It would be great to have feedback from our ladies on how this workout is working for you. Please share your results and keep us updated.

Rachel
Bev Staff

I think the figure workout featured in the latest BMJ is great. I've followed it faithfully for 9 weeks and have gained 6 lbs of muscle while losing 11 lbs of fat. My Beverly rep prescribed a personalized nutrition and supplement program to go along with the workout which has aided me tremendously with recovery. Initially, I found the 6 days on, 1 day off a bit of a stretch for my level of conditioning but now I look forward to my early morning workouts. My biggest hope is that a future issue of BMJ will offer another more advanced workout for the ladies to follow.

LB

Hi Rachel, As I posted previously I was glad to see a article geared around training for Figure. I think the Figure / Fitness forum is also a great idea. It seems to be taking awhile to catch on but it will in time. I am between shows, 21 weeks to the next one. I have been following the diet posted in this article. The only variable is I use Muscle Provider over Ultra Size. (I prefer MP over US, not many of us I am sure!) I have had good success keeping my bodyfat in check from my show 7 weeks ago. My goal is to come in a bit leaner for this next show so I need to be very diligent through the holidays as I will start the pre contest plan the 2nd week in Jan..

I have been following a periodization cycle which ends next week. I am going to do the work out posted in the article after I finish it. I will keep you posted. The only thing is why are there not Bicep exercises on this work out?

Leslie

Bicep exercises are listed on Mon. and Thurs.

Incline DB curl and Concentration Curls are bicep exercises.

Hey Viking thanks for the heads up. When I copied the work out I must of missed a few exercises on Mon and Thursday!! I do know that concentration curls and bicep curls

Leslie

Thanks for the input. Please keep the feedback coming and give us updates periodically.

Rachel
Bev Staff

Hi. I tried the program from the BMJ and only survived 5 1/2 weeks. I still wasn't hitting all my body parts twice weekly, just the ones I thought needed the most attention (legs and triceps). I was suffering from some severe exhaustion by the end of the 5th week.

However, this is what initiated my first personal contact with Beverly and I have since filled out my client profile and received feedback. I am working with a staff member who has set up diet and supplementation programs for me. For now, we agreed it would be better to focus on keeping my strength up and building some muscle, keeping with some cardio.

I think the training program in the BMJ was just a little aggressive for my current lifestyle.

Can anyone tell me how exactly they fit it in?

Are the cardio sessions meant to follow the weight training sessions in the same gym time period?

I work for General Motors on the production line (6 days, 9 hrs). I was going to work an hour early to get the cardio done and doing some of the abs. Then on my first break, I would run downstairs to the gym and try to squeeze in the weight training on my 30 minute break. This was virtually impossible. Whatever I wasn't fitting in, I was making up on my last break (20 minutes).

I was just spent by the time I got out of work at 3:30pm. I think I was trying to spread it out too much, but I reallly liked doing the cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. I heard that burns 300% more calories throughout the day?

Anyway, I'd like to try the program again maybe in 6 weeks or so once my stregth is back and I'm even a little stronger.

Any suggestions on how to better fit it in to my lifestyle?

Thanks,
Jessilynn

Hello again. I know I am responding to my own message here, but it has just dawned on me after re-reading the article that I may have misunderstood and gone the wrong way on the training.

For instance, if I was doing four sets of something, I was increasing the weight on each set.

Is that incorrect? Do I do each set with the same amount of weight until all sets are at the maximum reps and then increase the weights at my next session?

I am trying to put a new program together to begin tomorrow, so if someone could respond asap, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for anyones help.

Jessilynn

Jerrilynn. I start with a weigh I can do the required reps and increase it slightly with each set trying to get to the maximum reps at each set. Sometimes I may fall short on the last set. When I can do the required reps on the set I increase the beginning weight on the next work out.

On the few exercises that have a range like 10-15 reps I start out at weight I can do 15 reps and pyramid the weight up to do the 10 reps on the last set.

There is more than one way to do this and Yes you could just do the straight sets.

Another tip on this work out is if you are getting overtrained is to do this:

Monday skip the Biceps but make sure you hit them on Thur. & on Thursday you can skip one of the Monday exercises like maybe calves or do ABs at a seperate time that day.

On Tuesday if short on time or energy you could skip the triceps, then be sure to hit them on Friday.

Make sense ??

Leslie

Leslie,
Thanks for replying.

Yes, what you say makes sense. However, due to time constraints I was only training the body parts twice weekly that I felt needed it right now (legs & triceps), excluding abs which are a 5-6 day must also.

You said:
"On the few exercises that have a range like 10-15 reps I start out at weight I can do 15 reps and pyramid the weight up to do the 10 reps on the last set"

So, for instance if I am doing flyes and I start out with 15# to warm up, I then increase my weight per set on the next three sets of 10-15 reps using 20#, 25# and then 30# on the last set? If so, I guess I'm just not that strong yet because I can't get the full 10 reps out of the 30# especially trying to maintain my form.

Another question if you can help me, please???

What do I do when I do get that strong and say my starting set weight becomes 30#? Is that the weight I warm up with? Is that safe?

There is so much information out there and I don't want to risk injury, yet at the same time I want the best possible results. I spend so much money on the supplements and follow the nutrition program to the tee. I'm just desperate to find a training program that will not burn me out given my already exhaustive lifestyle, yet help me build my best (strongest and most beautiful) body.

Any advice or guidance in this area would be greatly appreciated. I only started bodybuilding in March and I've seen incredible results in my body. However, just beginning at the age of 35 does not put time on my side so I don't want to waste any.

Thanks,
Jessilynn

Yes, you got the idea on the pyramid of the weights. In your example if you started at 15 reps@15#, then the next lets say you did 12 reps @ 20#, then 10 @ 25#, then the last set you could do the 10@ 25# again. Then as you get so you are doing more than 10 reps on the 25#, Then you can increase to 30#. Make sense ?

I always do 5-15 min warm up on the Treadmill or something. Then I only do a warm up sets on the first exercise. After that I am warmed up good enough and do not do a warm up on each exercise. I am sure others do it different. Never sacrifice form for weight. If you follow that rule you will minimize injury.

Leslie

well i just started this routine on saturday myself. high volume indeed....it's busting me for sure so i'm having to ease into it. i'm not used to this work rate. i've been doing short workouts made up of compound moves the past several months. so i'm definitely out of practice

i'll be sure and post my results in a few weeks great workout though! thanks a bunch bi

I too quickly became overtrained and actually lost muscle on the program. On paper I think it looks good but put into practice, six days of weights plus the cardio is probably more catabolic than anobolic. I feel I make the most progress on a 4 on 1 off split doing 4-5 days of cardio (2 days interval, 2-3 days steady pace) and taking 1 complete day of rest. The more I experiment with my body the more I have come to realize the importance of rest. Not only mentally but physically and hormonally (keeps cortisol in check and prevents CNS burnout/adrenal fatigue

Yes Lara. It is so easy to overtrain. I did a program similar to this in 2001 when I did my first Figure show. I did put on some muscle, BUT I was doing limited cardio, about 4 20 min sessions and dance class once a week. I started this plan again a few wekks ago (about 14 weeks out fro a show) and I am finding this time it is too much training volume for me too. I assessed this and decided it is because I am following the cardio guideline. So I decided to one, either the weights or the cardio, has to be reduced. Another factor that needs to be considered is Age. At 43 the training needs to be different than say someone who is 25 or 30!!

Leslie

I'm running out of time in the morning to do both the weights and 30-45 min of cardio. Does anyone know if it's ok to do the cardio session later in the day?

Thanks,
Cherie

I split my workouts 95% of the time. Mentally I fizzle out after 45-60 min of weights and the last thing I want to do is cardio. I find I do best with cardio first thing in the am and then weights in the pm. I find this helps me continue to fresh in the gym

Hi there ladies. Thanks so much for your input. It is great to hear how everyone is doing on the workout. I am doing the workout myself right now. I had to adjust to training six days a week again, but now that I am in the groove it is working great. I am already beginning to increase my cardio quite a bit. Actually, knowing that the workout was structured around six days helped me get back in the gym consistently.

I’m human, there are days when I’d like to stay in bed rather than go to the gym a fifth or six day, but I know training my body parts twice a week is what it will take to get me in the prime condition that I’m looking for come competition time. Doing this workout requires me to get plenty of sleep, take my supplements religiously and get all my meals in. With all of these things in line, my recovery is much better and my results are coming quickly.

Please keep sharing your experiences!

Rachel Johnson
Beverly

i too have considered splitting up the cardio. . .but its really what picks me up at the end of a weight workout. i guess i'm one of those weirdos thats likes it

that and going to the gym in the PM would mean fighting the stinky guys on every floor which is a huge annoyance. maybe if i wore a clothespin on my nose they'd get the hint? i doubt it.

i love the workout though...i feel like i'm getting into a groove. i really like getting in there almost every day of the week again.

the only time i plan on splitting up the cardio is when i jump into spin classes again. now spinning and weights WOULD be too much together.

Could someone tell me where this which BMJ, this workout is?

Workout2001

Here is the link to the BMJ article about the figure workout. Or click on the BMJ link and it's in Volume 5. http://www.bodymusclejournal.com/vol05/fitfigures.html