BASE - 4 Day Hybrid Workout

Phase ONE: Day 1 - Strength (Upper)

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

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Phase ONE: Day 2 - Strength (Lower)

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • Item description

Phase ONE: Day 3 - Cardio

  • Choose an activity where you can maintain your heart rate at around 150bpm (this is just a rough guide).

    The aim is to elevate your HR high enough that you are just able to hold a conversation.

    The best activities for cardio involve the most muscles: running and rowing (ERG Concept 2) are preferable.

    Finish off the last 5 minutes with an all out effort raising your HR to its max.

Phase ONE: Day 4 - Strength (Whole Body)

  • Squat but with a kettlebell (or dumbbell) out in front of you. As the weight is front, there is a tendency for hips to shoot up first at the bottom of the movement. Make sure you rise in unison with the weight.

    Keep the tempo slow and in control - its only 3 sets so don’t rush it.

  • Think about dropping your hips as you step back. There should be a nice stretch along your glutes as you lower your bodyweight. Hold this stretch for a second before rising.

  • Set a bench to 45 degrees. Search for the stretch along the upper part of your chest as you lower the dumbbell (you may need to experiment with various angles to find what works).

    Lock your feet in, tense the core and press. Flex at the top before slowly controlling the weight down.

  • To engage the rhomboids and lats, start the movement by imaging someone pulling a string attached to your elbow.

    As you draw the weight towards your chest, feel the back working and hold the contraction at the top.

    Lower the weight in a controlled manner - like you’re cradling it back down to the starting position.

  • This works your whole shoulder but often strains the wrist as you rotate during the press. Use a lighter weight than a normal DB Press as a result.

  • Set up a straight bar to the bottom pulley and a rope attachment to the top pulley - this becomes your station for this arm superset.

    Cable Curl - keep your elbows tucked against your torso with each rep. No swinging to maximise bicep recruitment. Squeeze the bicep at the top before slowly lowering.

    Tricep Pull Down - stand close to the cable (I find this targets the triceps better). As you pull down, think about pulling the rope apart - lock your elbows and hold that contraction before releasing.

Phase TWO: Day 1 - Strength (Upper )

  • Same structure as Phase One but with heavier loading now that your body is used to the movement.

    First 2 sets same weight. Increase weight for each set thereafter .e.g. 10 reps at 70kg and then 8 reps at 72.5kg.

  • Same as bench press with the progressive overloading scheme. First 2 sets we have the same weight and then increase for the last two set.

    If you can’t finish the 8 reps in the last set in one go, drop the bar and catch your breath before finishing the reps.

  • It’s very important to brace your core with the shoulder press as there is a tendency to overarch your back as the reps get harder.

    The smith machine is preferable for heavier weights as it reduces the chance of injury through the fixed bar path.

  • Attach the straight bar attachment to the low pulley and the rope attachment to the high pulley - this is your station for the superset.

    Starting with the curl, make sure your hands do not hinge at the wrists during the movement and that the slack is taken out of the cable before you move the weight. This ensures that you aren’t using momentum and your biceps are fully engaged.

    Jump straight to the tricep pull downs. Start with your hands together (rather than shoulder width apart which is quite common). The reason is that the biomechanics of your triceps are more suited to an angled pull down rather than a parallel one.

  • Staying on the same cables use the rope attachment for both face pulls and straight arm rope pull downs.

    The Face Pulls should work the rear delts (muscles between shoulder blades) - these are great exercises to correct the hunched postures of most office workers.

Phase TWO: Day 2 - Strength (Lower)

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • Item description

Phase TWO: Day 3 - Cardio

  • Maintain an easy conversational pace with periods of speed work (at least 3 times during the session).

Phase TWO: Day 4 - Strength (Full Body)

  • Weighted squats straight onto single leg hip thrust. 8 hip thrusts on each side to complete one set.

    There are a number of variations of the single leg hip thrust - ones off the floor and another where the feet is elevated on a bench or sofa. I prefer the later as it engages the hip flexors more (for me). Experiment with what works for you. You are looking for engagement of the muscles around the groin.

  • Adding the banded tricep kick-back builds on the foundation set in Phase One. Wrap a resistance band around an anchor point (I use the stair spindle) and then adjust the tension by walking backwards. You want to bend at your hips until torso is just above parallel before you start the movements. Hold the tension when your arm straightens for a second and then release.

  • For the banded curls, anchor a resistance band at halfway point with the heels of your feet. Grab both ends respectively in your palms and curl the band up. Shorten (or lengthen) the band to find the appropriate resistance. Hold the flex at the top for a second before releasing.

  • Choose the lightest resistance band and anchor with the heel of your feet (right foot when working the right delt and vice versa). Find the angle that works your delts the most (a 45 degree angle works best for me). Think about using your delts to move the band as opposed to your hands or arms - this cue assists with the mind muscle connection.

  • These were such a game changer for my posture and I’m grateful for having found this on the AthleanX YouTube channel during lockdown. It’s such a simple exercise with extraordinary benefits. Helps prevent rounding of the shoulders that is so prevalent among workers sitting and typing all day.

    I like to hold the superman pose for a good 2 seconds before moving the arms behind.

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3 Day Hybrid Workout
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5 Day Hybrid Workout