Every week I’m in the gym at least 3 times a week keeping my 6’0″ 165 lbs frame in shape. I don’t normally spend more than an hour and 15 minutes doing my main exercises and 20 minutes of interval cardio at the end Just before I left for Trinidad about three weeks ago I was lifting weights like any normal gym day when I noticed this guy who looked like a one man army he was lifting weights with his other friend who looked like he came out of the movie “300.” Not that kind of heavy-lifting muscle you see a lot, but a look of chiseled, symmetrical lean muscles that is almost intimidating.The kind of body women like to have on the beach. peeking through their sunglasses as they whisper to their girlfriend.
I went up to this guy and said, “Man, you seriously look like a comic book character, what’s your name?” The guy laughed and told me his name (we’ll call him César). Cesar and I discussed the importance of nutrition and he told me about three key exercises that were the foundation of his Spartan body. Here are the three exercises you should incorporate into your routine with 2-3 minute rest between sets.
The first exercise is the wide-grip pull-up, which I affectionately call the “Rocky” pull-up. You place your hands shoulder-width apart, then lift your body with your lats until your neck touches the bar. Get started and see what your strength level is. I usually keep my reps between 7 and 12 per set. If he’s just starting out, find someone willing to hold his feet to help you spot him initially and build his strength.
The second exercise is the infamous dip. If you can find a “v” shaped dip bar, it would be best to give you the most pectoral (chest) extension. You should keep your legs together and bend your knees with your head up. On the repetition, you want to go as low as you can, and then extend and rise above the bar. Do 5 to 7 repetitions and then rest for 2 minutes. What I do is incorporate the other weight lifting exercises for the day (back/shoulder, triceps/biceps, chest) with all of these. You’ll find that cycling these three exercises in the entire 45 minute to hour of your lift will make you look like the Incredible Hulk. I noticed considerable gains and chisels within the first week of integrating them into my training.
Lastly, you’ll want to set up 2 weight stacks. Begin placing three 35-pound dumbbells on top of each other at body distance from a weight bench. Once you’re done with the first, build your second stack of three 35-pound dumbbells a little more than shoulder-width apart from the first stack. Now this is the ultimate setup for a calisthenics pushup using your own body weight. Place your feet in the center of the bench first (you’ll want to set these 2 stacks 90 degrees from the center of the bench to the side) and then place your palm on the top weight side of each. stack. Keep your back straight and low to do your first pushup. Proper form should have your chest touch the ground and go between the two stacks of 35. You should set the stacks for your proper height and shoulder width. I usually do 7-10 reps and then rest. The key here is the quality of the form, your chest should feel like it has been stretched like never before. You want to squeeze your pectoral muscles at the top of the pushup for maximum results.
When you target 1-2 muscle groups and then incorporate these 3 calisthenics exercises into your 1 hour routine, you’ll see guaranteed results in the first 2-3 lifts. I just gave everyone a golden nugget of wisdom that I found. This, along with the nutrition tips that form the basis of my specific eating and exercise habits, create the body you see below.