Tank Top Rotation

mojolisa

mojolisa

Cathlete
The Tank Top Rotation:

Day One: All Upper Body work from PS Series (chest, back, shoulders, biceps, and triceps)
Day Two: Leaner Legs from CTX or PS Strong Legs and Abs
Day Three: Triceps, biceps, and shoulders from CTX
Day Four: Lower Body from MIS
Day Five: Upper Body from MIS

As you can see, it is really easy to substitute different workouts in this rotation. Really, the point is to make sure you are hitting your biceps, triceps, and shoulders three days a week, and your chest, back, and legs twice a week.

For Day 1, I also like to use Body Max upper body (last 30 minutes of the tape). Also, I just got the Intensity DVDs last week. After I get used to their format, I will start substituting parts of those routines into this rotation.

I used this last September to get my arms ready for the Bride's Maid dress I had to wear in October. I saw great results!!

Lisa :D
 
What if your overweight and still need to lose body fat ? Can you add in cardio to the Tank Top Rotation ?

Thanks

Anna
 
I follow a little different tank top rotation.

Day #1: Pure Strength Chest, Back, Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps
Day #2: CTX Leaner Legs or S&H legs or Firm SL
Day #3: CTX Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps plus cardio
Day #4: Cardio
Day #5: MIS or PH
Day #6: Cardio
Day #7: Cardio or rest

This seems to be working for me even though I don't do all of the cardio suggested. Usually I get two definate cardio days and I play tennis once or twice a week.
 
My version of the tank top rotation calls for once a week legs, chest, and back, and twice for bi, tri, and shoulders. Its advantages are more time for cardio, and less likelihood of counterproductive overtraining. In my case this may happen, maybe because I build muscle quickly, I'm older, 43, and I get a little arthritis when I don't get good range-of-motion and heat-production of cardio on a regular basis. Also, I usually only work out 5 days a week.

So, with all that in mind, here's my tank top rotation:

Monday- S&H Tri and Bi
Tuesday- Rhythmic Step or other (Step Works, Power Max) on 6"
Wednesday- Power hour or ME or MIS (I rarely use MIS because it's over an hour)
Thursday- Cardio Kicks or other non-step cardio, like a walk or a bike ride for 30 to 60 minutes total
Friday- Rest
Saturday- Whatever you feel is lacking from the week, or a workout you miss or Boot camp or whatever
Sunday- Rest

You might be able to see from this that I am not much of a rotation person, because by Friday I usually depart from any rotation I set. That may be because I work Monday through Thursday, and I work out at 5 a.m. on those days.

So I will (sheep-like) do whatever I have written down if I do have a rotation, because that hour is too early to think or rebel. But on Saturday I can sleep a little extra and I have my wits about me by the time I select what to do. So it takes me longer to decide.
 
Miz Connie -

I like your version better - I always felt that "Tank Top" rotation was way too much. More is not always better.
 
>Has anyone done this rotation with the new tapes (i.e.,
>Pyramid, ME)?
>
>Crystal

I was debating a rotation to blast both my upper and lower body and takes no more than 1 hour. For example:

Day 1 - Legs (e.g., PS Legs, CTX Leaner Legs, Pyramid Lower Body Split, MIS (lower only), PH (lower only), or S&H Legs) plus abs
Day 2 - Back, Chest, Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps (i.e, Pure Strength)
Day 3 - Cardio plus abs
Day 4 - Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps (i.e., CTX Upper Body) plus cardio
Day 5 - Cardio plus abs
Day 6 - Back, Chest, Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps (e.g., Pyramid Upper Body Split, MIS, Body Max, or PH)
Day 7 - Rest

I would add more cardio on days 1, 2, and 6 based on how I'm feeling that day. P.S. I takes me several days to recover from leg work that's why I'm limiting it to one day a week. This routine works the legs once per week, the chest and back twice per week, the shoulders, biceps, triceps, and abs three times per week, and you get three days of cardio. Thoughts?

Crystal
 
I came up with this rotation for me for the TTA (Note: the Cardio day can also be used as a rest day if you're feeling overtrained, so initially you're only working 3 days and then you get a day off. I've been doing this and have yet to feel overtrained) I have a lot of fat to drop off of my lower half so I have to work my legs at least 2x a week. In addition, I train my entire upper body 3x a week as I've read having a nicely defined back is considered sexy on women, and my chest just needs the extra lift since I stopped nursing.

Week 1
Sunday: S & H Chest/Back + S & H Biceps/Triceps
Monday: Slow & Heavy Legs/Shoulders + 30 min Cardio
Tuesday:Cardio
Wednesday: CTX Upper Body Split + 60 min Cardio
Thursday:CTX Leaner Legs + 30 min Cardio
Friday: PS Back, Biceps, & Abs + PS Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps
Saturday: Rest

Week 2
Sunday: Pyramid Lower Body Split
Monday: Pyramid Upper Body Split + 60 min Cardio
Tuesday:Cardio
Wednesday:CTX Upper Body Split + 60 min Cardio
Thursday:CTX Leaner Legs + 30 min Cardio
Friday: PS Back, Biceps, & Abs + PS Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps
Saturday:Rest
 
Julliana,

Your rotation looks pretty intense. It looks like you have about two hours per day to train?

Crystal
 
Only on certain days Crystal, some days actually come closer to an hour and a half. Because of my high weight my trainer (when I still had one) advised I do some form of cardio on my weight training days and I read here on the forum that Cathe advises at least 4 days of cardio for successful weight loss so I aim for at least 30 minutes of something. Plus, I figure since I only use Cathe for strength training and not cardio (I use Leslie Sansone, my treadmill & stationary bike) it evens things out in the terms of avoiding overtraining.
 
You know I've been looking at this & I keep thinking wait a minute this isn't what I did last year. Someone asked if there was a way to add cardio to it. Marlene did have cardio thrown in. Please don't take offense Lisa. If your rotation worked for you without cardio, that's awesome but we all need a little cardio now & again.

So, here's the original rotation Marlene123 originally posted last spring.

Marlene123’s Tank Top Arms Rotation

Editor’s Note: This has been one of the most popular rotations of Spring 2002, and it comes from Forum regular Marlene123. In a year’s time Marlene has lost 27 pounds and become lean and cut. Here’s how she achieved real “tank top arms”:

“Here is my current rotation which I have been doing for 10 weeks. I plan to do two more weeks of this, then two to three weeks of Slow & Heavy and then back again. I have had such incredible success with this rotation that I hate to let it go even for a few weeks but I know I must to cause some muscle confusion.
Anyway, here it is (and I admit, it's a killer):
Day #1: Pure Strength Chest, Back, Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps
Day #2: CTX Leaner Legs
Day #3: CTX Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps plus cardio
Day #4: Cardio
Day #5: MIS
Day #6: Cardio
Day #7: Cardio or rest
As you can see, this routine works shoulders, biceps and triceps three times per week, chest and back twice and legs twice. I do abs 4-5 times per week as well.”
 
Thanks for thinking about my feelings, Deborah, but in no way did your post offend me. :p

I think it's great that we can share ideas for fitness and workout rotations, and you make a good point about the cardio. I'll go ahead and fess up. When I first did this rotation (I did it for about a month), I really kicked up my program during that time by training about 2 hrs a day, because I really wanted my arms to look good in that dress!!! My typical schedule is to workout in the morning for ~45-70 minutes doing cardio, weights or some combination of the two, so changing from this to 2 hrs a day was a big jump for me.

I did my regular cardio (step, kickbox or bike) in the morning, and did this weight rotation in the evening. I saw amazing results that lasted for a long time. Also, I've noticed that as long as I keep my eating pretty clean, I can do my regular routine, and substitue this program for just a couple weeks, and get some good definition back in my arms, before resuming my regular workouts.

Everyone is different, and we all have to find what works best for us. I don't have the time to do 2 hr workouts every day consistently, but doing it for that month kind of helped me get out of a plateau. Like Cathe says, "it's just a suggestion....."

Lisa :)
 
Hi Lisa,
I am going to be trying the tank top rotation.
I wondered something though... You said you had great results when you done this rotation before, how was your eating? were you eating really clean? Just curious.
I just got off a firm rotation so I'm ready for Cathe again.

Michelle:)
 
FOUND ANOTHER TANK TOP ROTATION

Hi Lisa,
I just realized that I have another rotation called the tank top rotation that is different from that one. It goes like this.

Day 1- Pure strength- chest, back, shoulders, bicep, triceps
Day 2- Cardio
Day 3- Cardio 30 minutes + shoulders, biceps, triceps
Day 4- strong legs & abs
Day 5- Cardio
Day 6-MIS

I noticed that the one has no cardio in it. Which one works the best for those great arms for summer, do you know? Thank to any feedback.

Michelle:)
 
RE: FOUND ANOTHER TANK TOP ROTATION

When I eat clean, I really go to the extreme - I mean the ultimate extreme. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats (nothing processed), seeds and nuts (but not too many), bread or rice or pasta - single servings and no more than 3 per week, cottage cheese, at least 100 oz of water per day. That's it. Sound boring, huh?

No sugar, ketchup, butter, hot dogs, chips, pop, candy, ice cream, fried anything - remember I did say this is extreme. I don't know if anyone (me included) would want to do this forever, but when I do it, I see my best results. Also, it kind of moderates my sweet tooth. Whenever I eat sweets regularly, that just makes me want more sweets. When I cut them out, I miss them like crazy in the beginning, but then I adjust.

I think either rotation (with cardio on alternate days or without) will work effectively. It kind of depends on your body type. Some people respond better with heavy weights and no cardio. I think it also depends on your starting point. If you have muscle definition, but also want to lose fat, then the cardio rotation may be the one for you. If you are lacking muscle tone, then the heavier weight focus may be a better option.

Deep down, I really believe that ANY program will be effective, as long as you are consistent.

Lisa :)
 
RE: FOUND ANOTHER TANK TOP ROTATION

M: PUB
T: PLB lower body premix up
W: CK
Th: C&W cardio timesaver + ME UB only or CTX UB
F: IM
S: PH or Pyramid Bonus Combo
S: RECOVER
 
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