Military Muscle: A few classic moves can chisel your physique - Off Duty, Military Health and Fitness - Air Force Times

Military Muscle: A few classic moves can chisel your physique

Every now and again, it’s good to step back and do a total-body workout consisting of a few base¬line exercises. Nothing fancy, nothing where you have to think about coordination. I’m talking a straight-line, old-school workout that will leave you with a smile — and a more fit physique.

Here’s a four-exercise, four-round total-body plan. Move from one round to the next, stopping only for short, 30-second breaks if possible. Be sure to warm up for five minutes before diving in, and then do some dynamic stretching.

Dead lift

Choose a weight that is about 70 percent of your body weight (if you weigh 185 pounds, use a 130-pound weight). If you struggle, do fewer reps rather than reducing the weight.

Focus on proper technique. The bar should ride your shins up and down. Keep your head up and butt out with your back locked. Lift off with the quads.

Round 1 = 20 reps

Round 2 = 15 reps

Round 3 = 10 reps

Round 4 = 5 reps

Squats

Body weight only. Go to at least a 90-degree angle, preferably just below 90. Knee issue? Then pick an angle short of 90 or pass on this one altogether.

Round 1 = 40 reps

Round 2 = 30 reps

Round 3 = 20 reps

Round 4 = 10 reps

Ab crunches

Lie on your back, legs at 90 de¬grees, feet in the air. You know the painful drill. Work each round for 60 seconds.

Push-ups

We call this “Going All The Way.” Do the reps indicated for each of these push-up variations, in this order:

1. Regular push-ups.

2. Push-ups with one hand on a medicine ball and the other hand on the floor. Do a set for each arm.

3. BOSU ball (flat side up) or Resist-A-Ball push-ups.

4. Push-ups with feet on the BOSU ball or the Resist-A-Ball.

5. Push-ups with both hands on a medicine ball.

6. Push-ups with both hands on a medicine ball (think Diamonds).

7. 12/24s. These are six-count push-up down (slow), then six-count push-up up (slow), then 12 fast quarter push-ups (where you just break the elbow plane). Do the 12/24s twice.

For rounds 1 and 2, do three to five reps. For rounds 2 and 4, reverse the order, doing the same three to five reps.