The Muscle Primer Workout
Welcome!
I'm thrilled to welcome men and women who are new to weight training to this program and to our Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle community.
Starting a resistance training program is about much more than just sculpting a great body. Resistance training is one of the best investments you can ever make in your well-being and quality of life. With resistance training, you'll burn more calories, stimulate your metabolism, boost your self-confidence, increase your strength and improve your health.
Reistance training with weights is also the number one key to transforming your body. You can lose weight with a diet, but only resistance training can literally give you a new body.
The Muscle Primer Workout
For beginners, I've developed a simple and easy to follow, but ultra-effective workout called the Muscle Primer.
This workout is featured in Chapter 17 of the book, Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle, which is the chapter on weight training programs.
NOTE: Because the Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle book is so information dense (it's a "real book" - a 380-page "bible" of fitness and fat loss), that didn't leave too much space inside for photos, so I'm pleased to post all the exercise pictures here in the "tools" section of the website.
If you're a new visitor and you don't have the book yet, you can get more information about Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle on the home page here: www.BurnTheFatFeedTheMuscle.com/home
If you're past the beginner stage or you're an experienced lifter, you can jump right to the "TNB-28" workout (The New Body-28), which is a "next-level" workout that will challenge intermediates or even advanced lifters: www.burnthefatfeedthemuscle.com/the_new_body_28_workout.html
Muscle Primer Plan Exercises
1. Dumbbell Split Squat (Thighs) 3 sets x 10-15 reps
Holding a dumbbell in each hand, step forward into a lunge (split) position, with one leg in front and one leg in back. Squat down, lowering your back knee until it almost touches the floor. Stand back up, keeping a slight bend in your front leg, so you maintain tension on your thighs. Beginners can start with their body weight. If you can do 3 sets of 15 reps easily, then use dumbbells for added resistance.
2. Romanian Deadlift with Dumbbells (Hamstrings/Low back) 3 sets x 10-15 reps
Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing your body (pronated). Stand up tall with your feet no wider than shoulder width apart. Slowly bend forward, hinging at the waist. Keep your knees slightly bent and the dumbbells close to your body as you bend forward and lower the weights toward the floor. Keep your entire core tight and maintain a neutral back position, which means a flat back or slight arch in your lower back - do not round over your back. Return to the standing-straight-up starting position.
3. One Arm Dumbbell Row (Upper Back) 3 sets x 10-15 rep
Grab one dumbbell with your right hand and place your left hand on a bench, chair, or ledge for support. Step back with your right leg so you have a stable support base. From arm's length, pull the dumbbell up to your waist. Keep your palm facing your body and keep your head up and your back flat throughout the exercise. Slowly lower the dumbbell back down until your arm is straight and you feel a stretch. Switch arms and repeat.
4. Dumbbell Bench Press (Chest) 3 sets x 10-15 reps
Grab a set of dumbbells and lie on your back on a bench. Begin with the dumbbells at arm's length over your chest, palms facing toward your feet. Lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest, then press them back up to the starting position. If you train at home and don't have a bench you can substitute push-ups for the bench press. Since it's a body weight exercise, you can keep increasing your reps beyond 15 each week instead of adding weight.
5. Dumbbell Overhead Press (Shoulders) 3 sets x 10-15 reps
Grab a set of dumbbells and sit on the edge of a bench or chair. Begin with the dumbbells at shoulder height with your palms facing away from your body. Press the dumbbells up until your arms are straight overhead. Slowly lower back to the starting position. You can also do this exercise standing.
6. Overhead Dumbbell Extension (Triceps) 3 sets x 10-15 reps
Standing, or sitting on the edge of a chair, hold a single dumbbell between both hands, cupping the weight so one side of the bell rests in the palms of your hand. Start with the weight over your head and your arms fully extended. Lower the dumbbell behind your head by bending at the elbows. Push the dumbbell back over your head (extend) until your arms are straight again.
7. Dumbbell Curl (Biceps) 3 sets x 10-15 rep
>Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, or seated on the edge of a bench or chair, hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing up. Curl both dumbbells up together to shoulder height. At the top of the movement, your palms should be facing upward. Hold the contraction briefly and squeeze the biceps, then slowly return the dumbbells to the starting position. Keep your torso vertical and avoid leaning backward.
8. Single Leg calf Raise with Dumbbell (Calves) 3 sets x 15-20 rep
Stand on the edge of a step, a block of wood or a thick book with the ball of your right foot on the edge. Holding a dumbbell in your right hand, rise up on the ball of your foot as high as you can go. Drop your heel below the edge until you feel a slight stretch in your calf. Repeat for the desired number of reps, then, without stopping, switch to the left leg and repeat.
9. Plank (Abs/Core): 3 sets x 30-60 seconds
Lie on your stomach on an exercise mat or carpeted surface. Prop your body up on your forearms and position your body in a straight line from head to feet. Hold the straight line position with your body several inches off the floor for 30 seconds. Increase your hold time by 10 seconds each week until you reach one minute per set (hold longer if you're an over-achiever).
10. Crunches or Bicycle Crunches (Abs) 3 sets x 15-20 reps
Lie flat on your back on a matt or soft surface with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor (or your heels on the edge of a bench or chair). Put your hands behind your head, touching your fingers to the back of your head. Raise your head, shoulders and upper back off the floor in a curling motion, contracting your abdominals. To avoid neck strain, avoid pulling on the back of your head. To involve the oblique muscles on the side of the waist more heavily, perform the bicycle crunch variation, where you perform the crunch with a twist, touching your elbow to your opposite knee.
Recommended reading: To learn more, refer to chapter 16 and chapter 17 in the Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle book. In Chapter 16 you'll learn the 10 resistance training myths that hold you back from achieving your best body, and you learn the 9 Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle weight training principles...
In chapter 17, you get the entire Muscle Primer workout program including the weekly schedule, plus details on equipment, warm up, adjusting the weight and reps and when to advance to the next level of workout.
You also get the complete New Body 28 (TNB-28) workout program, including details on equpiment, alternate exercises, the exercise rotation system, weekly workout schedule options, customization thips and the four week periodization schedule.
If you're a new visitor and you don't have the Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle book yet, be sure to get your copy today. You can learn more about the program and where to buy the book on the home page here: www.BurnTheFatFeedTheMuscle.com/home
- Tom Venuto, Author of,
Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle
PS. Already got Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle? Awesome! The next step is to join the Burn the Fat Inner Circle, our members-only online community and support site, where you'll find a lot more workouts plus hundreds of exercise tutorials: www.burnthefatfeedthemuscle.com/community.html