Thieves used to target banks because, they reasoned, that’s where the money was. In the gym, you want to target your biggest muscle fibres because those are the ones with the most growth potential. Work these particular muscle fibres and you make all your muscles bigger, stronger, faster and more explosive. This high-growth, no-risk programme gives you three ways to hit those high-powered fibres. In four weeks, you can have a body that’s right on the money.

1 Suspended inverted row hold with feet on BosuAttach a pair of training straps (such as a suspension trainer or TRX) to a chin-up bar so the handles are about just over a metre off the floor. Grab the straps, set your heels on a Bosu balance trainer and pull yourself up about eight centimetres so your elbows are bent. Hold for 15 seconds, keeping your body as straight as possible from neck to ankles.

Do three 15-second holds. Rest 30 seconds between holds.

2 Lying supported dumbbell rowLie chest down on a bench set to a low incline. Hold a pair of dumbbells with your arms hanging straight down, palms facing each other. (Use dumbbells you think you could lift about 10 times, even though you’ll do just four reps in each set.) Pull the weights straight up to the sides of your torso and then lower them, working as quickly as possible while maintaining good form.

Do three sets of four reps. Rest 60 seconds between sets.

6 DipGrab the bars of a dip sta-tion and lift yourself so your arms are straight. Bend your knees and cross your feet behind you; this is the start-ing position. Shift your torso forward, bend your elbows and lower yourself as far as you can without discomfort. Push back up to the starting position. If you can perform more than three body-weight dips, add weight by using a dipping belt.

Do four sets of three reps. Rest 60 seconds between sets.

9 Barbell front squatHold a barbell using an over-hand grip, your hands just outside your shoulders, and raise your upper arms until they’re parallel to the floor. Allow the bar to roll back to the tips of your fingers untilit rests securely on your front shoulders. Push your hips back and lower your body until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Squeeze your glutes as you return to the starting position.

Do four sets of three reps. Rest 60 seconds between sets.

3 Pull-upUsing an overhand, shoul-der-width grip, hang at arm’s length from a chin-up bar with your shoulder blades pulled together and down. Pull your chest to the bar. Pause and lower yourself, keeping your shoulder blades together, until your arms are straight. If you can do more than three pull-ups with your body weight, then do them using a dipping belt with a weight plate or a dumbbell attached.

Do four sets of three reps. Rest 60 seconds between sets.

4 Suspended push-up holdAttach a pair of straps to a chin-up bar so the handles are about half a metre off the floor. Grab the handles and assume a push-up position, keeping your body straight from head to ankles. Lower yourself about five centime-tres so your elbows are out to your sides and bent slightly. Hold for 15 seconds.

Do three 15-second holds. Rest 30 seconds between holds.

7 Single-leg balanceGrab a Bosu balance trainer, cushion – or anything that will stay in place while pro-viding an unstable surface. Stand on the Bosu on one foot (barefoot is best) and raise the other leg. Now push your hips back a few inches – just enough to bend the knee of your supporting leg. Hold for 15 seconds, and repeat with your other leg.

Do three 15-second holds with each leg. Rest 30 seconds after holding with both legs.

8 Split jumpStand in a staggered stance, with the toes of your right foot 60 to 90cm feet behind the heel of your left. Cross your arms over your chest. Squat down about 15cm, and then leap and switch legs in midair so you land with your right foot in front of your left. Immediately lower yourself for the next split jump.

Do three sets of four reps with each leg (eight total reps in a set). Rest 60 seconds between sets.

5 Explosive push-up with clapAssume a push-up posi-tion. Lower your body to the floor, and push back up hard enough for your hands to leave the floor. Clap your hands and immediately re-turn them to the floor while lowering your body for the next push-up. If four reps are too easy, wrap powerlift-ing chains around your upper body or use a weighted vest.

Do three sets of four reps. Rest 60 seconds between sets.

You can also place your feet on a stability ball or a medicine ball.

Squeeze your shoulder blades

together as you lift the weights.

Don’t allow your elbows to drop as you

lower your body.

Keep your shoulder

blades squeezed together.

To make this more challenging, place one foot on top of

the other.

Hold your raised leg slightly in

front of your body.

From here, jump up and

switch leg positions.

Keep your core stiff

throughout the exercise.

YouR 4-Week Muscle PlanBLAST eveRy SINGLe mUSCLe fIBRe IN 30 mINUTeS!

Do this workout twice a week with at least two days between workouts (Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday). Perform the exercises in the order shown and do all sets of each exercise

before moving on to the next. Exercises 1, 4 and 7 are static Hold one position, even though your arms or legs might be shaking. Exercises 2, 5 and 8 are ballistic Do every repetition as explosively as you can with good form. Exercises 3, 6, and 9 are traditional strength-training Use the heaviest weight you can handle for three reps.

DIRecTIons

The fasT way To big muscle

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