Momstrong Program: A 12-Week Female-Focused Powerlifting Workout Plan, Guide, Progetti e Ricerche di Fisiologia

Scarica Momstrong Program: A 12-Week Female-Focused Powerlifting Workout Plan e più Guide, Progetti e Ricerche in PDF di Fisiologia solo su Docsity! BY MARISA INDA FUERZA A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE 5INTRO & BACKGROUND mom is Mexican and if there is one thing that speaks volumes about her mental toughness it would have to be that she has had root canals done sans Novocain (interesting side note, like her, all cavities I ever had were also done with no numbing and the mental toughness torch has been passed to my daughter who does the same). One of the most important lessons my mother taught me was no matter what always tira pa’delante (always go forward). Life throws a lot of curveballs. It’s important to always keep moving forward; even if it’s at a snail’s pace, you’re still making progress. This is true not only in life but in lifting where progress takes years and is sometimes measured in small increments (a.k.a. fractional plates). Growing up on a farm, I spent a lot of time outside, and I was very much a tomboy. I used to jump on-and-off the tailgate of the truck as hay was being unloaded, flipped around on the furniture, and I’d jump from the chicken coop to the tractors nearby--pretty sure I had invented Parkour before it became a thing. My mom decided to enroll me in gymnastics so I wouldn’t hurt myself at home. I instantly fell in love with it, and I’m a huge proponent for every kid being enrolled in tumbling early on because I think it has the best carry over to every other sport. Gymnastics taught me spatial awareness, gave me increased leg, back and shoulder flexibility, explosive power, and increased upper body strength, which many women in strength sports lack. I credit gymnastics for my good technique in lifting today. Unfortunately, it was a very expensive sport, which meant I went on and off and only when we had extra money. My grandpa built me a bar that was attached to the chicken coop and a beam that he made out of 2x4’s and carpet. This gave me the opportunity to practice at home when we didn’t have the money to attend the gym. My sister used to spot me while doing back flips on this rickety 4 inch carpeted beam, 6 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE and now that I’m a parent I would be mortified to see my kids doing what we did--it’s honestly a miracle no necks were ever broken. An important lesson I learned from this time in my life is, regardless of circumstances, when you’re passionate about something you stay consistent the best you can. I also learned that the increased upper body strength gave my brother and me the ability to hustle his friends and make some extra money betting that I could beat them in arm wrestling and bench competitions-I hope I didn’t unknowingly turn these guys into the creepers that now DM women who lift for wrestling rates. During high school I stuck with gymnastics but knew aiming for the Olympics was not realistic given my age (all elite gymnasts are under 18) and the huge gaps in structured training--not to mention they cut the team my senior year. Since I was accustomed to being active and was looking for something to do, I decided to join the track team. I hated it; however, I gutted it out and lettered because it’s not in my nature to quit. But I can say with 100% certainty that running is not for me. I did make some amazing friends during that time, and it was my friend Kendra who invited me to the gym she attended-- which landed me in a step aerobics class. I laugh now, but if it weren’t for her and that dreadful class, I never would’ve ventured down to the weight room. 7INTRO TO BODYBUILDING BODYBUILDING INTRO Bodybuilding is about creating an illusion: in bodybuilding circles, you’ll often hear people say things like “that physique look aesthetically pleasing” or “they have good lines and symmetry.” While some people may be genetically blessed with the perfect proportions, the rest of us have to create them. For example, adding size to your shoulders, lats and quads will create the illusion of a smaller waist. Though it is a myth you can spot reduce, you can in fact train lagging areas more frequently and add more size to them. That first day in the weight room, I had no idea what I was doing. There was no internet back then--no social media gurus with instructional videos. Instead of being a faceless lurker behind a screen, I was forced to be a world class creeper in person. I saw a girl who I thought had an amazing physique and quite frankly I wanted to look like her. She had big legs, a small waist, and developed shoulders--I identified with her body type since gymnastics left me looking more muscular than other girls my age. For the first time, I looked at my legs and felt proud that they were “thick.” Like any good creeper, instead of talking to her, I just watched what she did and would follow her around the gym doing every exercise she had just finished doing. These days we have it good; Instagram allows us to follow people without the risk of a restraining order. After a few weeks of shadowing this girl, I discovered Flex magazine (the bodybuilding bible in the 90s) and found some training partners who knew a lot more than me. I was very fortunate to be surrounded by people who trained smart by incorporating compound movements first: Squat, Bench, H ER E IS M AR IS A IN H ER 1 ST B OD YB U IL D IN G SH O W A T 17 Y R S OL D . 10 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE Here are some of my favorite bodybuilding strategies and exercises to develop each bodypart. INTENSITY TECHNIQUES DROP SETS Technique where you perform a set to near failure, reduce the weight and repeat. GIANT SETS Four or more exercises that target the same muscle group performed back to back with minimal rest. SUPERSETS Two exercises done back to back that target different muscle groups (antagonist - chest and back) or two exercises done back to back that target the same muscle group (Agonist - triceps pushdowns superset with dips). BURNOUT SETS / AMRAPS Perform an exercise until failure (No longer able to maintain form). 11INTRO TO BODYBUILDING TRICEPS • Pushdowns • Kickbacks • Palms-In DB Press • Skullcrushers • Dips ABS • Leg Raises • Planks • Standard Crunches SHOULDERS • Military Press - Standing / Seated / Single Arm / DB / Barbell • Side Laterals - Standing / Seated • Front Raises DB / Plate • Bent Over Laterals BACK • Lat Pulldowns - Front / Behind Neck • DB / Barbell Bentover Rows • Chest Supported Rows • Seated Rows • Pendlay Rows • Single Arm DB Rows • Pullovers • Back Raises • Pull-Ups CHEST ACCESSORIES • Incline Barbell Press • Flat / Incline DB Press • Flat / Incline DB Fly • Cable Crossovers • Chest Press Machine • Push-Ups QUADS • Leg Press • Hack Squats • Reverse Hacks • Lunges • Step Ups • Leg Extensions BICEPS • Curls (Hammer, EZ-Curl Bar, Preacher Curls, 21’s) • Chin-Ups CALVES • Calf Raises - Standing / Leg Press • Donkey Raises EXERCISES HAMSTRINGS • RDL’s • Leg Curls • Single Leg Curls • Hip Thrusters • Glute Ham pull throughs • GHR 12 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE TRAINING WHILE PREGNANT Training with a baby bump wasn’t as en vogue as it seems to be nowadays. I can remember all the looks I would get from other gym members and comments about how I was going to hurt my baby--my parenting was being judged before I even had my child. I talked to my doctor, and since I had no complications and had been consistently working out, I could continue training; I just needed to listen to my body and stop if anything felt abnormal. I trained the entire time during both of my pregnancies; it made labor easier and made me feel like I wasn’t entirely losing my identity, which is important when you’re used to being in shape, active and your body is going through a ton of changes. I wasn’t trying to set any world records or get leaner; training while pregnant was for me about maintenance and preserving the muscle I had worked so hard to get. Here’s a quick look at how my training was during each trimester and what considerations need to be made as your belly grows. CONSIDERATIONS FOR TRAINING WHILE PREGNANT FIRST TRIMESTER Most women don’t find out they’re pregnant until they are about 8-9 weeks in, so nothing really changes-your caloric intake is also unchanged. You may feel more tired and possibly have morning sickness, but for most of us, it looks pretty similar to pre-pregnancy. For me, this meant I was still training like normal: bodybuilding style 4-5 days a week, which included squatting, benching and deadlifting. Since I didn’t start powerlifting until after I had kids, my rep ranges were still high and the weight loads were submaximal, and if I felt tired or sick, I just scaled back my workout. 15TRAINING WHILE PREGNANT check at home by Googling “self-check for Diastasis Recti”- The reason for this is many traditional ab exercises like planks and crunches can make the separation worse. PELVIC FLOOR ISSUES Pregnancy can sometimes cause the pelvic floor to become very weak. This means that straining via heavy lifting can lead to urinary incontinence. For this reason, it’s important to take it slow, do pelvic floor exercises and don’t jump right into heavy lifting. NATURAL CHILDBIRTH If you’ve given birth naturally postpartum hip change is a real thing. Our hips were designed to expand to allow the baby to pass through the canal. It’s ok you adapt and your squat technique will too. C-SECTION If you’ve had a c-section, your recovery will take longer because of the major abdominal surgery that took place. Again, patience will have to be your friend because you will need to recover this typically takes 6-8 weeks. TAKE IT SLOW Don’t walk in the gym your first day expecting to squat your 1 rep max for reps. You’ve been lifting submaximally for nine plus months--it’ll take some time to feel like your former self, so be patient. I went about my training postpartum in trimesters--I figured it took nine months to make this baby and it would probably take me around nine plus months to feel like my pre-baby self. Here is how I went about it: FIRST THREE MONTHS POSTPARTUM After you give birth, everything feels out of place, and your body just doesn’t feel stable. Ligaments that allowed the pelvis girdle to soften so the baby could pass through the birth canal aren’t firm yet. Your uterus can take up to 8 weeks to return to its normal size and aside from all the body changes, lack of sleep with a newborn can make you feel like a zombie. For this reason, I didn’t return to the gym until about three weeks postpartum, 16 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE and my workouts were very easy and consisted of light, full body, DB workouts, three times a week. I avoided heavy lifting during this time to give my body time to heal internally and wasn’t doing any barbell squatting, benching and deadlifting, but I was moving and getting to know my body again. My workouts were also very quick; they lasted 30-40 minutes at most--mainly because my daughter cried so much that it was very hard to find anyone to watch her. I’m glad I didn’t rush things because I didn’t have urinary incontinence issues before kids and I haven’t peed the platform while deadlifting post kids--I stayed patient and of course did a million Kegels. THREE TO SIX MONTHS POSTPARTUM By this time you’re more in a routine, and you may be back at work as well. I had a 9-5 corporate job which meant I really had to prioritize my time--sometimes I would even train during my lunch hour so I could get it done. I added in light barbell work but kept to my full body workout routine. These were volume intensive and because I was limited by the time it had a great cardio effect as well. I trained about 4-5 times per week depending on my schedule and how my body was feeling. FULL BODY SAMPLE ROUTINE BARBELL SQUAT: 12-15 reps BENT-OVER ROW: 12 reps (separate bar set up with different weight) PUSH-UPS: 12 CRUNCHES: 12 REST 2 MINUTES REPEAT 6x Full body workouts are great because you hit everything and you are only limited by your imagination. There are many ways to put together quick and effective routines that are challenging as hell. SIX TO NINE MONTHS POSTPARTUM By this time I was really starting to feel more stable and like my old self. I returned to my body part split training and started increasing the intensity weight wise. I wasn’t breastfeeding past 17TRAINING WHILE PREGNANT three months, so I didn’t have to worry about decreased milk supply. If you are breastfeeding just make sure you are taking in enough calories to compensate for the increased activity. I think it’s important to remember that everyone’s journey is going to be different. Some women regain their shape much faster, have no stretch marks, and it’s like pregnancy never happened. Meanwhile, for some, it’s a much longer process. Be patient, don’t compare yourself to others, be kind to your postpartum body, and above all be consistent. Being a mom has only motivated me to be better. I am stronger today than I was pre-kids, I am competing against the best in the world as an elite powerlifter, and I even got my abs back. My kids are happy, well adjusted and are seeing firsthand the importance of being active and staying healthy. Moms and moms-to-be, you are still RELEVANT, DESIRABLE and CAPABLE of being more. You can still set PRs in the gym and at home. My competitive journey didn’t end after having kids; I just added to my cheering section. 20 WEIGHTLIFTING TECHNIQUE TRIAD DATE TOTAL 08/11 11/12 11/11 07/13 08/12 02/14 06/14 06/16 06/17 07/14 10/16 03/15 03/16 03/17 10/15 11/14 MEET Cal State Games SoCal Regionals SoCal Regionals Raw Nats (off-injury) Raw Nats (bombed out) Arnold Pro Raw IPF Raw Worlds IPF Raw Worlds IPF Raw Worlds Raw Nats Raw Nats Arnold Pro Raw Arnold Pro Raw Arnold Grand Prix all-time total world record world champion Raw Nats (off-injury) AZ Fall Classic BW 114lbs 110lbs 112lbs 109lbs 110lbs 110lbs 109lbs 112lbs 112lbs 111lbs 112lbs 111lbs 110lbs 114lbs 112lbs 110lbs 132lbs 170lbs 154lbs 170lbs 0 175lbs 165lbs 198lbs 209lbs 176lbs 181lbs 193lbs 181lbs 204lbs 187lbs 187.5lbs SQUAT 225lbs 264lbs 248lbs 264lbs 0 270lbs 270lbs 292lbs 314lbs 292lbs 319lbs 292lbs 292lbs 330lbs 297lbs 303lbs 303lbs 358lbs 341lbs 325lbs 0 336lbs 340lbs 380lbs 402lbs 352lbs 402lbs 369lbs 385lbs 413lbs 370lbs 363lbs 660 792 743 760 0 781 775 870 925 820 902 854 859 948 854 854 BENCH DEAD I was progressing, but something was missing--I even had a meet where I bombed out and missed lifts entirely. I needed a second pair of eyes and someone more experienced than myself--so I turned my programming over to Chad Wesley Smith. Here’s a quick snapshot of my meet numbers from the time I programmed myself until now under CWS: I’m very proud of the progress I was able to make on my own. However, it’s been so much fun working with Chad and making improvements at an elite level--where adding to your total takes WORLD RECORD STORY 21TRANSITION TO BODYBUILDING more work, and more programming thought. One of my favorite memories of this time working together has been breaking the All-Time Total World Record at the 2017 Arnold Grand Prix. I’ve had training blocks with ups and downs, but this particular training block was perfect. I was hitting and at times exceeding all the numbers we had planned for in training. My confidence levels in every lift (especially squat) were very high, and I wasn’t even on the radar as someone that could potentially win this meet--I don’t mind being the underdog. Every lift went exactly as planned and it was my first 9/9 day. Walking out for that final pull, when that’s all that stands between you and the win, and locking it out is the most amazing feeling. On top of setting the all time world record, winning best lifter was just icing on the cake. This meet was also on the main stage inside the venue for Arnold, which meant we had a huge crowd and the energy was electric. I know Chad gets more nervous for me to compete than I do, but as the lifter, I’m always just as concerned to do well and prove that his programming is the best. I think my favorite part though, is looking at the pictures and seeing that Chad was just as excited and pumped for my lifts as I was. 22 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE TRAINING THE SQUAT EQUIPMENT BELT: A good belt is a key investment for a serious lifter. I wear an Inzer Forever Lever Tapered Belt. The taper will be more comfortable for shorter females, as it won’t dig into the ribs. A 11mm or 13mm belt is appropriate, but the 13mm option may feel too bulky for smaller lifters. HEELED SHOES: Shoes with a heel are particularly useful if you need extra ankle mobility to be able to squat to depth. They are more expensive but are very sturdily built. FLAT SHOES: I prefer to squat in flat shoes because I have the necessary ankle mobility to squat to depth without a heel and felt the heel was tipping me forward too much. When looking for a good flat shoe, you want a thin and sturdy heel. KNEE SLEEVES: For general training, Knee Sleeves aren’t a must, but as your training volume and weights increase, they are a nice comfort to help keep your knees warm and make you feel a bit more secure. TECHNIQUE Unlike bodybuilding, PL squat technique usually means a lower bar placement on the back-roughly 2-3 inches lower. This may feel odd at first if you’ve only ever done high bar. However, the leverages with low bar lend itself to a bigger squat. This means 25TRAINING THE SQUAT can try increasing to 3x and potentially even 4x in a single week but keep in mind that the total weekly volume is the most significant factor. The length of time you spend in a Hypertrophy phase for squats will vary based on the same factors as frequency. If you are preparing for a powerlifting meet and have less than five years of serious training experience, I’d suggest you spend up to 50% of your time in Hypertrophy training; this could be the first six weeks of a 12-week meet prep cycle. If you don’t have a meet planned or are just training to improve your physique, you can spend as long as four months training for Hypertrophy. Remember that Hypertrophy is part of the long game, it isn’t about necessarily getting stronger right now; it is about setting you up for long term success. Hypertrophy training, besides growing the size of your muscles and with that, their potential strength; it will also improve your work capacity so you can do more quality work throughout the rest of the training cycle-which in turns means your physique changes. Once you’ve spent the necessary time building up the size of your legs, now it is time to improve their strength. Strength Training is best achieved in the following ranges: 75-90% of your 1rm 3-6 reps per set 8-16 sets per week As you progress into Strength Training, you’ll need to choose exercises that are better suited for using more weight and are more specific to your competition lifts. My favorite squat variations for Strength Training are: Low Bar Squat High Bar Squat Pause Squat Front Squat Belt Squat 26 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE Exercises like Leg Press/Hack Squat and single leg work can still have some usefulness, especially for more beginner lifters, but they shouldn’t be your priority. Strength Training is about adding more weight to the bar each week, so volume will need to decrease with time so that you can recover properly. Start conservatively on each training cycle; this will give you room to improve because training too heavy, too frequently will be too difficult to recover from. Since Strength Training requires heavier weights, it is more stressful to your body (muscles/joints) and nervous system; generally, this means you can’t train for it as long. For powerlifting, most women (except the very experienced ones) will need to spend 20-40% of their time on it, that would likely be 3-4 weeks out of a 12-week meet prep cycle. If you’re training for physique, strength training is still important as it will help you use heavier weights during your next training cycle (which will help build more muscle) and re-sensitive your body for higher volumes. The longest time you’ll likely want to spend in Strength Training is three months but as short as three weeks can be effective. If you’re preparing for a Powerlifting meet or just looking to test your strength and push your biggest weights, Peaking Training is the next phase you’ll go through. Peaking Training is the heaviest and most specific aspect of training for max strength. During Peaking you’ll train in these ranges: 90%+ of your 1rm 1-3 reps per set 4-8 sets per week Peaking Training is the most taxing on your nervous system, so 27TRAINING THE SQUAT volume is inherently low. Since it is right before you compete or test your 1rm, you need to focus nearly all your attention to your competition technique in the squat, any variations you use beyond that will be very minimal. Female lifters will have a very short peaking phase, particularly as beginners. Since women lack the same testosterone levels as their male counterparts, they will lose muscle much faster, and since Peaking Training is inherently low volume, it can lead to muscle loss if done for too long. Peaking training for female lifters should range from 1-3 weeks. Training at above 90% of your 1rm is the most neurally taxing and neural recovery takes longer than muscular recovery, so your hard training will be less frequent during this phase, maybe only 1-2x/week. Because perfecting technique is such a high priority in this time, you may want to add 1-2 more sessions (after your benching or on off days) where you do 60-70% in the squat from 3-8 sets of 1 rep while having great focus on your technique (which you should always have). Building bigger, stronger legs and a heavier squat is the foundation of a great physique AND success on the powerlifting platform. 30 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE Competition Grip Bench Press Wide Grip Bench Press Close Grip Bench Press Incline Bench Press Standing Military Press DB Pressing (Flat, Incline, Decline, Military) Push Ups (Weighted If You Can) Flyes (Dumbbell and Machine) Machine Chest Press Skullcrushers Tricep Pushdowns I can’t emphasize the value of pushups enough for the beginner and even intermediate female lifters. Push-ups have always been a big part of my training, whether that was challenging my brother’s friends to pushup contests, using them during gymnastics warm-ups or having fun with my ‘pushup flows,’ they’ve been a great contributor to my upper body strength. Training frequency for the upper body will be a trial and error process as it is for the squat but since the muscles of the upper body are smaller, and the weights you’re lifting with them are lighter, you can train them more often. Training for the bench press can often be done 3-5x/week for female lifters. Keep in 31TRAINING THE BENCH mind that not all of these sessions will be as much volume as you can handle but some undulation of harder and easier days would be appropriate. Hypertrophy training for the bench press should make up an even greater proportion of your training time than either the Squat or Deadlift does. Spending up to 66% of your bench press training in Hypertrophy Training could be useful, this will give you ample time to build muscle. Hopefully, if you’re reading this book, you aren’t concerned about getting ‘too bulky,’ I would be hard pressed to find a serious female lifter who feels like they add upper body muscle mass easily. Once you have dedicated sufficient time to building up the size of your chest, shoulders, and arms, you can now add more intensity with Strength Training: 80-92.5% of your 1rm 3-6 reps per set 15-20 sets per week Bench Press training generally doesn’t offer as much variation as Squats or Deadlifts do, but you should focus your exercise selection a bit more towards movements that allow you to use heavier weights: Competition Grip Bench Press Wide Grip Bench Close Grip Bench Spoto Press Bench w/ Slingshot or Reverse Bands 32 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE Standing or Seated Military Press DB Pressing (Flat, Incline, Decline, Military) Push Ups (Weighted If You Can) Flyes (Dumbbell and Machine) Machine Chest Press Skullcrushers Tricep Pushdowns I still included the accessory work here because accessory movements are of particular importance for females striving to build a better bench press as well as overall physique development. These smaller movements should be used as a compliment to the bigger exercises; but make sure that once you’ve done all you feel you can on the primary work, fill in the gaps with smaller exercises that give more focused attention to muscles that may be lagging. Female lifters can generally do much more volume at relatively heavier weights than male lifters. It wouldn’t be uncommon for a female lifter to be able to perform 90%x5 reps in the bench press or multiple sets of 85%x5, while a male lifter may set a five rep max at 85%. Because of this, females need to push the amount of work they’re doing during a strength phase, both the volume will be higher as well as the relative intensity. Since most females will only need a very short peaking block for the bench press; spending 30-50% of your training energy in Strength Training is a good strategy. If you’re preparing for a Powerlifting meet or just looking to test your strength and 35TRAINING THE DEADLIFT DEADLIFT PROGRAMMING CONSIDERATIONS The Deadlift is usually the lift that comes most naturally to female lifters and is a great tool to build strength and muscle throughout the body. Something important to keep in mind with the Deadlift is that it is the most stressful to the body of the three powerlifts, so it needs to be trained the most carefully to ensure progress and avoid overtraining or injury. When using the Deadlift for Hypertrophy Training, put your focus more on building the muscles needed to have a big deadlift, rather than actually performing lots of heavy deadlifts, this will be particularly true for Sumo Deadlifters. Conventional Deadlifts will generally be better strength builders, even though the Sumo Deadlift may allow you to better express that strength. Too many female lifters seem to automatically think they need to be Sumo Deadlifters but putting in the effort on hard Conventional Deadlift training will yield benefits no matter your style of pulling, as well as building lots of great muscle in the Hamstrings, Glutes and through the entire back. When training the Deadlift for Hypertrophy, train in the following ranges: tightness by squeezing your triceps into your lats, as if you are trying to stop someone from tickling your armpits. 3. Drive your feet through the floor, as you pull up and back through the shoulders. As the bar reaches your knees, your shins should have moved into a totally vertical position. 4. As the bar passes your knees, flex your glutes hard to begin extending your hips to meet the bar at lockout. 5. At lockout, stand tall with your quads and glutes flexed as hard as possible. Leave your shoulders as relaxed as possible, so that your arms hang low. 36 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE 60-75% of your 1rm 6-10 reps per set 15-22 sets per week Because Deadlifts from the floor can be so stressful to the body and nervous system, I encourage you to remember that Hypertrophy Training is about building Muscle, you’ll have plenty of time before competition to hone your technique. While Conventional Deadlifts from the floor will be the best way to build muscle for the Deadlift, you should focus on the following: Conventional Deadlift 2-4” Block Pulls or Rack Pulls RDLs / Box Deadlifts Good Mornings Sumo Deadlifts Deficit Deadlifts Back Raises GHRs When you are using exercises like RDLs and Good Mornings, it is easy to get caught up in the weight you are using but try to make your technique very strict so that you can get the greatest training effect from the lightest weights. If you aren’t feeling the muscles working that you’re trying to develop, drop the weight and ensure that you’re executing them properly. Deadlift training is the most stressful to the body in every way, so it will require the least amount of training relative to the three lifts. I utilize 1 main deadlift workout per week with 1 secondary workout two days later, 2-3 Deadlift workouts per week, with one of them being significantly lighter should be sufficient. Hypertrophy Training will be a shorter portion of your training 37TRAINING THE DEADLIFT for the Deadlift, as Females are generally more muscular in the areas needed for heavy deadlifting. Even during Hypertrophy Training, I usually use slightly lower reps for the Deadlift than the Squat or Bench Press. If I’m using sets of 10 in the Squat, I will usually do 8s in the Deadlift. Normally, spending 25-40% of your training time on Hypertrophy for the Deadlift. After you’ve built up bigger hamstring, glutes and spinal erectors, you’re ready to move to Strength Training and improving the force production of those muscles, as well as becoming more specific about your technique. Strength Training for the Deadlift should done in the following ranges: 75-90% of your 1rm 3-5 reps per set 10-15 sets per week Strength Training means that you are closer to competition or testing your max in the gym, so developing your technique becomes more of a priority, that needs to be considered when choosing exercises: Competition Deadlifts (Conventional or Sumo) Conventional Deadlifts (Worth doing even if you compete Sumo) 3” Competition Block Pulls RDLs / Box Deadlifts Good Mornings Accessory work like Back Raises and GHRs are still useful and should be included but aren’t specific enough to count towards your 10-15 sets per week. Training the deadlift hard is great and important to success but as I’ve become more advanced, I find more and more than stopping 1 rep shy of what I can do is very useful for keeping me healthy and ensuring I can properly recover. With that in mind, don’t let your technique deteriorate for an extra rep or 10 extra pounds, pull every rep with great intent toward your technique and as explosively as possible. 40 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE STRENGTH AS THE PATH TO AESTHETICS Strength and aesthetics don’t have to be mutually exclusive. The main difference between my own programming and beginning with Chad was, his had more structure and incorporated the different phases (Hypertrophy, Strength, Peaking). In powerlifting, peaking at the right time is crucial. However, for the physique side of things the hypertrophy phase is most important and what adds muscle. This phase mirrored my bodybuilding style volume wise and is why I’m one of the more muscular 52kg lifters in the IPF. Now, this doesn’t mean you need to spend ten plus years in this phase as I did; however, it definitely shouldn’t be neglected. It takes women much longer than our male counterparts to put on quality muscle--therefore don’t be afraid to do 2-3 hypertrophy blocks before jumping into a strength block. Muscle moves weight and the more muscle 41 you have, the stronger you will become-- and it’s fun when people ask if you’re getting ready for a bodybuilding show when you’re about to step up on the platform for a powerlifting meet. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when adding muscle to your frame: • Don’t neglect the accessory exercises. Pick a few basic movements and stick with them for 4-6 weeks. You want to increase strength and proficiency in accessory work too. Don’t just go through the motions but really feel the muscles you are working. • Get your nutrition in order and don’t be afraid to fill out your frame. Women tend always to want to cut weight, but if you want to add muscle, you’re going to need to eat. Nutrition should match your training block and physique goals. For example, the hypertrophy block is a great time to be in a bulking phase since volume is high and you’re going to increase muscle mass in this block. If you are cutting, high volume training is still a good idea because you can eat relatively more and still be in a deficit (high volume training burns more calories) and it will help you retain more muscle. • Be patient, adding muscle isn’t an overnight endeavor. It takes patience, consistency and TIME. STRENGTH AS THE PATH TO AESTHETICS 42 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE CALISTHENICS The day I stepped foot into a weight room I left behind my gymnastics roots and really immersed myself into lifting. Instagram introduced me to people like Frank Medrano and Progressive Calisthenics; they’ve popularized Urban/Street Calisthenics, which is a combination of classic calisthenics (standard pull-ups) and gymnastics (360 bar spins), and it looked like a lot of fun. I mean what’s the point of being strong if you can’t move your own bodyweight? I also really missed feeling like I was athletic. I started incorporating bodyweight movements after my main powerlifting work (mainly on upper days since calisthenics tends to be more upper body intensive in my opinion) and only when I’m in a hypertrophy or strength block. As I get closer to a meet and into my peaking block, where more specificity is required, I stop doing the explosive floor and bar work. Calisthenics is a whole different rush than lifting weights because it’s freestyle and requires a lot more imagination. You’d be surprised how hard it is to move your own bodyweight around, especially to music. It’s a pretty badass feeling to still be capable of doing things I did as a 10-year-old gymnast--and let’s not forget the social media world loves a good push-up or pull-up flow. 45 Each one of us has the power to sculpt our bodies and be our own work of art. As more women enter the weight room believing that they are too weak to get that first pull- up or squat two times body weight, it is clear we need to debunk the image of female frailty and solidify our role in the strength world. More often than not women tend to be defined by how “feminine” they can look while putting on muscle. The idea of what femininity and the perfect physique looks like will vary from person to person and it’s up to you to define what this looks like for yourself--which often changes as you progress and spend more time in the gym. In this book, my goal is to give you the tools you need to sculpt your physique the way YOU want it while getting stronger in the process. Though our aesthetic goals may differ, we can use similar tools to chisel our bodies the way we want them. CALISTHENICS 46 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE CARDIO When you’re trying to improve your body composition, weight training alone isn’t enough. Conversely, when you’re trying to improve your one rep max, cardio is often portrayed as the evil thief of gains. The truth is you can do both with proper balance and prioritizing your goals--and let’s face it, having some aerobic capacity comes in handy when you’re in a high volume hypertrophy block. The ideal cardio program is going to vary from person to person depending on your goals, preferences, and how much time you have. I do my cardio first thing in the morning at 4:30 a.m. I ride a stationary bike for 30 minutes three times a week on different intervals depending on how I feel. This is the time slot that works for my schedule and is the only time I will actually get it done--I weight train about 6 hours later so there’s a sufficient gap. Since my priority is my powerlifting competition schedule, I keep cardio in both hypertrophy and strength blocks and cut it during my peaking block. 47CARDIO CARDIO GUIDELINES: • If you have to combine your resistance training and cardio into one session, do your resistance training first. • I’ve found that 2-4 cardio sessions per week for about 20- 40 minutes of moderate to intense cardio have no adverse effects on my strength gains, yet help me maintain a comfortable level of leanness. • HIIT (high intensity) vs. LISS (steady state)- if you’ve been sedentary for a while high-intensity cardio might be too much too soon. Also, if you’re prone to pulling muscles, hill sprints might not be the smartest choice--especially if you haven’t done them since your high school track days. Use common sense; low, moderate and intense types of cardio all have their place and can all be effective. • Pick something you’re going to enjoy doing. For most people cardio isn’t something they look forward to so if you can’t fathom sitting on a bike or walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes, take it outside. 50 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE of people make is cutting too many calories too soon and that leaves you no room to make adjustments, makes you feel overly hungry and usually results in quitting. Slow and steady wins the race so when you’re cutting, cut a few calories out at first and when your weight loss stalls cut a bit more-and be aware of where you’re at in your menstrual cycle (temporary weight gain doesn’t mean you’ve stalled). Conversely, if I wanted to go into a massing (bulking) phase, I would add about 150-200 calories and adjust up or down based on how I’m looking. When massing, you will put on a little bit of fat, but there’s’ no need to put on an excessive amount, therefore, like cutting, I prefer to take it slow and adjust based on my rate of weight gain. I’ve moved to a more intuitive eating style, meaning I don’t weigh and measure everything out, since I spent years doing that while competing in bodybuilding and I’m pretty good about knowing what my portion sizes look like for my needs. I recently took a day of eating and tracked to see how close I was to my 1300 goal. Here’s what I ate today for example: BREAKFAST: BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIE (this is the easiest thing for me in the morning due to a rushed schedule with school drop offs--my kids love it too) 1 Cup Oikos Plain Greek yogurt ½ Cup frozen blueberries Water (amount depends on preferred thickness) Two packets of Equal (takes away tartness) Blend and enjoy 225 calories, 21P, 18C, 9F INTRA WORKOUT: 12OZ GATORADE (for the quick carbs) 80 calories, 21C 51 POST TRAINING: TERIYAKI BOWL (4oz of chicken) ½ Cup white rice ½ Cup steamed broccoli 1 Tablespoon of Teriyaki sauce 326 calories, 40P, 30C, 4F SNACK: 1 Green apple 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter 190 calories, 5P, 28C, 8F DINNER: CHICKEN VEGETABLE STIR FRY (a quick and easy favorite) Add over rice (if you need the carbs) 240 calories, 23P, 27C, 1F SNACK: TWO SCOOPS OF CASEIN PROTEIN Mix with a little water (consistency of pudding) 100 calories, 20P, 4C, 2F TOTAL: 1161 calories, 109P, 129C, 24F As you can see I was a bit shy meeting my daily caloric values on this day, while on other days I’ve most likely gone over my goal. I don’t eat a perfect diet every single day of my life--it’s that on average my food choices balance out. Realize that we are all different and will have different caloric needs. For example, my training partner Kristen is a 5’5 female who weighs between 145-150lbs. NUTRITION 52 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE Her maintenance calories are 2100 and of those calories, her macronutrient percentages are 35p/40c/25f. Keep in mind you cannot stay in a cutting phase forever and quite frankly who would want to? Each phase is for a specified amount of time-this not only keeps you sane it’s how you make the most progress and prevent huge weight fluctuations--three months max per phase is ideal. Once you’ve come off a cutting or bulking phase, you add or subtract calories to get you back to a good maintenance phase-again doing this slowly so you can determine what the new set point is for yourself and avoid the “OMG I’ve gained 15 pounds in a week from adding in 1000 calories.” If you haven’t noticed, nutrition, like lifting, is highly individualized and may take a few adjustments to find that sweet spot that works for you. EATING DISORDERS: Food for me has always been fuel and I never looked at anything as good, bad, or attached any emotion to it. However, I do realize there are people that struggle with eating disorders and emotional attachments to food. In those cases it’s really important to seek the help of a qualified nutritionist or therapist who has experience in this arena--it’s ok to ask for help if you need it. MEAL PREP: The better prepared you are, the easier it is. Meal prep is a necessary evil if you want to be successful. There are a lot of companies that will deliver to your door, however, if you’re on a budget, this isn’t the most economical. I think people really over complicate this part of dieting. Like I said earlier, my approach is to keep it simple. Therefore I tend to eat the same things for each meal during the week (minus dinner) when my schedule is busier and get more creative on the weekends when I have more time. Easy things to cook in bulk are rice (rice cooker), Ground turkey, beef, or chicken (cooks up really fast), and frozen veggies; convenient and keep longer than fresh ones. Need more help? Check out eatthismuch.com which will create a customized meal plans based on your caloric needs, budget and food likes--and it’s free. WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS? As a mom, I realize my kid’s needs aren’t on a diet. Therefore I think about meals that they’ll also enjoy that won’t require me to cook three different things. Most 55PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER So now that you have all this information where do you start? I think most of us step foot into the gym to feel and look better. Therefore I would take a good look at your body Composition- where you currently are versus your desired look. Keep in mind the desired look may be a long term goal (remember it takes women longer to put on muscle) so plan accordingly and set short term realistic goals. If you want to get leaner or add muscle, you’re gonna need to be doing more volume and the higher volume hypertrophy block is the best place to start. Determine how long you’ll need to stay in this block to reach your desired goal and line up your nutrition to match--the volume in this block lends itself to either massing or cutting. If you’re planning on competing in powerlifting, you’re going to need to know your competition schedule. The further away you are from your meet means you can spend more time in hypertrophy and strength blocks. Don’t be alarmed that you’re not always maxing out. These blocks are where you work on adding muscle, honing in good technique on the competition lifts, and increasing your work capacity. The more muscle you have, the stronger you will be on the platform--not to mention you decrease your risk of injury by not always putting your body under maximal loads. When I first started I did one to two meets max per year--even now the most I’ll do is three and they are spread out pretty evenly to give me more time using lighter weight loads. Finally, be consistent and don’t stray from the plan. If you want to get leaner, add more muscle or be stronger, you have to be 56 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE focused and see your plan through--this way you can determine what is working and what isn’t. If you’re constantly stopping and restarting or jumping from program to program you’ll never know what changes need to be made to improve. Realize that this is a process, there will be ups, downs, frustrations as well as successes but there’s no better feeling than following through. Seeing what your body is capable of and enjoying the journey to get it there is the most rewarding part. 57F.A.Q. WOMEN AND WEIGHT TRAINING F.A.Q. WOMEN AND WEIGHT TRAINING WILL LIFTING MAKE ME BULKY / MANLY LOOKING? This subject has been hammered to death, so I’ll simply repeat what has been stated in blog post after blog post: women DO NOT have the same hormonal makeup as men, therefore putting on large amounts of muscle is not going to happen. Lifting will add muscle to your frame, but how “big” you look is also dependent on your bodyfat levels--the leaner you are, the more muscular and thus “bigger” you will appear. How you look is in YOUR control through training and nutrition. CAN I TRAIN WHILE PREGNANT? Always consult your doctor before continuing an exercise program while pregnant. As long as there are no complications and you are healthy, training is actually good for you. By no means does this mean you get pregnant and decide training for a marathon is your next fitness goal. I’m talking about continuing with activities to which your body was already accustomed. Listen to your doctor and your body, and above all be smart. Stay off your stomach and adapt exercises to your changing body. When you’re seven months pregnant, lying hamstring curls aren’t the best idea, let alone comfortable. I trained throughout both my pregnancies--doing so can make your labor easier and helps to keep some semblance of normalcy in your life, especially if you are used to being active and training heavy. You have to keep in mind that this is a time when you’re not trying to add to your total, have a six pack, and set new records--training while pregnant is more about maintenance and preserving the muscle you already have. 60 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE 4” BLOCK PULL 5x5 at 7RPE DB INCLINE BENCH 3x10-12 at 8RPE GOBLET SQUAT 4x8 at 8RPE DB ROWS 4x10-12 at 8RPE DB LATERAL RAISES 3x10-12 4” BLOCK PULL 6x5 at 7RPE DB INCLINE BENCH 3x12-15 at 9RPE GOBLET SQUAT 4x12 at 8RPE DB ROWS 4x10-12 at 8RPE DAY 1: DAY 1: BLOCK 1 / WEEK 2 BLOCK 1 / WEEK 3 BENCH PRESS Up to 10rm, Drop 12-15%x3x10 FRONT FOOT ELEVATED SPLIT SQUATS 3x8 each leg LAT PULLDOWNS 5x10-12 at 8RPE HAMSTRING CURLS 3x12-15 at 7RPE TRICEP PUSHDOWNS 3x15-20 at 8RPE BENCH PRESS Find a 10rm,Drop 12-15%x4x10 FRONT FOOT ELEVATED SPLIT SQUATS 3x10 each leg LAT PULLDOWNS 5x10-12 at 8RPE HAMSTRING CURLS 3x12-15 at 7RPE TRICEP PUSHDOWNS 3x15-20 at 8RPE HI BAR SQUAT 8x3 at 7RPE-1 min rest BARBELL PUSHUPS 3xFailure-3 min rest periods DB RDLS 3x10 at 7RPE CABLE ROWS 3x10-12 at 8RPE BACK RAISES 3x15 HI BAR SQUAT 10x3 at 7RPE-1 min rest BARBELL PUSHUPS 3xFailure-3 min rest periods DB RDLS 3x12 at 7RPE CABLE ROWS 3x10-12 at 8RPE BACK RAISES 3x20 DAY 2: DAY 2: DAY 3: DAY 3: 61 DAY 1: DAY 1: BLOCK 2 / WEEK 1 BLOCK 2 / WEEK 2 BENCH PRESS Find an 8rm, Drop 8-12%3x8 GOBLET SQUAT 3x10 REVERSE GRIP PULLDOWNS 5x10-12 at 8RPE BB GLUTE BRIDGE 3x8 at 7RPE DB SKULLCRUSHERS 3x8-10 2” BLOCK PULL 5x3 at 8RPE FLOOR PRESS 4x7 at 8RPE FRONT SQUAT 3x6 at 8RPE BARBELL ROWS 4x8 at 8RPE DB FRONT RAISES 3x10-12 BENCH PRESS Find an 8rm, Drop 8-12%4x8 GOBLET SQUAT 3x12 REVERSE GRIP PULLDOWNS 5x10-12 at 8RPE BB GLUTE BRIDGE 3x10 at 7RPE DB SKULLCRUSHERS 3x10-12 LOW BAR SQUAT 5x5 at 7RPE PALMS IN DB PUSHUPS 3x10-12 RDLS 3x8 at 7RPE DB CHEST SUPPORTED ROWS 3x10-12 at 8RPE GOOD MORNINGS 3x8 at 7RPE LOW BAR SQUAT 4x5 at 8RPE PALMS IN DB PUSHUPS 3x10-12 RDLS 3x10 at 7RPE DB CHEST SUPPORTED ROWS 3x10-12 at 8RPE GOOD MORNINGS 3x10 at 7RPE DAY 2: DAY 2: DAY 3: DAY 3: 4” BLOCK PULL 6x5 at 7RPE DB INCLINE BENCH 3x12-15 at 9RPE GOBLET SQUAT 4x12 at 8RPE DB ROWS 4x10-12 at 8RPE BEGINNER PROGRAM 62 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE 2” BLOCK PULL 4x3 at 9RPE FLOOR PRESS 4x6 at 9RPE FRONT SQUAT 3x5 at 9RPE BARBELL ROWS 4x10 at 8RPE DB FRONT RAISES 3x12-15 DAY 1: BLOCK 2 / WEEK 3 BENCH PRESS Find an 8rm, Drop 8-12%5x8 GOBLET SQUAT 3x15 REVERSE GRIP PULLDOWNS 5x10-12 at 8RPE BB GLUTE BRIDGE 3x12 at 7RPE DB SKULLCRUSHERS 3x12-15 LOW BAR SQUAT 3x5 at 9RPE PALMS IN DB PUSHUPS 3x15-20 RDLS 3x12 at 7RPE DB CHEST SUPPORTED ROWS 3x10-12 at 8RPE GOOD MORNINGS 3x12 at 7RPE DAY 2: DAY 3: SUMO DEADLIFT 4x4 at 8RPE CLOSEGRIP BENCH 4x8 at 7RPE PAUSE HI BAR SQUAT 3x6 at 7RPE DB ROWS 4x8-10 at 7RPE DELT TRIAD 3x8 each DAY 1: BLOCK 3 / WEEK 1 BENCH PRESS Up to 5rm, Drop 8-12%x4x5 PAUSE FRONT SQUAT 3x6 at 7RPE LAT PULLDOWNS 5x10-12 at 8RPE HAMSTRING CURLS 3x8-10 at 7RPE PUSHDOWNS 3x10-12 HI BAR SQUAT 5x4 at 7RPE DB INCLINE BENCH 3x8-10 at 8RPE DEADLIFT 3x3 at 7RPE CABLE ROWS 3x10-12 at 8RPE BACK RAISES 3x10 DAY 2: DAY 3: 65 DEADLIFT Up to 3rm WIDEGRIP BENCH 4x4 at 8RPE HI BAR SQUAT 3x4 at 8RPE BARBELL ROWS 4x5 at 8RPE SHOULDER BOX 3x8 DAY 1: BLOCK 4 / WEEK 3 BENCH PRESS Up to 1rm, Drop 8-12%x2x1 FRONT SQUAT 3x3 at 8RPE REVERSE GRIP PULLDOWNS 5x10-12 at 8RPE BB GLUTE BRIDGE 3x8 at 7RPE DB SKULLCRUSHERS 3x8z at 8RPE LOW BAR SQUAT Up to 3rm at 10RPE, Drop 8-12%x2x3 DB FLOOR PRESS 3x6 at 9RPE SUMO DEADLIFT 3x3 at 8RPE DB CHEST SUPPORTED ROWS 3x8 at 8RPE GOOD MORNINGS 3x8 at 7RPE DAY 2: DAY 3: BEGINNER PROGRAM 66 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE MOMSTRONG PROGRAM MomStrong is a program designed to combine all elements of my training, Powerlifting, Bodybuilding, and Calisthenics into one fun and effective 12-week journey. This program will help you build muscle, hone your strength and technique in the powerlifts and maybe even get your first pullup. 67 WIDEGRIP BENCH 60%x4x8-10 DB INCLINE FLIES 3x12 at 8RPE DB MILITARY PRESS 3x10 at 8RPE DB FRONT RAISES 3x10 at 8RPE TRICEP PUSHDOWNS 3x8-10 MILITARY PUSHUPS 3xAMRAP INVERTED ROWS 3x10 PLANKS 3x30 sec CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT 70%x3x6-8 3” SUMO BLOCK PULLS 65%x3x8 LOW BAR SQUAT 60%x3x8 BB HIP THRUSTS 3x10 at 8RPE PULLTHROUGHS 3x10 at 8RPE CALF RAISES 3x15 at 8RPE DAY 5: DAY 4: DAY 6: CARDIO (20 mins) DAY 7: OFF HIGH BAR SQUAT 60%x3x8-10 HACK SQUAT, LEG PRESS OR BELT SQUAT 3x10 at 8RPE FRONT FOOT ELEVATED SPLIT SQUATS 3x10 at 8RPE HAMSTRING CURLS OR GHR 3x10 at 8RPE BACK RAISES 2x10 at 8RPE CALF RAISES 3x15 at 8RPE BENCH 70%x4x6-8 CLOSEGRIP BENCH 65%x3x6 INCLINE DB BENCH 3x10-12 at 8RPE BETOVER ROWS 3x10-12 at 8RPE LAT PULLDOWNS 3x12 at 8RPE SEATED DB LATERAL RAISES 3x12 at 8RPE FACE PULLS 3x12 at 8RPE DEADHANG FROM PULLUP BAR 3x5-10 seconds DAY 1: DAY 2: PHASE 1 / WEEK 1 DAY 3: CARDIO (20 mins) MOMSTRONG PROGRAM MOMSTRONG PROGRAM 70 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE WIDEGRIP BENCH 75%x4x6 DB FLIES 3x10-12 at 8RPE SINGLE ARM DB PRESS 3x10-12 at 8RPE DB PULLOVERS 3x10 at 8RPE DB SKULLCRUSHERS 3x10-12 at 8RPE BAND ASSISTED OR JUMPING PULLUPS 10, 8, 6 PLANKS 3x60 sec CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT 65%x4x8 SUMO PAUSE DEADLIFTS 60%x3x8 LOW BAR SQUAT 70%x3x6 SETP UPS 3x8-10 each leg SINGLE LEG GLUTE BRIDGES 3x12 each leg CALF RAISES 3x15 at 8RPE DAY 5: DAY 4: HIGH BAR SQUAT 75%x4x6 FRONT SQUAT 70%x3x6 SNATCH GRIP DEADLIFT 70%x3x8 HAMSTRING CURLS OR GHR 3x10 at 8RPE CALF RAISES 3x15 at 8RPE BENCH 65%x4x8-10 SPOTO PRESS 60%x3x8 DB ROWS 3x10 at 8RPE PALMS IN DB PRESS 3x10-12 at 8RPE DB LATERAL RAISES 3x10 at 8RPE DB REVERSE FLIES 3x10 at 8RPE SCAPULAR RETRACTIONS FROM PULLUP BAR 3x6-8 HANGING LEG RAISES 3x15 DAY 1: DAY 2: PHASE 1 / WEEK 4 DAY 6: CARDIO (30 mins) DAY 7: OFF DAY 3: CARDIO (30 mins) MOMSTRONG PROGRAM 71 HIGH BAR SQUAT 70%x4x8 HACK SQUAT, LEG PRESS OR BELT SQUAT 3x10 at 8RPE FRONT FOOT ELEVATED SPLIT SQUATS 3x10 at 8RPE HAMSTRING CURLS OR GHR 3x10 at 8RPE BACK RAISES 2x10 at 8RPE CALF RAISES 3x15 at 8RPE BENCH 80%x4x6 CLOSEGRIP BENCH 75%x3x6 INCLINE DB BENCH 3x10-12 at 8RPE BETOVER ROWS 3x10-12 at 8RPE LAT PULLDOWNS 3x12 at 8RPE SEATED DB LATERAL RAISES 3x12 at 8RPE FACE PULLS 3x12 at 8RPE DEADHANG FROM PULLUP BAR 3x5-10 seconds DAY 1: DAY 2: PHASE 1 / WEEK 5 WIDEGRIP BENCH 70%x4x8 DB INCLINE FLIES 3x12 at 8RPE DB MILITARY PRESS 3x10 at 8RPE DB FRONT RAISES 3x10 at 8RPE TRICEP PUSHDOWNS 3x8-10 MILITARY PUSHUPS 3xAMRAP INVERTED ROWS 3x12 PLANKS 3x60 sec CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT 80%x4x6 3” SUMO BLOCK PULLS 75%x3x6 LOW BAR SQUAT 73%x3x8 BB HIP THRUSTS 3x10 at 8RPE PULLTHROUGHS 3x10 at 8RPE CALF RAISES 3x15 at 8RPE DAY 5: DAY 4: DAY 6: CARDIO (30 mins) DAY 7: OFFDAY 3: CARDIO (30 mins) MOMSTRONG PROGRAM MOMSTRONG PROGRAM 72 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE HIGH BAR SQUAT 80%x4x6 FRONT SQUAT 73%x3x6 SNATCH GRIP DEADLIFT 73%x3x6 HAMSTRING CURLS OR GHR 3x10 at 8RPE CALF RAISES 3x15 at 8RPE BENCH 70%x4x8 SPOTO PRESS 63%x3x8 DB ROWS 3x10 at 8RPE PALMS IN DB PRESS 3x10-12 at 8RPE DB LATERAL RAISES 3x10 at 8RPE DB REVERSE FLIES 3x10 at 8RPE SCAPULAR RETRACTIONS FROM PULLUP BAR 3x6-8 HANGING LEG RAISES 3x15 DAY 1: DAY 2: PHASE 1 / WEEK 6 DAY 6: CARDIO (30 mins) DAY 7: OFF DAY 3: CARDIO (30 mins) CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT 70%x4x8 SUMO PAUSE DEADLIFTS 65%x3x8 LOW BAR SQUAT 75%x3x5 SETP UPS 3x8-10 each leg SINGLE LEG GLUTE BRIDGES 3x12 each leg CALF RAISES 3x15 at 8RPE DAY 4: WIDEGRIP BENCH 80%x4x6 DB FLIES 3x10-12 at 8RPE SINGLE ARM DB PRESS 3x10-12 at 8RPE DB PULLOVERS 3x10 at 8RPE DB SKULLCRUSHERS 3x10-12 at 8RPE BAND ASSISTED OR JUMPING PULLUPS 10, 10, 8 PLANKS 3x60 sec DAY 5: MOMSTRONG PROGRAM 75 WIDEGRIP BENCH 75%x3x6 DB INCLINE BENCH 3x10 at 8RPE DB MILITARY PRESS 3x10 at 8RPE DB FRONT RAISES 3x10 at 8RPE TRICEP PUSHDOWNS 3x10 at 8RPE PARTIAL PULLUPS 5x2 PLANKS 3x1 min CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT 85%x3, 75%x2x4 3” CONVENTIONAL BLOCK PULLS 70%x3x3 HIGH BAR SQUAT 73%x3x5 BACK RAISES 2x10 at 8RPE CALF RAISES 3x15 at 8RPE DAY 5: DAY 4: LOW BAR SQUAT 75%x4x5 PAUSE ABOVE PARALLEL SQUAT 70%x3x5 HACK SQUAT, LEG PRESS OR BELT SQUAT 3x10 at 8RPE HAMSTRING CURLS OR GHR 2x10 at 8RPE CALF RAISES 3x15 at 8RPE BENCH 85%x2x3, 75%x2x5 CLOSEGRIP BENCH 73%x2x5 INCLINE DB BENCH 2x10 at 8RPE BENTOVER ROWS 3x10 at 8RPE LAT PULLDOWNS 2x10 at 8RPE SEATED DB LATERAL RAISES 2x10 at 8RPE FACE PULLS 2x10 at 8RPE INVERTED ROWS 2x10 at 8RPE DAY 1: DAY 2: PHASE 2 / WEEK 3 DAY 6: CARDIO (30 mins) DAY 7: OFF DAY 3: CARDIO (30 mins) MOMSTRONG PROGRAM MOMSTRONG PROGRAM 76 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE WIDEGRIP BENCH 78%x3x5 DB INCLINE BENCH 3x8 at 8RPE SINGLE ARM DB PRESS 2x10 at 8RPE DB PULLOVERS 2x10 at 8RPE DB SKULLCRUSHERS 2x10-12 at 8RPE INVERTED ROWS 2x10 PLANKS 3x1 min CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT 80%x5x1 1” DEFICIT DEADLIFT 75%x2x4 HIGH BAR SQUAT 75%x3x5 BACK RAISES 2x10 at 8RPE CALF RAISES 3x15 at 8RPE DAY 5: DAY 4: LOW BAR SQUAT 90%x2, 80%x2x3 PAUSE BELOW PARALLEL SQUAT 75%x2x4 HAMSTRING CURLS OR GHR 2x10 at 8RPE CALF RAISES 3x15 at 8RPE BENCH 80%x4x3 SPOTO PRESS 75%x3x5 DB ROWS 3x10 at 8RPE PALMS IN DB BENCH 2x10 at 8RPE DB LATERAL RAISES 2x10 at 8RPE DB REVERSE FLIES 2x10 at 8RPE PARTIAL PULLUPS 5x3 HANGING LEG RAISES 3x15 DAY 1: DAY 2: PHASE 2 / WEEK 4 DAY 6: CARDIO (30 mins) DAY 7: OFF DAY 3: CARDIO (30 mins) MOMSTRONG PROGRAM 77 INCLINE DB BENCH 3x10 at 8RPE DB INCLINE FLIES 3x10 at 8RPE DB MILITARY PRESS 3x10 at 8RPE DB FRONT RAISES 3x10 at 8RPE DB SKULLCRUSHERS 2x10 at 8RPE DIPS 2x10 PARTIAL PULLUPS 6x3 PLANKS 3x1 min CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT Up to 1rm HACK SQUAT, LEG PRESS OR BELT SQUAT 2x10 at 8RPE HIGH BAR SQUAT 78%x3x3 BACK RAISES 2x10 at 8RPE CALF RAISES 3x15 at 8RPE DAY 5: DAY 4: LOW BAR SQUAT 80%x4x3 PAUSE ABOVE PARALLEL SQUAT 75%x2x4 HACK SQUAT, LEG PRESS OR BELT SQUAT 2x10 at 8RPE HAMSTRING CURLS OR GHR 2x10 at 8RPE CALF RAISES 3x15 at 8RPE BENCH Up to 1rm, Drop 10-15%x3x4 BENTOVER ROWS 2x10 at 8RPE LAT PULLDOWNS 2x10 at 8RPE SEATED DB LATERAL RAISES 2x10 at 8RPE FACE PULLS 2x10 at 8RPE INVERTED ROWS 3x10 DAY 1: DAY 2: PHASE 2 / WEEK 5 DAY 6: CARDIO (30 mins) DAY 7: OFF DAY 3: CARDIO (30 mins) MOMSTRONG PROGRAM MOMSTRONG PROGRAM 80 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE HIGH BAR SQUAT HIGH BAR SQUAT FRONT SQUAT SPLIT SQUATS BACK RAISES Up to 10rm at 8RPE Drop 8-12%x2x10 2x8 at 7RPE 2x8 each leg 3x10 Up to 10rm at 8RPE Drop 8-12%x3x10 3x8 at 7RPE 4x8-10, 1xCluster 2-3x8 each 2x8, 1xRest Pause 2-3x8 3x8 at 7RPE 2x10 at 7RPE 2x8 at 7RPE 2x8 each leg 3x10 Up to 8rm at 8RPE Drop 8-12%x2x8 3x6 at 7RPE 2x10 at 7RPE 3x10 3x10 3x8 at 7RPE 3x8 at 7RPE 4x8-10 2-3x8 2x8, 1xRest Pause 2-3x8 DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 5DAY 4 DAY 3 DAY 6 HYPERTROPHY BLOCK WEEK 1 WIDEGRIP BENCH WIDEGRIP BENCH DB INCLINE BENCH LAT PULLDOWNS DELT TRIAD DB SKULLCRUSHERS DB CURLS HIGH BAR 1-1/2 REP SQUATS LEG PRESS OR BELT SQUAT BOX DEADLIFT WALKING LUNGES BACK RAISES OFF CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT SNATCH GRIP RDL BELT SQUAT GLUTE BRIDGES GHR INCLINE BENCH DB BENCH DB ROWS DB FLIES TRICEP PUSHDOWNS DB SHRUGS POWERLIFTING PROGRAM 81 HIGH BAR SQUAT HIGH BAR SQUAT FRONT SQUAT SPLIT SQUATS BACK RAISES DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 6 HYPERTROPHY BLOCK WEEK 2 WIDEGRIP BENCH WIDEGRIP BENCH DB INCLINE BENCH LAT PULLDOWNS DELT TRIAD DB SKULLCRUSHERS DB CURLS HIGH BAR 1-1/2 REP SQUATS LEG PRESS OR BELT SQUAT BOX DEADLIFT WALKING LUNGES BACK RAISES OFF CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT SNATCH GRIP RDL BELT SQUAT GLUTE BRIDGES GHR INCLINE BENCH DB BENCH DB ROWS DB FLIES TRICEP PUSHDOWNS DB SHRUGS Up to 10rm at 9RPE Drop 8-12%x3x10 2x8 at 8RPE 2x10 each leg 3x12 Up to 10rm at 9RPE Drop 8-12%x4x10 3x10 at 8RPE 4x10-12, 1xCluster 2-3x10 each 2x10, 1xRest Pause 2-3x10 4x8 at 8RPE 2x10 at 8RPE 2x8 at 8RPE 2x10 each leg 3x12 3” Blocks-85% of 8rm 2x8, 1xAMAP 3x8 at 8RPE 2x10 at 8RPE 3x12 3x12 4x8 at 8RPE 3x10 at 8RPE 4x10-12 2-3x10 2x10, 1xRest Pause 2-3x10 POWERLIFTING PROGRAM DAY 5DAY 4 POWERLIFTING PROGRAM 82 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE HIGH BAR SQUAT HIGH BAR SQUAT FRONT SQUAT SPLIT SQUATS BACK RAISES DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 6 HYPERTROPHY BLOCK WEEK 3 WIDEGRIP BENCH WIDEGRIP BENCH DB INCLINE BENCH LAT PULLDOWNS DELT TRIAD DB SKULLCRUSHERS DB CURLS HIGH BAR 1-1/2 REP SQUATS LEG PRESS OR BELT SQUAT BOX DEADLIFT WALKING LUNGES BACK RAISES CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT SNATCH GRIP RDL BELT SQUAT GLUTE BRIDGES GHR INCLINE BENCH DB BENCH DB ROWS DB FLIES TRICEP PUSHDOWNS DB SHRUGS Up to 10rm at 10RPE Drop 8-12%x4x10 2x8 at 9RPE 2x12 each leg 3x15 Up to 10rm at 10RPE Drop 8-12%x5x10 3x12 at 9RPE 4x12-15, 1xCluster 2-3x12 each 2x12, 1xRest Pause 2-3x12 4x8 at 9RPE 2x10 at 9RPE 2x8 at 9RPE 2x12 each leg 3x15 Up to 8rm at 10RPE Drop 8-12%x3x8 3x10 at 9RPE 2x10 at 9RPE 3x15 3x15 4x8 at 9RPE 3x12 at 9RPE 4x12-15 2-3x12 2x12, 1xRest Pause 2-3x12 POWERLIFTING PROGRAM DAY 5DAY 4 OFF 85 SQUAT SQUAT PAUSE SQUAT STEP UPS BACK RAISES DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 6 STRENGTH BLOCK WEEK 2 BENCH BENCH SPOTO PRESS LAT PULLDOWNS DB FRONT RAISES DB SKULLCRUSHERS DB CURLS HIGH BAR SQUATS LEG PRESS OR BELT SQUAT DEADLIFT SPLIT SQUATS BACK RAISES DEADLIFT DEADLIFT BOX DEADLIFT GLUTE BRIDGES GHR INCLINE BENCH CLOSEGRIP BENCH DB ROWS DB FLIES TRICEP PUSHDOWNS DB SHRUGS POWERLIFTING PROGRAM OFF DAY 5DAY 4 POWERLIFTING PROGRAM Up to 4rm at 9RPE Drop 8-12%x3x4 2x5 at 7-8RPE 2x8 each leg 3x10 Up to 4rm at 9RPE Drop 8-12%x4x4 2x5 at 7-8RPE 4x8-10 2-3x8 2-3x8 2-3x8 4x5 at 72.5-77.5% 3x8 at 7-8RPE 70-75%x3x4 2x6 each leg 3x10 3” Blocks: 4-5x3 at 8RPE 4x5 at 7-8RPE 3x10 3x10 3x5 at 7-8RPE 3x5 at 75-80% 4x8-10 2-3x8 2-3x8 2-3x8 86 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE Up to 3rm at 10RPE Drop 8-12%x2x3 2x4 at 8RPE 2x8 each leg 3x10 Up to 3rm at 10RPE Drop 8-12%x3x3 2x4 at 8RPE 4x8-10 2-3x8 2-3x8 2-3x8 4x4 at 75-80% 3x8 at 8RPE 75-80%x3x3 2x6 each leg 3x10 Up to 3rm at 10RPE Drop 8-12%x2x3 4x5 at 8RPE 3x10 3x10 3x4 at 8RPE 3x4 at 80-85% 4x8-10 2-3x8 2-3x8 2-3x8 POWERLIFTING PROGRAM SQUAT SQUAT PAUSE SQUAT STEP UPS BACK RAISES DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 6 STRENGTH BLOCK WEEK 3 BENCH BENCH SPOTO PRESS LAT PULLDOWNS DB FRONT RAISES DB SKULLCRUSHERS DB CURLS HIGH BAR SQUATS LEG PRESS OR BELT SQUAT DEADLIFT SPLIT SQUATS BACK RAISES DEADLIFT DEADLIFT BOX DEADLIFT GLUTE BRIDGES GHR INCLINE BENCH CLOSEGRIP BENCH DB ROWS DB FLIES TRICEP PUSHDOWNS DB SHRUGS DAY 5DAY 4 OFF 87 3x3 at 80% of 3rm 2x4 at 6RPE 2x8 each leg 2x10 3x3 at 80% of 3rm 2x4 at 6RPE 3x8-10 2x8 2x8 2x8 3x4 at 70-75% 3x8 at 7RPE 70-75%x2x3 2x6 each leg 2x10 3x3 at 75% of 3rm 3x5 at 6RPE 2x10 2x10 2x4 at 7RPE 2x4 at 70-75% 3x8-10 2x8 2x8 2x8 POWERLIFTING PROGRAM POWERLIFTING PROGRAM SQUAT SQUAT PAUSE SQUAT STEP UPS BACK RAISES DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 6 STRENGTH BLOCK DELOAD BENCH BENCH SPOTO PRESS LAT PULLDOWNS DB FRONT RAISES DB SKULLCRUSHERS DB CURLS HIGH BAR SQUATS LEG PRESS OR BELT SQUAT DEADLIFT SPLIT SQUATS BACK RAISES DEADLIFT DEADLIFT BOX DEADLIFT GLUTE BRIDGES GHR INCLINE BENCH CLOSEGRIP BENCH DB ROWS DB FLIES TRICEP PUSHDOWNS DB SHRUGS OFF DAY 5DAY 4 90 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE Up to 1rm at 9.5RPE Drop 6-10%x2x1 3x1 at 80-85%, 1x2 at 77.5-85% 3x1 at 85-95%, 1x3 at 80-87.5% 3x3 at 8-9RPE 3x8-12 Up to 1rm at 9.5RPE Drop 8-12%x2-3x1-2 3x1 at 80-90%, 1x3 at 70-80% 5x6-10 2-3x8-12 2-3x8-12 2-3x8-12 Up to 1rm at 9.5RPE Drop 8-12%x2x1 3-5x1 at 75% 3x8-12 85%x3x3 85%x3x3 4x6-10 2x8-12 2x8-12 2x8-12 DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 5 DAY 6 PEAKING BLOCK WEEK 3 DAY 4 POWERLIFTING PROGRAM DEADLIFT DEADLIFT SQUAT BENCH BOX DEADLIFT BACK RAISES OFF BENCH BENCH SQUAT LAT PULLDOWNS DB FRONT RAISES DB SKULLCRUSHERS DB SHRUGS SQUAT SQUAT DEADLIFT GHR WIDEGRIP BENCH CLOSEGRIP BENCH DB ROWS DB FLIES DB LATERAL RAISES TRICEP PUSHDOWNS OFF 91 65%x3-5x1 75%x3-5x1, 65%x5 80%x3-5x1, 70%x5 70%x3-5x1, 60%x3 65%x3-5x1, 55%x3 50%x3-5x1 DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 5 DAY 6 PEAKING BLOCK TAPER WEEK DAY 4 POWERLIFTING PROGRAM POWERLIFTING PROGRAM DEADLIFT SQUAT BENCH OFF BENCH SQUAT DEADLIFT LIGHT WARMUP COMPETEOFF 92 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE WORLD RECORD PROGRAM This is the exact program Marisa used to train for the 2017 Arnold IPF Grand Prix. Marisa began this program with PRs of Squat: 145kg/319#, Bench: 90kg/198# and Deadlift: 182.5kg/402#, these are what we based the %s off of. The results of the training were Squat: 150kg/330#, Bench: 92.5kg/204#, Deadlift: 187.5kg/413# and the All-Time Total World Record. This is program will take you through a four-week Hypertrophy Block + 1-week Deload, then a four week General Strength Block + 1-week Deload and finally finishing with a three week Peak and 1-week taper into competition. 95 HIGH BAR SQUAT FRONT SQUAT SPLIT SQUAT HAMSTRING CURLS MONDAY TUESDAY FRIDAY WEDNESDAY SATURDAY HYPERTROPHY BLOCK WEEK 3 WIDEGRIP BENCH DB MILITARY PRESS LAT PULLDOWN DB LATERAL RAISES DB SKULLCRUSHERS DB HAMMER CURLS SQUAT LEG PRESS BOX DEADLIFT GHR DEADLIFT BOX DEADLIFT BELT SQUAT BACK RAISES INCLINE BENCH CHEST PRESS CABLE ROWS TRICEP PUSHDOWNS DB FRONT RAISES EZ BAR CURLS 68-73%x5x6 73-78%x4x6 3x8 each leg 3x15 73-78%x7x8 4x10 at 7RPE 5x10-12 3x12-15 3x12-15 3x12-15 78-82%x6x6 4x8-10 at 7RPE 3x10 at 6-7RPE 3x15 83%x6, 73%x4x6 4x10 at 7-8RPE 2x12 5x10 73-78%x6x8 4x10 at 7RPE 5x10-12 3x12-15 3x12-15 3x12-15 THURSDAY OFF WORLD RECORD PROGRAM WORLD RECORD PROGRAM 96 FUERZA: A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO STRENGTH & PHYSIQUE HIGH BAR SQUAT FRONT SQUAT SPLIT SQUAT HAMSTRING CURLS MONDAY TUESDAY FRIDAY WEDNESDAY SATURDAY HYPERTROPHY BLOCK WEEK 4 BENCH DB MILITARY PRESS LAT PULLDOWN DB LATERAL RAISES DB SKULLCRUSHERS DB HAMMER CURLS SQUAT LEG PRESS BOX DEADLIFT GHR 3” BLOCK PULL BOX DEADLIFT BELT SQUAT BACK RAISES INCLINE BENCH CHEST PRESS CABLE ROWS TRICEP PUSHDOWNS DB FRONT RAISES EZ BAR CURLS 70-75%x6x6 75-80%x5x6 4x8 each leg 3x18 85%x8, 73-76%x4x8 5x10 at 7-8RPE 6x10-12 3-4x12-15 3-4x12-15 3-4x12-15 92%x1, 86%x6, 70-75%x3x6 5x8-10 at 8RPE 3x10 at 7RPE 3x18 73-78%x6x6 5x10 at 8RPE 2x12 6x10 75-80%x7x8 5x10 at 8RPE 6x10-12 3-4x12-15 3-4x12-15 3-4x12-15 THURSDAY OFF WORLD RECORD PROGRAM 97 HIGH BAR SQUAT FRONT SQUAT SPLIT SQUAT HAMSTRING CURLS MONDAY TUESDAY FRIDAY WEDNESDAY SATURDAY HYPERTROPHY BLOCK DELOAD BENCH DB MILITARY PRESS LAT PULLDOWN DB LATERAL RAISES DB SKULLCRUSHERS DB HAMMER CURLS SQUAT LEG PRESS BOX DEADLIFT GHR DEADLIFT BOX DEADLIFT BELT SQUAT BACK RAISES INCLINE BENCH CHEST PRESS CABLE ROWS TRICEP PUSHDOWNS DB FRONT RAISES EZ BAR CURLS 60-65%x4x6 65-70%x2x6 2x8 each leg 2x15 65-70%x3x8 3x10 at 7RPE 4x10-12 2x12-15 2x12-15 2x12-15 65-70%x4x6 3x8-10 at 7RPE 3x10 at 6-7RPE 2x15 65%x4x6 3x10 at 6-7RPE 2x12 4x10 70%x4x8 3x10 at 7RPE 4x10-12 2x12-15 2x12-15 2x12-15 THURSDAY OFF WORLD RECORD PROGRAM WORLD RECORD PROGRAM