Giant Sets

Whoa! Have I got a workout for you. Don't let the name fool you. Giant refers to the results you get, not the size you end up. Giant sets are a type of superset, where you do multiple exercises in a row with no rest. Most people superset two exercies, or sometime three. For example, they'll do a set of biceps curls paired with a set of bent-over rows , not resting until both sets are complete. Then, they'll take a 30 second rest. It's a great way to keep your heart rate up for a longer period of time to get more bang for your buck and also do your workout in a shorter amount of time. I want you to take it up another notch and do 5 exercises in a row, with no rest until all five exercises are done, at which point you can rest for a full minute. You'll get your heart rate up for an extended period of time, you'll save time, and you'll get toned in no time.

After warming up and making sure your muscles are loose, you're ready to get started with your workout. Pick one exercise for each of the 5 major upper body regions, so one shoulder exercise, one chest exercise, one back exercise, one biceps exercise, and one triceps exercise. I chose the overhead shoulder press, bench press, bent over row, overhead triceps extension, and biceps curl. Another combination you can try is lateral shoulder raises, chest flyes, seated row, triceps extension, and hammer curls. If you don't know what some of these exercises are, just google them. They're all fairly simple. You can even look up different exercises to try to keep your muscles guessing and to avoid boredom. Just be careful to use proper form and not rush your moves.

If you don't access to a gym or don't have lots of equipment, you can use resistance bands, dumbbells, or your own body weight. For example, you could do push-ups for your chest and chair dips for your triceps. If your hands are big enough to grip them, you can even use 2 liter bottles for biceps curls and overhead extensions. Get creative!

You can also adapt this idea for your lower body by choosing five exercises that target your legs and core. You could do squats, calf raises, lunges, crunches, and deadlifts. Your options are endless and the more variety you can create with your workouts, the better results you'll see. It's fun to play around with your exercises.

For each exercise, use enough weight that you can complete 10-12 reps, but the last 2 reps should be difficult, so don't make it too easy on yourself. Also, be sure to rest 1 full minute in between each giant set. Complete 3-4 sets of the giant set, being sure to rest in between each giant set of 5 exercises. Be sure to hydrate in between each set as well and be sure to stretch and eat a good recovery meal after your workout.

Let me know how your workout goes at plankerpower@gmail.com I love hearing about your successes and I'm always interested in feedback. Have a fabulously fit day!