
7*	9	20	6 minutes
8	5	24	5 minutes
9	4	30	4 minutes
10	3	40	3 minutes
* Once you complete Level 7, you should be able to do 60 straight push-ips.

 

Month 1 Cardio Workouts

Weeks 1 and 2
Workout 1
Exercise	Sets	Time	Rest
Sprints	3	30 seconds	4 minutes
Workout 2
Run 1.5 miles
Workout 3
Exercise	Sets	Time	Rest
40-yard sprint	3	*	2 minutes
Workout 4
Run 1.5 miles. (Try to beat your original test time.)

 

Weeks 3 and 4
Workout 1
Exercise	Sets	Time	Rest
Sprint	4	30 seconds	4 minutes
Workout 2
Run 1.75 miles.
Workout 3
40-yards	4	*	2 minutes
Workout 4
Run 1.5 miles. (Try to beat your original test time.)
* Time your first sprint and try to beat it each week. Month 2 of the Fitter, Faster, Leaner program will be published in the February issue of Muscle & Performance

 

Want to learn more from training, nutrition and supplement authority Jim Stoppani, Ph.D.? Visit his website JimStoppani.com or find him on Facebook and Twitter.

Nutrition Know-How
During the 12 weeks you’ll be following the Fitter, Faster, Leaner program, you’ll be training like an athlete, so you need to eat like one, too. This means getting in ample amounts of all the critical macronutrients and micronutrients. Follow these simple guidelines to get the most out of the program. 

Protein If you want muscles that are bigger, faster, stronger, more powerful and have greater endurance, you need plenty of protein. Consume at least 1 gram per pound of bodyweight per day, and preferably closer to 1.5 grams per pound. And while you should focus on lean whole-food protein like eggs, chicken, beef, fish and dairy, there are times when whole-food protein sources won’t be of much value — specifically before and after workouts. Always go with a fast-digesting whey protein shake within 30 minutes before and after training (20 grams of whey before, 40 grams after).

You also should consider a whey protein shake (20 grams) as soon as you wake up — not after you shower and get dressed but as soon as you get out of bed. Then, about 30 to 60 minutes after that, you can have your eggs. For all other meals, whole-food protein sources are the way to go. Shoot for 30 to 50 grams of protein per meal, and eat between six and nine meals per day, including those that are composed mainly of protein shakes.

Carbohydrates Carbs are critical, too, because they provide energy to fuel tough workouts and signal the body to promote muscle growth. And when you’re working on boosting muscle endurance in the push-up and 1.5-mile run, it’s stored carbs (also known as glycogen) that your muscles will be relying on. Of course, because you want to keep body-fat levels as low as possible, you’ll need to walk a fine line between getting in adequate carbs and not overdoing it. On days you’re not working out, limit carbs to 1 gram per pound of bodyweight daily. On workout days, try to get 1.5 to 2 grams per pound. At most meals, focus on slow-digesting carbs, such as vegetables and whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice or whole-wheat bread. The exception is after workouts, when fast-digesting carbs work better to enhance recovery. You also should limit carb intake after dinner to keep off unwanted body fat.

Fat Don’t forget about dietary fat. For starters, omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, such as that found in salmon, sardines, flax and walnuts, aid muscle and joint recovery and encourage fat burning. Greater fat burning also can help increase muscle endurance by sparing muscle glycogen. Monounsaturated fats from nuts, olive oil and avocadoes are readily used for fuel, and they help men keep testosterone levels up, as do saturated fats. Aim to get 0.25 to 0.5 grams of fat per pound of bodyweight per day.

Calories No need to meticulously count calories during this program. If you follow the guidelines for protein, carbs and fat, the calories will take care of themselves. But in case you’re curious (or anal), you should be getting between 12 and 14 calories per pound of bodyweight on rest days and 14 to 18 calories per pound on workout days.

Supplement Stack
There are certain supplements that can make a major difference in the amount of muscle mass, strength, power and endurance you build during this 12-month plan. In addition to whey protein, here are a few others you should seriously consider adding to your day.

Creatine: Take 2 to 5 grams with your preworkout and postworkout protein shakes. On rest days, take it with your morning protein shake.

Beta-Alanine: Take 2 to 3 grams when you take creatine.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids: Add 5 to 10 grams to your morning, preworkout and postworkout shakes.

Coenzyme Q10: Take 300 milligrams per day, with meals.