Summer is in full gear, which means you will be spending more time in the sun and less time in your clothes. If the thought of going shirtless on the beach makes you shiver more than a Jaws movie marathon, you’ll need to get serious about your training. For the next eight weeks we will focus on building bigger muscles. “Increased muscle mass allows you to handle more of the intense training that will follow in the coming strength and power phases,” says Ryan Lee, M.S., C.S.C.S., exercise physiologist and founder of SportSpecific.com.

Along with a portion-controlled nutrition plan, this workout series will help your washboard abdomen come out of hiding while forging a brawny physique.

To help you achieve your beefy goals, we’ve put together an annual strength and conditioning plan. The program is designed to be completed in a progressive fashion (that is, each phase of activity builds on the previous phase) so proceed slowly if you missed any of the past workouts. Remember to combine these workouts with good food, adequate sleep and an anti-stress mindset.

Frequency of training

• Beginner: If you’re new to the iron game (less than 12 months of consistent strength and conditioning experience) consider yourself a beginner. In addition, it’s a good idea to follow the beginner plan if you’ve been away from the gym for two or more months. Contrary to popular belief, for the beginner, less is more. You will make steady progress with just two sessions each week. Be sure to rest 48 to 72 hours between training days. Monday/Thursday, Tuesday/Friday or Wednesday/Saturday training splits work best. For example, perform Schedule A on Monday and Schedule B on Thursday.
• Intermediate/Advanced: If you have been involved in organized strength training and conditioning exercise for the previous year or more, you’re in the Intermediate/Advanced category. Perform three workouts per week, alternating between Schedule A and Schedule B.

Recording your workouts

Keep track of the forces used, as well as the number of repetitions completed for each set. We’ve provided a training log for the Intermediate/Advanced athlete; however, beginners can use the same template by eliminating the third workout in each week.

Phase 6 Schedules (Excel)

Dynamic warm-up

Before you get started with each training session, warm up on the stationary cycle or treadmill for five minutes. This will help you increase your core body temperature and decrease injury.

Cardiovascular exercise

Perform 20 minutes of interval training at the end of each session. Cardiovascular intensity is calculated by a percentage of your age-predicted maximal heart rate (HRmax). Use this formula to determine your interval training intensities:

220-age x .6 = ___________ beats per minute (60 percent of your age-predicted HRmax)

220-age x .8 = ___________ beats per minute (80 percent of your age-predicted HRmax)

Click here to use the online calculator

Stationary cycle: After a 5-minute warm-up, increase pedaling speed (RPM) to 90-100 and resistance to 80 percent of your age-predicted HRmax. Do this for 90 seconds. Immediately reduce RPM to 70-80 and resistance by half for 60 seconds. Repeat.

Treadmill: After a 5-minute warm-up, increase incline and/or speed (these combined variables are called intensity) to 80 percent of age-predicted HRmax for 90 seconds. Immediately reduce intensity by half for 60 seconds. Repeat.

Flexibility exercise

Hold each stretch for 30 seconds.

Demonstrations for many of the exercises below can be seen here

RESISTANCE TRAINING EXERCISES
PHASE 6: HYPERTROPHY 3A/C

• Machine seated lat pulldowns
• Dumbbell standing deltoid scaptions
• Dumbbell bent-over deltoid lateral raises
• Dumbbell standing deltoid lateral raises
• Barbell bent-over lat rows
• Bench dips
• Dumbbell seated preacher biceps curls
• Leg press calf flexions
• Dumbbell seated biceps curls

CORE EXERCISES
PHASE 6: HYPERTROPHY 3E/G

• Trunk raises with medicine ball
• Prone hip extensions with medicine ball

RESISTANCE TRAINING EXERCISES
PHASE 6: HYPERTROPHY 3B/D

• Barbell squats
• Dumbbell prone knee flexions
• Dumbbell standing single-leg calf flexions
• Machine seated calf flexions
• Barbell flat chest presses
• Machine standing lat extensions
• Dumbbell incline chest flyes

CORE EXERCISES
PHASE 6: HYPERTROPHY 3F/H

• Cable standing trunk rotations
• Cable standing trunk chops

CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISES
PHASE 6: HYPERTROPHY 3E-H

• Treadmill
• Stationary upright cycle

FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES
PHASE 6: HYPERTROPHY 3E-H

• Standing lateral thigh stretches
• Side lying quadriceps stretches
• Seated single-leg hamstring stretches
• Standing adductor stretches