You want to work out like a Yeti? I am going to post the workouts that I do each day.

Because of the lack of a defined athletic season that I had when I played football, I have since moved away from the cyclic workout ­style­ that I posted in our articles section. Rather I use defined workouts that are selected at random that are a mix of Olympic ­style­ weightlifting, Crossfit workouts, and cardio on three week rotations. The same workout is never done twice in a 3 week period.

Every workout posted here can be done at any gym that has basic weight lifting equipment.

Disclaimer: Don't be stupid. I'm not telling you to do anyting here. This is just what I do and I take responsibility for myself. If you choose to try anything posted here use common sense. Scale your workouts to your body as you know it more than anyone else. Lifting weights, if done incorrectly, can result in serious injury or death. Consult your doctor prior to beginning any workout program and use the workouts posted here at your own risk. Never lift more than your body’s known capabilities and always use a spotter.

Variations can be done for some of the exercises that involve equipment that may or may not be availible to you. Free weights are best if they are availible but machines can be used as a substitute. Remember that I am one person with one idea. However I have worked out in various systems using different ideologies and methods. The workouts that I post here are a result of a combination of these. My workouts are random to the point that even I dont know what I am doing until I get up each morning.

"Nothing worthwile was ever easy. If it were everyone would do it and then it would not be worthwile"

"When a task has once begun, leave it not until it's done. Be a matter great or small, do it well or not at all."

Warm-up and strech before each workout!

All workouts will be posted on www.retributionfitness.com However this section will keep being updated for how to do each exercise until that part gets done on the website.

Past Workouts:
Week of 11/17/08
Week of 11/10/08
Week of 11/03/08
Week of 10/27/08
Week of 10/20/08


FAQ
How much weight should I use?
The max weight that will sometimes be posted is what I do. This should be adjusted for you as a person. A general rule of thumb on the non-HiRep exercises is that you should error on the heavy side as to either barely finish your last set or be unable to complete it at the end.
Body Weight: Just body weight and no additional weights.
Increasing Weight: With each set increase the amount of weight used.
Decreasing Weight: With each set decrease the amount of weight used.
Level Weight: Use the same amount of weight for every set.

What are the different workout types?
Strength--The primary goal with this type of workout is to gain muscular and connective tissue strength. Weight is higher, repetitions are lower, and workouts are more deliberate for specific muscle groups.
Power--The primary goal with this type of workout is to gain muscular endurance through high repetition exercises that work out multiple muscle groups in a given exercise. Cardiovascular and respiratory endurance will also increase in these workouts.
Endurance--The primary goal with this type of workout is to increase cardiovascular and respiratory endurance. These workouts will usually be longer and more energy depleting.
Circuit--In this type of workout the one will do rotate exercises between sets. For example the person will complete the first set of exercise 1, then complete the first set of exercise 2, then complete the first set of exercise 3, then complete the second set of exercise 1, and so on and so forth.
Progression--In this type or workout one will complete all sets of each exercise prior to moving on to the next exercise. For example the person will complete all three sets of exercise 1, then complete all three sets of exercise 2, and then continue until all exercises are complete.
Activity--This is not a workout as it is a physical activity such as playing a sport or riding a bike.


What food/nutrition is best?
The quick answer: Eat smaller, well balanced, meals 4 to 5 times a day increasing your protein consumption when you workout. There is nothing special here. Think of your body as a biological machine. What you eat, your body digests into usable chemicals. Your body will use vitamins, minerals, and protein to maintain itself, burn calories for energy, stores some extra calories for times of hardship (fat), and then expels the rest. During your daily routine, even with no exercise, burns a certain amount of calories. Some more than other depending on your body type (muscle burns calories at rest than fat). So to maintain your exact body type you would have to consume exactly the same amount of calories. Therefore if you consume fewer calories than your body needs it will rob fat stores to cover the rest and if you consume it will store a certain portion of that as fat. Simple math. Exercise does two things. It increases the energy your body burns each day as well as helps to build muscle this increasing the amount of calories your body burns at rest. However to increase muscle you need to give it protein. Any time you move or work out it tear muscle tissue microscopically. Your body then repairs those tears and builds up additional tissue using protein. If there is not enough protein in the system the tears will heal without any build up of additional tissue. Therefore you need to get additional protein into your system. However all protein is not the same. Human protein is a chain of amino acids in a certain order. Chicken protein is a chain of amino acids in a different order. When you eat chicken your body breaks down its protein into the individual amino acids, rearranges them into human order, and then uses them to maintain and rebuild muscle.(Logically this says that the best thing to do is eat human meat. However this has negative affects on other parts of the body, detrimental to your health, illegal, and wrong.) This rebuilding takes time. When you complete a workout you need protein in your body as quickly as possible. Therefore if you take a protein shake or amino acids after a work out your body can digest and use them faster thus rebuilding muscle. So basically: Eat smaller, well balanced, meals 4 to 5 times a day increasing your protein consumption when you workout

Recently I read the book “The Paleo Diet for Athletes” and have been following the priciples set forth in it. This is my forum post on it.

How do you do each exercise? (This will be added to each day)
Elliptical/Jog: Elliptical is best at a difficult resistance because it is a full body workout, jogging up a hill is good if elliptical is not available, and jogging on a flat surface/treadmill is acceptable if the other two are not available
Pull-ups: Come down to a full hang and back up so that your chin is over the bar. When you can not do any more on your own you may have a spotter/machine assist you by pulling up on your feet or touch the ground between reps.
Push-ups: Back straight, on your toes, hands shoulder with apart, and touch your nose to the ground each rep.
Sit-ups: Full sit-ups not crunches. Hands across your chest, touch your back to the ground and then your chest to your knees.
HiRep Squats: No-weight to light-weight squats that are meant for good form. Good form = back straight, chest out, shoulders back and feet shoulder with apart. Squat down until your thighs are parallel with the ground. If you have no-weight your hands and arms should be extended straight out in front of you and if you have weight here are two variations on how to hold it: Variant 1 and Variant 2
Incline Barbell Bench Press: An incline bench press using a barbell set up. Be sure not to arch your back, keep your feet grounded and breathe normally throughout the exercise.
Power Push-up: Like a regular push-up except you need to place some two platforms (stacked weights, aerobics steps, etc) just to the outside of your hands. Go down like a regular push-up but then when you come up, launch yourself so that you land on the platforms in the up position.
Flys: Either dumbbells or machine. Be sure to keep your shoulders back, elbows locked, and touch your hands together each rep.
One Arm Dumbbell Row: On a flat bench place your left knee and left hand on the bench and your right foot on the ground. Holding a dumbbell in your right hand, arm extended, pull it towards your chest. Here is a good pic of the proper form. Switch sides and do it again. Be sure to keep your back straight and shoulders level.
Lat Pull Downs: If possible use a “Hammer Strength” type machine otherwise just a regular machine is fine. If no machine is possible then just do wide grip pull ups.
Hang Clean: Proper form is essential. This is good webpage on how to do it right.
Bar Dips: Move smoothly and avoid any rocking or jerking motion. Press yourself with your arms fully extended above the Parallel bars, next lower your body under control as far down as you can. From the bottom, drive back up to the top with arms locked out, squeeze the triceps and Pectorals at the top.
Barbell Bench Press: The classic bench press on a flat bench. Be sure not to arch your back and keep your feet grounded throughout the exercise. Either touch the bar to your chest or bring it down until your upper arm is parallel to the ground.
Dumbbell Incline Bench Press: An incline bench press using dumbbells. Be sure not to arch your back, keep your feet grounded, and breathe normally.
Shrugs: While standing and holding dumbbells at your side, pull your shoulders up in a shrugging motion, hold for a half count and lower. Movement should be done smoothly.
Inverted Body Row: Think of a reverse bench press. Laying flat on your back with a secured bar above you, pull your body towards the bar, keeping your body straight, and your feet stationary. Touch the bar to your chest and then lower yourself back down. This is a good picture of how to do it.
Dumbbell Military Press: A military press using dumbbells. This is a short animation on how to do it.
Front Raises: Grab one dumbbell in one hand and let it hang by your side. Keeping your body from squirming raise the dumbbell in front of you until its level with your shoulder and then lower back down to you side. Repeat smoothly without letting the weight swing at the bottom until you finish the reps with one arm and then switch to the other arm. Keep your elbow locked and arm straight the whole time.
Lateral Raises: Grab one dumbbell in one hand and let it hang by your side. Keeping your body from squirming raise the dumbbell to your side until its level with your shoulder and then lower back down to you side. Repeat smoothly without letting the weight swing at the bottom until you finish the reps with one arm and then switch to the other arm. Keep your elbow locked and arm straight the whole time.
Medicine Ball Throw: Take a medicine ball, keep both feed firmly planted and use just your upper body to throw it. Preferably this is done with a partner but can be done solo by throwing the ball against a wall wit a target marked on it (example: taped X). Distance a ball weight is up to you. Increases in both show fortitude.
Seated Row: This is a machine workout where you sit and pull the weight towards you. A Hammer Strength machine is preferred but if unavailable use any machine.
Rotating Pushups: Just like a regular push-up, but when you reach the “up” position you lift one hand off the ground and pull your elbow back like a single arm dumbbell row. This can be done with just bodyweight or you can use dumbbells. If you use dumbbells instead of placing your hands on the floor you must balance yourself and grip the dumbbells. This video should show you how to perform them.
Dumbbell Side Lunges: While holding one dumbbell in both hands up against your chest step to the one side as far as you can, squatting down on that leg and keeping your other leg straight and your foot planted on the ground. Push off the squatted leg and return the starting position and repeat on other side. Keep your chest out and your back straight. This is an animation of the workout using two dumbbells However, I prefer the single dumbbell method.
Single Arm Dumbbell Bench Press: The classic bench press using dumbbells. Performed while laying on a flat bench and a dumbbell in each hand, do all reps with one arm while leaving the opposite arm (holding the dumbbell) in the up (extended) position. Then switch and do the same with the other arm. This is one complete set.
Standing Dumbbell Military Press: The same as the regular Military Press exercise except done while standing. Be to keep your back straight, abs engaged, and feet set about shoulder width apart.
Bike: Preferably a real bike but a stationary one will do. Push as hard as you want to do however a mix of difficulty is best.
Swiss Ball Push-ups: This is a pushup with both feet on the ground and your hands planted on an “Ab Ball”. Keep the back straight and the body controlled. Touch your chest to the ab ball each rep but be sure not to bounce.
Upright Row: Standing straight with your feet shoulder width apart hold a barbell/curl bar in front of you with your hands about 4 to 6 inches apart. Keeping your body straight, pull the bar up towards your chin as high as you can. This is good diagram on how to do it correctly.
Dumbbell Curl Press: Standing straight with a dumbbell in each hand, curl the weight up to your chest and then lift it straight up over your head. Return the weight to the shoulders and then back to your sides.
Deadlift: With feet flat beneath bar, squat down and grasp bar with a shoulder width or slightly wider over hand or mixed grip. Lift bar by extending hips and knees to full extension. Pull shoulders back at top of lift if rounded. Return and repeat. Throughout lift keep hips low, shoulders high, arms and back straight. Knees should point same direction as feet throughout movement. Keep bar close to body to improve mechanical leverage. This is a good animation of the proper technique. Lumbar belt is recommended!
Step Ups: While holding dumbbells in each hand at your side, step up onto a platform of desired height with one leg, then step back down using the same leg. Rotate between each leg, once each leg is one rep. Keep your back straight, shoulders back, and follow through with the opposite leg. This is a good animation of what to do showing the follow through with the opposite leg.
Stair Climb: Preferably actual stairs but the stair climbing machine will suffice. Measure the height of the actual stairs to figure how many to do. The stair climbing machine will do this for you.
Single Arm Standing Dumbbell Military Press: The same as the Standing Dumbbell Military Press but do one arm at a time. Keep your body straight and don’t wobble. Do one arm’s reps and then the other within each set.
Bent Over Rows: Hands shoulder width apart and keeping your back straight, pull the barbell up to your chest. This is a good animation on how to do it.
Dumbbell Hang Clean and Press: Hang Cleans using dumbbells with a vertical press at the top. This is a great write up on how to do the clean portion of the exercise properly.
Front Lunges: Holding a dumbbell in each hand, step forward with one leg keeping the other foot stationary. Touch the stationary foot’s knee to the ground and then return to standing position. Repeat for opposite leg to complete one rep. This is a good animation on the correct technique.
Medicine Ball Throw: If you have a partner, pass the ball between each other from 10ft to 30ft away from each other. If no partner is available throw the ball against a wall from the same distance attempting to hit a marked target (taped X). When passing the ball use a two handed basketball chest pass keeping feet planted.

Does it have to be free weights? I have a bow flex i use here at home and can do a lot of the same stuff free weights can. I have a membership to 24 hour fitness but i use that for 2 hour cardio in the morning after work then work out on the bowflex at night.

Bowflex? it seems you have given in to Chuck Norris's persuasiveness


@ yeti, im up for it, i do a pretty intense schedule for myself already

bowflex isn't chuck noris and i have had it for a long time now. i don;t have time to spend at the gym so i got it so i can work out well the kids are asleep.

in my opinion the only way to do weights is free weights other than that yeti at our school our football weight program was taken from USC so it is pretty good they mix it up that makes for a great 30 min workout.