It's that time of year again - the gyms are packed, the tanning beds are all booked up and you realize that you only have a short amount of time to get your body ready for the beach. Summertime is almost here and you will no longer be able to hide underneath layers of clothing.

Up until now you've probably been training for size and strength gains as most trainers do during the cold season. It's time for your training program to do a 180 and get back to an old-school method of training that has been proven to produce results - Total-Body Training.

Click To Enlarge.
It's Time For Your Training Program To Do A 180.

Total-Body Training

To get the most out of total body training you're going to have to work. The workouts may be short, the sets and reps will be limited and you'll have a long time to recover between training sessions, but this is no "walk in the park" training program.

Compound and single-joint exercises are the name of the game. Here's the list:

Compound Movements:

Quads:

• Barbell Back Squat
• Barbell Front Squat
• Leg Press
• Hack Squat

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Barbell Back Squat.
Video: Windows Media - Real Player

Shoulders:

• Barbell/Dumbbell Military Press
• Standing Barbell Push Press to the Front

Chest:

• Barbell Flat Bench Press
• Barbell Incline Bench Press
• Decline Bench Press
• Dumbbell Flat Bench Press
• Wide Grip Dips

Click To Enlarge.
Barbell Flat Bench Press.
Video: Windows Media - Real Player

Lower Back and Hips:

• Deadlift from floor
• Standing Good Mornings
• Power Cleans
• Power Snatches

Back:

• Barbell/Dumbbell Rows
• T-Bar Rows
• Chin-Ups
• Pullups

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Barbell Bent Over Row.
Video: Windows Media - Real Player

Single-Joint Movements:

Hamstrings:

• Leg Curls
• Glute-Ham Raises

Biceps:

• Standing Barbell/Dumbbell Curls
• Hammer Curls
• Preacher Curls

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Barbell Curl.
Video: Windows Media - Real Player

Triceps:

• Lying Triceps Extensions
• Cable Press Downs
• Dumbbell Overhead Extensions

Shoulders:

• Dumbbell Side Raises
• Dumbbell Front Raises
• Reverse Peck-Deck
• Barbell Upright Rows

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Dumbbell Side Raises.
Video: Windows Media - MPEG - Video iPod

Calves:

• Standing Calf Raises
• Seated Calf Raises

Ground Rules:

1. Each week you will train three days and rest four days with a minimum of 48 hours to recover between workouts.
2. Every major muscle group must be trained three times each week.
3. Intensity level must be high to keep the training session as short as possible.
4. Increase the load every week.
5. No two workouts should ever be the same.
6. Each workout must consist of four compound movements and two single-joint movements.

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How It's Done

Each training session will consist of four compound movements and two single-joint movements that you will choose from the list. Make sure to change up the exercises from workout to workout so that no two days are ever exactly the same.

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This program is designed to contain three training sessions within a 7-day time-frame. Each workout has a designated number of sets and reps per exercise to be performed each workout:

The exact same sets and reps scheme will be repeated each week for eight weeks, and each week you should be increasing the load being lifted by 1-2 percent. Rest times between sets should not exceed 90 seconds.

Click To Enlarge.
To Get The Most Out Of Total Body Training
You're Going To Have To Work.

Below is an example of how the workouts are structured.

Example Workout 1 - Sets: 3 - Reps: 5

Compound

1. Barbell Back Squat 3 X 5
2. Dumbbell Military Press 3 X 5
3. Barbell Flat Bench Press 3 X 5
4. T-Bar Rows 3 X 5

Single-Joint

1. Hammer Curls 3 X 5
2. Seated Calf Raises 3 X 5

Click Here For A Printable Log Of This Example Workout.

Conclusion

There it is - the total body 8-week training program. When performed according to the parameters outlined above your body will make a drastic transformation while leaving you an ample amount of free time to recover and enjoy the summer.

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