Bodybuilding.com - Workout Plan For September: Plateau Buster!

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Todd Opheim is a certified personal trainer located in Boise, Idaho.

This month's workout will focus on intensity and the principle known as rest-pause. This is a definite plateau buster for anyone who is stuck in a training rut.

Workout Plan For September:
Plateau Buster!

By: Todd Opheim

This month's workout will focus on intensity and the principle known as rest-pause. This is a definite plateau buster for anyone who is stuck in a training rut. This program is short and sweet, and the intensity required is almost unfathomable. It is designed to be used in conjunction with last month's workout as a way to keep your training fresh.

You should simply replace one of the workouts from last month with the corresponding day of this month's workout. Please do not attempt to do any of these workouts more than once a month or so, as they will quickly lead to overtraining. You can expect to be sore for close to a week after each of these workouts and I'm talking about the "sore to the core" type of soreness.

Not scared yet? Here is a brief synopsis of how to perform the workouts and what to expect.

1. You will be working with sets of 25, 50, and 100. For the 25 rep sets, choose a weight that you could normally perform for only 8 - 10 reps. For the 50 rep sets, choose a weight that you could normally perform 15 reps. For the 100 rep sets, choose a weight that you could normally perform for 20 reps.

2. Perform each set in rest-pause fashion. For example: If you are performing the Leg Press for 100 reps, you would choose a weight that you could normally perform for 20 reps. When you reach momentary muscular failure, rack the weight. After 5 - 10 seconds, unrack the weight and continue for as many reps as you can, then rack the weight again. Continue in this fashion until you reach 100 reps. Do not pause for more than 10 seconds until the full 100 reps have been completed.

3. Rest for 3 - 5 minutes between sets.

4. For safety purposes, these exercises are best performed with a spotter.

5. Remember to breath throughout your sets. These sets can take as long as 6 minutes to perform so oxygen becomes vital to both your success and your physical safety.

6. Do not quit when the going gets tough... it will. Keep your form strict even though it will be difficult.

7. This training requires a great deal of mental stamina as well as physica stamina. Some people who I've had try this program have described the last 20 reps as an "out of body experience". Utilize this to strengthen your mind and remember this kind of intensity when you go back to more conventional training. This should allow you to realistically judge whether or not you haev really been giving it your all on your training schedules.

Follow the above guidelines with this program and you will be able to break free of any training plateaus that my be keeping you down. Good luck and train hard!

Workout Bodypart Exercise Name Sets Reps

Day #1 Chest Flat Barbell Press (or machine press) 2 25, 25

Pec-Deck (or dumbbell flyes) 2 25, 25

Shoulders Overhead Dumbbell Press (or machine military) 2 25, 25

Dumbbell Lateral Raise (or machine lateral raise) 2 25, 25

Triceps Pushdowns (or close grip pushups) 2 25, 25

Day #2 Compound Legs Leg Press 1 100

Quads Leg Extensions 2 50, 50

Hamstrings Lying or Seated Leg Curls 2 50, 50

Calves Standing Calf Raises 1 100

Abs Hanging Ab Raises 1 100

Day #3 Lats Lat. Pulldowns 2 25, 25

Rhomboids Seated Rows 2 25, 25

Rear-delts Reverse Pec Deck Flyes 2 25, 25

Traps Barbell Shrugs 2 25, 25

Biceps Barbell Curls 2 25, 25