morningstar
Cathlete
I created these strength workouts a while ago in honour of my new dumbbell rack, but I've just now started to try them out. For this series, I wanted something very simple with minimal equipment that would really bite the muscles. They are full body workouts, but could be adjusted for splits.
Start with the highest weight you can lift with fairly good form for 4-6 reps and work to fatigue at that weight (meaning that when you lose your good form, you have worked to fatigue). Lower your weight without a break and go to fatigue at the next weight. Continue to lower your weights as you reach fatigue; don’t take breaks between weights. "Run the rack" to the lowest weight.
Note: legs and abs do not generally follow the “run the rack” protocol, as it would not be safe to work legs that way without a spotter and a squat rack and most of the ab exercises do not incorporate weights. For shorter workouts, I just pick the ab and leg exercises I feel like doing for that day as there are a lot to choose from. And you can thank Cathe for those slow count lunges!
For workouts under one hour, spend the allotted time (in brackets) on each body part. Otherwise, finish the exercises in each section. Version 4 is specifically intended to only be a short workout, but is very effective because of the slow reps and holds.
Take a one minute rest between body parts.
Weights noted are what I am comfortable with (or rather, uncomfortable with!); use what works for you.
I have been doing a different version of the workout each time, so even though I'm only doing one exercise for each muscle group, I'm hitting them differently for each workout. My rotation calls for 3 times a week, two of which are shorter workouts and one that runs the rack all the way down (on the weekend, when I have more time). Even for the shorter workouts, at only 5 minutes per muscle group, man, I'm sure feeling it! I wouldn't do this workout series for more than a couple of weeks in a row, though, because it is very intense if you are truly working to fatigue, although you wouldn't think it to look at it.
Run the Rack Version 1
Warm Up (3)
Back (5)
Overhand two arm rows (start at 110BB)
Legs (5)
Wall squat hold to pre-fatigue (35DB)
100 Narrow squats (75BB)
100 Wide squats (75BB)
100 Plie squats (75BB)
Chest (5)
Bench Press (start at 45DB)
Shoulders (5)
Overhead Press (start at 30DB)
Abs (5-skip the planks)
3 minute plank
2 minute plank
1 minute plank
50 Alternating side plank hip dips
50 Russian Twists (15KB)
50 Butterfly crunches
50 Regular crunches
25 Roll ups
50 Alternating Squirms
50 Side to side twists with dumbbell (15DB)
50 Overhead side to side bends with dumbbell (15DB)
50 alternating woodchoppers with dumbbell (10DB)
75 Two leg hip flexor raises
Biceps (5)
Bicep curls (start at 30DB)
Triceps (5)
Weighted tricep dips (start at 40DB)
Stretch (7)
Run the Rack Version 2
Warm Up (3)
Legs (5)
50 alternating forward lunges (20DB)
50 alternating back lunges (20DB)
25 static lunges, right (15)
25 static lunges, left (15)
8 slow count lunges, right (down 4, hold 4, pulse 4, hold 4, up 4) (no weight)
8 slow count lunges, left (down 4, hold 4, pulse 4, hold 4, up 4) (no weight)
Chest (5)
Chest Flies (start at 35DB)
Back (5)
Underhand two arm rows (start at 110BB)
Abs (5-skip planks)
3 minute plank
2 minute plank
1 minute plank
50 Alternating side plank hip dips
50 Russian Twists (15KB)
50 Butterfly crunches
50 Regular crunches
25 Roll ups
50 Alternating Squirms
50 Side to side twists with dumbbell (15DB)
50 Overhead side to side bends with dumbbell (15DB)
50 alternating woodchoppers with dumbbell (10DB)
75 Two leg hip flexor raises
Shoulders (5)
Bent Arm Lateral Raise (start at 20DB)
Biceps (5)
Hammer curls (start at 30DB)
Triceps (5)
Skull Crushers (start at 30DB)
Stretch (7)
Run the Rack Version 3
Warm Up (3)
Chest (5)
Push-ups (go until you hit the carpet, rest 15 seconds, repeat until you can’t do 2 reps without a break)
Mid-Abs (1)
50 Butterfly crunches
Legs (5)
Wall squat hold to pre-fatigue the quads (35 DB)
100 narrow squats (75DB)
100 plie squats (75DB)
100 wide squats (75DB)
Deadlifts (run the rack, start at 45DB)
Calf Raises (run the rack, start at 45DB)
Abs-General (2)
3 minute plank
2 minute plank
1 minute plank
50 Regular crunches
25 Roll ups
75 Two leg hip flexor raises
Back (5)
One-arm rows (start at 45DB) (Do all right first, then all left)
Shoulders (5)
Rear Delt Flye (start at 20DB)
Oblique Abs (2)
50 Alternating side plank hip dips
50 Russian Twists (15KB)
50 Side to side twists with dumbbell (15DB)
50 Overhead side to side bends with dumbbell (15DB)
50 alternating woodchoppers with dumbbell (10DB)
Biceps (5)
Concentration curls (start at 25DB) (Do all right first, then all left)
Triceps (5)
Overhead Extensions (start at 30DB)
Stretch (7)
Run the Rack Version 4 – 50 minutes
Warm Up (3)
Legs (5)
25 static lunges, right (15DB)
25 static lunges, left (15DB)
4 slow count lunges, right (down 4, hold 4, pulse 4, hold 4, up 4) (5DB)
4 slow count lunges, left (down 4, hold 4, pulse 4, hold 4, up 4) (5DB)
Chest (5) slow reps
Chest Flies (start at 35DB)
Back (5) slow reps
Pullovers (warm up at 20 then start at 45 DB)
Abs (5)
25 Roll ups
50 Butterfly crunches
25 Regular crunches
Shoulders (5) – as weight lowers, incorporate holds and slow reps
Bent Arm Lateral Raise (start at 20DB)
Biceps (5) – as weight lowers, incorporate holds, slow reps and pulses
Hammer curls (start at 25DB)
Triceps (5) – as weight lowers, incorporate holds and slow reps
Skull Crushers (start at 25DB)
Stretch (4)
Start with the highest weight you can lift with fairly good form for 4-6 reps and work to fatigue at that weight (meaning that when you lose your good form, you have worked to fatigue). Lower your weight without a break and go to fatigue at the next weight. Continue to lower your weights as you reach fatigue; don’t take breaks between weights. "Run the rack" to the lowest weight.
Note: legs and abs do not generally follow the “run the rack” protocol, as it would not be safe to work legs that way without a spotter and a squat rack and most of the ab exercises do not incorporate weights. For shorter workouts, I just pick the ab and leg exercises I feel like doing for that day as there are a lot to choose from. And you can thank Cathe for those slow count lunges!
For workouts under one hour, spend the allotted time (in brackets) on each body part. Otherwise, finish the exercises in each section. Version 4 is specifically intended to only be a short workout, but is very effective because of the slow reps and holds.
Take a one minute rest between body parts.
Weights noted are what I am comfortable with (or rather, uncomfortable with!); use what works for you.
I have been doing a different version of the workout each time, so even though I'm only doing one exercise for each muscle group, I'm hitting them differently for each workout. My rotation calls for 3 times a week, two of which are shorter workouts and one that runs the rack all the way down (on the weekend, when I have more time). Even for the shorter workouts, at only 5 minutes per muscle group, man, I'm sure feeling it! I wouldn't do this workout series for more than a couple of weeks in a row, though, because it is very intense if you are truly working to fatigue, although you wouldn't think it to look at it.
Run the Rack Version 1
Warm Up (3)
Back (5)
Overhand two arm rows (start at 110BB)
Legs (5)
Wall squat hold to pre-fatigue (35DB)
100 Narrow squats (75BB)
100 Wide squats (75BB)
100 Plie squats (75BB)
Chest (5)
Bench Press (start at 45DB)
Shoulders (5)
Overhead Press (start at 30DB)
Abs (5-skip the planks)
3 minute plank
2 minute plank
1 minute plank
50 Alternating side plank hip dips
50 Russian Twists (15KB)
50 Butterfly crunches
50 Regular crunches
25 Roll ups
50 Alternating Squirms
50 Side to side twists with dumbbell (15DB)
50 Overhead side to side bends with dumbbell (15DB)
50 alternating woodchoppers with dumbbell (10DB)
75 Two leg hip flexor raises
Biceps (5)
Bicep curls (start at 30DB)
Triceps (5)
Weighted tricep dips (start at 40DB)
Stretch (7)
Run the Rack Version 2
Warm Up (3)
Legs (5)
50 alternating forward lunges (20DB)
50 alternating back lunges (20DB)
25 static lunges, right (15)
25 static lunges, left (15)
8 slow count lunges, right (down 4, hold 4, pulse 4, hold 4, up 4) (no weight)
8 slow count lunges, left (down 4, hold 4, pulse 4, hold 4, up 4) (no weight)
Chest (5)
Chest Flies (start at 35DB)
Back (5)
Underhand two arm rows (start at 110BB)
Abs (5-skip planks)
3 minute plank
2 minute plank
1 minute plank
50 Alternating side plank hip dips
50 Russian Twists (15KB)
50 Butterfly crunches
50 Regular crunches
25 Roll ups
50 Alternating Squirms
50 Side to side twists with dumbbell (15DB)
50 Overhead side to side bends with dumbbell (15DB)
50 alternating woodchoppers with dumbbell (10DB)
75 Two leg hip flexor raises
Shoulders (5)
Bent Arm Lateral Raise (start at 20DB)
Biceps (5)
Hammer curls (start at 30DB)
Triceps (5)
Skull Crushers (start at 30DB)
Stretch (7)
Run the Rack Version 3
Warm Up (3)
Chest (5)
Push-ups (go until you hit the carpet, rest 15 seconds, repeat until you can’t do 2 reps without a break)
Mid-Abs (1)
50 Butterfly crunches
Legs (5)
Wall squat hold to pre-fatigue the quads (35 DB)
100 narrow squats (75DB)
100 plie squats (75DB)
100 wide squats (75DB)
Deadlifts (run the rack, start at 45DB)
Calf Raises (run the rack, start at 45DB)
Abs-General (2)
3 minute plank
2 minute plank
1 minute plank
50 Regular crunches
25 Roll ups
75 Two leg hip flexor raises
Back (5)
One-arm rows (start at 45DB) (Do all right first, then all left)
Shoulders (5)
Rear Delt Flye (start at 20DB)
Oblique Abs (2)
50 Alternating side plank hip dips
50 Russian Twists (15KB)
50 Side to side twists with dumbbell (15DB)
50 Overhead side to side bends with dumbbell (15DB)
50 alternating woodchoppers with dumbbell (10DB)
Biceps (5)
Concentration curls (start at 25DB) (Do all right first, then all left)
Triceps (5)
Overhead Extensions (start at 30DB)
Stretch (7)
Run the Rack Version 4 – 50 minutes
Warm Up (3)
Legs (5)
25 static lunges, right (15DB)
25 static lunges, left (15DB)
4 slow count lunges, right (down 4, hold 4, pulse 4, hold 4, up 4) (5DB)
4 slow count lunges, left (down 4, hold 4, pulse 4, hold 4, up 4) (5DB)
Chest (5) slow reps
Chest Flies (start at 35DB)
Back (5) slow reps
Pullovers (warm up at 20 then start at 45 DB)
Abs (5)
25 Roll ups
50 Butterfly crunches
25 Regular crunches
Shoulders (5) – as weight lowers, incorporate holds and slow reps
Bent Arm Lateral Raise (start at 20DB)
Biceps (5) – as weight lowers, incorporate holds, slow reps and pulses
Hammer curls (start at 25DB)
Triceps (5) – as weight lowers, incorporate holds and slow reps
Skull Crushers (start at 25DB)
Stretch (4)
Last edited:
