Sheri’s Workouts: Compound Circuit Blitz 1

A reminder that these sets are for intermediate to advanced exercisers with weight room experience –  it’s assumed you know the basics.  Talk to your coach, get a good book on weight training or hire a trainer if any of this doesn’t make sense to you, okay? This is serious stuff, weight training, and you don’t want to get hurt.

These compound moves combine to really hit your body well for muscle building – these are big, important, core-enhancing moves to build quality muscle – and put together, work your entire body.  Compound moves not only maximize strength, power, agility and muscle building – but are perfect for fat loss as well.

Warm up really well – at least 15 minutes of easy walking – before using compound exercises.  Remember, the more blood you have moving around in your muscles, the better workout you will get.  You don’t want half your weight training session to just be about warming up!

IMPORTANT:  All of these (except the chest press) involve serious attention to posture/spinal alignment.  By the time you get to the overhead kettlebell swing, you’re gonna be pretty tired.  So move slowly and attentively and use a mirror or a trusted spotter to help you out with watching alignment.  If you keep your head and eyes up in the deadlift and the standing row, you’ll stand less chance of rounding your back (dropping alignment).

Do 4 sets of each exercise.  Superset two exercises at a time.  Do a 30-60 second rest between supersets.  The first set should be 12-15 reps, then 10-12, 8-10, and 6 -8 for the remainder.  Remember, this rep range means a heavy enough weight that these are all the reps you can possibly do!

SET 1

DEADLIFT –  align your spine and don’t lose that alignment through the entire move.  This powerful exercise works your entire body; but focus on using your lats to pull the weight from the knee area to the hip area.  Yes, this is essentially a back exercise and is known for packing on muscle.  Study the move well before attempting if you are new to the deadlift.  This move is where the butt/ham building Romanian (straight leg) Deadlift came from.  Note that it’s 4 parts:  lift weight (using legs) from squat to the knees, then straight-legged pull using your lats to the upper thighs.  Lower weight back to the knees, and then to the floor in the squat. Start with just the 45 lb bar and add weights after you’re good and warmed up.

CHEST PRESS – flat bench with dumbbells.  No video for this.  If you don’t know how to do an excellent bench press, you probably shouldn’t be doing this workout… in any case, don’t expect to do your usual heavy on this when supersetting with deadlifts.  Keep it in the medium range.

SET 2

STANDING BARBELL ROW – keep your spine aligned, and core tightened.  Use your lats.  Keep your shoulders away from your ears (a good practice in life, generally.)

OVERHEAD KETTLEBELL SWINGS – again, keep that core tight and spine aligned during the entire move…pay attention, you’re probably wearing out by now.