Superstar.
My workout series won’t make you as cool as Molly Shannon, sorry.
Time is flying by (or is that just me in my paranoia over this weekend’s competition?). We are a month into my Work It Out series! Thanks you guys so much for reading, trying out the workouts, and providing feedback! I love all of the comments and emails. Things are a little hectic, but I promise to answer as fast as I can.
In case you’re new, this series focuses on changing up your gym routines. You don’t need to write new workouts to keep making forward progress – another approach is to change how you perform the exercise.
Another Disclaimer: I am not a certified anything. I’m a figure competitor (or I will be as of Saturday). Use good judgement when trying new exercises. These tips won’t change your body overnight, but it’s a start. A clean diet and working out regularly will produce results.
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Super 8s
I have heard these referred to as “static,” but I prefer super… because they will make you feel super after you get over the soreness. This method is designed to deliver the maximum possible overload to each targeted muscle or muscle group. This is done by using your strongest range of motion; in most exercises this is the last few inches of your reach. This is the range where you can handle the most weight and are least susceptible to injury.
Choose the heaviest weight that allows you to hold for the length of time on the final rep. Perform 8 reps of an exercise. On the last (8th) rep, hold it for an 8 count. Immediately perform 8 more reps and hold for another 8 count, and finish up the set with 8 final reps. Repeat for 3 sets.
This is a great technique for building endurance and gaining strength. It can also force you to make some super faces while fighting to hold the weight up.
How do you use this technique?
Standing Lat Pull-Downs
The lat pull-down targets the back, and this standing variation especially hones in on the upper back.
Start standing in front of high pulley with close grip “v” attachment. Reach up and place hands on either side of the V; roll shoulders back to insure your shoulder blades are tucked. Contract the upper back, pulling your arms and hands down bending at your elbows, until the bar is below your chin. Release the contraction in a controlled manner, keeping some tension in the back to and raise arms and return bar to the starting position to complete a rep.
Note: Placing one leg on the thigh bar helps to provide a good base during the lift to prevent the weight from lifting you off of the ground. This will allow you to use heavier weight without worrying about going flying through the air.
EZ-Bar Preacher Curls
Using the Super 8 method here gives you a combination of dynamic and isometric contractions, which not only improves upper arm definition, but it also improves strength level.
Grab an EZ-curl bar with an underhand, shoulder-width grip with your palms angled inward. Place the backs of your upper arms across the top of the bench. The mid-part of your upper arms should be the only part touching the bench. Lower the dumbbells until your arms are bent about 20 degrees. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the bar toward your shoulders. Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. That’s one rep.
Note: Proper body alignment is important when doing curls. Throughout the exercise, make sure to keep your abs tight. This will help with force production and it will also stabilize your spine.
Caution: It is easy to “over train” with these modifications. They challenge your muscles to work much harder than usual, so these moves are not recommended as a long-term regimen. Avoid doing more than 2-3 of these per muscle group on any given workout.
Check out last week’s Drop Sets, and then get more fitness ideas, tips, and tricks on my Fitness page! As always, be sure to get your 20g of protein to help the muscles recover.
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I am never eating asparagus again after this week. Just let me know if you need my address to send post-competition treats. LOL!
Did anyone try last week’s Drop Sets? What did you think?
Are you dressing up for Halloween? What are going as? Let me live vicariously! 🙂
Preacher curls kill my biceps all the time. That’s why we do them! 😉
They are my #1 favorite!
How’s this for crazy? I have that concept planned for phase two BBB workouts that start next week. Mind readers.
Haha! They’re going to love it. 🙂
I have no Halloween plans so no fun costumes this year! 🙁 And question for you – would this technique work for just regular hand weight strength moves?
Definitely! It’s a great way to change up most any move. I love doing these as bicep curls too!
You’re very good at making this all sound simple, Laura. So many times, working out seriously sounds so…technical…Only a few days left!!
That’s a HUGE compliment! Thank you! 🙂
i not coming anywhere near your pee.
Yowzers, those 8’s sound tough….but I must give them a try! I don’t have a gym anymore and only have room for dumbbells at my house so I’m missing the EZ Bar curls and any really good back exercises.
You can definitely use the concept with dumbbells! Do you have a stability ball? If you lean against that you can do a modified preacher curl with dumbbells.
I’ve never heard of super (or static) 8s. Thanks for the tip–I’m gonna do my best to try those standing lat pulldowns the next time I’m at the gym!
Thanks! I really like them – it’s something different!
I was going to dress up as a sailor but forgot my costume at home! 🙁
4 days!!!!
Wouldn’t it be fun if we could dress up on stage? 🙂
Nice! Love the molly shannon reference!
Genius character.
Never heard of this, but I’m really digging the method. And I’m really digging the work it out series you’ve got going here. Thanks for sharing all your PIMPin’ knowledge.
Tee hee. PIMP.
I have plans to go out for Halloween. But, its supposed to be pouring so I may just stay in. Haven’t decided yet! And I have no costume. Yikes. I tried drop sets on Friday! I just about died. My arms are finally starting to feel normal again;)
Brave the rain for me!!! 🙂
Glad the drops worked for you! I just did them today with tricep pushdowns. Whew.
Halloween kinda came and went for me this year. I’ve been so busy with other things that I kinda forgot about it!
Great post! So important to remember it’s not always about how heavy you lift or how crazy! Sometimes I am most sore from changing it up like this ;).
Are we really already a month in?! I love your comment about the “super faces” you’ll make! We do a move similar to this in my bodyworks class and I always end up squinching up my face like a weirdo towards the end. Your muscles are looking SICK!!!!!!!! I have said it so many times but I’m saying it again- TEAM LAURA!!!!!!!!
Sometimes I wonder what people in the gym must thing if they catch my crazy faces. 🙂
Thank you thank you thank you. I love your comments – you always put a huge smile on my face. And I need it today – SO tired.
Can’t wait for your competition! I’m going to try to dress up tomorrow…try..just not in the mood this year!
ok, so you and i have THE SAME haircut – but for breast cancer awareness month a did chunks of pink! i think you should do something wild and crazy like that for the competition! -just as long as your job doesnt mind… but you can get away with ANYTHING in the name of boobies! lol!
I think my boss would kill me. LOL!
You know I always love these weight lifting posts! 🙂
I need to get you to do one for me! I want your arms. 🙂
Ugh – I hate these. No, I like the move, but hate while I’m doing it. Loving this series girl!!
Don’t I know that feeling…
YOU HAVE AMAZING ARMS!!!!! I do a crazy Jody workout! Very unconventional & may not work for a lot of people – I am strange! 😉
Why the asparagus hate? Too much recently? Were you eating it because of the higher protein? 🙂 send your asparagus leftovers to me, please! 🙂
LOL! Check out today’s WIAW post. 6x a day it become less appealing.
I’m going to be a bumble bee for halloween! 🙂 hahaha. I am so bad at working out my back. I do it… but I’m never sore after and I feel like I strain my neck. So odd… I’m not doing it right obviously…
Awwww! You’re going to be such a cute bee!
Hmmm… the next thing is weird. Try really focusing in on really using and contracting your back muscles.
Your asparagus comment made me laugh. I’ve finally convinced my husband to eat vegetables and I love asparagus. He has not stopped talking about how much he hates it. Super 8s are an awesome exercise!!
Aw man, I used to love it. If you thought that was funny, check out my WIAW. Asparagus overload.
It’s THIS weekend!?! Ahh! I’m so excited for you!
And as for Halloween, I’m not dressing up. I work at a local coffee shop and I thought about going in my old Starbucks uniform (hat + apron included) but fear no one else would find it nearly as funny as me. 😉
Thank you! Lots of butterflies. 🙂
THAT would be the funniest costume ever. To everyone except your store manager. LOL!
The title is adequate my friend you do look like a superstar 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
You’re too, too kind. 🙂
No dressing up this year for me….I’ve flapping my wings and flying at 30,000 feet (and typing at the same time). 🙂
Super Star is one of my all time favorite movies and I LOL’d at that graphic! Super 8’s sound tough but seem like they would give you faster results than simply doing reps without the hold at the end. I need to start doing exercises that target the back and that over-the-bra bulge that inevitably happens. Whenever I have something to look forward to it makes time go by incredibly slow, funny how its flying by for you, although I cannot believe tomorrow is November 1st!
Those pull-downs would be great for the bulge (in addition to cardio – have to do that to burn!).