Day 4: Dynamic workout

Today is a volume dynamic day. Another fun one... the 10's workout. We are going to go on the bosu ball again, and I have incorporated the swiss ball as well. Have fun with it!

4 sets of 10, bar hits the rack only after all exercises are finished. Use light weight. I am at 55 lbs.

Bent over row (on bosu)

Romanian Deadlift (on bosu)

Reverse curl (on bosu)

Shoulder press (on bosu)

Back Squat (on bosu)

Bench press on swiss ball

Side lunge on floor

Deadlift (on bosu)

Upright row (on bosu)

Front squat (on bosu)

Calf raise, bar on back (on bosu)

Close grip bench on swiss ball

Ball crunch X 30

(rest)

Do Work!

Days 2 and 3 - Recovery and Rest

Day 2 this week will be dedicated to active recovery. The core workout from last week was more than enough to create the soreness so even though day 3 is a rest day, that's where we will do our ancillaries. Speaking of, soon we will be adding more to that list but I will update you on that as we go. Until then get ready for a good dynamic day and we will go from there.

Cycle 6, Day 1: Hypertrophy

Back on the horse again, ready for another big cycle. We are still trying to increase some volume to our hypertrophy, but we are also still trying to diversify it as well. Make sure you are keeping a record so that when we repeat exercises we can continue to move up in weight as we go. Although this week we do have a couple new exercises to our current program. A lot of volume so keep it going!

3 sets of 12

Bulgarian squat with DB (20)
One-arm DB row (75)
Romanian Deadlift with DB (70)
Decline DB fly (35)
Lateral to front raise (10)
DB Shrug (85)

Days 7 and 8: Rest and recovery

As always we end the cycle with rest and recovery. I took day 5 off, and so I will be doing 2 days of active recovery. Also, one of these days should involve our ancillary exercises. As a reminder, here are those exercises:

Scapular stabilization series 2 x 15

internal/external shoulder rotation 2 x 12

Forward and reverse cable pitching on left leg 2 x 12

Planks 2 x 30s. 15s rest

Day 5 and 6 - Rest and Strength

Day 5 you will need to rest if you did the dynamic workout on day 4. Simply put, the amount of core stability that you used there is enough to really fatigue your muscles for a couple days, and day 6 is a strength day, so you will need everything you have. I, personally, did my workout this morning and was still sore from day 4, so take your time.

Day 5 strength is a step up day in weight. Remember that progressive overload is essential, even if you don't feel like it. Believe me it works, so when you step under that squat bar, your body is ready for the challenge of an extra 20 lbs. If you really struggled the last cycle, you can stay at the same weight, but don't make a habit of it. And next step up day it has to change. In fact, I moved up my lat pulldown today after not doing so last step up day.

Here is the workout:

2 sets of 5

Back squat (315)

Incline Bench Press (205)

Deadlift (225)

Front Pulldown (262.5)

Power Clean (185)

Push Press (135)

Get stronger today!

Day 4: Dynamic workout

Todays workout is light weight and technical. Not an easy one but its one of those challengers. Here it is. I have also put adjustments in case you do not have a Bosu ball. Have fun.

2 sets of 15:

• One-arm chest press throws on a swiss ball with a medball (literally throw and catch the ball in the chest press position)
• Bosu squats with rotations with a medball (while in the squat position, rotate to both sides then stand up) if you don't have a bosu do one leg at a time, but only 10 reps per leg
• Standing shoulder press throws on a bosu or one leg with a medball (literally throw and catch the ball in the shoulder press position)
• Medball standing reach throughs (pick up the medball, reach it overhead, set it down, go all the way back up, then reach through and grab the medball again)
• Standing, one-arm resistance band row on bosu or one leg
• Single leg hops with medball (carry it like a football, switch arms each set)
• Standing, one-arm resistance band upright row on bosu or one leg

Eventually I will do vids for these messed up exercises. Email me with questions at acesgoldsoftball@yahoo.com.

Days 2 and 3: Recovery

After hypertrophy always comes recovery. I chose active recovery and a big cardio day because it was beautiful outside. 3 miles running and mountain biking for a couple of hours. Tomorrow is either rest or I may also do a light cardio day with the ansillaries. Remember what they are:

Scapular stabilization series 2 x 15

internal/external shoulder rotation 2 x 12

Forward and reverse cable pitching on left leg 2 x 12

Planks 2 x 30s. 15s rest

Do work!

Cycle 5, Day 1: Hypertrophy

Let's get this done today. Short and sweet. This is it:

3 sets of 12

Overhead Squat (95)

Medball pushups (12 each arm)

Sumo Deadlift (135)

Pull-ups

Step-ups (20 lb. DB)

High Pull (115)

Hanging Leg lifts

Lateral raise (10)

Days 7 and 8: Rest and recovery

These two days have one active recovery and one rest day. Remember that you grow when you rest. So spend one of these days resting completely. The other day let's do active recovery, 20 min. of cardio.

Day 5 and 6 - Active Recovery and Strength

Yesterday was a good day for cardio, I decided. So, I did my own little quadrathalon:

10 min. Bike
10 min. Rowing Machine
10 min. Run
10 min. Swim

Good stuff and it really doesn't feel like you are working all that hard. Except for dying on the swim.

Today, as always, is a strength day. Same lifts, stepping up sets to add volume:

3 sets of 5 with full recovery for:

Back squat (295)

Incline Bench Press (195)

Deadlift (205)

Front Pulldown (255)

Power Clean (155)

Push Press (115)

Tomorrow will be active recovery and some ancillary stuff before a good weekend. Hope you all are great. Remember to email me with any comments or questions: aphfastpitch@hotmail.com

Day 4: Dynamic Workout

After the two rest days we are back to working out. Today is a pretty taxing workout, but I think you will like it. Every exercise is done 5 times with no rest until the entire mega set is done. Alternate the mega sets and do 3 of each set. The two Mega sets include:

Standing:
Romanian Deadlift
Bent over row
High Pull
Hang Clean
Front squat
Push Press
Back squat
Snatch
Deadlift
Bent over row

Ground:
Floor wipers
Bench
Leg Lifts w/ bar
Close grip bench
Pullover w/ bar

Cycle 4, Day 1: Hypertrophy

New cycle, always starts with hypertrophy. Just an easy one, but we are increasing the number of sets, again setting up for more volume later on.

3 sets of 12

45 degree leg press with calf raises (360)

Seated row (150)

Single leg curl (60)

Upright row (70)

Cable crossover (70)

Lateral cable shoulder extension (30)

Next two days are active recovery and rest. Blog you tomorrow.

Days 7 and 8: Rest and recovery

Both of these days at the end of the cycle are meant for rest and recovery. At least one of them is should be an active recovery, the other a rest or cardio day. The Active recovery day should go as follows:

30 min. Cardio (I did 10 bike, 10 run, 10 row)

Scapular stabilization series 2 x 15

internal/external shoulder rotation 2 x 12

Forward and reverse cable pitching on left leg 2 x 12

Planks 2 x 30s. 15s rest

Other day:

20 min. cardio (I swam)

Day 5 and 6 - Rest and Strength

Day 5: Rest day

Take your time in the early days of getting back going. You can do active rest with some cardio, but you are well off to hold off.

Day 6: Strength Day

Just like the last 2 cycles, we are using the same exercises but this time we increase weight. It shouldn't be tough at this point, but we will also step down in sets, just to make sure we are ready. If you are struggling with a certain weight, wait until the next weight increase until you step up again. Be sure to warm up each exercise before each new exercise. This will be a good habit to get into when we really get up in the load increases.

2 sets of 5 with full recovery

Back squat (295)

Incline Bench Press (195)

Deadlift (205)

Front Pulldown (255)

Power Clean (155)

Push Press (115)

Day 4: Dynamic workout

We are back to our dynamic workout. I really like the LeBron workout that I gave my homegirl Stacy Birk the other day and that is what I am going to give you today. This workout is a workout that LeBron does himself, only he splits it into 2 days. We won't. Have fun with it, let me know what you think.

2 sets of 10: Light weight

standing one-arm cable chest press (cable set just below chest level)
standing one-arm cable row

Standing one-arm, one-leg shoulder press (cable set on the ground)
Standing one-arm, one-leg upright row
***rotate legs on each set (first set all on left leg, second set all on right)

One-legged squats (no weight) with 12 in. drop
One-legged swiss ball leg curls (tough to do, take your time)

Condor Lunges (walking lunge with 5 lb. dumbells, each time you stand up you do a lateral fly on one leg)
Planks (20s on, 10 off, all 4 sides)

Days 2 and 3: Recovery

We take our two days of recovery after hypertrophy, one day involves our prehab and ancillaries and the other day is straight rest or just some light cardio. This cycle I did workout both days. Here's what I came up with:

Day 2:

20 min cardio (cross-train)

glute-ham situps 2 X 15

internal/external rotations 2 X 15

Day 3:

Rest or

20 min. cardio (I gave myself a treat and snuck into Doak Campbell Stadium and ran the bleachers. Totally awesome, but I died)

Tomorrow is a dynamic day. Hit you with that later.